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Every AFC Championship game since the 2011 season has featured either the Kansas City Chiefs of New England Patriots, but even during the Tom Brady days the Pats never had any joy at Mile High.<\/p>\n
Is this Patriots dynasty reborn?<\/b><\/p>\n
There’s a lot of similarities between life under Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye and the ultimate dynasty of Brady and Bill Belichick – this play-off run with two brutal defensive clashes is one of them.<\/p>\n
It’s been a huge turnaround in New England, winning 16 games this season after just eight wins combined in the previous two campaigns.<\/p>\n
They were the biggest spenders in free agency but also had the second-most rookie starts this season, so an overhaul that left just 16 players left from the 2023 roster obviously has the right balance.<\/p>\n
It’s true the Pats had an easy regular season schedule, but they’ll have to win it the hard way as – after facing the Chargers, Texans and now Broncos – Maye will become the first quarterback to beat three top-five defences in one post-season if victorious.<\/p>\n
If he does, there will be yet more evidence the Pats are back.<\/p>\n
Can Broncos win Super Bowl with back-up QB?<\/b><\/p>\n
Head coach Sean Payton has taken a little longer to turn things around, understandably given Denver’s salary cap issues. The largest expense on their salary cap this season is the $32m of dead money still left on Russell Wilson’s ill-fated contract.<\/p>\n
Just a couple of hours after beating the Bills in a thriller, Denver were deflated when news that quarterback Bo Nix had broken his ankle<\/a> came through.<\/p>\n Nix’s overall stat lines may not jump out at you, but leading his team to a 12-2 record in one-score games tells you everything.<\/p>\n The big question now is whether Payton can devise a way to win with back-up Jarrett Stidham, who will play for a place in the Super Bowl 749 days since he last threw a pass in the NFL.<\/p>\n The 29-year-old was, ironically enough, drafted by New England and seen as Brady’s successor at one point, but although he has more appearances for the Pats (8) than Broncos (7) his career next took off in Foxborough.<\/p>\n He has just four career starts, with one win, and hasn’t thrown a single pass in the past two seasons – playing just one snap this season which was a kneeldown.<\/p>\n He is the first quarterback to start a Conference Championship game without throwing a pass that season, and although Payton has insisted he’s ready to go it’s a massive worry for the hosts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n