Patriots' Drake Maye Faces Broncos' D And Jarrett Stidham Actions 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)
Last week: Patriots beat Texans 28-16; Broncos beat Bills 33-30 in overtime.
Patriots offense: general (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: general (2 ), rush (2 ), pass (7 ), scoring (3 ).
Turnover differential: Patriots plus-3; Broncos plus-1.
Drake Maye. The MVP finalist had three goal passes in the Patriots ´ divisional round win over Houston. It marked the 13th time in team history that a quarterback had thrown at least 3 TD passes in a championship game. It was also the most because Tom Brady had three in Super Bowl 52 versus Philadelphia.
Jarrett Stidham. Bo Nix's backup hasn't tossed a pass in two seasons and the only breeze he played this season came on a kneel-down at the end of a blowout over the Dallas Cowboys. Stidham has actually appeared in 20 video games with four 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 two 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 likewise required Allen to turn the ball over four times after he had actually gone 6 straight playoff video games without a turnover. Allen had two fumbles and 2 interceptions, including one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 10 times, tossed two interceptions and fumbled 6 times, losing 3 of them.
Patriots: LB Harold Landry III (knee) has actually been ruled out. CB Carlton Davis (concussion protocol) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) are both doubtful. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has actually been on hurt reserve because Dec. 27 with an abdominal area injury, was activated on Saturday. He played in the first 15 games of the season prior to going on IR, catching 46 passes for 550 lawns and two touchdowns.
Broncos: RB J.K. Dobbins, who went back to practice today for the very first time given that foot surgery in mid-November, was ruled out. ... WRs Troy Franklin (hamstring) and Pat Bryant (concussion) both got involved in practice this week. Center Luke Wattenberg was activated off injured reserve. He went on IR with a shoulder injury last month. He took the lineup spot of Nix (ankle surgical treatment), 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 in between the groups, winning all 4 video games in Denver. The two most current conferences remained in the AFC national championship during the 2013 and 2015 seasons, and were both won by the Broncos. Denver's 20-18 win in the 2015 AFC title video game on Jan. 24, 2016, was the final meeting in between quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
This will be the Patriots ´ 13th appearance in the AFC title 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 period to go undefeated on the road with a new head coach. ... Vrabel is attempting to end up being 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 very first two playoff games. The Broncos didn ´ t allow Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a conclusion and obstructed him two times on 9 deep pass attempts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would become the first quarterback to win 3 playoff games versus top-five defenses in the same postseason: the Chargers entered the playoffs ranked 5th, the Texans ranked initially, and the Broncos ranked second. ... Maye has actually been strip-sacked 11 times this season, including the playoffs. The Patriots have actually recovered 6 of Maye ´ s fumbles on sacks, with three recoveries by LT Will Campbell. The only other quarterbacks strip-sacked 10 or more times because 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 era with 5 or more turnovers and 10 or more sacks. He joins 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 video games and has 75 receptions for 965 lawns and 5 goals. He needs 35 backyards to become the 18th NFL gamer to reach 1,000, and the 3rd Patriots gamer. Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski are the only Patriots players to eclipse the mark. ... Diggs has actually played in the most postseason games among all Patriots players with 16. CB Carlton Davis III is second with 11 postseason games. ... LB K ´ Lavon Chaisson has 3 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 four in a single postseason. ... The Broncos are 18-5 perpetuity in home playoff video games because their very first one in 1977 during the "Orange Crush" age. ... This is Denver's 11th appearance in the AFC championship game. ... Stidham is 1-3 in his 4 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 efforts and all 3 of his additional points against Buffalo last week. His 4 field goals are one shy of the franchise playoff record of five set by Brandon McManus in the playoffs following the 2015 season. ... Last week OLB Nik ended up being the third gamer in Broncos history to require 2 fumbles in a playoff video game. By removing the ball from Josh Allen twice, Bonitto joined Von Miller (versus Carolina in Super Bowl 50) and Tom Jackson (against Dallas in Super Bowl 12). ... ILB Alex Singleton's 14 deals with last week, including 11 solo, were the most by a Denver defender in a championship game this century. ... DE Malcolm Roach is coming off a big video game versus Buffalo. He had 1 1/2 sacks and recuperated a fumble.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye fires a pass during 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 versus 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 team's headquarters 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 game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)