Denver Broncos Mile High Magic

The AFC Championship RE-matchup of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning has been analyzed and reanalyzed all week– even SNL performances are open to critics.  Patriots boast more head to head victories for Brady vs Manning.  Brady, however, has a losing record in the Mile High City (2-6).  Brady boasts more Super Bowl victories, but faces a huge obstacle when having to get past the Broncos in the Postseason on his way to the Super Bowl.  Patriots have only beat the Broncos once on their way to the Super Bowl, and they have never beaten Broncos in the playoffs when playing in Denver.

This Sunday, these Titan quarterbacks and their Titan organizations will clash in the mountain of NFL Stadiums– Sports Authority Field at Mile High is more than 4000 feet higher above sea level than any other NFL stadium.  Broncos have the second longest streak for a sell-out crowd in the NFL and boast more victories at home than any other team in the NFL since 1975.  Broncos fan base stretches out much farther than its stadium seats as thousands of Broncos fans turned the historic Larimer Square orange.  Fans from all around Broncos country posted pictures of their support on Orange Friday.  The Broncos players responded to the fans:

For the Broncos, playing at home is a huge advantage.  When Kubiak searched his playbook for a “spark” against the San Diego Chargers and called for his backup quarterback, Peyton Manning jogged onto the field and led the team to a victory and a home field advantage throughout the playoffs.  Manning tried to brush off the role he may or may not have played in that victory which accumulated only 59 passing yards, and he gave credit to the rest of the team and the ‘Football gods.’  New England has been heavily favored to win– just like the Greenbay Packers were in Superbowl XXXII– but Patriots will have to face a healthy Peyton Manning and Wade Phillips’ number one defence in a stadium that is a mile above sea level… in front of a sold-out crowd.  There is no sure bet this Sunday.