NFL conference championship game picks: do the No 1 seed Broncos have any chance of victory?

"What New England need to do to win: Clean up their act. Last week against the Houston Texans, Drake Maye was blindsided too often by edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. The pair wreaked havoc, sacking Maye five times and forcing him into three of his four fumbles. The Los Angeles Chargers also forced two from him in the wildcard round. Denver led the league in sacks (68) in the regular season, and will be intent on causing similar damage on Sunday."

"But Maye can mitigate that threat if he sharpens his awareness in the pocket and takes the sack rather than rushing into impossible passes. New England's left tackle Will Campbell is very likely to lose a couple of duels with edge defender Nick Bonitto, so Maye needs to be ready for a helmet sandwich while holding on to the ball for dear life. Simply punting and giving Denver's second-string quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, tough field position may be all it takes to reach the Super Bowl."

"What Denver need to do to win: Limit the Patriots to 20 points or fewer. Stidham then needs to stay calm and manage the offense with care rather than forcing the ball against a team with a great defense. It would be ideal if Denver can generate a huge day in the run game but without the injured Bo Nix's scrambles they just don't have the quality to ease the burden on Stidham."

Drake Maye was repeatedly pressured and sacked by elite edge rushers, creating multiple fumbles that must be avoided. Improved pocket awareness and willingness to take sacks can reduce turnovers and preserve field position. New England’s left tackle, Will Campbell, faces difficult matchups, so conservative decisions under pressure will help. Denver must limit the Patriots to 20 points or fewer and rely on steady quarterback management from Jarrett Stidham. Denver’s run game would help but lacks scrambling relief; receivers must catch consistently, particularly Courtland Sutton. Stefon Diggs remains a key offensive weapon against Denver’s secondary.

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