VJCPatriot said:
Well the Donkeys do have an advantage in recent matchups. I was reading about it in this Globe article by Shaughnessy
(
http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2006/09/23/broncos_are_a_rare_breed_they_have_no_fear/)
He calls the Broncos the Kraft kryptonite. Donkeys lead 4-1 ever since 2001. I'd like to know how many of those games were played in Denver though. Mile High seems to be a really tough place for any road team to come into.
It was funny how he ended the article by talking about how it's time for the pats to tame the broncos and put em in line with the rest of the league hehe.
I'll agree with that at least. It's about time the Pats whipped those donkeys. It's gonna be a different story at the Razor.
4 of the last 5 have been in Denver. In '02 Denver won in Foxboro, largely because we had huge holes in our defense (since fixed!). the Pats won on '03, in the classic "chess game" between Belichik and Shanahan (taking the safety). Last year's games are pretty much fresh in everyone's mind here, so no need to rehash them.
Yes, Invesco is a tough place to visit, but know that since '01, the Broncos have been quite mortal on the road, going 19 - 27.
Inclement weather is a possibility tomorrow night, thus making Denver's job that much tougher.
This is a team that went 13 - 3 last year. This is a team that essentially stood pat in the off-season. This is a team working in a new OC, who's problems are further exacerbated by a floundering starting QB who seems to be having an identity crisis. This is a team that took Cleveland's "bums" on the defensive line and molded a surprisingly good unit last year, one that I think was playing largely on adrenaline. It remains to be seen whether or not they follow Jake's example, but unless they blitz the holy bejezzus out of the Patriots, it's hard to see them having much of an effective pass rush.
The point here is, when you stand pat on the previous season's performance, hoping that this is the time that lightening truly strikes, you are really playing a dangerous game. It may work, but history and experience are less than sanguine on the chances of success. Note here, too, that this is
close to the top, not
at the top. There's a difference.
The Denver media are pretty unanimous in that this is a "Super Bowl or bust" drama playing out this year in that fair city. If it falls flat, look for some substantial changes on the team.
I like the Pats, 38 - 14!