AFC Championship game matchup: Patriots at Broncos

Which leads me into how the Broncos will have to win this game: defensively. Obviously quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick.

Manning’s mind is now his most risky asset as he tries to reach Super Bowl 50 two months shy of 40.

There was defensive lineman Antonio Smith critiquing Brady’s habit of working the game officials, even labeling the future Hall of Famer a crybaby.

Cornerback Chris Harris went so far as to say that the way to contain Gronkowski was to hit him low, at the knees. New England S Devin McCourty, a former St. Joseph and Rutgers star, has a chance for a second ring. Last year, the Patriots won with four-time All-Pro Darrelle Revis, but he plays for the Jets now.

The Broncos, meanwhile, were long regarded as one of the top franchises in the National Football League until a lull that briefly turned them into a laughingstock in the late 2000s.

For the umpteenth time this week, this is the XVIIth game in which the two quarterbacks will play against each other. “That’s what we’re going to do”.

“Obviously, we were all disappointed with the way that game played itself out”, special teamer Matt Slater said this week as he prepared for the rematch of the November 29 game that Denver won, 30-24, in overtime. It’s a possible task, but it shows that their health deserves as much of the focus as Brady for the Patriots’ offense. Peyton Manning simply can’t throw the ball like he used to, if the Bronco’s running game can be eliminated this will force Manning to throw into the unsafe Patriots secondary.

Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe (95) looks on during an NFL Divisional Round Playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jan. 17, 2016 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium. They are 4-2 in those games.

And if the Broncos flame out against the Patriots on Sunday, it only becomes as embarrassing as you let it. Will there be the usual slob Pats fans clogging up your Twitter mentions? That’s great if Denver can get to Brady. “We’re going to be as healthy as we can be”. “For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a little bit of freedom to go out there and just play”.

The Patriots were also without linebacker Jamie Collins in the Week 12 loss. Because unfortunately these great quarterbacks get older.

In football, players are often dealing with multiple injuries at a time, which is nothing new. “I don’t really have any conversation with them because I get exhausted of hearing the questions about the drops”, Thomas said. You’ve got a bunch of dudes over there that play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. But three weeks ago he got his starting job back. “There have been a lot of different players who have played in 16 of those games but as the quarterback, it’s always been a great honor and privilege to have competed against him that many times over the course of the past 16, 17 years he and I have been in the league together”.

For the Patriots, this is the fifth consecutive trip to the conference championship and the 10th during the Brady-Belichick era.

ESSENTIAL EDELMAN: The Broncos are the only team with a winning record against Brady, who is 2-6 at Denver, including 0-2 in the playoffs.