Everyone has the number 1 defense in the league, until....

They face the CEO of QB's and his offense: Tom Brady and the Pats O.

I have said this from day 1 of this season (and you can check it if you don't believe me), so long as #12, #87 and #11 are all on the same field at the same time and healthy, then nobody and i did not stutter, nobody can stop them. End of story.

So whether it's Denver and then Arizona/Carolina it will be irrelevant who they have on defense because you cannot stop that trio primarily, and as a whole the Pats offense. How far the reigning, defending SB champs go depends on 1 thing: Pats D vs Opponent's O.

Pats fans if you are having doubts about tomorrow's game just remember the main rule of being a Patriot: never ever doubt Brady.

I'll say this, as often as we hear about the opponent's highly rated defense and the problems the Patriots may have against them, it seems the offense does a heck of a lot better than most predicted. Look at the KC game. The KC D had given up more than 20 points to an opposing offense only once since week 4 when it was in their funk streak of losing 5 games in a row. In the 11 game winning streak the D gave up more than 20 points only once, 22 to Buffalo in week 12. After KC shut out the Texans, the Pats easily put up the 27 on them and it could have been more if not for dropped passes.

We're going to score 27-34 I think.
Just hoping the d can step up and not give up long time sucking drives

BKapatsfan said:

We're going to score 27-34 I think.
Just hoping the d can step up and not give up long time sucking drives

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Bingo

BKapatsfan said:

We're going to score 27-34 I think.
Just hoping the d can step up and not give up long time sucking drives

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The Pats have scored more than 27 points only twice since week 7. I'd be very impressed if we score between 27-34 vs denver's defense in Denver with Cannon and the rookies on the O-line in a tough stadium. Hope you are right!

Pats have hardly blown anybody out on the road by a wide margin. Houston was the largest. To each his own but its wise to temper expectations based one 1 week. 2003/2004 bot times people said colts will blow the pats out at him in the divisional and AFCCG. We know what happened.I personally dont take these for granted.

SVN said:

Pats have hardly blown anybody out on the road by a wide margin. Houston was the largest. To each his own but its wise to temper expectations based one 1 week. 2003/2004 bot times people said colts will blow the pats out at him in the divisional and AFCCG. We know what happened.I personally dont take these for granted.

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No I think Manning will hit a couple of long passes so itll be a back and forth. First priority has got to be run so i can see ES or DT breaking free once or twice. I have it 27-24.
With a healthy receiving corps white or amendola should have a big game, Denver gets weaker as you get further into cover guys.
In the end just don't see them keeping up, number one d is nice but matchup wise Carolina's is much more suited for stopping the pats attack.

SVN said:

Pats have hardly blown anybody out on the road by a wide margin. Houston was the largest. To each his own but its wise to temper expectations based one 1 week. 2003/2004 bot times people said colts will blow the pats out at him in the divisional and AFCCG. We know what happened.I personally dont take these for granted.

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This may be the first time I have seen a poster draw a parallel between this defending SB championship team and that Charmin' soft 2003-2004 Colts squad. Can't say I agree with this train of thought, but to each his/her own I suppose...

sevengables_2207 said:

This may be the first time I have seen a poster draw a parallel between this defending SB championship team and that Charmin' soft 2003-2004 Colts squad. Can't say I agree with this train of thought, but to each his/her own I suppose...

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Iam not comparing the teams.Pats are obviously not even close to that colts team. Iam talking about the overwhelming expert opinion drawn from last week.

I don't think the game will be a blow-out or that there will be a lot of points. The Vegas total is about 44.5, for one, and there are two very good defenses that will take the field tomorrow in Mile High.

Be that as it may, I trust the Patriots offense more than the Broncos to reach the 24+ points, and the first team to hit this benchmark, IMO, is most likely to win.

Yeah, anytime the experts are expecting a blowout, I lean towards a close game. Gb/Arizona is a great example. I haven't heard many people call for a blowout though and I doubt Denver's D will stop playing hard during the game. The score should be in the mid 20s unless there are multiple turnovers.

SVN said:

Iam not comparing the teams.Pats are obviously not even close to that colts team. Iam talking about the overwhelming expert opinion drawn from last week.

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Sorry for the misunderstanding. And to be honest, I have not gotten the sense that there is a consensus among "experts" that signify a New England victory by a landslide. From what I have seen around the web, it appears to be much more evenly split.

SVN said:

Pats have hardly blown anybody out on the road by a wide margin. Houston was the largest. To each his own but its wise to temper expectations based one 1 week. 2003/2004 bot times people said colts will blow the pats out at him in the divisional and AFCCG. We know what happened.I personally dont take these for granted.

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2003/2004 Brady >>>> 2016 Manning. Not even a close comparison.

I agree with your overall point just not the comparison.

IMO .... the optimism resides in Denver's red zone is effectively 30 yards and the Patriots red zone is the usual 20 yards. Denver is not going to beat us kicking field goals ... they caught a break vs the Steelers and I don't think they'll catch the same break tomorrow. Inside the 30 Manning's arm becomes a huge liability.

So Vegas's line of 44.5 sounds about right though I think it should be 46 ... 3 TD's and 3 FG's for the Patriots and 1 TD and 3 FG's for the Broncos. Their red zone problems bite them in the ass. Manning can throw fluter balls in the middle of the field but in the red zone they simply are not the way to go.

With all of this talk about how big and bad Denvers defense is I hope the Pats defenders have been listening. Hope they come out Sunday and show everyone how good they are.

every year + every team is different, but fwiw, wade phillips had a top 10 d in houston in 2012.
pats put up 41 + 42 on them that year with no gronk (but they had hernandez), although those were home games.
the following year, they put up 34 @ houston

if you really want to go back any deeper, they were kinda mediocre against his chargers on the road in 2006, but lit him up for 48 in dallas the following year

Every year, at some point in the season, the Pats hit a small hiccup and people make it seem like the walls are falling in and the dynasty is over. I'll admit, I too, was guilty of this post KC 2014. I knew I shouldn't have doubted the team because it's BB, TB12, and the Patriots. This season, the injuries hit, the Patriots went simple and dropped a few to close out the season. I wasn't worried then and I'm not worried now. If Denver beats the Patriots tomorrow it'll be because the Patriots killed themselves or Denver played the perfect game. I have more faith in the Patriots executing than the other 2 possibilities because they're the God damn Patriots.

Shaq Mason is the only rookie starting on the O-Line

titletownpats said:

The Pats have scored more than 27 points only twice since week 7. I'd be very impressed if we score between 27-34 vs denver's defense in Denver with Cannon and the rookies on the O-line in a tough stadium. Hope you are right!

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IcyPatriot said:

IMO .... the optimism resides in Denver's red zone is effectively 30 yards and the Patriots red zone is the usual 20 yards. Denver is not going to beat us kicking field goals ... they caught a break vs the Steelers and I don't think they'll catch the same break tomorrow. Inside the 30 Manning's arm becomes a huge liability.

So Vegas's line of 44.5 sounds about right though I think it should be 46 ... 3 TD's and 3 FG's for the Patriots and 1 TD and 3 FG's for the Broncos. Their red zone problems bite them in the ass. Manning can throw fluter balls in the middle of the field but in the red zone they simply are not the way to go.

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I like the over. Day game sun is shining. That being said I never bet on the pats I just can't deal emotionally lol

We WILL HAVE shots at interceptions. We need to not drop them.