The Denver Broncos just cant seem to get any love. After starting 4-0, the Broncos are still underdogs going into their match-up with fellow AFC-leading New England Patriots. When you think of Broncos and Patriots, the first thing that comes to your mind is offense. But times have changed a little, and both teams have built solid reputations on defense so far this year.

Funny thing is the Broncos brought in the Patriots offensive mastermind of the past several seasons, Josh McDaniels, who served under Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for eight seasons, so everyone was expecting the Broncos to be the Mile High version of the Pats.

But a funny thing happened during the off-season. McDaniels traded away the Broncos All-Pro quarterback, Jay Cutler, and brought in Kyle Orton. It was a move panned by many, but maybe McDaniels knew what he was doing.

He brought in Mike Nolan to run his defense, and that defense has been a world-beater this season. They are giving up almost 150 yards less per game, which is ridiculous, and in four games this season, have almost matched their turnover number (13) of a year ago.

Maybe McDaniels knew that if he had a competent quarterback who was not a drama queen, he would be able to utilize his scheme to make the team efficient. Sounds a little like the Patriots at the beginning of the Brady era.

Orton has not been spectacular, completing about 60 percent of his passes for around 225 yards a game, but he has been smart with the ball. He is yet to throw an interception this year.

The Patriots lost not only their offensive coordinator in McDaniels, but also some serious defensive fire power in Rodney Harrison, Teddy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel in the off-season. When they traded away Richard Seymour early in the year, people thought the Patriots were in trouble, or would at least have to put up 40 points a game with a thin defense.

But as is almost always the case for the Patriots, they have had younger players step in and fill the gaps created by departures. The revamped Pats defense has only given up six touchdowns this season and less than 300 yards per game.

Last week the Patriots gave up only two offensive touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, but Belichick knows they can do even more.

"You only give up 14 points on defense, there's something to be said for that," Belichick said. "We'd like it to be less. We would have liked to convert on more third downs and tackled better, and there were a lot of things we could have done better.

Brady returns to the scene of many a mugging. While his team did destroy the Broncos the last time the two teams played, a 41-7 blowout that may have kicked the Cutler skeptics into overdrive, he has lost three of the four times he has entered Invesco Field. Most notable among those losses was the Patriots playoff loss in 2006. With McDaniels in Nolans ear with all of his knowledge of the Patriots offense, Brady may be in for another rough day against the Broncos 3-4 defense, anchored by Elvis Dumervil, who is tied for the league lead with eight sacks.

"I've been blessed to be in this situation," Dumervil said. "The defensive scheme is excellent."

If Orton can continue to keep turnovers from rearing their ugly heads, he will have a defensive unit, both at the line and in the secondary, that may help his team win the time of possession game and the ball game.

Maybe then the Broncos will start getting a little respect.