McD Officially Puts the Cart Before the Broncos

The old adage of the cart and the horse came about probably shortly after the chicken and the egg.  Nonetheless, it came about to show there is importance to the order of doing things.

In football terms, putting the cart before the horse is a bad idea, especially in Denver.  From the looks of things Head Coach Josh McDaniels has clearly put ego, power, authority, and himself before the team. 

It was a very deliberate and divisive effort that put the team second and the coach first.  Moreover, one of the fault-lines within the locker room all year long has been between McD’s New England rejects and coach Shanahan’s guys.  Much of this fell along the offensive side of the ball and special teams.  In the end, the coach lost his locker room to some degree and now it’s official.

Josh McDaniels’ team was exactly as good as his predecessor’s a year ago with two glaring exceptions.  Coach Shanahan never lost eight out of 10 games with the Broncos.  Coach Shanahan was also one of “the guys” when he started. He was not perceived as a hired hand.

Oh so how exactly did Josh McDaniels put the cart before the horse this season in Denver? 

 

Let Us Count The Ways…

Let’s start with the most obvious blunder of the Boy Wonder’s inglorious offseason that started with Jay Cutler being traded.  Say what you will, Jay and Denver were better together than they were apart this season.  Both the Bears and the Broncos missed the playoffs, Denver had the defense, but lacked the offense the entire season. 

The next major blunder came in subtle and snide ways in which Josh threw the previous regime under the bus with a number of his comments over the last year.

Obviously Josh forgot to back it up, count that as yet another major blunder.

Then, free agency and the draft came into play.  Free agency was good with Brian Dawkins coming over from Philadelphia to help shore up a weak secondary.  Then a slew of other veterans like Holliday, Goodman, Hill, and Reid followed.  It seemed the Broncos were pointed in the right direction. 

The Jay Cutler trade ruined all of that.  Sure, it was already mentioned, but certainly Brian Dawkins would rather be in Philly following this dismal season in Denver.  With the Broncos revamped defense, make no bones about it, with Jay Cutler the Broncos are a playoff team.

Josh McDaniels however chose to blow up the offense because the Broncos finished second in yards and sixteenth in points.  So the 2009 Broncos finished 15th in yards per game and 20th in points per game.  So, that’s better right?  Interestingly enough the Broncos scored one fewer point than Jay Cutler who had exactly one real weapon in Chicago.  So, what are Kyle Orton and Coach McDaniels excuses on this one?

To the defense’s credit given all the problems down the stretch they only fell from first to seventh defensively in yards and first to 12th in points allowed.  

Still how can you have a top defense like that and miss the playoffs with so much offensive talent in house?  It must be the scheme, or the coaching, or both.  If it’s the scheme, then why did the Patriots finish third in yards and sixth in points while running the same system? 

According to McDaniels his trade of Cutler and even his acceptance of Orton and Simms into his system also suggest that quarterback play doesn’t matter in this system.  At least that’s almost what he’d have you believe. 

So then, it can’t be the coaching because Josh is “The Hoodie Part Duh” right? 

Coach McDaniels is so much on top of the coaching that he released incumbent punter Brett Kern for an older veteran punter in Mitch Berger during the team’s bye week.  While it was speculated that Kern may have taken his job lightly, the selection of Berger was questionable as much as the timing of the move.  Kern ends this season with a 45 yard average, three yards better than Berger and ended with a net of 41.4 yard net a full 3.5 yards better than Berger.  So it looks like the authoritarian move during the bye week backfired.

Someone should call the National Guard or at least put Josh McDaniels on alert, the rest of Broncos Country got the memo, and he’s not a very good coach.

How about those draft selections?  Alphonso Smith was last seen lateraling a punt return to an innocent teammate who was just a bystander.  Keep in mind the Broncos could have picked Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga in that spot.  Then there is the lack-luster rookie season for Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers.  The list goes on and on, but let’s give the coach some credit.  After all he did go 6-0 for a very brief moment this season.

Then camp and the pre-season came along and the Broncos only won their last pre-season game under rookie Tom Brandstater who never took a snap the rest of the season.  The Broncos also lost their most important pre-season tilt with Jay Cutler and the Bears.

Brandon Marshall was eventually suspended only to help his team later on, make amends with Coach McDaniels, only be inactivated for the last game along with Tony Scheffler.

Then the regular season started.  Thanks to two missed interception opportunities in the last minute of play by Bengals defenders Brandon Stokley gave his teammates reason to believe.  They took the fire with them five more games.  During that time, the Broncos defense carried the team while the offense worked on finding an identity.  The offense never found that identity, one which was schemed by Josh McDaniels himself.

The Broncos don’t have their quarterback of the future and if it’s Tom Brandstater he never touched the field this season. 

Chris Simms wasn’t anywhere near ready to play for coach McD, whose fault is that?

The Broncos spotted the Colts and Eagles huge leads before getting back into those games prior to imploding again.

The defense eventually imploded after the stress and strain of the season at home against the Raiders and the Chiefs.

The one thing that got away from the Broncos down the stretch was what was supposed to be coach McDaniels most praiseworthy trait, that being game management.  Turnovers increased with the predictability of the offense and the defense gave up more points with no supporting cast.

Given the clear divisive nature of Josh’s tyranny over the Broncos it might be harder to find quality free agents and players willing to fit within this scheme.

Short yardage and red zone points never improved, one of Josh McDaniels supposed focus points in the off season.

 

What It All Means

So there you have it, a list of a least 20 reasons why Josh McDaniels failed to get the Broncos into the playoffs this season.  It could also be perceived as a solid 20 reasons to stop the bleeding, cut ties, cut losses, and find a more qualified coach now before four seasons of missing the playoffs turns into six, seven, or worse.

When a coach puts himself before the team, it’s hypocritical in nature and Josh has unfortunately had to learn the hard way with a challenging group of veterans.  Regardless, Josh McDaniels approach did not work, that is the bottom line.  It’s not the way this group of players wants to be treated on the whole and the net result is failure to perform which falls on Coach McDaniels.

Finally, in the history of the Denver Broncos you have to go back to the other striped sock era since they have lost eight out of 10 games in one season.  Ironically enough, three of their worst implosions happened in their first four seasons.  Perhaps fans will be finding those socks a littler cheaper on eBay now.  It might make sense for the Broncos to bring back their 1977 Orange Crush jerseys to get this team back on the right track next season.  Better yet, a retired Elway is still better than a good Orton any day of the season.

What putting the cart before the horse does is it leaves fans and analyst scratching their heads.  Putting the coaches’ authority before the concept of team is hypocritical and has caused a rift larger than the Grand Canyon.  In the end, Josh has proven to the fan base that it’s about him and not the Broncos.

Mr. Bowlen has stated that 8-8 isn’t going to get it.  This season if nothing else proved that this regime has put the cart before the horse, or the Broncos organization, and may never get the situation figured out. 

It’s time for a change at the top while there is still some talent to be had on this team, or is that putting the cart before the horse?

 

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

 

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Pat Bowlen Should Pull the Plug on the Broncos’ Poor Decision Making

When the pages of football history reflect back on the 2009 Denver Broncos, perhaps they still won’t have a definitive pulse on the team other than they missed the playoffs.  This is premature speculation, however, when your team goes from the driver’s seat and controlling their own destiny all season long to life support, there is much doubt about the Broncos‘ ability to make the playoffs.

In fact, following the loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, Denver is now officially on the outside looking in at any playoff possibilities.  Currently the Broncos sit at 8-7 and are probable to reach 9-7. 

The Broncos knew since midseason, when they lost to Baltimore and Pittsburgh, that they would probably need 10 wins to make the playoffs. The team was 6-0 at the bye and has since lost seven out of nine games. For an undefeated team to go in the tank so quickly is nothing short of pathetic and ridiculous.

To quote Broncos owner Pat Bowlen from this preseason, “Eight and eight isn’t going to get the job done.”

To second that motion, neither does 9-7, and sometimes 10-6 and 11-5 won’t get it done either.

Herein stands the reason to look at the mish mash of poor decisions, a poor trade, poor use of the draft, poor offensive scheming, poor use of talent available, and poor coaching at the head coaching position.

 

Poor Decision Making

With full application, here are some of the Broncos’ biggest and most obvious blunders in their decision making this season. At Baltimore why didn’t they try to stretch the field?  At home against Pittsburgh, why did they force the physical run game against a more physical defensive line? In Washington, why couldn’t Chris Simms finish the job? At home against San Diego, why was Chris Simms the starter? After two wins against the Giants and the Chiefs, the Broncos knew they would need a full effort against the Colts. So why did they spot the most dangerous team in football 21 points before showing signs of life? How could they have lost at home to the Raiders for the second year in a row?  Why another slow start in Philadelphia?

Say what you will, all of those questions are net results of bigger problems in Dove Valley that owner Pat Bowlen needs to take into further consideration.  Yes it’s true, the franchise is somewhat cash strapped by currently paying two head coaches.

Understandably, the Broncos are now in a precarious position without a franchise quarterback. They also appear at this juncture to be without a competent head coach as well.

When looking at the base of work this season, it’s no small wonder that the Broncos have hit the skids after a stellar start. What made this team dangerous early on was the defense. What has proven to be their undoing in the end will be the lack of offensive production and a worn down defense at times down the stretch.

 

The Jay Cutler Trade

It is still too early to say the Jay Cutler trade was a good thing for either Chicago or Denver. What’s not too early to say is that this trade made two mediocre teams less potent than they were the year previously on the offensive side of the ball.

For all the Jay Cutler haters, he has thrown for a league leading 26 interceptions and has been poor in his performance most of the season. However, don’t sell that situation short. Jay Cutler has possibly the worst offensive line in football and only one real offensive weapon at the tight end position to speak of.

That was not the case in Denver. Broncos fans know Jay had a multitude of weapons to choose from, though he locked on Brandon Marshall far too much. Kyle Orton set an NFL record with Brandon Marshall for total completions to one receiver in a game against the Colts recently. It doesn’t get more locked on than that and the Broncos still lost that game.

For the Jay Cutler supporters, he just out-dueled Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football in a game that seemed almost destined to be another fantastic finish by Favre. Cutler threw for 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in Denver in 2008 where Kyle Orton has thrown for 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Now much has been made of the fact that Orton has not thrown a large number of interceptions, which is certainly commendable, however Peyton Manning, the best quarterback in football, has 18 picks because of his willingness to take chances.

Now, those five touchdowns might not seem like a whole lot, but consider the Broncos of 2008 and 2009 and the fact that both teams have had short yardage and red zone issues. Give the Broncos Jay Cutler and those five TDs this year and you are probably looking at a team that beats Washington, Oakland, and Philadelphia, and possibly the Colts. 

People can make the case either way with Jay Cutler at this point. He is a bust or he will be good once he gets the talent he needs in Chicago.

Ironically enough, the name of Jay Cutler probably was what drew Brian Dawkins to Denver shortly before Jay was traded. Brian Dawkins has become the spiritual leader of the Broncos this season and really set the tone for this football team. It’s an area usually reserved for quarterbacks to make their mark, and that is also a large reason why Jay Cutler was traded.

Two things that will be inescapable from the trade however, is the lack of point production by the Broncos this season and the draft picks used from the Jay Cutler trade. 

 

Poor Draft Day Decision Making

Running back Knowshon Moreno has proven he belongs in the NFL, but he has not proven he was worthy of a first round pick. Additionally, linebacker Robert Ayers has yet to emerge and prove he’s worth the first round money as well.

The Broncos could have had any number of defensive players that are making their mark this season in the first round.

Josh McDaniels correctly diagnosed the multitude of issues plaguing the Broncos, most notably in the defensive backfield, yet the odd trade of a first round pick to get Alphonso Smith in the second round is still baffling when looking at the lack of production from the rookie this season.

The Broncos do have some talent from the draft in house, but as with most draft classes, it’s still far too early to make the call on how last year’s draft will shape the franchise over the long run. The fact that is clear this season is that the 2009 draft class by and large has not helped this football team this season.

The Broncos have had full draft classes make immediate impact before, dating back to the John Ralston and Dan Reeves era. So while it’s a rarity to have a full class make instant impact, it’s not acceptable to have a full draft of underachievers in their first season either.

 

Poor Offensive Scheming

This almost goes without saying. If the Broncos did not have as good of a defense as they do this season, they probably would have less touchdowns than they already do on the season, in which they have clearly under-produced on the scoreboard.

The reality is that there is a myriad of predictable playcalling, poor situational playcalling, and pathetic short yardage calls that have killed the Broncos during all of their losses this season.

The predictability of the bubble screen makes most of the fan base nauseated, so why not Coach McDaniels?

Poor situational play calling, in particular on third down, almost goes hand in hand with the lack of creativity and not using their talent base properly to their advantage. Not using Dan Graham, Tony Scheffler, the slot receivers, and Peyton Hillis more is inexcusable.

 

Speaking of the Poor Use of Talent… 

This is possibly the deepest scar on this team. When the Broncos were winning, every player was making a contribution because they were getting the opportunities to do so.  Somewhere along the way Josh McDaniels discombobulated his football team. It probably happened when he traded Jay Cutler but he solidified his paralysis by analysis shortly after his fist pumping antiques.

Without being too redundant, Josh did not stretch the Ravens defense, tried power running instead of zone blocking against the Steelers, and lacked a good evaluation of Chris Simms as a backup quarterback. Moreover, Ben Hamilton was replaced on the offensive line about the same time coach McD started warming up to using zone rushing schemes more. Hamilton has had concussion issues in the past but those have not shown themselves to be the case this season. Go figure.

 

Speaking of Poor Coaching…

This applies most particularly to Josh McDaniels and his abilities as a head coach. His tirade and trade of Jay Cutler put him on the hot seat. The fast start cooled the temperature quite a bit, but missing the playoffs this season is still inexcusable.

For someone who preaches team yet goes out of his way to rub Jay Cutler’s nose in it during press conferences while his own team hasn’t made the playoffs is inexcusable.

For a team that was finally starting to live up to expectations to suddenly go into the tank is all the more inexcusable, and it happened on Josh McDaniels’ watch.

 

What Mr. Bowlen Should Consider In the Very Near Future 

The reality is there are two coaches being paid by the franchise right now and the better one hasn’t coached a down this season. Additionally, the likes of Bill Cowher are also making themselves available now as head coaching candidates.

Josh McDaniels showed he was open to every possible option by trading Jay Cutler and trading first round picks for second to third round talent. With that in mind, if the Broncos don’t make the playoffs and make a run, despite signing Josh to a high dollar amount, he should consider new options at this position sooner rather than later.

The errors on the field are obvious and painful to watch, not to mention atrocious in nature. At the very least Josh McDaniels has proven he is not a fully competent offensive coordinator. 

With that in mind, Pat Bowlen might consider bringing in a hand picked offensive coordinator. It’s a radical concept, but Mike Leach is about to be axed from Texas Tech as the head coach and he has a solid offensive mind especially when considering the spread offense. 

On a more radical edge, and probably the better decision, is the idea of hiring a new head coach now while a good one can be attained. An even more radical thought is to kiss and make up with Mike Shanahan and find a way of bringing about reconciliation.

The defense is in place to contend now, but the offense needs fine tuning and direction from a coordinator who is aware of the pitfalls of formations and play calls.

The bottom line is that this problem isn’t going to get better; in fact, the problem has been getting worse and costing the franchise victories. So the questions to Mr. Bowlen are how many more first round selections and talent will the Broncos be trading under Josh McDaniels only to fall short? How many more losses will be enough for this franchise to pull the plug on the boy wonder?

The only thing Broncos fans should take to heart is that until the franchise finds a quarterback they can rally around with a supporting cast, it’s only going to get worse, and this season is proving that out.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Josh McDaniels: It Is Time To Pull Your Head Out of the Sand

A not so funny thing happened on the Denver Broncos way to dreaming of an orange, blue, and white Crushmas—just like the ones they used to know.

They lost to the Oakland Raiders at home…again!

No these aren’t your daddy’s Raiders, these guys are horrible having won only four games prior to their upset of the Broncos in Denver. It is now the second year in a row that the silver and black have become a stumbling block to the orange and blue playoff hopes.  Kyle Orton looked at least as powerless as Jay Cutler as did Coach McDaniels to his predecessor Coach Shanahan.

Perhaps the Broncos kryptonite can be officially labeled as such. Successful franchises have one thing in common that the also ran’s do not. The Denver Broncos used to define success, but lately they have been settling for the latter. Back inside the confines of INVESCO Field at Mile High, the Denver Broncos have clearly forgotten the meaning of finishing. The Broncos as team are not finishing off teams on offense, defense, on the play calls, or in the standings.

This tough loss spells out the difficult challenge to the franchise very clearly. The message is the Josh McDaniels experiment has not improved the franchise. It’s fair to say not just yet, but this may be a glimpse into a future that spells out not at all.

Draw whatever conclusion you will out of the facts, but the bottom line is the Denver Broncos are not performing at the level they should be. Since Coach McDaniels nearly got himself a free pass this season by starting 6-0, his Broncos team has gone 2-6 since that time. Talk about not finishing, the Broncos have two games remaining and that trend tells any fan, analyst, or football expert to stick a fork in them because they’re done.

The Broncos are technically in the playoff picture, but be realistic for a minute. This team must beat a surging Eagles team in a very cold Philadelphia next Sunday. Should the Broncos fail to beat the Eagles they open the door to a lot of teams in the AFC playoff picture. So yes it’s a must win, as is the season finale at home against the Chiefs.

 

Pull Your Head Out of the Sand Coach!

Get real, be honest with yourself and say it is so. Josh McDaniels makes a lot of ignorant calls on the offensive side of the ball, all in the name of selfish pride and arrogance. You don’t believe it still? Tackle-eligible plays, as rare as they are, usually get run on very short yardage situations because of the vulnerability of an offensive lineman handling the ball.  So explain the reasoning to yourself why Josh McDaniels calls a tackle-eligible play to Ryan Clady on the Raider 10 yard line that fails and is penalized. Go ahead, explain that one.

Much was made last week about the lack of playing time for Peyton Hillis, even after starting running back Correll Buckhalter went down with an injury against the Colts. Given the number of short yardage situations the Broncos found themselves in last week and this week, the under bet in Vegas won on this one. Hillis was not used last week or this week even after the Broncos failed countless times on short yardage with a lack of imagination in the play calling and execution.

Perhaps the most damaging indictment against Coach McDaniels was when one of his New England kids, LaMont Jordan, gained a first down and emotionally got up doing a similar gesture to the Gator clap, but he was pounding his fist repeatedly telling his coaches to pound the ball into the end zone from the five with the running game. So true to form the Broncos threw an incompletion through the back of the end zone on the very next play. That forced them into a passing situation on third down which thankfully produced a Brandon Marshall touchdown by the slimmest of margins. The point however is the Broncos are not running well right now.

The Broncos collectively ran for 80 yards against the Raiders. Possibly just as disturbing is the fact that the Broncos were only 26 perent on third down efficiency. That shows a clear lack of aptitude when it matters most against a team they should beat in a game the Broncos had to have. Just as horrific, the Broncos were only 25 percent inside the red zone. That just doesn’t get the job done.

The most surprising fact is that Coach McDaniels has failed to realize what most already know about his play calling. It’s very predictable, not to mention boring, inefficient, and lacks basic common sense in key situations.

So what happened to the imaginative play calling McDaniels was hired for or his understanding of the New England way?

One thing stands clear; it’s now long past time to panic. It’s time for a new direction and a new theme if the Broncos are going to find a win in Philadelphia and find their way into the playoffs.

Coach McDaniels hasn’t played Peyton Hillis probably out of selfish pride at this point, he now needs to consider every option available to him that he has overlooked because his team’s back is against the wall and failure to reach the playoffs will eventually count against him.

It’s time for Coach McDaniels to pull his head out of the sand before it’s too late.

 

contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

How the Denver Broncos Shake Out in the AFC Playoff Scenarios

If ifs and buts

Were candy and nuts…

These are a few of our favorite things!

 

When the playoffs near

And the picture’s in view but not so clear

These are a few of our favorite things!

 

Self-realization as a football fan starts now.

Admit it, whether you are religious in having a faith in God or not, or you celebrate the holidays or not, you as the NFL fan love this time of year.

The playoffs start in less than four weeks. Shortly after the last regular season games on Jan. 3 take place, the playoff picture will be official.

As of now, there is still a great deal of wiggle room, especially in the AFC, but this week is the time to nail down the possible playoff entry scenarios. You have to map that out first before you can speculate on the possible matchups, so here’s a definitive look at the AFC Playoff picture and how it impacts the Denver Broncos most specifically.

 

Kiss Home Field Advantage Goodbye

As everyone knows, the Indianapolis Colts are set to run the table in the AFC, as they may finish the regular season undefeated. Then the road to the Super Bowl goes through Indianapolis.

There is a remote yet favorable speculation that might land San Diego in Indy first. That situation could be the best thing for the rest of the AFC playoff picture, so stay tuned.

For now, however, give the Colts credit for yet another amazing run under Peyton Manning. The Colts are currently 13-0 with three games remaining. Not even 13-0 New Orleans in the NFC has wrapped up home field like the Colts have at this stage.

Here’s how the rest of the AFC teams shake out.

 

San Diego Chargers

Just a month and a half ago we were calling them the San Diego Super-chokers. Suddenly there is life in San Diego, where this team is living up to its billing. The Chargers are 10-3 overall, 7-3 in the AFC, and 5-1 in the AFC West. This all virtually guarantees the Chargers a share of the AFC West Division crown at the very least.

If the Chargers win this week and the Broncos lose, San Diego will represent the AFC West and probably be the second seed in the AFC.

There is, however, a very interesting game in the AFC this weekend involving the Chargers hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. These two teams are currently No. 2 and No. 3 in the AFC playoff picture. This matchup will define which team has the inside track to the No. 2 position. This is a key game because whichever team loses this game could be the first team to play at Indianapolis in the playoffs.

If San Diego and Denver win, they guarantee the second seed in the AFC will be an AFC West team. If Denver loses, they will officially only make it as a wild card team.

If disaster hits San Diego and they lose three games in a row, they would lose the AFC West if Denver won all of their remaining games.

If San Diego loses two of their remaining three games and Denver wins all of their remaining three games, the two teams tie head-to-head in the division.

The tiebreaker will then go to conference play. The Chargers currently own a 7-3 edge to the Broncos’ 6-4 conference record. If the Chargers lose to Cincinnati and Tennessee, it puts Denver back on the inside track if they win out. That is the best scenario for the Broncos outside of a Chargers three-game skid.  

Say the Chargers do lose to the Titans and the Bengals while beating Washington and Denver wins out. This would put Denver at 8-4 in conference play and San Diego at 7-5.  The Denver Broncos would then own the second seed in the AFC.

If San Diego loses the rest of their games, they will lose tiebreakers to Miami and Baltimore because of head-to-head losses this year.

 

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals could own the second seed in the AFC, but they must win this weekend against San Diego. If the Bengals lose, the AFC West will own the second seed due to head-to-head losses to the Chargers and Broncos.

The Bengals could wind up 9-3 in conference play, which would make them the second seed in the AFC.

The game against the Chargers on Sunday is paramount to the AFC playoff picture.

The Bengals lose their division lead if and only if they lose all of their last three games and the Baltimore Ravens win all of their remaining three games.

 

New England Patriots

The only shot New England has at being the second seed is to win all of their remaining games. San Diego will have to lose all of their remaining games. The Bengals will have to beat San Diego and lose their remaining two, and Denver will have to lose two or more games.

The Patriots have a tough stretch in playing at Buffalo, hosting Jacksonville, and finishing out at Houston. 

The biggest competition for New England is in their division. They could lose their division to the Miami Dolphins or New York Jets if they slide much more.

The chances for New England to own a wild card slot are slim, especially if they lose to the Jaguars because they would then lose tiebreakers to the Jags and the Broncos. The Pats split with the Jets and Dolphins and only own the tiebreaker against the Ravens.

 

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos currently have the inside track to the No. 1 wild card slot in the AFC. They can win the division only if they win out and San Diego loses two of their next three, preferably against the Bengals and the Titans. Denver can also win the division if they have the same record as the Chargers but that would require the Chargers to lose both games to their remaining AFC teams while Denver wins out against their AFC opponents.  The Broncos could own the second seed in the AFC if the Chargers lose the division and the Broncos at least tie the Bengals’ overall record.

This would mean the Broncos could host at least one playoff game.

If the Broncos wind up as the wild card, they will not have a home game unless both wild card teams run the table, which is highly unlikely.

Denver owns wild card tiebreakers against the Bengals and Patriots. The Broncos have an edge over the Jaguars, Dolphins, and Jets but lose tiebreakers to the Ravens and Steelers.

 

Jacksonville Jaguars

If the Jags survive Indy and New England, they could be the toughest team heading into the playoffs. The Jags just lost to Miami, however, so they are vulnerable, especially when you consider they would lose a key tiebreaker to the Dolphins.

If the Jags win out, they still can’t win their division thanks to the Colts.

The Jags could surpass the Broncos if they win more conference games. Currently the Broncos are at 6-4 with two conference games against the Raiders and Chiefs. The Jags are at 6-3 with the Colts, Patriots, and Browns remaining. 

Not helping the Jaguars’ cause is that they haven’t sold out this season and are subject to local television blackouts.

 

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens can only win their division if they win out and the Bengals lose out, which is not likely.

The Ravens, however, are a very scary proposition for the Broncos since they own the tiebreaker against the Broncos.

If Denver loses just one game and the Ravens win out, the Ravens will own the head-to-head on the Broncos, which in effect could push Denver out of the playoffs even if they win 10 games.

The Ravens currently own other tiebreakers against the Chargers and Steelers but lose them to the Patriots.

The Ravens could win out against Chicago, the Steelers, and at Oakland.

 

Miami and the Jets

The reality is these two teams are hanging on for life. Their best shot at the playoffs is if the Patriots lose their grip on the division and the Jaguars and Broncos lose games.

These two teams are on life support and need a lot of help.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Who are they kidding? The defending World Champions are done—stick a fork in them. The one thing they can do is beat Baltimore, which opens the door for Denver, Jacksonville, Miami, and New York.

 

For Broncos fans, the most direct route to the playoffs is three wins in a row. They could win the division and the second seed. As long as the Broncos beat the Raiders and Chiefs in Denver, their route is fairly secure, but they are highly vulnerable to the Ravens and Jaguars in tie scenarios for wild card slots. So losses by the Ravens and Jaguars are appreciated. 

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

The Denver Broncos Panicked Attitude Switch Is Paying Off

Two weeks ago, the Denver Broncos had the opportunity to get back on track and take the edge away from the San Diego Chargers.

Somehow the Broncos let the opportunity slip away in a game that put the Chargers at the top of the AFC West.

It also had Denver on a four-game skid with no answers in sight.

On the horizon, a short week with a game on Thanksgiving night against the New York Giants about to hit front and center.

It was at that time the Broncos needed a wake-up call.

It was time to panic, if the 2009 Denver Broncos were going to reach the AFC Playoffs.

It wasn’t that the Broncos lost to the San Diego Chargers in Denver when they could have owned the inside track to the division themselves.

It’s more the way in which they lost to San Diego.

They showed a lack of focus and the lack of a team pulse.

That was when enough became enough.

A players-only meeting was called for by Brian Dawkins.

He is a veteran who has shown that, in him, the Broncos have a gem of a player and a leader they have lacked the last few seasons.

Moreover, it’s helped to change the team’s identity on the defensive side of the ball and fueled a fire not seen there in quite some time.

It’s been debated whether or not player-only meetings are productive or helpful to the future growth of football teams.

The argument against them is they are a waste of time and really are only reserved for teams that are in trouble. 

The argument for having a meeting like that is that it’s an opportunity to air out any differences and make sure the entire team has an elevated sense of what needs to happen for the remainder of the season.

In Denver’s case, both the arguments for and against a players-only meeting probably applied to the state of the team at that point.

There was a need for a meeting, and the team has since proven there is no sense in dwelling on the issues, but certainly a solid response was required.

The Broncos say they weren’t panicking, and you have to believe them, nonetheless the need for urgency was there and the panicked attitude switch absolutely came into play.

What’s encouraging to see—since the Broncos lost to San Diego—are the decisive efforts they have had as a team against the Giants and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Broncos got back to their early season style—finding ways to win.

But more than that, they found ways to dominate. 

Against the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos rushed for 138 yards against one of the best front-sevens in football.

Against Kansas City, the Broncos exploded for 245 yards on the ground.

Defensively, the Broncos yielded only 57 yards on the ground to the Giants and 98 to the Chiefs.

Neither team was able to establish control against the Broncos.

This happened in part due to the offensive output and the mitigating performance by the Broncos defense.

It seems these types of efforts could not have come at a better time for a team that was hot, then got irreversibly cold.

The Denver Broncos have more than just a win against the Giants and a key win in Kansas City over the weekend.

Believe it or not, the Broncos have a two-game edge over two teams that could knock them out of the wild-card playoff slot. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Oakland Raiders at home on Sunday, and the Baltimore Ravens lost at Green Bay on Monday Night Football.

Two weeks ago, the Broncos were on the outside looking in; now they have a two-game edge over the teams that could oust them from a postseason slot with four games remaining in the regular season.

Herein lays the Broncos payoff to their current rally cry.

They chose to hit the panic switch in the nick of time, and it’s paying off huge dividends to put them back into the playoff hunt.

Even more so, should the Broncos beat the Indianapolis Colts on their home field, it will knock the Colts from the ranks of the unbeaten while sending a message.

It will be the Broncos way of essentially serving notice to the rest of the league, that they will be ready for the postseason once it hits. 

A win at Indy could prove that the Broncos are real contenders for the ultimate prize. 

Additionally, and most importantly, it could put pressure on San Diego and give Denver a leg up on the division should the Chargers falter along the way.

Call them streaky.

Call them beatable.

But call them a team that is on the verge of solidifying a playoff berth.

As things currently set, the general thought is 10 wins makes a wild-card team in the AFC this year.

That means Denver needs two wins, Jacksonville three, and Pittsburgh and Baltimore must win out to reach 10 wins. 

Provided the Broncos stay on edge and can win at least two games, they have a solid shot at making the playoffs.

The Ravens and Steelers play each other once more, meaning one of those teams is almost certainly out of contention—we just don’t know which one as of yet.

Jacksonville holds a slim one-game lead over those two teams but has a challenging schedule down the stretch.

 

Key Broncos’ Stats

The Denver Broncos had their challenges over a four-game stretch, but somehow still have the third-best defense overall and the third-best scoring defense behind the Bengals and the Colts.

The Broncos have given up an average of 16.8 points per game.

This just reinforces the idea that the defense is a solid core, despite the four losses by large margins.

The Broncos also boast the ninth-best rushing attack in the NFL.

It might not seem all that amazing until you consider that there are only two teams in the top 10 that are probable playoff teams.

The Broncos could prove to have one of the more potent rushing attacks in the playoffs, should they make it.

Currently, Broncos rookie running back Knowshon Moreno leads all NFL rookies with a 64.5 per game average rushing.

Moreno may reach the 1,000-yard mark by the end of the season, since he currently sits on 774 yards accumulated. 

That is 244 yards better than the next closest rookie running back.

So while Moreno has only been over the century mark once, his contributions to the one-two punch with veteran Correll Buckhalter appear to be a solid change of pace. 

This tandem is keeping the Broncos in games and starting to establish a window of dominance the team can exploit down the stretch and into the playoffs. 

Moreno is currently ranked 15th and Buckhalter 29th among all NFL rushers.

It’s a different NFL nowadays, as well, with only six rushers over the 1,000 yard mark through 12 games. 

The Broncos’ tandem appears to be in good shape with 1,337 total yards, which would rank them second behind Tennessee Titans‘ RB Chris Johnson’s 1,509 yards.

No other tandem is currently in that realm.

Defensively, the Broncos’ D-end Elvis Dumervil leads the NFL in sacks with 15—a full 2.5 sacks ahead of the next closest pass rusher, the Minnesota Vikings‘ Jared Allen. 

Elvis has an outside shot at the all-time NFL record.

He would require two sacks per game for the remaining four games.

Given his speed, leverage, and technique, anything seems possible for a guy who once lead the NCAA in sacks.

Probably the most important stat is the final score.

While the Broncos now seem to be hitting their stride, they have to find more ways to create points. 

Denver is a sub-par 21st in the NFL in average points per game at 20.

Consider the top five scoring teams: undefeated New Orleans (36.7 pts/game); Minnesota (29.9 pts/game); San Diego (28.5 pts/game); Indianapolis (27.6 pts/game); and New England (27.3 pts/game)

 

The Final Note

Who is the 22nd offensive team behind the Denver Broncos, you might ask?

That would be Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears.

That telling stat shows one very clear thing about the Broncos and Jay Cutler: They were both far better together than they have been apart.

It seems that if there is one thing that has plagued the Broncos this season, it’s the lack of a legitimate threat at the quarterback position.

Whether you were a fan of the Cutler trade or not, the Broncos are 21st in scoring, when they underachieved at 16th last season.

In fact, the Broncos’ total output in 2008 finished the season second only to New Orleans in total yards.

In 2009, the team won’t even reach the top 10.

So what does all this really mean?

Well, it’s hard to break down entirely, but the Broncos have not improved on offense under Josh McDaniels.

The Broncos are still showing some deficiencies in the red zone and are not scoring as much as they did a year ago.

The Broncos had issues in the red zone last season and were supposed to correct those this season.

Ironically enough, the team appears to be working on those red zone situations in some regard against the Giants and Chiefs

and it may be possible that the best is yet to come.

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmangement@gmail.com

 

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre Proving that the Elway and Montana Principles Do Hold True

Considering all the great quarterbacks in NFL history, without a doubt, Brett Favre has proven that he is among the best. 

He sits along the legends of the NFL lore in John Elway, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady.

Say what you will, Cheesehead Nation, you never wanted to see a No. 4 FAVRE jersey come into the frozen tundra in any other color scheme but the Packers‘ gold and green. 

Unfortunately you, the franchise owners, and the front office let it happen. It was during that time period that a few key ideologies, theories, and principals about how to handle such situations became the center of great debate nationwide on sports talk shows. 

The questions surrounding Brett Favre had to do with his offseason attitude and questions about his desire. On the Packers’ front, it was complicated to say the least; but it had more to do with building for the future than the present. 

Certainly, since Favre beat the Packers twice this season with the arch rival Minnesota Vikings and his new team appears primed and ready to make a deep playoff run…one which will in all likelihood have them playing in the NFC Championship and possibly in the Super Bowl.

The whole debacle and fallout between the Packers and Favre is not unique in and of itself. However, it did cover a lot of ground. With that, it’s really time to get a clear pulse on the dynamic of what happened between Favre and the Packers.

At the end of the day, any way you slice and dice the data, the Packers and their fans only have themselves to blame for letting Brett Favre go. Moreover, and most damaging, they instigated it with not allowing him back to camp and with the eventual trade.

It’s an emotional issue but one that is worth looking at on a deeper level.

So by now it’s fair to ask what exactly is the Elway Principle and how does it apply to Brett Favre?

 

 

Explaining the Elway Principle

In a sense the Elway Principle is the explanation of a dynamic that does exist and is unique to professional football.

The Elway Principal is simply this:   A franchise quarterback is retained by the franchise for the greater good of the team and the player with the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind. 

In the case of John Elway, it took the intervention of owner Pat Bowlen to keep a trade of Elway from Denver to Washington from happening.

Dan Reeves was later fired in part because of his decision to seek a new quarterback.  Reeves drafted Tommy Maddox out of UCLA as Elway’s possible replacement in the early 1990s.  

The Elway Principle is somewhat sympathetic on both sides.

Don’t misunderstand it however. It’s not entirely empathetic.

When applying the rule to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, the direct comparison can and should be made between John Elway and the Denver Broncos because there are parallels that exist in how each franchise handled their business.

In the Broncos’ case they knew they had a franchise quarterback who was heading into the sunset of his career. 

By 1990, John Elway had played in three Super Bowls while his team suffered blowouts in each of the big games. Denver became one of the best teams in the NFL during that time period, but could not win the big game.   

Something very unique happened to the Broncos franchise at that time, a time when free agency played a major role in the NFL.

Both Elway and the Broncos stuck with one another through challenging setbacks and time periods. Elway and the Broncos showed noticeable signs of falling into mediocrity and there was the trade that never was and never should have even been a discussion.

The Broncos could have given up on Elway in the early 1990s when Dan Reeves had a personal rift with Elway and Mike Shanahan over play calling. In many ways, Dan was reaching a burnout point over the shortcomings of his Broncos teams in the Super Bowls. 

The loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV was devastating and forced major changes on a team that went to the Super Bowl three out of four seasons but lost to the 49ers 55-10 in the big game. 

The Broncos, however, became yesterday’s news as they went 0-3 in the big dance while the Buffalo Bills hit their stride and reached four consecutive Super Bowls from the AFC. 

The Bills’ fate was no better, as they went 0-4 in those games, as the NFC was dominating football at the time with the emergence of the retooled Dallas Cowboys. 

Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen ensured that despite these hardships, John Elway stayed in Denver and never landed in Washington, as Reeves was proposing at the time. 

Pat Bowlen showed Dan Reeves the door after the 1992 season and eventually got his man Mike Shanahan to return to Denver and lead his football franchise in 1995.

The Broncos had been through two mediocre seasons under Wade Phillips and the first one under Mike Shanahan. Then the Broncos had a devastating playoff loss to Jacksonville in 1996 after the team filled so many high expectations. 

It was one loss that still stings the franchise, especially when you consider they could have possibly had a three-peat, something that has never been done in the Super Bowl era. 

The Broncos were the clear favorite in the AFC and had a memorable blowout victory at New England, the eventual 1996 AFC Champion during the regular season.

Consider the fact that during the following season of John Elway’s career he tore a bicep tendon in a pre-season game in Mexico in 1997 against the Miami Dolphins. 

That was the same season John Elway made his now-legendary helicopter leap to decisively tell his team they were going to beat Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers team in Super Bowl XXXII. 

The Pack were the defending champions and Elway on that one play began to drive the dagger through the hearts of the Green Bay faithful as he came crashing to earth for a first down.

That play and that Super Bowl matchup might not have happened if the Broncos had given up on John Elway. The key note here is that John Elway and Denver stuck it out together during Elway’s 15^th season.

In Green Bay there is a clear distinction that must be made. Brett Favre was being forced out by the Packers management and head coach who wanted to endorse the draft pick of Aaron Rodgers, who was picked four seasons previously. 

So when he retired at the time, he was being forced out. Then Brett decided he had something to prove since he later felt he could still play and still wanted to play. 

By that time, the concessions being made by the Packers were nil and none. They were sticking with Aaron Rodgers.

Here is the flaw of that argument: Aaron Rodgers is not Brett Favre either in athletic ability or in star talent. It’s very possible that Aaron Rodgers may never even reach the Super Bowl.

Now think about that for a moment and consider the argument thus far.

John Elway had the type of injury that could have kept him from playing the 1997 season. He could have been on the IR and not the championship platform hoisting the Super Bowl XXXII trophy above his head. 

It still seems peculiar at best to think that the Green Bay Packers were ready to part with Brett Favre before he was really ready to part ways with them. It’s not like Brett Favre really ever had an Elway like injury holding him back at the time either.

So what was holding them back?

It’s a simple answer, but a complicated formula that causes blindness in business and athletics. 

It’s called pride. Its best friend is ego, who, for the record, is also blind.

The Packers management did what many management groups do. They took control of the situation with their power and their money, but they failed to do what people are generally paid big dollars for: making the right decision.

The same sort of actions that got Dan Reeves fired in Denver would most likely be the fate of current Packers coach Mike McCarthy if only it was his decision alone to part ways with Brett Favre. The fact of the matter is that it was not. 

Mark Murphy, President and CEO of the Packers, along with G.M. and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson led the charge with McCarthy against Favre.

Make no mistake; this was an all-systems-go charge against their former NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer.

The Packers offered Brett Favre over $20 million to never play professional football again shortly after he was banned from the facility and team activities.

Brett Favre has made less actually playing for the Jets and the Vikings, but he did prove his point this year to the Packers twice, once at hallowed Lambeau Field.

This is the pivotal piece defining the Elway Principle.

There is no way, none whatsoever that the Broncos fans or owner were willing to part ways with John Elway. It was part of the understanding through trials and shortcomings in the playoffs that the franchise owed John time and space to work towards coming back for the next season late in his career. 

There was no political maneuvering. No conspiracy. No collusive change management policy designed to oust a longtime veteran, star power and all.

Absent in Denver was the future franchise quarterback. Up until the very end of Elway’s career the Broncos had the likes of Bubby Brister and Brian Griese ready to go, but neither could be considered seriously as filling Elway’s shoes. 

Even if John Elway retired and later decided to come back, the Broncos’ franchise would have allowed it to happen. They would have made concessions based on his ability and leadership.

This is the thing the Broncos figured out that the Packers somehow could not.

For whatever reason the Green Bay Packers failed to recognize those attributes in Brett Favre.

The Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. It was at that time the team started looking ahead, little did the fan base actually know they were seeking a successor to actually oust Brett Favre. 

Had it been sold to the fans that way then an absolute uproar would have taken place, even in the depths of the Packers’ mediocrity at the time. 

Brett Favre was respectable in 2005, just as he played more than respectably his last year in Green Bay, leading them to the NFC Championship in 2007. 

Brett showed his mettle last season after his trade to New York in helping the Jets be one of the best teams in the AFC in 2008 until their late-season collapse.

The Jets implosion was bigger than Brett Favre, but he was partially to blame for his poor play and arm injuries that weren’t entirely disclosed or known at the time.

Then came the 2009 season, one in which Brett Favre was in Minnesota Vikings camp for only a short time before taking the reins and with them a total change in the mindset of a football franchise. 

There was a great deal of fear and excitement among the Vikings fans and coaching staff. 

Head Coach Brad Childress is now virtually married to that decision; to bring Brett to Minnesota even after wavering with the Vikings could have been career suicide for the coach. So far it’s been paying huge dividends on the 2009 season with the Vikings at 10-1.

 

Explaining the Montana Principle

This brings to mind another situation it’s called The Montana Principle, named after San Francisco legend Joe Montana who won four championships with his 49er teams and was later traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Montana Principle is simply this: A franchise quarterback is traded by the franchise regardless of the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind. This is usually done to accommodate a youth movement or a younger backup quarterback. 

Specifically, in Joe Montana’s case, Steve Young became the starter for two years before Joe was healthy enough to play again. So at that time he did have an image of being damaged goods like other star players traded late in their careers.

Looking at first piece of the definition, it may as well be called the Montana/Favre Principle for the rest of time. Both franchise quarterbacks were spurned by their former teams for whatever reason for the sake of progress and moving on. This was all done despite six Super Bowl appearances and five championships between them.

The situations are very different, however.  Joe Montana was injured and traded two years later. Steve Young eventually did win a Super Bowl; it is however very possible to make the argument that Joe Montana may have won two Super Bowls. 

In Favre’s case, Aaron Rogers clearly lacked playing time, but it was the front office that had to cover themselves and found that to be more paramount than winning football games and championships most immediately. 

It’s possible that Brett Favre may hoist the hardware one more time at the end of this season, ultimately proving out these principals all the more. In Green Bay, it’s already proving to be a long cold winter.

Consider for a moment some of Joe Montana and Brett Favre’s career statistics. 

Joe Montana was 117-47 spanning a 15-year career. The 49ers never ensconced Montana into the starting role until starter Steve DeBerg was injured midway through the 1980 season.

Montana’s first full season as a starter in 1981 saw him lead the 49ers to a 13-3 record, which thanks to Dwight Clark’s amazing catch in the NFC Championship resulted in their first Super Bowl.

San Francisco downed the Cincinnati Bengals in that game to claim their first championship.

Montana won three more with the 49ers in 1983, 1989, and 1990. His playoff record was something to be admired with nine playoff appearances with San Francisco and two with the Kansas City Chiefs. His record with the 49ers was a brilliant 14-5 in playoff games. 

At Kansas City, the Chiefs had very good teams but could not win big games and lost out on making a Super Bowl with Joe Montana. His record there was 2-2 in the playoffs. The Chiefs however were not the 49ers on or off the field.

As a passer, Joe Montana connected on 3,409 passes for 40,551 yards. His career completion record finished at 63.2 percent.

Joe Montana was essentially replaced as the starter in San Francisco due to an injury he suffered on his elbow in 1991. Joe only played one game over the 1991 and 1992 NFL seasons. 

The 49ers found insurance in backup Steve Young and by the end of the 1992 season the franchise parted ways with Joe Montana. 

This was a time that saw a little tension and heartbreak as the franchise could no longer keep Joe Montana on their roster due to the evolution of change in San Francisco.

Perhaps, when it comes to Brett Favre, the Packers knew more about Brett Favre’s arm than the rest of the country. That may be the reason they did not want to bring Brett Favre back after he led them to an NFC title game. 

The press however had numerous reports regarding a deteriorating relationship between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers front office.

So for Brett Favre’s part, his statistics and leadership were shown the door.

Probably one statistic speaks volumes more about Brett Favre’s dilemma in Green Bay than any other. That statistic is the measure of a quarterback’s performance itself, the quarterback rating. 

In 2007, Favre’s last year in Green Bay his quarterback rating was 95.7, the third-best rating of his career. His career rating resides at 86.4. 

At the peak of Favre’s career, when he won the Super Bowl in 1996, his rating was 95.8, his second-highest rating ever. The following year when the Packers lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, Favre’s rating was at 92.6.

What catches the eye are his ratings with the Jets and Vikings. In New York, with an injured arm, Brett the Jet had a rating of 81.0.

This season with the Vikings through 11 games, he’s sitting on a 112.1 rating, his best-ever by a mile.

But ratings don’t tell you the amazing last minute heroics and the ways in which Brett Favre is a man among men. It’s a shame, perhaps they should.

For his career Favre has thrown nearly 6,000 completions, has a 61.9 completion percentage, racked up 68,001 yards, 488 touchdowns, and 313 interceptions.

His numbers take a backseat to no one.   

Perhaps the Green Bay Packers thought of Joe Montana’s situation briefly and spurned their golden boy Brett Favre in the blockbuster trade that landed him in New York for all of one season. 

The sheer neglect of seeking out the best possible solution for the Green Bay Packers franchise is baffling when considering the great lengths they went to silence Brett Favre and to back the draft selection of Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers probably should have considered how the Denver Broncos handled John Elway late in his career for the betterment of their own franchise, yes even through extremely challenging times.

Certainly the past is the past, but we can learn from it.

In the case of Brett Favre, these well stated principles do hold true.

He’s still proving it game after game.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Get a Giant Win On Thanksgiving

Call it a big win.

A must have.

A must win situation.

Call it what you will, just call it what was: it was a giant win for the Denver Broncos.

Not even the likes of the FOX pre-game show prognosticators saw this one coming.  

Granted the Denver Broncos have been down for a solid month, but even the professionals missed big time when it came to picking this game.

Not even Howie Long from the AFC West picked Denver.  Then again he always was a Raider.

Hopefully you and yours were able to stuff enough Thanksgiving food in your faces that you were feeling rather large by the time the kickoff rolled around on the NFL Network.  A feeling is sublime, as you’re content in life’s emotional here and now.

The Denver Broncos played host to the New York Giants on a Thanksgiving evening in what was supposed to be the night they wrapped up the AFC West Division title.

At least that was how it appeared a month ago with the Broncos 6-0 and the struggling Chargers at 3-3.  That would have happened had the Broncos not gone on a four game skid and the San Diego Chargers not gotten so hot to make the division race drastically flip-flop in less than a month.

For their part the Broncos decided before it was too late that it was high time to air out things in a player’s only meeting on Tuesday night.  It was called for by their team’s new found stalwart and spiritual leader Brian Dawkins.

No one outside of the team really knows what was said or done, and no one needs too.  The end result was a full team effort akin to the effort of the first six weeks of the season. 

The team did struggle from time to time on offense but did start producing points on the majority of their drives.  It is something that has not been seen out of the Broncos since the Mike Shanahan era. 

Something else not really seen and in severe neglect since the Mike Shanahan era in Denver was the running game.  In particular the zone running scheme reared its head and turned into a huge problem for the New York Giants defense.

Offensively the Broncos showed a lack of composure at times to the point of being reamed by their youthful head coach Josh McDaniels.  So much so that his verbiage bomb nuked more than a few front-range households to the tune of an NFL Network full apology in real time as the recorded tirade was replayed still intact.  No bleeps but plenty of blunder to go around at the NFL Network offices.

This all came about after three penalties caused a Broncos drive to stall and the team had to settle for a Matt Prater field goal. 

In spite of the minor discombobulated offense, the Broncos were productive and the zone running scheme against the Giants front was lethal. 

The Giants front line has been battling the injury bug and their lateral pursuit and contain did not make the trip to Denver for Thanksgiving.  The Broncos used and abused this advantage in a dominating performance in a game they had to have.

Meanwhile, the Broncos’ defense rose from the dead.

This happened because the offense was moving the ball, make no mistake about it.  The offense and the defense are joined at the hip.  When one succeeds, the other prevails; when both are bad things are terrible.

Additionally the Denver Broncos are very hard to figure out this season. 

At the moment, there is only one description that fits them best.

They are a streaky football team: hot or cold, never both.

 

 

Bright Stats on the Sheet

 

The most important number right now is one.

The Broncos got the one victory they needed so desperately to build the rest of their season and playoff hopes on, and it is far from over for this team.

If the Broncos are able to retain the momentum they will reel off more wins and more stats to be sure and they might possibly win the division if they can play solid like they did on Thanksgiving night.

Statistics from the game bear the fact that they dominated on both sides of the ball. 

Denver had 23 first downs to the Giants’ 15.  The Giants only attained two of their first downs rushing the ball, which shows that their bread and butter on the ground was taken away from them by Denver’s tenacious defense. 

The Broncos offense racked up 373 total yards to the Giants 267.  Keep in mind the Giants faced a prevent defense much of the second half of the football game.

Denver controlled the tempo and the clock at 35:30 to the Giants 24:30 in the telling statistic, time of possession.

On the ground Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter combined for 139 yards.  This combination still only has one rusher over a hundred yards for the season, but provided a much needed shot in the arm.  The Broncos remained committed to the run game and Moreno did eventually score one touchdown.

Kicker Matt Prater has matured a great deal this season and went 4-4 on field goals, with two extra points on the night.

The Broncos scored 26 points on the night, their fifth highest output this season, but it solidified the template they must have for their success.

The Broncos must stay on the field offensively, own the clock, score points in any way they can.  The fact that the Broncos went with the zone blocking scheme was a pure concession from head coach Josh McDaniels that his version of the run game was not playing to his teams’ strengths. 

The Broncos dominated the edge of the line of scrimmage and opened up endless opportunities for Moreno and Buckhalter to run downhill, something that was not seen much in the first ten games of the season. 

This offensive control allowed the defense to be unpredictable and as hard hitting as they were in the first six games of this season.   The Broncos took care of the ball on offense and created turnovers on defense.  Both teams had one interception, but the Broncos forced three Giant fumbles, two of which were recovered by the Broncos with the third rolling out of bounds after a vicious hit by Dawkins.

Furthermore, to add to the Broncos determination came a few shining examples with Brandon Marshall hauling in a pair of spectacular one hand grabs.  Kyle Orton also distributed the ball well to tight end Tony Scheffler on a few keys while Brandon Stokley and Daniel Graham hauled in one big catch each to help the team. 

Defensively the Broncos kept pressure on Eli Manning all night long and turned in three sacks for a loss of 20 yards.

 

 

For the Record

 

The Broncos are now 7-4 and have more than a fighting chance to make the playoffs.  The team will however have to stay on track if they are to secure their playoff slot.

Going to Kansas City in the past has never been automatic by any stretch for the Broncos.  But, if the Broncos are indeed elite in the AFC, look for them to dominate in Kansas City in a very winnable game.

The Broncos are 1-2 in the early games this season, winning in Cincinnati and losing in Baltimore and Washington.  Ironically enough the Broncos have three more early games remaining on the schedule at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, and at Philadelphia.

The Broncos are also 2-1 against the NFC East this season with the remaining game at Philadelphia two days after Christmas in the second to last game of the season.

 

 

Final Note

 

For the Broncos the theme really should be to win out at all cost.  If Denver does win out, they will more than likely surpass San Diego again and win the division.  That would guarantee them one or two home playoff games and anything is possible at that point.

The Broncos had a much better effort out of Orton on Thanksgiving, sprained ankle and all, and again appear headed in the right direction.

Yes it is late in the season; however, it is not too late for the Broncos to look at signing a veteran backup quarterback over the upcoming extended week. 

Should Kyle Orton go down again he is probably done for some time.  The idea of signing a Jeff Garcia makes a great deal of sense when you consider the fact that he is a gamer, not just a game manager.  There is more creativity and more possibilities to bringing in a veteran of his caliber to help the Broncos solidify the position overall.  Without a doubt Chris Simms has proven that he’s not ready and can’t be trusted at this juncture.

Finally they say winning cures a number of ills, in the Broncos case this could not be truer as they are sticking together as a team and grinding it out again to win games.  To Coach McDaniels’ credit, he’s not afraid to get in his players’ grills to help them realize what’s at stake.

 

contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Lose Composure as the Playoff Picture Focuses

In case there was anyone uncertain or unsure of the Denver Broncos‘ current downward slide, it has now reached the breaking point.

The Broncos started out by taking things one game at a time and produced a 6-0 streak.  They have just as easily cast away their conference and divisional advantages on their 0-4 slide.

So, in case you were wondering, it’s officially time to panic, so by all means, please do panic.

The Denver Broncos are currently ranked No. 7 in the conference, which when translated, puts them on the outside looking into the playoff picture.

Oh mirror, mirror, tell us what you see, because it really appears to be true.

Just as easily as San Diego put the hurt on the Broncos yesterday to the pathetic tune of 32-3, did the orange and blue officially fall into the fight of their playoff lives in Week 10, following an amazing 6-0 start.

The AFC playoffs currently lineup right now as follows:

Division Leaders, Overall (Conference)

Indianapolis Colts, 10-0 (6-0)

Cincinnati Bengals, 7-3 (5-3, Denver Owns Tiebreaker)

San Diego Chargers, 7-3 (5-3)

New England Patriots, 7-3 (5-3, Denver Owns Tiebreaker)

 

Wild Card Teams

Jacksonville Jaguars, 6-4 (5-2)

Pittsburgh Steelers, 6-4 (4-3, Pittsburgh Owns Tiebreaker vs. Denver)

 

Bubble Teams

Denver Broncos, 6-4 (5-3)

Houston Texans, 5-4 (4-3)

Baltimore Ravens, 5-5 (5-4, Baltimore Owns Tie Breaker vs. Denver)

Miami Dolphins, 5-5 (3-3)

 

Given the current standings, the Broncos are reeling with no answers immediately in sight. Indy appears to be headed to home field advantage throughout the playoffs, with the rest of the AFC certainly taking shape.

The Broncos own two tiebreakers, but they are against teams that appear to be division winners in Cincinnati and New England. That essentially values those tiebreakers meaningless.

The Bengals play two division leaders in the coming weeks in Minnesota and San Diego.  However, they will play creampuffs like rival Cleveland, Detroit, and Kansas City with their final game played at the New York Jets.

The Patriots have two challenging games the next two weeks at New Orleans, and at Miami.  Following those two games, the Patriots will play beatable teams in hosting Carolina, at Buffalo, hosting Jacksonville, and at Houston.

The San Diego Chargers have a manageable road to the playoffs at this point.  The Chargers start by hosting divisional foe Kansas City and then go on the road to Cleveland and Dallas.  The Chargers return home to face the Cincinnati Bengals, travel to play at the Titans, and then host Washington in the season finale.

Jacksonville and Pittsburgh are currently in the wild-card slots.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are at San Francisco, host Houston, Miami, and Indianapolis, and then finish out at New England and Cleveland.  The Jaguars could start selling out games as they come down the stretch, which could make their home field advantage much stronger.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are at the Ravens next, in a game that could put Baltimore out of the picture, or hurt the Steelers if Denver or another team starts to get hot. The Steelers host Oakland, play at the Browns, host the Packers and Ravens, and then finish out at Miami.

So what does this all mean for the Broncos?

It’s a cliché for a reason, but the Broncos control their own destiny.  The best medicine in Denver is to win out, but the Broncos have three very good teams remaining on their schedule and two divisional foes that love to beat Denver when given the opportunity.

Denver is hosting a physical football team on Thanksgiving night in the New York Giants, then, after a 10-day break, go to Arrowhead to face Kansas City.  The Chiefs are always a tough game for the Broncos on the road. 

The Broncos then go to Indianapolis, host archrival Oakland, at Philadelphia, and then host Kansas City in the season finale.

Baring a total collapse by the Chargers and another role reversal by the Broncos, which doesn’t seem likely, Denver will only make the playoffs as a Wild Card if they get help along the way.

The Jags looks to have as many as four more losses along the way so nothing is certain in Jacksonville. Pittsburgh has virtually lost the division title, so they must have both games against the Ravens.

The Broncos could have beaten any of the remaining teams in the first six games, but they now have to win all of their remaining six games, which is a different pressure altogether.

This is the lay of the land that is known with regards to the schedule.

What is not known currently is how the Broncos will progress with the quarterback situation in disarray.  Kyle Orton did not appear very mobile in the pocket and had a bad game overall, but it was still light years better than what Chris Simms did against the San Diego Chargers.

The harsh reality right now with this team is they need to get on another streak similar to the one that started the season. The problem here is they need to do it with uncertainty in the leadership ranks.

Some have criticized Brandon Marshall for holding out in the offseason and being a detriment to the team. Say what you will, but Brandon has produced this season when given the opportunity to do so.

Some say his not being at training camp discredits him as a leader on this team. Also, his sideline argument with rookie running back Knowshon Moreno in front of their divisional rivals and the NFL fanbase, squashed any composure this team may have had. 

However when he got into it with rookie running back Knowshon Moreno on the sideline after Moreno all but fumbled away the division title on the goal line yesterday.  What ensued was a sideline argument the likes of which has not been seen in Denver, but more than that.  Any composure this team had on this season was lost in the blink of an eye in front of their divisional rivals and the NFL fan base watching.

The questions that remain have to do with Coach McDaniels’ poor offensive game-planning and the heart of this football team.

It was clear the Broncos started to implode and give up against the Ravens four weeks ago. The Steelers pummeled the Broncos in a battle of wills, and in Washington, Denver had a fast start, but could not control the ball, and eventually imploded and gave up.  

Yesterday against San Diego, almost as quickly as Knowshon Moreno fumbled on the goal line, the Broncos quit.

A winning NFL team that quits in games? 

It’s puzzling, but ridiculous that they have to reside in Denver, even after a coaching switch. The Broncos fired Mike Shanahan in large part because his teams had a record of quitting down the stretch.

Now it’s time to be clear. 

Not much has changed except the stability of the quarterback position. Currently, the Jay Cutler trade can be a lose-lose proposition. The New England offensive coordinator that was able to set a league record in points is now the headmaster in Denver without an answer.

Has Josh McDaniels lost his football team already? Can they find a quarterback to cure their ills?

These questions don’t have any clear answers, but they are real and they also signify that it is time to do something that is very real. When teams start to quit, there is only one solution.

Hit the panic switch.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

The Denver Broncos Show a Real Lack of Commitment to the Run

 

Congratulations Broncos‘ fans, your team went from maybe having a top-10 offense to a paltry 22nd in the NFL in total offense.  The team average of points per game is down to 18.6.  The Broncos total points actually lands them in the 24th slot with 167, just 10 points better than Tampa Bay.

The bright side is that the Broncos aren’t the league’s worst offense, that belongs to the Cleveland Browns at 78 points.  The Browns are still looking to break the century mark.  What’s the over/under on ex-Brown Braylon Edwards reaching the century mark in New York before the Browns do?

 

 

Lack of Commitment to the Running Game

It’s time to talk about the Broncos’ commitment to the run, which appeared to have abandoned the team in losses at Baltimore and at home against Pittsburgh. Against the Ravens the Broncos ran for 66 yards.  At home against the Steelers the Broncos only gained 27 yards on the ground.

During those two games the Broncos’ offense also failed to stretch the field with the passing game.

It seemed the Broncos game plan against Washington was a formula for success as they focused more on the running game, while throwing no less than four deep balls over 40 yards, two of which resulted in deep touchdown passes to Brandon Marshall.

The Broncos wound up with 120 yards on the ground and 207 yards through the air.  However if you subtract out Knowshon Moreno’s longest run of the day, a 28-yard blast that got the Broncos going, he only had 69 yards on the ground. 

The air attack was even worse once you take out Brandon Marshall’s two big plays that went for two touchdowns and 115 yards.

That means the Broncos had less than 100 yards passing outside of those two big plays.

Given all of the above, the Denver Broncos’ offense has shown a real lack of commitment, not just to the run or pass, but also to actually attacking their opponents where it hurts.  The Broncos’ maximum output on offense thus far on the season is three touchdowns against a very poor Cleveland Browns squad.

Possibly the most telling statistic of all is that between the Broncos’ two starting running backs platoon system, only Correll Buckhalter has rushed for over 100 yards once and Knowshown Moreno has not been over the century mark yet, though he has been close on two occasions.

 

Opponent : Run, Pass, Touchdowns

@Bengals: 20-75, 17-243, One (B. Stokley’s 87-yard miracle)

Browns: 37-186, 19-263, Three

@Raiders: 45-215, 13-157, Two

Cowboys: 25-116, 20-243, Two

Patriots: 25-103, 35-330, Two

@Chargers: 33-101, 20-22, Two

@Ravens: 19-66, 23-152, One

Steelers: 14-27, 23-221, None

@Washington: 22-120, 14-206, Two

One thing that stands clear from these statistics is that the Broncos have not shown a real commitment outside of games against the Browns and the Raiders, two of the league’s worst teams, to run the ball consistently.

 

Denver’s Philosophy

The Broncos have had a very clear change in run philosophies this season.  In the past, under Mike Shanahan, the Broncos had a furious rushing attack that utilized an amazing zone blocking scheme.  The scheme allowed the Broncos offensive linemen to be undersized and more agile athletes than most of their opposition’s O-line talent. 

The Broncos, under Josh McDaniels, have a clear change in philosophy to their run game and the statistics and recent changes in the lineup show a clear deficiency.

Recently longtime starter Ben Hamilton was replaced in the starting lineup by Russ Hochstein who is all of 15 pounds heavier at the same height.  Hamilton has had near career-ending concussion issues in the past; however this change in the lineup is at the root in the change of philosophy towards the run game.

The Broncos’ current attack has essentially abandoned the zone blocking scheme entirely, which was not a big deal early on.  However, due to the lack of production of late, coach McDaniels should take the old schemes under some consideration. 

The underlying issue here is that the new offensive approach is similar to cramming a square peg into a round hole.  The Broncos are trying to force a more physical run game, which comes at the expense of an offensive line that was originally designed to be more agile.

In the recent Broncos’ losses they have been out-played up front, out-schemed, and out-coached.

That’s why it’s a little perplexing that coach McDaniels has not really implemented much of a zone run game at all to date.  It seems like the strength of this team coming into this season was the offensive line and their zone blocking and pass protection abilities.  It has literally become a subtraction by omission that shows up on the stat sheet and the overall production of the offense.

Coach McDaniels’ new philosophy has taken the rest of the league all of seven games to catch up to it.  The approach needs to breathe new life into the direction of the output of the Broncos’ offense.  The coach needs to get in front of the curve, not lag behind it with a sub-par rushing attack and a pass game that is afraid to utilize the entire field.

If you consider the track record on the season, the Broncos failing to produce a 100-yard rusher every game shouldn’t be the biggest surprise of the season.  The bigger surprise is that the new regime has not played to any of the strengths of the past. 

Given the current injury to QB Kyle Orton and the poor showing last week by backup Chris Simms, the Broncos could use a good rushing attack to protect the quarterback and make it the strength it proved to be during the first six weeks of the season.

If the Broncos want to seriously control the ball and the tempo against the San Diego Chargers in the most important game of the season, they should implement the zone blocking scheme once again. 

The fact that Josh McDaniels hasn’t tapped into this sooner is as big of a shock as their 6-0 start. 

Moreover, the Broncos have two new starting offensive linemen since opening day of the season.  In order for the Broncos to protect the quarterback, they really need to run the ball.  In order to be affective, they have to keep the Chargers off-balance.

One of the best ways to do that is implementing the zone blocking scheme.

Casual observers may have noticed that the Broncos were at their best offensively last Sunday when they lined up under center, not in the shotgun, and had the threat of a rushing attack opening up the skies to big gains. 

While the Broncos were more affective on the ground than the previous games against the Ravens and the Steelers, they still failed to produce a rusher over the century mark.  The Broncos need to control ball and clock against the Chargers to have any realistic chance of winning the game.

The Broncos’ fast start had a lot of fans amazed and scratching their heads with the play of the defense.  If the Broncos are to grow as an offensive team, they have to start producing the same sort of results on offense. 

Rudimentary football says you build the systems around your talent, not your talent around your system.

Broncos’ fans will learn a great deal more about their coach and their future against San Diego.  The failure to control the ball on the ground, regardless of the quarterback, will say a great deal about coach McDaniels’ willingness to adapt to the situation at hand. 

Last week he showed great resolve to do the two things the Broncos failed to do against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but the team still lost out on the road. 

This week, he must find ways to make the Broncos rushing attack dominate the tempo of the football game. Failure to adapt may possibly bring about a failure to win the division, and possibly even making the playoffs. 

This is a serious issue, and if the Broncos fail, they will have to point the fingers at themselves, starting at the top.

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos Losses, Kyle Orton Injury Put QB Controversy on the Radar in Denver

The current state of the Denver Broncos is somewhat reminiscent to the famous scene in the movie Young Frankenstein. Strange things start to occur while Igor and Dr. Frankenstein are working late at night digging a grave.

“It could be worse,” says a loony looking Igor, played by the late Marty Feldman.

“How?” says Dr. Frankenstein, played by Gene Wilder.

“It could be raining.”

Then, in a flash of lightning with a booming thunder and a torrential rain, the joke hits the audience and puts them in stitches.

Now this movie line wasn’t talking about football, but it could easily be applied to the likes of the New England Patriots blowing a 17-point lead Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. It could also just as easily be applied to the current downward trend in Denver that took the team’s amazing 6-0 start and quickly turned south to a mediocre 6-3.

Something strange happened to the Denver Broncos during their bye week, which coincidentally fell on Halloween weekend. Perhaps it was raining.

Either way, since the Broncos blew up the Chargers in San Diego, their season has taken on water of torrential proportions.

The Denver Broncos now find themselves fighting for their playoff lives. If they don’t wake up soon, they will fall victim to the San Diego Chargers and their fast start will go for naught.

A last-ditch effort to win the division and control the fate of the Chargers and the Broncos comes this Sunday in Denver.

It’s mind boggling to think the Broncos had a 3.5-game lead after beating down the Chargers in San Diego on Oct. 19. That lead has now entirely evaporated following two big wins by the Chargers against the Giants and the Eagles. Meanwhile, the Broncos posted two tough losses to the Ravens and Steelers and one unsettling loss to a dismal Washington squad.

 

The Recap

It seemed to start with a cloud of dust and a hearty “Hi-Ho, Silver!” and the Denver Broncos were off and running and throwing the deep ball. The same two elements that seemed to be lacking in their two previous losses showed up in Washington D.C. on Sunday.

Knowshon Moreno got the game going with a 29-yard jaunt and the Broncos were immediately in business. On the following third down play Kyle Orton went top shelf 40 yards to Brandon Marshall and the Broncos had the early 7-0 lead.

Almost as quickly as the Broncos scored did the Washington natives show that they came to play ball as well. They responded with a 78-yard drive that ended with a short two yard pass from Jason Campbell to big tight end Todd Yoder to even the score 7-7.

Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter was hit from behind by Lorenzo Alexander on the subsequent drive and fumbled. The one thing that is certainly a constant in the Broncos three losses are the turnovers and the Broncos turned it over twice to Washington’s zero on Sunday.

The Broncos defense held the Washington attack at bay following the turnover and Denver went back on offense.

Coach McDaniels chose to go on the quick strike again as he hit Brandon Marshall deep again on a ball that traveled 45 yards through the air for a 75-yard touchdown and a Broncos 14-7 lead.

Orton later had Eddie Royal wide open deep down field and the Broncos could have scored a third touchdown on a deep ball if not for overshooting an outstretched Royal.

Then, at the 6:39 mark of the second quarter, came the worst blunder of the Josh McDaniels era in Denver.

Say what you will about how poor special teams play was under Mike Shanahan’s watch, his teams never allowed a punter to look like John Elway. That is exactly what happened to Denver when Washington punter Hunter Smith hit Mike Sellers off of a fake field goal that went for a touchdown. 

The real embarrassment off of this play was that Washington showed their hand on the fake prior to coach Jim Zorn calling a timeout to set up the play correctly. Denver sadly enough failed to make any adjustments in preparation for a fake. The only response to come from McDaniels was that the Broncos had not seen the play before.

The play put the score at 14-14.

This play in particular might signal that it’s time for a new special teams coach. The Broncos have been riddled with poor play on special teams and certainly that play cost the Broncos this game at least in part.

On Orton’s last drive of the day, he led the Broncos to a field goal and their last points on the day and a 17-14 edge at the half.

Orton was injured on third down and it appears it is an injury that will have the Broncos looking at their future starter sooner than later.

The second half the Broncos defense played valiantly in the third quarter to help the offense find a way to win. The reality, however, was that backup Chris Simms was not ready to play mentally, and that fact alone ensconced the Broncos’ fate.

Washington subsequently wore down the Broncos defense by the fourth quarter and scored 17 points in the quarter to beat the Broncos going away, 27-17.

 

Quarterback Issues on the Radar

The real issue now is it comes with an underlying quarterback controversy brewing in Denver with Orton literally falling victim to what appears to be a very bad sprained ankle. Orton’s left leg was caught under the weight of a tackle and with it took some of the stability the organization was used to at the position.

The pure nature of the sort of injury suffered by Orton leads to easy speculation that he could be out anywhere between 6-8 weeks at minimum and the rest of the season a strong possibility. These sorts of injuries make an already immobile quarterback a duck on water for all too eager defenses to finish off for the rest of the season. In other words, it’s pure speculation on an early front but Orton may be done for the season and possibly as the starting quarterback in Denver.

Simms clearly showed he was not ready to play, going 3-of-13 for 13 yards and an interception. That leads to this thought: It might be time to start Tom Brandstater again this season. It would absolutely set off a sort of quarterback controversy, but face the facts. Simms, a highly paid backup, was not ready to play when all his team probably needed was one drive for a touchdown. If the Broncos get that touchdown early enough it might be a different outcome.

Going into the most important game of the season, it’s a simple question to consider. Would you rather have a quarterback that throws a good ball with a little inexperience or a backup who’s shown he’s not ready to play and isn’t throwing the ball incredibly well?

You have to feel for McDaniels, since he went the distance to get Orton and for a time that bet was paying off huge dividends on the Broncos’ tumultuous offseason. Now the Broncos’ season comes down to this. He must make the right decision here or the Broncos are in trouble in their most important game of the year.

Having looked at film on Simms and fellow backup Brandstater, it would seem that Brandstater, for all of his inexperience, is the more capable quarterback to help the Broncos franchise move forward. The situation, however, opens up the floodgates to trades and free agent signings to right the ship sooner than later. This is obviously a situation where anything is possible moving forward.

Earth to Jake Plummer: Come in, Major Tom!

So stay tuned.

 

The Final Note on the Washington Namesake

For nearly a century, the Washington football franchise has made its living off of the backs of a race of people that are nearly extinct in North America. Regardless of the origins of the team name, which there are exhaustive stories and excuses alike made to endorse the name, it needs to change.

That said, today an “official” decision was passed down today regarding the namesake, and Washington will not be forced to change the name of their franchise.

The irony is this: Neither Dan Snider, the previous ownership, nor any of the judges handling this case are part Native American in any form.

With the era that our country is currently under, it’s no longer a time to live in ignorance or under predatory capitalism, under both of which this clearly falls.

If the Washington franchise is so bold to claim to be the torch on the hill for an overrun race of people, they should put their money where their namesake is and sponsor tribal rights issues and scholarship programs.

For the better part of a century the football team has had the opportunity to do so and they have failed miserably.

The reality is there are no other sports franchises named after the color of a persons skin and their likeness emblazoned on a team logo. This is racism; apparently the Supreme Court does not consider racism an atrocity on humanity. In multicultural America it is an issue whether they admit it or not. It is racism, and let’s be clear; there are no mild forms of racism, just racism.

So this is something that the NFL should now address as a league. It has been a league that is quick to respond to detrimental actions from its players.

In this case, it should crack down on this ownership group for leaving a black eye on the league. It’s bad public relations for this charade to continue, and the team should change its name immediately.

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