Patriots vs. Broncos: Updated Odds, Predictions for AFC Championship Game 2016

Anytime Tom Brady and Peyton Manning play against each other, it's sure to be one of the dominant storylines whether it's a regular-season game or a playoff game.

But the two legendary quarterbacks compete against each other's defenses, and that's what will determine the outcome of this game.

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It's Manning vs Brady for ol times sakes! #NFLPlayoffs #AFCChampionship Pic by @daringsharpe. #Pats #Broncos #NFL pic.twitter.com/0b6NX29zIm

— Chris Fortier (@cfortsgottalock) January 18, 2016"

Brady and the New England Patriots have to find a way to get the job done against a Denver Broncos defense that's consistently been the best in the league from start to finish.

But Brady has regularly found a way to keep the Denver defense from imposing its will when the two teams have met. He's faced the Broncos 14 times in his career, and Denver has recorded a sack and an interception in the same game just twice, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN. 

Von Miller, who led the Broncos in sacks with 11 this season, acknowledged that Brady is tough to bring down.

"He’s tough to get to," he said, per Legwold. “... He’s been doing it a long time, played in a lot of big games."

Brady has certainly had a wonderful season, and he was mentioned in the MVP conversation throughout the first 10 games when the Pats were undefeated. He finished the year with 4,770 yards and a 36-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and with wideout Julian Edelman back in the lineup along with tight end Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola, the Patriots passing game looks potent.

Game	Line	Over/Under	Prediction
New England at Denver	New England (-3)	44.5	New England; Under

The Broncos will have to put consistent pressure on the quarterback to keep the Patriots from moving up and down the field and scoring.

Manning and the Denver offense can't count on trading points in a high-scoring game. Manning threw just nine touchdown passes this year, and only one of them came at home. If the Broncos are to win this game, they need to get their running game going with C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman and the defense must play a sensational game.

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Denver did get the best of the Patriots in Week 12 when it registered a 30-24 overtime victory. Anderson rushed for 113 yards and scored the winning points on a 48-yard TD run. Stopping that ground game will be one of the top priorities for head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.

The Patriots ranked 16th in yards allowed this season and had the eighth-best run defense. Linebacker Jamie Collins and strong safety Patrick Chung are hard-hitting tacklers who combined for 174 stops and six forced fumbles. They'll attempt to keep Anderson and Hillman in check.

Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are dangerous receivers, but Manning no longer appears to have the arm strength to get the job done in the passing game.

That's why the Patriots are three-point favorites in the AFC title game on the road, according to Odds Shark. That number has held steady since it was released following Denver's divisional-round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Many of the handicappers betting on the game expect the Patriots to win the game. Fifty-seven percent of the bets have come in on the Patriots, according to Odds Shark.

New England has never beaten the Broncos on the road in a playoff game. The Pats are 0-3 lifetime in Denver in the postseason and 0-2 in the Belichick-Brady era.

However, the Pats have too many offensive weapons at this point, and unless they turn the ball over three times or more and Brady is under siege from the Denver front seven, they should find a way to win this game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High by at least seven points.