Patriots 31 Broncos 21
-If the Patriots and Broncos were to play 100 times, I feel the Pats would probably win about 93 of those games. This is the most hopeless match-up I can imagine for the current Broncos team. The fact that they only lost by 10 feels almost positive. Tom Brady owns the Bronco defense. The fact that the Patriots are now also running the ball with massive effectiveness feels almost unfair.
-It's getting to the point that I feel like teammates of Demaryius Thomas should be stuffing Butterfinger bars into his locker. Hang on to that ball, DT! John Fox needs to institute the old high school method of having Demaryius hang on to a football everywhere he goes this week, and if a teammate knocks it out of his hands, he has to do 20 pushups.
-Peyton Manning couldn't look a whole lot better than he did on Sunday. This one has to rest squarely on terrible turnovers and a defense that can't get off the field. 31 of 44 for 345 yards, 3 TDs and no interceptions is getting it done. 3 lost fumbles, and only 70 yards of rushing is NOT getting it done. Manning was largely responsible for the first two losses, but this one he was magnificent in defeat.
-Could the Broncos catch a break from the scheduling gods? One could make the case rather easily that their three losses have come to the three best teams in the NFL.
-The run defense for Denver is troubling, as is their continuing propensity to not get off the field on third down. The Patriots were 11 for 17 on third down...it continues to be a big problem for this 2-3 team.
-Playing the Patriots offense is like a death by paper cuts. They don't ever come out with a huge death knell, they just 7 yard gain you to death. It's almost more disheartening, because they're so methodical.
-The Broncos are now the masters of falling impossibly far behind and then rallying to ALMOST make it interesting. The rallies give you false hope, but the fact is they're falling behind by more than 20 points far too often to be taken seriously in the NFL.
-I was in Kansas City over the weekend, and therefore I will count my blessings with my Broncos. The fan attitude in KC is toxic. The media has made a big deal about the fans cheering when Matt Cassell was injured. As I was at Arrowhead for the game, I can confirm that there was a definite excitement that he was down, although I think it had more to do with the fact that it meant he wouldn't be playing anymore than the fans being excited that he was hurt. The reports of the whole stadium cheering are a bit overblown. There were a few people cheering that he got hurt, but mostly the Chiefs fans around us began to feel hopeful because it meant that Brady Quinn would be coming in. I think it's safe to say that if you're excited for Brady Quinn, you've reach a pretty low point as a fan base.
-Also...enough with the pink in October already. I hate cancer as much as the next guy, but that doesn't mean I want to wear a pink ribbon. I had to decline a pink ribbon from about 7 different sorority girls heading into Arrowhead on Sunday. I don't want to wear pink, and I'd be ecstatic if the players in the NFL weren't wearing it either. This new pink tradition is quickly making October the worst month in the NFL.
-The Chiefs apparently call their fan base "Chiefs Kingdom" which is unspeakably lame. Although, it did make me wonder who was their King for the rest of the day.
-I was surprised to find out just how solid Arrowhead was as a stadium. That place is truly a spectacular venue. Apart from the weird oval Jumbotrons and the fact that they didn't have cupholders in the seats, it's a glorious football facility. I was quite impressed.
-One more note on the Chiefs game: No touchdowns being scored was pretty lame, but I have to say that it sure looked like the Chiefs got jobbed out of a win on Sunday. There was a fumble that the Chiefs recovered in the end zone for what looked like a certain safety, but the refs ruled that the play had ended and mysteriously gave the ball back to the Ravens. Had I been a Chiefs fan, I'd have been livid. That said, Matt Cassell and the Chiefs are horrifically bad, and the Ravens didn't look a whole heck of a lot better. Beautiful day, wonderful stadium, turd of a football game.
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