Quote from Max E. Pad:
The Patriots actually do have something to play for. 3 teams are tied at the top of the AFC at 10-3 so they are playing for a first round buy and homefield advantagethroughout the playoffs where as Denver has no chance at the first round buy, and they can lose this game and then they just have to win out to still be ahead of Oakland.
Here is what i wrote on another thread on what i think about the game:
Every teams game plan against Brady is to eat clock and keep Brady off the field. So far this year the only 2 teams to hold Brady under 30 points are the steelers, and the giants, and both those teams have had a long history of dealing with Brady, and they both have a pretty decent offense.
Brady and bellichick have faced a lot of fantastic defenses in the AFC, and only 2 have stymied them this year. The Steelers defense under Dick Lebeau will probably go down as one of the top defenses in history, and they have been eaten alive by Brady and Belichick time after time until this season where they finally pulled it off.
Denver is 21st in yards allowed rushing, and 19th in yards allowed passing, I dont think Denvers defense is nearly as good as the Steelers yet, so i doubt Denvers defense can stay in the game, and keep Denver in the Run Option long enough to allow Tebow to win. This will be the first real test of Tebow's arm besides the Lions where he lost 45-10, and i cant see Tebow staying in a passing game vs. Brady.
They have something to play for but they don't "need" the game. The way they played against Washington tells me they are ripe for a fall. Denver has a 1 game lead in their division and they are behind all other AFC division leaders by two games. They are the fifth seed as far as win/loss goes whereas the Patriots are tied for the first seed (win/loss). Denver needs this game way more than NE does. Therefore, given the stage of the season, and all other factors, I'm picking a Denver upset.

