Season Summary - Next Up KC

Now that the season is almost over and a new decade is upon us, I'd just like to say what an up and down year this has been in Bronco Country.

1.) The firing of a legend
2.) The hiring of a noobie
3.) A block buster quarterback trade
4.) A release of a lot of familiar faces
5.) A lot of new faces
6.) A fast start 6-0
7.) Hitting a wall 2-7
6.) And now a play off run that needs help.

1. The firing of Mike Shanahan was one thing that I applauded. I loved his coaching style back when he took Elway and company over the hump into back-to-back World Championships. But when you're the best you get studied and broken down. You're habits form and other coaches will key into that. Your ego is huge with two championships and it throws caution to the wind and you don't give respect to those that are at the top of their game. You've made yourself vulnerable, you get burned by the best opponents top players, you become very predictable, defiant to ownership, and finally out the door. His turnover rate at defensive coordinator was very questionable along with the poorly ranked and leaky defenses it produced. And when he tried to solidify his best friend from college Bob Slowik as defensive coordinator after being told to fire him and refusing, well the upper brass got their way by firing Mike, and then Bob as well.

2.) The hiring of first time head coach and former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels from New England was something I scratched my head about. As a true rookie at 33 years old hes made some rookie mistakes in his arrival. However, brought in one heck of a defensive coordinator in Mike Nolan. And he changed the atmosphere of the Denver Broncos as a team. He placed TEAM above the ME and I attitude that somehow crept in during the previous coaching era. No one was untouchable. And he brought in the same spread offense that he ran successfully with New England.

3.) This turned the Rocky's upside down for months, including me. The trade of Jay Cutler to Chicago for Kyle Orton and a handful of draft picks. I thought this was a bad move, and I still think that Jay would've thrived in the spread offense. As the year has progressed I've grown to like Kyle Orton and his consistency. I love the way he protects the ball and throws it away when he has to. He plays to his ability and has continually improved as the year has moved on. Re-sign him Pat to at least a 3 year deal!!!

4.) A lot of players that were familiar over the years in the prior era were all given their pink slips. For some it was a blessing, look at Mike Bell who is a running back for New Orleans. Others like Dre Bly were picked up as injuries plagued other teams early on in the league. And for others it was their last roster spot on an NFL team. Thanks for playing for the Broncos fellas. I wish you lots of luck.

5.) The new faces to come along and have made their impact were Brian Dawkins, Reynaldo Hill, Correll Buckhalter, Vonnie Holliday & Andre Goodman plus rookies Robert Ayers and Knowshon Moreno. I still think Peyton Hillis should be our premier running back. I don't like Knowshon's running style nor his ability to fumble the ball. But he's coach's guy. Let's hope he leads all rookie again next year because leading the league is way to much for Knowshon next year!

6.) Winning the first 6 games out of the gate was very unexpected, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Oakland, Dallas, New England, and most importantly San Diego. The sky was the limit going into the 7th week and a bye. It was an awesome feeling. I still can't believe it, and they passed my expectations so fast, I though the playoffs were a shoo in.

7.) Losing 7 out of 9 games to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, San Diego, Indianapolis, Oakland, & Philadelphia. Beating only New York Giants and Kansas City (whom we play this weekend.) The downward spiral and injury to Kyle Orton really took the wind out of our sails. We limping along down hill for the last mile of a 16 game season and there is still a chance to make the play offs.

8.) Which leaves the team at 8-7, very near last years 8-8 team. If we loose this game much like last year, we are out of the play offs. However it is a game against Kansas City, and we blew them out of the water in KC. Therefore we should win this game easily. If we don't then we never belonged in the play offs from the get go, even with a 6-0 start. You have to finish strong in anything. I hope we make it into post season play.

Regardless, my prediction of a 5-11 season is grossly off the mark, and rightfully so. I was a doubter of Josh McDaniels and also a doubter of Kyle Orton. I hope we sign Kyle to a long term deal. I think he can take us further than any other QB out there, including the 6 in Chicago. He fits perfectly in the spread offense, although he don't have any scrambling ability his arm strength has definitely improved as well as his passing yards. For the first time in his career he's gone over 3000 passing yards and his rating is almost ten points higher than last year at 89.3 with 20 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions. If he didn't roll his ankle during the Redskins game, we probably would have won that game and had a much better chance against San Diego the week after.

Giving those two games away and seeing how the rest of the AFC is playing I think we are a better team then the rest with the exception of Pittsburgh. You have to give the World Champs props. Big Ben sat out against the Ravens and gave that one away also. Other teams have had most of their impact players on offense.

I really enjoyed this season. There have been some very close games, nail biters, 90 yard drives, goal line stands, and the unbelievable start of the season in Cincinnati. Not expecting to win many games this year, we won against some good teams that are play off bound. I hope we can play some of them again! Good Job Josh, you are the right coach we needed. Now go and kick KC's ass!

PS... I would have gone for it on 4th and 3 instead of giving McNabb the ball with 3 downs to travel 13 yards into field goal range. You got to give the stars on other side of the field props.

Kansas City Blow Out, Thoughs of Indy

The Denver Broncos blew out the Kansas City Chiefs (Chefs) rather easily, dispatching them 44-13. The Broncos moved the ball seamlessly and KC felt the wrath of defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's 3-4 defense for the first time this season. It was fun to watch as the Chefs are our AFC West Rivals, and during previous decade was our biggest threat. Now, they are our punching bag, W00t!

Next up is Indianapolis. They are currently undefeated, have basically wrapped up home field advantage, and are playing for a perfect season. So, don't be surprised if the score from the last game results are reversed, with Denver looking like KC. Indy is a superior team with a superior QB in Peyton Manning, who is having an MVP year. The only way I can see us pulling an upset is if the Colts begin to rest it's starters knowing they have playoff home field advantage. I hope former coach Tony Dungey is correct in that is what is going to happen. But you never know.

Funny thing is, we need to win this game and hopefully will take advantage of any opportunities the Colts give us. For now I'm hoping for the best, but won't be too surprised to see the worst. Cheers.

Post-Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great and safe Thanksgiving holiday last week. The Broncos sure feasted on some Giants, that's for sure. We really needed a win to keep in our minds that this 2009-10 team is a legit contender for a playoff run. However I still thing statistically the Chargers are going to make things difficult. It will show how much character this team has if we can keep pace and over take the Chargers. They are running on all 8 cylinders right now so it is going to be a challenge.

KC is next and I hope they don't decide to show up to play. They are getting better and better, and Cassel is looking like a franchise QB. Orton is playing well and needs to stay healthy in order for us to make a play off run.

I hope we bury KC with a 24-0 score.

3 Game Slide!!! Losses to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington

I haven't had time to blog lately. Regardless there really wasn't much to blog about! The Broncos are in a 3 game slide. I did think it was possible to lose 2 out of 3, but to lose all 3 was rather unexpected.

Baltimore and Pittsburgh I knew were going to be tough because of their physical play and their ferocious defense. But I was hoping that our D would keep us in the games and our offense would come to life at least for a couple of scores. However, the D got beat up and wore out and the offense never was able to score enough.

The Redskins however are not that good of a team. After Kyle Orton got injured I told a good friend of mine (who is a Redskins fan) that it was basically the Redskins game to lose. I was hoping Chris Simms would be able to fill Orton's shoes, but he couldn't. Once again the D got beat up and wore out and we dropped our 3rd straight game.

So now San Diego is coming to the house and we have even records at 6-3. Here is my hypothesis. If Kyle Orton does not play, we lose! Pretty straight forward and honest. But only time will tell. This is an important game to winning the AFC west. Especially if the Chargers sweep the Raiders and Chiefs.

I hope we come out on top! Cheers.

Game 6: Denver Broncos at San Diego

It is very nice to leave San Diego with a big goose egg in the loss column. Knowing that San Diego isn't as good of a team as they were last year, and knowing that this year we have a very formidable Defense; there was a great chance of us going into the bye week with a 6-0 record.

The first quarter San Diego came out and moved the ball down the field with out too much of a hitch. It might have appeared that they could have got their running game off the ground. But when they stalled at the 3 yard line and had to settle for a field goal, things felt rather good. LT threw a fit on the side line since he was pulled on 3rd down and Sproles was given the attempt to run for a TD.

Eddie Royal had a heck of a return game! A kick off return and a punt return for 2 TD's was fun to watch. From last year we knew Eddie was a great returner, it was just a matter of time before he broke one (or two!) Sproles countered with a punt return for a TD of his own, which left me scratching my head wondering why we kept punting and kicking the ball off to him?

The offense came out in the second half looking better than it did in the first. However, it is kind of unfair to compare the 2nd half to the first half since Eddie was basically the offense in the first half. Orton was solid and had a ton of time to find the open receiver, and occasionally when none was found he threw the ball away. With second and third down opportunities he found Scheffler and Stokley for TD's in the end zone. The running game was stout and Buckhalter and Moreno were finding creases in the leaky San Diego defense to get 4-5 yard chunks every time!

Once again the defense shut down another high powered offense in the second half. Rivers was sacked 5 times (the most in his career) and San Diego only managed to muster up a field goal the entire 2nd half. So far Denver has only allowed 3 points total in the second half of the past five games! That's a pretty incredible feat.

We are now 6-0! I was a doubter that Josh McDaniels could come in after trading Jay Whatshisface, revamp a dismal defense, and have a successful season in his first campaign as head coach of the Denver Broncos. I NEVER EVER said I wasn't a TRUE FAN, I just questioned a lot of off season moves and a very dismal pre-season. I'm my opinion, there is nothing wrong with questions. I actually encourage my kid to question me or others if she disagrees, and that is something I wish everyone could agree on. In the same sense however, Josh has proven me and many others completely wrong. Winning game makes every questionable move meaningless. That's what Josh had to do, and he is doing a great job at it.

As said before, all things in my mind led to this MUST win game. And now we are past it successfully with high hopes going into the bye weekend. Right on Broncos for sticking it to the Bolts! This is a game I will savor for the rest of the week and into the next one. Cheers!

Pre-Game Devner Broncos @ San Diego Chargers

This is a big game, and appropriately it is going to be played on Monday night! Not only is this a rival game, but also the bad blood brewing between both teams has been gaining a lot of steam in the hearts of Broncos fans. San Diego has owned us the past 5 out of 6 games, the last game was probably the game that hurt the most. We were playing for the AFC West Championship and a playoff berth when all hopes and dreams were flushed down the toilet at QualComm Stadium in San Diego.

Next was the firing of head coach Mike Shanahan and most of his staff. Along comes former Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels (for whom this blog is dedicated to documenting the Broncos for better or worse!) Out of jobs are a lot of players on last years defense, a change to the 3-4 Defensive scheme with new Defensive coach Mike Nolan. Then comes the off season fiasco between Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler, and Brandon Marshall. Out is Cutler and in come Kyle Orton. A so-so pre-season followed by a miraculous tipped ball followed by gutsy defensive performances and consistent offense and we're 5-0.

To say the least of this culmination of events, everything in my mind has pointed to this game against San Diego. I think we have to beat them in San Diego and go into the bye week at 6-0. The Chargers have had our number and have beaten us soundly, and each time seems to get worse.

After watching San Diego play Pittsburgh, it seems to me that they are a team on decline. Their window of opportunity for post season success is closing, and we have a chance to slam it shut for good Monday night. They are coming off a bye week and should be well rested and should have studied the Broncos good and hard. So they are at an advantage. The rivalry will fire up the veterans of the rivalry, maybe enough to get them through the game, but everyone will be playing with that extra fire inside.

San Diego is going to try to establish the run with LT and Sproles. Rivers is going to try and go deep on our secondary. However, our revamped defense will get to Rivers in this game. I have no doubts about it. Dumervil is going to have three sacks in this game because Rivers likes to hold the ball until the last second. For the first time in his career, Rivers will feel the pressure of the Denver Defense and just like Tony Romo and Tom Brady is going to make a mistake and throw lots of incomplete and maybe an interception or two. We should have no trouble running the ball, and if we continue to play ball control offense, Rivers will not have time to try and come back.

I'm predicting a 35-17 win, Denver dominates the game and time of possession and wins the turn over battle 2-0.

Game 5: Boston Patriots @ Denver Broncos

This game was a nail biter to the end. When Prater kicked the game winner in over time I was very intoxicated with joy. So far this was the best game that the offense looked. Kyle Orton racked up 330 yards in the air and in my opinion has no interceptions that hurt the team. He also engineered two crucial drives of 90 yards and 98 yards. That I have new found respect for KO. Next up San Diego!

Preview Cowboys vs Broncos

Not that Cowboys vs Broncos game, THIS ONE!!!

This game is the first real test as to whether or not we will have a successful season this year. The Cowboys are not a bunch of pansies like the Raiders and Browns, they are quite formidable. After all, they have been picked over the past few seasons (but not this year) to make it to the Super Bowl. Even though they did not fulfill their destiny, I can't deny that they are not a good team.

I've gone on a few sports sites about discussions of all the 3-0 teams in the NFL. To no surprise the Broncos have been labeled the worst out of all the teams. Mainly because of the soft early schedule and the fluke touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley in Game 1. Winning this game will definitely turn some points of view around.

We are going to see how good our defense really is and see if all the off season acquisitions were worth all the coin we spent. I personally think the defense is going to be fine. We've pressured the quarterback plenty over the first 3 games, and I do not see that coming to a halt against the Cowboys. Dumervil will get a sack or two, and the secondary should be able to get an interception from Romo since he'll be pressured. Romo does not do well against pressure, actually he is down right pathetic when there is a hand in his face.

Our offense on the other hand is going to need to score touchdowns when we're in the red zone. With Marshal back into the mix we look much more like a scoring offense than a conservative run first offense. I'm personally pulling for Gaffney to score a touchdown or two since he is on my fantasy football roster! XD But I would like to see more of Peyton Hillis in the middle of the field and not just at the end zones.

I believe this is going to be a good game, and if we are lucky we will be able to say we blew out the Cowboys. I personally do not like the Cowboys, and I really do not like their fans. They are some of the most obnoxious fans I have ever run into. I'd rather talk about the history between the Broncos and the Raiders with a die hard Raider fan than have to hear all the bullshit about how great the Cowboys are and the whole Texas cow pie. SO, A blow out would be sweet, but I'll keep my perspective in check.

Prediction: Cowboys 17 Broncos 24

Cheers!


PS: As I mentioned before in a previous post, history will repeat itself and Wade Phillips will be replaced by Mike Shanahan if he does not win in the post season

Game 3 vs. Raiders

The Broncos vs. Raiders game is considered one of the best rivalries in NFL history. The 1-1 Raiders at home taking on the upstart 2-0 Broncos looked like it was going to be a great game. The Raiders looked very stout against the Chargers in week 1 in a losing effort, and squeezed out a win against the Chief in week 2. The Broncos looked very sloppy and weak with a miraculous win against the Bengals in week 1, and very solid against the lowly Browns in week 2.

I anticipated that the Raiders had the upper hand against our running attack with off season acquisition Greg Ellis from Dallas and pre-season acquisition Richard Seymore from New England. I also felt that they had better running backs with Darren McFadden and Michael Bush. I always knew Jamarcus Russel is not pro-quarter back material and that Orton would not make many mistakes.

What a blow out!!! We drove the ball down to the 1 yard line and Peyton Hillis had a false start that backed us up and put us off rhythm. After trying to run the ball 4 straight times inside the 5 yard line and turning over the ball, Jamarcus didn't disappoint me and he threw an interception. His first of two on the day. We took advantage and Orton threw Marshall his first TD of the season. Another Jamarcus interception set up a field goal by Prater. The Raiders finally got on the score board with a Janikowski field goal, but that was all the Raiders were able to muster. Moreno scored his first rushing TD in the 3rd quarter, and prater added another field goal in the 4th. That was all she wrote. We man handled the Raiders on both sides of the ball. Buckhalter had his first 100 yard rushing game of the season, and Orton continued interception free football. Our defense totally shut down and derailed the O-train.

We are now 3-0, however we should be 2-1. Realistically we shouldn't have beaten the Bengals, but as said before 'a win is a win no matter how it comes!' I thought after seeing the schedule that we would potentially be 3-0, but I didn't expect us to be, especially on how we've played offense on a few series in each game. But, we can only get better. Cheers

Game 2 vs. Browns

I have to say, our Defense is still looking quite stellar. Elvis Dumervile had 4 sacks against a one dimensional 2nd half Browns team that abandoned the run and opted for the pass. We won the turn over ratio 3-1 and our offense finally kicked into high gear in the second half. Kyle Orton did not force the ball, had no turn overs, and put on a good enough display to lead the offense down the field into scoring position. We finished the game running the ball, and the Browns defense looked as leaky as we did for past few years. It's nice to see some other teams defense struggling and not ours.

Let's face the facts here. The Browns are not a very good team. They haven't scored an offensive touchdown in over 33 quarters. That is a long time. Usually the Broncos are more than glad to let teams break demoralizing streaks, even in our own back yard, but not today. The stellar D kept the Browns out of the end zone, giving up field goals instead.

Going into week 3 we are on top of the AFC West Division with a 2-0 record. San Diego lost in the last minutes to Baltimore, and the Raiders beat the Chiefs in a low scoring game. We're off to a great start so far, and I was thinking that the first 5 games were the games we had potential to win. So far so good. Cheers!

Game 1 vs Bengals UNBELIEVABLE!!!

...is all I can say about the 87 yard deflected pass and catch from Kyle Orton to Leon Hall to Brandon Stokley!!! I have never been so mad at our offense throughout an entire game, and then scream in absolute joy at this NFL record setting catch! Accordingly it is the longest pass with less than a minute in a game. I have to say that Brandon Marshall received all the attention from the Bengals, that left Brandon Stokley with no one left to catch him. I'm still baffled at the thought of us winning this game! But I'm smiling too! Good job Defense for keeping us in the game.

Thoughts over Sunday Nights Pre-Season Game 3

Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears and former Bronco QB Jay Cutler had over 70,000 fans in attendance. Talk about a play-off type atmosphere!!! All the added hype and television drama replays over Cutlers departure re-opened past wounds that probably won't heal anytime soon. Funny thing is at the end of the season last year I expected Cutler to be running out onto Invesco Field for our first pre-season game. What I didn't expect was for it to be for the other team! Irony in its best form.

Both teams on offense looked shaky from the start, and the defenses were dominating. Orton struck first on the Broncos 3rd drive that set up a Matt Prater 31 yard field goal. Cutler came right back with a drive of his own that set up a Robby Gould 40 yard field goal to tie it up at 3-3. After a few back and forth series that netted no scores the game changing moment happened that put the Broncos on the ropes. The same old game changing moment that has plagued the Broncos over the years. A long punt return to set up the go ahead score.

I have no idea why we (the Broncos) like to make high light reels for the leagues best punt returners and kick off returners. Regardless, Devin Hester took a punt 54 yards to our own 4 yard line. Chicago isn't going to try to pass the ball; they are a run first, hard nosed tough team and will hammer it in. Matt Forte put Chicago up 10-3.

Our next series ends with Kyle Orton slicing his right index finger on a defensive players helmet during an incomplete pass; he will not return to the game. Chicago gets pinned at their 2 yard line. Jay Cutler comes out and does what he used to do for Denver. He took the Bears 98 yards down the field and throws a 6 yard TD pass to Matt Forte with 13 seconds left before halftime. Chicago is up 17-3 and that is the only score that matters. In the 2nd half all the scrubs come out to play.

Personally, I was GLAD to see Cutler drive the ball 98 yards down the field. Images of Cutler in Blue and Orange immediately surface to mind. He showed everything that we used to have. The scrambling, the sliding in the pocket, the passes in tight windows for completions on the run, and especially the 3rd down conversions to keep the drive alive! McHoodie had a front row seat to view the franchise player he was too proud to acknowledge was as good a QB as Matt Cassel. McHoodie did his best to slow the 98 yard drive down with two fruitless challenges on throws from Cutler to Olsen and then the TD throw to Forte, but it was all in vain. That's what franchise QB's do! They make coaches (Lovie Smith) and they make fools of coaches (no need to fill in the blank here.)

There were a couple plays that could've changed the game in our favor. If Elvis Dumervil sacks Cutler for the safety this game is pretty much in our hands. He was just a split second slow on a few other times. And his frustration showed when he hit Cutler late for a penalty. It just goes to show you that this game is all about inches.

The Defense is definitely better, I'm sure of it now! Mike Nolan has done a phenomenal job changing to the 3-4. We are in great hands with Nolan, I hope he sticks around for years to come.

I am glad that this game is OVER and behind us. Kyle Orton can relax now and not have to try to prove he is our starter. He just has to let his finger heal. He was a bit over excited (hell I was too) which put him off target a couple of times. If there is anything I would wish for, its that Kyle Orton had a chance to come back out a couple more times to see if he could get a solid TD drive going.

The rest of the offensive weapons looked awesome. Royal did excellent, but he scared me when his arm got mashed by a big ole Defensive line man. Peyton did great, but he scared me too when he drove his knee into the turf and came up limping.

Our team is going to win some games this year. I'm confident enough to say that we're still the 2nd best team in the AFC West! IF we can beat San Diego soundly once, that will make my year! Cheers.

Thoughts over Saturday Nights Pre-Seaon Game 2

The Offense:

The Broncos offense looked sharp coming out of the gates. Kyle Orton proved he could engineer long drives and hit open receivers in the end zone. Jabar Gaffney made quite a few excellent catches, but he needs to finish off the drives. The pass he dropped in the end zone led to an ugly interception on the next play. My favorite players - Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, and Peyton Hillis - all looked stout and ready to play in the regular season. We sorely need Brandon Marshall.

The Defense:

It looks like we still need a lot of work, especially in the middle of the field. As far as the cornerbacks, when you're going up with the likes of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, chances are he's going to make you look bad. He burned Andre Goodman on a fade route for a TD. On the play before that he pulled an excellent ankle breaker move on Champ Bailey with a short sluggo route that Hasselback over threw him (should've been a TD too!) Early in the game the pressure on Hasselback was great, however it diminished greatly with a few short passes and screens. Our Blitz package needs to be disguised more. I hope Mike Nolan has some plans for improving the defense.

The Left-Handed Interception:

To me, pre-season give opportunity for situational football. Since the games are glorified practices, why not use them when given the opportunity? He's what I thought right away when we went for the TD on 4th down. First of all the starting offense was not going to come back out on the field, so in a sense, this was the final play of their game that mattered.

The situation: 4th and goal, play-off game, do or die, anything goes!

Although it turned out ugly in the end, I don't blame Kyle Orton for trying to make something happen. His right arm was being grabbed and he switched the ball to the left hand. Then he sent a floating dead duck up for grabs that was easily intercepted. He did what he had to given the situation. I could live with that play if it was the last play of the last game of the season.

Obviously if this was a real game with the time left on the clock in the 2nd quarter, then we would've kicked a field goal and gone in for half time to make adjustments on defense. But it's pre season and I believe the situation presented itself. It's nice to know that Kyle will do anything in a do or die situation, no matter the out come. Sure, he was ridiculed by the network for the play. I just don't think those that ridiculed understood what was really going on. I just hope I'm right, cheers! :-D

Right Now, I Would Have No Trust Either!

Brandon Marshall is having trust issues with the Broncos organization, according to reports all over the web! The latest spin is with the Public Relations Jr. Staffer coaching team mates of Brandon to not show enthusiasm for his acquittal of charges in Atlanta over a what was deemed a scuffle with his fiance.

This is speculation, but I really do not think Jr. Staffers will go about doing things on their own. They are generally a "Jump - How High" type of characters. And with the new regime in place all over the Blue and Orange facility, either you're a team player, or you're out the door!

It's a shame that this organization continually stains itself with negative criticisms continually throughout 2009. I do not recall so much self inflicted wounds on my beloved Broncos as I've seen this year! The last MAJOR controversy prior to 2009 was when Clinton Portis wanted out of Denver, and we ended up with Champ Bailey. We had the little spat with Bobby Humphrey years before we won the two Super Bowls. And then there was Dan Reeve's signing Tommy Maddux to replace John Elway. This year blows all of those controversies combined away by ten fold!

This league is a business, we hear that time and again from the head office, the coaches, and players. Everyone is going to do what's best for themselves. But to have a successful business you have to have trust. Without trust, there is nothing but distractions and confusion. That's what you see happening with the Denver Broncos. For this argument, I have to agree with Brandon.

I Must Still Be A Fan!!!

Well, the Title says it all! I'm still a die hard Broncos fan. I watched the whole game and still felt shitty about how they played offensively after the first failed series. I felt those same feelings I felt when we had Steve DeBerg, Bubby Brister, & Brian Griese as our quarter back! If they couldn't get things going from the start, things always seemed to get worse. They just didn't have it in them to dig out of a hole. Eh... oh well!

Coop's blog says we're rebuilding! I don't know if I agree with that or not.

I did like how Orton drove down the field on the first possession. If we get that first TD then this might have been a totally different game. Actually I'm positive. The first series the play calling was superb. Still, we have a great O-line and Peyton Hillis in the back field. Punching it in on the first series would've made a statement. There is still a few more pre-season games to enjoy. I guess we can only get better.

I thought the Defense played well giving up only 9 points on 3 turn overs. This game could've easily been a blow out with last years defense. Hell, I think it would've been a blow out with last years offense... just kidding!!!

The only comments I have on the 2nd half is that all the scrubs are out there trying to make a spot on the team. That's about it! Simms looked well but he was going up against 2nd stringers, so it doesn't count unless he starts with the big boys. I'm looking forward to preseason game 2. Cheers!

Invesco Practice

If the practice at Invesco is a glimpse of what the rest of the season is going to look like, then it's going to be a long season! 2 interceptions and missed throws to wide open receivers from our QB Kyle Orton drew Boos from Denver Bronco Fans! I hope it was a result of an improved defense instead of a declining offense, but it's probably more accurate to say it's a mix of both. Being the 2nd rank offense and a switch at the head of the offense result in a decline, having the 28th rank defense and a switch to a lot of players and positions result in an increase in performance.

Since the biggest trade of the 2009 off season happened earlier this year, my expectations are not high at all for the Broncos. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the out come nor the reaction of the fans. Both Orton and McHoodie answered questions realistically, fans boo when you deserve to be booed and cheer when you deserve to be cheered.

Since this division is probably still the weakest in the NFL, and Cassel isn't looking any better in KC than Orton is here, we might still have a chance to squeak out a couple wins here and there. Oakland should become good games again, but I'm still afraid that San Diego will kick our ass soundly. San Diego is the power house in our division and will probably continue to be for a couple more years. I'm only being as realistic as Orton and McHoodrat! Cheers.

Thoughts of the Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and Josh McDaniels Monday Interview

I finished watching all the interviews from Monday 6/28/2009 at the Broncos website with Kyle Orton, Brandon Marshall and Josh McDaniels.

Kyle Orton

It's hard not to like Kyle Orton. He's doing the best he can with the situation that he's been dealt. In his interview with the Denver media, he's a straight shooter. He didn't avoid any questions but rather answered them methodically and professionally. It's a great way to establish a solid stable foundation within the organization. The Broncos need all the solid players they can get.

Looking back, it's kind of funny how we as fan's didn't ask for the Spring fiasco, and probably neither did Kyle. After all, he finally established himself in Chicago as being the 'Starting QB.' After being upended and shipped to Denver as fast as you can order a Chicago Dog, it must have been the last whirl wind he expected from the windy city.

Personally I think that Kyle is a guy who just wants to call a franchise home; hoping our Denver Broncos football family will like him enough to grow on him and want him to stay. I like what I saw in the interview. I fear though that this is his one chance to run the table this season and I hope he does well. I'm a smuck when it comes to underdogs... I always like to root for them. Especially when it's a make or break situation. It's those types of stories that make sports history great. I really want Kyle Orton to be one of those stories.

Brandon Marshall

Brandon's body language and his answers to media questions pretty much tell the story. Brandon really doesn't want to play for the Broncos WITHOUT being PAID the BIG LONG TERM CONTRACT he is looking for. His only reason for showing up was to continue to get paid and also not to get fined. Right now it seems like he's just going through the motions (like a lot of unhappy employees) to earn a pay check. Sometimes work isn't as glamorous as we'd like it to be. But we all have to make a living, right? I'm wondering how the story pans out through training camp... for good or for worse?

Josh McDaniels

The interview with Josh McDaniels was straight forward, but was not very assuring about the Brandon Marshall situation. It seems like McDaniels answered all the questions regarding Marshall with intentional ignorance. I find this interesting because his focus in rebuilding has been all about character players. Right now whether McDaniels likes it or not, Marshall's character is in question. I really don't think that ignoring it is going to make it go away, and for now that's what it seems like he's doing.

What You See Is What You Get

There is a clear compare/contrast between Marshall and Orton. Both in comparison are in peculiar situations and both are in situations they didn't ask for. In constrast however, Marshall ended up in his situation for his off field antics. Orton ended up in his situation for other people and the Broncos organization off field antics. The other contrast is that Marshall is a very talented receiver, Orton is an average QB at best compared in respect to their peers. Kyle is doing everything he can to stay with the Broncos, Brandon is doing just enough to not get fined.

Kyle Orton is going to give it his all when he goes out on the field. There is no doubt about it. He seems solid and in the right state of mind to enter camp. I believe Rod Smith mentioned on the NFL Network a month ago that you have to enter camp that way. Orton definitely put in the necessary work during the off-season. I hope it pays off during camp.

I don't know if Marshall will be traded since his trade value isn't as much as it should be, but I don't know if he'll play hard either. I think that if they wanted to get rid of him, then the Broncos would have done it by now. Either that or they learned from dealing with a previous player that rushing the process through isn't the best way to handle the situation. Chances are he's going through the motions while his mind is elsewhere wishing for that contract that he wants. In my opinion, if you pay Brandon Marshall, this fiasco all goes away PLUS, you'll have a happy Pro-Bowl wide receiver, and a happier starting quarterback. Not only that but the whole offense should be on the same page and ready to roll come the regular season.

As for Josh McDaniels, he seems to be answering the questions about Marshall the same way he answered questions in April - lots of smiles, lots of lies, lots of singing and dancing, and for this fan a whole lot of lack for trust. I think he is intelligent and probably has to answer the question like he did, it's only day 1. However I hope he doesn't ignore the Marshall situation too long. Convincing Pat Bowlen to make Marshall happy would definitely make up for past mistakes.

Mecklenburg Blog

I just finished reading the Karl Mecklenburg blog at the Denver Broncos website at:

http://blog.denverbroncos.com/denverbroncos/young-leaders-promising-change/

All in all another feel good post. Most (all) of my comments on the Broncos website go to 'moderation' before being posted or tossed in the trash, so I really don't make much of an attempt to opinionate myself there anymore.

However the Blogs of the Cheerleader pics for the upcoming calendar are damn right smokin hot!!! RED HOT!!! Steamboat was definitely boiling the local blood during those photo shoots! Wow, nice job ladies.

Okay back to Mecklenburg.

I loved to watch Mecklenburg play Line Backer back in the 80's along with Rulon Jones at Defensive end. I never thought Meck was the greatest linebacker to don the orange and blue, but he was definitely one of the hardest workers. He seemed to have a knack to end up where the ball carrier was and definitely a team player. He would fit on McHoodies team like a round peg. I get what he was saying about 'change.' Whether we like it or not, it's going to happen so deal with it and support the Broncos. I agree with him whole heartedly about supporting the Broncos franchise.

Regardless of the 3 SB losses with Dan Reeve's, I liked his coaching style. When he left, most people, and especially Bronco fans of today forget that Wade Phillips coached for a couple of season. We didn't just go from Dan to Mike. Trust me, I remember when Wade coached, and I couldn't wait for him to be relieved. Anyone else in the league would have been an upgrade!

So the transition to Mike Shanahan was a great feeling and he kept the franchise together. That change to me was a lot more hopeful than the current change. I understand that Mike got stale the past 6 years or so, and his pride got the best of him. I remember yelling at the TV, don't kick to Dante Hall... Devin Hester... Darren Sproles... but the damn fool did it anyway! And it cost the team many of those games! So he was getting very predictable, and the old school bugger couldn't even send emails... he had to have his daughters do it for him. Mike definitely lost touch with the modern times and it began to show with the relationship with the players. I was glad to see Mike be put to pasture, but I'm kind of guessing that we haven't seen the last of Shanny (I'm predicting history will repeat itself and Dallas will be calling you to replace Wade once again!)

McHoodie has shaken things up, and that change can be considered a bit too dramatic. In my opinion, it is. Can McHoodie make a playoff run this year? Everyone points to the Dolphins and Ravens as the example of bringing in a new head coach/QB and having a successful season. However the Dolphins were 1-15 and the Ravens were 5-11. Both teams needed to be shaken up in order to be successful for the next season. We're an 8-8 injury prone team that had a high octane Offense/no Defense that missed the playoffs by one game. We had a proven pro-bowl worth QB who shouldered the team in Elwayesque fashion (similarly ala 80's without a decent running game) to try and salvage a playoff berth. We are definitely not like the 2007 Dolphins and Ravens.

However, this is a copy cat league so it shouldn't surprise me that when the west coast offense was what dominated the league in successful teams, Pat Bowlen went out and got Mike who was offensive coordinator of the San Fransisco 49ers dynasty.

Now that the Holy Grail of the New England (just drink the friggin kool-aid) Patsies has become the dominant force, Pat once again goes and gets McHood-rat, Offensive Coordinator of the Patriots. It worked once before, I guess it's possible to work again.

I'm giving Pat the benefit of the doubt in seeing a young (maybe even arrogant) Mike Shanahan inside that hoodie, but I really doubt he expected to lose a franchise QB with the hiring. For those that have short term memory loss, Pat declared at a press conference that "Jay is the Man in Denver." I'm speculating that Pat saw a lot of Elway in Cutler to make such a comment, I know I did. So the question I still wonder about is: if Pat could see 6 months into the future before hiring McHoodie, would he have still hired him? Hmmm...

Either way, change will happen and we as fans of the Broncos will have to deal with it. I think McHoodster has to make the playoffs this season, and if not he definitely will have to make them next season. It's that or he can be the next Wade Phillips of the Broncos. Funny thing is that Wade never chased off the face of the franchise... so I doubt McHoodster (if he's gone in a couple years) will have that anonymity that Wade enjoys of his lack luster performance in Denver.

PS.

From the last post, I got a comment that San Diego Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera was the former Defensive Coordinator of the Chicago Bears during the year of their Super Bowl appearance against the Indianapolis Colts. Apparently he got to sharpen up his defensive chops against the second team offense who was quarterbacked by our own starting quarterback Kyle Orton! Ron has the skinny on what Orton can do... doesn't bode well for us when we face the Chargers... seriously! Thanks for the post Anonymous dude!

Denver Fans Still Split!!!

Well it's pretty clear that fans of the Denver Broncos are split down the middle of what's been going on all summer. I've been reading the blogs at the Bronco web page and it's still roughly all about the changes that have happened this off season.

Changes over new coach Josh McDaniels, the Cutler Trade, and now how the Brandon Marshall situation is being handled.

I don't know if mud slinging was common last year, but right now the fans are slinging it all over the Bronco blog, and I'm quite sure it's not the only place. Even the analyst from Yahoo, MSN, Fox, ESPN, and the NFL network can't make heads or tails of all the changes that have happened. Many project the Broncos at best another 8-8 season (due to the weak AFC West Division,) while some say as low as 5-11 with the scheduled team they have to face.

I've even checked out the Bears ESPN radio show where Defensive Coach Ron Rivera of San Diego Chargers was on. Rivera being a former Bears player commented on Chicago signing Culter and how relieved he was that he didn't have to create defensive schemes to stop Cutler two times a year.

The biggest fans of what's happening should be are our rivals. You know KC and Oakland are not as afraid of Kyle Orton as they were of Cutler. KC thinks they found their franchise QB in Matt Cassle, and they are probably tickled to death that he's already contributed to the demise of Denver by being the 'apple of McHoodies eye!' And San Diego, being in the twilight of their aging team is probably ecstatic that they face the less mobile Orton. Their defense could get to Cutler, but he could escape time and again. With Merriman back, getting to Orton shouldn't be a problem.

Our only hope in my opinion is to have a stellar running game. With Peyton Hillis running the ball that should be no problem. This would give us a threat we were lacking with all the injuries that happened to all the RB's. Also it would surely help Orton by limiting his throws and making the defense back off and focus on the run.

Regardless, the season has yet to start, and all of us fans will have to wait to see how things will shape up. I'm am going to sorely miss the Cutler/Rivers rivalry! That could've been one for the ages.

My Thoughts Of A Franchise QB

Earlier this year the Broncos organization and franchise quarterback Jay Cutler parted ways. The Chicago Bears paid quite a bit for a proven Pro-Bowler with a rocket arm , who in their opinion is what they are lacking. Along with the deal their starting quarterback was sent to Denver as a bonus in the block buster deal.

What I saw in Cutler was everything I would want in a quarterback. He took command of the offense when he was out there. He was big and strong and when he got in trouble he could scramble and extend broken plays. He could make something out of nothing and do it all seamlessly. He could break tackles and seemed to have no fear of being hit. He could throw a bullet into a tight space. He carried himself with confidence and a 'never say die' attitude. And this attitude flowed through the rest of the offense. You could see the joy of that young offense exuberant every time they scored. It was like the 4th of July in Autumn if you were a Broncos fan since they could light up a score board. It was an exciting offense to watch. An offense that did not get a chance to survive a coaching change and new dictatorial regime.

I'm a believer that on the offensive side the foundation is built with having the right quarterback that can lead a team. A quarterback that can recognize before the snap that potentially the current play is in trouble and that he has to check out of it to a play designed to counter attack. A quarterback that can make accurate throws and bait defenses with his eyes and deceive line men during screens.

What makes me a believer in what I just wrote is the fact that a majority of Super Bowls have been won with quarterbacks that have these characteristics. And many of them are multiple winners of the Super Bowl. It seems like from the very beginning this standard was set in professional football. Let's take a look at these multiple Super Bowl Championship quarterbacks.

Multiple Superbowl Appearances with Perfect Records:

Bart Star - Green Bay - 2
Terry Bradshaw - Pittsburgh - 4
Jim Plunkett - Oakland - 2
Joe Montana - San Francisco - 4
Troy Aikman - Dallas - 3
Ben Rothleisberger - Pittsburgh - 2

Multiple Superbowl Appearances with both W & L Records

Len Dawson - Chiefs - Won 1, Lost 1
Earl Morrall - Baltimore Colts - Won 1, Lost 1
Roger Staubach - Dallas - Won 2, Lost 2
Bob Griese - Miami - Won 2, Lost 1
Joe Theisman - Washington - Won 1, Lost 1
Bret Favre - Green Bay - Won 1, Lost 1
John Elway - Denver - Won 2, Lost 3
Tom Brady - New England - Won 3, Lost 1
Kurt Warner - Won 1, Lost 2

1 Time Superbowl Appearance Winners

Joe Namath - New York Jets
Ken Stabler - Oakland Raiders
Jim McMahon - Chicago
Phil Simms - New York Giants
Doug Williams - Washington
Jeff Hostetler - New York Giants
Mark Rypien - Washington
Steve Young - San Francisco
Trent Dilfer - Baltimore Ravens
Brad Johnson - Tampa Bay
Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts
Eli Manning - New York Giants

Multiple Superbowl Appearances with No Wins

Craig Morton - Dallas & Denver - 2 Losses
Fran Tarkenton - Minnesota - 3 Losses
Jim Kelly - Buffalo - 4 Losses

1 Time Superbowl Appearance Losers

Daryle Lamonica - Oakland
Joe Kapp - Minnesota
Billy Kilmer - Washington
Vince Ferragamo - Los Angeles Rams
Ron Jaworski - Philadelphia
Ken Anderson - Cincinnati
David Woodley - Miami
Dan Marino - Miami
Steve Grogan - New England
Boomer Esiason - Cincinnati
Stan Humphries - San Diego
Neil O'Donnell - Pittsburgh
Drew Bledsoe - New England
Chris Chandler - Atlanta
Steve McNair - Tennessee Titans
Kerry Collins - New York Giants
Rich Gannon - Oakland Raiders
Jake Delhomme - Carolina
Donovan McNabb - Philadelphia
Matt Hasselback - Seattle
Rex Grossman - Chicago

There are 43 Superbowl winning quarterbacks.

The top 6 on the list with Perfect Multiple Superbowl wins were/are hands down franchise quarterbacks.

The 9 with Multiple Appearances with wins and losses in the Superbowl were franchise quarterbacks even though they lost. They got back to the big game and won it. Or in Staubach, Theisman and Favre's case, went back the year after and lost defending the crown.

These 15 Franchise quarterbacks total 44 appearances out of a possible 86. That is a staggering 51%! And they are accountable for 29 World Championships, or 63%. Out of those 15, 3 of them are still playing - Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Ben Rothleisberger have 9 appearances in the last 8 Superbowls with 6 World Championships between them.

Taking a look at the 1 Time Superbowl Apperance Winners there are 12 total. Out of the 12, only 2 quarterbacks were not franchise quarterbacks. Jeff Hostetler was a backup to franchise QB Phil Simms. After winning the Superbowl he was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders where he BECAME a franchise quarterback. The other is Trent Dilfer who was with the Baltimore Ravens when they won the Superbowl. He was released after being the Superbowl winning quarterback and ended up at Tampa Bay as a back up for Brad Johnson. The rest are notable franchise quarterbacks. 2 are still fresh in the middle of their NFL careers - Peyton & Eli Manning are more than talented enough to lead their teams back to the big game.

As far as QB's with Goose egg's in the win column, the most notable franchise quarterbacks are Fran Tarkenton, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and Donovan McNabb.

Out of the Goose Egg's, 5 of them are still playing and 4 of them are quite secure in their jobs as leading their teams this year: Kerry Collins, Jake Delhomme, Donovan McNabb, and Matt Hasselback. Rex Grossman is now a back up with the Houston Texans.

Now given our current situation, Josh McDaniels is still having the two quarterbacks compete. Even though he has declared that Kyle Orton is the starting quarterback, the competition is still open! If you look at these franchise quarterbacks mentioned above, there was really no one snipping at their heels. A majority of them clearly separated themselves from their competition, because they were that good! They were given a generous amount of talent that allowed themselves to be #1, and the confidence to know the job was theirs if they just showed up.

Where one organization does not recognize such philosophies, other organizations do recognize. The Bears welcomed Cutler with opens arms saying "You're the MAN!"

So, the question is: Is Kyle Orton our franchise quarterback?

Unofficial Good Bye from Brandon Marshall

When I woke up this morning, I was hoping that Brandon would stay in Denver. But apparently that is not going to happen. It really is a shame because he is our biggest, most physical, and one of the most talented receiver in the NFL.
Good luck Mr. Marshall, I sure hope you get what you want out of your career else where. And thanks for all the great catches that you made over the past 3 years. The Cutler to Marshall connection will sorely be missed by me, personally. I wish it all did not end the way it did, but the business sometimes does not allow for happy ending.

McHoodie Vs. BMarsh

Well well well, here we go again! First of all I'd like to say that my opinions and what I am about to write is all speculation!

It appears that Brandon Marshall is not happy in Denver! Let's make a calculated guess as to why?

1. New Coach
2. New Offensive System To Learn
3. Favorite QB (Jay Cutler) was run out of town
4. Making less money than T.O., Ocho, and other top receivers.
5. Maybe has a grudge since favorite QB is gone
6. Was Exclusive on ESPN as a woman beater.
7. Is involved with another battered situation with a different woman.
8. Has to go to court over the first woman.
9. Has had a hip surgery and is rehabbing.

Wow, that's a lot of things to deal with. Lets target these things individually.

1. New Coach Josh McDaniels (aka McHoodie) replaced a stale and out dated Mike Shanahan (aka I got fired because I wouldn't fire my BFF Bob Slowik.) Personally I felt this was a great move since he took a high school starting QB in Matt Cassel and turned him into Tom Brady. It didn't happen over night since Cassel was part of the Patriots system for a few years, so he did understand how things worked - it was Cassel's job to know as back up QB. However, talented players that think the team revolves around them get ousted by McHoodie as we found out with McJay Gate. I think BMarsh thinks the air game revolves around him. Hmmmm, perhaps another casualty waiting to happen?

2. The New Offensive Scheme McHoodie brings has been proven in New England. Tom Brady broke the TD record set by Peyton Manning (who broke the previous one set by Dan Marino.) Also Randy Moss has the most TD's by a wide out. Upon McHoodie's arrival, visions of Culter to Marshall circulated in every Bronco Fans head. Well that isn't going to happen!!!

3. Now I'm sure a lot of fans are thinking I'm beating a dead horse (or dead bronco) but I'm sure it has to come into play some where. BMarsh was close to Cutler, they had chemistry and belief that they would be together for years, and BMarsh was JC's favorite target. McHoodie took all of that away and replaced JC with Kyle Orton. I guess I'd be a bit depressed too!

4. Every year we hear the same cliche' from players all over the league. "The NFL is a business and I need to get what I feel is mine!" Okay, not all players say this, but the business part they all agree with. BMarsh had a pretty spectacular year. Good enough to be called one of the best receivers in the NFL. Although he did drop quite a few passes, in hind sight, dropped passes never stopped T.O. from getting paid! He's suppose to make around $2.2 million this year. Looking at receivers like T.O., Randy Moss, Lee Evans, & Larry Fitzgerald raking in double digit million dollar salaries it's no wonder BMarsh has a chip on his shoulder. $10M a year at the very least makes $2.2M look like chump change!

5. Another theory could be that BMarsh is holding out because maybe he'll be fortunate enough to get traded to a team that will pay him the money he wants. Now that Cutler is gone, does Orton have the arm strength to get him the ball down field? Maybe BMarsh doesn't think so. Let's see, a new offense does well after a few years and usually not immediately. BMarsh is probably holding out because after 3 years under Shanahan's system his performance level has increased yearly. Now he has to start all over and learn a new system. Chances are his performance is going to drop off. So to all the people that are saying "Shut up and play BMarsh! Have a great season and then let them pay you!" You got to understand the business. And business says that if performance does drop off, the Broncos Management don't have to pay you what you want due to your performance decline. So I bet they are hoping for him to "be a team player" and curtail this years performance so they can use it as an excuse to NOT pay him what he wants.

6. Being a negative exclusive on ESPN was probably not a lot of fun. However, his actions did make him an easy target. And when it comes to media bullies, they have no qualms about picking on an easy target. The media is in charge of what gets broadcast. And they allowed BMarsh to have a rebuttal interview. Of course the guy in charge was only going to get what he wanted out of BMarsh and cut him off whenever BMarsh was trying to make a point. All I can say is BMarsh should have known better and just laid low and hopefully things would've blown over. This alone would cost him a few million later on down the road. Time to hold out seeing that he's going to need the money later.

7. Okay, so you get arrested for fighting in public back home in Atlanta with your new girl friend and soon to be wife? Idiot! When are you going to learn that women who want to fight with you also want your money! Regardless, it looks like somethings never change. And also, this could get expensive. Better go after that coin my friend!

8. There is no doubt that your first troubles with your high school sweet heart are expensive. Lawyers that love rich hoodlums like you who love to get in trouble, are more than eager to take away your money! You're a lawyers dream come true. Ask your agent, he'll tell ya that he's your best friend too!

9. Now I don't know about this, but hip surgery and rehabilitation sound awfully expensive, but I'm sure the Broncos organization covered that medical bill. Still, being gimpy isn't the best time to ask for more money. Not showing up for mandatory work outs is also throwing money away. But coming from the hood probably means that you're making too much money (or at least you thought you were) that you didn't know what to do with it! So let's just throw it all away. I guess you've thrown away enough to see the bottom of the barrel. Wow, now you need more, much much more.

Ya know, the average American can retire rather comfortably on $2.2 million. So why is it so difficult for a kid who had nothing, earned his way into college through hard work and physical gifts, and made it as a professional football player to be able to manage his finances and do the same thing?

I guess if I were 20something, a very talented wide receiver, had everything to look forward to, and was making that kind of salary; I'd probably piss away a few million dollars too!

In the end I don't believe that BMarsh will have another season like he did last year. He wants to get traded, but I don't know if he will get traded. Funny thing is, I hope he stays in Denver. But with the changing of the guard, it seems less likely than it did 6 months ago!

RB's and more RB's!

So it seems that we don't have enough running backs on our team. Let's see... we signed Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan, J.J. Arrington, and Darius Walker as free agents. We drafted in the first round (12th overall) Knowshon Moreno and Kestahn Moore (rookie free agent,) and we kept Ryan Torain. Also it was reported that McHoodie was very interested in Derrick Ward,

Plus we still have Full Backs Peyton Hillis and Spencer Larsen.

I think strongly that Peyton Hillis should be Denvers full time RB instead of a FB. He has everything it takes to run the ball and has the work ethic to be a 1000 rusher easily.

However, since Cutler's gone it appears that McHoodie is taking that Bear's philosphy of run the ball more than pass since Bear's product Kyle Orton was successful in that type of smashmouth offense. Hence all the extra RB's to make sure when they start going down with injuries, they will be replaced easily. So a Run by committee seems to be the safe way to go.

AfterMath of the Draft

We drafted a running back with the 12th pick overall. I was rather disappointed because I felt we really needed a defensive nose tackle or a defensive end. When McHoodie let Brian Orakpo slip to the Redskins for another running back, it gives me another reason to shake my head.

I didn't mind picking up Robert Ayers, but we have a boat load of line backers already!

What we're lacking is a few pass rushing defensive ends. Look McHoodie, we're going to have to beat the San Diego Chargers! Guess what? They have a franchise quarter back that is very talented, can make all the throws, and has lit up this defense over the past four years. Why? Because he has all the time in the world to pick apart the secondary. There has been no presence of pass rush in the past four season. Also, they have a couple of very talented running backs that like to make career games on Denvers defense (and special teams.)

Also, picking up little corner backs isn't going to work either. The Charger's have 6' 5" tall wide recievers and they use their height as an advantage! What is a little 5' 9" corner back going to do against that size. Physically they are already at a disadvantage. Look at what happened to Champ and Dre over the past couple of years. You really need to get some taller corner backs because Phillip Rivers knows all he has to do is throw the ball up high and they will out jump little corner backs all the time! San Diego knows this and have been using it to their advantage until someone decides to man up to their advantages.

But what do I know? I've only studied this team for the past 25 years or so! We'll see how things go when the real season gets going. Until then I guess we'll all have to wait.

The Draft - 2009

As you all know by now on April 2nd, Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler along with a 5th round draft pick was traded to the Chicago Bears for quarterback Kyle Orton, a 1st round pick (18th overall,) a 3rd round pick (84th overall,) and the Bears 1st round pick for the 2010 draft.

The upcoming 2009 Draft is next weekend, April 25-26. There is no doubt that the Broncos need some defense. The 2008 defense gave up:

An average 28 points a game - rank 30th
An average 374.6 total yards a game - rank 29th
Of which 228.5 were passing yards - rank 26th
And 146.1 were rushing yards - rank 27th

It's no wonder we couldn't seal the deal in the last 3 games of the season!

So far here is the line up of picks we have:
1) #12 1st Round
2) #18
3) #48 2nd Round
4) #79 3rd Round
5) #84
6) #114 4th Round
7) #149 5th Round
8) #185 6th Round
9) #225 7th Round
10) #235

I hope we go Defense and not waste our picks away on a quarterback!!! We had a franchise quarterback, one of probably 6 that exist in the league today, and now he's gone. Let's just use Kyle Orton as is and rebuild the Orange Crush.

Since McHoodie is changing to a 3-4 Defense, I'd like to see us get B.J. Raji to anchor down the Nose and then a solid Defensive End like Tyson Jackson. If we can get those two, I'll be impressed by McHoodie and his staff.