Drake Maye aims to do what Tom Brady couldn’t with the Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Drake Maye has an opportunity to perform one thing not even Tom Brady did with the Patriots.

Maye is hoping to beat the Broncos within the AFC championship recreation in Denver on Sunday and lead New England to the Tremendous Bowl for the primary time since 2018. The Patriots have by no means gained a playoff recreation in Denver — dropping all 4 tries, with Brady going 0-3.

“Simply the AFC championship, the possibility to go to the Tremendous Bowl. That’d be large,” Maye stated. “One other highway surroundings that’s had success up to now. … I do know it could be a big-time win.”

The Patriots superior to their 14th AFC championship recreation within the final 25 years on Sunday once they beat the Houston Texans 28-16 in Foxborough. Denver beat Buffalo 33-30 to succeed in the convention title recreation.

New England and Denver each completed 14-3 within the common season, however the Broncos gained the tiebreaker for home-field benefit as a result of that they had a greater document in opposition to widespread opponents: Denver beat the Raiders twice this season however the Patriots misplaced to them.

That loss — to the worst crew within the NFL within the first recreation of the Mike Vrabel period — despatched New England into one of the crucial inhospitable environments within the league. Along with the high-energy crowd, the Patriots will even need to take care of a low-oxygen surroundings that they gained’t have an opportunity to acclimate to.

“Sort of what we’ve been doing on the highway all season lengthy,” stated Maye, who has guided the Patriots to an 8-0 highway document this season. “They’ve bought an awesome crew, so we’re going to have a tricky problem. However I’m trying ahead to getting on the market. And getting an opportunity to probably have a good time on an away discipline can be fairly particular.”

The final crew to go undefeated on the highway with a brand new head coach was the San Francisco 49ers underneath George Seifert in 1989; they gained the Tremendous Bowl.

“Coach (Vrabel) has at all times been saying, ‘Street warriors,’” Maye stated. “So, we’re looking for that yet another time and end out robust what we’ve completed this yr.”

The Broncos are 18-5 in dwelling playoff video games all-time. However they’ll shall be with out beginning quarterback Bo Nix, who broke his ankle close to the tip of the divisional spherical victory over Buffalo. As a substitute, the offense shall be led by former Patriot Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t thrown a cross since 2023.

That’s why New England opened as a 5½-point favourite — the largest highway favourite ever in a convention championship recreation. The road has since moved to Denver plus-4½.

“We at all times really feel as if it doesn’t matter what anybody else has to say, we nonetheless have one thing to show,” stated cornerback Marcus Jones, who returned an interception for a landing in opposition to Houston. “We’re making an attempt to at all times show ourselves proper and never making an attempt to show different folks flawed. That’s type of the philosophy we’ve had for a very long time.”

Win or lose, the Patriots may have hassle getting again to New England: A major snowstorm is predicted to dump a foot or extra of snow on the realm.

Vrabel stated the crew is ready if it might’t depart Denver on Sunday evening.

“We’ve got a number of plans of what may go on based mostly on the climate. (It’s) one thing that they’re acquainted with right here,” he stated. “I imply, there’s issues I can management, (however) that I can’t management.”