Ravens vs. Patriots final score: New England outlasts Baltimore, 35-31

The New England Patriots needed a late interception and a Hail Mary stop, but advanced to the AFC Championship for the ninth time since 2001.

The New England Patriots survived Saturday night, thwarting two late efforts by the Baltimore Ravens for a 35-31 come-from-behind victory in an AFC Divisional Playoff.

With the win, the Pats (13-4) will host the AFC Championship next Sunday against either the Indianapolis Colts or Denver Broncos.

It is the ninth time the Patriots have reached the AFC Championship in the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era and will be their fourth in a row. New England is 5-3 in those games.

Baltimore (11-7) led much of the way, twice leading by as much as 14 points, but Joe Flacco threw two second-half interceptions, including a killer in the end zone with 1:39 to play in the game.

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The Patriots did give the ball back on a punt, but Ravens’ returner Jacoby Jones tried to return it instead of merely making a fair catch, costing Baltimore several seconds.

With four seconds to go near midfield, Flacco’s final Hail Mary attempt was batted out of the end zone by Devin McCourty to end it.

New England had taken the lead with 5:13 remaining on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Brandon LaFell that moved Brady past Joe Montana into first place on the all-time NFL postseason touchdown passes list with 46.

The Patriots also set an NFL record in the game for the fewest rushing yards in playoff history for a winning team. New England notched 14 yards on 13 attempts on the ground. But Brady was 33-for-50 for 367 yards and three touchdowns and was picked off once.

Julian Edelman, a former collegiate quarterback at Kent State, also threw a 51-yard scoring pass to Danny Amendola.

Flacco finished 28-for-45 for 292 yards and four touchdowns, but was intercepted twice. The first pick in the third quarter snapped a streak of 198 consecutive passes in the postseason without a pick, second all-time behind Drew Brees (224).

Justin Forsett had a big game on the ground for Baltimore with 129 yards on 24 carries.

Rob Gronkowski had seven catches for 108 yards and scored a touchdown.

Flacco threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter—a 19-yarder to Kamar Allen and a 9-yard strike to Steve Smith—to put the Ravens up 14-0. In the final minute of the period, Brady scored on a 4-yard run to cut Baltimore’s lead to 14-7.

Brady’s 15-yard toss to Amendola tied things at 14-14 with 3:37 to go in the first half, but Flacco put a quick six-play, 57-yard drive together that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels with 10 seconds left for a 21-14 halftime edge.

Forsett scored on a 16-yard reception early in the third quarter to make it 28-14 before the Patriots clawed back.

A Brady-to-Gronkowski connection for five yards made it 28-21 and Edelman’s trickery to Amendola with 4:28 to go in the third tied things up again.

Justin Tucker gave the Ravens their final lead, 31-28, with 10:17 to play.

The teams combined for 57 first downs and 850 yards of total offense.

With his 20th postseason victory as a head coach, Belichick tied Dallas Cowboys legend Tom Landry for the most all-time.