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DENVER- The Patriots outlasted the Denver Broncos and the elements en route to a 10-7 win. With the win, New England punched its ticket to Super Bowl LX. The Patriots will be playing in their NFL best 12th Super Bowl. A remarkable stat in itself but even crazier when you think about where this franchise was the past two seasons.

Here are seven points on the Patriots gritty win in Denver.

1. Gutsy win: What a gutsy win for the Patriots. Let’s face it, the first half was ugly but the Patriots got a break late in the half on the Jarrett Stidham gaff and made the most it, tying the game at seven apiece right before the half. The snow was an issue in the second half but when the Patriots needed a key stop or first down like Drake Maye’s boot leg run to seal it, they got it. It is the hallmark of a championship caliber team.

2. Maye’s Day: Maye only completed 10-of-21 passes for 86 yards. It was tough sledding throwing the ball, but he did hit a couple of big passes including a crossing route to Mack Hollins off a flea flicker. Maye did most of his damage on the ground rushing for 65 yards on 10 carries and picking up several key first downs. He did score the Patriots lone touchdown on a quarterback draw from 6 yards out. Maye sealed the game by calling his own number on a boot keep in the fourth quarter. It was a gutsy decision to pull it and keep it.

3. Defense shuts the door: The defense struggled early but from the second quarter on, they took over the game and shut down Stidham and the Broncos offense. The defense racked up 3 sacks and culminated their dominate performance with a Christian Gonzalez interception to seal the deal. The Patriots were not very aggressive in the first quarter but from that point on, defensive play caller Zak Kuhr brought the pressure and it paid off.

4. Offensive line struggles: The Patriots offensive line struggled once again, surrendering five sacks. They just couldn’t match up against Denver’s edge rushers. It wasn’t as much of an issue in the second half because the Patriots ran the football. This unit will once again be under the microscope against another good front in Seattle’s.

5. Stevenson steps up: Rhamondre Stevenson once again stepped up like a workhorse running back and carried the load in the second half as the Patriots were trying to salt the game away. Stevenson carried the ball 25 times for 71 yards. That’s only 2.8 yards per carry but it doesn’t matter, Stevenson grinded out the yards the team needed to put the game away.

6. Weather win: It wasn’t a tale of two halves with the weather. The first half was beautiful but cold. The second half looked like the weather here. The snow definitely impacted the game and let’s keep it real, it helped the Patriots win the game. Broncos kicker Will Lutz missed two kicks and Denver’s offense stalled, even when the wind was behind them in the fourth quarter. Winning in conditions like that proves this team is a championship caliber group.

7. Patriots finish 9-0 on the road: With the win on Sunday, the Patriots made history with their ninth win of the season on the road. The Patriots embraced the “Road Warriors” mentality this season and came out to play with a Super Bowl bid on the line. It reinforces how well built this team is and how they embraced the role of the underdog.