Denver Broncos @ New England Patriots; A Primer

by John Bena on Oct 15, 2008 1:09 PM MDT in 2008 Game Previews Comment 10 comments

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For the view from a Patriots fan, check out Pats Pulpit!!

Looking to earn their 400th overall victory and enter their bye week on a winning note, the Denver Broncos (4-2) visit the New England Patriots (3-2) this week for a Monday Night Football contest at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. EDT.

Denver saw its NFL-best six-game home winning streak snapped last week with a 24-17 loss to Jacksonville. Despite three first-half turnovers that led to 10 points by the Jaguars, the Broncos still had an opportunity to win the game but were forced to punt on three of their final four possessions.

For the second week in a row, the Broncos face a team coming off a Sunday Night Football appearance with their contest against the Patriots, who lost at San Diego by a 30-10 margin. The Chargers took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and held the Patriots to just 4.4
yards per play (68-299).

Since 2001, when the Patriots won their first of three Super Bowls in a four-year period, the Broncos are the only team in the NFL with a winning record against New England in regular season and postseason play combined. Denver is 5-1 (.833) against the Patriots since 2001 while the rest of the NFL is a combined 26-102 (.203) versus the club during that time.

The Broncos hold a one-game lead over the Chargers atop the AFC West and feature an offense that leads the NFL in first downs (136) while ranking fourth in the league in yards per game (399.7). Quarterback Jay Cutler, who has thrown for an AFC-best 1,694 yards, has benefited from an offensive line that has allowed just two sacks in 231 pass plays for an NFL-low 0.9 sack percentage per pass play.

PREVIOUS 5 MEETINGS

DENVER 17, at NEW ENGLAND 7 (Sept. 24, 2006)
Denver improves to 24-1 since 1995 when holding an opponent to seven points or fewer in the regular season with a 17-7 win at New England as the Broncos became the first team since the 1942 Chicago Cardinals to not allow a touchdown in 11 consecutive quarters to start the season... Denver's streak without allowing a touchdown ends at 175 minutes and 57 seconds when Patriots QB Tom Brady connected with WR Doug Gabriel for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 9:13 to play... Denver holds New England to 4-of-16 (25.0%) success on third downs, including a 1-of-8 (12.5%) mark in the second half... Denver improves to 5-1 against the Patriots (inc. postseason) since 2001 and is the only team in the NFL to have a winning record against New England during that time... The loss for New England is only its fourth in its last 27 contests at Gillette Stadium.

at DENVER 27, NEW ENGLAND 13 (Jan. 14, 2006 - AFC Div.)
The Broncos' win snaps the Patriots' NFL-record 10-game postseason winning streak and propels Denver to its seventh AFC Championship Game appearance... Denver CB Champ Bailey records the longest non-scoring interception return (100 yds.) and second-longest overall interception return in NFL postseason history... The Broncos total five takeaways (3 fumbles, 2 interceptions) that directly lead to their first 24 points... Broncos WR Rod Smith hauls in six catches for 96 yards with one touchdown while Patriots QB Tom Brady throws for 341 yards... Denver's win against the Patriots marked its eighth consecutive victory against a Super Bowl participant from the previous season.

DENVER 28, at NEW ENGLAND 20 (Oct. 16, 2005)
The Broncos outscore the two-time defending Super Bowl champions 21-0 in the second quarter... Denver posts 247 yards of total offense in the second quarter, which marked the highest net yardage in a quarter during the Mike Shanahan era (1995- Present)... The win is Denver's sixth in a row against a Super Bowl participant from the previous season and fifth overall victory... Broncos RB Tatum Bell posts his second consecutive 100-yard rushing performance (114 yds.)... Denver extends its franchise record streak without a turnover to four consecutive games, tying the NFL record.

NEW ENGLAND 30, at DENVER 26 (Nov. 3, 2003)
The Broncos take a 24-20 lead into the fourth quarter but are outscored 10-2 (safety) in the final period on Monday Night Football... Broncos QB Danny Kanell starts in place of Jake Plummer (left foot) and throws for 163 yards with one touchdown and one interception... Denver CB Deltha O'Neal returns a third quarter punt 57 yards for a touchdown while RB Clinton Portis gains 111 yards rushing... Patriots QB Tom Brady throws for 350 yards with three touchdowns, including a 66-yard strike to WR Deion Branch, and one interception.

DENVER 24, at NEW ENGLAND 16 (Oct. 27, 2002)
The Broncos never trail in the contest and take a 14-0 lead five seconds into the second quarter... Denver holds New England to just 179 net yards (69 rush, 110 pass)... The Broncos' defense sacks Patriots QB Tom Brady five times... Broncos RB Clinton Portis gains 111 yards rushing with two touchdowns while WR Ed McCaffrey posts 116 yards receiving on eight catches (14.5 avg.)... Broncos QB Brian Griese compiles a 104.5 passer rating and throws for 229 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

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Comments

Hmmm....more Jacksonvile hatred coming:

Denver improves to 24-1 since 1995 when holding an opponent to seven points or fewer in the regular season with a 17-7 win at New England

Guess which team beat us in that 24-1 record……fargin Jaguars! I hate them! HATE!

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08

by Tim Lynch on Oct 15, 2008 1:48 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

We need a win here.

There would be nothing better than to be 5-2 heading into the bye and two weeks to get healthy.

I remember all those games and the playoff win has to be the best of the bunch. It was good to end their perfect record in the playoffs. We all know we matchup well agaist the Pats and seeing what SD did to them in the passing games makes me happy. Hopefully our passing game will shine. On the other hand I hope Pittman pounds it right down NE’s throat.

Also, three of those five wins are at their house. This will be an interesting game indeed.

"It doesn't dissipate" ~ Mike Shanahan

Cutler's 4th qtr/OT game winning drives: 4

by weazel on Oct 15, 2008 4:23 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Denver has had some good games against Boston/NE

In 1960 Denver won the very first AFL game in Boston against these Patriots 13-10. What won it was Gene Mingo returning a Punt 76 yards for a TD, but he missed the XP. Then in the return game in Denver that year the Broncos spotted the Patsa 24-0 lead, and came back to win it 31-24. Tied for largest deficit to comeback and win in Bronco history (matched in 1979 vs Seattle). In 1979 Denver and NE were both 7-3. The forecast was for a heavy amount of snow around the 1st Qtr. Well that didnt happen until halftime as it became a blizzard, but denver jumped out to a then team record 24-0 1st qtr lead and led 38-7 at the half, It was a huge ol Blizzard in the 2nd half as Denver scored the most point in Red Miller era in a 45-10 win. If anyone has ever seen the movie everybodys all american with Dennis Quaid and John Goodman when Quaids character comes back to play football its with the Denver Broncos and the footage in the movie is of that game and the player they used was Rob Lytle. If I had to pick a favorite game it would be in 1984 Denver won 26-19. Elway thru for over 300 yards and NE held denver to under 30 yards rushing and that crappy kicker Karlis missed not one but TWO extra points. Well Denver is trailing the entire game, its coming down to the end and NE has been running thru denver D all day long, some Craig James fumbles the rock and Dennis Smith picks it up on the denver 36 and goes to the house to win it 26-19. There is the 2 playoff wins in Denver, one snapping Bradys 10 game post season win streak, by none other than Jake Plummer. AHhhh I could keep going on

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 15, 2008 5:35 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

lol....stealing my thunder from the Through the Years post tomorrow!

heheh You named three of the five games I considered writing about. It’ll be posted tomorrow afternoon btw.. ;-)

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08

by Tim Lynch on Oct 15, 2008 6:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

oooppps

I thought this was it. Well crap. If you can, you can delete it. I can always repost

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 15, 2008 6:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol. I was just poking fun.

If anything you made me feel better about what I chose. It’s always good to have you reaffirming my historical references…

I love the fact that we WILL win our 400th game against the Patriots. It is destiny. We won our first game ever against them and we’ll win our 400th as well. FATE my brothers! FATE!

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08

by Tim Lynch on Oct 15, 2008 7:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hate to say this--but this looks like another set-up for a downfall.

Everything looks like our defense is getting better and our offense (if they hold onto the ball) is one of the best. I hate this scenario—its like the perfect set-up for our downfall. NE looks mediocre without Brady and we look great (if we clean up the fumbles). This is a perfect set-up for our demise. This will be the first game I actually get to watch at home—maybe I should pull out all the stops and pull out my 16oz, glass, Denver Bronco mugs (if I can find them) throw them in the freezer, buy some Coors Light for the game, and hope the magic of ’97 happens once more.

The best defense is a good offense!
I hope.

by Mike Clark on Oct 15, 2008 8:09 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice Idea Mike Clark...

…but maybe you should go for a Pats homebrew like Sam Adams instead of the Coors Light swill. Unless I just didn’t get the memo about CL being the official light beer of the Broncos or something. Sometimes its hard to keep up out here in Virginia. Anyways, though, this team is young and developing, so maybe a more complex beer will complement the team as they continue their recent dominance over New England. Sorry for the beer tangent.

by NTSBusMan on Oct 16, 2008 9:05 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I always welcome a beer tangent!

"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

"I love your analysis of our team. Its kinda like watching a spider monkey trying to figure out a jar of peanuts.. you know whats going on.. you know whats in there, but to actually figure it out, is just a bit beyond your mental skills..."
- Bronco Dano

by DesertBroncoFan on Oct 16, 2008 9:28 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

ya know

When I go to my bar to watch the Broncos I always have Sam Adams by the pitcher. Last weekend I had that crap Bud. So its all my fault Denver lost, I switched beers.

somethings wrong, Trying to conquer these fears i thought were gone. And it's been so long, I'm dying to live in a world i don't belong

by broncfanstuckinsd on Oct 16, 2008 1:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs