Sunday Rundown: Instant takeaways from conference title games
Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.
Maye's legs make the difference
The Patriots' passing attack couldn't find any sort of rhythm for the third time in as many weeks. A struggling offensive line was once again the primary factor on that front, but the stadium turning into a snow globe didn't help. Drake Maye still found a way, though. In the end, his do-it-all skill set was the difference in New England advancing to Super Bowl LX.
Maye had the perfect answer for a collapsing pocket against the Broncos, tallying 57 yards on three scrambles. Accounting for situational factors - all three of those runs went for first downs - that works out to 6.37 scramble EPA, according to TruMedia. The list of playoff performers in that territory over the last 12 years makes for some pretty exclusive company.
And the scramble numbers don't even include the two game-changing plays Maye made on designed runs: a six-yard score late in the second quarter and a seven-yard dash on a naked boot to seal the win late in the fourth. This is exactly why the NFL has been trending toward big-time athletes at the quarterback position. An elite downfield passer also being able to offer this kind of rushing upside is a true game-changer.
The Patriots have to shore up their pass protection if the offense is going to get back on track in a tough matchup with the eventual NFC champions in Super Bowl LX. Will Campbell struggling since his return from a knee injury has been a critical factor in Maye taking five sacks in each of New England's three playoff games. But this team's ability to overcome any such issues is a truly special quality.
Vrabel's defense does it again
New England's defense certainly held its own throughout the regular season, but Maye lighting it up at the helm of a Josh McDaniels offense was the driving force behind this incredible one-year turnaround. Those roles have effectively been reversed in the postseason.
Some will shrug off this latest defensive performance as a product of playing a backup quarterback in the snow. While it's true that the final score may not have looked quite as sparkling under different circumstances, the reality is that this defense has now dominated three straight opponents. Personnel is one part of the equation, with a healthy Milton Williams giving New England a game-breaker in the middle, but it's also a matter of the coaching staff consistently looking to attack in these do-or-die games.
The Patriots entered this week with a 40.6% blitz rate in the playoffs, up from 27.2% in the regular season. That unit was once again creating chaos in the passing game Sunday, getting to Stidham for three sacks and eight quarterback hits. The latter matches a season-worst total for a Broncos offense that has done well to limit pressure and negative plays all year.
New England will have its hands full on defense in the Super Bowl, as the NFC representative will be far more difficult to contain than the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos. Considering the way that unit has elevated its game over the last three weeks, though, it shouldn't come as a surprise if Mike Vrabel's unit is once again up to the task.
Big mistake sinks Stidham
Jarrett Stidham seemed like he was well on his way to shocking the world. After shaking off some early jitters, the Broncos quarterback ignited the home crowd by torching New England's defense with a 52-yard strike to Marvin Mims. Two plays later, he rolled out to find Courtland Sutton in the end zone to give Denver a 7-0 lead. The way the Broncos defense was swarming, it didn't feel like he'd need many more points, so long as he could avoid major mistakes.
Unfortunately for Denver, the game-changing blunder came when he tried to do too much on a critical third down before halftime. Stidham held the ball too long while drifting back in the pocket and took a big hit on the eventual pass attempt. The contact resulted in a backward pass, officially ruled a fumble recovered by New England on the Broncos' 12-yard line. The Patriots took advantage, tying things up two plays later. The Broncos didn't score again.
Perhaps this ends up being a different game if Sean Payton opts to take the field goal on a failed fourth down to make it a 10-point game midway through the second quarter. There was certainly an argument to take the points in a game like this. Or maybe Stidham would've had easier opportunities to redeem himself if the weather didn't take a turn for the worst. But the second-half numbers aren't conducive to winning either way: Stidham completed just 5 of 10 passes for 10 yards and a late interception that all but sealed the loss.
The Broncos tapping out of the playoffs after losing their starting quarterback in the final minutes of a divisional-round victory will be a bitter pill to swallow. While it's no guarantee that the final result would have been any different with Bo Nix, it's possible that his scrambling skills could have matched the situational impact we saw from Maye. Either way, it was a season to remember for Denver. And with Russell Wilson's contract finally off the books in 2026, this may only be the beginning of an extended window to compete for a Super Bowl.
Check back for full analysis of the NFC Championship Game.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.