Time: 2:25 p.m. Sunday, KCNC, KREZ.
Opening Line: Broncos by 3.
Record vs. Spread: Denver, 4-3; New England, 4-4.
Series Record: Broncos lead 28-20.
Last Meeting: Broncos beat the Patriots 26-16, AFC Championship, Jan. 19, 2014.
Last Week: Broncos beat the Chargers 35-21; Patriots beat the Bears 51-23.
AP Pro32 Ranking: Broncos, No. 1; Patriots, No. 3.
Broncos Offense: overall (6), rush (21), pass (3).
Broncos Defense: overall (4), rush (1), pass (17).
Patriots Offense: overall (10), rush (17), pass (10).
Patriots Defense: overall (12), rush (25), pass (2).
Streaks, Stats & Notes
It’s the first game in NFL history matching quarterbacks with more than 150 regular-season wins. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is 10-5 against Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, 8-3 in the regular season.
These two teams will meet for the fourth consecutive regular season, with the Patriots winning the previous three games. The Broncos beat the Patriots in the AFC championship game last January, 26-16.
New England staged its biggest comeback last Nov. 24 with a 34-31 overtime victory after trailing Denver 24-0 at halftime.
Denver leads the NFL with 32 points per game; the Patriots are third with 29.8.
Manning is tied for the longest streak in NFL history with 13 games of two or more touchdown passes. He can tie Johnny Unitas for the third-longest streak with one touchdown pass at 47 games.
Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman has rushed for at least 100 yards in two of the last three games.
Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has 34 receptions for 626 yards and five touchdowns in his last four games.
Broncos linebacker Von Miller is second in the NFL with nine sacks, and defensive end DeMarcus Ware is tied for fifth with seven.
The Broncos have the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL, the best against the run.
Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught nine passes for 120 yards and a career-best three touchdowns in his last game.
Broncos tight end Julius Thomas is tied for the NFL lead with nine touchdowns, and he needs one to become the first tight end in Denver history with 10 in consecutive seasons.
Brady is going for his 155th win in his 200th regular-season start, which would pass Manning’s 136 wins in his first 200 starts as the most in NFL history.
At home, Brady is 87-13 as a starter.
The Patriots seek their 34th consecutive regular-season win at home against an AFC opponent.
Brady is coming off one of the best games of his career with 30 completions in 35 attempts for 354 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and a 148.4 rating. In his last four games, all wins, he has 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell had 11 catches vs. Chicago and has a touchdown in four of his last five games. Tight end Rob Gronkowski had nine catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns against the Bears.
The Patriots scored on their first six possessions and led Chicago 45-7.
The Patriots’ top tackler, linebacker Jerod Mayo, is out for the season, and leading sacker, defensive end Chandler Jones, is sidelined with a hip injury. The Patriots traded with Tampa Bay for linebacker Jonathan Casillas and signed defensive lineman Alan Branch during the week.
Associated Press
