The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning.
New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade.
Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident.
The Patriots (3-11) are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Chad Ryland’s 25-yard field goal put New England up 10-7 with 4:47 left in the second quarter, but the Patriots didn’t score again until there was just under 8 1/2 minutes left in the fourth.
Denver (7-7) sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around.
A winner of six of its past eight games, Denver is averaging 21.7 points under Payton. It was held under that mark in a 42-17 setback against the Detroit Lions last weekend, but New England coach Bill Belichick knows that the Broncos have what it takes to bounce back.
“They obviously have good players,” Belichick said. “They started the same line in every game, so they’ve got a lot of continuity there. Quarterback’s a unique player, he’s got a lot of skill. Receivers, (Courtland) Sutton’s as good as there is — big guy, great hands, contested catches, a really hard guy to cover.”
That quarterback Belichick was referring to is Russell Wilson, who was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty.
“Difficult night. … It was just one of those moments,” Payton told reporters afterward. “Listen, what I talk with Russell about is none of your business.”
Payton is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.
“You can only focus on the things you can control, and it’s obviously getting ready to play New England — and that’s it,” Payton said. “Focus on getting this next win, because that’s really all that matters.”
If the Broncos want to bounce back, they might have to do so without linebacker Nik Bonitto (knee) and tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring/foot), who both missed practice on Wednesday.
Linebacker Jonathon Cooper (ankle) was limited for Denver, as was tackle Alex Palczewski due to a knee injury.
New England tight end Hunter Henry is also dealing with a knee injury, which forced him to miss Wednesday’s practice. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring) and tackle Conor McDermott (concussion) were also held out.
Cornerback Jonathan Jones (knee) and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle) were among seven Patriots who were limited on Wednesday.
