1st Glance, Denver

"What's wrong with The Patriots, why are we sweating it out in the 4th quarter? I mean, they were up 31-7 in the 3rd." -Some guy.

In response to that, what are you talking about? The Defense played great, and in the 4th quarter they played passive to keep things inbounds. There were a few breakdowns, but the game wasn't close. The only reason that I got nervous was the fumble by Ridley. Everything was going perfectly, and The Patriots were driving easily. A score on that drive would have made it a three score game, and would have ended Denver's chances.

Great game was spoiled by a late fumble.

Ridley's fumble gave Denver some life, but once again The Defense came up big. The Defense did not play exceptional on 3rd down, but overall they did well to keep plays in front of them and force Peyton to convert. In the end, The Defense forced 3 turnovers, 3 punts, and a turnover on downs. This was better than I hoped for. The third down efficiency was disappointing, but the timely turnovers bailed out the Patriots.

The Offense was not as explosive as they were against Buffalo, but the running game was impressive. The Ridley fumble was a black mark on an otherwise great day for the sophomore RB from LSU. On the passing end, Brady had a very efficient day completing 74% of his attempts. Wes Welker was lights out as well, getting in the endzone for the first time this season. Welker seemed to be open every time, just abusing any CB The Broncos put on him. Brandon Lloyd and Gronkowski had a few nice plays when opportunities came their way. In addition, Woodhead made some nice plays, including two 3rd and long conversions. Also, Bolden continued to impress me, chipping in 14 carries for 54 yards.

The Patriots Offense was brutally efficient. They set a team record for most first downs with 35. Likewise, Brady and company converted 64% of their third downs. The Defense was conservative, but managed to force timely turnovers. They held The Broncos to 53% on third down, and forced Peyton to convert 1/2 on 4th downs. Although this is not great, The Pats D forced a lot of third and longs to keep the pressure on Peyton. The Pats D did not dominate in the running game, but Belichick dared The Broncos to run the ball, and they couldn't do it well enough. The front 7 didn't need much help in stopping the run, which allowed the DBs to focus on the pass.

Overall, great team effort. This seemed like the most complete game played by this team so far. The Defense allowed some late points in a passive prevent Defense during the 4th quarter. Peyton mounted a nice little comeback, but it was too little too late. This game was won with complimentary football. The Defense got some stops, and the Offense was unstoppable. The Offense was able to possess the ball for 35:49, and their long drives kept Peyton off the field. This was a great team effort and some great execution of the game plan.

Lets enjoy this one for a day, but then get to work on the Seahawks.