The New England Patriots are heading back to the Super Bowl after quarterback Drake Maye showed his ability as a running quarterback in the 10-7 win.
Videos by FanBuzz
Maye only completed 10 of his 21 attempted passes in Denver's blizzard-like conditions, but he made the two biggest plays while tucking the ball and running. The first play, a 6-yard touchdown run, put the Patriots on the board for the first time and tied the game. The second of these plays sealed the win for the Patriots.
Facing a third-and-6 with 1:57 remaining in the game, the Patriots faced a choice. Would they attempt to throw for the first down and risk stopping the clock with an incompletion? Would they hand the ball off and hope for a big play from running back Rhamondre Stevenson?
The Patriots did neither. Maye ran a bootleg to the left side of the line and outran Broncos linebacker Jonah Ellis. He gained the first down before being pushed out of bounds. The clock stopped, but at that point, it didn't matter.
The #Patriots and Drake Maye are headed to the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/bsSNHfeeRp
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2026
Maye's legs had delivered the first down on his 10th rushing attempt of the day and made it possible for the Patriots to just take a knee and run out the clock.
The Patriots locked up a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2018 season. They did so in Maye's second year as starting quarterback and Mike Vrabel's first year as head coach.
Of course, the entire team delivered some big plays during the hard-fought defensive battle. Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III tipped a field goal attempt by Will Lutz late in the fourth quarter. Instead of tying the game, the ball fell short of the uprights.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez then intercepted a pass from Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham with 2:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. This gave the ball back to the offense, and set up Maye's scramble to seal the win.
