Broncos turn to backup

DENVER (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is convinced that backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham can double his career win total when he takes Bo Nix’s place under center in the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots next week.

Although Stidham received a paucity of the practice snaps during the season, he did get some more work during the playoff bye week after the Broncos (15-3) earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

“There’d be practices where I’m looking at (defensive coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and getting (mad) because Stiddy’s making our defense look bad,” Payton said. “He’s very accurate. He’s got a lot to his ball.”

Losing a starting quarterback to injury — as the Broncos lost Nix to a broken ankle as he led them to a 33-30 overtime win against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Saturday — can devastate a team and short-circuit title hopes.

Payton points to many examples of teams that overcame similar adversity such as when Jeff Hostetler famously stepped in as the starting quarterback for the New York Giants in December 1990 when Phil Simms broke his foot and led the team through the playoffs, culminating in a 20-19 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 25.

Or when Nick Foles took over late in the season in Philadelphia when Carson Wentz tore an ACL in 2017 and led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl win, beating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

“I understand where it’s coming from,” this notion that losing a starting QB is a death knell, Payton said, “but historically speaking, all bets weren’t off with Hostetler, they weren’t off in Philly, when we lost (Drew) Brees midseason against the Rams and (Teddy) Bridgewater won five in a row.

“All bets can be off. (But) they weren’t off for Houston this year when Davis Mills came in for (an injured C.J. Stroud) and I don’t know if he lost a game.”

Maye day in New England

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mike Vrabel returned to New England on a mission to have the franchise playing again in meaningful games in January — as he did so often as a player.

In his first year as the head coach, he wanted to do it by building a culture of players that wanted to perform for each another. Their most complete team effort of the season has the Patriots one win from a trip to the Super Bowl.

Drake Maye threw three touchdown passes in the snow and rain, Marcus Jones returned one of C.J. Stroud’s four interceptions for a score and the Patriots defeated the Houston Texans 28-16 on Sunday to advance to the AFC championship game for the first time in seven years.

The Patriots (16-3) will take on the Broncos (15-3) in Denver next Sunday, with the winner advancing to the NFL’s title game in three weeks.

“Everybody’s stepping up. We’re using everybody. Everybody’s making plays. Everybody’s helping us win,” said Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a playmaking linebacker for the Patriots. “I’m excited for these guys, but also, they’re not satisfied, and I can tell that.”

The Patriots — winners of 15 of their last 16 games — will make their 16th conference championship game appearance and first since their run to their sixth Super Bowl title under Bill Belichick in the 2018 season. New England has won its last nine divisional round games.

Maye finished 16 of 27 for 179 yards, but had an interception and fumbled four times, losing two in cold conditions in which snow and rain fell throughout. One of Maye’s fumbles set up Houston’s first touchdown.

“Just proud of the guys,” Maye said. “Battled the elements. This is New England. This is what we’re trying to embrace and we want to embrace all season long. Props to our defense, played a hell of a game. We’ve got to protect the football better, but we made enough plays to win it.”

Rams shake off wild TD pass by Caleb Williams

CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams survived an incredible throw by Caleb Williams that forced overtime, beating the Chicago Bears 20-17 on Sunday night to advance to the NFC championship game.

Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in OT after Kam Curl intercepted a deep pass by Williams on the Bears’ first possession of the extra period. Stafford completed a 16-yard pass to Puka Nacua to get the Rams into field-goal range and set up Mevis, known as the “Thiccer Kicker,” for the game-ending kick. He was mobbed by teammates while a crowd that was rocking earlier watched in near silence.

The Rams (14-5) will visit NFC West rival Seattle next Sunday in their first trip to the conference championship game since the 2021 team won the Super Bowl. The Seahawks beat San Francisco 41-6 on Saturday.

“It was crazy,” Stafford said. “It was back and forth. We didn’t play our best on offense. Our defense dominated the game. It was unbelievable to watch. Hell of a play on fourth down by Caleb to get his team to overtime. And just glad we got the ball back.”

Los Angeles led 17-10 in the final minute and the Bears faced fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line when Williams backpedaled to avoid the pass rush and heaved the ball to Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left. Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

Williams threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Bears (12-7) — who pulled off seven fourth-quarter comeback wins under first-year coach Ben Johnson — came up short this time. They won the NFC North after finishing last in the division a year ago.

Stafford led a 91-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, with Kyren Williams scoring from the 5 to give the Rams a 17-10 lead with 8:50 remaining. Nacua kept the possession going on the previous play with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-5.

The Bears then drove to the 2, but Omar Speights broke up Williams’ fourth-down pass to Luther Burden just inside the goal line.

Chicago got the ball back at midfield with just under two minutes remaining after Ethan Evans shanked a 33-yard punt, setting up Williams’ heroics.

In overtime, the Bears won the toss and deferred. They quickly got the ball back when the Rams went three-and-out, forced to punt after Blake Corum was stopped for a 1-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 36.

Chicago took over at the 16. Williams kept the drive going with a 3-yard keeper on fourth-and-1 near midfield. But Curl picked off Williams’ pass intended for DJ Moore two plays later.

Stafford was 20 of 42 for 258 yards and took four sacks. Nacua had 56 yards receiving after going for 111 in a wild-card win over Carolina, and Kyren Williams ran for 87 yards and two scores.

Caleb Williams completed 23 of 42 passes for 257 yards. Moore had a touchdown catch, and D’Andre Swift ran for 76 yards.

Injuries

Rams: CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (shoulder) was hurt in the first half.

Up next

Rams: Face Seattle for the third time this season. The teams split their earlier meetings.

Bears: Prepare for next season.

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