So the Patriots fall to 10-4 (how's your 36 for 65 for 443 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs in-a-losing-effort arm doing, pretty boy?), giving the Denver Broncos sole possession of the 2nd seed in the AFC playoffs (the Houston Texans currently hold the 1st seed at 11-2)....
...if they win their final 2 games against Cleveland and Kansas City at home, that would mean Denver gets a first playoff round bye and hosts a second playoff round game at Mile High - the Broncos would be guaranteed to play their next 3 games at home. And, if they win their next 3 (the Broncos are currently on a 9-0 winning streak), the worst case scenario is that they'd have to travel to the dome in Houston to play the Texans for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But if Houston happens to lose their last 2 games of the season (they host the Vikings next Sunday, and close out the season against the Colts in Indy) or they lose their first playoff game, the right to go to the Super Bowl would be settled in Denver.
Today, the Broncos dominated the now 9-5 Ravens in Baltimore 34-17, the very first time Denver has beaten Baltimore on the Raven's home field in the 29 years Pat Bowlen has owned the Broncos; the Broncos were riding a 0-5 losing streak when they arrived in the Orioles hometown for today's game.
But the Broncos have Peyton Manning at QB now, and Manning was riding a personal 8 consecutive game winning streak against the birds, and a 4-0 record against Baltimore in the bird's house. After today's win, Manning's numbers increase to 9 straight and 5-0, respectively.
Future Hall of Famer Manning only had a very good personal game today compared to his great lifetime stats, going 17 for 28 for 204 yards and 1 TD with no INTs, with those less than stellar numbers definitely relating to a career first for Manning today: the Broncos rushed 45 times today, the most rushes on a Manning-led team during his 15 years in the league. Those 45 runs racked-up 163 yards and contributed heavily to controlling the clock in Denver's favor: the Broncos possessed the ball more than 17 minutes longer than the Ravens.
And the Bronco defense is showing concrete signs that it has indeed formed into a highly effective unit: a 98-yard interception for a touchdown (the longest in Bronco history), holding Raven Ray Rice to a mere 38 yards rushing (Baltimore could only accumulate 56 total rushing yards), and denying 3-time Raven Pro Bowl WR Anquan Boldin a reception - the first time any team since 2005 has accomplished that, snapping a streak of 106 consecutive games that Boldin had caught at least one pass, the 5th longest streak for active players.
Plus, the Denver Broncos did not have a turnover for the first time this season. And during their current 9 game winning streak, Denver has outscored their opponents by a combined 114 points, or an average margin of victory of over 12.7 points.
Manning, despite his game-planned deferment to the running game today, did go over 4,000 passing yards for the season, the 12th time he's passed for more than 4K in his career - another NFL record (Drew Brees has passed for at least 4K 7 times in his career, and both Dan Marino and Brett Farve did it 6 times)...
...and Manning also rang-up a NFL record nine 11-win seasons today, breaking a tie with Farve at 8; Tom Brady has 7 11-win seasons, John Elway - Peyton's boss now - had 6, and Buffalo's Jim Kelley had 5.
The Broncos' drubbing of Baltimore was so humiliating that by the middle of the 4th quarter half of the Baltimore stadium was empty, and Raven future Hall of Famer Ed Reed admitted after the game:
Baltimore QB Joe Flacco quipped:
The Broncos haven't lost since October 7 @ New England, and if the Patriots and Broncos happen to meet again this season, it's now most likely to be at the Bronco's home, Mile High (the Pats close out the season at Jacksonville and host Miami).
Don't forget, too, that the Super Bowl is played in New Orleans this time...
...Peyton Manning's hometown.
...if they win their final 2 games against Cleveland and Kansas City at home, that would mean Denver gets a first playoff round bye and hosts a second playoff round game at Mile High - the Broncos would be guaranteed to play their next 3 games at home. And, if they win their next 3 (the Broncos are currently on a 9-0 winning streak), the worst case scenario is that they'd have to travel to the dome in Houston to play the Texans for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But if Houston happens to lose their last 2 games of the season (they host the Vikings next Sunday, and close out the season against the Colts in Indy) or they lose their first playoff game, the right to go to the Super Bowl would be settled in Denver.
Today, the Broncos dominated the now 9-5 Ravens in Baltimore 34-17, the very first time Denver has beaten Baltimore on the Raven's home field in the 29 years Pat Bowlen has owned the Broncos; the Broncos were riding a 0-5 losing streak when they arrived in the Orioles hometown for today's game.
But the Broncos have Peyton Manning at QB now, and Manning was riding a personal 8 consecutive game winning streak against the birds, and a 4-0 record against Baltimore in the bird's house. After today's win, Manning's numbers increase to 9 straight and 5-0, respectively.
Future Hall of Famer Manning only had a very good personal game today compared to his great lifetime stats, going 17 for 28 for 204 yards and 1 TD with no INTs, with those less than stellar numbers definitely relating to a career first for Manning today: the Broncos rushed 45 times today, the most rushes on a Manning-led team during his 15 years in the league. Those 45 runs racked-up 163 yards and contributed heavily to controlling the clock in Denver's favor: the Broncos possessed the ball more than 17 minutes longer than the Ravens.
And the Bronco defense is showing concrete signs that it has indeed formed into a highly effective unit: a 98-yard interception for a touchdown (the longest in Bronco history), holding Raven Ray Rice to a mere 38 yards rushing (Baltimore could only accumulate 56 total rushing yards), and denying 3-time Raven Pro Bowl WR Anquan Boldin a reception - the first time any team since 2005 has accomplished that, snapping a streak of 106 consecutive games that Boldin had caught at least one pass, the 5th longest streak for active players.
Plus, the Denver Broncos did not have a turnover for the first time this season. And during their current 9 game winning streak, Denver has outscored their opponents by a combined 114 points, or an average margin of victory of over 12.7 points.
Manning, despite his game-planned deferment to the running game today, did go over 4,000 passing yards for the season, the 12th time he's passed for more than 4K in his career - another NFL record (Drew Brees has passed for at least 4K 7 times in his career, and both Dan Marino and Brett Farve did it 6 times)...
...and Manning also rang-up a NFL record nine 11-win seasons today, breaking a tie with Farve at 8; Tom Brady has 7 11-win seasons, John Elway - Peyton's boss now - had 6, and Buffalo's Jim Kelley had 5.
The Broncos' drubbing of Baltimore was so humiliating that by the middle of the 4th quarter half of the Baltimore stadium was empty, and Raven future Hall of Famer Ed Reed admitted after the game:
Baltimore QB Joe Flacco quipped:
The Broncos haven't lost since October 7 @ New England, and if the Patriots and Broncos happen to meet again this season, it's now most likely to be at the Bronco's home, Mile High (the Pats close out the season at Jacksonville and host Miami).
Don't forget, too, that the Super Bowl is played in New Orleans this time...
...Peyton Manning's hometown.
D) for 2012 NFL Comeback Player of the Year...
