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 meeting: Patriots won 26-23 in Denver on Dec. 24, 2023.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham warms up before an NFL divisional round playoff football video 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: total (8 ), rush (6 ), pass (9 ), scoring (4 ).
Broncos offense: total (10 ), rush (16 ), pass (11 ), scoring (14 ).
Broncos defense: overall (2 ), rush (2 ), pass (7 ), scoring (3 ).
Turnover differential: Patriots plus-3; Broncos plus-1.
Drake Maye. The MVP finalist had three touchdown 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 three TD passes in a playoff video game. It was also the most because Tom Brady had 3 in Super Bowl 52 versus Philadelphia.
Jarrett Stidham. Bo Nix's backup hasn't tossed a pass in two seasons and the only snap he played this season began a kneel-down at the end of a blowout over the Dallas Cowboys. Stidham has actually appeared in 20 games with 4 starts in his six-year NFL profession and the Patriots attempted 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 three times. They likewise forced Allen to turn the ball over 4 times after he had gone 6 straight championship game without a turnover. Allen had 2 and two interceptions, including one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 10 times, thrown two interceptions and fumbled 6 times, losing three of them.
Patriots: LB Harold Landry III (knee) has been ruled out. CB Carlton Davis (concussion procedure) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) are both questionable. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has actually been on hurt reserve given that Dec. 27 with an abdomen injury, was triggered on Saturday. He played in the very first 15 video games of the season prior to going on IR, capturing 46 passes for 550 backyards and 2 goals.
Broncos: RB J.K. Dobbins, who went back to practice today for the very first time because foot surgical treatment in mid-November, was dismissed. ... WRs Troy Franklin (hamstring) and Pat Bryant (concussion) both took part 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 roster spot 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 teams, winning all four games in Denver. The 2 latest conferences were in the AFC champion video games 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 last conference between quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
This will be the Patriots ´ 13th appearance in the AFC title video game in the past 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 age to go undefeated on the road with a new head coach. ... Vrabel is trying to end up being the 8th coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his very first season with a team. ... Maye has actually finished 3 of 10 deep passes (20 or more yards) through his very first two championship game. The Broncos didn ´ t enable Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a conclusion and intercepted him twice on 9 deep pass attempts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would end up being the first quarterback to win 3 championship game against top-five defenses in the exact same postseason: the Chargers got in the playoffs ranked fifth, the Texans ranked first, and the Broncos ranked second. ... Maye has been strip-sacked 11 times this season, including the playoffs. The Patriots have recuperated 6 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 one of 3 quarterbacks in the Super Bowl age 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 championship game). ... WR Stefon Diggs has played in 16 postseason games and has 75 receptions for 965 backyards and five touchdowns. He needs 35 yards to end up being the 18th NFL player 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 played in the most postseason games amongst all Patriots gamers with 16. CB Carlton Davis III is second with 11 postseason video 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 four in a single postseason. ... The Broncos are 18-5 perpetuity in home playoff games because their first one in 1977 throughout the "Orange Crush" period. ... This is Denver's 11th look in the AFC national championship. ... Stidham is 1-3 in his 4 NFL begins with his only success coming against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 31, 2023. ... K Wil Lutz made all 4 of his field-goal attempts and all three of his additional points against Buffalo last week. His four basket 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 Bonitto became the 3rd player in Broncos history to require two fumbles in a playoff game. By removing the ball from Josh Allen twice, Bonitto joined Von Miller (against Carolina in Super Bowl 50) and Tom Jackson (against Dallas in Super Bowl 12). ... ILB Alex Singleton's 14 takes on recently, consisting of 11 solo, were the most by a Denver defender in a playoff game this century. ... DE Malcolm Roach is coming off a huge video game against Buffalo. He had 1 1/2 sacks and recuperated 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 through 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 questions 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 versus the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
