Tag Archives: Denver Broncos

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Broncos Real Test Coming

October 2, 2009 – 11:55 am

I’m about to go eat at Chick-fil-a but thought I’d post this quick thought about the Broncos and the evil Cowgirls.

I think Denver wins this game…which puts them 4-0…which means I’ve drank the kool-aid on the Broncos being a good team this year, right? Wrong. Dallas has looked ridiculously bad so far in the season. The Carolina game was closer than the score thanks to Jake Delhomme doing what he does best lately – cough up the ball. And they are hurt. Which is not good for them but good for the Broncos. Plus, it’ll be good for Wade Phillips to go back to Denver and do what he does best…lose games that he should win. We would know about that. We had our own Wade Phillips era.

The schedule ahead is brutal but if the Broncos can continue to beat the bad teams – Oakland again, KC twice, Washington – that’s 8 wins (assuming they beat the ‘Boys.) That won’t get them in the playoffs but it’s respectable. Then again…the season is early.

RaiderNation – I’m sorry. JaMarcus Russel looks atrocious, McFadden all of a sudden can’t hold on to the football, and your defense can’t tackle. There’s talent on that team but only Al Davis could make that much talent look that bad.

Off to chick-fil-a. Don’t tell Amy.

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Football Musings, Week 2 NFL

September 21, 2009 – 3:02 pm

The Broncos handled the Browns nicely yesterday. It was nice to actually see them win a game. Actually, I didn’t get to see them win…but that’s a whole other issue.

Would you believe that the Broncos would be 2-0 and on top of the AFC West?

Yes. I did. Because I figured the Chargers would beat the Raiders and lose to Baltimore. Turner and the Chargers have a habit of blowing games they should win at the beginning of the year. The Ravens however look to be a beast of a team this year with Flacco having no sophomore slump so far. I had a hunch KC would lose to the Ravens but beat Oakland. That left Denver as 2-0 and on top of the division. It lasts one more week as Denver plays the Greatness (sarcasm). After this week — the descent begins.

Watching the Chefs implode, squander scoring opportunities, and mismanage the clock was painful on Sunday. The truth of the matter is that KC is talent poor right now. I think Todd H. and Scott Pioli will change that eventually but this is going to be just as long if not longer season for Chief fans as it is Bronco fans.

Alabama/Arkansas square off this Saturday and there will probably be ample enough trash talk for Hog fans that read this blog. Up until last year, the games were very close. I think the Hogs will make it interesting in the first half, then Bama pulls away in the second. Although I’m very proud of one of my former students – Clay – who is on the Razorback team. Roll Tide…then after this weekend Go Hogs.

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The 2009 Predictions

September 10, 2009 – 5:45 pm

NFL_Broncos

My beloved Broncos went through an offseason like no other. Thankfully that drama is over and we can get on with football. Here’s how I see the season panning out…

@ Cincinnati, W: Let’s face it, nobody really knows why Marvin Lewis is still coaching. Underachievers galore and as funny and good Ocho is – their defense is shaky, running game non-existent. Even on the road, I think Denver can win this one. They need this win because after week 3…wins are going to be scarce.

Cleveland, W: A game Denver could completely lose. But it’s the home opener…and it’s Cleveland.

@ Oakland, W: I originally had this as a loss but changed my mind. I hate the Raiders. Pathetic franchise but no one, not even Al Davis himself really knows what kind of team they have this year.

Dallas, L: This is where we start hiding the women and children. The next 7 games are brutal. I haven’t seen a stretch of games that tough in a while. Great year to draw both the NFC East and AFC North. Dallas should win because they are more talented BUT it is Dallas and they haven’t been normal in a while. Still…a game that Denver could win if they played well…which they haven’t yet.

New England, L: Do we really have to watch this one? Last one was over by 2nd quarter.

@ San Diego, L: Only way Denver wins is if SD is hurt, abducted by aliens, and Ed Hochuli is calling the game.

@ Baltimore, L: Ugly, low scoring game but a loss. Ravens are looking at Super Bowl. Defense is nasty. On the road after a bye week…not going to happen for the Broncs.

Pittsburgh, L: Monday night game. For some reason, Pittsburgh never plays Denver well. I don’t know why but after Pittsburgh beat Denver in the AFC Championship game back in ’04 (I think), Denver has somehow got the best of them. But…this is a stacked, young, healthy Pittsburgh team that should be hitting its groove. Denver could steal this game but I’m going with averages here.

@ Washington, W: I don’t really think Denver will win this game but it’s the best shot of they have in this brutal 10 game stretch. I’d feel better about it if it was at Mile High.

San Diego, L: Another game Denver COULD win if they play perfect and the stars align up. But just too much talent and SD is ready/focused finally.

NY Giants, L: Thanksgiving night, at Mile High. Will be a great atmosphere. (I’ll take any tickets if any one is offering them!!) It’s just that the Giants know how to run the football and I’m not drinking the kool-aid on the Denver defense. They are still not very good.

@ Kansas City, L: I don’t like this game this late in the season at Arrowhead. The Chiefs have their own issues to work through with a new coach, new QB, new OC and the like. I’m hoping this game stops the losing streak but if I had to pick…

@ Indianapolis, L: It won’t end here. Denver has never looked good playing Indy, especially at Indy. It’s a little too early to hope they’ll be resting their starters for the playoffs.

Oakland, W: I was at the Raider game last year with David and Danny. It was painful to watch. This is what I want for Christmas.

@ Philadelphia, L: An away game in December in Philadelphia…just can’t get any better. Philly will more than likely either be playing for home field advantage OR suffered an implosion with Michael Vick at QB. Either way – Denver becomes the punching bag.

Kansas City, W: At this point in the season, it will be interesting to see how the team responds. Does it roll over or push on? If it pushes, they’ll get the W here. KC doesn’t play all that great in Denver.

6-10.

That’s with two “I hope they win” picks thrown in – Cincy & Washington. This is the first time since the Wade Phillips era that I really believe that Denver has no chance at the playoffs. Wow.

Go Broncos.

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The Season From The Hot Place Begins

August 31, 2009 – 9:11 am

I’m not sure what was worse last night – watching Cutler finally get his legs underneath him as he sliced open the Denver defense or listening to Cris Collingsworth.

In Case There Was Any Doubt…
It’s official…the Broncos had the worst off-season ever. Any hope of getting over that off-season with real football was completely shattered last night. Let’s cover the bright spots first.

Dawkins – a beast. A terror. Played with a broken hand. Lit up anyone who was near him. He actually reminds me of Dennis Smith.

Doom – Elvis is IN the building. It’s a shame he’s the only pass rusher we have that’s worth anything. He’s going to get double-teamed all season long because teams know that they can block the rest of the D-line with popsicle sticks and harsh language. But…he will be a beast in the linebacker position.

Stupid moment of the night – how in the world did Denver get in a scheme where Doom was covering a WR???? He did it…but what the heck was going on there? Another stupid comment from Collingsworth – “Doom is the best player on the Broncos (pause) along with Champ Bailey.” Doom is good and he has the potential to be great. But Champ is by far and away the best player on the Broncos.

Peyton Hillis, Eddie Royal – I’m in favor of running the option during the year with these two and Knowshon Moreno. Any takers?

Overall – Pathetic
The list is long and repetitive as this point. Quarterback play, penalties, play calling, no power in the redzone, defense giving up big 3rd down plays. Sound familiar? Yeah…just like last year. Glad all those changes were made to correct that stuff.

I thought I was finally okay with the Cutler trade. He is a crybaby. He is a prima donna. He’s immature, cocky, loudmouthed, and has a jerk of an agent. But there is no comparison in terms of talent between him and Orton. Cutler doesn’t miss the easy throws. Cutler can throw the ball down the field. Cutler can take a hit. Cutler can put the ball on a postage stamp while on the run in traffic. Cutler revels in the pressure and adversity. He just didn’t want to play for a team, organization, or coach who wouldn’t commit to not trade him.

I realize that it’s not fair to Orton but he can thank McDaniels for that. It’s not even close and last night was the smoking gun proof of it. There was never any threat of the deep ball from Orton. Part of that is play-calling, part of it is the continued ability of Orton to miss wide open targets. At this rate, loosing Brandon Marshall is not going to be a big deal because the Broncs can’t/won’t throw the ball further than 10 yards.

I’m still a Bronco fan, have been since I was 7. Will continue to be a Bronco fan through this debacle as well. Heck, we survived the Wade Phillips experiment. But there is no way this team goes .500. No way.

Welcome to Oakland East.

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The Real Tragedy of Favre-Gate

August 19, 2009 – 5:32 pm

The greatest retirement of any player in any sports has to be John Elway. It’s not just because I’m a huge Bronco fan or that John was/is the greatest quarterback ever – of which there is no further discussion, amen.

It’s because Hollywood couldn’t have scripted out a better exit. Quarterback goes to three Super Bowls early in career and gets blown out in all of them. Puts up Hall of Fame numbers the rest of his career, wins a NFL MVP award but never gets back to the big game. After 16 years in the NFL, he gets to the Super Bowl as the largest underdog in the world and WINS. Comes back the next season, wins the Super Bowl again AND the Super Bowl MVP trophy.

Then retires in the offseason, his last game a Super Bowl win with a Super Bowl MVP trophy. Can you really top that? Of course you can’t.

The only thing that would have been better was Michael Jordan staying retired after he 3-peated the second time. But he didn’t. Or Magic staying retired…but he didn’t either.

But Favre’s situation? It’s different. MJ and Magic – still beloved, they were seen as guys who just loved to play. Favre has gone beyond that…he wants to play as long as it is on his terms and teams he wants to play for. And it’s getting old. There are enough selfish brats in sports, didn’t need another one and sure as heck didn’t need to see that side of Brett Favre.

That’s he’s going into the Hall of Fame one day is not in question. What is in question is what uniform will he wear? Will he have any fans left when he gets there? Will he have a home field, a home team that will honor him as a conquering hero when this is all said and done?

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Not Even Close

August 14, 2009 – 11:38 pm

To being good.

You couldn’t have scripted a worse debut than what Denver did in San Francisco. I mean… 3 INTs? The Orton/McDaniels Experiment is officially started and it doesn’t look bad…it looks horrific. I thought one of the benefits of getting rid of Cutler was the red zone turnovers? I’m glad we got that cured…

The 49ers aren’t even good.

It’s going to be a long season.

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The First of Many

August 7, 2009 – 9:40 am

Posts on my beloved but confused Broncos.

They had a live practice at Invesco Field last night. At first I thought it would have been awesome to be there. After reading the reports…I’m not so sure.

My good friend David has blogged about his experience at training camp this year. I went last year with him. I love David very much. He is a godly man, godly father, and great leader. But I have to take issue with his perspective on things.

Kyle Orton
I realize he looks good in practice…with no hitting…no helmets…no fans…no screaming…and against a defense that has yet to put pressure on any quarterback. This is not going to be a good year at the QB position for the Broncos. It just isn’t. All Bronco fans just need to accept this fact and move on.

Eddie Royal, et al
Our receivers do look awesome…in practice with a quarterback who gets the ball near them with no helmets, no contact, no fans, and no pressure. Seeing a pattern here?

Bronco running game
I understand there is hope among the Blue and Orange that this is the year they return to their normal run dominance. Wake up. As long as Knowshon is a no-show…look at last year, rinse and repeat. With no passing game to threaten the deep part of the field, get used to seeing 8 men in the box.

The best, most rested secondary in the NFL
Panic may set in with the news that Dawkins broke his hand last night. Relax. First, he’ll be ready for the opener. But with Champ and crew in the secondary, no need to panic at all. Teams can’t pass on this secondary.

Of course, they aren’t going to need to pass because when you rip off 7 to 8 yards a carry…

The Phantom 7
No one can tackle on the front 7 of the Broncos. No one. I’m so glad we drafted a RB, a corner, and a tight end. I do think McDaniels needs to run the offensive line and backs through tackling drills this summer as they will have a chance to have as many tackles as the defensive front 7 with the INTs that are coming.

The Schedule
Makes you really wonder why McD traded the 1st round pick for a 2nd this year now. Had to be financial considerations because we’ll have a top 10 pick next year. It’s just brutal and honestly, I’m glad. Just a huge wake up call as to the talent level difference between the Broncs and the rest of the league at this point.

Coaching
I’ll reserve my comments on this until I actually see a game. For all we know, he’s going to be a genius. Let’s hope for that and MAYBE it will make up for the interpersonal relationship problems and draft decisions he’s made so far.

Back to normal life…at least we’re not the Raiders.

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Training Camp Around The Corner

July 17, 2009 – 10:45 am

With training camp looming near, all I’m getting on the radio around here is Chief’s news. KC just signed Matt Cassell to a long term deal, which is good but I still wonder how in the world are the Chefs (misspelled on purpose) going to protect him? Who’s going to catch the ball? Who’s going to run it?

Of course, Denver’s problems aren’t that much better, just on the other side of the ball. Who’s going to tackle? Who’s going to lead the defense? Who’s going to put pressure on the QB? I’m not sure which problems are better to have…this is why we play the games.

Cutler Saga Continued…
This week, KC Joyner got slammed because of his comments about Cutler as a Bear. For Bronco fans – nothing really new in the article. We were getting tired of the sulking on the sidelines after a bad play, 4th quarter red-zone picks and turnovers. We chalked up the first 2 years as inexperienced, this year they got harder to swallow especially down the stretch with a 3 game lead.

I think the coaches and fan were hoping that he’d grow up and out of that stuff, that Cutler’s maturity would eventually rise up to the level of his talent. It didn’t in Denver. Chicago is hoping it does there. It could happen. Plenty of stories have played out that way.

What I think is bizarre is that particular class of QB’s is turning out to be the Head Case Class of all time. Leinart, Young, and Cutler have not been the most stable bunch of QB’s. All have had their off-field issues and attitude issues. None have exactly lived up to their hype.

Other Random Training Camp Thoughts
The Broncs – Orton doesn’t thrill me but if he can protect a lead, not turn it over in the 4th quarter – I’ll take it. Knowshon Moreno is going to be fun to watch. The defense of Denver is going to be painful to watch. Addition of Dawkins is huge but not sure if it’s huge enough. He’s not a defensive lineman.

Jokeland is pathetic. They already cut their 6th round pick from this year’s draft. I have a few Raider fan friends. I pity them. It’s getting to the point when I see them, I don’t even rag on Oakland even more because it’s just too easy and painful. I just shake my head and move on. I think JaMarcus Russell will back up Garcia this year and gain 75 pounds. I hope McFadden can stay healthy so when he becomes a free agent, he can go to a team with a prayer of a chance to win.

San Diego – getting older, still have ridiculous talent to win. Still not convinced that Norv Turner is the guy to take them there but he manages to scrape by. Last year again – scrapes into the playoffs and makes some noise in the first round. The problem for the Chargers is they don’t come to play every single game. I don’t know why. It baffles my mind with LT, Rivers, and Gates how that can happen but it has the last two years.

The NFL season can’t get here fast enough.

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NFL Offseason Thoughts

June 14, 2009 – 2:00 pm

The Bronco Soap Opera
Has to be the biggest story of the offseason – Shanahan fired, McDaniels in, Cutler gone, Marshall in trouble with law…again, the questionable draft of the Broncos. Marshall not showing up for a mandatory camp was a stupid move by an immature player. Yes, he’s underpaid but there is no way any team is going to give him a larger contract right now with his track record with the law and his injuries. So his only real course of action right now is to shut up, show up, and grow up.

McDaniels as coach — I still don’t get it, honestly. I’m hopeful, just like the next fan but he’s got a lot to prove and he shortened his window to prove it in when the Cutler debacle went down. His draft wasn’t awesome either, neither was the offseason signings. Heck, one of the RB’s he signed didn’t even pass his physical. Trading a next year’s first for a this year’s second on an undersized CB…the list goes on but I also know that if Moreno turns out to be the next TD, everyone will forget the rest.

I’ll dance in the streets if the Broncos break .500 this year.

The Favre Chronicles
It could be argued that this is the number 1 story. I wouldn’t argue a whole lot. It’s just…it’s tiring. Just retire, 4. Look at how 7 did it and just quit. The Jet Experiment left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, going to the Vikings is just going to get worse. It would have been like Elway going to the Raiders. Unthinkable. Plus, the more he sticks around, the more he looks like a prima donna, the exact opposite of his legacy at Green Bay.

Brady Returns
I don’t fully understand the love affair with Tom Brady. He’s a great quarterback, don’t get me wrong. I’d love to see him in Blue and Orange given the options we’ve got. But Cassell took the team to 11-5. Not shabby. To be fair, Brady takes advantage of every mismatch ever on the field…due to coaching or talent or smarts – on one hand it doesn’t matter. He gets it done. On the other hand, I don’t think he’s the greatest ever, I don’t think the Patsies would be done if he got hurt or wasn’t there. Just saying…

Todd Haley at KC
Living in Topeka, I’m flooded with the Chefs info. It’s mildly irritating as they have little to no talent on this team. Their past drafts make Denver and Oakland look like geniuses…and that’s saying something. The biggest problem KC had was addressed this year – their GM and they got a great one. So over the next few years, I expect the Chefs to reach the level of annoyance that they traditionally have – having the ability to show up in your house and just hand it to you for 60 minutes. Making both the fans and the players that they’ve been in a car wreck when the game is over.

(As an aside – one of the most wicked hits I’ve ever seen was Dale Carter lighting up Elway on a roll out pass. It was a late hit, it got a yellow flag…but the entire stadium went silent waiting to see if 7 was getting up.)

But they’re not there yet. Most of the stories around here focus on Todd Haley – the fired up coach from Arizona. It’s been interesting to see the progression of him being a jerk, to just a tough guy, to a good guy who demands a lot from his players over the last few weeks on sports radio. Who knows what he’s really like, he’s in the same boat as McDaniels is in on one hand…but less pressure at this point, I think. Fans here are giving him the benefit of the doubt so far.

What’s been your favorite/least favorite moment of the offseason so far?

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Understanding the Bronco’s Draft, Day 1

April 25, 2009 – 11:04 pm

First, hire the youngest, most arrogant offensive minded coach you can find. Never mind you already had an offensive guru and that defense was your biggest problem. Minor details.

Second, allow him to trade the franchise the QB for 2 first round picks.

Third, we don’t really need the number 2 rated DT in college football. I realize he fell, should have been drafted higher. But draft a RB after you already signed 2 in free agency and have 2 2nd year backs that looked great. It doesn’t matter. You’re missing the point.

Remember those 2 first round picks? Now trade one of them away for a 2nd round pick so you can get a short CB. Why? Because we really missed the Dre’ “Toast” Bly era.

It’s not even worth walking through the logic of the draft this year…

This is how Raider fans feel every year.

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