Patriots-Broncos preview: How can New England return home with a victory?
Heading into Sunday's kickoff, the Pats will have already been eliminated from the playoffs for weeks; a far cry from their prior visits to Mile High as a fellow AFC contender. In Denver, new head Sean Payton has rescued a season that appeared to be on the brink at 1-5 and included a 50-point loss at Miami. While the Broncos' postseason hopes remain slim at 7-7, expect them to push the Patriots for every inch on every play at home.