NFL Conference Championship Round: AFC Championship: New England Patriots (2) vs. Denver Broncos (1) (SETTLED)

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Matt Fitzgerald - The Bleacher Report




So not to nitpick Manning after his amazing, record-setting season of 55 touchdown passes and 5,437 yards, but he didn't do much to dispel the notion of his playoff struggles in Sunday's victory over the San Diego Chargers.

The 37-year-old did complete better than 69 percent of his 36 passes but for only 6.39 yards per attempt—Manning's second-lowest total of the season.

Brady has not had to throw the ball much at all as of late. In fact, he's throwing it at an unprecedentedly low rate in the past three games, per Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com:



Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount ran for four touchdowns in the team's 43-22 rout of the Indianapolis Colts in Foxboro and has been on a tear as of late.

With how decimated New England is on defense absent the likes of Vince Wilfork and Jerrod Mayo on the front seven, it's no surprise Brady would say winning at Denver would be the most satisfying win ever, per ESPNBoston.com's Field Yates:



The last time these teams met was Nov. 24, when the Patriots spotted the Broncos a 24-0 lead before roaring back and winning 34-31 in overtime. That was with the services of Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski, though.

Denver also didn't have its own breakout pass-catching tight end in Julius Thomas for the contest at Gillette Stadium.

In that game, Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno ran wild for 224 yards and a touchdown. It's important that both Brady and Manning perform well in the clutch for their teams to win, but this game may come down to who can run the ball better.

Despite being underdogs, history says that Brady and Co. have the upper hand, according to ESPN Stats & Info and personality Steve Levy:





Since Brady has a lesser supporting cast of receivers, an inferior defense and is in enemy territory, the pressure is squarely on Manning to live up to the record season he posted and guide Denver to the Super Bowl.

At this point, all signs point to the Patriots pulling the upset at Mile High and going to their sixth Super Bowl in the Brady and Bill Belichick era.

Prediction: Patriots 30, Broncos 27

[KevinD]

Team Broncs!