New England PATRIOTS "Fight for LAMAR" Business...TOM Terrific is ready and that RUN Game is Serious in Foxboro...Can the PATS "D" behind the Mind of Belichick slow down MANNING Mile High?...#PATS #PATSnation #PatriotsWay

The AFC East Champion New England Patriots will come out of the Motel for this one as they visit Manning Mile High and Untied In Orange for the right to hoist the Lamar Trophy and punch a Ticket to Big Bowl 48. Can Brady and that Offense when they get the Pig drive on that Broncos "D" looking like a Patch Job with Key Players missing everywhere? Can the Pats "D" get to Manning and stop his plethora of Weapons in the Run and Passing Game?

The Key for the Pats is they have three different Running Backs they can go to and all have an impact in a variety of ways. Legarrette Blount is a Bruiser in the A-Gap and can also hit a HR. Stevan Ridley a Shifty but Power Back that is also excellent between the Tackles and to he boundary. Shane Vereen maybe the Pats best WR as he is a nightmare to cover for Backers and the Broncos need to be aware of Vereen and that Foxboro Wheel Route. WRs Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman played well last week vs the Colts and will be a huge factor as the TE for the Pats is non-existent.

Defensively the Pats have been playing sound football and its the Front without NT Vince Wilfork that has surprised folks. The play of DTs Joe Vellano and Chris Jones had been outstanding as the D-Ends Duo of Ron Ninkovich and Chandler Jones have been getting after it in down and distance. 2nd-Year OLB Dont'a Highhtower and Rook OLB Jamie Collins have been more than solid. Can this front play well vs that complicated scheme of Manning Mile High 5,280 feet above Ocean Water? CB Aqib Talib and that Pats Secondary is only as good as that Pats Front.

Key Match Up for Pats on Offense...RB Shane Vereen on a Broncos Backer

Key Match Up for Pats on Defense....Pats Front containing Broncos Run Game and getting after Manning

#PATS Vitals

Note: In Parenthesis NFL Rank among 32 Teams

Offense 27.8 ppg (3rd) 384.5 yds (7th) 255.4 pass yds (10th) 129.1 rush Yds (9th)

Defense 21.1 ppg (10th) 373.1 yds (26th) 239 pass yds (18th) 134.1 rush yds (30th)

The Pats Offensively have Brady and the Broncos cannot let him chew yardage up and get into the Red Zone where the Pats are lethal even without "Gronk".

On Defense they are a bend but don't break bunch well they cannot let Manning Mile High go down the field and stop hi all day in the Red Zone. They have to get after Manning early and that slow down that Run Game to force down and distance or it will be a long day form the Pats.

Note: Numbers from NFL.com