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Improbable 87-Yard Touchdown Lifts Broncos To Victory

Published: September 13, 2009

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Josh McDaniels has a new claim to fame. He has one of the most unbelievable victories as a first-time head coach in the history of sports.

With all the change the Denver Broncos have undergone this offseason, the most important part of Bronco football decided to stay in town. Mile High Magic showed up in full force when the Broncos defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 12-7 on Sunday.

Perhaps just waiting for the right time to strike, the magic kicked in exactly when Denver needed it. With 11 seconds left and Bronco hopes of a victory seemingly lost, Brandon Stokley took a pass deflected by Leon Hall 87 yards for the win.

While the final score may indicate a classic defensive struggle, it was offensive futility that kept points off the board. Kyle Orton and Carson Palmer played much better than statistics indicate, as many of their good throws resulted in dropped passes. Only three total drives went for more than 40 yards, and these drives accounted for 16 of the 19 points scored.

On the other side of the ball, new safeties Brian Dawkins and Roy Williams led their teams in tackles with 11 and nine, respectively.

Rookie’s Alphonso Smith and Rey Maualuga shined in their NFL debuts, making clutch stops just beyond the line of scrimmage.

The defensive player of the game, though, was Denver’s Andra Davis, who swarmed ball carriers all day, recording three tackles for a loss.

Denver started the game with a dismal offensive effort, running only 17 plays on their first five drives, four of which were three-and-outs. When the Broncos were in scoring position, Matt Prater connected on field goals of 48 and 50 yards to give Denver a slight lead.

The one score advantage would prove to be too little for the Broncos, as the Bengals pulled ahead late on an 11 play, 91 yard drive.

The kind of drive that collectively demoralizes fans and players of the team that just lost the lead. The kind of drive that would have started a new era in Denver on a very sour note.

And then it happened. The kind of play that reminds football fans why they love the game. The kind of play that can, if only for a moment, allow Broncos fans and players to have a laugh and go absolutely nuts. Comic relief courtesy of Mile High Magic.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos: Sizing Up the AFC West

Published: September 9, 2009

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The NFL has a unique ebb and flow that is not found in other professional sports leagues. With few exceptions, teams that dominate the league rarely stay among the elite for more than five seasons.

Perhaps no division has been hit harder by this reality than the AFC West of the last few years. As the Denver Broncos enter the 2009-2010 season, they will face division opponents surrounded by several uncertainties and weaknesses.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are the one team in the AFC West that has not changed its personnel much in the offseason.

With LaDainian Tomlinson’s recent injuries and decrease in production, the passing game has become San Diego’s main offensive threat. In 2008, Philip Rivers posted career highs in completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passer rating.

The Charger passing attack is built primarily on hitch routes and screens, simple passes that most defenses are willing to concede. Once the opposition commits to these short passes, San Diego can open them up by throwing downfield.

By switching to a 3-4 defense, the Broncos will have more speed and more coverage options against the pass, and Denver has signed several veteran defenders who match up better with the Chargers than last year’s defense.

San Diego’s defense is quick and athletic, intimidating opponents with frequent blitzing and hard hits. This could easily disrupt the timing of an already inconsistent quarterback like Kyle Orton, and neutralize the open field skills of Knowshon Moreno. Denver will benefit from the spread offense, designed to neutralize aggressive defenses and force them to account for several offensive options.

With Denver’s offense slightly less talented and defense slightly more talented than last season, look for lower scoring games against San Diego. Also keep an eye out for the Chargers and fourth quarter comebacks; they have a knack for turning certain defeat into thrilling victory in the last fifteen minutes.

Kansas City Chiefs

Like Josh McDaniels, new Kansas City head coach Todd Haley has worked with talented offenses such as Dallas and Arizona in his recent career. Haley takes over a team that finished 31st in total offense in 2007 and 24th in total offense in 2008. With the addition of Matt Cassel, the Chiefs should have more success in the passing game, opening up the ground attack for Larry Johnson, who frequently victimizes the Broncos.

In 2008, Kansas City’s defense finished 28th or worse in sacks, pass defense, rush defense, and points per game. This is the sort of problem that will take at least two seasons to improve upon. Against the Chiefs, Denver will be able to test all aspects of the spread offense, as Kansas City is one of the worst defensive teams the Broncos face all season.

The Chiefs are one of the youngest teams in the league, with 12 of 22 starters having four years of experience or less. The Broncos have only six starters in that category, and should benefit from veteran leadership against the Chiefs in 2009.

This seems to be one matchup that throughout the years has always produced close, competitive contests. Since the 2000 season, the road team in the Denver and Kansas City rivalry has won only three games. Look for one blowout win and one close game between the Broncos and Chiefs in 2009, with the home team winning each time.

Oakland Raiders

Unless Tom Cable makes drastic changes in his first full year as head coach, Oakland will continue to be a below average team. The Raiders have not won more than five games in a season since 2002, and have not improved much in this time period.

There is no question about the talent and speed of the Raider offense featuring JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, Javon Walker, and Darrius Heyward-Bey. The Raiders, however, do not have a solid game plan that maximizes the potential of these skill players. Look for most of the Raider points against Denver in 2009 to be set up by big plays, not sustained drives.

The addition of Richard Seymour will help round out a defense that gave up 192 rushing yards per game in 2008, good for last in the NFL. Against Denver’s spread offense, the Raiders will have matchup issues with the depth of Bronco wide receivers. This will allow Denver to run the ball with ease, something they should be able to do regardless of success in the passing game.

Denver and Oakland will likely play low-scoring games in 2009, as neither team has the firepower to put up high scores. Denver matches up more evenly with Oakland than Kansas City or San Diego, so these will likely be the closest contests of any two division rivals in 2009.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Options for Brandon Marshall

Published: September 2, 2009

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As the Brandon Marshall saga rolls on in Denver, other NFL teams are looking at the four-year veteran as a possible trade option. Newsday reports that the New York Jets are “seriously considering” making a move for the suspended wideout.

Head Coach Josh McDaniels has assured that he wants Marshall to play for the Broncos under his current contract. This draws similarities to the coach’s confidence that Jay Cutler would be Denver’s quarterback in 2009-2010, and Cutler is now in Chicago.

The worst case scenario for Denver is if Marshall comes back under current terms, puts up mediocre statistics, and skips town at season’s end.

If Marshall decides to hold out instead, the Broncos must be prepared to pay or trade him to maximize his value.

Pay

Denver has already lost one franchise player this offseason and cannot afford to let another one go. With the less capable Kyle Orton at quarterback, Marshall’s ability to gain yards after the catch would provide a significant edge to the Bronco passing game. He also has an opportunity to become a leader on offense as one of its most senior and talented members.

Despite the obvious upside, Denver would be foolish to invest millions of dollars in a player not committed to the franchise. If Marshall wants a new contract in Denver, he will have to prove to coaches and teammates that he deserves it, by giving his maximum effort both in practices and games.

Trade

Any trade for Brandon will likely result in a better deal for the team receiving Marshall than for Denver. Interested teams like the Jets are counting on a trade similar to Cutler’s, in which they can get a Pro Bowl caliber player for less than his actual value.

Should the Broncos have to trade Marshall, McDaniels cannot settle for anything less than a first and fourth round pick. This value will allow the coach to address needs at the end of year one through multiple high round picks in the 2010 draft.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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Improbable 87-Yard Touchdown Lifts Broncos To Victory

Denver Broncos: Sizing Up the AFC West

Denver Broncos Options for Brandon Marshall

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