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 odds: 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 against 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: general (3 ), rush (6 ), pass (4 ), scoring (2 ).
Patriots defense: general (8 ), rush (6 ), pass (9 ), scoring (4 ).
Broncos offense: overall (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 tossed at least 3 TD passes in a playoff game. It was also the most considering that Tom Brady had three in Super Bowl 52 against 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 2 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 four times after he had actually gone 6 straight championship game without a turnover. Allen had 2 fumbles and 2 interceptions, consisting of one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 10 times, tossed 2 interceptions and fumbled 6 times, losing three of them.
Patriots: LB Harold Landry III (knee) has been dismissed. CB Carlton Davis (concussion protocol) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) are both doubtful. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has been on hurt reserve given that Dec. 27 with an abdomen injury, was activated on Saturday. He played in the very first 15 games of the season prior to going on IR, capturing 46 passes for 550 lawns and two touchdowns.
Broncos: RB J.K. Dobbins, who went back to practice today for the 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 today. Center Luke Wattenberg was triggered off hurt reserve. He went on IR with a shoulder injury last month. He took the roster 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 in between the groups, winning all four games in Denver. The two latest meetings remained 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 game in the previous 25 seasons. ... The Patriots (Mike Vrabel) and San Francisco 49ers (George Seifert 1989, won the Super Bowl) are the only groups in the Super Bowl era to go undefeated on the roadway with a brand-new head coach. ... Vrabel is attempting to end up being the eighth coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his first season with a group. ... Maye has completed 3 of 10 deep passes (20 or more backyards) through his very first two playoff games. The Broncos didn ´ t enable Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a conclusion and intercepted him twice on nine deep pass efforts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would become the first quarterback to win three championship game against top-five defenses in the very same postseason: the Chargers got in the playoffs ranked 5th, the Texans ranked initially, and the Broncos ranked second. ... Maye has been strip-sacked 11 times this season, consisting of the playoffs. The Patriots have recovered six of Maye ´ s fumbles on sacks, with 3 healings 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 era 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 national championship). ... WR Stefon Diggs has actually played in 16 postseason games and has 75 receptions for 965 backyards and 5 goals. He requires 35 yards to become the 18th NFL player to reach 1,000, and the third Patriots player. 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 gamers with 16. CB Carlton Davis III is 2nd 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 a minimum of 4 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" era. ... This is Denver's 11th in the AFC championship video game. ... Stidham is 1-3 in his four NFL starts with his only success coming against the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 31, 2023. ... K Wil Lutz made all four of his field-goal efforts and all three of his extra points versus Buffalo recently. His four basket 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 Bonitto became the 3rd gamer in Broncos history to force 2 fumbles in a playoff video game. By stripping the ball from Josh Allen twice, Bonitto signed up with Von Miller (against Carolina in Super Bowl 50) and Tom Jackson (versus Dallas in Super Bowl 12). ... ILB Alex Singleton's 14 deals with recently, including 11 solo, were the most by a Denver protector in a playoff video game this century. ... DE Malcolm Roach is coming off a huge game versus 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 via AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) walks off the field after an NFL divisional playoff football video 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 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)