The New England Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game by defeating the Houston Texans 28-16, overcoming a turnover-heavy game behind a dominant defense and key fourth-quarter scoring.

New England is headed to its first AFC Championship game appearance since the 2018 season and will face the Broncos

In a season where everything has gone right for the Patriots, New England can't squander this chance to go to Super Bowl LX.

Before Williams was hurt in Week 11, the Patriots ranked eighth in defensive rushing success rate. In the six games he missed, they ranked 31st. The Patriots need Williams to be a stalwart for their run defense against a Texans offense that wants to run the ball on early downs and reduce risk.

Who do New England Patriots play in NFL playoffs next? When do they play? What to know about AFC championship game, with date, location, opponent.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes apiece to propel their teams into the AFC Championship Game. But only one of the second-year signal-callers will play in the Sunday contest that will decide the AFC’s representative in Super Bowl LX.

In Foxborough, it was 33°F and cloudy with a feels-like temperature of 28°F at the time of kickoff. While current conditions are cloudy, a heavy snowstorm is forecast for both Monday afternoon and evening, with a 76% chance of snow during the day and a 92% chance overnight.