AFC Championship Special: New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos Prediction & Preview

When and where

The Pats face a task that they have never succeeded in before to win the AFC title on Sunday. A win away in Denver. The game is live at 3 PM EST and you can watch live on CBS/WBZ and you can listen live on 98.5 The Sports Hub radio.

Previous meetings and all-time record

The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots have met 55 times in their history, including 5 postseason matchups. Denver leads the series 31-24. The Broncos are 4-1 in playoff matches, all of their wins coming at home at Mile High Stadium. Most recent meeting was a 26-23 Patriots win in Mile High on Christmas Eve in 2023.

Who and what to look out for

The New England Patriots enter the AFC Championship Game at Denver on the verge of multiple historic milestones. They are tied with San Francisco for the most postseason wins in NFL history at 39 and would claim the record outright with a victory. New England also holds an 11–4 all-time record in AFC Championship Games and can advance to its 12th Super Bowl, extending its own NFL record of 11 Super Bowl appearances. If they reach the Super Bowl, the Patriots would have the opportunity to break their tie with Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl wins, as both franchises currently have six.

The Patriots’ 2025 season represents one of the league’s most dramatic turnarounds, improving from a 4–13 record in 2024 to 14–3 this year. A Super Bowl berth would make them the 15th team to reach the Super Bowl one year after a losing season, and notably the third time in franchise history New England has accomplished that feat. A win at Denver would also guarantee a Super Bowl rematch against either Seattle or the L.A. Rams, adding to the Patriots’ extensive history in Super Bowl rematches, where they have already participated in three—more than any other franchise.

This matchup also carries significant historical weight between the Patriots and Broncos. It marks their sixth postseason meeting and third AFC Championship Game matchup. New England has never won a postseason game played in Denver, making a victory particularly notable. From an ownership perspective, Robert Kraft’s Patriots have amassed 35 playoff wins since he purchased the team in 1994, the most by any franchise in that span. A win would give Kraft his 36th postseason victory, tying him with the Rooney family for second-most all time, and would secure his 11th conference championship, extending his Super Bowl–era record.

Head coach Mike Vrabel is also on the cusp of history. A former Patriots player who won three Super Bowls with the franchise, Vrabel could become the first coach to both win Super Bowls as a player for a team and then lead that same team to a Super Bowl as head coach. He could also become the eighth coach to take a team to the Super Bowl in his first season with that franchise, joining a short and distinguished list.

Several players enter the game with individual milestones within reach. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is closing in on 1,000 career postseason receiving yards and could move into the NFL’s top 10 in postseason receptions. Defensively, Marcus Jones could make history with a second consecutive postseason interception return for a touchdown, while K’Lavon Chaisson needs one more sack to join elite company in Patriots postseason history. Carlton Davis III, coming off a two-interception performance, could also reach rare territory with another pick, further highlighting the Patriots’ strong defensive impact during this playoff run.

Predictions and favourites

The Pats can end a seven year drought of a Super Bowl berth with a win on Sunday. The Broncos are without QB Bo Nix but their defense is elite and they still have plenty of dangerous weapons on offense that backup QB Jarrett Stidham can use. If the Pats defense plays as it did in the other two playoff games, the Pats will win this game. Drake Maye is good enough to beat the best defenses in the league. If the Pats play well on defense, Maye and the rest of he offense look after the football, the Pats will win this one. I'm taking the Pats today. Denver 20, New England 30. Go Pats!