What Can Lovie Smith Have Been Thinking to Give Up Kyle Orton?

One year removed from his days with the Chicago Bears, where he was seen as worse than the infamous Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton has begun this season with a start that he may have never thought he had in him.

I realize it is only six games into the season, but the change Orton has had is not just improvement, it is a complete and utter turn around.

Last season, Orton appeared in 15 games and threw 12 interceptions, the season prior he only appeared in three games, and still threw for two interceptions. Then, in his worst season of all, four years ago, Orton threw 13 interceptions in 15 games and had a measly 59.7 passer rating in those appearances.

Now in his first six games, Orton has thrown for nine touchdowns and just one interception. His passer rating is over 100 on the year in his six starts.

Surely, his numbers could go downhill as the season progresses, but the fact that Orton has been able to consistently put up these solid numbers as well as that the Denver Broncos are a rejuvenated football team behind the play of rookies such as Knowshon Moreno, a defense featuring eight new starters, and a new head coach Josh McDaniels.

Sure, the Broncos traded away potential superstar QB Jay Cutler, for a barely NFL-proved QB, but it seems like it is paying off.

Not only did they get a more consistent Kyle Orton, but they also received two first round draft picks and a third round draft pick, to add even more to the talented roster.

While Lovie Smith may be happy with Jay Cutler and the new offensive look the Bears have, you have to wonder about Orton. Is the dramatic change because of McDaniels coaching as opposed to Smith? Did Orton just become a better player? Are the Broncos simply a better suited team for Orton?

Obviously, it would appear that the answer to all of these questions is yes, even though it’s a little too early to tell.

But, I’m sure McDaniels is thrilled.

This article was first featured on http://thesportsage.blogspot.com/ .

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What Can Lovie Smith Have Been Thinking to Give Up Kyle Orton?

One year removed from his days with the Chicago Bears, where he was seen as worse than the infamous Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton has begun this season with a start that he may have never thought he had in him.

I realize it is only six games into the season, but the change Orton has had is not just improvement, it is a complete and utter turn around.

Last season, Orton appeared in 15 games and threw 12 interceptions, the season prior he only appeared in three games, and still threw for two interceptions. Then, in his worst season of all, four years ago, Orton threw 13 interceptions in 15 games and had a measly 59.7 passer rating in those appearances.

Now in his first six games, Orton has thrown for nine touchdowns and just one interception. His passer rating is over 100 on the year in his six starts.

Surely, his numbers could go downhill as the season progresses, but the fact that Orton has been able to consistently put up these solid numbers as well as that the Denver Broncos are a rejuvenated football team behind the play of rookies such as Knowshon Moreno, a defense featuring eight new starters, and a new head coach Josh McDaniels.

Sure, the Broncos traded away potential superstar QB Jay Cutler, for a barely NFL-proved QB, but it seems like it is paying off.

Not only did they get a more consistent Kyle Orton, but they also received two first round draft picks and a third round draft pick, to add even more to the talented roster.

While Lovie Smith may be happy with Jay Cutler and the new offensive look the Bears have, you have to wonder about Orton. Is the dramatic change because of McDaniels coaching as opposed to Smith? Did Orton just become a better player? Are the Broncos simply a better suited team for Orton?

Obviously, it would appear that the answer to all of these questions is yes, even though it’s a little too early to tell.

But, I’m sure McDaniels is thrilled.

This article was first featured on http://thesportsage.blogspot.com/ .

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Breaking Down the Defensive Schemes in Today’s NFL

A couple of days ago, I was trying to explain the defensive scheme the Broncos play to my girlfriend, only to get a vacant stare back at me. 

At this time, I remembered reading a few blogs on many different sites, including this one, where a lot of the fans of their respective teams ran into the same issue. 

I took it upon myself to do a serious amount of research and try to point out the differences among the countless schemes being employed in today’s game but found it a bigger task than I anticipated, so I have boiled it down to 4 different schemes in total, within the two main formations, the 3-4 and the 4-3.

Let’s begin.

Not all 3-4 are the same, in fact there are various schemes ran out of this formation, because at the end of the day, the name 3-4 or 34 as some people like to call it, depicts a formation not the scheme. 

One of the schemes employed out of this formation is the two gap system, think San Diego, Cleveland and Miami to name a few.

This system employs three down lineman and four linebackers as their front seven.  The three down lineman are each responsible for two gaps, with the nose tackle (NT for short) being the most important of all, followed closely by the two ends. 

The NT will be responsible for the gaps between the center and each guard while the DEs are responsible for the gaps between the guards and tackles as well as “sealing” the end.

I believe that this the hardest scheme to find players for because the breed of athlete it employs is just hard to find.

This version of the 3-4 relies on the down lineman to “hold” the point of attack, other wise known as the line of scrimmage, making sure to tackle anyone coming down their respective gaps all the while taking on blockers to allow the linbackers (LB) a free path to the ball. 

This requires strong, big, and heavy linemen that can move laterally with quickness, but it does not require penetration, that’s left mostly to the LBs, especially the outside LBs.

In turn, this will require instinctive LBs on the inside and strong LBs on the outside to produce the pass rush. This scheme relies heavily on the OLBs to produce pressure on the QB. 

This style of defense is great against the run but a little vulnerable against the pass.  Another problem with this scheme is depth, as it relies heavily on the NT, which is a rare find in the NFL.

If your NT just happens to get injured the defense will suffer greatly due to the fact that NT are at a premium and very difficult to find, making the building of depth a problem.  If you want an example see the Chargers.

Now a different scheme from the same formation would be the one-gap or “attacking” 3-4.  This scheme was made popular by the Baltimore Ravens after the 2001 season, however, one of the first teams to use it successfully were the 1975 Broncos (although their best season with the scheme came in 1977).

While the same formation is used, the difference lies within the personnel.  In this case the linemen are usually a little lighter and quicker, this is due to the fact that they will be given one gap to defend and will be frequently asked to penetrate and get to the QB. 

This also requires a different type of LB, one that will be able fight off blockers and get to the ball.  This style of defense does require one LB to be fast and instinctive and that’s usually called the “jack” LB.

With this scheme, pressure is put on the QB from all angles making it excel against the pass, but it is vulnerable to the run.  Some of the teams that use this scheme are the Jets, Broncos and Ravens.

The most important position with in this scheme are the LBs, both the ILBs and the OLBs.  Speed and quickness are at a premium among the LBs within this scheme and that’s due to the bevy of things they will be asked to do, anything from blitzing to man to man coverage. 

While the two-gap system is designed to to funnel the ball toward the linemen, the one gap is designed to funnel the ball towards the LBs.

Now in the 4-3 there are four linemen and three LBs representing the front seven.  This formation is a little less varied than the 3-4. 

In most schemes, the four down linemen breakdown as follows, 2 DEs 1 NT and a DT(defensive tackle).  Now I know I said one NT and the truth is, while many think the 4-3 employs two defensive tackles, it actually employs one three-technique DT and a five-technique DT, better known as a nose tackle.

This formation is all about the linemen, and therefore they are the true play makers of this formation.

Take, for instance, the 2002 Tampa Bay Bucs.  That team might have been the truest incarnation of what a 4-3 defense should be, with two true pass rushers in the edges as DEs in Rice and Spires, one good NT in McFarland, and perhaps one of the best three-technique DTs in league history with Sapp.

The LBs also change in this formation. Let’s start with the weak-side LB or “Will;” he must be fast and athletic.

The strong side LB or “Sam” must be big and strong, with the middle LB, or “Mike,” being instinctive and a combination of both, but the linemen are the stars of the show. 

The linemen’s jobs break down as follows, the DEs will be responsible for the edges and applying pressure on the QB while the NT will be responsible for the gaps between the  guard/center and tackle/guard. 

Which brings us to the star of the show the DT, in the 3 technique, the DT is the one lineman that has free reign, he can choose his gap and “shoot” it, applying pressure to the QB and collapsing the pocket from the inside.

This defense is probably the most well rounded of all as it is strong both aginst the run and pass, but that is not to say that it is easy.  Finding a true 3 technique DT, aside from the fact that they are more abundant, is probably just as hard as findinga good NT to play the two gap 3-4. 

Don’t believe me?  Just ask Mike Shanahan or the 2009 Raiders.

Some of the teams that use this style of defense successfully are the Giants, Eagles, Vikings and Bears.

Now I have left my favorite for last, and that is the “zone blitz” scheme.  This scheme was perfected by Dick LeBeau of the Pittsburgh Steelers, actually he might have invented it I’m not sure, but he sure damn perfected it.

While the Steelers use a 3-4 formation, this is a scheme that could be used out of any formation, as long as Mr. LeBeau is teaching it, but for now we’ll go with the two-gap 3-4. 

This scheme is all about deceiving the offense, at any given time anyone on the field regardless of position could drop into a zone coverage or blitz, and yes, that includes the linemen. 

That makes it almost impossible for the offensive line to adjust their protection scheme in order to account for a blitzer, which in turn causes confusion that usually results in pressure, sacks, or turnovers. 

What makes this scheme go is the personnel, and you must have the absolutely correct personnel in order to run this defense and it takes quite a while to learn, that is why you will rarely see a rookie or young player start for the Steelers defense. 

The linemen must be fast, strong, and athletic, along with all the linebackers and safeties.

Corners don’t have to have blazing speed, since they will be responsible for zones and not man-to-man coverage.  Along with all those attributes I mentioned above, perhaps the two most important ones are discipline and trust.

Each player must trust his teammates to be disciplined enough to do their jobs and not free lance, well Polomalu is the only one allowed to free lance, but he is usually right.

When this defense is at its peak it is virtually inpenetrable and perhaps the best defense against both the run and pass, although rarely using man-to-man coverage does have its draw backs, mainly against the pass, this scheme might just be the best of them all or at least its my favorite.

Well, that’s all I have for today, and I hope I helped clarify some of the differences between defenses that sometimes can seem like they are all alike.  Please feel free to comment and discuss.

Thanks for reading.

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No, Go Right Ahead: Call the Denver Broncos “For Real”

Looking for a fun new drinking game? All this week, take a shot every time an ESPN analyst calls the Broncos’ 4-0 start anything but a fluke. Just don’t play with Kyle Orton.

The Denver Broncos are 4-0 under rookie head coach Josh McDaniel and mediocre-at-best starter Kyle Orton. They beat Dallas in a thriller on Sunday evening and hell proceeded, as it is known, not to freeze over.

Denver boasts a record better than New England’s and better than Pittsburgh’s, and their ferocious defense has allowed just 26 points all season to elite offensive machines, to name a few, Oakland and Cleveland.

And we all remember how Kyle Orton single-handedly won the first game of the season with a brilliantly-conducted, mistake-free comeback drive against Cincinnati that reminded all in Bronco nation of Hall-of-Famer John Elway. Right?

When the strongest opponent a team beats in its first four games is the Bengals (and even then, did they really beat them?), usually this means trouble.

However, with exceptional thanks to Lady Luck, Al Davis, and the suddenly not-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips Tony Romo, the Denver Broncos sit atop the, um, “prestigious” AFC West with an unblemished record, and the talks have already begun of playoffs.

Surprises are expected in any NFL season. Rest assured the next four opponents whom the Broncos face will squelch this “hot” start. In the next five weeks, Denver hosts New England, travels to San Diego, travels to Baltimore, and hosts Pittsburgh. Vegas odds on Denver beating even two of them? Probably about the same for Terrell Owens to deactivate his Twitter account.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Fleet Enema Presents … NFL Week 4, You Crap The Bed!

This week on You Crap, we’re very pleased to announce our first commercial sponsorship. This week, we’re brought to you by Fleet Enemas, for when you want to void over 10 percent of your body weight in less than three hours. It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s Fleet!

The goal of the game is to let you try to out-think people who are actually paid to make NFL decisions.

Remember, all of these scenarios are taken from actual game time decisions, made by actual NFL coaches. Now, let’s all play… You Crap The Bed!

1) You are Denver coach Josh McDaniels. It’s the third quarter, and you are down 10-7 at home to the Cowboys, with a 4th-and-1 from the Cowboy 31.

You’ve just sent rookie running back Knowshon Moreno into the line on third down and a half yard to go, only to see him lose a half yard. Do you:

a) Send out kicker Matt Prater to try a 48-yard field goal in altitude under clear weather conditions, which is to say, a kick that he really should make if he’s going to be employed to kick in Denver.

b) Go for it on fourth, maybe with “Greatest Winner In Franchise History” QB Kyle Orton on the move.

c) Punt and try to pin the Cowboys deep, since they haven’t really been able to move it all game, and your defense has a mess of sacks.

d) Go for it and try any other play than the exact same thing that you did on third down (perhaps with fresh back and short yardage specialist Lamont Jordan).

e) Go for it and try the exact same play that you did on third down, with an obviously gassed Moreno.

If you chose (e)… you crap the bed! And you win a de facto turnover, a loss in field position, and perhaps three critical points in a game where a single play could decide it. Well done…but as we shall see from contestant number three, not good enough.

2) You are Kansas City coach Todd Haley, and it’s 7-0 Giants in the first quarter after a fumbled opening kickoff and touchdown. Upon receiving the ball again, you choose to:

a) Run the ball from a standard power formation with running back Larry Johnson, in an attempt to establish the ground game and try to give confidence to your offensive line.

b) Throw the ball short to get QB Matt Cassell off to a good start, since he might not be feeling too confident himself after last week’s blowout in Philadelphia.

c) Throw the ball long to star WR Dwayne Bowe, who you will need for any chance at an explosive offense today.

d) Try an exciting gadget play, maybe a flea flicker or reverse, to show the Giants that they will have to guard the whole field.

e) Run the wildcat direct snap to Johnson (no, really), who is absolutely no threat to throw the ball, so that the Giants defense knows to not just roll up the coverage, but also to not bother to play anyone more than five yards off the line of scrimmage.

If you chose (e), watched it go for short yardage, then DID IT AGAIN to make sure that your first series sets up your team for a difficult third-down conversion and near immediate three-and-out…you crap the bed!

And you win an early hole, a team that has to know that you have no confidence in their talents, a befuddled and enraged home crowd that will boo you in the first quarter, and the continued conclusion that you should be coaching a high school team. Perhaps JV. Congratulations!

3) You are Cowboys coach Wade Philips. You are down 17-10 with a 4th-and-goal from the Broncos three yard line. You have no timeouts, and there’s five seconds left in the game.

On third down, QB Tony Romo’s attempted pass to WR Sam Hurd was stopped by Broncos star CB Champ Bailey, who made a fantastic deflection to save a touchdown, and is widely regarded as, when healthy, one of the top CBs in the NFL. Do you:

a) Run it with fresh running back Tashard Choice, who has been your best back from scrimmage today and could enjoy a considerable advantage of surprise on a draw.

b) Run it with team leader running back Marion Barber, who has a history of big fourth quarter plays, and has your only touchdown today on a play where he exerted his will over several Bronco defenders at the goal line.

c) Throw it to TE Jason Witten, who is your most reliable short yardage target.

d) Roll out QB Romo, who for all of his ball control faults, does have a knack for making plays on the run.

e) Try the exact same play to Hurd against Bailey, because the first 15 times you’ve thrown against him have gone so well, and he’s clearly too old to stop No. 16.

If you chose (e)…you crap the bed! And you’ve won yourself last place in the hyper-competitve NFC East, the continued national worship of Kyle Orton, the best Bronco QB ever because he’s never lost, and the chance to make sure that your annual December collapse just means that you’ll get an even better first round draft pick for Owner/ SuperGenius Jerry Jones to blow. Stupendous!

Well, that’s all we have time for this week. But remember, with a little fiber, determination, and poise (or the use of a Fleet Enema!) you too can…Crap The Bed! Good night, everybody!

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Practice Notes, Sept. 8, 2009: Brandon Marshall Back in Action

Well, Brandon Marshall is back at practice, and he does not appear to be wearing pajama pants.

In all seriousness, this is a huge boost for the Denver Broncos, who also welcomed quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Chris Simms, running back Knowshon Moreno, and wide receiver Jabar Gaffney back to practice on Tuesday.

Head coach Josh McDaniels offered only a single word when asked about the attitude of Marshall—”Great.”

He also offered a one-word response when asked if Marshall would be ready to contribute on Sunday, saying, “Absolutely.”

It would appear as though Marshall and the Broncos have put their situation behind them for the time being. McDaniels seems to think so anyway.

“I have talked to him more than once,” McDaniels said. “We are looking forward to moving past this, and he’s out there practicing hard. That’s what we’re looking for.”

This is a huge boost for the Broncos. 

If Marshall is physically ready, he is an imposer of fear on the football field. He has been called “The Beast” and a “Whirling Dervish” for a reason. The dude can play some ball, and the Broncos realize that they have a much better chance of winning with him on the field.

“I think he is a good football player. If he is ready to go and we go through this week of practice and we feel like that’s the direction we should play on Sunday, then certainly we all know what he can do as a football player,” said McDaniels. “It is a matter of getting acclimated to enough of the game plan and him understanding what’s going on, but we’ll see as we go through the week.”

Marshall’s presence on the field will surely be a boost for whichever quarterback lines up under center for the Broncos on Sunday. The team is not guaranteeing Orton will be ready, but all systems appear to be “go” for the quarterback who suffered a very disturbing injury two weeks ago to his pointer finger.

“Obviously, there is a little bit of restriction for a quarterback when you’ve got something on your hand,” McDaniels said, “but for the most part, everything was clean. Hopefully, everybody that was out there today will be ready to go on Sunday.”

Virtually the same response was given by McDaniels when asked if rookie tailback Moreno would be available for the Cincinnati game.

“He is getting better every day, doing everything he can do to be ready to go on Sunday. He was in there today and worked in and out of the drills today and some of the team periods, too. He is not totally there yet, but he is getting better every day. Hopefully, we will have him ready to go on Sunday.”

It will be a huge development for Denver if they can begin the season with the roster we all anticipated at the outset of training camp, and Moreno is certainly part of that group.

It was also nice to see wide receiver Gaffney at practice despite his broken thumb. If you are unable to believe that someone could return to catching passes after suffering a broken thumb this quickly, here is proof.

The team is also very excited about Vonnie Holliday, a veteran defensive lineman who was brought in for a visit back in March.

According to McDaniels, “Vonnie has got some familiarity with the system that we run. We had him in earlier in the year. He was coming off of a little bit of a cleanup in terms of a little procedure and wasn’t quite ready to do a workout and all that kind of stuff.

“We brought him back in, stayed in touch, and I think it worked out for the best for everybody. He is excited to be here. We are excited to have him. I think he can help improve our depth on the defensive line. He has obviously played that position. He has got some knowledge about how to play it, and I think that is helpful for some of our younger players, too.”

Check back tomorrow evening for my preview of the Broncos-Bengals game.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Practice Notes 9/8/09: Brandon Marshall Back in Action

Well, Brandon Marshall is back at practice, and he does not appear to be wearing pajama pants.

In all seriousness, this is a huge boost for the Denver Broncos, who also welcomed quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Chris Simms, running back Knowshon Moreno, and wide receiver Jabar Gaffney back to practice on Tuesday.

Head coach Josh McDaniels offered only a single word when asked about the attitude of Marshall—”Great.”

He also offered a one word response when asked if Marshall would be ready to contribute on Sunday, saying “Absolutely.”

It would appear as though Marshall and the Broncos have put their situation behind them for the time being.  McDaniels seems to think so anyway.

“I have talked to him more than once,” McDaniels said, “We are looking forward to moving past this, and he’s out there practicing hard. That’s what we’re looking for.”

This is a huge boost for the Broncos. 

If Marshall is physically ready, he is an imposer of fear on the football field.  He has been called “The Beast” and a “Whirling Dervish” for a reason.  The dude can play some ball, and the Broncos realize that they have a much better chance of winning with him on the field.

“I think he is a good football player. If he is ready to go and we go through this week of practice and we feel like that’s the direction we should play on Sunday, then certainly we all know what he can do as a football player. It is a matter of getting acclimated to enough of the game plan and him understanding what’s going on, but we’ll see as we go through the week.”

Marshall’s presence on the field will surely be a boost for whichever quarterback lines up under center for the Broncos on Sunday.  The team is not guaranteeing Orton will be ready, but all systems appear to be “go” for the quarterback who suffered a very disturbing injury two weeks ago to his pointer finger.

“Obviously, there is a little bit of restriction for a quarterback when you’ve got something on your hand,” McDaniels said, “but for the most part, everything was clean. Hopefully, everybody that was out there today will be ready to go on Sunday.”

Virtually the same response was given by McDaniels when asked if rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno would be available for the Cincinnati game.

“He is getting better every day, doing everything he can do to be ready to go on Sunday. He was in there today and worked in and out of the drills today and some of the team periods, too. He is not totally there yet, but he is getting better every day. Hopefully, we will have him ready to go on Sunday.”

It will be a huge development for Denver if they can begin the season with the roster we all anticipated at the outset of training camp, and Moreno is certainly part of that group.

It was also nice to see wide receiver Jabar Gaffney at practice despite his broken thumb.  If you are unable to believe that someone could return to catching passes after suffering a broken thumb this quickly, here is proof.

The team is also very excited about Vonnie Holliday, a veteran defensive lineman who was brought in for a visit back in March.

“Vonnie has got some familiarity with the system that we run. We had him in earlier in the year. He was coming off of a little bit of a cleanup in terms of a little procedure and wasn’t quite ready to do a workout and all that kind of stuff.”

“We brought him back in, stayed in touch and I think it worked out for the best for everybody. He is excited to be here. We are excited to have him. I think he can help improve our depth on the defensive line. He has obviously played that position. He has got some knowledge about how to play it, and I think that is helpful for some of our younger players, too.”

Check back tomorrow evening for my preview of the Broncos-Bengals game.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos: No State Of Defense

Still a work in progress….

For those of us that engage in the country’s unofficial second national past-time of fantasy football, it’s no secret that the Broncos defense is one to avoid in fantasy drafts.

While those in the Mile High area are hopeful that this reputation won’t precede this year’s edition, after watching their Sunday night debut, there’s still much work to be done.

While it was only the team’s third preseason game, this match-up had a little home flavor and enough incentive to bring out their “A” game.

Making his return to the Mile High area, the Bronco’s former starting quarterback Jay Cutler should have been more than enough to motivate Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and the defense to bring it. Instead, it was Cutler that brought it Sunday night and got the better of this match-up, completing 15 of 21 for 144-yards and a touchdown.

With all the changes that head coach Josh McDaniels made on defense by adding veteran players like Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman, Andra Davis, and Renaldo Hill, the defense has a long road ahead. Some may view the changes with great optimism, but Sunday night clearly exposed some of the same short comings of the team’s defensive play in the past; no quarterback pressure.

Against the Bears, the Bronco’s defenses on occasion came close to getting to Cutler, but were never able to put him on the ground. It’s been a familiar theme, and  the 2009 version did not seem to show any noticeable improvements.

Again, it was only the team’s third preseason game so you might not expect to see to many complicated blitz packages, but if Denver fans were ever hoping to see a sign that times could be changing, playing against the Bears and Jay Cutler seemed to be the perfect excuse.

What to Expect in 2009….

There’s no question this unit is going to have to find a way to bring more heat up the middle and pressure on the edges if they are going to have any success.

Linebackers DJ Williams and Andra Davis look ready to thrive in Nolan’s new 3-4 scheme, and safety Brian Dawkins looks like he could have at least one more Pro Bowl season left in him. But, the lack of pressure is going to put a lot of demands on the secondary in pass coverage, an area the team struggled with in 2008 (ranked 26th).

The Broncos problems don’t lie in speed,  but size in the middle could become an Achilles unless players like Kenny Peterson, Ronald Fields, and Ryan McBean really step up this season and make a difference. Optimism can only offer so much hope, something the Denver defense is going to need lots of this season.

Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect any significant jumps of improvement from the Bronco’s defense this season that would generate any drafting interest.

We have no doubt that with McDaniels enthusiasm and Nolan’s influence, this unit will get better, but middle of the pack is going to be a realistic landing spot for the team. The defense will be loaded with plenty of talent again this season, but it will take Nolan and his staff some time to develop its’ chemistry and effectiveness.

While this unit may not be worthy to draft in leagues that employ team defenses, it could very well be an attractive waiver wire option much later in the season.

Keep watch, take plenty of notes, and let’s see where things stand in the second half. That’s my take and I’m sticking to it.

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Chicago Bears Versus Denver Broncos: The Biggest Game of the 2009 NFL Preseason

If you can only watch one preseason game, you should watch the game between the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos.

Preseason games don’t mean anything at all–if you don’t believe me, the Lions went 4-0 in the preseason last year before going 0-16 in the regular season–but this game will be a very interesting one.

 

Game Details

Date: Sunday, Aug. 30

Time: 8 p.m. eastern time (6:00 local time)

TV Channel: NBC

Location: Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.

Point Spread: Denver -2.5 (via DocSports’ NFL odds)

StubHub: Deals on Bears-Broncos Preseason Game Tickets

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StubHub: Deals on Chicago Bears Regular Season Tickets

 

As you probably already know, Jay Cutler and Kyle Orton were traded for each other. Broncos fans are angry at Cutler for refusing to do anything unless he was traded. I can see why fans would hate Cutler, and I believe they did get the worse side of the trade.

Some might argue that Denver got the better side of the trade because of the draft picks. You have to remember, though, that just because a team has high draft picks and uses them for good college players doesn’t mean they will amount to anything in the NFL.

The No. 1 reason to watch this game is to see the quarterback battle. I am positive each quarterback will want to play better, command the game better, and perform better than the other.

These quarterbacks will play like it’s the Super Bowl, and it should be a great battle to watch.

Orton has the chance to make the Bears regret trading him away, but I don’t see him having a great day to change anyone’s mind. I liked Orton, but I didn’t see the Bears winning anything with him at quarterback.

Cutler will have to win Bears fans over during the course of the season, a process which he has already begun in earnest. This game is a great venue to continue doing so. If Cutler does well, the fans will continue to develop their love for him. If he doesn’t, well, it’s only the preseason, but you never want to do anything that might make the fans anxious or angry.

Be prepared to hear lots and lots of booing at Invesco Field, where Cutler used to play his home games. I expect to hear the fans boo every time Cutler is on the field until he steps off–that’s how much the fans there now despise Cutler.

Even Cutler expects to be hated endlessly.

This game should feel somewhat like a regular season game, at least until the starters leave. Up through that point, this game should be very enjoyable. The quarterbacks have things to prove, and the tension between the fans and players will give this game a regular season feel.

Overall, the first half will be a fun time for football fans. It will be a break from the boring and really long football preseason–I’m a fan of only two preseason games and adding more games to the regular season, for the record.

While this game logically doesn’t mean anything, it actually does. Coaches and players won’t tell you that it does, but I think it does.

Orton and Cutler are both thinking in their head: “I have to do better than the other guy,” and that alone should make the game exciting.

The idea that Bears switch week-to-week between loving and hating their starting quarterback is wrong, but you have to realize that Chicago has never had a franchise quarterback. No matter who they have tried, it’s just never happened. So when they get somebody who has the best chance to become a franchise quarterback, the highs and the lows have the potential to be more extreme.

On Sunday night, Jay Cutler has one more chance to get Bears fans believing before the regular season starts. The fact that he will do so in front of his angry former supporters makes it all the more intriguing.

Whether you’re a Bears fan, a Broncos fan, or just an NFL fan in general, this game should appeal to you. So everybody tune in to the game on Sunday.

You won’t be let down.

Denver Broncos Training Camp Notes: Moss Not Going down without Fight

As the Denver Broncos prepare for the first game in the Josh McDaniels era, it appears that former first round pick Jarvis Moss is finally finding a niche as an outside linebacker.

Since I am not in Denver, I am only reporting what was offered on the Denver Broncos’ official training camp blog, but it appears as though No. 94 is one of the team’s most improved players in camp. 

The site reports that before practice last night, Moss was working diligently with defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely on his hand technique (pictured) with the focus of the session being fending off blockers.

Per Gray Caldwell, Moss was “all over” the practice field, making plays left and right.  During 11-on-11 drills, Moss quickly made his way to the backfield to wrap up running back Darius Walker for a loss, and during a two-minute drill, the linebacker blitzed and sacked quarterback Kyle Orton.  He also had multiple sacks during one-on-one drills.

Many analysts, namely Bill Williamson of ESPN.com feel Moss’ days with the team are numbered, but due to the high praise he has received the last week or so I think this team will be hard pressed to not find a roster spot for him.

In addition to Moss, rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno continues to prove why the Broncos picked him up with the 12th overall pick in the draft.

The Georgia product showed great speed when he broke through the defensive backfield and sprinted past everyone for a touchdown, and later in the practice, he hurdled wide receiver Brandon Stokley after the wide receiver scored a touchdown during two-minute drills.

I do not know that I would want him doing too much of the latter though.

Moreno also sported for the first time his “rookie hairdo.”  Have a look.

It should also be noted that with the release of the Broncos’ first depth chart, head coach Josh McDaniels was not lying when he said “That is not our depth chart.”  Seeing time with the first unit last night that were not listed were Robert Ayers, Wesley Woodyard, Darrell Reid, Alphonso Smith, Darcel McBath, and Jack Williams.

Woodyard also played the role of Patrick Willis at times during practice, sporting a sleeveless, red, No. 52 practice jersey.  Other players posing as 49ers were Ryan Torain (Frank Gore, No. 21) and Marquez Branson (Vernon Davis, No. 85).

“We started talking about San Francisco last night,” Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. “We put some specific players in jerseys today to kind of simulate some of the things that (San Francisco) does. This is like a game week for (the team).”

McDaniels also had some profound words for the team’s current starting running back, former Philadelphia Eagle Correll Buckhalter.

“Buck, he is kind of like the rest of our backs. He has got a lot of versatility. He can, certainly, run the ball. He has got a great, great burst. (He) may be our fastest back. He probably is. We aren’t ever going to time them and run them out here, but he is probably our fastest back. He is very good in pass protection, catches the ball very well (and) comes from a program where they don’t accept anything other than winning. A lot of those things are very positive. Buck has been a great influence on some of our younger players. There is really nothing that disappoints you about Correll. He shows up every day ready to work.”

More from Broncos camp including a preview of Friday night’s game to come.

 

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