LOS ANGELES — Quarterback Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl appearance since the glory days of predecessor Tom Brady with a blizzard-ravaged 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday (Monday in Manila).
In a low-scoring AFC Championship game played out in brutal conditions, Maye rushed for a first-half touchdown, and painstakingly drove the ball downfield after the break to set up a decisive field goal.
No further scoring was possible in the 21 degrees F (-6 degrees C) storm, with the Patriots’ white uniforms barely visible as players slipped and slid across the snow.
“We battled the elements,” said Maye.
“These conditions, it’s not great throwing the football. But hey, we do what we need to do... We’re off to the Super Bowl. Let’s go!”
The Patriots will play either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, on Feb. 8.
The win cements a remarkable resurgence for the Patriots.
After the dominant era of the Brady dynasty that yielded six Super Bowl titles, New England have endured a painful rebuild, going 3-14 in both the previous two seasons.
But under new head coach Mike Vrabel they were a revelation this season, winning 17 games so far and topping the tough AFC East for the first time since 2019.
Prior to kickoff, all eyes were on the Broncos’ perennial backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who had not thrown a pass in competitive football for two years.
The 29-year-old was thrust into the spotlight when Broncos’ first-choice Bo Nix broke his ankle in the dying moments of last weekend’s victory over the Buffalo Bills.
An understandably nervy Stidham was swiftly and repeatedly blitzed by the Patriots, throwing a wild incomplete pass on an opening drive that ended with a punt.
Moments later his epic 54-yard hurl to Marvin Mims Jr paid off spectacularly, caught deep downfield. Stidham then found Courtland Sutton for the opening TD.
Stidham grew in confidence as the first half progressed, without adding to the lead. The Broncos declined a straightforward field goal attempt at 4th&1 on New England’s 14-yard line, and gave up a turnover on downs.
Then disaster struck, as Stidham fumbled on the Broncos’ 14-yard line for a turnover. Maye, who had been struggling badly, rushed for a touchdown and a 7-7 half-time score.
The fumble would prove “costly,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton admitted after the game.
High-scoring thriller
Sam Darnold threw three touchdowns as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 years.
In a high-scoring C Championship thriller, the Seahawks held off the Matthew Stafford-inspired Rams to advance to next month’s L showpiece where they will face the New England Patriots in a rematch of the 2015 Super Bowl.
The win was the latest milestone in a fairytale campaign for the 28-year-old Darnold, who has enjoyed a renaissance with the Seahawks this season after a rocky start to his L career that included spells with four different teams before his arrival in Seattle.
“It’s amazing, to be able to do this with these guys in this locker room, with this coaching staff -- it means the world to me,” said Seattle quarterback Darnold, who finished with 346 passing yards with no interceptions.
“It’s a special group in this locker room and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”
A back-and-forth duel between Darnold and the Rams’ veteran quarterback Stafford went down to the wire, with the Seahawks defense also coming up with a crucial stop to deny Los Angeles what would have been a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Instead, Seattle regained possession and took crucial minutes off the clock on the subsequent drive, leaving the Rams just 20 seconds in what turned out to a vain attempt to find a winning touchdown.
