Broncos Statistics Show They Are a Team

The opening introduction of coach Josh McDaniels to the Denver media was what most would probably expect. It was a lot of coach speak about players and forging a vision of how to build a team.

This argument might look good on paper, but with such a young guy in Coach McDaniels making the proclamation, it was met with cautious optimism.

Some in the media doubted the coach due to his age and lack of experience as a head coach. Others began to doubt the coach when he let team guys like Nate Jackson go. Then there was the signing of a multimillion-dollar contract by long snapper Lonnie Paxton over Mike Leach, who had been doing a solid job at the position.

Then, of course, there was the speculation on the deal to get Matt Cassel from New England and the subsequent fallout and trade of Jay Cutler.

Through the turbulent water came an ocean of change, much of it along the defensive front. There are now only three defensive starters from last year that are starters this year in Champ Bailey, D.J. Williams, and Elvis Dumervil, and only Champ is playing the same position.

This regime brought change, and after the dismal performance on defense last season, it would seem that the only way would be up for this team.

What has come to be an amazing statistic to this point in the season is that the Denver Broncos are now the best team by a mile in points allowed on defense. Currently the orange and blue defense is holding opponents to an average of 6.5 points per game. The next closest teams average over twice that amount.

At this juncture only the New York Giants defense has allowed fewer yards per game, at 232, than the Broncos, who are averaging almost 240 per game. The Broncos are fourth in interceptions with six and tied for 13th in forced fumbles with four. 

While the defense is ample at creating turnovers, they are clearly benefiting as a team right now from the offense managing the game well and not turning the ball over. To date the Broncos offense has lost three fumbles, and Kyle Orton leads the league with zero interceptions. This works out for the team being in a three-way tie for first in the turnover battle, rating out at plus-seven.

This is a different organization than last season, and the numbers don’t lie.

Orton is currently ranked ninth with a passer rating at a very respectable 97.7.

Cutler is currently 14th at 89.3 with the Chicago Bears.

The Broncos rushing attack is ranked fourth, averaging 148 yards per game. The Broncos passing game is only averaging 217 yards to this point in time, which rates them 18th in the league. However, this is a well managed attack that does not turn the ball over more than their opponents, and that is a clear key to winning football games.

When the Broncos fail on offense, they still find ways to win the battle of field position and use a patient offensive attack to win games off the back of the defensive play.

To date special teams have been good, not great, but have most importantly not hurt the team.

One factor that has no statistic, but is probably the most important because it makes it all come together, is attitude.

Without a doubt this team has been impacted by the presence of Brian Dawkins on defense. His enthusiasm for the game is clearly contagious and infectious on both sides of the ball. This transcends practice, workouts, and even the games. It forges a positive mental attitude that makes it possible for the team and fans alike to start believing.

The major stats on both sides of the ball thus far reinforce the ideology that this is a team on both sides of the ball. The numbers about this team go beyond just offense and defense.

The theme all offseason has been about team, and so far in 2009 the strength of the Denver Broncos is that they are a solid team that will be mentally ready and will not quit during games.

Now that is a team, and the statistics are proving it out.

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos’ 4-0 Start Refuels the Orange Crush Fever

It’s funny how some things in life can be completely invisible to some people and have complete control over others.

Take football for instance. I myself cannot live without the Broncos. Believe me, I’ve tried. It wasn’t pretty. When the season starts, this obsession of mine borders on insanity. Put me in a room with Jessica Alba and I guarantee you my mind will flip to the Broncos at least once.

Thankfully, not everyone is as crazy about this as I am. Just last week one of my roommates tried to hook me up with this girl he knew and we wound up talking about our favorite things. Of course she found out about my man crush on the Broncos, but what about her favorite team?

Her: Okay now you try and guess mine.

Me: I have no clue, but if you say the Raiders I’m going to be mad.

Her: I don’t have a favorite, it was a trick question!

To my credit, I took this girl out last night and things were all good, so this momentary lapse in her character wasn’t enough to drive me away. That $46 I spent on dinner and a movie does hurt though.

Still, it amazes me how much different people’s interests can be. I pour my guts out over the Broncos, and she probably doesn’t even know how many games they’ve played this season. Or if they won. Or if there is more to life than shoes and the Fray.

It’s these little differences that shape our character and make us who we are. This is also why some people had a pretty normal Sunday afternoon while I came pretty close to stripping down naked and running down my sister’s street in celebration. All for the Broncos (they should pay me for this kind of devotion).

The Broncos nail biting 17-10 win over the Cowboys on Sunday sums up the most miraculous 4-0 start in franchise history. You can make a case for the 1977 team led by the Orange Crush if you want, but everyone knew that the Broncos had a pretty good team going into that season. Not so this year.

Humor yourself and go back through the predictions for the 2009 NFL Season. Try and find a major sports outlet anywhere that had the Broncos winning more than seven games. Some had them winning fewer than five, even as few as three (if I ever meet John Clayton I’m never going to let him live that down).

The fact is that no one believed in this team, for various reasons. The defense was still in shambles. Kyle Orton would flop under the shadow of Jay Cutler. Brandon Marshall would never stop crying. Josh McDaniels had no idea how to run a team.

I heard all the reasons that the Broncos were going to suck in ’09. For a while there, I even bought into some of them. The way that this team looked, I was ready for the most depressing season of my life. It turns out, I’m still waiting for it to begin.

Never have I been so confused on how to feel about a 4-0 start. My brain tells me not to get too excited about the season when all I want to do is reserve the Broncos a spot in the Super Bowl. I feel like there’s no way they could be this good, but how could they only give up 26 points in four games if they weren’t for real?

The schedule is brutal, I know, but my belief is that a team that’s playing that good on defense can only be defeated if the other team’s D is even tougher.

New England is tough, but they’ve given up 10 or more points to everyone they’ve played. San Diego just got burned on national television by the Steelers. Baltimore has held only Cleveland to less than 20 points and Pittsburgh isn’t the same without Troy Polamalu (though he may be back by the November 9 matchup).

I don’t have the balls to predict that the Broncos will be 8-0 after those games, but I don’t think it’s impossible anymore either. To go 10-6 and have a solid shot at the playoffs, they would just have to split their remaining 12 games.

Good sports columnists maintain objective opinions, so don’t judge me when I say screw having an objective opinion. Right now it’s too much fun to be a Bronco fan, for no other reason than after everything we went through this offseason, I think we deserve it.

During my date, I noticed a commercial for the Broncos on one of the TVs at the restaurant and commented on it. She rolled her eyes and laughed and reminded me of her dislike for football.

I’m really starting to miss that $46.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

No, Go Right Ahead: Call the Denver Broncos “For Real”

Looking for a fun new drinking game? All this week, take a shot every time an ESPN analyst calls the Broncos’ 4-0 start anything but a fluke. Just don’t play with Kyle Orton.

The Denver Broncos are 4-0 under rookie head coach Josh McDaniel and mediocre-at-best starter Kyle Orton. They beat Dallas in a thriller on Sunday evening and hell proceeded, as it is known, not to freeze over.

Denver boasts a record better than New England’s and better than Pittsburgh’s, and their ferocious defense has allowed just 26 points all season to elite offensive machines, to name a few, Oakland and Cleveland.

And we all remember how Kyle Orton single-handedly won the first game of the season with a brilliantly-conducted, mistake-free comeback drive against Cincinnati that reminded all in Bronco nation of Hall-of-Famer John Elway. Right?

When the strongest opponent a team beats in its first four games is the Bengals (and even then, did they really beat them?), usually this means trouble.

However, with exceptional thanks to Lady Luck, Al Davis, and the suddenly not-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips Tony Romo, the Denver Broncos sit atop the, um, “prestigious” AFC West with an unblemished record, and the talks have already begun of playoffs.

Surprises are expected in any NFL season. Rest assured the next four opponents whom the Broncos face will squelch this “hot” start. In the next five weeks, Denver hosts New England, travels to San Diego, travels to Baltimore, and hosts Pittsburgh. Vegas odds on Denver beating even two of them? Probably about the same for Terrell Owens to deactivate his Twitter account.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos Report Card: Week Four

Second verse, same as the first.

That would be how the outside world views the Denver Broncos after yet another win, propelling them to 4-0 on the season, a season in which not many people expected the Broncos to win more than five games.

The Broncos are 80 percent of the way there with 12 games yet to be played. But at the rate head coach Josh McDaniels has his team playing, they won’t be stopping at five or maybe even eight. Now on to the grades for Week Four.

Passing offense:

Kyle Orton got off to a horrendous start, but he didn’t turn the ball over. He was under siege by the Dallas defense the first portion of the game, but in typical Orton fashion he picked himself up and won the game without making a careless mistake.

Major kudos go to Ryan Clady for setting a record by not allowing a sack in 20 straight games and the fact that those are the first 20 starts in his career is even more remarkable. The Broncos have a keeper here.

Last but certainly not least is the play of Brandon Marshall. That was pure talent in that touchdown run in the final two minutes and that embrace he had with McDaniels after the touchdown (as well as during McDaniels’ postgame press conference) show that this young man has turned the corner and he’s returning to 2008 form. Look out NFL.

Overall grade: B

Rushing Offense:

Bronco fans held their breath after Corell Buckhalter went down with a knee injury, but not soon after they were (or should have been) able to breathe a sigh of relief as rookie halfback Knowshown Moreno has proven the Broncos made the right choice drafting him in the first round at this year’s draft.

While he finished with 14 carries for 65 yards, Moreno again displayed that not only can he be a solid runner between the tackles, but he also showed he can be a good screen option by catching a touchdown pass out of the backfield.

Overall Grade: B minus

Passing Defense:

The reports on the demise of cornerback Champ Bailey have been greatly exaggerated.

Bailey made three outstanding plays. First was the interception of Tony Romo with Dallas inside the Denver red zone. Bailey showed incredible athleticism there and that he still has plenty left in the tank. Not only was that not enough, but Bailey made the two deflections in the end zone during the final seconds to sea a Broncos victory.

Overall, the Denver secondary rocked and rattled Romo all day. The only big negative against this unit was that big catch and run by Sam Hurd that allowed the Cowboys to get deep in Broncos territory in the waining moments of the game.

Oh, and Elvis Dumervil keeps on trucking. Put him on the Pro Bowl roster now.

Overall Grade: B plus

Rushing Defense:

The unit looked shaky early on as a wounded Marion Barber was running all over the Broncos, only to give way to Tashard Choice later in the game. The Broncos only gave up 74 yards on the ground to the talented Cowboys rushing attack, with most of it coming early.

Solid day overall, though.

Overall grade: A minus

Special Teams:

Matt Prater had an easy day, one PAT and one 28-yard field goal. No sweat.

Punter Brett Kern played solid as well. He had six punts on the day, averaging almost 42 yards a punt and Dallas return man Patrick Crayton had only two punt returns for an average of seven yards per return.

Overall grade: A minus

Coaching:

McDaniels had not yet ceased to amaze me this season. The team keeps pushing and pushing and is finding ways to win the game. What McDaniels should be the most proud of is that each win has been a team effort and everyone has done their job.

I can’t say enough about Mike Nolan’s defense. Twenty-six points allowed through four games and the number one overall defense in the NFL? What a turnaround from the dismal performance by the Broncos defense in 2008.

McDaniels has to be the early front runner for coach of the year. With an assist to Mike Nolan.

Overall grade: A

This coming week provides a huge test for the Broncos as Bill Belichick, McDaniels’ boss and mentor from last season, comes to town with Tom Brady and the rest of the New England Patriots.

Not many people will pick the Broncos to win this one, even though they are playing at home. Then again, who expected the Broncos to be 4-0 at this point.

That’s why they play the games.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

What We Learned: NFL Week 4.

One quarter of the NFL season is down, and as the bye weeks begin and the injuries mount, who can sustain the momentum as the heart of the NFL season is upon us.

Off-Broadway Mark

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez, a year removed from his only starting season at USC, was turning heads being the first rookie quarterback under center for the New York Jets to start the season.

On Sunday, all the heads were turning at the site of S Darren Sharper’s interception being returned for a touchdown, as the Jets suffered their first loss under Sanchez and Rex Ryan, losing 24-10 to the New Orleans Saints.

Sanchez was very humbled throughout the day, throwing for only 138 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns. I don’t think this performance was indicative of Sanchez’s ability as a quarterback, but he will have to watch the tape and learn from the varieties of pressure he faced all day.

Drinking The New Coach Kool-Air

For the Denver Broncos, this off-season was one of the most tumultuous ones ever.

A new coach in Josh McDaniels was brought in, which quickly saw franchise QB Jay Cutler wanting out. Cutler was traded to Chicago for Kyle Orton. After that, WR Brandon Marshall wanted out. Marshall ended up staying, and he should be glad he did.

For the first time since 2003, the Denver Broncos are 4-0.

Sure, game one came on a good tipped ball, and yesterday required a huge defensive stand on fourth and goal, but Denver is showing they are for real in an easily winnable AFC West.

Enough Is Enough, And It Might Be Time For A QB Change

Four weeks down, and already, the Tennessee Titans have lost more games than they did all last year.

This team is tumbling downhill, and the loss of DT Albert Haynesworth to free agency and Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz to the Lions seem to have made a bigger impact than expected. But all the problems aren’t just the defensive changes.

QB Kerry Collins has had a struggle to find the black magic that worked so well for his squad last season; and grumblings for Vince Young to get back in are starting to creep.

Catching the 4-0 Indianapolis Colts might seem impossible, but Tennessee needs to get on the winning ways before they can look to catch anything.

A “Reunion” Of Sorts

Tonight, on Monday Night Football, QB Brett Favre and the Packers suit up. Only this time, Favre has a purple uniform on, as a member of the conference rivals Minnesota Vikings.

There is much hype on this game, as Packer fans and teammates alike never once thought they would be facing a man who was the face of the franchise.

Tonight’s game is in the friendly confines of the Metrodome, but I can guarantee many of Favre’s old friends will be looking to show him he’s on the wrong team.

Contenders and Pretenders

New England spent 2007 without a loss, and so have these teams:

The New York Giants have had two straight easy matchup’s since the comebacke against Dallas, helping to give them a 4-0 record. The Giants face Oakland this week, which should give them a 5-0 record heading into a showdown with the New Orleans Saints.

Speaking of the Saints, they head into their bye week with their first 4-0 record since 1993. Despite QB Drew Brees not having thrown a touchdown for the second straight week, a revamped defense and committed running game ensures no one is saying “Who Dat” about the Saints.

Tony Dungy who? Marvin Harrison who?

The Indianapolis Colts are not playing like a team with a new head coach and wide receiving corps, but don’t tell them that. With a rookie WR and a second-year pro WR in the formation, the Colts are playing like a hungry young team. QB Peyton Manning has thrown four straight 300 yard games, the third time that has happened since 1970.

Of course, for every winner, there is a loser:

With the addition of WR Terrell Owens, Buffalo was supposed to be a high-octane offense in 2009. After coming up short against New England in week one, the Bills have fallen flat, living in the bottom of the AFC East at 1-3.

For their big gamble, Owens has only eight catches and 158 yards with no touchdowns.

Could the Oakland Raiders ever get out of pretender status?

The entire team is regressing, and it clearly shows in their 1-3 record.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Karl Mecklenburg Gives All-Pro Advice in “Heart of a Student-Athlete”

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is the often used cliche used by those who once sipped from a cup of swill only to rise and taste champagne.

Though not a direct quote in NFL-All-Pro Karl Mecklenburg’s new book, “Heart of a Student Athlete-All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families” it is the underlying theme between the covers of this wonderful new motivational manual.

Mecklenburg, who was once thought to be “too small, too slow and too stiff” to become a successful football player at any level, used his intelligence, his diligence and his refusal to accept defeat in countless stops along the journey to becoming a top NFL linebacker.

Frequently referred to as the “most versatile player in the NFL” for his ability to play all of the front seven positions, Mecklenburg recaps the many hurdles he had to leap throughout his life en-route to his famed NFL career.

He speaks candidly about being hazed by his early coaches and teammates and how life challenges helped him become the hard-nosed professional that earned six Pro Bowl and three Super Bowl appearances.

The former 12-year veteran of Denver Broncos fame, has traveled the motivational speaking and charity circuit since his retirement from football in 1995.

He now turns his skilled ability to motivate others into a useful guide intended to help increase the mental drive and toughness necessary to become a successful student athlete.

The book is a must-read, for parents of and student-athletes themselves, as it contains important ingredients to turn the skilled athlete into a successful athlete.

Mecklenburg’s book is also extremely beneficial for the non-athlete as well, as it guides any student or adult through very real-life challenges in and out of sport.

“Heart of a Student Athlete” is constructed around Mecklenburg’s Six Keys to Success, which include Teamwork, Courage, Honesty and Forgiveness, Dedication, Desire and Goal Setting. Throughout each chapter of this 130-page read, Mecklenburg cites real-life examples of the do’s and don’ts in building the well-rounded student athlete.

“Success is overcoming obstacles on the way to your dreams,” is the quote that Mecklenburg frequently uses throughout the book to remind the student athlete that the road to the top of the mountain is often a bumpy one.

In his chapter entitled “Goal Setting,” Mecklenburg reminds student athletes, “You need to take small steps when you dream big dreams. I am a published author with dyslexia, a professional speaker who was in speech therapy for three years as a child because I had a lisp; and a slow stiff kid from the suburbs who became an All-Pro in the NFL.”

He continues, “These things seem improbable, but each small step, each goal accomplished, brought me closer to my desires.”

In an era where pro athletes often shy away from becoming role models, Mecklenburg does what he did for much of his successful career as an All-Pro linebacker.

He broadens his shoulders and encourages his readers to climb aboard them. To see all the positive players as role models, and to ignite parents, coaches and teachers, to be role models as well.

The very first chapter of the book, entitled “Heroes”, dissects his 1983 Denver Broncos team and gives a player by player recap of where these players ended up in 2008, on the 25th anniversary of the team.

Almost to a man, Mecklenburg finds that his teammates can be found on the list of successful achievers and not playing the real life role of “dumb jock.”

He suggests that parents remain in the role of interested observer rather than fighting the actual battle as their student-athlete traverses through the rigors that accompany playing sports.

In my interview with Mecklenburg, which will be posted tomorrow on Bleacher Report and Sports, Then and Now,  he said, “When a child is given the opportunity to make decisions about which activity to participate in they will value those activities. This is how they learn to make decisions that are appropriate for them before they become adults.”

In the book, he speaks directly to parents and family members on this topic. “I know your instincts scream at you to intervene on behalf of your children when they struggle or feel something ‘unfair’ is happening to them on a team. Know that disappointments and challenges build character and allow your children to focus on their level of commitment.”

The book contains many wonderful recounts of hunting and fishing trips in Mecklenburg’s life and even retells the tale of forgiveness when one of his hunting buddies inadvertently pumped him full of pellets during a turkey hunting trip to southern Nebraska.

Perhaps the most compelling section of the book is in the chapter Big Games where Mecklenburg speaks of a teammate who used drugs during a Super Bowl game and of  his own personal decision to remain drug-free in his pursuit of excellence.

He tells of the contradictory path that known NFL steroid user Bill Romanowski and others took and how their decision permanently altered their health and abilities. For any parent of a student athlete, this is a chapter that will forever affect your child’s future.

And finally, my favorite section tells of his former high school teammate Duane Anderson, the greatest player you never heard of, who despite being one the most dominant players Mecklenburg ever played with, lacked the opportunity, desire and dedication to pursue his dreams. Anderson quit football to become a gas station attendant in his family’s filling station.

Mecklenburg says, “I often wonder if he could have dominated in the same way at other levels or if he was so dominant because he was shaving while we were watching Captain Kangaroo. We will never know, and neither will he, and that is a shame.”

Mecklenburg, a devout Christian speaks with conviction about God and how his relationship with Jesus Christ helps him through every day of his life both challenging or rewarding.

“Being a Christian isn’t an insurance policy,” explains Mecklenburg. “It’s a relationship that touches every part of who you are. I do everything from a Christian perspective. I don’t have another perspective. I am a Christian.”

 

To purchase or win a signed copy…

“Heart of a Student Athlete: All Pro Advice For Competitors and Their Families” is available through Mecklenburg’s website at www.studentathlete.us or through your local Independent Bookstore, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or Walden Books. 

We will be giving away a signed copy to a Bleacher Report reader by visiting the guest book on the site.

Mention Bleacher Report and sign up at the site to be entered to win an autographed copy of the book. TC

Todd Civin is a freelance writer for Bleacher Report, Seamheads and Sports Then and Now and can be reached at toddcivin1@aim.com for hire or comment.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos Defeat Cowboys, Adding Legitimacy to 2009 Campaign

Detractors of the Denver Broncos’ early-season success have a little less to chew on today, after Sunday’s 17-10 victory over the visiting Dallas Cowboys.

A team given a little bit of credit, and a healthy dose of “yeah, but” from its critics over a 3-0 start, the Broncos needed to show they were capable of winning against one of the NFL’s upper-echelon teams.

Wins over Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Oakland, with resounding defense leading the way, had done little to sway many experts into thinking that Denver’s success could carry over into the toughest part of its schedule. With those teams possessing suspect offenses, some doubt could be rightfully cast.  Until now.

Denver took on the league’s top-rated rushing attack, and limited it to just 74 yards (the Cowboys came in averaging over 190 yards per game on the ground). The Broncos added, for good measure, five sacks, an interception, and a recovered fumble, while pressuring Tony Romo often.  The result: Dallas was 3-for-14 on third down.

The Broncos were particularly stingy in the second half in terms of total yardage allowed, while shutting out the Cowboys over the final 45 minutes.  They needed every bit of that airtight defense to pull out the victory.

Denver trailed most of the game, as the Cowboys’ first-quarter dominance had stood up with a 10-7 lead late into the fourth quarter.

With just under six minutes remaining, the Broncos got a 28-yard field goal from Matt Prater, and then took the lead on a highlight-reel catch-and-run touchdown, Kyle Orton to Brandon Marshall.

The 51-yard score with 1:46 remaining began with Marshall picking the ball from just over the top of a Cowboys defender’s head, racing towards the middle of the field, then cutting back to the right again, faking out and eluding several Dallas players in the process of scoring the go-ahead touchdown.

The Broncos still had to hold their breaths until the final seconds, before securing the victory.

Dallas, facing a fourth-down with about a minute to play, connected on an improbable 53-yard gain, moving to the Denver 20. 

The Cowboys moved as close as the two-yard line with nine seconds to play, but on the ensuing two plays, Champ Bailey swatted away the potential game-tying touchdowns, securing the dramatic victory.

The 4-0 Broncos won over many critics who deemed their early-season success a complete mirage. While it will still take time for the sports world to be won over, continued success by Denver is looking more like a legitimate byproduct of an amazing turnaround by the defense, and something sustainable.

Meanwhile, the Denver offense manages to get by with solid rushing, a very good offensive line, and game-managing by Orton which thus far has been largely mistake-free.  While Jay Cutler won many games with extraordinary plays for Denver, he helped contribute to losses with extraordinary risk-taking. 

His Favre-ian abilities make for exciting football, but did not necessarily translate to a winning product for the Broncos.

Time will tell how it all works out for Denver, but so far, Orton at QB has not meant bad things for the Broncos.

Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl.  Surely Orton could, too, with the right players around him.  So far, quarter of the way through the season, those players have looked to be the right combination, for sure. 

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos-Cowboys: Underrated Denver Defense Stifles Overrated Dallas 17-10

Come in here, Dear boy, have a cigar.
You’re gonna go far,
You’re gonna fly high,
You’re never gonna die,
You’re gonna make it, if you try;
They’re gonna love you.
Well I’ve always had a deep respect,
And I mean that most sincere.
The band is just fantastic,
that is really what I think.
Oh by the way, which one’s Pink?

 

                                “Have A Cigar” – Pink Floyd

 

 

The Pink Prelude

So to say at the very least, the NFL did a phenomenal job of promoting what should now traditionally be called Pink Sunday in the NFL. The fact is cancer deserves no press. The victims and survivors of this horrible disease do.

 

What the NFL did league-wide is very commendable. The league had coaches and players alike decked out in pink ribbons, special team gear laced with pink, as well as pink wrist bands, receiver gloves, cleats, and shoelaces.

 

No doubt these in-game treasures will go a long way to raising more funds for the fight against breast cancer.

 

The NFL deserves a clear salute for doing the job right on and off the field on this one. It shows the depths to which the most testosterone-filled sports league was willing to go to support this very important cause.

 

 

The Pre-Game

For an entire off-season and through three weeks of the 2009 NFL season, the Denver Broncos were underrated and the victims of a poor preseason and media critics who doubted them.  Overlooked by many was the reality of how good the Broncos defense really was to this point in the season. 

 

The message received by the Broncos was that they were a three-point dog at home.

 

The message sent by the Broncos was a statement that read, “Really?!?!??!”

 

Brian Dawkins emphasized as much in his pre-game rally cry to his teammates. “Again! How can you be 3-0 and be underdogs at your house? That’s disrespect! Let’s take it! Let’s take it! Let’s take it!”

 

 

Dogfight of a Game

Let there be little doubt about it, the game was destined to be a physical matchup from the start, and this game delivered big. The Dallas Cowboys are among the NFL’s largest teams, and the Broncos have proven to be a very physical football team thus far on the 2009 season.

 

From the get-go the Denver defense set the early tone, forcing Dallas to an early three and out. From there, the battle remained physical in the trenches and throughout the remainder of the game.

In what was vaunted as one of the league’s biggest teams and most physical running attacks, the Dallas Cowboys made an early impression that had the Broncos on their heels.

 

The Cowboys worked their way out of a 1st-and-20 situation that eventually resulted in a 49-yard field goal.

 

The following drive for the Cowboys saw a physical run game from the Denver one-yard line convert on a Marion Barber touchdown. He was aided by his line with no call on the play as the Cowboys muscled their way into the end zone.

 

The Cowboys led 10-0 and looked like they could be on their way to a victory with a sizable margin on their side.

 

Shortly after the Dallas TD, Dawkins had a very emotional discussion with his teammates about getting back up after their last two drives and keeping the Broncos in the game.

 

The break the Denver Broncos were waiting for came on a 3rd-and-14. A blitzing Renaldo Hill put a hit on Tony Romo to force a fumble. The Broncos recovered and advanced to the Dallas nine yard line.

 

On first and goal, Kyle Orton forced the ball and his will in to Knowshon Moreno for a touchdown pass, as Dallas defender Anthony Spencer just missed an interception that may have resulted in a TD the other way.

 

Maybe the Cowboys thought the Broncos were too old or they weren’t for real.

 

Champ Bailey was thrown at constantly throughout the game, only to rise up when it mattered most. He made a diving interception near the Cowboy sideline when they had a drive going deep in Broncos territory. Little did everyone else know he was about to save his best for last.

 

In this defensive battle, the teams moved the ball primarily between the 30s, making it difficult for putting up points.

 

Give Dallas credit, they were a team on a mission. They knew they were going to have to bring a full effort against Denver, and they did.

 

Denver was fortunate to tie the game on a short Matt Prater field goal with 5:58 remaining in the game.

 

Denver kept the Cowboys 120 yards below their team rushing average for the game while producing five sacks of Romo on the day.

 

Dallas held the Broncos to just 116 total yards on the ground and 221 yards through the air and three sacks of Orton.

 

Moreno took the game to the two-minute warning with a 14-yard burst up the middle to set up the magic that was about to happen.

 

On first down Orton found Brandon Marshall 20 yards downfield with a jump ball. Marshall hauled in the pass over the top of Dallas DB Terence Newman. He then raced to the center of the field, made a juke move to make the Dallas defense miss him, and raced back towards the right end zone flag for the touchdown standing up.

 

Dallas regained control of the ball with 1:46 remaining.

 

Romo showed he had some magic of his own in store as he connected on 4th-and-3 with Miles Austin, who ran down to the Broncos 25. On the play, Romo twisted out of the pocket avoiding the sack, and threw a floater that resulted in the 53-yard gain.

 

Dallas called timeout with 59 seconds remaining—and that is when they must have decided to pick on Champ Bailey a little more.

 

Previously in the game, D.J. Williams flattened receiver Roy Williams, which kept him out of the game on the most important drive of the day for the Cowboys.

 

Dallas wound up with a 1^st-and-goal from the eight. Patrick Crayton got six yards with the clock winding down, and then Romo spiked the ball with nine seconds left.

 

On third down, Romo threw at Sam Hurd and Bailey broke up the pass. On 4^th-and-goal from the two with five seconds left, Romo threw again at Hurd, and again Bailey denied the Dallas Cowboys.

 

This time it meant the game was over, as the Denver defense held off a late Dallas rally.

 

The win put the Broncos at an impressive 4-0 start to the young 2009 season.

 

 

Final Thoughts On Pink Sunday

Consider the amazing fact that the Broncos really didn’t hook up much with Brandon Marshall all day until he had the play of the day with his 51-yard touchdown.

 

Ironically enough, Dallas threw at Champ Bailey, and even at his worst he was very good and proved it in the end.

 

So on a day that proved to be pink, it is appropriate to have some lyrics from Pink Floyd as a prelude and as a way of exit. Little did we all know that those old rock lyrics could parallel an amazing athlete’s life in the NFL spotlight and his off-season contract dispute with the likes of Marshall.

 

Moreover, it certainly is parallel to the early season plight and disrespect the Broncos team feels through their early season successes.

 

It’s an oddity in parallel. After the touchdown Marshall was seen hugging his head coach Josh McDaniels, proving that winning solves a number of company ills. In a later press conference, Coach McD told Marshall, who was in close proximity, to not tell the press what he told him.

 

That only leads to the speculation that the deal for Brandon Marshall is on the way. 

 

And did we tell you the name of the game?

We call it Riding the Gravy Train.

 

For Marshall, Coach McDaniels, and the Denver Broncos, being 4-0 was always a possibility in their minds. Only now they will start to gain the respect of their peers and the accolades of the press.

 

Next week the Broncos face the New England Patriots coming to Denver with a myriad of story lines to boot. 

 

There will be one impressionistic stat to remember about Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots prior to next week’s game. They are a reported 73-1 when leading after three quarters.

 

 

Contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos-Cowboys: Denver Wins Grind-It-out Battle 17-10, Mile High at 4-0

The Broncos (4-0) came into today’s contest against the Cowboys (2-2) undefeated but many criticized that they had yet to play against any good talent. Denver beat Cincinnati (3-1), Cleveland (0-4), and Oakland (1-3). But Dallas brought a respectable team that had averaged over 200 yards per game coming into the mile high city.

And even though some, like Troy Aikman, thought the game would be a shoot-out, it was anything but. This was a classic hard-nosed battle in which defenses shined and offenses couldn’t cope.

To start the game, the Cowboys’ offense looked strong while the Broncos’ O struggled mightily. After both teams were forced to punt on their first drives, Dallas drove down the field with three straight first downs and an eight-play 40 yard drive ending up in a 49-yard field goal. Denver forced itself into a three-and-out because of a penalty on their next drive and had to punt to Dallas once again.

The Cowboys drove with ease, as Tony Romo passed for 59 yards of the 61 Dallas went for a touchdown and the Cowboys led 10-0 after the first quarter.

Denver’s offense strained to make any progress once again and punted the ball away, but that is when the Broncos defense decided to play tougher. Reportedly, Brian Dawkins yelled at his defensive teammates and told them it was time to make a stand, and that’s exactly what happened. After starting on their own 12 yard line, the Cowboys got a first down but then after a tripping penalty, Denver made their first huge play on defense all day.

Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan sent a safety blitz with Renaldo Hill, who came in untouched and forced the ball from Romo’s hands for a fumble. The Broncos recovered the ball on the Dallas nine and the next play Kyle Orton passed the ball to Knowshon Moreno for Denver’s first points of the day. So, five minutes into the second quarter and the Cowboys still led 10-7.

Neither team could do much to end the first half, as Denver kept stopping themselves with penalties and Dallas decided to go to half rather than risking another turnover.

The first play of the second half, Knowshon Moreno fumbled a ball deep in the Broncos territory, at the 27. Romo though, made another mistake and through a ball to the sideline when his receiver went inside and Champ Bailey made an amazing interception. The Denver O bogged down though and they were forced to punt again. On Dallas’ drive, Romo was sacked again on their second first down which forced them into a difficult situation and they had to punt again.

On the next Broncos drive, which started on their eight yard line, was the first time Denver had run the ball effectively all day. McDaniels showed his confidence in the rookie Moreno as Knowshon ran the ball seven times for 19 yards on the drive. But, as McDaniels gambled on a fourth and one call, Moreno, the Broncos, and young Josh came up short. Denver should have kicked the field goal, and would have tied the game with a Matt Prater make, 10-10. Instead, the Cowboys remained in the lead by three points.

On the biggest drive of the game for Denver’s defense, they came up massive to give the ball back to the offense and a chance at a game-winning drive. The Cowboys did get three first downs on the drive, but on second and 13, Vonnie Holliday sacked Romo for a four yard loss and put Dallas into a third and 17. Romo’s subsequent pass was incomplete and the defense gave Orton and the offense a chance to win the game with 2:47 remaining in the contest.

Denver went into the two minute warning with the ball on their 35-yard line, hoping to get into field goal range for the win—what they got was much more than they expected.

Kyle Orton finally risked a throw and it paid off in a substantial way for the Broncos. Orton under threw a pass that was luckily high enough for Marshall and his 6’ 5” frame to go up and grab over Dallas’ Terrance Newman. Then Marshall took off, down the field and to the middle, only to stop on a dime and reverse directions, making two Cowboys collide and cruised into the end zone. Denver finally had its first lead at 17-10 with 1:46 in the game.

In the next drive the game seemed to be over, as the Broncos made the Cowboys go for it on fourth-and-three, but Romo made an amazing play to save Dallas’ chance at the win. Romo was flushed out of the pocket but tossed a great touch-pass to Sam Hurd who took the ball 53 yards to the Denver 20. Romo then threw two short passes in a row to take the Cowboys to the Broncos’ eight-yard line but Dallas had to call their final timeout with :27 left.

Again Romo passed short for six yards down to the Denver two-yard line and Dallas had to spike the ball to stop the clock with a mere nine seconds remaining. The whole contest came down to the final two plays as this classic would have to be won as it was all day, by the Broncos’ defense.

For some reason, the Cowboys decided to attack one of the greatest corner backs in the league and today’s player of the game, Champ Bailey, on two consecutive passes over the middle. The first was easily deflected by Champ, and he got his hand on the second ball as well, along with Jack Williams’ helmet on Hurd’s belly and the ball.

McDaniels was pleased with Champ saying, “We did a nice job of denying the ball there on the last two [plays]. We blitzed them. We were going to make him [Romo] throw fast and he did and Champ was in great position.”

The Broncos defended their home stadium and improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2003.

Following the game, Josh McDaniels was seemingly ecstatic when talking about his team. “I’m proud of our team. It’s a sixty-minute game against a really good football team. I give Dallas a lot of credit.”

McDaniels on Marshall’s game-winning touchdown, “He made a great catch and an even better run. Maybe one of the best runs I’ve ever seen after the ball was in his hands. And that’s just what a great player will do and that’s was he is.”

In all, despite some struggles early including penalties leading to punts, the offense still played solidly against a good Dallas defense. Orton out-played the more hyped Romo with a 20-29 for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Romo was a less efficient 25-42 with 255 yards, an interception, and a fumble.

Following the game Orton said, “I don’t listen to things about me. I play this game to win football games and compete with 53 other guys. It is not about me. It is not about what happened in the offseason. It is about working hard every week and competing our butts off. Every chance that you get to play a football game, you play as hard as you can. That is the approach that I take. If that means that I throw for 100 yards or 300 yards, I’ll be happy either way as long as we win.”

But really, the game was won by the Denver defense, not with Orton and the O.

Denver held Dallas to only 74 yards rushing on the day, a considerable drop-off from their usual 193.7 per game. The pass rush constantly confused and overwhelmed Romo, who was sacked four times in total, one of which resulted in the fumble that gave the Broncos their first score of the day.

So, now the Broncos have had their first respectable test of the year, and they passed, even if it wasn’t with flying colors. The defense showed up in a huge way even after getting down by 10 points early, and didn’t allow a single point in the last three quarters of the game. The offense, after repeatedly slowing themselves down with penalties and misfires in the first half, produced well in the second half.

After four weeks of play the Broncos sit at 4-0, more wins then some thought they could get all year, as one of only five undefeated teams remaining in the NFL. And Denver sits a mile high atop the AFC West as all divisional opponents the Raiders (6-29), Chiefs (16-27), and Chargers (28-38) all lost today.

Instead of all the “doom and gloom” that national and local media had predicted, it seems everyone in the Broncos organization has come into this 2009 season energized, and united under McDaniels’ ideology of team-first.

In Broncos Country, everything’s tinted in a beautiful orange and blue like a Colorado sunset so far in 2009.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Broncos 17, Cowboys 10: Denver Defense, Marshall Lead Way to 4-0

No one could script a more exciting way to prove wrong a world full of doubt.

For the first time since 2003, the Broncos have gone through the first four games of the season unblemished as they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 17-10 at Invesco Field at Mile High.

After trailing for most of the game, Denver was able to come back in the fourth quarter in dramatic fashion to defeat the Cowboys thanks to the strong play of their defense, coupled with some timely offense.

Game Recap

A disastrous start to the game saw the Cowboys get out to a quick 10-0 first-quarter lead, courtesy of a 49-yard field goal by Nick Folk and a one-yard touchdown run by Marion Barber.

The Broncos’ defense played well in the first half, but the offense was unable to keep them off the field, and the Cowboys took advantage by getting big chunks of yardage on short passes and tough running.

Quite honestly, the Broncos seemed overmatched in the first half, but thanks to a sack/forced fumble combination by safety Renaldo Hill, Denver was able to get on the board in the second quarter. Quarterback Kyle Orton threw an out route to Knowshon Moreno who flew into the end zone for his first career receiving touchdown.

The third quarter was a defensive battle, as neither team was able to score any points, though the Cowboys came extremely close.

On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Moreno fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Dallas deep in Denver territory. The Broncos got a huge play from their defense when Champ Bailey picked off a Tony Romo pass that seemed to be badly overthrown.

In the fourth quarter, the Broncos’ offense seemed to get a boost, and they were able to tie the game roughly halfway through the quarter on a Matt Prater field goal from 28 yards out.

With a little over three minutes remaining in the game, the Broncos started a drive from their own 27-yard line. An eight-yard pass from Orton to Brandon Marshall got it started, and Knowshon Moreno bolted 14 yards to the Denver 49-yard line before the two minute warning.

On the next play, Marshall made a good move on Cowboys’ cornerback Terrance Newman, and Orton threw the ball up in the air so Marshall could go get it, and he did just that. After one of the most impressive runs after a catch this season, Marshall and the Broncos went 51 yards to the end zone to take a 17-10 lead.

On the ensuing Dallas drive, Denver forced the Cowboys into a 4th-and-3 situation.  Tony Romo dropped back to pass and was nearly sacked, but he avoided the pressure and lobbed a pass to Sam Hurd who sprinted all the way to the Denver 21-yard line.

The Cowboys got it to the Denver three, and Romo made two mistakes on third and fourth down with goal to go: He threw at Champ Bailey.

On 3rd-and-goal, Bailey knocked away a quick slant pass from Romo to Sam Hurd, and on fourth down, he had a little help from his safety and the incomplete pass resulted in the Broncos lining up in the victory formation.

Random Thoughts and Stats

While the Denver defensive unit continues to stand out, outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been the group’s shining star. Against the Cowboys he had two sacks, increasing his season total to eight. He is currently on pace to have 32 for the season, which rarely even happens in Madden video games.

Denver also had sacks from Hill, linebacker D.J. Williams, and defensive end Vonnie Holliday. Their five sacks increased their season total to 15, which leads the NFL.

This unit has been outstanding, and they proved they are for real today when they held the league’s top rushing attack to 75 total yards; about 120 fewer than they have averaged this season.

Inversely, the Broncos were shooting themselves in the foot on offense, finishing the game with a pathetic 10 penalties for a total of 81 yards. The Broncos’ offensive numbers are skewed quite a bit because penalties negated a couple of big plays, and forced the Broncos into near impossible 3rd-and-long situations.

The offense appears to have a long way to go, but like it seems to be the case each week, they show flashes of brilliance at times, and the Brandon Marshall catch-and-run was certainly an instance of brilliance.

Kyle Orton had his best game as a Bronco statistically, completing 20-of-29 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns—and no interceptions. Along with Aaron Rodgers, who has yet to play his fourth game, Orton is the only starting quarterback in the NFL with no interceptions.

The Broncos’ offensive line allowed Orton to be sacked three times, and as was stated earlier, committed an array of costly penalties throughout the course of the game.  Again, this is a problem that will be fixed as players continue to grow acclimated to each other and the offensive scheme overall.

Rookie running back Knowshon Moreno continues to have a solid season, rushing for 65 yards on only 14 carries while catching his first touchdown pass of the season. He is a big weapon for the Broncos, and they have to be thrilled with what he brings to the table.

Correll Buckhalter, the lightning to Moreno’s thunder, was having an outstanding individual performance before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Thankfully, Buckhalter did not aggravate any of his previous knee injuries, and he could be back for the Broncos’ matchup next week.

Next Week

The Broncos will stay at home this week and get ready to host their head coach’s former squad when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots come to town. 

Denver looks to improve to 5-0 while the Patriots are hoping to beat their second straight undefeated opponent after coming up with a solid 27-21 victory over the previously unbeaten Baltimore Ravens.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Sponsored Links

Buy Denver Broncos Tickets, NFL Tickets, Football Tickets and Sports Tickets at StubPass.com.

BroncosZone Latest

• The Denver Broncos Must Face Their New Reality
• Denver Broncos: The Beginning of a New Era, Or The Beginning of the End?
• Hey Denver, Where’s the Love for Josh McDaniels?
• Josh McDaniels Is the Poster Boy for “Too Much, Too Soon”
• Denver Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall: “I Love Being a Bronco”