Last Time Broncos and Patriots Were Seeded 1-2

[BrainTrust66]

This thread is intended to be a walk down memory lane to kill time during the bye week - it is by no means a predictor of anything, especially given how long ago it was.

1996

Denver Broncos (13-3) are #1 seed in the AFC
New England Patriots (11-5) are the #2 seed in the AFC

In the divisional round, the fairly recent expansion Jaguars (coached by Tom Coughlin) upset the Broncos 30-27 behind Natrone Means (186 total yards, 1 TD). Broncos are led by a future Hall of Fame QB with a reputation for not being able to win the big game.

The next day (Sunday) the Patriots kill the Steelers in the fog in Foxboro. Not a bad day for Curtis Martin - 166 yards, 19 carries, 3 TD's including one for 78yards.

The following week the Patriots earn a trip to their 2nd Super Bowl...in New Orleans...against the Packers

Maybe the Bengals will be this year's Jaguars? BJGE plays Natrone Means?
Perhaps a SuperDome rematch with the Packers...only with a better result?

 

[Bman12]

I hope the Broncos get upset this year.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

This thread is intended to be a walk down memory lane to kill time during the bye week - it is by no means a predictor of anything, especially given how long ago it was.

1996

Denver Broncos (13-3) are #1 seed in the AFC
New England Patriots (11-5) are the #2 seed in the AFC

In the divisional round, the fairly recent expansion Jaguars (coached by Tom Coughlin) upset the Broncos 30-27 behind Natrone Means (186 total yards, 1 TD). Broncos are led by a future Hall of Fame QB with a reputation for not being able to win the big game.

I vaguely remember that game. Broncos rode Terrell Davis all year, then decide to abandon the run vs. Jax. Broncos were down 23-13 in the 4th quarter, then show some old Elway 4th quarter magic and score TDs on two consecutive possessons. Unfortunately for them, Jax sandwiched a TD of their own between Denver's (I think a long bomb to Keenan McKardell).

Pats got a bonus SB appearance out of that. No way they win in Denver back then. Denver simply owned the Pats in the Elway years and that 1995-1998 stretch was brutal (blowouts each year). Also no way warm-weather Jax was pulling out a 3rd cold-weather road playoff game (although the temps in Buffalo and Denver were no where near as cold as in Foxboro that January).

Regards,
Chris

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

This thread is intended to be a walk down memory lane t

The next day (Sunday) the Patriots kill the Steelers in the fog in Foxboro. Not a bad day for Curtis Martin - 166 yards, 19 carries, 3 TD's including one for 78yards.

The following week the Patriots earn a trip to their 2nd Super Bowl...in New Orleans...against the Packers

Maybe the Bengals will be this year's Jaguars? BJGE plays Natrone Means?
Perhaps a SuperDome rematch with the Packers...only with a better result?

I was at that fog shrouded game. Bought 4 tix from a scalper and treated brother, brother-in-law and daughter to a playoff game. The Pats fired their guns pre-game and that smoke added to the fog made the field barely visible.

Started off with a bomb from Drew Bledsoe to "her" tackled at the 4 yd line. TD followed. CM ran wild and the D absolutely destroyed the Steelers.

 

[CYA_PATS_DEN>NE_2012AFCCG]

You fail to mention what happened in the two years after that.

The last time the Broncos were the #1 seed, they won the Superbowl.

Also, the last time Brady faced the Broncos in Denver in the playoffs he was sent home with the first playoff defeat of his career.

 

[BrainTrust66]

You fail to mention what happened in the two years after that.

The last time the Broncos were the #1 seed, they won the Superbowl.

Also, the last time Brady faced the Broncos in Denver in the playoffs he was sent home with the first playoff defeat of his career.

As I wrote, not meant to be a predictor of anything just a little reminiscing with my fellow fans, but if this is what makes you feel better about yourself then by all means, have at it.

 

[jcdavey]

i remember that pats at denver playoff game, before denver got destroyed by the steelers

i still think the PI call on asante samuel in the endzone was BS, and i still think champ bailey was out at the 1 on the int return for a td

but denver played a hell of a game that day

 

[signbabybrady]

Well we already have had a similar scenario from our 01 run play out to help us get a bye week so why not more similar scenarios to help us get back to the Bowl.

In 01 the Jets in a meaningless game played hard and beat the Raiders allowing us to capture the bye a lot like Indy just did for us.

 

[CYA_PATS_DEN>NE_2012AFCCG]

i still think the PI call on asante samuel in the endzone was BS, and i still think champ bailey was out at the 1 on the int return for a td

That's how it was called. They ran it in for a TD on the very next play.

 

[signbabybrady]

That's how it was called. They ran it in for a TD on the very next play.

Nice way to call him out.

What I think what he meant to say is that the ball was knocked out at the one and carried into the endzone and should have been a touchback.

From my biased perspective that was how I saw it but clearly my eyes cant be trusted in this instance. What I will say is that the Refs are not to blame as this happened 100 yards away from where the play started and there was no way for them to be there. But to take it further this is a prime example of why there should be a camera always pointing straight down the goal lines and straight down the out of bounds line. These should be on both sides and ends of the field and these should be fairly high pointing down to try and avoid people in the way but apparently the NFL doesnt have enough money to afford 8 extra cameras per game.

 

[jcdavey]

That's how it was called. They ran it in for a TD on the very next play.

ah ok! lol, my memory must be bad then!

 

[jcdavey]

Nice way to call him out.

What I think what he meant to say is that the ball was knocked out at the one and carried into the endzone and should have been a touchback.

From my biased perspective that was how I saw it but clearly my eyes cant be trusted in this instance. What I will say is that the Refs are not to blame as this happened 100 yards away from where the play started and there was no way for them to be there. But to take it further this is a prime example of why there should be a camera always pointing straight down the goal lines and straight down the out of bounds line. These should be on both sides and ends of the field and these should be fairly high pointing down to try and avoid people in the way but apparently the NFL doesnt have enough money to afford 8 extra cameras per game.

you're right! ok my memory isn't as bad as i though haha, yeah , i thought it was a touchback

 

[BradyManny]

One game at a time. There are only three teams the Pats can play next weekend, and the Broncos aren't one of them.

I do not consider a Broncos-Patriots AFCCG a given. All four wildcard teams are capable of beating either 1 & 2 seed on any given Sunday. The Bengals, for instance, are playing better than when Manning faced them, and I can see them giving the Broncos problems should they make it past the Texans.

 

[SacPete1]

I was recalling that 1996 year just yesterday. I remember the Broncos beating the crap out of the Pats in Foxboro that year and I didn't think there would be much hope of winning in Denver. When the Jags knocked off the Broncs on that Saturday, I was so pumped for Pats/Steelers knowing they could host the AFC championship (first one too). The fog made it surreal. The field level camera angles didn't allow the typcial horizon perspective. It was easily their most dominating performance of the year.
that 2005 game in Denver against a very average QB in Plummer was a heartbreaker. NE was taking control of that game in the 2nd half but when Brady threw that pick deep in Denver territory, they lost all momentum. And to think they would have hosted Pittsburgh the next week.
I really hope we get to see Brady/Manning. The 2 best QB's of their generation by far and to have them in a conference championship game is fitting after a 6 year wait. But first, let's have them both get through their division games next week.

 

[Hardboiled]

NE was taking control of that game in the 2nd half but when Brady threw that pick deep in Denver territory, they lost all momentum. And to think they would have hosted Pittsburgh the next week.
I really hope we get to see Brady/Manning. The 2 best QB's of their generation by far and to have them in a conference championship game is fitting after a 6 year wait. But first, let's have them both get through their division games next week.

Several things went wrong on that play. Ashworth didn't pick up the blitz. TB should have not thrown that duck. Then the out of bounds call - If the refs call touchback, it doesn't get reversed. Horrible loss.