Hard to talk about any Patriots matchup with a Peyton Manning-led opponent without focusing on the battle of the QBs. It's Brady vs. Manning XIV, but instead of being on pay-per-view is free on NBC.

New England's veteran corner has been battling a groin issue while bouncing around the pass defense to cover up for injured teammates. Whether he's in the slot or on the outside, Arrington will have a talented target across the ball to deal with.

The guy brought in to replace Wes Welker won't actually face off with his predecessor, but his production will clearly be compared to what No. 83 is doing on the other side. It's one of the many great storylines of this matchup.

The Patriots need to get some pressure on an injured Peyton Manning. Jones is the most likely guy to be able to do that without New England having to resort to the blitz.

New England's replacement right tackle will see a lot of Broncos pass rushing outside linebacker Von Miller. Cannon must be up to the challenge to give Tom Brady time to attack a suspect pass defense.

He's in a different uniform, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback brings many of the same storylines with him to Foxborough as he has for more than a decade. Manning leads the game's best offense in a potential cold-weather shootout with Tom Brady. History in the making.

Tom Brady's former favorite target is now Denver's leading receiver. He caught 600-plus passes in his time in New England, but it will be interesting to see how he's received by the Gillette Stadium crowd as he looks to lead the Broncos to victory.

The pass rushing linebacker sat out six weeks to a suspension, but is back and making plays on the edge. Denver will look to pressure Tom Brady and Miller will be leading that charge.

Denver has a plethora of weapons at Peyton Manning's disposal. Thomas is the scariest of the bunch with the ability to beat a defense at any spot on the field and make big plays look easy.

In what could be a close game with a lot of points being score, Denver's diminutive return man could come up big. Holliday averages nearly 32 yards per kick return, including a 105-yard score, as well as 10 yards, with an 81-yard score, on punts.