The stage is set for a thrilling AFC Championship matchup between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. With both teams boasting impressive strengths, Sunday's game promises to be an exhilarating clash of strength against strength.
One area where the Patriots may have an edge is in their quarterback Drake Maye's performance on deep passes. His 132.7 passer rating on such throws was the best mark in the regular season, but this number has dipped to 77.1 in the postseason, following a Hail Mary interception against the Texans. In contrast, Denver's defense has excelled at preventing completion percentage on deep balls, with opposing quarterbacks completing just 20.3 percent of passes in such situations.
The Broncos' defense has been a force to be reckoned with, boasting an impressive passer rating allowed of 79.4 this season, which is the fifth-best mark in the league. Patrick Surtain II, their star cornerback and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has allowed just two touchdowns this year, while Riley Moss has allowed seven touchdowns, making him a potential target for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
The Broncos' edge rusher Nik Bonitto has been instrumental in their defensive success, finishing fifth in the league with 14 sacks. However, his team's ability to stop the run has been a weakness, allowing 4.6 yards per carry over their last eight games. The Patriots may be able to exploit this vulnerability and limit Broncos running back Jarrett Stidham's effectiveness.
The Patriots' defense has shown promise in forcing pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but they've struggled against strong pass-blocking units. Denver's offensive line is one of the best in the league, with a 32.6 pressure rate allowed that is the fifth-best mark in football. This could hinder the Patriots' ability to sack Stidham.
If the game goes down to the wire, it will be crucial for both teams to capitalize on their opponents' weaknesses. The Broncos have played well as underdogs this season, going 5-1 straight up when they weren't favored, while Maye has excelled as a decent favorite in his career, holding a 12-0 record straight up when the Patriots are favored by at least 3.5 points.
Ultimately, Sunday's AFC Championship matchup will be a battle of strength against strength, with both teams boasting impressive strengths and weaknesses. The Patriots' offense, led by Maye, will need to adapt to the Broncos' stingy defense, while Denver's defense must find ways to slow down New England's potent attack.
One area where the Patriots may have an edge is in their quarterback Drake Maye's performance on deep passes. His 132.7 passer rating on such throws was the best mark in the regular season, but this number has dipped to 77.1 in the postseason, following a Hail Mary interception against the Texans. In contrast, Denver's defense has excelled at preventing completion percentage on deep balls, with opposing quarterbacks completing just 20.3 percent of passes in such situations.
The Broncos' defense has been a force to be reckoned with, boasting an impressive passer rating allowed of 79.4 this season, which is the fifth-best mark in the league. Patrick Surtain II, their star cornerback and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has allowed just two touchdowns this year, while Riley Moss has allowed seven touchdowns, making him a potential target for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
The Broncos' edge rusher Nik Bonitto has been instrumental in their defensive success, finishing fifth in the league with 14 sacks. However, his team's ability to stop the run has been a weakness, allowing 4.6 yards per carry over their last eight games. The Patriots may be able to exploit this vulnerability and limit Broncos running back Jarrett Stidham's effectiveness.
The Patriots' defense has shown promise in forcing pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but they've struggled against strong pass-blocking units. Denver's offensive line is one of the best in the league, with a 32.6 pressure rate allowed that is the fifth-best mark in football. This could hinder the Patriots' ability to sack Stidham.
If the game goes down to the wire, it will be crucial for both teams to capitalize on their opponents' weaknesses. The Broncos have played well as underdogs this season, going 5-1 straight up when they weren't favored, while Maye has excelled as a decent favorite in his career, holding a 12-0 record straight up when the Patriots are favored by at least 3.5 points.
Ultimately, Sunday's AFC Championship matchup will be a battle of strength against strength, with both teams boasting impressive strengths and weaknesses. The Patriots' offense, led by Maye, will need to adapt to the Broncos' stingy defense, while Denver's defense must find ways to slow down New England's potent attack.
I've been following both teams all season and I gotta say, both Drake Maye and Patrick Surtain II are straight fire 
! The Broncos' D has been on point, but the Patriots' O is so potent it's hard to keep up. If they can get Maye to throw some of those deep bombs downfield, they might just take this game to overtime 
Broncos' D-line needs to step up their game, especially against deep passes 
Patriots got Drake in a rut after that Hail Mary, hope he breaks out of it 
but let's not forget about the real MVPs - the fans who are gonna have to deal with the aftermath of whoever wins this game 
. seriously though, can we talk about how weird it is that these two teams are playing each other? i mean, new england was basically eliminated from playoff contention last week and denver was like "oh noes, what do we do now?" 
the broncos have been doing well as underdogs all season but let's not forget they're still the favourites in this game. meanwhile the patriots are trying to prove themselves on the biggest stage. this is gonna be a real test of strength and strategy for both teams... or maybe just who can recover from injuries 
they need to figure out how to get him out of these tight spots or it could be a long day for pats fans 
. Those guys are totes vulnerable on deep passes, especially w/ Patrick Surtain II gettin owned by Moss 
. And let's not 4get about Nik Bonitto's sacks – dis guy is a beast! 
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. And if the game goes into overtime, it's all about capitalizin' on them weaknesses 
. I'm thinkin Maye's gonna bring his A-game and lead the Pats to another W 
they're so good at preventing completions u think they'll be able to stop jarrett stidham from doin his thang?? meanwhile, broncos edge rusher nik bonitto's been ballin with 14 sacks this season lol patriots' defense needs to step it up and get some pressure on denver's o-line 
. It's gonna be a long day for whoever doesn't come prepared