Manning is too smart to be outsmarted twice in the same year by NE.However, belicheck gets into his head(manning's) and always has. I believe Belicheck runs similar game plan to what helped Baltimore stay in the game lastyrn the road in Denver. I can see one dog covering this weekendand I believe its NE.I do think Denver wins game however.
As a NE fan I felt our season was over when Vince Wilfork went down. I am shocked that Belicheck has gotten team to this point (conf championship game) without him. the difference prior to this year when NE played without wilfork in lineup was about .08 yards per carry on average (hence Moreno's huge game earlier this year against NE)
I believe both teams will run the ball. Denver wants to limit Brady's chances just as much as NE will wantsto play keep away from Manning..
However, brady will test Bronco's secondary and if he doesn't get greedy(and he is usually pretty smart not to) then Bronco's could be in trouble. Bronco's didn't finish well against SD and Rivers and didn't finish well against Balt and Flacco last year.( a pattern here? and not a good one either!)
L Blount will get the rock late in the game unless its a Denver blowout . He is one of these backs that gets stronger as the game goes on.
No Von Miller and No dB harris(harris was rated 9th best cb in league in one stats poll), should keep NE hanging in on this for this game. Peyton finds a way to pull it out at the end.
Read that Belicheck and Owner Kraft feel this team closely resembles 01 team that beat rams in SB.The patriots in my humble opinion have been playing on borrowed money ALL year since wilfork injury. then they lost LB mayo,DL Kelly(wilforks replacement !),OL Vollmer,Gronkowski,and now LB Brandon spikes.I think they cover and lose game .The Vig on borrowed money for losing too many elite starters comes due. PS there isn't a bookie in NE that isn't praying for DEN and Under
Good Luck Boss