Come to Think of it: Josh McDaniels “Swears” Denver Broncos Just Trying To Win

Hey, the Denver Broncos finally ended their run of futility, and all the reports focus on only one thing.

The win snapping Denver‘s four-game slide? No. Brian Dawkins’ inspired play? Nope, that’s not it either.

Instead, a swear word uttered by coach Josh McDaniels that was accidentally broadcast by the NFL Network during the game Thursday night took center stage.

It had been 38 days since the Broncos had won a game, yet all the talk is about McDaniels’ penchant for the F-word.

Meanwhile, there was a football game played last night, a 26-6 victory over the Giants, who are in the midst of a serious slide of their own.

Elvis Dumervil had two more sacks, raising his NFL-leading total to 14, the second one leading to a fumble. But both teams share one common theme: They have stalled since starting out undefeated.

Denver won its first six games before losing four in a row, and the Giants have lost five of six since starting the season 5-0. So much for the concept of momentum.

But, it was Denver’s inability to score in the red zone (hey, this is Kyle Orton and not Jay Cutler QBing the team, right? Just checking) that led to the NFL Network’s embarrassing mistake.

Coming out of a commercial break, the NFL Network showed a clip of McDaniels yelling at his players on the sideline, saying, “All we’re trying to do is win a [expletive] game!”

The vulgarity was clearly audible to viewers, and announcer Bob Papa immediately apologized on air. But he certainly doesn’t need to apologize to me, and I suspect most football fans could care less about swearing.

This is football, after all, a tough game played by tough men, and things get said in the heat of battle. Isn’t the game what it’s all about anyway?

So McDaniels swore last night? Tough [expletive], I say, come to think of it.

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There Is a Pulse in Denver: Broncos Finally Wake Up and Step Up

“Wake up and step up.”

A phrase that has defined the Denver Broncos since their Monday Night loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers three weeks ago.

It took them three weeks, but they finally did it. Going into a crucial primetime matchup with the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Night, the Broncos absolutely needed to win.

And, for the first time since mid-October, they did just that.

Just four short days ago, things looked bleak in Denver. The Broncos had lost four straight, the offense was hapless, and the defense tired. Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno were fighting on the sideline.

It’s amazing how quickly things can change.

A short practice week and a game on Thursday night were just what the doctor ordered for the Broncos. There was no time to mope, as practice time was in short supply.

This is a young team with a young coach, both of whom needed the proverbial “fire” lit under them.

Josh McDaniels’ smack-talking incident with members of the San Diego Chargers may have been the perfect fire-starter.

When the coach makes a controversial move like that, especially following a loss, the players are more motivated to win, not just for themselves, but to protect their head man’s reputation and image.

Regardless of the motivation, the Broncos were able to wake up from their daze, regain some of their early-season swagger, and put a 26-6 beatdown on the Giants.

The Broncos played well in all phases of the game, and looked like the team that fans “knew and loved” through the first six weeks. They were able to repair the holes that had developed over the four-game skid.

The defense held New York to a mere 57 rushing yards, forced three turnovers, and sacked Eli Manning three times.

The Giants only managed one red zone trip the entire game, and scored only the two field goals. This is the same Giants offense that hung 456 total yards and 34 points on the Atlanta Falcons four days earlier.

The Broncos’ defensive effort set the tone for the entire game, and gave them confidence to open up the offense and once again take risks.

Elvis Dumervil was “back in the building” racking up two more sacks (he leads the league with 14) and forcing a fumble. His ability to pressure the quarterback is crucial to the success of the defense.

The Denver rushing attack finally got back into gear, as Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter teamed up to consistently put pressure on the Giants and keep the offense moving in the right direction.

Finally, Brandon Marshall’s performance cannot be overlooked. His play is critical to the offense, and he made two spectacular catches.

Those kinds of catches help boost confidence for both Orton and McDaniels, which will ultimately lead to more aggressive play calling—something the Broncos undoubtedly need.

In the end, though, the Broncos won the game they absolutely had to win. At 7-4, they now have nine days before they travel to Kansas City to take on the “streaking” Chiefs.

With last season’s Kansas City trip in mind, the Broncos must not overlook the 3-7 Chiefs.

At this point, they need as many wins as possible in order to either beat out the Chargers in the West or obtain a Wild Card spot in the competitive AFC.

Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”

The Denver Broncos took their first step. They look to be back on track. Now it is time to buckle down and, ultimately, win.

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Not Much To Say About the Broncos

This site was devoted to the culture change that is taking place within the Denver Broncos organization. After a four-game relapse that is reminiscent of the 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons, this site is now about change that needs to take place.

I am not calling for the firing of Josh McDaniels, but the so-called boy genius has a long way to go. I am willing to give him time (like two seasons worth), but getting better before you get worse is one of the worst feelings—far too familiar to long-suffering Broncos fans.

Maybe the MSM was right about the Denver Broncos. I hate to say it. However, McDaniels has been unable to motivate his team and get them performing. They were outplayed by Baltimore and Pittsburgh, humiliated in D.C., and curb-stomped by their fiercest division rivalry at home after beating them earlier in the season (that one really hurts). No adjustments seem to be being made.

I hate to say anything negative regarding the hot start. Unfortunately, it will mean absolutely nothing if they lose out on the playoffs. The 6-0 record is quickly disintegrating.

Why? I understand that they aren’t a perfect team, but are they this bad? Did the boys put all of their heart and soul on the line those first six games and are now running on empty? Did McDaniels think that they could do the exact same thing week after week and avoid opposing NFL coaches figuring them out? Were the Broncos so amazing at adjusting in the second half of games, only to become completely unable to adjust, at all, to adversity in the middle of a season?

These are the questions that I would like to have answered. I am done making excuses for the Broncos. I was Mike Shanahan’s harshest critic. I still think he needed to move on from the Broncos, but I need to be fair in my assessment of Josh McDaniels too. Therefore, in all fairness, I think the Broncos’ coaching and performance has been inexcusable the past four weeks.

I thought Josh McDaniels was changing the culture. Maybe he is, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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Better Turkey Day Watch? Texas-Texas A&M Or Giants-Broncos

Why do guys love Thanksgiving? Duh, it is the one day where all you do is eat, drink beer, and watch football. That also extends to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for watching football. For me, the best part is by having the games so spread out we get to watch teams other than the one we normally follow.

This Thanksgiving day starts as it always does, with the Detroit Lions. While the team is normally not worth watching, Matthew Stafford would make the game interesting after his breakout performance. Unfortunately, Stafford is doubtful for the game due to his shoulder.

The opponent is the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Charles Woodsen, and the rest of the Packers could make this another Turkey day rout of the Lions.

The second game is generally much more worth the watch. That is not the case this year as the Dallas Cowboys host the lowly Oakland Raiders. Some may find it interesting since Dallas is coming off an ugly win against Washington and Oakland is sky high after the upset over Cincinnati.

Don’t bet on it. The Cowboys will likely be more motivated over their last performance and crush the Raiders.

Then come the primetime games. That is where football fans have an interesting choice to make. On the NFL Network, you have the Denver Broncos hosting the New York Giants. Over on ESPN, it is Texas at Texas A&M.

In the NFL game, you have two teams who have had almost identical seasons. The Giants started out dominating the NFC before they hit a four game losing streak they snapped last Sunday against Atlanta.

After a six game winning streak to start the season, Denver looked like one of the teams to beat in the AFC. After their own four game skid, they now sit at 6-4 and in second place in their division behind the San Diego Chargers.

Needless to say, this is a must win game for both teams. The winner puts themselves in a position to make a playoff push while the loser takes a major hit on their playoff chances.

The college game features the Texas Longhorns, who have been on pace all year to play in the BCS Title game. Anytime you can watch Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley, it is worth the watch.

Their Thanksgiving opponent, as always, is arch-rival Texas A&M. While the Aggies are not the same program they used to be, this is still on of the most intense rivalries in college football. They sit at 6-5 and a win is the difference between a winning season and a .500 season.

Not only that, but you know that Texas A&M would love to throw a wrench in the Longhorns’ bid for a chance to play for a national championship.

It is a bit funny and somewhat frustrating to see that the earlier games are somewhat duds and fans don’t really have a choice. Then at night, when there are two games that are meaningful, fans are forced to choose what to watch.

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Brandon Marshall: Another T.O In The Making

Denver had a rough off-season this summer. They fired long-time head coach Mike Shanahan and hired New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, which lead to Jay Cutler‘s dispute.

McDaniels tried to trade for his quarterback at New England, Matt Cassel, but the trade didn’t fall through. Jay Cutler was unaware of this trade until the word got around. Cutler found out and told Denver he wanted to be traded away, which lead to months of dispute before finally getting traded to the Chicago Bears for a first round pick and quarterback Kyle Orton.

Brandon Marshall was the next complaining victim of the Denver Broncos. Marshall wanted either a new contract or to be traded. He was in and out of training camp and also said he wouldn’t play a game for Denver.

Marshall was later suspended, but the suspension was lifted after telling coaches he would play for them, but still wanted his contract.

Denver entered the preseason, losing all but the last game defeating Arizona 19-0.

Entering the regular season, questions still remained about Brandon Marshall and the rest of the Denver Broncos. Kyle Orton, who was named the starting quarterback, had a struggling preseason along with the rest of the Denver team.

Brandon Marshall struggled during the first 2 Weeks of the season, posting seven catches for seven catches for 61 yards. Denver still won those games, including a 87-yard miracle catch to win during week one. Denver ended up winning their first six games, including victories against New England, Dallas and San Diego. Marshall posted 29 catches for 332 yards and four touchdowns during those six games.

Marshall was happy again, and we didn’t hear one complaint from him during the Broncos six-game win streak. He was smiling, and even has an interview with NFL Network talking about how “the past is the past” and “it was a mistake” with holding out and not wanting to play for Denver.

After their bye during Week 7, Denver has yet to win a game since. Marshall was seen getting in a dispute by yelling and pushing teammate running back Knowshon Moreno.

Now that Denver isn’t winning, Marshall is right back to where he was before, unhappy to be a Bronco, and getting in disputes with teammates and coaches.

Sound familiar?

Sound’s just like Terrell Owens. When things are going good, you won’t hear a word from them, they’ll play the hardest they can and will be all smiles.

But when things go bad, things go even worse for Owens and Marshall.

Marshall and Owens share a lot in common. Although these guys are some of the top receivers in the game, you can’t build your franchise around them.

Receivers like Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Hines Ward, Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald are the receivers that deserve that type of money. They learn to shut their mouths and just play the game as hard as they can, and lead their team to success.

 

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Week 12: NFL Picks & Predictions

I pick ’em every week and have for years. This season, I’ve been doing most of my picks right here on bleacherreport.com and also over at my site at www.sports-uncut.com.

Going into last week (eleven), I was a solid if unspectacular 103-42, good for a 70.6 percent accuracy rate. Last season was my personal best of 80 percent. This year, I’m looking to improve upon that.

Last week I actually didn’t have time to do the article as work requirements kept me away, however I did pick in my local pool and I ended up 11-4 for the week and my picks here never vary from those. I missed the Pittsburgh vs. Chiefs game, as I picked the Steelers. I missed the Falcons/Giants game, as I thought Matty Ice would be solid against the G-Men. I missed the Cincy/Oakland game, as basically everyone else did….who’d have though hat game would play out like that? And finally, I also missed the Houston/Tennessee game last night as I though Schaub would have a monster night.

This week, there are 3 games on Thursday, which means plenty of time to gorge yourself and ample opportunities to watch some pigskin! You’ve got Green Bay @ Detroit on Fox, Oakland @ Dallas on CBS and of course the G-Men @ Denver on Thursday Night Football on NFL network.

There are some good games and intriguing matchups on the slate for this week. As always, I’m not picking the spread here folks; I’m picking the straight up winner.

Record:

Record from Two Weeks Previous (10): 10-5

Record from Last Week (11): 11-4

Record coming into Week (12): 114 – 46 (72.5 percent)

Now that the records are out of the way, let’s get right to it!

Begin Slideshow

On Second Thought, Is Josh McDaniels Solely To Blame for Denver’s Slide?

It is always easier to point the finger at someone else. 

The Denver Broncos‘ recent four-game losing streak has pointed out weakness after weakness, but maybe not coincidentally, the horrid slide can be traced back to one roster move.

Earlier, I suggested that the Broncos‘ four game losing streak was due to lack of an elite quarterback.  That is still partly true, but how is this for a statistic:

The Denver Broncos were 6-0 with Brett Kern at punter and are 0-4 without him.  Inversely, the Tennessee Titans were 0-6 before signing Kern and, since bringing him in to be their punter, the Titans are 4-0.

Coincidence?

Probably, but the evidence is undeniably odd.  Obviously, the Broncos’ major problem is not the lack of the second-year punter, but that Josh McDaniels foolishly messed with his roster.

Prior to the Broncos’ Week 8 matchup with Baltimore, McDaniels gave Kern the boot in favor of long-tenured veteran Mitch Berger. Berger proceeded to punt the ball a grand total of nine times against the Ravens in the Broncos’ first loss of the season.

Then, just days before the Broncos’ Monday night showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team’s first home game in over a month, McDaniels and company showed promising second-year cornerback Jack Williams the door in favor of the older, slower, but more savvy Ty Law.

Williams appeared to be a player on the rise with the Broncos.  He was considered to have a similar skill-set as former Bronco Darrent Williams and he is probably best known for his play in the end zone to help the Broncos beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4.

When the Broncos cut Williams, they ranked first in the NFL in pass defense.  Since his departure, their pass defense has decreased to third in the league.

Now, don’t get this wrong.  I’m not trying to say that Jack Williams and Brett Kern are the difference between the Broncos being 10-0 and 6-4.  But Josh McDaniels tried to fix a team that was not broken.

Was the punting game a concern?  Maybe.

Was Williams a liability to the secondary?  Possibly, at times.

The fact remains that McDaniels tampered with team chemistry by cutting two lesser-known players in favor of veterans who are far past their prime. 

Thus, the Broncos’ Thursday night game against the New York Giants is solely the responsibility of McDaniels.  He needs to get his players jacked up.  He needs to renew the chemistry this team had when it was rolling with a six-game winning streak into the bye week.

If not, he may be kissing his own season goodbye.

Fast.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

San Diego-Denver: The Bermuda Triangle of the West

Which was more spectacular last night: The San Diego Chargers on both sides of the ball, or the implosion of the Denver Broncos?

Denver, CO seems to be not the kryptonite to San Diego, but the Bermuda Triangle. For example: During the 163rd game of the 2007 MLB season, Matt Holliday and company sent the Padres home in a heartbreaking loss and into rebuilding seasons. Example No. 2: In the 2008 NFL season, the infamous Hochuli game set the tone of let down for the rest of the season. Somehow, San Diego always loses something in Denver.

I guess times are different.

Josh McDaniels’ Broncos were, like Twilight backpacks, the hottest thing at the beginning of the 2009 season, starting 6-0 with their last victory on Monday night at Jack Murphy Field.

Then they entered the bye week.

I think at that point McDaniels called Norv Turner on Halloween and asked, “Who scares you more? Orton, Simms, or the ghost of John Elway?”

Now, on the verge of Thanksgiving, San Diego goes on a five game win streak, including impressive victories over the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Phillip Rivers has come into his own and Kyle Orton is turning into Jay Cutler version 2.0. Let’s be honest, by trading away Cutler, the Broncos lost their only chance at taking the AFC West away from the Chargers.

Oh well.

The Chargers played an excellent all around game this week, don’t get me wrong. But seeing Marshall and Moreno get into it, McDaniels mouthing off to Charger linebackers, and Jay Cutler not doing much better in Chicago all overshadow the Chargers’ performance.

Maybe San Diego has brought the Bermuda Triangle to Denver now. I’ll wait for the Padres to prove me wrong.

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2010 NFL Mock Draft, Denver Broncos-Style

For me, the NFL Draft is never too far away.  If I have said it once, I have said it dozens of times.  This is the single greatest event of the sports year in my opinion, and it’s one of the most fun to speculate on. 

The Denver Broncos‘ recent struggles have given way to lofty criticism, and they have exposed various obvious weaknesses on the team as well.  As of now, this team has five draft picks.  They own the rights to Chicago‘s first round pick, and they traded away their own to the Seattle Seahawks.

If the season ended today, the Broncos would have the 11th overall pick in the draft, which is the same pick they took Jay Cutler with back in 2006. 

I firmly believe at this point that the Broncos need to look to an elite quarterback prospect with this pick, and this is the perfect year to do so.  This year’s quarterback class is very talented at the top end, featuring four or five legitimate potential first round picks. 

As it stands, the teams that could potentially be looking for a quarterback who would theoretically be picking ahead of the Broncos are the St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Redskins.

To get a moderately accurate idea of what the Broncos could be looking at in terms of prospects, let’s mock the draft until the proverbial 11th overall pick, in which the Broncos will be selecting in this case.

1.  Cleveland Browns:  Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee

2.  St. Louis Rams:  Jake Locker, Quarterback, Washington

3.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Nebraska

4.  Detroit Lions:  Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma

5.  Buffalo Bills:  Russell Okung, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma State

6.  Kansas City Chiefs:  Rolando McClain, Middle Linebacker, Alabama

7.  Oakland Raiders:  Carlos Dunlap, Defensive Lineman, Florida

8.  Seattle Seahawks:  Jimmy Clausen, Quarterback, Notre Dame

9.  Washington Redskins:  Taylor Mays, Safety, USC

10.  Tennessee Titans:  Joe Haden, Cornerback, Florida

 

The Denver Broncos are now on the clock. 

A lot of really good prospects off the board, and quite a few of which the Broncos will be keeping a close eye on come draft day.  Still, this draft is extremely deep at almost every position, and the Broncos need to take advantage.  Here are some of the top available prospects they could be looking at in this situation.

• WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State
• RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
• DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech
• OLB Navorro Bowman, Penn State
• QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Ultimately, general manager Brian Xanders and Josh McDaniels have the final call of which player is picked.  McDaniels has not been known to be part of a team which selects a quarterback very high, but the only constant in this world is change.

McDaniels and the Patriots never picked a quarterback very high, but they never really had to either.  Drew Bledsoe was the quarterback of the team early in the 2000’s, and he was a former first overall pick.  He was replaced by Tom Brady, who is a once in a lifetime gem found late in the sixth round.

The Broncos picked quarterback Tom Brandstater in the sixth round in 2009, but it’s unhealthy at best to assume he is the long-term answer at the position.  He seems to have the tools to potentially excel at this level, but you can’t really bank on it. 

Thus, this pick is an absolute no-brainer.

With the 11th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Sam Bradford, quarterback from Oklahoma University .

I love the sound of that, and Broncos fans would too.  Bradford has a great head on his shoulders, and because he suffered a season-ending injury this season, he could wind up as the biggest steal of this draft.

Bradford is a near perfect fit for the Broncos’ offense.  He is the most accurate quarterback in the draft with above average arm strength, and he is a great leader on and off the field.

The Broncos likely will part ways with Chris Simms after this season, and if the price is reasonable they could retain Kyle Orton.  In fact, they probably should.  That way, Orton could be good insurance in case Bradford’s development is slow, or if the Broncos simply do not want to start a rookie quarterback.  Denver would then hold three quarterbacks in Bradford, Orton, and Brandstater.

After this pick, the Broncos have to wait a little while to select again.  They would be in line for a mid-late second round pick with their 6-4 record.  As it stands, that pick would fall somewhere in the early 50’s, and right now at exactly 51st.

Using Scout’s Inc.’s rankings, the top available prospects are:

• G Jon Asamoah, Illinois
• TE Aaron Hernandez, Florida
• DE/OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
• G Mike Iupati, Idaho
• RB Joe McKnight, USC
• DE Corey Wootton, Northwestern

At this point, there is no real standout prospect the Broncos have to have.  A wise decision here would be to trade down for a second, fourth, and sixth round pick.

Let’s say the Broncos move down ten spots, to the bottom of the second round.  They have acquired an extra fourth and sixth round pick to potentially maneuver again if they wish.

In this case, the Broncos still get the guy I would have taken with the 51st pick.

With the 61st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern.

This is a player I really like for the next level.  He has outstanding size for a defensive lineman at 6’7″ 280 pounds, and he could be a good five-technique prospect.  The Broncos are a little thin on depth and youth at the defensive end position, and Wootton would be an ideal addition at this point in the draft. 

The Broncos’ next pick would come a little way past the middle of the third round, somewhere around the 83rd overall selection.

This pick may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but I’m going to go for it.  Scout’s Inc. rates this kid as the 75th best prospect in the draft, but the one thing I know about the NFL Draft is that the 75th best prospect could go in the first round, and the 10th best prospect can sometimes fall to the third.

With the 83rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select…Vince Oghobaase, Defensive Lineman, Duke.

What in the world?  A Duke football player?

You heard it here first.  Vince Oghobaase is a very solid defensive lienman who is athletic enough to play inside in a 4-3 or as a five-technique in the 3-4.  He and Wootton would give the Broncos a good pair of young defensive linemen with great athleticism, versatility, and intelligence, something which is valued very highly by this coaching staff.

In the fourth round, the Broncos have, as this situation has played out in this mock draft, two picks.  This is a place where they can certainly address a wide variety of areas. 

After taking their quarterback of the future and solidifying their defensive front, the Broncos can now focus on other areas of the team.

With their two fourth round picks, I like the Broncos to take Florida State safety Myron Rolle and Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond .

Myron Rolle is a very intriguing prospect to me.  He was a top prospect for the Seminoles coming out of high school, and showed why in his first three years at Florida State. 

He graduated from FSU in 2009 and accepted a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University, and has been studying there for what would have been his senior season at Florida State.  According to Rolle, he planned on maintaining football shape in his time in England, and he would return to the United States for the NFL Scouting Combine and a career in the NFL.

This is a man who has very lofty goals and dreams, and one who is inspiring.  He gave up millions of dollars in the NFL to research in England a potential cure for cancer.  He is an outstanding student who would have an opportunity to learn from the very best in Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey.

Thurmond is a very underrated prospect.  He has been a four year starter for the Ducks and he will go later in the draft than he should because of a knee injury he suffered earlier this season.  He is a very good tackler and has 12 career interceptions, and when he gets the ball he certainly knows what to do with it, scoring six career touchdowns.

In the sixth round, I think the Broncos will turn back to the offensive side of the ball.

Since they have two picks in this projected situation, they have a lot of flexibility in the earlier rounds. 

With their first sixth round pick, I think the Broncos should take Iowa tight end Anthony Moeaki.

Moeaki has been oft-injured in his Iowa career, but head coach Kirk Ferentz calls him, “The best tight end I have ever coached.”  Those are some high praises considering Dallas Clark once roamed Kinnick Stadium.

Moeaki is undoubtedly a complete tight end.  He could very well go higher than the sixth round, and he probably should simply based on his skill set.  His biggest asset is his ability to run block, which often goes unnoticed.  That being said, he is also a very good pass receiver.  He does not have great speed, but he finds a way to get open.

The need for a tight end could come up if the Broncos lose Tony Scheffler to free agency.

With their other sixth round pick, I think the Broncos need to address the center position.  I think the best senior center prospect in the draft is Baylor’s Justin Walton, and the Broncos could go after him.  Walton has good size for the center position, and would help the Broncos greatly with inside pass protection which is really lacking at the moment.

To recap, here are my projected draft selections at the moment if this situation were ever to play out.

1. Sam Bradford, Quarterback, Oklahoma
2. Corey Wootton, Defensive End, Northwestern
3. Vince Oghobaase, Defensive End, Duke
4. Myron Rolle, Safety, Florida State
5. Walter Thurmond, Cornerback, Oregon
6. Tony Moeaki, Tight End, Iowa
7. Justin Walton, Center, Baylor

I think this would be a very solid draft for the Broncos.  Not only do they get their quarterback of the future, they solidify their defensive front as well as add much needed depth, speed, and youth to their secondary. 

Obviously, this is all just my speculation and maybe a little bit of wishful thinking.  The holiday season will do that for a guy.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

The Denver Broncos’ Problem? An Apparent Lack of Quarterback

After starting 6-0, the Denver Broncos hit an apparent high.  For once, the bye week killed momentum, and teams finally have the Broncos figured out.

Eliminate the short pass, and you can win by 20 or more every time.

The Denver Broncos’ four game slide can be traced back to a number of different things.  Lack of running game, lack of deep passing game, lack of pass protection, and below average special teams play.

Still, the most prevalent and obvious area that the Broncos lack is a legitimate passing threat.

Kyle Orton was an MVP candidate through the first six games of the seasons.  He had nine touchdowns compared to only one interception, and he was arguably the most efficient quarterback in the league through that time.

He was getting the job done, and the Broncos did not hardly have throw the ball further than 15 yards on any given play.

Then, after the bye week, the Baltimore Ravens did something that no other team had done all season long, and that was blitz nearly every play, and take away the middle of the field on passing plays.

The Broncos were stunned.

Their offense became predictable, especially in the passing game.  They have thrown only two touchdown passes since week six, and rank only 19th in the NFL in passing offense.

It would appear, through ten weeks of the season, that the Broncos need Jay Cutler, and Jay Cutler needs the Broncos, but that is beside the point.

What is the Broncos’ answer at quarterback?

It certainly is not Chris Simms, who is the second highest paid backup in the NFL today, and one who has since proven that he is not an NFL starter, and maybe not even a backup anymore.

Simms’ decision making is slow to develop, and his arm strength is nothing like what it was in the preseason. 

For now, and probably for the rest of the season, the Broncos will ride it out with Kyle Orton, who is far and away the most experienced quarterback on the team.

He is a leader, winner, and he rarely makes stupid mistakes.  He is as accurate as any quarterback on short passing routes, and he is efficient.

But he can’t move the ball down the field with regularity or when the Broncos need it.

Orton is what we all thought he is:  A game manager.  He is not capable of driving the ball down the field at any given time in a game when the Broncos need a score.

Now, the Broncos have come back a few times this season, largely thanks to the arm of Orton.  An 87 yard pass on opening day to win the game, a 51 yard strike to Brandon Marshall against the Cowboys to win the game, a game-winning drive against the Patriots, and a clincher touchdown toss to Brandon Stokley in the Broncos’ last win against San Diego.

But it all means nothing now that the Broncos’ offense has seemingly become anemic.

This is a team that started the season plus seven in the turnover margin, and minus seven in the last four games.  The Broncos’ offense was able to capitalize on turnovers, which the defense has been unable to force in recent games.

When the Broncos have the ball on offense, they are not able to move downfield with the passing game at any given time.

So, what is the answer to Denver’s passing woes?

Like I said before, the team is likely to stick with Orton for the rest of the season, but there are plenty of other options for the future.

Rookie Tom Brandstater showed a bit of promise in the preseason, and many fans are calling for him to take snaps already.  He is a very intelligent player who has quickly adapted to the offense, and was even seen warming up on the sideline yesterday in case Orton’s ankle wasn’t okay.

Though Brandstater has showed promise, it’s unhealthy at best for any team to believe they can plan the future around a rookie sixth round pick.

Lucky for them, the up-coming draft is absolutely littered with elite-level quarterback prospects.

Many believe Washington quarterback Jake Locker to be the number one overall quarterback prospect, and unless the Bears‘ pick is in the top five, he is unlikely to be a Bronco without a blockbuster trade.

Jimmy Clausen is another likely top ten pick if he leaves early, and he reminds me a lot of Jay Cutler both in ability and attitude.  He has a bit of an anger problem it would seem, and the Broncos might stay away from that anyway.

That leaves the original “Big Three” for the Broncos to choose from, and I cannot say I would be disappointed if any of these guys ended up in orange and blue.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford was said to be the top quarterback prospect coming into this season, and thanks to a season ending injury, he may be the biggest steal of the NFL Draft.

Bradford is at his best when he is playing behind an elite offensive line, something the Broncos certainly have.  He is the most accurate quarterback in the draft, bar none.  He can make all the NFL throws, and he has good mechanics.

He can scramble for a first down when he needs to, and he is a very smart player.  He is a good leader, and he has the potential to be an elite quarterback at the next level.

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is another guy the Broncos could target, but they could likely trade down and get him.  He is arguably the most productive passer in college history, and he has more wins than any other quarterback in college football.

He is overall a very sound player, and there is not one area where he is not fit to play at the NFL level.  He has prototypical size, and his arm strength and accuracy are both good.  Like Bradford, his short-range arm strength is superior to his longer range.  He is a leader in every sense of the word, and a proven winner.

Speaking of proven winners, how about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow?  This guy is an absolute jack of all trades, and if scouts continue to dislike his mechanics, he could be had for the low, low price of a second round pick.

Though Tebow is not the most accurate quarterback, he places excellent touch on his passes.  In my opinion, he is the greatest college football player of all-time, and I do not believe for one second that this man could not adapt to an NFL offense.

He is a physical marvel, so much so that some are considering him as a tight end/h-back for the next level.  He is both a vocal leader, and leader by example.  His mental toughness and makeup are second to none, and he is an outstanding student.

The Broncos could also look to rising prospects like Western Michigan’s Tim Hiller, whose scouting report reminds me of Peyton Manning. 

Other than his laser, rocket arm strength, Hiller is a stellar student who graduated in only three years and is currently working on a masters.  He stands at 6’4″, 229 pounds, and he has a great sense for timing and when receivers are going to break out of their routes.  His mobility is well below average, but he is an accurate, strong-armed passer who could be a diamond in the rough.

Penn State’s Daryll Clark, Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour, and Pittsburgh‘s Bill Stull are also solid quarterback prospects for the next level.  At the very least, the Broncos are going to need to look into one of these prospects for at least a backup option if Brandstater happens to be the long-term option.

Either way, the Broncos need someone who can consistently make a clutch throw or move the ball down the field when the offense needs to answer an opponents’ score.

Because right now, they can’t, and as a result they are in a four game losing streak.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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