The 2009 Denver Broncos: Shades of Super Bowl Years, or Last Year?

Okay, Broncos fans, reality check time is upon us.

Sure, Denver started out 6-0, and literally everything went the Broncos way in those games.

First, Brandon Stokley caught an 87-yard tipped ball for a touchdown to beat the Bengals in Week One. Next, when the Broncos played the Cowboys, Champ Bailey stopped back-to-back passes that could have tied the game up.

Then, Kyle Orton led Denver on a 98-yard drive to tie the game against the Patriots, and took the Broncos down the field to have Matt Prater win the game in overtime.

The cherry on top of the good luck sundae was Eddie Royal taking both a kickoff and a punt back for a touchdown, and Denver won against the division rival Chargers 34-23.

The hot start was reminiscent of many great Broncos’ starts, as every time they’ve gone 5-0, Denver has also gone to a Super Bowl. But, like last year, was Denver counting its chickens before they were hatched?

The Broncos started 4-1 in 2008, only to fall to 4-4. And even when they thought the division was wrapped up at 8-5, Denver lost the last three games and the AFC West to San Diego.

Now, the Broncos are looking at a possible relapse into their downfalls of last year, and are finding new ways to lose in 2009 as well.

Denver’s defense led the Broncos to their six-game winning streak, but now it looks somewhat soft. All game, at any time, the Steelers were able to pass on Denver’s D, even though the pass rush was better than most weeks.

And really, one could argue that the defense kept the Broncos in the game. Kenny Peterson forced Ben Roethlisberger to fumble and Robert Ayers took the ball to the house to take the lead 10-3. Then, as Pittsburgh was threatening to score while up four points already, when Andre Goodman picked a pass off at the goal line.

But the defense did seem tired at points, and allowed the Steelers to stretch their lead to 11, at 21-10, and eventually Pittsburgh put in another score to win 28-10.

Was it really their fault, though?

The offense was dismal to say the least in the second half, scoring zero points when their team needed it most, and only ran 19 plays after halftime. Their six drives amounted to four punts and two interceptions in the third and fourth quarters, definitely not enough to give the team a chance to win.

And let’s be clear here, the real problem with the offense, and the one position that has been affecting the entire Broncos team for the last two weeks—is quarterback Kyle Orton.

Orton has been efficient, but far from explosive in 2009, the definition of a “game manager” but he doesn’t ever have the ability to take a game over.

Orton showed in this game, that the only thing an opposing defense has to do is get within three yards of him; because Orton will take his eyes from downfield to up close if he thinks he might see contact.

Let’s face it, Orton is similar to a sloth when he tries to move in the pocket, but tonight he showed signs of “happy feet” which translates to scared play.

A quarterback cannot make solid throws, let alone read the defense when he’s afraid to be hit—therefore, the offense struggles.

Also, Josh McDaniels basically abandoned the run in the second half, and the Steelers knew they could blitz and force Orton to throw quickly.

While it seems McDaniels’ offense is the wave of the future, with its short, precision passing and misdirections—the young coach needs to gamble and go deep sometimes.

Not attacking the safeties deep allows them to suck up close to the line of scrimmage and attack both the run and the QB.

So really, the problem is two-fold—McDaniels won’t throw the ball deep, but it’s because Orton doesn’t have the arm strength.

So, while Denver may be a good team, and will likely make the postseason, they cannot win a championship until they find a franchise quarterback—something McDaniels traded away before the season began.

But, even if the Broncos had Jay Cutler, it would not necessarily mean they would even be 6-2, let alone better.

So for the Denver faithful, let’s all count our blessings and be happy the Broncos are atop the AFC West and in a position to make to playoffs this year, even if we may not compete for the Super Bowl quite yet.

Still, not a bad first year for an incredibly young head coach in the pressure-packed NFL.

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Get the Cables: After Loss To Steelers, Broncos Need a Jump Start

16 games. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.

Coaches preach these two phrases to their players privately and publicly every week of the NFL season.  They expect their players to maintain a high level of energy all season and not exhaust themselves during a stretch of five or six games.

Apparently, the Denver Broncos never got the memo.

After an absolutely scintillating start to the season, a season in which the Broncos were expected to compete for a top ten draft pick, the Broncos have come crashing down to Earth. Hard.

During their magical 6-0 run to begin the 2009 campaign, the Broncos showed the poise and energy of a team bound to be one the great Cinderella stories in NFL history.  After the most tumultuous offseason in team history, the Broncos were winning games in all sorts of different ways from a miraculous catch to beat the Bengals to bruising victories over the Cowboys and Patriots.

Now, after back to back losses against the Ravens and Steelers, the Broncos have fallen flat.  Like a car left running with its lights on and stereo booming, it seems like the Broncos are out of juice and require a jump start.

If you want evidence of this look at the tape of the Broncos’ win over the Chargers before the bye and then last week’s loss to the Ravens and this week’s loss to the Steelers. It seems like there were two entirely different football teams on the field.  The offense was making plays all over and the defense was constantly swarming around the ball.

Not anymore.

During last week’s 30-7 loss at Baltimore, the Broncos were constantly outplayed by the Ravens and the Broncos never were able to match the energy level of their opponent.  The Ravens were a desperate team and desperate teams are dangerous.  The Broncos just could not keep pace with them.

Same for this week’s game, especially the second half.  The Broncos were once again outhustled and noticeably lacked the fire and passion that they had showed in the first half, despite trailing 7-3 going into the break. As the second half wore on, the Broncos did something previous thought inconceivable of this group of players:

They quit.

Now, I don’t mean that they quit as in “Oh we’re screwed, let’s go home.”  I meant that they quit because they were exhausted.  it seems like they put so much effort into getting off to such a strong start in the first six games that they emotionally exhausted themselves.  The team was so gung ho about proving all the doubters wrong that they forgot the season was a marathon and not a sprint. 

Most fans will be pointing fingers at Kyle Orton and Josh McDaniels.  They will criticize Orton for going back into shell, making boneheaded turnovers, and afraid to throw the deep ball.  They will crow that McDaniels didn’t vary the playbook enough during the Steeler game and that the Steelers defense was able to figure out the Broncos in the second half.  Both are valid criticisms, but that isn’t what’s important.

What’s important is how to fix it going forward.  It is no longer important who did or did not do what that could have swung some key situations into the Broncos favor.  The Broncos need to find out what is wrong and get better.  Each player needs to look at himself and ask “what can I do better to help the team?” 

As McDaniels is so fond of saying, DO YOUR JOB.  As long as everyone does their job and not worry about everyone else’s job, the Broncos should be able to shake out of this funk.

They don’t have much of a choice.  After all, the suddenly dangerous Chargers are now only one game back.

Broncos fans are beginning to feel like they have seen this before.  They can only hope for a better outcome.

Looking Ahead

If there is such a thing as a perfect opportunity for a “bounce back game,” the Broncos have it this weekend.

This Sunday, the Broncos travel to our nation’s capital to take on the Washington Redskins, believed by many to be the worst team in the NFL.  With a almost certain lame duck head coach and an inept quarterback, the Broncos should be in prime position to get back on a winning track.

However, as the Green Bay Packers showed us this past week in losing to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, games like this are easy to overlook.

For the Broncos’ sake, they had better not.  Otherwise, this surprising and happy season could turn tragic real quick.

 

Follow Kris Burke on Twitter @KBurkeNFL

 

 

 

 

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Come To Think of It: Broncos’ Anemic Offense Rears Its Ugly Head

I’m a Bears fan, but the Denver Broncos have become my adopted team it seems, as this is the fourth article I’ve written about them since the start of the season. So it’s no sour grapes when I say that the defense I’ve been purporting as the main reason for their success just couldn’t overcome an offense that was weak on Monday night versus the Steelers.

Yes, that defense couldn’t stop the Steelers’ running game. But it was the offense that lost this one for Denver. Hey, I’m the first to admit that Kyle Orton is an efficient QB and that Jay Cutler hasn’t been as good as advertised.

Still, this is about the time last season when Orton went into the tank. Of course, his comeback from an ankle injury was blamed at the time, but I wonder if this is the start of something sinister with regards to Orton.

Three interceptions after throwing only one all year is a red flag. But let’s not let one bad game panic anyone. That running game for Denver tonight didn’t help anything either.

Sure, give credit to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But to show you what a crazy game football is, my Bears beat the Steelers earlier this year despite being a terrible team. Over two of the past three games, the Bears have looked like one of the worst teams in the NFL.

And the one win in that three-game span? To the Rams. ‘Nuff said.

Yet Denver, enjoying a very fine season, loses to the same Pittsburgh team. I told you it’s crazy.

So do you simply chalk this one up to a very good Steelers team and tip your cap, or does the two-game losing streak begin to scare you?

And can Kyle Orton recover and get back to his winning ways? Those are the questions, Denver fans, come to think of it.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Broncos Taking Late Action

Tonight’s pivotal matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) and Denver Broncos is just the second Monday Night Football game of the 2009 season between non-divisional opponents.

In the first such contest, the home team Dallas Cowboys had little trouble disposing of the winless Carolina Panthers, 27-7 in Week Three.

Aside from tonight’s game being between two non-divisional Conference foes, there are very few similarities to compare with that Panthers-Cowboys matchup, including the popular vote amongst bettors.

Late money seems to be moving the betting line at online sportsbooks away from the Super Bowl champs and onto the home town Broncos. Searching across the Web for line tracking services that post betting odds reveals that taking Denver plus the points comes with a price. And some of the more exotic sportsbooks are even posting lines of Pittsburgh -2.5!

A pitiful 2-10 ATS mark for favorites on NFL Sunday betting is likely the biggest reason for the sudden change of heart with bettors. Capped by Philadelphia’s awful clock management, poor use of timeouts and pitiful play-calling in general, which led to a home upset loss against Dallas, betting favorites on Sunday led many to the poorhouse.

Normally when favorite bettors get beaten badly on Sunday, though, the course of action includes reloading the online betting account, putting an absurd amount of money down on the Monday Night favorite and watching history repeat itself. Pittsburgh has won four in a row, haven’t they?

Denver (6-1 SU) is coming off its worst performance of the season but it does set this game up for a system play that has paid bettors at an amazing 91-percent rate since 1970. It was provided Monday by Greg Dempson on BRTV.

Play ON a Monday night home team off a non shutout road loss last week when they allowed 30 or more points and lost straight-up by 21 or more points. (No bye in-between)

Record since 1970: 20-2 ATS (91-percent)

As a home dog against the likes of Dallas or New England, Denver received very little attention. Two upset wins and a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS home record later, they are a very likable home pup. Overall the Broncos have a 4-1 ATS record in five games as an underdog this season against teams with a combined 26-13 SU record.

When online sportsbooks posted the line seven days ago, bettors were still digesting the first blemish on Denver’s record. Line movement was insignificant through the first six days of betting but anyone making picks on the Broncos in the final countdown to kickoff is now paying a price of inflated juice on the line.

Perhaps Denver’s perfect 3-0 ATS all-time mark as a Monday Night Football home underdog has something to do with it. Or could it be that NFL bettors are just starting to believe?

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NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

NFL Power Rankings for each week will be posted between Sunday night and Monday morning.

They are are subject to change pending the results of Monday night’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Denver Broncos game.

 

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

The Arizona Cardinals jump into the top 10 with a 41-21 win over the Chicago Bears.

There seems to be three groups of teams in the first half of the 2009 season: the elite eight, the mediocre sixteen, and eight teams that look.

The Arizona Cardinals fall into the mediocre sixteen, as they just can’t seem to maintain a winning streak.

The Cardinals need some help defensively and could use a spark in their running game.

 

9. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

The Falcons reenter the top ten as Michael Turner continues to silence doubters after his early season struggles.

Michael Turner rushed for 166 yards against a Redskins team that, despite years of big spending from Daniel Snyder, continues to get worse.

The Falcons are now 4-0 in home games.

Similarly to the Cardinals, if the Falcons can become more competitive on the road, they could find themselves among the premiere teams in the NFL.

With games against the Panthers, Giants, Eagles, and Saints in four of the next five, fans should know more about who the Falcons truly are by the end of November.

Read more at Associated Content

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NFL Power Rankings Week 10

As of the writing of this article, the Monday night game has not been played yet, here are my top 10 NFL teams for the NFL Power Rankings for Week 10

In spite of tough games, Week 9 of the NFL saw the two undefeated teams in New Orleans and Indianapolis remain undefeated.

Dallas pulled a great victory against Philadelphia. New England pulled another against the Dolphins and Cincinnati and proved they were for real with their victory over the Ravens.

NFL Power Rankings for Week 10 – Top 10 teams:

Team – 10 for NFL Power Rankings Week 10: San Diego Chargers (5-3)

The San Diego Chargers pulled a comeback victory against the New York Giants. Although the New York Giants have been falling apart, this was a big win for the San Diego Chargers and earns them a spot in the top 10 for the NFL Power Rankings heading into week 10.

San Diego has a big game in week 10 hosting another NFC East team, the Philadelphia Eagles

Week 10 Game: Philadelphia @ San Diego

Team – 9 for NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

While in alert, Arizona and Kurt Warner made no mistiakes with Chicago in Week 9. There offense was clicking on all cylinders, and did it without Anquan Boldin. Arizona improved to 5-3 and has a 2-game league in the NFC West. Look for Arizona to lock up this weak division early.

Week 10 Game: Seattle @ Arizona

Team – 8 for NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Denver Broncos (Yet to play)

I have just written this article before the Monday night game with Denver playing Pittsburgh. I am ranking them here based on the prediction that they will lose this game.

No doubt, Denver is a solid team but I feel they will be coming back to the ground soon. After Pittsburgh they have an easier match up at Washington for week 10.

Week 10 Game: Denver @ Washington

Team – 7 for NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

The Cincinnati Bengals proved that they were for real   for victory over Baltimore. They are back to giving Pittsburgh at run for there money in the AFC North division.

The important thing which is to be noticed, Cincinnati Bengals proved that they are not only about offense as their defense led the way in this big victory over the Ravens. Cincinnati has a tough match up in week 10 at Pittsburgh.

Week 10 Game: Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

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

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?”

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Denver Broncos: Keys To the Pittsburgh Steelers Game

1. Pressure, Pressure, Pressure

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best passing attacks in the NFL. They rank fifth in yards per game and have a talented QB and receivers. The Broncos need to disrupt this passing game if they plan on shutting down the Steelers.

If the Broncos can put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger and not give him enough time for his receiver’s routes to develop, it would go a long way towards shutting down the Steelers aerial game. It might even force a few turnovers.

Mike Nolan is sure to have a bunch of blitzes dialed for this game and hopefully the Broncos defensive players will be able to wrap up Big Ben and take him down before he gets the ball out to the likes of Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.

 

2. Establish the Run

This is going to be a tough task for the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh has the best run defense in the NFL and some of the league’s most physical defenders.

If the Broncos can establish the run with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter and force the Steelers to over-commit in the box, that will open up the passing game and allow Kyle Orton to get the ball to his receivers in open space.

 

3. Get ahead early

So far in 2009, Denver has been a second-half team. Even though they often find themselves trailing at halftime, they have been able to comeback and win in the second half.

Physical teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers are not easy to come from behind against. The Broncos learned this last week against the Ravens and were dealt their first loss of the season.

If the Broncos can put the first points on the board and get out to an early lead, it will be a daunting task for the Steelers to comeback on the road.

 

4. Someone Needs To Have a Big Game for the Broncos

This nationally televised game should be a heated contest between two of the game’s best. In big games like this, teams need big-time performances.

If Denver is hoping to get a “W” in this one, they need a monster individual game from someone.

Whether its two-plus sacks for Elvis Dumervil, multiple touchdowns from Brandon Marshall, an interception by Champ Bailey or Brian Dawkins, or a near perfect passing day by Kyle Orton, the Broncos are going to need someone to step up if they want to beat the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

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

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

Denver Broncos Sign Veteran Cornerback Ty Law

If only they had put this unit together at the start of the decade…

In a relatively unexpected move, the Denver Broncos have agreed to a contract with veteran cornerback Ty Law, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Law re-joins the league after stints with the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, and you guessed it:  The New England Patriots.

Pending a physical, Law will join the Broncos tonight and will give the Broncos the NFL‘s most illustrious defensive backfield along with Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins.

This sign comes as a bit of a surprise, and no word was given as to whom Law will be replacing on Denver’s roster.  Jack Williams has been limited in practice of late with an injury, and Alphonso Smith has also been battling injury this season.

 

 

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