News broke last Saturday night that Broncos quarterback Bo Nix would miss the rest of the playoffs with a broken ankle.

Nix’s absence, announced after the Broncos survived an overtime divisional-round bout with Buffalo, seemed to clear a path to the Super Bowl for whichever team would play at Denver the following weekend in the AFC Championship Game.

Not so fast.

Even as 3.5-point home underdogs, the Broncos are a threat to block the Patriots’ path to the promised land because of their defense and one of the best offensive lines in the league. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, a 2019 fourth-round draft pick by the Pats, will be well protected by a Denver offense that finished with the highest pass-blocking grades at Pro Football Focus and allowed the lowest sack percentage of any team in the league. If a quarterback has time, even a reserve like Stidham, he has a chance.

During their dominant playoff run, the Patriots have actually produced a below-average pressure rate when rushing four, a soft spot they’ve covered by blitzing at a wildly successful rate. But so far this season, Denver has allowed sacks just 3.7% of the time against the blitz, the lowest figure in the league, per Sports Info. Solutions. Can young Pats defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr outwit Broncos coach Sean Payton and circumvent his offensive line?

Then there’s the matter of Denver’s run game. The Patriots run defense has been spectacular lately, thanks to the returns of defensive pillars Milton Williams and Robert Spillane, plus nose tackle Khyiris Tonga last week. The Broncos rate as an average rushing team, but could exploit the Pats’ short-yardage defense, which has allowed conversions 85% of the time, worst in the league.

The potential return of starting running back J.K. Dobbins from a long-term foot injury might also give Denver a boost. Despite being sidelined since Nov. 6, Dobbins leads the team in rushing with 772 yards, including 21 carries of 10-plus yards. The Patriots should expect the Broncos to test them on the ground, even after they allowed just 2.2 yards per carry to the Texans.

“It’s got to be a strength for us,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said of his defensive line. “And if they do that in the run game, which they did, and play well against the combination blocks and the double teams, I thought that was pretty impressive (against Houston). We’ll need the same effort against the run game against Denver, another good offensive line.”

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) fumbles the ball while being tackled by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) during the second half of an NFL divisional-round playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Defensively, a blitz-happy Denver defense is guaranteed to put heat on Drake Maye. The Broncos lead the league in sacks and sack percentage, dropping opposing quarterbacks on more than 10% of their dropbacks for a total of 71 times. If there’s a weakness in Maye’s game, that’s it.

“They’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Vrabel said of the Broncos. “They’re good on the perimeter, really good up front. The athleticism, they have size, they put a lot of pressure on you. That’s just how this thing goes. Each and every week, (the defenses) get tougher.”

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Maye’s 10 sacks taken this postseason are most among quarterbacks and already more than Tom Brady ever sustained during a single postseason run. He’s also fumbled six times. Denver is likely to park leading pass rusher Nik Bonitto (14 sacks) across from rookie left tackle Will Campbell, who allowed four pressures last round versus Houston, including two strip sacks.

In the event the Patriots can’t protect Maye, the young quarterback knows he must protect the ball better, especially on scrambles.

“I have to be better with the football when I’m taking off and running,” Maye said last Sunday. “From there, (I need to) just know that the football is the prized possession. And when we don’t turn the ball over and put the team in the best spots, I like our chances.”

The Broncos are likely to put the title game in Maye’s hands, a place the Patriots have been comfortable for most of the season. Like Houston, Denver’s run defense ranks top-5 in several metrics, including success rate, DVOA and PFF grades. But is this version of Maye, who’s completing 58.9% of his passes and taking several sacks around a few spectacular throws, ready to carry his offense with the pressure on in the biggest game of his career?

We’ll find out Sunday.