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