Patriots To Play Broncos In AFC Championship
BOSTON (CBS) -- For the second time in three years, the Patriots will head to Denver to play for a trip to the Super Bowl.
The Patriots will face the Broncos in the AFC Championship game next Sunday, as Denver beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-16 in Sunday's AFC Divisional Round game.
New England traveled to Denver back in Week 12 and lost their first game of the season, 30-24 in overtime. Tom Brady threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns in the loss, which was going New England's way until the fourth quarter. Up 21-7, Chris Harper fumbled a Denver punt which the Broncos turned into a touchdown drive to cut the lead to 21-14 with 12:34 to play.
Brock Osweiler hit Andre Caldwell for a four-yard touchdown to put Denver ahead 24-21 with 1:09 left to go in regulation, but Brady and company put together a five-play, 51-yard drive to set up a game-tying field goal by Stephen Gostkowski as time expired.
The Patriots received the opening kick in overtime, but Brady was sacked on second down and the Patriots had to punt the ball away a few plays later. Broncos running back C.J. Anderson broke off a 48-yard touchdown scamper three plays later to give Denver the win.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski was injured in the loss, leaving the game in the fourth quarter after taking a helmet to the knee. He had six receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets before being carted off the field.
Things have changed for the Broncos since that November 29 meeting though, with Peyton Manning back under center. He's just 6-13 for his career against the Patriots, including a 2-2 record in the playoffs.
Brady is winless in two career postseason visits to Denver, falling in the 2005 AFC Divisional round and in the 2013 AFC Championship game. He is 5-6 in 11 games against the Broncos -- the only team he owns a losing record against in his career.
You can catch Sunday's AFC Championship game on 98.5 The Sports Hub and WBZ-TV -- the flagship stations of the New England Patriots!