Wearing a Patriots hat in the middle of New York takes a certain amount of courage, but today I'm walking proudly with my head held high.

As a New Yorker and a Patriots fan, let's talk about that 'muddy snowball fight' of a game that took place in Denver yesterday.

Did you see the AFC Championship game held at Mile High Stadium in Denver on January 25, 2026?

This was not football; it was almost like a Canadian winter sports broadcast.

The temperature plummeted below -10 degrees, and the snow was coming down so hard it obstructed visibility... Honestly, even while watching from a New York pub with a beer in hand, I was sweating.

The result was New England Patriots 10 : 7 Denver Broncos.

You can tell it was a tough game just by looking at that simple score, right?

Even though the NFL is in an era of explosive offensive football, in weather like yesterday's, it was all useless.

Denver's Jarrett Stidham and our Drake May both struggled to throw the ball as it froze in the air. May only threw for 86 yards, which would usually be frustrating, but yesterday was different.

Instead of passing, May ran for 65 yards, and in the second quarter, he charged into the end zone to score the team's only touchdown. It was a smart play that perfectly matched my belief that "quarterbacks need to win first."

In fact, the real MVP of this victory was the defense. Coach Mike Vrabel made a significant impact in his first year.

When Denver scored a touchdown in the first quarter, I thought, 'Is it really tough to play in a snowstorm at Denver's home field?' but that turned out to be their last score.

Especially in the final moments of the fourth quarter, when Denver's Will Lutz was about to kick a tying field goal, Leonard Taylor blocked it, and I almost screamed. The finish was an interception by Christian Gonzalez. I could feel the silence of the Denver fans even from New York.

Living as a Pats fan in New York often felt like being a veteran basking in the glory of Tom Brady. But now I can proudly say it: a Super Bowl appearance after seven years, and we earned that ticket by breaking down the impregnable fortress of Denver. Our opponent on February 8 in Santa Clara will be the Seattle Seahawks. It's a rematch of that legendary game from 11 years ago.

Watching May, who somehow managed to make things happen despite the terrible weather, I remind myself as I head to work on Monday morning.

Now, it's the Super Bowl. Pats fans, where will you all gather on February 8?

If you need information about a 'secret hideout' sports bar I know, I'll be happy to share.

Go Pats! Let's get that Lombardi!