Patriots Won

The New England Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a gritty, low-scoring AFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, advancing to their 12th Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The game was played in blizzard-like conditions with heavy snow and strong winds that limited both offenses to minimal production. The total game score was Patriots 10, Broncos 7.

The Patriots scored their only touchdown in the second quarter when quarterback Drake Maye, handling the sloppy conditions effectively, kept the ball on a 6-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 after Denver had taken an early 7-0 lead. New England added a 33-yard field goal in the third quarter for the go-ahead points, then relied on their defense to hold Denver scoreless in the second half.

Key contributors for the Patriots included Maye, who threw for just 86 yards but rushed for 65 yards, including a critical 7-yard keeper on third-and-5 late in the fourth quarter to secure a first down and run out the clock. The defense was the standout unit, forcing a fumble from Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham (starting due to Bo Nix's season-ending injury) that set up the touchdown drive and limiting Denver to 32 total yards in the second half.

The Broncos' lone score came in the first quarter on a touchdown drive, but they struggled to sustain any momentum afterward amid the weather and New England's aggressive defensive pressure.

The victory marked the Patriots' first AFC Championship win since 2018 and sent them to Super Bowl LX under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, capping a strong 17-3 season. Celebrations followed in New England as the team prepared for the Super Bowl matchup.