Early Thoughts on Broncos-Chargers NFL Week 6 Matchup

How quickly Denver Broncos fans have forgotten about Jay Cutler and Mike Shanahan. 

Winning heals a lot, apparently.

The Broncos are off to a hot 5-0 start, and fans’ memories of the old days when Shanahan called plays for Cutler have been erased. 

Gone are the days of Brandon Marshall demanding trades and holding out.

Gone are the days of Swiss-cheese defense.

Nobody remembers Kyle Orton getting booed in a scrimmage at Invesco Field earlier this year and nobody cares about his three interceptions in the first half of a preseason game against San Francisco.

Like I said, winning heals a lot.

Kyle Orton has helped lead the Broncos to their first 5-0 start in 11 years, and with his performance against the New England Patriots last Sunday, he has joined the conversation for…league MVP?

After low expectations from many heading into the season, Orton and the Broncos have joined the ranks of the NFL’s elite. The defense has allowed fewer points than any other team in the NFL by far and the offense finally appears to be clicking.

But the season is just getting started.

Monday night, the Broncos will likely be the focal point of their Week 6 matchup against the San Diego Chargers, a struggling team.

Taking a quick look at the Chargers, they have one of the NFL’s top passing units led by Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson.

Rivers has passed for 1,245 yards and six touchdowns in only four games. Jackson has been on the receiving end of 20 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chargers also boast one of the NFL’s best receiving tight ends in Antonio Gates, who leads the NFL among starters at his position with a 79.6 percent first down rate per reception.

As dangerous as the Chargers can be through the air, they are horrid running the football.

They rank dead last in the NFL with a detestable 53.8 rushing yards per game. Neither Darren Sproles nor LaDainian Tomlinson has reached 100 yards this season.

Defensively, the Chargers have really struggled. A lot of it can be attributed to the injury to All-Pro nose tackle Jamal Williams, who was lost for the season.

San Diego ranks 25th in points allowed at over 25 per contest and they rank 26th in yards allowed with 365.8 a game. Their pass defense has been alright, ranking 12th, but their run defense has been their Achilles heel.

The Chargers rank 27th in run defense and have allowed a total of 604 yards in only four games. Surprisingly, San Diego has not allowed but one 100-yard rusher in any given game so far this year. And they have played three of the league’s top running attacks in Miami, Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

It is not out of the norm for this team to get off to a slow start. Last season, they pulled off some kind of miracle and erased a three-game deficit with only three games to play to win the AFC West before beating the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs.

The Chargers have absolutely owned the Broncos in recent years. 

Last season, they split the season series, but blew out the Broncos in the last game of the season, 52-21. 

This rivalry has lost quite a bit of luster with the departure of Jay Cutler, but it is still Broncos-Chargers, and it will still be an exciting game.

Denver’s defense has been one of the best comeback stories in the NFL as they lead the league in points allowed and are second in total defense thus far.

Maybe most importantly, the Broncos are fourth in the NFL in takeaways with 11 and they have the fifth-ranked pass defense to neutralize San Diego’s high-powered pass offense.

The Broncos also rank second in the NFL in sacks with 16 on the season. The Chargers have allowed Rivers to be sacked a fairly respectable 10 times.

This game is a must-win for both teams. 

Denver faces a grueling schedule following their bye week, and could take a substantial 3.5-game lead over San Diego if they can come away with the win.

San Diego needs a big win at home if they are going to keep pace in the AFC West.  Unlike last year’s Denver team, this one is winning with a steady offense that rarely makes mistakes, and a dominant defense.

I have actually made the assessment that this year’s San Diego squad reminds me a lot of last year’s Denver team sans a dominant offensive line.

The Charger offense will have to be at its best if they are going to win on Monday night, and so will the Denver defense.

One area where the Broncos have the decided advantage is in the running game. 

As I pointed out, San Diego cannot stop the run. The Broncos currently rank fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game and are hopeful for the return of Correll Buckhalter, who sprained his ankle two weekends ago.

Buckhalter would join Knowshon Moreno, who leads all NFL rookies with 337 rushing yards.

If that is not an intriguing enough matchup for you, think of big-play receiver Vincent Jackson matching up against All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey.

Bailey could be on his way to a 10th Pro Bowl this season. He is absolutely shutting down any and every opponent that crosses his path. Here’s what he had to say about being challenged more than usual so far this season.

“I have confidence out this roof at what I can do in a pressure situation. I live for those moments.”

The main thing with the Broncos right now is that they have yet to come even close to dipping into their full potential offensively, and the Chargers should provide an excellent test.

Brandon Marshall has four touchdown grabs in the last three games, Eddie Royal tripled his season total in receptions last week with a 10-catch performance, and Kyle Orton played his best game as a Bronco to date, throwing for 330 yards and two touchdowns in their win over New England.

Charger Week is a fun week and, as always, should generate a lot of good conversation back and forth.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Setting the Records Straight

I have never been a fan of “Power Rankings” and I do not expect to be converted any time soon.

I think ranking NFL teams is just free reign for people to say “You were wrong about this” or “You were wrong about that.”

Still, I think the rankings system that is put in place by the mainstream media is atrocious, so I decided to put my own spin on this topic, which is one of the hottest in the NFL.

I think rankings should be based solely upon the team’s win-loss record, with strength of schedule as a secondary judgment. From there, it is the writer’s opinion, but win percentage is the key here.

For instance, you will notice Cincinnati (4-1) is ranked ahead of all 3-1 teams because they have a better overall win percentage. Teams who have had to play more games have had more chances to lose.

I hope it is clear how these rankings have been developed. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that these will not stand for an entire week, but for now, this is how it is. Plain and simple.

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Wild Horses Dragged Tom Brady Away

Broncos 20 Patriots 17 OT

From a phone booth in Mile High
I made a promise to my guy
One more overtime win
I haven’t gone my last go ’round

The same promise that I twitty
In Miami and Kansas City
But tonight I saddled up
And let him down

Wild horses keep draggin’ me away
And I’ll lose more than I’m gonna win someday
Wild horses just stay wild
And Belichick’s heart is all I break
Wild horses keep draggin’ me away

He’ll watch me throw around that ball
Gettin’ courage up to call
Me out on one more promise
That I can’t keep

The way I love the rings
I guess I should let him sing
But he’s not a fat lady
Of course I am Tom Brady

Wild horses keep draggin’ me away
And I’ll lose more than I’m gonna win someday
Wild horses just stay wild
And his heart is all I break
Wild horses keep draggin’ me away
Wild horses keep draggin’ me away
And I’ll lose more than I’m gonna win someday
Wild horses just stay wild
And his heart is all I break
Wild horses keep draggin’ me away

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One-Upped: Kyle Orton “Out-Bradys” Tom Brady

So you say Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton is a “game manager,” eh?

Take a look at these statistics from Sundays 20-17 overtime win over the New England Patriots: 35-of-48, 330 yards and two touchdowns. I don’t hold his one interception against him because it was a desperation heave at the end of the first half.

If Orton is a “game manager,” then so is Brett Favre, Drew Brees, John Elway and, oh yeah, Tom Brady.

For one game at least, Orton played Brady-style football better than Brady himself.  Orton led a remarkable 98-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17 after the Broncos trailed 17-7 at halftime.

New England got the ball back with two minutes remaining in regulation. Many thought it was going to be another Brady comeback because he has become so masterful at bringing his team back late when the game is on the line.

Not this time. 

First, the Broncos defense stopped the Patriots on crucial third downs late in the game. 

Second, and more surprising, Brady was off target. 

Late in the fourth quarter, he bounced what would have been a sure touchdown pass off the hip of receiver Wes Welker. It was the kind of pass Brady never misses.

Today, he did. And Orton didn’t.

After winning the coin toss at the start of overtime, Orton led the Broncos on a steady drive, resulting in Matt Prater’s game-winning 41-yard field goal.

Orton did it. He pulled a “Tom Brady” against the Patriots in a game not many people expected the Broncos to win. This time, Orton was the superstar and Brady looked like the sixth-round draft pick that he was back in 2000.  

I am not saying Orton is better than Brady. Brady has three rings to Orton’s zero and, in the big picture, this game will do little to nothing to tarnish Brady’s image as a master of the fourth quarter comeback. What it does show is that he is beatable if you game-plan properly.

However, it does do a lot for Orton. 

People now see what the man can do with quality receivers and a head coach that believes in him. Josh McDaniels took the leash off Orton and let him run wild, attempting an astonishing 48 passes. 

People have been saying since his arrival that the Broncos would win in spite of Orton, not because of him. Well, Orton proved them wrong and, in turn, has added a whole other dimension to the Broncos’ offense. 

Expected to be a dink-and-dunk team under McDaniels, Orton’s solid play along with the re-emergence of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal and complementary play of Jabbar Gaffney and Brandon Stokely have made the Broncos a suddenly potent passing squad.

Combine that with a continually impressive defense, a 5-0 start and a head coach that helped gel the most explosive offense in NFL history in 2007, and the Broncos are now one of the teams no one in the NFL wants to face.

Heck, this team has even made the most hardcore McDaniels opponents forget about ol’ “what’s his name,” you know, the dude that was traded to Chicago?

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Boston Patriots vs. Broncos: Throwback Game Ends in OT as Denver Triumphs 20-17

The Glossy Cover to the Story

In what should be remembered as the Mother of all Throwback Games, the Denver Broncos beat their longtime rival the Boston Patriots with both teams wearing their original team garb, which was bound to jog a few memories and shock a few younger ones.

Last Sunday the Broncos hosted the Dallas Cowboys in a game that was ugly and downright sloppy at times. There were a number of penalties against both teams, and neither team seemed to get much going on offense.

As poor as that game was at times, this one delivered on the shortcomings on both sides of the ball.

Yesterday at Mile High against the Boston Patriots, the Denver Broncos prevailed in a very well played and well fought ball game on both sides. It was so good, in fact, that it had to go to overtime to get a final decision on which team was the better of the two for the day.

It was a day of celebration, nostalgia, remembrance, and more celebration. It was a time for the original AFL teams to celebrate their roots as teams in a competitive league with the NFL. The NFL and AFL did eventually merge, and that was worth remembering and celebrating as well.

In the end it was the Denver Broncos and their first season yellow and brown throwback jerseys prevailing over the classier look of the Boston Patriots in their throwbacks. 

Don’t misunderstand this, however, even though the Broncos’ original jerseys look like a generic way of saying jerseys don’t matter; the Broncos made them look incredibly tough to beat. After the Broncos beat down the Boston Patriots, it was cause for more celebration in Denver.

This throwback game was rooted in humble beginnings. Those same roots became embraced by the franchise and the fans on a day that could have easily turned out as ugly as the original uniforms. The Broncos’ original jerseys have caught the eye of the national press and are the subject of pointed jokes once again. 

Somehow, it doesn’t matter; these Denver Broncos are good regardless of the jerseys they wear, which coincidently is at four jerseys in five games, certainly making it some sort of a professional football record that will soon be eclipsed only by themselves. The Broncos are scheduled to wear the road throwback version against the Chargers in San Diego on Monday Night Football, making it five uniforms in six games.

The amazing thing is they haven’t even touched their late ’60s jerseys or their old Orange Crush look from the 1970s.   

From the latest and greatest offensive innovation, to the relentless defense, to Kyle Orton coming into his own, to Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall coming up with the clutch grabs just when the Broncos had to have them—the Denver Broncos are maturing and jelling as a team, beating one of the best teams in the NFL to go 5-0 and looking like contenders. 

 

The Validation of a New Identity

This team has gone a long way to make fans forget the offseason and the controversial trade of Jay who?

So just as head coach Josh McDaniels let loose of all his emotion following the victory should all the accolades start mounting. For all of Josh’s personal shortcomings and criticism surrounding the trade of Jay Cutler and other offseason dealings, he deserved his moment in the Mile High air to vent frustrations and celebrate something he believed in.

From the moment he interviewed, Josh conveyed a new direction for the Broncos, one they have not seen in quite some time—one that is now causing the Broncos faithful to start thinking about the Orange Crush defense and about being competitive every game out.

When no one thought the Broncos could beat the Bengals on the road, they did. When the Browns or Raiders looked like must games, they were merely speed bumps. Then everyone said Dallas and New England would show if the Broncos are for real or not. Well, forgive Coach McDaniels—he could have danced with a lampshade on his head, and he would have earned the right.

No one should be happier right now than owner Pat Bowlen, because he at times appeared to be at a loss during the offseason in trying to adapt. Much of the fanbase also followed suit in not knowing what to think or how to react to the myriad of moves made by the Broncos.

Shortly after hiring McDaniels for his football mind, it seemed the new coach was acting every bit the immature brat that Cutler had been portrayed as. It had to leave Mr. Bowlen second-guessing and scratching his head, as well as wondering if Josh was the right hire for the Denver Broncos.

Yet through it all the Broncos have maintained their goals as an organization. Nothing changed. Mr. Bowlen was very direct in the offseason saying in jest that a losing football team in Denver just won’t do.

Now owner Pat Bowlen, coach Josh McDaniels, and the players have their validation along with their new identity on who they are and where they are going. 

 

The Mother of All Throwback Games

Wild horses were the theme of the day as the Broncos decided to debut an upgrade to the now highly used wildcat offense. Part of the Broncos enhancement was to line up quarterback Kyle Orton in the slot with the option to read the defense and get under center depending upon the read he made pre-snap.

In much the same manner the Miami Dolphins shocked New England last season with the wildcat, the Broncos put the Patriot defense on its heels early with the wild horses offense.

This was a new, seemingly essential wrinkle the Broncos needed to put into the game plan in order to keep Boston on its heels. Consider the fact that the Broncos offense very much emulates the Patriots offense and their way of executing. After all, this game was about the student and the teacher and how well the pupil could muster up against the master sensei. 

The Broncos were able to effectively move the ball on their opening drive from their own 20 to just inside the Patriot 30. The drive stalled out almost immediately after Pats Coach Bill Belichick called for a timeout. Broncos kicker Matt Prater missed wide right from 47 yards out.

The Patriots then drove the ball the distance to score a touchdown on a Tom Brady to Wes Welker on an outside-in option route for the touchdown from nine yards out.

The Broncos then held the Patriots to a field goal following a Knowshon Moreno fumble.

Ironically enough, this was the same exact score the Broncos fell behind Dallas the week previous.

It was a tough and tight defensive battle much of the day with both teams moving the ball and trading punts.

The Broncos eventually got back into the game with a 90-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Orton to last week’s star Brandon Marshall with 4:31 remaining in the first half.

The Boston Patriots immediately responded with a touchdown drive of their own that saw Tom Brady hook up with tight end Ben Watson on a seven-yard cross with five seconds remaining in the half.

The Broncos’ Prater would connect in the third quarter on a 24-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 17-10 in favor of the Patriots.

Late in the third period the Broncos’ fortunes started to change as Boston kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed on a 40-yard field goal attempt that hit the outside of the left post.

The Broncos nearly gave the Patriots the game during a subsequent drive when they committed two special teams errors on fourth down. This gave the Patriots two first downs and extended their last drive of the third quarter into the fourth quarter.

The MO-JO connection hooked up again late in the fourth with Orton hitting Marshall from 11 yards out on a stop route that saw an old school maneuver with a dive for the goal line and the tying score.

The two teams traded punts and two possessions each prior to overtime.

The Broncos won the toss in overtime and marched the ball to the 23-yard line of the Pats. Prater then connected on a 41-yard field goal to send Mile High Stadium into an elated state of excitement.

Players, fans, and coaches alike all celebrated, but no one celebrated quite like Bronco head coach Josh McDaniels. Pointing to his family and the crowd with multiple fist pumps filled with emotion, the Broncos won, and the student had beaten his teacher.

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com.

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Unleash the Wild Horses: A Homer’s Tale

So what happened Sunday?

The Patriot way officially gave way to Wild Horses.

The Master learned a lesson from the Student.

The Wizard fell to the talented initiate.

I am not sure if I should be singing “Wrapped Around My Finger” by the Police or looking up ironic connections between Raistlin Majere and Josh McDaniels.

Dragonlance reference! NERD ALERT!

Ahem…my apologies.

What I do know is that the Denver Broncos are 5-0, with a 2.5 game lead in the AFC West and a 4-0 record in the AFC. A few more just like that one and I may risk offending the football gods by proclaiming that the road to the Super Bowl goes through Invesco Field at Mile High JR.

EGADS! Did he REALLY just say that?

“He did. He did. Poor fool. Brilliant once, but now lonely and confused. It may have been a blow to the head, but we think it was the hideous uniforms his footy team sported in yesterday’s NFL match.”

Yeah, that might be true.

But think about it. This team has improved each week. Yesterday, we saw the offense click for the first time, and the result was astounding. Kyle Orton…KYLE ORTON!…one more time…KYLE ORTON! stepped up and showed that he is capable of being more than a mere game manager. He carried the Denver Broncos on his back, engineering two drives over 90 yards, both ending in TDs.

Orton finished the day 35-of-48 for 330 yards, two TDs and a garbage INT. He outplayed Tom Brady.

KYLE ORTON! Did you hear that? KYLE ORTON!

If you are anything like me, you really did not think he had it in him. If you are anything like me, you have enjoyed this undefeated start, but up until yesterday, you never really believed we had a shot to play past December with KYLE ORTON! under center.

But yesterday the glove came off—literally—and he showed that he is capable of being THAT kind of QB when the rest of the team is cooperating.

The defense, in case you are not paying attention, has also shown that not only is it tough as nails and well coached going into a game, but they are also amazingly good at making adjustments during the game. Two weeks in a row they have fallen behind in the first half, only to stiffen and take the game away.

If the team continues to improve each week, we have as good a shot at not only making the playoffs as any team in the AFC, we may even play one at home.

ZOUNDS! He is losing it again! Someone get him a Cream stout in a frosted mug, STAT!

Yes, I know it’s against some kind of sports law or religious edict to step up and proclaim faith in guys like KYLE OTRON! and the Denver Broncos…and I think one of the promises Obama and the Dem congress have kept was in making it a federal crime to say Tom Brady was anything but brilliant, if a bit shakey, even in a loss.

Saying KYLE ORTON! outplayed him and our defense confused and bothered him, even if it’s true, may actually get me the chair.

But there it is. Kyle Orton can run this offense, and he can step up and lead this team when he is challenged to do so. The defense is making offenses look anemic and slow. The Broncos are becoming a balanced, dangerous team.

CALL THE GUARDS!!

Another strict law that could get me strapped onto a table with a bunch of syringes is allowing my perception to change. But guess what? It has changed. I am no longer a tentative Broncos fan striving to be objective and cautiously optimistic.

There used to be a curse…Greek, I think…or maybe Chinese. It was a very potent curse.

“May you live in interesting times.”

It has been an interesting season.

I have hope now. Not only that, I am starting to develop expectations. A dangerous thing in the end.

I know I risk being ostracized and getting beaten about the head and shoulders with small vials of vitriol for daring be impressed by a team the national sports church has deemed anathema, especially at the expense of the canonized demi-gods of cult of the media darling. But it’s too late.

I am full-blown Homerist again.

What I Now Know

I know that the Patriot way, essentially little more than a well-disciplined West coast offense, has now taken a distinctly Rocky Mountain flavor. Josh McDaniels, the Unacoach, the boy king, has broken the Patriot way and remolded it into something new.

We can call it the Denver Design, or the Rocky Mountain Manner, or even the Dove Valley Process. Granted, those would not sound as cool as “Patriot Way” for a street name, but it would serve notice that the Denver Broncos are more than just Patriots West.

I know that as much as McD wants to present himself as a stoic, humorless dictator in a hoodie, he simply can not pull it off. He is too open, too young, and too friendly.

His celebration after the win yesterday more than likely sent some of the stoics and lobotomized into apoplectic fits of traditionalitis, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it. His approach is, by his young nature, more open and invites everyone to join in the celebration.

And I know that that  separates him from the Pope of New England in profound ways. McDaniels may have brought the core system with him, but the difference in this team is like the difference between an open, honest mid-west town and a cold, jaded, east coast city.

I also know that Wild Horses sounds cooler than Wildcat, but it’s still the same damned thing and I don’t like it.

And I know that the 1960 throwback uniforms grew on me like a plague.

Slowly. Painfully. Totally. Maybe terminally.

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Broncos 20, Patriots 17 (OT): Denver 5-0 for First Time Since 1998

Prior to yesterday, the Denver Broncos had gone 5-0 four times in team history, and all four times they made it to the Super Bowl.  With their 20-17 overtime win against the New England Patriots, fans have reason to hope this team can accomplish what was thought to be impossible.

The fifth win for the Broncos may have been the most unlikely of them all. 

Tom Brady had started 75 games in which the Patriots led after three quarters, and lost only one.

Brady had never lost an overtime game.

The Patriots had only lost one game in which Brady, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss play.

Still, on the coldest week five game in NFL history, the Denver Broncos proved doubters and haters wrong once again, and for once it was the New England Patriots getting a taste of their own medicine.

 

Game Recap

The first half was all Patriots.  New England controlled the clock, and for the most part, they made the No. 1 defense in the NFL look out of sorts. 

Denver had a decent drive going on their opening possession, but kicker Matt Prater was unable to capitalize on his first field goal attempt of the day, leaving the Patriots with good field position.

Tom Brady made the Broncos pay. 

A big screen pass to Sammy Morris set the Patriots up for a quick strike touchdown from Brady to Wes Welker to get New England a 7-0 lead.

Rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno fumbled on the ensuing drive for the second straight game, and the Patriots took advantage of the turnover with a career-long 53-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, increasing their lead to 10-0.

The Broncos started the scoring in the second quarter, capping off a 10 play, 90-yard drive with an 11 yard fade pass from Kyle Orton to none other than Brandon Marshall, who scored for the third straight game.

New England fired back later in the quarter when Brady hit tight end Benjamin Watson on a seven yard pass, capping off a 10 play drive of their own to essentially end the half.

The Broncos had a very impressive 12-play, 66 yard drive going when they were unable to convert on third and short, and they settled for a 24-yard Prater field goal to decrease the margin to 17-10.

In the fourth quarter, the Broncos were pinned on their own two-yard line and Kyle Orton orchestrated the Broncos’ most impressive drive of the season.

Denver went 98 yards in 12 plays, and Brandon Marshall once again capped off the huge drive with an 11-yard touchdown reception, his second of the day, tying the game at 17 apiece.

Now the Broncos had to stop Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who started their final drive at their own 30-yard line.

The first play of the drive, Sammy Morris scampered 19 yards to the 49, putting the Patriots in an optimum situation to win the game with another 15 yards of offense.

It appeared Brady and New England would do it again.

On the following play, Morris took the ball up the middle and Wesley Woodyard forced the ball out, but the Broncos were unable to capitalize and the Patriots recovered.

The very next play, Tom Brady dropped back to pass, and Denver defensive end Vonnie Holliday came up with the team’s first sack of the game and forced a fumble of Tom Brady.

This time, the Broncos took advantage. 

Elvis Dumervil fell on the ball, setting the Broncos up in Patriot territory with over a minute to play.

The Patriots’ defense also came to play, and they shut down any chance the Broncos would have of scoring a game-winning field goal in regulation.

We had overtime.

The Broncos won the coin toss in bonus play, and started with the ball on their own 20-yard line.

After ten plays, kicker Matt Prater took the field to attempt a 41-yard field goal to win the game for Denver.  His kick could not have been more perfect, and the Broncos took the game 20-17 in overtime.

 

Random Game Thoughts

Quarterback Kyle Orton played his best game as a Bronco, completing 35-of-48 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns.  He also threw his first interception of the season, but it came on a “Hail Mary” play at the end of the first half.

Orton was pin-point with his passes, and he got everyone involved. 

Eddie Royal tripled his season total in receptions, catching ten on the game for 90 yards.  Brandon Marshall had 8 receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns.  Jabar Gaffney caught six passes for 61 yards.

I was actually extremely surprised that Denver did not score more than they did.  They had 424 yards of total offense, and other than the fumble by Knowshon Moreno, they did not turn the ball over.

The Broncos’ defense continued its impressive play, but this time they did not have any sacks until the fourth quarter.  One of my “Keys to Victory” for them was putting heat on Tom Brady, and they did not do that very well.

For the most part, Brady had time to knit a sweater and call home while he waited for a receiver to get open, or that’s what it seemed like at least.

The Broncos got their stops though, and they did not allow the Patriots to score the entire second half.

For the first time this season, the Broncos lost the turnover margin, and the Patriots were 53-of-53 in their previous games when they won the turnover margin.

As high as I am on Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos missed Correll Buckhalter.  They did not incorporate Peyton Hillis like I thought they would, but Moreno did a very nice job.  He ran the ball 21 times for 88 yards, 11 of which came at a crucial point of their overtime drive.

A defensive player who has been hot the last two weeks, other than Champ Bailey, is fellow cornerback Jack Williams who made some great plays.  The Broncos have a very formidable secondary, and Williams is great depth.

One stat that really stood out to me was that Denver had 27 first downs to the Patriots’ 18, which is a substantial difference.

Another one of my “Keys to Victory” was getting off the field on third down defensively, and the Broncos were able to hold the Patriots to a 35 percent conversion rate, which is over 11 percent lower than their season average heading into this game.

Inversely, Denver converted 42 percent of their third down plays, and that was critical in them winning this game.

 

Final Rant

This game was a statement game for the Broncos, although it shouldn’t have been.  Denver has proven they are an elite team thus far, and they did it prior to this game.

The bandwagon is sure to be overflowing after this win, and the Broncos are set up for a prime time matchup with San Diego next Monday night.

This team still has a lot to prove and a lot  to work on, which is encouraging for the fans.  Denver is 5-0 and has a long way to reach its full potential.

A magical win in what so far has been a magical season.  Denver is not just a surprise anymore, they are legitimate AFC contenders.

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Come To Think Of It: Denver Broncos Remain Perfect Despite Butt Ugly Uniforms

They call it “throw back” night, but they could have just as easily called it “throw up” night, because those uniforms that the Denver Broncos wore in their improbable victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday made me want to puke.

Decked out in their best 1970s-era, Dave Winfield-led San Diego Padres colors, the Broncos seemed doomed in the first half, with Josh McDaniels’ idiotic decision to use his final challenge to save three yards capping an underwhelming performance.

 

Yep, their first half performance was one for the ages all right. The stone ages.

What can brown pants do for you? Well, apparently enough to score yet another come-from-behind win. The surprising Denver Broncos improved to 5-0 on the season.

Imagine what the Orange Crush uniforms could have accomplished. Why, the Patriots wouldn’t have had a chance.

McDaniels joins the Colts’ Jim Caldwell as one of only five rookie coaches in NFL history to start a season undefeated after five games. 

Kyle Orton, obtained in the Jay Cutler trade, actually outplayed Patriots QB Tom Brady, completing 35 of 48 passes for 330 yards and two TDs. This was only the second 300-yard passing game of his career.

Meanwhile, Tom Brady is now 1-5 as a starter against the Broncos for his career. Denver is the only team he does not have a winning record against.

“The guys in this locker room believe, the coaches believe, guys believe in each other and are fighting,” defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said. As well they should.

“The electricity in the stadium was so great that we had to have it,” Orton said. “When we got to overtime, we just had to win.”

The Denver defense continued its miraculous comeback from a lousy season last year, as they held Brady to just 63 yards in the second half.

Despite an Orton interception, his first of the season, the Broncos proved to the football world that they are for real. Even if their uniforms were lacking, come to think of it.

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Admit it: The Denver Broncos Are For Real

This is a formal apology to Kyle Orton and the Denver Broncos.

Not more than a few days ago, I wrote that the Broncos were nothing more than a lucky, fluke team with an offense that thrives off a few fluke plays here and there. That was me who wrote that Denver sported a defense that hasn’t played anybody worth noting.

Shame on me.

When I’m wrong, I admit it—but I still feel that the Broncos have lady luck on their side this season.

Look at the Kyle Orton pass that should have been intercepted by at least four different New England defenders that fell into the arms of a Bronco receiver. The uncharacteristic Tom Brady throws that sailed off the mark for three easy TD passes to Moss and Welker. The horrible personal foul called against New England for taunting which basically lost them the game.

The list goes on and on, and that’s just from Week Five.

But winning with luck is still winning and the Denver Broncos are certainly winning.

I still stand by what I said—the team’s winning has little to do with Kyle Orton and a lot to do with a little something called “yards after the catch” and the Broncos defense.

Orton has benefited from every tipped, deflected, and batted pass that’s been thrown. But he’s still making quick, smart throws that keep the defense off balance, and with the running game picking up every week, the Broncos offense is starting to look legit.

However, I still believe the Broncos’ offense would falter if asked to win the game on its own. This is an offense clearly built to play with the lead or at least be within one TD at the end of the game.

The Broncos defense on the other hand continues to impress. They rattled Tom Brady, who has looked off most of the season, and didn’t let Randy Moss get much of anything going today.

Overall, the Broncos looked very impressive, and if Kyle Orton read my article last week, I’m sure he’s stroking his neckbeard and laughing tonight while sitting at 5-0.

The Broncos have a bit tougher of a test next week on Monday night against San Diego, who has a much more potent offense than anything Denver has faced this season.

Philip Rivers and Darren Sproles have played incredibly well all season and will test the Broncos defense. But their defense has been lacking lately, and after what Orton and the Broncos offense did today, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Orton have a career day against them.

Overall, the Broncos are good—damn good.

I can’t believe I just said that.

But believe it or not folks, the Denver Broncos are for real.

The head coach who threw away the franchise and the neckbearded noodle-armed QB are 5-0, and look seemingly more unstoppable with every week.

Foot in mouth—enough said for Jimmy Mac.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos-Patriots: It’s David vs. Goliath, But Which is Which?

There comes a time in every NFL head coach’s career that he gets a shot to face off against the man who taught him the ropes. A win against the teacher gives the student the first crown jewel of his head coaching career.

For Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, that opportunity comes in the fifth game of his head-coaching career, and he faces a considerable challenge in beating his teacher: a three-time Super Bowl winner by the name of Bill Belichick.

When the NFL released its schedule this past spring, the matchup between the Broncos and the Patriots seemed like the ultimate David vs. Goliath game. That phrase could still be used to define the game that is now two days away, but it is highly debatable who is David and who is Goliath.

The Broncos are one of the NFL’s most surprising teams, starting 4-0 after one of the most chaotic offseasons in recent memory. Led by a surprisingly stingy defense that has allowed only 26 points through four games—and with smart and thus far interception-free play by new starting quarterback Kyle Orton—the Broncos enter this game with a much better shot than many thought they had even one month ago.

Still, many people doubt whether or not this Broncos team is a contender or a pretender. Critics point to a soft early schedule and a fluke win over the Bengals as evidence that the Broncos are not ready for prime time and a brutal mid-season schedule will bring them back to reality quickly. That said, even the harshest critics are saying the Broncos are looking better than previously thought.

The Patriots, on the other hand, were expected to come out swinging following the  return of quarterback Tom Brady to their lineup after missing most of the 2008 season with an ACL injury. While Brady has made his presence known—as shown by the Week One comeback victory over the Bills—the Patriots are struggling in other areas. Losing three key defensive starters this past offseason, the normally stout Patriot defense has had trouble getting on its feet.

Even with a struggling defense, teams around the NFL have learned never to count out or overlook the New England Patriots. Just when you think they’re dead and buried, they fire off a long winning streak and blow by the competition. People thought they were through when Brady went down in Week One last year, but the Patriots—with a quarterback that had not started a game since high school—finished 11-5 and lost the AFC East crown on a tiebreaker.

Another thing that has added a level of intrigue to this game is the aforementioned chess match between the sidelines with McDaniels facing off against Belichick. Both men know each other really well, with McDaniels serving on Belichick’s staff from 2001-2008, most recently as offensive coordinator. 

Belichick will know the Broncos’ offense and McDaniels will know the Patriots’ defense.  The wild card will be the Broncos defense, as defensive coordinator Mike Nolan could be the difference maker in this game.

When the final whistle blows on Sunday, either the student or the teacher will be victorious (unless the ever-so-rare tie occurs), and David will once again have slayed Goliath.

Unless you are a fan of the team that loses.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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