Patriots vs. Broncos recap: Pats weather Broncos, blizzard conditions in 10-7 win

The New England Patriots punched their ticket to the Super Bowl as the defeated the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game.

With the offense struggling to move the football against a top ranked Broncos defense and in the second-half conditions, it was New England’s defense that paved the way again with a pair of turnovers — including a late interception by Christian Gonzalez to help seal things.

Here’s everything that went down at Mile High.

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Final score: Patriots 10 : 7 Broncos

Sunday, Jan. 25, 3:00 p.m. ET | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster

First Quarter

The Patriots won the coin toss and deferred putting Jarrett Stidham and the Broncos offense on the field first. Back-to-back run stuffs by New England’s defense to start the game set up a 3rd-and-9, where pressure by Milton Williams and Elijah Ponder got to the quarterback forcing an incompletion and punt.

New England’s first offensive possession started backed up inside their own 10-yard line. Two straight runs to Rhamondre Stevenson set up a 3rd-and-4 of their own, where Drake Maye’s first attempt of the day to Stefon Diggs fell incomplete.

Stidham faced a 3rd-and-10 to start the next drive, and the QB found a big play downfield hitting Marvin Mims one-on-one on the outside against Christian Gonzalez for 52 yards. Suddenly inside the 10-yard line, a play-action bootleg resulted in Stidham finding a wide open Courtland Sutton for a touchdown. [Patriots 0 : 7 Broncos]

After converting an opening third-and-short on the ground, Maye and Co. then faced a 3rd-and-12 where a downfield screen to Diggs was stopped for just a three yard gain. New England then punted again.

Denver’s offense continued to move the football picking up a pair of first downs to start their next possession. Then facing a 3rd-and-9, Stidham’s pass with pressure in his face was dropped by Courtland Sutton forcing a punt.

The Patriots’ struggles remained as a second-down sack forced the unit into a 3rd-and-15, where a check down to Stevenson fell incomplete. New England punted for a third straight time — the first time they did so to start a game this season.

Second Quarter

Back with the ball, Denver picked up a pair of first downs to move over midfield before two straight handoffs to R.J. Harvey set them up outside the red zone. There facing a 3rd-and-6, Stidham went to pick up the first-down with his legs but came up just short. Keeping the offense on the field on 4th-and-1, a play-action pass in the flat was blown up by Milton Williams and Cory Durden forcing an incompletion and turnover on downs.

Taking over at their own 14-yard line, a first down sack started New England behind the chains yet again. A 3rd-and-13 pass to Mack Hollins on a deep dig route was then caught for a 20-yard completion to get the offense their most productive play of the day. Immediately then set up in a 3rd-and-3, Maye looked to escape up the pocket but was brought down for a zero-yard sack. Bryce Baringer punted again.

A forced second-down incompletion by Gonzalez set the Broncos up with a 3rd-and-5 on their next drive, in which Stidham found Mims underneath who just made the line to gain. The following third-down, New England’s blitz got home to force an incompletion and near turnover — where the pass was then ruled as backwards and recovered by the Pats (which should have been a defensive touchdown if not for the whistle being blown).

Taking over inside the red zone, New England found the end zone in just two plays as Maye took home a QB draw for six points. [Patriots 7 : 7 Broncos]

A 10-yard completion to R.J. Harvey got Denver’s next drive started before the two-minute warning. After a near first-down interception, Christian Barmore then got home for a sack to force a 3rd-and-18 — where a check down to Evan Engram was complete but short of the sticks.

Maye took the field with 1:35 left in the half and one timeout at his own 10-yard line. A run and incompletion set up a 3rd-and-5, where a short completion to Hunter Henry was short of the line to gain. Denver called their final timeout before New England’s punt.

With 48 seconds left and the ball just shy of midfield a completion to Harvey moved Denver to the Patriots 40-yard line. New England’s defense then held to force a 54-yard field goal that Wil Lutz pushed wide right.

New England took over just shy of midfield themselves with 20 seconds remaining and one timeout. Maye missed a pass over the middle to Boutte before Will Campbell was called for a false start ultimately leading to a 3rd-and-15. From the gun, Maye took off to pick up 16 yards and get down with one second remaining. Andy Borregales’ 63-yard field goal was wide left.

Third Quarter

The Patriots started the second half with the football as some snow began to come down in Denver. Turning things to Rhamondre Stevenson, the back picked up a pair of first downs to get over midfield. New England then faced a 3rd-and-9 in which Maye took off himself for a 28-yard gain to move the unit inside the red zone. Back in a third-and-long a tight end screen to Hunter Henry picked up nine of the needed 10 yards. Keeping the offense on the field, a QB sneak — with Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga in the backfield — was successful after a Denver challenge. Two runs then led to a third-and-goal from the three where Maye could not find an open receiver and was eventually brought down for a sack. Borregales’ field goal was then good. [Patriots 10 : 7 Broncos]

Denver’s first possession of the second-half opened with a 3rd-and-8, where a screen to Mims picked up just four yards leading to a punt.

Maye continued to gash the Broncos with his legs as he broke free again for a 13-yard scramble to start their next drive off. New England then struck an explosive through the air as Maye found Mack Hollins off a flea flicker down field for 31 yards to move into Denver territory. The drive then stalled leading to a 46-yard field that Andy Borregales pushed wide right.

Fourth Quarter

Taking over at their own 37-yard line after the missed, New England forced a three-and-out yet again as Marcus Jones broke up a third-down pass.

The Patriots kept things on the ground again as Stevenson rumbled for an 11-yard gain before setting the offense up in a 3rd-and-4. From the gun, Maye could not find a receiver and was brought down for a sack.

Denver picked up their first first-down of the second-half on the ground but New England’s defense held firm from there, as Stidham’s third-down pass was complete but short of the line to gain.

Starting backed up at their own eight-yard line, New England started by going backwards as the conditions forced Maye to abort a handoff and take a loss. On 3rd-and-11 a rollout right led to a throwaway from Maye and punt.

A 26-yard punt from Bryce Baringer set up the Broncos offense at the Patriots 33-yard line. A run stuff by Khyiris Tonga and then a screen for no gain set up Stidham in a 3rd-and-13, where the quarterback took running room for a seven-yard gain. Attempting a game-tying 45-yard field, Wil Lutz’s field goal was no good as Leonard Taylor got a hand on it.

At their own 36-yard line after the block, three straight runs by Stevenson managed just one total yard. New England then punted again after Denver used a timeout with 3:11 remaining.

Stidham’s second-pass of the drive went downfield, where Christian Gonzalez was waiting to haul in an interception.

Back in possession at their own 36-yard line, New England ran once to get things to the two-minute warning. With Denver using their final timeout before 3rd-and-7, where Maye kept it himself and made the line to gain. Maye then took it to victory formation.

Patriots vs. Broncos recap: Pats weather Broncos, blizzard conditions in 10-7 win

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