By James Oatis

Published January 23, 2026

Ten years ago, the New England Patriots arrived in Denver, Colorado for the final installment of Brady vs. Manning. On the line was the AFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl, where the winner would face MVP Cam Newton’s 15-1 Carolina Panthers. Denver took the AFC title and eventually the Lombardi trophy that year, but New England can avenge its 2016 loss this Sunday.

Sunday will be the first time this season that the Patriots play the Broncos. The Patriots have been led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who was drafted third overall in 2024 as the Patriots attempted to rebuild in the post Brady-Belichick era. Maye, Second Team All-Pro, has been the best quarterback in the AFC this year and is currently the second-place favorite for MVP, behind First Team All-Pro quarterback Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams. The Patriots finished the season 14-3, securing the number two seed in the postseason. The Broncos, also 14-3 in the regular season, took the one seed and a first round bye in the playoffs.

In their first game of the playoffs, a Wild Card matchup in Foxborough against the 11-6 Los Angeles Chargers, the Patriots defense had a stellar performance. Led by Linebackers Coach Zak Kuhr, who has acted as defensive play-caller since Defensive Coordinator Terrell Williams was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September, the Patriots defense dominated Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and gave up only a field goal in a 16-3 win. The New England front seven was particularly impressive, with the defense recording six sacks, 11 quarterback hits, 16 pressures, and two fumbles. The Patriots held Chargers running back Kimani Vidal to only 31 rushing yards on 11 attempts, and Herbert went 19/31 with 159 passing yards and zero touchdowns or interceptions.

The Chargers top-ranked pass defense was also impressive, and revealed vulnerabilities on the left side of the New England offensive line. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell, who returned from the injured reserve (MCL) just before the Chargers game, struggled against marquee pass rushers Khalil Mack, Odafe Oweh, and Tuli Tuipulotu. Campbell allowed six pressures and two sacks, including one that resulted in a lost fumble. Rookie left guard Jared Wilson, who returned to the line for the Chargers game after a two-week absence with a concussion, allowed four pressures and two sacks. Maye was sacked five times in total, and threw an interception off of a ball tipped by LA defensive tackle Teair Tart.

Going into the Divisional round, the Houston Texans looked like tough competition coming off of their excellent defensive performance against the Steelers in a 30-6 Wild Card win. A Texans upset in Foxborough did not materialize however, and New England pulled off a 28-16 win in a turnover-heavy game. The Patriots’ blocking woes continued, with the offensive line allowing five sacks and four Drake Maye fumbles (two lost). Three of those fumbles occurred in the backfield off pressure from the edge; First Team All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. forced two fumbles and defensive end Danielle Hunter forced one. Maye went 16/27 for 179 yards and three touchdowns, plus an interception on an end-of-the-half Hail Mary.

But it was the New England defense that once again took the spotlight against the Texans, forcing one fumble and four interceptions. Two of those interceptions came as a result of great plays on the ball by cornerback Carlton Davis III, who had zero interceptions in the regular season. Rookie free safety Craig Woodson intercepted a slightly overthrown pass tipped by Houston receiver Xavier Hutchinson, and cornerback Marcus Jones intercepted a pass disrupted by linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, returning it for a touchdown.

Going into Denver to play the one-seeded Broncos will see the Patriots outmatched in some areas while favored in others. The Broncos led the league with 68 regular season sacks, and a Nik Bonitto-led Denver front seven could once again challenge a struggling New England offensive line. In their Divisional round matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Denver recorded three sacks and two interceptions against Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who nonetheless went 25/39 for 283 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills were fairly successful on the ground, with running back James Cook rushing for 117 yards on 24 carries (4.9 yards per carry).

Most importantly, the Patriots will almost certainly benefit from Denver’s starting quarterback Bo Nix sustaining a season-ending ankle fracture on the final overtime drive of the Broncos’ win against the Bills. This means that Denver’s backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who was drafted by the Patriots, will start his first game since the 2023 season against one of the best defenses in the NFL this year. Still, Denver is a notoriously difficult road environment for opposing teams, as the “Mile High” Empower Field is over 5,000 feet above sea level. This will likely test the Patriots’ stamina throughout the game and may lead to more costly mistakes.

If the Patriots advance to the Super Bowl, they will see a rematch against either the Seattle Seahawks or Los Angeles Rams. A seventh New England Super Bowl win would beat the league record for most Super Bowls by a franchise.