Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl after a nail-biting finish against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. The 10-7 victory was headlined by harsh weather conditions and suffocating defense on both sides of the ball.
Even though Maye didn't have his best game against the Broncos, he accomplished something that even Tom Brady never could in the playoffs.
Despite leading perhaps the greatest dynasty in NFL history, Brady never beat the Broncos in Denver in the playoffs. In just his second year in the league, Maye has taken down the team that consistently haunted Brady and the Patriots in the AFC playoffs.
Drake Maye overcomes the Broncos curse that haunted Tom Brady
The playoff history between these teams goes back even farther than the Brady era. In fact, the Patriots have never beaten the Broncos in the playoffs. Brady lost to Denver in three playoff games, including two AFC Championship Games, with his one win being at Gillette Stadium.
With the backdrop of that impossible bit of history, the Patriots were up against the odds on Sunday. Even though this game was headlined by new quarterbacks, new coaches, and new superstars, the narrative was hard to ignore. Now, Maye and the Pats have defeated that narrative.
Of course, it wasn't just Maye that took down the Broncos. In fact, he didn't even lead the charge in this game. The win was championed by the Patriots' defense. After allowing a touchdown to the Broncos early in the first quarter, New England didn't give up a single point for the remainder of the game. Maye and the offense were only able to score ten points, but it was enough to outpace Denver.
The Patriots had an advantage coming into the playoff battle, as the Broncos were missing their starting quarterback. Still, the defense deserves credit for limiting Denver's offense to such a glaring degree.
But Maye's performance shouldn't be overlooked, either. While the box score might not show an elite performance for the young quarterback, he was able to protect the football throughout the game while maintaining a slim lead. In the volatile atmosphere of a snowy game in the postseason, the importance of that ball security can't be overstated.
In the end, it doesn't matter how they got there. The Patriots have taken down the Broncos on the road in the playoffs for the first time in the history of the franchise.