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S.I. Jinx-Schminx. Stats-schmats. Win — Win is what this team does and I had to get a post off tonight because I can’t wait to read the papers tomorrow and see what writers are jumping on the bandwagon now.

A helping of Crow should be served around town for the non-believers and I’ll be the first at the plate with my prediction early on. It a good thing I’m typing because it’s not polite to talk with your mouth full of bird. ) Mumble-mumble.

My hats off to Coach McDaniels and I had a HUGE smile on my face when he did a little fist waving at the end of the game … still have that smile writing this. Beating your mentor really means a lot and he handled it with class and a little fun for the fans … thanks coach. CONGRATS.

ORTON, wazuuuuuuuuupppppp????? Wow, bro, you were on fire and without the glove. Heard the stats but don’t remember them and don’t care. Brady lookalike. And you didn’t even let him back on the field for OT… HA!!! LOVE IT!!!!

HOT-HOT-HOT!!! I thought the the penalties would be our downfall, but not these guys. Fight and fight and fight till the end.

I know you Coop-blogsters are ready to roll SO WHAT DID YOU THINK??? WOW!! 5-0.

Bring it Rivers.

Q3 – 15:00: After deferring to the second half on the opening coin toss, the Patriots will get the first second-half possession.

Q3 – 14:54: Matt Prater’s kickoff is taken by Julian Edelman at the 3-yard line. He returns it 23 yards to the 26-yard line, and that’s where the Patriots will take over.

Q3 – 14:48: Tom Brady looked for Wes Welker in 1-on-1 coverage against Champ Bailey. The ball was tipped into Bailey’s arms, but he couldn’t corral the catch. Brady finds a cutting Ben Watson on second down, who is dragged down by Andra Davis after a 6-yard gain. Brady lines up in the shotgun on third down, and finds Randy Moss streaking toward the right sideline. The ball goes off Moss’ fingertips and he is shoved out of bounds by Brian Dawkins. Chris Hanson is in to punt.

Q3 – 13:54: Eddie Royal calls for a fair catch at his own 28-yard line. The Broncos will take over at that spot.

Q3 – 12:58: Lining up with two tight ends, Kyle Orton hands off to Knowshon Moreno for a 2-yard gain. Moreno lines up in the wildcat on second down, before Orton comes back behind center. He goes play action and finds Tony Scheffler on a slant left for 12 yards and a first down.

Q3 – 12:03: With lots of time to throw, but good coverage from the Patriots, Orton finds Moreno on a 5-yard dump off over the middle. Moreno comes back on second down, running up the middle for a first down. But offsetting penalties — holding by Chris Kuper and 12 men on the field by the Patriots — cause a replay of the down. Orton comes back to find Daniel Graham over the middle. He fights past one defender before Shawn Springs brings him down. The 10-yard gain gives the Broncos a first down in Boston territory.

Q3 – 10:39: Brandon Marshall takes a double reverse around the left side, picking up six yards on first down. Orton goes play action on second down, firing incomplete to Scheffler. Offsetting holding penalties by Daniel Graham and Brandon McGowan cause a replay of second down.

Q3 – 10:34: Moreno takes the first down carry, drawing another yellow flag from the officials. A holding penalty on Ben Hamilton backs the Broncos up into a 2nd and 13 from the Boston 47-yard line.

Q3 – 9:33: After an incomplete pass to Royal, Orton was backed into a third and long. He fired over the middle of the field, where his pass was tipped by two Patriots. But Jabar Gaffney found a free patch of space and corralled it for 14 yards and a first down.

Q3 – 9:02: With a new set of downs, Orton found Graham rumbling downfield. He stiffarms Brandon Meriweather for an 18-yard gain and a first down at the Boston 15-yard line.

Q3 – 8:18: Moreno lines up in the wildcat on first down, bursting upfield into a Patriot pile for two yards. Orton comes back on second down with a quick slant to Royal, who lunges toward the first-down marker. The officials give him a favorable spot, but he is still a chain link short.

Q3 – 7:22: Facing 3rd and 1 from the Patriots’ 6-yard line, the Broncos come out in a four wide set. Orton hands to Moreno, but Vince Wilfork grabs him by the ankles for no gain. Prater comes in to attempt a 24-yard field goal and hits it. Patriots 17, Broncos 10

Q3 – 7:12: Edelman returns Prater’s kickoff for 32 yards. The Patriots will start at their own 34-yard line.

Q3 – 6:05: With three wide and Maroney as the lone setback, Brady goes to his back, who picks up five yards on first down. Back in the pocket on second down, Brady goes play action to Maroney and finds Randy Moss for a 36 yard reception. Brian Dawkins is called for illegal contact, but the penalty is declined, setting up 1st and 10 for the Patriots at the Broncos’ 25-yard line.

Q3 – 5:20: After a 3-yard gain by Maroney on first down, his wide receiver screen to Sammy Morris went incomplete. With a third-and-long from the 22-yard line, Brady went to Welker, but the low throw hit the turf. Stephen Gostkowski is on to attempt a 39-yard field goal.

Q3 – 5:15: Gostkowski’s attempt flies wide left, edging the tip of the red flag on the top of the post. The Broncos will take over on downs at their own 30-yard line.

Q3 – 4:09: Sporting three wide receivers on first down, Orton’s pass for Jabar Gaffney is broken up by Leigh Bodden. Working out of the shotgun on second down, Orton takes a three step drop and finds Graham over the middle for a six-yard gain. With four wide on third down and Moreno in as a lone setback, Orton completes to Gaffney on a quick out for six yards and a first down.

Q3 – 3:45: With LaMont Jordan lined up in the wildcat, Orton comes back under center and finds Tony Scheffler in the flat for 12 yards and another first down.

Q3 – 1:23: In Boston territory at the 46-yard line, Jordan picks up four yards on a first-down handoff. He cuts off right guard on second down, leaning forward for another three yards. Moreno comes back in on third down for the handoff, but he is stopped short by Tully Banta-Cain. The three-yard loss brings in Brett Kern to punt. His kick is downed by Darcel McBath at the 4-yard line, and Boston will take over from that spot.

Q3 – 0:31: Brady comes out in the shotgun, and looks for Randy Moss in the left slot. His throw goes long, and is incomplete. Again out of the shotgun, Brady fires right for a wide receiver screen to Wes Welker. Brian Dawkins sniffs it out, holding him to a six-yard gain. Back in the pocket, Brady looks for Welker over the middle but fires incomplete, with Renaldo Hill in coverage. Chris Hanson is in to punt.

Q3 – 0:00: Darrell Reid is called for running into the kicker, resulting in a Patriots first down. Brady hands to Sammy Morris on first down from his 15-yard line, resulting in no gain and the end of the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

Q4 – 15:00: The two teams switch ends, with Brady sporting five wide receivers out of the shotgun. He hits Welker over the middle of the field, who weaves between D.J. and Jack Williams for a 12-yard gain and Patriots first down.

Q4 – 12:50: Boston’s starting left tackle, Matt Light, is helped off the field with an injury. He is replaced by Sebastian Vollmer. Brady gives a draw to Kevin Faulk, who is tripped up by D.J. Williams after a 4-yard gain. Sammy Morris takes a sweep right, before being stopped by Vonnie Holliday. The 3-yard gain sets up 3rd and 3 from the 33-yard line. Brady gives the draw to Faulk, but a team of Holliday, Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers stop him after a 1-yard gain. Chris Hanson comes in to punt.

Q4 – 12:30: Richard Quinn is called for a neutral-zone infraction on the punt, giving the Patriots another set of new downs.

Q4 – 10:17: A pair of Sammy Morris runs combine for 10 yards, giving Boston another first down near midfield. Morris takes another carry, but is stopped after a short gain by Brian Dawkins. Facing 2nd and 7, Brady lines up in the shotgun with trips right. He has tons of time to throw and goes for the end zone, but Dawkins breaks it up. With an important third down upcoming, Boston burns its first timeout of the second half.

Q4 – 10:10: Brady looks for Welker, but Champ Bailey tips it up in the air. The ball goes off Welker, then off Bailey, before hitting the turf. Hanson is in to punt.

Q4 – 9:59: Boston WR Matthew Slater pins the Broncos deep at their own 2-yard line. Two Boston injury updates: T Matt Light (knee) is questionable to return and TE Ben Watson (head) is questionable to return.

Q4 – 9:35: From near the back of his own end zone, Orton fires incomplete to Knowshon Moreno in the left flat. He recovers on second down, finding a crossing Jabar Gaffney for 14 yards and a first down.

Q4 – 9:15:Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick pulls the red flag out to challenge, but the ruling was that Gaffney’s forward progress is stopped. That is not a reviewable circumstance, negating the Boston challenge.

Q4 – 8:09: Moreno takes the first down carry five yards up the middle. Facing intense pressure on second down, Orton rolls right and finds an open Eddie Royal for 11 yards and a first down.

Q4 – 7:25: Orton goes back to Royal on the ensuing play, but Boston CB Shawn Springs blankets him, resulting in an incomplete pass. Out of the shotgun on second down, Orton sets up a screen to Moreno. With blockers in front of him, the rookie rumbles 27 yards into Patriots territory at the 42-yard line.

Q4 – 6:12: Orton keeps the offense moving, finding Royal in the left flat for a 7-yard gain. On 2nd and short, he goes back to the left side, but Tully Banta-Cain bats it down at the line of scrimmage. With four wide on 3rd and short, Orton finds Royal in tight coverage on the left side for a first down at the Boston 29-yard line.

Q4 – 5:27: Moreno brings a change of pace on first down, weaving through the middle for a 7-yard run. Orton looks to Royal on the left sideline on second down, but the ball sails long. Brandon Meriweather laid a hard hit on the receiver drawing flags from the officials. Meriweather was flagged with a taunting penalty, and the half-the-distance-to-the-goal call brings the Broncos to the Boston 11-yard line.

Q4 – 5:21: Out of the pocket, Orton throws a quick slant left to Brandon Marshall. He jams the cornerback at the 4-yard line and lunges into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. Prater nails the extra point. Broncos 17, Patriots 17

Q4 – 5:15: Julian Edelman takes the Prater kickoff at the 6-yard line and returns it to the 21-yard line. That’s where Boston will take over.

Q4 – 4:03: With pressure coming from his blind side, Brady has enough time to execute a 4-yard screen pass to Kevin Faulk. Sammy Morris takes the draw on second down, eluding backfield pressure to pick up three yards. With a crucial 3rd down on the horizon, the Broncos burn their first timeout of the second half.

Q4 – 3:49: Lining up in the shotgun, Brady’s throw for Wes Welker was well behind him. Chris Hanson is in to punt, with chants of “Eddie” echoing from the INVESCO Field at Mile High crowd. The punt is fielded by Alphonso Smith and the Broncos will take over at their own 26-yard line.

Q4 – 3:08: After a short run by Moreno on first down, Orton completes to Jabar Gaffney in the right flat. He is pulled down after a 4-yard gain, setting up 3rd and 4 from the 32-yard line. A Patriots player is down, stopping the clock momentarily.

Q4 – 2:27: Orton looked for Gaffney over the middle of the field, but Shawn Springs broke up the pass. Brett Kern comes in to punt, and Julian Edelman fields it at the 25-yard line. He is met by Darcel McBath at the 30-yard line, where Boston will get its offense started.

Q4 – 2:00: Sammy Morris eludes an Andre’ Goodman tackle on first down, breaking up the left sideline for 19 yards and a first down near midfield. We’ve hit the two-minute warning.

Q4 – 1:37: Out of the shotgun, Brady hands to Sammy Morris who fumbles the football. It is recovered by Boston T Nick Kaczur. On the ensuing play, Vonnie Holliday forced a fumble on Brady and it was recovered by Elvis Dumervil. The Broncos offense takes over at the Patriots 45-yard line.

Q4 – 0:22: Moreno takes the carry for four yards on first down, but loses three on an ensuing reception. With 3rd and 9 from the 44-yard line, the Patriots call their second timeout.

Q4 – 0:15: With pressure coming from multiple angles, Orton is sacked for a loss of six yards. The Patriots use their third and final timeout.

Q4 – 0:00: Kern executes a beautiful end-over-end punt, which is downed by David Bruton at the Boston 5-yard line. Boston takes over from that spot, and Brady takes a knee. We’re headed for overtime.END OF REGULATION:Patriots 17, Broncos 17

OVERTIME

Coin toss: The Patriots call tails and it is heads. The Broncos have won the toss and will receive.

1OT – 15:00: Gostkowski’s kick sails out of the end zone. Denver takes over on its own 20-yard line, with Orton completing to Brandon Marshall for an 11-yard gain and a first down. He wrestled with Brandon McGowan for the ball, but the tie went to the receiver.

1OT – 14:43: Orton fires back on the next play, hitting a crossing Tony Scheffler for seven yards on the left sideline. Orton goes back to the other side of the field, finding Royal for a first down at the 43-yard line.

1OT – 13:16: Boston uses its first of two overtime time outs. Out of the break, Moreno goes off right tackle, finding running room and a 9-yard gain. Into Boston territory, Moreno tries the middle but hits a wall of Patriots and gets no gain. Orton hits Royal on a quick out, getting the inside shoulder of Shawn Springs for eight yards and a first down.

1OT – 11:30: Moreno runs around Ryan Clady, picking up 11 yards and another first down at the Patriots’ 29-yard line.

1OT – 10:24: Jordan spells Moreno, running up the gut for a 2-yard gain. Orton looks for Royal on the next play, but his feet get tangled with Springs. Facing a big third down, the Broncos use the first of their pair of overtime time outs.

1OT – 10:15: With 3rd and 8, Orton goes back at Springs but fires incomplete to Marshall. Tully Banta-Cain is offsides, moving Denver five yards forward and giving them a 3rd and short. Lined up in the shotgun, Orton goes for Marshall in the end zone, but the pass is incomplete.

1OT – 10:14: Matt Prater comes on to attempt a 41-yard field goal, but New England uses its final OT timeout to try to ice the kicker.

1OT – 10:09: Prater splits the uprights, giving the Broncos a 5-0 start. The Patriots drop to 3-2 on the season. Keep it here at DenverBroncos.com for complete postgame coverage. FINAL: BRONCOS 20, PATRIOTS 17

Coin toss: The Patriots have won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Broncos will receive and defend the north goal.

Q1 – 14:43: Stephen Gostkowski’s kickoff is picked up by Kenny McKinley in the end zone and downed for a touchback. The Broncos start in a wildcat formation, with Knowshon Moreno taking the direct snap for a 12-yard gain and a first down.

Q1 – 14:16: Starting on offense for the Broncos – the line of Ryan Clady, Ben Hamilton, Casey Wiegmann, Chris Kuper and Ryan Harris. Hillis lines up at fullback, with Moreno behind him. Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Marshall were at receiver, with Daniel Graham at tight end. After a short two-yard out to Marshall on the left side, Orton found him on the other end of the field for a 13-yard catch and a first down.

Q1 – 13:06: A five yard run by Moreno propels the Broncos into Boston territory. That set up a wide open pass from Orton to Tony Scheffler for 14 yards. Scheffler leaped over Leigh Bodden, rumbling past the marker.

Q1 – 11:00: Again lining up in the wildcat, Moreno took a carry up the middle for five yards. The flurry of offensive plays prompts Boston to call its first timeout. After the timeout, Orton fired two incompletions. Matt Prater came in to attempt a 48-yard field goal, but missed it wide right. The Patriots will start on their own 38-yard line.

Q1 – 9:26: Tom Brady’s first handoff goes to Sammy Morris for six yards. Starting on defense for the Broncos – Kenny Peterson, Ronald Fields and Ryan McBean up front. D.J. Williams, Andra Davis, Elvis Dumervil and Mario Haggan are the linebackers. In the secondary are Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill at safety, and Andre’ Goodman and Champ Bailey at cornerback. After a 1-yard gain by Morris, Brady hit Julian Edelman on a short crossing route for the first down.

Q1 – 8:31: The Patriots picked up the first down at midfield. Flushed out of the pocket by Ronald Fields, Brady finds Sammy Morris on a screen play. Morris rumbled downfield 35 yards, putting the Patriots in the red zone.

Q1 – 6:44: After no gain by Morris on first down, he rumbled up the middle, passing the 10-yard line for a 7-yard gain. With a 3rd and 3 from the 8-yard line, Brady found a crossing Wes Welker for the touchdown. It is the first passing touchdown allowed by the Broncos this season. Gostkowski tacks on the extra point.Patriots 7, Broncos 0

Q1 – 6:39: Gostkowski’s kickoff goes six yards deep into the end zone, but McKinley takes it out, returning it to the 19-yard line. That’s where the Broncos will take over.

Q1 – 5:32: With Russ Hochstein reporting as eligible and in motion, Moreno takes the carry counter left for three yards. Hochstein stays in the game as a tight end/half back. Moreno bounced off his block and rumbled 12 yards downfield for a first down.

Q1 – 5:18: Orton completes to Moreno, on a dump off over the middle. But Jerod Mayo forces the fumble and the Patriots recover. Boston was set to take over at the Denver 45-yard line. Before the Patriots took a snap, Head Coach Josh McDaniels threw out his red challenge flag, and the play will be reviewed by the officials.

Q1 – 4:44: After review, the ruling on the field stands, with referee Carl Cheffers stating that Moreno lost control of the ball before he hit the ground. With a 1st-and-10 from the Denver 43-yard line, Sammy Morris takes a power run past Andra Davis, picking up 10 yards and a first down.

Q1 – 3:56: Morris’ running room dissipated on the next play, with Dawkins coming up from the safety position for a two-yard loss. Brady went play action on second down, looking for Welker. But Jack Williams made a sterling pass breakup, using his right hand to bat the ball down and set up a 3rd-and-long. Brady had an open Randy Moss in the end zone, but his pass sailed long.

Q1 – 3:51: Stephen Gostkowski comes in to attempt a 53-yard field goal and nails it. Patriots 10, Broncos 0

Q1 – 2:57: Gostkowski’s kickoff sails out of the end zone for a touchback. The Broncos start at their own 20-yard line, with a two tight-end set. Orton finds Eddie Royal on an out pattern for eight yards on first down. Denver comes out on the next play with another tight formation, and a handoff to Moreno. Vince Wilfork stops him for no gain, setting up third and short. Orton moves into the shotgun, with four wide receivers at his disposal, before calling his second timeout of the half.

Q1 – 2:34: The Patriots counter with their second timeout of the half. Again out of the shotgun with forur wides, Orton finds Brandon Marshall over the middle of the field. His forward progress takes him to the 30-yard line, giving the Broncos a fourth and inches. Brett Kern comes in to punt, sending a booming 64-yard kick to the 5-yard line. Julian Edelman makes a series of moves before being stopped at the 23-yard line.

Q1 – 0:36: Out of the shotgun on first down, Brady finds a streaking Edelman for a modest gain of six yards. Back in the I-formation, Brady gives an inside handoff to Morris, who pushes ahead for three yards to set up third and short. Showing a three-tight end set, the Broncos defense comes up big, stopping Morris several yards shy of the first down. D.J. Williams made the stop for no gain, setting up a punt by Chris Hanson.

Q1 – 0:00: Royal takes the punt upfield, before coughing it up. It was recovered by Jack Williams and advanced to the 32-yard line. With seven seconds left in the first quarter, Orton drops back and finds Jabar Gaffney for an 18-yard gain and first down.

SECOND QUARTER

Q2 – 15:00: Into Patriots territory at the 44-yard line, Orton hands off to Moreno. He bounces off Wilfork, before running out of room at the original line of scrimmage. Out of the shotgun, Orton finds Gaffney on a sideline out, where he is met by a troop of Patriots defensive backs. After the 4-yard gain, Orton sees tony Scheffler cutting across the field, but the throw is brokn up by Brandon McGowan. Brett Kern is in to punt.

Q2 – 13:31: Kern’s punt flies 40 yards into the end zone. The Patriots are set to start at their own 20-yard line.

Q2 – 11:55: Brady fires a low throw to Wes Welker in the left flat for a 6-yard gain on first down. He hits Edelman over the middle on second down, just shy of the first down marker. Showing a change of pace, Boston gives to Laurence Maroney for a 2-yard gain and a first down.

Q2 – 11:20: Maroney goes off right tackle on the next play, picking up 10 more yards and another first down. Morris comes back in the game, sneaking up the gut for three yards. Out of the shotgun, Brady fires a wide receiver screen to Welker, who stiffarms Jack Williams for significant yards after the catch. The Broncos defense is penalized for having 12 men on the field, but the Patriots decline it, taking the 15-yard pass play.

Q2 – 9:31: After forcing Brady into an incompletion on first down, he fires back on the ensuing play, hitting Chris Baker for a 3-yard gain. The ball looked to have been trapped in the ground, prompting McDaniels to make his second challenge of the half.

Q2 – 9:52: The officials overturn the call, setting up 3rd and 10 at the Denver 41-yard line for Boston. Brady lines up with four wide, but goes to a draw play with Kevin Faulk. He is stopped short and Logan Mankins is called for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Backed up to their own 47-yard line, Hanson’s punt is fair caught by Eddie Royal at his own 10-yard line. That’s where the Broncos will take over.

Q2 – 9:34: With pressure coming, Orton is sacked for a loss of three yards on first down by LB Rob Ninkovich. Orton gets the Broncos some breathing room on second down, finding Brandon Marshall on play action over the middle for 11 yards. With 3rd and 2 from the 18-yard line, the Broncos show three wide receivers, and Orton finds Royal on a quick pass for 10 yards and a first down.

Q2 – 7:46: Before the first down, Boston uses its final timeout of the half. Going play action on first down, Orton finds Royal for a 13-yard reception. Ty Warren is called for a roughing-the-passer penalty, marching the Broncos into Patriots territory at the Boston 44-yard line.

Q2 – 7:07: Lining up with five wide, Orton’s pass was tipped high up in the air at the line of scrimmage by Ninkovich. Brandon Marshall made a heady play, batting it down to prevent an interception. On the ensuing play, Knowshon Moreno used a strong block from Russ Hochstein for 11 yards and a first down.

Q2 – 6:22: The run opened up the pass, with Orton finding Royal on a post for 15 yards and another first down. In the red zone, the Broncos went to the run, with Moreno picking up three yards on first down. Faking the wildcat, Orton comes back behind center, and completes to Marshall for four yards.

Q2 – 4:31: With a third and short and Moreno as the lone setback, Orton throws a quick fade to Marshall on the right sideline, who comes back to the inside and makes an 11-yard touchdown reception. Prater tacks on the extra point. Patriots 10, Broncos 7

Q2 – 4:23: Taken at the 3-yard line, Julian Edelman returns Prater’s kickoff to the 26-yard line. Darcel McBath and Mario Haggan combine on the tackle.

Q2 – 3:38: After a 7-yard screen pass to Kevin Faulk on first down, Brady finds a crossing Wes Welker for 12 yards and a first down.

Q2 – 2:00: With a first down at their own 45-yard line, Brady is flushed out of the pocket by D.J. Williams and forced to throw it away. Andra Davis and Ronald Fields stuff Maroney on second down for a 1-yard gain, setting up third and long. With the crowd noise escalating, Brady takes the snap out of the shotgun, and finds Welker past the marker for 17 yards and a first down in Denver territory.

Q2 – 1:07: Buying himself some time in the pocket, Brady escapes the rush of Elvis Dumervil and completes to Kevin Faulk for a 16-yard gain. He hits Welker over the middle on the ensuing play, driving down to the 10-yard line for a first and goal. Welker is helped off the field with an injury, and since Boston had no more timeouts, the officials mandated a 10-second runoff on the clock.

Q2 – 0:05: Brady gives to Faulk, who gets back to the line of scrimmage for no gain. Faulk comes out of the backfield on second down, picking up three yards on a short pass before being stopped by Jack Williams. With no timeouts and the clock down to less than 10 ticks, Brady keeps his poise, finding a crossing Ben Watson for a 7-yard touchdown. Gostkowski adds the extra point.Patriots 17, Broncos 7

Q2 – 0:00: Gostkowski squibs the kickoff to Russ Hochstein who fields and returns it six yards to the Broncos 40-yard line. With two ticks remaining in the half, Orton lines up with four wide receivers and attempts a hail mary. It is intercepted by Randy Moss, for Orton’s first interception of the season. That ends a string of 173 straight passes without a pick by Orton. The Broncos head into the locker room, trailing 17-7. Move over to our second half blog to follow along for the next 30 minutes.

Greetings from INVESCO Field at Mile High. We’re just a few hours away from the kickoff of today’s Legacy Game between the Denver Broncos (4-0) and Boston Patriots (3-1). Keep it here for today’s sights and sounds from the stadium, which include 1960 AFL uniforms, retro end zones and black-and-white scenes on ThunderVision. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook throughout the game.

Here’s a look at the gameday weather and traffic for today’s matchup:

Weather:
Broncos vs. Patriots: Weather

Traffic:
Broncos vs. Patriots: Traffic

11:55 a.m. MDT: Kyle Orton is out on the field, having a pregame chat with CBS Sports color commentator and former NFL quarterback Phil Simms.

12:05 p.m. MDT: Chris Simms and Tom Brandstater have joined Orton. Simms is working on three-step drops, while Brandstater chats with Chris’ father, Phil.

12:15 p.m. MDT: Matt Prater has taken the field with the retro socks in full force, kicking field goals from the 20-yard line.

12:23 p.m. MDT: Along with the players, the coaching staff will also be wearing classic colors today. Coaching Assistant Ben McDaniels has entered the field wearing a brown polo with a yellow, long-sleeved shirt underneath. On the other side, several Patriots are out on the field, donning bright red socks with a gray stripe, and blue knit caps with a red and white beanie on top.

12:35 p.m. MDT: Wide receivers coach Adam Gase is working on short crossing routes with Eddie Royal. Royal has the retro brown knit cap with the yellow beanie, but has yet to get in his full retro getup. Jabar Gaffney has also taken the field, running some pregame sprints. The only noticeable yellow worn by him is his gloves and his cleats.

12:44 p.m. MDT: Fans are starting to file into the INVESCO Field at Mile High seats. Several have brought out mustard yellow jerseys of their own for this retro game, including a pair of fans wearing No. 60 to commemorate the first season of Broncos football.

12:50 p.m. MDT: Brett Kern is the first Bronco to come out in the full 1960 attire. He is working on end-over-end punts, with three of his kicks going 50-plus yards.

12:54 p.m. MDT: A pair of the referees have taken the field in their 1960s ensembles. It includes red and white striped shirts, with white hats, white pants and black cleats.

12:59 p.m. MDT: Lonie Paxton has joined Kern, greeting some former friends from the Patriots staff. Paxton was with the Patriots from 2000-08, before joining the Broncos this offseason.

1:04 p.m. MDT: Prater has come out to work on field goals, testing his leg from as far out as 60 yards. Prater connected from that dHe is being watched closely by Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer, who has on a retro brown jacket with gray sleeves.

1:11 p.m. MDT: Here are the inactives for this afternoon’s game. For the Broncos – Tom Brandstater, Correll Buckhalter, Spencer Larsen, Seth Olsen, Chris Baker, Brandon Gorin, Brandon Lloyd and Jarvis Moss. For the Patriots – WR Joey Galloway, RB Fred Taylor, CB Terrence Wheatley, S James Sanders, OL Rich Ohrnberger, G Kendall Simmons, DL Terdell Sands and DL Ron Brace.

Here are some more photos from down on the field, courtesy of Gray Caldwell.

1:19 p.m. MDT: Fans are currently being serenaded to the tune of a couple singing in a black-and-white 1960s Corn Flakes cereal commercial. All images on the ThunderVision screen will be black and white this afternoon, excluding game replays.

1:25 p.m. MDT: The Broncos return team has taken the field. Eddie Royal and Alphonso Smith are working on punts, while Kenny McKinley and Peyton Hillis are standing in the end zone waiting for kickoffs. Both Tom Brady and Kyle Orton are out on the field, working on short throws with their respective coaches. The Patriots are in their all-white AFL uniforms, with red trim and red lettering.

1:29 p.m. MDT: Head Coach Josh McDaniels has joined his players on the field, and is chatting with linebackers coach Don Martindale. Both coaches are sporting gray legacy hoodies, with white caps that have the 1960 Broncos horseman logo.

1:33 p.m. MDT: The Broncos have begun their stretches, with President/Chief Executive Officer Pat Bowlen watching from midfield.

1:37 p.m. MDT: Brandon Marshall is getting loose to TI and Rihanna’s ‘Live your Life.’ Marshall is wearing the brown and yellow beanie, along with yellow cleats and yellow gloves.

1:43 p.m. MDT: The Broncos cheerleaders and Broncos junior cheerleaders have taken the field in their own 1960 retro uniforms. The look includes yellow wool sweaters, white pom poms, white hair bows, and long white socks.

1:51 p.m. MDT: Miles the mascot has paralleled the players with his own No. 00 retro mustard yellow uniform, while Thunder the Bronco has yellow socks and a brown saddle for the commemorative game. Other retro elements around the stadium include sponsors names in a 1960s Broncos font on the scoreboards, as well as yellow 19660 flags hanging on the South end of the upper deck. The PA announcer also addressed the crowd with a “Welcome back to 1960.”

2:03 p.m. MDT: The Broncos All-50th first team has taken the field, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. On hand are legends ranging from Simon Fletcher to Mark Schlereth. Surrounding them are flags of the original eight AFL teams. That includes the Patriots and Broncos, plus the Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, San Diego Chargers, Dallas Texans and Buffalo Bills.

2:11 p.m. MDT: Both teams have taken the field, and we’re minutes away from kickoff. Be sure to switch over to our first half live blog to follow all the action.

They had seen pictures. They had heard a variety of different reviews.

On Friday, the Broncos got a first look at themselves in their 1960 retro uniforms.

Head Coach Josh McDaniels had the players practice in the new colors, getting them accustomed to the threads before Sunday’s Legacy Game against the Patriots. The full ensemble included the yellow jerseys, vertically striped yellow and brown socks, brown pants a brown helmet with numbers instead of a logo.

Ronald Fields was one of the first Broncos to try on the new look and his reactions were mixed.

“I don’t even know what to think anymore,” Fields laughed. “I thought our colors were blue, man. What’s up with this brown?”

Looking at the vertically striped socks, Matt Prater said the uniforms would add something fun to Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

“They’re pretty flashy,” Prater said of the socks. “I feel like a bumble bee in them but it’s different and it shouldn’t affect the game too much. You just play the game the same way and look a little different this time.”

SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE
Head Coach Josh McDaniels is six months shy of his 34th birthday.

As the second youngest head coach in the NFL, his age has at times sparked awe amongst some. For McDaniels, there is less value attached to his age and more value attached to the message he is delivering to his players.

“I learned a long time ago in this league that if you are telling them something that is going to help them win, help the team win, help them play better than what they have played before — that everyone of them in that room will listen to you,” he said.

Winning only helps establish that principle. Through four games, McDaniels has placed himself in a pair of exclusive classes. He and Red Miller are the only two coaches in Broncos history to start their career with a 4-0 record. Miller went 6-0 in 1977, leading Denver to a 12-2 record and an AFC Championship.

McDaniels is also only one of six rookie head coaches in the NFL to go 4-0 since the 2000 season. That group includes current Colts coach Jim Caldwell, who has Indianapolis standing as the only other AFC team besides Denver with a 4-0 start.

Caldwell turned 54 in January, demonstrating that two decades of separation in the age column does not equal separation on the football field.

“If you can lead and you can communicate and you understand the game and how the National Football League works and you can prepare your team and get them ready to play good football and win, who is to say what that age is?” McDaniels said. “I certainly am not going to put an age restriction on that. Somebody certainly could be much younger than I and be as ready as I am to go as I am or somebody else, for that matter.”

ROYAL RAPPORT
After setting Broncos rookie records with 91 catches and 980 yards a year ago, Eddie Royal has drawn one thing from opposing defenses — attention.

That attention has not stopped Royal and Kyle Orton from forming a great relationship in a complicated offense.

“We have worked extremely hard, and Eddie is one of those guys that stays after practice every day to run routes and make sure he is doing everything that I want him to do,” Orton said. “He has worked hard. We would love to get him the ball more. Maybe this will be the week.”

Four games into the 2009 season, Royal has eight catches for 58 yards. He’s added 84 yards on punt returns and 64 yards on kickoff returns, hurdling him over the 200 all-purpose yards mark.

While Orton said that defenses have had their eye on the speedster, he does not see that eye winning out in the long run.

“They have done a great job of making sure they know where he is at and relating to him and trying to take him away,” Orton said. “But Eddie is the type of guy that can beat double-coverage. He can beat single-coverage. Whatever they do, he should have an answer for him.”

INJURY UPDATE
There was one change to the Broncos’ Week 5 Injury Report on Friday. After not participating in Wednesday or Thursday’s practice, Brian Dawkins was a limited participant on Friday. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. There were no changes on the Patriots side, but running back Fred Taylor is listed as out for Sunday’s game.

– Chris Gentilviso, DenverBroncos.com

This is going to be a fun weekend for the Broncos and their fans.

The Broncos will host the tremendous New England Patriots (this week going as the Boston Patriots because the two clubs are playing in an American Football League Legacy game), and the game itself is plenty.

But this week, that seems like just the beginning. Both teams are going all out in celebration of the AFL. Some fans might say, “so what” to the AFL, properly noting it was a long time ago.

Well, most of us were born a long time ago also, and if we hadn’t been we would not be reading this.

Same for the AFL. No AFL, no pro football in Denver and no Denver Broncos.

Just a few things that will mark the weekend at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

Besides the players being in the 1960 uniforms, so will the officials—in fact, they will be the only “team” sporting orange this Sunday, as the 1960 officials’ uniforms featured an orange and white striped shirt.

The cheerleaders will be in a 1960 outfit, complete with the big pom pons from that era, and there will be a lot of 1960 music played on the PA system.

The end zones will be marked with the crisscrossed diamond design, and a lot of the scoreboard images will be in black and white (but not the game action itself, that stays in color).

Cokes will sell for 25 cents each until the start of the game, and a lot of the concessions personnel will be wearing the paper hats that some of us will remember from an earlier era.

There is going to be a flyover, like many games have, but in this case the aircraft buzzing over the playing field will be vintage 1960—C130J Super Hercules planes, which definitely will cast a bigger shadow that the sleet jets we are used to seeing.

The CSU marching band, which made the most appearances at Bronco games of any marching band during the decade of the 1960s will make a halftime appearance, and there will also be an encore performance by the Bronco Band, once again performing under Jess Girardi and entertaining fans as they enter gate 9.

The program cover will be a throwback to the 1960 season, with caricatures of both teams featured and a 1960 Coca Cola ad on the back cover.

The team captains will be two of the individuals who played in that first ever AFL game, September 9, 1960 when the Broncos defeated the Patriots at Boston University Field—Gene Mingo will don his gold and brown number 21 while counterpart Gino Cappelletti of the Patriots will be in his throwback number 20 for the visiting Beantowners.

But once the Broncos are introduced, old style, and run through a banner to take the field, it still comes down to football, and it promises to be a great matchup, one to match the pageantry befitting this Legacy Game between two AFL originals.

After a morning full of less-than-ideal weather — on and off rain showers, occasional snow flurries, gusting winds and chilly temperatures — Head Coach Josh McDaniels was asked if he planned on conducting the afternoon practice session outdoors or at the team’s indoor facility just down the street.

Although the club practiced at “the bubble” during minicamps, the club hasn’t been back at the indoor facility since then. McDaniels said returning indoors isn’t in the cards anytime soon, citing that the team needs to get used to possible conditions that could arise on Sundays.

“If we are going to play in it, I hope we’ve practiced in it,” McDaniels said. “That’s going to be our philosophy. If it’s wet, damp, raining, snowing, whatever — we’re going to be outside.”

To McDaniels, attention to detail is a focal point of his day-to-day operations, and having players ready for the conditions they may face on Sunday is one of his priorities. McDaniels said the most important issue when preparing to play in poor weather conditions is for players to understand what they can and can’t do the same compared to normal conditions. For instance, players likely can’t cut the same way, quarterbacks may not be able to make the same throws downfield and the kicking is game is almost always affected by poor weather.

Thus, McDaniels wants his players to simulate all sorts of game experiences in all conditions before they take to the field on Sunday.

“You can’t just tell the guys, ‘Hey we’re going to practice inside in a bubble all week long and then we go out there and play in the snow on Sunday, just make sure you do all the things you’re supposed to do when the weather is bad — stay on your feet, field the ball, throw it in the wet (weather) and all that stuff,’” McDaniels said.

As of Thursday afternoon, Sunday’s forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of precipitation and temperatures ranging between the low 30s and high 40s. During Thursday’s practice session, conditions were nearly identical to that estimation, as temperatures were in the low 30s and snow showers appeared throughout the windy two-hour session.

The way Ryan McBean looks at it, the team might as well get used to playing in snow and sleet since the Broncos will likely face similar circumstances at some point during the season.

“That’s what we are going to be playing in, so you’ve got to prepare yourself for anything,” McBean said. “You want to practice what you are going to be playing in.”

Only in the rarest of circumstances does McDaniels foresee his team practicing at its indoor facility this season.

“If there was some clear-cut thing where we knew the weather was going to be beautiful on Sunday and we are out there trying to practice in two feet of snow, I don’t think that would be smart,” he said. “If the weather has a chance to be poor on the weekend, I think we’ve got to get ready for it.”

INJURY REPORT

There were no changes to the Broncos’ Week 5 Injury Report. On the Patriots side, after not participating in Wednesday’s practice, WR Randy Moss (not injury related) was not listed on Thursday’s report. Linebacker Adalius Thomas (not injury related) was added to the report, and did not participate in Thursday’s practice.

– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com

Here are a few more pictures from the onset of Thursday’s practice session:

The Broncos’ annual Tackle Hunger Campaign is slated to begin on Sunday at INVESCO Field at Mile High leading up to the team’s Week 5 Legacy Game against the Boston Patriots.

From 12-2 p.m., wives of Broncos players, as well as Broncos staff members, will be accepting cash donations at all gates and in the Broncos Barn. All donations benefit COMPA Food Ministry and Denver’s Road Home.

The Broncos’ Tackle Hunger Campaign has taken place for more than 20 years. Remember, this year’s initiative continues throughout the month of October. Away from the stadium, cash and food donations can be made all month at all King Soopers locations while food donations can be made at U.S. Bank offices.

– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com