The Patriots have won the Super Bowl six times – a record they share with the Pittsburgh Steelers
The New England Patriots have secured their place in Super Bowl 60, prevailing over the Denver Broncos with a hard-fought 10-7 victory.
Defense was the defining characteristic of the AFC Championship game, contested amidst a blizzard, as the Patriots did just enough in Denver to advance to their first Super Bowl since their sixth NFL championship in 2019, then led by Tom Brady.
Denver, the NFC’s top seed, was compelled to start backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham for the first time in two years following a season-ending ankle injury sustained by Bo Nix in last week’s Divisional Round win against Buffalo.
Despite Stidham’s touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, which initially gave the Broncos the lead in the first quarter, two critical turnovers ultimately proved decisive.
New England capitalized on the first turnover, with second-year quarterback Drake Maye rushing for a touchdown in the second quarter. The Patriots then edged ahead with a field goal in the third.
A deep pass attempt by Stidham was intercepted by Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez with just over two minutes remaining, providing New England with the opportunity to secure a record-extending 12th Super Bowl appearance.
They will now await the winner of the NFC Championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks for the NFL’s ultimate showdown.
Super Bowl 60 is scheduled for Sunday, 8 February, and will be held in Santa Clara, California, at the San Francisco 49ers’ home stadium.
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Drake Maye has emerged as the leading contender against Rams quarterback Matt Stafford for this season’s Most Valuable Player award.
While New England boasts six Super Bowl victories, sharing the NFL record with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team faced a significant rebuild following Brady’s departure to Tampa Bay in 2020 and the exit of legendary coach Bill Belichick after a challenging 4-13 season in 2023.
Barely two hours after another 4-13 season concluded last January, owner Robert Kraft made the decisive move to dismiss Jerod Mayo, paving the way for Mike Vrabel to assemble his own coaching staff.
This decision has yielded immediate results. Expectations were tempered heading into the season, but the Patriots surged to a 14-3 record, their 10-win improvement tying for the largest turnaround in NFL history.
Maye has solidified his position as a leading candidate for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, displaying remarkable poise and maturity beyond his years on Sunday.
Despite Denver’s defense, which led the league in sacks this season, managing to sack Maye five times, he consistently made critical plays with his mobility.
The 23-year-old quarterback skillfully scrambled out of the pocket to secure crucial first downs and capitalized on Stidham’s fumble near the Broncos’ end zone to score the Patriots’ lone touchdown.
The game evolved into a defensive stalemate, with both teams missing field goal attempts before halftime. Maye orchestrated a sustained New England drive lasting over nine minutes, culminating in what would prove to be the decisive score, a field goal by kicker Andy Borregales.
In a single quarter, the field was blanketed in snow, severely impeding both offenses. Denver’s Wil Lutz missed a 45-yard field goal before Stidham’s last-ditch pass attempt was intercepted by Gonzalez.
The revitalized Patriots have become the first team to reach the Super Bowl after enduring 13 losses in the preceding season. Maye is set to become the second-youngest quarterback to start in the NFL’s championship game, following Dan Marino with the Miami Dolphins in 1985.
Having previously won three Super Bowls as a linebacker with New England, the 50-year-old Vrabel now has the opportunity to become the first individual to win an NFL championship as both a player and head coach with the same franchise.
Christian Gonzalez’s late interception proved crucial in securing New England’s victory during the fourth quarter.
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