Predominantly Orange » stephen gostkowski

Mile High Monday: Super Bowl Preview

Chris Krier — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:15:33 +0000

Jan 27, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A NFL video on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis projects on large Roman numerals of XLVI which represents Super Bowl XLVI. Logos for the New England Patriots and New York Giants are being projected. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

The New England Patriots and New York Giants will go at it in Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday. It should be a great game since it is matching up the 2 hottest teams in football. The Patriots come in having won 10 games in a row overall, and the Giants have won 5 consecutive games themselves. New York will be trying to duplicate their upset of New England in Super Bowl XLII 4 years ago while the Patriots are trying to settle the score with the team that kept them from completing a 19-0 season. Let’s take a look at the matchup:

WHEN THE PATRIOTS HAVE THE BALL:

Tom Brady continues to rewrite the playoff records for quarterbacks, and with his 5th Super Bowl start there is only 1 other person in the world who is as experienced and comfortable preparing for the big game as him (John Elway of course!). You can typically count on Brady to deliver a steady performance when it counts and you know he won’t wilt in the spotlight during big moments.

The one team that has solved the Brady riddle in the Super Bowl however, was Tom Coughlin and these New York Giants. That experience will prove valuable for the Giant defense in terms of scheme and confidence. They proved that if you can provide consistent pressure on the quarterback without sending extra defenders, the potent New England offense can be slowed down. If the Baltimore Ravens proved anything last week, it’s that Tom Brady isn’t perfect. If the Giants can find a way to get to him I wouldn’t be surprised to see him forced into a few turnovers. There will be new challenges for the New York defense this time around though. The 2 big tight end threats in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski weren’t in the league when these teams last played in the Super Bowl. I expect the Patriots to counteract the aggressive New York defensive front by getting these 2 in the mix early and often. Look for a ton of crossing routes and dump offs to try and get the defensive linemen on their heels, and once the attention of the defense turns to the tight ends I expect Wes Welker to produce a few big plays.

I believe that the most important factor for the Giant defense is to stand tall in the red zone. The red zone defense was the biggest difference between the Patriots’ 45-10 blowout win over the Denver Broncos and their 23-20 squeaker over the Ravens. If the Giants force the Patriots to settle for field goals, they will absolutely have a chance to win this game.

SLIGHT EDGE: PATRIOTS

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Broncos v. Patriots Preview

Kim Constantinesco — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:16:27 +0000

Roll out the red (and blue) carpet because Tom Brady and the Patriots (3-1) are coming to town. The storylines are endless with Yoda and Mc-Kid going head-to-head and the game itself being of Mile High importance. The Broncos look to stay undefeated on the season and look for revenge against the below the belt blow they took on Monday Night Football last October. The Pats won 41-7 with Josh McDaniels’ Matt Cassel led offense making the Broncos look like a high school J.V. team. The Broncos are a brand new team however, with a brand new defensive alignment that ranks 1st in the league in points allowed. The offense is poised when it needs to be, and can win games in pressure situations. As we know, the Pats are pass heavy with arguably the best QB in the league at the reins. The first AFL game in history took place 50 years ago with the Denver Broncos and the Boston Patriots playing eachother. That’s why the Broncos will be dressed in their yellow mustard and brown uniforms from their inaugural season. With national attention focused on this game, both teams feel the pressure to win. It should be one for the ages. My Prediction: Broncos 24 Patriots 17.

Offense

Broncos - This is the side of the ball that needs the most attention from the Broncos staff right now. It’s actually the passing game that needs the most attention. Correll Buckhalter might not play on Sunday due to a sprained ankle, so I foresee more attempts from Kyle Orton. Last week against the Cowboys, he had trouble connecting with his receivers in the first half. It’s not that the receivers weren’t open. It was that his arm looked stiff and he wasn’t able to make the accurate pass. You can bet McDaniels has been working on that aspect of his game. The Patriots have a solid pass and rush defense, so nothing is going to come easy for the Broncos. As I said last week, I would love to see Eddie Royal become more involved in the offense. He made such an impact last year, that it’s hard to see his performance decline. I realize he’s not a big physical receiver, and Orton can’t sling passes in traffic like Cutler could, but if Royal can run some of the inside routes, he’s good for 8-10 yard pass plays. If Buckhalter doesn’t play, Knowshon Moreno and former Pat, LaMont Jordan, will handle the carries.

Patriots- Offensively, the Pats aren’t ranked as high as the Cowboys are, but they’ve got an opposite strength in their passing game. Last week, the defense had to focus on stopping the run first and foremost. This week, it’s the pass. Randy Moss is easily leading the team in receptions while big tight end, Benjamin Watson, leads the team in TDs. One of my favorite guy to watch play is Wes Welker, and he’s the guy that will pick up first downs in clutch situations. He is the Broncos version of Brandon Stokley. A slot receiver who’s not always on the radar screen until he busts a big play. As we’ve come to learn, a lead in the 4th quarter is not safe when Tom Brady is under center. It doesn’t matter how bad of a game he’s played. If the game is on the line, he’s the one with the ball, and usually comes out on top. Now is not the time for the Broncos defense to gawk at this very talented offense. Running back Fred Taylor is undergoing surgery and will not play on Sunday.

Defense

Broncos - This Broncos secondary is special and I trust them to throw Brady off his game at certain points. They certainly threw Romo off his. The thing with Brady is he’s not a headcase. No matter how many times Champ Bailey knocks down a pass or Brian Dawkins puts a big hit on a receiver, the Pats’ pass will keep coming at you. Watching the Broncos defense go up against the Pats offense will be the most intriguing matchup of the game. The Broncos are only allowing 6.5 points and 163 passing yards per game. New England is averaging 22 points and 274 passing yards per game. The Broncos are leading the AFC in sacks (15) and turnovers (10). A big part of that comes from Elvis Dumervil’s move to outside linebacker. He has half the team’s sack total! D.J. Williams is leading the team in tackles, and five different players are getting in on the interception act. If there’s any defense in the league that can stop the Patriots right now, it’s this one.

Patriots- New England’s defense isn’t supposed to be as good as it is. They lost Rodney Harrison and Teddy Bruschi to retirement, Richard Seymour went to the dark side (Raiders), and Mike Vrabel went to Kansas City. The Pats are 11th in rush defense and 7th in pass defense. Without Buckhalter, the Broncos running game has their work cut out for them. The Pats have just one INT on the year, but they are very capable of breaking up the pass. Mike Wright is leading the team in sacks (3) and Brandon Meriweather is leading the team in total tackles (28). Hopefully, the Broncos defensive squad was able to mimic New England’s 3-4/4-3 combo this week in practice. They are a young, but physical group that hasn’t given up many big plays this year. If there’s one coach in the league that can break every part of their defense down, it’s coach McD.

Special Teams

Broncos - It would be nice to see the Broncos make the field shorter for their offense. We haven’t had any big run backs this season, and I think we’re due. It’s been frustrating to watch Eddie Royal dance around in the backfield. On the other side, the Broncos have been very good at covering kick returns. Making Brady work the entire field will be a major key to victory. Matt Prater and Bret Kern continue to do a great job with kicking and punting, respectively.

Patriots- Stephen Gostkowski leads the league in field goals made, and he’s very accurate. Laurence Maroney has been handling kick returns with a 23.1 yard average. Kevin Falk mostly handles punt returns with a 6.2 yard average. Nothing to write home about here, but this special teams unit is capable of trick plays. They tried a fake field goal against the Ravens, but had the whistle blown on an illegal formation.

Coaching

Broncos - I wonder what kind of a handshake McD will get at the end of the game. Could we possibly see Bill Belichick express some form of emotion as he congratulates his pupil on a job well done? McD knows Belichick like the back of his own hand. This matchup is why the game is televised nationally. People want to see if the student can become the teacher.

Patriots- Belichick thinks very highly of McDaniels and the two still regularly talk on the phone. Don’t expect them to talk this week, though. Belichick and McD have a similar coaching style. Preparing your game plan, making tackles, limiting mistakes, and taking away the other team’s strength are the winning points that Belichick and McD have in common. McD learned them from Belichick, and so far, it’s working for both teams.

GO BRONCOS!!!

Broncos V. Patriots Preview

Kim Constantinesco — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:16:32 +0000

The Broncos look to forget about last week’s loss to the Jaguars as they visit the Patriots (3-2) on Monday night. This game was circled on my calendar back in August as the biggest game of the season. A win in New England prior to their bye week would give the Broncos more confidence than Chad Johnson has in the endzone. The Broncos are the only team that has been successful against New England in recent years. Since 2001 when the Pats won their first of three Super Bowls, the Broncos are the only team with a winning record (5-1) against New England in the regular season and post season combined. That shows that Mike Shanahan knows how to counter Bill Belichick’s strategic moves. The Broncos aim to collect their 400th win and they own a 24-15 overall record against the Patriots. The Pats are looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to the Chargers, so expect a very interesting game from two teams that NEED to win. From week to week, I don’t know which Broncos team will show up to play, but they should be able to get up for this week’s game. My Prediction: Broncos 24 Patriots 17.

Offense

Broncos - The Broncos offense is not facing the Patriots defense of old, so they need to take advantage. One way to do that is by running a balanced attack in the air and on the ground. The running attack, a.k.a. Michael Pittman, finally showed that it can earn big time yards on the ground. If the ground game can continue it’s success then things will open up for Jay Cutler and the passing game. The Pats have been known to give up big passing yards this season, so Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal could potentially have a field day against the Pats new secondary. Injuries have plagued the Broncos’ offense with Brandon Stokley (questionable), Selvin Young (questionable), and Tony Scheffler (questionable) possibly out of the lineup. The three of them have combined for 5 Broncos TDs this season. The return of Eddie Royal will give Marshall a little more room to work as will the presence of Darrell Jackson. It goes without saying that turnovers or lack there of will ultimately determine the Broncos fate on Monday night. Cutler and Marshall know that more than anybody as they have combined for 6 turnovers (3 each) in the Broncos two losses.

Patriots- The Pats may be without “The Brady” and they may be ranked 25th in the league in total offense, but crazy things happen in New England this time of year. The witches of Salem are ready to spook and the Red Sox are ready to overcome the odds to make it to the World Series. Who knows, Matt Cassell may be ready to throw for 300 yards and 5 TDs against the Broncos’ defense. He’s got two great threats in Randy Moss and Wes Welker (5th in league with 36 receptions). Don’t put it beyond him. The Patriots running attack is sub par, and Sammy Morris (3.2 yards per carry) and Kevin Faulk (5.4 yards per carry) will take most of the carries. Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan are likely out due to injury. The Patriots have been running their offense like they still have Tom Brady running the show. It’s a pass heavy offense and Cassell has shown glimpses of greatness, but he’s a guy that before Brady’s injury, had not started a football game since high school. You can’t blame Belichick for keeping things the same. Transitions are hard especially when New Englanders are accustomed to stability at the QB position. Drew Bledsoe had started 129 of 137 games from 93′-01′ and then Brady came in to make 128 consecutive starts. Like any team in the league, the talent is there, and the offense could explode against the Broncos.

Defense

Broncos - Look for the Broncos to use more of the 4-3 alignment in conjunction with the 3-4 against the Pats. The Broncos have emphasized stopping the run in the past few weeks, but they will need to focus on stopping the pass this week. Cassell has thrown at least 31 passes in his last three games, so the Broncos’ secondary will have their work cut out for them. Arguably the most interesting match up of the game is the Champ Bailey v. Randy Moss showdown. The Broncos are familiar with Moss because of his time in Oakland, but who knows if they can cover him in Bill Belichick’s system. If Brady were playing, I would guarantee at least 1 Moss TD, but playing with Cassell has slowed Moss’s production. The Broncos defense has made some strides in the past two weeks as they recovered two fumbles against the Jags and have had 5 sacks in the past two games. They had 6 sacks combined in their first four games by comparison. Increasing their usage of the 3-4 allowed this to happen, so it will be interesting to see what scheme Mike Shanahan turns to should things turn sour.

Patriots - The Pats use a 3-4 as their base, but if they can’t stop Cutler, it will be a long night in Foxbourough. They have given up big yards on pass plays and that was especially evident against San Diego. The Pats are 17th in the league in total defense and the Broncos could have some success running the ball against this team as they are 21st in stopping the run. The Broncos don’t have many blocking schemes for the run, but they attack the edges of the defense well, so Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel could have some trouble. Adalius Thomas has 3 sacks this season, but the Broncos offensive line should be able to contain him and the rest of the defense to keep pressure off of Cutler. Ellis Hobbs has 3 INTs on the year, so Cutler will need to avoid forcing passes into Marshall and the rest of the receiving core. I’m sure the Patriots will use some different coverages to stop the Cutler-Marshall duo, but there are definitely some weaknesses in their defense.

Special Teams

Broncos - Kickoff coverage is always a concern for the Broncos as they are 3rd in the league in yards allowed (26.8) per kickoff. Turns out that the Patriots are 3rd in the league in kick returns. Should big plays emerge out of the Pats on special teams, all of the information above can be ignored. As far as the Broncos kicking game goes, Matt Prater proves to be a gem as does Brett Kern. As long as games are not lost on account of kicks, then I’m a happy camper.

Patriots- The Patriots kicking group is just as strong. Stephen Gostkowski has converted on 11 of 12 field goals and Chris Hanson has landed the ball inside the 20 five times and inside the 10 two times (on 19 punts). The outcome of this game could come down to field position if other aspects of the game are played on an even level.

Coaching

Broncos - Mike Shanahan knows how to get under Belichick’s skin. Denver has a 9-2 record against Bill Belichick coached teams. There is no coaching edge here, but Shanahan is very successful in weeks before the bye week. He wants his team to come out of a bye week with a winning streak, confidence, and healthy players. Shanahan knows that his 1 game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West is not safe, so Monday night is a must win.

Patriots - Mr. Hoodie, Bill Belichick, is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He works with what he’s got, and takes the average player and puts him into a system where he can succeed. Teamwork…that’s what the Patriots have been about since 2001. Belichick makes sure that individual performance is not emphasized. Look at Matt Cassell. He came in and Belichick almost expects the same kind of Tom Brady performance out of him. This game is more a matchup between two great mastermind head coaches than two great football teams.

GO BRONCOS!!!