If choosing one team the Patriots should avoid if possible, the view from here is that it’s the 8-3 Broncos, solely because of the “Peyton Manning Factor.” Yes, the Patriots beat the Broncos on Oct. 7 (and thus win any potential head-to-head tiebreaker), but Denver is a different team now and with Manning anything is possible. They have a softer schedule down the homestretch as well.