Here Are The Patriots' Odds To Beat The Broncos In The AFC Championship Game

FOXBOROUGH, MA — The New England Patriots are heading to the high-altitude to take on the Denver Broncos this Sunday for the right to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX. The AFC Championship will kick off on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Empower Field at Mile High.

According to Fanduel Sportsbook, the Patriots are four and a half point favorites over the Broncos. Traditionally, home teams are usually handicapped by three points in matchups. The big swing in the spread that now leans heavily in the Patriots' favor can be attributed to one thing: the Broncos’ quarterback situation.

In a shock to NFL fans everywhere, Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle during one of the final plays of Denver’s overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round last Saturday. With the second-year star signal caller done for the season, a familiar face to Patriots fans will now be under center for the orange crush on Sunday afternoon.

Jarrett Stidham was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 draft by the Patriots. At the time, Bill Belichick was in charge of the team's personnel at the time. After never getting the opportunity to start a game in New England, Stidham eventually wound up with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, where Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels was the head coach at the time. Toward the end of that season, Stidham started two games. One start has been studied by Patriot coaches and fans alike this week, in which Stidham completed 67 percent of this throws for 365 yards and threw three touchdown passes against the San Francisco 49ers, who had one of the league’s best defenses at the time. Worth noting that he also threw two interceptions. Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton made a point to acquire Stidham as soon as he arrived in Denver ahead of the 2023 season.

"That's his personality. He's gonna rip it, you know? That'll be our approach. He's got this calm demeanor that I think suits him well,” Payton said in a press conference earlier this week. “He's played in big games in college. You know, I said this at the start of the season, I felt like our two were inside the best 32 (quarterbacks).”

Stidham’s last real NFL action came in the final game of the 2023 season. He has not appeared in a regular or postseason game since.

While Stidham’s lack of experience could bode well for the Patriots, the lack of knowledge presents a scenario where it could be hard to expect what Denver’s offense is going to do come kickoff.
However, New England’s defense has been nothing short of dominant in its two playoff games thus far, as it has made what most consider far superior quarterbacks than Stidham in C.J. Stroud and Justin Herbert look pedestrian at best. The Houston Texans’ offense turned the ball over five times against Mike Vrabel and Zak Kuhr’s unit at Gillette last Sunday, with four of them coming from the right hand of Stroud. There is major potential for this defense to continue embarrassing opposing quarterbacks with a career backup next on the docket. However, Stidham’s offensive line is healthier and superior to that of the Pats’ last two opponents.

See Also: Patriots Vs. Broncos And Rams Vs. Seahawks: What AP Pro Picks Says

The Patriots have struggled mightily playing in Denver historically, especially in the playoffs. The franchise is 0-4 all-time against the Broncos when they play on Denver’s home turf. The last loss came a decade ago in the AFC Championship, in which the Pats lost a “nail-biter” in what would be Tom Brady and Peyton Manning’s final matchup.

Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel both expressed confidence in the team’s ability to adjust to and perform well in the thin air, despite only having approximately 24 hours to get used to it before the game starts.

“Other than going out there last Thursday — which wouldn’t have been an ideal situation considering we had to play last night, but I think just physiologically you have to be at altitude for longer than a day or two or three. It takes time to do that,” Vrabel said in a press conference earlier this week. “So, we’ll do what we’ve always done. We’ll travel, be in condition, and be ready to play. That’s kind of about what it is.”

How To Watch The Game

Kickoff: 3 p.m.

Network: CBS

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

See Also:

• Patriots Fans Convinced Their Superstitions Work, From Tattered Sweatshirts To Christmas Trees
• Storm Could Complicate Travel For Patriots Fans Headed To Denver For AFC Championship
• Patriots Fans Warned About Ticket Scams as Football Season Nears
• Patriots Selling Women's Unique Clothing Designs In Gillette Stadium Pro Shop