Actually I think the running games will be the key to the Pats/Broncos game. Pats have become a power running team and their only healthy receivers are under 6'. Theyve ran the ball heavily the past 3 games and will look to establish the run game here too. Of course if it doesn't work or if they get behind then they will have to throw it. In the last game, Pats pretty much gave up the run game to defend against Manning and they will try to do the same here IMO. Their D line has gotten better against the run so I wouldnt expect them to give up 280 rushing yards again.

You're drinking the kool-aid.

The Pats are not a power running team and Blount is not going to score 6 TDs every game. They didn't even have a thousand yard rusher this year. They averaged a little over 100 rushing yards per-game during the regular season and that number is skewed a bit because there were a couple huge games in there. On the other hand, they averaged OVER 250 yards passing per-game so that should give you an idea of what to expect... NE didn't magically become a "run first"/3 yards and a cloud of dust team overnight.

The conspiracy theorist in me wants to believe that last week's gameplan was Belichick trying to throw Denver off by doing something totally different against Indy.

Denver's best pass defender is Champ Bailey and he's nearly as old as I am. Moreno will have some straight-ahead runs but only to keep the D honest. I would more expect them to use him as a swing back (a lot like what the Rams used to do with marshall faulk)

Lol

lol indeed

Denver ranked 22nd in the league in points allowed (24.9 ppg)
..allowing an average of 101 rushing yards (surprisingly, 8th in the league) and 254 passing ypg (27th in the league).

That's pretty terrible folks.

DRC has more than a bit on Bailey this season

Well, DRC had their only INT return for a TD but I would still argue that Bailey is the better cover guy. Sure, DRC has more tackles but that's because people don't throw at Bailey and when they do, he defends well.

I've been digging for the past 5 minutes for a "catches allowed" stat and can't find one. Might just be a casual observer's perception of how their defense works (or me just wanting to see an old Skins hero do well).

I really want to look at the numbers but rotoworld doesn't really paint the full picture. I mean I guess you're right in that DRC had 3 picks to bailey's none, but then again - Bailey was never a big interception guy except for that one season where he had like 10. He really was a true shutdown corner.

All that said, their pass defense still blows so it's more of an academic argument than anything.

He sat out almost every game this year and has been getting lit up covering wr3s. He's not what he used to be, not even close. He's old but more importantly hurt. I mean, I'm wearing my orange # 24 jersey to the game Sunday and I can see that.

:(

No I'm not drinking the kool aid, I've actually watched the Patriots transform their offense week after week. There have been essentially 3 phases of the Patriots' offense this year. First was the crappy phase when every one was out injured and the rookies dropped every pass thrown their way. When Gronk came back, they went back to their normal pass happy ways. After Gronk went down and Dobson/Thompkins missed some games they transitioned to more of a run heavy team. Blount and Ridley both were benched in the Broncos game for fumbling and started building up their offensive snaps ever since then. NE really is a gameplan offense and will come up with something different every week depending on who they play and who is healthy.

I don't expect them to be as run heavy this game unless they're trying to protect a lead. Especially if they have Dobson/Thompkins playing, they will try to take advantage of the Broncos' secondary. Whichever defense comes up with more turnovers will probably decide this game.

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HAWKS!!! All you haters can stfu now

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Great game. I love Richard Sherman even more after the post game interview.



Dumb *** Erin Andrews interviewing someone like him immediately after he made the biggest play of his career (to this point, obviously).