2015 New England Patriots season
| 2015 New England Patriots season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bill Belichick |
| General manager | Bill Belichick |
| Owner | Robert Kraft |
| Home field | Gillette Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC East |
| Playoff finish |
Won Divisional Playoffs (Chiefs) 27–20 Lost AFC Championship (Broncos) 18–20 |
| Pro Bowlers |
7
|
| AP All-Pros |
3
|
The 2015 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League, the 56th overall and the 16th under head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots entered the season as the defending Super Bowl champions.
After going 10–0 to begin the season, the Patriots' first loss came against the Denver Broncos in overtime in Week 12. They would go on to lose four of their last six games, ultimately finishing the regular season with a 12–4 record for the fourth straight year. In Week 14 the Patriots clinched their seventh straight AFC East division title. By this, the Patriots tied the 1979 Los Angeles Rams for most consecutive division titles. As the second seeded team in the AFC, they secured a first-round bye for the playoffs and home-field advantage for their first playoff game.
In the divisional round of the playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27–20 to advance to the AFC Championship for the fifth straight year, where they fell on the road to the eventual Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos 20–18.
Notes
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
The Patriots played the Steelers on opening night, celebrating their Super Bowl victory from the season before.
On the opening possession of the game, the Steelers drove all the way to the Patriots 26, but Josh Scobee missed a 44-yard field goal attempt. After the next two drives ended in punts, the Patriots engineered a 13 play, 90-yard marathon, lasting over seven minutes with Tom Brady hitting his go-to target Rob Gronkowski for a 16-yard touchdown and the early 7-0 lead. The Steelers once again drove deep into Patriots territory, but Scobee missed a 46-yard field goal wide right. The Patriots made the Steelers pay, driving 64 yards in 9 plays, scoring on Brady's 6-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski, increasing the lead to 14-0. The Steelers finally responded driving back to the 26, but this time Scobee was good from 44-yards away and the Patriots led 14-3 at halftime. The Patriots offense continued with their first half pace, producing a second half opening drive of nine plays, 80-yards, finishing with Brady throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to new acquisition, tight end Scott Chandler, widening the Patriots lead to 21-3. The Steelers countered with a 80-yard, 7 play drive, with Will Johnson scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run, and Ben Roethlisberger converting the two-point conversion on a pass to Markus Wheaton, trimming the deficit to 21-11. After a Patriots three-and-out, the Steelers marched 67 yards to the Patriots 1-yard line, but a penalty pushed them back to the 5 and DeAngelo Williams was stuffed for a loss bringing up 4th-down and Scobee converted the 24-yard field goal to make the score 21-14. The Patriots countered, aided by a 52-yard catch by Gronkowski, marching 79 yards in 7 plays, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown catch by Gronkowski, extending the lead the 28-14. Three possessions later, Roethlisberger was intercepted at the Patriots 7. After a Patriots punt, the Steelers raced 70 yards in 12 plays, scoring on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown with just :02 seconds left, trimming the deficit to 28-21. Gronkowski ended his superb night by falling on the subsequent Steelers onside kick attempt, ending the game.
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