New England Patriots: Deion Branch Leads Pats to Big Overtime Win

Down by 10 points in the fourth quarter, the New England Patriots were in a familiar spot against the Baltimore Ravens. They couldn't get anything going on offense, and their defense seemed content to let Joe Flacco march the offense up the field.

The Gillette Stadium faithful were on the edge of their seat for the entire game.

But back came the Patriots in the face of adversity, with the wounds still fresh from a 33-14 home playoff loss and from the bye week trade of Randy Moss.

Today, the scabbing and subsequent healing seems to have begun.

Everyone knew this game could be close. The overtime result, then, shouldn't surprise anyone. A rare (as of late, anyway) fourth quarter comeback from a 20-10 deficit led to a 20-20 finish to regulation. Thirteen minutes and two seconds into overtime, Stephen Gostkowski drilled the game-winner for a 23-20 finish.

Looking for top stories from the game? There were plenty.

The transition into the post-Moss era in New England seems to be going over just fine. It wasn't a dominant performance from Tom Brady (27-for-44, 292 yards, touchdown, two interceptions), but Deion Branch led all New England receivers in his first game in a Patriots uniform since January, 2006.

The crowd's reaction to Branch's return was to be expected, but he really delivered everything the Patriots could have possibly asked for with nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown pass that had Gillette Stadium shaking to its core.

The Patriots offense was very much exactly what we thought they'd be without their touchdown leader over the past three seasons. They took the long road to the end zone and down the field all day, with short completions to the likes of Branch, Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead.

New England's longest completions of the day were to tight ends Aaron Hernandez for 30 yards and Rob Gronkowski for 24 yards.

Branch's performance may have stolen the show, but Danny Woodhead's contributions were just as important to New England's victory. The kid has been gold for the Patriots, and had 115 yards on 16 touches for a whopping 7.2 yards per touch. His labeling as a pseudo-Kevin Faulk type of player has stuck, and he is proving it week after week by finding the first down, creating extra yards with his quickness, and this week, he even showed the signature "Swiss Army knife" utility in blitz pick-up.

The future is bright for Woodhead, but the past seems to be just as bright with the return of Branch.