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January 25, 2026: Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) drops to pass in the AFC Championship football game between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots. Derek Regensburger / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The Good, Bad & Ugly From Broncos' Loss to Patriots in the AFCCG

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Dylan Von Arx | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 11:05 PM ET

The Denver Broncos’ magical season came to an end on Sunday at the hands of the New England Patriots in a blizzard. Both teams made mistakes throughout the game, but Denver’s two turnovers ultimately decided the game, leading to New England's 10-7 victory in the AFC championship game.

As we continue to sift through the aftermath of this one, it's time to break down the good, the bad, and the ugly. There was significantly more bad and ugly across the board for the Broncos in this game, but let’s start by highlighting the performance their stout defense put forth.

The Good: Defense Dominates

The Broncos’ defense had one of its best performances of the season in the most important game. Denver only surrendered 10 points with the lone touchdown following a horrendous turnover by backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye was held to 10 completions for 86 yards and was sacked five times, with his only real success coming on the ground, where he rushed for 65 yards on 10 attempts. The Broncos’ defense forced eight punts, giving their offense ample opportunities to put points on the board, but their efforts weren’t enough.

It’s hard to ask the defense to play any better than the Broncos did against the Patriots, beyond praying for some takeaways to set up their anemic offense with good field position.

The Bad: Broncos' Wide Receivers

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Wide receiver drops have been a problem all season, and when the Broncos needed their pass-catchers the most, they didn't answer the bell. Without Troy Franklin in this game and the early loss of Pat Bryant to a hamstring injury, the Broncos had to rely on a skeleton crew at receiver.

Courtland Sutton had three catches for 17 yards and a touchdown, but had a couple of drops that killed drives, while Lil'Jordan Humphrey had his own problems wrangling the ball. Marvin Mims, Jr. was Denver’s leading receiver with four receptions for 62 yards, with 52 of them coming on a big catch downfield on the Broncos’ second drive of the game.

The Broncos must look to free agency and the trade market to upgrade their receiving corps because the guys they’re trotting out aren’t nearly enough. Building Bo Nix's nest must take precedence this offseason.

The Ugly: Stidham Can’t Hang

Stidham wasn’t expected to light the Patriots up in this matchup, but his performance directly led to the Broncos falling just short of the Super Bowl. Stidham completed 17 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown, with an interception and an inexcusable backwards pass that was scooped up by the Patriots to set up their lone touchdown of the game.

Stidham's interception came with the game on the line late in the fourth. With the wind at his side, he underthrew a go ball to Mims for an easy interception by Christian Gonzalez. Stidham looked uncomfortable all game, missing a handful of layup throws and struggling to maneuver away from pressure.

The Broncos’ defense gave him and the offense more than enough chances to put the game away, but with his limited playing time and the fourth-quarter blizzard, Stidham never stood a chance. If Nix plays, we are looking at a completely different outcome.

The Takeaway

The Broncos finished 2025 with a 15-4 record (including the playoffs), exceeding expectations. Nix emerging as the franchise quarterback and willing the Broncos to the AFC championship game puts this team a year ahead of schedule with plenty of room to grow.

On their current trajectory, the Broncos will be in the Super Bowl conversation for the foreseeable future.