The New England Patriots are back in the AFC Championship Game for the first time in seven years, and they’re doing it as the favorites. After a few years of irrelevance and a forgettable 4-13 finish in 2024, the Patriots have flipped the script under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. Now, they’re one win away from the Super Bowl.
Their path to this point? A 16-3 shutdown of the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round, followed by a 28-16 win over the Houston Texans in the Divisional round. Two games, two convincing wins - and plenty of questions about the level of competition they’ve faced.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton hasn’t been shy about voicing his opinion on that front. Newton recently described New England’s playoff run as “the easiest road to the Super Bowl in NFL history.” That’s a bold claim, but let’s break down where he’s coming from.
First, the Chargers. Newton didn’t mince words, calling them a “bottom-tier team” and questioning whether they even belonged in the postseason conversation. And while the Patriots’ defense deserves credit for holding them to just three points, it’s fair to say the Chargers weren’t exactly a juggernaut this year.
Then came the Texans, who rolled into Foxborough without one of their top offensive weapons in Nico Collins. Rookie quarterback C.J.
Stroud, who’s been electric all season, had a rough outing - throwing four interceptions and posting a passer rating that looked more like a typo than a playoff stat line. Newton pointed to that performance as evidence that the Patriots haven’t really faced a team at full strength yet.
Now, the Patriots turn their attention to the Denver Broncos - a team that earned its spot in the AFC title game by knocking off the Buffalo Bills, a legitimate Super Bowl contender. But Denver won’t be at full strength either.
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who helped power the Broncos’ playoff push, is out with a season-ending ankle injury suffered in the Divisional round. That means Jarrett Stidham, the former Patriot, will get the nod under center.
Newton didn’t hold back when assessing the Broncos without Nix, calling them “deficient” and suggesting the Patriots are once again catching a break by facing a backup quarterback. “Yes, they ain't played everybody's best,” Newton said. “The New England Patriots are a good team, but the New England Patriots have not also faced anyone that’s also good.”
It’s a harsh critique, but it underscores a larger point: the Patriots are entering the AFC Championship Game without having faced a fully healthy, top-tier opponent in this postseason run. That doesn’t take away from what Vrabel and his team have accomplished - turning around a 4-win season and winning two playoff games is no small feat. But it does raise the stakes for Sunday’s matchup.
Because while the Patriots have taken care of business against the teams in front of them, the narrative now shifts to whether they can prove themselves against adversity. Even with Stidham starting, Denver’s defense is no joke, and the Broncos just beat a Bills team many thought could go all the way.
The Patriots may be favorites, but the questions won’t go away until they answer them on the field.