NFL report card grades for the AFC Championship

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Jan 26, 2026 - 21:30
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NFL report card grades for the AFC Championship

The stage is set, Super Bowl 60 has its official matchup. The New England Patriots will match up with the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of one of the best Super Bowls of the past 15 years. The Patriots narrowly escaped Denver with a victory on Sunday, coming away with a 10-7 win in a snowy, wind gust-filled afternoon. 

The Broncos defense played exceptional football, keeping them in the game despite their offense only mustering seven points. The Patriots offense seemed to be playing things safe all game, and other than Drake Maye’s scrambles on broken plays, they had very few explosive plays or chances to score. Let’s take a look at each team’s grades from the Championship game.

New England Patriots:

Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Denver Broncos during the second half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Offense: C+

  • They had just 86 pass yards, but fortunately got 71 rushing yards from Stevenson and 65 from Maye. They also didn’t turn the ball over.

Defense: B+

  • They sacked Stidham three times, forced a key fumble that led to a touchdown, and won the game with a late interception.

Coaching: A-

  • The coaching for the Patriots was great all around. They protected Drake Maye and attacked on offense based on the flow of the game.

Denver Broncos:

3. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos)
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton stands on the sidelines during warmups prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Offense: C-

  • Other than the long 52-yard completion to Mims in the first half, the Broncos passing attack was very underwhelming. The run game was even worse, with both Harvey and McLaughlin averaging just 2.8 yards per carry.

Defense: A

  • Holding one of the top offenses in the league to just 10 points is quite the accomplishment. Furthermore, seven of the points they allowed came off a turnover by the offense that set up the Pats in the red zone.

Coaching: B-

  • Most of the coaching in this game was good, except for Sean Payton. His decision not kick the field goal on 4th and short cost them three easy points, the same three points that they eventually lost by.

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The post NFL report card grades for the AFC Championship  appeared first on The Big Lead.

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