It just keeps getting more and more poetic for these New England Patriots.

In a destiny sort of way.

The parallels between this team and the Patriots’ first Super Bowl champion 24 years ago are amazing. No one expected them to get there during the 2001 season, coming off a five-win season, let alone win the Super Bowl.

But how fitting was it that Adam Vinatieri was in Denver, hanging with Patriots fans Saturday night and then presenting the Lamar Hunt Trophy to Patriots owner Robert Kraft Sunday after the Patriots’ snowy 10-7 AFC Championship win over the Broncos. It was Vinatieri’s legendary field goal, of course, that beat the Raiders in the Snow Bowl back in January of 2002 at old Foxboro Stadium and put the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh.

These Patriots were coming off a 4-13 season. They had a long winning streak, like the one they had back in 2001, although this one ended in December.

And now they’ve started another one.

When the snow that seemingly came out of nowhere after fine conditions in the first haf began to cover Mile High Stadium, with a swirling wind, the Patriots were in better shape than the Broncos, because they had Drake Maye, and the Broncos had backup Jarrett Stidham. This certainly would have been a great game for Bo Nix, but he had ankle surgery this past Tuesday. A healthy Maye scored on a first-half TD run after a Stidham turnover and also ran for a big first down to clinch the victory.

“For him to make a lot of plays today with his legs was big,” tight end Hunter Henry said. “The resiliency is a lot of fun to see with the guys. Finding a way.”

There are all sorts of little things that happen in a football game, and the first little thing became a big thing. Sean Payton in the second quarter had a fourth-and-1 in the red zone and rather than take the points with a backup QB with a sure chip shot in good conditions for a 10-0 lead, he went for it on fourth and 1. Not only that, instead of having a back plow ahead behind his vaunted offensive line, Payton called some silly rollout play that had absolutely no chance.

Then he challenged a first down on a tush push on the game winning drive that there was no way a replay could say one way or another. It cost his team a time out. Bad game by Payton.

Vrabel? He just let his players do what they do, which just seems to be making the key plays at the key times. Christian Gonzalez had a key interception in the fourth quarter, and when that happened, the feeling was it was going to be over.

“I just want to make the plays that come my way, as a corner, as a DB,” Gonzalez said. “Shout out to Vrabes and the coaching staff, they put us in the right positions. I was able to see it pretty early, saw the ball and at that point it was like I was playing receiver again.”

And here’s the ultimate move. Vrabel & Co. called up Leonard Tayor III from the practice squad, and all he did was get a hand on Bronco kicker Will Lutz’s game-tying field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. It forced the kick to the left, no good, and the score remained 10-7. Lutz reportedly said after that the snow caused the hold to be a yard further up than it should have been. Little things again.

“LT made a huge play,” Patriots defensive lineman Milton Williams said. “I told him these are games where people figure out who you are….He made a huge play, blocked a kick and gave us an opportunity to win the game.”

Williams was coughing a ton while at the podium.

“We’re going to the Bowl,” Williams said. “You can see I’m probably sick (coughing)…But that doesn’t matter. All that matters is we’re going to the Bowl.

“We’ve got one more game where we can take care of business. Let’s see if they give us credit then.”

Tough to bet against them, isn’t it? Everything is coming up Patriots, in all sorts of different ways.

Tom King may be reached at X @Telegraph_TomK, or via email at tking@nashuatelegraph.com