The AFC’s top two seeds clash in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday, as the No. 2 New England Patriots take on the No. 1 Denver Broncos.
This matchup is significant, marking the third occasion these franchises have faced each other with a Super Bowl appearance on the line, and in previous postseason encounters, Denver has triumphed in four out of five.
The Broncos are set to feature backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who is stepping in after Bo Nix suffered a fractured ankle during the divisional round. especially, Stidham becomes only the second quarterback in NFL history to start his first game of the season at the conference championship level or later, as noted by ESPN Research. Meanwhile, Drake Maye comes into the game with 16 wins this season, which is tied for the most by any first- or second-year quarterback.
This is the first playoff face-off between these teams since the 2015 AFC Championship Game, a legendary duel between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for the last time. Brady ended the game with 310 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, while Manning recorded 176 yards along with two touchdowns. The Patriots had a shot to send the game into overtime, but Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby intercepted Brady during the 2-point conversion attempt, ensuring a 20-18 win for Denver.
As the two franchises prepare to clash again in the AFC title game, let’s take a look back at the sports and pop culture themes from their last showdown for a Super Bowl spot: January 24, 2016.
Justin Bieber tops Billboard Hot 100
Justin Bieber’s pop album “Purpose,” released in November 2015, sold over a million copies and achieved triple platinum status. It also featured three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with “Sorry” clinching the top spot on January 23, 2016.
This track had peaked at No. 2 the previous week and spent a total of 42 weeks on the Hot 100, making it one of Bieber’s longest-charting songs. also, he had two more tracks in the top 10 that week: “Love Yourself” at No. 3 and “What Do You Mean?” at No. 8.
Other Billboard Hot 100 highlights included Adele’s “Hello” at No. 2, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” at No. 4, and Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out” at No. 5.
Memorable NBA season
The 2015-16 NBA season was highlighted by the Golden State Warriors finishing an incredible 73-9, surpassing the Chicago Bulls’ previous record of 72-10, which stood since the 1995-96 season.
Starting with a historic 24-game winning streak, the Warriors held a remarkable 40-4 record when the Broncos and Patriots clashed, in the midst of an 11-game winning streak. even if Golden State reached the 2016 NBA Finals, they ultimately lost in a nail-biting seven-game series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, becoming the first team to lose the Finals after leading 3-1.
Conversely, the Los Angeles Lakers struggled in the Western Conference, finishing at the bottom as franchise icon Kobe Bryant wrapped up his career. While Bryant had a tough season, averaging 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, he made a spectacular exit by scoring 60 points in his final game on April 13, 2016.
DiCaprio’s Oscar journey
Released in December 2015, “The Revenant” became the second-highest-grossing film the following month, second only to “Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens.” It featured a standout performance by Leonardo DiCaprio.
At that point in his career, DiCaprio had received four Oscar nominations for best actor without winning. “The Revenant” changed that, with DiCaprio considering the role as the most challenging of his career.
His efforts were recognized with a standing ovation, as he received the best actor award at the 88th Academy Awards.
UConn women’s dominance
After previously winning 90 consecutive games from 2008 to 2011, the UConn women’s basketball team outdid itself by achieving 111 straight wins from 2014 to 2017. No other women’s basketball program has even approached the Huskies’ record, which spanned 867 days and featured 108 victories by double digits.
On January 23, 2016, UConn continued its impressive streak by winning 90-37 against SMU, marking its 55th consecutive victory. The team included eight future WNBA stars: Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Moriah Jefferson, Morgan Tuck, Katie Lou Samuelson, Kia Nurse, Gabby Williams, and Saniya Chong.
‘Hamilton’ dominating the Broadway scene
The groundbreaking musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda opened on Broadway in July 2015 and quickly captivated audiences.
Miranda combined hip-hop, R&B, and traditional Broadway sounds to narrate the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. It grossed a staggering $3.3 million in a single week in November 2016, setting a record for the highest revenue ever generated by a Broadway show in one week, per The New York Times. It also became the first Broadway production to earn over $3 million in an eight-performance week.
Following the Broncos’ victory over the Patriots, “Hamilton” won a Grammy Award for best musical theater album. Miranda secured the Pulitzer Prize for drama in April 2016, and the musical received a record 16 Tony nominations, winning 11.
Serena’s surprise at the Australian Open
In a bid to equal Steffi Graf’s record of 22 major titles, Serena Williams faced defeat against No. 7 seed Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, marking her first loss in a major title match.
Williams struggled with 46 unforced errors, and this defeat was notable as it marked her first loss in a major final since the 2011 US Open. Having dropped only 26 games leading up to the final—an all-time low in her Grand Slam history—she later avenged this loss by defeating Kerber in the 2016 Wimbledon finals to match Graf’s record.
