Patriots vs. Broncos 2016 picks and predictions: New England is favored to return to the Super Bowl

Suffice to say, the results of that game are largely irrelevant to what will happen on the field Sunday.

It’s uncertain whether the Broncos will be any better with Manning under center instead of Osweiler. Manning had a woeful regular season, throwing the second-most interceptions in the league (17) despite only playing in 10 games. He didn’t turn the ball over against Pittsburgh in the Divisional round, but he didn’t throw any touchdown passes, either.

The Patriots will have their full complement of offensive weapons back, which means the top-ranked Denver defense will face a much stiffer challenge than it did in Week 11. Edelman caught 10 passes for 100 yards in his return last week and Gronkowski added seven catches for 83 yards and two scores.

With Edelman on the field this season, New England has converted more than 50 percent of its third downs. The Pats only converted 32 percent of their third downs when he was sidelined.

The difference was apparent in Brady, who rebounded after a sluggish end to the regular season. Brady completed 67 percent of his passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas City last weekend.

The Patriots’ defense promises to be in better shape than the last time it visited Denver, too. Hightower’s return to the lineup should be especially beneficial, considering the Broncos rushed for 179 yards on 32 carries.

Despite all of their injuries, the Patriots still owned a seven-point lead over the Broncos in the third quarter of their last matchup. Now that the Patriots are much healthier, they’re the favorites for Sunday.