The Denver Broncos’ Problem? An Apparent Lack of Quarterback

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Broncos were stunned.

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

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

What is the Broncos’ answer at quarterback?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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AFC’s Wild West Creates Weird Week for Denver Broncos Fans

Most weeks, the best result for a Broncos fan would be if every other team from the AFC West were to lose and Denver to grab a win. In Week 11, almost the opposite was true in one of the weirdest weeks to be a football fan from the Mile High City.

As the Broncos lined up to face their most competitive division rival in the San Diego Chargers, both teams were tied atop the West and the contest was set up as the biggest game of the season for either squad.

What resulted though, was a dysfunctional and distraught Denver team getting drubbed by the new leader of the division—the Chargers.

 

Chris Simms started at QB but was completely ineffective in the game. He went 2-4 for 10 yards and fumbled momentum away on the first drive of the game after seven straight successful running plays in a row.

After Simms’s third unsuccessful drive in a row, he was benched in favor of the injured Kyle Orton. Apparently Orton felt good enough to go in the second quarter, but not to start the game. Regardless, Orton did not hear a boo today, as New Mile High Stadium erupted in a cheer of excitement for the quarterback that was unwanted until he was injured last week.

Orton marched down the field, 60 yards with three passes, but the Broncos were again halted by a turnover, this time by Knowshon Moreno on the six-inch line. And although Denver was down, they were not out at 13-0 going into the half.

The Broncos finally came up with some momentum to start the third quarter but were held to a field goal. Then, something completely unexpected happened—Josh McDaniels had a momentary lapse in reason.

He decided a surprise onside kick was in order, and it even almost worked until Josh Barrett alligator armed the ball and let it slip through his mitts. The Chargers jumped on the loose pigskin and had less than half the field to go to score the touchdown that put them up three scores with less than 22 minutes left in the game.

It turned out it didn’t matter, because the Broncos couldn’t even score again, and the Chargers poured it on for 12 more points to win 32-3.

 

In all, the Broncos offense lacked balance, made the switch to Orton too late and left him in too late, and McDaniels took way too many risks too early.

Denver ran only 17 times all day, compared to 33 pass attempts, meaning they ran only 10 times after Simms fumble in the first drive of the game. While Orton can pass decently enough, constant passing gives the defense a better chance at stopping throws. And the Broncos averaged over 6.8 yards per rush, showing they should have stayed with a more balanced attack.

Even though Kyle Orton gave the Denver team and crowd a shot in the arm, he was put in too late in the contest to really make a difference. If you’re going to put an injured quarterback in, let him start and give him the chance to win the game. McDaniels must have felt the Broncos needed to abandon the game plan completely, even though they were only down two scores, and Orton passed over and over again.

And if Orton was really too injured to start, he should not have been behind center to finish the game—especially with the Broncos next game in four days against the Giants on Thanksgiving.

To go along with McDaniels mistakes in play-calling, he further looked like a rookie head coach by gambling too early and too often on Sunday. First, McDaniels missed on the onside attempt, then, on the Broncos’ next drive, he went for a 4th-and-5, which came up incomplete.

Sure, the field goal would have been from 57 yards, but kicker Matt Prater has a big enough leg and Denver needed points not more disappointment.

In the end, teams are 29-0 this season when they are on the positive side of a 3-0 turnover differential and coughing the ball up took away Denver’s chance of winning Sunday. But besides those miscues, the Broncos also committed nine penalties and the coaching staff was a complete no-show against the Chargers in a midseason playoff game.

 

And now, as Denver was sitting atop the AFC five weeks ago, the Broncos have slipped to seventh and out of the playoffs if they were to begin today.

Luckily for Denver, both the Chiefs and Raiders won Sunday against current AFC playoff teams. Oakland beat Cincinnati, meaning the Bengals are only one game ahead of the Broncos and Denver would have the head-to-head tiebreaker. And since Kansas City defeated Pittsburgh in overtime 27-24, the Broncos are tied with the Jaguars and Steelers at 6-4.

Denver would have to leap-frog Pittsburgh in the standings though, since the Steelers beat the Broncos two weeks ago.

So, things could be worse for Denver heading into a very short week in which they face the also 6-4 New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day.

Let’s face it; Kyle Orton must play on Thursday for two reasons. First, he has to save face with the fans and gut out a performance despite being hurt. And second, the Broncos have seemingly no chance if Simms has to go the whole game.

At some point, the struggling Broncos have to catch a break, or they will be broken.

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More Than a Tailspin: The Denver Broncos Are Now in an All Out Free-Fall

It’s official. The floodgates have opened. The Denver Broncos‘ three game tailspin is over. It’s now a full on free-fall.

Today’s 32-3 pounding at home to the rival San Diego Chargers is the fourth consecutive loss for the Broncos, and none of those games have really been close.

The Broncos are being dominated on offense, and their once vaunted defense is struggling to keep up. To their credit, they have been putting in their best effort, as they held the Chargers to only three touchdowns on seven red zone trips.

It has now been clearly established that Chris Simms is incapable of competing in the NFL anymore. A once viable starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Simms was nearly killed three years ago when his spleen was ruptured in a game against the Carolina Panthers.

Simms was signed by the Broncos this offseason to be the primary backup and played well in preseason. However, in nearly four quarters of regular season action, Simms has failed to produce, totaling five completions on 17 attempts for a total of 23 yards, an interception, and a lost fumble.

The situation became so bad that Josh McDaniels was forced to put the injured Kyle Orton into the game late in the second quarter, as the Simms-led offense was going nowhere.

Orton and the offense showed signs of life for a short period of time just before halftime, as Orton executed two nice passes to Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Marshall to get to the San Diego four yard line. However, Knowshon Moreno fumbled at the goal line and killed the drive.

The Broncos look like a shell of the team that was once flying high at 6-0 going into their bye week. At 6-4 they are now one game behind San Diego in the AFC West race and are right in the middle of the wild card race.

Despite having a respectable record, there is very little to be respected in this Broncos team.

The lack of commitment to the ground game, the frustrating predictability of the play calling, and bad fundamentals make the Broncos look like the team people thought they would be going into the season.

After being blown out by Baltimore and Pittsburgh, the team was still capable of getting back on their feet, but the ensuing loss to Washington and the injury to Orton put them in an uphill battle. This loss only makes the hill steeper.

The Monday night win in San Diego seems distant and the days of a potent offense and lights-out defense are quickly fading.

With a short week and a date on Thanksgiving Night Football this Thursday against the Giants, the Broncos will get another opportunity to snap out of this free-fall.

The outcome of Thursday’s game could very well be the difference between hanging in the AFC playoff race and quietly “slipping” under the proverbial water.

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Denver Broncos Lose Four Straight: Not so Easy, Is It, Josh McDaniels?

Success came to you too early, you little punk.

Sure, you took advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime “immaculate deflection” to beat the upstart Cincinnati Bengals in Week One and surprised a few people with wins over New England and the Dallas Cowgirls, who looked impressive at the time. 

But much like the rookie wall has hit the overrated Mark Sanchez, it has similarly hit you—right in your big fat mouth.

I don’t know what I dislike more about you: your brash attitude that comes from rising to the top too soon for a job for which you are unqualified, your Bill Belichick-wannabe pullover, or that you eagerly skipped off the field when you played the Cowgirls.

I found it hilarious when you ran Jay Cutler, a Pro Bowl quarterback on your putrid team, out of town. I eagerly waited for Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall to follow suit.

Nice start to the season. But did you really think you could win with Kyle Orton and a bunch of overrated hacks on the defensive line? Reality has finally caught up with you.

Losses to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Washington, and now San Diego. Three of the four within conference? Ouch. How does that feel with no Orton to bail you out?

What’s the Broncos upcoming schedule look like?

Not too good if you’re a Broncos fan (both of you).

Next week, it’s home against the resurgent Giants. You know, the same place you’ve already lost to San Diego and Pittsburgh.

Then it’s off to Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs, winners of 2-of-3 and who just beat those fading Steelers.

That won’t be as easy as you think, especially when you consider divisional rivals always step up for games.

Then you travel to Peyton’s place against the Cowtown Colts, which is an automatic loss.

Still feeling good about those playoffs?

You finish the season against lowly Oakland, then to Philadelphia, which should be fighting for their playoff lives, and finally at home against Kansas City.

If you win two of the three, I’d be impressed.

So what does the future look like and what does it mean?

vs NYG—L, 6-5

@ KC—L, 6-6 (six straight losses)

@ Indy—L (by 17), 7 straight losses

vs. Jokeland—W, but probably by 10 or less in a hard fought win

@ Philly—L

vs. KC—could go either way but, at your place, it’s probably a loss

So, from a sparkling, but now easily misleading 6-0 to a potential 8-8 record, that’s how I see the Broncos’ season ending.

Somewhere Jerry McGuire is singing “Free Falling” because that is exactly what you’re doing, ol’ wet-behind-the-ears McDaniels.

All that’s left is playing the games and wondering where it all went wrong for the perennial 8-8 second-place boys from Colorado. NFL postseason picks” target=”_blank”>I had you going 6-10 prior to the season . 

I can see that you’re doing your best to not disappoint. In fact, if you play your cards right, you can still make me look like the winner that you’re not, simply by losing out. Can you do that for me, Josh? Can you lose out?

Can you have a collapse that would make the Lions envious?

Maybe you can get your old job back with a real coach if you beg hard enough. After all, since you look like you’re 12, old Bill may just feel sorry for you, Mr. McDaniels.

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Week 12 NFL Predictions: Playoffs or Not?

Green Bay plays Detroit in the early Thanksgiving game. The Packers have good match-ups and can control this game. Take Green Bay to be at 7-4 possibly.

Dallas has a showcase game against Oakland in the house that Jerry built. Dallas wins on Thanksgiving, almost always. Home teams on holidays are money.

The last Thanksgiving game is Denver at home against the Giants. Both teams need the win. Denver and the home crowd should win a close one.

Seattle is at the St. Louis rest stop in the NFL. Seattle gets a win at last.

Miami at 5-5 can handle Buffalo, and stay in a playoff race, A string of wins is needed.

Cleveland travels to Cincinnati and gets mauled by the hungry Bengals. The Bengals will be at a healthy 9-2, and the second-best team in the AFC.

Houston can put themselves in a nice position, and maybe a 7-4 record. This would be my upset pick of the week. Houston at home. Matt Schaub gets points every week. Take care of the football, Houston.

Atlanta will outscore Tampa Bay by double in a rout in Atlanta. The Falcons have to win this one, for early playoff implications.

Philadelphia has Washington, at home, where they are really good. In the Eagles scheme must be balance. Could be low scoring, with the pass defenses. Take the Eagles at home.

Carolina has nothing to lose at 4-6 now, so the Jets get caught by the I don’t care, fancy-free style, which will beat you sometimes. Delhomme looks unbeatable in this one. Panthers win in upset.

The Forty-Niners host the Jags and can win this game, with defense. Stop one receiver, and one running back and you win. Simple formula if you can pull it off. San Francisco wins big in this one, however. Frank Gore, two Touchdowns.

San Diego should have no trouble with Kansas City in a division game. The Chargers at home are a comfortable pick.

Minnesota wins their home game against Chicago for a chokehold on that division. New Orleans and Minnesota is going to be a good one.

The Cardinals on the road have been great, so is the clunker due? Tennessee is desperate to get this win at home. I think they get after Warner early, and Chris Johnson gets a couple of early scores.

Tennessee wins a close one at home.

They just keep getting better, as Pittsburgh travels to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Pittsburgh and Baltimore really need the win here. This will be a war. Steelers just seem better than the Ravens this season. Take Pittsburgh in another close one.

New England travels to New Orleans in a big Monday Night Football game. I like Tom Brady to win this game on the last possession.

For the season, I am around 106-52 in my pick articles with no point spreads. In my weekly point spread articles, I am 91-67 approximately following Week 11 action.

Have a great week and good luck to all your teams.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland

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Round Two: Chargers and Broncos Fight for First in the AFC West

It’s amazing when a team one year erases a four-game lead in as many weeks to get to into the playoffs and win the AFC West. But it’s unheard of when a team does it two years in a row as the San Diego Chargers (6-3) look to recreate their Super Charger Power and obliterate another four-game lead in as many weeks over the Denver Broncos.

 

The question I ask myself, is whether it’s the Broncos fault for losing their lead, or the Chargers for battling back with their backs against the wall?

 

Many would say in 2009 it was the Broncos slip-up that caused their demise. With only having to win one game out of the last three, Denver gets beat badly at Carolina, loses a heart-breaking loss to Buffalo at home, and then loses to the Chargers in the final game for all the marbles.

 

After starting the season 6-0, the Broncos (6-3) cooled off after their bye week and lost their next three. The Broncos last three games resulted in double-digit loses. Their defense has been unable to contain the run, and disappeared at times while the offense has gone on ice.

 

It doesn’t get any better for the Broncos as Kyle Orton has been ruled out against the Chargers. That means Chris Simms will take the helm. With a second chance for redemption it will be nice to see how the Broncos face adversity along with first-year Head Coach Josh McDaniels.

 

In order for the Broncos to beat the Chargers this weekend, they must play to their biggest strength being in the homely confines of Invesco Field. To keep the fans in the game, the Broncos must keep the game close. That means the duo of backs, rookie Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalther, are going to need to be effective in the running and short passing game for Simms. And with the offense struggling, the defense is going to have to play like it did in the first six weeks and special teams are going to have to be spectacular as they were Monday night against the Chargers.

 

To get back to the question, the Chargers have played and battled tough opponents, and have come out victorious, so they are just as responsible for the huge climb

 

The Chargers know all too well about the Bronco rivalry, which I feel gives them the biggest advantage of all. The similarity in this game to last year’s battle, as far as divisional and playoff implications go, is remarkable. All of the stars on the Chargers, including coaching staff, have the experience in playing in this type of game against the Broncos, and the Broncos bring many fresh-young new faces to this crucial game.

 

Without the Broncos starting quarterback Kyle Orton out, the Chargers seem to be the heavy favorite, and as long as they win the turnover battle and keep the Broncos away from easy points the Chargers should have no problem with the Broncos come Sunday. 

 

It will be an electrifying game at Invesco Field as each team looks to whether the storm and dictate the tempo of the game.  

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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

Have Sports Mascots and Stadium Names Crossed The Line?

Where do professional sports teams draw the line? Is there a line to be drawn?

All across the sports globe, there are questionable if not borderline offensive and derogatory mascots and stadium names.

Or are there?

This topic was recently brought to my attention by fellow Bleacher Reporter Chaz Mattson, a fellow Denver Broncos columnist who sparked my interest with an enlightening debate.

The topic at hand was the Washington Redskins, and we were at disagreement over whether or not their mascot was offensive to Native Americans.

Maybe it is, but any offense taken by those whose heritage is that of the Native Americans is simply selfishness on their part.

I mean no offense by this whatsoever. I realize, acknowledge, and am embarrassed at the fact that this nation of people suffered mass genocide and horrid treatment from European men taking over this country.

It is absolutely wrong, but that does not mean that the term Redskin cannot be used in good spirit. The team means no offense by it, and as the 90,000 plus who visit the biggest stadium in professional football eight weeks a year prove that not only is this mascot loved, its name is held in high regard.

But what if this team were called the Washington Whiteskins? The Washington Blackskins? 

Would it be offensive then?

As a white person myself, I can honestly say no.

Now, my family and ancestors did not suffer the same way Native Americans did.  They did not endure genocide in this way. But in this day and age, the term “Redskin” is often considered pejorative and a good majority of Native Americans are enraged that this term is being used so loosely.

My advice: Don’t watch the Washington Redskins.

If you don’t like something, then don’t support it. But don’t ruin it for those who do support it either. For a vast majority of the people who support the Redskins, they do not take the name in vain. They hold it in high regard.

But if the term “Redskin” as a sports team is offensive to someone, then we might as well throw out every other pro sports team’s name and mascot.

The Bears play at Soldier Field. Should soldiers be offended by it? Should those who have seen war or lost loved ones at war file a lawsuit against the Chicago Bears for the stadium they play in?

The Miami Hurricanes better change their nickname as well. There have simply been too many people lost to hurricanes to associate a game with the term.

Let’s not forget the hundreds of other Native American nicknames in sports like the Indians, Seminoles, Illini, and Fighting Sioux.

The New Jersey Devils had better change their nickname for Christians, because Satan is the enemy of God. 

As a Christian myself, my parents never allowed me to follow anything Devils or even the Tampa Bay Rays when they were called the Devil Rays. It’s okay to not follow a team because you do not agree with their name.

Do I take offense to the Devils because of their choice of mascot? Absolutely not.

Do I agree with it? Absolutely not.

We all need to remember what we are talking about here–sports.

The Redskins are part of the game of football. There is no blasphemy going on whatsoever. 

Obviously, this is only my opinion, and there are those who will hate me for it. I am sorry.

I respect the views and customs of all races, but I do not agree with boycotting or taking offense to sports nicknames. If you are one who does, I simply say with all due respect do not follow those teams, and please do not ruin the game for those who do.

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The Bird Is The Word: Ten People Bronco Fans Should Flip Off

It was one of the most bizarre scenes of this and perhaps any other NFL season.

In the waning moments of the Tennessee Titans‘ 41-17 romp over the Buffalo Bills, there was Titans owner Bud Adams giving Bills’ fans a two-middle finger salute that just happened to be caught by a fan’s iPhone camera.  The impromptu celebration led the league to fine Adams $250,000, pocket change to the man for sure.

This is where the joy of being a fan comes in.  Fans can go to the game and show whomever they want on the field the bird and not face a fine like that. Now, showing the finger to fellow fan may earn them a black eye, but let’s keep our attention on the people on the field.

In the Denver Broncos‘ 50 year history, there have been plenty of villains worthy of a one fingered Mile High Salute. Here is a list of just 10:

1. Jay Cutler 

Let’s start with the incredibly obvious one.  Now, the reason behind giving Cutler the finger is not that his selfish behavior and immediate trade doomed the franchise to years of misery, in fact, it’s had the opposite effect as evidenced by the Broncos‘ surprising run this season.

Cutler’s main offense is that he basically desecrated the team Broncos fans hold so near and dear to their heart.  Note to any future Broncos quarterback: never EVER say you have a stronger arm than John Elway before you have even led the Broncos to a winning season, let alone a playoff berth; Cutler did it.

His second offense is that in the immediate weeks preceding his trade to Chicago, Cutler blew off not only Josh McDaniels, but Pat Bowlen;big no no.  Never ever blow off the owner, especially one as well respected as Mr. Bowlen.

2. Bill Romanowski 

This one hurts more than Cutler to me because “Romo” was the heart and soul of the Broncos defense that won Super Bowls XXXII and XXIII.  The thing is, I’m not talking about Romanowski hacking a loogie in the face of JJ Stokes during a game against the 49ers in the regular season. Romanowski did something potentially even worse;he signed with the Oakland Raiders.

As if that act of treason wasn’t bad enough, in his post football career, he has now become the Silver and Black’s biggest cheerleader.  As evidence, take a look at his Twitter feed.

For shame, sir.  For shame.

3. Wade Phillips 

The head coach who never should have been hired.

After the Broncos had a fallout with Dan Reeves following the 1992 season, Bowlen opted to hire Phillips.  The move made sense as Phillips was Reeves’ friend and protege, but secretly it seemed everyone knew that franchise quarterback John Elway wanted Mike Shanahan.

A 9-7 season in 1993 followed by a 7-9 season in 1994 led to Phillips’ firing and hiring of Shanahan.  Some believe Elway would have gotten his first ring sooner had Shanahan been hired right away in 1993,we’ll never know.

4. Willie Clark

OK, we’ve had some fun, but it’s time to be serious.  For those of you who don’t know who Willie Clark is he is the man who is accused of (and has confessed to) the murder of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams on New Year’s Eve 2006.

Williams was leaving a party with teammate Javon Walker when their limousine came under fire with Williams reportedly dying in Walker’s lap.

Williams had just concluded a promising 2006 season in which he recorded 86 tackles and four interceptions.  It seemed like he was a rising star for the Broncos.

It was a sad and senseless death and Broncos fans have Clark’s stupidity to thank for that.

5. Jake Plummer

I realize Plummer still has some backers amongst Broncos fans even today and he did lead the Broncos to their lone playoff victory since the retirement of Elway.

That said, Plummer made an incredibly stupid decision after a game in 2006 when Plummer decided to tell Broncos fans they were number one, but in a not-so-nice way.

Fans were already on the fence with Plummer and this little incident no doubt made the calls to start the then-rookie Cutler even louder. Plummer’s penchant for making mistakes coupled with this little doozie are what put the Jay Cutler era on track for the Broncos.

Oh, the irony.

6. Any Oakland Raiders fan

It’s a rivalry, both teams hate each other, as do their respective fans.  Shanahan’s feud with Raiders owner Al Davis only added fuel to what was a fire already burning out of control.

Couple this with the Broncos and Raiders slugging it out for playoff berths in the early part of this decade, and you have a recipe for a rivalry filled with blood curdling hate.

7. Analysts and the sports media in general

Doomed. Screwed. Destined for a top 10 pick in the 2010 draft.

Those were all words and phrases used to describe how the Broncos would fare doing the 2009 season.  While the season isn’t quite over and the Broncos are currently in the midst of a three game losing streak, it’s pretty safe to say the media disrespected not only Bowlen and McDaniels, but Broncos fans as well.

They thought the fanbase would be split after the divisive debate following the trade of Cutler; nope, didn’t happen.  Broncos fans proved it was team first and individual player second,  just like the team itself believes.

8.  The Jacksonville Jaguars

OK, it’s not a person, but rather a collective sum of people.

No Broncos fan will ever forget the excitement of the 1996 regular season, only to be followed by the heartbreak of the 30-27 defeat to the Jaguars at home in the divisional round.

This was supposed to be the season the Broncos put everything together and finally won the Super Bowl, instead, it was only another early round fizzle.

Yes, the Broncos got revenge in the wild card round of the playoffs the following season, but still many fans believe that the Jaguars robbed the Broncos of the chance to be the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles.

9. Kent Graham

It looked like the 1998 Denver Broncos would finally do it.

After starting the season 13-0, the Broncos faced what should have been an easy win against the Giants in week 15.  The Broncos just came off an emotional win at home over Kansas City that set the stage for the Broncos to complete the first perfect regular season since the Miami Dolphins did it in 1972, but not if Kent Graham had anything to say about it.

Graham replaced the struggling Danny Kanell earlier in the season because the Giants needed this game to keep their playoff hopes alive.  A desperation heave by Kanell to Amani Toomer sealed a win and ended the Broncos dream of an 19-0 season.

10. Al Davis

Heck, even Raiders and Broncos fans can agree to something together.  Find a big enough idiot and everyone can rally against him.

Conclusion 

There you go Broncos fans, now tell them they’re number one.

 

 

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