Brady/Manning XV: AFC Championship Game

[lambeau]

Maybe it was the weather, but the pass defense looked awfully good against Denver.Arrington was all over Welker, Talib did well on D Thomas, and Ryan
shut out Decker.Jacob Tamme was their leading receiver, and I agree Collins (who only played third downs) is a good matchup for their TE's.
Dennard only played the first quarter, Hightower was benched after Tamme scored on him, and Siliga was on the practice squad.We've improved.

 

[PayrodsFirstClutchHit]

 
Coaching
 
Aside from what has already been covered, I just hope that BB is aggressive and unafraid to make some high variance calls, especially if we fall behind.  If we're down multiple scores at any point then I think we need to be very aggressive on 4th down in the middle of the field.  And I wouldn't mind seeing some kind of trickeration - fake punt, onside kick, etc - if the moment seems right.  I see this as a game where every possession will be precious and buying one extra possession in this way could easily be the difference between having a shot at stealing a close win versus being down two scores in the 4th quarter.

 
This is close to where I am on the hope for coaching in this game.  I am not quite advocating trick plays as much as using the time left before the half productively if the opportunity presents itself.  Based on my fan observation, the Pats have gone way more conservative right before the half then say back in the 2007 era when they would look to score a TD if they were on their own 20 with a minute left in the half.  An example against the Colts where they had the ball near midfield with plenty of time and timeouts and they just ran a few running plays to the point where Indy called timeout to get the ball back.  Be aggressive and try to get 25 or 30 yards to go for a FG at least instead of looking to run out the clock on the half. Wasting scoring opportunities against the Broncos is ill advised. If you are in position to go for points before the half, give it a shot versus playing for the first possession of the 3rd quarter.

 

[Eric Ampersand]

This might be another no-huddle opportunity. Denver hasn't been willing to play Bailey in more than half the snaps, so by going no-huddle they can either keep him off the field (and pass at the substitute corner), or keep him on the field and try to exhaust him / take advantage of his injury woes, particularly on running plays (Denver's tried to avoid using him in non-passing situations this year; he was only on the field for 4 running plays yesterday).
 
Vereen has basically been invisible since Gronk went down, except the end of the Browns game. That makes sense; teams don't have to respect Hoomanawanui in the passing game so they can put their best coverage LBs on Vereen. The Broncos match up pretty well with Trevathan and Woodyard, so I'm thinking this might be more of a Blount / Ridley game unless the Pats fall behind. I also wonder if they might try Vereen in the running game. They were successful with that week 1, and they might feel if Denver deploys their small defense that they can run out of 3-WR sets.
 
I agree this is plan A, but the problem is we just saw San Diego try this and fail. If the Broncos can hold up, we're going to need a plan B and we're going to need to go to it earlier than the Chargers did.
 

 
The Broncos were really selling out to stop the run on early downs. The Colts tried to do the same thing last Saturday but failed. Can this team run against a stacked Denver front? I think they can especially later in the game. Early on I think Denver will be susceptible to play fakes and some hurry-up offense. There is the potential risk of giving Peyton extra possessions however.

 

[Stitch01]

 
This is close to where I am on the hope for coaching in this game.  I am not quite advocating trick plays as much as using the time left before the half productively if the opportunity presents itself.  Based on my fan observation, the Pats have gone way more conservative right before the half then say back in the 2007 era when they would look to score a TD if they were on their own 20 with a minute left in the half.  An example against the Colts where they had the ball near midfield with plenty of time and timeouts and they just ran a few running plays to the point where Indy called timeout to get the ball back.  Be aggressive and try to get 25 or 30 yards to go for a FG at least instead of looking to run out the clock on the half. Wasting scoring opportunities against the Broncos is ill advised. If you are in position to go for points before the half, give it a shot versus playing for the first possession of the 3rd quarter.

SD did this yesterday down 14-0 and kicking off.  Pagano did it down 21-12 and kicking off.  I will be very disappointed if BB makes the same error against this team. 

 

[m0ckduck]

We can't get behind by 24 points early in this one like the last time... cause if we do kiss the ground and pound goodbye.

 
Feels to me like every day game I've ever seen at Mile High: (a) is sunny, (b) is really loud, and (c) involves the road team looking really wobbly out of the gate. Presumably, it's a combination of the altitude, the noise, and the quality of opponent, but teams seem to either get punched in the face and then semi-recover (Ravens in last year's AFCCG come to mind) or just piss away entire quarters/halves (as in last night). This isn't exactly hard-hitting analysis, but: I really hope the Pats can come out sharp and thereby start putting pressure right away on Denver's linemen and secondary, as these are the advantages that get a lot less relevant once you're behind by two scores. 

 

[mauf]

 
 
That's pretty much what they did in the first meeting, right? Moreno had over 200 rush yards.

 
I don't recall if the Broncos came out running or if they switched to that strategy after building a big lead.
 
Either way, 31 points is usually enough to win an NFL game, so I won't be surprised if the Broncos borrow liberally from that offensive game plan.

 

[Leather]

There is no reason the altitude of Denver would effect a professional, well-prepared, athletic team much at all, much less "right out of the gate."
 
There may be some marginal effect that Denver has on players that aren't well-conditioned, particularly as a game goes on, but there's no reason it should be a material factor, assuming the team has been in Denver for a day or so prior to the game.

 

[H78]

There is no reason the altitude of Denver would effect a professional, well-prepared, athletic team much at all, much less "right out of the gate."
 
There may be some marginal effect that Denver has on players that aren't well-conditioned, particularly as a game goes on, but there's no reason it should be a material factor, assuming the team has been in Denver for a day or so prior to the game.

 
Exactly. Both teams have to play in it anyways, and it's not like Peyton Manning is specially conditioned to excel while oxygen depleted and Tom Brady isn't.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
I don't recall if the Broncos came out running or if they switched to that strategy after building a big lead.

There basically wasn't a point where they didn't have a big lead; the Pats fumbled on their first possession and it was returned for a touchdown, then fumbled on their second possession leading to a 10-yard TD "drive." So the Pats were down 14-0 and the Broncos had only run 6 offensive plays (3 rushes, 3 passes). The next possession (following another Pats fumble) featured 7 consecutive runs, setting the tone for most of the rest of the game.

 

[Leather]

I believe I meant "affect."
 
In any case, there might very well be a psychological impact, as well as a slight physical one, that will tire a visiting team out a little more rapidly than the Denver team, but people talk about Denver as if its fucking Machu Picchu and not 1,000 feet lower in elevation than Mt. Washington, and nobody has ever (to my knowledge) discussed the elevation of Mt. Washington as contributing to its hiking difficulty.
 
It's 20% reality and 80% myth.

 

[H78]

I believe I meant "affect."
 
In any case, there might very well be a psychological impact, as well as a slight physical one, that will tire a visiting team out a little more rapidly than the Denver team, but people talk about Denver as if its fucking Machu Picchu and not 1,000 feet lower in elevation than Mt. Washington, and nobody has ever (to my knowledge) discussed the elevation of Mt. Washington as contributing to its hiking difficulty.
 
It's 20% reality and 80% myth.

 
Huh, I didn't know that. Mind = blown. Good post.

 

[86spike]

 
Exactly. Both teams have to play in it anyways, and it's not like Peyton Manning is specially conditioned to excel while oxygen depleted and Tom Brady isn't.

 
Your body adjusts to the oxygen level (which is 17% lower than seas level) after it's been there a few days.  So Denver players who live in Denver and have been there for a month are already adjusted.  Anyone flying in a day or two before the game is still adjusting.  It's simple physiology.  There are ways to try to mitigate it (stay hydrated, take potassium, no booze, ramp up activity slowly) and some people deal with the change easier than others, but it's a real and simple physical phenomenon.
 
It likely isn't a massive edge for Denver, but it's there.
 
Edit: BTW, on the topic of everyone's body reacts differently: my wife, who runs 25 miles a week, gets super sick (headaches, nauseous, tired) for a few days whenever we go to CO.  I, who slugs through a 5K trying to break an 11 minute mile in between beers, feel easily winded but otherwise fine and adapt more quickly than she does.

 

[Leather]

If I were coaching a team playing in Denver, I'd consider flying out a day earlier than usual and have a short morning practice at some high school field higher up in the Rockies, at like 8,000 feet, to accelerate the acclimatization process and also beat the psychological impact of the "You are at 5,200 Feet Above Sea Level"-sign-on-the-visiting-locker-room nonsense.

 

[dbn]

I believe I meant "affect."
 
In any case, there might very well be a psychological impact, as well as a slight physical one, that will tire a visiting team out a little more rapidly than the Denver team, but people talk about Denver as if its fucking Machu Picchu and not 1,000 feet lower in elevation than Mt. Washington, and nobody has ever (to my knowledge) discussed the elevation of Mt. Washington as contributing to its hiking difficulty.
 
It's 20% reality and 80% myth.

 
The Patriots should build a training facility up there.
 

 
Your body adjusts to the oxygen level (which is 17% lower than seas level) after it's been there a few days.  So Denver players who live in Denver and have been there for a month are already adjusted.  Anyone flying in a day or two before the game is still adjusting.  It's simple physiology.  There are ways to try to mitigate it (stay hydrated, take potassium, no booze, ramp up activity slowly) and some people deal with the change easier than others, but it's a real and simple physical phenomenon.
 
It likely isn't a massive edge for Denver, but it's there.

 
You left out coca tea.

 

[bakahump]

I spent 3 years in Colorado Springs in the Army after 2 years of being about 12 feet above sea level in Okinawa.  Lets just say the first few weeks any kind of aerobic sports suffered.
 
BB should still bring out a 300 foot tape measure and a willing coach and pull a Coach Dale from Hoosiers:
 
"Dante, how long is this field?"
"100 Yards Coach"
"And how wide?"
"53.3 Coach"
 
Because your right this IS a young team that will be traveling for its first playoff game on the ROAD since the 2011 SB.  They need to be prepared and calm and ready to play.

 

[86spike]

 
You left out coca tea.

 

 
Could I see you in my office for a minute, Mr. Brady?

 

[H78]

 
Your body adjusts to the oxygen level (which is 17% lower than seas level) after it's been there a few days.  So Denver players who live in Denver and have been there for a month are already adjusted.  Anyone flying in a day or two before the game is still adjusting.  It's simple physiology.  There are ways to try to mitigate it (stay hydrated, take potassium, no booze, ramp up activity slowly) and some people deal with the change easier than others, but it's a real and simple physical phenomenon.
 
It likely isn't a massive edge for Denver, but it's there.
 
Edit: BTW, on the topic of everyone's body reacts differently: my wife, who runs 25 miles a week, gets super sick (headaches, nauseous, tired) for a few days whenever we go to CO.  I, who slugs through a 5K trying to break an 11 minute mile in between beers, feel easily winded but otherwise fine and adapt more quickly than she does.

 
Or, they can booze a lot and they'll never even notice the difference.

 

[bakahump]

 
Or, they can booze a lot and they'll never even notice the difference.

 
 
Didnt work when I tried it.  Of course while I was not a world class athlete...I was a semi-pro drinker.

 

[Shelterdog]

 
 
Because your right this IS a young team that will be traveling for its first playoff game on the ROAD since the 2011 SB.  They need to be prepared and calm and ready to play.

 
This is the team's third AFC Championship game in a row.  They're fairly young as a group and there are new bodies but lets not overstate the youth/inexperience.

 

[Bongorific]

It typically takes a full week to mostly acclimate to the elevation changes. Yes, they aren't playing at the top of the Rockies, but a 5000 foot elevation change is a real impact. Your blood cells aren't used to having to carry that much more oxygen.

 

[Euclis20]

Because your right this IS a young team that will be traveling for its first playoff game on the ROAD since the 2011 SB.  They need to be prepared and calm and ready to play.

 
This is really their first road playoff game since 2006, in Indy.  Since then, they've had 9 home games and 2 neutral sites.  Pretty remarkable, actually.

 

[86spike]

 
Or, they can booze a lot and they'll never even notice the difference.

 
I have to conclude that you've never been to Denver.  Booze hits you much harder until you adjust.

 

[Corsi]

"He’s a one-speed guy. He doesn’t have the same ability or the quickness that Wes has in the slot." - Broncos safety Mike Adams on Edelman.
 

https://twitter.com/DougKyedNESN/status/422851013067153408

 

[Boston Brawler]

I have to conclude that you've never been to Denver. Booze hits you much harder until you adjust.

This is true. Went to a wedding there last year, turned into a very early shit show.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Oh really Mike Adams? You mean one of the most successful punt returners of all-time isn't quick? Interesting...

 

[ss s h h hh]

This is true. Went to a wedding there last year, turned into a very early shit show.


Alcohol metabolizes in the body the exact same way at sea level as it does at 5000ft or 12000ft. It *may* contribute to increased feelings of altitude sickness which at 5000ft most people will ever feel. Much less elite athletes.

5200ft is a funny altitude. Your body doesn't actually become hypoxic until somewhere between 7500-8000 feet. So despite common belief, your body doesn't even create more red blood cells until you get up to that altitude. This is a recent finding. Anyway, it is a little more difficult to breathe but ridiculously so. For example, you can pretty much run the same 800 meter time at sea level and 5000ft. A mile has about a +6 Second.

These guys are running in short bursts which physiologically will not affect them in the short term but will make them a bit tired towards the latter stages (they're clearly bigger and not exactly elite in an aerobic sense).

5000ft mostly just means your breathing rate increases and you have to make sure you're hydrated. Which the Pats will be. Any other factor about how players will be affected is ridiculous.

 

[Sox and Rocks]

 
Point 1: I'm not going to sit here and let people claim I was trying to make an excuse for Denver.  I was not doing so.  I was pointing out the fact that they played sloppy in several instances just like SD did.  When someone says "I hate this type of justification" - I object because it is not any type of justification.  It is just discussing the facts of the game.  I'm done arguing this.  
 
Point 2: Harris on the field keeps Rivers' targets unavailable to him.  You don't think the choice of run/pass might be influenced by what SD was seeing in coverage?  Sure, Jammer being in isn't 100% of the reason for the passing success and the need to score quickly while behind late is definitely a factor, but I do think Denver took away open receivers in the first half and Harris is a big part of that (with DRC - who has been our best DB all year and Champ).  My point is: you cannot say "SD should have started throwing earlier!!!!" without taking into consideration the fact that Harris was out there in coverage for the first half.  Football is much more intricate than that.

If you're going to quote me, please do so accurately.  I stated that I "hate that type of analysis," which is quite different than justification.  You seemed to be suggesting that the only reason SD was even in the game was because of mistakes Denver made, which isn't true (you have since clarified your remarks).  I wasn't the only one confused.  Just because Denver did make mistakes doesn't make this type of "analysis" true.  SD also made lots of mistakes, too, and while they factored into the reason(s) Denver won, they weren't the reason for it.  
 
Moving forward, I still think Denver is quite vulnerable on D, in their different packages.  San Diego dropped the ball by not passing more on first downs when Denver was playing Williams, Knighton, Iananacho, Travathian, etc., and by stubbornly trying to run against this package, they were placed in a lot of 3rd and long situations, which played into Denver's strength with their other package that involves Phillips, Jackson, Ayers, Mincy.  This group wouldn't be near as stout upfront against the run, but obviously doesn't have to be when it's 3rd and 8 or longer, as was often the case yesterday.  
The Pats would be smart to throw more against the Knighton/Williams front and mix in some runs on 2nd and long or intermediate when Denver subs their nickel/dime front.  New England, like San Diego, has the ability to do both on offense even though San Diego never did.  

 

[Sox and Rocks]

 
I have to conclude that you've never been to Denver.  Booze hits you much harder until you adjust.

yep; as someone who lives at semi-altitude (about 5,100 feet), I have the opposite problem.  When I travel to sea level, I can drink like a fish and not feel as much.  When my sea level friends come here they turn into lightweights...

 

[Stitch01]

Coaching
 
Aside from what has already been covered, I just hope that BB is aggressive and unafraid to make some high variance calls, especially if we fall behind.  If we're down multiple scores at any point then I think we need to be very aggressive on 4th down in the middle of the field.  And I wouldn't mind seeing some kind of trickeration - fake punt, onside kick, etc - if the moment seems right.  I see this as a game where every possession will be precious and buying one extra possession in this way could easily be the difference between having a shot at stealing a close win versus being down two scores in the 4th quarter.

 To follow up on your last point, my off the wall prediction is that the Pats call a flea flicker on Sunday on a second and short.  I will guess to Slater (since he's been coming in on goal line situations, it wont be a total red flag to the defense to see him on the field).  It will be a touchdown and it will be glorious.

 

[Devizier]

I believe I meant "affect."
 
In any case, there might very well be a psychological impact, as well as a slight physical one, that will tire a visiting team out a little more rapidly than the Denver team, but people talk about Denver as if its fucking Machu Picchu and not 1,000 feet lower in elevation than Mt. Washington, and nobody has ever (to my knowledge) discussed the elevation of Mt. Washington as contributing to its hiking difficulty.
 
It's 20% reality and 80% myth.

 
MP isn't actually that high, either (8000 feet). Cuzco (11000) is, though. Supposedly, coca tea (containing a small amount of cocaine) helps deal with the altitude issues. I found the opposite to be true.
 
Anyways, estimated hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) changes a little bit at Denver altitudes (from 98% at sea level down to 95%). Unknown to me how much difference that makes. Probably not much.

 

[TeddysBonefish]

 
Exactly. Both teams have to play in it anyways, and it's not like Peyton Manning is specially conditioned to excel while oxygen depleted and Tom Brady isn't.

 
This is silly and ignores science. Peyton lives (and plays the majority of his games) at elevation. The Patriots do not. You cannot acclimatize in a day simply because you are a professional athlete. It's not a matter of training it's a matter of body chemistry--the body acclimatizes by producing more red blood cells and other factors such as VO2 max, etc. come into play. Tom Brady can't just will his body to make more red blood cells since he has intangibles and is a pro (he could however dope his blood). VO2 max is very very difficult to improve. 
 
"If you live at sea level and have a race at high altitude, you should train at high altitude for at least two weeks, though preferably three to six weeks, before your competition." LINK
"The acclimatization of the body to an oxygen-reduced environment is not instantaneous; high altitude adaptations begin immediately. An athlete will be as much as 75% accustomed to the thin air within 7-10 days of exposure to the conditions, with full acclimatization within 15-20 days." LINK
 
Plus each person reacts differently to altitude. This is not dependent on athletic skill. A pro runner could have a  harder time than a banker. 
"[SIZE=9pt]It has been well established that not all athletes respond to altitude the same way. Some athletes see significant declines in VO[/SIZE][SIZE=6pt]2[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]max and performance at altitude, while others are much less affected. " LINK[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=9pt]There is a reason why the US Olympic [/SIZE]training[SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE]center[SIZE=9pt] is located in Colorado.[/SIZE]

 

[Harry Hooper]

Is blood doping (just storing and re-infusing your own red blood cells) banned by the NFL?

 

[( . ) ( . ) and (_!_)]

Tom Brady can't just will his body to make more red blood cells

Prove it

 

[Eric Ampersand]

From what I remember CO2 doesn't dissociate as readily from hemoglobin at lower partial pressures for oxygen. There is plenty of oxygen in the air but not quite as much is available to our muscle cells as elevation increases. A blood transfusion of fetal hemoglobin would help but who is going to steal blood from a baby?

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

 To follow up on your last point, my off the wall prediction is that the Pats call a flea flicker on Sunday on a second and short.  I will guess to Slater (since he's been coming in on goal line situations, it wont be a total red flag to the defense to see him on the field).  It will be a touchdown and it will be glorious.

 
Yup, I can totally see that and hope they're thinking of a few plays like this.  A couple big shots down the field are going to be necessary and I wonder how often they can go to the well of the fake misdirection sweep where Brady pops back, Wendell (I think) pulls back to give him a pocket on the weak side, and Brady hits the weak side WR on a deep post.  That play worked like a charm on the Amendola throw and a few other times this season but other teams have to be scouting it by now.
 
Generally, I think Denver's safeties are pretty weak and can be exploited.  A flea flicker would be perfect.  The only problem with throwing to Slater is that he also has to catch it.

 

[BigA27]

 
MP isn't actually that high, either (8000 feet). Cuzco (11000) is, though. Supposedly, coca tea (containing a small amount of cocaine) helps deal with the altitude issues. I found the opposite to be true.
 
Anyways, estimated hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) changes a little bit at Denver altitudes (from 98% at sea level down to 95%). Unknown to me how much difference that makes. Probably not much.

 
Oh man. Chewing a large bag of Coca leaves was the only way I got anything done in Bogata. Its about 8600 feet up and I could not walk up a flight of stairs without gasping. My parents urged me to find some Coca as they had had a lot of success in Peru with it.
 
I am pretty notorious for not handling altitude well though.

 

[Super Nomario]

 
Yup, I can totally see that and hope they're thinking of a few plays like this.  A couple big shots down the field are going to be necessary and I wonder how often they can go to the well of the fake misdirection sweep where Brady pops back, Wendell (I think) pulls back to give him a pocket on the weak side, and Brady hits the weak side WR on a deep post.  That play worked like a charm on the Amendola throw and a few other times this season but other teams have to be scouting it by now.
 
Generally, I think Denver's safeties are pretty weak and can be exploited.  A flea flicker would be perfect.  The only problem with throwing to Slater is that he also has to catch it.

I'd love to start the game with 2 TE and Blount in the backfield and run a hard play-action fake with a long shot deep. Put that play in their minds all day to make the safeties and linebackers hesitate for a moment before playing the run.

 

[Captaincoop]

From what I remember CO2 doesn't dissociate as readily from hemoglobin at lower partial pressures for oxygen. There is plenty of oxygen in the air but not quite as much is available to our muscle cells as elevation increases. A blood transfusion of fetal hemoglobin would help but who is going to steal blood from a baby?

 
(Insert photo of smirking Belichick)

 

[RedOctober3829]

The Patriots have passed Denver in overall weighted DVOA. They are #1 in offense.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2014/week-19-dvoa-ratings

 

[Dogman]

 
Ed said 'SD made a ton of mistakes how were they in this game?' and Spike basically answered 'Broncos made quite a few mistakes themselves.'
 
I don't think this is debatable. This was not a mistake free game by any means by either team. 

 
I wasn't debating that there were mistakes on both sides. Spike said Denver made mistakes that kept SD in the game, per Ed's question.  The point I was making was that both teams made plenty of mistakes so there was another reason SD was in the game, which is debatable as it pertains to Ed's question. Hence my other post about TOP for Denver.

 

[amarshal2]

The Patriots have passed Denver in overall weighted DVOA. They are #1 in offense.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2014/week-19-dvoa-ratings


How in the world are they coming up with Pats > Broncos on offense? I'm the first to point out Denver's light schedule but c'mon.

 

[Dogman]

Yeah, having a few beers at the elevation will hit you much faster than at sea level.
 
I remember being a 20 year old college junior having 3 beers in Leadville, CO (~12,000 ft) and being shitfaced.

 

[TeddysBonefish]

 nobody has ever (to my knowledge) discussed the elevation of Mt. Washington as contributing to its hiking difficulty.

Leave it to MIT... 
"The elevation of the summit is 6,288 ft (1,917 m), and the elevation gain is equivalent to flying from Boston to Denver, CO.  Some people may experience altitude sickness.  The symptoms of altitude sickness are headache, shortness of breath, and a greater than usual fatigue at normal activities, such as climbing a flight of stairs.  If you feel altitude sickness, drink plenty of water (more than you normally would) and avoid caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda."
 
 
 

Is blood doping (just storing and re-infusing your own red blood cells) banned by the NFL?

 
Yes. But, unlike EPO, there is no way to test for it.   Here's a bit about how it works for cyclists.
 
Blood transfusions (a/k/a “blood doping”). Blood transfusions generally involve the extraction of an athlete’s own blood pre-competition and re-infusion of that blood shortly before or during competition (e.g., in the evening or on a rest day in a multistage race) to increase the athlete’s oxygen carrying red blood cells. By increasing the number of circulating red blood cells, transfusions increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and enhance endurance and recovery. No effective anti-doping test has yet been implemented to detect autologous transfusions (i.e., transfusions of an athlete’s own blood). … Multiple riders will testify that during the period 2000-2005 Armstrong used blood transfusions, was observed having blood re-infused, including during the Tour de France, and had blood doping equipment at his residence 
LINK
.

 

 

[MentalDisabldLst]

If they're taking acetazolamide (it makes your blood more acidic, perfectly legal with a prescription), they'll be functional in 2 days, and skip a lot of the huffing and wheezing that visitors to Cuzco or Kathmandu or wherever experience.  But upping red blood cell count for high-performance bursts takes a lot longer . They could have flown to Denver today and sleep 12 hours a day, and they'd still be at a slight disadvantage acclimation-wise by Sunday.  Whether that ends up material to the game is probably a low, but non-zero, chance.

 

[Super Nomario]

How in the world are they coming up with Pats > Broncos on offense? I'm the first to point out Denver's light schedule but c'mon.

This is in weighted DVOA. Per the description "Since weighted DVOA is meant to lower the strength of older games, these ratings do not include Weeks 1-5, and Weeks 6-11 are somewhat discounted."

Pats vs Broncos

DEN	NE
Week 1 - 5	46	19
Week 6 - 11	33.6	31.8
Week 12 - 17	33.1	33.3

 
In just raw points per game, the Pats and Broncos are basically even since week 6.

 

[dbn]

Alcohol metabolizes in the body the exact same way at sea level as it does at 5000ft or 12000ft. It *may* contribute to increased feelings of altitude sickness which at 5000ft most people will ever feel. Much less elite athletes.

5200ft is a funny altitude. Your body doesn't actually become hypoxic until somewhere between 7500-8000 feet. So despite common belief, your body doesn't even create more red blood cells until you get up to that altitude. This is a recent finding. Anyway, it is a little more difficult to breathe but ridiculously so. For example, you can pretty much run the same 800 meter time at sea level and 5000ft. A mile has about a +6 Second.

These guys are running in short bursts which physiologically will not affect them in the short term but will make them a bit tired towards the latter stages (they're clearly bigger and not exactly elite in an aerobic sense).

5000ft mostly just means your breathing rate increases and you have to make sure you're hydrated. Which the Pats will be. Any other factor about how players will be affected is ridiculous.

 
This is interesting, but where did you get this from? 
 

 
Oh man. Chewing a large bag of Coca leaves was the only way I got anything done in Bogata. Its about 8600 feet up and I could not walk up a flight of stairs without gasping. My parents urged me to find some Coca as they had had a lot of success in Peru with it.
 
I am pretty notorious for not handling altitude well though.

 
I just remembered that, without thinking about it while packing, I brought back some coca tea from Peru. I do recall being a bit nervous that some beagle would rat me out in line at immigration, but it was okay. I did, at least, remember before packing to discard the small pouch of leaves that I had been chewing.

 

[Reverend]

 
Tom Brady can't just will his body to make more red blood cells since he has intangibles and is a pro 

 
Yes he can. Because Tom Brady.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Watching game rewind of Week 12. Boy, Solder got abused by Von Miller on the strip sack.

 

[Reverend]

From what I remember CO2 doesn't dissociate as readily from hemoglobin at lower partial pressures for oxygen. There is plenty of oxygen in the air but not quite as much is available to our muscle cells as elevation increases. A blood transfusion of fetal hemoglobin would help but who is going to steal blood from a baby?

 
Peyton Manning.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Some notes from Week 12 1st qtr

--cannon exited in the 1st quarter.
--the o-line was able to knock Denver's line off the ball early.
--siliga will make a huge difference. Vellano got his ass beat up.
--Nink and Jones were able to generate pressure off the edge.
--Blount got knocked out. What a hit.
--Pats mixed up formations a lot. They used Vereen a lot both from the backfield and split out.