NEW ENGLAND (10-3) At DENVER (8-5)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m. CBS
OPENING LINE—Patriots by 4 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD—New England 7-6; Denver 7-6
SERIES RECORD—Broncos lead 27-16
LAST MEETING—Broncos beat Patriots 20-17, Oct. 11, 2009
LAST WEEK—Patriots beat Redskins 34-27; Broncos beat Bears 13-10 OT
PATRIOTS OFFENSE—OVERALL (2), RUSH (21), PASS (2)
PATRIOTS DEFENSE—OVERALL (32), RUSH (13), PASS (32)
BRONCOS OFFENSE—OVERALL (23), RUSH (1), PASS (31)
BRONCOS DEFENSE—OVERALL (19), RUSH (21), PASS (16)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES—New England trying to qualify for playoffs for 13th time since Robert Kraft bought team in 1994. Team can clinch AFC East with victory. … Patriots have won 10 or more games for ninth straight season. … QB Tom Brady on pace to go over 5,000 yards this season. Dan Marino (5,084 in 1984) and Drew Brees (5,069 in 2008) have done that. Brees and Aaron Rodgers also on pace to top 5,000 yards. … Punt returner Julian Edelman has highest average (13.1) in team history. … Rob Gronkowski has 15 TD catches, most by tight end in league history. He needs 87 yards receiving to set team mark for tight end. He has 1,088 yards. … Both teams enter on winning streaks—New England has won five straight and Denver six in a row. Broncos haven’t won seven straight since 1998. … Broncos boast top rushing attack in league, averaging 156 yards. … QB Tim Tebow has 17 scoring drives in fourth quarter or OT over last nine games. … With 11 1/2 sacks, LB Von Miller is tied with Rulon Jones for most by Broncos rookie. … K Matt Prater has hit 28 of 29 field goals in fourth quarter or OT during his career. … Patriots haven’t won in Denver since 2003.
