The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are set to battle for a spot in the Super Bowl. However, the AFC Championship matchup has now taken a sudden turn.
Shortly after beating the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, it was revealed that quarterback Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Now, the Broncos will be turning to backup Jarrett Stidham in their most crucial game.
He won’t be fighting alone, as Denver has one of the best defenses in the NFL. They entered the playoffs ranked second in total defense, allowing 278.2 yards per game. Things aren’t going to come easy for Drake Maye and the Patriots’ offense.
However, it is impossible to ignore the elephant in the room. The Broncos are simply a much different team with Nix under center. The Patriots must exploit Stidham’s inexperience as a starter and play consistent football to punch their Super Bowl ticket.
Patriots must take advantage of Jarrett Stidham matchup
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The biggest reason New England is competing for a playoff spot is their defense’s performance in the Divisional Round. The Patriots forced Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud into four interceptions. Furthermore, the Texans forced a pair of fumbles.
Stroud struggled throughout the 2025 season, and the Divisional Round wasn’t his best performance. But he is still a starting quarterback who is being thrown into the fire each week. He understood exactly what was coming from New England.
Watching from the sidelines, Stidham at least watches how opposing defense’s operate. No other quarterback will have a better understanding of Denver’s offense on such short notice. But ultimately, Stidham hasn’t attempted a pass since the 2023 season.
He is entering the game with four starts over his career, although he has gone 1-3. Stidham has thrown for 1,422 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Put simply, the Broncos are going with a bit of a wild card in the AFC Championship.
The Patriots cannot overlook Stidham. Denver wouldn’t start him if they truly thought he was incapable of leading them to victory. Furthermore, with Stidham spending time with New England earlier in his career, perhaps he’ll come out with a bit more fire than expected.
But as it stands, the Patriots are set to face a backup quarterback. Their defense must be prepared to take advantage of Stidham’s limitations. The bright lights must fall in New England’s favor, as they enter the matchup with their full offense. At the same time, the moment can’t get too big as they understand what is at stake.
If the Patriots were to lose this game, there would certainly be negative sentiments thrown their way. They’ve already had to deal with schedule flack all season. Losing to a backup in the AFC Championship Game would only legitimize those allegations further, even with how good the Broncos’ defense is.
New England has gotten back into contention much quicker than most imagined. The person standing in their way is now Stidham. The Patriots must keep their foot on the gas and keep the backup uncomfortable all game.
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