New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots turned back the clock with their first playoff win in seven years. A mainstay of the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era felt deja vu watching his former team gut out a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Devin McCourty played in 24 postseason games during his 13-year career with the Patriots. The three-time Super Bowl champion said Monday on “Up & Adams” that Sunday night’s atmosphere at Gillette Stadium was reminiscent of the golden age he experienced.
“That crowd, when it’s go time and you’re playing well, they’re the best out there,” McCourty said. “They have high standards over there in New England. And the crowd and the fans, they hold you to it.”
Another similarity between his Patriots and the current squad: McCourty had full confidence that Mike Vrabel’s team would get the job done. The former Pro Bowl cornerback expects them to advance deeper into the AFC bracket.
“My kids woke up today and they were like, ‘Did the Patriots win?'” McCourty recalled. “I was like, guys, it’s back in the day. Yeah, wake up expecting the Patriots to win. You’re headed to San Francisco. They’ll be in the Super Bowl. That’s what everybody in New England’s thinking now.”
Sunday night’s game style also felt familiar to McCourty, who participated in several gritty, low-scoring Patriots playoff wins. New England’s defense held Los Angeles to 207 total yards, sacking Justin Herbert six times on 11 quarterback hits and allowing only one third-down conversion.
“The way they won last night reminded me of the old Patriots of, it’s the playoffs,” McCourty said. “We don’t care how; we just find a way. The defense was one of the worst defenses in the red zone all year. They shut the Chargers out in the red zone last night. It was incredible to see.”
