With A Win, Broncos Would Host Patriots In Conference Championship

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) dives past Denver Broncos defensive end Shaun Phillips (90) into the end zone for a touchdown during fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium Stadium. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

Should the Denver Broncos take care of business Sunday, they’ll host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.

The Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round 43-22 to move on.  

The Broncos lost to the Patriots 34-31 in overtime of the week 12  regular season match up.

A few notes from that game in New England:

• The Broncos were up 24-0 at halftime, but the Patriots put up 21 points in the third quarter.
• Peyton Manning threw a TD to force overtime, but a Pats’ punt in OT hit Tony Carter and the Patriots recovered at the Broncos 13-yard line to give the Stephen Gostkowski the winning field goal.
• Manning passed for just 150 yards (19-for-36) with two TDs and an INT. Tom Brady threw for 344 yards and three TDs.
• You can never count the Patriots out. They fumbled the ball in each of their first three possessions of the game.
• Wes Welker had four receptions for 31 yards in his return.
• Von Miller had his best game of the year, returning a fumble 60 yards for a TD and then strip-sacking Brady.
• Knowshon Moreno ran for a career-high 224 yards on 37 carries.

We’ll have plenty of time to dissect the game and the match ups should the Broncos win. Until then, throw on your orange and get loud, Broncos Country. The time has arrived to rectify what happened 365 days ago!

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