Patriots Fans In Denver Ready For AFC Championship

The Denver Broncos are 13-4 this season after beating the Steelers last week to land in this game. Manning outplayed Brady in the first half. Gronkowski complained to the officials that he was held on the play. He has to load up on every pitch, running start, a hop and a jump just to get the ball 20 yards down the field.

– Pat Graham reporting from Denver.

GAME GRINDERS: Two years ago when these teams met in the AFC championship in Denver, the Broncos featured the league’s No. 1 offense, a record-breaking bunch that lit up scoreboards aplenty. The Broncos’ defense has 14 interceptions, 10 fumble recoveries, 19 forced fumbles and scored five defensive touchdowns.

6 yards per game) and sacks (52). The Broncos went on to get trounced by Seattle in the Super Bowl in East Rutherford.

Who’s favored to win the AFC championship? The Broncos got a field goal to take a 20-12 lead. That a “transition” year has the Broncos a game from the Super Bowl speaks to the roster he built. The Patriots had to go for 2 because Stephen Gostkowski missed an first extra point in the first quarter, his first miss in 524 tries.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning responds to questions during a news conference following an NFL football practice at the team’s headquarters Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Englewood, Colo.

Yet despite it all, if you are emotionally invested in the Colts or Broncos, then you know Manning’s career has been something less than wholly satisfying. Among those who have left for other teams after helping the Patriots to the Super Bowl: Randy Moss, Ty Law, Wes Welker, Asante Samuel, Adam Vinatieri.

The Denver Broncos will have to find a way to contain one of the best quarterbacks of all time in the playoffs.

The Broncos won 23-16 with Manning starting his first game in two months.

But hitting Tom Brady doesn’t equate to multiple takeaways.

That happening, the Denver defense has to bring the pressure on Brady.

Brady, who has a scrape just below his elbow, has been off target all afternoon. And he had made all 60 of his kicks in the playoffs. It could be the last Tom Brady-Peyton Manning matchup ever, so both quarterbacks could be that much more determined for a win.

But don’t expect the quarterbacks’ teammates to get caught up in all of the hype.

The possession was set up by linebacker Von Miller’s interception of Tom Brady.

Manning has one more chance to change that. He now has three. On the ground, Steven Jackson rushed for 16 yards in six attempts. His PAT attempt was wide right. New England TE Rob Gronkowski caught two TD passes last week against the Chiefs and now has eight in his postseason career, the most of any TE in history. The one who threw 39 touchdown passes last season and 55 the year before that.

INTERESTING THAT the Patriots named retired cornerback Ty Law as their honorary captain for the game. It put Brady and the offense in chase mode the rest of the way.

Allen is averaging 49 yards on three punts. That’s not a good sign for Denver fans but, as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said at his Wednesday presser, “I would never ever ever, underestimate Peyton Manning”. The problem for Manning is that his play may force him into retirement if he does not want to accept a backup role. He spoke on the transition and Manning’s limitations as he ages. Manning was not the same Manning early in the season. When asked what he remembered about being there, my father could only recall that the Patriots won big.

Fellow QB Tom Brady is opting to go with a glove only on his left hand.