AFC Championship, Patriots at Broncos, Sunday Jan 24, 3pm CBS

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Scott Kacsmar ‏<s>@</s>FO_ScottKacsmar <small class="time"> </small> Martavis (42), Coates (32) and DHB (23) had 3 of the 5 longest YAC gains this weekend. Patriots licking their chops at that.


Kacsmar HATES the Patriots but he sees this clearly.


Sports Illustrated Verified account ‏<s>@</s>SInow <small class="time"> </small>
With top receivers healthy, the Patriots look almost impossible to stop (by <s>@</s>DonBanks) http://on.si.com/1SqNfvd

Pete Packowski ‏<s>@</s>Pete_BBS<small class="time"> </small>
The Patriots were supposed to have a quick 30 minute meeting today, but guys stuck around studying for 2+ hours. This team is incredible.

Christopher Price Verified account ‏<s>@</s>cpriceNFL <small class="time"> </small>
5 incredibly early thoughts on <s>#</s>Patriots-<s>#</s>Broncos meeting for <s>#</s>AFC championship <s>#</s>WEEI <s>#</s>NFL http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2016/01/17/5-incredibly-early-thoughts-on-another-patriots-broncos-afc-title-game/ …


Steve Wyche Verified account ‏<s>@</s>wyche89 <small class="time"> </small>
I have a feeling the Patriots are feeling pretty good about next week

Matt Chatham Verified account ‏<s>@</s>chatham58 <small class="time"> </small>
If you're a <s>#</s>Patriots fan who "fears" [Denver], 100% you sleep with tucked in sheets...

Doug Kyed ‏<s>@</s>DougKyed<small class="time"> </small>
Jamie Collins was briefly spotted in the Patriots locker room. Looked OK.


(Oblique strains recover quickly - Collins should be able to play well vs Denver)


<article class="block" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/NewsArticle"> The winner of Steelers-Broncos was the New England Patriots





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I'm not usually this confident before games so someone please feel free to bring me back down to earth. I watched the Broncos and Steelers game and to me that looked like two teams fighting to NOT play the Patriots next week. The fact that Roethlisberger with a shredded shoulder and missing his top target was able to put up over 300 yards on that defense surprised the hell out of me. What is this defense possibly going to do against Brady with his full compliment of weapons who is getting the ball out of his hands in 2 seconds? The only people who can't see that Manning is completely done is Peyton...and probably his dad. The rest are just lying to themselves. Virtually all of his completions were to receivers who were open by at least 5 yards. If the defense focuses on the run, I don't see any way that Manning is going to beat them.
 
Alk said:
I'm not usually this confident before games so someone please feel free to bring me back down to earth. I watched the Broncos and Steelers game and to me that looked like two teams fighting to NOT play the Patriots next week. The fact that Roethlisberger with a shredded shoulder and missing his top target was able to put up over 300 yards on that defense surprised the hell out of me. What is this defense possibly going to do against Brady with his full compliment of weapons who is getting the ball out of his hands in 2 seconds? The only people who can't see that Manning is completely done is Peyton...and probably his dad. The rest are just lying to themselves. Virtually all of his completions were to receivers who were open by at least 5 yards. If the defense focuses on the run, I don't see any way that Manning is going to beat them.
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I'm not saying any of these are true or my opinion, but here are a few thoughts to think about.

1 - Patriots history playing IN Denver.
2 - Ben may have been less hurt than he let on so everyone applauds what a warrior he is, and doesn't fault him for the loss.
3 - It was very windy. Though it is clear Manning's arm strength is greatly reduced, he can still read defenses and he can still be pretty accurate with his throws. With less wind, he may perform somewhat better.
4 - Injuries. Collins and Mayo left the Chiefs game with injuries. It was reported Edelperson went to X-Ray after the game. There may be other injuries that we are not even aware of.
5 - From your other post. Bad turf in Denver.
 
Undertaker #59* said:
I'm not saying any of these are true or my opinion, but here are a few thoughts to think about.

1 - Patriots history playing IN Denver.
2 - Ben may have been less hurt than he let on so everyone applauds what a warrior he is, and doesn't fault him for the loss.
3 - It was very windy. Though it is clear Manning's arm strength is greatly reduced, he can still read defenses and he can still be pretty accurate with his throws. With less wind, he may perform somewhat better.
4 - Injuries. Collins and Mayo left the Chiefs game with injuries. It was reported Edelperson went to X-Ray after the game. There may be other injuries that we are not even aware of.
5 - From your other post. Bad turf in Denver.
Click to expand...

Good points. I believe the good weather actually helps the Pats more because they are a pass centric team. I felt the same way vs KC and it proved out with Brady having a surgical day.

Denver's safeties and LBs are not great in coverage. I think this is the key to the game as Edelman, Amendola and Gronk should be able to have a field day. Also Harris hurt his shoulder badly in the game and had to leave so his injury also bears watching on the Denver side.

All and all though I think it is a tight game at the start and then the Pats pull away like they did vs KC and win by 7-10.
 
Undertaker #59* said:
I'm not saying any of these are true or my opinion, but here are a few thoughts to think about.

1 - Patriots history playing IN Denver.
2 - Ben may have been less hurt than he let on so everyone applauds what a warrior he is, and doesn't fault him for the loss.
3 - It was very windy. Though it is clear Manning's arm strength is greatly reduced, he can still read defenses and he can still be pretty accurate with his throws. With less wind, he may perform somewhat better.
4 - Injuries. Collins and Mayo left the Chiefs game with injuries. It was reported Edelperson went to X-Ray after the game. There may be other injuries that we are not even aware of.
5 - From your other post. Bad turf in Denver.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, but:
1. Which gives Brady even more motivation. Many current Patriots players have never lost to Denver in Denver.
2. I'm certain this is true and said so last week.
3. He had plenty of time to rest that noodle and as we've learned with Manning, his arm strength gets worse every week with use.
4. Collins' oblique strain is an injury that resolves the quickest of all muscle strains. He should be effective on Sunday. Edelman is fine ;). Hightower is my only worry but I'm hearing he should be good to go, too. I haven't heard about CJones but JSheard is an improvement vs Manning anyway imo.
5. Bad turf will help Edelman a lot. It will also help ESanders if Manning can get him the ball.
 
chevss454 said:
Fair enough, but:
1. Which gives Brady even more motivation. Many current Patriots players have never lost to Denver in Denver.
2. I'm certain this is true and said so last week.
3. He had plenty of time to rest that noodle and as we've learned with Manning, his arm strength gets worse every week with use.
4. Collins' oblique strain is an injury that resolves the quickest of all muscle strains. He should be effective on Sunday. Edelman is fine ;). Hightower is my only worry but I'm hearing he should be good to go, too. I haven't heard about CJones but JSheard is an improvement vs Manning anyway imo.
5. Bad turf will help Edelman a lot. It will also help ESanders if Manning can get him the ball.
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Also, how about Brady's history vs Phillips??
 
Mazz22 said:
Good points. I believe the good weather actually helps the Pats more because they are a pass centric team. I felt the same way vs KC and it proved out with Brady having a surgical day.

Denver's safeties and LBs are not great in coverage. I think this is the key to the game as Edelman, Amendola and Gronk should be able to have a field day. Also Harris hurt his shoulder badly in the game and had to leave so his injury also bears watching on the Denver side.

All and all though I think it is a tight game at the start and then the Pats pull away like they did vs KC and win by 7-10.
Click to expand...

Not me. Without Edelman and Amendola the Pats went up 21-7 on Denver in week 12. With them, we can do better.
 
chevss454 said:
Not me. Without Edelman and Amendola the Pats went up 21-7 on Denver in week 12. With them, we can do better.
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Sure. A blow out would not surprise me. Generally speaking when the Pats have the favorable match ups which they do in spades in this game, they win and win big. And we have not even touched on coaching which is maybe the biggest advantage of all.
 
chevss454 said:
Fair enough, but:
1. Which gives Brady even more motivation. Many current Patriots players have never lost to Denver in Denver.
Click to expand...

How many players could it be? They lost in Denver a month or two ago.
 
When was the last time the Pats lost to the same team twice in the same season?
 
O.Z.O. said:
I bet Casserly though Weeden had a better game in that Pats/Pukes game earlier this season too. QBR said he did...
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Guess he missed Edelman's drops .... Amendola too.
 
NFL oddsmakers spill why Patriots deserve to be championship faves over Denver

<table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" align="left" height="25" valign="middle"> By COLIN KELLY </td> </tr> </tbody></table>




colin-kelly.gif



The Denver Broncos are the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, with the home-field advantage conferred by that status. But their offense has struggled for weeks, with Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game proving to be no exception, and the oddsmakers clearly took note of it.

John Lester, senior lines manager for Bookmaker.eu, opened the second-seeded New England Patriots as 3-point road chalk for next Sunday’s AFC Championship Game in the Mile High City.

Denver had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat sixth-seeded Pittsburgh 23-16 Sunday, pushing as a 7-point home favorite while getting to its total with just one touchdown and five field goals. The Broncos (13-4 SU, 9-8 ATS) didn’t get that TD until three minutes remained in the game, again leaning heavily on their defense, even with Peyton Manning seemingly healthy.

No. 2 seed New England, meanwhile, was in control throughout its 27-20 victory Saturday over No. 5 seed Kansas City, covering as a 6-point home fave. The Patriots (13-4 SU, 8-7-2 ATS) led 27-13 before giving up a late TD. The win ended a two-game SU and ATS skid, the reason New England will be on the road this week.

The Broncos and Pats met in Week 12, with Denver rallying from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to snare a 30-24 overtime victory - again as a home underdog getting 2.5 points. That was the second of seven games that Manning sat out with a foot injury.

This game will feature yet another meeting of Manning and Brady, with a Super Bowl berth on the line.

“New England is road chalk because it is the more complete team, and the bettors aren’t going to back off that side,” Lester said. “We initially took Patriots money and moved to -3.5, but now we are back to the opener after a sharp bet on Denver. As the regular gamblers get involved, we could see the total push up a bit.”

Johnny Avello, executive director of race and sports for Wynn Las Vegas, noted New England is much healthier this time around.

“The Patriots opened a 3-point favorite and closed -2.5 on their last visit to Mile High. In that contest, the Pats had no Julian Edelman or Danny Amendola, but had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter,” Avello said. “The Broncos had no Peyton in that one, however they do for this one. But I'm not sure if that's a positive or negative.

“I opened the Patriots a 3-point favorite again, and the early money was on New England, driving this number to -3 (-120). I'm trying not to get off of 3 if I can help it.”
http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=447594&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
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