Manning, Broncos scramble to Super Bowl in 20-18 win over NE

Only a most freakish play hindered the tremendous early efforts of Denver’s defense.

“I’m sure everyone can look at different plays throughout the game when it’s that close and say, ‘Man I wish I had made that play, ‘” Brady said. The top-ranked defense of the Denver Broncos is applying plenty of pressure in the AFC championship game. I had a route to go either, and when I saw the guy inside, the guy outside, I was just like, ‘Screw it. I’ve got to go whatever way it is.’ I went out.

I suppose this means we’ll have to show our Denver visitors that the East Bay isn’t just the Black Hole and the Coliseum parking lot. Brady now leads the matchup 11-6 overall, but Manning is 3-2 against him in the playoffs. Manning has more overall career passing touchdowns at 539, and Brady now has 428. “You know, you get to the AFC championship and you get down, you’ve got to play well”, Patriots safety Devin McCourty.

So it came down to a two-point conversion.

Manning gave Brady a hearty handshake before No. 12 left the field.

Down eight in the fourth quarter New England drove deep into Broncos territory.

Manning did not lose this game.

The Broncos’ combination of a stupendous secondary and their pass-rushing personnel to exploit a patchwork Pats offensive line made life hard for Brady.

After forcing a Denver punt, the Patriots took over at their own 29 with 4:35 remaining. Brady lofted a long pass down the right seam to tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was covered by two defenders.

“It’s football”, Gronkowski said. The Broncos are really good on defense.

Not listed in Rosenthal’s top-20 list was the Denver Broncos’ leading tackler LB Brandon Marshall. “My favorite word is sensational; it felt sensational”. The Broncos’ first home was Bears Stadium, and the two teams actually played four times in Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.

Both defenses playing very well against the run so far – 28 yards total in the running game COMBINED between Denver and New England through roughly two-and-a-half quarters. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 13 yards on three carries.

The players cleared the field for some musical entertainment as the band American Authors took center stage at the 50-yard line.

Von Miller finished with 2½ sacks and an interception.

Coincidentally, Manning’s only other touchdown pass in the Mile High city this season went to Daniels as well.

“The big thing is we’ve got to win”, Broncos boss John Elway said. New England converted the possession into a touchdown, but Stephen Gostkowski missed his first extra point attempt since his rookie season.

If this was the last time we’ll see Tom Brady play against Peyton Manning, then we got one to remember. The other time was January 10, 2010, in what became a 33-14 loss to Baltimore. Broncos S Darian Stewart left in the third quarter with a knee injury…. Sets up Broncos with a good chance to score before halftime – 4:00 left in 2nd Quarter. The crowd of 77,112 was the second largest in Broncos history.