Patriots Past: Once Dominant on AFC Championship Sunday, Who Does New England Root For Now?
Little did we know that Rex Burkhead's 2-yard run in Arrowhead Stadium four years ago was the beginning of the end.
Once as commonplace in late January AFC Championship Games as brutal winters in Boston, the New England Patriots will again only be spectators when the Super Bowl is set this Sunday in Philadelphia and Kansas City. In an era before the Pats were forced to fix their current offensive problems with a past repair, they dominated the AFC.
Bill Belichick and Tom Brady combined to play in an astonishing 13 AFC Championship Games in 18 years, including eight in a row 2011-18. They went 9-4 on championship Sunday, the last of which came four years ago in an iconic win over the Chiefs.
New England led 14-0 at the half, then had to withstand a furious rally led by NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. The fourth quarter featured 38 points. Chris Hogan's one-hand grab. Dee Ford's game-saving offside penalty. Mahomes-to-Kelce in its infancy. Brady at the peak of his powers. And, finally, Burkhead's score to win it in overtime, 37-31.
It might have been New England's best AFC Championship Game. It was also its last.
The Pats won Super Bowl LIII two weeks later and ... haven't won a playoff game since.
This weekend Pats fans are reduced to trying to find a rooting angle. It's not easy.
In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers no longer boast ex-Patriot Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. Instead, their discovery of Brock Purdy in the 7th round of the draft has diluted our excitement at landing Bailey Zappe in the 4th.
But they're the no-brainer choice over the Eagles, because of Super Bowl LII.
Since the AFC East is no longer represented, we're essentially pulling for a pair of former Pats' offensive linemen: Bengals (Ted Karras) vs. Chiefs (Joe Thuney).
This season New England only played one of the final four teams. It was poised to beat the Bengals on Christmas Eve until running back Rhamondre Stevenson's fumble inside Cincinnati's 10-yard line in the final minute led to an excruciating 22-18 loss.
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