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Yes, you read that title correctly. The game on Saturday already a foregone conclusion as far as they are concerned. As well they should, their New England Patriots open up two touchdown favorites over the Denver Broncos. Heck, they don't even think the Broncos are really a playoff team - well, maybe that's taking it a bit far. I believe the exact words were, "The worst playoff team in NFL History". So it's time to start making your plans for the Sunday after next, because the Patriots will be playing for yet another Super Bowl berth!
That about summarizes what I took from this article in yesterday's Horse Tracks. Why will it be such a cake walk for the Patriots on Saturday? Well, let's see what Bostonian's have to say about that:
The Patriots, presumably, will not make the same mistake the Pittsburgh Steelers made, which is to say the Patriots will not dare the Denver Broncos to throw the ball deep. Bill Belichick is far more likely to make the Broncos methodically drive down the field, asking Tebow to demonstrate the one thing he still has failed to show.
Consistency.
Yep. That is exactly how you beat Tim Tebow. Something every defense in the league that has faced him has tried to do this year. Yet every time an NFL defense figures out Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow figures out that NFL defense. The Pittsburgh Steelers copied what the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and Kansas City Chiefs did to Tim Tebow. You know, that "once NFL defenses catch on" tidbit we are fed by the experts. No one stops to think, "When Tim Tebow catches onto what NFL defenses are doing..."
Oh, but the Patriot fans confidence doesn't stop there!
And so, the road to Indianapolis just became a little clearer, New England no longer required to deal with Pittsburgh this postseason as the pieces continue falling neatly into place. There is hardly any shame in that. On Saturday night, the Patriots seemed destined to face both the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens if they are to return to the Super Bowl this year. Now the Steelers are out of the picture, felled by a poorly conceived game plan and a young, unrelenting quarterback who continues to leave doubters in his wake. (Emphasis mine)
Translation: The Denver Broncos? The Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos? bwahahahahaha. Let's not talk about the 200 yards the Patriots gave up in the first quarter of their previous meeting. No way, no how! In fact, I stated after their previous meeting that the Patriots should have more questions about their team than the Broncos do about theirs. The Broncos know they can't turn the ball over three consecutive times in a row and expect to win, but do you really think the Patriots feel good about stopping the Broncos rushing attack? They had to rely on the bounce of a fumble to wrestle back control of that game. No, the Patriot fan is already looking forward to another AFC Title game.
If the first two snippets didn't bother you, how about this one:
Let's say that again: depending on the specific oddsmaker, the Patriots are bigger favorites in this game than they have been in any postseason affair since Super Bowl XLII. They are clearly the superior team. Add in the fact that New England is playing at home coming off a bye, and the Patriots should absolutely, positively be hosting the AFC Championship game in Foxborough on Jan. 22.
If that's presumptuous, so be it. The Patriots went 13-3 this season and were the No. 1 seed in the conference. The Broncos went 8-8, the worst record among all playoff participants. Were it not for the fact that Denver plays in the anemic AFC West, the Broncos would have been home watching yesterday.
It is presumptuous ... and arrogant. I only hope the players on your team feel that way as well. Tim Tebow just put up 30 points on the best defense in the National Football League and they did it without much effectiveness in their #1 ranked rushing attack. If you ask me, the Patriots are the one's in trouble this weekend. The Broncos are underdogs again, and with nothing to lose you should expect their A+ game on Saturday.
In many ways, New England has been at the top echelon for so long they have forgotten how dangerous a team can be when the players are having fun. The Denver Broncos are having fun again and the Patriots have everything to lose this weekend. Win or lose, the Broncos will give Tom Brady and Bill Belichick headaches. Here is one last chunk of presumptuous New Englander writing:
Now the Patriots are set to begin the postseason anew with what looks like a seeming layup, a relatively mediocre Denver team that just upended one of the two remaining clubs to defeat the Patriots this year.
I took some heat for predicting a loss to Kansas City in Week 17, but with the "divine" season we are having, it just seemed fair to give Kyle Orton a win over his former team. I don't like predicting Broncos failures and it is rare when I do and you won't get any of that from me this week. Call it Karma, call it Divine, for now let's just call it Magical! And here's to one more week of it!