Patriots Edge Broncos 10–7 in Snowy AFC Title Game to Reach Super Bowl.

The New England Patriots secured a hard-fought 10–7 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday night in Denver, earning a trip to their 12th Super Bowl appearance. Battling freezing temperatures and steady snowfall, quarterback Drake Maye delivered a composed performance that proved decisive in the AFC Championship Game. Maye, just 23 years old, accounted for New England’s only touchdown on a 6-yard quarterback run and finished with 65 rushing yards to go along with 86 passing yards. He sealed the win late in the fourth quarter with a critical 7-yard scramble on third-and-5, allowing the Patriots to run out the clock. The victory sends New England (17–3) to the Super Bowl in head coach Mike Vrabel’s first season with the team. The Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LVIX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California, after Seattle defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game. Denver struck first when backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, starting in place of injured Bo Nix, connected with Courtland Sutton for a 6-yard touchdown following a 52-yard completion to Marvin Mims Jr. However, Stidham struggled after the early success, throwing two interceptions and finishing 17-of-31 for 133 yards. New England capitalized on Denver’s mistakes. A turnover deep in Broncos territory led to Maye’s tying touchdown just before halftime. Christian Gonzalez later intercepted Stidham with 2:11 remaining to extinguish Denver’s final comeback attempt.

Sean Payton shouldered the blame for a pivotal second-quarter decision, expressing regret over going for it on fourth-and-1 instead of attempting a short field goal that could have extended Denver’s lead. The failed conversion proved costly in a defensive battle where points were scarce. Both teams missed multiple field goals in the frigid conditions, and snowfall intensified as the game progressed. Grounds crews were required to clear yard markers during the fourth quarter as temperatures dropped to 16 degrees. A methodical 16-play drive to open the second half resulted in a 23-yard field goal by Andy Borregales, which ultimately provided the winning margin. New England’s defense continued its dominant postseason run, allowing just 26 total points across three playoff games. The win marked the Patriots’ 40th playoff victory, breaking a tie with the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history. Despite the low-scoring nature of the game, Maye praised his teammates and the challenge of competing in extreme conditions.

For Denver, the loss was a bitter reminder of missed opportunities. Several players acknowledged the sting of coming up one win short of the Super Bowl, while expressing confidence that the team will return to contention in the future.