The Patriots went into halftime with a 10-point lead and came out strong in the second half.
Their first drive was capped off by an incredible touchdown by an offensive lineman who had never caught a pass in his NFL career.
“We’ve been practicing that for years. I did it in college. And now here it is,” Nate Solder said.
It’s not every day that a 6’8” 320-lb tackle makes a key touchdown catch, let alone in the AFC Championship game.
“We thought it would work. It was a great time,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said.
Solder made his first ever reception in the NFL and it was a big one.
“To be a part of a game like that and have a cool play like that. It was really fun,” he said.
The 16-yard touchdown gave the Patriots a big 24-7 lead in the third quarter and shifted the momentum in the second half.
“That had nothing to do with me. It was all the offensive coordinator; he called that great play. I loved it,” Solder said.
The Pats have pulled out all the stops in the post-season.
Who could forget Julien Edelman’s touchdown pass against the Ravens last week.
Tom Brady said there’s more to come in Arizona.
“I don’t know. Maybe we have more tricks up our sleeve,” Brady said.