Sunday’s game between the Broncos and the New England Patriots offers the offensive schemes of Mike Shanahan vs. Bill Belichick’s defensive innovations. Denver’s high-caliber defense also will try to solve Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter magic.
But it all could come down to Jason Elam or Adam Vinatieri.
“It very well could,” Elam said Wednesday. “It seems like a lot of games are coming down to a field goal.”
Elam and Vinatieri have become standard-bearers for accuracy and clutch kicking.
Elam, 35, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection; Vinatieri, 32, has been to two Pro Bowls.
Since 1996, Elam ranks first in the NFL in scoring with 1,107 points. Vinatieri is second with 1,092 points. In that time, Vinatieri has the most field goals in the NFL with 250, and Elam is third with 238.
“It’s flattering to even be considered in the same category as Adam,” Elam said. “He is so clutch and is just a great kicker.”
Elam said he hopes to find his groove. Elam is 8-of-13 on field-goal attempts this season and 4-of-9 from 40 yards or longer.
“I feel good,” said Elam, adding he has made 79-of-80 field-goal attempts in the past four weeks of practice. “I just wish my statistics were better.”
Bailey practices
As he did all last week, left cornerback Champ Bailey practiced Wednesday.
“He’s doing better than last week,” Shanahan said, “but he still has to get to full speed.”
Bailey missed the past two games with an injured left a hamstring.
New England listed 15 players as probable on the injury report, and 14 missed at least a portion of practice.
No Patriots were listed as questionable.
Belichick, who has been guarded about injury reports in the past, might have listed the 15 players as probable because Atlanta didn’t downgrade quarterback Michael Vick from probable to questionable for last week until Saturday. Vick sat out Sunday.
Among the Patriots who missed parts of practice were linebacker Willie McGinest (broken hand)and defensive end Richard Seymour (knee injury).
Footnotes
Even though Ron Dayne didn’t get a carry against the Washington Redskins, Shanahan said the tailback still is in the mix. … Joel Collier, son of former Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier, is an assistant secondary coach with New England. Belichick was an assistant to the elder Collier in Denver in 1978. … Patriots cornerback Chad Scott’s shoulder injury landed him on injured reserve, sidelining him for the season, and the Pats signed former Miami defensive back Arturo Freeman.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
