The Denver Broncos defeated the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in overtime on Jan. 17. 2026, in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Their next opponent is straightforward: Denver wil face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.
Because Denver is the No. 1 seed, the Broncos would also stay home, meaning the AFC Championship Game would be at Empower Field at Mile High.
Denver was in the seat to watch the Sunday afternoon result to find out who’s coming to town next weekend. The Broncos will also benefit from a clean, simple prep week: one opponent, one date, one venue. The AFC Championship will be played Sunday, Jan. 25, and because Denver is the No. 1 seed, the Broncos would host at Empower Field at Mile High. From there, it was scoreboard-watching on Sunday, Jan. 18 to see New England Patriots defeat Houston Texans 28-16.
That matters because Denver’s week will be built around two scouting files until that game ends, different defensive looks, different pressure packages, different matchups. Either way, the Broncos’ path stays the same: win Saturday, get the bracket’s final AFC opponent next, and take one more step toward Super Bowl 60.
NFL Playoff Schedule: Wild Card Weekend (Jan. 10-12) + What’s Next
The NFL’s playoff calendar is already locked into the Divisional Round (Jan. 17-18) and then the conference championship games on Jan. 25.
Here’s the AFC slate that determines Denver’s path:
- AFC Championship Game: Sunday, Jan. 25 (CBS window; commonly listed around 3 p.m. ET)
With the Broncos winning on Saturday, Denver advances to Jan. 25, and the only remaining question is has also been answered: the Broncos will meet the Patriots with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The last time Denver made it to the Super Bowl was in 2015-16, winning Super Bowl 50.
What Changed for the Broncos After the Bills Game
Since Denver beat Buffalo, the Broncos won’t just be moving on; they’ll be moving into the part of the bracket that matters most: one game from the Super Bowl.
A few key points that shape the “next week” conversation:
- Home-field stays in Denver. As the top seed, the Broncos’ best advantage is keeping everything at Empower Field, and a win over Buffalo would keep that intact for the AFC title game.
- The opponent wasn’t known until Sunday afternoon. Denver will begin full prepartions for a New England team it battled throughout the end of the season to earn the No. 1 seed.
- The calendar is tight. The AFC Championship is the very next weekend (Jan. 25), so it’s immediately about health, practice participation, and who’s available — especially in January when bumps and bruises pile up.
Denver entered Saturday as the AFC’s No. 1 seed hosting Buffalo in the Divisional Round, with Bo Nix before a season-ending injury leading the offense into a major playoff test. Now, it will be Jarrett Stidham leading the Broncos’ charge. The Broncos win meant the “next opponent, next date” answer is already lined up, and the only remaining reveal became clear: it’s Denver vs. New England in the AFC Championship. Winner goes to the Super Bowl.
Did the Broncos Play the Patriots this year?
No, the Broncos did not meet the Patriots during the 2025 regular season. Their matchup in the AFC Championship will be their first meeting of the season.
Broncos Playoff Schedule: Next Opponent, Date For AFC Championship