Prediction: Patriots 27, Broncos 24
by Mike Krueger | Follow @FF_Today
Player Rankings and Projections
|
| Denver Broncos |
| Rank |
Player |
Projections |
| QB 2 |
Peyton Manning |
Pass: 305, 2 TD Rush: 0, 0 |
| RB 6 |
Ronnie Hillman   |
Rush: 75, 1 TD Rec: 3-20, 0 |
| RB 49 |
Juwan Thompson |
Rush: 15, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0 |
| WR 1 |
Demaryius Thomas |
Rec: 7-100, 1 TD |
| WR 8 |
Emmanuel Sanders |
Rec: 6-75, 0 TD |
| WR 37 |
Wes Welker |
Rec: 4-50, 0 TD |
| TE 1 |
Julius Thomas |
Rec: 6-60, 1 TD |
| K 10 |
Brandon McManus |
FG: 1/1 XP: 3/3 |
| DEF 17 |
Defense / ST |
|
|
|
|
| New England Patriots |
| Rank |
Player |
Projections |
| QB 8 |
Tom Brady |
Pass: 285, 2 TD Rush: 0, 0 |
| RB 14 |
Shane Vereen |
Rush: 50, 1 TD Rec: 5-35, 0 |
| RB 33 |
Jonas Gray |
Rush: 35, 0 TD Rec: 0-0, 0 |
| WR 17 |
Brandon LaFell |
Rec: 5-70, 1 TD |
| WR 27 |
Julian Edelman |
Rec: 6-65, 0 TD |
| WR 76 |
Danny Amendola |
Rec: 1-15, 0 TD |
| TE 2 |
Rob Gronkowski |
Rec: 7-70, 1 TD |
| TE 18 |
Tim Wright |
Rec: 1-15, 0 TD |
| K 2 |
Stephen Gostkowski |
FG: 2/2 XP: 3/3 |
| DEF 15 |
Defense / ST |
|
|
|
Game Notes
1ST GAME IN NFL HISTORY to feature opposing starting QBs with 150+ reg.-sea. wins each...  Broncos In 2013 AFC Champ. vs. NE, QB Peyton Manning passed for 400 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 118.4 rating. Has 2+ TD passes in 13 consecutive games, tied for longest streak in NFL history... RB Ronnie Hillman rushed for career-high 109 yards last week... In past 4, WR Demaryius Thomas has 34 catches for 626 yards (18.4 avg.) & 5 TDs. Aims for 5th in row with 100+ rec. yards. Since 2012, is tied for 1st in NFL with 30 TD catches. WR Wes Welker spent 6 seasons with NE (2007-12) & is Pats' all-time leader in catches (672) & ranks 2nd in rec. yards (7,459). WR Emmanuel Sanders had 9 catches for 120 yards & career-high 3 TDs last week. TE Julius Thomas is tied for 1st in NFL with 9 TDs. Needs 1 TD to become 1st TE in Broncos history with 10+ TDs in back-to-back seasons... Broncos are only NFL team with 2 players with 7+ sacks each (LBs Von Miller & DeMarcus Ware). Since entering NFL in 2011, Miller leads AFC with 44 sacks. CB Aqib Talib has INT in 2 of past 3.
 Patriots Aim for 14th consecutive reg.-sea. win at home... Last week, QB Tom Brady completed 30 of 35 (85.7 pct.) for 354 yards & 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 148.4 rating. Only QB in NFL history with 350+ yards, 5+ TDs, 0 INTs & 85+ comp. pct. in game (also vs. Ten. on 10/18/09). Has won 87 of 100 reg.-sea. home starts, most of any QB in SB era thru 1st 100. Has won 4 of past 5 vs. Den. (incl. playoffs), passing for 1,527 yards with 13 TDs vs. 1 INT with 115 rating... In 3 starts in 2014, RB Shane Vereen has 226 scrim. yards (91 rush, 135 rec.) & 2 TD catches. Undrafted rookie RB Jonas Gray rushed for career-high 86 yards last week... In AFC Champ. Game vs. Den., WR Julian Edelman had 10 rec. for 89 yards & TD. WR Brandon LaFell had career-highs in catches (11) & rec. yards (124) with TD last week. Has 4 TDs in past 5. TE Rob Gronkowski had 9 rec. for 149 yards & tied career-high with 3 TDs vs. Chi. Since entering NFL in 2010, leads NFL with 49 TD catches... LB DONT' A HIGHTOWER has 3.5 sacks in past 5. S Logan Ryan had INT in last meeting. CB Darrelle Revis had INT last week.
Results and Schedule
| Denver Broncos |
| Week |
Date |
Opp |
H/A |
Score |
Dif |
| 1 |
2014-09-07 |
IND |
H |
W 31-24 |
+7 |
| 2 |
2014-09-14 |
KC |
H |
W 24-17 |
+7 |
| 3 |
2014-09-21 |
SEA |
A |
L 20-26 |
-6 |
| 4 |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
| 5 |
2014-10-05 |
ARI |
H |
W 41-20 |
+21 |
| 6 |
2014-10-12 |
NYJ |
A |
W 31-17 |
+14 |
| 7 |
2014-10-19 |
SF |
H |
W 42-17 |
+25 |
| 8 |
2014-10-23 |
SD |
H |
W 35-21 |
+14 |
| 9 |
2014-11-02 |
NE |
A |
|
|
| 10 |
2014-11-09 |
OAK |
A |
|
|
| 11 |
2014-11-16 |
STL |
A |
|
|
| 12 |
2014-11-23 |
MIA |
H |
|
|
| 13 |
2014-11-30 |
KC |
A |
|
|
| 14 |
2014-12-07 |
BUF |
H |
|
|
| 15 |
2014-12-14 |
SD |
A |
|
|
| 16 |
2014-12-22 |
CIN |
A |
|
|
| 17 |
2014-12-28 |
OAK |
H |
|
|
|
|
|
| New England Patriots |
| Week |
Date |
Opp |
H/A |
Score |
Dif |
| 1 |
2014-09-07 |
MIA |
A |
L 20-33 |
-13 |
| 2 |
2014-09-14 |
MIN |
A |
W 30-7 |
+23 |
| 3 |
2014-09-21 |
OAK |
H |
W 16-9 |
+7 |
| 4 |
2014-09-29 |
KC |
A |
L 14-41 |
-27 |
| 5 |
2014-10-05 |
CIN |
H |
W 43-17 |
+26 |
| 6 |
2014-10-12 |
BUF |
A |
W 37-22 |
+15 |
| 7 |
2014-10-16 |
NYJ |
H |
W 27-25 |
+2 |
| 8 |
2014-10-26 |
CHI |
H |
W 51-23 |
+28 |
| 9 |
2014-11-02 |
DEN |
H |
|
|
| 10 |
|
Bye |
|
|
|
| 11 |
2014-11-16 |
IND |
A |
|
|
| 12 |
2014-11-23 |
DET |
H |
|
|
| 13 |
2014-11-30 |
GB |
A |
|
|
| 14 |
2014-12-07 |
SD |
A |
|
|
| 15 |
2014-12-14 |
MIA |
H |
|
|
| 16 |
2014-12-21 |
NYJ |
A |
|
|
| 17 |
2014-12-28 |
BUF |
H |
|
|
|
|
Offense Stats Comparison
| |
DEN
Offense |
NE
Offense |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Points for |
35.7 |
30.8 |
23.9 |
DEN |
| Rushing yards |
115.0 |
84.0 |
110.4 |
DEN |
| Rushing yards per attempt |
3.77 |
3.61 |
4.12 |
DEN |
| Completion % |
68.6% |
68.7% |
63.4% |
NE |
| Passing yards |
295.3 |
278.0 |
249.4 |
DEN |
| Passing yards per completion |
12.08 |
11.51 |
11.16 |
DEN |
| Passing yards per attempt |
8.29 |
7.91 |
7.08 |
DEN |
| Interceptions |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.8 |
NE |
| Fumbles lost |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.7 |
- |
| Sacks allowed |
1.3 |
1.5 |
2.2 |
DEN |
| 3rd down conversions |
47.1% |
45.1% |
41.3% |
DEN |
| 4th down conversions |
0.0% |
50.0% |
45.6% |
NE |
| Time of possession |
30:46 |
29:33 |
30:14 |
DEN |
|
|
|
Defense Stats Comparison
| |
DEN
Defense |
NE
Defense |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Points against |
19.3 |
21.8 |
23.9 |
DEN |
| Rushing yards |
53.3 |
126.8 |
110.4 |
DEN |
| Rushing yards per attempt |
3.08 |
4.66 |
4.12 |
DEN |
| Completion % |
58.8% |
63.3% |
63.4% |
DEN |
| Passing yards |
223.7 |
228.3 |
249.4 |
DEN |
| Passing yards per completion |
9.39 |
10.93 |
11.16 |
DEN |
| Passing yards per attempt |
5.52 |
6.91 |
7.08 |
DEN |
| INT return |
1.0 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
DEN |
| Fumble recoveries |
0.0 |
0.8 |
0.7 |
NE |
| Sacks |
3.3 |
2.3 |
2.2 |
DEN |
| 3rd down conversions |
31.4% |
44.6% |
41.3% |
DEN |
| 4th down conversions |
66.7% |
33.3% |
45.6% |
NE |
| Time of possession |
29:09 |
30:27 |
30:14 |
DEN |
|
|
Special Teams Stats Comparison
| |
DEN |
NE |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Yards per punt return |
7.2 |
7.8 |
8.6 |
NE |
| Yards per kick return |
20.8 |
22.1 |
23.9 |
NE |
| Yards allowed per punt return |
5.5 |
9.4 |
8.6 |
DEN |
| Yards allowed per kick return |
24.9 |
22.4 |
23.9 |
NE |
|
|
|
Misc Stats Comparison
| |
DEN |
NE |
NFL
Avg. |
Adv. |
| Penalties |
8.0 |
7.8 |
6.9 |
NE |
| Penalty yards |
71.0 |
55.3 |
57.5 |
NE |
|
|
Note: Team statistics are shown as the average per game
through Weeks 3 to 8 of the 2014 season after deducting the best
and worst value from the data set. The exception is yards per rush attempt, completion %, yards per
pass completion, yards per pass attempt, 3rd and 4th down conversions, special teams and the NFL averages, which are each calculated based on
totals through Weeks 3 to 8 with no adjustment.
Weather
Team vs. Team History
| Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots |
| Season |
Week |
Date |
Vis |
Home |
Score |
Winner |
| 2000 |
5 |
2000-10-01 |
NE |
DEN |
28-19 |
NE |
| 2001 |
7 |
2001-10-28 |
NE |
DEN |
20-31 |
DEN |
| 2002 |
8 |
2002-10-27 |
DEN |
NE |
24-16 |
DEN |
| 2003 |
9 |
2003-11-03 |
NE |
DEN |
30-26 |
NE |
| 2005 |
6 |
2005-10-16 |
NE |
DEN |
20-28 |
DEN |
| 2005 |
DP |
2006-01-14 |
NE |
DEN |
13-27 |
DEN |
| 2006 |
3 |
2006-09-24 |
DEN |
NE |
17-7 |
DEN |
| 2008 |
7 |
2008-10-20 |
DEN |
NE |
7-41 |
NE |
| 2009 |
5 |
2009-10-11 |
NE |
DEN |
17-20 |
DEN |
| 2011 |
15 |
2011-12-18 |
NE |
DEN |
41-23 |
NE |
| 2011 |
DP |
2012-01-14 |
DEN |
NE |
10-45 |
NE |
| 2012 |
5 |
2012-10-07 |
DEN |
NE |
21-31 |
NE |
| 2013 |
12 |
2013-11-24 |
DEN |
NE |
31-34 |
NE |
| 2013 |
CF |
2014-01-19 |
NE |
DEN |
16-26 |
DEN |
|
Note: Only playoff games from the 2004 to 2010 seasons are included in the team vs. team history. Playoff games from seasons prior to 2004 are not currently included in the database. DP = Divisional Playoff CF = Conference Final
|
