**** Official Patriots - Broncos Thread ****

[tolbiny]

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Should be a good game and should be close. I think the Broncos have their hands full and may well lose. All year doubters (like me) have been waiting for Plummer to have the bad game. He hasn't collapsed yet. But what better time than against a good experienced well-coached team in the playoffs? We'll see. And the fact the Patriots lost once to them this year bothers me. Different team now, but seems like its still hard to beat a good team twice in the same year for whatever reason.

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Yes, I think people are vastly underestimating the Jake Plummer factor.
Does this remind anybody of 2001 when Kordell Stewart was an MVP candidate during the regular season? How can anybody NOT envision Plummer's season ending the same way? I know the Pats aren't as good as the last 2 years, but they're still better than the luckbox team that won it in 2001, especially Brady.

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I don't know. Plummer seems to be making better decisions this year consistantly, and is a much better QB than he ever has been before. Stewaret was a mismaatch- average teams couldn't deal with him, but he was still young and once his bad game started he fell apart. Plummer is actually a veteren at this point, as much as i have enjoyed his rollout fumbles returend for TD's to get the over in the past, i don't think that i would bet on it happening in this game.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Belicheck today on HFA in Denver:

- the new stadium isn't as loud as the old one
- the "thin air" factor will be the least of the Patriots worries...in general it's overrated

[trying2learn]

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Belicheck today on HFA in Denver:

- the new stadium isn't as loud as the old one
- the "thin air" factor will be the least of the Patriots worries...in general it's overrated

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oh, well if Belicheck is spinning it that way then they'll definitely beat the Broncos. good update.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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Belicheck today on HFA in Denver:

- the new stadium isn't as loud as the old one
- the "thin air" factor will be the least of the Patriots worries...in general it's overrated

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oh, well if Belicheck is spinning it that way then they'll definitely beat the Broncos. good update.

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[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[utmt40]

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Belicheck today on HFA in Denver:

- the new stadium isn't as loud as the old one
- the "thin air" factor will be the least of the Patriots worries...in general it's overrated

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oh, well if Belicheck is spinning it that way then they'll definitely beat the Broncos. good update.

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I laughed when I read this. Good stuff trying2learn.

[sublime]

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Belicheck today on HFA in Denver:

- the new stadium isn't as loud as the old one
- the "thin air" factor will be the least of the Patriots worries...in general it's overrated

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oh, well if Belicheck is spinning it that way then they'll definitely beat the Broncos. good update.

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I laughed when I read this. Good stuff trying2learn.

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so he says that the stadium isnt as loud as the old one and that the air is the least of their concerns (meaning the actual players on denver are what he is worried about) and its scoffed at?

[Kneel B4 Zod]

Sublime, please don't quote utm, I have him on ignore [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[trying2learn]

i was just joking with kb4z...and he obviously got it - hence the [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Godfather80]

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There was lots of early dicussion about this game in the Jags/Pats thread, so I figured I would start this thread up early.

some questions from Myrtle:

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For the sake of discussion.......

Denver's run defense will pretty much do a good job in stopping Pats running game.

Pats run defense (now healthy, jelled & much improved) will do a good job in stopping Broncos running game.

At that point it's passing offense vs. passing offense of both teams.

Who has the advantage then?


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I agree with Myrtle that each team is going to have trouble running in this game. a great running attack vs a great run defense, and an unproven/inconsistent running attack vs a good run defense.

Re: the passing attacks, Brady is obviously much better than Plummer, and the NE set of WR's/TE's is probably a wash against the Denver group. not a big advantage either way. the OL of Denver is better than the NE OL, but the Pats pass rush is much better than Denver's, which was one of the worst in the league.

The defensive backfield of the Pats is much improved, but the edge still needs to go with the Denver unit I think.

I think this matchup, all told, isn't a bad one for the Pats. Belicheck loves to be able to take away one thing from an offense, and if he can do that against the run this week, the Patriots will pull the upset.

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Another thing to consider is Belichick's record against quaterbacks he sees for the second time in one season. After last years playoffs, the Patriots were 15-0 against quarterbacks the second time around. I have not been able to find an updated version of this stat for this year, but I'd have to imagine that this trend holds. Expect a tough day for Jake the Snake and a Patriots victory.

[Boris]

Denver wins big. 10 point victory in this one.