Broncos blast Patriots in front of Foxboro faithful 17-7

[bengaldee]

Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY
FOXBORO, Mass. — If defense wins championships, it is not too early for the Denver Broncos to start thinking Super Bowl.
The Broncos extended their streak without allowing a touchdown to a season-opening 11 quarters before it was finally dented in an impressive 17-7 victory Sunday night against the New England Patriots.

GAME REPORT: Broncos 17, Patriots 7

The Broncos kept the Patriots (2-1) out of sync for most of the evening. The three-time defending AFC East champs trailed 17-0 before they went to a hurry-up offense and relied on quarterback Tom Brady's pinpoint passing for a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard strike to wideout Doug Gabriel in the back of the end zone with 9:13 left.

Denver (2-1) continually stuffed New England's ground game, limiting the Patriots to 50 yards on 21 attempts. Brady finished 31-for-55 for 320 yards and a touchdown. But with favorite receiver Deion Branch traded to Seattle after a contract dispute, the passing game lacked its typical crispness, and Brady's frustration often boiled over.

After both teams came up empty on each of their first three possessions, Denver finally got something going offensively with an 11-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Jason Elam's 23-yard field goal at 7:28 of the second quarter.

New England attempted to counter on its next possession by advancing to Denver's 19 before stalling. Rookie Stephen Gostkowski, who replaced longtime clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri, had a low 37-yard field goal attempt blocked by Domonique Foxworth.

That appeared to spark Denver, and the Broncos covered 73 yards in seven plays. QB Jake Plummer, who finished with 256 yards passing and his first two TDs of the season, made sure his team made all of this opportunity by lofting a perfect 32-yard pass to wideout Javon Walker, who streaked down the right side to stretch the lead to 10-0 with 50 seconds left in the first half.

"It felt really nice," Plummer said. "I kind of forgot what it felt like to score. It's been a while and in this offense, it's a sin if you're not putting it in the end zone. The call came in. They were in the right defense, and all I had to do was put it up there and let Javon go get it."

Walker's 83-yard catch and run early in the fourth quarter helped extend the visitors' lead to 17-0.

The Broncos joined the 2003 Tampa Bay Bucs and '83 Buffalo Bills as the only NFL teams in the last 60 years to hold their opponents without a TD through the first 10 quarters of the season.

Although the Patriots have produced three Super Bowl titles this decade, fans were so disappointed by their lack of offense that they booed as the Patriots trotted off the field at halftime.

"They're a good football team, give them credit," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "We need to get back to work and improve in every area. ... We need to coach and play better. We need to execute better. That goes for everybody. We just have to do a better job."

Pinned three times inside its own 5 by Josh Miller punts, Denver consistently moved the ball far enough to give Paul Ernster room to kick it back out of danger. That was largely the work of Tatum Bell, who gained 123 yards on 27 carries — and the efficiency of Plummer, who hit two third-down passes in the first half to move the ball out of danger.

The win was the fifth for the Broncos in their last six games with the Patriots, including a 27-13 playoff win in Denver last season.

"We took it upon ourselves for everyone to be liable for their mistakes, step up when it's time to step up," Walker told The Associated Press. "You know, just listen to the game plan and come out here and make plays."

"Jake really managed the game well," said Shanahan, who last week said he had no intention of benching his QB. "He made a couple of big plays, a couple of big throws at opportune times."

Notes: The 83-yard TD pass was the ninth longest in Broncos history. ... Denver center Tom Nalen, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who grew up in Foxborough and played at Boston College, was called for two holding penalties. ... One of New England's best chances to get back in the game was nullified in the third quarter on a play on which three penalties were called — two on Denver — after Kevin Faulk returned a punt to the Broncos 36. After the re-kick, the Patriots started at their own 40, a 24-yard loss.

[natethesnake]

Hmmm, if we can beat the Pats and go to 4-0, sending them to 2-2... that is GREAT news for our playoff chances.