Broncos RBs vs NE Front Seven – Razor’s Edge New England
The Broncos have struggled at running the football in 2016. Once they lost C.J. Anderson to injury, their offense has become virtually one-dimensional. They’ve plugged rookie Devontae Booker in as the lead back but he’s struggled. Denver is averaging just 93.5 yards per game.
New England’s rush defense is improving every week and is currently 10th in the NFL allowing just 90.2 yards per game. Alan Branch and Malcolm Brown have done a tremendous job at slowing things at the point of attack allowing the linebackers to clean up. But the edge players, Chris Long, Rob Ninkovich, and Jabaal Sheard deserve a nod as well, in setting the edge.
Denver brought in Justin Forsett who played for Broncos’ coach Gary Kubiak in Houston and he got some work last week in Tennessee. But the ground game sputtered. Look for the Patriots to try to force Denver into being one-dimensional and forcing them to throw to win. That is always a winning formula when facing a first-year starting QB.
Broncos WRs vs NE Secondary- Razor’s Edge New England
The Denver offense lost not one but two starting QBs this offseason when Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler signed with Houston. Trevor Siemian was good in the early going but once Anderson went down, the onus of carrying the offense on his shoulders has been a bit much.
He has two tremendous targets in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders who can each single-handedly turn a game around. Both are having solid seasons. Sanders needs just 42 yards and Thomas just 75 to break the 1000-yard barrier on the season. They are the 1-2 punch that the Patriots will have to slow down this week.
With the changes to the defense over the past several weeks, the Pats have settled into a rotation and have solidified the defense. They’re playing faster and more instinctive and I look for that to continue. Look for Matt Patricia to do more of what we saw on Monday night.
The Patriots will mix their coverages and pass rush pressures from different points and sometimes drop their defensive ends into throwing lanes while sending safety or corner blitzes in an attempt to confuse Siemian and force into making some mistakes.
Special Teams- Razor’s Edge Denver
The Patriots special teams had a very strong game last week with the exception of the return game. Stephen Gostkowski made all four extra point attempts. Ryan Allen pinned Baltimore inside the five-yard line twice. The coverage units were solid. But the Achilles heel was the return game. With Danny Amendola injured the team put Cyrus Jones back there. He’s struggled all year holding onto punts and kickoffs. He botched a punt again giving the Ravens the ball at the Pats three-yard line.
The Broncos have had inconsistencies of their own. Brandon McManus has made only 9 of 13 kicks beyond 40 yards and rookie punter Riley Dixon has a net punting average of just 41.2 yards per punt. The return game has been so-so although their coverage units have been solid.
Denver gets the nod here solely on the Patriots question mark at the return game. Julian Edelman may be pressed back into service which isn’t what the team wants but until Amendola is back, they currently have few options.
Next up, who wins and why…
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
