Kyle Orton’s Broncos Debut: Was It Really That Bad?

The first preseason game of 2009 has been played. Most Bronco fans came away encouraged by offensive and defensive upgrades, but the overwhelming impressions many have of the game were formed by Orton’s three interceptions. Are they harbingers of football doom or merely the growing pains of a new system?

Clearly every Bronco fan was excited by the beginning of Denver’s first offensive drive. Orton went 7-of-8 in marching the Broncos from their own 28-yard line to the San Francisco 4. Then the wheels came off.

Orton’s first pass into the end zone was a bad read on his part. Instead of throwing the ball right to Daniel Graham, Orton led him into coverage. The result was an interception.

The next drive saw the 49ers ramp up their defensive coverage. Orton was 1-of-3 before making another bad read over the middle, when Dre Bly stepped in front of Brandon Stokley.

Orton’s very next pass was a slightly underthrown 24-yard pass down the sideline. Jabar Gaffney was open in an area about five yards behind the deep-zone defender and five yards past a mid-zone defender. Orton clearly underthrew the ball because he was worried about the deep defender coming up on Gaffney, leaving the ball just short enough for the athletic young Reggie Smith to make a great play on a third pick.

For the half, Orton went 9-of-16 for 89 yards with three interceptions. Should Denver fans be out in the streets with torches and pitchforks? Maybe not.

Last year Orton threw no interceptions in nine of the 15 games he played in. Orton’s worst season was his rookie season when he threw only 13 interceptions. 

A comparison of quarterbacks who had similar numbers of attempts last year shows Orton’s 12 interceptions as comparable with other quarterbacks like Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, and others. Orton actually threw more touchdowns in 2008 than highly touted young quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco as well.

Since the Cutler trade, much has been heard about Orton’s tendency to throw interceptions, but the statistics show something very different. Why is this?

There could be a simple reason. 

Chicago fans had a Super Bowl team in 2006 largely led by a strong defense. The huge dropoff they had in 2007 and 2008 are usually blamed on Brian Griese and Kyle Orton, but both of those quarterbacks actually outperformed Grossman’s Super Bowl run effort.

The fact is that Chicago’s defense wasn’t as strong in the years after 2006 but because the quarterbacks they had weren’t winning games the passers got the blame. Orton, in particular, partly because he was so inexperienced, became a popular scapegoat, his every mistake magnified.

Orton’s own efficiency added to this perception. Though he only threw interceptions in six games, he threw two interceptions in four of those games and three interceptions in one of them. 

All but one of those multiple-interception games in 2008 were games in which Orton was sacked three or more times. In fact, Orton only throws three interceptions during the entire season in games in which he is sacked less than three times, that’s only three interceptions in 11 games. This suggests that, when under pressure, Orton can be forced into bad decisions, but if he is given time he can be very efficient.

During the first Bronco preseason game, Orton was not only not sacked but hardly saw any significant pressure. He’ll see more pressure during the year but nothing like what he saw in Chicago.

His only obstacles are going to be learning the offensive system and getting used to his receivers. Give him time to develop rapport with his receivers, and the stats suggest that we’ll see very few mistakes over the course of the year.

Breathe Easy Bronco Fans, Knowshon’s Injury Nothing Serious

Denver Bronco fans can now stop holding their breath.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Denver Broncos rookie running back Knowshon Moreno’s injury suffered in last night’s 16-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers is nothing serious. 

Per Florio, a league source indicated that the MRI Moreno received today revealed an MCL sprain.  The grade of the sprain is not known, but smart money says Moreno will likely be held out of next week’s game against the Seahawks if not longer.

Moreno carried the ball three times for 18 yards in his Bronco debut, including a nine yard rush on his first carry in blue and orange.

With uninspiring efforts from Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan, losing Moreno could potentially have been devastating to the Broncos’ offensive hopes in 2009.

The report on PFT indicated that if Moreno’s injury is declared a grade II sprain, he could be held out at the start of the regular season, but again, the grade is not known.

In other injury news, some reports have indicated that Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall will be back at practice today.

Kyle Orton “Picks” Up The New Look Offense In Preseason Opener

The Broncos had some exciting moments and some down right infuriating moments, in yesterday’s Preseason opener in San Fransisco.  In their first offensive possession, the Bronx dominated the 49ers, taking the ball all the way down they field.  This uber long drive was capped off by a superb pass to the other team in the endzone.  Turnovers negated anything good the offense would accomplish in the first half. 

The first game was a wash.  With this many turnovers, you can’t expect McDaniels to call a clean offensive attack.  We will have to wait, until next weak to get a realistic view of the starting offense. 

Quarterbacks

As a Bronco fan, you hate to see this kind of thing happen to your starting Quarterback.  I’ve been to training camp this year.  Orton looked like a gamer!  He threw accurate lasers into the back of the endzone (he even threw one at my head!). 

In yesterdays game, Orton looked great on the first drive.  Completing short passes, that spread out the defense.

I’m pretty sure he’ll bounce back next week.  If not, then McD will have some decisions to make at QB.  For now, let’s give him a chance.

Chris Simms looked awesome!  I have to say it’s weird watching a left handed QB man the offense, but if he plays like that, I’m fine with it.

With Simms at the helm, the Broncos came to within one point of the 49ers with two minutes to go in the game.

It was definitely more exciting to watch Simms play yesterday than Orton, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves though.  The 2nd string QB ALWAYS looks like a superstar in the preseason.  In my humble opinion, it is easier to run a second string offense then it is to run a second string defense, hence the backups usually seem to play better than the starters.

Wide Receivers

Kenny McKinley, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Lloyd led the team in receiving yards.

I really like this McKinley kid!  He looks really fast out there and he can also help on Special Teams.

Eddie Royal ran some superb routes and it looked like Nate Clements was giving him about 15 yards for every down.  Now that’s respect!

Lloyd made some exciting catches and was part of the reason why Simm’s was able to attempt a second half comeback.

The Offense looked wide open yesterday and the QBs were able to spread the ball around effectively.

Tight Ends

Who?  Did McDaniels play any TEs yesterday?  From the looks of the stats sheet, the first team TE squad was primarily used as a blocking unit. 

We know that Orton attempted to pass the ball to Daniel Graham in the end zone on the first drive, but until Jeb Putzier’s touchdown catch in the second half, the TEs were nonexistent in the passing game.

We did get to see the rookie TE Richard Quinn push around some defensive ends, which is always fun to watch.

I definitely want the TEs to play a bigger role in the passing game in the future.

Backs

Peyton Hillis was the stud of the day, big surprise, as he averaged 4.9 yards a carry and added two passing receptions for 18 yards.

Superstar rookie Knowshon Moreno looked like a freight train in his NFL debut, averaging a whopping six yards a carry.  Unfortunately, he had to leave the game early with an undisclosed leg injury.  I look forward to this stud playing in Denver for many years.

Lamont Jordan was a steady force in the backfield.  He even got into the passing game, with a nine yard comeback route in the first half.

Correll Buckhalter was unimpressive in his debut as a Bronco, but I attribute his paltry one yard per carry average to the play of the offensive line.  Buck should show his true colors as the season goes on.

Offensive Line

The Offensive Line was “GODLIKE” in pass protection, not allowing any sacks all game.  Orton should do wonders with all the time he will have in the pocket this year.  However, the O-line will have to be much stronger in their run blocking.  Preseason or not, the Broncos should average over 100 rushing yards a game. 

Defensive Line

I liked these guys!  The big men up front (Fields, Peterson, Baker, and McBean), filled the gaps effectively and even created a lot of pressure in the pocket.  However, the Niners still found enough holes to get over 100 rushing yards on the day.  I attribute this to Preseason gitters.  The big runs were caused by missed gap assignments and missed tackles.  These mistakes should be taken care over by game one. 

Linebackers

The Outside line backers (Haggan, Dumervil, and Moss) looked really fast.  Elvis Dumervil looked like a freak, breaking into the backfield numerous times.  I am really pushing for Jarvis Moss to break into the second team defense.  I think he can be a special player in the 3-4. 

First round draft choice Rober Ayers was a little disappointing in his NFL debut.  This just shows that he needs more practice time, before showing his real potential.

The inside linebackers looked out of place to me.  Spencer Larsen showed he is a great force at linebacker and should add a wealth of depth to the linebacker corps.  This whole group needs to work on their pass defense skills.

Defensive Backs

These guys showed good recovery speed and tackling skills, but seemed out of place.  The defensive front provided enough pressure, that the defensive backs should have been better against the pass, but the Niners tore up their zone defense.  However, with more practice, this unit is going to be sweet.

Special Teams

So far, I don’t know who I want returning kicks and punts for the Broncos.  Alphonso Smith and Kenny McKinley are both tremendous, in my book.  Both have super speed and cat-like reflexes.  Who ever wins the starting spot, will definitely add a highlight reel or two to this years special teams unit.

The kicking team was fine.  With only one rep given to each player, you really can’t form an opinion yet.

At the end of the day, I was happy with the performance.  The brunt of the mistakes can only be attributed to one player.  I think the Broncos are on the right track to greatness this year.

GO BRONCOS!!!

 

49ers 17, Broncos 16: Denver Falls Short In a Defensive Battle

You take the good, and you take the bad.

There is no way to sugarcoat this one Broncos fans; new quarterback Kyle Orton had a very rocky Denver debut.

Despite marching the troops directly to San Francisco’s four-yard line in his opening drive, Orton tried to force the ball to tight end Daniel Graham in the back of the end zone. While Graham appeared to be wide open when the ball was thrown, veteran cornerback Nate Clements broke from his receiver to make an incredible interception to end Denver’s impressive drive.

On the following Denver drive, Orton was able to drive the Broncos into enemy territory again, only to be picked off a second time by Dre’ Bly. This particular throw appeared to be intended for Brandon Stokley, who was well covered.

On the fourth play of the next Denver possession, Orton fired a pass to a wide open Jabar Gaffney, and San Francisco safety Reggie Smith skied in the air to grab the Orton pass.

Orton’s debut as a Denver Bronco lasted two quarters, but you can bet the fifth-year quarterback wanted to stay on the field after throwing three picks to prove he was not as bad as his game indicated.

Although Denver’s new signal caller had a rough start, it should be dually noted that the Broncos defense was absolutely dominant throughout the course of this game.

In fact, the Mike Nolan-led unit surrendered only six points on Orton’s three turnovers, and that was with a three-yard field to work with.

So, Broncos fans, hidden beneath a poor performance by our new quarterback was a spectacular performance by our new defense.

The Broncos’ aggressive attack was led by the front seven, who throughout the course of the game compiled four sacks.

Here are some of the highlights and low-lights of Denver’s pre-season opener against the 49ers:

 

Low-Lights

1. Kyle Orton—Orton was very shaky in his Broncos debut. He consistently moved the ball down the field, but three interceptions in one half is never acceptable. I expect him to come out firing once again when the Broncos travel to Seattle next week. He displayed a very strong arm, stronger than it was in camp, and let’s face it: This was his first game in a brand new system with a brand new team.  Like I said, there is no way to sugar coat it, but this performance will be good motivation for the new Denver quarterback, and remember Broncos fans—this is the preseason.
2. LaMont Jordan—Jordan was, to me, the biggest disappointment of the night. He was slow, went down very easily, and rarely kept his legs churning. Before a carry of eight yards (his longest of the game), he was averaging only two yards per carry. Jordan did have a nine-yard reception on the opening drive, but he needs to utilize his great size by running harder.

 

Highlights

1. Defensive Front Seven—I am proud to declare that the best part of Denver’s game tonight was the performance by the front seven.  Rookie nose tackle Chris Baker, defensive end Ryan McBean, and outside linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Mario Haggan each had a sack in Denver’s defensive effort. This unit allowed only 278 yards and appeared much more aggressive than year’s past. For the first time in two years, I am impressed with Denver’s defensive unit.
2. Chris Simms—Simms entered the game in the second half and put on quite a show for Broncos fans. He finished the game completing 11 of his 17 pass attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns.  Simms displayed a rocket for an arm and brought the Broncos back into the game with three scoring drives in the second half.
3. Peyton Hillis—Hillis needs no explanation to Bronco fans. He proved once and for all why he is so valuable to this team, rushing 10 times for 49 yards, catching two passes for 18 yards, and blocking very well. This kid is the real deal.
4. Knowshon Moreno—The rookie running back came in on the second drive of the night and ran the ball three times for 18 yards. The numbers are not gawdy, but he averaged six yards per carry, displayed great toughness (he appeared to play injured after his first carry), and showed he had great quickness to the hole.
5. Kenny McKinley and Brandon Lloyd—Rookie wide receiver Kenny McKinley had a pretty marginal game until making the biggest play of the game for Denver when he snagged a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Simms. He finished with 71 yards on three receptions, and saw time as both the kick returner and punt returner. Veteran receiver Brandon Lloyd snagged two passes from Simms, and both are likely to be on someone’s highlight reel. He finished with two receptions for 42 yards.
6. Did I mention the front seven?  Along with the four players who recorded sacks, the rest of the Broncos’ new look 3-4 was quite impressive as well. Second-year linebacker Spencer Larsen led the team with five tackles, including a stop on third down that led to a punt that was followed by a Denver touchdown late in the fourth quarter. New linebacker Andra Davis found himself making plays in the backfield multiple times, and Kenny Peterson had four stops of his own. What an opening performance by these guys.
7. Head Coach Josh McDaniels—McDaniels put together a wonderful offensive game plan and also appears to have done a nice job of putting together a defensive unit that can rush the quarterback and stop the run. The rookie also had his team go for two when they could have tied the game late in the fourth at 17 apiece, and the pass by Simms was intercepted in the end zone. I like what I am seeing out of him so far.

This performance by Kyle Orton is sure to receive all the negative press in the world, but quite frankly the Broncos controlled the rest of the game. Give credit to San Francisco for playing a great game, because they did. They shut the Broncos’ offense down in the first half, and Mike Singletary did a great job of coaching.

Take it with a grain of salt, Broncos fans. It’s only the preseason.

49ers 17, Broncos 16: Denver Falls Short In a Defensive Battle

You take the good, and you take the bad.

There is no way to sugarcoat this one Broncos fans; new quarterback Kyle Orton had a very rocky Denver debut.

Despite marching the troops directly to San Francisco’s four-yard line in his opening drive, Orton tried to force the ball to tight end Daniel Graham in the back of the end zone. While Graham appeared to be wide open when the ball was thrown, veteran cornerback Nate Clements broke from his receiver to make an incredible interception to end Denver’s impressive drive.

On the following Denver drive, Orton was able to drive the Broncos into enemy territory again, only to be picked off a second time by Dre’ Bly. This particular throw appeared to be intended for Brandon Stokley, who was well covered.

On the fourth play of the next Denver possession, Orton fired a pass to a wide open Jabar Gaffney, and San Francisco safety Reggie Smith skied in the air to grab the Orton pass.

Orton’s debut as a Denver Bronco lasted two quarters, but you can bet the fifth-year quarterback wanted to stay on the field after throwing three picks to prove he was not as bad as his game indicated.

Although Denver’s new signal caller had a rough start, it should be dually noted that the Broncos defense was absolutely dominant throughout the course of this game.

In fact, the Mike Nolan-led unit surrendered only six points on Orton’s three turnovers, and that was with a three-yard field to work with.

So, Broncos fans, hidden beneath a poor performance by our new quarterback was a spectacular performance by our new defense.

The Broncos’ aggressive attack was led by the front seven, who throughout the course of the game compiled four sacks.

Here are some of the highlights and low-lights of Denver’s pre-season opener against the 49ers:

 

Low-Lights

1. Kyle Orton—Orton was very shaky in his Broncos debut. He consistently moved the ball down the field, but three interceptions in one half is never acceptable. I expect him to come out firing once again when the Broncos travel to Seattle next week. He displayed a very strong arm, stronger than it was in camp, and let’s face it: This was his first game in a brand new system with a brand new team.  Like I said, there is no way to sugar coat it, but this performance will be good motivation for the new Denver quarterback, and remember Broncos fans—this is the preseason.
2. LaMont Jordan—Jordan was, to me, the biggest disappointment of the night. He was slow, went down very easily, and rarely kept his legs churning. Before a carry of eight yards (his longest of the game), he was averaging only two yards per carry. Jordan did have a nine-yard reception on the opening drive, but he needs to utilize his great size by running harder.

 

Highlights

1. Defensive Front Seven—I am proud to declare that the best part of Denver’s game tonight was the performance by the front seven.  Rookie nose tackle Chris Baker, defensive end Ryan McBean, and outside linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Mario Haggan each had a sack in Denver’s defensive effort. This unit allowed only 278 yards and appeared much more aggressive than year’s past. For the first time in two years, I am impressed with Denver’s defensive unit.
2. Chris Simms—Simms entered the game in the second half and put on quite a show for Broncos fans. He finished the game completing 11 of his 17 pass attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns.  Simms displayed a rocket for an arm and brought the Broncos back into the game with three scoring drives in the second half.
3. Peyton Hillis—Hillis needs no explanation to Bronco fans. He proved once and for all why he is so valuable to this team, rushing 10 times for 49 yards, catching two passes for 18 yards, and blocking very well. This kid is the real deal.
4. Knowshon Moreno—The rookie running back came in on the second drive of the night and ran the ball three times for 18 yards. The numbers are not gawdy, but he averaged six yards per carry, displayed great toughness (he appeared to play injured after his first carry), and showed he had great quickness to the hole.
5. Kenny McKinley and Brandon Lloyd—Rookie wide receiver Kenny McKinley had a pretty marginal game until making the biggest play of the game for Denver when he snagged a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Simms. He finished with 71 yards on three receptions, and saw time as both the kick returner and punt returner. Veteran receiver Brandon Lloyd snagged two passes from Simms, and both are likely to be on someone’s highlight reel. He finished with two receptions for 42 yards.
6. Did I mention the front seven?  Along with the four players who recorded sacks, the rest of the Broncos’ new look 3-4 was quite impressive as well. Second-year linebacker Spencer Larsen led the team with five tackles, including a stop on third down that led to a punt that was followed by a Denver touchdown late in the fourth quarter. New linebacker Andra Davis found himself making plays in the backfield multiple times, and Kenny Peterson had four stops of his own. What an opening performance by these guys.
7. Head Coach Josh McDaniels—McDaniels put together a wonderful offensive game plan and also appears to have done a nice job of putting together a defensive unit that can rush the quarterback and stop the run. The rookie also had his team go for two when they could have tied the game late in the fourth at 17 apiece, and the pass by Simms was intercepted in the end zone. I like what I am seeing out of him so far.

This performance by Kyle Orton is sure to receive all the negative press in the world, but quite frankly the Broncos controlled the rest of the game. Give credit to San Francisco for playing a great game, because they did. They shut the Broncos’ offense down in the first half, and Mike Singletary did a great job of coaching.

Take it with a grain of salt, Broncos fans. It’s only the preseason.

Recapping Game One Of The McDaniels Era

Despite being named the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Kyle Orton came out and did everything he could to lose the job to backup, Chris Simms.

Orton left many Broncos fans with a sick feeling in their stomachs, throwing interceptions on three straight series. Let’s just say it wasn’t his night.

However, Denver did come out and show some good flashes with Orton at the wheel.

In Orton’s first series, the Broncos effectively moved the ball all over the field before stalling at the 49ers two yard line, where Orton was picked off by Nate Clements, in an apparent mis-communication with Daniel Graham.

After Denver’s defense forced San Fransisco to punt the ball, Orton and the Broncos again marched straight down the field.  After a couple very nice runs by Knowshon Moreno, Orton again found a red jersey for an interception, this time it was Dre Bly stepping in front of Brandon Stokley.

After shutting down the 49ers offense again, the Broncos got the ball back in the shadow of their own endzone, where things really got ugly for the offense.

Failing to pick up a first down on the first two snaps, Denver was faced with a third and long. Orton faced some heavy pressure which was picked up nicely by Knowshon Moreno, and then spotted Jabar Gaffney wide open about thirty yards up field. The pass went about 20 yards and was intercepted and returned to Denver’s four yard line.

San Fransisco would go on to score their first touchdown of the night on the ensuing play.

The bright side for Denver had to be their defense. The front three did a tremendous job of driving the offensive line off the ball, and as a whole, the starting defense was excellent against the run.

Their week spot was undeniably there inability to cover Vernon Davis. This, unfortunately, was relatively to be expected. The toughest part of transition to a 3-4 defense is for the outside linebackers to learn proper pass coverage technique.

In the second half, Denver’s offense came out in a much more conservative manner, led by Chris Simms and Peyton Hillis. McDaniels dialed up a lot more run plays, and the offense looked sharp.

Chris Simms was very efficient and showed off his strong arm in the second half. The highlight of his night was when he hit rookie, Kenny McKinley for a 52 yard touchdown. The play was especially impressive as Simms was on the run when he launched the ball over 50 yards through the air. 

Chris Simms faced the second string defense, but I liked the play calling a lot more. Denver was still very creative, but what we saw with the first string offense looked like the Patriots in mid-season form. Too much, too soon.

While it’s clear how special McDaniels is as a coach, I don’t think the players are quite ready for such a complex offense, which is precisely what preseason is for. Things will start to come together as the season progresses.

After the night was through, Denver’s second and third string had scored two touchdowns and a field goal, with Chris Simms taking every snap. After their final touchdown, with the score being 17-16, Denver tried to go for the win, but came up short on the two point conversion.

All in all, I think it was a great learning experience for the team. It was especially good for McDaniels, I think. I think he will try to run the ball more, and take baby steps with Kyle Orton and his Denver offense.

Defensively, Denver needs to focus on defending the tight end position. The secondary will prevent the big plays, but the young linebacking corps. clearly needs to work on pass coverage.

 

Notes:

Rookie Tom Brandstater did not see any action vs San Fransisco. Orton played the entire first half, and Simms played the second.

Knowshon Moreno left the game in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury that is being called a sprained knee for now. MRI results will be known tomorrow.

With Marshall’s Acquittal, Where Do the Broncos Go From Here?

So it’s official.

The Denver Broncos can no longer hold Brandon Marshall’s “legal troubles” over his head, in their efforts to avoid paying him.

What it comes down to now, is whether or not Brandon can turn his attention back to the football field and prove that his hip is fully healed after offseason surgery.

If you believe Brandon Marshall, he has said that he is back to 100 percent for the first time in over a year, which should strike fear into the rest of the AFC West.

After all, even without feeling in his right hand, and a bad hip last season, Marshall still dominated, catching 104 passes for over 1,200 yards receiving.

Chances are, Marshall might be the best he has ever been, on and off the football field this year.

Not only will Marshall have his health, but his emotional and mental well being has got to be at an all time high. A tremendous burden has been lifted off his shoulders with the jury’s decision to acquit him of all charges today.

Now, all Marshall has to worry about is his wedding and his future with the Broncos.

So will the Broncos make efforts to repair the rift that has grown between them and their star receiver, or will they try to trade him away?

For the sake of the Broncos’ future relationship with Marshall, I really hope Pat Bowlen will at least sit down with Marshall and his agent again and discuss Brandon’s future with the team. 

I feel that an apology from both sides is definitely in order.

On one side of the coin, Marshall has got to understand that it was a scary proposition for Bowlen to make a big commitment to a player that could be facing a long suspension.

On the other side, Pat Bowlen has got to feel just a little bit guilty that he didn’t show more faith in his all-pro receiver.

He’s had more than his share of troubles, but a lot of those troubles have involved the same person: Rasheeda Watley, who has been described as “angry” and “volatile” by at least two very credible witnesses; a Denver Police Officer, and a counselor the couple visited in Florida

From an outsiders point of view, it seems to me that Marshall’s biggest legal troubles were more a case of extortion than anything else.

In a letter to Marshall from Watley’s former lawyer, she was said to be demanding $500,000…a sum greater than Marshall’s 2008 salary, for her silence.

Thankfully, the drama may have officially come to an end today. Nothing but a football career to worry about for “The Beast”.

It will be interesting to see what happens next.

In my perfect world, Pat Bowlen and Josh McDaniels would meet with Marshall tomorrow, and try to repair their relationship before the season starts.

Do something to make sure the guy doesn’t want to bolt as soon as his contract is up.

You never know, if Marshall can get back in camp and prove that he is healthy during preseason, maybe, just maybe, the Broncos will man up and offer him a decent extension.

I hope so.

Breaking News: Brandon Marshall Found Not Guilty in Battery Case

This just in from the AP, an Atlanta jury has found the Denver Broncos’ wide receiver Brandon Marshall not guilty of misdemeanor battery.

The jury deliberated for around an hour before coming to the verdict on Marshall’s two accounts of simple battery, and came back with a “not guilty” for the young NFL star.

This is a good sign for a guy that has gotten an extreme amount of flak for on and off the field troubles—now the weight of this particular run-in with the law is not on his shoulders or clouding his mind.

Will this experience finally be the one to wake Marshall up? The one that makes him realize how precious and fragile his NFL career is?

Sure, this would not have ended Marshall’s career, but Roger Goodell affirmed that the Broncos’ 2008 leader in catches, yards, and touchdowns would have been suspended in 2009. It would have likely kept him out of four-to-eight games, but now he is free to play in all 16.

That is, as long as Marshall doesn’t go out and celebrates this verdict with wild partying in a night club, or heaven forbid, a strip club.

Brandon Marshall has expressed that he doesn’t want to be in Denver, and if he wants to stay in the NFL all together, he must keep his nose clean. Marshall can’t expect to continue to get let off the hook. If he continues this misbehavior, he will be found guilty eventually if he doesn’t straighten up.

It’s a shame that Marshall is likely the best player on the Broncos currently and is labeled as one of the “bad guys” of the NFL—one bad apple that spoils the whole bunch.

Marshall is your typical, “I think I’m better than everyone else” type of NFL player, who is out for big money and enjoys taking plays off—which could result into him not making it to Canton one day.

Think about all the times Champ Bailey has been in the news for a run-in with the law. Or how about players like Eddie Royal, DJ Williams, or Brian Dawkins. These are examples of great men in the NFL, people that are humble, yet stars, and some will likely make it to the hallowed hall one day.

If Marshall doesn’t learn from other, better teammates, to just shut up and play, then this will likely be the end of “Baby T.O.” in the Broncos B & O (Blue and Orange).

 

The Denver Top Five: Preseason Edition

Looking at a NFL preseason roster, one can get lost in the sea of names, numbers, experience levels, and statistics. A preseason roster is full of guys vying for a roster spot come the regular season. It has superstars, career-backups, and rookie prospects hoping to make a name for themselves.
I have decided to sort through the plethora of orange names on the Broncos’ online roster and pick the five best players.
“Best” can be a very subjective word. I wanted to choose the five players that I think, a) have the most raw talentl, b) have lived up to their potential so far in their careers, and c) are likely to have outstanding seasons in 2009.
While the players who made the list may not surprise a Bronco fan, the order might. So, without further ado, the top five Broncos in 2009.

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Denver Broncos Pre-Season 2009: Amped Up in Chemistry

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This just in!  The question could be the answer.  The answer could be the perfect conclusion and panacea to the matter of the question.  Before the thought patterns of too many mad scientists start seeping in, it’s time to get the focus just right.

 

In looking at the Denver Broncos 2009 season, the reviews are in, and they are mixed.  There is but one clear method for the team to rectify the madness of this offseason.  Obviously, it’s win football games.  More esthetically abstract, the lyrical excerpt of the following song seems to shed some light. 

It’s the year in review while looking at what to anticipate. 

It’s the thing that can take any team from pretender to contender.

It’s a one word answer.  So without further ado.

 

Signal transmitted
Message received
Reaction making impact
Invisibly

Elemental telepathy
Exchange of energy
Reaction making contact
Mysteriously

Eye to I
Reaction burning hotter
Two to one
Reflection on the water
H to O
No flow without the other
Oh but how
Do they make contact
With one another?

Electricity? Biology?
Seems to me it’s Chemistry

                ~ Chemistry (RUSH / Neil Peart)

 

Some questions still need to be asked and others answered about the 2009 Broncos.

What is it that has failed the Denver Broncos on the field the last few seasons? 

What is it that the front office has worked so hard to correct and sell this offseason?

What is the issue with discontented players and a highly determined head coach and his staff?

On the surface, for better or for worse, it’s a mad scientist favorite reactionary dream.

Chemistry

 

Signal transmitted

The Denver Broncos 2009 offseason will be one that will forever leave a mark in the sand of history for the professional football franchise.  There is no better time than the present with this being the 50th year the Broncos have played professional football.

With the dismissal of the team’s most successful coach in team history, something has permanently changed for the Broncos as an NFL franchise.  Stability and personnel alike are all left to question after the removal of Mike Shanahan with a young upstart, offensive-minded coach, who is a bit of a throwback in Josh McDaniels.

 

Message received!

Josh McDaniels was not afraid to rattle a number of cages upon his arrival.

 

Reaction making impact

Jay Cutler was the starting quarterback on the Denver Broncos last season. 

Oddly enough, Cutler disappeared from the Broncos’ radar, facility, and roster, along with a slew of other veterans in the offseason.

Invisibly!

 

Elemental telepathy

There’s a new philosophy in Dove Valley, courtesy of Josh McDaniels and his version of the New England Way.  No stone has gone unturned.  Every position in the organization has been looked at by owner Pat Bowlen, just as the positions on the field have become subject to the offseason Turk, Coach McDaniels. 

Great offseason pickups like Brian Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, Ryan McBean, Renaldo Hill, and others have started to put a new face on the franchise.  They are all hopeful of making their mark.

New Coaches and new offensive and defensive schemes have been brought on board.

Exchange of energy!

Even better, a positive support system internally is echoing the highest expectation of the team on and off the field.  This is a challenging season for the Broncos to face no doubt, but it has been met with a positive attitude moving forward.

 

Reaction making contact mysteriously!

The offseason stir of trading Jay Cutler boiled over in the press to mixed reviews.  Jay Cutler himself seemed to flip out and decide to no longer communicate with the Broncos’ franchise directly, choosing instead the Chicago media to convey his private belief that Chicago fans are a nine while Broncos’ fans are a six.  The only contact from Jay was a few cryptic text messages. 

Eye to I:

A series of meetings that happened between Jay Cutler and Josh McDaniels at the Broncos’ Dove Valley practice facility. 

Reaction burning hotter!

Then there were those that didn’t happen.

Think about the meetings that never occurred between the quarterback, owner, and the coach, but should have.  This all put Broncos’ Country in disarray and absolutely divided the fanbase.

 

Two to one

The trade of Cutler and a draft pick to get two No. 1s.

Reflection on the water

Jay Cutler later admitted he handled the whole situation poorly.

 

H to O
No flow without the other

It all has to become water beneath the bridge at some point for the team, the organization, and the fans.  So why not now?  Now is the time to move forward.

Oh but how
Do they make contact
with one another?

Electricity? Biology?

It might take superior sports medicine, physical training, technology, training, and cerebral football to improve the franchise.  It might also take a little more than that. In the wake are some serious head scratchers.

How will the 2009 Denver Broncos make their mark? 

What will be the greatest determining factor?

Is the change going to make this a better football franchise?

Regardless how you view the Denver Broncos approaching 2009 season, one thing stands clear.  Not many people know exactly what to expect out of the team this season.  In the face of a brutal and challenging schedule, the Denver Broncos are a rebuilding football franchise.  How soon those changes can take place is really the key.

Certainly there are doubters and prognosticators who find it hard to endorse these winds of change. 

 

Seems to me it’s Chemistry!

It’s the only thing that can heal this team.  It’s the only thing that silences the critics.  It’s the only thing that creates wins and Super Bowl Championships.

It’s the thing to look for this season.

It’s a message about team.

It seems pretty cut and dry.

It’s a necessity.

Seems to me it’s Chemistry!

 

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