The Denver Broncos are right in the middle of history at the moment, as Bo Nix was lost for the rest of the season with a broken ankle. This happened late in the overtime period in the team's win over the Buffalo Bills, and after having not started a game since 2022, Jarrett Stidham gets the nod for the AFC title game, and hopefully, the Super Bowl.
It was a tragic ending to a sensational second season for Nix, who continued to prove the doubters wrong and helped lead his team to this game. The Broncos host the Patriots, and while the Pats are very good, there is a path for Denver to win, albeit small.
The common opinion among the NFL world is likely that the Patriots end up finding a way, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to think. Stidham is a total unknown at this point, and when a team is this late in the season, the QB is usually the one that decides things. Even with that being the case, it has not stopped some notable people from predicting that the Broncos pull off the unthinkable.
Denver Broncos have already been predicted to advance to Super Bowl LX
Here is Pete Prisco in CBS Sports and some of why he thinks the Broncos will beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game:
On the other side, Drake Maye will be making his first road playoff start for the Patriots. That can be daunting, especially against a good Denver defense. But Maye has been good on the road this season. Then again, this is the playoffs.
The Bills ran on the Broncos last week, so I expect the Patriots to try to do the same. New England is averaging 156.1 rushing yards per game over the last seven games, but I think Denver will be better this time against the run.
It would be easy to pick the Pats here based on Stidham playing. But I think the Denver players will elevate their games around him and Payton will have a big day calling the game for him. I think Denver's defense will get the best of the Pats offense. Denver goes to the Super Bowl.
Pick: Broncos 23, Patriots
Drake Maye making his first road playoff start is a huge factor here, as Mile High is notoriously one of the toughest places to play in all of sports, really. Maye has been fine this postseason, but he's fumbled six times and been sacked 10 tims. It hasn't been clean football, but the games have been at home.
With the potential for a rattled Maye and a highly motivated Sean Payton, the Denver Broncos' path to victory might actually be a lot more realistic than you think.