Broncos Start Slinging Mud At Patriots

A couple of defensive players for the Denver Broncos have taken it upon themselves to stir up some controversy by running their mouths about key New England Patriots, heading into the AFC Championship game this Sunday. 

First came comments by Denver starting linebacker Brandon Marshall on Monday. When asked about what makes New England tight end Rob Gronkowski such a hard player to cover, Marshall took the low road, saying that the All-Pro pushes off "about 98 percent of the time."

The tune didn't change much when Broncos' defensive end Antonio Smith stepped up to the mic Tuesday. A reporter ask Smith if the Broncos view Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady as a crybaby, for pleading with officials for flags during games.

Unlike Marshall, Smith acknowledged Brady's competitive nature and refusal to back down. The defensive end did throw shade at the future Hall-of-Famer, however, saying that every time Brady gets sacked he looks to the officials for a call and that the crybaby statement would be "an accurate statement."

Now it's unclear what Marshall and Smith are trying to do by making these comments. While they might have a special motive in mind, one thing is for sure. These dumb comments will be added to the Patriots' bulletin board, as head coach Bill Belichick will surely use them to help get the team's mind set on playing their best possible game.

Maybe someone should inform the rest of the Broncos that when teams spend their week of prep slandering the Pats things don't usually go so well for them. Maybe more prep and less talk could help them find a solution for this healthy Patriot offense that just hung 27 on one of the league's top defenses.