Consistency is something that even in a season over 10 times smaller than that of the MLB remains a highly sought after quality within a NFL roster.
Lucky for Patriots fans, the same Denver Broncos that won 17 straight regular season games spanning both the 2012 and 2013 seasons has struggled to find that incomparable consistency of late as following a week 7 loss to Peyton Manning's former Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos have gone a far from respectable 5 and 3 each loss bringing them and the Patriots closer to one another in the standings.
As it stands, Denver has a one game lead on the Patriots for the best record in the AFC. However they have also played one more game than New England the last of which being one that may have cost them their season. For both the Patriots and the Broncos, things got crazy in Week 12 as who can forget what has been certified to be the greatest statistical comeback in Patriots history.
For those who do not remember the Patriots who fumbled the ball 3 times in first quarter came storming back in the second half and scored a whopping 31 points in the half thus tying the game and shipping it off to OT. From there, the Patriots would defer the kick choosing to play with the wind rather than get the ball first. While the decision by Bellichick was originally questioned he was once again hailed as a genius 13 minutes of game time later when Stephan Gostkowski booted the game winner through the uprights with the wind blowing at his back.
Since that faithful game, many mid-season favorites have faltered some of which were not even replaced. Peyton Manning has struggled in the cold and while 11 and 3 is still a record to be proud of the thought of a QB who, when cold, is playing no better than Tim Tebow, piloting your team through the 15 degree temperatures of an AFC championship hosted in Denver must be scary to Broncos fans. Furthermore, the Kansas City Cheifs who began the season with one of their best starts in decades have also fallen on their faces in past games going 3 and 1 since Week 6.
With 2 of the best teams in the AFC now looking weak this Patriots team that is admittedly riddled with problems itself is still winning games despite its deficiencies and has its fans cautiously dreaming about what it would take for their team take the trip to NY come February.
One of the biggest steps the Patriots would need to take in order to make that a reality is grab the number 1 seed in the AFC and in turn guarantee themselves the chance to host the AFC title game should they get that far. With Thursday's Broncos loss it has been made clear that all it will take to do that is a New England victory in each of their remaining 3 games against Miami, Baltimore and Buffalo respectively.
When asked for his opinion on the now golden opportunity, Bill Belichick wad even more cautions than his fans in his quick retort.
“Yeah, there’s nothing we can do about anything except what we do, so I don’t really care about anybody else,” Belichick said.
That near worthless response was all reporters would get out of Bill and yet they were once again shut down when Danny Ammendola gave them a response similar in its simplicity and slightly biting lack of concern.
“We’re just worried about the Miami Dolphins,” Amendola said, when asked if the playoff picture is on anyone’s mind.
With Rob Gronkowski out of the lineup, the Patriots will travel to Miami on Sunday afternoon with a more immediate reward on the table should they win. The division title.
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