Broncos Hold on for Win, Set up Manning V. Brady

12 Jan, 2014

Peyton Manning welcomed Wes Welker back into the lineup with a touchdown toss and the Denver Broncos narrowly avoided a repeat of their playoff slip from last year, advancing to the AFC championship game with a 24-17 win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

The Broncos (14-3) took a 17-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers then capitalized on an injury to cornerback Chris Harris Jr. to stage a comeback reminiscent of Baltimore’s shocking win at Denver exactly a year earlier.

This time, however, Manning rescued the Broncos from the brink of another crushing collapse and sent them into the title game for the first time in eight seasons.

They’ll host the New England Patriots (13-4) on Sunday.

Get ready for Brady vs. Manning once more.

Manning completed 25 of 36 passes for 230 yards and two TDs, numbers that weren’t quite up to the standards he set during a record-breaking regular season when he established new benchmarks with 55 TD throws and 5,447 yards through the air.

After gaining just 18 yards on the ground against San Diego last month, the Broncos ran for 133 yards, including 82 by Knowshon Moreno, whose 3-yard TD run put them ahead 24-7 with 8:12 left.

After that, things got interesting. Keenen Allen’s second TD from 16 yards out, pulled the Chargers to 24-14 with 5:43 left. San Diego then recovered and on sides kick and Nick Novak’s 30-yard field goal with 3:53 pulled the Chargers (10-8) to within a touchdown.

Novak followed with a pooch kick, and Trindon Holliday secured the ball at the Denver 27 with 3:51 left. Manning converted two third-down throws to tight end Julius Thomas, the first one a nifty 21-yarder on third-and-17 from his 20 and then a third-and-6 from his 45-yard line.

Then, on third-and-1, Moreno burst up the middle for 5 yards with a minute left and the offensive linemen high-fived each other.

All Manning had to do at that point was take a knee. Bring on New England.

AP

Image Christian Murdock 

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