Game 14: Broncos Vs Patriots

How's your heart? I feel for our older fans (Digger :P) with the way the Broncos have been playing of late. Has anyone checked on Bowlen lately? The Broncos have been playing with some real heart of late and toughness. They have been doing enough to win games, most of them late and that was the same against the Bears. They are doing whats needed to get by but they take on probably their toughest opponent this week in the Patriots. The Patriots are coming to town for another home game before the Broncos go back on the road. The Patriots are having a good season and have a record of 10-3. Luckily for the Broncos they are kryptonite to the Pats. Brady only has a losing record against one team and that is the Broncos (1-6). Hopefully this continues and I think it will. Why? because there are a few cracks appearing in this team, for example my take on the little girly fight Brady had with his offensive coordinate. Their biggest weakness would have to be their secondary which is dead last in the league. It will be up to the Broncos offensive to pick that apart but more on that later...to the preview!

Why to watch

This game is so good, TV networks and owners were flexing muscles at the league office to keep it from being flexed to Sunday night, or to keep it at the 4 p.m. kickoff time. It's Tebow Time vs. Tom Brady; two of the best fourth-quarter teams this league has seen. Could the Broncos pull off another miracle as they try to win the AFC West?

Inside story

Denver's power-running approach could cause problems for a New England defense that is leaky and not exactly full of speed. Jerod Mayo must be the guy to contain Tebow. You have to like Denver's pass rush in what will be a raucous environment as well. The Broncos are built to play a ball-control game, which could keep Brady on the sidelines.

Match Ups

Lets start on defense. The front seven will be key in this game. Brady struggles when you get him under pressure early, we need to get to him in the first quarter and knock him out of his mojo. I am looking at you Von Doom. Miller has been doing really well, I am still worried about his cast but he is a fighter. He only needs three more sacks for the rookie sack record and a few against Brady would be great. And what about Doom? For a guy that had no sacks for several weeks to now have 7.5, he is balling. I think he will finish with double digits this year but I have been really surprised by his improvement. He has been a beast against the run which was his biggest weakness. I am really pleased with these two.

The Patriots really don't have a run game, they do run but not as often as others. But the one thing that will need to be watched for is the screens, the Pats love them and probably will go after Miller when he blitzes. We will need to shut these down to prevent those third down conversions.

The biggest problems for our defense will be the tight ends and Welker. I think Branch will be shutdown by Champ easily. DJ, Woodyard will need to be on point to cover Gronk who is having a monster season. It will be interesting to see who covers Welker, will it be the rookie Harris or someone else? If it is Harris this will be his toughest test yet.

For the offense it will be an interesting game. The run game has to get going early to help out Tebow, last week against the Bears it didn't and the Broncos struggled for most of the game. The problem against the Pats is the Broncos like to run up the middle between the tackles. The Pats have Wilfork and Mayo who are both great against the run. It will be on the O-Line to open up some nice holes for the RBs which they struggled at last week.

I do like the option against a 3-4 team like the Pats but they have used a lot of 4-3 this year as well. We should be able to move the ball against these guys and put up some points....IF

IF our receivers can catch a frigging ball. Actual I am of the opinion that most of the balls they dropped last week were tough catches, low and had to slide for them. Tebow lead your receivers more. If they can hook Tebow up with a few catches we will be alright.

Now it is Tebow time, last week I said this "This week I am going to set Tebow a challenge, I ask for 15! completions and a 50% completion rate, lets see if you can do that. Also I expect this week Tebow throws an intercept." And what happened? More than 15 completions, a 50% completion rate and he threw an intercept. (Tebow reads our blog!) This week I am going to set him a huge challenge, why? Because I think he will need to do this to win the game against a Pats team that can score points. I ask for 20+ completions a 60% completion rate and 3 passing touchdowns, yes 3! And NO intercepts this week. The Broncos need to score points and against the Pats the best way is through the air.

Prediction

Last week I must have been channeling something because I was spot on with a lot of what I said. Or it was blind luck. Either way I like the Broncos in this one. They seem to improve every week and rise to the occasion. One thing I do like against the Pats is Foxball. The reason being that it limits the opportunities for the Pats to put up points against us. I will take our D over theirs any day and I think that is what the difference will be in this game. Broncos win 31-21.

Injury Report

David Bruton (S), Achilles, DNP
Brian Dawkins (S), Neck, Limited
Andre' Goodman (CB), Concussion, Limited
Eddie Royal (WR), Concussion, Full
Spencer Larsen (FB), Hamstring, Full
Von Miller (LB), Thumb, Full

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Patrick Chung (S), Foot, DNP
Sebastian Vollmer (T), Back/Foot, DNP
Kyle Arrington (CB), Foot, Limited
Tom Brady (QB), Non-Injury, Limited
Deion Branch (WR), Groin, Limited
Dan Connolly (C), Groin, Limited
Julian Edelman (WR), Back, Limited
Dane Fletcher (LB), Thumb, Limited
James Ihedigbo (S), Shoulder, Limited
Devin McCourty (CB), Shoulder, Limited
Matt Slater (WR), Shoulder, Limited
Brandon Spikes (LB), Knee, Limited
Shane Vereen (RB), Hamstring, Limited
Wes Welker (WR), Knee, Limited
Ryan Wendell (C), Calf, Limited
Vince Wilfork (DL), Non-Injury, Limited
Danny Woodhead (RB), Abdomen, Limited

Other News

Some high school kids got suspended from school for a day for Tebowing in the hallway. Full story here.

If you haven't seen it yet or knew, Tebow was mic'ed up for the Bears game. Here is part one and part two. Also Cutler makes an appearance at the end of the 2nd part. It is interesting to see how clam Tebow is and how in control he is.

Ladies

Gisele Bundchen, there are so many reasons to dislike Brady and this is just another one.

Jokes

A new take on a classic.
Tom Brady, after living a full life, died. When he got to heaven, God was showing him around. They came to a modest little house with a faded Patriots flag in the window. "This house is yours for eternity Tom, said God. "This is very special; not everyone gets a house up here." Tom felt special, indeed, and walked up to his house.

On his way up the porch, he noticed another house just around the corner. It was a huge 3-story mansion with Orange and Blue sidewalks and drive ways, a 50 foot tall flagpole with an enormous Broncos logo flag waving, a swimming pool in shape of a horse, a Broncos logo in every window, and a Tim Tebow jersey on the front door.

Tom looked at God and said "God, I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but I have a question. I was an all-pro QB, I won 3 Super Bowls, and I even went to the Hall of Fame."

God said "So what’s your point Tom?"

"Well, why does Tim Tebow get a better house than me?"

God chuckled, and said "Tom, that’s not Tim’s house, it’s mine."

Funny YouTube

Whats funnier then a big man running with the football?....He picked off Philip Rivers....and then Turners face afterwards, classic.




That is it from me, enjoy your weekends and Go Broncos! ~ Aussie