Page 1 of 55 1 2 3 11 51 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 820

Thread: Broncos vs Patriots AFCCG Part II

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Tri-Cities
    Posts
    1,272

    Default Broncos vs Patriots AFCCG 2016

    This week is going to be a circus. Brady vs Manning XVII. The opening line is minus 3.5 and that will probably grow. The talk on radio tonight is pretty clear: The Broncos are in trouble. I'm sure the majority of TV sports network shows and analysts opinions will all pretty much reflect the same. Brady and the defending Super Bowl Champions are going to steamroll the Broncos. Denver and the old MANning don't have a chance.

    I'm not necessarily disappointed that Denver won ugly against Pittsburg. I figured it would be a late battle if Ben was able to throw with any accuracy. But had the Broncos blown them out, they might have become the favorite this week. Now they're clearly the underdog at home. I honestly didn't want Denver favored. The Broncos need more focus. I will not take credit away from Pittsburg's defense, which has been playing really great the last half of the season. But Denver did not help themselves in the first half of the game. They did not sustain enough drives and they were not efficient running the ball. Denver dropped too many passes, especially on third down. Sometimes the playcalling was frustrating. Denver likely will not win next week if they cannot execute better. They certainly won't win if they don't come out of the redzone with more TDs than FGs. Not being favored or given much of a chance Sunday should make the entire Broncos feel disrespected. As if you need any further motivation in a playoff game, much less playing New England, a team you already beat this season, perhaps that will further motivate the Broncos and help them focus even more.

    I do expect Belichick and Co. will be ready. They will rely on the short/quick passing game and screens. They will do their best to slow the Denver pass rush. But regardless of how effective the Broncos are at pressuring Brady and stalling their drives, the Patriots will score more than three touchdowns. Denver will have to score TDs, not rely on FGs to win the AFC Championship.

    One key to Denver winning obviously will be to again avoid turnovers. But to win Sunday will take more than ball protection. Denver cannot play conservative. Physical, yes, but they must be aggressive! They cannot lean on their defense like they did against Pittsburg. The Patriots will be favored due to the perception that the Broncos don't have an offense good enough, or, more specifically, that Manning is no longer able to defeat them. I disagree. Denver and Manning are capable of scoring plenty enough points to win this game. But will they? I don't think Denver's great defense can be the savior in this game, but the Broncos do have a great chance if they play better on offense. Greater focus, better execution and consistency by the offense and the Broncos will beat the Patriots again.
    Last edited by pulse; 01-18-2016 at 08:14 AM. Reason: Changed thread title.
    A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. --Tyrion Lannister, from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones
    Everybody has a preference. Some guys like them round. Some guys like them thin. Some guys like them tacky. Some guys like them brand new. Some guys like old balls. --Tom Brady

  2. The Following 7 Users High Fived pulse For This Post:


  3. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Albany, OR
    Adopted Bronco:
    Miller Time
    Posts
    12,233

    Default

    The only difference in personnel in this game are Ware for us and Edelman and Amendola?

    I don't think anyone else else was injured.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Tri-Cities
    Posts
    1,272

    Default

    Having Edelman and Amendola is obviously a big deal for Brady. He did have Gronk in the week 12 matchup, who pulled in 88 yards and scored. As evident against KC, Edelman and Amendola significantly improve the short and quick passing attack, which Brady uses to counter the deficiencies they have right now in pass blocking. Denver has to get pressure on Brady, but our linebackers and secondary have got to be sharp in short coverage to buy Denver's pass rushers time to get to Brady. If he is getting rid of the ball around two seconds after the snap and still connecting, Denver better be tight in coverage to break that shit up. Make him look downfield and collapse the pocket. He's going to connect on his fair share of short throws. Denver has to tackle for short yardage. Eventually Ware, Miller or Wolfe will get to him. Wade is a great coordinator. I believe Denver's defense is up for the challenge. I just hope Denver's offense will be also.
    A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. --Tyrion Lannister, from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones
    Everybody has a preference. Some guys like them round. Some guys like them thin. Some guys like them tacky. Some guys like them brand new. Some guys like old balls. --Tom Brady

  5. The Following 4 Users High Fived pulse For This Post:


  6. #4

    Default

    No Fly Zone's gotta show they're more buzz than hype (am I using those terms correctly?) Hopefully a week's enough time to get Harris' shoulder good, or at least good enough. Over at ESPN, Legwold had this curious-but-true observation from todays game:

    An odd stat line in some ways for the Steelers against the Broncos defense Sunday, but Pittsburgh's four longest pass plays accounted for 187 of Ben Roethlisberger's 339 passing yards and the eight longest plays accounted for 278 passing yards. That means Roethlisberger's other 16 completions went for a combined 61 yards.
    So our pass D was excellent for 2/3 of the game—and nearly blew their season the OTHER third, with over HALF Pitts passing yards coming on just FOUR PLAYS. Kinda like our offense had ONE SB caliber drive to score the game-winning TD, but was so bad THE WHOLE REST OF THE GAME that only Pitts ST blunders giving us consistently great field position kept us in it long enough a lone drive COULD win it. That inconsistent crap ain't championship football, and can't beat Belicheat.

    The Cheatriots' only really good WR (i.e. Edelman) missed our OT game, but is healthy now and went off on KC yesterday, while the newly healthy NE* line kept KCs excellent pass rush away from Brady. We've NEVER had an answer for Gronk, so only beaten NE* ONCE when he was healthy; to reach the SB we must double that all-important stat. Amendola's... still there, I guess; maybe he's just so mediocre he's easy to lose in a crowd, but he produces, and they got a good WR from Houston.

    Meanwhile, NE* had more sacks than Pitt or ANYONE but us this year, and our lines problems are at least as much talent as health (especially on the edge.) Ninkovich has practically made his career destroying our offense in every phase of the game all the way back to Tebow Time. They've got Collins back, which will make it harder to run, and it's never been easy for us in the first place.
    Oh, valid point. I thought you meant all starters, you should take the time to be more descriptive, don't be shy. Jaded

    Never confuse frustrated candor and disloyal malice.
    Love can't be coerced. —Me

  7. The Following User High Fived Joel For This Post:


  8. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Baltimore, MD
    Adopted Bronco:
    Ray Finkel
    Posts
    86,709

    Default

    The key is getting to Brady. The defense is the crutch and has been all year, if they get to Brady we create havoc for them. Its frustrating to watch the offense but 9 times out of 10 it has worked this year when it comes to winning and losing. We just cant get sloppy and turn the ball over. We had success running on NE last time so i expect the same next week. The only difference is can Manning make plays down the field when needed like Brock did in that game.

  9. The Following 2 Users High Fived Northman For This Post:


  10. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Northman View Post
    The key is getting to Brady.
    That's just ONE key, but KC's got a top pass rush, too, and couldn't do it. Against guys like Brady (or even Roethlisberger, who proved it today) the secondary must give the rush a little time so the QB doesn't just hit a quick slant or out before they can take more than that quick first step. And they must do it in man, not because we need extra blitzers, but because Brady, Gronk and their WRs rip zones apart at the seams.

    Sometimes you must just put a hat on every hat and hope yours have more talent, skill and discipline than theirs; we've sadly lacked that last one for a while.

    Quote Originally Posted by Northman View Post
    The defense is the crutch and has been all year, if they get to Brady we create havoc for them. Its frustrating to watch the offense but 9 times out of 10 it has worked this year when it comes to winning and losing.
    Even rounding up, it's more like 8 times in 10, but that doesn't mean much in elimination games: All or nothing. It's great that we win most tight games, especially against playoff teams, but as long as we insist on making EVERY game tight, even against teams we completely outclass, we do lose sooner or later, and the first time that happens in the playoffs will be our last. We've GOT to stop "making it up later," because that often means there IS no "later."

    Quote Originally Posted by Northman View Post
    We just cant get sloppy and turn the ball over. We had success running on NE last time so i expect the same next week. The only difference is can Manning make plays down the field when needed like Brock did in that game.
    The points about avoiding turnovers and running on the Cheats are both valid. Every time someone in the gameday thread said something about the D winning it with a turnover I thought, This teams history says a game won by turnovers is guaranteed to SCREW us, but they were right and I was wrong, because the lone turnover gave us the win (though we still had to earn what that opportunity enabled.) And for some reason NE* is always vulnerable to the run.

    We must do many things, consistently well and in conjunction, to win next week. Yes, the pass rush must get home, but the pass coverage must give them time to do so, just as the pass rush must get their soon enough the pass coverage isn't forced to hold up forever against Brady and Gronk. Defensively, that may well be it; despite leading the whole game, sometimes by double digits, NE* barely ran at all vs. KC.

    Offensively though it's a bigger challenge, even if NE* remains vulnerable to the run (and Collins' return with Ninkovich and Hightower healthy may shore up that weakness.) They'll be trying to reach Manning, too, through a line much worse than theirs (really) with pass rushers nearly as good as ours (one alarming stat noted in the KC game is that most of the Cheatriots' 4th-best sack totals were racked up WITHOUT BLITZING, so they can get there while maintaining coverage.)

    We NEED to run well to take pressure off Manning, but we'll eventually find ourselves in at least a few long yardage situations however well we run, so will need our pass protection to figuratively and literally step up then. It's NE*, so even with the #1 D we could find ourselves with a big second half deficit that moots our run (especially if our secondary's as erratic as today.) Gotta run to establish the pass, and need blocking for both.

    If it needs to be said, we also can't afford as many drops as today; our line wasn't great, but was good enough we would've killed the Stealers if ANY of our receivers had consistently held onto balls that hit them right in the hands. I don't know if it was the wind moving balls where they didn't expect, a week of rust or only a week of practicing with Manning after he was hurt so long, but if that's not much better within 7 days, we're in trouble.

    Seems like it's been a loooong time since I actually looked forward to gameday rather than dreading it as something that would leave me an exhausted nervous wreck worried about next week even if we won, and quite possible an exhausted nervous wreck demoralized by blowing a game against a team that should've been an easy win. Run-first defensive teams rarely blow out anyone, but it sometimes feels like we REFUSE to build leads even when we can do it on the ground.

    *shrugs* Low expectations FtW; the team's MUCH better than 4 years ago, but that just leaves me disappointed when we don't win nearly every game, instead of feeling like we accomplished something simply by winning as much as we lose.
    Oh, valid point. I thought you meant all starters, you should take the time to be more descriptive, don't be shy. Jaded

    Never confuse frustrated candor and disloyal malice.
    Love can't be coerced. —Me

  11. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Tri-Cities
    Posts
    1,272

    Default

    A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. --Tyrion Lannister, from George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones
    Everybody has a preference. Some guys like them round. Some guys like them thin. Some guys like them tacky. Some guys like them brand new. Some guys like old balls. --Tom Brady

  12. The Following 11 Users High Fived pulse For This Post:


  13. #8

    Default

    I thought the new one-handed-catch tacky gloves made stickum obsolete. Guess not.

    I'm REALLY hoping the drops by EVERYONE were due to rust, misjudging the balls in a 25 mph crosswing and/or two months of not practicing with Manning. I mean, even SANDERS was dropping balls, and he's ALWAYS money (guy's got a jugs machine in his backyard, for Pete sake.)
    Oh, valid point. I thought you meant all starters, you should take the time to be more descriptive, don't be shy. Jaded

    Never confuse frustrated candor and disloyal malice.
    Love can't be coerced. —Me

  14. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Adopted Bronco:
    Demaryius Thomas
    Posts
    31,253

    Default

    One matchup I like better in this game than in the Pitt game is our running game vs. the Pats rush defense. I honestly thought the Chiefs could have gouged the Pats if they weren't playing catch up the entire game. I think CJ will have a big game.
    Let's Rid3!!!!

  15. The Following 5 Users High Fived chazoe60 For This Post:


  16. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Farmingdale, NY
    Posts
    10,540

    Default

    Brady is 2-6 all time in Denver

  17. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by chazoe60 View Post
    One matchup I like better in this game than in the Pitt game is our running game vs. the Pats rush defense. I honestly thought the Chiefs could have gouged the Pats if they weren't playing catch up the entire game. I think CJ will have a big game.
    Well, the score was 7-3 after the Chiefs stopped them for the second straight time, and they had the ball around NE's 40 yard line in the first quarter. However, the Chiefs called a screen pass, and it was stuffed. They should have tried to run again. If they had, maybe they control the clock more and score again, making that a different game. Instead, they punted, and NE drove over 90 yards for a TD. That, and the Knile Davis fumble in the third quarter turned out to be the difference.

    For Denver, though, I am thinking about how the D needs to do some exotic things, like having everyone drop into coverage and pressure the receivers. If Brady wants to throw short passes after 2 seconds, drop the D-lineman in coverage if it isn't a run and hit people within five yards. Why not?

  18. #12

    Default

    I like the match-up of Denver's D against the one dimensional *Patriot offense. They can't run the ball at all.

  19. The Following 2 Users High Fived Slick For This Post:


  20. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    22,211

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Slick View Post
    I like the match-up of Denver's D against the one dimensional *Patriot offense. They can't run the ball at all.
    Yeah.. I was th inking the same thing about Pittsburgh this week against Pitt.
    (the previous comment was not directed at any particular individual and was not intended to slander,disrespect or offend any reader of said statement)

  21. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ravage!!! View Post
    Yeah.. I was th inking the same thing about Pittsburgh this week against Pitt.
    Pitt has a really good offensive line...the *Patriots, not so much.

  22. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    colorado
    Posts
    26,922

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by chazoe60 View Post
    One matchup I like better in this game than in the Pitt game is our running game vs. the Pats rush defense. I honestly thought the Chiefs could have gouged the Pats if they weren't playing catch up the entire game. I think CJ will have a big game.


    If kubiak runs CJ.....the Hillman obsession just kills us.

    When we run CJ on early downs we drive the ball. When we run Hillman on the early downs we stall out.
    The Plan at the moment:

    Draft: Trade a 3rd and 6th this year to a team to move up and get a 2nd next year (this will happen).

    Players I want:
    Jake Ferguson (Jake Butt) or Jelani Woods or Jeremy Ruckert or Cade Otten (owen daniels) at TE- All 4th rd or later.
    Troy Anderson LB 3rd/4th rd (yay Timmy!)
    Neil Farrell, JR DL- run stuffer- bye purcell

Go
Shop AFC Champions and Super Bowl gear at the official online Pro Shop of the Denver Broncos!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
status.broncosforums.com - BroncosForums status updates
Partner with the USA Today Sports Media Group