I actually read the entire thread. Very entertaining. Here are some comments
1. Making comparisons of previous games is just plain dumb (on both sides). BB would be the first to tell us that past results DO NOT project future performance in the NFL. So our beating Denver in game 5 in NE has no relevance to what might happen almost 3 months later in Denver. We are both now 2 very different teams and the game will be in a different setting.
2. Weather WILL be a factor. Here are 2 indisputable facts. Peyton Manning doesn't play well in bad weather, as he has so rarely had to play in bad weather. Tom Brady might just be the best bad weather QB in the history of the game. The big home field advantage the Broncos will have (if the 2 teams meet in the AFCCG) COULD be greatly mitigated IF the weather is less than ideal on that day.
3. The Broncos deserve their top seed. They won one more game than the Pats. Its no different than last year when the Pats had the same record playing an equally weak schedule. But as the Giants, Steelers, Packers, Colts, etc have shown in recent Superbowls, the regular season really doesn't matter much.
4. I love the bye. I think it gives more meaning to the regular season. In the other professional sports, the regular season means virtually nothing. It certainly hasn't been a precursor to winning the superbowl recently. That being said, it is the single biggest playoff advantage in all of sports.....and I'm glad we have it.
5. After reading the trolls, I for one don't think they are THAT bad. To me they are just being 'fans', manipulating the stats and fact to best represent their team. That's the job of a fan, and it would be hypocritical of us to damn or ban them for it. Of course that doesn't mean that some of them aren't jackasses, or their reasoning isn't faulty, and they do make you long for those classy Texan fans to return.
6. The Pats are pretty banged up. I'd be interested to know what the Denver injury situation. On the surface they've been as lucky on that front as we've been unlucky, but that's just a perception on my part
7. The real bottom line is that this thread is really 2 weeks too early. Let's get through the division round before we start talking about a Pats/Denver AFCCG.