The New England Patriots beat the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC Championship. The Patriots struggled for a second straight week, but C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions and that was the difference. Drake Maye struggled on his own, throwing an interception and losing two fumbles. And yet he still managed three touchdown passes to help lead the Patriots to victory.
NFL playoff schedule: Who will the New England Patriots play in the AFC Championship Game?
The Patriots picked off C.J. Stroud four times en route to a Divisional Round victory over the Texans. We break down who they’ll face in the AFC Championship Game.
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New England Patriots’ next playoff opponent
The Patriots will face the Denver Broncos in the 2026 AFC Championship next Sunday. The Broncos are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and advanced to the conference title game with a 33-30 overtime victory over the Bills. Denver secured the win, but it came at a cost as they lost quarterback Bo Nix for the rest of the playoffs after he broke a bone in his ankle during the game-winning drive. Jarrett Stidham is expected to start for the Broncos in the AFC Championship.
History vs. Denver Broncos
Record: 23-27 regular season, 1-4 postseason
The Patriots and Broncos did not play this season, but this does mark the third straight playoff matchup between the two that will take place in the AFC Championship. In 2016 and 2014, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady faced off with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The Broncos won both of those matchups.
Early AFC Championship odds
Spread: Patriots -4.5
Total: 40.5
Moneyline: Patriots -225, Broncos +188
New England Patriots playoff history
The Patriots are back in the AFC Championship for the first time since 2019. That year, they beat the Chargers in the Divisional Round and then the Chiefs on the road in the AFC Championship to advance to Super Bowl 53. They beat the Rams that year to take home their final Super Bowl with Tom Brady. This will be their 16th trip to the conference championship round. They have 11 wins and four losses in the conference title game.
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