Just One Team Ranks Above Patriots in Latest Power Rankings

The New England Patriots are going into the AFC championship game with optimism as they face off against the Denver Broncos.

After beating the Houston Texans in the divisional round, the Patriots are just one win away from returning to the Super Bowl. NFL.com writer Eric Edholm conducted his weekly power rankings, where the Patriots clocked in at No. 2 behind the Seattle Seahawks.

"Though they were far from spectacular in their win over Houston, the Patriots nonetheless find themselves one game from the Super Bowl again. Their defensive performance on Sunday gets as much credit as (if not more credit than) the offensive effort, and now they are the favorites in the AFC title match vs. the Broncos," Edholm wrote.

"You can talk about the Pats' 'easy' path, and it's worth mentioning the breaks they've caught in terms of their schedule and opponents' injuries; it's all accurate. This is not a juggernaut. Then again, neither was the Patriots squad that shocked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI with Mike Vrabel as a player.

"Today, the coach and have turned this into a team that believes in itself. Amazingly, the pressure is squarely on the AFC upstarts, who are suddenly in line to face Denver backup, a former New England second-stringer who threw 48 forgettable passes for the Pats back in the day. Maye and his pass protection have to be better than they were against the Texans, but this is now viewed as their game to win, even if it will take place in a stadium that has been historically wicked to New England."

New England Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane reacts after defeating the Houston Texans. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Patriots Still Have Team to Beat in Power Rankings

While the Pats sit behind the Seahawks, their only goal this week should be to beat the Broncos, who rank No. 4 in the power rankings after losing Bo Nix to injury in their win against the Buffalo Bills.

The Pats may be favored against the Broncos because Jarrett Stidham will be starting instead of Nix. But that doesn't mean the Patriots can waltz into Denver and win the game. They will have to earn every single yard they get on each side of the ball, as the Broncos won't just surrender that easily.

If the Patriots go into that game too confident against the Broncos, it will be their demise. Luckily for them, coach Vrabel has the Patriots thinking about what's in front of them and playing their game in order to get back to the Super Bowl.

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