Broncos loss opens door for Patriots

November 16th, 2014
by Dakota Antelman

Two weeks after losing to the Patriots, the Broncos needed a win and a Patriots loss Sunday to regain the top spot in the AFC. But a 22-7 loss to the Rams erased any opportunity to do that. What is worse for the Broncos is the fact that the loss opens a door for the Patriots to actually run away with the number one seed.

The Broncos came into Week 11 having played the same number of games as the Patriots. Both teams were 7-2 but, due to their 43-21 victory over Denver in Week 9, the Patriots held the number one seed in the conference.

Getting and holding onto the number one seed is crucial for both teams as they currently sit as favorites to meet in January’s AFC Championship Game. Obviously, the team with the superior record would get home field advantage in that game. That is something that the past proves to be crucial in deciding the winner of these games. Most notably, Peyton Manning has not beaten Brady on the road since his move to Denver.

But after Sunday’s loss to the Rams, the Denver fan base has been given reason to fear Manning being forced to try again to beat Brady on the road.

If New England can beat the Colts Sunday night, they will suddenly be two full games ahead of the Broncos in the standings. Furthermore after Denver was not only demoralized but also decimated by injuries, one wonders if this could be a major turning point in the season for the Patriots biggest competitor.

But in the end nothing changes if New England does not beat the Colts. The ball is in their court now and Brady and company are now in charge of pulling out a tough, gritty win against ever powerful Andrew Luck.