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 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: overall (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 goal passes in the Patriots ´ divisional round win over Houston. It marked the 13th time in team history that a quarterback had tossed at least three TD passes in a playoff video game. It was likewise the most considering that Tom Brady had three in Super Bowl 52 versus Philadelphia.


Jarrett Stidham. Bo Nix's backup hasn't thrown a pass in two seasons and the only snap he played this season came on a kneel-down at the end of a blowout over the Dallas Cowboys. Stidham has 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 two 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 likewise required Allen to turn the ball over four times after he had actually gone 6 straight championship game without a turnover. Allen had two fumbles and 2 interceptions, consisting of one in overtime. In the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 10 times, thrown 2 interceptions and fumbled 6 times, losing 3 of them.


Patriots: LB Harold Landry III (knee) has actually been eliminated. CB Carlton Davis (concussion protocol) and LB Marte Mapu (hip) are both doubtful. ... WR Mack Hollins, who has been on hurt reserve since Dec. 27 with an abdominal area injury, was triggered 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 2 goals.


Broncos: RB J.K. Dobbins, who went back to practice today for the very first time given that 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 activated off injured reserve. He went on IR with a shoulder injury last month. He took the lineup 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 between the teams, winning all 4 video games in Denver. The two most recent meetings 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 conference in 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 groups in the Super Bowl period to go unbeaten on the road with a brand-new head coach. ... Vrabel is trying to become the 8th coach in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl in his first season with a group. ... Maye has actually completed 3 of 10 deep passes (20 or more yards) through his first 2 playoff video games. The Broncos didn ´ t permit Buffalo ´ s Josh Allen a conclusion and intercepted him two times on nine deep pass efforts in the divisional round. ... With a win, Maye would become the very first quarterback to win three 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 actually been strip-sacked 11 times this season, consisting of the playoffs. The Patriots have six 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 period 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 champion video game). ... WR Stefon Diggs has played in 16 postseason video games and has 75 receptions for 965 lawns and five touchdowns. He requires 35 yards to become 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 video games amongst all Patriots players 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 four in a single postseason. ... The Broncos are 18-5 perpetuity in home championship game since their very first one in 1977 throughout the "Orange Crush" era. ... This is Denver's 11th appearance in the AFC national championship. ... Stidham is 1-3 in his four 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 attempts and all 3 of his extra 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 force 2 fumbles in a playoff game. By removing the ball from Josh Allen two times, Bonitto signed up with Von Miller (versus 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 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 during 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 versus the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)


Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham responds to questions after an NFL football practice at the team's head office 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 video game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)