Denver
Broncos
6-1
36
FINAL
38
New England
Patriots
5-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 8 showdown, the New England Patriots narrowly defeated the Denver Broncos with a final score of 38-36, keeping their playoff hopes alive in the 2027 season. This hard-fought victory showcased both teams' determination, with the Patriots now sitting firmly in the playoff picture as they head into the second half of the season.
Drake Maye was the star of the night for New England, throwing for an impressive 349 yards and finding the end zone five times. His performance was critical in keeping the Patriots offense clicking, as he consistently connected with his targets to maintain momentum throughout the game. Meanwhile, Jonathan Taylor led the Broncos on the ground with 49 rushing yards, while Mike Taylor emerged as a standout receiver, racking up 114 yards through the air.
The defense played a crucial role in the outcome, with Nick Herbig of the Broncos making his presence felt by recording five tackles and four sacks. However, it was Maison Dunn's interception that nearly turned the tide for Denver, showcasing their defensive prowess. Ultimately, the game swung in New England's favor after a late touchdown drive, sealing the win and leaving the Broncos to regroup after a hard-fought battle.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | QB | 25 | 15 | 60% | 349 | 5 | 2 | 110.4 |
| Julian Sayin | QB | 40 | 21 | 53% | 273 | 4 | 5 | 68.0 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Taylor | HB | 10 | 49 | 4.9 | 17 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Drake Maye | QB | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Hollywood Smothers | HB | 8 | 15 | 1.9 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mike Taylor | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Taylor | TE | 7 | 114 | 16.3 | 45 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Kyle Williams | WR | 2 | 91 | 45.5 | 12 | 1 | 68 | 0 |
| Dorian Thomas | TE | 2 | 83 | 41.5 | 51 | 2 | 53 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 5 | 81 | 16.2 | 22 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| Hollywood Smothers | HB | 3 | 63 | 21.0 | 11 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
| Jamichael Hill | WR | 5 | 58 | 11.6 | 17 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Levi Goldman | WR | 3 | 54 | 18.0 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Duce Robison | WR | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Jaylen Waddle | WR | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Jonathan Taylor | HB | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 16 | 1 | 11 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy II | DT | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Witt Weeks | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashton Hampton | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Shavon Reed | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Maison Dunn | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Quan Martin | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Johnson | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shemar Stewart | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Craig Woodson | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Marcus Jones | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Lee III | CB | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamron McGee | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabe Jacas | LEDG | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Justice Fitzpatrick | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Gregory Batson | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Milton Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chandler Rivers | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zion Elee | REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spillane | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terry Moore | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andres Borregales | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 51 |
| Bryce Baringer | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wil Lutz | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

