By the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High, grounds crews were running snowblowers across the field just to keep the yard lines visible. The final score matched the weather — New England 10, Denver 7, a game decided by a 23-yard field goal, a backward pass that cost the Broncos their momentum, and an interception Christian Gonzalez made with 2:11 left to close it out. Drake Maye carried 10 times for 65 yards and the game’s only Patriots touchdown while Jarrett Stidham, pressed into his first start since the 2023 regular-season finale after Bo Nix’s ankle surgery, finished with two turnovers and a passer rating of 63.0. All player stats, team stats, and the full box score from New England’s AFC Championship win are below.
Table of Contents
Final Score
Team
Record
Score
New England Patriots
17–3
10
Denver Broncos
15–4
7
Venue: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO Date: January 25, 2026 Broadcast: CBS / Paramount+ Attendance: 76,862
Score by Quarter
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Final
New England Patriots
0
7
3
0
10
Denver Broncos
7
0
0
0
7
Scoring Plays
Qtr
Time
Description
Drive
Score
1st
10:19
Courtland Sutton 6-yd pass from Jarrett Stidham (Wil Lutz kick)
5 plays, 59 yds, 1:41
DEN 7–0
2nd
2:10
Drake Maye 6-yd rush (Andy Borregales kick)
2 plays, 12 yds, 0:42
7–7
3rd
5:29
Andy Borregales 23-yd field goal
16 plays, 64 yds, 9:31
NE 10–7
Team Stats
New England
Denver
Total Yards
206
181
Total Plays
64
58
Yards per Play
3.2
3.1
Passing Yards (net)
65
102
Completions/Attempts
10/21
17/31
Yards per Pass Attempt
2.5
3.0
Sacks – Yards Lost
5–21
3–31
Interceptions Thrown
0
1
Rushing Yards
141
79
Rushing Attempts
38
24
Yards per Rush
3.7
3.3
1st Downs
12
11
— Passing
2
8
— Rushing
10
3
— Penalty
0
0
3rd Down Efficiency
6/18 (33%)
4/14 (29%)
4th Down Efficiency
1/1
0/1
Red Zone (Made–Att)
1/2
1/2
Penalties – Yards
1–5
2–5
Turnovers
0
2
— Fumbles Lost
0
1
— Interceptions
0
1
Time of Possession
33:09
26:51
Defensive / ST TDs
0
0
Full Box Score
Passing
Player
Team
C/ATT
YDS
AVG
TD
INT
SACKS
QBR
RTG
Drake Maye
NE
10/21
86
4.1
0
0
5–21
62.5
58.8
Jarrett Stidham
DEN
17/31
133
4.3
1
1
3–31
19.6
63.0
Rushing
Player
Team
CAR
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
Rhamondre Stevenson
NE
25
71
2.8
0
12
Drake Maye
NE
10
65
6.5
1
28
TreVeyon Henderson
NE
3
5
1.7
0
4
NE Total
38
141
3.7
1
28
RJ Harvey
DEN
13
37
2.8
0
9
Jarrett Stidham
DEN
4
23
5.8
0
8
Jaleel McLaughlin
DEN
4
11
2.8
0
5
Tyler Badie
DEN
1
4
4.0
0
4
Adam Prentice
DEN
1
3
3.0
0
3
Pat Bryant
DEN
1
1
1.0
0
1
DEN Total
24
79
3.3
0
9
Receiving
Player
Team
REC
TGT
YDS
AVG
TD
LNG
Mack Hollins
NE
2
2
51
25.5
0
31
Stefon Diggs
NE
5
6
17
3.4
0
6
Hunter Henry
NE
2
3
12
6.0
0
9
Kayshon Boutte
NE
1
6
6
6.0
0
6
Rhamondre Stevenson
NE
0
2
0
—
0
—
DeMario Douglas
NE
0
1
0
—
0
—
NE Total
10
20
86
8.6
0
31
Marvin Mims Jr.
DEN
4
6
62
15.5
0
52
RJ Harvey
DEN
4
6
22
5.5
0
11
Evan Engram
DEN
2
3
19
9.5
0
12
Courtland Sutton
DEN
3
5
17
5.7
1
6
Lil’Jordan Humphrey
DEN
1
3
5
5.0
0
5
Elijah Moore
DEN
1
1
4
4.0
0
4
Pat Bryant
DEN
1
1
2
2.0
0
2
Jaleel McLaughlin
DEN
1
2
2
2.0
0
2
DEN Total
17
27
133
7.8
1
52
Defense — New England Patriots
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Carlton Davis III
7
4
0
0
0
0
Christian Gonzalez
6
5
1
1
1
0
Marcus Jones
6
4
0
0
1
0
Jack Gibbens
6
2
0
0
0
0
K’Lavon Chaisson
5
3
0
0
0
2
Craig Woodson
4
3
0
0
1
0
Christian Elliss
4
2
1
1
0
1
Khyiris Tonga
3
3
0
1
0
0
Jaylinn Hawkins
3
1
0
0
0
0
Anfernee Jennings
3
1
0
0
0
0
Christian Barmore
2
2
1
1
0
1
Brenden Schooler
2
2
0
0
0
0
Robert Spillane
2
1
0
0
0
0
Chad Muma
1
1
0
0
0
0
Dell Pettus
1
1
0
0
0
0
Jahlani Tavai
1
0
0
0
0
0
Cory Durden
1
0
0
0
0
0
Marte Mapu
1
0
0
0
0
0
Julian Ashby
1
0
0
0
0
0
Milton Williams
0
0
0
0
0
2
Elijah Ponder
0
0
0
0
0
1
NE Total
59
35
3
4
3
7
Defense — Denver Broncos
Player
TOT
SOLO
SACKS
TFL
PD
QB HTS
Alex Singleton
12
4
0
0
0
0
Talanoa Hufanga
7
4
0
1
2
0
Eyioma Uwazurike
7
2
0
0
0
0
D.J. Jones
6
2
1.5
2
0
2
Dre Greenlaw
6
0
0
0
0
0
Pat Surtain II
5
2
0
0
1
0
Zach Allen
4
3
1
0
0
1
Malcolm Roach
4
3
0.5
2
0
2
Jonah Elliss
3
2
0
1
0
0
Que Robinson
3
1
1
1
0
1
Dondrea Tillman
3
1
0
0
0
0
Justin Strnad
3
0
0
0
0
0
P.J. Locke
3
0
0
0
0
0
Jonathon Cooper
2
2
1
1
0
1
Devon Key
2
2
0
0
0
0
Riley Moss
2
2
0
0
0
0
Kris Abrams-Draine
1
1
0
0
0
0
Marvin Mims Jr.
1
1
0
0
0
0
John Franklin-Myers
1
0
0
0
0
0
Jahdae Barron
1
0
0
0
0
0
Ja’Quan McMillian
1
0
0
0
0
0
DEN Total
77
32
5
8
3
7
Turnovers
Interceptions
Player
Team
INT
Return Yds
TD
Christian Gonzalez
NE
1
0
0
Fumbles
Player
Team
FUM
LOST
REC
Jarrett Stidham
DEN
1
1
0
Elijah Ponder
NE
0
0
1 (recovered)
Stidham attempted to shovel the ball to avoid a sack near the Denver 12. Ruled a backward pass, it became a fumble; Ponder recovered and New England scored two plays later.
Kicking
Player
Team
FG
FG%
LNG
XP
PTS
Andy Borregales
NE
1/3
33.3%
23
1/1
4
Wil Lutz
DEN
0/2
0.0%
—
1/1
1
Both kickers missed two long attempts before snow arrived at halftime. Lutz’s 45-yard attempt in Q4 was tipped at the line by Leonard Taylor III.
Punting
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
TB
In 20
LNG
Bryce Baringer
NE
8
303
37.9
0
1
45
Jeremy Crawshaw
DEN
6
309
51.5
2
3
60
Kick Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
D’Ernest Johnson
NE
2
59
29.5
30
0
Tyler Badie
DEN
1
20
20.0
20
0
Punt Returns
Player
Team
NO
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
Marcus Jones
NE
1
2
2.0
2
0
Marvin Mims Jr.
DEN
3
8
2.7
8
0
Injuries
Player
Team
Position
Injury
Bo Nix
DEN
QB
Ankle (surgery Jan. 20)
Did not play
Robert Spillane
NE
LB
Ankle
Left Q1
Pat Bryant
DEN
WR
Hamstring
Left Q2
Officials
Role
Official
Referee
Alex Kemp
Umpire
Barry Anderson
Down Judge
Max Causey
Line Judge
Thomas Eaton
Side Judge
James Coleman
Field Judge
Mearl Robinson
Back Judge
Brad Freeman
Over three playoff games, New England’s defense surrendered 26 total points — the lowest figure by any Super Bowl-bound team since the 2000 Baltimore Ravens held opponents to 16 across the same span. The win was also the Patriots’ 40th in postseason history, one ahead of the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history. Maye, 23, became the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, behind Dan Marino, doing it in his second NFL season under Mike Vrabel in Vrabel’s first year as head coach.
Bobby A. Smith is a Senior Sports Analyst with over nine years of professional experience, specializing in forensic analysis of game strategy and player performance.
His work provides a definitive lens on a broad spectrum of professional sports, delivering expert commentary on the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Soccer, Boxing, Cricket, F1, and NASCAR. Unlike surface-level reporting, Bobby’s analysis is known for identifying the critical, game-deciding patterns that raw statistics often obscure. Every article is grounded in rigorous, fact-based research and an unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity.
