Not even Mother Nature could block Patriots' Super Bowl 60 path | Opinion
DENVER - To get to Super Bowl 60, the New England Patriots needed to defeat more than just the Denver Broncos.
They also had to beat Mother Nature.
Done.
Never mind the mess that unfolded at Empower Field during the second half of the AFC championship game. The Patriots were not about to be stopped by the snow, swirling wind, slippery turf or limited visibility.
And they sure enough were not going to be stopped by a team with a backup quarterback.
The Patriots snatched the AFC title with a 10-7 victory that turned into the ultimate battle of will against the backdrop of difficult elements.
A Christian Gonzalez interception of Jarrett Stidham with 2:11 on the clock in the fourth quarter snuffed out Denver's last-gasp scoring attempt.
And then the final nail came from Drake Maye - who else? - with a 7-yard run around left end to clinch the victory.
That it was Maye, the second-year Patriots quarterback who is an MVP finalist, to turn in the biggest play in the clutch, seemed fitting enough.
The Broncos sacked Maye four times - but they just couldn't contain him when it mattered most. Maye scrambled for 65 yards on 10 rushes - including several back-breaking runs on third downs to make the difference.
Stidham? Well, there was no miracle, Denver.
The backup quarterback, in his first game action since 2023 as the sub for Bo Nix (who broke his right ankle last week), committed two turnovers that ultimately doomed Denver's chances.
The interception in crunch time came on a heave that never came close to a completion to Marvin Mims, Jr.
Even worse, was a fumble late in the first half, when Stidham attempted a short pass while under heavy pressure. Initially ruled an incompletion, the call on the field was reversed to give the Patriots possession at the Denver 12.
Two plays later, Maye scampered into the end zone for a 6-yard score that turned out to be the only touchdown New England needed.
Then came Mother Nature, as the weather conditions quickly changed after halftime.
And the Patriots rode that weather pattern all the way to Santa Clara.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patriots top Broncos, Mother Nature to reach Super Bowl 60