New England’s defense had C.J. Stroud so rattled, he looked like a quarterback that didn’t belong in the NFL playoffs. He threw four interceptions and essentially handed New England a spot in the AFC conference championship game against the Denver Broncos. The Houston Texans might have just been the toughest remaining opponent for the Patriots to complete their 180 from the scum of the NFL to Super Bowl champions.
The Patriots are seeking their first Super Bowl without Tom Brady and with the remaining teams left, it feels a lot more realistic than you think. Only one team stands between them and their first Super Bowl appearance since 2018 and there’s only one team that could probably keep them from lifting the Lombardi Trophy. Here’s all of the Patriots potential opponents, ranked.
3. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos would be higher, but losing their starting quarterback makes this matchup not as exciting or lopsided as it could be. Don’t get me wrong, Denver’s defense is top notch, but we’ve seen what happens when good defenses don’t get help from the offense. Jarrett Stidham hasn’t thrown a football in an official game since 2023. I don’t expect him to come out and play at a high level.
Broncos QB | Starts |
|---|---|
Bo Nix (injured) | 34 |
Jarrett Stidham | 20 |
Sam Ehlinger | 8 |
The Patriots’ defense is no pushover. Mike Vrabel knows how to scheme up a postseason defense to frustrate just about any quarterback he faces. With an inexperienced one in Stidham, the Patriots shouldn’t have too much trouble. Like Sunday, I expect this game to be slow in the beginning with the Patriots slowly pulling away in the second half.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The LA Rams have been considered one of the toughest teams to face in these NFL playoffs despite being a No. 5 seed. They narrowly escaped the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round last week and they were able to pull off another upset over the Chicago Bears in the Divisional round. A team with a playoff path like the Rams should be one of the toughest teams to face.
Where New England could slip up against the Rams is their defense. I also wouldn’t want to face Matthew Stafford the way he’s playing. It would be the penultimate showdown if these two faced each other in the Super Bowl. Drake Maye and Stafford have been frontrunners in the MVP conversation and to see them duel it out for NFL supremacy would be a sight to see.
That said, the Rams still aren’t the toughest team the Patriots could have to face. The NFC West is loaded and the toughest team they could be just shut down a division foe to reach the NFC title game.
1. Seattle Seahawks
I don’t just believe in Seattle because of their offense. Rather, it’s because of their defense. What they did against the San Francisco 49ers was lethal, and that type of performance is what truly wins championships. I don’t believe in Sam Darnold to be the difference between a win and a loss.
Darnold didn't do much against San Francisco and considering he’s ailing with an oblique injury, I doubt he can carry Seattle to a win. But if their defense plays like it did against the Niners, Maye won’t stand a chance. And as good as New England’s defense is, they won’t be able to win with defense alone against that Seattle.
Though the Rams could be a tougher matchup for New England because their offense is probably better than Seattle’s, I feel like Maye and the Patriots wouldn’t have as much success against the Seahawks like they would against the Rams.