To the great delight of CBS network executives, both the New England Patriots andDenver Broncos advanced to the AFC title game. That means the latest edition of Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning can take place on the conference's biggest stage.
Though Brady and Manning have dueled numerous times throughout the years, they have only met in the playoffs four times. Manning fell to Brady's Patriots in the first two contests, both times as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. Manning got the better of Brady in 2007 during the Colts' run to Super Bowl XLI. Manning also defeated New England during his first postseason encounter as a member of the Broncos. Entering Sunday's game, the home team has an undefeated record in Manning vs. Brady playoff battles.
However, the AFC Championship offers more than just two quarterbacks old enough to run for president.
In their first year under Wade Phillips, the Broncos have developed into one of the league's top defenses. The unit allowed just 18.5 points per game and finished atopFootball Outsiders' defensive DVOA rankings. Phillips' pass rush has given Denver its biggest boost. Von Miller reached double-digit sacks for the fourth time in his career while the ageless DeMarcus Ware continues to make trouble across from him.
The team added some depth this year as well. First-round pick Shane Ray put together a fine campaign as did undrafted rookie Shaquil Barrett. The front office just rewarded defensive lineman Derek Wolfe with a long-term extension, and he responded with a big game in the Divisional round.
In New England, the availability of skill position players (or lack thereof) has dominated the team's narrative for over a month. Rob Gronkowski nearly missed last week's game with knee and back issues, while Julian Edelman played for the first time since breaking his foot on Nov. 15. Though the Patriots won their first playoff game, the offense still has work to do before it can get back in sync.
Meanwhile, the offensive line remains a work in progress. The midseason loss of left tackle Nate Solder forced head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to repeatedly reshuffle the deck along the offensive line. Right now, they seem comfortable with Sebastian Vollmer handling Solder's vacated blindside duties, with the versatile Marcus Cannon swinging over to right tackle. That approach worked against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it faces a far tougher challenge this week.
In addition to protecting Manning, one of the Broncos' biggest concerns remains their ground attack. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson have struggled to consistently provide a complement to the passing game, and neither performed particularly well last week.
Hillman got the most work (16 carries), but produced only 38 yards out of them. Anderson's final numbers look much better (15 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown), but nearly half of his yardage came on a 34-yard run. Remove that play, and the tailback's average drops to 2.7 yards per attempt. Hillman and Anderson must do better on Sunday to take pressure off the 39-year-old Manning.
The winner will be crowned AFC champions, but more importantly, they'll get a shot at the ultimate prize: a Super Bowl title.
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