How Peyton Manning and the Broncos upset the Patriots
— -- Here are the numbers you need to know from Sunday's AFC Championship Game, which saw the Broncos squeak by the Patriots in a tight game.
2.5: Broncos OLB Von Miller had 2.5 sacks and an interception on Sunday. He's only the second player since sacks became official in 1982 to do that in a playoff game. Garin Veris had 3.0 sacks and a pick in a 1985 wild-card game playing for ... the Patriots.
523: Entering Sunday, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski had made 523 consecutive extra points. That was by far the longest streak in the league until the first quarter, when Gostkowski sailed a PAT wide right. That point would loom large, as the Patriots were forced to go for two with 12 seconds remaining after scoring a TD to make the score 20-18. After New England's attempt failed, the Broncos had effectively punched their Super Bowl ticket.
2: Peyton Manning threw two touchdowns in the first 16 minutes of the game -- both of which went to TE Owen Daniels. Manning had thrown just one TD pass at home all season, while Daniels' two scores matched his total from his previous 13 games.
23: The Denver defense hit Tom Brady 23 times on Sunday. That was 11 more than his previous season high. Brady was 2-for-15 for 3 yards, a touchdown and an interception when pressured.
1: With the Patriots down eight in the fourth quarter and on the outskirts of the red zone, Bill Belichick decided to go for it on fourth-and-1. Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr. did not fall for New England's misdirection play call and stopped Julian Edelman short of the line to gain. The Patriots had converted their past five fourth-and-1 attempts prior to that play.
30: Broncos RB C.J. Anderson gained 30 yards on a third-and-1 play at the beginning of the second quarter. It was the fourth-longest run of Anderson's season, and it set up Denver for a field goal, which extended the Broncos' lead to eight.
120: The Patriots' two longest drives of the day were both in the fourth quarter and gained 120 combined yards. The one problem? New England didn't score a single point on either drive, as both were stalled by failed fourth-down attempts.
