This Sunday, the New England Patriots will face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, marking the sixth playoff encounter between the two teams.
The Patriots have established themselves as a legendary team with six Super Bowl victories across eleven appearances, holding a playoff record of 39-22. The Broncos, on the other hand, have secured three Lombardi trophies in eight Super Bowl outings, posting an overall playoff record of 24-20.
However, the playoff history between these franchises appears quite uneven.
Jarrett Stidham is expected to take the helm for the Broncos due to Bo Nix’s unfortunate ankle injury that ended his season. Denver supporters will probably have to lean on the history of past matchups for comfort as they head into Sunday.
Let’s take a minute to recall how these two teams have fared against each other over the years.
New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos Divisional Round: January 4, 1987
The first postseason clash happened in the 1986 NFL season. The Patriots, leading the AFC East, entered the game with an 11-5 record.
The Broncos also claimed the AFC West title with an identical record of 11-5.
This game was a rematch from their Week 4 encounter in Denver, where the Broncos initially triumphed 27-20. In this divisional round contest, late in the third quarter, John Elway connected with Vance Johnson for a touchdown that put Denver ahead 20-17. A critical moment came when Rulon Jones tackled Tony Eason, resulting in a safety that added two points for Denver.
Final score: Denver 22, New England 20.
Denver advanced to the AFC Championship Game against Cleveland while the Patriots went home, beginning their offseason.
That matchup concluded dramatically with “The Drive.” The Broncos, starting from their own 2-yard line with a 7-point lead, saw Elway lead them nearly the length of the field in a mere 37 seconds to tie the game.
They then won with a 33-yard field goal by Rich Karlis in overtime. Although they later lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXI, Elway’s reputation kept growing…
New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos Divisional Round: January 14, 2006
This game is often referred to as the “Champ Bailey Game.”
For me, it’s the night my phone met an untimely end during a fit of rage.
Mike Shanahan’s Broncos challenged Bill Belichick’s Patriots in Denver that Saturday night. Having won the previous year’s Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles, New England aimed for three consecutive appearances in the big game but entered as the AFC’s fourth seed with a 10-6 record.
They faced Denver, the second seed, after dispatching the Jacksonville Jaguars during wild card weekend.
Midway through the third quarter, Adam Vinatieri’s 32-yard field goal cut Denver’s lead to 10-6. After a stalled momentum from the Broncos, Brady delivered a key 33-yard pass to Troy Brown, moving New England into Denver’s territory. Soon after, he connected with Deion Branch for a short pass, putting them right at the 5-yard line.
An incompletion on second down set the stage for a tense third down.
That’s when my old cell phone (the kind with an actual antenna) hit the couch a little too forcefully.
To this day, I firmly believe the right call was a touchback, but it was ruled out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Denver capitalized, scoring the next play for a 17-6 lead, and from there, they never looked back.
Final score: Denver 27, New England 13.
Denver went on to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game, with the Steelers later defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots Divisional Round: January 14, 2012
Their next playoff bout happened at the close of the 2011 NFL season. New England topped the AFC East, finishing with a 13-3 record as the top seed in the conference. Meanwhile, Tim Tebow was pushing the 8-8 Broncos.
Denver shocked many with a stunning overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers during Wild Card Weekend. That game featured an 80-yard touchdown catch from Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the very first play of overtime.
However, the divisional round wasn’t particularly thrilling for Broncos fans.
After the Patriots surged to a 14-0 lead, Willis McGahee managed to narrow the gap to 14-7 with a 5-yard run. However, the Patriots then scored the next 21 points, heading into halftime with a 35-7 advantage, and Brady’s sixth touchdown pass extended their lead to 42-7 early in the fourth quarter.
Final score: New England 45, Denver 10.
Nonetheless, the Patriots, too, faced heartbreak, losing to the New York Giants in Super Bowl 46, thwarted once again by Eli Manning.
New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos AFC Championship: January 19, 2014
For years, the rivalry between Brady and Peyton Manning was showcased in games against the Indianapolis Colts.
That rivalry shifted when Manning joined the Broncos as a free agent in 2012.
After some exciting regular-season contests, their first playoff meeting occurred at the end of the 2013 season. The Broncos, finishing with a 13-3 record, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and defeated the Chargers 24-17 to reach the championship. The Patriots, with a 12-4 record, secured the No. 2 seed after beating the Colts 43-22 in the divisional round.
This matchup, dubbed “Manning vs. Brady,” was their 15th face-off and fourth in the playoffs. Denver raced out to a 20-3 lead entering the fourth quarter, executing two lengthy touchdown drives that left Brady watching from the sidelines.
Though the Patriots managed to add 13 points in the final quarter, it proved insufficient.
Final score: Denver 26, New England 13.
The Broncos advanced to Super Bowl XLVIII, where they battled the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium. This was notable as the first outdoor Super Bowl held in a colder climate.
Seattle triumphed, defeating the Broncos 43-8.
New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos AFC Championship: January 24, 2016
Framing the 2015 NFL season, the Patriots started as the reigning Super Bowl champs, but Brady missed four games due to the “Deflategate” controversy.
Despite that setback, they posted a 12-4 record, tying with the Broncos for first place in the AFC. The Broncos’ overtime victory over the Patriots in Week 12 guaranteed them the top seed for a rematch in Denver.
Another clash between Manning and Brady appeared inevitable as both teams won their divisional matchups.
Unlike most of their previous encounters, this game showcased fierce defensive plays. New England sacked Manning three times, but it was Denver’s defense that dominated Brady. The Broncos sacked him four times and intercepted him twice, effectively halting the Patriots on fourth down twice during the fourth quarter. They held a 17-9 lead at halftime, thanks to Manning’s two touchdown passes.
Ultimately, the Patriots pulled within two points after Brady linked up with Rob Gronkowski for a touchdown with just seconds remaining.
However, their 2-point conversion attempt failed when Brady’s pass was intercepted by Bradley Roby. An onside kick attempt didn’t pan out, and Shiloh Keogh’s recovery sealed the game for the Broncos.
Final score: Denver 20, New England 18.
The Broncos would go on to win Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers.
New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos AFC Championship: January 25, 2026
So what can we expect come Sunday?
Well, for starters, the team names have changed a bit. Jarrett Stidham will be under center for the Broncos. The storied franchises are set to clash once more in the AFC Championship Game.
Interestingly, the Broncos enjoy a 4-1 advantage in their playoff history against New England.
Will that trend hold this weekend?
