Patriots Punch Super Bowl Ticket, But Questions Linger About the Road They Took
The New England Patriots are heading back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2019 season. That alone is a headline.
But how they got there? That’s where things get interesting.
Let’s be clear: you don’t make it to Super Bowl LX by accident. You’ve got to win playoff games in January, and the Patriots did just that.
But it's also fair to say the path they walked through the AFC wasn’t exactly a gauntlet of full-strength contenders. Instead, it was a stretch of matchups that broke New England’s way, with a mix of injuries, backup quarterbacks, and offensive line issues tilting the field in their favor.
Start with the Divisional Round, where the Patriots faced off against the Houston Texans. Rookie sensation C.J.
Stroud had been electric all year, but in this one, the moment got the better of him. Four interceptions told the story, and the Patriots’ defense didn’t have to do anything fancy-just capitalize on mistakes.
Stroud’s struggles were uncharacteristic, but they were also costly. New England didn’t just beat Houston-they watched the Texans beat themselves.
Before that, it was the Los Angeles Chargers. Justin Herbert is one of the league’s most talented arms, but he was playing behind a patchwork offensive line missing both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.
Without his bookend tackles, Herbert was under siege all game. The Patriots’ front took full advantage, collapsing the pocket and forcing hurried throws.
That’s not to say New England didn’t execute-they did-but the Chargers were clearly hampered by their inability to protect their quarterback.
Then came the AFC Championship Game, a 10-7 slugfest against the Denver Broncos that felt more like a throwback to the early 2000s than a modern offensive showcase. Denver was without their starting quarterback Bo Nix, who went down earlier in the playoffs, leaving Jarrett Stidham to step into the spotlight.
The former Patriot did what he could, but it was a tough ask. In a game where every yard mattered, Denver’s offense just couldn’t generate enough behind a backup QB.
To their credit, the Patriots did what good teams are supposed to do-take advantage of the opportunities in front of them. Drake Maye, the rookie quarterback, has shown poise beyond his years, and the offense has done enough to complement a defense that’s been the team’s backbone throughout the postseason.
But it’s fair to ask: how would this team have fared against a fully loaded Broncos squad with Nix under center? Or a Texans team with Stroud playing clean football?
Or a Chargers offense with a healthy line giving Herbert time to operate?
Those are the questions that linger as the Patriots prepare for the final step. They've earned their spot in Super Bowl LX, but they'll now face an opponent that’s not limping into the big game.
This next test will be different. No backup quarterbacks.
No decimated offensive lines. No margin for error.
And for Denver fans, this one stings. It’s the second time Bo Nix has seen a promising season end with an injury.
The first came back in 2021 at Auburn, when an ankle injury ended his college run after a wild loss to Mississippi State. That game featured a blown 28-3 lead, and Nix’s absence down the stretch left fans wondering what could’ve been.
Fast forward to now, and it’s déjà vu. With Stidham under center, the Broncos were still in it until the final minutes of a low-scoring, defensive battle.
But you have to believe a healthy Nix might’ve made the difference. Instead of prepping for the Super Bowl, Denver is left replaying the what-ifs-what if Nix had stayed healthy?
What if their defense had just one more stop? What if they had the chance to avenge that heartbreaking Super Bowl loss from over a decade ago?
Meanwhile, the Patriots march on. They’ve survived the AFC, but now comes the ultimate test-one win away from another banner, but with a matchup that could finally reveal just how good this team really is.