Patriots' Drake Maye Faces Broncos' D And Jarrett Stidham Steps In
New England (16-3) at Denver (15-3)
Sunday, 3 p.m. EST, CBS/Paramount+
BetMGM NFL chances: Patriots by 5.
Against the spread: Patriots 13-5-1; Broncos 8-9-1.
Series record: Broncos lead 31-24.
Last conference: Patriots won 26-23 in Denver on Dec. 24, 2023.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham heats up before an NFL divisional round playoff football game versus the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Recently: Patriots beat Texans 28-16; Broncos beat Bills 33-30 in overtime.
Patriots offense: total (3 ), rush (6 ), pass (4 ), scoring (2 ).
Patriots defense: overall (8 ), rush (6 ), pass (9 ), scoring (4 ).
Broncos offense: general (10 ), rush (16 ), pass (11 ), scoring (14 ).
Broncos defense: total (2 ), rush (2 ), pass (7 ), scoring (3 ).
Turnover differential: Patriots plus-3; Broncos plus-1.
Drake Maye. The MVP finalist had 3 goal passes in the Patriots ´ divisional round win over Houston. It marked the 13th time in group history that a quarterback had thrown a minimum of 3 TD passes in a championship game. It was also the most given that Tom Brady had 3 in Super Bowl 52 against Philadelphia.
Jarrett Stidham. Bo Nix's backup hasn't tossed a pass in 2 seasons and the only breeze he played this season began a kneel-down at the end of a blowout over the Dallas Cowboys. Stidham has appeared in 20 games with 4 starts in his six-year NFL career and the Patriots tried to sign him last spring before he re-signed with Denver for $12 million over 2 years.
Maye versus Denver's defense. The Broncos led the league with a franchise-record 68 sacks this season and sacked Josh Allen 3 times. They also required Allen to turn the ball over four times after he had gone 6 straight playoff games without a turnover. Allen had 2 fumbles and two interceptions, consisting of one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 10 times, thrown 2 interceptions and fumbled 6 times, losing 3 of them.
Patriots: LB Harold Landry III (knee) has been ruled out. CB Carlton Davis (concussion protocol) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) are both doubtful. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has been on hurt reserve considering that Dec. 27 with an abdominal area injury, was triggered on Saturday. He played in the very first 15 games of the season prior to going on IR, capturing 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns.
Broncos: RB J.K. Dobbins, who returned to practice today for the very first time considering that foot surgical treatment in mid-November, was ruled out. ... WRs Troy Franklin (hamstring) and Pat Bryant (concussion) both took part in practice this week. Center Luke Wattenberg was triggered off injured reserve. He went on IR with a shoulder injury last month. He took the lineup area of Nix (ankle surgery), who went on IR on Saturday, ending his season. The Broncos also promoted WRs Michael Bandy and Elijah Moore from their practice squad.
The Broncos have a 4-1 edge in the playoff matches between the groups, winning all four games in Denver. The 2 latest meetings were in the AFC national championship throughout the 2013 and 2015 seasons, and were both won by the Broncos. Denver's 20-18 win in the 2015 AFC title game on Jan. 24, 2016, was the final conference between quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
This will be the Patriots ´ 13th look in the AFC title video game in the previous 25 seasons. ... The Patriots (Mike Vrabel) and San Francisco 49ers (George Seifert 1989, won the Super Bowl) are the only teams in the Super Bowl era to go unbeaten on the road with a brand-new head coach. ... Vrabel is attempting to become the 8th coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his first season with a group. ... Maye has actually finished 3 of 10 deep passes (20 or more backyards) through his first 2 championship game. The Broncos didn ´ t permit Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a completion and obstructed him two times on 9 deep pass efforts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would end up being the very first quarterback to win 3 playoff video games versus top-five defenses in the very same postseason: the Chargers went into the playoffs ranked 5th, the Texans ranked first, and the Broncos ranked second. ... Maye has actually been strip-sacked 11 times this season, including the playoffs. The Patriots have actually recovered six of Maye ´ s fumbles on sacks, with 3 recoveries by LT Will Campbell. The only other quarterbacks strip-sacked 10 or more times considering that 2020 are Matt Ryan (11 in 2022), Derek Carr (10 in 2021) and Kirk Cousins (10 in 2021). ... Maye is among three quarterbacks in the Super Bowl age with five or more turnovers and 10 or more sacks. He signs up with Russell Wilson (2014, lost in the Super Bowl) and Roger Staubach (1973, lost in the NFC champion video game). ... WR Stefon Diggs has actually played in 16 postseason games and has 75 receptions for 965 lawns and 5 goals. He requires 35 backyards to end up being the 18th NFL player to reach 1,000, and the third Patriots gamer. Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski are the only Patriots gamers to eclipse the mark. ... Diggs has played in the most postseason games among all Patriots gamers with 16. CB Carlton Davis III is second with 11 postseason games. ... LB K ´ Lavon Chaisson has three sacks this postseason. With another he ´ ll joint Willie McGinest (5 in 2003 and 4 1/2 in 2005) and Garin Veris (4 in 1985) as the only Patriots with at least 4 in a single postseason. ... The Broncos are 18-5 all time in home championship game since their first one in 1977 throughout the "Orange Crush" age. ... This is Denver's 11th appearance in the AFC national championship. ... Stidham is 1-3 in his four NFL starts with his only victory coming against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 31, 2023. ... K Wil Lutz made all four of his field-goal attempts and all 3 of his extra points versus Buffalo last week. His 4 field objectives are one shy of the franchise playoff record of 5 set by Brandon McManus in the playoffs following the 2015 season. ... Last week OLB Nik became the third player in Broncos history to force 2 fumbles in a playoff video game. By stripping the ball from Josh Allen twice, Bonitto joined Von Miller (against Carolina in Super Bowl 50) and Tom Jackson (versus Dallas in Super Bowl 12). ... ILB Alex Singleton's 14 deals with last week, consisting of 11 solo, were the most by a Denver protector in a playoff game this century. ... DE Malcolm Roach is coming off a big game against Buffalo. He had 1 1/2 sacks and recovered a fumble.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fires a pass throughout an NFL football practice Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe by means of AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) strolls off the field after an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham reacts to concerns after an NFL football practice at the group's head office Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye speaks at a press conference after an NFL divisional playoff football video game versus the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)