DENVER (9-8) At NEW ENGLAND (13-3)
Saturday, 8 p.m., CBS
OPENING LINE - Patriots by 13 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Denver 8-9; New England 9-7
SERIES RECORD - Broncos lead 27-17
BRONCOS OFFENSE - OVERALL (23), RUSH (1), PASS (31)
BRONCOS DEFENSE - OVERALL (20), RUSH (22), PASS (18)
PATRIOTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (2), RUSH (20), PASS (2)
PATRIOTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (31), RUSH (17), PASS (31)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - In first meeting this season, Broncos rushed for 167 yards in first quarter but committed three turnovers in second that enabled Patriots to recover from 16-7 deficit. ... Coaches Bill Belichick of Patriots and John Fox of Broncos faced each other in Super Bowl of 2003 season when Fox was coaching Carolina Panthers. Patriots won 32-29. ... Broncos 2-0 against Patriots in playoff games. In last one Jan. 14, 2006, Denver forced five turnovers - including Champ Bailey's 100-yard interception return on which he was tackled at New England 1 - won 27-13 and advanced to AFC championship game. ... Tim Tebow 8-4 as starter this season after posting franchise playoff high 125.6 passer rating last Sunday. ... Broncos led NFL with 2,632 yards rushing (164.5 per game), led by Willis McGahee's 1,199. ... Demaryius Thomas' 80-yard touchdown on Tebow's pass on first play of overtime last Sunday was longest OT TD in NFL postseason history. ... Against Steelers, rookie LB Von Miller got only second sack in five games he's played with cast to protect torn ligament on right thumb. He had 11 1/2 in regular season. ... Broncos 4-0 in overtime this season. ... Loss to Patriots began regular-season ending three-game losing streak for Broncos. ...Tom Brady's 14-5 postseason record tied with Terry Bradshaw for best by NFL quarterback with at least 15 starts. Brady threw for 5,235 yards, second in league history to Drew Brees' total of 5,476 this season. ... Belichick needs one win to tie Chuck Noll's postseason total of 16, fourth most by a coach in league history. ... WR Wes Welker led NFL with 122 catches and 1,569 yards receiving. TE Rob Gronkowski was second with 1,327, a single-season record for tight ends. His 17 touchdown catches also were most by tight end in NFL history. ... Patriots allowed second most yards of any team this season, 411.1 per game, but only 18th most points, 21.4. They also led AFC in scoring with an average of 32.1 points ...Their turnover differential of plus-17 was tops in AF C, while Broncos were tied for next to last at minus-12. ... Mark Anderson and Andre Carter led Patriots with 10 sacks each. Carter out for season with left quadriceps injury sustained against Broncos.
