The New England Patriots are gearing up for an AFC Championship bout with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos suffered unfortunate news after an exhilarating overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills: their star quarterback, Bo Nix, suffered an ankle injury and has already been ruled out of Sunday’s game. In his place, the Patriots will see a familiar face. Jarrett Stidham, who was drafted by New England back in 2019, is set to take over for Nix at quarterback. He’s facing an uphill battle for many reasons, but the biggest reason is the Patriots’ defense.

The New England Patriots Defense Has Been The Biggest Surprise Of The Playoffs

Patriots Defense Through The Playoffs

Coming into this postseason, several teams had been receiving recognition for their outstanding defenses throughout the regular season. The Houston Texans’ defense was viewed as the best in the league, led by their dominant pass rush duo of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The Denver Broncos have one of the best pass rushes of all time. They finished the year with 68 total sacks, 11 more than the second-place Houston Texans. One defense that has been outstanding through the first two rounds of the playoffs is the New England Patriots.

The Patriots have only allowed one offensive touchdown in the two games they’ve played thus far. They currently rank fifth in all-time postseason defenses in terms of points against. The four teams ahead of them are the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, the 2000 New York Giants, and the 1977 Dallas Cowboys.

The Patriots defense is tracking for the record books. pic.twitter.com/KiJTarTzEo

— Boston Cream 🍩 (@BostonCream) January 20, 2026

The Patriots’ defense has totaled nine sacks and six turnovers in two games. One of those turnovers resulted in a touchdown, meaning they’ve scored as many touchdowns as they’ve allowed in two games. The run defense slipped from its dominant form from a few months ago, but the return of both Robert Spillane and Milton Williams has led to the run defense returning to form. It’s not just the front seven that have been getting it done for the defense. The secondary has been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. CJ Stroud and Justin Herbert combined for 39/78 attempts, which equals a 50% completion percentage in the playoffs. I mentioned the six turnovers already; four of those have come from interceptions. All four of those interceptions have come from the Patriots’ secondary.

Patriots Look Ahead To Denver

This has been an incredible showing for a defense that was not getting much attention heading into the playoffs. They’ve played smart, physical, and opportunistic defense, which has allowed Drake Maye to have his struggles in his first two playoff games, and they still win. That defense has a chance to maintain this level of play this week. Jarrett Stidham has not thrown a pass in an NFL game in two years. On top of that, the Broncos may be missing some key weapons this weekend. J.K. Dobbins was designated to the injured reserve list and will be out for the AFC Championship game. Two of their top receivers, Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant, are both questionable for Sunday. Jarrett Stidham will have his hands full with this Patriots’ defense, and despite being at home, the Broncos are currently 5.5-point underdogs per DraftKings.