AFC Championship Game Week Thread

[wingsauce7]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Enough with the cut and pastes already. If I wanted to read a novel, I go to the bookstore.

 

[tshirt]

 

[tshirt]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Enough with the cut and pastes already. If I wanted to read a novel, I go to the bookstore.

Nobody is forcing you to read anything.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Exactly. The "Brady v. Manning rivalry" is a misnomer. Wilt and Russell, like Bird and Magic, on the other hand, actually played against one another.

Agreed, I hate when the media spins crap like this which will soon incite this board with who is the better QB banter. Oyyyy two teams face off both teams have certain strengths and weaknesses the better team will win on Sunday.


Good Luck to all Bronco fans.

 

[tshirt]

Newsday is calling this "the NFL's biggest game" and "the greatest quarterback rivalry in NFL history."

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Nobody is forcing you to read anything.

Maybe not but you are going way overboard and IMO trying to start the same old damn argument.. Let it rest.

 

[tshirt]

sports columnist for Florida Today (newspaper for Florida's central east coast, home to NASA's launch facilities):

"To achieve immortality you have to face down your demons. Gandalf had to maneuver the Mines of Moria, Luke Skywalker had to face Darth Vader, and poor Harry had to battle Voldemort. And there is no bigger demon facing Manning than the quarterback who has squashed his dreams so many times, Tom Brady.
...
the real story this Sunday will be whether Ahab finally gets to exact revenge on the white whale who has haunted his dreams for his entire career.
...
Manning gets a chance to send Brady home and go on to win his second Super Bowl. He gets a chance to exorcise his demons once and for all.
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But, the problem is, Brady beats Manning. That’s what he does. As sure as there are creatures lurking in the mines, as sure as Vader falls prey to the dark side, Brady beats Manning."

 

[tshirt]

Maybe not but you are going way overboard and IMO trying to start the same old damn argument.. Let it rest.

If you don't want to talk about Manning v Brady, stay away from sports for a week

 

[TDs3nOut]

If you don't want to talk about Manning v Brady, stay away from sports for a week

LOL You seem to have ignored the objections to mistakenly labeling NE v. Denver Manning v. Brady.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

If you don't want to talk about Manning v Brady, stay away from sports for a week

Ohhh so you're being a douche because you know how to.

 

[cdumler7]

tshirt I think it boils down to many of the fans on here actually realize this isn't Brady vs. Manning but Broncos vs. Patriots. We would rather talk about that than what the main stream media is going to force feed all week of Brady vs. Manning. Seems nice every once in a while to talk about something other than those 2 on these teams.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

tshirt I think it boils down to many of the fans on here actually realize this isn't Brady vs. Manning but Broncos vs. Patriots. We would rather talk about that than what the main stream media is going to force feed all week of Brady vs. Manning. Seems nice every once in a while to talk about something other than those 2 on these teams.

Exactly and all he is trying to do is turn what was a decent conversation into a Brady Manning thread. I guess because he lacks the maturation to understand the game is bigger than that.

 

[tshirt]

sports editor for newspaper for MA town 50 miles from Gillette Stadium:

"This is what Patriots fans wanted all along. Patriots versus Broncos, Manning versus Brady, Legend versus Legend, in the long-running production of "Who's The Greatest?" What could be better than that?
...
the Patriots have great coaching, an opportunistic secondary, a perennially great offensive line. But above all, the Patriots have Brady. And Denver has Manning. And that, more than anything else, is why they're in the AFC title game.
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despite any of the facts and figures, it feels all of the history, matchups, scouting reports and trends will add up to nothing when the game kicks off.
You might think the game will go this way, or that, but in the end it's going to play out in a uniquely memorable fashion -- and the last team standing will probably be the last team to do something great in an epic slugfest.
...
it'll be up to Manning and Brady to execute. They are both so great, and their time in the league is becoming so obviously finite, that every game they play is more and more intense, more indelibly stamped on the memories of football fans.
That they'll play Sunday for a 15th time, this time in the AFC championship, both in their late 30s, both another ring away from claiming rights to the "Greatest Of All Time" moniker, is " -- well, it's kind of indescribable, isn't it?
Gives you goosebumps just thinking about it -- but that's par for the course for the Brady-Belichick-Manning years that seem unlikely to be matched by whatever the next chapter is here in New England. The next chapter can wait. For now, let's enjoy this saga for all it's worth."

 

[tshirt]

John Fox on losing CB Chris Harris: "There's no doubt that he's probably one of our better performers on defense throughout this season."


Denver safety Mike Adams:

--on losing Harris: "Obviously, it hurts that he's gone and he's out for the season...Obviously, it hurts, like I said, that he's down. But we've got to keep going because we still have goals."

--on whether there was an immediate effect on the Chargers game when Harris went out: "Yeah, it was. And it was obvious. When Chris went down, things started to unravel a little bit on the back end."

--on the Patriots: "It's Tom Brady. They're going to score. They're going to get theirs. They're going to make their plays...We'll have our hands full and this is going to be a battle. I'm prepared for it."


Denver DT Terrance Knighton on CB Chris Harris Jr.'s injury: "It's terrible news. You hate to see a guy having a great year, going into a contract year or something like that. I wish him the best. I wish him a speedy recovery but we just have to focus on the task at hand right now and that's New England. Whoever will fill his shoes, whoever we put in there has to step up."


Denver LB Paris Lenon:

--on CB Chris Harris Jr.'s injury: "It is another disappointment for us—-somebody else that we've been battling with that has been a huge part of this team and this defense that is down. It's an opportunity for somebody to step up and play big."

--on Tom Brady: "He is right up there in that conversation when you talk about the best. We have one of those on our team as well. So, it is a big challenge. It is a big challenge going up against a guy that is that good of a player. He can hurt you. We have a lot of studying and a lot of work to do this week."

--on the upcoming game vs. the Patriots: "It's a big challenge and you have to do a great job this week preparing and we have to go out there with a lot of intensity and try to play well."


Denver WR Eric Decker:

--on the Patriots: "Something New England does very, very well is they play 60 minute football and they play sound, fundamental football...this is a huge game... This is going to be a challenge for us and we want to know where we're at as a football team. When you play such a good consistent team you find out a lot about yourself and I think that's what we're looking forward to Sunday."

--on the Broncos defense: "The challenge for them this week is to make sure that they all play sound football and someone has to step up and play for Chris Harris. He's played his tail off all season. He's a guy that we're going to miss but we have to move on and we have to find someone to fill that hole."


Denver RB Knowshon Moreno on the upcoming game vs the Patriots: "We don't know what is going to happen"

 

[JDM]

tshirt I think it boils down to many of the fans on here actually realize this isn't Brady vs. Manning but Broncos vs. Patriots. We would rather talk about that than what the main stream media is going to force feed all week of Brady vs. Manning. Seems nice every once in a while to talk about something other than those 2 on these teams.

It's going to come down to which QB makes the plays he needs to, though. As has every other time they've matched up.

 

[tshirt]

Boston.com:

"Brady has owned Jack Del Rio defenses over the course of his career; he is 171-of-235 (72.8 percent) for 1,774 yards (7.5 YPA), 17 touchdowns and a 118.3 passer rating when squaring off against a Del Rio defense."

"(Denver) Cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. (knee, ankle) left the game against the Chargers and (is out for the season). Harris is a vital piece of the Broncos' secondary, and played the most snaps of any defensive player on the team with 1,059, according to Pro Football Focus."

 

[tshirt]

Boston.com:

"(Denver) Key cog, offense -- Demaryius Thomas, WR...Thomas led the team in targets, receptions, yards and touchdowns...Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib did a good job of containing Thomas in the previous meeting, allowing three catches on six targets for 30 yards and a touchdown"

 

[NEhomer]

That is a drag for Broncs fans that Harris is out. Esp this late into the season. My regrets for y'all.

 

[tshirt]

"The way our defense is getting the ball for us and...the running game has just been awesome," Brady said.

forced turnovers
39 - Seahawks (#1 in NFC)
30 - 49ers (#4 in NFC)
29 - Patriots (#4 in AFC)
26 - Broncos (#6 in AFC)

compare the 2013 Patriots to their three recent Super Bowl teams:
2001 -- #6 scoring D
2003 -- #1 scoring D
2004 -- #2 scoring D
2013 -- #10 scoring D


and here is how the 2013 Patriots D has done into the playoffs compared to their three recent Super Bowl teams:

2001 Patriots
W Raiders -- Pats D gave up 230 yds, forced 0 turnovers
W @Steelers -- Pats D gave up 306 yds, forced 4 turnovers (Kordell Stewart 3 INTs)
W Super Bowl (Rams) -- Pats D gave up 427 yds, forced 3 turnovers (Kurt Warner 2 INTs)

2003 Patriots
W Titans -- Pats D gave up 284 yds, forced 1 turnover
W Colts -- Pats D gave up 306 yds, forced 5 turnovers (Peyton Manning 4 INTs)
W Super Bowl (Panthers) -- Pats D gave up 387 yds, forced 1 turnover

2004 Patriots
W Colts -- Pats D gave up 276 yds, forced 3 turnovers (Peyton Manning 1 INT)
W @Steelers -- Pats D gave up 388 yds, forced 4 turnovers (Ben Roethlisberger 3 INTs)
W Super Bowl (Eagles) -- Pats D gave up 369 yds, forced 4 turnovers (Donovan McNabb 3 INTs)

2013 Patriots
W Colts -- Pats D gave up 386 yds, forced 4 turnovers (Andrew Luck 4 INTs)

 

[tshirt]

Pats blog:

"LeGarrette Blount, and Stevan Ridley: the two combined for 218 yards and 6 touchdowns on Saturday night (v Colts), and if you want to beat the Patriots, containing those two powerful backs is a must."

in the regular season, the two ran for a combined for 1,545 yards (773 and 772) and 14 TDs (7 each)

last year Ridley had 1,314 yards from scrimmage for the Pats in the regular season (1,263 rushing). in Ridley's last year at LSU (as a junior), he ran for 1,147 and 15 TD

this is Blount's first year with the Pats. in his two years as a starter for the Bucs, he had 929 and 1,021 yards from scrimmage. in his last full year at Oregon (as a junior), Blount ran for 1,003 yards (7.27 YPC), 17 TDs

Pats also have RBs Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden who combined for 1,058 yards from scrimmage in the regular season this year (635 and 423). in Vereen's last year at Cal (as a junior), he had 1,376 yards from scrimmage and 16 TD. in Bolden's last full year at Ole Miss (as a junior), he had 1,320 yards from scrimmage and 17 TD

The Four Horsemen

"the running game has just been awesome," Brady said.

NFL.com:
"the opponent the Broncos will face on Sunday looks more like a vintage Patriots team -- circa 2001, featuring a power running attack -- than the more recent pass-reliant incarnations"


this is how the Patriots compare to their three recent Super Bowl winning teams:

2001 -- #6 scoring offense
2003 -- #12 scoring offense
2004 -- #4 scoring offense
2013 -- #3 scoring offense (#2 Bears have 445 points, Pats 1 shy with 444)

2001 -- 50.5% pass/49.5% run
2003 -- 53.2% pass/46.8% run
2004 -- 48.1% pass/51.9% run
2013 -- 57.2% pass/42.8% rush

2001 -- #13 rushing offense, ypg (#23 in ypc with 3.8)
2003 -- #27 rushing offense, ypg (#30 in ypc with 3.4)
2004 -- #7 rushing offense, ypg (#17 in ypc with 4.1)
2013 -- #9 rushing offense, ypg (#9 in ypc with 4.4)

2001 -- #22 passing offense, ypg (#13 in yards/att with 5.9)
2003 -- #9 passing offense, ypg (#12 in yards/att with 6.0)
2004 -- #11 passing offense, ypg (#7 in yards/att with 7.0)
2013 -- #10 passing offense, ypg (#14 in yards/att with 6.1)


and this is how the Patriots have done in the playoffs compared to their three recent Super Bowl winning teams:

2001 Patriots
297 pass yds/ 68 rush yds -- W Raiders
192 pass yds / 67 rush yds -- W @Steelers
134 pass yds / 133 rush yds -- W Super Bowl (Rams)

2003 Patriots
201 pass yds / 96 rush yds -- W Titans
237 pass yds / 112 rush yds -- W Colts
354 pass yds / 127 rush yds -- W Super Bowl (Panthers)

2004 Patriots
115 pass yds / 210 rush yds -- W Colts
196 pass yds / 126 rush yds -- W @Steelers
219 pass yds / 112 rush yds -- W Super Bowl (Eagles)

2014 Patriots
185 pass yds / 234 rush yds -- W Colts