Game story
In the Divisional of the 2015 NFL season on 2016-01-24, the Denver Broncos took care of business against the New England Patriots, pulling away with a 20–18 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 13 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
T. Brady (New England Patriots) paced the passing game, with -7.03 total EPA, and -13.3% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, E. Sanders (Denver Broncos) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +5.30 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-18.5% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when New England Patriots changed the game: (Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 12-T.Brady pass to 11-J.Edelman is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS. DEFENSIVE TWO-POINT ATTEMPT. 29-B.Roby intercepted the try attempt. ATTEMPT FAILS.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Denver Broncos | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 E. Sanders · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +5.30 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.66 EPA/play
- 2 O. Daniels · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +5.25 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.75 EPA/play
- 3 R. Gronkowski · New England Patriots · Receiving · +3.56 total EPA · 15 snaps · +0.24 EPA/play
- 4 B. Bolden · New England Patriots · Receiving · +2.33 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.78 EPA/play
- 5 A. Caldwell · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +0.91 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
- 6 C. Latimer · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +0.76 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.76 EPA/play
- 7 J. Norwood · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +0.64 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.21 EPA/play
- 8 T. Brady · New England Patriots · Rushing · +0.31 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
E. Sanders — DEN · Receiving
E. Sanders posted the highest total EPA (+5.30) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Denver Broncos's efficiency. Across 8 counted snaps, they averaged +0.66 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.34 EPA) came from Denver Broncos: (2:27) 18-P.Manning pass incomplete short left to 23-R.Hillman. New England challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 18-P.Manning FUMBLES (Aborted) at DEN 22, RECOVERED by NE-55-J.Freeny at DEN 2
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Denver Broncos — O. Daniels (P. Manning pass)
- New England Patriots — S. Jackson
- Denver Broncos — O. Daniels (P. Manning pass)
- New England Patriots — R. Gronkowski (T. Brady pass)
Field goals
- New England Patriots — S. Gostkowski
- Denver Broncos — B. McManus
- New England Patriots — S. Gostkowski
- Denver Broncos — B. McManus
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 7–6. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the NE 21 (Q1 52:37) — (7:37) (Shotgun) 18-P.Manning pass deep middle to 81-O.Daniels for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the NE 15 (Q1 52:32) — 8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt.; New England Patriots found the end zone from the DEN 1 (Q1 46:53) — (1:53) 39-S.Jackson right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN..
The second quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 10–3. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the NE 12 (Q2 43:51) — (13:51) (Shotgun) 18-P.Manning pass short right to 81-O.Daniels for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the NE 15 (Q2 43:46) — 8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt.; New England Patriots connected on a field goal from the DEN 28 (Q2 37:07) — (7:07) 3-S.Gostkowski 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-6-R.Allen.; Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the NE 33 (Q2 30:38) — (:38) 8-B.McManus 52 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt..
The third quarter: New England Patriots won the period 3–0. New England Patriots connected on a field goal from the DEN 20 (Q3 25:31) — (10:31) 3-S.Gostkowski 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-6-R.Allen..
The fourth quarter: New England Patriots won the period 6–3. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the NE 13 (Q4 10:06) — (10:06) 8-B.McManus 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt.; New England Patriots found the end zone from the DEN 4 (Q4 0:17) — (:17) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short middle to 87-R.Gronkowski for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN [94-D.Ware]..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- New England Patriots (Q4 0:12) — (Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 12-T.Brady pass to 11-J.Edelman is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS. DEFENSIVE TWO-POINT ATTEMPT. 29-B.Roby intercepted the try attempt. ATTEMPT FAILS.
- New England Patriots (Q4 0:17) — (:17) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short middle to 87-R.Gronkowski for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN [94-D.Ware].
- New England Patriots (Q4 1:34) — (1:34) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass deep middle to 87-R.Gronkowski to DEN 10 for 40 yards (20-J.Bush; 25-C.Harris).
- New England Patriots (Q2 44:41) — (14:41) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short right intended for 87-R.Gronkowski INTERCEPTED by 58-V.Miller at NE 20. 58-V.Miller to NE 16 for 4 yards (28-J.White).
- Denver Broncos (Q1 47:27) — (2:27) 18-P.Manning pass incomplete short left to 23-R.Hillman. New England challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 18-P.Manning FUMBLES (Aborted) at DEN 22, RECOVERED by NE-
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Denver Broncos (Q1 47:27) — (2:27) 18-P.Manning pass incomplete short left to 23-R.Hillman. New England challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 18-P.Manning FUMBLES (Aborted) at DEN 22, RECOVERED by NE-
- New England Patriots (Q4 0:17) — (:17) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short middle to 87-R.Gronkowski for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN [94-D.Ware].
- New England Patriots (Q2 44:41) — (14:41) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short right intended for 87-R.Gronkowski INTERCEPTED by 58-V.Miller at NE 20. 58-V.Miller to NE 16 for 4 yards (28-J.White).
- New England Patriots (Q4 1:34) — (1:34) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass deep middle to 87-R.Gronkowski to DEN 10 for 40 yards (20-J.Bush; 25-C.Harris).
Quarterback report card
T.Brady led all passers in efficiency for New England Patriots, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- T.Brady (New England Patriots) · 64 dropbacks · 42.2% completion · -13.3% CPOE · -0.11 EPA/play · -7.03 total EPA
- P.Manning (Denver Broncos) · 38 dropbacks · 44.7% completion · -4.3% CPOE · -0.10 EPA/play · -3.66 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | New England Patriots | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.138 | -0.154 |
| Offensive success rate | 33.7% | 31.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.110 | -0.096 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.344 | -0.330 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.154 | +0.138 |
| Defensive success rate | 68.2% | 66.3% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (New England Patriots -0.14, Denver Broncos -0.15) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Denver Broncos: 15 drives, -13.56 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- New England Patriots: 15 drives, -13.54 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Denver Broncos leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- E. Sanders (Denver Broncos) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- T. Brady (NE) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- P. Manning (DEN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q1 52:37 · NE 21 · Score 0-6
(7:37) (Shotgun) 18-P.Manning pass deep middle to 81-O.Daniels for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q1 52:32 · NE 15 · Score 0-7
8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q1 46:53 · DEN 1 · Score 6-7
(1:53) 39-S.Jackson right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q2 43:51 · NE 12 · Score 6-13
(13:51) (Shotgun) 18-P.Manning pass short right to 81-O.Daniels for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q2 43:46 · NE 15 · Score 6-14
8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt. - New England Patriots FG (+3) — Q2 37:07 · DEN 28 · Score 9-14
(7:07) 3-S.Gostkowski 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-6-R.Allen. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q2 30:38 · NE 33 · Score 9-17
(:38) 8-B.McManus 52 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt. - New England Patriots FG (+3) — Q3 25:31 · DEN 20 · Score 12-17
(10:31) 3-S.Gostkowski 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-J.Cardona, Holder-6-R.Allen. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q4 10:06 · NE 13 · Score 12-20
(10:06) 8-B.McManus 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-4-B.Colquitt. - New England Patriots TD (+6) — Q4 0:17 · DEN 4 · Score 18-20
(:17) (Shotgun) 12-T.Brady pass short middle to 87-R.Gronkowski for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN [94-D.Ware].
Frequently asked questions
Who won New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
The Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots 20-18 in Divisional, 2015 on 2016-01-24.
What was the final score of New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
The final score was New England Patriots 18, Denver Broncos 20 (NE 18-20 DEN) in Divisional, 2015 on 2016-01-24.
What was the score by quarter in New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: New England Patriots 6, Denver Broncos 7; Q2: New England Patriots 3, Denver Broncos 10; Q3: New England Patriots 3, Denver Broncos 0; Q4: New England Patriots 6, Denver Broncos 3; Final: New England Patriots 18, Denver Broncos 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
Denver Broncos touchdown — O. Daniels (P. Manning pass) (Q1 52:37) New England Patriots touchdown — S. Jackson (Q1 46:53) Denver Broncos touchdown — O. Daniels (P. Manning pass) (Q2 43:51) New England Patriots touchdown — R. Gronkowski (T. Brady pass) (Q4 0:17) New England Patriots field goal — S. Gostkowski (Q2 37:07, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — B. McManus (Q2 30:38, 3 pts) New England Patriots field goal — S. Gostkowski (Q3 25:31, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — B. McManus (Q4 10:06, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
T. Brady (New England Patriots), 42.2% completion, -13.3% CPOE, -0.11 EPA per dropback, -7.03 total passing EPA. P. Manning (Denver Broncos), 44.7% completion, -4.3% CPOE, -0.10 EPA per dropback, -3.66 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos?
E. Sanders (Denver Broncos) led the game in total EPA with +5.30 on receiving plays. across 8 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.34 EPA): (2:27) 18-P.Manning pass incomplete short left to 23-R.Hillman. New England challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 18-P.Manning FUMBLES (Aborted) at DEN . The biggest win-probability swing was -18.5%.
Was New England Patriots vs Denver Broncos a close game?
Yes — the margin was 2 points. Denver Broncos won 20-18 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
New England Patriots
Entered 13-4 Now 13-5 L
Denver Broncos
Entered 13-4 Now 14-4 W
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