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***Official AFC Championship Thread: New England @ Denver (1 Viewer)

Deamon

Deamon

Footballguy
Let's get this one going. The obvious storyline: Brady vs Manning once again. With these two battling for "best qb of our generation", this game could have major implications in that debate. Can Peyton shred his 'poor playoff performer' status and beat Tom and Bill? Can Tom and BIll once again overcome a lack of offensive talent and make it to another Super bowl? A historical battle with the winner getting to battle a younger new-age QB in either Kap or Wilson.

Opening line has Denver as 6 point favourites, which I would expect to maybe come down a little bit come kickoff.

 
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pt. spread seems a little high. when was the last time the pats were that big of an underdog in a playoff game?

 
Surprised Denver isn't favored by at least a TD. New England is clearly the 4th best of the remaining four teams.

Since people are putting down their predictions, I'll say Denver 48-31

 
Surprised this is the early game next week. Thought for sure the NFL would put Brady-Manning on in the spot that gets higher ratings.

 
Tom Brady is 3-2 on the road in the playoffs. One loss was in Denver, the other loss was to Peyton Manning.

 
Try and enjoy the game and moment. These guys won't be around for ever and this could be the last time they meet in this big of a setting. These guys are the best of the best, I am just going to watch both guys duel each other and hopefully the guy that has the ball last wins the game and we get to see a great game.

I would take the points in this game.

 
MoveToSkypager said:
Are we allowed to have a storyline free AFCCG thread? I like football.
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haha yep. The big news today obviously is Chris Harris' injury. This really hurts their secondary and really gives a boost to the pats wr's who might have struggled against him. Expect the pats to go after whoever starts in his place.

 
Looking forward to a great game, but as a Pats Fan, I ain't gonna lie. This one scares me. Hopefully Denver will be hit with a snowstorm next week.

 
Deamon said:
MoveToSkypager said:
Are we allowed to have a storyline free AFCCG thread? I like football.
Click to expand...
haha yep. The big news today obviously is Chris Harris' injury. This really hurts their secondary and really gives a boost to the pats wr's who might have struggled against him. Expect the pats to go after whoever starts in his place.
Click to expand...
Also makes it easier to spread them out and run the ball since Jammer will probably need safety help.

 
Deamon said:
MoveToSkypager said:
Are we allowed to have a storyline free AFCCG thread? I like football.
Click to expand...
haha yep. The big news today obviously is Chris Harris' injury. This really hurts their secondary and really gives a boost to the pats wr's who might have struggled against him. Expect the pats to go after whoever starts in his place.
Click to expand...
You should delete the storyline stuff from the OP. That way the people that want to post here but don't will post here with the comfort of this not being a storyline thread.

 
JaxBill said:
Deamon said:
MoveToSkypager said:
Are we allowed to have a storyline free AFCCG thread? I like football.
Click to expand...
haha yep. The big news today obviously is Chris Harris' injury. This really hurts their secondary and really gives a boost to the pats wr's who might have struggled against him. Expect the pats to go after whoever starts in his place.
Click to expand...
Also makes it easier to spread them out and run the ball since Jammer will probably need safety help.
Click to expand...
True, which really does benefit The Pats' style. Josh will probably be coming up with all sorts of ways to attack that situation, and I think Vereen might be used a lot. I don't think Blount has a shot at doing anything like he did last week

 
Just as Deamon said on his OP, can the Pats overcome a lack of offensive talent? I think if they do...then the SB with either SEA or SF will be a blowout. Said it all year...Edelman won't last one half against either of those teams. They'll crush him.

Past what he can do to scramble a defense, and the fact Tom would be left with nobody beyond a running back, the offense wouldn't scare me at all.

 
Deamon said:
MoveToSkypager said:
Are we allowed to have a storyline free AFCCG thread? I like football.
Click to expand...
haha yep. The big news today obviously is Chris Harris' injury. This really hurts their secondary and really gives a boost to the pats wr's who might have struggled against him. Expect the pats to go after whoever starts in his place.
Click to expand...
Yes, losing Chris Harris sucks. I expect Champ to stay at slot CB, since Brady tends to target the middle area more, and Webster/Carter/Jammer at the other CB slot with DRC playing man all game on the other. I then expect Denver to sell out against the run and force Brady to pass. I think one of the key matchups will be Vereen versus Trevathan.

 
AB in DC said:
Insomniac said:
Surprised this is the early game next week. Thought for sure the NFL would put Brady-Manning on in the spot that gets higher ratings.
Click to expand...
I think they rotate it between the two networks so they each get $$$.
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I believe when Fox or CBS has the superbowl, the other team gets the late conference game in the previous week. Not sure what they do when it's on NBC.

 
Why is the Seattle/SF getting 6x the replies when this is the game more people have probably have stronger opinions about?

I'm going with Denver. I'd rather see NE win the game against DEN, but really want DEN in the SB for an offense v. defense matchup.

 
BassNBrew said:
Why is the Seattle/SF getting 6x the replies when this is the game more people have probably have stronger opinions about?

I'm going with Denver. I'd rather see NE win the game against DEN, but really want DEN in the SB for an offense v. defense matchup.
Click to expand...
Bro, you know how Seahawks fans flood these boards with their nonsense...c'mon

 
This game shouldn't be close with DEN as the winner. BB and Brady have had their best season, IMO, given the onslaught of injuries and missing players, but hard to see them hanging with a healthy record setting offense. If Manning plays the way he's capable, it's going to be at least a two score game. Of course, Peyton has struggled in playoffs before and BB is one of the great coaches out there, so NE can pull it out, but I don't think NE can be disruptive on D enough to rattle Peyton. My prediction: DEN 34, NE 21.

 
I still find it interesting that so many people keep talking about all of the injuries that have befallen the Patriots, while not mentioning that the Broncos are missing a crap load of really good players as well.

 
Ghost Rider said:
I still find it interesting that so many people keep talking about all of the injuries that have befallen the Patriots, while not mentioning that the Broncos are missing a crap load of really good players as well.
Click to expand...
Instead of talking about what other people aren't talking about, maybe you should just talk about that stuff.

 
BassNBrew said:
Why is the Seattle/SF getting 6x the replies when this is the game more people have probably have stronger opinions about?

I'm going with Denver. I'd rather see NE win the game against DEN, but really want DEN in the SB for an offense v. defense matchup.
Click to expand...
This game features two fairly classy fan bases who respect each other. The other ... not so much.

 
kwille said:
BassNBrew said:
Why is the Seattle/SF getting 6x the replies when this is the game more people have probably have stronger opinions about?

I'm going with Denver. I'd rather see NE win the game against DEN, but really want DEN in the SB for an offense v. defense matchup.
Click to expand...
This game features two fairly classy fan bases who respect each other. The other ... not so much.
Click to expand...
yeah nothing says class like the pats fans :rollseyes:

 
To me this game really comes down to two keys of success for the Pats.

On offense , they have to be able to run the ball effectively. On defense, Jamie Collins needs to have another game like he did last week. He

has the size and speed to cover Julius Thomas and they need to shut him down to win. If Collins can limit JT while Talib limits the other Thomas,I think the Pats are in good shape.

 
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I've been wondering all week what the Pats gameplan is going to be in this one. Is it ball control, run Blount all game and keep Peyton off the field? I don't know about that.... It could be just the opposite. BB likes to zig when everyone else zags. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Pats come out guns ablazing, going hurry up offense and throwing the ball all over the field. Thought being, change things up, catch the Broncos a bit off guard, put the pressure on Manning and hope he makes a few mistakes in a gunslinging game. It would be an interesting strategy, and if it worked I think people would be talking about it for ages. What do you guys think?

 
General Tso said:
I've been wondering all week what the Pats gameplan is going to be in this one. Is it ball control, run Blount all game and keep Peyton off the field? I don't know about that.... It could be just the opposite. BB likes to zig when everyone else zags. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Pats come out guns ablazing, going hurry up offense and throwing the ball all over the field. Thought being, change things up, catch the Broncos a bit off guard, put the pressure on Manning and hope he makes a few mistakes in a gunslinging game. It would be an interesting strategy, and if it worked I think people would be talking about it for ages. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
I don't know if the Pats offense is going to have a particular identity against the Broncos early. I bet they'd love to run the ball, but I can see wildly changing gameplans from 1st to 2nd half based on what the Broncos are having difficulty stopping. We could see a mixture of dink/dunk, run the ball in the 1st half, and a heavy amount of a particular style in the 2nd. It may be a challenge running the no huddle early in the game because of the noise. There are only so many somatic signals Brady can give the WRs when they are 20 yards away from him. If they take the crowd out early, I can see the Pats stomping on the gas.

I expect to see a coming out party for Chandler Jones this game. We could see 3 sacks, a FF, maybe a trifecta (strip sack return for a TD), maybe some tipped passes. Jones has the wingspan and reaction ability to disrupt that tunnel screen Peyton loves to throw to D Thomas. I also expect to see the Pats back 7 take a few from Manning and flip the field. High scoring doesn't necessarily mean that the Pats will be scoring quickly based on the style of offense, they just need more possessions with short fields. Like last game, they collected turnovers and gave Brady easy to manage fields to score touchdowns on.

I think the Pats put this game away by the 4th quarter but the Broncos make it look respectable at the end. The loss won't be Peyton's fault, but that won't stop the anti-Peyton orgy from happening.

Pats 40

Broncos 31

 
johnadams said:
This game shouldn't be close with DEN as the winner. BB and Brady have had their best season, IMO, given the onslaught of injuries and missing players, but hard to see them hanging with a healthy record setting offense. If Manning plays the way he's capable, it's going to be at least a two score game. Of course, Peyton has struggled in playoffs before and BB is one of the great coaches out there, so NE can pull it out, but I don't think NE can be disruptive on D enough to rattle Peyton. My prediction: DEN 34, NE 21.
Click to expand...
The Patriots scored more points than the Broncos over the second half of the season and thus far in the playoffs.

 
parrot said:
johnadams said:
This game shouldn't be close with DEN as the winner. BB and Brady have had their best season, IMO, given the onslaught of injuries and missing players, but hard to see them hanging with a healthy record setting offense. If Manning plays the way he's capable, it's going to be at least a two score game. Of course, Peyton has struggled in playoffs before and BB is one of the great coaches out there, so NE can pull it out, but I don't think NE can be disruptive on D enough to rattle Peyton. My prediction: DEN 34, NE 21.
Click to expand...
The Patriots scored more points than the Broncos over the second half of the season and thus far in the playoffs.
Click to expand...
Wow. I did not know this. Thanks for the confidence boost.

 
bicycle_seat_sniffer said:
out of the 14 previous Brady v Peyton matchups, how many were played at Peytons home stadium? seems like they always play in Foxboro
Click to expand...
Five.

The first was Brady's first NFL start, back in Week 3 of the 2001 season. That was a bad year for the Colts, it being only one of two seasons since he became a pro, the other being his rookie year, where Manning's team didn't win at least 10 games. The Patriots won 44-13 in a game where Manning played terrible, Brady didn't do much of anything, and the Patriots ran wild.

The second was in 2003 when despite outplaying Brady, Manning's Colts lost 38-34 when the Patriots made a goal line stand at the end of the game.

The third was in 2006 when the Colts beat the Patriots in the AFCCG.

The fourth was in 2007 when the Patriots, on their way to 16-0, eked out a narrow 24-20 win.

The fifth was in 2009 when the Colts made that huge comeback and won 35-34 after Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th down from his own 29 with around two minutes left and failed.

 
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kwille said:
BassNBrew said:
Why is the Seattle/SF getting 6x the replies when this is the game more people have probably have stronger opinions about?

I'm going with Denver. I'd rather see NE win the game against DEN, but really want DEN in the SB for an offense v. defense matchup.
Click to expand...
This game features two fairly classy fan bases who respect each other. The other ... not so much.
Click to expand...
Did the result of the NE-Ind game get overturned or something?

 
Ghost Rider said:
bicycle_seat_sniffer said:
out of the 14 previous Brady v Peyton matchups, how many were played at Peytons home stadium? seems like they always play in Foxboro
Click to expand...
Five.

The first was Brady's first NFL start, back in Week 3 of the 2001 season. That was a bad year for the Colts, it being only one of two seasons since he became a pro, the other being his rookie year, where Manning's team didn't win at least 10 games. The Patriots won 44-13 in a game where Manning played terrible, Brady didn't do much of anything, and the Patriots ran wild.

The second was in 2003 when despite outplaying Brady, Manning's Colts lost 38-34 when the Patriots made a goal line stand at the end of the game.

The third was in 2006 when the Colts beat the Patriots in the AFCCG.

The fourth was in 2007 when the Patriots, on their way to 16-0, eked out a narrow 24-20 win.

The fifth was in 2009 when the Colts made that huge comeback and won 35-34 after Belichick's decision to go for it on 4th down from his own 29 with around two minutes left and failed.
Click to expand...
Strange how the Colts never "eked out a narrow win" or how Manning was never outplayed. Just Brady and the Pats I suppose.

 
parrot said:
johnadams said:
This game shouldn't be close with DEN as the winner. BB and Brady have had their best season, IMO, given the onslaught of injuries and missing players, but hard to see them hanging with a healthy record setting offense. If Manning plays the way he's capable, it's going to be at least a two score game. Of course, Peyton has struggled in playoffs before and BB is one of the great coaches out there, so NE can pull it out, but I don't think NE can be disruptive on D enough to rattle Peyton. My prediction: DEN 34, NE 21.
Click to expand...
The Patriots scored more points than the Broncos over the second half of the season and thus far in the playoffs.
Click to expand...
That is an interesting/surprising stat.

 
MoveToSkypager said:
General Tso said:
I've been wondering all week what the Pats gameplan is going to be in this one. Is it ball control, run Blount all game and keep Peyton off the field? I don't know about that.... It could be just the opposite. BB likes to zig when everyone else zags. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Pats come out guns ablazing, going hurry up offense and throwing the ball all over the field. Thought being, change things up, catch the Broncos a bit off guard, put the pressure on Manning and hope he makes a few mistakes in a gunslinging game. It would be an interesting strategy, and if it worked I think people would be talking about it for ages. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
I don't know if the Pats offense is going to have a particular identity against the Broncos early. I bet they'd love to run the ball, but I can see wildly changing gameplans from 1st to 2nd half based on what the Broncos are having difficulty stopping. We could see a mixture of dink/dunk, run the ball in the 1st half, and a heavy amount of a particular style in the 2nd. It may be a challenge running the no huddle early in the game because of the noise. There are only so many somatic signals Brady can give the WRs when they are 20 yards away from him. If they take the crowd out early, I can see the Pats stomping on the gas.I expect to see a coming out party for Chandler Jones this game. We could see 3 sacks, a FF, maybe a trifecta (strip sack return for a TD), maybe some tipped passes. Jones has the wingspan and reaction ability to disrupt that tunnel screen Peyton loves to throw to D Thomas. I also expect to see the Pats back 7 take a few from Manning and flip the field. High scoring doesn't necessarily mean that the Pats will be scoring quickly based on the style of offense, they just need more possessions with short fields. Like last game, they collected turnovers and gave Brady easy to manage fields to score touchdowns on.

I think the Pats put this game away by the 4th quarter but the Broncos make it look respectable at the end. The loss won't be Peyton's fault, but that won't stop the anti-Peyton orgy from happening.

Pats 40

Broncos 31
Click to expand...
Manning was sacked 18 times this season. I doubt Chandler Jones gets 3 in one game.

 
[icon] said:
parrot said:
johnadams said:
This game shouldn't be close with DEN as the winner. BB and Brady have had their best season, IMO, given the onslaught of injuries and missing players, but hard to see them hanging with a healthy record setting offense. If Manning plays the way he's capable, it's going to be at least a two score game. Of course, Peyton has struggled in playoffs before and BB is one of the great coaches out there, so NE can pull it out, but I don't think NE can be disruptive on D enough to rattle Peyton. My prediction: DEN 34, NE 21.
Click to expand...
The Patriots scored more points than the Broncos over the second half of the season and thus far in the playoffs.
Click to expand...
That is an interesting/surprising stat.
Click to expand...
Over their first 8 games, the Broncos scored at least 40 points 5 times and averaged 42.875 ppg. Over the last 8 games, they scored more than 40 only once and had their average drop a full 10 points, to 32.875 ppg. That average is less than their lowest point total of 33 from the first half of the season. Not to take too much away from them, because those are still great offensive numbers, but well below what they did for the first half of the season.

ETA: It's interesting that the Broncos had almost twice as many turnovers during the first half of the season compared to the second half, 17-9. They turned the ball over more than twice a game, but still averaged 43 points. Crazy.

 
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