Denver Broncos – New England Patriots: AFC Championship
This is a heavyweight conference final. Two defenses set to slug it out. Broncos hunt the quarterback with relentless pressure. Patriots arrive hot, winning with a cold, clinical machine. Expect a nasty, tactical fight — not a shootout.
Denver Broncos: Built on defense 
Denver finished 15–3 by doing one thing exceptionally well: getting after quarterbacks. Sixty-eight sacks in the regular season and top-tier pressure numbers. They proved it against Buffalo last week. Even Josh Allen couldn’t find room to breathe.
The big worry is offense. Rookie Bo Nix is ruled out for the rest of the playoffs with a fractured ankle, putting Jarrett Stidham into the hot seat. Sean Payton will play it safe — protect the ball, manage the clock, grind out field position. Don’t expect fireworks. For Denver this game lives and dies with the defense, field position, and Payton’s experience in big moments.
New England Patriots: Collective control and constant pressure
The Patriots roll into Colorado 16–3 and have won 14 of their last 15. After a shaky start, they’ve become the AFC’s most consistent side. Drake Maye looks like an MVP contender, but the defense has been the engine all season.
Over the last two rounds New England forced six turnovers against Justin Herbert and CJ Stroud while dominating the trenches. Milton Williams and Christian Barmore bully the middle, which lets the secondary play aggressive and cut off big plays. Offensively they’re tidy — balanced, quick decisions from Maye, not relying on splash plays. That discipline could win this one.
NFL prediction Denver Broncos vs New England Patriots
Patriots to win
Everything points to a tight, physical slog where possessions matter more than style. Denver will lean on the home crowd and that savage defense to stay within reach, while Sean Payton tries to keep Stidham clean and score in short, controlled bursts.
But New England’s depth up front and the steadiness at quarterback tilt the scale. If the Patriots can generate interior pressure on a QB who’s out of rhythm, they’ll force mistakes. Drake Maye has already shown he can deliver in clutch spots — and that might be the margin here.
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