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Kiszla: Go home, chowderheads - Broncos don't want you here

By Mark Kiszla The Post January 17, 2014

No offense to proper Bostonians or any wicked arrogant fan of the . But the Broncos do not want you here in Denver. The local NFL franchise did not give blood, sweat and tears all season long to surrender its home-field advantage to an invasion of loudmouths from New England. No chowderheads allowed.

"I've got a lot of friends back on the East Coast. ... But I was a true Bronco, because I had people call me (for tickets) who said they were lifelong Patriots fans and I told them: 'Absolutely not. You're not getting in,' " former Denver safety John Lynch said Thursday.

For the AFC championship game, the home team has secured its stadium with a ticket policy that discourages -loving interlopers from entering the gates of Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

"Our fans remember what happened during the last AFC championship in Denver, and they didn't like it," Broncos president said.

Call it the power of . Salute the loyalty of Broncomaniacs. The stadium will be a sea of orange when Denver plays New England.

The devotion to this team has been unreal. When the Broncos were 9-2 and tied with Kansas City for first place in the AFC West, team management asked season- ticket holders to place orders on two home playoff games, at a time when even a single home playoff game was in doubt. Ninety-six percent of the team's customers backed the faith in Manning and Co. with their hard-earned money.

"That shows how much the fans believed in this team," Ellis said.

The Broncos, however, took one more measure in a clever attempt to ban Bostonians in Denver. When tickets were offered for the AFC championship game to the general public, there was one very strict rule: Orders were only processed to billing addresses in eight states. Colorado and Montana were included on the approved list. Massachusetts was not.

The 2,800 tickets sold out in 10 minutes to ZIP codes firmly in Broncos Country. Consider this a lesson learned the hard way by Denver.

It has been eight, long years since the Broncos advanced to the conference championship game. After beating New England in the AFC semifinals in a game that turned on a 100-yard return by , Denver won the right to host Pittsburgh with a trip to the on the line.

On a sunny, 54-degree afternoon in January 2006, everything was beautiful at the stadium, except for the ugly swarm of yellow Terrible Towels twirled by thousands of Steelers fans who purchased tickets to the game. The home-field advantage for Denver was wrecked so extensively it shook up veteran players.

"It was brutal. I'll never forget walking out in the stadium with Champ (Bailey) as we were going out for DB drills early, before the game. We both looked at each other and said: 'What is this?' The problem with the Pittsburgh fans was the Terrible Towels are so visible, so it felt like there were more Steelers fans than Broncos fans," Lynch recalled.

"You shouldn't let that affect you. But I think it affected us. It affected our team, and the Steelers got off to a hot start. ... We let a great opportunity go. It was a sickening feeling, and I think people in the Broncos organization, from that day forward, decided: 'We can't let this happen again.' "

Pittsburgh completed his first five passes, and the Steelers scored on all four of their first-half possessions. Down 24-3 at intermission, the Broncos never recovered. The sad day was the beginning of the end for coach .

Here's the untold reason: There were so many Pittsburgh fans in the stadium because demand for seats by Denver fans was so subdued. Despite the 13-3 regular-season record by the Broncos, approximately 30 percent of their season- ticket holders declined to reserve spots for the playoffs.

In the most direct way possible, customers of the 2005 edition of the Broncos had given Shanahan a vote of no-confidence in his ability to win a championship. The coach's relationship with franchise owner began what proved to be an irreversible decline.

One of the most magical rides in Denver sports history was Rocktober 2007. The scrappy local team refused to lose, winning 21-of-22 games en route to the World Series.

Then, the magic ended with a thud ... and the ugly sound of fans chanting in LoDo, as the Red Sox swept the World Series. An ill-conceived ticket policy gave access to so many loudmouth New Englanders to Coors Field that the Rockies might as well have played Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" during the eighth inning of Game 4.

Well, enough of that sorry noise.

Full of themselves after recent championships by their major-league hockey, baseball and franchises, New England fans act like they invented every game.

The Broncos found an inventive way to shut them up.

In the House of Manning, there will be no chowderheads allowed. can match Peyton Manning's high football IQ

By Mike Klis The Denver Post January 17, 2014

To show how week can turn the fiercest competitors into a perpetual shaka state of tranquility, even Peyton Manning and Bill Belichick have been known to relax.

Unwind in each other's company too. It was at the 2006 season's Pro Bowl in Honolulu when Manning and Belichick shared a poolside table. Talked and talked and talked. Phil Simms was there.

"It was a great day," Simms said this week during a CBS conference call. "As we were doing it, Belichick was reluctant and Peyton goes, 'Come on, sit down. I get to ask you two questions. I get to ask you two questions and you get to ask me two.' "

In some ways, Manning vs. Tom Brady has been an unfair fight. Brady always had Belichick on his side. Manning was on a playoff tear after torching the Broncos and Chiefs in the 2003 season. It was Belichick who devised a unique defense to shut down Manning and his in 2003 and again in 2004.

Belichick has gone 11-6 against Manning since becoming the Patriots' coach in 2000. Manning finally broke through in 2006 — beating Belichick's Patriots in the AFC championship game, then going on to win the Super Bowl.

So perhaps Manning, who possesses perhaps the highest football IQ ever at the quarterback position, was a little more at ease in asking Belichick, a coaching genius and Manning's intellectual match, to swap thoughts.

"As I remember it, there was reluctance on both sides," Manning said this week at his locker. "It was a guarded conversation, put it that way."

Maybe, but there is talking, and there is reading each other, subtly picking up morsels of information to file away.

With Manning and Belichick, there usually is a day each season, sometimes two, when they match minds. They will meet again Sunday for the second time this season, this time for another AFC championship with Manning playing for the Broncos and at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The biggest question leading into the game should be WWBD. What Will Belichick Do? Because he will come up with something.

"One of the greatest parts of this rivalry through the years has been the way Belichick operates his defense," , Manning's longtime center with the Colts, said during an ESPN conference call Thursday. "We would have a number of football games and they may have been a 3-4 (defense) the whole season and you show up and they're playing a 4-3.

"We've had games where they would start out dropping eight and only rushing three. Not worrying about pressuring the quarterback, but trying to create lane matchups for the quarterback to fit the ball in. And then he would have other games where he would bring pressure and not worry about covering as much over the top."

There was a famous game in 2009 when Belichick's Patriots had the lead late, but sensing his defense no longer could stop the hot-throwing Manning, went for it on fourth-and-2 deep in his own territory. That decision didn't work out.

But in a Nov. 24 game this season against Denver, Belichick gave Manning the ball first after winning the overtime coin toss. Belichick bet Manning couldn't score against a stiff wind in New England on his first possession. He won that bet.

That also was the game during which Belichick used only five or six defenders in the box, daring Denver to run. And run Denver did: Knowshon Moreno gained 224 of the Broncos' 280 yards rushing that night. Problem is, Manning threw for only 150 yards and the Broncos lost 34-31. That strategy shouldn't have worked because the Broncos led 24-0 at halftime, but two second-half turnovers got New England back in the game.

"If you look at the last game, he still had the utmost respect for Peyton Manning because he says 'I don't believe Knowshon Moreno can beat me running the football,' " said CBS analyst , a former Broncos star. " 'I'm so convinced of that, I'm going to let you rush for over 200 yards with one guy.' "

Where Belichick really made his mark against Manning, though, was in the AFC title game of the 2003 season. Manning was scorching hot, throwing for eight (zero ) and 681 yards while producing a combined 79 points in two playoff victories over the Broncos and Chiefs. But in the AFC championship game against Belichick's Pats, Manning threw four interceptions in a 24-14 loss. By the start of the next season, the NFL had changed the rules so that defensive backs couldn't maul receivers — as Belichick's secondary did during that AFC title game against , and .

"We had come off record numbers against the Chiefs and played really well, and we went into New England and those guys mugged our receivers," Saturday said. "They jammed them on the line. They would grab or hold our tight ends, or Willie McGinest would give them a shot on the way out.

"It was particularly effective because no one had done that to us and it messed up the timing of the routes. They knew that if they could ride our receivers for three or four extra steps, they were willing to give up a holding call or willing to give up a potential penalty to not give up the big play. And what that did to an offense like ours is, it made us move into a slow, rushing style, or a check down, or even a screen-type team. Which played into their strength."

Solving Mr. Bill

Since Bill Belichick became New England's in 2000, the Patriots are 11- 6 against Peyton Manning-led teams, including a 2-1 record in playoff meetings. In those 17 games, Manning has thrown 35 passes and 23 interceptions while his teams have averaged 24.1 points per game. A look at Manning's three playoff games against the Belichick-coached Patriots:

Year Playoff Score Com. Att. Yards TDs Int.

2003 AFC championship L, 24-14 23 47 237 1 4

2004 Divisional L, 20-3 27 42 238 0 1

2006 AFC championship W, 38-24 27 47 349 1 1

Totals Record: 1-2 77 136 824 2 6

John Elway gets passing grade with Broncos But Broncos boss says it's not "as much fun upstairs as it is down on the field"

By Mike Klis The Denver Post January 17, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD , NJ -SEPTEMBER 15: Executive VP of Football Operations walks on the file during pre game warmups between the Denver Broncos and the September 15, 2013 MetLIFE Stadium. (Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post) (THE DENVER POST | John Leyba)

If John Elway's work as the Broncos' front office boss is to match his bygone excellence as the team's quarterback, he must pass through two phases.

Phase I can be called the phase. This is the task of rebuilding a team from the 4-12 disaster Elway inherited three years ago into a Super Bowl contender. Check. The Broncos have won AFC West Division titles and reached the "Elite Eight" of the NFL playoffs in each of Elway's three seasons. And this season the Broncos have reached the league's version of the "Final Four" as they play the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game Sunday afternoon at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Phase II is when a coach or executive is asked to sustain success over a period of years. Parcells was known to bail out during this phase. Say the Broncos beat the Patriots and then win the Super Bowl. Is Elway in it for the long haul?

"I keep saying this. Everyone wants to talk about winning now, and I've always known it's about winning from now on," Elway said. "When you have success it gets tougher because it means you have a lot of great players and it makes those decisions tougher when you go into the following year. I look forward to that challenge."

In a wide-ranging roundtable conversation Thursday with 14 local and national writers, Elway admitted playoff time was much more fun as a quarterback than a front-office executive.

"It takes some getting used to," he said. "I enjoy watching the regular-season games, but I was absolutely miserable last week watching. It took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach when it was over. It's not nearly as much fun upstairs as it is down on the field, especially these championship games and the playoffs. "But I'm also proud of being a part of it. Being able to help put the team together, put the coaches together and the personnel side, for everything to come together. There is more of a quiet pride than it is being a quarterback when everybody is patting you on the back."

Was that pit especially large on third-and-17 late in the fourth quarter when Denver needed to convert for a first down?

"Yes," he said. "It started growing about the middle of the third quarter. It felt pretty good at halftime."

It's been three years almost to the day since Elway was hired by owner Pat Bowlen to take control of the Broncos' football department. At the time, Elway had a decent idea of the challenges confronting him in rebuilding a roster. He did not anticipate so many crises coming across his large desk.

"Uh, no," Elway said. "No. But when you have problems, being a good leader is taking care of those and making sure everyone feels comfortable that when the house is on fire that we go ahead and take care of our business and realize there's a solution to this and we'll get through this. I've tried to be that rock on the front side, saying we'll get it covered, we'll get it handled." John Elway says move from player to executive takes adjustment come playoff time

By Mike Klis The Denver Post January 16, 2014

John Elway admits it still takes some getting used to.

This transition from quarterback to football executive. As he was putting together a Hall of Fame career as the Broncos' quarterback, Elway enjoyed the playoffs.

His job now is putting together the Broncos' roster that defeated the San Diego Chargers in the second-round of the playoffs last week, a victory that put his team in the AFC championship game Sunday against the New England Patriots.

His current position is less enjoyable come playoff time.

"It's very different," Elway said Thursday during a roundtable discussion with several local and national writers in the Broncos' upstairs conference room. "It takes some getting used to. I enjoy watching the regular-season games, but I was absolutely miserable last week watching this game. It took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach when it was over. It's not nearly as much fun upstairs as it is down on the field, especially these championship games and the playoffs.

"But I'm also proud of being a part of it. Being able to help put the team together, put the coaches together and the personnel side, for everything to come together. There is more of a quiet pride than it is being a quarterback when everybody is patting you on the back."

Was that pit especially large on third-and-17?

"Yes," he said. "It started growing about the middle of the third quarter. It felt pretty good at halftime."

In the middle of the third quarter, Broncos Chris Harris suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. This past week, Elway signed cornerback Marquice Cole.

It's been three years almost to the day since Elway was hired by owner Pat Bowlen to take control of the Broncos' football department. The team he inherited was coming off a 4-12 season that led to the dismissal of coach and football operations boss Josh McDaniels.

In the three years since, the Broncos have won three AFC West titles and advanced to the playoffs' second round — the NFL's Elite Eight — all three years. This is the first time that Elway the executive has reached the Final Four. In the AFC championship, Elway's Broncos will play a Pats team that has McDaniels as .

When Elway took over the front office, he anticipated the challenges of rebuilding a roster. He did not anticipate so many crisis coming across his large desk.

"Uh, no," Elway said. "No. But when you have problems,being a good leader is taking care of those and making sure everyone feels comfortable that when the house is on fire that we go ahead and take care of our business and realize there's a solution to this and we'll get through this. I've tried to be that rock on the front side, saying we'll get it covered, we'll get it handled."

His problems started early in the offseason when his top two assistants, Matt Russell and Tom Heckert, were arrested on drunk driving charges, then his star defensive player, , was suspended for violating the league's drug policy.

"Both those ruined my summer," Elway said. "I remember where I was sitting when I got both those phone calls.

"But I'm proud of the outcome. I'm proud of the way the team has played and kept the focus. The leadership on the football team as well the coaching staff has been tremendous and keeping mentally tough and dealing with different situations we've had this year."

Although the Broncos were 13-3 and the No. 1 seed each of the past two years, Elway said even before beating San Diego last week his team was better equipped for a successful playoff run this year.

"Last year everybody was building us up," he said. "And sometimes that hurts you. This year I think there's more of an underdog mentality for us in the fact that no one thought we were going to get by San Diego." Tom Brady is 7-0 against NFL defenses guided by Jack Del Rio

By Patrick Saunders The Denver Post January 17, 2014

The numbers scream that Tom Brady has Jack Del Rio's number.

Brady has faced a Del Rio-coached defense seven times during his NFL career and put on a quarterback clinic each time.

The raw data: Brady has completed 171-of-235 passes (73 percent) for 1,771 yards, 17 touchdowns and zero interceptions. That's a passer rating of 121.1 against Del Rio, now Denver's .

Brady's record against Del Rio in those games is 7-0, including playoff victories over Jacksonville in 2005 and 2007 when Del Rio was the Jaguars' head coach.

Such lopsided history could be a barometer come Sunday afternoon when the Broncos host Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.

"I just think (Brady) is a good player and prepares hard," Del Rio said Thursday. "They do a nice job with their schemes and he's an accurate passer. He's a smart guy, a competitive guy."

Brady's numbers include this season's Nov. 24 game when the Patriots stormed back from a 24-0 halftime deficit to stun the Broncos 34-31 in overtime in Foxborough, Mass. Del Rio was pulling double duty that night, working as defensive coordinator and interim head coach while John Fox recovered from heart surgery.

Denver's defense held the Patriots to a meager 134 yards in the first half, when Brady was only 10-of-17 passing for 81 yards and was sacked three times. Del Rio's attacking defense gave Denver a 7-0 lead when forced a and Von Miller picked it up and raced 60 yards for a first-quarter touchdown.

But the tenor of the game changed completely in the second half. Brady was 24-of- 33 for 263 yards and three touchdowns. He thinks that game taught the Patriots a lesson.

"I think it's important to see what we did — well, I know what we did," Brady told reporters in Foxborough on Thursday. "We turned it over three times in the first quarter and we couldn't do anything offensively. We were just pretty terrible and they played good. "They did some things that challenged us. However, the game ebbs and flows. You are not going to play 30 minutes against this team and think you have it all figured out."

The Broncos believe they let the Patriots get up off the mat, failing to deliver a knockout punch.

"When you're up 24-0, we've just got to find a way to step on their throat and just put them away," said Denver defensive . "We didn't do that. If we're in the same position again, we've just got to finish better."

Brady vs. Del Rio

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has thrived against defenses coached by Jack Del Rio, now the Broncos' defensive coordinator:

REGULAR SEASON

Season Team Score Comp. Att. Yards TDs Int. Rating

2003* Jacksonville W, 27-13 22 34 228 2 0 103.6

2006* Jacksonville W, 24-21 28 39 249 1 0 97.1

2009* Jacksonville W, 35-7 23 26 267 4 0 149.0

2012# Denver W, 31-21 23 31 223 1 0 104.6

2013# Denver W, 34-31 (OT) 34 50 344 3 0 107.4

PLAYOFFS

Season Team Score Comp. Att. Yards TDs Int. Rating

2005* Jacksonville W, 28-3 15 27 201 3 0 116.4

2007* Jacksonville W, 31-20 26 28 262 3 0 141.4

Totals Record: 7-0 171 235 1,771 17 0 121.1

* Del Rio as Jacksonville's head coach # Del Rio as Denver's defensive coordinator

Demaryius Thomas gets case nerves early

By Patrick Saunders The Denver Post January 17, 2014

The butterflies took flight early this week for Demaryius Thomas, an indication that a Super Bowl berth is on the line Sunday when the Broncos host the Patriots in the AFC championship game.

"I was kind of nervous at the beginning of the week. This is my first time being nervous at the beginning of the week," Thomas said Thursday. "Because we want to make it to the Super Bowl, and we also want to win. I think it is a little pressure on us, on myself for sure, because I was nervous at the beginning of the week when we started work."

But then Thomas attempted to ease the mind of troubled Broncos fans. "I get nervous sometimes. After the first play, I'm good," he said, laughing.

Manning's cab service. Come Sunday, and Jacob Tamme will climb into Peyton Manning's Buick and ride from the team hotel to Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It's a tradition.

Manning, of course, always drives, while Tamme rides shotgun and the 6-foot-3 Decker is relegated to the back seat. The music is usually preset by Manning.

"It's fun," Tamme said. "Those are my two good friends on the team. It's pretty cool. We ride together every game and get a chance to talk a little bit and get ready for what we're about to embark on. It's a pretty special thing."

Manning is a spokesman for Buick, and his television ads have been ubiquitous since he joined the Broncos. Tamme and Decker play off that.

"Yeah, we call Archie (Manning, Peyton's father) 'Papa Bear' and stuff on the way to the game," Tamme said. " 'Orange cone! Reroute!' It's fun."

Stats of note. Manning and New England's Tom Brady have played a combined 30 seasons and have won 28 playoff games. Their combined age of 74.3 is the oldest ever between opposing starting in a conference championship game.

While Manning and Brady combined for negative-13 rushing yards in 2013, their NFC counterparts, 's and San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick (combined age: 51.3), combined for 1,063 rushing yards. They have combined for six playoff victories in five seasons.

With a victory Sunday, the Patriots' Bill Belichick (19-8) would match (20-16) for the most postseason wins by a coach in NFL history. Belichick would also secure a sixth Super Bowl trip, tying for the most by any head coach.

Footnotes. ESPN's "NFL Nation Confidential" survey of more than 320 players found that Manning was the league's most respected player. Eighty-six players (27 percent) chose Manning, followed by Brady and Vikings in a tie for second with 24 votes each. ... Ring of Fame wide receiver Rod Smith will be Denver's honorary captain for Sunday's game. ... The Broncos reported no injuries Thursday, and all of the players were full-practice participants.

Peyton Manning: Broncos must focus on "finishing drives" vs. Patriots

By Patrick Saunders The Denver Post January 16, 2014

Exiting the field without a touchdown doesn't sit well with Peyton Manning, and the Broncos quarterback knows his team will have to be extra proficient when they host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game on Sunday.

Although the Broncos beat San Diego 24-17 in last Sunday's divisional playoff game, three Broncos drives fizzled out as the result of a fumble by Julius Thomas, a Manning interception inside the red zone and a missed by .

"We left plenty out on the field last week," Manning said after Thursday's practice at the team's Dove Valley headquarters. "We have to concentrate on finishing drives.

"Matt Prater has done a fantastic job, but we don't want to count on him for field goals. So finishing drives, scoring when we get a chance in the red zone, has been our emphasis this week."

Earlier in the day, all hands were on deck as the Broncos continued preparations for the Patriots. The Broncos reported no injuries, and all their players were full participants.

With a temperature of 39 degrees under cloudy skies, the Broncos continued installing their game plan for Sunday. The Broncos are a slight favorite as they attempt to advance to their first Super Bowl since the 1998 season.

In New England, Tom Brady was back after missing Wednesday's practice with an undisclosed illness.

"It was nothing. I feel great. Nothing at all," Brady told reporters as he came off the field. "We've been at it for a while. There were days I miss at practice, and you deal with them." Rod Smith named Broncos’ honorary captain for AFC championship game

By Patrick Saunders The Denver Post January 16, 2014

He won’t be joining Peyton Manning’s air corps, but Broncos Ring of Fame member Rod Smith will have a presence at Sunday’s AFC championship game.

The Broncos announced Thursday that Smith, who was inducted into the Ring of Fame in 2012, will serve as an honorary captain when the Broncos host the Patriots at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Smith, known for his intensity in games and at practice, is Denver’s career leader in receptions (849), receiving yards (11,839) and touchdown catches (68).

Smith knows a little something about postseason play. He was an integral part of the Broncos’ two Super Bowl championship teams (Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII) and owns postseason franchise records in catches (49), receiving yards (860) and receiving touchdowns (six). Peyton Manning voted NFL’s most- respected player

By Patrick Saunders The Denver Post January 16, 2014

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Peyton Manning has it, from players across the NFL.

As part of ESPN’s NFL Nation Confidential survey of more than 320 players, the questions were asked: “If you had to start a team with one player, whom would it be?” and “Which player do you respect the most?”

Manning topped the list in both categories. When asked what player would be best to start a team, Manning got 62 votes (19 percent). , the QB who replaced Manning in Indianapolis, was second with 56 votes, and Patriots QB Tom Brady, whom Manning will duel against in Sunday’s AFC title game, was third with 41 votes.

Manning got even more votes as the NFL’s most-respected player. Eighty-six players (27 percent) chose Manning, followed by Brady and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson who tied for second with 24 votes each.

It’s a no-brainer, of course, that Manning has the respect and admiration of his Broncos teammates. His work ethic seems to be the most admired trait.

“It’s not like you see the up-and-downs from Peyton,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “Peyton is always up, because he’s always ready, always prepared. And it’s good to see that firsthand.”

Receiver , who caught passes from both Manning and Brady, had this to say when asked what most impressed him about the two quarterbacks:

“I think with just the way they go about their business and the way they study, the way they keep guys accountable, the way show it by what they do on the field and off the field and preparing and they just keep guys accountable and make sure everyone is doing their jobs and when they’re not, letting them know when they’re not and staying on top of everybody.” Tom Brady on Josh McDaniels, the Patriots OC, returning to Denver

By Benjamin Hochman The Denver Post January 16, 2014

At Thursday’s news conference in New England, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked about our old buddy Josh McDaniels.

The former Broncos head coach, hated by some around these parts, has since returned to New England, where he’s the offensive coordinator.

The question posed to him was: “Josh McDaniels is going back to Denver. What is his motivation from what you can see?”

Here was Brady’s response:

“He’s always been very focused. We haven’t talked ever too long about his situation there. I know it’s something he dealt with and that’s in the past for him. He’s always got great focus this week. There’s no really motivation for our team other than trying to go and win a game and certainly win the biggest game of the year that we’ve played to this point. That’s all the motivation that we’re going to need. He’s always focused like he is every week.

“He’s one of the best coaches that I’ve ever been around and why I love being coached by him because he brings it every day. He has great enthusiasm. He has a great understanding of what they’re trying to defensively, he has a great understanding of our skill set offensively, what we’re trying to build toward. He’s a great motivator. He’s fired up, as we all are.” ESPN analyst on Manning-Brady: “This game will not be decided by those guys”

By Benjamin Hochman The Denver Post January 16, 2014

I was on a conference call Thursday with former Pro Bowler Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning’s longtime center for the Indianapolis Colts. He now works for ESPN as an analyst, and this quote caught my attention:

“I think the excitement between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning is fun, but ultimately this game will not be decided by those guys. They will play well like we’ve come to expect, but ultimately the front sevens of both these squads, and the rushing attacks on both teams, will decide the fate of this football game. Who will be able to stop the line and who’s able to make each team go one dimensional?”

Saturday had a couple other fascinating quotes, one on Manning’s ability to beat a team he’s lost to in the same season –- and the other quote about Manning’s legacy.

Saturday was told that it’s been six years since Manning lost twice to a team in a season. Why does Manning bounce back so well?

“You begin by stripping down what you feel like you failed at, so at some point you look at what you did poorly and why,” Saturday said. “Was it because of something they did or something you did? You don’t make changes if it was self-inflicted wounds. That’s when you need to work on yourself and improve in the area you messed up in. But if it’s something they did, rolled coverage to a certain guy to take him out of the equation, or changed up different coverages or packages, now you run through all the different looks that team has given you.

“You study all the tapes. You begin to rebuild your gameplan so the same mistakes don’t occur. What make teams effective is you’ve self-scouted. We were always effective that way in Indianapolis, Peyton’s still that way in Denver.”

Saturday got fired up when asked about how Sunday’s game will affect Manning’s legacy.

“As far as legacy, I don’t buy into all that. Look, he’s going to go down as the best quarterback in history or one of them. It all depends on your opinion of quarterback play. Playoff football is team football. You’re looking at all three phases. So if your defense doesn’t play well, and you’re in a situation where you have to press, or special teams puts you (in a bad situation), no one ever talks about those things.

“It’s almost comical to me -– people talk about Brady’s record, 10-4, against Manning. But when you look back at the early years when we played New England. In the first game Brady beat us, his first regular-season win, he threw maybe 15 passes. Listen, Tom Brady is a first ballot Hall of Famer. But ultimately, he didn’t beat Peyton Manning that day. The New England Patriots defense came after us. Ultimately, when people talk about Peyton’s legacy, this is going to be a five-time MVP quarterback. To say this game will affect his legacy is silly and shortsighted.” Peyton Manning's pre-snap signal calls great for business, charity

By Ryan Parker The Denver Post January 16, 2014

Businesses are in a "Hurry, hurry" to make money off Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's pre-snap signal calls.

With the AFC championship game days away, retailers are pushing products emblazoned with words that no one outside the team understands, but fans love to repeat.

"We are to-the-core Broncos fans who wanted to do something fun with (Manning's) calls, which have become part of the vernacular in Colorado," said Nick Baumgart, owner of Smirk, a digital design company in Littleton.

Smirk-designed shirts screen-printed with "Hurry Hurry" and "Omaha" are in such high demand for Sunday's game against New England that Baumgart is struggling to keep up with orders.

Baumgart, who is preparing to open a storefront at Blake and 31st streets, said he has been working around the clock to fill orders with shirts churned out by A Small Print Shop in Denver.

"We have been inundated, but everyone who ordered a shirt, and was told it would arrive before the game, will get them on time," he said.

Denver's sports radio station 104.3 The Fan is selling "Keep Calm and Hurry, Hurry" shirts. Frontier Airlines on Thursday ended its three-day "Hurry, Hurry" sale that gave fliers an 18 percent discount (18, get it?) on some tickets.

Think you know how many times Manning will yell "Omaha" on Sunday? You'll want to get into the contest being run by KNUS 710 AM. The winner gets a free trip to Nebraska's biggest city.

Manning's pre-snap signal calls are used to alter the play at the line of scrimmage or draw the defense offside.

Screaming "Omaha" 44 times during the playoff game against San Diego last Sunday led to five offside calls against the Chargers. The call also translated into a bump in business this week for at least one business with Omaha in its name.

"It's just fabulous," Omaha Steaks spokeswoman Beth Weiss said. The Nebraska- based retailer has two stores in metro Denver. "We have seen an uptick in Web traffic, and all the customers who come through the shops are talking about Peyton Manning."

ESPN and the NFL visited Omaha to film a segment on Thursday, Weiss said, which got the city buzzing even more.

"There were already a lot of Broncos fans here," she said, "but there are a lot more now."

The signal calls have put Nebraskans in a giving mood too.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce president David Brown announced Thursday that six companies — ConAgra Foods, First National Bank of Omaha, Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks, Union Pacific Railroad and DJ's Dugout — have chipped in to donate $600 to Manning's PeyBack Foundation every time he shouts "Omaha" during the game on Sunday.

If Manning keeps up the pace set during last week's game, that's more than $26,000 to the charity.

"We're pulling for a lot of Manning snaps on Sunday, a lot of 'Omahas,' " Brown said, "and a lot of money for the kids helped by his foundation."

What they said: Patriots QB Tom Brady on heading into Denver

By Joe Nguyen The Denver Post January 16, 2014

The Denver Broncos will host the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game on Sunday. Here’s what Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday during his press conference in New England.

“It was nothing, I feel great. Nothing at all.” –Brady, asked about the illness that kept him out of practice Wednesday

“He’s a great player, they’ve got a great team and one of the best offenses in history. I think what that means for us is we better be ready to score some points because that’s what they do best.” –Brady, asked about playing against Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning

“If we need to throw for 500 yards, hopefully we can do that. If we need to throw for 50 yards, I’ll throw for 50 yards as long as we win and whatever it takes for us to score more points than the other team, that’s what we have to do.” –Brady, asked about throwing less than 200 yards the last three games

“I think guys like and and Willie McGinest and and guys I really learned how to become a professional football player.” –Brady, asked about mentors who helped teach him about postseason football

“He’s fought through a lot of adversity earlier in the year and is really playing his best football. He’s done a great job.” –Brady, asked about Patriots wide receiver John Fox's biggest decision was a life- saver

By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press January 17, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Of all the decisions coach John Fox made that kept the Denver Broncos rolling through a drama-filled season, one was an absolute life- saver.

Instead of going out on his fishing boat for some solitude during his team's bye week, Fox decided to play 18 holes with some buddies some 200 yards from his offseason home in Charlotte, N.C.

"I'd have been 60 out in the woods," Fox said. "They might never have found me."

Fox had just seen his cardiologist in Raleigh, who told him he'd still be able to delay his heart operation until after the Super Bowl so long as he didn't feel faint or short of breath in the meantime.

Fox was born with a genetic defect in his aortic valve, which regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta, the major blood vessel that brings blood into the body. He said it was discovered in 1997 when a murmur showed up in a physical while he was the Giants defensive coordinator.

Feeling dizzy, he chipped within 2 feet for par, then lay down on the 14th green and, hardly able to breathe, said a short prayer: "God you get me out of this and I'll get it fixed now."

Less than 48 hours later, on Nov. 4, he underwent open-heart surgery.

Four days after that, he was released from the hospital and his wife helped him set up a command center at his home in Charlotte to keep tabs on his team back in Denver.

Not only was he in daily contact with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, who guided the Broncos to three wins in four games during in his absence, but Fox was also in constant communication with his captains, including quarterback Peyton Manning.

Fox watched cut-ups of practices on his iPad playbook to help formulate game plans and he watched games on his big-screen TV. The lone loss during his hiatus was a 34-31 overtime heartbreaker at New England on Nov. 24 when the Broncos blew a 24-0 halftime lead after cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie separated a shoulder trying to pick off Tom Brady's desperation pass that died in the wind at the end of the first half.

Brady took advantage of D.R.C.'s absence to stage the biggest comeback of his career, just as he's going to try to capitalize on the loss of cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (knee) when the Patriots (13-4) visit the Broncos (14-3) on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

"Probably the hardest thing for the team was that we didn't know when Foxie was going to be back," Broncos executive vice president John Elway said. "And in Foxie's mind, he would have been back three days after the surgery."

Fox and his wife, Robin, flew home on team owner Pat Bowlen's jet in late November and at Del Rio's suggestion he visited with the team on Thanksgiving morning, then watched from his home in Denver as the Broncos beat the Chiefs 35- 28 in Kansas City that weekend to take charge of the AFC West.

He returned to work the following day, his newfound energy matching his renewed enthusiasm, saying his surgeon told him the aortic valve was now the size of a 50- cent piece instead of a pinhead.

What a difference.

He exuded vitality while capturing his third division title in his three seasons since replacing Josh McDaniels in Denver, then dispatched the demons of last year's playoff loss with an exhaling win over San Diego last weekend.

"He's got more energy than anybody I've ever seen," Elway said. "That, to me, is the definition of John Fox: the energy level that he brings. He brings it to the practice field, and it's contagious. I think that's why he was a perfect fit for us after what happened with Josh. That positive attitude that he brings turned the culture around because of the type of guy that he is.

"We missed his energy."

Since his return on Dec. 2, Fox has more pep in his step, more boom in his voice — and even more gumption in his calls.

Like sending in Matt Prater for a 64-yard field goal attempt on an icy afternoon in Denver or ordering his high-powered offense not to milk the clock with a big lead at Houston, where Manning broke Brady's single-season touchdown record with a late score. Could this be the same man who had Manning take a knee with three timeouts and 31 seconds remaining in regulation in the playoff game last year after Baltimore's Jacoby Jones' 70-yard game-tying TD catch?

Has Fox turned in his conservative credentials?

While Fox said his health scare did cause him to re-evaluate some things, he insists it didn't have a profound effect on his approach to the job.

"It's like an injury to a player," Fox said. "When you come back, you hope you're the same player again."

Elway: Manning not ready to ride into retirement

By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway doesn't see Peyton Manning riding off into that orange Rocky Mountain sunset the way Elway did 15 years ago if the Denver Broncos quarterback caps his record-setting season with a second .

Elway's body was breaking down, having been sacked 516 times — 244 more than Manning has been in about the same number of games.

"I still think he's young and he's playing well," Elway, now the Broncos' executive vice president, said Thursday of his quarterback, who's coming off his best statistical season just two years removed from neck problems that weakened his throwing arm. "That's going to come down to Peyton. It's going to come down to what he wants to do."

Manning has given no indication that he's anywhere near calling it quits at age 37, although he has dropped phrases lately like "light at the end of the tunnel" when talking about his career.

Elway takes that to mean Manning knows that whenever he does walk away, these are the days he'll look back on.

Manning is preparing to lead the Broncos (14-3) against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots (13-4) Sunday in the AFC championship.

Elway said he'll meet with Manning after the season to talk about his future. But the four-time MVP who will likely have No. 5 soon certainly doesn't seem to be wringing the last Sundays out of his battered body like Elway was doing back in 1998. After all, Manning has thrown for 97 touchdowns in his two seasons in Denver, including an NFL-record 55 this season.

"When you leave this game, you want to leave it on your last leg and try not to leave anything on the table. ... I was just fortunate to be able to be on two great football teams and be able to win world championships when my 'last leg' broke," said Elway, who retired after leading the Broncos to their second straight Super Bowl title on Jan. 31, 1999.

"I missed four games my last year. So, could I have gotten through another year? Sure, I could have," Elway said. "But would it have been at the level I want? ... Was I enjoying the game as much as I had enjoyed it? No, because it took me so long to heal. It was kind of the beginning of the body breaking down. So the combination of both — and being able to run off into the sunset — made it easier for me."

Elway said running the Broncos' front office has proven much different from running the team from the huddle.

"It takes some getting used to," he said. "I enjoy watching the regular season games, but I was absolutely miserable last week watching this game. I mean, it took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach after the game was over."

Elway has hit the jackpot less in the draft than in free agency, none bigger than when he lured Manning to Denver after his release by the Indianapolis Colts.

Together, the two great quarterbacks are one win from returning to the Super Bowl.

"He has been a great resource," Manning said. "He doesn't come to our quarterback meetings and he is not on the phones with me during the game. I think he wants to make that clear. It's his job to hire good people to communicate with me on those. At the same time, I think you would be crazy not to ask a quarterback with his experience questions.

"And it was kind of the same way growing up. My dad was never my coach by any means. But when you enjoy playing quarterback and you want to learn about the position, you try to use resources around you and so I have asked John a number of questions and he's provided me with knowledge or tidbits from experiences that he's had and he's been very helpful that way."

Elway said his conversations with Manning are less X's and O's and more philosophical.

"There is a fraternity and there is a closeness among quarterbacks," Elway said. "I enjoy those conversations and we've had a lot of good ones." John Elway has high praise for Adam Gase

By Arnie Stapleton The Associated Press January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — John Elway loves how 35-year-old offensive coordinator Adam Gase kept Denver's high-octane offense floored all season but quickly put the brakes on his own football future with the Broncos in the midst of a Super Bowl run.

The Broncos' executive vice president said Thursday that he hopes Gase stays in Denver beyond this season even though he granted requests from other teams to interview his hot-shot assistant for their head coaching vacancies.

Gase told both the Vikings and Browns that he wouldn't interview until after the Broncos' season is over.

The Vikings have since hired Mike Zimmer as their head coach, although the Browns appear to be waiting to interview Gase, whose aggressive approach helped the Broncos score an NFL record 606 points this season. McDaniels tries to stick another dagger in Denver

By Eddie Pells The Associated Press January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — For a brief time, Josh McDaniels was a celebrity in Denver and he played the part with gusto — running to the corner of the stadium after his first signature win and pumping his fists at the crowd to celebrate.

"This doesn't mean a whole lot unless you can share it with somebody," McDaniels said that day. "Sometimes, you're allowed to have fun."

The fun ended almost as quickly as it began.

And less than five years after that big win over New England vaulted the Broncos to an unexpected 5-0 record, the name "Josh McDaniels" stirs up far more angst and anger in Denver than those of the men he beat that day, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

"I ain't got nothing to say about him," says Broncos defensive lineman , a first-round draft pick during the two-year McDaniels era that Broncos fans would love to forget.

The man who gave the Broncos a videotaping scandal and a league-worst defense, who alienated fans and left the franchise holding the bag on the experiment, returns Sunday to try to deliver another dagger to Denver.

He's now working as New England's offensive coordinator and will try to devise the game plan to send the Patriots to the Super Bowl and keep his old team, the Broncos, out of it.

A 33-year-old coach with a thin resume and a lot to prove, McDaniels got another victory after the New England win in 2009 to extend his tenure-opening winning streak to six games. He followed that with 17 losses over the next 22 games and got fired with four weeks left in the 2010 season.

"Obviously, his time here was a little shorter than he probably hoped or expected, but that's in the past," said Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker, a third-round pick in McDaniels' second draft in Denver.

The presence of Decker, Ayers, Demaryius Thomas, Knowshon Moreno and left guard Zane Beadles — all key cogs in the Broncos' current success — adds a layer of complexity to the discussion about what, exactly, McDaniels left behind in Denver. Sure, he turned out to be a callow leader, not near ready to guide an NFL franchise. But he didn't completely whiff on every choice.

"He's been vilified, but he's a bright, young coach and you see what he's done in going back to New England and being their offensive coordinator," said John Elway, who was brought back to the Broncos to clean up the McDaniels mess. "I don't know why it didn't work out, other than the fact he didn't win enough games."

But it was more than that.

It was the cheating — the Broncos got caught in an embarrassing videotaping scandal that transpired while they were practicing to play the 49ers in London.

It was the secrecy — he created an environment of mistrust, not only with the media, but with fans, who never felt they were getting the full story. Shortly after firing him, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen sent an apology to ticketholders: "You deserve more from this franchise than what we saw in 2010, and you have my word that I will restore the culture of winning, trust and integrity within the Broncos," he wrote.

And it was the roster — successes aside, there were also a number of mistakes: The botched handling of 's ouster. (Not that all Broncos fans disagreed with the move itself.) The out-of-nowhere trade of the popular and effective . And, the move that symbolized it all — McDaniels' decision to run counter to the opinion of every other NFL front office and use a first-round pick on Tebow, and then, just as inexplicably, to leave him wallowing on the bench.

Elway hired John Fox in part because Fox had a sunshiny disposition the franchise sorely needed after 22 months of being beaten down by the man they called "McHoodie." Fox made things work with Tebow for a year and actually coaxed the Broncos to a playoff victory. Then, they went to New England and lost 45-10 in the 2011 divisional playoffs.

"It was a pretty good indicator of how far we had to get moving," Fox said, speaking of the roster he inherited.

Elway's decision to jettison Tebow in favor of Peyton Manning made things right very quickly in Denver.

Now, the story comes full circle.

It will be Manning trying to decipher the Belichick defense, while McDaniels calls a Patriots offense that has shined this season, even after replacing key playmakers Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and with a far-less-accomplished group including Danny Amendola, and LeGarrette Blount.

McDaniels was not asked about his time in Denver during an interview with Patriots beat writers earlier this week, though he has never offered much when asked about it previously.

Brady, who finds himself a win shy of his sixth Super Bowl in part because his offensive coordinator has done a masterful job getting more out of less this season, said if McDaniels is extra motivated to beat Denver, he hasn't let on.

"He's always focused like he is every week," Brady said. "He's one of the best coaches that I've ever been around and why I love being coached by him because he brings it every day." Manning foundation to earn $500 for every 'Omaha'

By The Associated Press January 16, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Peyton Manning's foundation for at-risk youth will receive a $500 contribution for every time the Denver Broncos' quarterback shouts "Omaha" during the AFC championship game.

Manning brought national attention to Nebraska's largest city with his loud "Omaha" pre-snap calls during the Broncos' playoff win over San Diego last weekend.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Brown announced Thursday that five Omaha-based companies are combining to donate $500 to Manning's "Peyback Foundation" each time he shouts "Omaha" in Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

Manning said "Omaha" 44 times in last week's game. The same number against the Patriots would be worth $22,000 to his foundation.

The participating companies are ConAgra Foods, First National Bank of Omaha, Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks and Union Pacific Railroad. Broncos as close to healthy as they can be

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos made it a clean sweep for Thursday’s practice as they prepare for Sunday’s AFC Championship.

With safety Mike Adams (thigh bruise) having practiced fully in Thursday’s workout, the Broncos had all 53 players on their roster as full participants and listed no players as having been limited.

Adams had been limited in Wednesday’s practice.

“Everybody practiced full, we had nobody limited or did not participate," said Broncos head coach John Fox.

It means the Broncos will make all of the decisions for their gameday roster -- seven players will be declared as inactives 90 minutes before kickoff -- based on their game plan and special teams duties rather than health. The Broncos did put cornerback Chris Harris Jr. on injured reserve Tuesday with a season-ending knee injury, and signed cornerback Marquice Cole. Cole, who has always been a quality special teams player in his career, has practiced the past two days as the Broncos try to get him up to speed.

"A good athlete, a good guy, works hard at his craft -- both on and off the field," Fox said. Elway likes Gase's aggressive calls

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As a Hall of Fame quarterback, John Elway had plenty of go- for-it moments in his playing career. Now as the Denver Broncos' chief football executive, Elway has seen plenty of those moments thanks to offensive coordinator Adam Gase's aggressive style.

"I wish I could have played for him," Elway said. "I think that he's so bright and he's working with Peyton and having been here with Josh [McDaniels] before that -- who is a very bright, young offensive mind -- he has just used all of that and learned from all that. With McCoy here, then Peyton here and now him on his own, he's been able to put them all together and mold it as his personality and I think he's done a tremendous job. That shows up in the numbers we've put up this year."

In Gase's first year as the team's playcaller and in Peyton Manning's second year behind center for the Broncos, the Broncos set a single-season record with 606 points, while Manning also set single-season records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns.

In last Sunday's 24-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers, Manning was 25-of-36 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos, with the Chargers having already scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, converted a third-and-17 and a third-and-6 during their final possession as the Broncos were able to use up the final 3 minutes, 51 seconds of the game.

"It was a great call, a great throw. Peyton got the pressure and Julius made a great catch too," Elway said. " … I'm one that the difference between my losses and my wins in Super Bowls are the ones that are charging and not retreating," Elway said. "And if we're going ahead and we're making it and we're trying to win on offense rather than retreating on the other side so I was glad late in the game, even after the third-and-17, we were able to throw the ball and get some more first downs. Championships aren't given to you, you've got to go win it and that's on both sides of the ball."

Gase, who has a year remaining on his current contract, also drew praise from Elway for the way Gase has dealt with interest from other teams for head-coaching positions. The Browns and the each requested permission to interview Gase, but Gase told both teams he would not interview until the Broncos' season was over even though by league rules he could have interviewed earlier this month.

The Vikings have hired Mike Zimmer while the Browns' job remains open.

"I felt like I was all-in for what we were doing here," Gase said after Thursday's practice.

Asked Thursday if he thought the Broncos could keep Gase, Elway said;

"You know, I don't know. I hope so. He's done a tremendous job. He's had a great year and he's just got such a great feel, and he's a hard worker and he's very bright. I hope he stays but -- I thought it was, to me, I couldn't think for him to be able to do what he did and to say 'I want to keep my focus on the Denver Broncos and once our season is over I'll interview.' To me that was studly because it was to me, I like guys that are committed to what they're doing, committed to the Denver Broncos. So I couldn't be more proud of that decision. It tells you a lot about the guy." AFC Championship: Matchups to watch

By John Parolin ESPN.com January 16, 2014

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will get the headlines leading up to Sunday’s AFC Championship game, but in the Week 12 meeting between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, the teams combined for 396 rushing yards.

That first meeting also went to overtime, a reflection of how narrow the gap is between the Broncos and the Patriots.

Down 24 points at halftime, Brady led his team back with three second-half touchdown passes before Manning forced overtime with an 11-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas. A muffed punt was the difference in the game, setting up a 31- yard field goal that capped the comeback.

Here are four matchups that will stamp a ticket to the Super Bowl.

Patriots Rushing Game vs Terrance Knighton The Patriots have been rush-heavy in their last three games, with LeGarrette Blount tripling his inside-the-tackle rushes per game average.

Blount is averaging 130 rush yards per game inside the tackles since the start of Week 16, which is not only more than any other player, but also more than 28 of 31 other teams.

Denver’s Terrance Knighton has been very effective this year as a run-stopping .

Knighton has been on the field for 70 percent of first and second-down rushing attempts the Broncos have faced this season, and the Broncos have allowed 3.5 yards per rush on those plays. That would rank second in the league on first or second down. When Knighton is off the field, Denver’s 5.2 yards per rush would rank as the second worst.

Broncos running backs vs Patriots unloaded box New England practically begged the Broncos to run the football in Week 12. Denver had 47 rushes against six or fewer defenders in the box, 14 more than any other team had in a game in the last six years.

The Broncos rushed for 281 yards and averaged 6.0 yards per rush in Week 12 against that “unloaded” front.

New England’s defensive tackles last Saturday were Chris Jones, and - none of whom were drafted or had played a game before 2012.

Broncos secondary vs Patriots receivers Denver has allowed a 36.9 QBR in the regular season and a 61.6 QBR in the playoffs since start of 2012, and failed to hold a lead in both Week 12 vs. New England and in last year’s playoff loss to the Ravens.

Improved secondary play may be a tall order after Chris Harris was placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL, especially after went 11 of 15 for 173 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter with Quentin Jammer in for Harris.

The Broncos have been terrible this year against slot receivers, which is basically almost all of the wideout options that Brady has left. Champ Bailey has been Denver’s slot cornerback for the last three weeks, but may be pressed into perimeter action with Harris’ injury. 'Omaha' to benefit Peyton charity

By ESPN.com news services January 16, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. -- Peyton Manning's foundation for at-risk youth will receive a $500 contribution for every time the Denver Broncos' quarterback shouts "Omaha" during the AFC Championship Game.

Manning brought national attention to Nebraska's largest city with his loud "Omaha" pre-snap calls during the Broncos' playoff win over San Diego last weekend.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Brown announced Thursday that five Omaha-based companies are combining to donate $500 to Manning's "Peyback Foundation" each time he shouts "Omaha" in Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.

Manning said "Omaha" 44 times in last week's game. The same number against the Patriots would be worth $22,000 to his foundation.

The participating companies are ConAgra Foods, First National Bank of Omaha, Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks and Union Pacific Railroad.

An official with Omaha Steaks says the company is also considering offering Manning an endorsement deal that could include calling out its name during the big game.

"Omaha Steaks is always looking for awesome promotional opportunities that get our brand in front of customers and potential customers," said Todd Simon, a senior vice president at the company his family owns. "So if the economics were right, Omaha Steaks would consider a deal with Mr. Manning, especially given his apparent affinity for Omaha."

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league doesn't have a rule in place that forbids such a deal, and Alan Zucker, who is Manning's marketing agent, wouldn't comment on whether his client would accept it in the first place.

Information from ESPN.com business reporter Darren Rovell and The Associated Press was used in this report. NFLN survey/franchise player: Broncos

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It is something, if you don’t live on the Front Range of the Rockies, you just might not appreciate.

You might not appreciate how low faith and hope had dipped among one of sports’ most loyal, and underrated fan bases when the 2010 season drew to a close, a dismal 4-12 affair that included Spygate and Josh McDaniels' firing. The Denver Broncos, after all, have a sellout streak that stands at 359 games in all, regular season and playoff games, that dates back decades.

And yet when owner Pat Bowlen formally introduced John Elway as the team’s top football executive in January 2011, the unfamiliar specter of fan apathy had shown up on the Broncos’ doorstep. Elway then hired John Fox, who led a Tim Tebow- quarterbacked team to an 8-8 finish in 2011, a playoff spot on top of a weak division, even a shocking playoff win over the a year after Elway’s hire.

But Elway was still looking for a big piece of the puzzle, the one player who could change everything, who could lift the franchise back into the championship discussion. And the Broncos signed Peyton Manning with the promise from one Hall of Famer, in Elway, to a future Hall of Famer in Manning, that Elway would “do everything I could to make sure Peyton finished his career the same way I finished mine.’’

Elway won back-to-back Super Bowls in his final two seasons with the Broncos.

And many of Manning’s peers in the league said they would have done exactly what Elway did if they had the chance.

As part of a ESPN.com’s NFL Nation Confidential survey of more than 320 players, the question was asked, “If you had to start a team with one player, whom would it be?’’ And Manning was the top vote-getter as the first pick to start a team, with 62 votes (19 percent), ahead of the player who replaced him for the Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck, who received 56 votes, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who received 41 votes.

The signing has been everything Elway, Bowlen, Manning’s teammates and a re- energized fan base had hoped. The Broncos have finished 13-3 in back-to-back seasons and set a new single-season scoring record in 2013 with 606 points.

The team has three 30-touchdown seasons from its quarterbacks all time and Manning now has two of them. And with the power of all those touchdowns, all of those wins, Manning jerseys cover the landscape as if he has spent a decade here. And a popular topic of conversation, often used to fill the idle minutes in drive time locally, is whether or not the Broncos should put him in the team’s Ring of Fame when his career is over.

“He’s Peyton Manning, one of the greatest to ever play the game,’’ cornerback Champ Bailey said. “There’s never been a player like him be a free agent. Of course you go get him because look at what happens when you do get him. He changes everything the minute he walks in the door. That is what a real franchise player is.’’ NFLN survey/respected player: Broncos

By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In the Denver Broncos' locker room, much like the real estate market, it can be all about location, location, location.

But the best spots, as well as the privilege of two lockers, side-by-side, to be used by one player, are reserved only for the elite of the elite. Reserved for players with the on-field chops and off-field leadership to have earned that kind of status.

Reserved for a player like quarterback Peyton Manning.

Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme once joked Manning “could really have a whole wing,’’ but Manning’s standing in his own locker room may be the only place where it is elevated from his standing in the league.

As part of a survey of over 320 players league-wide from ESPN.com’s NFL Nation reporters this season, the question was asked “Which player do you respect the most?’’

Manning was the top choice with 86 players (27 percent) choosing the future Hall of Famer. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson were tied for second with 24 votes each.

In the Broncos' world, Manning, who just earned his 13th Pro Bowl selection and is poised for his fifth MVP award, and cornerback Champ Bailey, with 12 career Pro Bowl selections, are the double-locker guys. They set the tone and every single Broncos player who participated in the survey selected either Manning or Bailey, even when they were told the question was for any player in the league.

“I think in watching him up close, working with him every day, side by side, you really have an appreciation for what kind of player Peyton is," said offensive coordinator Adam Gase. “The way he prepares, the way he practices, just how he conducts himself. The guy has done so much and he still prepares like he’s trying to make the team, still looks to make himself better every day. If you don’t respect that is a you problem.''

Many Broncos players tell the story of when head coach John Fox had Broncos Ring of Famer Rod Smith speak at a team meeting not long after Manning had signed with the Broncos. People had already seen Manning eat his meals in his countless hours at this facility as he learned a new offense, a new team and Smith looked over the room and then settled his eyes on Manning and asked “have you ever been the only one in the building?"

Manning said “yes," and Smith then looked at the other players with an expression those on hand say was essentially “see?"

The Broncos see all right. Every day. What's up with Wes Welker's helmet? Broncos wide receiver's headgear drew attention, so Uni Watch unearths details

By Paul Lukas ESPN.com January 16, 2014

One of the more intriguing storylines from last Sunday's AFC divisional playoff game in Denver was the return of Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker, who had been out with a concussion since Dec. 8. And as many fans and media outlets noticed, Welker had a new helmet for the occasion.

Lots of observers felt Welker's new headgear looked gigantic, which prompted some predictable jokes. It also led many people to assume Welker was wearing some sort of special anti-concussion helmet.

But was he?

Welker told the Denver Post, "I wouldn't say it's a concussion helmet. It's the next size up. A few players in here wear one. It's something they had me wear for safety."

Broncos officials, including the team's equipment staff, have said the same thing, insisting that Welker wore a factory-issue Riddell helmet one size larger than his old model, with no special modifications.

So why did everyone think Welker's noggin looked so huge last Sunday? Let's start by taking a before-and-after look at Welker's headgear (click on the photo and then click on it again to see a larger version):

A few thoughts:

1. Those are two completely different helmet models. The one on the left, which Welker wore throughout the 2013 regular season until his concussion, is the Riddell Revolution Speed; the one on the right, which he wore Sunday, is the Riddell 360. It's easy to see the difference just by looking at the vent holes.

2. Although the new helmet is clearly larger than the old one, the feeling here is that it looks larger than it really is. One reason for this is that the Riddell 360's face mask clips, especially the upper ones, give the helmet more of a block-ish, almost horizontal-seeming front view.

3. Also, the 360's dark interior padding seems to have had the visual effect of making Welker's face look smaller, which in turn makes the helmet itself seem larger. Also, it's tough to be sure but it looks like a bit of extra padding may have been added to the new helmet, which would further distort Welker's helmet-to-head ratio.

"The industry term for the distance from the player's head to the shell is standoff," explained Michael Princip, an industrial designer who has been working on his own anti-concussion helmet design. "So if you're adding more padding in there, you're increasing the standoff. Generally speaking, a larger standoff is better. But the larger you get, the more problems you can have with the weight, the balance, and that bobblehead effect, which can work against you. You have to balance everything out."

The "bobblehead effect," as Princip put it, is what fans tend to fixate on. Back in the 1990s, Steve Wallace of the 49ers and Mark Kelso of the Bills wore the ProCap, a padded layer that fit over their helmets. They were promptly greeted with cries of "Gazoo!" (that's a Flintstones reference, kids). Over on the baseball diamond, similar ridicule was aimed at MLB players who wore the Rawlings S100, a larger, more protective batting helmet that was eventually retooled to look a bit less ridiculous.

In any case, two things appear to be certain: Helmet engineers are going to keep trying to find the magic of an anti-concussion helmet, and fans are going to keep making fun of helmets that look outlandishly large.

ESPN Denver Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold contributed to this report. Broncos' John Elway expects Peyton Manning back in 2014

By Lindsay H. Jones USA TODAY Sports January 16, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As a quarterback, John Elway enjoyed nothing more than the NFL playoffs.

But now that he's running the Denver Broncos, postseason has become a miserable experience.

"It took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach after the game last week," Elway said Thursday morning in a roundtable discussion with a small group of reporters. "As a player, it was so exciting to be in these situations because this was what you worked for, so it's not nearly as much fun upstairs as it was down on the field."

But now Elway hopes his own personal misery will be extended for a few more weeks.

The Broncos were the only NFL team Elway ever played for, and he has run them as executive vice president of football operations for the past three years. Denver hosts the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship Game, and the franchise hopes to reach its first Super Bowl since Elway led the team to back-to- back titles in 1997 and 1998. He retired following the second championship.

"I talked to them at training camp and I said, 'If you're world champions, every bit of work you put it to it is worth it,'" Elway said. "I know how hard this team has worked, how hard these coaches have worked, and I hope it pans out for them and they get that feeling because it is something that is not comparable to anything else."

Elway was 38 when he won that second title, a year older than current Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Elway said he will sit down with Manning once this season is over to see how the record-setting passer feels about his career and future, but doesn't seem to be expecting anything other than Manning being the Broncos quarterback in 2014, regardless of what happens on Sunday or later in the postseason.

"I still think he's young and playing well," Elway said. "Having been a football player before, when you leave this game, you want to leave it on your last leg (and) try not to leave anything on the table. And so anybody that's a competitor — that's the way they want to leave the game. I was just fortunate to be on two great football teams and be able to win two world championships when my last leg broke."

Manning has been more circumspect when discussing his future beyond the postseason.

"When you go through a significant injury and a major career change, you truly do go one year at a time and you don't look past what's going on now because you are not sure what's going to happen," Manning said Thursday. "Tomorrow is not promised. I think it's a healthy approach for an older player to go all in for 2013 regular season, 2014 postseason.

"For a young player, sure, it can be easy to look ahead to maybe that new contract that they want to get or some career goal that they're trying to achieve. But at this point in my career, it's easy just to focus in on what's going on right now. It's been a healthy approach and attitude for me and it keeps you honed in on the moment."

The difference for Elway then and Manning now is that Elway knew his body couldn't take the punishment of another season. But Elway has seen plenty of joy from Manning this season, his second with the Broncos. Manning is expected to win his fifth MVP award after setting single-season records for touchdown passes (55) and passing yards (5,477) while leading the Broncos to the AFC West crown and No. 1 seed in the conference. Manning's only health issue this year was a sprained ankle that lingered throughout much of the middle of the season. He missed some practices but was never out of the lineup.

But just as Elway was criticized for much of his career after getting blown out during his first three Super Bowl trips, Manning is often defined by his postseason record. He is 10-11 in playoff games, including 1-1 in Super Bowls.

"Whether it's fair or not, that's the way it is. That's the way it's always going to be," Elway said. "Head coaches and quarterbacks are tied together in the fact that statistics are nice, but the great ones are the ones that have won world championships. And they don't do it by themselves. They're also on good football teams with good head coaches."

Perhaps that's why Elway said Thursday he feels good about the Broncos' chances. He's thrilled with the job John Fox has done as head coach, especially after undergoing heart surgery in November, and credits Fox with "fixing" a locker room that was in disarray after former head coach (and current New England offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels was fired in 2010. Elway is equally happy with both of Fox's coordinators, especially first-year offensive coordinator Adam Gase. "I wish I could've played for him, yeah. He's so bright," Elway said.

Gase has drawn interest as a head coaching candidate but declined to interview for any jobs until after the Broncos' season is over. The Minnesota Vikings, who requested permission to speak with Gase, have already filled their vacancy, though Gase remains a target of the , the only team yet to fill its coaching vacancy.

Elway called Gase's decision not to interview immediately "studly" and said he hoped Gase would wind up staying with the Broncos.

"I like guys that are committed to what they're doing, committed to the Denver Broncos," Elway said. "So I couldn't be more proud of that decision. It tells you a lot about that guy."

Elway, much like Manning has done frequently this year, praised Gase's aggressiveness as a play-caller. He singled out the third-and-17 pass play to tight end Julius Thomas that helped clinch the divisional round win against the San Diego Chargers as the type of play that can define a playoff run.

As Elway takes his seat in a box high above Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday, those will be the type of clutch plays he's hoping to see, even as he's agonizing over every Manning throw or Knowshon Moreno run.

"Championships aren't given to you," Elway said, "you've got to go win it. And that's on both sides of the ball." With other QB rivalries 'not even close,' Manning and Brady square off again

By Nancy Armour USA TODAY Sports January 17, 2014

When a neck injury forced Peyton Manning to sit out the 2011 season, Tom Brady was one of the people who missed him most.

Never mind that the quarterbacks are rivals. Or that one has sometimes blocked the other from reaching the goal that drives them both, as will happen Sunday when the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots play for the AFC Championship.

Brady and Manning have become forever intertwined by more than a decade of wins and records. They are accidental touchstones, each one's accomplishments defining the other's career as much as his own.

"They have great respect for each other," said Brady's father, Tom Sr. "They understand each other as well as anyone can understand.

"It's pretty special when you have that kind of a relationship. You want to beat the heck out of each other. But you have great respect for one another."

It's a sentiment some of the NFL's other great quarterbacks — , , , , — know well.

"I think you can have that good competition when you're playing, admire and respect each other," Bradshaw, the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Famer and current FOX NFL analyst, said. "Now, we can't compete against each other, but we can respect each other and like one another."

Look at the greatest names across sports, and odds are there was a rival who pushed him to be better, to go further, to refuse to settle for mere success when greatness was within reach. Nicklaus and Palmer. Ali and Frazier. Magic and Bird.

It's tougher to find those iconic rivalries in the NFL, simply because of the dynamics of the game. Players at the same position don't face each other head-to-head, and a quarterback- rivalry, or a wide receiver vs. a cornerback, just doesn't have the same pizzazz.

"There was never really one. The teams we went against, the quarterbacks changed," Hall of Famer told USA TODAY Sports, referring to when he played for the . "Probably the biggest one was with the (New York) Giants and Phil Simms. ... (But) it never seemed like it was about us, going head to head. You don't look at it like that."

There are those precious rare instances, however, when timing and talent align, and it inspires everyone — including the guy on the opposing sideline — to elevate his game.

"I've been around the game long enough to know that Brady doesn't play Manning and so on. But that duo, they have to match each other," said longtime NFL analyst , who, as coach of the Oakland Raiders, had a front-row seat for 's epic matchups against Bradshaw's Steelers.

"Both teams know that the other can score a lot of points," Madden told USA TODAY Sports. "You're not going to play Peyton Manning and then not score a lot of points. And you're not going to play Tom Brady and not score a lot of points.

"So they go in against each other and they become very aggressive."

Bradshaw gets best of Staubach

The Raiders and Steelers faced each other in the playoffs every season from 1972- 76, with the AFC title at stake in their last three meetings.

In contrast, Hall of Fame quarterbacks Bradshaw and Staubach only played a handful of times because their Steelers and were in different conferences. But they were the premier quarterbacks of their generation, leaders of teams that were the best thing going in the NFL in the 1970s, and that alone would have been enough to create a rivalry.

"We got in the Super Bowls five times in the '70s. I was quarterback for four of them. We were 2-2, and I wish we were 4-0," Staubach told USA TODAY Sports. "And Terry never lets me forget he was 4-0."

That the Super Bowls in which the two faced each other were among the best ever only added to their shared legacy.

Pittsburgh won both times against the Cowboys, but by a total of just eight points. And while Staubach's most vivid memories are of Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense — "(Jack) Lambert was a mean son of a gun" — he is quick to give Bradshaw his due.

"Bradshaw just made plays when he had to," Staubach said. "He made big plays."

Rules changes spotlight quarterbacks Montana and Simms were considered quasi-rivals. The ' and the ' are often mentioned in the same breath. But the closest the NFL came to a truly great rivalry in the years between Bradshaw- Staubach and Brady-Manning was that of Dallas' Aikman and San Francisco's Young.

The Cowboys and 49ers were the class of the NFL in the early 1990s, with the NFC Championship Game serving as the de facto Super Bowl. The teams met in the NFC title game from 1993-95, with the winner going on to victory in the Super Bowl each time.

Much like Brady and Manning, Aikman and Young were charismatic, as appealing off the field as they were on.

But those were different times.

Rules have since changed in an effort to give quarterbacks and receivers more protection. As a byproduct, it has helped usher in the golden era of offense.

Offenses were already beginning to open up. But with more time to throw, quarterbacks are more prolific. Look at the list of highest single-season passing yardage, and all but two of the top 12 spots is occupied by a current player.

At the top of the list? Manning, whose 5,477 yards passing this season was a yard more than the mark set in 2011 by Drew Brees of the .

VIDEO: AFC Championship Game preview

"The rules were different," Staubach said. "I think my last year, '79 or '78, was when you're not supposed to hit receivers past five yards. Before, you could hit them all over the field until the ball was in the air. So we didn't throw as much; they really intentionally opened the passing game.

"The most I ever threw it in one game was 49 times, and that was because we were behind. Usually it was around 25," Staubach added. "I'd love to be able to throw the ball 50 times."

Frequency of games make rivalry

As the passing game has taken center stage, so have the guys running it. Before Adrian Peterson snapped the streak last season, a quarterback had won MVP five consecutive years, and in nine of the previous 11.

Only once since the award began in 1957 — 1966-70 — had quarterbacks won five in a row. Add the increase in endorsement opportunities and proliferation of the media — new and traditional — and the Brady-Manning rivalry has drawn a spotlight like no other.

"This is the greatest quarterback rivalry in the history of football," Simms, who will call Sunday's game for CBS, told USA TODAY Sports. "Bradshaw and Staubach had it there for a while, but nothing as sustained and long and compelling as this one.

"Not even close."

It helps, of course, that Brady and Manning have played each other so often. Sunday's game will be their 15th meeting since 2001, and fourth in the playoffs. It's the fifth time they will play each other twice in the same season.

"I don't know if there ever will be another rivalry, or has been another rivalry, when looking at the numbers that I've seen, with Brady and Manning," says two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback John Elway, now Manning's boss. "There wasn't, as far as I was concerned in my career, a rivalry that I got to see on the field as much as those guys got to see each other."

But the frequency of Brady's and Manning's meetings has meant inevitable — and often unfavorable — comparisons.

Brady has gotten the better of Manning in their matchups, winning 10 of the 14 games, including New England's comeback from 24 points down to stun the Broncos 34-31 in overtime in November. Manning has more MVPs (four), but Brady has more Super Bowl titles (three).

"I just think that they're two of the very best ever," Brady Sr. said. "And to be able to enjoy that. ... Tommy has even said at different times, 'It's too bad people have to compare us instead of just appreciating our different styles.' "

Said , who drafted Manning first overall when he was of the Indianapolis Colts: "The rivalry itself over time has grown and taken on almost mythical proportions."

But the players involved recognize it for what it is. Both insist the importance of this game — and all the others — is because of the teams playing and what's at stake, not a personal matchup. (Manning says the same thing when he plays little brother Eli and the Giants.)

Like the great rivals of old, however, Brady and Manning appreciate the role the other has played in his career.

Montana mentioned reminiscing with Simms. When Bradshaw lived in Dallas, he and Staubach's paths would cross "quite a bit," Staubach said. And Bradshaw recalled missing the start of the second half of the Pro Bowl one year because he was catching up with former San Diego Charger , another member of that era's quarterback fraternity.

Although Brady and Manning don't make a show of it, they have become friends over the years, and those closest to them expect that bond could get even stronger when their playing days are done.

"At the end of the day, they're friends now. And I'm sure they'll be better friends in the future," the elder Brady said. "So when they're grandfathers and great grandfathers, they'll appreciate even more what a great ride it has been."

Contributing: Jarrett Bell, Jim Corbett, Lindsay H. Jones, Gary Mihoces After Further Review: Will Broncos, Patriots run, run and run some more?

By Pete Prisco CBSSports.com January 16, 2014

The Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, who meet in Sunday's AFC Championship Game, met once already this season with the Patriots coming back from 24-0 at halftime to win 34-31 in overtime.

The teams are a lot different since that Week 12 meeting -- injuries to some key players have made it that way -- but there are still things that I think will pertain to this meeting.

Here are three things that caught my eye in regular-season matchup:

1. The two-deep factor: The last time the two teams met, Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno ran for 224 yards and Peyton Manning threw for a season-low 150 yards.

Why that happened is simple: When Manning sees two-deep looks, he will call for a run. That's what New England played much of that game. They had man-under with two-deep safeties in their nickel packages against the Broncos' three-receivers set for much of the game.

That left a lot of six-man looks for the box. For Manning, that's a simple call at the line: Run, run and run some more.

The idea that Manning is stubborn and won't check to runs is absurd. The reason Denver can run is because of him and that passing game. It's the same on the other side with Tom Brady.

Great quarterbacks scare the hell out of defensive coordinators. Patriots defensive coordinator was no different in the first meeting. He dared the Broncos to run and wanted to take away Manning's ability to throw. It helped that the wind was howling that night, but the reality is the Broncos moved the football because they ran it well into six-man fronts. Here's a look.

This is a 12-yard run by Moreno. As you can see, the Broncos are in a three- receiver, one-tight end, one-back look with the Patriots countering with five defensive backs, two and four defensive linemen. You can see how deep the two safeties are playing. The Broncos had the run-game action go to the right, with Manning in the shotgun with Moreno next to him. At the snap, tight end Virgil Green came across the formation to trap . That allowed Moreno to cut back inside that block for the nice gain. The Broncos used the tight end in that way several times on run plays. Look for more of that this week, although Julius Thomas, who didn't play in the first game, isn't a good blocker.

I would expect if the Patriots play off again, you would see a lot of Moreno and Monte Ball in the run game this week.

2. Expect to see New England use pick plays a lot: The Patriots are great at freeing up receivers with "picks" or "rubs" against man coverage. They do it as well as any team in the league, and get away with it most of the time. That's because they are crafty when doing it.

Here's a look at two plays from the first meeting that shows how good they are at it, and what those plays can produce.

The first one was actually an incomplete pass to running back that he dropped, which ruined what could have been a huge play. But the concept shows what the Patriots like to do.

The Patriots lined up with three receivers to the right and tight end Rob Gronkowski (red circle) in the slot to the left. Vereen was lined up next to Brady in the shotgun. At the snap, Gronkowski ran a hard inside slant. When he did, he was able to use his body to pick off linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who was in man coverage on Vereen (yellow circle) as he ran a . Woodyard had no chance to get over in coverage as Gronkowski picked him off with a sly hip extension. This is the kind of thing the Patriots love to do.

Here's another look at one of those types of plays they ran for Gronkowski, who is out this week and on injured-reserve, but the concept works with whoever is playing tight end.

This time, Gronkowski (red circle) was the one running the wheel route from the slot after settling there after going in motion from right to left. It was clear with that movement that he was in man coverage with safety Duke Ihenacho, who followed him across the formation. Julian Edelman (yellow circle) ran a hard inside route to pick off Ihenacho to make for an easy throw for Brady and a 33-yard gain.

I would expect the Patriots to use more of this type of design against the Broncos when they see they are lined up in man coverage. With Gronkowski out, it could mean a lot more of Vereen in the passing game. He was used a lot that way in the first meeting. 3. Can the Patriots run it again this week like they did last week, but didn't do in the first meeting? New England ran it 46 times for 234 yards last week in their victory over the Colts. So that has everybody thinking they will run it again this week at Denver. But the Broncos have a better run defense than the Colts, and it's tough to run on a team that has a lead and we know the Broncos can score. It will be a lot tougher to do.

The Patriots ran a lot of power runs last week against the Colts out of different sets. Those runs call for the guards to pull and lead, but that's tough to do if there is penetration. The Broncos have a key penetrator against the run game in defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. In the first meeting, Patriots center and right guard Dan Connolly had problems with Knighton. Here's a look at a play Knighton made against Wendell.

It was a Power-O run to the right with a fullback as the lead blocker. Knighton, as you can see, threw Wendell to the ground and chased down for no gain. Kevin Vickerson holding the point and a good fill by forced Ridley to bounce, and when he did Knighton chased him down from behind. The problem this week is that Vickerson is on IR, which means rookie Sylvester Williams have to hold up against the run. John Elway: Peyton Manning doesn't get enough credit

By Ryan Wilson CBSSports.com January 16, 2014

Peyton Manning is 4-10 against Tom Brady and the Patriots, including a 1-2 mark in AFC Championship games. There's more: Overall, Manning is 10-11 in the postseason while Brady is 18-7. And, oh yeah, Manning has just one Super Bowl ring to Brady's three.

These are all talking points in the lead up to the latest Manning-Brady Bowl, Sunday's conference championship get-together between two of the game's greatest quarterbacks. Vegas favors the hometown Broncos (-4.5), as do five of the eight CBSSports.com experts, but Denver's executive vice president of football operations John Elway -- the last man to lead the team to a title, by the way -- thinks Manning doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

“He's won a Super Bowl. For some reason he doesn't seem to get the credit for having won one Super Bowl already,” Elway told the New York Daily News Tuesday. “I think maybe the comparison is Tom going to five and Peyton having been to two and winning one, that may be it.”

The Daily News makes the case that Manning's public perception problem is that his lone Super Bowl win came against the Rex Grossman-led Bears. Also not helping: , Peyton's younger brother, has two Lombardi Trophies with the Giants in six fewer NFL seasons.

“Fair or not, that's the way it is,” Elway continued. “As a quarterback, especially the level you're at with Peyton, that's what they are going to look at. If we can win a championship this year, it's going to help with Peyton's legacy. Even if we don't, I think the year that he's had this year is going to still help with his legacy. He's had a tremendous year. For some reason, Peyton is not getting the credit -- he's been there twice and he got one. You get to the point where Peyton is, the greatness that he's had, there is always someone trying to put chinks in the armor and that's what they go after.”

Elway can take solace in knowing that we're already firm believers in Manning's legacy. The man came back from four neck surgeries and was one of the NFL's best players during the 2012 season -- at age 36. And somehow, he's gotten better in 2013. Of course, if Manning and the Broncos win their next two games, that will give him two Super Bowl rings, pulling him even with Eli and just one behind Brady, whose last Super Bowl win would have come in Feb. 2005. Five keys to shutting down Peyton Manning and the Broncos

By Brendon Ayanbadejo FOX Sports January 16, 2014

Brendon Ayanbadejo played for the Super Bowl winning last season. He details how to defend Tom Brady in five key steps.

Seven of the last 12 Super Bowls have involved Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. If you throw Eli into the mix, it is a bona fide monopoly. The 2012 Baltimore Ravens beat all the aforementioned quarterbacks, with the cherry on top being Colin Kaepernick in the Super Bowl. In totality, we beat three of the four teams that remain in this year’s playoffs.

It certainly is going to take more than a Bolo tie to get the job done. And since I have been on the losing side every level of the game by Peyton. Here are five key elements the 2012 Ravens applied to contain the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

If I can digress, Peyton and Tennessee beat my UCLA Bruins in college twice – ‘96 and ’97. He beat my team in the 2006 Super Bowl. To add insult to injury, we went to Hawaii right after that game, his AFC team beat my NFC team in the Pro Bowl. That is $100K down the drain at his hand -- no pun intended.

I sought out advice from multiple Super Bowl champion and defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, . Here is what he had to say about defending Manning: “In my opinion the best way to play Manning is to play sound, fundamental football and try to out-execute them. Change up your looks on defense but don't try to invent a new scheme. Simply do what you do best.”

5. Omaha … Omaha … Omaha. Be ready to make adjustments when Manning runs to the line of scrimmage, barking out his calls. Be patient. Hold your water. When he is ready to snap the ball, he crouches down a good four to five inches deeper under center than when he is bluffing making dummy calls. Have an audible defense ready to go that checks you out of any blitzes and into a proficient pass defense when the Broncos align or shift into any empty formations.

4. Play exceptional coverage. When the Broncos shift and motion receivers, defenders need to stay close to their work, never getting out-leveraged, particularly to the flat. Communication is key as the pick-and-rub routes are coming. Fundamentally, the DBs need to be on different levels in any stacks or bunch sets to prevent being picked by your own man. He will complete the throw to the flat. Make the tackle and line up for another down. Don’t go for the interception, miss the ball, miss the tackle, and give up a TD.

3. The Broncos run every route in the passing tree and Peyton can make all of the throws. He will test your technique, communication and leverage skills. In the alley of the field, which is the hash to numbers, the seam route is his favorite throw to Julius Thomas and the slot receiver, often times Wes Welker. Defenders have to maintain inside leverage to prevent these throws from being completed.

2. Do not give away the defense. Just like Tom Brady, you can’t give Manning any inkling as to what the defense is -- or isn’t. , defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, who could potentially face the Broncos in the Super Bowl, echoed the same belief when I talked to him earlier this week. “You can’t let Manning get any indicators on what type of defense you are running, he knows the holes in every coverage.”

1. Four-man pressure. Pressure Manning with your front four. You can’t rely on blitzes to get home because that makes your secondary vulnerable. With big receivers such as Eric Decker, Demaryius and Julius Thomas, you need the added security blanket of seven men in coverage and pursuit due to their tackle-breaking capabilities. It often takes more than one man to tackle these guys. You have to have a relentless, four-man pass rush and make Manning as uncomfortable as possible in the pocket. Like any QB, Manning doesn’t like to get hit. But Manning really doesn’t like to get hit. If there is enough pressure Manning will lay it down in the pocket to prevent the big collision. Wire: What it's like to cope with Peyton Manning's neck injury

By FOX Sports January 16, 2014

When I was a little boy, I would ask my dad what it was like to watch greats like , and . I’d seen the highlight videos but wanted to understand what if felt like to watch them play live.

My dad would struggle at times for the right words to describe what that was like, and sometimes he didn’t use words at all. He would just let out a deep sigh, smile, shake his head and put his arm around me. One word he did use: inspiring.

I feel that way about Peyton Manning now.

He’s been the model of consistency, discipline, focus and hard work for his entire career, and he’s always been of impeccable character and professionalism. He’s one of the toughest and most passionate football players I have ever seen. As a former player and just someone who loves football, I respect him for all of those intangibles. That’s not the entire reason I find him inspiring, though.

Less than two years ago, Manning had a fourth surgery to repair his spine that this game has damaged. The most recent forced a doctor to slice his neck open, remove a disc between two vertebrae in his spine, replace it with a piece of bone, fasten it with a titanium plate and screws and then sew him back up. Despite all of this, he has set career highs in yards and touchdowns this season and will be leading the Denver Broncos into the AFC Championship Game this week.

Some days, when my neck hurts particularly badly, I’m not sure if we appreciate that enough.

***

That’s my picture.

I had spinal fusion surgery, too, and it left me with a titanium plate and four screws embedded in my neck.

In my sixth year in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, I hit a pulling lineman while playing linebacker. On contact, my entire right arm and hand went completely numb. The strength dissipated. I got scared when I heard the doctors talking about my spine, but they told me to get some rest and they’d evaluate me further the next day.

Later that night, I wanted to test my strength so I asked my wife to push my arm down as I tried to hold it up. She pushed it down with one finger. We knew it was bad. Not long after, I was sitting in an office listening to Dr. Andrew Cappuccino explain what would happen.

“We’ll remove the bulging disc that is pressing into your spine and replace it with a piece of bone that we’ll shave off of your hip and then secure the area with a titanium plate and four screws,” he said. “That area with the titanium plate and screws will be stronger than ever before, but …”

Oh, shoot.

“… you’ll be taking a risk if you decide to play again. When you get one level of vertebrae fused together, the levels above and below take more force than before. There is a strong chance you will eventually experience another herniated disc, which will press into your spine, and you will have to have another surgery.”

I decided to play again.

After the Bills terminated my contract due to the procedure -- my agent told me I now had a red flag beside my name because of my neck – and I spent the offseason pondering whether or not my career was over, the Falcons called and asked if I still wanted to play. They told me to catch the first flight to Atlanta the next day – a day before training camp opened.

With Manning behind center, Denver's offense operates at a level few teams can claim.

I’ll never forget how happy I was to be given another opportunity and the excitement I felt on my way to Atlanta. Football had been the main part of my life since I was 7 years old, the thing for which I worked so hard every day. I’ll also never forget the next night, helplessly trying to fall asleep in Atlanta.

It hit me then that the following day I would be running full speed into 300-pound men with a neck that had been cut open only six months prior. What in the world was I thinking?

I didn’t sleep a single wink that entire night. I was nauseous thinking of all the bad that could possibly happen.

What if there hadn’t been enough recovery time? What if the titanium plate and screws wouldn’t hold when I hit someone? What if my vertebrae shattered into my spine and paralyzed me? I stared at the ceiling that night and decided I was going home.

The next morning at 5:45, before the sun was even up or my alarm went off for the first day of meetings, I called my wife, my parents and my agent and told them that I just could not do it. I was going to walk up to the administrative offices, thank GM Thomas Dimitroff for giving me the opportunity and then apologize for leaving so soon. I was going to retire.

My family heard the fear in my voice and gave me a pep talk. They said it was completely understandable to be scared but that I should stay a few days to see if my nerves calmed. After all, there would be no full contact the first two days of camp, so I’d be able to slowly immerse myself into the thought of playing again.

They were right -- I felt much better after running around the first day. I felt even better the second day, enough to give the third day a shot. The first full-contact drill was 9-on-7. In the NFL, this is the most physical part of any practice. It’s when the offensive and defensive fronts practice the run game. No passing, just physical, smash-mouth football.

My turn came and I remember being in the huddle thinking, “God brought you here, so it’s meant to be. Whatever is going to happen will happen, so if you play this next play, play it the only way you were ever taught – all out.”

The huddle broke, I got aligned and read the formation: I-left, weak-side guard light in his stance, a wide split between the front side guard and tackle. “They’re going to run power right at me,” I thought.

Sure enough, the ball was snapped and the backside guard pulled to the front side and I knew I had to take him on. I pulled the trigger and ran into him full speed, driving my helmet right up under his facemask.

The whistle blew and I looked around to make sure I was still alive. After confirming that, I looked down at my right hand to make sure I could move it. I checked my right arm. I did a few small, slow neck circles to make sure nothing cracked or popped.

Everything was OK, and a huge smile spread across my face.

***

Sometimes, while watching Manning play, I wonder if he experiences the three unique types of pain that affected me after my neck surgery -- past, present and future pain. Each is crippling in its own way.

Past: This is psychological anguish, the pain you’ve already been through that haunts before each game. You try to shake it, but it’s always there. You remember the deep ache and throbbing pain just after surgery; the time you accidently tilted your head too far, causing a wince, even though the neck brace is supposed to prevent it; the pain felt during rehab sessions that tested your will; the writhing pain after a simple sneeze.

Present: This is the physical pain of trying to play football again. It exists due to the residual effects of the surgery and the nature of the game. This pain might rear its ugly head when Manning is hit by a beastly defensive lineman who breaks through the offensive line with bad intentions, after which he might check to see if his fingers are all moving properly.

This pain might make Manning check the functionality of his arms by moving them in circles, like he did after being hit to the ground on a touchdown throw last week against the Chargers. There are also the everyday pains that might come in Manning’s routine, like the deep ache that develops by sitting at a computer too long or hunching over a playbook the wrong way.

Future: Lastly, this is the pain that arises out of fear from thinking about your future. I bet Manning occasionally does what I did while still playing: Lie in bed at night thinking about the titanium plate and screws, the discs above and below the one that was repaired, hoping they are strong and secure, praying everything will be OK, mustering up enough faith to believe you are safe from harm.

***

It’s been six years since I had my neck surgery, and I routinely visit the doctor for checkups. The photo above is me holding my most recent X-ray from a few months ago.

I see that scar in the mirror every day (they went through the front of my neck, like most cervical fusions) and shake my head in amazement, disbelief and gratitude. The whole gamut of emotions is symbolized by that scar. When I look at it, I experience a sense of pride and idiocy simultaneously.

Sometimes I wonder if I should have ever played again after the surgery, because of all the reminders of that decision’s cost.

Memories of my playing days are triggered every time the room is quiet enough to hear the annoying clicking sound when I swallow, caused by scar tissue that’s built up in my throat.

My right arm and hand have never returned to full strength -- the nerves just aren’t what they used to be. My arm feels weaker, one of my fingers doesn’t work properly and I often get unbearable neck pain and headaches. When it’s cold outside, my right hand feels like it’s moving in slow motion. My most recent MRI showed the discs above and below the original damaged area are now pressing into my spine, and they cause me pain every day. The doctor said that I need another surgery, but I told him that I’d rather just bear the pain. I can still hear Dr. Cappuccino describing how the surgery would work, and I don’t want to go through that again.

I played for three wonderful years with the Falcons after my surgery, but the doctor’s words -- “you’ll be taking a risk if you decide to play again” – haunted me every day, and I considered retiring during and after each of those three seasons. I would bet Manning has heard and is haunted by those same exact words.

None of this is a plea for pity. Manning has made a fortune playing a game he loves, and I’ve been blessed in countless ways. I have a wonderful family; I played pro football for nine years; I’m able to fly across the country each week during the season to talk about football on TV; compared to many people in much worse situations, my general health remains intact.

This is just what I mean when I wonder, “Do we appreciate what Peyton Manning is doing enough?” Like Adrian Peterson’s return from an ACL injury, Manning is pulling off a medical miracle; this is not, and should not be, the standard for players returning from spinal fusion surgery. Manning will surely deal with some of the pains I have after he retires, but this season he has played football about as well as ever.

So this weekend, when Manning and Denver faces Tom Brady and New England in the AFC Championship, I’m going to appreciate and enjoy every minute, every throw, every audible at the line and every single thing that makes Manning so special.

Someday, a young kid will undoubtedly ask what it was like to watch the great Peyton Manning. Like my dad, I’ll probably struggle before beginning with his word: I’ll say Manning was inspiring.

I’ll also explain this Manning season in the context of his neck injury and the privilege it was to turn on the TV during the 2014 playoffs and watch one of the greatest of all time, improbably near his best, play this glorious game.

Coy Wire is a analyst for FOX Sports 1 and writes CFB and NFL for FOXSports.com. He played football at Stanford and spent nine years in the NFL with Buffalo and Atlanta. Follow him on at @CoyWire. NFL player poll: Peyton Manning most respected in league

By Marc Weinreich SI.com January 16, 2014

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is the most respected player in the NFL, according to a poll conducted by ESPN of more than 320 players from the league.

One of the runners up is Manning’s opponent this Sunday, quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, who will face Manning and the Broncos for the AFC Championship and the right to play in the Super Bowl. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, the 2012 NFL MVP, tied Brady for the second most votes behind Manning.

Manning received 27 percent of the vote (86 players) when the players were asked who is the most respected player in the league, while Brady and Peterson each received 24 votes.

Rounding out the list is wide receiver with 15 votes; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees with 13 votes; and Green Back Packers QB and Washington Redskins linebacker each receiving 11 votes.

The 37-year-old Manning, a 13-time Pro Bowler and four-time NFL MVP, said he entered the league as a young player who sought to earn the respect of both his teammates and opponents:

“It’s always nice when you are paid respect by your opponents, the guys you play against. I know as a young player in the NFL, I remember some of my goals were to establish the respect of my coaches, my own teammates and then my opponents…Football is a game where mutual respect between opponents is what all players strive for. It makes the game better.” Champ Bailey finds unique source of inspiration in quest for first ring

By Joan Niesen SI.com January 16, 2014

Hands are great. Feet are better.

It's almost cruel that he says it now, after all these years. still has his quips, though, and he remembers those mornings in the fall of 1999 as if they were yesterday. He remembers Redskins defensive backs coach Tom Hayes organizing his twice-weekly sessions with the team's star rookie, Champ Bailey. He remembers Bailey soaking up every word as though he had gone undrafted.

Some of his lessons, though, would be impossible for Bailey to truly understand then.

The seventh pick in the 1999 NFL draft, Bailey was immediately one of the best athletes in the league, a rookie starter who logged five interceptions in his first 13 games as a pro. Green was an aging superstar, 39 at the time. His hands weren't as great as they once were. Neither were his feet. That's just the reality of age and football and imposed mortality. Green would tell Bailey that, too, but such things just don't quite register with 21-year-olds with his speed and talent. The future is just too big, the past too brilliant.

Bailey's hands were great. His feet were better, and there was no way to imagine a world in which they wouldn't be.

Now, Green's words are a mocking refrain. Feet are better, but Bailey's aren't. Fourteen years later, the Broncos' cornerback is finishing the toughest season of his career, one he hopes will end with his first-ever trip to the Super Bowl. It's been a season tainted by injury, by a sprain of his left foot that put him on the sideline for all but five regular-season games.

It's been a rollercoaster, and it came close to ending last Sunday, when the Broncos defense sputtered after Chris Harris -- the third-year cornerback who replaced Bailey in Denver's starting lineup -- tore his ACL. It may still end short of New Jersey, and whether it does hinges all too much on that one very foot.

"It's been frustrating because I got hurt," Bailey said. "I think dealing with injuries is the most frustrating thing. My goal right now is to do what I can to help my team win, whether that's playing 80 snaps or playing 20." Whether the Broncos will need Bailey for more than the 30 or so snaps he's taken each game this season remains to be seen. He could come out of the slot, where he's been relegated, to compensate for the loss of Harris, or the team might simply hope he can elevate his game in a limited role. Coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio haven't decided yet -- or if they have, they're not saying -- and Fox said Monday that the decision on Bailey's role is hardly "scientific."

Let's get back to Green, though. Bailey certainly has, even now, even after the two have fallen out of touch. He ran into his son, Jared Green, when the Broncos played the Raiders in December. Jared, who was 10 in Bailey's rookie year, is now on Oakland's . His father turned 50 three years ago and has been retired for 11. Roles have shifted, child to rookie, rookie to veteran, but to Bailey, the old advice still applies. As he learns the patience and introspection required of a 35- year-old cornerback, he's living by the example Green set all those years ago.

"I learned from one of the greatest," Bailey said. "He never moved to safety, so that's pretty much my inspiration, trying to outdo him. The game is a lot different than it was back then, but at the same time, there's still a lot of big, fast receivers out there, and I've been able to maintain and keep my speed up."

The foot will heal, and Bailey will find his step again, perhaps as this playoff run continues, but most likely in 2014. He's still in better shape than most players five years his junior, apart from that foot. It's the mental part of the game that's been giving him fits.

Talk to Green about what he did to play until age 42, and he'll mention the cursory physical feats, the intense summers of training, the stable lifestyle. That's just the prologue, though. Soon, Green is talking about tape. He's remembering Bailey following him into the film room every couple of weeks, remembering teaching the younger cornerback to do just the opposite of what most players do while they watch their games replayed and picked to pieces.

"We'd take the good things out of what we saw in the two or three games that we'd look at, and we'd just go out on the field with all of that good stuff that we saw," Green recalled. "We wouldn't take any of the bad stuff."

If there's anything Bailey needs now, it's positive reinforcement, confidence. On Dec. 1, in Kansas City, he was more dejected than he'd been all season after pulling himself from his first game in six weeks, and in the locker room afterward, he referred to playing cornerback as "a young man's game," implying, of course, that he's just the opposite.

At that point, Bailey was still trying to force himself to be something he wasn't, not then, and maybe not ever again. Elite athletes in their later years will do that; just look at Kobe Bryant. Aging gracefully in a world where 35 is over the hill is a difficult balance, and it's only in recent weeks that Bailey has embraced what it takes to do so.

"You only learn about your body from experience," he said. "I've never experienced anything like this, so I didn't know what to expect. But I think I learned how to develop a little more patience, because if you rush things, it's just not going to turn out right."

Bailey is the best cornerback of his generation, without a doubt. Green puts Bailey among himself, and as the best at the position in the past 40 years, and yet among the four, only Bailey is without a championship. Throughout this season, that's been the motivation to get better, to contribute, to play a part beyond that of an advisor. Fox calls the Super Bowl Bailey's "pot at the end of the rainbow," adding: "He knows the potential of our team. That's what's kept him going, and getting him back out there has helped us."

The Broncos defense has needed him all season, but never more than now. It's flirted with decent at moments, but it's never been good, much less great. Adding in its 12-time Pro Bowler was bound to produce a boost, and it has; since Bailey's latest return against Houston in Week 16, Denver's defense has been at its best. Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said Monday that Bailey is "just getting his groove back," and if that's even approaching true, it's perfect timing.

Bailey has already entered the world of superlatives. Best defensive player in Broncos history has been thrown around, along with best cornerback of his generation, perhaps even of all time. The individual accolades are there, but there's one best that would cap it all so gracefully: Best team of 2013. That's what Bailey wants, for himself and even more so for his Broncos. As he talks about growing confidence and measured improvement, about knowing his foot and his limits, he can seem so rational, so proscribed. Rational ends at some point, though, for Bailey and for every other athlete.

Asked what he'd do for that ring, Bailey doesn't blink.

"Whatever it takes."

Rational is great. Determined is better.

Aye, There’s the Rub The Broncos and Patriots run more pick plays with greater precision than any other team in the NFL. Before you start screaming at your TV on Sunday, learn which ones are legal and how receivers try to get away with even more

By Greg A. Bedard SI.com/The MMQB.com January 16, 2014

At several points during Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, fans undoubtedly will scream or tweet some version of the following statement: “That was a pick play!”

No team incorporates picks or rub routes into its offense more than the Broncos and Patriots. In their Week 12 meeting this season, which New England won in overtime, 34-31, the teams combined to run 12 plays from the second quarter on that featured an offensive player trying to free a teammate by getting mixed up with his defender. There were six run by each team.

Picks and rubs are often used in crucial situations, when a big play is needed, and often in the red zone because real estate is at a premium.

One player on each side in that Week 12 matchup, the Pats’ Danny Amendola and the Broncos’ Eric Decker, drew pass interference flags for pick infractions. But New England also got one of its biggest plays—a 33-yard pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski on the opening drive of the second half to jumpstart its 24-0 comeback—off a pick from receiver Julian Edelman.

So we’re going to see them on Sunday. And contrary to popular belief, they can be perfectly legal.

“I kind of chuckle because everybody goes, ‘That’s a pick play! That’s a pick play!’ ” says former ref Jim Daopoulos, who spent 11 years as an on-field official and 12 more as an NFL supervisor of officials. “Well, pick plays are legal. It’s legal to throw a pick.”

There are also picks that are illegal. We’ll explain the difference so you’ll be able to tell the difference on Sunday. But first, you need to understand why picks are so prevalent in today’s game.

* * *

When Peyton Manning and Tom Brady square off in the AFC title game, the defensive coordinators know they’re going to have to play a lot of man coverage against the receivers. The elite quarterbacks in today’s NFL are more accurate than ever, making the previously popular zone coverage not the smartest play. Even beyond accuracy, they’re much more advanced than their predecessors. And Manning and Brady are the crème de la crème.

“I think [Bears coach] Marc Trestman said it probably the best: The NFL is really a league of contested throws,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said earlier this season before facing the Broncos. “If you’re on offense, you have to make them; on defense you have to stop them. I think that’s really true. You have to contest the throws of these players, especially guys like Peyton … they’re too good, too skilled. I think you just have to be willing to go down there, challenge, compete and go like that.”

Picks, rubs and screens. We’ll probably see a little bit of everything in the AFC title game.

That means man-to-man coverage. Maybe not every down, but a good portion of the time, especially when defenses need a stop. If you allow Denver and New England receivers free entry into the secondary without getting pressure on Manning or Brady, those quarterbacks are going to pick a defense apart.

That has led to a dramatic rise in man coverage in today’s game. The offensive counter has been to run picks or rub routes, and to align receivers in bunch or stack formations, in order to gain a little bit of free space for them to operate. The goal is keep the defense from getting their hands on the receivers and slowing down the timing of the routes.

“You want [the receivers] to run really close to one another,” Eagles offensive coordinator said earlier this season. “And then there’s other ones where there’s just pure crossing routes where guys are just running across the field under or over one another.You just want guys to run really close to one another so the guy covering him has to bow over the top [go around the other offensive player].”

Defensive techniques used to combat the rubs and picks vary from team to team, and down to down. Some teams get even closer and more physical with the receiver so he can’t freely pick off a teammate. On some downs you’ll see defenders switch the players they’re covering.

“It’s a matter of wills at some point,” Sutton said.

* * *

There are two very important points to keep in mind when talking about legal versus illegal picks: within one yard of the line of scrimmage, anything goes—you can block the defender as much as you want and it doesn’t matter if the ball is in the air or not; but beyond that one-yard buffer it is illegal for an offensive player to initiate contact with a defender.

A basic pick play, like in basketball, occurs when an offensive player is stopped in the field of play. If a teammate runs by and the trailing defender runs into the player setting the pick, that is perfectly legal; the offensive player did not initiate the contact.

From there, however, it gets complicated. There’s a gray area that forces officials to judge intent. Incidental contact, just one guy running into another, is also not an infraction.

“What is that offensive guy doing?” Daopoulos says. “Is he trying to gain an advantage by rubbing somebody off? Has he initiated some contact that has put that defender at a disadvantage? That’s what you’re looking for. You’re looking for somebody gaining an advantage by doing something that they shouldn’t be doing.”

That’s what happened on the two penalties in the Broncos-Patriots Week 12 game. On the first, Amendola looked like he was just running a slant across the formation, but at the last second he dipped a shoulder into Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan, who was trying to cover Gronkowski. Brady obviously didn’t agree with the call, as you can tell by his comments following the game.

“Certain teams do it a lot,” Brady said. “We don’t do it a ton because we tend to get penalties when we do it, so it defeats the whole purpose. You kind of talk about it and you get excited to do it, and you think it looks good and then the refs—we got called last game on a pass interference on Danny which was … (pause) … anyway.”

On the Decker play, which happened on a crucial third down early in overtime, he took out Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins; it was illegal even though Decker actually contacted his own teammate, Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme, before blocking Collins.

“If they run their guys into each other, as long as neither one of them are initiating the contact [on purpose], it’s OK,” Daopoulos says. “It’s strictly up to the official if he feels Decker sees that guy. It happens so quickly and sometimes it’s just a gut feel. You get that by seeing these plays over and over again. You know exactly what they’re trying to do. They’re trying to put that hesitancy in the ’s mind, make him think he’s going to get blocked, but they know they can’t initiate that block. All it takes is that split-second to make that defensive back hesitate.”

The officials looked like they missed a few other pick infractions in the first Broncos- Patriots matchup. With 11:19 left in the second quarter, Patriots running back Shane Vereen dropped a pass when he was wide open down the left side. The Patriots love setting picks for Vereen out of the backfield. How did he get so wide open here? Gronkowski laid a blatant pick, even sticking his right leg out for good measure, to delay linebacker Wesley Woodyard.

The 33-yard pass that Gronkowski caught in third quarter, thanks to a pick from Edelman on safety Duke Ihenacho, was not called either. “You talk about a pick. If the one before it was a penalty [on Amendola], what the heck was that one?” NBC analyst said on the telecast.

But if you look closely, Edelman’s contact with Ihenacho came at about the 50 yard, one yard from the line of scrimmage at the 49. That’s a legal play. A couple more feet away from the line of scrimmage, and that play is called back and the Patriots are facing 2nd-and-14.

Keep the one-yard rule in mind when you see the quick receiver screens that both teams like to run, especially the Broncos with Demaryius Thomas. The other receivers can block the opposing cornerback within one yard of the line of scrimmage, whether the ball is in the air or not.

Defenders, however, are more limited. They can’t do what Patriots cornerback did (but wasn’t flagged for) on third down with 12:14 left in the fourth quarter: grab the back of Thomas’ jersey to prevent the .

“That’s a foul,” Daopoulos says. “Even if the pass isn’t thrown, then you can have the defensive hold. Those defenders can’t restrict the receiver from going up. This is an offensive game, and unfortunately for the defensive players, this game is set up for the offense to score points. They’ve put a lot of restrictions on the defensive players. They can bump them in that first five yards, but they can’t grab and restrict. You can never grab the jersey, grab the shoulder pad. You can’t physically restrict them. All you can do is bump them and ride in that first five yards. Then after five, you have to release them.”

Beyond the one-yard zone, offensive pass interference is in effect from the moment the ball is snapped until the receiver catches the ball (or until a defensive player touches the ball). It’s different than defensive pass interference, which can only happen when the ball is in flight. So, on one of the Broncos’ favorite plays, Decker can’t block Talib on a screen pass to Thomas beyond the 1-yard zone until Thomas catches the ball.

Picks, rubs and screens. We’ll probably see a little bit of everything on Sunday. Hopefully you can now tell what is legal and what isn’t, although the ultimate call falls to the trained eye of the flag thrower. The truth is, most of the picks you’ll see on Sunday are legal.

“Every eligible receiver has an official watching him and what’s going on,” Daopoulos says. “You don’t see too many calls on it because most of the players are pretty well schooled. They know what the rules are, they know what they can do. And now that you’re in the playoffs, the last thing these guys want to do is do something illegal and wipe a big touchdown off the scoreboard. The players, especially at this point, know what they’re doing.” It’s Time to Man Up The days of strong safeties lining up receivers over the middle and delivering knockout hits are over. But that’s not the only reason why zone concepts are being replaced by man coverage. The AFC Championship Game is a case study of how NFL defenses are evolving

By Andy Benoit SI.com/The MMQB.com January 16, 2014

Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Broncos coach John Fox (as well as Fox’s defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio) have been leading acolytes of zone-based defenses for most of their combined 56 years as either NFL head coaches or coordinators. But over the past two years, both teams have employed predominantly man-based defenses.

The shift is largely a reflection of how they feel about their personnel. Both teams have a true No. 1 cover artist—Aqib Talib in New England and Dominique Rodgers- Cromartie in Denver (pictured above)—plus a stable of nimble corners who can play either inside or outside. Not to be overlooked, both teams also have athletic linebackers who can cover running backs and tight ends all over the field. But why now?

Before 2012, the Patriots and Broncos employed plenty of traditional zone concepts with personnel similar to what they have now. Their recent uptick in man concepts isn’t unique; it’s a reflection of a league-wide trend that also includes the 49ers and Seahawks. Let’s examine why.

First, it’s important to understand something that most fans—and, believe it or not, even some players—fail to grasp: Almost every zone coverage has matchup principles. Good zone schemes don’t task players with defending a certain area; they task them with defending receivers who enter a certain area. Catches and touchdowns are made by human beings, not slabs of field.

We say more clubs are featuring man-based concepts because defenses don’t have to call man coverage in order to play man coverage. A lot of man-to-man situations derive from zone. Defenses play zone for a variety of reasons, and the ones that become proficient in it operate at a faster tempo and learn to disguise their intentions.

This is one reason we’re seeing more offenses spread out; a way to negate disguises is to widen the defense. Many spread offenses feature quick-strike passes because undisguised coverages allow a quarterback to predetermine where he throws. Quarterbacks are also throwing against isolated defenders, as the widened zones mean larger swaths of field for each man to patrol. Hence, a lot of zone coverages are morphing into man-to-man. Those that don’t get exploited.

Instead of asking defenders to fruitlessly defend an oversize area of field, defenses are copying Seattle’s approach by playing press-man with their corners outside. Or, more often, they’re copying New England and Denver by instituting more straight man-to-man coverages, with a safety patrolling the deep middle. This often leaves one free defender, which the Patriots generally employ as a lurker underneath, while the Broncos use him as a blitzer. (Lately, with its secondary ravaged by injuries to corners Chris Harris, Kayvon Webster and safety Rahim Moore, Denver has gone with more three-man rushes and eight-man coverages, which often allow for zone concepts to be mixed in with the man-to-man, creating a hybrid coverage).

There are other reasons man coverage works in today’s NFL, such as tempo. Offenses are playing faster from snap to snap, on the logic that more plays equals more chances to score (and more chances to establish a game-controlling rhythm and wear down the defense). With less time between snaps, defenses aren’t able to coordinate their spacing and assignments in zone. So they just line up and say, “I’ve got him, you’ve got that guy.” Offenses will keep playing fast because it’s also a great way to simplify things for the quarterback. A defense that doesn’t have enough time to coordinate spacing and assignments also doesn’t have enough time to organize blitzes or feigned pressure packages.

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This leads to another reason why man coverage is on the rise. When the defense does have time between snaps—which still occurs frequently against no-huddle, especially on 3rd-and-long—chances are good it will employ some form of exotic pass rush out of an amorphous look. (Football isn’t becoming more sophisticated only on offense.) Most pressure packages require man coverage on the back end because, seeing as how they’re likely to force the quarterback into a quick throw, it’s prudent for defenders to challenge receivers immediately. Quarterbacks are adept at throwing quickly through tight windows, which is yet another reason to replace zone with man.

Then there are the NFL’s new safety measures. One of the greatest advantages of playing zone is that it allows defenders to see all the action unfold in front of them, meaning they can wind up and deliver big hits, especially over the middle. Belichick understood this as well as anyone back when he had strong safety and, later, . But a lot of the hits that once made a so feared now draw a 15-yard penalty.

The downside of man coverage is that it can be exploited with pick routes and crossing patterns. That’s something we’ll see on Sunday afternoon, as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning conduct offenses that have mastered this art. Man coverage can also be vulnerable if your secondary has a conspicuous weak link. The Patriots are devoid of any, but the Broncos have one in 34-year-old Quentin Jammer, who came in last week after starting corner Chris Harris tore his ACL. The ex-Charger floundered against his former team. (It’s hard to say why the significantly more athletic Tony Carter, who in recent years has mostly prospered in extended action off the bench, hasn’t been serving as Denver’s fill-in third corner.)

Injuries in the Broncos’ secondary—and to linebacker Von Miller, which diminishes their pass rush—might actually compel Fox and Del Rio to play more zone on Sunday. That would be a tacit admission that they’re just hoping their defense can survive. After all, the way to thrive is to man up. AFC Championship Game preview: Patriots-Broncos

By Marc Sessler NFL.com January 16, 2014

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos, Sunday, 3:00 p.m. ET, CBS

The backstory

The Football Gods are smiling.

In the fading light of a January day out west, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will meet again.

I can't help but wonder if Sunday's AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos might be our final look at these two quarterbacking giants going head-to-head with so much at stake.

Fourteen times they've waged war, with Brady winning 10 of those 14 matchups, including two of three in the playoffs.

They last squared off in a narrative-busting classic in Week 12, won 34-31 by New England. Eight weeks later, both squads look different.

The Patriots invade Denver without tight end Rob Gronkowski, a loss that has forced coach Bill Belichick to once again reimagine an ever-changing offense down the stretch. The Broncos, meanwhile, have been stripped of havoc-wreaking pass rusher Von Miller on a defense -- like New England's -- that can't afford another injury.

Under pressure

Peyton Manning, quarterback, Broncos: The five-year, $96 million contract Manning signed with the Broncos in 2012 has only one successful outcome: Peyton hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on a February night below a haze of confetti.

Forget the high-flying offense, the scorched record books or the pre-snap wonderment. Manning's astonishing statistical achievements this season will mean little, in hindsight, if the Broncos crumble in January for a second straight year. Manning's five losses at home in the playoffs are the most in league history. To be fair, he's played in more of those games than your average quarterback and his teams dropped those tilts by a combined 14 points. Peyton's clashes with Brady have also been tight, with six of their last seven decided by seven points or less.

Back in Week 12, Manning calmly guided the Broncos to a 24-0 lead, only to watch Brady and friends storm back for a three-point overtime win that saw Peyton throw for just 150 yards at 4.2 yards per pass on a cold, windy night in Gillette.

That comeback, the biggest of Brady's career, set the stage for Sunday's rematch. This time, it's on Peyton to alter the storyline.

Matchup to watch

Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount vs. Denver run defense:

LeGarrette Blount has rumbled for four-plus yards per carry in 10 of his last 11 games. He was barely used in New England's regular-season meeting with the Broncos (rushing just two times for 13 yards and a fumble), but Blount has become the workhorse du jour for a Patriots offense intent on attacking with the run.

Last weekend's winning playoff teams ran an average of 37.3 times, with New England undressing the Indianapolis Colts for 234 yards and six touchdowns on 46 attempts. Blount tied a Patriots postseason record with 166 rushing yards and came within one touchdown of tying an NFL record with four scores on the ground.

Blount has been running of late with visible power and burst, but the Broncos have grown surprisingly stout against the run. Denver ranked seventh in the league with 1,626 yards allowed, but that's partly the result of teams passing from the start to keep up with Manning's offense. After teams ran for 100-plus yards in six straight games against the Broncos, they've allowed just one team to do so since Week 13.

Along those lines, the Broncos have given up just 14.7 points per game and 120.2 fewer yards per tilt over their last three outings. During that stretch, nose tackle Terrance "Pot Roast" Knighton has been an unblockable behemoth, while first-round draft pick Sylvester Williams and veteran Paris Lenon have been a total load against the run.

If Blount can't churn out yardage and chew up the clock on Sunday, Denver will roll.

Mind-blowing stats

Neither Manning nor Brady has performed particularly well in conference championships despite winning records in title games. Manning has five touchdown passes, five picks and a 76.7 passer rating, while Brady has seven scores through the air, nine interceptions and a 74.7 mark. ... Brady vs. Manning features the oldest combined age of two starting quarterbacks in any conference title game since John Elway battled Vinny "And the Jets" Testaverde in the 1998 AFC Championship. ... Brady has thrown just 75 passes over the last three weeks, the fewest of any three-game stretch in his career. ... The Patriots passer led the league in percentage of throws completed to his tight ends in 2011 and 2012, but was dead last in that category in 2013. ... The Broncos are the first team in NFL history to have five players with 10-plus touchdowns and four players with 10-plus receiving touchdowns.

Prediction

Drowning in the white noise surrounding Manning vs. Brady, we tend to forget: There's much more going on here.

One-hundred and four other players and two coaching staffs will factor into a game that settles the AFC.

The Broncos are the clear favorites, but when we made our Super Bowl picks way back in August, I chose the Patriots to topple the Seahawks. Five months later, I still trust the combination of Brady and Belichick to deliver New England to the promised land. Four players to watch on Championship Sunday

By Around The League staff NFL.com January 16, 2014

Terrance Knighton, Denver Broncos nose tackle

If I had my way, I'd stick with the guy I dialed up last week: Broncos return man Trindon Holliday. He busted free for a long score against the Chargers, but it was called back. I wouldn't be stunned if he did it again, but the Shadowy League Figure over my shoulder insists I pick someone else for Sunday.

That won't be hard. Let's go with Denver nose tackle Terrance "Pot Roast" Knighton, the anchor behind a defensive front playing much better against the run of late. After allowing teams to run for 100-plus yards in six straight games, only one opponent has done so since Week 13.

Knighton has been a core contributor down the stretch, earning three of his top run-stopping grades this season over the past four weeks, per Pro Football Focus. He also has a sack, two quarterback hits and six hurries over that span. It's hard to take our eyes off these quarterbacks, but spend some time watching Knighton's play against Patriots back LeGarrette Blount. That matchup could very well decide this game.

-- Marc Sessler

Danny Amendola, New England Patriots wide receiver

The Patriots ran the ball 46 times for 234 yards against the Colts last week.

Should we expect more of the same against the Broncos on Sunday? Not so fast. The loss of cornerback Chris Harris has left Denver's secondary vulnerable, setting the stage for Bill Belichick to flip the script.

This is where Amendola comes in. The first-year Patriot could draw Harris' replacement in coverage, providing New England's offense with a substantial matchup advantage on Sunday. Amendola has yet to live up to the evolutionary Wes Welker hype, but he's shown enough flashes to convince he's fully capable of going off at any time. Julian Edelman has emerged as the wide receiver Brady trusts most and will be the No. 1 concern for the Broncos' secondary. The stage is set for Amendola to creep up and wreck a game plan.

-- Dan Hanzus

Ahmad Brooks, San Francisco 49ers linebacker

The San Francisco 49ers are the proud owners of the NFL's best linebacker corps since Jim Mora's Saints defense featured , Sam Mills, Vaughn Johnson, and Hall of Famer from 1987 to 1992. On the second thought, the 49ers' foursome might be even better.

Aldon Smith averaged more sacks per game (0.98) than any player since the statistic was created in 1982. is one of just 15 players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons. NaVorro Bowman is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate as the best inside linebacker in the league this season.

For all of that glory, outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks continue to fly under the radar.

With two takedowns of Aaron Rodgers in the Wild Card round, Brooks now trails only for most sacks in franchise postseason history.

49ers fans will attest that Brooks held the defense together while Smith and Willis were sidelined in late September and early October. He was rewarded for his career year with a second team All-Pro selection.

If Sunday's game turns on a sack, forced fumble or interception, don't be surprised if Brooks is the instigator.

-- Chris Wesseling

Byron Maxwell, cornerback

The 49ers tried to pick on Maxwell the last time they met. Like most teams, they were disappointed at how well Maxwell held up. He picked off Colin Kaepernick on the goal line and battled in his matchups with Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham on the outside.

It's no surprise that Richard Sherman led all by allowing only a 47.3 quarterback rating on passes thrown at him. It's a huge surprise that Maxwell finished second in the league. Maxwell has actually been an upgrade on former Pro Bowler , who was suspended indefinitely. Maxwell, a sixth-round pick in 2011, has out-produced his draft slot like so many other Seahawks. 's staff is one of the best at developing players.

Maxwell figures to get plenty of action again Sunday. As well as he's played, he's not Sherman or . Maxwell is coming off a rough game against New Orleans, and will have chances to make a life-changing interception.

-- Gregg Rosenthal Manning vs. Brady: The Complete History

By Alex Gelhar NFL.com January 16, 2014

Two elite quarterbacks. One unforgettable rivalry. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have played each other 14 times before, with number 15 coming up.

Relive all their highlights here.

January 19, 2014 - 2013 AFC Championship Game - NE at DEN

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will face off for the 15th time in the AFC Championship game, and the stakes have arguably never been higher. Each quarterback has his sights set on a chance for another Lombardi trophy, but first they have to battle on the gridiron once again for that right.

November 24, 2013 - Week 12 - NE 34 - DEN 31 OT

Recap:

The Broncos jumped out to a 24-0 first-half lead behind strong defense and a Peyton Manning touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme. However, Tom Brady orchestrated a classic comeback, and at the end of regulation the teams were deadlocked in a 31-31 tie. The defenses held firm in overtime, until a Patriots punt bounced off Broncos cornerback Tony Carter, setting up an easy game-winning field goal for the Pats. They won 34-31 in overtime, extending Brady's record to 10-4 against Manning.

Stats:

Brady: 34/50, 344 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 107.4 passer rating

Manning: 19/36, 150 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 70.4 passer rating

October 7, 2012 - Week 5 - NE 31 - DEN 21

Recap:

This game marked the first time Brady and Manning squared off as a Patriot and Bronco. Denver's defense allowed 252 rushing yards to the Patriots, which helped Brady lead four scoring drives of at least 80 yards. Manning threw three touchdown passes, but his comeback attempt was halted by a Willis McGahee fumble in the fourth quarter. Stats:

Brady: 23/31, 223 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 104.6 passer rating

Manning: 31/44, 337 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 115.4 passer rating

November 21, 2010 - Week 11 - NE 31 - IND 28

Recap:

Manning threw two interceptions that gave Brady and the Patriots an early 31-14 lead. Manning rallied back with two touchdown passes to Blair White to bring the score to 31-28. However, the Patriots' pass rush led to Manning's third interception on the day with only 30 seconds left on the clock, sealing the win for New England.

Stats:

Brady: 19/25, 186 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 123.1 passer rating

Manning: 38/52, 396 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT, 96.3 passer rating

November 15, 2009 - Week 10 - IND 35 - NE 34

Recap:

This game will forever be known as the "Fourth-and-2" game after Bill Belichick went for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 28-yard line, leading 34-28 late in the fourth quarter. Four plays later, Manning hit Reggie Wayne for the game-tying touchdown pass, and 's extra point gave the Colts a 35-34 lead. Brady had 375 passing yards and three touchdown passes on the day, but fell just short of victory.

Stats:

Brady: 29/42, 375 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 110.7 passer rating

Manning: 28/44, 327 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 97.4 passer rating

November 4, 2007 - Week 9 - NE 24 - IND 20

Recap:

Manning led the Colts to a 20-10 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, which was plenty of time for Brady to mount a comeback. He hit Wes Welker and for touchdown passes, and sacked Manning, forcing a fumble to end the Colts' comeback attempt. The Patriots won 24-20 in the midst of their perfect regular season. Stats:

Brady: 21/32, 255 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 95.2 passer rating

Manning: 16/27, 225 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 83.1 passer rating

January 1, 2007 - 2006 AFC Championship Game - IND 38 - NE 34

Recap:

Brady and the Patriots struck quickly, and thanks to an interception return for a touchdown, went into halftime with a 21-6 lead. Manning and the Colts wasted no time and brought the game to a 21-21 tie in the third quarter. The teams traded blows until the Colts finally went ahead, 38-34, after a touchdown run with 1:00 left on the clock. intercepted a Brady pass to close out the win for the Colts and send Manning to his first Super Bowl.

Stats:

Brady: 21/34, 232 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 79.5 passer rating

Manning: 27/47, 349 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 79.1 passer rating

November 5, 2006 - Week 9 - IND 27 - NE 20

Recap:

Brady had his worst game against Manning in 2006, throwing four interceptions and no touchdowns as the Colts won 27-24. Manning threw an interception of his own, but two touchdown passes to Marvin Harrison helped keep the Patriots at bay.

Stats:

Brady: 20/35, 201 yards, 0 TD, 4 INT, 34.0 passer rating

Manning: 20/36, 326 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 93.1 passer rating

November 7, 2005 - Week 9 - IND 40 - NE 21

Recap:

Manning and Brady were electric in this game, each completing over 66 percent of his passes, and combining for 586 passing yards and six touchdowns. Ultimately, it was the Colts defense that rose to the challenge, stymying a number of Patriots drives and forcing a crucial fumble that Manning turned into seven points in the 40-21 victory.

Stats: Brady: 22/33, 265 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 121.4 passer rating

Manning: 28/37, 321 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 117.1 passer rating

January 16, 2005 - 2004 AFC Divisional Round - NE 20 - IND 3

Recap:

It was a defensive battle in the first half, as Manning and Brady led their teams to a combined nine points. However, Brady and company got going in the second half. Brady threw a touchdown pass to , and ran in a touchdown himself to give the Patriots a 20-3 victory.

Stats:

Brady: 18/27, 144 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 92.2 passer rating

Manning: 27/42, 238 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 69.3 passer rating

September 9, 2004 - Week 1 - NE 27 - IND 24

Recap:

The Patriots were the defending Super Bowl champions, and opened the season against Manning and the Colts. Brady out-dueled Manning, completing almost 70 percent of his passes for 335 yards with three touchdown passes.

Stats:

Brady: 26/38, 335 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, 111.2 passer rating

Manning: 16/29, 256 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 93.5 passer rating

January 18, 2004 - 2003 AFC Championship Game - NE 24 - IND 14

Recap:

The Colts and Patriots squared off at Gilette Stadium with a trip to Super Bowl XXXVIII at stake. Peyton Manning threw four interceptions that turned into to six points for the Patriots, while Brady led six different scoring drives to send the Pats to their second Super Bowl in three years.

Stats:

Brady: 22/37, 237 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 76.1 passer rating

Manning: 23/47, 237 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT, 35.5 passer rating November 30, 2003 - Week 13 - NE 38 - IND 34

Recap:

The Patriots jumped out to an early 17-0 lead thanks to a Manning fumble on a first-quarter sack by . Brady threw two second-half interceptions to let the Colts claw back into the game, but in the end, the Pats prevailed 38-34.

Stats:

Brady: 26/35, 236 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 87.3 passer rating

Manning: 29/48, 278 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 95.7 passer rating

October 21, 2001 - Week 6 - NE 38 - IND 17

Recap:

Brady was brutally efficient against the Colts defense in the second showdown of the 2001 season (the only year Brady and Manning were starters in the same division), completing over 70 percent of his passes with three touchdowns to boot. Manning had 335 passing yards on the day, but only found the once, spelling defeat for the Colts.

Stats:

Brady: 16/20, 202 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 148.3 passer rating

Manning: 22/34, 335 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 106.9 passer rating

September 30, 2001 - Week 3 - NE 44 - IND 13

Recap:

The first game in what became a historic rivalry. Brady got the win, but it was his defense that did the heavy lifting, returning two Manning interceptions for touchdowns. Brady only threw for 168 passing yards with no touchdowns, but he recorded the only statistic that matters in the end: a win.

Stats:

Brady: 13/23, 168 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 79.6 passer rating

Manning: 20/34, 196 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 48.2 passer rating Why does Peyton Manning get less respect?

By Dan Shaughnessy Boston Globe January 17, 2014

Patriots fans think the Patriots are going to win Sunday because they are confident Tom Brady will play better than Peyton Manning in any big game.

Manning will choke.

That’s the book.

A case can be made that, excluding Super Bowls, this AFC Championship is the biggest, grandest, most-hyped NFL contest of the last 50 years. It’s the 15th playing of the NFL’s 1812 Overture. Bill Belichick has a chance to tie Tom Landry as the winningest playoff coach in NFL history. Brady is already the winningest quarterback in postseason history (18 victories as a starter), and with one more championship, he can join Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw in the exclusive four- ring club.

The game will be played two days before the 20th anniversary of Bob Kraft’s purchase of the Patriots, and a victory by New England would give the Patriots six Super Bowl appearances in the Belichick-Brady era.

But the single reason this game is the (non-Super Bowl) Game of the Century is the presence of Manning and all the pressure he takes into Sports Authority Field Sunday afternoon.

Manning is the man America wants to see. He is Mr. “Omaha,” Mr. “Cut That Meat!” He is the man with the bull’s-eye on the back of his helmet.

All the pressure in this game is on Manning.

The dirty little secret of this duel is the widespread notion that Manning will somehow choke it all away and hand the game to the Patriots. A good portion of Patriot Nation thinks the Patriots will win because Manning can’t win the big one — especially against Belichick and Brady.

It’s amazing. Manning has morphed into Wilt Chamberlain. Despite all the awards (’s Sportsman of the Year in 2013) and commercials, he is disrespected on a par with no athlete this side of Alex Rodriguez. He has amassed passing statistics that may never be broken, but he can’t seem to push past the idea that he’ll fail in the big moment. He cares too much. He’s too nice. And you know where nice guys finish . . .

Much of this is rooted in fact. Some of it is myth.

We know the Patriots have beaten Manning’s teams in 10 of 14 meetings when Brady and Manning were the starting quarterbacks. This includes the 2003 AFC Championship game, when Manning was intercepted four times, thrice by . Brady and the Patriots won, 24-14. One year later, in the divisional round, Brady’s Patriots beat Manning’s Colts, 20-3.

We know Manning is a sub-.500 quarterback in the postseason (10-11). Eight times his team was one and out in the playoffs. Manning threw the horrible, across-the- body interception to Corey Graham that closed the book on Denver’s shocking double-overtime loss to the Ravens last January. In Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, Manning threw the pick-6 to the Saints’ Tracy Porter that crushed Indianapolis’s quest for a second Super Bowl championship.

The book is that Manning can’t win in cold weather. He didn’t win on that bitter night in Foxborough two months ago — a night when he was handed a 24-0 lead at halftime.

Oh, and you know the rest of it. Imagine how great Tom Brady would be if he’d had Manning’s receivers through the years. Tom never had Reggie Wayne or Marvin Harrison. He never had the arsenal Manning has now.

Swell. But here’s the counter to all that. Here’s the myth under the avalanche of anti-Peyton propaganda: Manning never had the defenses that Brady had in New England. Manning never had Belichick as a head coach. Manning is the guy who brought the Colts back from a 15-point first-half deficit in the 2006 AFC Championship game at Indy. That’s when the Colts beat the Patriots, 38-34. A few years later, Manning is the guy who forced Belichick to go for it on a fourth-and-2. Belichick was afraid to punt the ball to Manning.

And why does Brady get credit (and Manning blame) for New England’s “game- winning” drive in the freezing overtime Sunday night game at Gillette? Fact is, neither quarterback put any points on the board in OT. The Patriots scored only because one of the Broncos ran into a punt, giving Brady a first-and-10 from the Broncos’ 13-yard line.

That’s Brady being good and Manning choking? Tom good in cold weather, but Peyton unable to deal with a frosty night?

Manning carries extra weight, even in his new hometown. Last Sunday’s Denver Post kicked off playoff coverage of its top-seeded team with a photo of Manning under the headline, “A Legacy Under a Cloud.’’ After the Broncos hung on and defeated the Chargers, the next day’s Post led with “Whew!”

Something tells me there’s a crisis of confidence in Manning’s own house. And no one exploits this stuff better than the Patriots. Their mere presence in this game is proof of their mental edge. It’s certainly not the depth and talent of the New England roster. Knowshon Moreno a Bronco who wouldn’t be busted

By Julian Benbow Boston Globe January 17, 2014

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The wave of memes, gifs, and Tweets that came after Knowshon Moreno shed two giant-sized teardrops after the national anthem before a game a month ago led to several feature stories about the difficult circumstances the 26-year-old Broncos running back overcame to get to the NFL.

But for his quarterback, Peyton Manning, the tribulations he’s seen Moreno push through in just two years is more than some players deal with in their careers.

“I’ve truly only known Knowshon for two years but he has been through a lot just in the two seasons we’ve played together,” Manning said. “Last year, when I signed here, he was rehabbing a significant [ACL] injury and wasn’t exactly sure how the roster was going to play out.

“Then, during the season, he was doing scout team, which is definitely a humbling moment for any football player that has been a starter and a first-round pick. Then this past offseason again, probably unsure on a roster position.”

On the brink of being written off, Moreno turned in his best seasons as a pro: 1,038 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns, plus 548 receiving yards and three more scores.

Whether it’s pass blocking, running the ball, or catching passes out of the backfield, Manning said Moreno has been one of the Broncos’ most dependable pieces.

“I sure have appreciated all he’s done,” Manning said. “Just in the two seasons we’ve been together, he’s been through an incredible journey as well. His attitude has been great and I sure do like having him next to me in the shotgun. It makes me feel real comfortable.”

Landing on the scout team could have been rock bottom for Moreno, but he treated those touches like game-day carries. Eventually, the door opened again and he took every opportunity to enhance his role

“Just basically learning each week and trying to get better each week,” Moreno said. “You never play a perfect game — definitely not me — and I try to correct those mistakes and move forward each week and get better.” Manning’s presence, he says, has helped speed that along.

Of all the things he’s picked up from the Manning, Moreno said the biggest was “just how to be a pro.”

“He demands so much,” Moreno said. “He demands perfection. That kind of rubs off on a lot of guys — offensively and defensively and as a team. So I just try to go out there and do my best and make sure I’m in the right places.”

Gase on the case

For offensive coordinator Adam Gase, the chance to help the Broncos reach their first Super Bowl since 1998 outweighed the opportunity to interview for head coaching vacancies. Gase pulled the strings on the league’s top offense this season, and in the process became a hot commodity. But he chose to put off all interviews — most notably with the Cleveland Browns — until after the playoff run. “I just felt like I was all in for what we were doing here,” Gase said. “I just didn’t want to stand in front of our players and say one thing and do something else. I felt like it was the most important thing for what we needed to do for this team.”

Meeting with success

Giving up 337 yards in a Week 15 loss to the Chargers was reason enough for the Broncos defense to call its own meeting. Looking back, it may have been a pivotal moment. In three games since, the Broncos have held opponents to an average of 251.3 yards, and no team has scored more than two touchdowns. “I think that was a bit of a turning point,” said linebacker Paris Lenon. “I think guys were playing well in spurts. It just hadn’t been a complete game. After that situation, after that loss to San Diego, we go to Houston and played more complete in that game. Then we went to Oakland and played more complete in that game, and then obviously last [Sunday].” . . . Hartford native Terrance Knighton expects his two younger bothers to have conflicted allegiances this weekend. They all grew up Patriots fans. “It’s kind of like a split household right now because I grew up a Patriots fan,” Knighton said. “But they’re mostly concerned with my success right now. After the game, we’ll handle that.” . . . Former Broncos wideout Rod Smith, who spent his entire 12- year career in Denver, won two Super Bowls, and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame two years ago, will serve as honorary captain Sunday. Boston, Denver mayors make friendly wager

By Zuri Berry Boston Globe January 16, 2014

FOXBOROUGH — Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock have made a friendly wager for Sunday’s AFC Championship game between the Patriots and the Broncos.

If the Patriots win, Hancock will wear a Patriots jersey at the US Conference of Mayors next week in Washington, D.C., and ship some green chile, a hoodie, hat, and skis from Icelantic Skis in Denver.

If the Broncos win, Walsh will wear a Broncos jersey to the conference, send 5 pounds of chocolate turtles from Phillips Candy House in Dorchester, and donate some locally inscribed books to Denver Public Libraries.

In a video posted to Instagram, Walsh says “I think you know what number” when referring to the jersey.

Why does Peyton Manning yell ‘Omaha’ so much?

By Zuri Berry Boston Globe January 16, 2014

FOXBOROUGH — It’s now a running joke.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning went to the podium Wednesday in Englewood, Colo., and humorously explained that “Omaha” is a running play.

“But it could be a pass play,” he said, “or a play-action pass, depending on a couple of things.

“The wind. Which way we’re going. The quarter. And the jerseys we’re wearing. So it really varies play to play.”

All good fun for the Denver Broncos quarterback who, through his histrionic display at the line of scrimmage Sunday, managed to foul up the normally disciplined San Diego Chargers defensive line in the AFC Divisional playoff round.

By barking “Omaha” and constantly changing the play at the line — “Omaha! Omaha!” — Manning was able to get the Chargers to jump offsides five times, adding a colorful display to the NFL playoffs.

“Omaha,” Patriots players point out, is a dummy call. So while Manning joked that it varies from one play to the next, it really does. Listening to Manning, whether he’s barking dummy calls or pointing every which way, can confuse defensive players.

In watching the broadcast version of the game, Patriots players were both in awe and wary of what Manning was able to do while setting up each play.

“I don’t know if they turned the volume up. It sounds like he’s on the stadium PA or sound system,” said tight end . “I think it’s fun watching him, personally, just being a football fan. Forget being a player. Just the control he has over his offense, really the team. It’s obvious everyone looks to him for answers in everything. It’s fun to watch.”

But Manning’s theatrics do little to change the Patriots’ view of what needs to be done in defending against the Broncos. According to defensive players, strict discipline at the line is needed. And, above all else, ignore everything Manning says. “Obviously you want to play smart out there,” said Patriots rookie defensive tackle Joe Vellano. “He’s on a level that he’s gonna do some things so he plays you. You think you know what he’s calling, and then he’s gonna switch it on you. So I don’t try to get too crazy with his stuff at the line, because there really is so much of it, it’s hard to track. It’s tough to even get a beat on it.”

Chris Jones, the Patriots’ other rookie defensive tackle, agrees.

“He has great hard counts,” Jones said. “You just gotta key your man, key the ball.”

“It’s tough to really get a beat on all that,” Vellano said. “But you gotta really make sure you know your assignment, make sure you’re in your alignment and just be really consistent. Don’t let all that stuff get to you. Because it’s going to slow you down more than it’s going to help you. And when you get in the game, and you have so many different [situations], it’s hard to really go 100 percent on something like that.”

What’s more, there’s no real tick or visual cue to indicate intentions for someone like Manning, Jones said.

“You kinda just have to be prepared at all times,” Jones said. “I mean he gets the ball out quick, we know that. He’s a great player, he’s great at changing up the game plan. But really you just have to be able to catch it in the game.”

Even considering the numerous changes that Manning and the Broncos appear to make before each play, that doesn’t mean Denver is actually changing its original calls at every opportunity, said Bill Belichick.

“I think if they have a play called and they get a bad look, that they get to something better,” Belichick said. “That’s what I think they do. So how many times does that come up? I don’t know. When it comes up, then they do something about it. I don’t see them run a lot of bad plays into plays that just have no chance. I don’t think they go up to the line and call a different play four or five times every play. I just don’t see that, but you’ll have to ask them.”

Part of Manning’s talent, at least prior to the snap of the ball, is his ability to get defenses to show their hand before running the play, making it easier for him to get a gauge on defensive schemes, including blitzes and coverage. Part of it is a mind game, Patriots player say. The repetitiveness of a dummy call like “Ohama” is key to that.

“It is tough,” said safety Devin McCourty. “He does a lot up there. He, knowing himself, he understands what he is doing so most of the time within the game you don’t get a lot of the same things repeating so it is hard to try to get a beat on that.

“As a defense we can’t be out there saying, ‘We heard him scream this, it must be that play,’ because they have different plays off the same word, that same track. So for us it will be kind of sticking to what we have planned, what we’re doing or whatever particular play we’re in or whatever defense we’re in and sticking to that and not trying to outsmart ourselves and guessing things and doing our own thing. I think the key for us is to stick to the game plan and doing what the coaches decide for us to do and as players what we watch on film.”

It’s not as if the Patriots don’t get practice on this all the time. They see the same thing with Tom Brady, who has his one-word calls and his own adjustments he constantly makes. He just may not be as loud as Manning during the game. But even that is up for debate.

“I don’t know if they turn up the volume, if it’s as loud [for Brady],” Hoomanawanui said. “Obviously I’m not at home watching, but it seems loud out there.”

Denver has long been dangerous for Patriots

By Christopher L. Gasper Boston Globe January 16, 2014

Time to break out the iThink for a special football final four edition. I’m sharing a few football thoughts while wondering if John Denver was ahead of his time when he wrote “Rocky Mountain High” in 1972.

■ I think I would feel better about the Patriots’ chances if the AFC Championship game were being played at sea level. Regardless of the edifice or its Mile High moniker, Denver was a House of Horrors, long before Peyton Manning was in an orange uniform. The Patriots won their first 10 playoff games with Brady and Belichick, until they lost in Denver in the 2005 AFC Divisional round. That was the game in which chased down Champ Bailey to prevent a 101-yard interception return.

The throw by Tom Brady was quite possibly the worst of his career. The Patriots are 0-2 all time in the playoffs in Denver and 9-18 all time on the road against their former AFL brethren.

■ I think at least one local TV station had “Quarterback Contagion” ready to go after Brady missed practice Wednesday because of an illness. There is a better chance of Aaron Hernandez suiting up for the Patriots Sunday than Brady missing the AFC title game. Just remember Brady played brilliantly in the 2004 AFC Championship with a 103-degree fever, as chronicled in an excellent Sports Illustrated piece by Michael Silver that still gives you febrile chills just reading it. Brady’s biggest problem isn’t being sick. It’s the feeling he’s being sent into a drag race driving a Prius.

■ I think it’s quotes like this one from LeGarrette Blount that sometimes cause the Patriots’ approach with the media to draw eye-rolls. Blount was asked if it was different not having Brady at practice. He toed the company line, which is expected. But then he left reality in his wake, like Indianapolis Colts defenders.

“Nah. There’s nothing any different,” said Blount. “We’re going to go out there and operate if Tom’s there or not. Ryan [Mallett] knows just about everything Tom knows, I’m pretty sure, and he went out there and executed the practice the same as Tom would.” Next Man Up has limits, and replacing Brady with Mallett, even in practice, is well beyond those limits.

■ I think the dichotomy between the teams in the AFC and NFC title games is a fascinating litmus test for the league. Is it simply a quarterback league or does defense still reign in the most important part of the season? The AFC championship features the two most accomplished quarterbacks in the league, Manning and Brady, and two defenses that are in the bottom half of the NFL in total defense.

The NFC title game participants, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers, sport two talented young quarterbacks and two of the stingiest defenses in the league. The teams finished first and tied for second, respectively, in turnover differential. Seattle was plus-20. San Francisco was plus-12. We’ll find out just how much of a quarterback league it really is by Super Bowl XLVIII.

■ I think that Denver overcame injuries to reach this point, too. Much has been made, rightfully so, of the Patriots’ injuries this season. But Denver has put Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady; its best defensive player, Von Miller; its most consistent cover corner, Chris Harris; a pair of starting defensive lineman in Kevin Vickerson and ; and safety Rahim Moore on injured reserve this season. (Moore was designated for return, but is not looking good for the AFC title game). Bailey also missed 11 games.

■ I think if Brady does have enough weapons to duel with Manning, it will be because Danny Amendola delivers a big game. One of the lost stories from the Patriots’ 43-22 victory over the Indianapolis Colts was how well Amendola performed in his first career playoff game. Amendola made three catches for 77 yards, including a huge 53-yarder in the third quarter, when the Patriots were backed up on their 12 and Indy had made it a 6-point game.

■ I think there is still one thing I don’t get about the Wes Welker-Patriots contract negotiations. The Patriots declared Welker was their first choice all along, and owner made it clear the Patriots’ offer would have paid Welker $8 million in year one of the deal. Guess who was guaranteed to make a minimum of $8 million this year between signing bonus ($6) and guaranteed base salary ($2 million)? Amendola. Normally, you’re willing to pay a little more for your first choice.

■ I think the first game between the Patriots and Broncos was an instant classic, but it has no bearing on the AFC title tilt. Brady-Manning XIV was essentially a draw. Both teams decisively won a half and the OT was a windy stalemate, until Welker failed to field a punt and it took a fortuitous Foxborough bounce off another ex-Patriot, Tony Carter, to set up the winning field goal.

The Patriots had Rob Gronkowski and the Broncos didn’t have their Pro Bowl tight end, Julius Thomas, that night. It was also the coldest regular-season game in history, which started the Manning-isn’t-a-cold-weather-QB story line. It’s supposed to be downright balmy in Denver Sunday.

■ I think it’s funny that ’s wife called into a San Francisco radio station to disavow herself from the sartorial disaster of his pleated khakis. Harbaugh’s wife, Sarah, called KMVQ-FM, according to the station, to say that she has pleaded with her husband to drop his signature pleated pants from his sideline attire. How can Harbaugh not have an endorsement deal with Dockers, produced by San Francisco- based Levi Strauss & Co.?

■ I think the AFC Championship game is one of the toughest games to pick in recent years. Picking games is an occupational hazard for any sportswriter, but Brady-Manning XV has proven particularly vexing. Like the Patriots, I’m going to have to defer on this coin flip. Check back Friday for a prediction. Power hitters: Peril at Peyton Manning’s Place Who will win Sunday’s AFC Championship game, the Patriots or Broncos? Tell us why.

By Ron Borges, Steve Buckley, Karen Guregian and Jeff Howe January 17, 2014

It will take a miracle to beat home edge

Where’s Al Michaels when you need him?

“Do you believe in miracles?” would be the call if the depleted Patriots find a way to beat the Broncos Sunday. The Patriots haven’t won a road playoff game since 2006 and that’s also the last year they lost one. There’s a reason teams fight so hard for home-field advantage.

The sun is supposed to shine on Peyton Manning, preventing his nerve-damaged neck and hand from freezing up as they’ve often done in frigid Foxboro. In contrast to Gillette, Sports Authority Field at Mile High, where Tom Brady is 2-4, has been a House of Horrors for the Pats.

Worst of all, the Patriots finished 26th in the NFL in third-down defense, a critical factor in stopping Manning, and allowed Denver 280 rushing yards in a November home win. In contrast, Denver’s run defense was seventh in the league, meaning you may have seen the last of LeGarrette Blount running untouched through the secondary.

If so, Brady will have to throw to win, and even though it’s against a weak secondary, who’s he throw to if they cover Julian Edelman?

Not to Rob Gronkowski, who had seven receptions and a TD in the first game. He’s out and Denver’s dangerous Julius Thomas, who missed the first game, is back.

— Ron Borges

Injuries, warm weather put Pats in bad position

I’d feel better about the Patriots’ chances against the Broncos on Sunday if it was going to be minus-20 degrees in Denver.

I’d feel better if it was so cold that bundled-up Pats coach Bill Belichick looked like Kenny from “South Park.”

But Denver’s going to be a Mild High City on Sunday, and that means we have to throw out all the stats that show how Peyton Manning turns into a normal, flawed human being in cold weather. And it’s not just that. It’s all those Patriots injuries. It’s an offense without Rob Gronkowski, and a defense without .

This isn’t to say the Broncos don’t have problems of their own. Losing cornerback Chris Harris to a torn ACL is going to hurt the Denver defense, which, of course, is wonderful news to Pats quarterback Tom Brady.

It’s going to be a high-scoring game. It’s going to be close. In the end, though, the intangibles, including that nagging AccuWeather Forecast, favor the Broncos.

— Steve Buckley

Manning juggernaut too much for New England

All season long, the Patriots have defied logic, reason, and common football sense.

They’ve won despite having a half-dozen of their top players go down to season- ending injury. Their improbable ride moves on to a date with Peyton Manning in Denver with a Super Bowl trip on the line.

Their Cinderella story has been terrific and fun to watch. Their fight, resolve, and mental toughness is second to none. But it’s pumpkin time in Denver.

Perhaps the magic would continue if the game was in Foxboro, and Rob Gronkowski was still catching passes for Tom Brady like the last time the two teams hooked up. But that’s not the case.

Brady might have a battering ram in LeGarrette Blount, but the Pats quarterback doesn’t have enough fire power if the Broncos can effectively contain the running game, which is what their defense does best.

Plus, weird things happen at Mile High. The Pats are 0-2 in the playoffs in Denver and 9-18 on the road all-time in the thin air.

The Broncos are so stacked on offense, it’s tough to imagine Manning messing it up this time.

— Karen Guregian

Two-pronged attack, tricky ‘D’ will sink Denver

The Patriots will beat the Broncos to win the AFC Championship because they’ll do a better job of keeping the hosts off balance throughout the game.

Tom Brady, who completed 34-of-50 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns in their first meeting, will be able to throw at will in Denver, but his surging running attack, led by LeGarrette Blount’s 431 yards and eight touchdowns in the last three games, is becoming a dynamic asset. The Broncos are already down their two best defensive players, Von Miller and Chris Harris, so the added stress of offensive uncertainty will be tough to defend. Defensively, the Patriots mixed up their assignments in Week 12, and they’ll surely do it again in the title game. Obviously, it’s all about disguise when you play Peyton Manning, and the numerous switches between man and zone assignments forced Manning to look noticeably uncomfortable in November. Add the playoff pressure, and Manning might struggle to find his rhythm.

Bill Belichick and Brady hold a nice advantage over John Fox’s troops.

— Jeff Howe Matching up: Patriots vs. Broncos

By Karen Guregian Boston Herald January 17, 2014

What better matchup for the right to go to the Super Bowl than Patriots-Broncos. It’s Brady vs. Manning for the 15th time on Sunday. The 14th installment was a classic with the Pats storming back from a 24-0 halftime deficit for a 34-31 overtime victory at Gillette Stadium. It was a game that featured plenty of drama, turnovers and intriguing coaching decisions, with Bill Belichick taking the wind and giving Manning the ball in overtime. Who makes a move like that and survives to tell about it? If this one even comes close to that one, we’ll all be the better for it. Let’s take a closer look:

Quarterback

Tom Brady vs.

Peyton Manning

The game pits two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Who’s better? If you go with pure statistics, Manning’s the king. He just broke Brady’s single-season touchdown passing record, throwing 55, not to mention 5,477 yards to go along with it. If you’re looking at this season’s quarterback rating, it’s Manning (115.1) in a slam dunk. If you’re going head-to-head record, Brady’s got the edge — 10-4, including 2-1 in the playoffs. If the measure is postseason success, that’s also Brady. He’s 18-10, while Manning is 10-11. If you’re going Super Bowl appearances, Brady’s got him 5-2. He’s also got him on rings, 3-1. The best indicator? We’ll go with the jewelry.

Edge: Patriots

Running backs

LeGarrette Blount, Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, vs.

Knowshon Moreno, Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson

The Pats offense has turned into a ground-and-pound machine with Blount leading the wrecking crew. Bolstered by a tip from Bill Belichick about lowering his pad level, Blount has blossomed, his latest splash being the 166-yard, four-TD job he did on the Colts last week. Ridley has resurfaced, running hard and producing in the red zone, while Vereen continues to be effective as a third-down back. Because of their effectiveness, they’ve all been able to remain fairly fresh. The Broncos, meanwhile, feature Moreno, whose 224 yards and 37 carries left a dent in the Pats defense back on Nov. 24. Against the Chargers last week, Moreno complemented Manning with 82 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Ball chipped in with 559 yards this season. But given the amazing roll Blount & Co. have been on, and the devastating nature of the attack, they get the nod.

Edge: Patriots

Wide receivers

Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, , Kenbrell Thompkins, Austin Collie vs.

Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, Andre Caldwell

No one has been able to effectively eliminate Edelman in his breakout season, including Denver as he had nine catches for 110 yards Nov. 24. After that, it gets dicey. Amendola showed some speed in getting behind the defense once against the Colts while Dobson and Thompkins have been ineffective and battling injuries. Collie’s experience has paid off in some situations. Big difference on the other side of the field. Manning has one of the best receiving corps in the league. Outside, Thomas provides speed and athleticism while Decker has both size and ability. Welker provides dependability and quickness in the slot.

Edge: Broncos

Tight ends

Michael Hoomanawanui, Matt Mulligan vs.

Julius Thomas, Jacob Tamme, Joel Dreessen

Since Rob Gronkowski’s injury, this has been a unit focused on blocking. Last week, Hoomanawanui and Mulligan did that extremely well to help bolster the running game. Beyond great blocking, though, don’t expect too much more. Nothing like Denver’s Thomas, that’s for sure. After missing the game in Foxboro, he qualifies as a true X factor in this one. If the Pats secondary is somehow able to control the wide receivers, Thomas still looms as a potential nightmare. With the game on the line in the divisional round, Manning looked to Thomas on two pivotal plays, a third- and-17, and a third-and-6, during the closeout drive. Tamme, meanwhile, played well in the regular-season game against the Pats.

Edge: Broncos

Offensive line

LT , LG , C Ryan Wendell, RG Dan Connolly, RT vs.

LT Chris Clark, LG Zane Beadles, C Manny Ramirez, RG Louis Vasquez, RT Orlando Franklin

The Pats front has really come on of late, spearheading a furious ground attack. Mankins believes run blocking is what the line does best, and it’s hard to argue considering the results. It’s contributed to 501 yards and eight TD runs the last two games. Solder, who struggled last outing against Von Miller, won’t have the injured pass rusher to deal with this time. On the flip side, the Broncos also boast a formidable unit. Ramirez was a beast last time, opening gaping holes for Moreno. Vasquez is an All-Pro selection and Clark has performed admirably in place of injured Ryan Clady. Manning was sacked a mere 18 times during the regular season, which is remarkable. Brady went down 40 times. A few weeks ago, this call would be easy. Right now, the way the Pats line is playing, it’s much harder to move the needle.

Edge: Even

Defensive line

Chandler Jones, Chris Jones, Sealver Siliga, vs.

Malik Jackson, Sylvester Williams, Terrance Knighton, Shaun Phillips

The Pats front has settled in of late, taking care of business against the run and with some decent quarterback pressure. Chris Jones and Joe Vellano each sacked Andrew Luck last week while Chandler Jones and Ninkovich each notched a pair of quarterback hits. They also shut down the Colts run game. The Broncos, the NFL’s seventh best run defense, are stout in that department. And with Von Miller out, Phillips has picked up the slack in the pass rush. He had two sacks last week and reached double digits (10) for the third time in his career. Williams, the Broncos’ top pick in this past year’s draft, has come on of late. The Broncos were able to effectively pressure Philip Rivers Sunday with their front four.

Edge: Broncos

Linebackers

Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower, Dane Fletcher vs.

Danny Trevathan, Wesley Woodyard, Nate Irving

Collins had a breakout game against the Colts, both rushing the passer and playing in coverage. He sure showed signs that he’s capable of maintaining a high level of play. Hightower, too, has come on strong of late. He had perhaps his worst game against the Broncos in Week 12 — he might have been trying to do too much in the wake of ’s absence — but he’s definitely rediscovered his game. Fletcher started in place of Brandon Spikes but wasn’t used that much. That could change if the Broncos decide to run the ball. Irving has filled in for Von Miller at strongside linebacker in the Broncos’ base defense, while Denver has also used Robert Ayers in pass-rush situations. Trevathan led the team with a career-high 125 tackles.

Edge: Even

Defensive backs

Aqib Talib, , Devin McCourty, Steve Gregory vs.

Champ Bailey, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Duke Ihenacho, Mike Adams

The Pats unit is as healthy as it’s been, and with cornerbacks and coming in for sub packages, and available at safety, the group isn’t as vulnerable to the pass as in the past. Getting back Dennard, who had two picks a week ago, to play opposite a healthy Talib makes all the difference. Talib continues to negate the opposition’s top gun. The Broncos, meanwhile, lost their best defensive back last week when cornerback Chris Harris tore an ACL against the Chargers. That won’t help a unit that already was struggling. Veterans Bailey and Quentin Jammer will try and make up for the loss. Bailey at one time was among the best, but hasn’t played much due to injury, so he and Jammer will alternate coverage. Former Patriot Marquice Cole was signed for depth.

Edge: Patriots

Special teams

Stephen Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Julian Edelman, LeGarrette Blount vs.

Matt Prater, Britton Colquitt, Trindon Holliday, Eric Decker

Hard imagining Gostkowski not delivering in a grander fashion than he did last week after taking over punting duties for Allen. He actually boomed several punts. Hard to tell how much — if at all — Allen will be impacted by his shoulder injury. Edelman is a dangerous punt returner and Blount can be dangerous if he gets past the first wave. For Denver, Prater was named to the Pro Bowl. He set a record for the longest field goal in NFL history with a 64-yarder this season. Holliday is explosive and one of the best in the game, but he also has had problems holding onto the football. Decker was inserted last week for punt returns and performed well. Wes Welker also has fielded punts.

Edge: Broncos

Coach

Bill Belichick vs.

John Fox

A season of overcoming obstacles has added to Belichick’s coaching legend. Given all the injuries to front-line players, it’s hard not to consider this one of his best performances, if not the best. Between game plans, game management, and his uncanny ability as a crisis manager, there are few if any better in the game. His playoff record (19-8) speaks for itself. One more win would tie Tom Landry for most postseason wins by an NFL head coach. The last time these teams faced, Fox was not on the sidelines following a health scare that led to heart surgery. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio took his place. While known for his defensive acumen, Fox’s team had a record-setting offense. He had led the to the Super Bowl in 2003, only to lose to Belichick’s Patriots, 32-29. Overall, Fox is 1-6 lifetime against the Pats.

Edge: Patriots Pats-Broncos connections, Part 2

By Field Yates ESPNBoston.com January 17, 2014

Each week we use this space to highlight members of the New England Patriots' upcoming opponent's organization who have ties to the New England area. Given that the Patriots have previously played the Broncos, we'll switch things up and highlight current members of the Patriots' organization that have ties to Denver, led by head coach Bill Belichick.

Head coach Bill Belichick. After starting his career with the Baltimore Colts, Belichick spent two years in Detroit. That led to a season in Denver with the Broncos, where he served as the assistant special teams coach and a defensive assistant for the 1979 season. He would wind up with the Giants a year later and spent the next decade with that franchise.

Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. A meteoric rise up the coaching ladder landed McDaniels as the head coach in Denver in 2009, and he spent nearly two seasons with the team. He started out 6-0, but struggles ensued thereafter. However, McDaniels' imprint remains with the team, including drafting many prominent players who will be on the field this Sunday, led by Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Zane Beadles, Knowshon Moreno and others.

Special teams coach Scott O'Brien. A longtime special teams coach (a role he's had with the Patriots since 2009), O'Brien spent the 2007-2008 seasons in Denver in that capacity.

Assistant director of pro scouting Dave Ziegler. Ziegler joined the Patriots this past offseason after spending three seasons in Denver in the scouting department.

Defensive tackle Sealver Siliga. Now a starter along the Patriots' defensive line, Siliga spent parts of three seasons with the Broncos, originally being signed to the team's practice squad. Siliga has been a part of four organizations during his young NFL career: the Patriots, Broncos, 49ers and Seahawks, the final four teams in this year's playoffs.

Wide receiver Greg Orton. Now a practice squad receiver for the Patriots, Orton had two stints with the Broncos earlier in his NFL career during parts of the 2011-2013 seasons.

Bonus connections: A pair of former Patriots have also recently been signed by the Broncos, as defensive back Marquice Cole was signed on Monday, while defensive end , a 2006 sixth-round pick, was added on December 17. Broncos Cole call doesn't bother Patriots

By Andy Hart Patriots.com January 16, 2014

Prior to being released by New England on the day after Christmas, defensive back Marquise Cole was a core member of the team’s special teams units and a counted- on backup in the secondary.

Cole played in 13 games for the Patriots this season. He finished the year with eight special teams tackles. He was part of the impressive tip-drill sideline interception with Devin McCourty. He was the man coming off the bench as recently as Week 15 to cover Mike Wallace in Miami when an injury sent Kyle Arrington to the sideline.

He even still had a locker intact with his name on it in the Patriots locker room at Gillette Stadium as recently as this week.

But as the playoffs opened, he found himself out of work. Out of work, that is, until the Broncos lost cornerback Chris Harris last Sunday to a torn ACL and called Cole to join Denver’s defense as it prepares to take on Tom Brady and the Patriots passing attack.

This unique roster wrinkle – likely out of pure personnel need more than trickery, information gathering or gamesmanship – comes after signed with the Colts prior to last week’s divisional round game in New England.

While Branch was inactive for the game last Saturday night, watching from the sidelines in Colts apparel, there is a much better chance that Cole could be in uniform on Sunday for the banged up Broncos.

Though that may rub Patriots fans the wrong way, Cole’s former teammates in the New England defensive backfield understand the situation at hand.

“That’s my dog. Good luck, Quice. Cash that check, baby. Pay those bills,” Aqib Talib said in a way that only he can.

As of Wednesday, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had engaged in minimal conversations with his new teammate, but did acknowledge that could change as the week goes on.

“I just said, ‘How are you doing? My name is Peyton. Good to have you here,’ about five minutes ago,” Manning said to laughter in his Wednesday press conference. “So, that’s the extent of it so far. No telling where it would go, but that was the starting point.”

Cole is taking his new role with a new team as a simple chance to play. “It’s an opportunity for me. It’s better than being at home. It is what it is,” Cole said in simple Belichickian fashion.

Cole also downplayed what he might be able to offer Manning and the offense despite his intimate knowledge of the New England pass defense. Bill Belichick himself has called the idea of mining players for info on their former team “way overrated.”

“I'm definitely going to talk to him again; he's the quarterback of the team,” Cole said of Manning. “But as far as him picking my brain or anything like that, like I said, he's one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league. So there's nothing really I could tell him that he doesn't already know."

No matter what happens on Sunday or in the future, Cole looks back fondly on his two seasons in New England.

“Oh, it was great. Regardless of what happens, and me being released, that organization gave me a way to provide for my family,” Cole said. “No ill will at all. I appreciate everything they did for me. Like I said, giving me the opportunity to do what I could for my family. There is no bad blood or anything like that. It is what it is.”

Are you worried that Cole’s role in Denver could give Peyton Manning and the Broncos an advantage over the Patriots pass defense?

Aqib Talib tells Marquice Cole: “Get that check, baby” By Curtis Crabtree Pro Football Talk January 17, 2014

Cornerback Marquice Cole used to be a member of the New England Patriots. But after he was released by New England in December, Cole signed with the Denver Broncos earlier this week.

Some would say the timing is awfully convenient as the Broncos get set to host the Patriots for the AFC Championship on Sunday.

But at least one member of the Patriots isn’t holding a grudge on a perceived lack of loyalty by Cole to his former teammates with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Cole will make $42,000 this week with the Broncos and Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib says Cole should take the money.

“That’s my dog, man,” Talib said, via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “Good luck, Quice. Cash that check, baby. Get that check, baby. Got to pay the bills, man.”

The operative term with Cole being “former” teammate. The Patriots released him. Cole apparently chose to not clean out his locker in hopes of returning to the Patriots. He’d been released by New England four times this season but always managed to find his way back.

But when another team had a spot open and came calling, Cole was under no obligation to say no over loyalty to his former team. That loyalty is lost when you’ve been fired. With a Broncos win, Cole (as long as the Broncos don’t release him) will get a chance to play in a Super Bowl and pick up yet another paycheck. Both are better options than not getting paid and watching the games from a couch. Broncos safety Mike Adams puts in full practice

By Mike Wilkening Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

The Broncos, who have coped with major injuries throughout the season, look likely to have their full complement of available players for Sunday’s AFC title game against New England.

All Broncos players fully practiced on Thursday, according to the club’s injury report. This includes starting free safety Mike Adams, who was limited with a thigh injury on Wednesday.

Tight end Joel Dreessen (knee), strong safety Duke Ihenacho (knee), offensive tackle Winston Justice (finger), offensive guard Chris Kuper (ankle), quarterback Peyton Manning (ankle) and cornerback Kayvon Webster (thumb) also put in full practices Wednesday.

The Broncos have 10 players on injured reserve, including four defensive starters: cornerback Chris Harris, outside linebacker Von Miller, defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson and defensive end Derek Wolfe. Tom Brady no longer on Patriots’ injury report

By Mike Wilkening Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

Indeed, it’s all systems go for Tom Brady.

Brady’s name does not appear on the Patriots’ updated injury report released Thursday. While Brady missed practice on Wednesday with an illness and a right shoulder ailment, the Patriots’ starting quarterback was back on the field today as New England prepared for Sunday’s AFC title game at Denver.

In other Patriots injury news, all 10 players listed on Thursday’s report practiced in some capacity.

Limited for a second straight day were punter Ryan Allen (shoulder), wide receiver Danny Amendola (groin), wide receiver Aaron Dobson (foot), linebacker Donta Hightower (ankle) and wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins (hip/concussion).

However, cornerback Alfonzo Dennard (knee/shoulder), linebacker Dane Fletcher (groin), guard Logan Mankins (ankle) and running back Shane Vereen (groin) practiced fully after being limited on Wednesday.

Finally, long-snapper (illness) was removed from the New England injury report. John Elway: Playoffs are harder to watch than to play

By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

The playoffs used to be a lot more fun for John Elway, when he had more control over the outcome of the games.

The two-time Super Bowl winner as a player might have more power over the entire football operation, but he said Thursday he doesn’t get to enjoy it as much as he used to.

“It’s very different,” Elway said, via Mike Klis of the Denver Post. “It takes some getting used to. I enjoy watching the regular-season games, but I was absolutely miserable last week watching this game. It took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach when it was over. It’s not nearly as much fun upstairs as it is down on the field, especially these championship games and the playoffs.

“But I’m also proud of being a part of it. Being able to help put the team together, put the coaches together and the personnel side, for everything to come together. There is more of a quiet pride than it is being a quarterback when everybody is patting you on the back.”

Though the Broncos are in the AFC Championship, it’s still been a trying year for the Broncos executive. From suspensions to star players to injuries, to the summer drunk driving arrests of the top two members of his personnel department — “both of those ruined my summer,” he said — the Broncos have had to overcome plenty.

That part of the job was something he didn’t necessarily anticipate.

“Uh, no,” Elway said. “No. But when you have problems,being a good leader is taking care of those and making sure everyone feels comfortable that when the house is on fire that we go ahead and take care of our business and realize there’s a solution to this and we’ll get through this. I’ve tried to be that rock on the front side, saying we’ll get it covered, we’ll get it handled.”

He inherited a team that went 4-12 the year before, but has molded them into a consistent winner, with three straight division titles. Luring Peyton Manning was another coup, but Elway’s success as an executive is approaching the success he had on the field.

Even if it isn’t as much fun. Omaha businesses planning donation to Manning’s charity

By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

Omaha might mean nothing, or it might mean everything, but every mention of the NFL’s hottest city right now will mean money for Peyton Manning’s charity.

According to the Associated Press, five Nebraska businesses have combined to donate $500 to Manning’s foundation for at-risk youth every time he says Omaha during Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Patriots.

Last week against the Chargers, he uttered the name of the largest city in Nebraska 44 times, which would mean a $22,000 donation.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce president and CEO David Brown announced the planned donation to Manning’s “Peyback Foundation,” in conjunction with ConAgra Foods, First National Bank of Omaha, Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks and Union Pacific Railroad.

So for the sake of the kids, he better keep saying it.

Because if he just randomly started yelling “Fargo” or “Wichita,” that would throw the whole thing off. Peyton Manning called Lions to endorse Jim Caldwell

By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew talked to a lot of people during his coaching search.

But the unsolicited call he took from Peyton Manning helped convince him that Jim Caldwell was the right guy.

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Mayhew almost didn’t pick up the call because he didn’t recognize the number, but did, and got a testimonial about how much Caldwell can help.

Now, that teaching power will be turned toward Matthew Stafford, in hopes of eliminating the mistakes that helped torpedo this season.

“He’s going to be very hands-on,” Mayhew said. “He’s going to have a quarterback coach trained on the things that he wants done, and he’s still going to be very hands-on even though he’s the head coach in terms of developing Matthew. And that’s one thing that we talked about in the interview that really impressed me about him and one thing that I was excited about was that he’s not going to delegate that to somebody and step back and say, ‘I’m the head coach, I’m the overseer.’ ”

In preparation for his interview, Caldwell watched all of Stafford’s throws from last season, and met with his new quarterback during his interview with Lions officials.

“I’ve got to look at him further, I’ve got to dig down a little bit deeper, I’ve got to get a real good sense of things,” Caldwell said. “But for the most part, here’s what we know: We do have a set of parameters which we use in terms of teaching and coaching quarterbacks that we know works and I’m anxious and excited about giving him an opportunity to kind of work within those parameters and I think you’re going to see improvement from the onset.

“He’s a willing guy, he’s capable, he has an immense amount of talent and we’ve just got to bring that to the forefront.”

If that teaching was good enough for Manning, it ought to be good enough for Stafford. Broncos downplay Marquice Cole’s ability to share information

By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

The Broncos signed former Patriots cornerback Marquice Cole this week, but they say they’re not planning to pump Cole for information about the Patriots before Sunday’s game.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning’s description of his conversations with Cole sound like the usual mindless, boring, getting-to-know you chit-chat. It doesn’t sound like Cole actually has something to say.

“I just said, ‘How you doing, my name is Peyton, good to have you here,’ about five minutes ago. That’s the extent of it so far. No telling where it would go, but that was the starting point of it,” Manning said. “I’m pretty focused on studying the Patriots’ defensive players that are there now.”

Cole said he doesn’t think there’s anything he could tell Manning about the Patriots’ defense that Manning doesn’t already know.

“He’s one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league,” Cole said. “So there’s nothing really I can tell him that he doesn’t already know.”

Broncos coach John Fox said it simply: Cole is on the Broncos because they needed to pick up a cornerback after Chris Harris got hurt. Cole is a cornerback, not a brought on board to give some secret information about the enemy. John Elway doesn’t think Peyton Manning gets enough credit

By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk January 16, 2014

Broncos front office boss John Elway wants Peyton Manning to get more credit.

Elway says when people talk about Manning and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, they talk like Manning has never won a big game, the way Brady has, and gloss over the fact that Manning does, in fact, have a Super Bowl ring on his finger and a Super Bowl MVP award on his mantel.

“He’s won a Super Bowl. For some reason he doesn’t seem to get the credit for having won one Super Bowl already,” Elway told the New Daily News. “I think maybe the comparison is Tom going to five and Peyton having been to two and winning one, that may be it.”

Elway knows first-hand that quarterbacks are often judged more by the number of rings they’ve won than by the quality of their play: Elway himself was a better all- around quarterback early in his career than he was in the last two seasons of his career. But it was only in those last two seasons — when Elway had a more complete team around him — that he won back-to-back Super Bowl rings and permanently changed the way he’s viewed.

“Fair or not, that’s the way it is,” Elway said. “As a quarterback, especially the level you’re at with Peyton, that’s what they are going to look at. If we can win a championship this year, it’s going to help with Peyton’s legacy. Even if we don’t, I think the year that he’s had this year is going to still help with his legacy. He’s had a tremendous year. For some reason, Peyton is not getting the credit — he’s been there twice and he got one. You get to the point where Peyton is, the greatness that he’s had, there is always someone trying to put chinks in the armor and that’s what they go after.”

If the Broncos win another Super Bowl, Manning’s critics will have a lot less to criticize. Manning's Focus on Present, Not Future

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Peyton Manning said it's not hard to block out thoughts of his future with such a crucial game this Sunday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After leading the Broncos to a 24-17 win in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, quarterback Peyton Manning was asked whether his future is weighing on his mind.

“It’s really not," he said. "What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth. That’s priority number one."

The response drew a smile from the quarterback and laughter from the gathered media. But the point was serious -- Manning is purely focused on the present.

As he and the Broncos prepare to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game this Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Manning said the team is bringing a "laser focus" into its practices and meetings.

For that reason alone, he said it's not hard to "block out" thoughts about how much longer he'll play the game.

"As a matter of fact, I think it’s probably even easier just to hone on in on what’s taking place right now," he said. "I really felt that that has been my approach since the beginning of last season. Just when you go through a significant injury and a major career change, you truly do go one year at a time and you don’t look past what’s going on now because you are not sure what’s going to happen. Tomorrow is not promised. I think it’s a healthy approach for an older player to go all in for 2013 regular season, 2014 postseason.

Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway was asked Thursday whether or not he's spoken with Manning about how much longer he intends to play.

Last week, Manning said that "certainly the light is at the end of the tunnel" in his career, in the context that he's enjoying these playoffs even more than he has in the past.

"When I've heard him say that, it's more the playoffs, being able to appreciate his playoff appearances, where he is right now, knowing that whether it's a year, two or three years down the line, four years down the line, that the sun — it's starting to set," Elway said. "But to me, it's more of that he's looking at, you know, you get in the playoffs — like you are right now — and this is a time to enjoy it, because these are the times you're going to really reflect back and say, 'It made it all worthwhile.' My comments from him are that since we made the playoffs, is when he started seeing the sunset. But we'll sit down after the season and find out where he is and what his thinking is. But to be where we are right now and talk to him about the future, I don't think is productive right now.”

Elway said he recalled that when he made the choice to retire after his second Super Bowl title, it wasn't just to "ride off into the sunset," as many have written. He pointed out that he missed four games in his final season as a Bronco, and he predicted that he wouldn't have been able to play at the level at which he was accustomed if he decided to stick around.

"Having been a football player before, when you leave this game, you want to leave it on your last leg, and try not to leave anything on the table," Elway said. "So, anybody that's a competitor, that's kind of the way they want to leave the game. I was just fortunate to be able to be on two great football teams and be able to win world championships when my last leg broke.”

So is Manning still enjoying the game? His production this season and sharp focus on the next game seems to point to that.

“I can't imagine him not — throwing 55 touchdown passes and 5,400 yards," Elway smiled. "I guarantee you if I was in his shoes, I would have enjoyed it. I'm sure he is still enjoying it, and he's on a good football team, which also late in your career, is crucial." Manning, Elway Bond as Broncos

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Since he joined the team in 2012, Peyton Manning and John Elway have formed an off-the-field friendship that has helped on the field.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In March 2012, free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning visited Denver.

He hit it off with Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway right away, talking football throughout the visit.

On March 20, 2012, he officially signed with the Broncos. Now nearly two years later, Manning's relationship with Elway has continued to grow.

"I think being an ex-quarterback, he has been a great resource," Manning said. "He doesn’t come to our quarterback meetings and he is not is on the phones with me during the game. I think he wants to make that clear that it is his job to hire good people to communicate with me on those ends. At the same time, I think you would be crazy not to ask a quarterback with his experience questions."

Elway said Thursday that his typical conversations with Manning are split between off-the-field and on-the-field topics.

"We talked a lot of philosophy and that type of stuff — more mindset and thought process through different situations than we really do Xs and Os," he said. "And I enjoy that. I mean, I think that’s always the part that there is a fraternity and there is a closeness among quarterbacks, because everybody knows what every quarterback goes through. Unless you go through it, it’s sometimes hard to understand. I enjoy those conversations and we’ve had a lot of good ones.”

Away from the team's Dove Valley headquarters, Elway and Manning -- along with Head Coach John Fox, who said he also looks at Manning "as a friend as well as a player that plays for us," -- have played together at Augusta National Golf Club.

For the record, Elway said he won on day one, lost on day two and eked out a victory on day three.

The golf was equal parts friendly and competitive. "It’s always competitive," Elway laughed. "It’s how we’re built. It’s how athletes are built. When you get on the golf course, you want to go play well, especially at Augusta.”

Along with that off-the-field friendship, the bond between Manning and Elway has helped on game days.

"I have asked John a number of questions and he’s provided me with any type of knowledge or tidbit from experiences that he’s had," Manning said. "He’s been very helpful that way and like all players, he’s been supportive of the players that he’s picked for this team and you certainly appreciate that.” Manning's Gameday Carpool

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

For the past two seasons, Peyton Manning, Eric Decker and Jacob Tamme have made a tradition of carpooling to the stadium on game days.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- On game days, players often fall into routines or maintain superstitions.

It could be the same pregame meal. It could be jogging a few laps around the field. It could be listening to the same song just before heading through the tunnel.

For quarterback Peyton Manning, it's all about the transportation.

"Me and (Eric) Decker and (Jacob) Tamme carpool together -- drive from the hotel to the stadium," he said. "We've done that for the past two years."

So who drives?

"Peyton. He drives," Tamme said, noting that of course they ride in a Buick. "Yeah, we call Archie 'Papa Bear' and stuff on the way to the game. Orange cone, reroute."

The tight end laughed at the fact that he typically gets to sit in the front while Decker sits in the back seat.

"It's like a seniority thing or something," he said.

Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was jokingly asked Thursday why he can't be part of the carpool.

"I don't know. I think they're at the hotel most of the time, that's why they ride together," he smiled. "But I go home, change clothes and then I go to the game. I go home, sit down, look over some more plays and film and that's about it."

Those gameday traditions can help players feel more comfortable when it comes to kickoff, especially when the game has as much on the line as Sunday's AFC title showdown.

"I think everybody kind of settles into some kind of routine," Manning said. "We feel fortunate to be playing still during this time and you realize you’re driving down on Sunday (to one of) two games being played, so you feel fortunate. That’s kind of part of our routine.” Tamme said it's the little things like the ride to the stadium that help make the season memorable.

“We ride together every game and get a chance to talk a little bit and get ready for what we’re about to embark on. It’s a pretty special thing," he said. "We’ve been blessed to get to where we’re at now, and we’ve got to find a way to win this game on Sunday and keep it going.” For Elway, Watching Far Different Than Playing

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

EVP of Football Ops John Elway said it took him four hours to get the pit out of his stomach from watching last Sunday's Divisional-Round win.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For 16 seasons, John Elway handled the pressure of life on the field in the NFL. His 47 career comebacks in the fourth quarter or overtime attest to that.

But on Sunday as the Broncos were taking on the San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos' executive vice president of football operations found that things can be even more stressful watching from a box above the field.

"It’s very different. And it takes some getting used to," Elway said Thursday. "I enjoy watching the regular-season games, but I was absolutely miserable last week watching this game. I mean, it took me four hours to get the pit out of my stomach after the game was over."

The pit, Elway laughed, began growing in the middle of the third quarter, and was at its biggest with the Broncos leading by seven, facing a third-and-17.

But Peyton Manning found Julius Thomas on the sideline for a 21-yard gain to convert that third down, and two more third-down conversions later, the Broncos were in the victory formation to seal a playoff win.

“I thought it was a great call and it was a great throw," Elway said. "Those are the type of plays you have to make in playoff football – and we were able to make.

"We had a couple other third downs that we were able to pick up, too. I’m one that the difference between my wins and my losses in Super Bowls are the ones that are charging and not retreating – and when we’re going ahead and we’re making it, we’re trying to win it on offense rather than retreating on the other side. So I was glad late in the game – even after the third-and-17, we were able to throw the ball and get some more first downs. A championship is not given to you, you have to go win it. And that’s on both sides of the ball.”

Elway has plenty of playoff experience and two Super Bowl titles under his belt. And while watching the postseason in his new role with the team is different -- and "not nearly as much fun" as actually playing in the postseason -- he relishes the opportunity nonetheless.

"I also am proud of being a part of it and being able to help put the team together, put the coaches together – put the personnel side and everything that comes together," Elway said. "I’m proud of everybody that has been a part of putting this whole thing together. So there is a lot of pride in that. It’s a different feeling than – there’s more of a quiet pride than there is being the quarterback, where everyone is patting you on the back.”

Being on the inside of the building has given Elway all the more reason to root on the team, because he knows what has gone into getting to the AFC Championship Game -- and what the feeling is like to win it.

"You’re sitting there hoping and cheering just like any other fan, any other fan of the Broncos – I just know how hard those guys worked, too," he said. "So I want to see good things happen to them because I talked to them in training camp. I said, ‘If you’re world champions, I’m saying that every little bit of work that you put into that is worth it.’ And I know how hard this team has worked, how hard these coaches have worked, and I hope that it pans out for them. Just so that they can get that feeling.

"Because it is something that – it’s not comparable to anything else that there is because of the work and the pride that you take when you’re able to be the best football team in the world.” United In Orange, Time to Ride Friday

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock has proclaimed a "bigger and better" United in Orange, Time to Ride Friday this week.

DENVER -- Last week, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock declared United in Orange, Time to Ride Friday in the city and country of Denver.

This week, the mayor made the same proclamation for this Friday, Jan. 17, promising it will be "bigger and better."

Broncos fans throughout the Denver metro area and state are encouraged to wear orange on Friday in advance of the AFC Championship Game, presented by Bud Light and Verizon, against the New England Patriots.

Fans are also invited to celebrate "United in Orange, Time to Ride Friday" along with Mayor Hancock, the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, Miles the Mascot, Broncos alumni and at the City and County Building on Friday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. MST. Fans in attendance will receive pom poms, buttons, stickers (while supplies last) and have the chance to enter to win tickets to the game.

Mayor Hancock will sign a “Good Luck Broncos” banner and rename Bannock Street to "Broncos Boulevard" for the remainder of the postseason. All Broncos fans are encouraged to join on Friday and write their own good luck messages to the team on the banner, which will then be placed at the stadium.

Mayor Hancock will also place a friendly mayor-to-mayor wager with Boston Mayor Martin Walsh. Terms of the bet have yet to be determined.

The City and County of Denver will maintain its show of support for the Broncos by:

• Lighting the City and County Building with orange and lights beginning Friday through game day;

• Illuminating the DIA sign on Peña Boulevard in orange and programming overhead signs to cheer “Go Broncos;”

• Supporting “United in Orange, Time to Ride Friday” by asking city employees to don their best Broncos garb and buttons; • Greeting DIA passengers with a Broncos message from John Elway on the train and adorning DIA employees and ambassadors with “United in Orange, Time to Ride Friday” buttons; and

• Encouraging downtown building owners and businesses throughout the city to display orange and blue lights and Broncos signs.

Adding to that support, the Broncos, Downtown Denver Partnership, VISIT DENVER, Larimer Square, National Western Stock Show, Elitch Gardens are:

• Lighting the D&F Tower in orange and blue lights;

• Showcasing United in Orange: Time to Ride on banners, buses, 16th Street Mall shuttles and billboards around Denver;

• Lighting the exterior at Sports Authority Field at Mile High;

• Hanging Broncos banners along the 16th Street Mall and in Larimer Square;

• Lighting the Elitch Gardens Ferris Wheel orange and blue;

• Broadcasting 850 KOA's live game coverage and offering free skating and skate rentals at the Rink located on Arapahoe and 16th Street to skaters who wear orange or a Broncos gear. The Rink opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Early risers can get free lessons and skate rentals from 8 to 10 a.m.;

• Lighting the tops of the Great-West Financial Towers at I-25 and Orchard; and

• Flying Broncos flags during National Western Stock Show rodeos. Manning Makes All-Fundamentals Team

By Gray Caldwell DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Peyton Manning has been named to the 2013 USA Football All-Fundamentals Team.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Peyton Manning's arm helped the Broncos set offensive records throughout the 2013 season, and his 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns now stand alone atop the NFL's single-season record books.

But it's his fundamentals that have earned him his most recent honor -- a spot on USA Football's 2013 All-Fundamentals Team.

The team honors 26 NFL players -- 11 on offense, 11 on defense and four on special teams -- who exhibit exemplary football techniques for youth players to emulate.

Every player chosen for the All-Fundamentals Team will receive a $1,500 quipment grant from USA Football to donate to the youth or high school football program of his choice.

Fans can vote Manning as the team's offensive captain at Facebook.com/usafootball.One captain on offense, defense and special teams will be awarded a $3,000 equipment grant to donate in addition to an All-Fundamentals Team helmet trophy. Voting is open through Jan. 29.

This year's edition is the fifth-annual team, and Manning is being recognized for keeping his head up and eyes downfield before and after the snap in addition to his proper grip on the ball and strong footwork.

USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, is the official youth football development partner of the Broncos, the NFL and each of the league’s other 31 teams.

A five-person selection committee -- Charles Davis, , , Carl Peterson and Bill Polian -- chose each player for the All-Fundamentals Team.

Manning is joined on the team by , John Kuhn, , A.J. Green, , Jermon Bushrod, , , Andy Levitre and Nick Hardwick on offense. The defensive team consists of , Muhammad Wilkerson, B.J. Raji, Kyle Williams, D'Qell Jackson, , , , Richard Sherman, and Earl Thomas.

On special teams, , Stephen Gostkowski, Dustin Colquitt and Jon Dorenbos made the squad. AFC Title Thursday: Quick Hits From Coaches

By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Quotables from Head Coach John Fox, Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase and Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio.

On the injury report

“Really, on the injury report, everybody practiced full. We had nobody that was limited or did not participate. That’s the only change from yesterday.”

On the offense staying mostly healthy

“Again, you just hold your breath in this league. When you start the season, really even going through training camp, you sometimes have some sort of injury, some kind of significant injury. But it just comes with the territory. It’s part of the game and everybody deals with it.”

On how the Patriots’ passing game has worked without the tight ends

“It’s a little bit different. They’ve got [WR Julian] Edelman, [WR Danny] Amendola and [RB Shane] Vereen that are kind of their top-three pass catchers. They do a terrific job of moving them around, making you adjust to where they are. They’ve pretty much had the same passing attack for some time now and they’re very, very good at it. Of course, when you’ve got a guy like [Patriots QB Tom Brady] pulling the trigger, he makes it pretty special.”

On what he has admired about Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick

“Just the consistency of that organization. It starts at the top with [Patriots Owner] Robert Kraft and on down. Continuity in this game has historically been pretty productive. Bill has had a great run there. He’s been through a number of different assistants but he’s maintained a consistency there on the football end of it and done a better job than anybody in the modern era of football.”

On whether he ever thinks back to facing Belichick in Super Bowl XXXVIII

“Yeah. I think we’ve done battle. I’ve been in this for a little bit, too—not all as a head coach. But he’s a tremendous coach and I have tremendous respect for him.”

On Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio “I think this year, fairly unique. Aside from doing a terrific job and to stay here as the defensive coordinator, he stepped in to be the interim head coach for four games in the third quarter of our season. I think it says a lot about him, how he approached that, how he dealt with it, how the players responded to him—the rest of the assistants responded. I think all those things put together, I’d say he’s pretty high up on the meter.”

On the youth of the Patriots defense

“Bill [Belichick] and their personnel staff obviously have done a good job of scouting. They’ve got tremendous athleticism. I think youth—it’s a young man’s game. And it stays that way. They’ve gotten better. They’ve gotten game reps that ultimately those are experiences. They’ve gotten better. They’ve improved a lot over the season that I’ve seen. They’ve got a lot of currency as far as draft picks and those types of things in those players. And they’re developing every week.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JACK DEL RIO

On all the talk about the Patriots running game but them being able to throw the ball as well

“Oh of course yeah they can still throw it—[they are] good at it. Play [action] pass shots and some of the quick game they do out of opened up formations. [QB] Tom [Brady] is one of the top quarterbacks in the league so when you have a guy directing it like that obviously you’re going to be very good at it, but the thing they really are doing is physically they are getting after people, they’re winning the heading battle in the trenches and running the ball right at people with [RB LeGarrette] Blount doing a large portion of the running, but all of their backs are capable. Good group and we’re getting geared up for it.”

On playing against Brady and what is unique about how he attacks a defense

“I just think he’s a good player, prepares hard. They do a nice job with their scheme and he’s an accurate passer with the football. [He’s a] smart guy, competitive guy and obviously a good player. For us we’re preparing ourselves to go out and play good football and that’s all that we can control. It’s our team against their team and we want to find a way to do enough defensively to give the ball back for our offense and make sure that we put ourselves in a position to win the football game and so right now we understand how big as challenge it is with a really good running game, with a really good quarterback [and] a lot of different weapons that can do things. We’re doing all we can to get ourselves prepared to go out and play our best and that’s really all that you do.” On how difficult it’s been to keep CB Champ Bailey involved with an injury plagued season and finding his role

“I guess I wouldn’t characterize it that way. I think he’s a consummate pro. He’s been strong from start to finish in terms of the way he approaches things. There was a tough stretch where he wasn’t available. The doctors didn’t give him the green light. He’s got the green light now, he’s playing and he’s a good football player so we’re certainly glad we have him.”

On where he was when he heard about Head Coach John Fox’s health scare and what helped him get through as interim coach

“We were on our bye [week] and obviously I started getting a lot of texts and things like that. Checked on him and it’s kind of been talked about a lot, but bottom line is we just tried to stay the course and make sure that when he returned that we’d be in position to try to pursue our dreams which ultimately is to play in the big game and we’re one step away from that. Right now, all of my thoughts and all of our work and all of our attention is going towards the New England Patriots and what we have to do to play well.”

On some of the problems Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount presents

“[He’s a] big physical, player [and a]) downhill runner. That’s the big thing he’s a powerful back and they’re doing a great job opening holes and he’s doing a great job hitting them.”

On anticipating the Patriots running the ball

“They’ve run for 200-plus yards in the last three games so that’s definitely some of the tape that’s fresh in our minds. They have made a concerted effort to be the more physical team and have done so and so we understand that we can’t allow that to happen.”

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR ADAM GASE

On anticipating something different from New England Head Coach Bill Belichick this time around

“This game will be different. Some of it will look the same but that’s a well-coached group obviously with Coach Belichick. Matt Patricia does a great job as the defensive coordinator. They’re going to have something different for us. Some of the stuff that they did last time they’ll just do it better. That’ll probably their big emphasis, ‘Hey we have to play better in certain areas and we have to fix our technique.’ It’s going to be the same thing for the things that we didn’t do as well, we have to do better.” On Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway admiring his decision to delay head-coaching interviews

“For me, I just felt like I was all in for what we were doing here. I just didn’t want to stand in front of players and say one thing and do something else. So I felt like it was the most important thing for what we needed to do for this team.”

On the work that Head Coach John Fox’s absence required

“It was the whole group. Players, coaches, support staff—everybody just did their job. They did not do anything over the top. I thought [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Jack] Del Rio did a fantastic job of doing both roles. I know that couldn’t have been easy. Everybody just made sure that we were on our task that we had to do.”

On what the Patriots defense is doing differently

“They’ll have some different pressures each week. You’re going to get something that you haven’t prepared for, which is normal around the league. But when they’ve made mistakes, they’ll make sure they don’t make them a second time. You have to anticipate that and that’s why you have to be on your execution and make sure that you’re not making the mistakes. That’s just—being as well coached as they are, this time, they’ll have less errors.”

On what John Fox brings that he missed during his time away

“His energy has always been unbelievable. You could tell how excited he was when he did get back and I think a lot of our guys fed off of that just knowing how much he missed being around this atmosphere. His energy is always just unbelievable. I wish I had a little more pep to my deal sometimes but he really, his energy level is outstanding.” That's What He Said: AFC Title Thursday

By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

A look at quotables from today's media availability.

QUARTERBACK PEYTON MANNING

On if he still enjoys the preparation process

“I do. I feel like that’s got to be part of it. I think if you’re just dreading what you’re doing all week, you probably ought to find something else to do. I think that’s probably the challenge as you get older. I think everybody enjoys the football games but I’ve heard players in their late years say that they enjoyed the games but they didn’t enjoy the preparation and kind of the offseason workouts and the meetings and all that. I still do enjoy that part of it. I think being in a new offense, being with a new offensive coordinator and having some new teammates, it keeps you stimulated and it keeps you on your toes. I’m constantly learning, each week, something new. That certainly helps but I think that’s important to enjoy, like you said, the process, not just the outcome and the games.”

On playing at home

“We like playing at home because our fans have been outstanding all season. I think anybody prefers to play at home and like I said, with their home fans. But this has been an excellent team—at home and on the road—that we’re playing. We need to do our job on the football field from an executing standpoint and count on that. At the same time we know our fans will be loud and excited. We’re certainly glad to be playing here.”

On improving offensive execution

“We certainly felt like we left some points out there last week. That is something we have emphasized the entire season—finishing drives with touchdowns, not having to settle for field goals. [K] Matt [Prater] has been brilliant all season but we don’t want to have to count on him to make 45-yarders and 52-yarders. We want to do our best to get into the end zone. That’s an emphasis every single week and I think it’s definitely a major point of emphasis this week as well.”

On blocking out thoughts of the future

“I really don’t think it’s hard to block that out. As a matter of fact, I think it’s probably even easier just to hone on in on what’s taking place right now. I really felt that that has been my approach since the beginning of last season. Just when you go through a significant injury and a major career change, you truly do go one year at a time and you don’t look past what’s going on now because you are not sure what’s going to happen. Tomorrow is not promised. I think it’s a healthy approach for an older player to go all in for 2013 regular season, 2014 postseason. For a young player, sure, it can be easy to look ahead to maybe that new contract that they want to get or some career goal that they’re trying to achieve. But at this point in my career, it’s easy just to focus in on what’s going on right now. It’s been a healthy approach and attitude for me and it keeps you honed in on the moment.”

RUNNING BACK KNOWSHON MORENO

On not getting too excited

“It’s definitely tough, but you’re going to have enough time—especially on game day and the night before—to kind of get amped up and ready for the game. It’s a little bit of a ways, but once those days come, you get back to work and get amped up for it.”

On how his role has evolved this season

“Just basically learning each week and trying to get better each week. You never play a perfect game—definitely not me—and I just try to correct those mistakes and move forward each week and get better.”

On the biggest impact QB Peyton Manning has made on him

“Basically just how to be a pro. He demands so much. He demands perfection. That kind of rubs off on a lot of guys—offensively and defensively and as a team. So I just try to go out there and do my best and make sure I’m in the right places.”

On when just he and Manning are in the backfield

“It’s funny. We’re always talking back there, making sure me and him are on the same page. He’s always making calls and we just talk and make sure if we’re on the same page and then go from there.”

DEFENSIVE END SHAUN PHILLIPS

On New England Patriots QB Tom Brady not getting flustered

“He’s been playing long enough that he’s past all that. But he does a good job of reading defenses and understanding his offense and understanding where guys are supposed to be. That’s what makes him one of the best quarterbacks in the league.” On his options in free agency last offseason

“It was a no-brainer for me. I don’t think San Diego wanted me back. They weren’t serious enough. It was just a good fit. When I walked in the door, those guys showed me so much love as soon as I walked in and made me feel like they wanted me on the team and wanted me to be a part of the team. That’s why it was a no- brainer for me.”

On how much QB Peyton Manning had to do with him signing with Denver

“It was people beyond Peyton mostly. It was the guys, the coaches and stuff. It was honestly [Head] Coach [John Fox], [Executive Vice President of Football Operations John] Elway, the Linebackers Coach (Richard Smith) and those guys. When I came in, they went over the defense with me right away and they were like, ‘We want to use you here, we want to use you here,’ and they stuck behind their word and used me everywhere they wanted to use me.”

On whether San Diego not wanting him back was a chip on his shoulder

“Of course you do that. As a competitor, when you don’t feel wanted, it’s a fight-or- flight-type thing. And I’m a fighter. So therefore, I’m definitely going to compete a little bit more. I don’t think I did anything different this year than I did any other year. Maybe I had a little extra chip going against San Diego to make sure I dominate those guys a little bit more, but for me, I always play with a chip on my shoulder. It’s the only way to play defense and it’s the only way you can keep an edge in this league.

On whether it was difficult to be a leader with a new team

“That’s not what I was trying to do. I just came to be myself. We have a bunch of leaders on this team. This team was already good without me. I just wanted to come here and do my part. But, I also shared some of the knowledge that I’ve acquired through my years of playing football and I just speak to those guys. It is kind of a little bit in my nature to have a little bit of a leadership role. But, me being a little older and that I’ve played in this league for a while now—guys look up to me. I understand that, so I make sure I’m saying the right things and out there not only leading by talking but leading by example as well.”

WIDE RECEIVER DEMARYIUS THOMAS

On approaching this week as just another game

“It’s just another game but like I said before, it’s either win or go home. Our main focus is trying to go out, put up some good football so we can beat these guys. Because when we went to New England, they beat us. That’s our main focus right now, trying to figure out a way to beat them.”

On never having beaten the Patriots and whether it would be rewarding to do so

“I think so. Beating them and also making it to the Super Bowl, because I think they’ve beaten us four times since I’ve been here. I haven’t won once. That’s one thing I do want to do is beat the Patriots.”

On whether that loss is a motivator

“Maybe a little. It’s the next team in our way to get to the Super Bowl. It motivates us to try to just go out and win, because we want to make the Super Bowl and we want to win it. Whoever’s in front of us, our main thing is trying to beat that team.”

On the Broncos’ defense overcoming injuries

“I’m impressed with them because the last couple weeks—maybe more weeks— they’ve been able to stop the opposing offense and get the ball back in our hands so we can put points on the board to help us out to get wins. I think every time we have somebody injured, there’s always somebody stepping up. I think that’s the main thing with our group of guys—everybody’s capable of getting in and making plays.”

On whether he understands how hard it is to get to the playoffs and win

“I do. My first season we had an interim coach—wait, it was [Head Coach John] Fox, right? With [QB Tim] Tebow? I forgot. That was a long time ago (laughing). But yeah, we made it in, we lost. Then we had last year with a bye and we lost also. So I feel like now it’s not easy. You’ve got to go in every day. I think the work that we put in out here on the field, it helps us also. We’ve been going hard. We know what we’ve got to do to try to get over this edge and try to get the ‘W’ to get to the Super Bowl.”

On whether players can understand how hard it is to win in the playoffs from hearing from veterans

“I think you learn for yourself because once you hit the field, you’re out there by yourself doing your job. But you hear stuff from [QB] Peyton [Manning], Wes, [CB] Champ [Bailey]—all those guys that made it to this game for the first time. They’ll tell you it’s going to be a 60-minute game. It’s going to be one play somewhere in the game, and somebody’s got to make a play to change the game. That’s the main thing they’ve been telling us.” On the AFC Championship Game potentially being more stressful than the actual Super Bowl

“It [does make sense]. I was kind of nervous at the beginning of this week. This is my first time being nervous at the beginning of the week. Because we want to make it to the Super Bowl and we also want to win. We don’t just want to make it. But like I said, our main goal is to make it and win the game. I think it is a little pressure on us, on myself for sure because I was nervous at the beginning of the week when we started work.” Elway: ‘Studly’ of Gase to Keep Focus on Broncos

By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway praised Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase’s decision to not take any head-coaching interviews until after the Broncos’ season.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo – As head coaching positions opened up around the league following the conclusion of the regular season, Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase’s name popped up as a potential candidate.

But when Gase was asked to interview, he postponed that opportunity until the end of the Broncos’ season.

That’s something that Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway appreciated.

“For him to be able to do what he did and to say ‘I want to keep my focus on the Denver Broncos and once our season is over I’ll interview,' to me that was studly,” Elway said. “I like guys that are committed to what they’re doing, committed to the Denver Broncos. So I couldn’t be more proud of that decision. It tells you a lot about the guy.”

Gase said that the decision was made in order to keep his focus on the task at hand in Denver.

“For me, I just felt like I was all in for what we were doing here,” Gase said. “I just didn’t want to stand in front of players and say one thing and do something else. So I felt like it was the most important thing for what we needed to do for this team.”

The first-year offensive coordinator has helped engineer an offense that put up all sorts of franchise and league records in 2013.

While it shouldn’t come as a surprise that other teams were interested in hiring him, it also shouldn’t be a surprise that Elway hopes that the Broncos are able to retain him.

“He’s done a tremendous job,” Elway said. “He’s had a great year and he’s just got such a great feel, and he’s a hard worker and he’s very bright. I hope he stays.” Thursday HealthONE Injury Report

By Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

The Thursday injury report for Denver and New England's AFC Championship Game matchup.

Steady Elway Helped Navigate Choppy Seas

By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Independent analyst Andrew Mason writes how EVP of Football Ops John Elway helped the Broncos overcome offseason issues en route to the AFC Championship Game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- To appreciate where the Broncos are, consider where they were six months ago.

In the offseason, the hits kept on coming for the Broncos organization: two alcohol- related driving offenses for executives in football operations and the news that Von Miller faced a suspension for violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.

"Both those ruined my summer. I know exactly where I was sitting when I got both those phone calls," Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said Thursday. "But those are the type of things that you know you're going to face."

Months later, Elway could laugh as he reminisced about those moments during a wide-ranging conversation with a handful of writers Thursday. That's what making the AFC Championship Game does; it's the accomplishment that signifies how Elway successfully ensured that such issues didn't sink the entire club.

NFL history is littered with teams that had a few incidents that exploded into conflagrations that consumed the entire operation and sunk their season. The Broncos avoided that for multiple reasons, starting with the strength of their on- and off-field leadership.

"To me, leadership and being a good leader is taking care of those and making sure that everyone feels comfortable, that when the house is on fire, we go ahead and take care of our business and realize that there's a solution to this, and we'll get through this, and come out the other end," Elway said.

"And I've tried to just be that rock on the front side, saying, 'We'll get it covered, we'll get it handled.'"

This is a proud moment for Elway, in part because the Broncos overcame so many obstacles to reach this point. Their presence in the AFC Championship Game is partially a testament to the overall strength of the organization three years into his stewardship of its football operations. The trials Elway and the Broncos endured continued into the season. Nine first- team defensive players have missed 61 combined games to this point. Head Coach John Fox had to miss four games after undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery. Two of the three returning first-team All-Pros from 2012 missed at least half the season.

To say that the Broncos didn't miss a beat through everything would be false; the defense didn't finally reach an optimal performance level until recent weeks, when it allowed less than 20 points in three consecutive games after permitting just one sub-20 game in Weeks 1-15. But the depth of leadership on the coaching staff and in the locker room helped the Broncos withstand Fox's surgery and rehabilitation, as Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio guided them to a 3-1 record against the toughest quarter of the schedule.

"We were fortunate to have some veteran coaches on this team, some different options as far as who's going to be the interim," said Elway. "Jack is that logical guy, because he'd been with Fox, he understood Foxy, plus he'd been a head coach for nine years."

"The team was a little bit battle-hardened," Elway added later. "And I think that the way that we’re set up, that the coordinators are very involved and really running both sides of the ball. Plus, we have veteran leadership."

Another step in the future is building an organization that has a high level of expectation and credibility that persists through the eras. Elway succinctly describes this as building a team that isn't about winning now, but from "now on." Never has this been more of a challenge than in the modern era of the sport, where salary-cap calculations and football considerations must be merged.

"When you have success it gets tougher because it means you have a lot of great players and it makes those decisions tougher when you go into the following year," Elway said. "I look forward to that challenge but we know that we’re going to be there so we have to continue figuring out ways to get better, too.”

Other clubs have figured out how to sustain success through the inevitable attrition of the roster, including two of the other three teams in the championship round; Elway's goal for the Broncos is to join them.

"The Niners' history makes them always a part of it. Because when (players) walk in that building, they know what the 49ers are about. So players know the history, the legacy of what the Niners have created. It's the same thing with New England, the legacy that they've created there. The Pittsburghs, the Green Bays, the great teams that are great year-in and year-out that have been to a lot of Super Bowls, they've created that legacy. "That's what we want to create here, too. There is the legacy of what Pat Bowlen's created here in the fact that we know there's one thing that he wants. If you've got an owner that wants that and gives you all the opportunity and things that he can to make that happen, then you've got a chance." Changes Make Title Pairing a Rematch, Not a Replay

By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Independent Analyst Andrew Mason takes a look at key differences between the two teams' matchup in Week 12 and this week's AFC Championship game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- By the time the Broncos and Patriots kick off Sunday, 56 days will have passed since their Week 12 meeting. It only seems longer than that.

Consider what was different for the Broncos' 34-31 overtime loss than it will be at Sports Authority Field at Mile High:

... The presence of defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. and linebacker Von Miller. All are on injured reserve, and Wolfe and Vickerson didn't play another snap in the 2013 season after that frigid night in Foxborough;

... The absence of tight end Julius Thomas, who injured his knee the week before. He would miss two games before returning Dec. 8 against the ;

... The absence of cornerback Champ Bailey, who was missing his fourth consecutive game and ninth of the season to that point. He returned the following week, missed two more games, but has played ever since;

... The presence of Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was in the middle of his return to the lineup after missing the first six games of the season because of offseason surgeries;

... The presence of linebacker Brandon Spikes, who played 67 defensive snaps for the Patriots that night but was placed on injured reserve last week. Rookie Jamie Collins -- "a guy we liked in the draft," said head coach John Fox -- has been part of the solution for replacing Spikes;

... And finally, the Broncos' head coach, since Jack Del Rio was in the third week of his four-game interim stint while John Fox recuperated from aortic valve replacement surgery.

All this explains why this AFC Championship duel is rematch, and not a replay.

With Gronkowski in the lineup, the Patriots averaged 6.68 yards per pass play and 5.69 yards per snap; without him, they have averaged 5.80 yards per pass play and 5.26 yards a snap.

However, they have seen their per-carry average increase from 4.27 with him to 4.56 without him, which is largely due to the recent form of LeGarrette Blount and the Patriots' tendency to send him through the middle to exploit defenses spread out to monitor their slot and outside receiving threats.

Most promising for the Patriots is the fact that offensive points per 60 minutes are only slightly down without Gronkowski; they averaged 27.16 points per 60 minutes with him and 26.57 without him.

"I don’t think they changed. I just think they have more success (running)," said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.

The Patriots' strengths are a bit different now, but the offense is nearly as efficient.

"They've had a lot of things happen to their football team, just like we have had a lot of things happen to our football team, and I think that they've done a tremendous job kind of reinventing as far as the run game," said Fox. "They've lost pass-catching tight ends and have incorporated some guys that are doing a really, really good job in the run game.

"Bill (Belichick) has adjusted -- that's why he's going to be in the Hall of Fame.”

But so has Fox and his staff. The offensive adjustments the Broncos made this year were significant, especially after losing Ryan Clady in Week 2 to a Lisfranc injury. They lost Thomas for two games, right tackle Orlando Franklin for one and wide receiver Wes Welker for three, but never scored fewer than 20 points, making the 2013 Broncos the first team in club history and the 12th in NFL history to score at least 20 points in every regular-season game.

But the defensive switches were far more profound. Nine different first-teamers missed a combined 61 games over the 17 games to date. That began with middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, who injured his wrist after starting in a preseason loss at Seattle and was lost for the year. Bradley was the first of six defensive starters to go on injured reserve, four of whom have hit the list since the loss at New England.

"Coach Fox mentioned how many obstacles the Patriots have overcome to be in this game. We’ve overcome a number of obstacles, as well, to get here," said quarterback Peyton Manning. "Starting way back to the offseason, starting back to maybe last season’s playoff loss.

"It’s commendable to the team that we fought through those obstacles and we put ourselves in this position and [are] playing a great football team [for the] AFC Championship. "

Extremly commendable, especially because neither team looks like its creators intended when they pieced together their rosters last offseason, let alone Week 12. Both teams evolved, survived, and found a way to thrive, regardless of injuries. Notebook: Coordinators on AFC Title Game

By Brandon Moree DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Both Coordinators took to the podium Thursday to talk about the upcoming matchup with the Patriots.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The Patriots' offensive attack in their last three games hasn’t looked much like the one the Broncos saw in Week 12 in New England.

In fact, the Patriots threw the ball exactly half as many times in their Divisional Round win against the Colts as they did against the Broncos during the regular season. So this time around, the Broncos will be looking to slow down a more balanced – if not run-heavy – attack.

“They’ve run for 200-plus yards in the last three games so that’s definitely some of the tape that’s fresh in our minds,” Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said. “They have made a concerted effort to be the more physical team and have done so and so we understand that we can’t allow that to happen.”

Against the Colts, it was running back LeGarrette Blount that shouldered much of the load. He ran for four of the Patriots' six touchdowns and finished the day with 166 yards. Del Rio described Blount as a “big, physical player” and a “downhill runner.”

But Blount is just part of the rushing attack that amassed 234 yards in the Divisional Round. And of course, the Patriots have other offensive weapons – namely, quarterback Tom Brady.

“Oh, of course they can still throw it—(they are) good at it. Play [action] pass shots and some of the quick game they do out of opened up formations," Del Rio said. "Tom (Brady) is one of the top quarterbacks in the league so when you have a guy directing it like that obviously you’re going to be very good at it, but the thing they really are doing is physically they are getting after people, they’re winning the heading battle in the trenches and running the ball right at people with Blount doing a large portion of the running, but all of their backs are capable. Good group and we’re getting geared up for it.”

Gase Expecting New Looks Not only will the Broncos defense be tasked with handling a different approach from the Patriots, so will the offensive unit.

Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase knows that with a team as well-coached as the Patriots, this time around, they’ll have a sharper plan of attack.

“This game will be different,” Gase said. “Some of it will look the same but that’s a well-coached group obviously with Coach Belichick. Matt Patricia does a great job as the defensive coordinator. They’re going to have something different for us. Some of the stuff that they did last time they’ll just do it better. That’ll probably their big emphasis, ‘Hey we have to play better in certain areas and we have to fix our technique.’ It’s going to be the same thing for the things that we didn’t do as well, we have to do better.”

Not only is Gase expecting the Patriots to make fewer mistakes, he’s also expecting to see some things from the defense that he hasn’t seen before. In response, he wants his unit to focus on their execution.

“They’ll have some different pressures each week,” Gase said. “You’re going to get something that you haven’t prepared for, which is normal around the league. But when they’ve made mistakes, they’ll make sure they don’t make them a second time. You have to anticipate that and that’s why you have to be on your execution and make sure that you’re not making the mistakes.”

Broncos Secondary Locking Down

The Broncos’ secondary has been hit hard with injuries this season and the most recent loss of cornerback Chris Harris Jr. has put some extra strain on the back end of the defense.

Earlier this week, the team signed cornerback Marquice Cole, a former Patriot, to fill the roster spot voided by Harris Jr.

“We’re trying to bring him up to speed and he’s a member of our football team,” Del Rio said. “We’re getting him caught up not only with defense but with special- teams roles as well and we’ll see where that goes.”

Regardless of what role Cole will play this weekend, Del Rio is looking to every member of the secondary for contributions this weekend.

“We need everybody that’s going to be up, corners, safeties that are involved and that get a uniform – need him to help us win, help us play well,” Del Rio said. “I wouldn’t isolate on any one guy. I think we’ve got a number of guys that will be up and used in different combinations and the guys that play need to play well.” Since he returned from injury, cornerback Champ Bailey has been helping the secondary from the slot, instead of the outside where he has spent the majority of his career. With Harris Jr. out, the possibility exists that Bailey moves back to the outside.

Del Rio said that no matter where Bailey plays Sunday, he's pleased that the veteran cornerback has recovered from injury and has been able to make an impact for the defense.

“I think he’s a consummate pro,” Del Rio said. “He’s been strong from start to finish in terms of the way he approaches things. There was a tough stretch where he wasn’t available. The doctors didn’t give him the green light. He’s got the green light now, he’s playing and he’s a good football player so we’re certainly glad we have him.” Phillips Providing Leadership, Production

By Brandon Moree DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

In his first season with the Broncos, defensive end Shaun Phillips has been a leader both on and off the field.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – When Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway was putting together the roster for the 2013 season, he was looking for players – young and old – that fit together.

With former San Diego Charger Shaun Phillips, Elway got exactly that and then some.

Not only has the defensive end fit in well with the rest of the locker room, he has become one of the leaders of it.

“Shaun Phillips was a tremendous example because he wanted to come in and play and not only that, he’s had great leadership that we really didn’t know about,” Elway said. “Even though his background said that he was a good guy and worked hard but his leadership on that defensive side has been tremendous also.”

Phillips has also been a statistical leader for the Broncos this season. He picked up 10 sacks in the regular season – nearly a quarter of the team’s sack total. He also picked up two more sacks in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

He finished the regular season second on the team in tackles for loss (10) and quarterback hits (13) in addition to forcing a pair of and picking off a pass.

But like Elway, Head Coach John Fox sees Phillips' impact as much greater than the pressure he’s applied to opposing quarterbacks.

“Shaun has been tremendous,” Fox said. “I think he has – not just on the field – I think he has been a strong presence in that locker room. We’ve had some guys have to step up and understand the ropes of pro football. I think he has given really good insight to that room, how to prepare and how to be a pro. Aside from his stats on the field, which I think have been very good, he has brought leadership to our football team as well.”

Drafted in 2004 by the Chargers, Phillips spent the first nine seasons of his NFL career in San Diego. In the offseason after the 2012 season, he became a free agent. The opportunity that the Broncos presented for him was exactly what he was looking for.

“(Denver) was just a good fit,” Phillips said. “When I walked in the door, those guys showed me so much love as soon as I walked in and made me feel like they wanted me on the team and wanted me to be a part of the team. That’s why it was a no- brainer for me.”

Since the Chargers are AFC West rivals, Phillips saw them twice in the regular season and sacked his old teammate, quarterback Philip Rivers, once in each game.

The two teams met again last week in the Divisional Round and Phillips again sacked Rivers – this time he did it twice. Phillips said that leaving the Chargers left him with a chip on his shoulder and it showed in his production against them this season.

“As a competitor, when you don’t feel wanted, it’s a fight-or-flight-type thing. And I’m a fighter,” he said. “So therefore, I’m definitely going to compete a little bit more. I don’t think I did anything different this year than I did any other year. Maybe I had a little extra chip going against San Diego to make sure I dominate those guys a little bit more, but for me, I always play with a chip on my shoulder. It’s the only way to play defense and it’s the only way you can keep an edge in this league.”

And as for being a leader on this team in his first season, that was never his plan.

“That’s not what I was trying to do,” he said. “I just came to be myself. We have a bunch of leaders on this team. This team was already good without me. I just wanted to come here and do my part. But I also shared some of the knowledge that I’ve acquired through my years of playing football and I just speak to those guys."

"So I make sure I’m saying the right things and out there not only leading by talking but leading by example as well.” Fox 'A Perfect Fit' for Broncos

By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said that Head Coach John Fox's enthusiasm and passion for football have made him "a perfect fit" for the Broncos.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, the enthusiasm and passion that John Fox brings to coaching made him a perfect fit for the Broncos when Fox became the team’s head coach in January 2011.

Three years and three consecutive AFC West titles later, Fox has the Broncos playing in the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2005 – evidence that the results Fox has helped produce have fit with Denver quite nicely, as well.

“He's just a positive guy,” Elway said. “You never really see him down. You never see him in a bad mood. You never see him without any energy. He's got more energy than anybody I've ever see. That, to me, is the definition of John Fox—the energy level that he brings. He brings it to the practice field, and it's contagious. I think that's why he was a perfect fit for us.”

In a season full of high expectations and unexpected twists, Fox has helped guide the Broncos within one win of a berth in Super Bowl XLVIII – a credit, according to Elway, to the head coach’s ability to adapt in the face of injuries to key players and unforeseen circumstances.

“He's done a tremendous job of just keeping the focus small,” Elway said. “From the very beginning, it's week-to-week, when you have things happen. And the bottom line is, every team is going to have injuries. We've had it on defense. So we're no different than anybody else. I mean, you look at New England—you look at cut-ups of them from the first of the year until now, their defense is a lot different now than it was then. So I think he's done a good job of just everybody understanding that we're going to have injuries, we've just got to figure out how to adjust to them.”

Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase echoed Elway’s sentiments about the contagious nature of Fox’s passion and enthusiasm for the game. For Gase, that was perhaps most evident when Fox returned to the Broncos after missing Weeks 10-13 – during which Fox was recovering from undergoing emergency heart surgery. “His energy has always been unbelievable,” Gase said. “You could tell how excited he was when he did get back and I think a lot of our guys fed off of that just knowing how much he missed being around this atmosphere.”

While Fox was away, Elway attributed both the poise of Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio as well as the overall character of the players on the team for ensuring that the Broncos didn’t miss a beat without their head coach.

“With John in the middle of it, being gone, where Jack stepped in and did a tremendous job,” Elway said. “But that came down from the leadership of this team, and they were able to keep an even keel and keep it business as usual until John came back.”

Ultimately, it’s been a unified effort on all ends that has helped lead the Broncos to the top of the AFC West once again – and one win from being atop the entire conference – despite the repeated adversity that the team has had to face.

“John, as well as the coordinators—and the coordinators are doing a good job of, again, putting guys in good positions to be successful and shifting,” Elway said. “Any time you lose (CB) Chris Harris (Jr.), you lose (LB) Von Miller, there's different things that you're going to have to do defensively that a coordinator's going to have to adjust to, and I think (Defensive Coordinator) Jack (Del Rio) has done a tremendous job with that.”

And as the Broncos write yet another chapter of their season on Sunday, one thing will remain a certainty: their head coach will lead them into the game with no shortage of spirit and desire.

“His energy is always just unbelievable,” Gase said. “I wish I had a little more pep to my deal sometimes, but really, his energy level is outstanding.” Respect Runs Deep Between Manning, Brady

By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

As they prepare for Sunday's AFC Championship Game, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have shown mutual respect for one another.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For years, they’ve dropped jaws with their performances, caused defensive coordinators to shake their heads in bewilderment and set standards for quarterback play in the NFL.

But as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady prepare to meet for the 15th time of their careers -- and for the fourth time in the postseason -- in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, the focus of both quarterbacks lies not on the historical context of their personal history, but on preparing for a showdown between the Broncos and Patriots with a trip to Super Bowl XLVIII on the line.

“I’m pretty much focused on this week,” Brady said. “I don’t really think about those things truthfully. It’s just not where my mind is.”

That’s certainly not to say, however, that there has been an absence of mutual respect shown by the two players throughout the week.

“He’s a great player, they’ve got a great team and one of the best offenses in history,” Brady said regarding the four-time NFL MVP Manning. “I think what that means for us is we better be ready to score some points because that’s what they do best.”

Manning echoed those sentiments for his New England counterpart, who has won more postseason games than any quarterback in NFL history.

“Tom Brady is an incredibly competitive quarterback that has played his best football in so many big games,” Manning said.

“I know our defense is in for a tough challenge facing Tom and their offense,” he added. “We have to do our part offensively.”

Manning and Brady have combined to throw for 114,103 yards and 850 career touchdowns. They’ve both been named Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP and Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year. So when it comes to comparing the two quarterbacks, Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway noted that there isn’t any clearly defined answer because of the different variables that both players have experienced during their careers.

After all, Elway knows a thing or two about quarterbacking in his own right.

“I think that when you look at those two guys, to me, comparing quarterbacks was comparing apples to oranges in a way because every system is different,” Elway said. “What every quarterback is asked to do is different.”

Elway did, however, offer one definitive take on the matter.

“Believe me, you would be in very fine shape with either one of those guys,” he said.

Manning listed Brady among the best quarterbacks that he has competed against, noting that he doesn’t compile any specific order or ranking.

“I’ve been fortunate to play against some great quarterbacks—(former Miami Dolphins QB) Dan Marino, (former Dallas Cowboys QB) Troy Aikman, (former QB) , (former San Francisco 49ers QB) Steve Young, Tom Brady, (Green Bay Packers QB) Aaron Rodgers, (New York Giants QB) Eli Manning— the list goes on and on and on,” Manning said. “I never had a chance to play against (former Broncos QB) John Elway. And so I know rankings and lists are important to a lot of people — I have such great respect for all of them and if you want to name anybody in any order on any list, that’s fine.”

Ultimately, Manning noted, simply being in such company speaks volumes.

“It’s just flattering to be in the conversation,” he said. “But I think my thoughts and respect for Tom are pretty well-documented if you look back in any previous interview.”

Manning added that the longevity of his on-field relationship with Brady has made for a unique one off the field, as well.

“It’s a pretty unique fraternity that all quarterbacks are in and Tom’s been playing the longest along with me during our career,” he said. “We’ve played against each other a lot and we’ve both played a lot of football. I enjoy really trying to get to know a number of quarterbacks. Any chance to get to spend some time with them, maybe in the offseason at a banquet or at a golf tournament – talking a little ball, I’ve always enjoyed that part of it. And I’ve certainly enjoyed doing that with Tom during the times we’ve had a chance to do that.” And on Sunday, they’ll have a chance to do what they’ve both done best: lead their respective teams on the gridiron. It’s another rendition of a meeting the two quarterbacks have engaged in so many times over the years, but it’s also a history that Brady noted has little bearing on what will happen when the Broncos and Patriots play for a berth in the Super Bowl.

“None of it really matters,” Brady said. “It’s just all about this game.” Smith Named Honorary Captain for Sunday

By Mike Morris DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

Ring of Fame wide receiver Rod Smith will serve as an honorary captain for the Broncos in Sunday's AFC Championship Game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Rod Smith knows a thing or two about AFC Championship Games. Now, the Ring of Fame former wide receiver will serve as an honorary captain on Sunday before the Broncos take the field against the Patriots to play for their own AFC Championship.

Smith, who played in three AFC Championship Games during his 12-year career with in Denver – including a 24-21 win over the Steelers in the 1997 AFC Championship and a 23-10 victory over the Jets the following season – will accompany Broncos captains out to midfield for the opening coin toss.

Former Broncos quarterback served as an honorary captain in the Broncos’ 24-17 win over the Chargers last Sunday.

Smith was also on-hand for that game, helping rile up the crowd by leading a pregame chant over the speakers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Denver’s all-time leader in career receptions and receiving yards has also voiced similar words of encouragement for the Broncos for Sunday, as Smith has taken to Twitter to show his support for the team.

Rod Smith@TheREALrodSmith Next. You know who it is? Keep not believing. Bandwagon full. #WegoingtotheShip 8:52 PM - 12 Jan 2014

Smith played a key role in the 1997 AFC Championship game, helping the Broncos reach Super Bowl XXXII, where they triumphed in the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history. He caught six passes for 87 yards in that game.

The following year, Smith caught three passes for 37 yards in helping the Broncos defeat the Jets in the 1998 AFC Championship Game. Denver advanced to Super Bowl XXXIII, where Smith turned in one of the most memorable performances of his career, catching five passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. He also recorded four catches for 61 yards in the 2005 AFC Championship Game – the Broncos’ most recent appearance in the game prior to Sunday’s showdown. Two King Soopers Shoppers’ Predictions Win GMC Trucks

By DenverBroncos.com January 16, 2014

The Denver Broncos were not the only winners last Sunday. Two lucky King Soopers shoppers will each receive an all-new 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 for having correctly predicted the 24-17 final score of the Broncos’ victory over the Chargers in a contest sponsored by the Broncos, King Soopers, GMC, AutoNation and Coca- Cola. GMC is the official truck of the Denver Broncos.

In addition to winning vehicles, Brenda Gutierrez of Erie, CO, and Darin Suter of Mead, CO, were among 10 winners who each received a pair of tickets to the game and the opportunity to predict the final score.

This contest will continue throughout the Broncos’ playoff run with one new winner drawn each day until the next Broncos game. Fans are automatically entered every time they purchase a qualifying Coca-Cola product (excluding 20 oz. sizes) and scan their SooperCard/ValueCards at King Soopers/City Market stores. See stores for complete rules and no purchase necessary opportunity.