AFC Championship: 5 Plays That Made Patriots Defeat Broncos In Winter Conditions To Make Super Bowl

The New England Patriots’ 10-7 victory over the Broncos in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game demanded a premium on points, despite Denver experiencing cold, snowy conditions at halftime.

And the game hinged on a handful of plays—and decisions—that ultimately propelled the Patriots to their first Super Bowl in the post-Tom Brady era. Here’s a look at the key venue to decide the outcome of Sunday’s game.

The Patriots got a fourth-and-1 stop after the Broncos passed on a first-half FG

It will probably be the most scrutinised decision in Sunday’s game.

Conditions were awful in the first half even before the snow settled. And the Broncos were playing with a backup quarterback in Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown an NFL pass since 2023 because of starter Bo Nix’s season-ending fractured ankle.

There will be a premium on points due to the presence of two elite defenders on the field. The Broncos struck first and had a chance to take a 10-0 lead with a 42-yard field goal attempt from kicker Will Lutz. But instead of kicking for a two-score lead, the Broncos opted to go fourth-and-1 at the New England 14-yard line

Stidham faced pressure and threw an incomplete in traffic, and the Patriots came down.

The Broncos didn’t score again. And the potential field goal proved to be the final margin in New England’s 10-7 win.

Stidham’s mistake set up the Patriots’ only TD

The Broncos had a clear game plan on Sunday. The Broncos needed Stidham to play a clean game and avoid catastrophic mistakes so that their defence could control the game against the opposing quarterback in the Drake girls’ first road playoff game.

Late in the second quarter, Stidham defied the game plan. With Denver up 7-0 and facing third-and-4 in his zone, Stidham again faced immediate pressure from a Patriots pass drop back.

He ran back. And then he panicked. Stidham threw a two-handed sideways shove in what appeared to be an attempt to get rid of the ball. Officials initially and erroneously called the play a forward pass and intentional grounding on the field, denying what would have been a defensive touchdown by Patriots linebacker Elijah Ponder.

After consultation, they correctly determined that Stidham’s pass did not travel forward and was a fumble. Ponder’s recovery awarded New England the possession, but the touchdown didn’t count because they blew the whistle.

The outcome was inconclusive for New England. Maye ran the ball in for a 6-yard touchdown later in the game to tie the game at 6-6.

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Blocks Patriots’ game-tying FG attempt

By the second half, wintry conditions took over, and points became harder to come by. As the fourth quarter neared its end, kicker Will Lutz presented the Broncos with a potentially decisive 46-yard field goal.

But Lutz’s attempt came off a knuckleball and sailed left to preserve New England’s 10-7 lead.

Slow-motion replays explain Luzt’s apparent knuckleball. New England’s Leonard Taylor got a hand on the ball to convert the kick and keep Denver from tying the game.

Jarrett Stidham throws a fourth-quarter interception

With 2:19 left, the Broncos had the ball and a chance for a game-tying field goal or the go-ahead touchdown. Instead, Stidham made his second big mistake of the game.

Stidham hit a deep ball to Marvin Mims Jr. at second and nine. Stidham’s ball was well underthrown, and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez ran under it for an effortless interception.

This effectively ended Denver’s chances of winning the Super Bowl.

Drake Maye’s game-clinching first-down run

New England still had work to do after Gonzalez intercepted Stidham. Maye made sure it was done.

On third-and-6 with 1:57 left, the Patriots called for a run by May. Maye faked a handoff, then rolled out to his left, targeting the line for a gain on the left sideline. The Broncos defenders weren’t ready to play, and Maye gained enough to secure a first down.

The play allowed the Patriots to run out the clock to win the AFC Championship. And it capped an exciting day on the ground with May, who powered New England’s offence with his legs.

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Maye rushed 10 times for 65 yards, gaining multiple first downs along the way. And he scored New England’s only touchdown on his six-yard draw in the first half.

Ultimately, the Patriots won the game by a narrow margin, executing their crucial plays while the Broncos failed to do the same.