Ultimate ‘Enemy Fan’ Guide: Broncos will lose, but it won’t be easy street for the Pats

It’s PATRIOTS WEEK, Broncos fans, and that means regardless of your disgust, your disappointment, your overall despair over this team, you must rally the troops - if only for one more game - to help propel our Broncos in a huge victory over Tom Brady and the Patriots once more.

Plus, you have to help me shut up my good friend Mike G. - because if the Pats win this one, I will never hear the end of it (at least until they lose the Super Bowl and I can chide him until next September - hahahaha).

But seriously, Mike joins us today to offer some good-natured humor as well as some actual insight into the strengths and weaknesses of his beloved team from New England.

Give him a warm welcome ... and then mock his a** throughout the comments before checking out the more optimistic Broncos view in the second of our double-header. :)

Week 10: Patriots at Broncos

MHR – So....A 3-5 Broncos is taking on a 6-2 Patriots team at Mile High, which seems like a huge mismatch. Humor us and tell us why you could be even just a little scared of the Broncos this week?
Mike G: With the exception of Trey Flowers, we have little to no ability to get to the opposing QB. Even Osweiler - given infinite time - can find an open receiver.

MHR - The Patriots started out a little rocky but have certainly found a groove. The Broncos started off on fire and have gone crashing down head-first. Do you expect the Broncos to play harder this week because every game is “a must-win,” or do you think the recent trend of total disarray by the Broncos will continue?
Mike G: I think the former and pray the latter.

MHR - Among the few weaknesses of the Patriots is its putrid pass rush, so if you were the Broncos offensive coordinator, how would you take advantage of that this week?Mike G: Go out and find more than one receiver who cares to play.

MHR - In a somewhat surprising move, the Patriots traded Jimmy Garappolo last week and then picked up Brian Hoyer. If Von Miller plants Brady into the ground and he has to come out - even for a few plays - how confident are you in your new backup QB? (related : Can we have him? We apparently don’t have enough backup QBs on our roster?)
Mike G: Hey, he spent three years as a backup during the first Obama administration. What could go wrong? Of course I don't have confidence if it's more than a series or a two.

Regarding your follow up, yes, you can have him, but you have to promise to give us back A.J. Derby if Gronk goes down.

MHR - I read a great sentence this week - “If Tom Brady has been Superman, Mile High Stadium has been his kryptonite.” How much of a factor do you think this really is, and how much do you think it will be this week with a very frustrated Denver fan base
Mike G: It is not your stadium or your fans as much as it has been your excellent secondary and tenacious pass rush. I guess crowd noise does enter into it. Would I rather the game be played at home? Certainly.

But this is a different Patriots team with different weapons. We utilize our running backs more effectively than in recent years with three of the four being more than capable receivers. No Edelman and Hogan will hurt, but 87 is here and Brandin Cooks adds a new wrinkle. Even Dorsett may add some length to the passing game in terms of stretching the field.

MHR - One of the Broncos’ biggest issues this season has been offensive turnovers. What do you expect from your defense - especially the front 7 - to take advantage of that problem?
Mike G: If you put the ball on the turf, Alan Branch WILL fall on it.

MHR - Let’s pretend that we could have your quarterback (the Brady version, not the Hoyer one) - and he would be going against your defense. Would he still be “Tom Brady, superstar” if he had our offense?
Mike G: Umm, how many months of practice will he have?

MHR - Now let’s pretend our teams could have switched coaches for the week. Who would win this game?
Mike G: My, you like to pretend a lot. Does Mr.Lattimore-Volkmann play along?

Getting back to your hypothetical question, I'd ask whether we can keep our coordinators? If so, we would have a fighting chance. Second question, must Vance have input? If not, I'm even more confident. Where did Elway find this guy?

On a related note, WTF happened in your game with the Giants? That was embarrassing.

(*editor’s notes: 1. LOL 2. From his longtime drinking buddy 3. We are still asking the same thing)

MHR - Which position matchup will be the most intriguing for you in this upcoming game?
Mike G: Stephon Gilmore and Demaryius Thomas.

MHR - Which Patriots player[s] do you expect to be the most important ones for the Broncos to stop on Sunday if they want to have a chance at winning?
Mike G: Gronk (of course) and Dion Lewis/Rex Burkhead.

MHR - Is there a single Patriots fan who thinks this could be a trap game?
Mike G: This season there are NO trap games. I cannot recall the last time the Pats lost two games at home.

(*editor’s note: Probably the same time the Broncos lost four games in a row)

Predictions

Stats for Tom Brady? 28/305, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

Number of carries/yards rushing/ TDs for your RBs? 14/65, 1 TD

Number of yards for Patriots receivers ? 245 of 305 (the rest to our backs)

Longest FG? 53

Number of sacks to Brady? 3

Number of sacks to Brock Osweiler? 1 (if he trips over shoelaces)

Patriots player with the most tackles? Devin McCourty

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Patriots D? 1/1/1

Final Score? 24-20, Patriots

The Favorites

Favorite Patriots Super Bowl win? Last season

Team you hate to lose to the most? Baltimore

Team you love to beat? Broncos

Game most looking forward to this season? This week

Game you think will end up being most important this season? At Pittsburgh 12/18

Favorite Patriots player on the current roster? Malcolm Butler

Favorite Patriots player of all time? Dr. Bill Lenkaitas DDS or Leon Gray.

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Brandin Cooks

Least favorite game analyst/commentator? Brent Musburger

Favorite story about Drunk Gronk? All of them

How did you become a Patriots fan?

I was dropped on my head as a child. Repeatedly.