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Derek Meyer, Mike Vrabel and suffocating defense hold up New England patriots Returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since tom brady and Bill Belichick They won their sixth ring together seven years ago.
Patriots (17-3) defeated denver broncos Advance to Super Bowl 12 with a 10-7 victory in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
They will face the winner of the NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams (14-5) and the Seattle Seahawks (15-3).
Either way, this will be a rematch.
On February 3, 2002, Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 victory over the highly favored “Greatest Show on the Field” St. Louis Rams, winning the team’s first Super Bowl championship.
On February 3, 2019, the Patriots also defeated Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams 13-3 to win the team’s sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
On February 1, 2015, New England defeated Pete Carroll’s Seahawks 28-24 when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass at the 1-yard line.
Meyer scored a 6-yard touchdown in the second quarter after a key fumble by Jarrett Stidham, who was making his fifth career start in place of injured Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.
“Baby, the Pats are back,” Meyer said. “Now, one must win.”
Braving a snowstorm in the second half, Meyer passed for only 86 yards and ran for 65 yards. Stidham passed for 133 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a costly fumble.
Meyer, 23, an AP finalist National Football League MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, will become the second youngest starting quarterback in a Super Bowl after Dan Marino. He is the fourth second-year quarterback in the past seven years to lead a team to an NFL championship. Patrick Mahomes (2018) won the championship, while Joe Burrow (2021) and Brock Purdy (2023) lost.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a Patriots linebacker in the 2000s, turned the franchise around in his first season as coach. Under Jerod Mayo, New England improved to 14-3 from 4-13 last year.
Vrabel is trying to become the first man to win a Super Bowl as a head coach and player for the same team. Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson won Super Bowls while playing for one team and coaching another.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to be able to work with these guys and this organization,” said Vrabel, a finalist for The Associated Press’ NFL Coach of the Year award. “I’m not going to win the game. I promise you it’s going to be the players that win the game. It’s not going to be me winning the game and I promise you I’m going to do the best I can and get our staff ready for the game.”
The Patriots are the team with the most Super Bowl appearances, with a record of 6-5. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins.
It’s a long road back to the top for New England, which has had four straight winning seasons and just one win since Brady left in 2020.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL