Broncos fan here. How much of an influence do you think Koppen will make in this game, having spent so much time in your offense? Also, will Wilfork have his way with him? I think we'll see plenty of double-teaming on the big guy. Clady and Franklin can hold their own on the edges.
Welcome to the Board......Clady and Franklin are excellent,however,Denver likes to run McGahee inside the tackles and this is New England's strength.
Wilfork and Love are more than a match for a "smaller" center,like Koppen,Also,I expect the Patriots to rotate Cunningham to the interior rush to pressure Manning,up the middle.
If Hightower plays,New England's linebackers are big.....I mean really BIG.....It's tough to run up the middle against Wilfork,Spikes and Mayo.
Denver's strength is Manning(lol,stating the obvious).......The patriots want to move him off his spot and make him checkdown.Manning and the Denver offense will have a tough time on a wet field.They are faster,but New England is bigger and their front 7,tackle really well.
On the defensive side,Von Miller and the cornerbacks are excellent,but are a bad match-up against the Patriot's huge Ol and Tight Ends.They will immediately identify Miller,put Gronkowski or Fells on him.....and run right at him.....Denver had no answer for the Te's,last year and they won't,this year.....Especially with the addition of Ridley and Bolden,in the backfield.The Pats can....and will,run 30 or more times in this game,especially on a wet field.
The X-factor,of course,is Peyton Manning....Give him turnovers and field position and this is a whole different ballgame.
Funny,but I have the feeling that the punters and FG kickers are going to determine this game,not the vaunted,Brady vs Manning matchup.
Could go either way,imo,but I'll take New England in the rain and Denver in the dry