The New England Patriots will face yet another elite defense when they play the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. Mike Vrabel indicated that it could be the toughest challenge Drake Maye and Co. have seen thus far.
Despite just opposing a Houston Texans defense that finished the regular season first in points allowed, Vrabel touted Denver’s unit as New England’s biggest obstacle thus far during Monday’s press conference.
“It will be the best defense that we’ve played to date because it’s the next one,” Vrabel said. “I mean, that’s just how this goes.”
The head coach expanded on what makes Denver’s No. 2 defense so dangerous.
“They play with a lot of confidence,” he said. “They’re good on the perimeter, really good up front. Their athleticism, their size, they put a lot of pressure on you. That’s just how this thing goes. Each and every week, they get tougher.”
The Broncos allowed the NFL’s third-fewest points per game (18.3) for the second straight season before forcing four Josh Allen turnovers in a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills. They compiled an NFL-high 68 sacks with the second-lowest opposing completion rate (57.8) and yards allowed per pass attempt (6.1) this season.
Drake Maye must become the first quarterback to ever defeat three top-five defenses in a single postseason for New England to make the Super Bowl. Five takeaways helped the Patriots survive a defensive stalemate over the Texans in the AFC Divisional Round.
Then again, the Patriots probably aren’t planning to win a shootout at Mile High. The Broncos may need a low-scoring grind to pull off an upset without Bo Nix.
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