New England Patriots Julian Edelman Will Exploit Injured Chris Harris Jr.
The New England Patriots should be able to exploit Denver Broncos’ injured CB Chris Harris Jr. with Julian Edelman in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
It was always going to come down to this. The New England Patriots will travel west to take on the Denver Broncos for a trip to the Super Bowl up for grabs. On paper, the struggles of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning seem unlikely for Denver to be able to overcome against the Patriots, but Tom Brady‘s career 2-6 record at Denver gives us plenty of reason to believe this will be a close contest.
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Brady and the Patriots have always struggled on the road in Denver, including going 0-2 there in the post season and a 24-30 loss earlier this season. Those things may have little to do with this specific game, but playing in Denver has clearly been a problem for recent Patriots’ teams.
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As far as game match-ups go, the Patriots appear to be in great shape. The Broncos’ defense is great, but the return of Julian Edelman last week has seemed to get the Patriots’ offense right back on track.
Defensively, the Patriots appear to have a significant advantage over against a limited Manning and the Broncos’ offense. If the Patriots can put up 21 or more points, I have a hard time believing the Broncos will be able to match that. Brady and company being able to put up consistent production against Denver’s elite defense will be the key to this game.
The Broncos’ defense is great, and will undoubtedly give the Patriots issues at times, but with Edelman and Rob Gronkowski at his disposal, I’m not sure if anyone can really stop Brady and the Patriots. Edelman in particular will continue to be the key for New England’s offense, especially considering the injury to Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
Harris is one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL, and is a particularly valuable weapon against New England. Harris is a versatile defender who has success defending both the outside receivers and in the slot. With Edelman being such an important part of the Patriots’ attack and lining up all over the field, Harris’ natural speed and quickness, along with his ability to defend on the outside and in the slot is especially key for Denver.
Unfortunately, for the Mile High supporters, Harris is dealing with a serious shoulder injury that will at least be limited on Sunday. Harris has been listed as a full participant in practice this week, but the shoulder injury clearly bothered him last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harris continually had to leave the field with his shoulder obviously bothering him.
After last week’s game, Harris even admitted that his injury is a major issue, and he will be limited for the rest of the season.
Chris Harris said he wasn't himself. Said moving forward Roby is going to play the majority of the snaps. Said shoulder way worse than Ben's
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 18, 2016
Harris will likely suit up against the Patriots, but it is fair to wonder how much he will play, and how effective he will be. Whenever Harris can’t go, Bradley Roby will have to step in for him. Roby has shown some flashes, but he has typically been a liability in coverage.
Brady will undoubtedly pick on Roby when he is in the game, and considering he may end up being the primary defender on Edelman, that could bring serious trouble for the Broncos.
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Harris’ health is arguably the most important story to watch throughout this game. If he is healthy and able to hold Edelman in check, the short passing game may not be there for Brady. As we saw late in the regular season without Edelman on the field, that can become a serious issue for the Patriots’ offense.
The Broncos’ defense is loaded, and could realistically keep the Patriots in check with a healthy Harris. However, if their star corner is not himself, Edelman seems primed to have a fantastic game. As Edelman goes, so do the Patriots, and if he is having consistent success on Sunday, I have a hard time believing the Broncos can defeat the Patriots.
The health of Harris is the story to watch heading into and during the game on Sunday.