Broncos vs Patriots: Manning vs Brady XVI

Tomorrow sees the 16th installment in the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and as always there are high stakes when Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos go head to head against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

With the Patriots on a four game winning streak they have been resurgent after a slow start to the 2014 season but now find themselves at 6-2 after a 2-2 start and with a chance to place themselves in the first seed position for the playoffs if they manage to defeat Denver tomorrow. The Broncos are also on a 4 game winning streak so they will walk in to Gillette Stadium full of confidence especially having beaten the Patriots when the two teams last met in last seasons AFC Championship game.

That victory in January avenged the demons of a 34-31 comeback victory by Brady's Patriots earlier in that season when New England rallied from a 24-0 halftime deficit to knock off the Broncos in their own back yard but with Denver's 26-16 postseason victory a couple of months after that encounter just mentioned Manning tied his head to head postseason record against Brady to 2-2 all-time.

Unfortunately for Peyton history does suggest that the Patriots could well come out as the victors tomorrow with Brady holding a 10-5 all-time winning record over his old foe. With New England's huge 51-23 win over Chicago last Sunday this team is slowly moving through the gears week by week and finding ways to win after winning a narrow one against the Jets 27-25 the week before and knocking off the Bills in their own backyard 37-22.

With a bye week next week for the Patriots a win tomorrow against Denver would set them up perfectly for their remaining 7 games and allow them to focus on their tough tasks ahead as they go in search of claiming home field advantage for the playoffs; something that would definitely benefit the Patriots if they have to play the Broncos in the postseason as taking Peyton Manning out of Mile High stadium would work huge favours for New England.

The most intriguing aspect of tomorrow's matchup is the improved fortunes of both of these teams defenses and that is what makes this game a lot more interesting in comparison to the other meetings we've seen between these two teams in recent years. The Patriots may be without their best pass rusher in Chandler Jones but have made two additions at linebacker before the trade deadline this past Tuesday to cover for the season ending injury to Jerod Mayo and also possess the number one pass defense in the league.

Manning vs Brady Round 16

That will be put to the test by what many considering to be the most devastating offense in the NFL and one that has added a versatile running back to its armory in recent weeks to go along with the ridiculously effective passing game that Manning has going on in Denver. Peyton is tied with Andrew Luck for the most touchdowns in the league with 22 but has to just 3 interceptions to the third years 9. Manning's efficiency will be vital to any success the Broncos want to have tomorrow especially going up against a Bill Belichick defense that thrives on forcing turnovers. 

The Patriots are tied for 7th in the league with 10 forced fumbles and have recovered 8 which leaves them tied for 2nd in that category. They are also tied 8th in interceptions with 8 and 9th in sacks with 21 so you can tell that the Pats defense has been playing at a very high level. Star cornerback Darrelle Revis is back to his superstar best challenging receivers at the line of scrimmage and has locked down star studded wideouts such as AJ Green and Brandon Marshall along with rookie sensation Sammy Watkins in the first half of this season.

Add Revis to a secondary that includes the likes of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan along with the return of Brandon Browner who made a massive personal improvement last week against the Bears following his debut against the Jets and it is clear to see this team has talent. That is not even including the players at the front of the D such as Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork who are all key contributors to the success of this unit.

They in particular will need to step up in Chandler Jones' absence who is arguably the Patriots best all round defensive player. As for the Broncos defense well they aren't exactly slouches themselves after adding the likes of DeMarcus Ware, TJ Ward and Aqib Talib who left the Patriots for Denver this past offseason. Denver's defense ranks high in key categories too; 6th in sacks with 23, 13th in interceptions with 7 but they are a lowly 31st in forced fumbles with 3 and just one recovery.

On paper despite Brady's historical upper hand over Manning as well as the drastic improvements this Patriots offense has made week by week the Broncos offense is still edges that of New England and I feel that the outcome of this game will be decided by who wins out of the Patriots defense and Broncos offense when these two units go up against each other tomorrow.

As mentioned earlier Manning has 22 TD's to just 3 picks and a host of weapons with the dynamic duo of Julius and Demaryius Thomas with the two having hauled in 15 of Peyton's 22 scores this season. The other 7 are with Emmanuel Sanders who had 3 last week against the Chargers, 4 on the year, along with Jacob Tamme (2) and Wes Welker with just the one this season. Add that with running back Ronnie Hillman, he has broke on the scene in Montee Ball's absence, who has 347 yards and 2 touchdowns in his past 4 games then you can begin to evaluate just how good this Denver offense is.

But as we know the Patriots offense is not looking too shabby either after fantastic performance after performance in October which ended with Tom Brady being announced AFC offensive Player of the month. Brady had a 129.1 passer rating, with 1,268 yards and 14 touchdowns in those 4 Patriots victories and personally I feel this has propelled him in to the MVP conversation along with Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, DeMarco Murray and JJ Watt.

Brady completed 30 of 35 passing attempts for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns last week leaving him with a quarterback rating of 148.4. Rob Gronkowski had 9 catches for 149 receiving yards and 3 TD's and has definitely got back to his devastating best as Gronk now has 7 touchdowns this season leaving him tied for 4th. Brandon LaFell has also built up fantastic rapport with Brady and has 4 touchdowns on the year with 1 last week hauling in 124 yards in the process.

Ever since that Monday Night meltdown against the Chiefs all Brady and co have done is prove the doubters wrong. Anyone who did doubt Tom Brady's abilities is quite frankly an idiot but he did what any fantastic player does and that was silence his critics on the field. The change in fortunes has brought a breath of fresh air along with hope in New England. Brady now has 18 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions on the year which ranks him 5th only behind Manning, Luck, Rivers and Rodgers.

Now that the Patriots have solved offensive line issues and the offense is performing at a high level you would have to say they are one of the best teams in the league due to their all round talent on defense, offense and special teams. Despite the loss of Stevan Ridley on the ground Shane Vereen has continued to be a brilliant weapon for Brady in the running and passing game and is the type of versatile player that Brady and Belichick love.

Vereen has one rushing touchdown for 281 yards giving him a 4.8 average and two receiving touchdowns for 208 yards. Jonas Gray was added to the running game fold last week and put in an impressive debut with the big bodied back racking up 98 yards off 20 carries averaging 4.9 yards a carry. If he can continue to impress he will be the Patriots' equivalent of Denver's Ronnie Hillman and a well welcomed running game addition to a team that possess one of the most efficient passing games in the NFL.

Gronk (7), LaFell (4), Vereen (2), Amendola (1) and Tyms (1) are the recepients of Brady's passing scores this year but the guy who has been particularly important to the improvements of the passing game is Gronks new tight end partner Tim Wright. He possesses the other 3 Brady touchdown scores and Wright's addition to the offense has given Brady a new tight end duo threat to trouble opposing offenses which has given Brady and the Pats offense to get all of these offensive players mentioned involved.

The rewards are key to see and after analysing both Denver and New England's offenses tomorrows game will be a mouth watering encounter especially as we know the quality of both sides defenses as well. Personally I feel this is the most exciting regular season game since the November 7th encounter in the 2007 season when the 8-0 Patriots faced off against Manning's 7-0 Colts. Despite the quality of both offenses both defenses can force mistakes in the opposing offenses and that is why I feel that it will be a nail biting game for fans of both teams that will end in a close one. I will go out on a limb and say that the Patriots get a repeat of that close win back in 07 and triumph over the Broncos 24-20 setting up a thrilling race for the first seed position come playoff time!

NFL Week 7 Predictions:

Last week I tweeted my predictions for the week 6 Sunday games and predicted the Colts and 49ers to win TNF and MNF respectively; here is a recap:

My predictions                                                        Results

Colts 27-18 Texans                                                Colts 33-28 Texans
Redskins 27-24 Cardinals                                     Redskins 20-30 Cardinals
Bears 33-30 Falcons                                              Bears 27-13 Falcons
Cowboys 17-27 Seahawks                                    Cowboys 30-23 Seahawks
Giants 24-30 Eagles                                              Giants 0-27 Eagles
Broncos 37-14 Jets                                               Broncos 31-17 Jets
Ravens 24-17 Buccaneers                                     Ravens 48-17 Buccaneers
Jaguars 23-20 Titans                                            Jaguars 14-16 Titans
Chargers 30-13 Raiders                                        Chargers 31-28 Raiders
Patriots 27-17 Bills                                               Patriots 37-22 Bills
Panthers 16-24 Bengals                                        Panthers 37-37 Bengals
Steelers 23-20 Browns                                         Steelers 10-31 Browns
Packers 31-20 Dolphins                                       Packers 27-24 Dolphins
Lions 22-16 Vikings                                             Lions 17-3 Vikings
49ers 27-16 Rams                                                49ers 31-17 Rams

So for my first full week of predictions to score 10 out of 15 is rather pleasing! Now on to week 7's predictions: *1/1 so far after the Patriots TNF victory*

(1-5) New York Jets vs New England Patriots (4-2)

The Patriots have won two in a row and seem to be back to their best with Tom Brady throwing 6 touchdowns in his past two outings. Despite facing a Jets defense that ranks in the top 10 their secondary has weaknesses that Brady and co will look to take advantage of. As for the Jets well they've had glimpses during the season such as giving Green Bay a good game earlier in the season as well as managing to frustrate Peyton Manning and the Broncos at times last week.

Nevertheless losing 5 of their first 6 games doesn't give the Jets much optimism for tonight's game especially with the Patriots having the majority of the spoils between the two teams over the years. Expect Gronk to have a big game and Revis to haunt his old teammates with a big defensive performance; something the Pats need following the season ending injury to Jerod Mayo.

Prediction: Jets 17-30 Patriots

Result: Jets 25-Patriots 27

A blocked field goal attempt by Chris Jones on the last play of the game was enough to help the Pats grind out a big win against the Jets. Offensively New England did well with Tom Brady throwing 3 touchdowns for over 250 yards to give the resurgent Patriots their 3rd straight win.

(2-4) Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

The Atlanta Falcons have dropped 3 straight since a huge Thursday Night Football victory over Tampa Bay in week. That 56-14 win was a dominant display but since then Atlanta have been lacklustre losing to the Vikings, Giants and Bears. The league this year has had a lot of inconsistency but for the Falcons to be 2-4 at this stage is a real surprise.

The Panthers lead the NFC South with a 3-2-1 record and while that tie is bound to cause a headache for the division as well as have huge playoff implications the Falcons can revitalise their season with a big road performance today before heading to London. The Ravens enjoyed a similar display against Tampa Bay last Sunday 48-17 with Flacco throwing 5 games but despite that huge win I expect them to endure a similar defeat to the one they had against the Colts following their huge win over the Panthers 38-10 the week before they faced Indianapolis.

Prediction: Falcons 27-20 Ravens

(2-4) Tennessee Titans vs Washington Redskins (1-5)

I predicted the Jaguars to beat the Titans this week, yes that's how bad the Titans are playing, and if it wasn't for a missed field goal late on they would have had the embarrassment of being the first team to lose to Jacksonville this season. Instead they won a close game and now walk in FedEx field with a better record than their hosts.

I expect the Redskins to end their 4 game slide which will be particularly pleasing for Kirk Cousins who has suffered a tough time as a starter. Despite his awful showing against the Giants when he threw multiple picks I personal feel he has done well for a the team. and they have endured painfully close losses to the Eagles and Seattle. Regardless of outsiders opinions he needs to put a team like the Titans to the sword now that RG3 is back in training from his dislocated ankle to prove his worth and with other playmakers like Alfred Morris and DeSean Jackson this could be a blowout win for Washington.

Prediction: Titans 13-31 Redskins

(3-2) Seattle Seahawks vs St. Louis Rams (1-4)

The Rams host the Seahawks as St. Louis prepares for a second straight divisional matchup when Seattle comes to town. The Austin Davis led Rams have showed glimpses of potential but ultimately came unstuck on Monday Night Football against the 49ers but Davis and co can take great pride in their performance after taking last year's NFC Championship participants to the wire.

Unfortunately for them they're coming up against the Super Bowl champions who also suffered a rare home defeat last week and following that the Seahawks will be looking to bounce back with a bang and stamp their authority on the NFC West as they look to keep up with the Cardinals and Niners. Although the Rams have a good defense I think they will come unstuck against Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch as I expect both of them to lead the way in an impressive road victory especially now that the locker room distraction of Percy Harvin has been shipped to Gotham you'd expect Seattle to return to their focused and impressive selves.

Prediction: Seahawks 34-19 Rams

(3-2) Cleveland Browns vs Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6)

The Browns took chewed Pittsburgh up last week and dismantled them 31-10 so it is safe to say that this years Browns team could be for real. The team looked to be going somewhere last year before quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a season ending injury but the QB has picked up where he left off in 2013 with some good displays in 2014 including the huge comeback with against Tennessee.

Despite rookie Blake Bortles' best efforts the Jags lack an identity and while I expect them to somehow win a game this year it won't be today against the Browns no matter how much they try.

Prediction: Browns 24-10 Jaguars

(3-1-1) Cincinnati Bengals vs Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

The Bengals had the perfect chance to make amends for a horrendous week 5 display against the Patriots last week but Mike Nugent's field goal miss in overtime gave us our first tie of the year for the 2014 NFL season. The chance at regaining some of their early season momentum may have just disappeared as the Bengals travel to Indianapolis and walk in to Lucas Oil Stadium against a Colts team that has won its last 4 straight.

Those 4 victories including a hard fought contest against the Texans on the last edition of TNF have given the Colts huge confidence and will fancy their chances when they take on the Bengals. The Colts have early season MVP candidate Andrew Luck as their QB who leads the league in passing yards with 1987, yards per game with 331 as well as leading the league in touchdowns with 17. With the Bengals giving up a combined 80 points against the Patriots and Panthers in their last two outings I'm expecting the leagues number one ranked offense to dismantle Cincinatti's defense with Bradshaw and TY Hilton each getting a receiving touchdown.

Prediction: Bengals 21-38 Colts

(2-4) Minnesota Vikings vs Buffalo Bills (3-2)

I had to flip a coin to choose the outcome of this one and it is... Heads! So I'm going with the Vikings. The Bills had their big home matchup against the Pats last Sunday but came up short so after investing all that energy only to lose could be detrimental to the team's confidence.

As for the Vikings well at the moment they have nothing to lose and despite the fact that rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater has to go up against a talented defense without Adrian Peterson he has weapons in the form of Patterson, Jennings with the Viking also gaining production out of young backs Jerod McKinnon and Matt Asiata so I expect them to find a way to win.

Prediction: Vikings 21-18 Bills

(2-3) Miami Dolphins vs Chicago Bears (3-3)

The Chicago Bears picked up an important road win in Atlanta last weekend to get their season back on track. With the Packers and Lions both at 4-2 in the NFC North the Bears can't afford any more slip ups and are hosting a Miami Dolphins team who's own season is starting to not look so great having dropped 3 of their first 5 games. With that being said Miami managed to hold their own against the Packers last week but unfortunately for them were undone by the magic of Aaron Rodgers and lost on the final play of the game.

With Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno out for the year the majority of the load falls to Lamar Miller who had a good start to the season and will now need to step it up a gear if this Dolphins offense is to be a success and take the pressure off Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins can take pride in their performance last week but need to make sure they don't feel sorry for themselves when they head to Solder Field today. With Jay Cutler bouncing back from some sloppy 2nd half slumps in previous weeks I fancy the Bears to edge out the Dolphins just because of their playmakers on offense as Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall as well as Jeffrey can all make big plays at crucial times.

Prediction: Dolphins 20-28 Bears

(2-3) New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions (4-2)

This is possibly the hardest game of the week to predict just because both of these teams have been so unpredictable. The Detroit Lions bounced back from defeat to the Bills in week 5 to win 17-3 against the Vikings last week. Without Calvin Johnson, who may sit out today and next weeks game in London, the Lions lose their most dangerous offensive weapon and when healthy the best receiver in the league but with a defense that ranks 1st in net yards per game, first in sacks and is in the top half of various other categories the Lions have what it takes to grind out wins.

As for the Saints well they have not been the team that many hyped them up to be in the offseason with defensive woes and offensive struggles clear for anyone to see. Drew Brees has been a shadow of himself throwing 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in his first 5 games as well as not having tight end Jimmy Graham playing at his usual superstar level and who has been struggling with injury but is reported to play today but may not start. With the two most dynamic players on each team questionable it makes today's result even harder to predict but I think despite the Saints not being renowned for playing well on the road Sean Peyton will find a way for his team to win today to get New Orleans back to .500 and sent the Lions to London licking their wounds.

(3-2-1) Carolina Panthers vs Green Bay Packers (4-2)

The Panthers played out a tie against the Bengals last week but put on an offensive clinic led by Cam Newton who put in one of his classic "Superman" performances as a dual threat, 2 touchdowns for 284 passing yards and 1 rushing TD for 107 rushing yards, to give Carolina a narrow lead in the NFC South. As complex and frustrating as a tie can be for many other NFL teams come the end of the regular season for the Panthers it will probably come in handy. The Panthers are 3-0 in conference games this year so they will be confident that they can cause an upset today at Lambeau Field.

Unfortunately for them Aaron Rodgers, as usual, has been in inspired form so far this season and has already propelled himself in to the MVP conversation with the QB tied for second with 15 touchdowns to just 1 interception and a QB rating, 2nd place, of 111.4. A Rodgers led Packers offense with the like of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy in the backfield among other role players will give even a quality front 7 that the Panthers possess a tough time.

Prediction: Panthers 27-31 Packers

(2-3) Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers (5-1) 

The Chiefs lost narrowly at the hands of the Niners last week by 5 points to fall to 2-3. Kansas has performed well in the tough games but despite dismantling the Patriots a few weeks back narrow losses to Denver and San Francisco have left them in a tough spot heading in to today's divisional game. If they lose today their playoff hope take a massive hit but sadly for Kansas the Chargers have been so impressive and should grab a win in this hugely crucial matchup.

With MVP candidate Phillip Rivers having an amazing year to date; 15 touchdown to just 2 interceptions for 1756 yards and having weapons such as Antonio Gates, Kennan Allen, Eddie Royal and running back Brandon Oliver bursting on the scene along with a defense led by Flowers in the secondary who are all collectively playing brillantly this Chargers team should take control of the AFC West with a win today making next Thursday's game against Denver a mouthwatering encounter.

Prediction: Chiefs 19-28 Chargers

(4-1) Arizona Cardinals vs Oakland Raiders (0-5)

The winless Raiders host the high flying Cardinals a week after almost upsetting the Chargers who like Arizona are taking the NFL by storm in this first half of the 2014 regular season. Unfortunately for Oakland despite an unusual solid showing a close and painful loss like last week's game only spells disaster for today.

With QB Carlson Palmer returning the Cardinals continue to go from strength to strength especially as now Larry Fitzgerald will start getting involved more in the offense again and you can expect him to build on his 2014 breakout game of 98 yards and his first touchdown on the year last week with another big game today.

Prediction: Cardinals 34-14 Raiders

(3-3) New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

Since the 2009 season the Cowboys have failed to make the playoffs but after years of almost returning but losing week 17 winner takes all games America's team have come out of the blocks in full flight in 2014. With a stellar defense that managed to stop Seattle last week in Seattle 30-23 to give Dallas victory over the defending Super Bowl champions the Cowboys are arguably the most complete team in football right now. With 5 straight wins to their name since the opening week defeat to the 49ers the Cowboys have their best chance of making the postseason in 5 years. Tony Romo is playing well and it helps that he has the league's in form running back as DeMarco Murray continues to rip NFL defenses apart. Murray is a sure bet to win this seasons rushing title and leads the league in yardage with 785 yards in 6 games giving him an average of 130.8 yards a game! Despite 3 fumbles on the year he leads the league with 6 touchdowns and is critical to this teams success.

As for Tony Romo well he is 5th in the passer rating category with 100.5, 5th all-time for his critics by the way, and has 11 touchdowns to 5 interceptions and just over 1,500 passing yards. His 3rd and 20 completion to Terrance Williams last week vs the Seahawks was a moment of brilliance and his spin against JJ Watt for a long TD to Williams the week before was spectacular. I thought the Cowboys could beat Seattle but didn't have it in me to bet against them and while usually Dallas find a way for things to go wrong there's no doubt that at this moment in time they are for real. With the Giants having lost Victor Cruz to a season ending injury Eli Manning is without is best WR and that is a real shame for the Giants. This latest setback makes me believe that the Cowboys find a way to win and go 6-1 but this game will probably be closer than most people believe.

Prediction: Giants 17-23 Cowboys

(4-2) San Francisco 49ers vs Denver Broncos (4-1)

Tonight's Sunday Night Football matchup is a real treat for NFL fans as Jim Harbaugh's Niners travel to Mile High Stadium to take on the well equipped Peyton Manning led Broncos. The 49ers are on a 3 game winning streak and while some of their performances haven't been great they continue to find ways to win. Colin Kapernick has a ton of offensive weapons with V. Davis, Crabtree, Stevie Johnson, Boldin and even Brandon Lloyd adding fuel to the fire last weekend along with a 1-2 running back punch of Hyde-Gore.

While we know the quality and strengths of the 49ers defense the offense needs to play at a high level to keep up with this devastating Denver offense. A lack of running game is no problem for Peyton and the Broncos as he has two Thomas', Sanders and Wes Welker to throw to. Manning has 15 TD's to only 3 picks on the year as he continues maintain a high level of performance from 2013. Offensively the Broncos need not worry but defensively they have improved drastically with a killer pass rush led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware and an improved secondary led by TJ Ward. This will cause Colin Kaepernick problems but the dual threat QB will also offer the Broncos a challenge they find difficult as the Seahawks have proved. Colin has 10 TD's to just 4 picks so with both teams rarely turning the ball over but both possessing stellar defenses it is clear that whoever wins the turnover battle wins the game.

Prediction: 49ers 24-30 Broncos

(3-3) Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

After the Steelers were humiliated 31-10 by the Browns last week I have no kind words for them and I lack much optimism as they go up against a Houston defense that has the best defensive player if not the best overall player in football right now in JJ Watt; 4 sacks, 26 tackles, god knows how many batted passes, 3 touchdowns including one offensively and one 80 yard pick 6.

Add rookie Jadeveon Clowney to the defense and Houston are a nightmare to face. Offensively there's room for improvement but Arian Foster has returned to his brilliant best and Andre Johnson has been finding ways to get more involved in the passing game. One things for sure Big Ben vs Watt is something everyone will love to see and should make for a great installment of Monday Night Football.

Prediction: Texans 27-23 Steelers

Perfect Patriots Pounce On Bengals!

The Cincinnati Bengals walked in to Gillette Stadium licking their chops at the possibility of defeating the New England Patriots in their own back yard but walked out on Foxborough with the same deflated feeling that the Pats had experienced themselves last week. Defeat to the Chiefs 41-14 had raised many questions over the brightness of the future for the legendary duo of Brady and Belichick but the two executed tonight's game plan brilliantly as they rallied to an early 14-0 first quarter lead against the Bengals.

Brady was back to his magical best completing 23 of 35 passing attempts for 2 touchdowns to Tim Wright who had a breakout night and Rob Gronkowski who looks to be back to his best which is fantastic news for the Patriots. I called for Timothy Wright's breakout game to be last week but it came tonight and whilst many have questioned the Logan Mankins trade which exposed New England's offensive line problems after tonight everyone will be praising the genius of Belichick as Wright, the man who moved the other way as part of that trade with Tampa Bay, had an Aaron Hernandez type performance and had 5 receptions for 85 yards and one score.

This helped Rob Gronkowski get free and avoid double coverage throughout the game with the big man catching 6 passes from Brady including the catch which saw Brady eclipse 50,000 passing yards during his NFL career becoming only the 6th quarterback to do so; Gronk finished the night with 100 yards, one score and averaged 16.7 yards per catch. The fantastic performances by the two tight ends along with an inspired performance by the offensive line which helped Brady get his flow back in the passing game as well as also helping the team establish the running game, something New England fans have been crying out for.

The 6th QB to reach the landmark for passing yards

Josh McDaniels made the right play calls and used the one-two punch of Ridley and Vereen to devastating effect with the two combining on the ground for 203 rushing yards; Ridley had over 100 and got one touchdown. The effectiveness in the run game really did give the Patriots the balance they needed to win tonight's game and is something they have been renowned for having over the years. The passing game had 8 different receivers haul in a catch from Brady with the efficient display on offense seeing them post 36 points with Stephen Gotskowski kicking all 5 of his field goals successfully.

The other touchdown was a fumble return by Kyle Arrington who had a brilliant night on the defense. The defense did what I and many people expected after last weeks humiliation if not better by bouncing back in style with Darrelle Revis having his best game in a Patriot uniform to date limiting AJ Green in the passing game. Coach Belichick gave him the freedom to match up with the receiver one on one with Revis winning the battle throughout the game; Revis also had a forced fumble on a night which saw the Patriots force 3 turnovers with Jamie Collins causing the other. The Patriots also managed to get a pass rush going which unsettled Andy Dalton at times who despite actually having a good night personally, 15/24 for two touchdowns, suffered as the rest of the team around him depleted.

Tonight's 43-17 victory is just the bounce back performance that the New England Patriots needed to silence the doubters and get their season back up and running. They now sit joint first in the AFC East with a 3-2 record ahead of two divisional games coming up against the Bills next Sunday and the New York Jets the following week on Thursday Night Football. Before the Chiefs game I sang the Patriots praises regarding their ability of performing under the lights of prime time television and while last week didn't go too well for them they sure as hell did well tonight! Brady now owns a 13-8 record on Sunday Night Fooball and the Patriots are an NFL best 38-9 in the month of October since 2003 including a home record of 23-1 in that time which is very impressive.

Brady was all fired up after guiding New England to victory

Brady himself knows there's a long way to go on the season but to beat a team that many had down as the most complete in the conference has to boost morale; this victory was New England's 32nd straight regular season victory at home against AFC opposition. That record will definitely be put to the test in week 9 when they host Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos which comes after the two divisional matchups mentioned earlier on and just after a home encounter against the Chicago Bears. That means that 3 of the Patriots next 4 games are at Gillette Stadium which could give this team even more confidence before they head in to their bye week come week 10.

So Brady and co are back with a vengeance with quarterback's career record after a loss now standing at 35 wins with just 8 losses (won last 9). As well as this since 2009 in 33 games Brady is 29-4 throwing 65 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions with a QB rating of 112. Anyone who questioned the Patriots will now surely feel foolish and the team will now have their road trip to Buffalo in sight as they look to take control of the division which after tonight many analysts and experts will expect them to do. Tonight may have been just one game but it showed the heart as well as the spirit that this New England team has and that is something you cannot teach and will definitely come in hand throughout the long regular season and more importantly come playoff time.

The End Of An Era? Bengals vs Patriots

Following last Monday's humiliation at Arrowhead Stadium the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in particular have come under a lot of criticism. Last week was one of Tom Brady's worst ever performance in the NFL with the future hall of fame quarterback finishing the game sitting on the sidelines looking deflated and just pure angry.

But you see this is when Tom Brady always brings out his best, right in the face of adversity. We all know this fairytale story; drafted as the 199th pick in round 6 back in the 2000 draft to then go on and move up the depth chart from 4th string quarterback all the way to beating out the well established Drew Bledsoe and then go on to new unthinkable heights as Brady made a massive contribution to the Patriots dynasty that won 3 Super Bowl titles in 4 years (2001 season, 2003 and 2004)

Since then he has only furthered his legacy making two more Super Bowl's, winning MVP awards in 2007 and 2010, most playoff wins as a quarterback with 18 playoff wins among many other records so yes the list is endless. Now I or any other NFL fanatic could sit here all day praising Tom Brady's abilities but after last Monday's blowout defeat to the Chiefs the question is that is there any more magic left from Tom Terrific?

Tom Terrific has it all to prove again starting with tonight

Well I say yes there is but there are definitely more concerns around this Patriot's offense now then there have been over the past decade. 2nd year wide-out Kenbrell Thompkins was released yesterday which leaves the receiving core with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson and Brandon LaFell along with special teams specialist Matthew Slater and undrafted free agent Brian Tyms who remains inactive.

Edelman is a fantastic receiver but when your best receiver is a former high school quarterback that says it all. Amendola was supposed to be the second coming of Amendola but the realistic scenario happened with him being a flop. Dobson has a lot of potential but injuries have haunted him over this first quarter of the season and I personally feel like LaFell is building up a good rapport with Brady albeit rather slow; he was one of if not the only positive from last week's loss in Kansas.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski remains Brady best and most reliable weapon in this offense as he is a superstar when healthy but unfortunately he'll take time to get back to his best. Brady is not surrounded with the weapons that Peyton Manning has right now in Denver but Colts fans from the past will say Brady had better weapons at his disposal when the two use to face of years ago. That debate is for another day but one things for sure Tom Brady is a man who is known for making average receivers look good.

Sadly for Brady you can't do that when you have a depleted offensive line and the play-calling is terrible. Josh McDaniels was using Vereen as a 3 down back last week which was horrible as every Patriot knows his skills come off screen and trick plays. While I have criticised running back Stevan Ridley in the past there are no denying this young mans talents; he finished last season with 10 touchdowns in the regular season and 2 in the divisional round playoff win against the Colts.

The Patriots need to establish a running game to take the pressure off Brady as at the moment opposing defenses are not afraid of the passing game and a talented group like Cincinnati will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing New England tonight. Despite 9 out of 10 people ruling the Patriots out tonight I personally think they will bounce back and win tonight as the Pats defense has so much talent and will put in a much better performance than last week which will provide a platform for the rest of the team to believe again.

Brady may not have the weapons that everyone believes he deserves but that can't be changed and the Patriots just need to get on with it. Once the team has a offensive line that is starting together regularly then they'll hope that in time it will come good. Many people will be choosing the Bengals to walk in to Gillette stadium and win tonight but I remember last season when the 4-0 Patriots walked in to Paul Brown Stadium against the 2-2 Bengals with all the praise in the world being heaped on the Patriots only for them to lose 13-6 in a game which was contested in monsoon like weather.

A year later and now the tables have turned with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick saying in his press conference that "They [The Bengals] have a lot of good players. They're well-coached. They're tough, they're physical, they're explosive. It's been a while since I've seen a team that's as complete as they are." so yes tonight will be a heavy challenge but the turnover in who is the top dogs in the NFL is what makes it so exciting to watch. That is why Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots deserve so much credit for the level of consistency they have shown for over the past 10 years. They thrive off adversity and will take it head on when it's right in their face, some people say good things can't last forever well I think tonight will prove otherwise and whether it's ugly or pretty the Patriots will move on to 3-2 and leave the Bengals at 3-1 come the end of Sunday Night Football.

Prediction: Bengals 24-27 Patriots

Prime Time Patriots

Monday Night Football!

 The New England Patriots travel to Arrowhead Stadium tonight for the season lone appearance on Monday Night Football. This is one of 4 straight games against AFC opposition with the Patriots welcoming the Bengals to Gillette Stadium for Sunday Night Football before facing divisional rivals Buffalo and the New York Jets.

After starting the season with a lacklustre performance against Miami the Patriots have bounced back to win their last two games with a convincing 30-7 victory versus the Vikings and a hard fought victory against Oakland last week 16-9. While the 2014 edition of the New England offense is going through some teething problems the defense has looked steady often producing good play and signs of potential to be one of the best in the league.

They rank 1st in the NFL with the fewest yard against them over the first 3 weeks of the season giving up just 818 yards and 3rd in points against with just 49 given up leaving them just behind Arizona on 45 and Cincinnati with 33. Success at forcing turnovers has also been impressive in the opening weeks of the 2014 campaign for New England, something Bill Belichick's defense have always been known for, with the team having racked up 6 interceptions already on the year which is tied for 2nd in the league. As well as these stats they have forced 3 fumbles so far recovering 2 and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 7 times.

The Chiefs didn't start 2014 too well themselves going down heavily against the Titans 26-10 before almost taking the Broncos to overtime in week 2 when they narrowly lost 24-17. Last week was much better for Andy Reid's team as they dismantled the Dolphins 34-15 to chalk up their first win of the year. Kansas City will be the hardest opposition that the Patriots have faced so far this year especially as Arrowhead stadium can often conjure up quite an atmosphere. Tonight they're attempting to regain the crown they once had as "The loudest stadium in the world" so Tom Brady and co could be in for a tough task.

While tonight's matchup could be rather tough for New England especially as they've had early season offensive woes so far this year it has to be said that typically on Monday Night Football Tom Brady excels in front of the prime time cameras; his MNF record is 13-5. Brady has thrown three or more touchdowns in a Monday Night game nine times, including four four-touchdown performances. He has also thrown four touchdowns in three of his last four Monday Night games. It's also worth noting that Brady is tied with Steve Young for third place with 42 touchdown passes on Monday Night Football, behind Brett Favre (69) and Dan Marino (74). Steve Young threw 42 touchdown passes in 25 Monday night games, while Brady has 42 touchdowns in just 18 games!

Last week was Brady's 150th career regular-season victory as a starting quarterback.

With Rob Gronkowski's snap count growing as the season has begun it's only a matter of time before the Brady-Gronk partnership lights up and tonight could be that night. There have been struggles on the offensive line but every team has its own individual chinks in their armour to deal with especially during the early stages of the season. Julian Edelman, Shane Vereen along with Stevan Ridley offer the Patriots versatility in the offense and either of the two could have a big game tonight as New England will look to take advantage of a Kansas City secondary that has looked sloppy at times during the early stages of the 2014 season.

Spare a thought for Danny Amendola as he is struggling performance wise while Aaron Dobson is still recovering from injury, as for Brandon LaFell well he saw some more targets from Brady last week and either him or Kenbrell Thompkins will be looking to build up some rapport with Brady tonight also watch out for Timothy Wright who seems to be growing in to the system week by week following his trade to the Patriots from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier on in the season.

As mentioned before New England's defense has been playing well so far this season and will have to be at their best tonight when they go up against the likes of Alex Smith, Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles. The likes of Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins continue to made big stride week by week and these 3 young defensive players are becoming big time assets to the Patriots along with the likes of Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork. The secondary has been progressing well as Darelle Revis settles in along with Devin McCourty who always seems to perform at a high level and I personally can't wait to see Brandon Browner make his debut for the Patriots which should be next week versus the Bengals now that he has served his four game suspension.

Chandler Jones is coming for you Chiefs!

With Tom Brady's record on Monday Night Football and Bill Belichick revitalising his team following their week one defeat I expect the Patriots to put in their best performance of the season as despite the Chiefs ranking 7th in yards against their defense and 6th in points given up so far this season they giving up an average of 354 yards a game. Ahead of that mouthwatering encounter against the Bengals next Sunday New England will be hoping to return back to Boston with a 3-1 record and give Bill Belichick his 16th victory as the head coach of the Patriots on Monday Night Football games.

A look ahead: New England Patriots 2014

In recent years Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's New England Patriots have always started an NFL season as many peoples favourites following 3 Super Bowl triumphs in the Brady-Belichick era. With that being said the team haven't lifted the Lombardi trophy since 2004 and have also fell at the final hurdle twice in 2007 and 2011. For most franchises going deep in to the postseason is still considered a successful campaign but for the Patriots it's win the big one or bust.

This is at the forefront of New England's mind especially heading in to a season where the GQ quarterback Tom Brady will be 37 come kick-off time on September 7th. You can certainly argue that the window is closing for the legendary although it has been said as well as mentioned often that Terrific Tom could play in to his 40s. Personally I would put him in a bracket along other sporting legends who've enjoyed success in their twilight years such as Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs and Ryan Giggs of Manchester United.

The last time Brady & co won the Super Bowl was back in 2004. Can they end a ten year drought?

So with that being said whilst looking at Brady's career in recent years it is clear to see that he can still get it done and hasn't deteriorated even with a receiving cast last year that including rookies along with no real superstars to throw to. A fourth Super Bowl ring would almost certainly cement Brady as the best quarterback of all-time; I mean who could argue with 4 Super Bowl wins and 6 appearances on the grandest stage of the all. If that happens this year retirement will naturally be thrown out there by the media but regardless of whether the Pats win it all this year I think Brady will play for at least another 3 seasons, including this one, as that would mean he would be 39 when the 2016 season starts and potentially could signal the end of his career.

Regardless of when Brady and Belichick leave New England one things for sure you have to say that with these two at the helm of the organisation as well as taking in to consideration that New England have added to a roster that made the AFC Championship game last year you'd definitely put the Patriots as one of the favourites to represent the AFC come Super Bowl 49 in Arizona just after the turn of the new year. They'll have to contend with the likes of the Denver Broncos who they had an arms race with this past off-season during free-agency. A Brady vs Manning AFC Championship game is well on the cards again when you look at the rosters assembled by New England and Denver but don't count out a young Indianapolis Colts team that is led but a superb young quarterback in Andrew Luck who just gets better and better as he prepares to enter his 3rd season in the NFL to shake things up for the old dogs in this conference.

The Pats last made the Super Bowl in 2011 and since then have also made the past 2 AFC Championship games so naturally any Patriots fan will have high hopes for New England to make it to the big game but after unfortunate injuries down the stretch in recent years and the fact that the Patriots in general have been spoilt for success over the past decade I personally am looking at the 2014 season through more objective eyes. New England's success will come down to the young guns stepping up as this roster does have a lot of young talent; Only Vince Wilfork along with Tom Brady remain on the roster from the team's last Super Bowl victory. You can expect even bigger things from young defensive players such as Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower who enter their third season this year as well as Jamie Collins who emerged as a gem late in the 2013 season. The secondary is looking scarily good with Devin McCourty, Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis all on the roster and all hunting out opposing offenses.

Along with a revamped secondary the young Pats will have big roles to play in 2014

New England's success will come down to the young guns stepping up as this roster does have a lot of young talent; Only Vince Wilfork along with Tom Brady remain on the roster from the team's last Super Bowl victory. You can expect even bigger things from young defensive players such as Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower who enter their third season this year as well as Jamie Collins who emerged as a gem late in the 2013 season. The secondary is looking scarily good with Devin McCourty, Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis all on the roster and all hunting out opposing offenses.

On offense the Patriots have added Brandon LaFell to the likes of Julian Edelman as well as second year players Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins with Dobson in particular being predicted for a breakout season. It is clear to see that this offense of the Patriots has potential with Rob Gronkowski being the key player to any success that the offense looks to have with his blocking for the running game as well as drawing double coverage in the passing game being key. That's along with the fact that when he receives the ball he is one of the best players in the league especially at getting in to the end-zone and putting points on the board.

With that being said Gronk has struggled for injuries in recent years but if he can stay healthy, especially in the playoffs, then the Patriots have a real shot to go all the way in 2014. For now though I'm sure they'll be honing their skills and getting back to basics whilst focusing on getting their passing game back to top notch for the 2014 season. If the offense can get it going this season along with a defence that has the potential and players to create a unit that will rival the legendary defensive units from the past 3 Super Bowl winning teams then you'd say that New England has one of the most well equipped rosters in the National Football League and has all the tools to make it to Phoenix Stadium in 2015 with the franchise having a shot at winning it's 4th NFL Championship.

Does a healthy Gronk in the postseason equal a Super Bowl victory for New England?

Super Bowl XLVIII

Tonight sees the Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos in the 48th edition of the Super Bowl. The glitz and glamour of the NFL will take centre stage at the Big Apple tonight when these two teams face off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It is the ultimate battle of the unstoppable force vs the immoveable object as the high scoring Broncos offense clashes against Seattle's tough and hard working defense! Who will come out on top when Peyton Manning and his illustrious core of receivers face Richard Sherman and the Seattle's Legion of Boom secondary? Well luckily for all us NFL fans there isn't long to wait.

With the weather being very cold you would automatically expect defense to be favoured as getting your offense going in the temperatures that New York currently has to offer will be difficult. The cold weather element will definitely make this Super Bowl unique as nowadays we are use to seeing the sports biggest spectacle being held in places such as Arizona, Miami or at indoor stadiums.

Peyton Manning's record in the cold isn't exactly great but he has defied the odds many a time in his career especially since joining Denver. The future hall of fame quarterback is seeking a 2nd Super Bowl ring after winning a record 5th league MVP award last night. Peyton will be hoping to hoist the Lombardi trophy high in the air at the stadium his younger brother Eli plays in just like he did back at Lucas Oil stadium a few years ago when the Giants defeated the Patriots. 

Peyton can cement his legacy as arguably the greatest quarterback to play the game tonight by winning the Super Bowl in a season which has seen his team become the first offense in NFL history to score over 600 points. To win the big game on the back of that and against the best defense in the league would shut up any critics he has.

Seattle will be no pushovers though and if they do manage to win tonight it will leave Peyton on 12 playoff losses with an unwanted record of most playoff losses ever by a starting quarterback. We all know about this Seahawks defense with Richard Sherman leading the way. With the likes of himself along with Earl a Thomas and Kam Chancellor along with their talented pass rushers like Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett the a Broncos can expect a tough game will lots of pressure. Denver's offensive like has held up well all year and personally for me was the decisive factor in the teams AFC title victory over New England a fortnight ago as they protected Manning which gave him time in the pocket to make valuable plays.

As mentioned above we all know what the Seattle defense can do. Denver's run defense is very good and hauled LaGarrette Blount two weeks ago but Marshawn Lynch is a whole different kettle of fish! 'Beast Mode' can turn it on at any given moment so the Denver run D needs to be alert and at it's best all night. The secondary has issues but is lead by Champ Bailey who could easily make critical plays against a Seahawks offense which is being questioned a lot by many.

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is a great game manager and holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes by a rookie with no other than Peyton Manning. Wilson has all the intangibles to get it done and we've seen him make the deep ball when he needs to but his receiving core isn't fantastic so the Seahakws will be hoping that free agency acquisition Percy Harvin can be the X factor for them tonight!

They gave up high picks to claim Harvin from Minnesota but he has been plagued by injuries all year round. Personally with the Broncos not doing much special teams work due to kicker Matt Prater always clearing the back of the end zone at Mile High I feel this could be a weakness for them tonight in New York and with Harvin's returning skills well he could make them pay.

Ball and Moreno need to play like they did against New England in order for the Broncos passing game to not be obvious therefore giving them a chance to succeed against the tough Seattle secondary. You can expect a lot of slant routes and it'll be interesting to see how the Seahawks play against this. Seattle's defense hasn't come up against such a talented receiving core all year as the Broncos possess both Julius and Demaryius Thomas along with Eric Decker and Wes Welker but the test of NFC West rivals San Francisco last week should stand Seattle in good stead for tonight's matchup.

One things for sure and that is that the two best teams in the league have reached the Super Bowl which these days doesn't happen often so I can't wait! I predicted Seattle to make the big game so I'm going to stick my neck out and say that defense reigns supreme tonight giving the 12th man, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks franchise their first ever Super Bowl victory!

Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 21-20 Denver Broncos