How a Mile High Blizzard Decided the AFC Championship

Snow games always sound fun in theory. Picturesque. Gritty. Football, the way it used to be.

Then you watch one actually happen.

Sunday night’s AFC Championship in Denver wasn’t just a cold, snowy backdrop. The wind and steady snowfall changed how both teams could function: throws sailed, footing disappeared, and every drive turned into a field-position grind.

New England’s 10–7 win sent them to Super Bowl LX, even if the stat line looks underwhelming. The conditions pushed both teams toward conservative decisions and mistake-avoidant football. In a game like this, the biggest plays are often the ones that don’t happen: the forced throw, the botched exchange, the risky kick that turns into a short field.

This game belonged to the weather.