Patriots vs. Broncos: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2016 Regular Season

Tom Brady wasn't at his best. No one ever is against the Denver Broncos secondary.

That didn't stop the New England Patriots from getting a few lucky bounces and a strong defensive effort on their way to a 16-3 win over the Broncos on Sunday. The Patriots clinched their eighth straight AFC East championship, breaking the record for most consecutive division championships in NFL history.

The Los Angeles Rams previously held the mark after winning the NFC West seven straight years from 1973 to 1979. New England also clinched a first-round bye and seemingly has a stranglehold over the AFC playoff picture with two games remaining. 

Recent losses by the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs have made it all but certain the Patriots will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This also marks the team's seventh straight year with at least 12 victories.

Of course, things did not start out that way Sunday. Brady missed on his first six throws and was throttled by the Broncos defense, getting hit in the pocket and even fumbling before finally completing his first pass. He looked completely out of sorts, while Trevor Siemian looked like the unflappable veteran. 

Michael Hurley of CBS Boston pointed out Bill Belichick had reason to be unfazed:

And of course, things soon reverted to normal. Brady never quite settled into an elite rhythm, but he still finished 16-of-32 for 188 yards. It was only his second time all season under the 250-yard mark, as he and Julian Edelman held things together on a series of underneath completions.

Edelman led all Patriots with six receptions for 75 yards. He has become an increasing focal point of the offense with tight end Rob Gronkowski dealing with injuries, catching at least six passes in each of his last six games. 

Hurley also noted Edelman was feisty against a tough Broncos defense:

Additionally, Edelman put himself in contention for catch of the week with this haul:

After bringing him along slowly the last couple of weeks, the Patriots handed Dion Lewis his first full workload of 2016. Lewis led the Patriots with 95 yards on 18 carries, added a pair of receptions and was clearly a more effective option than LeGarrette Blount. While Blount scored his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, he was held to 31 yards on 17 carries.

Blount had previously rushed for at least 67 yards in his last five games. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com noted the Patriots made a clear effort to give their smaller running backs attempts inside the tackles against a tough Denver front seven.

The Patriots held possession for more than 33 minutes and won the turnover battle, 3-0, but were fortuitous in a few instances. Brady fumbled twice and Lewis once, but New England recovered all three of those near-miscues.

Siemian threw an interception, and Jordan Norwood lost two fumbles for the Broncos. The interception was particularly crippling, as it came at the end of an 11-play, 79-yard drive. Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan returned the ball to Denver's 46-yard line, leading to the Patriots' only touchdown of the game.

Norwood's muffed punt return in the first quarter set up the Patriots to take a 3-0 lead. He later fumbled after a reception on the Broncos' final offensive possession.

Siemian finished the game with 282 passing yards and the aforementioned pick, narrowly missing out on his fourth 300-yard game. He connected with Demaryius Thomas for a game-high seven receptions and 91 yards. Emmanuel Sanders added 48 yards on his three receptions.

Analyst Benjamin Allbright isn't impressed with the Denver offense:

The Broncos fall to 8-6 and now have an uphill battle to overcome if they hope to sneak into the playoffs. They close the regular season with a road trip to Kansas City before hosting the Oakland Raiders in Week 17, each of whom happen to be ahead of them in the AFC West. With the Miami Dolphins already sitting at nine wins, Denver will almost certainly have to win out if it wants to avoid staying home.

The Patriots, meanwhile, have a winnable matchup with the Jets on Saturday before closing at Miami. Win next week, and it's possible Brady will have three weeks off to lick his wounds heading into the playoffs. 

---

Postgame Reaction

The Patriots provided video of Belichick's and Brady's press conferences:

The Broncos offered the thoughts of Gary Kubiak and Siemian: