On Christmas Eve, the Broncos will fight for their playoff hopes against the New England Patriots. Dating back to the divisional round of the 2011 season where Tim Tebow faced off against Tom Brady, the modern rivalry between these two teams has always been a game to watch. The long back-and-forth between Bill Belichick and the Broncos may finally meet its end this week, and here is how the Broncos can make sure they come out on top.
How the Broncos Can Beat the Patriots, Save Playoff Chances
The Modern History of The Broncos vs. The Patriots
The Denver Bronc’s first-ever game was against the Boston Patriots back in 1960. Since then, these organizations have become two of the most dominant teams in NFL history. But neither of these teams seemed to be dominant at the same time. That all changed when some random sixth-round pick out of Michigan stepped into the starting quarterback role for the Patriots. In 2001, the young head coach, Bill Belichick had to send in his backup quarterback, Tom Brady, to replace an injured Drew Bledsoe. Since then, a few historic marks have been hit and a few Super Bowls have been won.
It seems that, from 2001 to 2018, the Patriots were unstoppable. Brady and Belichick teamed up to have a winning record against every single team in the NFL. Well, all of them except one. The Denver Broncos always seemed to give these AFC East juggernauts a hard team. For Tom Brady’s whole career, he was 9-9 against the Broncos, losing to them three times in the postseason. Though an even record against a team isn’t something teams are usually proud of, being one of the only rocks in the most dominant teams of modern football shoe is quite impressive.
Most of these wins came on the back of Peyton Manning. From 2012 to 2015, Manning vs. Brady was always one of the best games of the year. In their six matchups against each other, Manning and Brady went 3-3. But, in the 2013 and 2015 matchups, it was for a chance to go to the Super Bowl. Both of these games were showcases for arguably the two best quarterbacks in history and they didn’t disappoint. At the end of the day, the Broncos came out on top of both these games and sent the Patriots home for the season. Though this dominant rivalry was short, it was one of the sweetest of all time.
Both Teams Recent History
Peyton Manning’s departure after Super Bowl 50 effectively ended the rivalry between the two teams. While the Broncos were less than competitive, Belichick and Brady went to three straight Super Bowls, winning two of them. Without their star quarterback, the Broncos were left in the dust. But, after the 2019 season, Tom Brady packed up his things and headed for warmer weather in Tampa Bay. The Patriots longtime legend and six-time Super Bowl winner left the Patriots without a quarterback.
A new face came into town hoping to fill Brady’s gargantuan shoes. All of New England thought Mac Jones could save their franchise… well he couldn’t. Since Jones’ arrival, the Patriots have lost all signs of their dominant days and at the moment it may cost the legendary coach his job. This season, the Patriots are 3-11 and have had a rollercoaster of quarterback moves. It seems that Belichick has lost his magic or maybe it’s just losing his Hall of Fame quarterback, but either way, there have been murmurs that Belichick may be coaching his last few games in New England.
If that is the case, this game has a lot of storylines to it. It will be the end of an era. Belichick is 10-10 against the Broncos and may be looking to end the dying rivalry with a winning record. For the Broncos though, it will only be another important game. The Broncos have started their playoffs already, if they lose another game their playoff hopes are dead. It may seem like a storybook ending to send Belichick out with a losing record, but it isn’t what Sean Payton will be focused on. The Broncos need to win, and here’s how they’ll do it.
The Broncos Will Beat The Patriots If They Stick To The Plan
This year, both teams have had their ups and downs. But the Broncos are the better team. The Patriots are a team with no running game, no passing game, and no identity. Belichick has had to switch starting quarterbacks in almost every game this year and still hasn’t found one that’s good. It seems that the Broncos should steamroll these guys, but it won’t be as easy as they would’ve hoped.
The Patriot’s defense is their only saving grace and has secured their only three wins this year. The Broncos will have to force their 16th-ranked passing defense to feel uncomfortable, meaning that Russell Wilson will have to do the heavy lifting. It hasn’t been consistent this year, but Wilson will have to carry the Broncos to a win. On defense, the Broncos only need to stop big play scenarios. The current starting quarterback, Bailey Zappe, is young and inaccurate under pressure, so their priority is to hit him and move him around in the pocket as much as possible. If they can do that, this Patriots offense is unable to be effective.
The Broncos can end this rivalry with Belichick on Sunday while keeping their playoff hopes alive. It should be simple, the Patriots are a team with no rudder. Though it may be uncomfortable for Broncos Country, you will have to rely on Russell Wilson and your defense… an easy win.
Main Photo: Lon Horwedel – USA Today Sports
