Although the AFC title game showdown between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos is still days away, but the first verbal jabs between the conference’s two best teams have already been exchanged.
Broncos defensive lineman Antonio Smith drew first blood on Monday at the club’s Dove Valley training facility, answering in the affirmative when asked if Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a crybaby.
“That would be an accurate statement,” Smith told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “I’ve never seen any quarterback look to the referee right after he gets sacked more than Brady. Every time he gets sacked he looks at the ref like, ‘You see him sack me? Was that supposed to happen? He did it a little hard. Please throw a 15-yard penalty on him. Get him fined.’”
Smith’s remarks drew the attention of New York City’s tabloids, with both the Post and Daily News having a go at the New England quarterback on their Wednesday back pages.
Denver’s Chris Harris Jr doubled down in a Tuesday interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter when asked about the best way to defend Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski.
“You gotta hit him low, man,” the fifth-year cornerback said. “Hit him in his knees. That’s the best chance you got of hitting him.”
Gronkowski’s risqué riposte has since been retweeted more than 48,000 times.
The 6ft 6in, 265lb Pro Bowler tore his ACL and MCL in 2013 when he was directly hit in the knee by current Denver safety TJ Ward, then with the Cleveland Browns.
He was tackled low several times by Denver defenders when the teams met earlier this year, a 30-24 win by the Broncos that saw Gronkowski carted off with a knee injury.
Sunday’s AFC championship game will be the 17th all-time meeting between Brady and Denver quarterback Peyton Manning with Brady’s teams holding an 11-5 edge.
The winner will advance to Super Bowl 50, scheduled for 7 February at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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