Patriots headed back to a familiar stage

DENVER – It was a familiar scene. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft standing on stage beside a victorious head coach who holding the Lamar Hunt Trophy and celebrating an AFC championship win. Yes, the New England Patriots are going back to the Super Bowl, after turning a 4-13 record into 14-3 a year later, with three more playoff victories to boot. And just as Tom Brady led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his second season back 2002, 24 years later comes Drake Maye, the third pick of the 2024 draft who has ascended to the NFL’s elite. Sunday’s 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos was not a thing of statistical beauty for Maye, who was 10-of-21 for 86 yards passing, plus 65 yards on the...