Patriots vs. Broncos: Who Holds the Edge in Every Phase of the Game?

As much as it may seem that Tim Tebow's success is supernatural, the New England Patriots know that it's a team effort. The Denver Broncos know it, too.

It will take a complete game for either team to seal up the win.

But who holds the advantage? Let's take one last look before kickoff.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter.

Patriots Passing Game vs. Broncos Pass Defense

Rob Gronkowski has yet to meet his match this season, but he could have a hard time getting it going against a good set of linebackers for the Broncos. He will be bracketed—there's almost no question. The question is, will that be enough? With Brian Dawkins out, the Patriots should be able to get the ball moving by finding Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez on a consistent basis.

Tom Brady is one of the best in the business at finding his open guy. Even if Champ Bailey takes away Wes Welker for a majority of the game, the Broncos lack depth in the secondary and could be exposed by Brady's simple ability to read defenses.

Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller are two talented pass rushers, but the Patriots have faced better duos than these two (Dwight Freeney/Robert Mathis, Brian Orakpo/Ryan Kerrigan, and more) and have looked pretty good doing it. While the Broncos have looked good on defense over the past few weeks, it's been primarily against sub-par offenses. 

Advantage: Patriots

Patriots Running Game vs. Broncos Run Defense

The Patriots ground attack has been effective, though not deadly this season. They have scored 11 touchdowns on the ground, which ranks 11th in the NFL. They don't rip off big runs, with just a 4.0 yard-per-carry average, but they are able to get the yards when they need to.

The Broncos defense has been giving up yards at will, but has given up just six touchdowns on the ground this season. That, however, could be because opposing teams have scored through the air at will.

The war on the inside will be one to watch closely, with Brian Waters, Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly against Broderick Bunkley and Marcus Thomas. On the surface, it looks like a matchup the Patriots should win.

Advantage: Patriots

Broncos Passing Game vs. Patriots Pass Defense

Tim Tebow may be a good running back, but he's also very capable at throwing the ball deep. It seems like every time he throws it, it's a long completion. The Broncos average 13.4 yards per completion, the fourth highest average in the league.

We all know what the Patriots problems on pass defense have looked like, as New England currently boasts the league's worst pass defense which is on pace to give up an NFL record in passing yards. That being said, the Patriots are very well-coached and gap disciplined. They also always seem to make the plays when they need to. Those components give the Patriots a chance to contain Tebow and the Broncos pass attack.

That, and the fact that Tebow completes less than 50 percent of his passes.

Advantage: Draw

Broncos Running Game vs. Patriots Run Defense

The Broncos lead the NFL in rushing yards, but also rank sixth with 4.7 yards per carry. They run the ball very effectively. The Patriots will have their hands full trying to stop the Broncos from getting the ball moving on the ground. It will come down to New England's gap discipline and containment on the perimeter.

That being said, the option is difficult to defend on a consistent basis, and the Broncos are likely to have some opportunities on the ground regardless of how well the Patriots defend it. Roy Helu had a solid performance against New England last week, so look for the Broncos to try and replicate what the Redskins were able to do.

The Patriots have been solid against the run for a majority of the year, though, and were likely coached very hard on gap discipline and containment this week. Look for them to execute that game plan.

But New England's best run defense is an early lead.

Advantage: Draw

Special Teams

Matt Prater has been incredible for the Broncos recently, hitting a 59-yarder to send the Bears game to overtime and a 51-yarder to win it. Punter Britton Colquitt has also been a star for the Broncos on special teams, averaging 47.7 yards per punt and landing 26 of his 82 punts inside the opponent's 20. 

Gostkowski has been consistent this season despite a rough patch in the middle, and Zoltan Mesko looks solid with a 46.1 yards per punt average and 16 of his 45 punts landing inside the opponent's 20.

The Broncos have been a very consistent unit on returns this season, with 27.8 yards per kick return and 13.5 yards per punt return, both of which rank third in the NFL. They even have two punt returns for touchdowns. The Patriots have just one, and have the third-lowest average in kick return yardage.

The special teams game could be an opportunity for the Broncos to give themselves some chances to hang around.

Advantage: Broncos

Coaching

Any coach that can install a brand new offense five weeks into the season deserves major props, but if there's any coach that's well-equipped to stop it, it's Bill Belichick. As mentioned earlier, he preaches gap discipline and fundamentals, both of which will be necessary in slowing down the option offense today.

But in a one-game scenario, it's hard to have an advantage over Belichick.

Advantage: Patriots

Conclusion

The Patriots don't fare well in a low-scoring game, but will do themselves a lot of favors if they jump out to an early lead. That will make the Broncos one-dimensional, taking away their biggest threat—the running game. They must also stick to the game plan in the fourth quarter, as most teams have avoided doing so and allowed Tebow to climb back into the game.

Defensively, the Broncos stand a chance because of their outside pressure and Champ Bailey, but with Brian Dawkins out, their ability to consistently cover Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski should allow the Patriots to get in rhythm.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Broncos 17