Drake Maye Declares Patriots Ready for AFC Championship Game

As the New England Patriots march closer to their conference championship showdown with the Denver Broncos, quarterback Drake Maye has begun to embrace his inner-Shakespeare … or as Hamlet might say, “The readiness is all.”

While the famous line — spoken by the titular character in Act 5, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare’s masterpiece — was originally intended to be much more fatalistic in its significance, there is a sense of “do-or-die” for the second-team All Pro as he leads the Pats into battle at Empower Field at Mile High with the AFC title on the line.

Win, and the Patriots move on to represent the conference in Super Bowl LX. Lose, and their improbable comeback season will have reached its end.

Still, the Patriots’ starter remains encouraged by his team’s effort, attitude and performance during their week of preparation for the Broncos. The Pats must be prepared versatile offense led by former Pats’ quarterback Jarrett Stidham, as well as a Denver defense which ranked No. 2 in scoring defense in the NFL by allowing 18.3 points per game, during the regular season.

In Maye’s estimation, the Patriots are more than ready to meet the challenges presented by the conference’s top playoff team.

“I think we had a good week. Proud of the guys. It's the AFC championship. I mean, what more do we need to be operating at a high level in practice, practicing hard and playing hard? I've been proud of the guys and proud of the coaches and what we've done this week. We look forward to getting out there on Sunday. We’ve still got some time left to prepare and fine tune some things. From there, just looking forward to getting out there and like I said, playing for the AFC championship."

Drake Maye Leads the Patriots by Example

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws in the first quarter in an AFC Divisional Round game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Though several Patriots players have significantly contributed to their streak of success, the one constant throughout the season has been Maye. The third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft compiled 4,394 passing yards, 31 touchdowns to just eight interceptions — helping to lead the Patriots to a 14-3 record and their first postseason appearance since 2021. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Maye is also earning deserved mentions as a strong candidate for NFL MVP.

While Maye delivered what many consider to be an elite-level performance in the regular season, his postseason struggles with ball security have been an unfortunate part of his recent evaluations. Maye completed 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns with one interception in the Patriots' win over the Texans. He added 10 rushing yards on four carries but committed four fumbles, losing two.

In his first career playoff game, a 16-3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round, he completed 17-of-29 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown pass, while running for a team-high 66 yards. Maye also threw an interception and lost a fumble.

Nevertheless, Maye remains confident in the skill set and determination that has led the Patriots to the precipice of the promised land. Should New England’s offensive line find success in controlling the line of scrimmage, expect Maye and his receivers to test the Broncos’ secondary with a deep passing attack. Defensively, the Pats should be expected to pressure Stidham, while preventing him from showcasing his impressive arm strength with strong play in the secondary.

For all of the talk surrounding the Patriots' “easy” road through the postseason, Maye is about to become the first quarterback since 2015 to face a top-five total defense in each of his first three playoff games. As he takes the field for what promises to be his most important game to date, the UNC product will be squarely focused on his opposition, and on doing his job.

“It's the biggest game because it's the next one,” Maye said. “I think that's the best mentality for this team, and we've had that mentality all year long. I've been proud of how we've approached that. I'm looking forward to getting another chance … Don't lose sight of that,, and try not to make it as big as it is. It's already a big game, so you know that.

“So, for me, just go out there and do my part, and I think that's what we're trying to preach to the team is to do ‘our’ part,” he added. “When we're all 11 [on offense and defense, respectively] on the same page, we're pretty tough to stop.”

Needless to say, Drake Maye and the Patriots will be both physically and mentally ready for the Denver Broncos when the moment arrives to win … or not to win — just as Prince Hamlet once declared.

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