Rob Gronkowski didn’t play.
Advertisement
DENVER BRONCOS (8-5) – The Broncos suffered a painful Week 14 defeat at Tennessee, and while they are holding on to the No. 2 wild-card seed right now, their closing schedule includes the Patriots, Chiefs and Raiders.
Denver’s mistakes shifted the tide of this game early.
New England took an early advantage, courtesy of a muffed punt.
However, the Patriots regrouped after a rocky opening to dominate the third and fourth quarters. Even if the Denver defense can hold the Pats to, say, 24 points, the Broncos’ offense doesn’t often have 27 points in it. But after three consecutive losses there, including two in the AFC Championship Game, New England got back on the other side of the ledger Sunday with a 16-3 win in Denver. The Broncos, despite still having one of the best defenses in the National Football League, have been rather ordinary of late.
Aided by those mistakes, the Patriots were able to play it close the vest, leaning on a ground game that saw running backs Dion Lewis, LeGarrette Blount and James White combine for 137 yards on 38 carries.
As great as the Patriots defense has looked in the last three games, it remains to be seen if they can look as good against a better QB with more size, skill, and toughness at receiver.
Brady, as he is one to do, started connecting with Julian Edelman for gains of 17, 15, and 12 yards.
The Patriots defense has been terrific in recent weeks, but could still be vulnerable to an opponent with enough firepower and experience at both QB and the skill positions to give Brady a run.
Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison missed practice all week because of a family matter but Kubiak said that won’t affect the play-calling Sunday.
The Patriots lead 10-3 at the beginning of the second half. Oakland’s strength of victory (.458) now is better than New England’s (.411), but that can’t be decided until all games are played.
Siemian kept grooving down the field, starting from deep in his own territory, but hooking up with Thomas and even, he exists, Jeff Heuerman for plays of 31 and nine yards. He finished the game with only five tackles.
Trevor Siemian, who has earned raves for his toughness, is a first-year starter.
The second quarter saw more of the same. And that’s why you had the blow-up in the locker room Sunday after their loss. It was the one drive the defense broke down on throughout the whole game.
Denver doesn’t have the pass protection to keep its passers upright or the kind of quarterback who can excel under that pressure.
The No Fly Zone is actually better than it was in 2015, so Brady isn’t going to be blowing this team out. It’s given the Broncos, a team that has little to no chance of scoring more than a couple touchdowns each week, a chance to win every single game on the year.
That’s what Belichick-coached teams so best. “We’re just losing them”.
Advertisement
A clear, frigid day was going to make it hard for the high-powered Patriots to throw the ball on a Denver defense that came in ranked No. 1 in the league against the pass.
