In a remarkable opportunity, Drake Maye is poised to achieve something that even Tom Brady could not during his illustrious career with the New England Patriots. Maye is determined to lead his team to victory against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday in Denver, aiming for a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018.
The Patriots have faced the Broncos in the playoffs four times, losing each encounter, with Brady failing to secure a win in three of those games. “Just the AFC Championship, the chance to go to the Super Bowl. That”d be huge,” Maye stated. “Another road environment that”s had success in the past… I know it would be a big-time win.”
New England advanced to their 14th AFC Championship Game in the last 25 seasons after defeating the Houston Texans 28-16. Meanwhile, the Broncos earned their place by narrowly overcoming the Buffalo Bills 33-30. Both teams finished the regular season with a 14-3 record, but Denver earned home-field advantage based on a better record against common opponents, having defeated the Raiders twice while the Patriots lost to them.
The Patriots are heading into one of the most challenging environments in the league, known for its high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions. “Kind of what we”ve been doing on the road all season long,” Maye reflected, noting the team”s perfect 8-0 record away from home this season. “They”ve got a great team, so we”re going to have a tough challenge. But I”m looking forward to getting out there. And getting a chance to possibly celebrate on an away field would be pretty special.”
Historically, the last team to go undefeated on the road with a new head coach was the 1989 San Francisco 49ers, who ultimately won the Super Bowl. “Coach has always been saying, “Road warriors,”” Maye added. “So, we”re trying to find that one more time and finish out strong what we”ve done this year.”
The Broncos boast an impressive 18-5 all-time record in home playoff games. However, they will be without their starting quarterback Bo Nix, who suffered an ankle injury during the divisional round against Buffalo. In his place, former Patriot Jarrett Stidham will lead the offense, despite not having thrown a pass since 2023. This situation has led to the Patriots opening as 5.5-point favorites, marking the largest road favorite line ever in a conference championship game, though the line has since adjusted to 4.5 points for Denver.
“We always feel as though no matter what anyone else has to say, we still have something to prove,” remarked cornerback Marcus Jones, who returned an interception for a touchdown against the Texans. “We”re trying to always prove ourselves right and not trying to prove other people wrong. That”s kind of the philosophy we”ve had for a long time.”
Regardless of the outcome, the Patriots may face difficulties returning to New England due to a major snowstorm predicted to hit the area, with up to a foot of snow expected. Coach Mike Vrabel stated that the team is prepared for any travel disruptions caused by the weather. “We have multiple plans of what could go on based on the weather. It”s something that they”re familiar with here,” he said. “I mean, there are things I can control, and there are things I can”t control.”
