This isn't the Patriots-Broncos get-togethers we became accustomed to during the four years Peyton Manning was in Denver, a stretch that included six head-to-head meetings and Lombardi Trophies for each organization. Manning retired after the 2015 season but Tom Brady remains (and at 40, there's no indication that he won't, in fact, play forever), and the Patriots are still one of the NFL's best teams.The same can't be said for the Broncos who, despite a valiant effort from on Sunday night, fell to 3-6 because of an indifferent defense and a horrendous special teams. The 41-16 lo s is the fifth straight for Denver, and it shares the AFC West cellar with the . For some perspective on just how bad things are going, consider
Ryan Goins Jersey this: The finished 9-7 a season ago and mi sed the playoffs, but their defense allowed 18.6 points per game. They allowed 297 points all season and were the 's best defense on a per-play basis, according to . Through nine games this season, the Broncos have allowed 239 points -- 26.6 points per game. The defense has slipped to sixth, though you wouldn't know it watching them the past two weeks when they were on the busine s end a 51-23 lo s to the and Sunday's beatdown by Brady and company. This is the first time in 57 years the Broncos have allowed 41 or more points in consecutive weeks:Dec. 10, 1960: Chargers 41, Broncos 33Dec. 17, 1960: Raiders 48, Broncos 10Broncos first season. Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) The , meanwhile, have the familiar look of the AFC's best team. The share the same 7-2 record and hold the edge in the , but no one thinks Pittsburgh is better than New England.Against the Broncos, Brady was clinical, even by his ridiculously high standards. He finished with 25 of 34 for 266 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. He spent much of the evening targeting his tight ends and running backs (more on that below) while Denver's defense was helple s to do anything about it. The Broncos' promising start was short-lived Good news: On the first series of the game, the Broncos forced and the Patriots offense to go three-and-out. Bad news: Broncos return man muffed the ensuing punt and the Patriots recovered (of course they did). welp SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) Then, two plays later, sauntered into the end zone to give New England a 7-0 lead with 12:36 to in the first quarter. The game was effectively over at this point.If you're looking for a silver lining -- and you'
Yoan Moncada Jersey ll really have to squint to see it -- this is the best we can do: The Broncos have been terrible all season when it comes to giving up points off turnovers. So this shouldn't be unexpected. Broncos entered this game having allowed an NFL-high 71 points off giveaways, accounting for 35.9 percent of opponents' scoring. Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) What was surprising, however, is that the muffed punt was the warm-up act for what was to come. Osweiler, who replaced as the starter last week, had a good first series against New England on Sunday night and led Denver to a field goal. On the kickoff, however, this happened -- and pay special attention to the Broncos' choosing to shove towards the end zone instead of, you know, out of bounds: 103 YARDS TO THE HOUSE! is GONE. NFL (@NFL) There's more! Early in the second quarter, as Osweiler continued to outperform expectations, the Broncos' special teams continued to in DVOA: Score a TD on offense AND block a punt on special teams? is doing it all for the ! NFL (@NFL) Yep, Broncos pulled off the special-teams trifecta in the game's first 17 minutes: The muffed punt, the kick return for a touchdown and the blocked punt. Five plays later,
Michael Jordan Jersey the Patriots kicked a field goal to take a 20-6 lead. The return of @MartysaurusRex On the Patriots' third series, Brady found good buddy for 27 yards. It was Bennett's first reception thrown by Brady since Feb. 5, 2017 when New England beat Atlanta in LI. . is back with the !27-yard gain! NFL (@NFL) If you're wondering where Bennett has been the last nine months, the answer, up till last week, was Green Bay. Then things got weird. The parted ways with Bennett , and according to , the tight end has been playing with a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum. Bennett's return to New England is the exclamation point on a strange two weeks in which the tight end said during Green Bay's Week 8 bye that he would at the end of the season. Bennett practiced just once after the bye due to a shoulder injury the Packers apparently didn't know about. He didn't play in Week 9 against the Lions and before he was waived, wasn't expected to suit up against the Bears on Sunday. But Bennett pa sed his physical with the Patriots and, obviously, played on Sunday night. By the end of the night, New England's tight ends and
Danny Mendick Jersey running backs accounted for 16 of the team's 27 receptions. And this isn't a case of Bill Belichick being smarter than everyone else but of simple scouting and execution: The have struggled all year w/ covering RBs/TEs - so what do do - they throw to their RBs/TEs EVERY play! Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) Here's how bad it got: The Patriots wisely stayed away from shutdown cornerbacks and Jr. and targeted linebackers and safeties forced to cover the aforementioned tight ends and running backs. But late in the second quarter, not only caught , he scored a touchdown. In coverage on the play? One of the NFL's best pa s rushers, . Tom Brady finds for the TD!They lead 27-9. NFL (@NFL) Allen is the 68th different receiver to catch a touchdown pa s from Brady. Osweiler wasn't half bad Osweiler had one of his best games in recent memory, and that has to be encouraging for a Broncos offense that has stumbled through much of the first two months of the season. was the biggest beneficiary against the Patriots -- he finished with six receptions for 137 yards -- but things were going so well for the embattled quarterback that even the equivalent of blocked arm punts were finding his receivers for first downs: A completion is a completion. \_()_/ NFL (@NFL) Of course, it wasn't all unicorns and rainbows. First of all, Denver lost. Plus, Osweiler's stat line (18 of 33, 221 yards, one touchdown, one interception) won't suddenly make people forget about John Elway -- or, hell, Jake Plummer and/or .And we're pretty sure this poor sap left Sports Authority Field with a le s-than-glowing review of Osweiler's performance because his lasting memory will be getting doinked in the gourd midway through the second quarter: HEADS UP SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) More depre sing numbers for the Broncos In the Broncos' last five games, they have been outscored 55-6 in the first quarter. In those games, the Broncos have held the lead for four minutes -- and that came last week when the led the Eagles 3-0.
Ron Santo Jersey When it was over? Philly whipped Denver, 51-23. It was such a beatdown, in fact, that the Eagles tweeted that t
