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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 17 december 2016
Broncos’ beat-down of Brady led to some changes by Patriots

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gives a thumbs-up to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff after speaking at midfield follwoing an NFL football
game, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass.
Associated Press
The Associated Press only 12 times in nine games that chance. and learning at the same like they believe in what
As usual, the New England this season, which sug- The Tennessee Titans are time. You can see the con- they’re doing.”
Patriots are pushing for the gests his protection has im- making believers out of fidence throughout the Reid can tie Bill Parcells
AFC’s best record. With a proved. a lot of NFL fans. The idea locker room.” (183) for 10th on the NFL
win in Denver on Sunday “But he plays great all the that they could win the That confidence has led to wins list.
they would become the time whether there’s pro- AFC South is very much a 7-6 record — Tennessee The Tampa Bay Bucca-
first team in NFL history with tection or not,” Denver de- alive after their victory over has won three of its last four neers’ visit to the Dallas
eight consecutive division fensive coordinator Wade the Denver. — and a meaningful final Cowboys was moved to
titles. Phillips said. “We hit him a Should the Titans come out month of the year. U.S. TV primetime on Sun-
While they can’t clinch lot of times last year, but if of Kansas City with another The Chiefs, tied atop the day with good reason. Yes,
home-field advantage you remember in the two win on Sunday, the ques- AFC West after last week’s the Cowboys had their 11-
throughout the playoffs games, he still came back tion might become, are win over the Oakland Raid- game win streak snapped
this weekend, they could at the end of both games. they good enough to not ers, are among three teams by the New York Giants, the
grab the East simply by Mi- He’s a phenomenal quar- only make the playoffs, but that can clinch a playoff only team to beat them this
ami not beating the New terback. There’s nobody do damage there? spot this week. Beating the season, but they still have
York Jets. A first-round bye playing like him.” With Marcus Mariota show- Titans is the easiest way, the NFC East and the over-
comes with a Patriots win, Denver’s offense has sput- ing franchise-quarterback but they could back into a all top seed in the confer-
too. tered badly and can’t af- temperament and skills, playoff spot if things break ence in sight.
Denver has not been one ford a shootout with New DeMarco Murray leading their way in games involv- The division belongs to Dal-
of Tom Brady’s favorite England. Defeat would a powerful running game ing Denver, Pittsburgh and las if it wins and the Giants
places. The Broncos are the deal a severe blow to Den- behind an improving line, Miami. don’t, or it ties and the Gi-
only team Brady has a los- ver’s designs on defending and a stingy run defense, Coach Andy Reid’s eyes ants lose.
ing record against: 6-9, 2-7 its Super Bowl title. Tennessee seems to be ar- are focused only on the Ti- Tampa has won five straight
in Denver, including two Clinging to the sixth and fi- riving a year early as a con- tans. “They’re hotter than a games; the previous time
losses last season, the sec- nal playoff spot in the AFC, tender. firecracker right now,” he that happened, the Buc-
ond for the AFC Champi- the Broncos will have to get “There’s always areas to says. “They play hard. Their caneers won the NFL title
onship. And the Broncos still through New England, Kan- improve,” Mariota says, defense, Dick LeBeau is a in 2002. They have an NFL-
have that strong defense. sas City, and Oakland, who “but it’s fun to be around Hall of Famer as a coach high 10 interceptions in
Brady has been sacked are a combined 31-8, for a group that’s growing and a player. The guys look those five games.q