Broncos Beat Patriots 20-18, Heading To Super Bowl

Two of the greatest NFL quarterbacks met for the 17th and possibly final time yesterday for the AFC Championship, with the big stage of the Super Bowl in sight. This was the case for the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, whose respective quarterbacks in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady going head-to-head in what was promised to be a shootout throughout the game.

An explosive force came out in the Broncos defense yesterday, pressuring Brady and giving him no time to throw, hitting him 23 times including four sacks. Brady admitted to the highly enabled pass-rush defense, saying, “It’s a tough front with good players,” he said. “They’re teeing off on the cadence. We’re trying to keep changing it up. They did a great job of it.” Brady finished the day with 27-of-56 for 310 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, with the touchdown going to tight end Rob Gronkowski with seconds left on the clock. With a two-point conversion on the line to send the game to overtime, Brady was on point in throwing the ball to receiver Julian Edelman, only to have tipped by Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib. After the tip, the ball would land in cornerback Bradley Roby’s hands and seal the victory for the Broncos.

Manning, on the other hand, was poised on every offensive drive, seeing opportunities to throw the ball at the right times, and connecting with tight end Owen Daniels for his two touchdown passes for the game. What surprised Broncos players and fans alike was his scrambling phase, which saw him run 12 yards for a signature first down in the early third quarter, something that has not been seen since the 2002 season before all the surgeries Manning would endure in the future. Manning would finish the day with 176 yards passing and two touchdowns.

The Broncos would go on to win the game 20-18, and a bid for the Super Bowl, which will take place on Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., against the fiery Carolina Panthers. The Broncos will be going for their first Super Bowl win since they last won it 17 years ago, when Broncos quarterback great and current Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway won it. Elway was age 38 the day he won the Super Bowl with Manning at 39, he will be the oldest quarterback to compete in the Super Bowl.

Photo: DENVER, CO – JANUARY 24: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos passes in the third quarter against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)