Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was one of few bright spots during the team’s AFC Championship matchup against the Denver Broncos. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The New England Patriots started off the 2015 season with controversy, uncertainty, and a bad reputation. The defending Super Bowl champions began their 2015 campaign with star quarterback, Tom Brady, facing a four game suspension for underinflated footballs that was overturned just days before the start of the season. From there, the Patriots would embark on a 10 game win streak, referred to as the Revenge Tour by New England fans.
Going into the first games of the season, the Patriots faced a rebuilding defense after the loss of notable players including defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and corners Aqib Talib, Brandon Browner, and Darrelle Revis. However, the Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-21 to kick off the season. From then on, the Patriots would remain undefeated until Week 12.
The perfect season came to an end on Nov. 29, 2015 when the New England Patriots fell to the Denver Broncos in an overtime loss. A depleted roster, with offensive standouts such as Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola benched due to injuries, left a struggling New England offense with few chances to score. The first loss was followed by another surprising defeat the following week, against the Philadelphia Eagles. New England’s injury list continued to grow throughout December, leaving the Patriots with another two losses to end the regular season. However, the 12-4 record was enough to clinch the AFC East championship title and head into the playoffs.
With one of the best records in the NFL heading into the postseason, the New England Patriots earned a first round bye, and hosted one of the winners of Wild Card Weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs, for their first 2016 playoff game. Kansas City entered the game off an impressive 38-0 win against the Houston Texans, but quarterback Alex Smith could not rally his team against New England. The Patriots, with many players returning from injuries including Edelman, won the game, 27-20 and moved on to the AFC championship game, achieving their fifth-straight appearance in it, against the Denver Broncos.
The Patriots’ postseason and hopes of a second-straight Super Bowl appearance were ended in Denver, where a missed extra point left the Patriots trailing by two at the end of the game. A failed two-point conversion finalized New England’s defeat, as the Denver Broncos went on the squeeze out at 20-18 victory against New England. Perhaps the final matchup between veteran quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady saw the end of the 2015 season for New England while the Broncos will continue onto the Super Bowl.
Although the season ended prematurely for the New England Patriots, the team saw great accomplishments. They finished first in their division, second in the conference, and made it to the AFC Championship for the seventh time in ten years. Looking forward, the Patriots will have the chance to add new talent to next season’s roster with the college draft, taking place in April, while also keeping key players like Edelman, Brady, Keshawn Martin, and Rob Gronkowski.
