FOXBORO — 

It goes on every week with every team in the NFL. A player goes down and someone shouts, “Man up.”

Injuries are an unwelcome, but grudgingly accepted part of football and no organization is immune to their potentially crippling consequences. But how the talent drain due to sprains, tears, twists, breaks and head shots is dealt with plays a crucial role in determining whether a season will be a success or failure.

The Patriots are 13-2 in large part because Tom Brady, who’s on the verge of becoming the third player in league history to throw for 5,000 yards in a season, has mostly remained upright. That he’s been able to do so despite multiple injuries to his pocket protectors can be directly traced to the universally acknowledged Patriot Way.

“I think there are probably a lot of places that may or may not have handled what we’ve had to go through up front as well,” said Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters, a 12th-year veteran and first-time Patriot. “I think that has to do a lot with the environment here. I think that has a lot to do with the way the organization has been built.

“Over the years you’ve seen a lot of players you’ve never heard of all of a sudden show up and do well and I think it has a lot to do with the way the coaches coach and the way the players take preparation seriously.

“I can definitely say I’ve been around places and been on different teams where a lot of people would have been in frantic or panic situations if they had to deal with some of the things we’ve had to deal with this year.”

At the middle of the medical madness has been the center position, which has dealt with more shuffling than a poker table at Foxwoods. Waters, the only one of the Patriots’ five starting offensive linemen with a chance to play in all 16 games, has lined up next to four different players.

Dan Koppen, who had been snapping for Brady since 2003, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1. Dan Connolly stepped in at center until he was injured and replaced by Ryan Wendell, who was in turn injured and replaced by Nick McDonald.

Three rather anonymous substitutes, all of whom were undrafted and former practice squad players — two of whom were previously cut by other teams — filled in and did what they were supposed to do with minimal disruption to one of the most complex and prolific offenses in the league.

The bar is set high in Foxboro, and it isn’t lowered for anyone.

“Nobody comes here with limited expectations of themselves because I don’t think that’s going to be allowed here,” Waters said before amending himself. “That’s definitely not allowed here.”

Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer has only been available for six games due to back and foot injuries. Left guard Logan Mankins, a four-time Pro Bowler, suffered a knee injury on Christmas Eve that is expected to sideline him until at least mid-January and left tackle Matt Light, a Pro Bowler last season, missed that game with an ankle injury.

The Patriots replaced that trio against the Dolphins with rookies Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon and journeyman Donald Thomas. And while things were a little rough for one half, the patchwork line ultimately solved its communication issues and allowed Brady to do his thing as the Patriots rallied for a 27-24 victory.

“Everyone knows going into a game that they have to be ready to play,” director of player personnel Nick Caserio said. “Whatever happens before the game, whether it’s a day before the game or the day of the game, there’s really not much you can do about it. We have a lot of confidence in the players that are active for the game, so the expectation is that they’re going to go out there and perform and do their jobs.”

Bill Belichick seconded the motion while pointing out if the coaches didn’t have confidence in the player, he wouldn’t be on the field. You might get called on to douse a fire around here, but you’ll never be thrown into one.

“If they’re out there, we have confidence in them,” Belichick said. “If they’re not out there, there’s either another player ahead of them or we’re not confident that they can go out there and do it. It’s as simple as that. We’re not going to put anybody out there on the field that we don’t have confidence in.”

That in-game trust is built in practice where the offensive line is overseen by one of the best positional coaches in the league.

The Foxboro Faithful are quick to question the credentials of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and wonder if Matt Patricia is fit to be defensive coordinator — de facto or otherwise. But when it comes to Dante Scarnecchia, there are no such concerns.

“He does a hell of a job,” O’Brien said of the 63-year-old, no-nonsense assistant who has worked in the NFL since 1982, all but two of the years with the Patriots.

“I can’t say enough about Dante,” Brady said last week during his weekly paid appearance on WEEI. “His leadership at that position. He really handles the offensive line and coaches those guys extremely hard and he expects nothing less than their best every single day in practice and obviously in the game. I think you really see that.”

It all seems so seamlessly simple, but it isn’t. Just ask the 2-13 Rams or 6-9 Bills, both of whom have missed three-fifths of their starting offensive line for much of a season in which they ended up floundering after no one answered the call to “Man up.”

Patriots outside linebacker Rob Ninkovich (50) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) on fourth down in the 4th quarter. (Staff photo by Keith Nordstrom)

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DENVER (AP) – Not this time, Tim Tebow.

Not with Tom Brady on hand.

Brady threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and the New England Patriots shut down Tebow’s late-game heroics and clinched a playoff berth with a 41-23 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

“It was a really good day for us,” Brady said. “Very emotional game. It was really rocking early. We showed some mental toughness.”

The Patriots (11-3) won their sixth straight game and another AFC East title by bouncing back from an early 17-6 deficit and an awful first quarter in which they were outgained on the ground 167 yards to 4.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws under pressure from Broncos outside linebacker D.J. Williams. (Staff photo by Keith Nordstrom)

This time, there was no last-minute magic from Tebow, who had guided the Broncos (8-6) to four straight fourth-quarter comebacks and six straight wins.

Instead of another slow start followed by a fantastic finish, the Broncos started fast and then fizzled.

They scored on their first three possessions and then were done in by a trio of turnovers in the final 81/2 minutes of the second quarter.

“We did have things going pretty well early, scored on the first three possessions and felt like we were moving the ball good and then we put it on the ground,” Tebow said. “That’s something you can’t do against a great team and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

“Besides that, we were right there with them.”

Champ Bailey had said the Broncos needed a big game against a big QB to prove to themselves and others that they were not just a curiosity but a contender.

They didn’t get it on this day.

“We showed today that we’re not ready to go to the playoffs and make a push,” Bailey said. “We’ve got to get better and we only have two or three weeks to do it. If we don’t, then we’ll be sitting home.”

For a sixth straight season.

With their first loss since Oct. 30, the AFC West-leading Broncos face a tougher path to the playoffs, with a trip to Buffalo next week followed by a season finale against Kansas City, which ended Green Bay’s 19-game winning streak Sunday behind Kyle Orton, the player Tebow replaced in Denver.

“I definitely feel like we’re all right,” said Tebow, now 7-2 as Denver’s starter.

He threw for 194 yards and ran for 93 yards and two scores but was sacked four times, including a 28-yard loss in the fourth quarter.

“I thought he improved,” coach John Fox said. “He’ll continue to improve. This was a setback, no doubt about that. But sometimes setbacks are setups for bigger things to come.”

After all, the last time Tebow lost, to Detroit on Oct. 30, he was put on notice that his starting job was a week-to-week proposition, and Tebow won his next six starts.

The one thing Tebow and the Broncos haven’t been able to do is keep up with the league’s elite passers. Denver has faced four QBs currently ranked in the top-10 in yards passing – Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers (twice) and Brady. They’re 1-4 in those games.

Asked if Tebow & Co. can keep up with the league’s top passers if they make it into the playoffs, Fox said: “I can’t predict that. He’s gotten better every week. Six or seven weeks ago, people said he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. He does that. I think he can do that. I don’t think that was why we lost the game tonight.”

Brady was.

“He’s still the best out there, in my opinion,” Bailey said. “And you make mistakes against a guy like that, he’s going to make you pay. That’s pretty much what happened all day.”

Safety Brian Dawkins missed the game with a neck injury and the Broncos missed him as they had to rely on rookies Quinton Carter and Raheem Moore.

“You can’t expect to get the same results when you lose a guy like that,” Bailey said. “But, at the same time, guys have to step up as professionals. You can’t play like that and expect to get wins.”

Brady was 23 of 34, including his first scoring toss to Chad Ochocinco. His TD run was his first of the year.

Brady made up for another bad day by the Patriots’ defense to beat the Broncos for the second time in eight career starts – the only team with a winning record against the three-time Super Bowl champion.

The Broncos’ 167 yards rushing in the first quarter – 11 more than their league-leading per-game average – represented the biggest output in any quarter of the Belichick era in New England.

But they would manage just 85 more.

After the Patriots fell behind 16-7, they went to the no-huddle and Brady threw a 1-yard TD strike to Aaron Hernandez, who set career highs with nine catches for 129 yards.

The Broncos’ ball-control offense stumbled after that.

Lance Ball, who earlier scored his first TD in the NFL on a beautiful 32-yard scamper, fumbled at his own 19 and linebacker Rob Ninkovich recovered, leading to Stephen Gostkowski’s 21-yard field goal put the Patriots up for good at 17-16.

Then, defensive end Mark Anderson, subbing for Andre Carter, who seriously injured his left knee earlier in the game, forced and recovered a fumble by Tebow at the Broncos 40. Six plays later, Brady took it in himself from a yard out to make it 24-16.

Brady celebrated his eighth career TD with a masterful spike.

“I don’t get in the end zone very often,” Brady said. “Maybe once a season. So, when I do I get pretty excited.”

The Broncos’ bumbling ways – which included a bad snap on an extra point attempt – continued when punt returner Quan Cosby tried to field a punt on the run and muffed it with three seconds left.

Dane Fletcher recovered for New England and Gostkowski trotted out for a 34-yard field goal to make it 27-16 at halftime.

Tebow’s 2-yard keeper with 8:41 left pulled the Broncos to 34-23 and had the crowd thinking comeback again, but Brady led the Patriots on another 80-yard scoring drive, this one culminating in BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 1-yard TD run.

“The more we fight, the better this team gets,” defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. “We knew they were going to come out fighting. They were going to come out fast and explosive. Our main goal was to weather the storm.”

Notes: The Patriots qualified for the playoffs for the 13th time since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994. … The Broncos haven’t won seven straight since 1998. … New England hadn’t won in Denver since 2003. … Brady’s last TD run was Nov. 14, 2010, at Pittsburgh.

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DENVER – Both ends of the quarterback spectrum collide Sunday when the New England Patriots visit the Denver Broncos with Tom Brady and Tim Tebow squaring off in a matchup of quintessential versus quirky QBs.

“Everybody’s looking forward to the Brady and Tebow matchup,” Broncos linebacker Joe Mays said of the two men who will be on the field together only for pre-game warm-ups and post-game handshakes.

The two popular players have little in common except a propensity to captivate the league, deliver in the clutch and win in the end.

Despite a suspect secondary and a series of second-half collapses, the AFC East-leading Patriots (10-3) are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth because of Brady’s prolific passing attack featuring Rob Gronkowski with 15 TDs, an NFL record for tight ends, and Wes Welker, who already had 100 catches.

Turning slow starts into fantastic finishes, the AFC West-leading Broncos (8-5) have won seven of eight since Tebow took over as their starter. He’s come through with five fourth-quarter comebacks by almost magically changing from struggling scrambler and imperfect passer into clutch performer in crunch time.

The Patriots have topped 30 points 10 times, the Broncos have managed 18, 10, 17, 17, 16 and 13, yet won five of those games with a recipe of dominant defence, spectacular special teams and Tebow.

Aside from a blowout loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers when Kyle Orton was still their starter, the Broncos, who are hurting in the secondary with safety Brian Dawkins (neck) and cornerback Andre’ Goodman (concussion) recuperating, haven’t faced a team like the Patriots or a quarterback like Brady.

“He’s mastered so many things about the quarterback position,” Tebow said. “Footwork and accuracy, and he’s also been blessed with good players around him, but he’s still been one of the best in the league for a long time.

“He’s someone that I’ve watched and seen probably thousands of cut-ups of him. He does a lot of things very well, very cerebral and understands the game very well. For a young quarterback like myself, he’s definitely someone to look up to and learn from, what he does well and try to implement that in my game.”

Brady and his teammates watched the end of last week’s Broncos’ win over Chicago while they were flying home from Washington, D.C. on Sunday, and they came away impressed by Tebow, who was bullied by the Bears, completing 3-of-16 passes for 45 yards through three quarters before connecting on 18-of-24 throws for 191 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“I appreciate good quarterback play,” Brady said. “I’m always watching around the league, whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees having phenomenal years. Obviously, Tim is having a great year. You watch guys and the way that they perform under pressure and it says a lot about who they are and the way their teammates feel about them.

“It’s a big challenge. It’s going to be a very electric environment out there. We’ve had some really great games against the Broncos over the years. I’m sure this will be no different.”

The prolific Patriots would love to score early and often to keep Tebow from even having the chance to work his last-minute magic on them.

The Broncos are intent on starting faster. In the first half, they’ve scored six times in 49 drives behind Tebow. In crunch time, he’s engineered scoring drives 16 times in 28 possessions.

“For some strange reason we come out slow and sluggish,” Broncos running back Willis McGahee said. “… then we get the train moving.”

Through the first three quarters, Tebow has completed 39 per cent of his passes for 520 yards with a passer rating of 65.1.

In the fourth quarter and overtime, he looks like, well, Brady, with a 61 per cent completion rate, 770 yards through the air and a passer rating of 107.9 — about Brady’s overall rating.

Tebow also has 517 yards on 94 keepers, an average of 5.5 yards a carry. Against San Diego last month, Tebow ran 22 times, six fewer carries than Brady’s had all season.

“He obviously has a skill set as a quarterback that not many have,” Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich said. “But he’s a great quarterback and his team follows him just like we follow Tom.”

Tebow is breaking the mould that Brady and others have built as a pocket passer, showing there’s more than one way to win in today’s pass-happy NFL.

“I think everybody has strengths and weaknesses at every position,” Brady said. “As a quarterback, you try to play to your strengths. I think that’s what we all try to do.”

Tebow isn’t just unorthodox in his athleticism but in his approach.

Wired with a microphone as part of NFL Films’ “Sound Effects,” last Sunday, Tebow showed a remarkable poise under pressure. When Elvis Dumervil recovered Marion Barber’s fumble in overtime and the Broncos’ sideline went wild, Tebow calmly trotted out to the field singing a hymn.

“I’m not exactly sure what song I was singing, maybe ‘Our God is an awesome God,’” Tebow said. “I know I was singing that one a little bit. It was in my head from the car.”

With the Broncos foundering early on again, Tebow’s position coach Adam Gase asks, “Why do we have to do it this way?” Tebow puts his right hand on Gase’s shoulder, smiles and says, “It’s all right. We’ll figure it out, man.”

Demaryius Thomas sat bummed out on the bench after letting a long touchdown toss slip through his hands at another point. Tebow puts his arm around him and says, “You’re good. Hey, no big deal. It just makes it closer for a little bit longer. You’re about to catch the game-winner. And then you’ll be the hero of the game.”

The latest image fans have of Brady, on the other hand, is his sideline screaming match with offensive co-ordinator Bill O’Brien at Washington following his first interception in more than a month.

“We’re both pretty emotional guys,” Brady said after the game.

That bad pass notwithstanding, Brady is once again at the top of his game with 33 TD passes and 11 interceptions.

“Everything that he does, he does well,” said Welker. “Accuracy, getting us in the right play, understanding what the defence is trying to do and putting us in good situations. It just continually gets better.”

While Brady has the pedigree as a pro with two MVP trophies and three Super Bowl rings, he didn’t enter the league with nearly as much fanfare or scrutiny as Tebow, the raw thrower but two-time national champion and Heisman Trophy winner from Florida who’s considered by many the best combination college quarterback ever.

Tebow was a first-round pick, taken 25th overall. Brady was the 199th player selected in 2000 — yet, he owns the best record for any quarterback in the Super Bowl era with a 121-35 regular season mark.

“He didn’t come in this league with a silver spoon, so to speak,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “And he’s mastered his trade.”

Like Tebow, Brady had his own doubters, waiting until the sixth round to hear his name called on draft day.

“I think you just really have confidence in yourself that you can achieve whatever you think you can achieve,” Brady said, “and then you try to work hard at it, and then when you get your opportunity you try to take advantage of it.

“… Not everyone is a high pick or not everyone gets a lot of chances right out of the box, but when you do get your opportunity, you really try to take advantage of your opportunity and do your best and give everything you have.”

Tebow has, and he’s winning at a .727 clip to Brady’s .776 mark. He’s thrown 11 TD passes and two interceptions.

“He’s a winner,” said Patriots cornerback Antwaun Molden, who was with Houston last year when the Texans lost 24-23 to the Broncos in what was Tebow’s first career fourth-quarter comeback.

“Be alert. Every play he can hurt you,” Molden said of the lessons he learned that day. “Some say he can’t pass. … The guy can pass. And he can also run. He’s more accurate than what people think.”

Tebow topped 300 yards that day, something Brady’s done 42 times in his career.

What Brady hasn’t done much of is beat Denver. The Broncos are his bugaboo. At 5-1, they’re the only team with a winning record against him.

Still, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey said Brady is the ultimate test for this bunch of Broncos.

“He’s one of the best ever, and I think a lot of people want to find out who’s going to be the next guy,” Bailey said. “But he always reminds everybody who’s still the best.”

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AP Sports Writer Howard Ulman contributed to this report

The New England Patriots travel to Denver to face off with the Broncos on Sunday. The Patriots will attempt to extend their current five-game winning streak; with a high powered offense that has had to offset their defensive deficiencies thus far. New England head coach Bill Belichick will look to improve on his 3-6 record against the Broncos; as Denver looks to add yet another victory in their march for an improbable AFC West title.

Not only will Bill Belichick have to game plan for the traditional high altitude in Denver, but also the heightened optimism of Broncos’s fans; as “Tebow fever” has a stranglehold on the region. Thoughts of a division title were foreign in Denver back in October; with the Broncos possessing a 1-4 record heading into the team’s bye week. At that moment, head coach John Fox made a decision that would change the team’s fortunes the rest of the way; inserting second-year quarterback Tim Tebow for struggling incumbent starter Kyle Orton.

Since the quarterback change, the Broncos have won seven of eight games; including six dramatic come-from-behind wins led by the spirited efforts of Tebow. The former Florida Gator and Heisman Award winning quarterback has transformed the city of Denver and the league into believers; in spite of an unorthodox throwing motion and less traditional physical running style that has not hampered his, nor the team’s success.

The passing statistics do not begin to demonstrate Tim Tebow’s contributions on the field. While Tebow has completed only 48.5 percent of his passes and 117.3 yards per game, his athleticism and physical running ability has more than compensated for the passing deficiency. With an option offense in Denver tailored to Tebow’s strengths, the lefty as he has amassed 517 rushing years this season; supplementing the NFL’s top-rated rushing offense. Broncos running back Willis McGahee is on pace for his first 1,000 yard season since 2007 with the Baltimore Ravens.

Encountering Denver’s option offense will be a first for the Patriots under Bill Belichick; which presents challenges in itself. The Patriots have struggled in the past when encountering new and unconventional offensive schemes for the first time. Back in 2008, the Miami Dolphins exploited the new “wildcat” offense to shock New England 38-13 in their first meeting. several weeks later, Belichick was able to adjust and respond to the latest offensive fad by routing Miami 48-28. Belichick will not have the luxury of prior experience against an option quarterback that has had success at the professional level.

Tebow’s pedestrian 83.9 quarterback rating is also deceptive; as his performance in the fourth quarter in overtime more than makes up for his early game struggles. Tebow’s possesses a fourth quarter passer rating of 107.9 as compared to a 65.1 rating through the first three quarters of his games this season.

The Patriots’ defensive secondary has been porous for most of the season and has contributed to opposing quarterbacks having season-best performances. Chad Henne, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jason Campbell, Ben Roethlisberger, Vince Young and Dan Orlovsky comprise a lengthy list of quarterbacks who all passed for more yards against the Patriots than any other opponent this year.

The defensively challenged Patriots secondary continues to struggle with injuries as well. Patrick Chung has missed the past five games due to a foot injury; while Devin McCourty and James Ihedigbo struggled through injuries in last Sunday’s narrow victory against the Washington Redskins.

The recent string of success in Denver cannot be solely attributed to the offense, as the defense has become stout and keps games close enough for the late game comebacks to happen. Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil have combined to register 20 sacks for the Broncos this year; while also holding opponents to an average of 16.7 points in their last seven victories. The front seven of the Denver defense will look to apply pressure on Brady in hopes of forcing turnovers.

How the Patriots’ defense can control and corral the league’s latest phenomenon will go a long way in determining the outcome of Sunday’s contest. Getting out to an early lead is no guarantee that the Patriots will win easily; as Tebow continues to demonstrate with his late game heroics. The general belief in Denver is that the team is now a team of destiny. Whether destiny is realized will all be resolved in the thin air of the mile high city.

Scott Duhaime is a fan and follower of the New England Patriots for over 30 years, witnessing the team’s ascent from league irrelevance to among the league’s elite franchises. His professional career includes a solid foundation of analytics that contributes to a better appreciation of player and team contributions.

Sources:

Yahoo! Sports New England Patriots roster, boxscores, and player statistics

Yahoo! Sports Denver Broncos roster, boxscores, and player statistics

Yahoo! Sports New England Patriots team report

Yahoo! Sports Denver Broncos team report

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FOXBORO (AP) — The New England Patriots aren’t certain whether Michael Vick or Vince Young will be playing quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, though: LeSean McCoy will be in the backfield, and that’s enough to get the attention of the defense.

“This is by far the most elusive back that we’ve been against so far this season,” Patriots defensive end Andre Carter said. “Looking at film, it looks like he’ll lose yards to gain yards, then those are the tackles on a running back that you hate.

“Just as a defense, we always mention just kind of swarming and gang tackling, and that’s what it’s going to take for four quarters.”

Vick, whose sensational season in 2010 led to the Eagles (4-6) signing him to a lucrative long-term contract, has two broken ribs and missed last week’s win against the New York Giants. He has yet to practice any drills this week and is questionable on the Eagles’ injury report.

Young could make his second start of the season after stepping in last week and leading the Eagles to a 17-10 victory, perhaps a pivotal win that kept their playoff dreams alive.

Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said Young has taken all the reps with the first-team offense in Vick’s absence this week.

Young might not be as versatile as Vick, but both are effective as runners.

Combine that with McCoy, who has scored a rushing or receiving touchdown in nine of the Eagles’ 10 games this season, and the

New England defense is in for a test.

“Speed, that’s all I can really tell you,” Patriots defensive tackle Kyle Love said. “Speed kills. In this league, it definitely kills.”

Despite the Patriots (7-3) having the worst pass defense in the league, allowing just shy of 300 yards a game, they expect a heavy dose of McCoy on Sunday.

And with good reason.

A dual threat to run or catch the ball out of the backfield since his rookie season in 2009, McCoy is the lone running back in the league this season to have already eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing while guiding the league’s top-ranked rushing attack at 168.0 yards per game.

“He scores a lot of touchdowns, he’s a great player,” New England linebacker and defensive captain Jerod Mayo said. “He’s never down until multiple people tackle him. He’s a threat out of the backfield to catch the ball as well, so he’s a great threat to the whole defense.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick thinks McCoy might even be better than former Philadelphia running back Brian Westbrook.

“This guy is pretty good,” Belichick said. “I’d say he’s quicker than Westbrook. Westbrook might be a little stronger, I don’t know. This guy is a handful now.

“You don’t see really anybody tackle him one-on-one. You need a group of guys around him. He gets hemmed in and then he gets out of it. He’s got some running strength, too. He gets through the line. Guys get a shot at him and he’s able to run through them.”

While McCoy is on pace for a career high in yards, just 61 shy of his career best set last season with 1,080, and already has nearly as many rushing touchdowns (10) as his first two years combined (11), his receiving has tapered off a bit.

With 34 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns this season, he is well off his league-best reception total for a running back last season when he had 78 catches.

That drop-off means nothing to the Patriots.

“Anytime you get a guy like that, everybody has to be at the point of attack,” Love said. “And if you’re not at the point of attack, you’re burned.”

Carter knows that all too well after spending five seasons with the Washington Redskins, who play the Eagles twice a season. He is well aware of what players such as Westbrook and McCoy bring to an offense.

“We always just talk about gap control, playing physical, being consistent, making sure we have a strong seven-man front and just kind of continue on there,” he said. “If somebody misses, somebody else will come in and rally. I think, so far, we’ve been consistent.

“Don’t get me wrong; there’s been a few plays where we know we have to tackle better. It happens every game, you just got to go get ‘em.”

The defense also will try to force turnovers against McCoy. However, he has no fumbles in 188 attempts this season and only three in 550 career carries.

“Anytime you got a guy that’s loose with the ball, you’ve got to have an emphasis on getting to him and getting the ball out of him,” Love said. “We’ll try to do that on him or anybody else who has the ball on them. Anytime you see that, you have to get the ball.”