Denver Broncos at New England Patriots
Kickoff 1/3/2027, 12:00:00 PM CST · Gillette Stadium
Group not verified / Group not verified · Week 17
Article published 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT · last material update 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT
Denver Broncos
18.9PROJECTION
New England Patriots
22.4Model projections are estimates. Forecast timestamp 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT · feature-data cutoff 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT. Verified stored season-to-date statistics; descriptive comparisons are separate from the original scoring-model feature window. Comparison snapshot 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT.
Official betting selection
Awaiting Odds
The model projection is available, but no eligible verified sportsbook offer has produced a locked official selection.
Team statistics & league rankings
Season-to-date comparison · ranks use covered teams within NFL · #1 is best for each metric.
| Metric | Denver Broncos | New England Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Points / game | 19.4#26 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 22.0#19 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Points allowed / game | 22.2#13 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 18.8#4 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Total yards / game | 291.8#31 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 354.0#17 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Yards allowed / game | 401.0#27 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 325.3#6 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Passing yards / game | 204.8#21 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 225.0#18 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Rushing yards / game | 81.3#29 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 117.8#11 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Yards / play | 5.01#28 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 5.57#23 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Yards allowed / play | 5.96#18 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 5.66#12 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Third-down conversion | 33.8%#27 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 37.5%#19 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Third-down conversion allowed | 45.2%#26 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 38.3%#13 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Turnovers / game | 1.25#13 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 2.50#31 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Takeaways / game | 1.00#18 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 1.25#13 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Offensive EPA / play | -0.077#24 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 0.045#10 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| EPA allowed / play | -0.035#14 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | -0.009#17 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Offensive success rate | 39.3%#27 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 44.4%#13 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Success rate allowed | 40.1%#6 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 41.8%#13 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Red-zone scoring rate | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Turnover differential / game | -0.25#18 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | -1.25#28 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Defensive sacks / game | 2.00#16 of 32 covered teams · 4 games | 2.00#16 of 32 covered teams · 4 games |
| Tackles for loss / game | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| Passing EPA / pass play | -0.052#23 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 0.099#12 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Rushing EPA / rush play | -0.113#22 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | -0.015#12 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Explosive-play rate | 6.6%#28 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 11.3%#6 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Sacks suffered / pass play | 3.5%#3 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 6.5%#17 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| QB hits / pass play | 9.4%#1 of 32 covered teams · 5 games | 14.8%#9 of 32 covered teams · 5 games |
| Adjusted strength of schedule | Unavailable | Unavailable |
Statistical advantages
New England Patriots has the higher observed scoring average: Denver Broncos scores 19.4 points per game and New England Patriots scores 22.0, a 2.6-point difference. These are unadjusted season averages, not an estimate of this game's winning margin.
Denver Broncos allows 22.2 points per game, compared with 18.8 for New England Patriots. New England Patriots has the stronger defensive scoring figure by 3.4 points per game. Opponent quality and game situations can affect this comparison; a better raw rank is not proof of a better adjusted defense.
Denver Broncos's offense produces 291.8 yards per game; New England Patriots's defense has conceded 325.3. The 33.5-yard difference compares two observed averages rather than predicting a yardage total. Denver Broncos averages 5.01 yards per play, which puts it #28 among 32 covered teams.
Key matchup factors
New England Patriots's offense produces 354.0 yards per game; Denver Broncos's defense has conceded 401.0. The 47.0-yard difference compares two observed averages rather than predicting a yardage total. New England Patriots averages 5.57 yards per play, which puts it #23 among 32 covered teams.
Explosive-play rate is another measurable difference: Denver Broncos records 6.6%, while New England Patriots records 11.3%. Higher is better for this metric. Compare the sample counts in the table before treating a difference as stable.
Offensive EPA / play is another measurable difference: Denver Broncos records -0.077, while New England Patriots records 0.045. Higher is better for this metric. Compare the sample counts in the table before treating a difference as stable.
The stored production forecast is Denver Broncos 18.9, New England Patriots 22.4. New England Patriots is projected to win by 3.5 points. SE v3.0 uses recent team and opponent profiles rather than just the full-season averages shown here. The NFL model includes home/away context; an independently attributable home-field point adjustment is not exposed for this game, so none is claimed.
Saved sportsbook observations
Spread unavailable
Total unavailable
Observed Not verified. Saved market observations can differ from the original locked betting line.
Final model assessment
New England Patriots is the projected winner in the original stored scoring forecast, with a 3.5-point margin and 41.3 combined points. The comparisons above describe the scoring, defensive and efficiency context for this matchup. The official selection, when published, remains the specific wager in the tracker.
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Definitions, coverage & original timestamps
Game ID nfl:2026_17_DEN_NE. Article creation is not the original prediction timestamp. Original forecast 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT; final stored pregame forecast 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT. Rates use summed observed numerators and denominators; game averages use games with that statistic. Rankings use competition ties within the covered league population. NFL data uses regular-season games. EPA / play uses observed PBP EPA counts; success means positive EPA. Explosive plays use the source aggregation’s 20-yard passing / 10-yard rushing thresholds. CFB red-zone scoring includes field goals and touchdowns; a different NFL red-zone rate is not substituted. Quarterback hit rate is a hit proxy, not a complete pressure rate. Missing adjusted strength of schedule, pressure rates or archived inputs remain unavailable.