Pregame
What looked like an absolutely wretched group of early games has turned out to be pretty interesting. I'm watching the Chiefs try to put away the undefeated Packers. The score is 12-7 and the Chiefs are on the Packers 5 yard line. They have moved the ball, but not been able to convert to touchdowns.
4:51 - The Packers are in real trouble now.Jackie Battle rushes in from 1 yard for the touchdown. 19-7 Chiefs.
And the Colts are leading Tennessee 20-13.
My predictions from a few weeks ago were that the Packers do not go undefeated (regular season) and the Colts remain win-less. So I'll be right on GB, wrong on Indianapolis.
1:47 - Packers scored, but now the Chiefs are killing the clock. TV is reviewing an earlier play by KC that could have been ruled a touchback. I would have challenged if I was Green Bay.
1:34 - Chiefs have been running all over GB at the end, so the Chiefs should now be able to run out the clock.
Nice job Romeo. Final: Chiefs 19 Packers 14.
Now the question is, could this loss be the best thing to happen to Green Bay? Maybe. I don't feel like giving that much thought right now.
Didn't think Buffalo would roll over at home against Miami. Everything else makes sense.
Patriots - Broncos should be starting in a couple minutes.
For the record, I pick Patriots -7.5. Patriots 30 Broncos 13.
So let the Tebowing begin...
1st Quarter:
15:00 - Patriots win the coin toss and defer. Shocker.
Say what you want about Tebow, but he doesn't throw interceptions all that often.
13:42 - Tebow runs for a 1st down.
13:12 - Willis McGahee runs for 20+ yards. The Patriots run defense is usually solid. It's the DB's that are the problem.
11:57 - Tebow completes his first pass attempt for a 1st down. Twice Phil Simms has said receivers are open down the field. I guess it's a good thing that Tebow is not standing in a hitting open men down the field.
10:42 - 25 yard run by Jeramiah Johnson. Don't like the Patriots getting run over this much early. Let's hold them to three.
9:49 - F**k.
Tebowed.
9:49 - Botched extra point by Denver. Don't see that much. Lonnie Paxon (aka: long snapper and snow angel in Snow Bowl) skipped it back to the holder.
6-0 Broncos
9:45 - Brady under pressure on first pass attempt. Incomplete. Denver has a good defense. Lost in all the Tebow talk are the facts that Denver's defense has kept them in games and their kicker has been clutch.
8:49 - Brady to Hernandez...keeps going...and going...47 yards.
8:05 - Ben Jarvis for nada. This will be a passing day.
7:24 - Brady to Ocho, touchdown. The CB bit BAD on the short route and Ocho was wide open deep.
7-6 Patriots
Brady is 2-3 for 79 yards 1 TD. He could have an enormous day. The only thing that will keep that in check is if the Broncos control possession.
7:08 - Long run by McGahee. I'm tired of looking at this already.
Terrible defense on slant from Tebow to Demaryius Thomas.
5:01 - Lance Ball 32 yard touchdown run.
Broncos 13 Patriots 7
Patriots look like a college defense. This is pathetic.
Last week Brady was asked what it was like having to consistently score, knowing the defense was so bad and could not keep the opposition from scoring (I paraphrase). He artfully dodged the part about the defense, not throwing them under the bus.
4:16 - Brady throws a jump ball that could have been picked. Hit the S in the facemask. Intended for Gronk, incomplete.
4:10 - Holding on Denver (Welker was held), first down.
3:21 - Underwood caught the ball out of bounds. Patriots will punt.
Denver has 133 yards rushing on two possessions, both TD's. TV comes out of commercial and talks about the same stat.
2:59 - Tebow to Eric Decker for 22.
2:25 - Denver runs end around, WR throws short incomplete. Assume the Pats had it defensed well down field.
1:54 - So they just run it up the gut for a 1st down.
0:58 - Tebow incomplete. He missed a wide open receiver along the sideline to his right. No one near him and was in the camera shot as Tebow skipped one across the middle.
Timeout Patriots
0:50 - Tebow runs for 19 on 3rd and 10.
0:03 - Andre Carter injured, grabbed left knee. Bringing out the cart. That is not good.
Tebow went over to hi twice to see him before he went off the field. Now shown clapping as he leaves. I think Tebow is as genuine an athlete as there is. He is as humble as one could be in his spot, but polite and deflects credit whenever it is directed towards him. Not just because he is now in the spotlight in Denver, but when he was at Florida and a backup for the Broncos.
End of 1st Quarter: Broncos 13 Patriots 7
2nd Quarter:
14:53 - Shovel pass underneath. Patriots read all options well there.
14:09 - Tebow gets 5 on 3rd and 6. Offensive holding will make it 3rd and 16. Phil Simms suggests Patriots should decline penalty, and they do. 4th and 1. Broncos attempt field goal.
Good from 26 yards.
16-7 Broncos.
Update: Eagles 14, Jets 0. Patriots clinch division with a win or Jets loss.
13:34 - Brady to Hernandez for 7. Simms said he took for granted the Patriots could stop the inside run, but they have not stopped anything. I agree.
Brady to Welker for a 1st down.
12:45 - Woodhead runs for 8. 3rd and 2.
12:20 - Shotgun draw to Hernandez, rushes for 16. Someone is getting off the line fast for Denver. May be Von Miller.
10:51 - Brady to Woodhead for 12. 1st down to the 31.
10:21 - Woodhead runs for 5 and is flattened by DJ Williams.
9:57 - Woodhead for 6 more. 1st down.
9:18 - Brady to Welker...ruling on the field is touchdown. I think it stands. Nice diving catch. Brady saw something and audibled to the play. Well done.
Ok - Welker was touched at the 1. Good call. 1st and goal.
Look for BJGE here.
8:54 - Ben Jarvis runs left, does not get in.
Brian Waters down.
8:43 - Brady to Hernandez. Touchdown. 16-14 Broncos.
That was 2nd and goal from a foot away and they throw into the end zone. That says all you need to know about the Patriots offense.
Matt Damon is in a movie called We Bought a Zoo. Uh...ok.
8:31 - Fumble, Ninkovich recovers. Fletcher was tackling and Brace knocked it out. Patriots ball on the 19.
8:10 - Ridley for 9. Nice call, nice run.
7:35 - Brady sneak for 2. 1st and goal on the 8.
6:59 - Short pass to Hernandez for 3.
6:28 - Woodhead for 2. Saw that one coming before it happened. 3rd and goal on the 3.
5:52 - Brady to Hernandez incomplete. Very close...Patriots do not challenge and kick a 21 yard field goal.
Patriots 17 Broncos 16
Gostkowski's kickoff almost sails into the stands. I know Denver is at high altitude, but I do not like the decision to move the kickoff up to the 35 yard line.
4:32 - Another fumble; Patriots ball. Mark Anderson stripped Tebow and recovered. Great play by Anderson. Patriots take over around the Denver 40.
3:57 - Should be encroachment. Yup. 2nd and 5. Von Miller gets off the line faster than most anybody I have seen. He jumped into the neutral zone that time.
2:59 - BJGE up the middle. Bad spot? Pats go for it on 4th and 1. Timeout Patriots. Would be a 48 yard field goal. Why not kick it?
2:07 - Ok, that's why. Brady calls the timeout to switch out of a run. Stumbles dropping back, but still passes to Hernandez, who gets down to the 6.
Tom Brady is so smart on the field. I bet it is overlooked by most watching on TV. Remember the audible on the pass to Welker. Brady takes them out of bad situations and puts them into good ones. Great thing to watch.
2 minute warning
1:53 - Ridley to the 1. I like the Patriots decision to give him some touches in crucial situations.
1:12 - Brady sneak for touchdown. Quick-snapped and barely got there.
Patriots 24-16.
0:53 - Denver goes 3 and out. Thanks for the extra possession...
Updates: Andre Carter is out for the game. Looks like Waters is ok.
0:34 - Brady to Gronkowski for 15. Spike it. Need a few more yards to get into field goal range.
0:18 - Took a shot and missed Hernandez.
0:14 - Incomplete to Faulk. Punt.
0:04 - Fumbled punt by Quan Cosby. Patriots will get to attempt their field goal. Gift. He shouldn't have touched the ball. Coach should have told him to stay away.
0:00 - 34 yard field goal is good. Patriots 27-16.
Halftime
The defense has been horrible, save a couple of good individual plays.
Brady has been good. Some very smart decisions turned the game.
Hope Andre Carter is not out for the season. That would be a big loss.
Denver pressed a little and played into the Patriots hands by getting away from what made them successful early.
Patriots get the ball back to begin the 3rd quarter.
Been wanting to mention Jerod Mayo signed a contract extension this week. That is great news. Looks like 5 years and close to the top of the market (Patrick Willis). He is the quarterback of the defense and stands out amongst a bad group. But he'll be there when they turn it around.
Eagles 28 Jets 13 at the half.
3rd Quarter:
14:49 - Brady to Gronkowski for -4. Brady also absorbed a hit. Ugh.
14:19 - Team meeting at the quarterback. Brady was not ready for the snap and Denver was all over him.
13:39 - Delay of game. 3rd and 24.
13:12 - Brady to Welker for about 14. But, flag - hands to the face means the Patriots get a 1st down. Robert Ayres was holding Matt Light's facemask.
12:16 - 3rd and 6 after an incompletion to Ocho. Brady hits Underwood for 13, out to the 28. Underwood is not a bad guy to have out there.
11:32 - Nice run by Ridley. Mankins pulling keyed the play. 24 yard gain.
Jim Nantz notes the Patriots are keeping the Broncos off the field. Something like 8 snaps since the 1st quarter.
10:15 - Brady sacked on 3rd and 7. Will have to punt. This drive could have been a lot worse. Fair catch by Eddie Royal (not Cosby) at the 11.
9:04 - Broncos back to running the ball. McGahee back in the game.
8:23 - Excellent pass from Tebow to Thomas for 16.
7:56 - Lance Ball ran right into Kyle Love. End of play.
5:08 - Tebow sacked by Mark Anderson. Good coverage by DB's. 4th down. Edelman tacked where he catches it. Patriots ball on the 15 yard line.
3:57 - Nice play by Brady to BJGE for 21. Hold on Denver declined.
3:38 - BenJarvis for 7.
3:14 - BenJarvis for 2. 3rd and 1.
1:56 - BenJarvis ran for another 6 to get the 1st down, then Brady to Welker for another 12.
1:30 - Facemask on Denver after a Brady pass to Hernandez. 1st and 10 on the 14.
1:07 - Brady to Gronkowski for 4.
0:39 - Woodhead follows some nice blocking and doesn't stop until the end zone. 10 yard draw play touchdown. Patriots 34-16.
This is going to be too much for Tebow Time to overcome. About where I expected the lead to be, but a little more action early than I expected (didn't think the Patriots defense would get abused so badly at the beginning of the game). I said 30-13 for a final...
0:36 - Quan Cosby has a lot of skill, but that isn't going to do him much good if he can't hang on to the ball. Almost lost the kickoff. Denver is backed up inside their 10.
0:29 - Holding penalty puts them back to the 4.
End of 3rd quarter 34-16 Patriots.
4th Quarter:
14:51 - Wacky play. Not even going to describe that. 3rd and 14.
14:37 - Tebow runs for 10. Denver will punt. Edelman returns it to the 40.
BTW - Edelman's legal matter was resolved this week. Charges against him were dropped. I have no idea what happened, so I have no further comment.
13:48 - Brady to BenJarvis for 10. Patriots can dink-and-dunk you to death.
Brady went over 4,500 yards for the season. He can get Marino's record for yards in a single season - just a question of if Brees and Rodgers will as well.
12:59 - As he gets sacked by Elvis Dumerville. That was a hard hit. Legal. Time for Zoltan the Punter again.
11:19 - Denver takes over somewhere around their own 12 yard line.
10:23 - Tebow completed a couple passes.
10:08 - Mark Anderson sacks Tebow again.
9:30 - Tebow completes a long one to Thomas. Nice play on 3rd and 18. However a DB should have been closer to Thomas. 39 yards. Good play by the offense. Poor coverage by the defense.
8:51 - Tebow to Ball for 34. Down around the 2. Injured Patriot. Not sure who.
On the surface 10-16 for 179 is not bad. It's safe, but you need a QB to make more passing plays. Tebow just had two in a row, but few before that.
8:41 - Tebow takes it from the shotgun and runs for the touchdown. 34-23 Patriots.
Eagles 45 Jets 13. Patriots will clinch AFC East today.
8:01 - Denver blitzes, Gronkowski wide open, gains 38 yards.
7:20 - Ridley for 3. Like Ridley's running style. He has had some good touches today.
6:39 - Brady to Hernandez. 1st down.
5:52 - Brady to Hernandez for a 1st down. Wiped out by holding on Ryan Wendell. 2nd and 14.
5:22 - No problem. Brady to Hernandez down to the 1.
I want to see Ridley off-tackle. 12 men on the field on Denver. BJGE was out there.
4:24 - Brady sneak doesn't get there. Timeout Denver.
BP sponsored "Come on down and visit the Gulf" commercial. Seen a few of those. They did significant damage to the gulf coast. They should be held accountable.
4:14 - Brady sneak again. Not in. Denver player down. Timeout Broncos.
PLEASE STOP THAT.
4:10 - BJGE off-tackle (left). Touchdown. 41-23 Patriots.
Less play-by-play now.
3:11 - Tebow just ran for 30 yards. Ninkovich is going to be chasing Tebow in his nightmares.
2:17 - Ninkovich gets his man. 29 yard sack. Wow.
Patriots ball.
Broncos ball.
Patriots ball.
Just waiting for this to end...
Final: 41-23
The Patriots are the AFC East Champions.
9 out of 11 division titles is quite a run of success. Now they need to keep winning and get a bye.
Five Stars:
Tom Brady
Mark Anderson
Aaron Hernandez
Logan Mankins
Patriots Offensive Line (played well, allowed a couple sacks, few penalties)
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