Tom Brady finally moved above .500 against the Denver Broncos in the regular season for his career with a 41-16 victory at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The future Hall of Fame quarterback picked apart the Denver defense to earn his second consecutive regular season win in Denver. The win also moved Brady past former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning for the most road wins (86) by a quarterback in NFL history.
Brady was 25-for-34 passing in the game for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Twelve of those completions, 136 yards and two touchdowns came in the first half against a Denver defense that allowed 40-plus points for the first time since 2011. Nine different players caught passes from Brady in the win, led by wide receiver Brandin Cooks with five for 74 yards and four by tight end Rob Gronkowski for 74 yards. Brady was sacked just once in the game and the Denver defense registered just four quarterback hits in the game.
The New England offense was in cruise control in the second half, putting together a 16-play, 94-yard drive that sucked the wind out of Denver’s chances in the game and perhaps their season. With the loss, Denver falls to 3-6 in Vance Joseph‘s first year as head coach. It was the Broncos’ fifth consecutive loss, all by double digits.
Three big gaffes on special teams had Denver trailing 27-9 at the half, but they did receive the ball to start the half.
Demaryius Thomas pulled down a batted Brock Osweiler pass for 17 yards on third-and-10 to open the half. C.J. Anderson, Jamaal Charles and Andy Janovich combined to produce another first down, then Charles grabbed one of his own and the Denver offense was moving the ball. Emmanuel Sanders continued his huge night, having produced 114 yards receiving in the first half, with a 23-yard catch and run to set up first-and-goal. Anderson found the end zone on the very next play, but a holding penalty on Garett Bolles backed Denver all the way up to the 18-yard line. Charles then had another big run, going for 11 yards to get back inside the 10. Osweiler went back to Thomas – this time on purpose – in the end zone and after a lengthy review the pass was ruled a catch and a touchdown. The 13-play drive went 75 yards in 7:06 and pulled Denver within 11.
Brady and the New England offense weren’t fazed by the lengthy Denver scoring drive, though. Brady found Gronkowski for a gain of 26 yards on the second play of the drive, then hit a wide-open Cooks for 25 yards one play later. Inside the red zone, the Patriots exploited man coverage with running back Dion Lewis who went for six yards, six yards and eight yards on the drive’s final three plays to find the end zone and run the lead back up to 18.
Osweiler and the Denver offense moved the chains twice on the ensuing drive thanks to a nine-yard run from Charles and an 11-yard reception by Cody Latimer, but a pair of incompletions and a throw to tight end Jeff Heuerman well short of the sticks forced Denver’s second punt attempt of the game. Unlike in the first half, Dixon got this one off cleanly and New England took over at the New England six-yard line.
The third quarter came to a close after Brady connected with Danny Amendola for 16 yards, and the Patriots would continue to march down the field aided again by a special teams miscue. After forcing a punt from the Denver 41-yard line, Denver had 12 men on the field during the kick and New England had a free first down. Brady continued to move the ball methodically, connecting with four different pass catchers on five passes after the penalty. The 16-play drive culminated in a six-yard touchdown pass to running back James White and New England was up 41-16 with 9:04 left to play.
Things continued to spiral on the next drive, when Osweiler was intercepted on third-and-five from the New England 45. Patrick Chung jumped the route on Jeff Heuerman and returned the interception 30 yards.
New England toyed with the Denver defense on the next possession, taking a pair of deep shots and eventually giving the ball back on downs.
Denver couldn’t get anything going on their next possession, and for the second time in as many weeks the Broncos had to face a backup quarterback in mop-up duty late in the fourth quarter when Bill Belichick made the call for Brian Hoyer to relieve Brady.
When the final whistle blew, Denver had allowed 41 points, 396 total yards and five touchdowns. Brady’s passer rating for the game was 125.4; it was the third time this season he has thrown for at least three touchdowns against zero interceptions.
The win moves New England to 7-2 and expands their lead in the AFC East.
As the second half unfolded, the team at MHS was on top of the action. Here’s what they had to say, along with insight and highlights from some of our favorite follows on social media…
A completion is a completion. ¯_(ツ)_/¯#DENvsNE https://t.co/zyvxzqHmyo
— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2017
https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/929912181679906816
When Osweiler has time to survey, he is finding his targets downfield, particularly Emmanuel Sanders (6 rec, 137 yds). Great opening drive of 2nd half. #NEvsDEN
— Phil Milani (@philmilani) November 13, 2017
After going three-and-out on 7 of 12 drives last week, the Broncos have averaged 2.6 first downs per series (NFL average 1.73) & have moved the chains on every non-kneeldown possession tonight.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 13, 2017
Patriots respond with methodical march. Lewis TD…75 yards on 7 plays. … #Broncos had 10 players on field. Game has gotten fast on first-year defensive coordinator Joe Woods the past two games. 34-16 4:36 left in third #Denver7
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 13, 2017
It blows my mind that teams don't know that the #Patriots go quick snap runs in the red zone!!! Do you not watch tape?!? Do it, it helps:)
— Chad Brown (@chadbrown94) November 13, 2017
The #Patriots just jammed the football right down the #Broncos throat… Yikes. Zero resistance.
— Ron (@RonnieKRadio) November 13, 2017
The Broncos have given up 30+ points two games in a row for the first time since 2011.
— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) November 13, 2017
This is what I know. Brady last 2 possessions have ended in TDs. He’s driven 75 yds both times. That’s not st fault or the offense.
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) November 13, 2017
In Brady's previous two games here, completed under 50 percent of passes. He's 17-for-21 through three quarters. Been precise. And protection has been solid. #Broncos not hitting or pressuring Brady. #Denver7
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 13, 2017
16 play drive?!?!? Wow. Embarrassing. And it has nothing to do with the qb
— Darren McKee (@DMacSportsCO) November 13, 2017
Pass coverage of TEs and RBs continues to plague the @broncos. And it didn't start this yr. It was going under Wade, too. And unfortunately for the @broncos this game, that's a key component of this Brady offense. #broncos
— Les Shapiro (@LesShapiro) November 13, 2017
Just when you wanted to give Brock credit for a solid game, he throws a pick.
— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) November 13, 2017
If Collinsworth ever says something nice about me… know I’m getting hit by a bus the next second.
— JGoRadio 🇺🇦 (@JGoRadio) November 13, 2017
Wade Phillips defense was never embarrassed. Not like this. Not for two straight weeks.
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) November 13, 2017
The Broncos have allowed 92 combined points over the last two weeks, the most over a two-game span in franchise history since 1988
1988: 94 combined points allowed in Week 8 (at PIT) & Week 9 (at IND)
1988 Broncos starting QB: Gary Kubiak
— NFL Research (@NFLPlus) November 13, 2017