Tedy Bruschi was able to put his New England Patriots allegiance aside for a minute.
The Denver Broncos’ defense had a field day Sunday, beating up Patriots quarterback Tom Brady en route to a 20-18 win in the AFC Championship Game. Bruschi, who spent his entire career with the Patriots, wasn’t necessarily a fan of the result, but the former NFL linebacker sure respects it.
“What I’m going to look at always is the end result, and seeing how Denver played, I’m going to say the right team won,” Bruschi said Monday on WEEI’s “Dale & Holley.” “I think the Broncos played better. They made more plays. Just looking at it, taking away my Patriots ties as best I can, the Broncos just played better.”
Simple enough. The Broncos’ pass rush, led by Von Miller, put pressure on Brady all day as the Patriots’ offensive line looked overwhelmed. Perhaps it’s a miracle New England stayed in the game until the end, though the loss definitely is a tough pill to swallow for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
“It’s always rough in Denver,” Bruschi said. “I know that from being there, that type of crowd, that type of pass rush, that type of get-off against that offensive line. I thought (Broncos defensive coordinator) Wade Phillips did a great job of mixing things up.”
The Broncos will face the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Bruschi, who works as an NFL analyst on ESPN, expects the game to remain tight despite the Panthers looking like a wagon in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game rout of the Arizona Cardinals.
“I don’t think this will be a blowout,” Bruschi said. “That Denver defense is for real. They have the players to give Carolina a run for their money.”
Sometimes, you have to give credit where it’s deserved.
Thumbnail photo via Adam Hunger/USA TODAY Sports Images
