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Broncos Identity Hurt and Left Soul Searching

Published: November 10, 2009

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The Denver Broncos are now officially facing adversity for the first time during the 2009 season.

For a moment pause and think about how they got here, but please don’t hit the panic button yet.

Many people didn’t exactly pick them to be 6-2 at this point in the season, yet they some how mustered a 6-0 start with the leagues best scoring defense. With the last two losses the Broncos ranking slipped from first to third with the Colts and Patriots currently on top.

So now the bottom has fallen out of the stellar team success for now; and in one word, it keeps recurring under Kyle Orton’s watch.

Turnovers!

Orton has gone from replacing the boy wonder in Jay Cutler, to creating a wonder of his own by not turning the ball over in six games.

In the two subsequent games since the 6-0 start he and the Broncos have now more than made up for all of it.

This is now officially the thing that is keeping Kyle Orton and the Denver Broncos from being considered among the elite teams for at least the time being.

While there are areas of the team that need work, it really is time for the Broncos organization to take time out to consider what sort of team they want to become.

Most of the pieces for the Broncos success are already in place. So don’t be fooled, even after the most recent two losses these Denver Broncos are built to win now, but they have to get back on track soon, and with a vengeance.

The pieces that need tinkering became self evident against the Steelers and the Ravens.

The Broncos need a running game, they need a more sophisticated passing attack, and they need to quit putting their defense in bad spots.

Consider the fact that the turnovers the last two games have given the opposition more than enough points to help them win. Additionally, if the Broncos could have all of those plays back their defense would still lead the league in points against by a long shot.

There were moments last night where the defense gave up too much too fast to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the reality is these things happen when your offense isn’t scoring and is turning the ball over.

The primary criticism of the Broncos offense at this point is that they have to get determined to move the ball consistently.

Denver needs to at the very least have the ability to move the ball on the ground as needed. It’s not like they haven’t don it, they did do it this season against the Raiders with two rushers near 100 yards apiece against a good defensive front seven.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a power running game that helped them take control of last nights game when it mattered most. That power run game opened up the skies for the Broncos All-Pro defensive backfield to be lit up as the team had to worry about the run and the pass. That power run and precision passing took a tight ball game and turned it into a blowout complements of the Steelers defense and Kyle Orton’s poor showing.

It’s rare that a 28-10 blowout can be called a tight ball game, but this one was, minus the Broncos turnovers it’s as tight a game as you can ask for.

The only thing that kept this a tight game was the Broncos defense.

Now that really is what the Broncos organization should be pondering at this juncture. The defense is pulling the load, but how can the Broncos assure themselves that the offense will week in and week out?

Yes it has opened up the door to the Josh McDaniels haters and the Jay Cutler fans to have more of their war of words.

That’s not what this is about, things are what they are at this point; it should be about moving forward.

The Broncos must address the offense more intently than they have since the season began.

For now the Broncos must capitalize on the things done well with what they have available.

For the future, the question is what type of a football team do the Denver Broncos want to be?

It’s clear the game plan has moved away from the running game of old.

It’s a time for the Broncos to pause and reflect and do a little soul searching.

Josh McDaniels came to Denver from New England, with that he brought part of that same philosophy on offense. The Patriots use the pass to set up the run. The Broncos have failed to set up the run for success the last two weeks. That’s not the type of team this was historically and that’s not part of the New England template for getting the job done.

The Broncos have to dissect all of the short comings of the offense the last two games. It’s a time for learning and a time of reflection.

The Broncos must make a commitment to get back on track.

It would seem for a conservative offensive approach, the run game is the perfect complement. Certainly some of the current approach could be related to personnel decisions, but the Broncos have to control the ball and the tempo. That is when the opposition is on it’s heels and not dictating.

So it’s about decision making at this point. The Broncos do need to advance the ball. Certainly Kyle Orton needs to be able to stretch the field on a regular basis as well.

It would seem however the best method for Kyle Orton to have more success deeper and in the short game is through the run game. It’s something the Broncos haven’t fully committed to as of late and it appears to have clearly hurt them.

For the future the Broncos may need to consider help at the quarterback position, along the offensive line, and even in the backfield

For now the Broncos identity and ego have taken a hit on offense.

It’s a talented team looking for answers.

It seems like they can find the answers they seek in the run game and in solving a myriad of breakdowns that lead to the two game skid.

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Mandatory Reading for MNF: Steelers vs. Broncos by the Numbers

Published: November 8, 2009

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Hopefully you’ve already read about the rich history between the Broncos, and the Steelers in the slide show I recently put together. Here are some even more convincing proofs of how tight, significant, and dynamic this match-up really is.

Regular Season

The Denver Broncos lead the all-time series with the Pittsburgh Steelers at 16-9-1.

All-time regular season the Broncos have scored 448 points (22.4 points per game) to the Steelers 407 (20.35 points per game).

At home the Broncos are 7-2-1 against the Steelers in Denver.

The Broncos have only lost to the Steelers four times since 1983, putting the record during that stretch at 11-4.

The Broncos are 3-1 versus the Steelers since John Elway retired.

Post-season

The Broncos, and Steelers have played each other twice in the same season four times (1977, ’78, ’89, and ’97). Each of those seasons wound up with a decisive game in the playoffs.

The Broncos swept the Steelers in 1977, and 1989, and went to the Super Bowl, but lost both of those seasons.

The Steelers swept the Broncos in 1978, and won their third Super Bowl.

The two teams split in 1997 when Denver won their first Super Bowl.

All-time post season, the Broncos have scored 126 points (21 points per game) to the Steelers 156 points (26 points per game).

It should be a very close, very good football game with both teams looking forward to their own probable playoff run.

The only question left to answer is, “Are you ready for some football?”

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

The Denver Broncos Vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers: Anecdotes from a Rich Rivalry

Published: November 7, 2009

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It’s an interesting history, and in many ways these two franchises have paralleled each other throughout.

The overall record in the match-up between the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers currently belongs to the orange and blue.

This is a rags-to-riches story for both franchises however, and one of the NFL’s richer and less glorified rivalries.

Begin Slideshow

Ravens Out-Hustle, Out-Scheme Streaky Broncos

Published: November 2, 2009

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Defense-defense was the theme of the day in the game between the 6-0 Denver Broncos and the 3-3 Baltimore Ravens. So just for good measure, any way you say it or spell it, you knew it would be prevalent in Sunday’s NFL contest.

D-Fence!

So now knowing that, the first huge mistake of the Josh McDaniels era in the regular season is that the Broncos did not choose to defer until the second half. Instead the Broncos chose to get the opening kickoff and go on offense. They then promptly went three and out with a very poor first series and suddenly the battle of field position was predictably a bigger issue than the credit being given to it.

Knowing that field position was going to be an issue in this game going into it, why the Broncos chose to go on offense immediately left a few fans a little baffled at the decision.

So maybe you’re surprised, maybe you’re not, but trust this.

The game was much closer than the final score indicated, but the team with the better scheme, mental preparedness, and coaching won this game on Sunday.

This could have been a statement game for the Broncos, instead the Ravens made the statement and the Broncos organization has to digest a few painful lessons that came out of this game Sunday.

The Denver Broncos now have to address how to better complement their short pass game by taking deeper shots down field.

The Broncos also learned that they should make a commitment to the run game when it is working, especially against a physical football team.

Finally, the Broncos should have learned that if they don’t address what they learned on Sunday they should expect their defense to eventually not be able to cover the shortfalls of the offense.

The Ravens Showed Up Ready to Play

Credit the Baltimore Ravens for coming ready to play on Sunday against the Broncos. From the very first snap to the end, the Baltimore Ravens showed they wanted to desperately win their seventh game of the season against the Denver Broncos.

After the opening kickoff the Broncos went on offense and the Ravens sent a message from their defense along with two outside linebackers blitzing from their 3-4 set. Raven backer Jared Johnson was locked on Brandon Marshall and failed to deliver the ball to him or even look for the safety valve. The Broncos tried a couple of small screens and that was that on offense until they got their first drive going in the second half.

The Baltimore defense was punishing in more than one way and ready for the Broncos short passing game. Herein lies the fault of the Broncos offensive attack and it will come under future attack as well. Without the implementation of a deep passing game, defenses like the Ravens can easily and more readily rally from zone coverage to snuff out any short and mid-range plays. This was the case on Sunday.

From the start the Ravens had an intensity that was missing on the Broncos offensive side of the ball, and eventually over time, the Broncos defense couldn’t match their production.

While both teams were coming off of byes it looked like the Broncos offense was still on vacation or in serious need of another one. That sort of effort coming from an undefeated team was pathetic; it showed a group of guys believing more in the press clippings about them than the need to work harder to get the job done right.

The Ravens were also able to inflict pain and punishment on the Broncos in forcing the only turnover of the game. Near the end of the first quarter Knowshon Moreno nullified all the good that was starting to be produced in the ground game. On a 2nd-and-9, Kyle Orton made a horrible choice on a double pump to Knowshon Moreno. This gave the play less time to develop and less time for Moreno to control the ball. Moreno briefly had the ball in his hands with two feet on the ground as his shoulders turned up field; almost as quickly he was lit up like an early holiday greeting and immediately fumbled the ball. The Ravens All-Pro safety Ed Reed showed his metal on the hit that dislodged the ball from the Broncos rookie running back. The turnover led to an early 3-0 lead for the Ravens but credit the Broncos defense for being tough in the early going and holding the Ravens to only six points in the first half.

Couple the bad field position and the only turnover of the game against the Broncos with poor punting from new arrival, veteran punter Mitch Berger, the Ravens won the battle of field position almost by default alone.

Broncos Offensive Line

The Broncos have a very athletic offensive line, but it came under fire on Sunday and a big injury occurred early at right tackle when Ryan Harris went down. It appears that the injury could be a broken big toe and possibly affecting two of his toes. On the afternoon the Broncos offensive line had problems mitigating the pass rush of the Ravens especially versus a strong front four and a 3-4 blitz scheme. This is something that has to be corrected immediately if the Broncos are to have success on offense the rest of this season.

Certainly it’s not a time to panic but a time to give a full evaluation across the board. When one of the stronger offensive lines in football has problems the whole game plan needs some further review. The Broncos should have had greater anticipation about the Ravens defensive attack and due to the lack of a crisp game plan and proper adjustments along the way the offensive line was made to look as poor as they have been in some time.

Kyle Orton’s Poor Performance

Kyle Orton entered Sunday’s contest with nearly a 64% completion percentage, nine touchdowns, and one interception. Orton saw his completion percentage fall only two points while his game average in yardage was nearly 110 yards under par.

What this statistic really reinforces is that if the team does not address mixing up the play calling more the overall production will go down.

Essentially if you complete 62% of your passes but aren’t moving the ball consistently or causing headaches for the defense then this statistic is irrelevant.

The one time the Broncos really did challenge the Ravens was on their first scoring drive of the second half when they opened up the offense and wound up with a touchdown.

The overall lack of production from the Broncos clearly stemmed from the lack of a consistent attack to put pressure on a Baltimore defense that was dictating the outcome of the game.

Sure the Broncos had 17 first downs to Baltimore’s 16 however the game is about consistency and dictating play. The Broncos earned the majority of first downs in an inconsistent manner rendering the output useless.

Again, the Ravens were able to control the game because they were not being challenged enough on defense to stop the Broncos offense.

Poor Special Teams Play

With the opening kickoff of the second half Ravens cornerback turned kick returner Lardarius Webb went 95 yards after hitting the seam just right and went untouched for a touchdown. That play put the Ravens in control of the football game with the score 13-0.

Conversely, Eddie Royal returned two punts for two yards and six kickoffs for an average of 18 yards a return.

To add more salt to the wound, the Broncos constantly lost the battle of field position in the kicking game. Newly aquired punter Mitch Berger could only muster a 36.3 net and an average of 38.4 yards on eight punts.

In a nutshell it was the sort of effort that just isn’t going to get the job done.

Broncos Defense Worn Down by Ravens

Don’t misconstrue this point as a problem with the Broncos defense, overall the Broncos still have their MOJO cranking on defense. The problem here is the failure of the offense to cover the defense. The utter failure to control the tempo on offense and the clock led to the eventual demise of the Broncos defense.

It would be wrong to pin the loss on the Broncos defense entirely. There is one issue that this team wound up losing down the stretch of the football game. The Broncos defense began to lose some composure in a mild form as they were eventually losing the battle against the Ravens rushing attack late in the game.

The Ravens were more intense on defense than the Broncos were when it came to shutting down the opposition. This is also a key mental note to make as the team will not be afforded those sorts of opportunities to bounce back from down the stretch.

Overall, the Broncos held the Ravens in check with a short field, but they needed to find better ways to disrupt the deeper penetration by Joe Flacco and company.

The Final Summary: Denver’s Schemes Failed Where Baltimore’s Did Not

It all goes back to a good offense being a team’s best defense. On Sunday the Broncos offense and their play calling were poor at best.

The most important point here, however, is that the offense needs to mix up the play calling more. The offensive scheme should have been more robust and daring in finding a willingness to go deeper with some of the pass routes. Additionally, the Broncos started to have some good spurts of running the ball but failed to keep the momentum going. This all happened because the Broncos were forcing short passes when they weren’t really open inside the Ravens short zone coverage. Additionally the routes the Broncos chose to use had to struggle for first down yardage.

In essence that is not the way to attack a team like the Ravens. Because the Ravens are so intense on defense you have to make a commitment to out physical them and out smart them in the pass game. The way the Ravens played is the way they always play; there was nothing new under the sun there. The Broncos needed to be creative in how they schemed for this game and they fell very short of their goal. Very good defenses like the Ravens will force the other teams’ hand. Unless there is an adequate response the team is in trouble on offense.

The reason the Ravens offense had success was because they weren’t afraid to challenge the defense of the Broncos. That was the clear difference in the football game. The Ravens offense decided to get physical in the running game and stretch the Broncos secondary. The Denver Broncos failed on offense because they failed to execute in a similar fashion to the way the Baltimore Ravens did on offense.

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Six Reasons to Believe in the Denver Broncos’ Amazing Run

Published: October 26, 2009

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The Reality Check

Oh, how have the Denver Broncos utterly shocked a nation of fans and football media?

Let us count the ways.

From the get go, whether you are or aren’t a fan of the Denver Broncos you’re reading this article. Why that’s happening probably has something to do with what the team accomplished in the first six weeks of the 2009 season.

The fact of the matter is this team is a force to be reckoned with the rest of the 2009 football season.

In effect, these aren’t your daddy’s Broncos, and they aren’t what most would expect from the Denver Broncos at this stage in time under this new regime.

Still a record of 6-0 is a great start and somewhat impressive in any NFL season for any team.

To match the six wins the Broncos attained before the bye week, here are six reasons why you can virtually bank on Denver continuing on their special run.

This direct thought is the reasoning behind what can still be considered an early season projection that will most likely land the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game. This team is almost destined to land the number one seed in the AFC playoffs for the Lombardi Trophy.

It’s intriguing. Every year there are teams that surprise everyone in every sport. So stop, take a minute, and evaluate the data and the factual arguments that support the amazing run of this 2009 Denver Broncos team, one which appears to be heading deep into the post season.

1. The Broncos Have the League’s Best Scoring Defense

Much like a quarterback within the grasp of Elvis Dumervil, there is simply no escaping it. The Denver Broncos have the best scoring defense in the NFL.

There is a reason the old saying, “Defense wins championships” was coined. It really has to do with a sense of Las Vegas type odds and a general philosophy. If you are capable of shutting down your opponent in any sport, you are winning half of the battle right then and there.

In football, if that becomes a team’s advantage, it is huge.

Defense can create opportunity where there appeared to be none.

That is exactly how the Denver Broncos’ new 3-4 defense has been working to accomplish its goals, game in and game out.

Consider the fact that through six weeks of the season the Denver Broncos have only given up 66 points for an average of 11 points per game.

Looking at Sunday’s most recent NFL games, Jay Cutler’s new team the Chicago Bears, who are known for their defense, gave up 45 points on the road in Cincinnati against the Bengals.

Yes, the same Bengals that were said to not be very good and easily discredited after the Broncos won on the Immaculate Deflection play to start the season with a win. Those same Bengals are currently 5-2 and tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North division.

The point is, even good defenses get scored on. The fact that the number of points the Broncos have given up is under the century mark at this juncture is nothing short of stellar.

Look a little deeper though at the talent level that is assembled by the Broncos on defense and you quickly see it’s not entirely a group of no-name players.

It might however be a group of veterans who have never completely been given their personal due in their own right. Sure the likes of Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are career Pro Bowlers and have reached one Super Bowl and a number of conference championship games.

The fact remains, the talent on this Broncos defensive team is greater than meets the eye.

The Broncos have something this season they did not have last season—a stable defensive backfield with depth, experience, and players.

One of the primary criticisms of the Broncos defensive backfield last season was that they tackled poorly, showed their inexperience, failed to create turnovers, and had a lack of chemistry, especially once Champ Bailey went down with an injury at New England.

This season’s defensive backfield has Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey, along with the best part of the Miami Dolphins defensive backfield the previous few seasons in Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill.

Combined the starters have 42 years of NFL experience in the defensive backfield and none of them appear to have lost much.

Philadelphia believed Brian Dawkins had lost a step and some have said he may have, however his play on the field hasn’t shown any sign of letting up or being a step behind. Brian Dawkins’ fire is intense and reminds old Broncos fans of former linebacker and current ESPN personality Tom Jackson, who was a fiery competitor in his own right.

In the linebacking corps is Elvis Dumervil who converted to an outside linebacker from being a defensive end, and it seems to have boosted an already promising career.

Additionally, D.J. Williams has 46 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery at his new position on the inside of the Broncos attacking 3-4.

Cleveland cast-off Andra Davis has 38 tackles on the inside along with one sack.

The Broncos’ front three of Kenny Peterson, Ron Fields, and rookie Ryan McBean have done an exceptional job of gap control and funneling the play to the linebacking crew.

Additionally while the group has not logged a sack, they have played a key role in the Broncos being tied for the league lead in sacks with a total of 21 heading into the bye.

2. This Team Is Healthy and Very Well Coached

Without a doubt, for a team to win a number of games and have a chance of getting deep into the playoffs they have to stay healthy.

For the most part the Broncos have done that up through their bye week. It seems the most important injury happened to Brian Dawkins against San Diego where it appeared he may have had a slight hamstring pull in the first half.

Dawkins eventually returned and helped to lock it down on defense while leading the Broncos to the victory in a hotly contested football game.

If the Broncos can stay healthy expect them to play in the AFC Championship Game.

Just as important as staying healthy, the Broncos are a well coached football team. From the schemes being run on both sides of the ball, this football team very much reminds people of the New England Patriots.

With Josh McDaniels formerly under Bill Belichick’s tutelage it’s obvious the Broncos organization’s approach to the game is now radically different than it has been in the past.

Perhaps the greatest of all the moves Josh McDaniels made in coming to the Denver Broncos was in landing the coaching staff he now has in place. Moreover, Josh puts the trust in his coaches to get the job done right.

From the start the focus was on changing the culture, and it is different because of the coaching.

Josh in his own right has been hard on Kyle Orton when he has needed to be, but he has also celebrated the successes and a mutual respect has been forged because of it. Orton’s growth is obvious, his play is probably the most noticeable of any player, and he has proven the system is working for him.

There are more however. Where is the criticism of the defensive line and the Broncos front seven now? The fact is there isn’t any.

Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely, linebackers coach Don Martindale, and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell have revamped the defense and forged a nucleolus of high expectations.

The depths to which the Broncos defense fell last season aren’t even viewable on the radar now.

Champ Bailey recently made some comments that said how important coaching is at the NFL level because the talent level is so close. Sometimes it’s just weird how things work out.

Right now it seems like a perfect storm in Denver much in the way one is brewing in New Orleans.

It’s not that the Broncos had poor defenders last season on the whole. There were talented guys there that remain on the roster now. Perhaps the Broncos defense wasn’t running the right scheme for the talent base a year ago.

These Broncos have made a relatively smooth transition to an attacking 3-4 scheme. Right now it’s showing in the stat sheet, but it also shows up on film.

The Denver Broncos are fundamentally sound, where they aren’t second guessing the gap coverage like they were a year ago or even the pass coverages for that matter.

3. The Broncos Are Winning the Turnover Battle

On the statistical side, the Denver Broncos are causing forced errors from the opposition, and they are taking care of the football.

Currently the top team in the NFL is the Green Bay Packers at a plus-10 in the turnover battle. The Denver Broncos aren’t far behind at a plus-7 that basically is working out to one key turnover per game.

Looking back at each game, those turnovers are playing a vital role in beating teams and setting the tone on defense.

The Broncos took Oakland out of the game when Brian Dawkins recovered a fumble deep in Broncos territory, ending the Raiders’ hopes of getting back in that game.

Last week in San Diego, the Broncos D-line forced a Phillip Rivers fumble that iced the game for the Broncos.

When they aren’t getting the turnovers, they are shutting teams down at key moments throughout the game and keeping them out of the end zone.

Think about the work the Broncos did in keeping the Bengals drives between the 20’s.

Think about Tony Romo throwing at Champ Bailey all day with little success that resulted in a pick near the end zone and last second knockdowns by the Broncos cover corner.

Then think about how poor Tom Brady looked against the Broncos defense at times and the fact that Randy Moss was a non factor in the game.

Because of the differential, the Broncos have allowed themselves the opportunity to have late game winning drives against Dallas and New England while being able to put the Chargers out of their misery.

The bottom line is these turnovers are making a difference. If the Broncos are going to start dominating teams they should create more of these sorts of opportunities for themselves.

4. The Challenging Schedule Now Favors the Broncos

If you want to know how good these Broncos are and you are still not convinced, there are three games remaining on their schedule that will be the true barometer on how close this team can be to winning the AFC.

Sunday the Broncos will play in Baltimore, a place where the franchise has traditionally had a number of problems against both the Colts and the Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens will be starving for a win as they are also coming off a bye week to face a Broncos team that wants to send a deliberate message to the rest of the NFL.

Following the game against the Ravens, the Broncos play a home game against the reigning world champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The Broncos have always historically matched up well with the Steelers.

An historical average score between the two franchises gives Pittsburgh a slight edge at around a 24-22 margin.

Should the Broncos lose both those games, they have a great deal more work to do to raise the bar to a championship level. However if they win those two games the only other obstacle in the AFC would be the Indianapolis Colts.

Denver will visit the Colts on December 13 in a game that could determine which team has the home field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs.

Outside of those games you can virtually bank on the Broncos at least splitting five of their next 10 games. The Broncos will win at Washington, at Philadelphia, against Kansas City twice, and versus the San Diego Chargers in Denver in a tough rematch.

5. The Broncos Have Attitude and Something to Prove

It’s been said attitude is everything. Think about it. Perhaps at some point in time you worked for a losing organization or a loser of a boss. How well did that go over?

Sometimes you can only scratch your head as to how they got their position in the first place. Now contrast that with working for a young upstart and putting it all on the line where success is the only acceptable answer.

The offseason brought a slew of questions about the Broncos organization and the hiring of Josh McDaniels as the new leader, supplanting future Hall of Fame coach Mike Shanahan. To say the least there were a lot of unanswered questions about the direction of the franchise.

There were also holdover questions from last season about the defensive talent and what it would take to put this team back into a good place.

Things seemed to be going in the right direction when Brian Dawkins was signed; in fact fans started dreaming of the Super Bowl.

Just moments following the press conference to introduce Dawkins, the Jay Cutler debacle started to unfold. Now it’s looking like everything the Broncos did in handling the Jay Cutler ordeal seems to be the right moves now.

Additionally this team is not hindered by the loss of Cutler. In some areas it was a surprisingly welcomed change of pace.

Kyle Orton has found the perfect match for his talents, and the Broncos have found a perfect match in the locker room. Orton has not put up the numbers that would blow away Dan Fouts’ place in history anytime soon, but he has been very consistent and has avoided interceptions.

Certainly Kyle probably should have about six INT’s on his resume at this point, but he has been fortunate to limit that number to one, which most believe really shouldn’t count since it came on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half against the Patriots.

These Broncos see only one acceptable answer and much of that has come directly from the way Josh McDaniels has handled the approach to this football team.

Truly this is a football team working hard at its craft. Perhaps the igniter to the whole equation is that when guys look around their locker room they see talent and experience. When they saw the media attention locally and nationally they saw disrespect.

The end result here is that these Denver Broncos have a fiery attitude sparked by Brian Dawkins, but they have much to prove and they are enjoying that portion of the ride.

If you think the Broncos didn’t enjoy beating the Cowboys, Patriots, and Chargers in succession, think again.

This team has a championship swagger about them.

6. The Broncos Are Undefeated

Considering the fact that the 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only NFL franchise to go undefeated in the Super Bowl era, fans shouldn’t necessarily expect this group to go undefeated.

The fact that the team is 6-0 at a third of the way through the 2009 season says a great deal about this team’s ability to win. They have a goal for each game to find a way to win and they are meeting their goal.

More importantly when teams are undefeated they find ways to stay in ball games and find ways to win. That is the greater and more important test of their character. It’s sort of like solving a puzzle on the fly, and the Denver Broncos are doing incredibly well in this area so far.

So like them or hate them, the Denver Broncos are undefeated and worthy of every team’s respect at this point.

The Conclusion

The real conclusion won’t be known until the postseason starts and ends. The Broncos appear to be headed on the way to being one of the top two seeds in the AFC. Should they win the homefield advantage, history has shown that teams with the advantage wind up in the Super Bowl more often than not.

At the end of the day this Broncos team is showing the signs of a team that will be playing for an AFC Championship and possibly a Lombardi Trophy into the late winter months.

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

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Denver Broncos Bye Week Pt II: Stats, Pluses, Minuses, and the Outlook

Published: October 23, 2009

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Statistically Speaking

Certainly the talk of this early 2009 season has been the strength of the Broncos defense. Even after facing a San Diego team that scored more than any other team on the Broncos, the orange and blue still has the first rated scoring defense. The team has only yielded 11 points per game, an astounding number through six games and against good offensive threats like Cincinnati, Dallas, New England, and San Diego.

The Broncos defense is also rated second in total yards allowed, yielding 262.5 yards per game, which certainly is saying something. The Broncos are also tied for first with the Minnesota Vikings in total sacks with 21. Who would have thought that coming into this season?

The Broncos have also forced ten fumbles and recovered six of them on defense while getting six interceptions. That works out to two turnovers per game in the Broncos favor.

The Broncos have also one other amazing stat keeping them in ball games. That being the best thing that Kyle Orton has done thus far. Through six games Kyle Orton has only thrown one interception, which came at the end of the first half against the Patriots to wide receiver turned defensive back Randy Moss.

Think about that, one interception through six games, an amazing statistic for a starting quarterback to have. Now that is not to say Orton hasn’t thrown a few ball that should have been picked off, oh contraire he has put the ball in danger a number of times. Yet somehow, Kyle has been fortunate and careful and has made taking care of the ball a somewhat conscious venture.

Orton is also ranked seventh in total yards and eleventh in average yards per game. Not great, but serviceable. Kyle is also tied with Matt Ryan of Atlanta for tenth in touchdown passes with a total of nine through six games. Matt Schaub of Houston has fourteen for his first place ranking, but his team is struggling to make a playoff run.

Things in the Broncos Favor (Pluses)

Certainly the statistics prove out how good the Broncos defense is playing and how few turnovers the team is committing on the offensive side of the ball. Underneath the surface however are a handful of things that are lending strong thought to the fact that this team can be even better than what’s been seen so far.

To this date in the season the Denver Broncos coaching, execution, attitude, and health of the team are standing paramount to their streak of success. Now all of these attributes don’t entirely make the stat sheet in it of themselves, however they are making their impact on this team and in turn making this team very dangerous indeed.

Coaching perhaps was viewed in a poor light by some, or overlooked by others coming into the 2009 NFL season.

Yet the Broncos through all the turmoil and media frenzy in the off season have occupied the minds of football fans for the first six weeks of the season. Many may have been tempted to think that this defense was not going anywhere, and others probably thought how are they doing so well without Jay Cutler?

This team is filled with surprising responses for the mainstream talking heads and they owe a great debt of gratitude to their coaching staff.

Consider the fact that this staff released over half of the previous regime, integrated new ideas and terminology, and traded a franchise quarterback with a calm cool demeanor to bring on Kyle Orton as the new leader on offense. It’s amazing. Moreover, the Broncos coaches went the distance to ensure that this was going to be a physical football team.

Without a doubt, the Broncos greatest offseason acquisition was future football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins who not only is a physical presence, but calls upon his teammates to be that way as well.

He is like a coach on the field but more importantly his mere presence has influenced an entire team to take it higher and to literally sell out and make the sacrifices for the sake of the team. That is something that can’t entirely be coached, it has to be lived out on the field and in that is one of the greatest teaching tools for this team to use as a template for being a more physical football team.

With the character the coaching staff insisted on in its players, the amazing and improbable has started to take shape with a vengeance.

In all phases of the game it’s about execution while being cerebral on the field. It’s a forgone conclusion before it happens. This team knows what it’s doing on the field; they have purpose and humility within their swagger to get the job done right.

They believe in themselves on a much deeper level than most teams. Couple that belief with intent to prove others wrong, its fuel enough to last an entire season. Historically speaking that is the point in time when teams become dangerous and take things from their opponents and wind up in a special place at the end of the season.

That is exactly why this team is dangerous.

The Broncos execute, but it’s also the way in which they execute. It is with an attitude where failure is not an option. It might not be a new attitude in Dove Valley, but the blade of supremacy has been sharpened and has new dimensions for the Broncos organization. When they do fail they bounce right back like a prize fighter who will see it through to his opponents TKO.

Take, for instance, the end of the Dallas or New England games when they had to have it, they got it from Brandon Marshall probably the last guy to buy in to the new regime. Just two months ago the talk was that Marshall wanted out of Denver and now he’s realizing his contributions matter to this team and yet the Broncos are focused on rounding out the arsenal.

The Broncos are a very fast team on defense and that is posing problems for teams while they control the ball on offense.

Think about last year’s Pittsburgh team and the ways in which the Steelers defense flew to the ball out of their similar 3-4 schemes. That is what the coaches’ saw in the Broncos talent and a large part of why they switched things up defensively.

The attitude to fly around the ball and trust the coaching staff to scheme in such a way to slow down the opposition and take away their best offensive threats is what has kept this team at the top.

Finally, the Broncos have their lucky stars to thank. It seems the most banged up member of the team has been their heart and soul, Brian Dawkins. He broke a finger in the preseason and had to play with a cast, and then he tweaked or pulled an apparent hamstring against San Diego on Monday night.

In true superhero fashion he later returned to the game to help finish off the Chargers. Make no mistake, the Broncos really need Brian Dawkins healthy, and so far he has at least been there to answer the call. Additionally the team has been healthy on both sides of the ball to remain dynamic in their attack on teams.

Things Needing Work (Minuses)

This teams current Achilles’ heal is not getting early leads and not finding a way to build big leads to take the opposition out of the game early. If the Broncos focus on locking things down, they can potentially kill two birds with one stone by getting on teams early and improving their scoring offense.

Currently the New Orleans Saints are averaging 38.4 points on offense while the Broncos are at 22.2 points per game. With both teams undefeated at this point what stands out is that the Saints have been dominating on offense while Denver has dominated on defense. If the Broncos can elevate their offensive output and not squander red zone opportunities, turning them into touchdowns not field goals the Broncos can become the dominating team in the NFL.

The Broncos have been fortunate in not turning the ball over a great deal as well; however they need to be prepared to execute in case they do.

The Broncos run game still could use some help as well. The Broncos are currently sixth overall with nearly 800 yards rushing with only three touchdowns. As physical as this team has been, they need to be more physical and successful in the rush game to create the right balance against the opposition.

Failure in this area will probably lead to predictability and more defenses attacking the Broncos pass routes creating turnovers and more sacks.

Remaining Season Outlook

Obviously the outlook for this team is bright for the remainder of the 2009 NFL season. They should make the playoffs as a division winner and will in all likelihood get there as one of the top two seeds in the AFC giving them a first round bye and at least one home playoff game.

So what will propel this team into the number one playoff seed in the AFC?

Stay tuned for Monday’s article.

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos Bye Week Pt. I: Breaking down the Controversial Offseason

Published: October 22, 2009

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A Wave of Shocking Change

It needs to be said and has been said on some levels, but here is the full explanation about the Denver Broncos’ play to this point. In the offseason there was much criticism of the Broncos’ front office. It started prior to the Broncos’ last regular season game in San Diego and was solidified with the demoralizing loss to the Chargers. The Denver Broncos were heading in a new direction.

Mike Shanahan thought he was going to lunch with his friend and owner Pat Bowlen when he was shown the door. To Mr. Bowlen’s credit, he had to make a very hard business decision that involved a good friend with whom he had shared two NFL Championships.

That is not easy to do, but given some of the recent history that had been built with fruitless results, it seemed as though it was the time to make the move.

The dismissal of Shanahan alone was enough to ignite whatever else happened in the offseason. Little did Broncos Country know the rest of the team roster was about to be set ablaze.

The new coach was introduced at Dove Valley and almost as quickly as he landed in Denver was his selection being second guessed by all credible writers in the Denver media market. It seemed like there were at least two or three other candidates that were interviewed and at least a few of the older school coaches that could have been or even would have made more sense at the time.

The Broncos’ front office under Pat Bowlen’s guidance became enamored with the kid who just so happened to be Bill Belichick’s protégé. There was blind trust, it seemed, in casting everything to the winds of change.

Gone was the leader of the team in Jay Cutler, a number of coaches, and about half of last year’s team. Of the seven players that played tailback for the Broncos last season, only one of them remains on the team roster, that being Peyton Hillis.

On defense, only Champ Bailey retained his same exact starting position. The only other returning starting defenders from last season’s team were given new marching orders as starters under the Broncos’ new 3-4 scheme. Moving to the middle linebacker position was DJ Williams and to the outside linebacker position was Elvis Dumervil.

The Controversial Draft

While the Broncos had a controversial and successful draft, they were criticized for taking Knowshon Moreno and not a solid defensive lineman or linebacker at that position. Then the Broncos traded away one of the first rounders in next year’s draft for a second rounder this season to help bring depth to the defensive backfield this year.

The Broncos also selected tight end Richard Quinn, who was projected to land in much later rounds, at the end of the second round. It seemed the Broncos were not making the wisest selections at those rounds, especially when considering that the Broncos could have picked up Brian Orakpo (DE), Brian Cushing (OLB), Larry English (DE), and Clay Mathews (OLB) to name a few.

Furthermore, the Broncos selected Alphonso Smith (DB) just one pick in front of the Bengals’ selection of Rey Maualuga (MLB), who has impressed already in the young season.

For the Broncos, however, at the time, it was more about what their most pressing needs were for this season to become a success. Certainly any of those other talents mentioned could have contributed to this team, but it was about creating depth for the future and the short run while getting by with the talent on the roster at that point in time.

A Lackluster Training Camp Coupled with a Disappointing Preseason

Much of Broncos Nation and the press were holding their breath once the preseason arrived. Certainly the Broncos were now going to have a new look and feel about them on both sides of the ball.

Enter Kyle Orton as the Broncos’ new quarterback and the new 3-4 defensive philosophy. Everyone knew for this team to step up, there would have to be significant improvement on defense and signs of life on offense.

A week prior to the first preseason game, Kyle Orton did not look sharp in the team scrimmage at Mile High. There was, however, some strong signs of potential in Orton and on defense.

Still, there were the off-field issues with Brandon Marshall and his agent seeking out a trade and then an eventual suspension from the team. Marshall was told to take a break from the team for the remainder of the preseason because of his actions being detrimental to the team.

It seemed all was not well with Brandon and the performance in the preseason would lead one to believe that this was a work in progress.

The Broncos played fairly well in the first preseason game at San Francisco, especially on defense. The team, however, lost against a beatable opponent, even for a preseason game.

Then the Broncos went to Seattle and laid an egg overall. Perhaps they were looking ahead to their next game.

Enter the departed Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears in a game at Mile High that may have been one of the most anticipated preseason games of all time. The Broncos’ first team defense looked very good overall in the game, but Kyle Orton got a significant injury to his throwing hand index finger and it seemed the Broncos might be off to a rough start after losing that game.

As unimpressive as everything else was to this point in the preseason, the final game of the preseason perhaps was a prelude and it could not have had better timing. With the Broncos losing to Jay Cutler and the Bears in their most important preseason game, this team was in need of an even greater spark.

To his credit, Pat Bowlen stuck to his guns and never surrendered the expectations of how his teams should be performing. Additionally, the front office was more media friendly in the offseason than they possibly have been in some time.

Against Arizona, current third string quarterback Tom Brandstater impressed in his first start against the Cardinals and he gave the Broncos fans hope for the future.

Tomorrow, part two of this series will focus on breaking down the regular season thus far.

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos Bye Week Pt. I: Breaking down the Controversial Offseason

Published: October 22, 2009

comment No Comments

A Wave of Shocking Change

It needs to be said and has been said on some levels, but here is the full explanation about the Denver Broncos‘ play to this point. In the offseason there was much criticism of the Broncos‘ front office. It started prior to the Broncos’ last regular season game in San Diego and was solidified with the demoralizing loss to the Chargers. The Denver Broncos were heading in a new direction.

That is not easy to do, but given some of the recent history that had been built with fruitless results, it seemed as though it was the time to make the move.

The dismissal of Shanahan alone was enough to ignite whatever else happened in the offseason. Little did Broncos Country know the rest of the team roster was about to be set ablaze.

The Controversial Draft

Furthermore, the Broncos selected Alphonso Smith (DB) just one pick in front of the Bengals‘ selection of Rey Maualuga (MLB), who has impressed already in the young season.