Patriots On SI Staff Predicts AFC Championship

Jennifer Streeter

The New England Patriots On SI crew will absolute not make the same mistake as the gang from ESPN's NFL Live in terms of predictions. Following an impressive 28-16 win over the Houston Texans, who had an even more impressive defense, the New England Patriots have now advanced to the AFC championship game for the first time since 2018. What happened after the last time New England played that game? They went on to win the Super Bowl.

With all roads now pointing to Super Bowl LX, the Patriots very well may end up there. The Broncos will be without starting quarterback Bo Nix due to a heartbreaking ankle injury, which has ruled him out for the rest of the playoff race. It's unfortunate for Denver, but this very much points in New England's favor.

In addition, new head coach Mike Vrabel has really established a positive culture throughout the entire Patriots franchise, locker room and fanbase. With the Pats and quarterback Drake Maye on a roll — in addition to the hype of the dynasty potentially returning — there is no reason why New England doesn't continue their postseason momentum.

Prediction: Patriots 24, Broncos 17

Jeremy Brener

The Patriots have everything they could want for going into the AFC championship game, even though it's on the road. They are facing off against a backup quarterback in Jarrett Stidham, someone that the organization gave up on a few years ago.

Bo Nix's injury makes the Broncos an underdog, but that doesn't mean the Patriots will have it easy in Denver. The Broncos defense is on par with the Texans, who gave Drake Maye and the Patriots offense fits throughout the divisional round.

In order to win the AFC championship, the Patriots will have to match the Broncos' intensity on defense. If that can happen, the Pats will be back in the Super Bowl.

Prediction: Patriots 28, Broncos 20

Mike D'Abate

The Patriots improbable run of success this season has led them to their first AFC championship game appearance since 2019. As fate would have it, former Patriots backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be leading the Denver Broncos into this matchup in place of the injured Bo Nix. While the Pats defense is likely intrigued by the prospect of facing a quarterback who has not thrown a regular-season pass since 2023, it may be their offense which decides the fate of this game. The Broncos will present a formidable challenge, having finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in scoring defense in the NFL, allowing 18.3 points per game.

To earn the victory, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye must exhibit greater ball security than he has throughout the postseason. New England’s rookie phenom has fumbled six times in the playoffs, losing three of them.

Conversely, Denver is well-equipped to both pressure the quarterback and take the ball away. The Broncos' 68 regular-season sacks set a franchise record, while their red zone defense ranks second in the NFL. Lastly, Denver totaled seven takeaways in the past two games.

That being said, there is a touch of destiny that seems to be surrounding these Patriots — an aura which has served them well, to date. Maye must once again rid himself of the ball early — by either making the throw before the three-step, or by scrambling. Should New England’s offensive line find success in controlling the line of scrimmage, expect him and his receivers to test the Broncos’ secondary with a deep passing attack.

Defensively, the Pats should be expected to pressure Stidham, while preventing him from showcasing his impressive arm strength with strong play in the secondary. Despite Denver’s injury woes, this clash of the AFC’s best will be closer than most think. In the end, the Pats’ make enough plays to punch their ticket to a spot in Super Bowl LX.

Prediction: Patriots 21, Broncos 17