Denver Broncos Rookie TE Richard Quinn Arrested

Just days after fellow AFC West player Shawne Merriman was arrested for domestic violence, Denver Broncos rookie tight end Richard Quinn found himself behind bars on the same accusations.

Per the report from the Denver Post, Quinn says he was trying to restrain the woman from hitting him in the face, resulting in him “shaking her to the ground.

The woman engaged in the dispute maintains that Quinn took her cell phone away to prevent her from calling the cops, and Quinn refutes that the only reason he took her cell phone away was so she would not use it as a weapon to hit him in the face with.

Quinn’s agent/ attorney feels his client did everything he was supposed to.

“I’m very proud the way Richard handled this delicate situation by defusing what otherwise could have been a potentially dangerous situation.

”When all the facts come out, people will find out Richard’s done nothing wrong. Richard’s No. 1 concern right now is the welfare of his daughter and to avoid any negative light brought to the Denver Broncos, Richard and his family.”

This is really the last thing the Broncos need right now, and quite frankly, it is absurd.

Quinn was regarded as a player of very high character coming out of North Carolina, and many felt the Broncos “reached” for him in the draft. 

The consensus was that Quinn was to be as high as a high third round pick, and the Broncos did not chance that happening, making a move into the second round to snag the blocking tight end.

It is not my place to pass judgement, but situations like this always leave me confused. 

How do NFL players find themselves in these predicaments?  How do athletes in general seem to make it commonplace for incidents like this to occur?

I read a very convincing article in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine from an anonymous athlete who suggested that he/she was surprised these types of things do not happen to pro athletes more than they do because of all the temptation, publicity, and attention they get.

I am sure Quinn’s lady friend knows/knew he was a professional athlete, and has egged him on to the point where he cannot even stand it, but violence is not the way to go about it.

Again, I do not know any or all of the details of what actually happened, but Bronco fans can only hope this is just a small speed bump. 

Not that the negative publicity could become any more prevalent for the Broncos…

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Why Terrell Davis Belongs in the Hall of Fame (By a Raider Fan)

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-ansi-language:#0400;
mso-fareast-language:#0400;
mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

I note “by a Raider fan” because, in this argument, I will be speaking against my interests.  Raider fans and Bronco fans are mortal enemies, and if the Raiders went 1-15, yet won in Denver, I would be happy.

I, however, give credit where credit is due.

As anyone would know, we Raider fans are characterized as “rowdies” and “creeps” by the sports media, and Jay Mariotti of Around the Horn has admitted it.

Mariotti shockingly admitted that he, and possibly others, do not investigate stories about the Raiders, but simply rely on gossip. 

That is an admission of defamation because you are saying that you cannot provide substantiation for your statements.  Frankly, I would like to see the Oakland Raiders pore through Mariotti’s articles and find the material to sue him.  That could just be a fantasy, but it is what I would like to see. 

After all, people like Mariotti claim to be inherently better reporters than bloggers, so why can’t people like Mariotti be held to a higher standard?

As the saying goes, “make it global,” thus it is not a problem with just one reporter that claims to be unbiased and yet makes up news, it is a problem with every reporter that claims to be unbiased and yet makes up news.

I am every sportswriter’s thorn in the side.  I do not preach craziness; I preach confidence.  That, to some, is craziness.

The reason that many fail in their analysis is that they do not believe in what they think, so they seek affirmation from others who could just as easily be wrong.

Why else would people protest at Town Hall meetings in order to say, “Watch Glenn Beck?”

Granted, you are not seeking affirmation from the guy with a Joe Dirt mullet, but the act of seeking affirmation for your opinions is what hinders you.  It is like a Chinese finger trap, you must do the opposite of what you think will work.

I know that I’m Mr. Controversial with my interpretations of real news (ever heard of that Jay?), which range from apologizing to Michael Vick for slavery and post-slavery racial oppression and arguing that Roger Goodell couldn’t get his Spygate story straight, to believing that extraordinary justice was given to Darko Milicic for the NATO bombings of Serbia in 1999.

I have also argued that Dan Marino and Dan Fouts do not belong in the Hall of Fame.

To me, justice is ultimately what sports are about. Sure, you can view them abstractly to predict what will happen, but ultimately every great athlete is there for a reason that others are not: Justice.

Their will or desire determined their presence and was coordinated by the selectors of will known as sports executives.

The issue, however, is not who is biased or who is not, because I do believe that everyone is biased.

If you had no bias, you would lack motivation: a bias is just intellectual fuel that people suppress because they think they have to.  Often times, for immediate gratification (money), and the feeling that, “I could do that, but I don’t want to.” 

Thomas Edison, for instance, was incredibly biased in favor of direct current, which he discovered, as opposed to alternating current, which was discovered by Nikola Tesla.  Did Edison’s biases stop him from creating the metaphorically great idea, the light bulb?

Nope.

Thus, it is just a matter of how well you defend your bias.  The problem is when you lie by claiming to be unbiased.  Be open about it, go down swinging if you must, and keep trying.

Shouting out, “You’re biased” is just hypocrisy.

With that said, arguing in favor of Terrell Davis for the Hall of Fame is not something I can stomach, but I believe that it is consistent with many of my previous arguments.  This is just the point at which it has become uncomfortable.

Here we go.

I must start with an indirect arguments about the standards for induction by pro sports’ Halls of Fame because two of the Big Three (baseball and football) revolve heavily around statistics and the longevity of a career as a reflection of greatness.

The problem I have had with Hall of Fame inductions is that in the past generation, the Halls have put a premium on statistics, rather than championships.

These same writers will turn around and cry about how athletes cheated them by inflating their statistics with steroids.  (Hey, Jay, I bet you didn’t investigate Sammy Sosa either.)  Those players only did so because of the “magic numbers” created by writers who thought statistics reflected greatness more than championships do.

Thus, by fixation on statistics, the writers lowered the bar.  The players ceased to care about victory as long as they got paid and built a resume of meaningless statistics. 

Just ask Manny Ramirez. 

Ramirez took heat in 2007 when he claimed that it did not matter if the Red Sox won the World Series or not.  Fortunately, for Ramirez, the Sox won the Series that year.

I however take it as evidence of something that I like to say: If you do not care about winning, you are probably on drugs.  With the juicers, winning is just incidental.

Unlike rock musicians however, drugs are just the key to something that they do not understand, and which might lead to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ultimately, what is it that an athlete should be on the field to do? 

To win—that is the only answer.

Statistics are just the consolation prize for when you lose.  Occasionally, one player comes along, who is mired in losing for a long time, yet he keeps posting great statistics, so fans and writers try to recognize that, but in doing so, lose sight of the real reason that the game is played: to win, not rack up statistics.

Thus, if writers truly want to send a message to players to stop juicing, then I would suggest that they make new examples with their inductions.

The standard I set is, “Championships + Statistics = Greatness.”  Yet, people are willing to isolate statistics to the detriment of championships.

Frankly, Doug Williams did in half a season what Dan Marino tried for an entire career to do-win the Super Bowl.

Yet, the Hall glorifies a quarterback whose career was defined mostly by 1984-1986 while being the top NFL passer and appearing in the Super Bowl with the Miami Dolphins.   It glorifies a career that, after 1986, was mostly average, but long.

That is not to say that anyone can play in the pros for many years.  I find it quite odd that Hall preference goes to those who never accomplished the goal that they set out to do: win.

I guarantee, like Joe Namath, that Marino would trade his statistics for a ring.  If not, why did he play?

After all this, the argument to support Terrell Davis is quite simple.  Davis’ career was defined mostly by what he did in 1996-1998 by being the top NFL runner and winning two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos.

In two seasons, Davis did far more than most athletes can ever dream of doing. 

That is greatness.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Fans: Reality Check Time

As the NFL preseason ends, the excitement that brings football fans back year after year is finally upon us with the regular season set to begin.

If your fervor has not been sullied by uninspired preseason games, your enthusiasm for the coming season is at an all-time high when your team finally takes the field this Sunday (for most teams).

Unfortunately, just by the nature of competition, half of the teams will win this week and the other half will lose (unless you’re Donovan McNabb or Andy Reid and are unaware your team can tie a game and therefore fail to try for the win).

It is for this very reason that I feel it is time for us all to take off our respective team colored glasses and face some harsh truths.

 

Your team is not as good as you think they are.

 

We are football fans. We believe in our team. We place our hope in their hands every week. We share in the emotion of their successes and failures, so much so that we marry ourselves to our team with words of ownership (we just need to…, etc.).

But to be honest with ourselves, without dashing the hopes that have us chomping at the bit, we need to keep ourselves from buying into the hype, or we will surely be disappointed.

Without calling out teams or players (because we all know who they are):

That rookie your team picked up in the draft is still a rookie and will probably not have that much of an impact for your team this year. Even if he shows flashes of brilliance, he will fail more than he succeeds this year (with few exceptions.)

That older veteran player your team picked up in free agency is old, and probably doesn’t have the gas left in the tank that he did in his heyday. Don’t be surprised if he underperforms—because your team paid him for what he did in his past rather than what he has the ability to do for your team in the future.

Your new rookie head coach is a rookie head coach and will/has made rookie mistakes himself. I don’t care how good he was as a coordinator, he has a lot more on his plate now than he ever had in the past. He is not the savior of your franchise and will not lead you to the Super Bowl this year or the next. The reason your team has a new head coach is because your team wasn’t very good last year, despite what you may think.

The prospect players on your roster are not that good. All the potential in the world won’t make them an impact player in the NFL. 

Though patience is required to develop a legitimate player in the NFL, some players will never pan out. Even if they were a very high draft pick, some players are just busts. Your organization is paying them a whole lot for very little in return.

Your offense will not be as dynamic as you think it will. Sure you have some very talented running backs (or receivers), but without any decent receivers (or running backs) your offense is one dimensional and will stall eventually.

Your team will miss the player or coach that they lost to another team this off-season. The dynamic that individual brought to the team, allowing them to be so successfu is gone, and it will show.

No one can predict the future and few things in life are certain, but I think we will all be better off if we temper our expectations with reality.

I do not suggest that you dilute the excitement or fervor for your team.  But simply realize the hype for what it is.

As the saying goes…”On any given Sunday…”

Never give up hope, but make sure your expectations are realistic for your team.

Allow yourself to be surprised by players exceeding your expectations, and aptly prepared when they simply meet your realistic expectations.

I hope I didn’t depress anyone with this article—just trying to speak some truth.

Hope for the best, but prepare (yourself) for the worst.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Why the Denver Broncos’ 2009 Season Is Sure to Disappoint

As a longtime Denver Broncos fan, I tend to look at the team through orange (and blue) tinted glasses.  

 

I like to take a glass half full instead of half empty approach with the team.

For 14 years, it seemed a given the Broncos would win around nine games, and I always figured that they would finish at, or near, the top of the AFC West and in contention to make the playoffs.

 

While they might not be the best team in the NFL, they would provide entertainment and would be competitive.

 

Yet, this year, it grows increasingly harder to look at this team as anything other than a rebuilding project.

 

Based on the preseason, it doesn’t appear that we can truly judge what kind of team this group will be.

Due to all the changes that took place during the offseason, I do not believe they will be in contention for the playoffs, and they might finish at the bottom of the AFC West, possibly near the bottom of the entire AFC.

 

My prediction is that they go 4-12, fail to make the playoffs, and give Seattle a very nice top 10 pick in the draft next year.

 

Don’t get me wrong though; going 4-12 shouldn’t be considered a “bad” thing.

My way of thinking is that they could finish with a worse record but still be a better team, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

 

Now, allow me to run down a couple of reasons why I believe the team will have a less than stellar year.

 

 

Reason One: The Schedule

 

Denver finished second in the AFC West in 2008.

 

After watching the team collapse down the stretch last season, it is unfortunate that they couldn’t have been just a little worse.

They did just enough to get themselves to a record of 8-8 and what can be best described, at least on paper, as a who’s who of murderers’ row opponents in 2009.

 

The first three games look winnable.

 

Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Oakland are sure to have improved over last season, but none are expected to have such marked improvement that they should be considered contenders.

 

Following the week three matchup with Oakland, the going gets tough.

 

Dallas, New England, San Diego, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, San Diego, and New York (Giants) are their next eight opponents, and they still have Indianapolis and Philadelphia on the schedule.

 

At least on paper, that schedule is the definition of brutal.

 

Of course, anything can happen on any given Sunday. But it is going to be tough.

 

Don’t forget that the Broncos struggled in the AFC West last season and lost a game to each of the other teams within their division.

 

This season has the makings of a being very long and difficult to watch, Broncos fans.

 

 

 

Reason Two: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

 

Everything has been changed for the Broncos this year.

 

The defense moved away from the 4-3 that they typically ran under Mike Shanahan and have adopted a new 3-4 scheme. During the preseason, it appeared to be a stroke of genius as the defense finished the exhibition portion of the year ranked seventh.

I know, nothing in the preseason means anything, but it gives us hope.

 

They might not be a top 10 defensive team during the regular season, but they will certainly be better than they have been in recent years.

 

They got bigger along the defensive front, with all three of the down linemen tipping the scales at over 300 pounds.

 

But the weak link of the defense remains the defensive line.

 

The linebackers are going to be expected to put pressure on opposing offense, and they will likely be up to the task.

Elvis Dumervil is the team’s most accomplished and consistent pass rusher, but he cannot do it all. They need someone else to step up so the opposing offense cannot just game plan away from Dumervil like Chicago did in the second half of their preseason matchup.

 

They have to hope that the front seven can create just enough pressure to buy Denver’s world-class secondary time to make a play.

 

On top of changing things on the defensive side, coach Josh McDaniels has put in an entirely new offensive system, rebuilding the offense from the ground up.

 

First, he changed the blocking scheme, which many people wouldn’t notice. Denver is keeping elements of the zone blocking scheme they ran under Coach Shanahan but are moving towards more of a man blocking scheme.

 

McDaniels seemed to be very conservative during the preseason, running a very basic version of his offense. Because of this, the growing pains are going to be plentiful. The offensive system Coach McDaniels runs is said to be one of the most difficult to master in the entire National Football League.

Maybe that is why the offense seemed stuck in neutral throughout the preseason.

 

Players who played under Shanahan or in another system are going to need some time to grasp all elements and learn what their roles will be in the new schemes.

 

Maybe that is why McDaniels keeps grabbing players off the New England scrap heap. Or maybe he doesn’t trust the players he inherited and doesn’t believe they can play here now. Or possibly, as rumored, he has a divided locker room, and bringing New England players in is the only way McDaniels can have a voice or gain control.

 

I have never seen a more polarizing figure in Broncos Country than McDaniels.

 

It seems that Broncos fans either love him or hate him, like there isn’t a lot of middle ground on the subject. Not all of us have to like him, and no one should question another fan’s loyalty just because he or she doesn’t like McDaniels. He is here, at least temporarily, so get used to it and learn to live with him.

 

 

 

Too many of the elements of the Broncos’ season make the prognosis look very bleak.

 

They have a brutal schedule, a first time head coach, changes throughout the organization, the possibility of a locker room divided, and so much more. Put it all together, and anything more than four wins would be an accomplishment.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Team Previews: Denver Broncos

Pigskin Heaven’s Sascha Bartels is breaking down every single team in the NFL, prior to the season. Here is his analysis and forecast for the Denver Broncos. Click on a team to read its preview.

AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ

AFC North: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT

AFC South: IND | HOU | JAX | TEN

AFC West: DEN | KAN | OAK | SDG

NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS

NFC North: CHI | DET | GBA | MIN

NFC South: ATL | CAR | NOL | TBA

NFC West: ARI | STL | SFO | SEA

 

What’s New?

Well, I would say that the entire locker room is running around in “Hello, my name is ______” stickers, but then again, half the locker room were New England Patriots last year, so there is at least some familiarity.

The Broncos’ offseason started and for the first time in well over a decade, it wasn’t going to be run by Mike Shanahan. The Broncos instead tabbed, from the Patriots, Josh McDaniels.Then in February, the Broncos released Dre Bly, and later signed Brian Dawkins.

There were way too many free agent acquisitions to name, but some of the more notable ones include: running backs Correll Buckhalter, LaMont Jordan, and J.J Arrington, as well as a ton of defensive help. Linebacker Andra Davis, corner Andre Goodman and safety Renaldo Hill, to name a few.

Then the mess began in Denver.

After rumors of shopping quarterback Jay Cutler were spread, Cutler became upset and, eventually, requested a trade. After several failed attempts to contact Cutler, the team honored his request by moving him to Chicago in exchange for Kyle Orton and draft picks.

That allowed the team to focus on the draft. While the bulk of the draft focused on defense, Denver did select running back Knowshon Moreno with the 12th pick, then used Chicago’s choice on end Robert Ayers.

Alphonso Smith, Darcel McBath, and David Bruton were all added later in an attempt to bolster the secondary. And the Broncos ignored draft pundits who kept insisting they trade up for Mark Sanchez or at least select Josh Freeman, and took their signal caller in the sixth round, Tom Brandstater.

Now, with summer here, the headaches in Denver feature mostly Brandon Marshall, and his export from the team could be rather brisk.

Three Burning Questions

 

Can Orton Come Close To Equaling Cutler’s Production?

Kyle Orton earned a lot of praise for his play in Chicago last year, but to compare that with Cutler’s play in Denver is just not happening.

If Orton has Marshall to throw it to, then the talent he’s playing with this year dwarfs what he had in Chicago. If Marshall gets shipped out, then the talent edge has drastically dwindled.

I think Orton has never been a great quarterback, and he could succumb to the pressure now laid on him in Denver. I don’t expect many good things from him this year.

 

Is the Defense Actually Improved?

Denver really focused on making its defense better, so the question is, did they succeed?

Yes, I think they have. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not going to be making a bunch of headlines in 2009, but with Dumervil harassing other team’s quarterbacks and Dawkins joining Bailey in the secondary, plus a good array of linebackers between them, by the end of the season, Denver may have a defense further along than the offense.

Tabbing Mike Nolan to run the defense may be one of McDaniels’ best decisions of the offseason.

 

Will Eddie Royal, Peyton Hillis, and Tony Scheffler Continue Their Development?

It’s quite possible that this is a trio that shone thanks to Cutler at quarterback. Will they be the same weapons now that Orton is running the show?

My initial thought is no. Royal may be the most impacted, since Hillis and Scheffler at least play positions that quarterbacks like to check down to. It could be a long year for the passing game.

 

Fantasy Forecast

Good play: There aren’t too many Broncos I’d hitch my trailer to this season. If Brandon Marshall plays, he’ll get his stats, but that’s about it. Perhaps you can try to pick a workhorse RB and get lucky, but there’s not much else.

Avoid: Avoid Orton and Royal, as well as the defense. Orton has never been a viable fantasy player, and even if he has his full array of talent at his disposal, he’s still only at best, an emergency backup.

Sleeper: I think the sleeper will be Hillis. He’ll get in on many short yardage situations, and he can run and catch, plus he could easily account for about eight TD’s by the time the season’s over.

 

Prognosis

For the prognosis and final record, read the originally posted article here.

 

This is an original article by Pigskin Heaven Staffer, Sascha Bartels. You can read it, more of Sascha’s articles, and more from the Pigskin Heaven staff here.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Sign DL Vonnie Holliday, Final Roster Cuts No Surprise

The Denver Post is reporting that the Broncos have agreed to a contract with free agent defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday amidst their massive roster cuts.

Holliday is a 33-year-old veteran who at 6’5″ 288 pounds is a solid defensive lineman who started for the Dolphins last year.

In the wake of recently acquired DE Le Kevin Smith’s knee injury, Holliday’s signing became somewhat of a priority.

Holliday visited the Broncos back in March as well, but left town without signing a deal.

The Broncos have been busy making roster moves today, much like the rest of the league, and here is a list of players who did not make the final cut:

• DL Matthias Askew
• OL Kory Lichtensteiger
• QB Ingle Martin
• CB Rashod Moulton
• OT Clint Oldenburg
• DL Carlton Powell
• LB Lee Robinson
• WR Nate Swift
• RB Marcus Thomas
• WR Matt Willis
• CB Joshua Bell
• CB Tony Carter
• DE Everette Pedescleaux
• G Mitch Erickson
• DE/OLB Tim Crowder
• DE Nic Clemons
• RB Darius Walker
• OL Matt McChesney

There are a couple of surprising names on that list, especially for Broncos fans.

Tim Crowder was a second round pick in 2007, and after a solid rookie campaign, there were high hopes for him. 

Darius Walker was a guy that I thought had an excellent camp and preseason, and who proved worthy of a roster spot above veteran LaMont Jordan.

Kory Lichtensteiger was a fourth round pick last season, but the drafting of Seth Olsen and trading for Russ Hochstein made him expendable.

Fans were also really high on Nate Swift, and he is a strong candidate for the practice squad.

The real story of today, oddly enough, is that Jarvis Moss made the final cut.  Many thought he was on the bubble, and he was, but the Broncos saw enough in him this offseason to give him one more shot.  This will be the last go for Moss.  He needs to make an impact in 2009 or he will most certainly be let go by the 2010 season.

Keep an eye on any Patriots who are released today, or possibly quarterback Kevin O’Connell to be on the Broncos’ radar.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos ’09: Who Are These Guys And What Did They Do To My Team?

Ask any Bronco fan who the best coach in Bronco history was and they will answer with no hesitation, Mike Shanahan. No one casts a bigger shadow.

After the Broncos second Super Bowl, Shanahan became Broncos football. Somehow every year was going to be a Super Bowl year. That was the Shanahan promise.

Every year we started with a bright shiny offense that ran like clockwork and if something went wrong that was okay because next year we would just adjust this or that.

There is little doubt that Shanahan needed Elway as much as Elway needed Shanahan.  Most of Shanahan’s career after Elway was a search for a new Elway. No one ever looked more like Elway than Jay Cutler.

Cutler was going to be Shanahan’s salvation, the second coming. Shanahan was betting everything on the development of the young quarterback and the fans believed in Shanahan.

At the end of Cutler’s second year as a starter people began to doubt, the team was getting worse. Then Shanahan was fired and for some Broncos fans the world had been completely transformed. The certainty that seemed to exist with Shanahan was gone.

Suddenly the star quarterback was questioning the team owner. Demands flew, ultimatums were given.  The owner hired a young prodigy named Josh McDaniels and the star wouldn’t talk to him.

The drama kept on, the star traded, another star complaining. None of this happened with Shanahan so it must be the new guys fault. The witch hunt was on.

Through all of this the team was rebuilt, the preseason played and with the season about to begin few people really know who the Denver Broncos are anymore.

Last years defense, we are told, was terrible, so this year’s defense will have to be worse. Every small stumble was pointed to as the fatal flaw.

What has happened to the Broncos? Have they been rebuilt? What kind of season will they have? For the first time in 14 years Bronco fans are asking questions.

 

OFFENSE

The new offense has a lot of similarity to the old offense with a couple of notable changes. 

Orton is not Cutler

Cutler has a great arm. There was no throw Cutler couldn’t make. With Cutler on the field the Broncos were dangerous regardless of their field position.

Orton is a lot more of a ball control quarterback. He won’t hold the ball for the deep pattern, instead he’ll take the short pass and work down the field.

Orton’s first preseason game was labeled as disastrous because of three interceptions.  Before the first of those interceptions Orton had led an impressive drive. The second game saw Orton lead the same kinds of drives.

All of the evidence suggests Orton will have a strong year this year.  He progressively did better at controlling turnovers and made good throws. Even in the Chicago game, when he constantly had to overcome holding penalties he went 12-16 with no interceptions.

The question that the preseason left about Orton is whether he only threw short passes by design or because that was all that was available. The fact that the second team used more long throws suggests that Orton was throwing shorter by design because his strength is getting the ball out quickly.

 

Who Will Catch the Ball?

The wide receiver spot has gotten a lot of attention because of the Brandon Marshall hold out. Many pundits assumed that without Marshall the Broncos will struggle in the passing game.

The truly odd thing about Marshall is that he has one of the lowest catch rates among starting wide receivers. Marshall’s catch rate of 57 percent pales in comparison to that of his own teammate Eddie Royal whose catch rate of 71 percent is one of the best in the league.

In fact both Brandon Stokley and Jabar Gaffney have catch rates of 58 percent. The evidence from preseason is that they are more than adequate replacements for Marshall

Add in Tight Ends Tony Scheffler and Daniel Graham at 66 and 64 percent catch rates respectively, along with good pass catching running backs Knowshon Moreno and Peyton Hillis, the Broncos actually have plenty of solid receivers for a variety of situations.

The Offensive Line

One legacy of the Shanahan era is a solid offensive line. The only knock on the offensive line was depth. McDaniels addressed that nicely in the draft with Seth Olson and in free agency and with solid veterans like Russ Hochstein and Brandon Gorin. The Broncos front line will be bigger and deeper.

 

Running the Ball

Perhaps the biggest question mark offensively is the running game. The Broncos steadily progressed in the running game but really only showed up in the final preseason game. 

Moreno’s carries have been very limited due to injury, Buckhalter has been lackluster, and Lamont Jordan has not impressed. Hillis, last year’s surprise starter at running back for a few games, may be the second best running back on the team. A lot depends on Moreno staying healthy in the running game.

 

DEFENSE

The good thing about last year’s defense is that it wasn’t as bad as Detroit’s. The bad thing is that it was almost as bad.

After the Cutler debacle criticism of McDaniels was that if he didn’t devote the draft to the defensive line it would be a failure. When only one draft choice was used on a defensive lineman a new round of criticism began.

Almost unnoticed was a series of quiet free agent pickups that will prove to be very wise over the course of the season.

 

The Defensive Line

The symbol of Denver’s defensive futility in 2008 was its smallish defensive line. Teams simply overpowered in the running game and ignored them in the passing game.

While the critics lambasted McDaniels for not spending draft choices on defensive linemen, McDaniels was quietly importing free agent Ronnie Fields, Ryan McBean and LeKevin Smith.  Along with holdovers Kenny Peterson and Marcus Thomas, both of whom bulked up, the Broncos became much larger on the defensive line with McBean being the smallest at 290 pounds.

The preseason has revealed this squad as being strong enough to control the line and create penetration both against the run and the pass. They have been a large part of a very successful preseason defensive debut as none of their opponents have been able to sustain any significant offense.

They totaled 10 sacks in their four games and against Chicago they registered seven three-and-outs. Moreover they held last year’s Super Bowl contender’s first-string offense scoreless in the first quarter of their last preseason game.

 

Linebackers

This has been the biggest area of concern.  The linebacker corps includes four former defensive linemen who are making the transition to outside linebacker.

Elvis Dumervil, Robert Ayers and Jarvis Moss have shown very good pass rushing skills from their outside linebacker positions but have missed assignments when called on to drop back into coverage.

Darrell Reid has been quieter but his interception against Arizona might have been a sign that he understands the coverage assignments a little better.

In the middle veterans D.J. Williams and Andra Davis are solid anchors while Mario Haggen provides a solid outside linebacker presence as the starter on the left side.

This linebacker corps in the three four defense give the Broncos a great ability to rush from a variety of positions on any given play. Dumervil and Moss, if he makes the team, will prosper in this scheme.

 

The Defensive Backs

One of the biggest free agent moves McDaniels made was the acquisition of Brian Dawkins. Renaldo Hill and Andre Goodman came over from Miami to join with Champ Bailey in forming one of the oldest defensive backfields in the league. Through the preseason they have shown that won’t be a problem.

Dawkins provides the anchor for the safety position that the Broncos have lacked since John Lynch retired. Known as an intense player he has already proved himself a great on field example for the younger players.

Bailey is widely considered one of the top cornerbacks in the game. His reputation alone prevents many quarterbacks from challenging him during games.

Goodman is a solid corner with good coverage skills. He will be the corner most tested this season. So far he looks up to the challenge but Cincinatti will be his toughest test so far.

Hill has had a decent career. Last year in Miami he was beaten out for the starting  safety job by the end of preseason. When Miami’s secondary was burned in week two, Hill was inserted back into the lineup and is credited for solidifying the secondary that year.

Backing them up are a trio of second-round picks including Alphonso Smith, a much criticized pick by McDaniels who traded a first-round pick in next years draft to pick him. Smith has a reputation as a ball hawk. He has looked promising in the preseason at both nickel back and as a punt returner.

Darcel McBath and David Bruton are the two second-round safeties. They have both shown nice coverage skills and a willingness to make the big hit.

 

PREDICTIONS

The defense is going to get a lot of the attention early on. It shows signs of gelling quickly and has the right personnel to control most offenses. 

None of the Broncos preseason contests were against strong running teams. The defense might struggle against power running teams like Pittsburgh and New York.

Teams like New England and San Diego will test the linebackers with passes to tight ends and running backs. The Broncos should work out their linebacker coverage but if they haven’t by the time they meet San Diego they will be in deep trouble.

Defensively the Broncos will end the season ranked somewhere between 12^th and 17^th.  They will be solid against the run but vulnerable over the middle to passes to tight ends and backs out of the backfield.

Offensively, the Broncos have revealed very little in the preseason about how they will play. Will they stay strictly with the short game while Orton is out there? Will Moreno solidify the running game?

Fortunately the Broncos go against two relatively soft defenses in their first two games. Look for McDaniels to open up the playbook a little with a variety of misdirection plays and crossing routes.

The Broncos offense will be erratic for the first couple of games as they continue to absorb the new offense.  They should settle a little for the Oakland game and be pretty decent in time for Dallas.

I do think McDaniels will pull out all the stops for Dallas. That will be a key game as the next four are very tough opponents.

Moreno’s durability will be a key issue in the performance of the Bronco offense. When healthy his skills are enough to make the Bronco running game a real threat. Good running performances by Moreno will go a long way to keeping pass rushers honest and forcing opposing defenses to keep more defenders in the box.

Should Moreno miss significant time to injury, backups Buckhalter and Hillis can provide a serviceable running game but neither will be enough of a threat to force defenses to focus on the running game.

Realistically the Broncos will see 8-8 but if they can split with San Diego, 9-7 while giving San Diego a scare for the division title. More than that is possible but it will depend on how well the offense comes together and on Moreno’s durability.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Happy New Year Football Fans

Football fans rejoice. Your offseason suffering has come to an end.

We have suffered through the grueling months between the Super Bowl and the first day of the new season. We have grasped at every snippet of information we can get our hands on to hold us through the dark times.

We waited patiently as our team tediously vetted potential free agents and settled on the chosen few. The outcome of this process would not to be determined for months. But no more! The results will soon be known to all.

We will know if our team can survive without its mainstays. We will know if that washed up veteran castoff has one more, good year in him.  All of the answers will soon be told, because today is football season!

We were mercilessly pelted with mock draft after mock draft. But like an addict chasing his next fix, after we painstakingly reviewed one, we searched the Internet for more. Hoping some nitwit in cyberspace had some keen insight that we were missing.

After the big day had come and gone the process of grading the draft began. What a moronic process this is. But still, we watched it like it was a train wreck in slow motion.

What I want to know is if every team made the exact pick Pete Prisco predicted in his mock draft, would he still give half the teams a grade of “C” or worse? Would the Patriots still get an “A” for being the Patriots? Go away Pete, leave us alone! You’re not invited to our tailgate party.

We have criticized our team for not doing enough. We have second guessed the decisions, and in most cases, come to defend our team. Our GMs and coaches must know what they are doing. They have made the changes necessary to bring our team back to its former greatness.

Next up on our list of offseason horrors, the “Offseason Power Rankings.”  Power rankings have to be one of the most idiotic things conceived. They are bad enough during the season, but to be insulted by them in the off-season is almost more than I can bear. Still, I hang on every word. Why does ESPN have my team ranked 27 and CBS has them at 25?

Clearly all of these people have to be insane. Don’t they realize the improvements my team made, free agents, the draft, scheme changes, new coaches, fired coaches, addition by subtraction…how can they be so clueless? Anyone can see my team should be at least 21. They aren’t showing my team any respect. That’s alright we’ll show them. And it all starts today.

We have watched our team play four sloppy and meaningless football games in the preseason. We checked the box scores trying to determine how our first team matched up. We sat there while scrubs we will never see again made a mockery of our team’s proud football tradition. We watch because we are fans, pining for the real thing.

The stifling heat of summer two a days has broken. Feel the crisp morning air that signals the start of autumn. The cool northerly breeze that refreshes our soul and ignites our passion blows through the stadium. Soon the bitter cold of winter will be upon us. But that doesn’t matter today. Nothing can ruin today, the first day of football season.

We have talked our trash, berated our rival fans and made our predictions. Some bold, some safe and some just downright absurd. We have cast our lot and our fate will be determined over the next five months.

Fans of the perennial power houses, up and comers and terminal bottom dwellers all stand on equal footing today. We are all undefeated, all in first place, all equals and we all have hope. Nothing can bring us down.

So don your favorite jersey, fire up the grill and pull out the coldest beer. Celebrate! football fans. This is your day. You have suffered enough and your torment has come to an end.

Over the next several months there will be stark realizations and devastating injuries. Our delusions of grandeur will be laid to rest. Those prized free agents will prove to be less than promised. There will be draft busts, coaching errors and bonehead decisions.

But today I won’t hear of it. For today, my friend, is the start of a new year. Today is the first day of football season.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Brandstater Leads Broncos: Game Capsule and Film Study vs Cardinals

Game Capsule:  Broncos off the Schneid in Final Preseason Game

It’s real simple when you think about it. 

To win football games the offense needs to score points and the defense needs to keep the opponent from scoring.  With the Broncos 0-3 on the preseason, no better time than the present to get back to basics.  The Broncos scored multiple times while the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals did not.  The final score Broncos 19 Cardinals 0. 

In the game rookie quarterback Tom Brandstater made his debut as a starter due to injuries plaguing the other top two quarterbacks on the Broncos roster.  What came out of the game was a good showing by number three and a lot of respectability along the way.  He showed he can be a good game manager while still showing he has a little ways to go yet.

The Broncos ground game was sound and the Broncos overall did something they did not do until this point.  They took care of the ball for the most part giving up only one interception while forcing four Cardinals miscues leading to turnovers.

See, it’s that simple.

 

Broncos Film Study: Broncos Showcase Potential

Rookie Alphonso Smith returned the opening kick from five yards deep out to the twenty five yard line.  The potential he shows to be solid, along with his confidence to bring the ball out from five yards deep shows he will be a player to watch this season.

Starting with the good, facing the bad, and ending with the good of the opening drive.  Tom Brandstater had a good night overall. 

On the opening series, the Broncos found themselves in a tight situation on third and seven, Brandstater connected with Chad Jackson for a 43 yard gain on the pitch and catch.  Correll Buckhalter ran well early in creating more opportunity for the offense while feeding off the previous big play to Jackson.  The Broncos drive bogged down shortly after that and they had to settle for three points from the more reliable Matt Prader.

On the opening drive the Broncos defense seemed to have the Cardinals on the ropes when Kurt Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald for a big gain of 36 yards.  The Cardinals drive bogged down shortly after that.  With the Cardinals not scoring any points on the night, they appeared to be a team just going through the motions.  The Broncos defense however was playing like a team that wanted to win.

Brandon Lloyd is showing just how acrobatic and athletic he is.  The last two weeks he has caught balls thrown behind him near the end zone that eventually set up a touchdown.

Kenny McKinley would certainly be a great addition to the team, he is up against a numbers game and his route running needs improvement.  Hopefully they keep him around, I look for him on the practice squad if he’s not on the regular roster.

 

Areas of Improvement for Tom Brandstater

While Tom has demonstrated good composure and technique in the pocket, there are a few areas he should work on to improve his game. 

Early in the preseason Tom had a number of mental miscues from fumbled snaps to poor footwork coupled with poor handoff exchanges.  Those are unfortunately expectations of things that happen to rookie quarterbacks in the NFL.  Against Chicago, he showed some improvement, last night against Arizona he still had a snafu or two, but he was clearly in control as the leader of the Denver Broncos.

It is important to say on the surface Brandstater has shown great technique, composure, and accuracy overall.  From the placement of the ball, to his down field vision, you can see he has the potential for very good things sometime in the future. 

Compare that with Jay Cutler who is a coach’s worst nightmare when it comes to his technique, where he holds the ball and how he locks onto receivers.  It seems Tom Brandstater could have a very bright future in Denver.

Probably first and foremost due to the timing routes; Brandstater sets up quickly, however not always square to the line of scrimmage.  When quarterbacks aren’t square to the line of scrimmage it tips off the defense because he is showing that he is committed to his next set of actions. 

This is the key indicator that helps defensive backs key on receivers and routes that eventually lead to interceptions.  The common theme on what Tom needs to work on from the game last night is get squared up to the line of scrimmage first while making a read down field. 

Brandstater did show a weakness early on by telegraphing his short passes, by not looking down field first to freeze the defense.  Early on this resulted in two five yard outs that were knocked down by the Arizona cornerback on the opening drive.  One of the batted down balls led to a third and seven and the other prompted the opening drive to stall out.  This made the Broncos settle for three points instead of finishing the opening drive with a touchdown.  

This happened again after Darrel Reid’s interception of Curt Warner.  The Broncos had a second and nine and again the pass was knocked down to the ground as he tried to connect with Brandon Lloyd. 

This type of telegraphing would later result in Brandstater’s lone interception on the night and in the team going to the well once too often.  Again Tom was working to his right and was not squared up to the line of scrimmage.  His body language gave the defense the indicator it needed to jump the route and make the interception.

Another area that should be looked at is his center of gravity, right now it is very high.  That could be due to inexperience and being nervous in some regard.  So he looked a little stiff in the pocket. 

One of his tendencies however that should be worked on is in creating his physical stability in the pocket.  Quarterbacks that have a low center of gravity in the pocket have greater escape-ability and tend to avoid injuries from being sacked.

Currently there isn’t much bend in Tom’s knees while in his stance in the pocket.  He should have a slightly wider base with knees bent while using the whole body to throw the ball.  Because he has such a strong arm, and because he has naturally good vision of the field, these minor tweaks have probably been overlooked but could go a long way to making him a better quarterback.   

He threw a deep ball to Kenny McKinley that was underthrown and incomplete.  On the play he threw the ball slightly off his back foot with a slight twist to his follow through. 

If he had a lower center of gravity it would force him to step up into his throw and lead to better ball placement.  This is the type of ball however that can become an interception against first team defenses. 

Currently because he stands so high in the pocket, on deep balls his body spins after the throw instead of having a firm follow through.  This leads to taking something off the ball, and under throws are the net result many times. 

Additionally, as strong as his arm is he could have greater velocity on deeper balls and in some instances he will need that to be the case.

Finally, on the good side, besides his strong arm, Brandstater is incredibly accurate on his timing passes.  He also has a unique ability to change speeds by having the right touch on the ball for each variety of pass types. 

He has the tools to become something good and special, but he will have to focus on the adjustments to his technique to become a reliable starter.

For Tom Brandstater and the Broncos, the future might be very bright.

 

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Projecting The Denver Broncos’ Field of 53

Now that the preseason has come to a conclusion, teams have to make their final roster cuts. 

From now until Saturday, 704 NFL hopefuls will be released, waived, placed on injured reserve, or put on some team’s practice squad.

Who will be standing when the Broncos make the big switch from 75 to 53 players? 

Here is how I see it shaking out:

 

QB: (1) Kyle Orton  (2) Chris Simms  (3) Tom Brandstater

Cut: Ingle Martin

 

RB: (1) Correll Buckhalter  (2) Knowshon Moreno  (3)  Peyton Hillis  (4) Darius Walker

Cut: LaMont Jordan, Marcus Thomas

 

WR: (1) Brandon Marshall  (2) Eddie Royal  (3) Brandon Stokley  (4) Jabar Gaffney  (5) Chad Jackson  (6) Brandon Lloyd  (7) Kenny McKinley

Cut: Matthew Willis, Nate Swift

 

TE: (1) Daniel Graham  (2) Tony Scheffler  (3) Richard Quinn

Cut: Marquez Branson

 

OT: (1) Ryan Clady  (2) Ryan Harris  (3) Tyler Polumbus

Cut: Brandon Gorin, Clint Oldenburg

 

OG: (1) Ben Hamilton  (2) Chris Kuper  (3) Seth Olsen  (4) Russ Hochstein

Cut: Mitch Erickson, Matt McChesney

 

C: (1) Casey Wiegmann  (2) Kory Lichtensteiger

Cut: None

 

DE: (1) Ryan McBean  (2) Kenny Peterson  (3) Marcus Thomas  (4) Le Kevin Smith

Cut: Nic Clemons, Mathias Askew, Everette Pedescleaux

 

DT: (1) Ronald Fields  (2) Chris Baker

Cut: Carlton Powell

 

OLB: (1) Mario Haggan  (2) Elvis Dumervil  (3) Robert Ayers  (4) Darrell Reid  (5) Jarvis Moss

Cut: Tim Crowder

 

MLB: (1) D.J. Williams  (2) Andra Davis  (3) Wesley Woodyard  (4) Spencer Larsen

Cut: Lee Robinson, Braxton Kelley

 

CB: (1) Champ Bailey  (2) Andre Goodman  (3) Alphonso Smith  (4) Jack Williams

Cut: Joshua Bell, Tony Carter, Rashod Moulton, D.J. Johnson, Antwain Spann

 

FS: (1) Brian Dawkins  (2) Darcel McBath

Cut: None

 

SS: (1) Renaldo Hill  (2) David Bruton  (3) Josh Barrett

Cut: Vernon Fox

 

K: (1) Matt Prater

Cut: None

 

P: (1) Brett Kern

Cut: None

 

LS: (1) Lonie Paxton

Cut: None

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

BroncosZone Latest

• The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality
• Denver Broncos: The Beginning of a New Era, Or The Beginning of the End?
• Hey Denver, Where’s the Love for Josh McDaniels?
• Josh McDaniels Is the Poster Boy for “Too Much, Too Soon”
• Denver Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall: “I Love Being a Bronco”