DENVER — In a game marked by challenging snowy weather, Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to a narrow victory, securing their spot in the Super Bowl. Maye contributed significantly, rushing for 68 yards and passing for 86, including the team’s sole touchdown on a 6-yard run. The Patriots edged out the Denver Broncos 10-7 on Sunday, clinching their 12th Super Bowl appearance.

In a crucial moment, Christian Gonzalez intercepted a pass from Jarrett Stidham—who was filling in for the injured Bo Nix—at the Patriots’ 36-yard line with just over two minutes left in the game. This turnover proved pivotal as New England sealed their first playoff win in Denver when Maye executed a 7-yard rush on a third-and-5 from their own 41-yard line.

The Patriots’ triumph marked them as only the third team since the Super Bowl’s inception to win a conference championship while scoring 10 points or fewer. This feat was previously achieved by Buffalo, who defeated Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC title game, and by the Los Angeles Rams, who bested Tampa Bay 9-0 in the 1979 NFC championship.

The Broncos, finishing their season with a 15-4 record, came up just short of the Super Bowl berth that coach Sean Payton had anticipated before the season commenced.

Both teams struggled with the frigid temperatures, as kickers Wil Lutz for Denver and Andy Borregales for New England each missed two field goals. These missed opportunities occurred just before the snowfall intensified around halftime.

“It wasn’t ideal,” Maye said of the conditions. “Defense, they’ve been stepping up all playoffs. We’re going to play better. But man, I’m just proud of this team. … It took everybody.”

The Patriots fell behind 7-0, but had a key fourth-down stop near their own end zone to spark the comeback. Their victory was their 40th in the playoffs, breaking a tie with the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history.

It was sunny at kickoff with a temperature of 26 degrees, but by halftime the snowflakes began falling and grounds crews had to use snowblowers to mark the hashmarks and yard lines by the fourth quarter, when it was 16 degrees.

After gaining just 72 yards in the first half, the Patriots opened the second half in swirling snow with a 16-play, 64-yard drive that ate up 9 1/2 minutes and ended with a 23-yard field goal by Borregales that gave New England its first lead at 10-7.

The Patriots managed just four first downs and 72 yards in the first half, punting five times and missing a field goal. But they capitalized on a short field when New England’s defense set up Maye at the Denver 12 with a takeaway and Maye took it in from 6 yards out to tie it at 7 at halftime.

Stepping in for the injured Nix (ankle surgery), Stidham’s first completion since the 2023 regular-season finale was a 52-yard dart to Marvin Mims Jr. to the New England 7 that set up Courtland Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown catch that started the scoring.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.