New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady expects a tough matchup when they take on the slumping Denver Broncos Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Patriots are currently leading the AFC East with a 6-2 record while the Broncos are 3-5 after suffering their fourth straight loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday following an impressive 3-1 start. Despite the Broncos’ struggles, Brady said he will not be taking anything for granted, especially against a dangerous defensive team that is anchored by former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller.
“They have a great defense. They have great players on both sides of the ball. You can’t go out there and make a bunch of mistakes and expect to win,” said Brady, per Patriots.com. The 40-year-old Brady emphasized that the Patriots need to have a good start on the second half of the season, where they will play five of their next six games on the road. “Hopefully, we can go execute and make a bunch of plays and that will take care of a lot of things for us,” said Brady, who will go up against counterpart Brock Osweiler.
Patriots to miss four starters
The Patriots will take on the Broncos without their three starters while newly-acquired tight end Martellus Bennett is listed as questionable after being limited in Friday’s practice.
Wide receiver Chris Hogan, defensive tackle Malcolm Brown, and right tackle Marcus Cannon will not play against the Broncos. Hogan has a shoulder injury while both Brown and Cannon are suffering from ankle issues. Bennett, for his part, will be joining the team’s trip to Denver and there’s a possibility that he might suit up.
Aside from Bennett, wide receiver Danny Amendola, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, defensive end Cassius Marsh, and cornerback Eric Rowe are questionable for the Patriots.
Osweiler to start for Broncos
Osweiler will start for the second straight time for the Broncos despite a disastrous performance in their 51-23 loss to the Eagles.
After replacing Trevor Siemian as starter, Osweiler was a disappointment in their loss to the Eagles, completing just 19-of-38 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions. According to Broncos head coach Vance Joseph, Osweiler earned the opportunity to prove that he can lead Denver's struggling offense down the stretch against the Eagles. Per Jeff Legwold of ESPN, Joseph said that running back C.J. Anderson and center Matt Paradis will play Sunday. Anderson did not participate in Thursday's practice due to an illness while Paradis skipped Thursday’s training due to back troubles. The Broncos also listed wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Bennie Fowler as questionable, but expect them to play Sunday.
