5 Keys to Victory
 

With apologies to PATSNUTme, some early thoughts on keys to beating Denver:

1. Maintain intensity and focus at Mile High. We have imploded at Mile High before, and it would be easy to have a let down after the playoff-like intensity of the Ravens game. The team needs to stay focused and intense, maintain aggressiveness on both offense and defense, and avoid mental mistakes against the opportunistic Donkeys.

2. Contain Brandon Marshall. "At this point, it doesn't look as if the Pats have anyone who can cover Brandon Marshall", writes Vic Carucci today on nfl.com. Marshall seems to me to be Denver's only offensive weapon who could really hurt the Pats. I'm sure BB will focus on preventing him from making the big play, especially after last week's 51 yard TD catch against Dallas.

3. Pressure Kyle Orton and create mistakes/turnovers. So far, Kyle Orton has executed the mistake-free game manager role to perfection, with 5 TDs and 0 INTs and a 97.7 QB rating. The Pats need to pressure him, cause him to make mistakes, and hopefully create some turnovers.

4. Stop Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil has been a one man wrecking machine with 8 sacks in 4 games, as many as the Pats team has recorded so far. Their other pass rushing threats are average at best. The Pats offense has to stop giving up the potential game-changing play like the Suggs sack/fumble/TD and the Aaron Schobel INT/TD. Matt Light has been erratic this season, and will need help containing Dumervil and protecting TB. Denver's first 7 points were created by a sack of Tony Romo at the Dallas 9 and a forced fumble. We need to avoid those big swings.

5. Maintain balance on offense. The Pats need to keep commitment to running the ball, and selectively attack the Denver secondary despite Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins. Romoesque gunslinging and interceptions inside the opponent's red zone won't work. Despite a defense that ranks 3rd against the pass, 5th against the run and 1st overall, we should be able to do both if we execute. Some red zone execution would also be nice, obviously.

Should be a winnable game, but could easily be a loseable game.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

I think Carucci is overstating the Marshall-versus-Pats-secondary matchup. Maybe he's still thinking of the Pats 2008 secondary, who knows? In week one the Pats game planned to shut down Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, and did just that. In week three the plan was to shut down Tony Gonzalez, who had just come off a 7-catch, 71-yard, 1-TD game; the result was one catch for 16 yards. And it wasn't as if that left Roddy White open; he had just 24 yards (after going over 1200 yards and over 80 catches in each of the last two years.) Derrick Mason was not a primary focus of the game plan against Baltimore but once the Pats saw what the Ravens were doing, he was shut down after the opening drive.

Marshall made highlight reels for his game-winning touchdown, but that looked to me to be more about poor coverage and shoddy tackling than anything else. Marshall had only 3 catches for 40 yards the rest of the game, and that was against the Cowboys who rank 29th in the league in pass defense. In Marshall's first three games he only averaged 4 catches for 48 yards.

That's not to say Marshall won't be a key to the defensive game plan. He probably will, but that's almost by default; who else on the Denver offense would you game plan against?

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

This. Taking nothing away from Marshall but Carucci is wrong about our secondary. It will take time for the rest of the league to come around to just how good our defense is.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

3.1 - Get an Early Lead

Orton will be able to stay in his comfort zone as long as he believes the game isn't slipping away (see Edwards, Trent). Once he starts believing the game is on his shoulders, the mistakes should follow.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

I wasn't agreeing with Carucci, and I'm very appreciative of our secondary. But I do think that Marshall is the only real weapon the Broncos have on offense, and that we will scheme to take him away. I think Meriweather or McGowan will help out whoever is assigned to cover him.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

I have no idea why they aren't throwing to Royal, I think he should be a legit weapon but they sure aren't using him that way.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

Marshall had four catches, all in the fourth quarter. One of the guys at patriotsdaily made the great point that these pundits cannot possibly know all 32 teams (most are not really qualified to comment anyway) so they hitch on the last thing and run their mouth with it.

As far as "pundits" go, give everyone a monkey and an organ grinder, and you have well qualified circus clowns.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

Just pressure Kyle Orton like we did Flacco. When with the Bears, Orton was terrible under pressure. Oh and definitely take the Mile High crowd out of it.

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

Do we use the same bracket coverage we used last week to shut Mason down?

I think McD sees this, and will game plan around it.

What is our response to this? Do we feint with a robber coverage? Do we play CBs straight up?

Re: 5 Keys to Victory
 

When I watched them last week.. they did not look like a 4-0 team, they are the type of team that can be exposed by someone like BB and his crew.

I think this will be an easy win... as much as McDaniels knows our team and players, they also know the way he thinks so that is a trade off...