Belichick built this secondary for this matchup

[Nikolai]

Pfft, doesn't matter if you miss your intended target, there is no way anything could miss that forehead!

Well, unless you threw them into the stands behind you?

The gravitational pull of the forehead might bring it back toward the Denver sideline.

 

[Joey007]

Interestingly enough, if we do win out we will have a 100% chance of having the number one seed.

 

[Rob0729]

That's the thing about playing Manning. People think it is about the pass rush, Belichick knows it is all about the coverages. The Pats have rarely pressured Manning a lot even when they shut him down. Even in last year's Super Bowl, the pass rush was overrated after the game. It was the secondary that shut down Manning.

Manning is all about quick pass routes and timing routes. You knock the receivers off their routes and they aren't in their spot quickly or open quickly, Manning many times will throw where they are supposed to be even if they are not there or throw it away even if he isn't under pressure. That is the way his offense is designed. Manning may improvise a lot before the snap, but he isn't a guy who improvises as much when a play doesn't work out as he expects it. He rather throw it away and go onto the next down. You rarely see him do what Brady did a few weeks ago where on a play the play broke down and Brady extended the play and direct Hooman where to run to so he could throw it for a positive play.

 

[Rob0729]

If we beat Denver. I can honesty see us running the table. The pack,Colts, and chargers don't scare me

It is certainly possible. The Colts have gotten a lot of injuries on defense (which was exposed with Roethlisberger next week). Same with the Chargers. I think the Packers are not all that good (good offense, horrible defense where the Pats should be able to win a shoot out). I think that Detriot is lucky to have the record they have since they have won a few games they should have lost. Even so, all those teams are good enough to beat the Pats if they have a great game.

A lot of people are saying that this game doesn't matter in HOF advantage because they don't see the Broncos losing more than one game after the Pats. I think that is still to be determined. I still wonder if the Broncos are the same team on the road as they are at home. They still have three potentially tough road games after the Pats (at KC, at San Diego, at Cincy).

 

[NYCPatsFan]

BB built our secondary for this Broncos i.e Manning match-up?

Vehemently disagree.

What if the Pats win the AFC and face the Packers or Saints in the SB and god forbid, lose? Will BB then start preparing the next year for Aaron or Brees??

I would instead state that BB tries to build the best team possible irrespective of who the opposing QB is.

BB, IMO, is a step ahead of most other coaches in having a better sense as to how the NFL is heading and preparing for it as opposed to building the team against an individual player or coach.

 

[Rob0729]

BB built our secondary for this Broncos i.e Manning match-up?

Vehemently disagree.

What if the Pats win the AFC and face the Packers or Saints in the SB and god forbid, lose? Will BB then start preparing the next year for Aaron or Brees??

I would instead state that BB tries to build the best team possible irrespective of who the opposing QB is. BB, IMO, is a step ahead of most other coaches in having a better sense as to how the NFL is heading and preparing for it.

The Broncos was a factor for the upgrades considering that the Broncos are the Pats biggest threat for the AFC, but it wasn't the only factor. The fact that the league has become a passing league was a huge factor too.

 

[mgteich]

As much as we think that NE-DEN is this era's equivalent of celtics and lakers, it just isn't. There are lots more competitive teams in the NFL than there used to be in the NBA. Belichick is preparing for all the potential playoff teams, and recognizes that many are passing teams. We do indeed play in a passing league, but the league has more to prepare for than the Manning's.

 

[Oswlek]

The teams don't scare me, but the Colts and Chargers are on the road. And the mental effort of running the gauntlet against the Broncos - @Colts - GB - @Lions - @Chargers could be draining. The 2010 team ran the table against a brutal 2nd half schedule, then went out with a whimper against the Jets in the divisional round.

They also didn't have a single healthy DL heading into that playoff game, plus a gimpy perp. Rex Ryan also put together a terrific game plan, using NE's tendencies against them.

If being emotionally drained was part of NE's failures in 2010, it was way down on the list.

 

[Bonzo]

As much as we think that NE-DEN is this era's equivalent of celtics and lakers, it just isn't. There are lots more competitive teams in the NFL than there used to be in the NBA. Belichick is preparing for all the potential playoff teams, and recognizes that many are passing teams. We do indeed play in a passing league, but the league has more to prepare for than the Manning's.

I agree, and it seems to be especially true this year. Makes it all the more incredible that any given year over the past dozen years you're more likely than not to see Brady or Manning (or both) in the AFCCG.

 

[Bonzo]

One thing I'm really interested to see is who gets snaps at nickel. Thought it would Dennard or Arrington (who I thought was playing rather well), but seems Ryan has been seeing the field more the last couple weeks.

 

[hwc]

Building a secondary to slow down the Broncos passing attack and building a secondary to stop any 2014 passing attack are one and the same. The Broncos are the epitome of the modern NFL passing game. Two things that Belichick has mentioned time and time again:

1) Depth. The team lines up in nickle or dime sub packages more often than not. This means that you need to be able to put NFL caliber DBs on the field, six deep. I'd say that the back of the roster guys in the Pats secondary (Arrington, Dennard, Ryan) are probably as good as any team in the NFL.

2) Matchups. The ability to get the right type of DB to cover each type of receiver. Belichick talked a lot about that this week, being able to match up with big physical guys who can catch the ball (whether you call them TEs or WRs).

 

[hwc]

I agree with the suggestion that Belichick should put the goon squad on the field and blow up the crossing routes right off the bat. Might as well. On first down and favorable field position, the penalty for "illegal contact" is meaningless (5 yards and an automatic first down).

Kick off into the endzone. Broncos start on the 20. Just blow up receivers on the first three snaps. Make it a ton of contact. Blow them up. Take three flags in a row. So what? The Broncos are now starting at the 35, which is where they would after the first pick play anyway.

 

[luuked]

I agree with the suggestion that Belichick should put the goon squad on the field and blow up the crossing routes right off the bat. Might as well. On first down and favorable field position, the penalty for "illegal contact" is meaningless (5 yards and an automatic first down).

Kick off into the endzone. Broncos start on the 20. Just blow up receivers on the first three snaps. Make it a ton of contact. Blow them up. Take three flags in a row. So what? The Broncos are now starting at the 35, which is where they would after the first pick play anyway.

This makes me wonder. Is there actually anything that referees can do to punish players further if they repeatedly commit penalties or blow up players ? Can they eject players at will for reasonable reasons ?

 

[Joey007]

If we do beat Denver, the one game that'll still scare me matchup wise is San Diego. On the road, great offense, pretty good defense when healthy, it's the one game I don't have a great feeling about.

 

[rochrist]

The real question about Sunday is pick plays, defensive holding, and pass interference (both ways). Unfortunately, we have one of the most flag happy crews in the league set to ref this weekend. If anyone watched the San Diego sham, you understand my trepidation.

If I had tickets I'd buy the biggest boots I could find, and stuff the toes with c batteries...just saying...









...I'm joking! Well, until the first garbage defensive holding or hands to the face while Welker straight blocks [defensive back's name here] without a flag.

I hope one of our ST'S specialists is thrown on the field the first time WW gets out there. Light his pick running ass up and set the tone for flags. I want the defensive lineman going low on their oline the same play, assuming those dbags have already done it on a zone run outside. Set the god damn tone after those sleaze balls try it themselves.

Most importantly, if ANYONE gets a shot on Goober, light his ass up. Based on this crews history (you all remember a few weeks back), you are getting the flag anyways, make it worth it.

Part of me prays BB comes up with a "goon" set. Show the zebras what truly deserves the laundry early, and as often as possible.

If this is an abomination like last Thursday, I'll lose my mind.

BTW, where is senator dbag railing for his investigation after that railroading? Cali, throw your ineptitude at something that can help us massholes! Lol, again, only kind of joking...Hey now, maybe that's why Pitt got that garbage SB? All those terrible calls...

Supposedly, they're pretty light on the PI calls. At least that's what I heard on the radio. Do a ton of unsportsman like conduct (aka taunting and the like) and unnecessary roughness calls. Supposedly.

 

[rochrist]

If we beat Denver. I can honesty see us running the table. The pack,Colts, and chargers don't scare me

Packers and Chargers could be difficult. SD usually plays the Pats tough, and the Packers have Rodgers. Not sure they have the defense though. BB seems to have Luck's number for now and Detroit is Detroit. I'd be pretty pleased with 4-2 for this 6 game stretch.

 

[rochrist]

Interestingly enough, if we do win out we will have a 100% chance of having the number one seed.

How do you figure that?

 

[rochrist]

How do you figure that?

Nevermind, I get it.

 

[obgod3]

SD just doesn't scare me! for the most part NE and BB has owned them. They tend to play their division opponents at a higher level than outside the division. GB, eh, saints showed they are not as great as folks thought.

 

[Joey007]

How do you figure that?

If we win out it means we are 14-2. Denvers best possible record would be 14-2, but us winning out would mean that we would have the tiebreaker after beating them. And interestingly enough, everyone else in the conference has already lost at least three games besides the Bengals, who are 4-2-1 but we would have a tiebreaker over them as well.