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 odds: 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: overall (3 ), rush (6 ), pass (4 ), scoring (2 ).
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 3 touchdown passes in the Patriots ´ divisional round win over Houston. It marked the 13th time in team history that a quarterback had actually tossed a minimum of 3 TD passes in a playoff 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 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 video 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 actually gone 6 straight playoff games without a turnover. Allen had two fumbles and 2 interceptions, consisting of one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has actually been sacked 10 times, tossed 2 interceptions and fumbled six 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 doubtful. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has actually been on injured reserve given that Dec. 27 with an abdomen injury, was triggered on Saturday. He played in the first 15 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 eliminated. ... WRs Troy Franklin (hamstring) and Pat Bryant (concussion) both got involved in practice today. 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 surgical treatment), who went on IR on Saturday, ending his season. The Broncos likewise promoted WRs Michael Bandy and Elijah Moore from their practice team.
The Broncos have a 4-1 edge in the playoff matches between the groups, winning all 4 video games in Denver. The two most current conferences were in the AFC championship games throughout 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 last meeting in 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 teams in the Super Bowl age to go undefeated on the road with a new head coach. ... Vrabel is attempting to become the 8th coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his very first season with a group. ... Maye has actually finished 3 of 10 deep passes (20 or more lawns) through his first two playoff video games. The Broncos didn ´ t allow Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a conclusion and obstructed him two times on 9 deep pass efforts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would become the very first quarterback to win three championship game versus top-five defenses in the 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, consisting of the playoffs. The Patriots have recuperated 6 of Maye ´ s fumbles on sacks, with three healings by LT Will Campbell. The only other quarterbacks strip-sacked 10 or more times since 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 period with five 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 national championship). ... WR Stefon Diggs has played in 16 postseason video games and has 75 receptions for 965 lawns and 5 touchdowns. He needs 35 yards to end up being the 18th NFL gamer to reach 1,000, and the third 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 players with 16. CB Carlton Davis III is second with 11 postseason video 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 considering that their first one in 1977 during the "Orange Crush" age. ... 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 four of his field-goal efforts and all three of his additional points against Buffalo recently. His 4 basket are one shy of the franchise playoff record of 5 set by Brandon McManus in the playoffs following the 2015 season. ... Recently OLB Nik Bonitto ended up being the third player in Broncos history to force 2 fumbles in a championship 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 tackles last week, consisting of 11 solo, were the most by a Denver protector in a championship game this century. ... DE Malcolm Roach is coming off a big 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) walks off the field after an NFL divisional playoff football video 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 news conference after an NFL divisional playoff football game versus the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)