Playoff hopes, vs playoff expectations.

[patsinthesnow]

Echo what everyone else has said, this team has made me proud as a Patriots fan. It may be BB's best job as a coach.

This pains me dearly to say this, but I expect us to lose in the AFCCG in Denver. As much as I want to see Peyton choke, his team is just too loaded. He has three top 20 WRs and a top 10 TE to go with an underrated dual threat RB as well as home field advantage.

All I can ask of this team is to win the divisional round and give Denver a heck of a fight in the AFCCG.

 

[coolguy]

Echo what everyone else has said, this team has made me proud as a Patriots fan. It may be BB's best job as a coach.

This pains me dearly to say this, but I expect us to lose in the AFCCG in Denver. All I can ask of this team is to win the divisional round and give Denver a heck of a fight in the AFCCG.

Why do you feel they would lose to denver?

The patriots have the best secondary in the afc and are one of the best pass rushing teams in the league. The broncos on the other hand, have a bad secondary that's led by the aging champ bailey and their already bad pass rush has lost it's best pass-rusher. Brady should be able to carve them up like a pumpkin.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Why do you feel they would lose to denver?

The patriots have the best secondary in the afc and are one of the best pass rushing teams in the league. The broncos on the other hand, have a bad secondary that's led by the aging champ bailey and their already bad pass rush has lost it's best pass-rusher. Brady should be able to carve them up like a pumpkin.

I just feel the D would have too much pressure facing the best statistical offense of all time in Mile High. Our CB trio would have to have an A game like the last meeting. Julius Thomas didn't play in the previous game either.

The Broncos D is bad and won't be able to generate much pass rush, but they will have the luxury to just key on Edelman and Vereen. Who will Brady use to carve up the Denver D? The ghost of Amendola? KT? Hooman?..

If Dobson ends up on IR, KT stepping up in his starting role will be key. I'm hoping for the best, and who knows, Peyton could still blow it in the divisional round.

 

[Archeryaddict12]

I just feel the D would have too much pressure facing the best statistical offense of all time in Mile High. Our CB trio would have to have an A game like the last meeting. Julius Thomas didn't play in the previous game either.

The Broncos D is bad and won't be able to generate much pass rush, but they will have the luxury to just key on Edelman and Vereen. Who will Brady use to carve up the Denver D? The ghost of Amendola? KT? Hooman?..

If Dobson ends up on IR, KT stepping up in his starting role will be key. I'm hoping for the best, and who knows, Peyton could still blow it in the divisional round.

I am not worried about that offense. When dennard, talib, Ryan, Arrington, mccourty and Harmon/Gregory are healthy; we can matchup with them.

You have manning vs BB, our D and a strong secondary. Take your pick.

 

[ausbacker]

I just feel the D would have too much pressure facing the best statistical offense of all time in Mile High. Our CB trio would have to have an A game like the last meeting. Julius Thomas didn't play in the previous game either.

The Broncos D is bad and won't be able to generate much pass rush, but they will have the luxury to just key on Edelman and Vereen. Who will Brady use to carve up the Denver D? The ghost of Amendola? KT? Hooman?..

If Dobson ends up on IR, KT stepping up in his starting role will be key. I'm hoping for the best, and who knows, Peyton could still blow it in the divisional round.

If the Patriots and Broncos win out and face each other in the AFC Championship game, given the Patriots DBs penchant for positional nous, I fully expect Peyton to throw a few punts straight to New England players given his penchant for playoff choking.

 

[coolguy]

I just feel the D would have too much pressure facing the best statistical offense of all time in Mile High. Our CB trio would have to have an A game like the last meeting. Julius Thomas didn't play in the previous game either.

The Broncos D is bad and won't be able to generate much pass rush, but they will have the luxury to just key on Edelman and Vereen. Who will Brady use to carve up the Denver D? The ghost of Amendola? KT? Hooman?..

If Dobson ends up on IR, KT stepping up in his starting role will be key. I'm hoping for the best, and who knows, Peyton could still blow it in the divisional round.

Julius thomas would be defended by Logan Ryan. Quarterbacks have a 52.8 rating throwing in Logan Ryan's direction. That trails only Seattle's Richard Sherman. This is a impressive stat.
Talib-dennard-ryan-McCourty will be able to give their offense trouble.

 

[supafly]

I think we can keep the game at DEN close, with a chance of pulling one out again.

What concerns me more than anything is the thin air atmosphere, their rowdy fans, and the prospect of needing to beat them 3x in a row + 2x this year.

They are definitely the team I'd rather not face myself, but many have made good points on why we could potentially beat them.

 

[PATS16N0]

Peyton Manning was shut down in our first meeting. Without those turn overs, that game would of been a dominant Patriots win.

Brady carved up the Denver D in the second half, and had no problem moving the ball in the first, our drives were just stopped by fumbles.

Manning, on the other hand, threw, in a whole FIVE quarters of football I remind you, just over 150 yards, only 1 TD, and 1 INT.

We match up fine with the overrated Denver Broncos. I'm more worried about about the conditions of their stadium than their actual team.

 

[lurker1965]

Um, how do I call may of you names politely.

I am NOT going to root against them at any level because that is "good enough."
Since 1975 I've been Super Bowl or bust. When they were 2-14 I rooted for them in the Super Bowl some how. When they were 1-15 I rooted for them in the Super Bowl some how. When they were 2-14 again I rooted for them in the Super Bowl some how.
I am disappointed at anyone who would accept less.

 

[supafly]

Peyton Manning was shut down in our first meeting. Without those turn overs, that game would of been a dominant Patriots win.

Brady carved up the Denver D in the second half, and had no problem moving the ball in the first, our drives were just stopped by fumbles.

Manning, on the other hand, threw, in a whole FIVE quarters of football I remind you, just over 150 yards, only 1 TD, and 1 INT.

We match up fine with the overrated Denver Broncos. I'm more worried about about the conditions of their stadium than their actual team.

I think you make some great points about our success vs their defense. I'm also not quite convinced that we have Manning right where we want them either. I think that there were some variables such as heavy winds, and the success that they were having in their rushing offense that also limited Manning's stats. I'm sure Peyton would be making some adjustments as well, and we all know that he is clearly capable of lighting it up at a moment's notice.

Either way you look at it though, we should have a better chance of not turning the ball over, and in the past 2 games we've been able to move the ball on them pretty well.

 

[ausbacker]

I think we can keep the game at DEN close, with a chance of pulling one out again.

What concerns me more than anything is the thin air atmosphere, their rowdy fans, and the prospect of needing to beat them 3x in a row + 2x this year.

They are definitely the team I'd rather not face myself, but many have made good points on why we could potentially beat them.

It's funny supa as I have no fear of Peyton Manning in the playoffs nor the Broncos D, especially now they are missing Von Miller. On the other hand, the Bengals, Chargers and Chiefs all have defenses that could get streaky at the most inopportune of times for the Patriots.

 

[supafly]

It's funny supa as I have no fear of Peyton Manning in the playoffs nor the Broncos D, especially now they are missing Von Miller. On the other hand, the Bengals, Chargers and Chiefs all have defenses that could get streaky at the most inopportune of times for the Patriots.

Yeah, like I said--different people have different teams in this 2013 wide open AFC race that they are more concerned about. I can respect and understand that 1000 times over. For me personally, I'm still considering DEN to be the team to beat myself.

Any way you slice it, we'll have to be playing very well to move on, so hopefully they'll continue to just take it one game at a time and see how things unfold.

 

[PATS16N0]

I think you make some great points about our success vs their defense. I'm also not quite convinced that we have Manning right where we want them either. I think that there were some variables such as heavy winds, and the success that they were having in their rushing offense that also limited Manning's stats. I'm sure Peyton would be making some adjustments as well, and we all know that he is clearly capable of lighting it up at a moment's notice.

Either way you look at it though, we should have a better chance of not turning the ball over, and in the past 2 games we've been able to move the ball on them pretty well.

Well, there is also the lack of Gronk, but I just can't help but feel confident against Denver, who I believe the media is overrating.

I just can't be terrified of a team that lost to three of the four good teams they faced.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Well, there is also the lack of Gronk, but I just can't help but feel confident against Denver, who I believe the media is overrating.

I just can't be terrified of a team that lost to three of the four good teams they faced.

I assume that the four good teams that you're talking about are the Pats, Chargers, Colts and Chiefs? To be totally honest, I think it's still up in the air as to whether the Chiefs and Chargers are actually good. The Chargers went .500, and only managed that by eeking out a must-win against KC's backups. And KC basically just put on a season-long clinic on beating backup quarterbacks for bad teams. They were exposed against the Colts, I thought.

From where I'm standing, it looks like the Broncos only played two good teams and lost to both of them. That said, I'm still more afraid of them than anyone else in the AFC. I think everyone's banging the "they're overrated" drum so hard that they've somehow become underrated.

 

[Cookenbauer]

I assume that the four good teams that you're talking about are the Pats, Chargers, Colts and Chiefs? To be totally honest, I think it's still up in the air as to whether the Chiefs and Chargers are actually good. The Chargers went .500, and only managed that by eeking out a must-win against KC's backups. And KC basically just put on a season-long clinic on beating backup quarterbacks for bad teams. They were exposed against the Colts, I thought.

From where I'm standing, it looks like the Broncos only played two good teams and lost to both of them. That said, I'm still more afraid of them than anyone else in the AFC. I think everyone's banging the "they're overrated" drum so hard that they've somehow become underrated.

The playoffs are always a funny thing. I remember the 2006 colts rushing defense was worst in the league, and I was convinced they would get bounced early. They ended up being lights out on run defense throughout the playoffs.

I feel the same for this denver team. Everyone is knocking their defense and calling them out...yet they certainly have talent (sans del rio) and can actually stop the run.

Denver is getting healthy at the right time and they are back to showing signs of an Elite offense again. I don't think any of the divisional matchups are going to stop them and hoping for a one and done is wishful thinking. It's going to take another BB/brady masterpiece or cincy playing disciplined for 60 minutes with some good breaks to beat the donkeys at mile high.

 

[captain stone]

One big difference btwn the Donkeys game earlier this year and a future PO game:
We had Gronk then; we don't have Gronk now.
That one difference will prove to be the camel's back-breaking straw.

 

[supafly]

Great article by Matt Chatham on the bye week, for those who have been regularly arguing the lack of needing it due to teams like the Ravens, Giants, and Steelers winning it lately as a hot wildcard team:

Fact: Bye week is good thing | Boston Herald

This pretty much sums it up 100%

 

[supafly]

The playoffs are always a funny thing. I remember the 2006 colts rushing defense was worst in the league, and I was convinced they would get bounced early. They ended up being lights out on run defense throughout the playoffs.

The fact that football outsiders called the 2006 Colts "statistically, the most efficient offense in the league" also went a long way too.

Actually they only had to go on the road 2 times total in their last 2 months, once they returned home on the night of Dec.10th.

The 2006 Colts had a pretty damn good offense, a capable enough defense that improved at the right time of the season, some good matchups in the playoffs (including the obvious one in the SB), were able to host 2/3 playoff games including the AFCCG with their #3 seed, and had a TON of luck, calls, and good matchups/breaks!

Hopefully we can replicate some of this on some level---mostly the luck part

 

[BradyFTW!]

The playoffs are always a funny thing. I remember the 2006 colts rushing defense was worst in the league, and I was convinced they would get bounced early. They ended up being lights out on run defense throughout the playoffs.

I feel the same for this denver team. Everyone is knocking their defense and calling them out...yet they certainly have talent (sans del rio) and can actually stop the run.

Denver is getting healthy at the right time and they are back to showing signs of an Elite offense again. I don't think any of the divisional matchups are going to stop them and hoping for a one and done is wishful thinking. It's going to take another BB/brady masterpiece or cincy playing disciplined for 60 minutes with some good breaks to beat the donkeys at mile high.

I agree that Cincy has a better chance than anyone other than the Pats, but unfortunately the only way they'll be playing Denver is by beating us first.

 

[mgcolby]

The playoffs are always a funny thing. I remember the 2006 colts rushing defense was worst in the league, and I was convinced they would get bounced early. They ended up being lights out on run defense throughout the playoffs.

I feel the same for this denver team. Everyone is knocking their defense and calling them out...yet they certainly have talent (sans del rio) and can actually stop the run.

Denver is getting healthy at the right time and they are back to showing signs of an Elite offense again. I don't think any of the divisional matchups are going to stop them and hoping for a one and done is wishful thinking. It's going to take another BB/brady masterpiece or cincy playing disciplined for 60 minutes with some good breaks to beat the donkeys at mile high.

I really don't see the comparison between the 2006 Colts and the 2013 Broncos defense, because the reason the Colts suddenly went from suck to great was the timely return of Bob Sanders. They actually have the opposite with Von Miller going down. They had hoped for Raheem Morris to come back but that has come and gone he is officially IR'd for the rest of the year.

I think some folks have been fooled a bit by the results of the last two games but they basically played two teams that had packed it in and who were already two of the worst offensive teams in the NFL.

Denver can beat us, I think just about any team can beat us and vice versa. But it won't be because they shutdown the run, it will be because we couldn't stop their offense.

With that said both teams have a game to play before they have a chance to play each other. And given Manning's one and done history and the slim margin of error the Pats have its far from a given that they will play each other.