2015 Broncos Season — Week 12


The Broncos won again, and now you have to wonder if they can make a run at being among the best in the AFC.

Week 12: Broncos 30, New England Patriots 24
Season Record: 9-2 (4-1 Home)
Key Play: In overtime, tied 24-24 and facing third and 1 at the Patriots 48, CJ Anderson took the pitch around the end and raced to the end zone, sealing the victory.

Recap: The Broncos haven't hosted the Patriots (aside from the 2013 AFC Title Game) for a while. This was an eagerly anticipated match up as the 10-0 Pats came to town. We didn't get another Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning battle, but given how Manning has played that might be for the best. The team is now 2-0 with Brock Osweiler at QB, but I think that's misleading. Brock didn't win the game last night. Our running backs — CJ Anderson in particular — won that game. That and the defense. But as the season pushes on, it will be interesting to see where all the AFC Teams shake out. For now, the Broncos maintained a three game lead in the AFC West and moved into a tie with the Bengals for the second best record in the conference, one game back of the Patriots. The team is still alive for a first round bye, which could be key. If the running game keeps going strong, and the defense stays up, the Broncos could be poised for a strong showing this season.

Game Balls:
* CJ Anderson. CJ Anderson ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns, including the big game winner. He looked like the star he was during the stretch last season.
* Ronnie Hillman. The Broncos have two strong backs. Hillman got the party started with a 19-yard TD run on Sunday and continues to run strong.
*Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders returned from a game off, and despite injuries, grabbed six passes for 113 yards.
*Broncos Defense. The team made the big plays when they were needed. Despite playing without DeMarcus Ware, TJ Ward, and Sylvester Williams for most of the game, the Broncos defense held the Patriots in check enough to win the game.

Lingering Concerns:
* Who plays QB. Will Manning get the job back when he gets healthy? That's a legitimate question. While I don't think Brock is great, he runs the Kubiak offense better. Regardless of who the QB is, Denver needs to run to win. Brock seems to facilitate that better.
*Demaryius Thomas. Thomas has had a good season overall, but his critical drops are becoming a problem. He had a hideous game Sunday night, and that's the kind of thing that can kill a team's title hopes.

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