"In the current streak of improbable comeback wins, which has reached six, the Broncos have stymied a variety of quarterbacks.

They've handled Carson Palmer? making his first start for the Raiders. They've handled a struggling Matt Cassel and a soon-to-be-fired head coach, Todd Haley?. They've handled a rookie, Christian Ponder?, and they've handled a backup, Caleb Hanie?.

Today the Broncos move to the head of the class. Today they get Patriots quarterback Tom Brady?.

"I've been in this league for nine years, and there's only been one year when I didn't play him," said Broncos linebacker Mario Haggan?, who spent five years with Buffalo before signing with Denver. "That was like a vacation. He sees your mistakes, even your small ones. He takes advantage of all of them, and he's won a lot of games."

This season, the Broncos have faced only three quarterbacks currently in the NFL's top 10 in yards passing — Aaron Rodgers?, Matthew Stafford? and Philip Rivers? (twice) — and they are 1-3 in those games. Brady is the fourth quarterback on that list the Broncos will face, sitting at No. 2 in yards passing at 4,273 to go with 33 touchdowns.

There also is the matter of Brady's three Super Bowl wins, four appearances in the title game and a career .776 winning percentage as a starter.

"He's one of the best ever. He's seen everything and handled everything," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey? said. "You have to do your best to show him a lot of different things because if he knows what he's looking at, it's going to be a long day.""