Sure, the immediate impact of New England’s 30-24 overtime loss at the Denver Broncos was that it ended the reigning Super Bowl champion’s flawless run after a 10-0 start and left the Carolina Panthers as the league’s only unbeaten team. They have a one-game lead over Cincinnati and Denver for home-field advantage through the playoffs, but the Broncos now hold the tiebreaker.
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They topped that number in their overtime win against New England, rushing for 179 yards and three touchdowns on a snow Sunday night despite falling behind the previously unbeaten Patriots by two touchdowns. There was no Edelman, Lewis and Amendola for the game, and the Patriots’ next-man-up theory was put to the test again. He now has six in 2015 (after Sunday’s game). They would have loved Brady-Manning XVII, but by game’s end Manning – for a change – took a backseat in media circles. Brady is sitting on 3,600 passing yards and 28 touchdowns this season.
“During Sunday night’s game, Rob Gronkowski sustained a bone bruise/sprain of his right knee”, the Patriots and the Gronkowski family said in a joint statement. The All-Pro tight end has one of the highest point impacts of any non-quarterback in the NFL.
There is a reason though why those in the New England front office are not losing any sleep. After averaging 35.6 points per game during the first out eight weeks of the season, they are averaging just 24.5 their last four games. Cole’s report about Manning essentially being benched could be completely erroneous, but the rehab for his foot will likely take us right up to the last game or two of the regular season in a best case scenario. The Giants managed to score 26 in a 27-26 win by the Patriots.
If Patriots were still undefeated today, it would still be a plus of course. “I think a lot of time, the contact is initiated, and the question is who’s initiating it?”
The 26-year-old was hit in the fourth quarter by Denver Broncos defensive back Darian Stewart and had his leg whip back. “Let’s go Pats. I can’t wait to be back with my teammates and I’ll see you when I get back out on the field”. Chung has zero interceptions this season. It’s essentially what Chip Kelly has been trying to do out on Philly but with less success.
So where was the cheating as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and even Boomer Esiason claim?
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Kevin McGuire is a Philadelphia area sports writer covering the Philadelphia Eagles and college football. That leads to plenty of wins and a franchise with stability and a winning attitude. McGuire is a member of the FWAA and National Football Foundation.
