AFC Championship: Keys to the Second Half

The Denver Broncos lead the New England Patriots 17-9 at half time. If I had told you one quarterback would have two interceptions and the other would have two touchdowns, you probably would have guessed wrong.

Throughout this game, we’ve seen a couple of things the Patriots need to focus on fixing. First is the protection. Brady is getting no time to get his feet set and make an accurate throw down the field. They need to shut down the Broncos outside pass rush and know where Von Miller is at all times.

With that comes less turnovers. Brady has thrown two interceptions and the effects of bad protection are a key in fixing this issue.

Next, the Patriots need to cut down on the penalties. They had five in the first half, four of which came on offense. An early defensive pass interference by Logan Ryan kept a Broncos drive alive, leading to an Owen Daniels touchdown.

Finally, the Patriots need to get Edelman, Amendola, and Gronk the ball. It all comes back to Brady getting protection. Those are the guys who make plays for you on offense. A Gronkowski touchdown spike could be the thing that gets the Patriots going again.

As for the Broncos, they need to keep doing what they’re doing. The offensive line has been protecting Manning well, only allowing one sack in the first half. The protection up front also means no turnovers for Manning.

One thing the Broncos do need to do is be more efficient in the running game. They only have 39 rushing yards in this game and they need to step up. While Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson aren’t the flashiest names at the running back position, they’ve both proven late in the year to be effective. Now is the time for them to step up and keep their team up.

Who holds on to win the AFC Championship and earn a Super Bowl spot? Stay connected to NFL Mocks for all of your NFL Playoff coverage!