Denver — The New England Patriots punched their ticket to the Super Bowl for the 12th time in franchise history with a gritty 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in whiteout conditions at Empower Stadium at Mile High on Sunday. It was a game won almost entirely on the strength of their defense.

Harsh weather that choked off both offenses in the second half played directly into New England's strengths. The Patriots managed just 206 yards of total offense—the fewest in their 40 playoff wins—and scored fewer points than they ever have while winning a playoff game. Before Sunday, they were 1-12 when scoring under 16 points in the postseason, with their only previous win being a 13-3 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII.

"Because you get to the playoffs, there's nothing but good defenses," cornerback Carlton Davis said in the locker room afterward. "We knew we had to play better than their defense, and that was the whole story this whole playoff run."

The Patriots' defense has been suffocating in the postseason, allowing just 26 points across three games—a historic level of dominance for a New England playoff team. In their 12 previous playoff runs of three games or more, the Patriots had surrendered at least 44 points each time. Even their championship teams of 2001 gave up a combined 47 points across three games.

Defense Delivers When Offense Sputters

New England's lone touchdown was essentially a gift from Denver's miscues. Late in the second quarter, with the Broncos leading 7-0, Patriots linebacker Christian Ellis pressured Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham, forcing him to throw the ball backward. The Patriots recovered the live ball at Denver's 12-yard line, and two plays later, the game was tied.

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez sealed the victory late in the game with an interception—his first of the season—that ended Denver's final scoring threat. A blocked 45-yard field goal attempt by defensive lineman Leonard Taylor in the fourth quarter proved equally critical.

"We kind of always feel like it's on us, even though we've got Drake Maye the MVP running the offense," Gonzalez said. "As a defense, that's what you want. You go out there thinking it's on us."

Defensive Line Silences Critics

The Patriots' defensive line came into the game facing off against Denver's vaunted offensive line—widely regarded as the league's best. They responded with three sacks and held the Broncos to just 181 yards of total offense.

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore dismissed the hype surrounding Denver's All-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz: "First-team All-Pro. Our coach tells us all the time that All-Pro doesn't mean s---. It doesn't matter."

Defensive tackle Milton Williams expressed frustration at the lack of national respect his unit has received throughout the season. "I feel like every week, we show who we are, and we still don't get respect," he said. "Nobody really believed in us all year, picking everybody else all year. None of that matters."

The Bigger Picture

The Patriots' offensive firepower—which averaged 28.8 points per game during the regular season, second-best in the league—has been essentially sidelined in the playoffs. The offense has averaged just 18 points per game across three postseason wins, with quarterback Drake Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels both having stellar regular seasons that haven't fully translated to playoff success.

The defensive-heavy approach marks a stunning turnaround for a franchise that was 4-13 just one year ago, resulting in the firings of former head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo. The jump from 4-13 to 14-3 in one season is remarkable; validating it with a Super Bowl berth makes it historic.

"It's amazing. You can't even describe this feeling," Davis said. "One thing I can say is I've got a good group of guys with me. Coaches, players, the whole organization. We all deserve this."