Thursday in a team meeting, Denver coach Mike Shanahan showed his team a myriad of statistics that much of the sporting country didn’t get to see.
It was a statistical comparison of the New England Patriots and the Broncos over the course of the past 10 games. You know, the 10-game stretch in which New England has been lauded for and was the fuel for most of the national observers expecting the Patriots to win Saturday night.
However, nearly all of the statistics showed a heavy leaning in Denver’s favor. It showed that maybe, just maybe, the 13-3 Broncos had a shot.
The team sure thought so. After a 27-13 win over the Patriots, many players expressed their feelings.
“I knew we were going to win,” defensive end Trevor Pryce said. “I didn’t want to get into guarantees or anything, but I knew it.”
Pryce said the fact New England had won 10 straight postseason games and never lost in the postseason under coach Bill Belichick and with quarterback Tom Brady was in Denver’s favor.
“It was the law of averages,” Pryce said. “They were not going to win that 11th game. It wasn’t going to happen.”
Cornerback Champ Bailey said the team noticed that the country was expecting New England to move on.
“We saw it,” Bailey said. “But that’s OK. They were just a bump in the road for us. All due respect to them, we knew we would win this game and we did. Now we move on.”
Samuel’s roller coaster
New England cornerback Asante Samuel’s night turned from unforgettable to unfathomable in the span of one half.
The third-year cornerback provided arguably the best defensive highlight of the game for either team with a stretching interception of Denver quarterback Jake Plummer in the second quarter as the Broncos drove deep into New England territory.
Initially, the play was ruled an incomplete pass, but Denver called a timeout, which gave the Patriots a chance to look at a replay that showed Samuel gaining possession of the ball and getting both feet inbounds to halt Denver’s drive. It was his second interception in the playoffs this season, as he also had one against Jacksonville in the wild-card round.
But minutes later that play seemed a distant memory when Samuel was called for pass interference on Denver’s Ashley Lelie in the end zone, a penalty that put the ball on the 1-yard line. The Broncos scored a touchdown on the next play.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t discuss his vantage point of the play at length. “It was the side judge’s call,” Belichick said. “Ask them (the referees) what they saw.”
Williams, Wilson play
Both linebacker Al Wilson and cornerback Darrent Williams said they had no problems coming off injuries. Wilson played with a cast on his right thumb in his first game since breaking it and having surgery. Williams played in his first game in five weeks after tearing his groin. Williams played significantly on defense and even returned a kickoff. He said he hopes to return kicks full time in the AFC title game.
“I’m sore but that’s just because I haven’t played in a while,” Williams said.
Running game stalled
The first time these teams met in mid-October, the Broncos rushed for 178 yards in a 28-20 win. This time, they gained just 96 yards, tied for their second-lowest total of the season. The return of Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi was one reason the Broncos found it tougher to run, although he left the game in the second quarter.
“You have to give them credit, they have shown why they have done the things they have over the years,” said Broncos running back Mike Anderson, who did rush for two short touchdowns among his 69 yards. “Those guys fought. Champions like that fight till the end.”
Elam tops points list
Jason Elam became the Broncos’ all-time postseason scoring leader when he made his second extra point. Elam entered the game trailing Terrell Davis (74 points). He scored nine points Saturday night on three extra points and two field goals, giving him 79 postseason points. Elam has made 14-of-17 postseason field goals, breaking a tie with Rich Karlis.
Graham’s game
Saturday’s game was another homecoming for Denver native tight end Daniel Graham. Graham found catches scarce as the Pats’ offense found yards and points hard to come by. Graham caught one pass for 18 yards.
In the first meeting between the two teams this season, he caught just one pass for 5 yards, but his numbers didn’t matter in his mind. He could just think about opportunities lost.
“We talked all week that you can’t turn the ball over. It shows what happens when you do,” Graham said. “It’s fun coming back here to play, but you know what, it’s just another football game. I’m playing with the Patriots, and that’s it.”
Turnovers turn the tide
The Broncos forced five turnovers against the Patriots, three fumbles and two interceptions. In New England’s 10-game playoff winning streak, the Patriots committed only six turnovers, while forcing their opponents into 27.
“Five turnovers was beautiful for the defense,” said defensive tackle Gerard Warren. It’s the second most for the Broncos in a postseason game. In the 1998 AFC championship tame, the Broncos intercepted the New York Jets four times and forced two fumbles.
“House” comes calling
Injured offensive lineman Dwayne Carswell was on Denver’s sideline during the game. It was Carswell’s second appearance at a game since being seriously injured in an auto accident Oct. 27 while on his way to the team’s Dove Valley headquarters.
Carswell is expected to make a comeback next season and is on schedule to begin light workouts next month. The player called “House” by his teammates has been an inspiration for the Broncos since the accident. After every huddle at practice, the team says “House.”
Wonderful weather
Did the controller of the universe want the Broncos to win Saturday? The game-time temperature was 54 degrees, significant because Brady had a 21-1 record going in when the temperature is below 40 degrees for the opening kickoff. His first loss came in the Patriots’ regular-season finale two weeks ago, when he was pulled after the first quarter.
Footnotes
Denver will likely get the No. 25 pick in the draft from Washington, which lost at Seattle on Saturday. Denver owned Washington’s pick because of a trade last April in which the Broncos sent their top pick in the 2005 draft to the Redskins. … New England’s 3-0 lead was the seventh time in its last eight playoff games that it scored first. … It was the Patriots’ third consecutive playoff game in which there was no score in the first quarter. It’s a trend – five of the Pats’ past six postseason games have been scoreless after a quarter … Andre Davis’ 51-yard catch in the second quarter was the sixth-longest postseason grab in Patriots’ history. … Plummer’s interception in the second quarter – that was reviewed at the request of the Patriots after originally being ruled an incomplete pass – was only his third in nine home games this season.
Staff writers Neil H. Devlin and Chris Dempsey contributed to this report.
If Pittsburgh defeats Indianapolis today, the Broncos will host the AFC championship game next Sunday.
AFC championship game tickets would go on sale through Ticketmaster and the Broncos’ ticket office beginning at 4 p.m.
Approximately 15,000 seats would be on sale. Prices: reserved, $73-135, and club, $300-400. There will be a limit of six tickets per person or household.
Previously, tickets sold under similar circumstances have been gone in an hour or less.
Availability will be at all Ticketmaster outlets, including Foley’s and Christy Sports; Ticketmaster.com; 303-830-TIXS; Ticketmaster’s charge-by-phone; and the Broncos’ ticket office.
Also, there would be a limited number of ADA seating for qualified patrons – they would call the Broncos’ ADA hotline, 720-258-3337.
