Peyton Manning sidelined for at least two

QB Peyton Manning will miss at least the next two games because of a plantar fascia tear.

While that’s a tremendous strategy in theory, it’s important to note that Denver will be able to throw double teams his way throughout the night.

Through it all, the Patriots have shown their usual resilience and have overcome all their injuries. That isn’t evidence that defense’s are suddenly fooling Manning; its a sign that he can’t consistently deliver the ball where it needs to go on time.

Osweiler’s first National Football League start was a victory at Chicago last week.

The offense is a drastic difference with Brock in vs Manning this year. The Broncos love to bring pressure and lead the league with 34 sacks. Secondly, Osweiler is more mobile than Manning.

In both of these match-ups, the early advantage has to go to Denver.

“He’s doing everything he can to come back”, Kubiak said. Despite this, Kubiak had the Broncos practicing inside their new fieldhouse all week.

“I grew up a Broncos fan, a John Elway fan”.

One of those teams – a suddenly surging Kansas City Chiefs squad – will be taking on another. “He didn’t get enough on it to get it to the corner of the end zone”. Twelve Patriots players have played a snap at an offensive line position, tied with Washington for most in the league. We did cut down on penalties, obviously, but we had one out of frustration.

With injuries piling up and the score differential between the Patriots and their opponents narrowing week by week it’s clear that the Patriots are unbeaten, but they’re not unblemished. Cut too soon and nothing will have opened; wait too long and the gaps close down.

Osweiler was aided by a running game that churned out 170 yards, 102 from Ronnie Hillman.

Osweiler credited his efficient effort to the four seasons he spent learning behind the NFL’s career leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. What’s the big deal with running? He looked pretty unstoppable until his back started acting up.

Conventional wisdom would argue that continuity is critical to basic functionality for offensive lines, as the ability to identify blitzers, pass off rushers and run-block in phase typically requires chemistry between linemen. He’s not a great quarterback, but the Broncos are better off with him. The biggest strength of their defense is first and foremost its pass rush and secondly its secondary. With Emmanuel Sanders dealing with injury, keeping Thomas in check will be the top goal of Butler and the Patriots’ fledgling pass defense. The final element in the beat New England equation is clock management.

Tom Brady versus Brock Osweiler just doesn’t have the same Hall of Fame ring to it. We can’t turn football over. That was a tough decision because I haven’t missed a game in like three years, but I think that it was the best decision for me and for the team. This doesn’t mean that Osweiler won’t have significant growing pains.

The Broncos have scored 30 points just once this season – and that day they had 17 points with 40 seconds to play.

These and other factors have me leaning toward a Patriots’ cover.

The Broncos have been penalized eight or more times in all but two game this season.

It was 392 days ago when Rob Gronkowski sealed what many believe was the beginning of the Broncos’ end to their 2014 season. And in this game, they will do just that. I say this all the time, our aggression as a defense, playing man coverage and being aggressive is not going to change. Whether they truly want to reach that balance is the question now, in week 12.