Week 13: NFL Picks & Predictions

I pick ’em every week and have for years. This season, I’ve been doing most of my picks right here on bleacherreport.com and also over at my site sports-uncut.com.

Going into last week (12), I was a solid if unspectacular 114-46, good for a 72.5 percent accuracy rate.

Last season was my personal best of right at 80%. This year, I’m looking to improve upon that, but these 10-6 weeks are killing me, and I gotta get at least 11 wins this week! Maybe I should pick Denver huh?

This week, there is only one game on Thursday, as opposed to last week when there were 3. Which leads me to mentioning that I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving with your families and friends! I know I did, however, I do what I always say I won’t, and that’s over eat to the point of being miserable! Damn Pumpkin Pie……

Anyway, this week’s Thursday night game pits the New York Jets at Buffalo in what’s sure to be a barn burner…..

the good news is that there are some decent games this week, nothing really great, but some decent games aside from the dud on Thursday. As always, I’m not picking the spread here folks; I’m picking the straight-up winner.

Record:

Record from Two Weeks Previous (11): 11-4

Record from Last Week (12): 10-6

Record coming into Week 13: 124 – 52 (70.4 percent)

Now that the records are out of the way, let’s get right to it!

Begin Slideshow

Denver Broncos’ Remaining AFC West Games Will Make or Break Season

We are 11 games into the NFL season and the Broncos still haven’t figured out if they are Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde.

They get crushed in their own backyard by the Chargers only to bounce back on four days rest and roll against the Giants. It seems that they can’t decide whether they are playoff contenders or pretenders. Maybe they just love driving their fans crazy.

Certain people, myself included, thought Kyle Orton wasn’t anything special at quarterback, yet the Broncos passing game completely fell apart when he was out with an ankle injury. We were sure the offensive line was one of the league’s best, only to see the protection break down when Ryan Harris got hurt and Ben Hamilton become a shell of his former self.

Oh well, at least no one on the team has suffered a concussion yet (knock on wood).

One thing I’ve learned to expect from the maddeningly inconsistent Broncos is to never know what to expect. I have no idea how their season will finish out and you’re lying through your teeth if you think otherwise.

At 7-4, the Broncos are a game behind the Chargers in the division. They’ll chase them as valiantly as Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner. The problem with that is Wile E. never catches the Road Runner, he just gets mangled and embarrassed.

Looks like a fourth straight division title goes to San Diego, and yet they still have issues with local television blackouts. Why does no one go to see that team play?

On the other hand, Denver is at the top of the wild card race and Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Houston, and Miami all lost yesterday. However, the way things are shaping up a 9-7 finish probably won’t be enough to make the playoffs, so the Broncos have to find a way to prevail in at least three of their five remaining games, which are at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, vs. Oakland, at Philadelphia, and vs. Kansas City.

No matter how bad the Chiefs are, Arrowhead Stadium has never been a kind place to the Broncos. Not to John Elway and certainly not to Mike Shanahan. The place is like a Broncos torture chamber.

However, it hasn’t exactly been a banner year for the Chiefs, and Orton and Co. has been through enough adversity. I say they gut it out and Josh McDaniels finds out just how hard it is to win in Kansas City.

If Arrowhead Stadium has been Denver’s torture chamber, then Peyton Manning has been their executioner. You may think that title belongs to Phillip Rivers, but Eli’s big brother started owning them before Rivers was even drafted.

Since 2003, Manning is 4-2 against the Broncos (the Colts starters played only the first quarter in one of those losses) and has thrown 15 touchdowns to only one interception. In that span, Indy has outscored Denver 193 to 149. Oh yeah, and the Colts are 11-0 so far this season.

Still think the Broncos are going to win that game? Neither do I.

Assuming that Manning doesn’t kill the whole team before they board the plane, it’s back to Denver for a showdown with the pitiful Raiders. I would feel really good about this game if those same pitiful Raiders hadn’t stunned the Broncos at home last season.

However, its a well known scientific fact that the only thing that doesn’t strike twice in the same place other than lightening is a Raiders victory. Wait for it, wait for it…Well, I had to get my cheap shot against Oakland in here somewhere. Regardless, chalk a “W” up for Denver.

On to Philadelphia, where this game will likely mean as much to the Eagles as it will to the Broncos, and for more than one reason. My biggest question is not in regards to the outcome of the game, but rather how Brian Dawkins will be received by the Philly faithful as a member of the other team. This is equivalent to Steve Atwater returning to Denver in a Jets uniform.

My take? Eagles’ fans are infamously ruthless and ferociously loyal when it comes to their team, but I can’t see them turning their backs on Dawkins after everything he did for them. They won’t be nearly as kind to the other Broncos, and unfortunately neither will the Eagles, who seem to always play their best football in December and January.

At last, the roller coaster comes to a stop in the season finale against the Chiefs. As much as the Broncos struggle in Kansas City, the Chiefs struggle just as much in Denver, where they are winless since 2000. If the playoffs are on the line for the Broncos in this game, I seriously doubt that Matt Cassel and Todd Haley will be able to break that slump.

If things go the way I see them (they probably won’t), and if I am as smart as I think I am (I’m not), this means that to get to 10 wins, the Broncos can’t lose any of their remaining games against the division. Victories against the Colts or Eagles are possible, but highly unlikely—especially against the Colts.

The Chiefs and Raiders have long been out of the playoff race, but they would love nothing more than to spoil it for the Broncos as well and that’s what scares me.

The only question remaining is which Denver team will show up to play these final five games, Jekyll or Hyde?

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre Proving that the Elway and Montana Principles Do Hold True

Considering all the great quarterbacks in NFL history, without a doubt, Brett Favre has proven that he is among the best. 

He sits along the legends of the NFL lore in John Elway, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady.

Say what you will, Cheesehead Nation, you never wanted to see a No. 4 FAVRE jersey come into the frozen tundra in any other color scheme but the Packers‘ gold and green. 

Unfortunately you, the franchise owners, and the front office let it happen. It was during that time period that a few key ideologies, theories, and principals about how to handle such situations became the center of great debate nationwide on sports talk shows. 

The questions surrounding Brett Favre had to do with his offseason attitude and questions about his desire. On the Packers’ front, it was complicated to say the least; but it had more to do with building for the future than the present. 

Certainly, since Favre beat the Packers twice this season with the arch rival Minnesota Vikings and his new team appears primed and ready to make a deep playoff run…one which will in all likelihood have them playing in the NFC Championship and possibly in the Super Bowl.

The whole debacle and fallout between the Packers and Favre is not unique in and of itself. However, it did cover a lot of ground. With that, it’s really time to get a clear pulse on the dynamic of what happened between Favre and the Packers.

At the end of the day, any way you slice and dice the data, the Packers and their fans only have themselves to blame for letting Brett Favre go. Moreover, and most damaging, they instigated it with not allowing him back to camp and with the eventual trade.

It’s an emotional issue but one that is worth looking at on a deeper level.

So by now it’s fair to ask what exactly is the Elway Principle and how does it apply to Brett Favre?

 

 

Explaining the Elway Principle

In a sense the Elway Principle is the explanation of a dynamic that does exist and is unique to professional football.

The Elway Principal is simply this:   A franchise quarterback is retained by the franchise for the greater good of the team and the player with the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind. 

In the case of John Elway, it took the intervention of owner Pat Bowlen to keep a trade of Elway from Denver to Washington from happening.

Dan Reeves was later fired in part because of his decision to seek a new quarterback.  Reeves drafted Tommy Maddox out of UCLA as Elway’s possible replacement in the early 1990s.  

The Elway Principle is somewhat sympathetic on both sides.

Don’t misunderstand it however. It’s not entirely empathetic.

When applying the rule to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, the direct comparison can and should be made between John Elway and the Denver Broncos because there are parallels that exist in how each franchise handled their business.

In the Broncos’ case they knew they had a franchise quarterback who was heading into the sunset of his career. 

By 1990, John Elway had played in three Super Bowls while his team suffered blowouts in each of the big games. Denver became one of the best teams in the NFL during that time period, but could not win the big game.   

Something very unique happened to the Broncos franchise at that time, a time when free agency played a major role in the NFL.

Both Elway and the Broncos stuck with one another through challenging setbacks and time periods. Elway and the Broncos showed noticeable signs of falling into mediocrity and there was the trade that never was and never should have even been a discussion.

The Broncos could have given up on Elway in the early 1990s when Dan Reeves had a personal rift with Elway and Mike Shanahan over play calling. In many ways, Dan was reaching a burnout point over the shortcomings of his Broncos teams in the Super Bowls. 

The loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV was devastating and forced major changes on a team that went to the Super Bowl three out of four seasons but lost to the 49ers 55-10 in the big game. 

The Broncos, however, became yesterday’s news as they went 0-3 in the big dance while the Buffalo Bills hit their stride and reached four consecutive Super Bowls from the AFC. 

The Bills’ fate was no better, as they went 0-4 in those games, as the NFC was dominating football at the time with the emergence of the retooled Dallas Cowboys. 

Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen ensured that despite these hardships, John Elway stayed in Denver and never landed in Washington, as Reeves was proposing at the time. 

Pat Bowlen showed Dan Reeves the door after the 1992 season and eventually got his man Mike Shanahan to return to Denver and lead his football franchise in 1995.

The Broncos had been through two mediocre seasons under Wade Phillips and the first one under Mike Shanahan. Then the Broncos had a devastating playoff loss to Jacksonville in 1996 after the team filled so many high expectations. 

It was one loss that still stings the franchise, especially when you consider they could have possibly had a three-peat, something that has never been done in the Super Bowl era. 

The Broncos were the clear favorite in the AFC and had a memorable blowout victory at New England, the eventual 1996 AFC Champion during the regular season.

Consider the fact that during the following season of John Elway’s career he tore a bicep tendon in a pre-season game in Mexico in 1997 against the Miami Dolphins. 

That was the same season John Elway made his now-legendary helicopter leap to decisively tell his team they were going to beat Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers team in Super Bowl XXXII. 

The Pack were the defending champions and Elway on that one play began to drive the dagger through the hearts of the Green Bay faithful as he came crashing to earth for a first down.

That play and that Super Bowl matchup might not have happened if the Broncos had given up on John Elway. The key note here is that John Elway and Denver stuck it out together during Elway’s 15^th season.

In Green Bay there is a clear distinction that must be made. Brett Favre was being forced out by the Packers management and head coach who wanted to endorse the draft pick of Aaron Rodgers, who was picked four seasons previously. 

So when he retired at the time, he was being forced out. Then Brett decided he had something to prove since he later felt he could still play and still wanted to play. 

By that time, the concessions being made by the Packers were nil and none. They were sticking with Aaron Rodgers.

Here is the flaw of that argument: Aaron Rodgers is not Brett Favre either in athletic ability or in star talent. It’s very possible that Aaron Rodgers may never even reach the Super Bowl.

Now think about that for a moment and consider the argument thus far.

John Elway had the type of injury that could have kept him from playing the 1997 season. He could have been on the IR and not the championship platform hoisting the Super Bowl XXXII trophy above his head. 

It still seems peculiar at best to think that the Green Bay Packers were ready to part with Brett Favre before he was really ready to part ways with them. It’s not like Brett Favre really ever had an Elway like injury holding him back at the time either.

So what was holding them back?

It’s a simple answer, but a complicated formula that causes blindness in business and athletics. 

It’s called pride. Its best friend is ego, who, for the record, is also blind.

The Packers management did what many management groups do. They took control of the situation with their power and their money, but they failed to do what people are generally paid big dollars for: making the right decision.

The same sort of actions that got Dan Reeves fired in Denver would most likely be the fate of current Packers coach Mike McCarthy if only it was his decision alone to part ways with Brett Favre. The fact of the matter is that it was not. 

Mark Murphy, President and CEO of the Packers, along with G.M. and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson led the charge with McCarthy against Favre.

Make no mistake; this was an all-systems-go charge against their former NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer.

The Packers offered Brett Favre over $20 million to never play professional football again shortly after he was banned from the facility and team activities.

Brett Favre has made less actually playing for the Jets and the Vikings, but he did prove his point this year to the Packers twice, once at hallowed Lambeau Field.

This is the pivotal piece defining the Elway Principle.

There is no way, none whatsoever that the Broncos fans or owner were willing to part ways with John Elway. It was part of the understanding through trials and shortcomings in the playoffs that the franchise owed John time and space to work towards coming back for the next season late in his career. 

There was no political maneuvering. No conspiracy. No collusive change management policy designed to oust a longtime veteran, star power and all.

Absent in Denver was the future franchise quarterback. Up until the very end of Elway’s career the Broncos had the likes of Bubby Brister and Brian Griese ready to go, but neither could be considered seriously as filling Elway’s shoes. 

Even if John Elway retired and later decided to come back, the Broncos’ franchise would have allowed it to happen. They would have made concessions based on his ability and leadership.

This is the thing the Broncos figured out that the Packers somehow could not.

For whatever reason the Green Bay Packers failed to recognize those attributes in Brett Favre.

The Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. It was at that time the team started looking ahead, little did the fan base actually know they were seeking a successor to actually oust Brett Favre. 

Had it been sold to the fans that way then an absolute uproar would have taken place, even in the depths of the Packers’ mediocrity at the time. 

Brett Favre was respectable in 2005, just as he played more than respectably his last year in Green Bay, leading them to the NFC Championship in 2007. 

Brett showed his mettle last season after his trade to New York in helping the Jets be one of the best teams in the AFC in 2008 until their late-season collapse.

The Jets implosion was bigger than Brett Favre, but he was partially to blame for his poor play and arm injuries that weren’t entirely disclosed or known at the time.

Then came the 2009 season, one in which Brett Favre was in Minnesota Vikings camp for only a short time before taking the reins and with them a total change in the mindset of a football franchise. 

There was a great deal of fear and excitement among the Vikings fans and coaching staff. 

Head Coach Brad Childress is now virtually married to that decision; to bring Brett to Minnesota even after wavering with the Vikings could have been career suicide for the coach. So far it’s been paying huge dividends on the 2009 season with the Vikings at 10-1.

 

Explaining the Montana Principle

This brings to mind another situation it’s called The Montana Principle, named after San Francisco legend Joe Montana who won four championships with his 49er teams and was later traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Montana Principle is simply this: A franchise quarterback is traded by the franchise regardless of the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl Championship in mind. This is usually done to accommodate a youth movement or a younger backup quarterback. 

Specifically, in Joe Montana’s case, Steve Young became the starter for two years before Joe was healthy enough to play again. So at that time he did have an image of being damaged goods like other star players traded late in their careers.

Looking at first piece of the definition, it may as well be called the Montana/Favre Principle for the rest of time. Both franchise quarterbacks were spurned by their former teams for whatever reason for the sake of progress and moving on. This was all done despite six Super Bowl appearances and five championships between them.

The situations are very different, however.  Joe Montana was injured and traded two years later. Steve Young eventually did win a Super Bowl; it is however very possible to make the argument that Joe Montana may have won two Super Bowls. 

In Favre’s case, Aaron Rogers clearly lacked playing time, but it was the front office that had to cover themselves and found that to be more paramount than winning football games and championships most immediately. 

It’s possible that Brett Favre may hoist the hardware one more time at the end of this season, ultimately proving out these principals all the more. In Green Bay, it’s already proving to be a long cold winter.

Consider for a moment some of Joe Montana and Brett Favre’s career statistics. 

Joe Montana was 117-47 spanning a 15-year career. The 49ers never ensconced Montana into the starting role until starter Steve DeBerg was injured midway through the 1980 season.

Montana’s first full season as a starter in 1981 saw him lead the 49ers to a 13-3 record, which thanks to Dwight Clark’s amazing catch in the NFC Championship resulted in their first Super Bowl.

San Francisco downed the Cincinnati Bengals in that game to claim their first championship.

Montana won three more with the 49ers in 1983, 1989, and 1990. His playoff record was something to be admired with nine playoff appearances with San Francisco and two with the Kansas City Chiefs. His record with the 49ers was a brilliant 14-5 in playoff games. 

At Kansas City, the Chiefs had very good teams but could not win big games and lost out on making a Super Bowl with Joe Montana. His record there was 2-2 in the playoffs. The Chiefs however were not the 49ers on or off the field.

As a passer, Joe Montana connected on 3,409 passes for 40,551 yards. His career completion record finished at 63.2 percent.

Joe Montana was essentially replaced as the starter in San Francisco due to an injury he suffered on his elbow in 1991. Joe only played one game over the 1991 and 1992 NFL seasons. 

The 49ers found insurance in backup Steve Young and by the end of the 1992 season the franchise parted ways with Joe Montana. 

This was a time that saw a little tension and heartbreak as the franchise could no longer keep Joe Montana on their roster due to the evolution of change in San Francisco.

Perhaps, when it comes to Brett Favre, the Packers knew more about Brett Favre’s arm than the rest of the country. That may be the reason they did not want to bring Brett Favre back after he led them to an NFC title game. 

The press however had numerous reports regarding a deteriorating relationship between Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers front office.

So for Brett Favre’s part, his statistics and leadership were shown the door.

Probably one statistic speaks volumes more about Brett Favre’s dilemma in Green Bay than any other. That statistic is the measure of a quarterback’s performance itself, the quarterback rating. 

In 2007, Favre’s last year in Green Bay his quarterback rating was 95.7, the third-best rating of his career. His career rating resides at 86.4. 

At the peak of Favre’s career, when he won the Super Bowl in 1996, his rating was 95.8, his second-highest rating ever. The following year when the Packers lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, Favre’s rating was at 92.6.

What catches the eye are his ratings with the Jets and Vikings. In New York, with an injured arm, Brett the Jet had a rating of 81.0.

This season with the Vikings through 11 games, he’s sitting on a 112.1 rating, his best-ever by a mile.

But ratings don’t tell you the amazing last minute heroics and the ways in which Brett Favre is a man among men. It’s a shame, perhaps they should.

For his career Favre has thrown nearly 6,000 completions, has a 61.9 completion percentage, racked up 68,001 yards, 488 touchdowns, and 313 interceptions.

His numbers take a backseat to no one.   

Perhaps the Green Bay Packers thought of Joe Montana’s situation briefly and spurned their golden boy Brett Favre in the blockbuster trade that landed him in New York for all of one season. 

The sheer neglect of seeking out the best possible solution for the Green Bay Packers franchise is baffling when considering the great lengths they went to silence Brett Favre and to back the draft selection of Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers probably should have considered how the Denver Broncos handled John Elway late in his career for the betterment of their own franchise, yes even through extremely challenging times.

Certainly the past is the past, but we can learn from it.

In the case of Brett Favre, these well stated principles do hold true.

He’s still proving it game after game.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Josh McDaniels: Better Vocal Leader Than Bill Belichick?

Stories like this just make me mad as ****.

Glad that voice-activated typing software was activated. We’ll be issuing an apology momentarily.

When I heard that the NFL Network had issued a public apology for what Denver Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels had said on the sidelines this week, I was really *****. Come on, what the **** was so wrong?

 

I mean, this is the ******* NFL isn’t it? Manly men doing manly things in a manly fashion? Beating the snot (bodily fluids seem to be permissible in this context) out of the ************ piece of **** on the other side of the ******* line.

 

Isn’t that what this freaking (sorry, slipped on that one) game is supposed to be all about?

Fair to say we’re not really sure what came first in this discussion. The fan’s bloodthirsty (remember the bodily fluids thing here) demand to hear every single last ******* comment made by every one of those ******** on the field, or the TV networks rush to get a little more “up close and personal”.

 

And doing it without sideline reporters!

 

Or worse, that ******* annoying Twitter thing.

This is football! Anyone sitting either in the stands or at home knows what they’re getting into here. In America, we curse and we’re better at it than anybody else in the ******* world.

 

OK, maybe we’re still learning form the experts.

 

Either way, we’re **** proud of it. It’s a ******* scientific fact. 

 

If you’re going to place a live microphone that close to a group of football players during a game, what do you expect? A bunch of ******* talking about who has the best kept locker stall?

If it would have been the Steelers defense on the sidelines, I could see them waxing poetic on the follicle style of Troy Polamalu. I mean, everyone around the NFL knows why he really wears his ******* hair so long.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE. How McDaniels has surpassed Bill Belichick, why he owes no one an apology, and suggestions for anyone still unhappy with his choice of language.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Week 13 NFL Predictions: Playoffs Loom Large On Teams Game Plans

Denver must now give chase to San Diego in the AFC West as the Chargers will win against Kansas City in Week 12 and keep a one-game lead.

In Week 13, the Broncos play Kansas City in Arrowhead Stadium and should win this one to run their record to 8-4.

The Jets have Buffalo and should win this one, even though it’s on the road. New York still has little chance to make the playoffs unless Mark Sanchez suddenly matures one season early, and takes them on a run starting this week.

The Jets will beat Buffalo, but after that, no one knows.

Philadelphia travels to Atlanta and needs a win, but so do the Falcons. Matt Ryan and his offense should outscore Philadelphia for a close home victory.

Indianapolis, on autopilot to the playoffs, has Tennessee in the friendly confines at home in Indiana. We have to take the best team in the AFC to this point, and give the Colts the nod on this one.

Houston takes on Jacksonville in Florida and should nail this road win becoming one step closer to the first playoff game in franchise history. Houston must keep winning now, and hope the chips fall right for the Texans.

Cincinnati will handle Detroit at home and remain a good solid 9-3 for the season. The Steelers sitting Ben Roethlisberger last week, basically said, here’s the division Bengals, take it.

Tampa Bay will have their only real shot at another win this season, against the Carolina Panthers on the road. I would almost take the Bucs in this one, but I think not.

Carolina wins this one at home.

The Steelers will have Roelthlisberger back hopefully, and handle the Raiders, to keep their playoff hopes alive.

New England is in Miami, and should handle the reduced wildcat without Ronnie Brown.

The Patriots are trying to get a high seed for the playoffs at this point, and will play hard up until at least Week 15, then maybe rest some key players.

The Bears may finally win one as they host the Rams. I will take the Bears to get it done.

New Orleans, on cruise control to the NFC Championship Game, will beat Washington on the road easily.

San Diego will take Cleveland on the road easily as well to keep the division lead.

The 49ers have Seattle on a trip north, and should handle the Seahawks to keep very faint playoff hopes alive. These hopes are very faint, like barely a pulse.

Dallas has a big test with the Giants in the Meadowlands. I would take Dallas in this one, except it’s time for the big fold-o by the Cowboys going down the stretch.

I will take the Giants at home, who have something to prove still, while Dallas will be complacent it seems in this one.

The Vikings travel to the desert and take on Arizona. This season, the Vikings added some Favre guy for the trip west. Advantage, Vikings.

On Monday, the Ravens travel to Green Bay and take on the surging Packers. This should be a pretty good one. Green Bay, at home as of late, seems like a good pick.

The Ravens are fighting for the playoffs and so are the Packers. This is like a mini-playoff game to make the playoffs. Take the Packers in this one.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

In Josh McDaniels’ Defense

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4697154

This is a good article with lots of Josh McDaniels’ quotes as he presents his side of the story. Honestly, I totally believe his side of the story regarding that cocky punk Sean Phillips (I hope I mispelled his name; I don’t care enough to even check).

He is always talking some trash, and I am glad if Josh McDaniels threw it back at him. I think Ryan Clark of the Steelers should mind his own business regarding what transpired between the Chargers linebackers and Denver’s coach.

McDaniels shouldn’t even have to apologize about a network picking up an F bomb from him on the sideline. He was not miked up; he was doing his job. If you have ever been to a professional football game, you hear the F word more than any other word, it seems. It is up to the networks to screen and filter that out.

I am thinking that some guys in the NFL are feeling threatened by Josh McDaniels and need to vilify him somehow. People who don’t like the Broncos are going to judge him regardless, but I am glad that Josh McDaniels is telling his side of the story.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Josh McDaniels “Zwah’s” The Media, Shaun Phillips, and Ryan Clark

On ABC’s hit television show “Scrubs” there is a very colorful character named Ed, an intern who is known for his laziness and timely humor.  In the show, Ed makes popular the verb “zwah,” which according to Urban Dictionary is defined as “a word that you yell only when someone has been completely owned.”

We will come back to that.

Josh McDaniels has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, and he finally set the record straight.

The first incident was that he allegedly shouted at San Diego Chargers‘ linebacker Shaun Phillips, a player known for running his mouth constantly, yelling, “We own you” at him.  McDaniels was apologetic, and a little frustrated by the accusations, also saying that Phillips was one who should also be at fault.

“I was two or three steps out of the tunnel when Shaun Phillips raced up to me with his helmet off and said, ‘I’ll kick your [expletive] ass, too,’ ” explained McDaniels. “I’m not saying I felt physically threatened but that’s exactly the way it went down. It surprised me in a way but we played them a lot when I was in New England and he’s always been that kind of guy.

“I wasn’t out there trash-talking their players, going through their drills. This guy has been doing this since I’ve been in the league and, because they won, he takes the liberty of telling his side of the story. I didn’t swear at him or threaten him. What I actually said was, ‘I’ve heard the same thing from you for four or five years now, and when I was in New England, we owned you.'”

McDaniels apologized for saying even that, but said also that it was nothing near what Phillips portrayed.

In fact, McDaniels was so rubbed the wrong way that he has asked the league to look into the events of that particular day further.  He also added that maybe the Chargers don’t know the whole story either.

“I don’t think [Chargers coach] Norv Turner knows what happened and I know he wouldn’t approve of it,” said McDaniels. “If one of my players ever did that, I’d be livid. I think any coach would be.”

Shaun Phillips, if what Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is saying is true, (and for the record, we’ll take his side in the matter because you are known for running your mouth) then you have just been “Zwahed!”

After the incident and the reports that McDaniels tried to start a fight with the San Diego ball club by saying, “We own you,” Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark felt the need to throw in his two cents on the situation.

Might I add in a very immature manner.

Essentially, what Clark suggested was that if a coach came to you and said something along the lines of what McDaniels said, the opposing player(s) should be able to retaliate in a physical manner.

Despite my thinking that he might be joking, he actually had the gall to go on and say he wanted to petition something to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Absolutely laughable, and McDaniels was stunned as well.

“I’m hearing that I’m being called a renegade coach and that I’m always trying to stir things up and [media] are asking questions based on erroneous information. I even read where [Steelers safety] Ryan Clark wanted the commissioner to do something about a coach taunting players. I have a lot of respect for Ryan Clark and that bothers me.

“I’m not trying to exacerbate the situation by talking about it but if somebody is going to make a judgment about me, I’d appreciate it if they had all the facts and properly report it.”

Ryan Clark, you also have just been “Zwahed!”

The other incident McDaniels was involved in recently was the NFL Network not editing out one of his atomic F-bombs on live television.

McDaniels was heard accross the nation saying, “All we’re trying to do is win the motherf***ing game!”

Now, this is commonplace in the NFL, as sad as it may be.  I do not approve of swearing, nor do I promote it.

Nonetheless, it is a huge part of the game today because people often get caught up in the moment and say things they shouldn’t (not that we haven’t seen countless coaches mouth these things on the sidelines).

“I’m not going to apologize for coaching the game but I apologize that people had to hear that,” McDaniels said.

McDaniels has been ridden pretty hard by the media all year long, and this was just fodder for them apparently.  The statement above is worthy…

Media, you have just been “Zwahed!”

McDaniels and the Broncos are fresh off of what turned out to be the biggest victory of their season so far, and this is how the media rewards them.

Now that they have finally bugged the guy to the point where he was obligated to address the situations, they got what they deserved.

A verbal slap in the face, also known as the “zwah.”

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Will Tim Tebow Be Running “Wild Horses” With the Denver Broncos In 2010?

Alright Broncos fans, here’s the deal.  Obviously many are under the impression that Josh McDaniels’ squad does not need a quarterback in the upcoming draft because of the emergence of Kyle Orton, and some with good reason.

Orton has completed over 62 percent of his passes for 2,447 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.  He has a decent quarterback rating of 87.9 and has been very effective in the Broncos’ offense as a leader. 

He has shown great toughness, playing through a devastating ankle injury and leading the Broncos to a gutsy Thanksgiving night victory over the New York Giants.

Personally, I still feel there is a persistent need for a true playmaker at quarterback.  To me, it feels like Chester Taylor is playing when Adrian Peterson is somewhere out there. 

Is Taylor a good backup?  Yes.  Is he capable of starting whenever called upon?  Yes.  Is he smart?  Yes.  Is he tough?  Yes.  Is he Adrian Peterson?

No.

Obviously it’s a little different with the quarterback position, and I know the Broncos are doing more than just getting by with Orton as they are on top of the AFC wildcard race and just as recently as last week they held sole possession of first place for the first two months of the season.

If the Broncos decide to pursue Kyle Orton in the offseason as a free agent, there will be no major change at quarterback without an injury.  He will be the starter, and likely for the foreseeable future.

This year, the Broncos added a new formation to their offense called “Wild Horses” that is essentially the team’s version of the “Wildcat”.  Currently, the player taking the snaps out of this formation is Knowshon Moreno, and while the rookie tailback is one of the team’s most versatile players, he is not fit to run the “Wild Horses.”

That is one of many reasons I believe the Broncos will give Tim Tebow a serious look in the NFL Draft.  Many people are giving Tebow a hard time when it comes to his NFL prospects, mainly because of his accuracy issues and release point.

Let me go on record as saying that I believe Tebow will be an extremely effective player in the NFL.  There are a variety of reasons I believe he is a good fit for the league, and the Denver Broncos in particular.

It is not because he already looks good in orange and blue.

1.  Versatility

If there is one thing I took from Josh McDaniels’ first crop of draft picks, it is that every single player’s main strength is versatility.

    * Knowshon Moreno:  Very multi-talented back.  Powerful runner, willing blocker, excellent receiver.
    * Robert Ayers:  Able to play standing up or with his hand in the ground.  Excellent run-stuffer and powerful pass rush capabilities.
    * Alphonso Smith:  Good cover corner, solid tackler, and an asset in the return game.
    * Darcel McBath:  Willing tackler whose main strength is in coverage.  Ball-hawking safety with speed to play cornerback.  Also a solid special teams player.
    * Richard Quinn:  Blocking tight end specialist with surprisingly reliable hands despite his college numbers.
    * Seth Olsen:  Strong, athletic, and quick.  Played both tackle and guard in college.
    * David Bruton:  Excellent special teams gunner, and strong leader of a defense.  Great tackling safety.
    * Kenny McKinley:  Good hands at receiver, but maybe more promise as a kick return specialist.  Can be a good slot receiver and is deceptively fast.
    * Tom Brandstater:  Smart quarterback prospect with a strong arm.

Essentially, my point is the Broncos love and clearly value versatility in players, and I have to ask, is there a more versatile player in the entire draft that Tim Tebow?

Some are saying he could be a tight end or H-back prospect.  Some are saying he will be a scrambling quarterback.  Heck, I have even heard that he might be a good fit for the linebacker position.

Tebow, statistically is one of the most dominant players in college football history, and may even be the best college player of all time.  He is a good passer with great escape ability, and he is a powerful runner who has set numerous rushing records from the quarterback position.

This guy has the chance to be a scrambling star at the next level and is one of the best quarterback prospects on the run.

2.  Leadership

Tebow is famous for his ability to lead a team, and people might remember him best for the shot where he is bleeding all over his face, and he has the I’m-going-to-kill-someone look in his eyes.

This guy commands the huddle without getting under his teammates’ skin.  He is a fiery competitor and he is willing to do whatever it takes to win a game or to gain an extra yard.

The Broncos clearly value leadership, as nearly every captain from the 2008 squad changed in 2009.  Brian Dawkins, the team’s main free agent acquisition, was named a defensive captain along with Champ Bailey and Mario Haggan.

On offense, Kyle Orton, Casey Wiegmann, and Daniel Graham were all named captains.

Wesley Woodyard, a second-year player who was undrafted in 2008, was named special teams captain.

Andra Davis was a team captain for the Cleveland Browns for a few years prior to signing with Denver, and D.J. Williams was a defensive captain in 2008.

Kenny Peterson also seems like he could be a strong candidate for a defensive captain.

The point I’m trying to make here is that the Broncos place a high value on leadership, and Tebow brings that to the table.  Here is a scouting report from ESPN.com on Tebow’s leadership abilities:

“Rare intangibles and work ethic. The ultimate team player. Exceptional mental and physical toughness. Temptations that can accompany NFL money and lifestyle will have zero affect on Tebow.

“Rare mental toughness. Very few are blessed with his natural competitiveness, leadership skills and work ethic. Both a vocal leader and leader by example. However, there are some concerns regarding his mental aptitude in the passing game. He comes from a unique spread-formation offense so it can be difficult at times to differentiate instincts from inexperience. The bottom line is that he’s nowhere near ready to make the kind of coverage reads necessary to succeed as a passer in the NFL.”

3.  Intelligence

This one is basically self-explanatory, and unless you have been living under a rock for the last four years, you should know that Tebow is one of the most intelligent players in college football today.

For two years in a row, he has been named an ESPN Academic All-American and likely will be named to his third straight after the 2009 season.  He is also extremely involved in community events, mainly related to mission works.

Tebow is an extremely mature young individual, and I think the Broncos will be hard-pressed to come away from interviews with him without being impressed.  He is an outstanding young man, and it translates onto the football field.

So, if the Broncos are not looking at a quarterback to replace Orton, they most certainly will be looking for a backup as Chris Simms simply is not cutting it.  My question is, why not Tebow?

Versatility, intelligence, and leadership are three things that clearly the Broncos value in draft picks, and Tebow possesses all three at an elite level.

He brings the offense another huge weapon, and quite frankly another dimension with the wildcat formation.

So if not Tim Tebow for a replacement at quarterback, what about another offensive weapon?

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe Should Be Horseshoe-Ins for Hall

Terrell Davis and Shannon Sharpe are hands-down one of the greatest duos to play for the Broncos and the best Denver players to ever do it at their position.

And even though they were both named to the NFL‘s All-Decade team of the 90s, one former Bronco may have a harder time getting into Canton’s hallowed hall than the other.

 

Shannon Sharpe should be nothing more than a shoe-in for Pro Football’s Hall of Fame—he revolutionized the NFL tight end position forever, taking a sixth offensive lineman and turning him into a threat on the offensive end.

Sharpe was dominant in a pass-catching role, receiving HOFer John Elway’s bullet passes from 1990-98, and from other less notable QBs from 1999-03. During his 14 year career, Sharpe caught an amazing 815 passes for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns—all of which were all-time highs for tight ends in NFL history when he retired.

While not speedy (my Dad used to always say he looked like he was moving in slow motion), Sharpe was as dangerous as any receiver in the NFL during the 1990s. Many times opposing defenses would line up a linebacker against the massive tight end, a matchup that was irrevocably eaten alive by Elway and Sharpe. He was amazing across the middle, was the Broncos’ best possession receiver, and could score at-will with an Elway naked bootleg on the goal line.

Sharpe also blocked for five different 1,000-yard rushers in Denver, including Terrell Davis from 1995-98, and he is one of only four players in NFL history to have 11 or more 50-catch seasons (Jerry Rice, Andre Reed, Chris Carter). He also won three Super Bowls and had three 1,000 yard receiving seasons. Sharpe was so good; ESPN named him the No. 7 draft steal of all time .

But what Sharpe is remembered for the most is his big personality, which gave him his big mouth and big touchdown celebrations.

His most famous quote came in a Nov. 1996 Denver drubbing of New England as he was caught by NFL Films proclaiming, “Mr. President, call in the National Guard! Send as many men as you can spare! Because we are killing the Patriots! They need emergency help!”

Sharpe was not shy about asking for the ball either, as NFL Films interviewed him and Elway explained how Shannon would constantly come back to the huddle to say, “I’m open John, throw me the ball.”

When he couldn’t be heard over the eardrum-busting Mile High maniacs, Sharpe showed his delight nonverbally. He came up with two different TD celebrations, both of which helped make him a fan favorite. His original celebration was a mere flex of his bulging muscles as he earned the nickname “Hulk.” The second was more innovative, as he danced around and made it look like he was riding a bucking bronco in the end zone.

And while many believe he’s an absolute no-brainer for the hall, one stat may go against his quest, as there are only seven TEs in the HOF currently.

Realistically, Sharpe will have a bronze bust of his chiseled jaw and smiling face in Canton soon, but what chance does Terrell Davis have?

Davis is more the long-shot of the two, although his greatness should not be ignored. Even though TD technically played for seven years in the NFL, his first four were the masterpiece of his career.

From 1995-98 Davis’ rushing yards increased every season and he amassed 6,413 total yards in those years, including 56 touchdowns. While being only the fourth ever player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season, he was the NFL MVP in 1998 and was the major reason why John Elway and the Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls.

But as they say, sometimes the brightest stars burn out the fastest, which couldn’t be truer about Terrell Davis.

In his hey-day, no one could stop TD, let alone slow him down. He was never really a threat to go for an 80-yard dash down the sideline, but Davis hit holes quicker and harder than any back in recent memory. He exploited the idea of a “one cut and go” running system, with running backs coach Alex Gibbs, which became Mike Shanahan’s calling card in the NFL for almost a decade.

Likely the best run I ever saw TD make was in Super Bowl 32 against the Green Bay Packers. Davis hit the hole in the O-line quickly like usual, then as a safety dove at him, TD spun quickly to get away (:42). Then a few yards down the field, he juked a guy so hard he fell over and Davis walked in for the score.

And while Davis was proving he was the best running back in the game in 1997-98, he came up with a little TD celebration of his own—The Mile High Salute. The salute is the best celebration in the history of the Broncos, something respectful done with a fellow teammate after a successful drive. Davis supposedly started doing the salute in honor of his father who was in the military, and the small gesture pumped up the Broncos faithful in a huge way.

In total, Davis’ 7,607 career yards and 60 touchdowns are two of the 47 Broncos franchise records he holds and he added three pro-bowls to his resume as well. But, neither of those numbers rank him even in the top-25 among running backs and many say his career was too short.

I say, a player’s career length should not keep a player out of the HOF, especially when he was the best player at his position—arguably the best player in the NFL at the time. Terrell Davis definitely belongs in Canton along with Elway, Sharpe, and their lineman Gary Zimmerman.

The ironic thing about it all is that while both Sharpe and Davis were great on the field, they couldn’t be more different in character. Sharpe was the loud and proud, larger than life figure—the personality of the Broncos—while Davis was a reserved, quiet perfectionist that let his game do all the talking.

And now that the two are in the top-25 finalists to get into Canton in 2010, the writers must silence Sharpe and speak up for Davis and make sure both Broncos greats are in the Professional Football Hall of Fame—if not this year, then soon.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Denver Broncos Get a Giant Win On Thanksgiving

Call it a big win.

A must have.

A must win situation.

Call it what you will, just call it what was: it was a giant win for the Denver Broncos.

Not even the likes of the FOX pre-game show prognosticators saw this one coming.  

Granted the Denver Broncos have been down for a solid month, but even the professionals missed big time when it came to picking this game.

Not even Howie Long from the AFC West picked Denver.  Then again he always was a Raider.

Hopefully you and yours were able to stuff enough Thanksgiving food in your faces that you were feeling rather large by the time the kickoff rolled around on the NFL Network.  A feeling is sublime, as you’re content in life’s emotional here and now.

The Denver Broncos played host to the New York Giants on a Thanksgiving evening in what was supposed to be the night they wrapped up the AFC West Division title.

At least that was how it appeared a month ago with the Broncos 6-0 and the struggling Chargers at 3-3.  That would have happened had the Broncos not gone on a four game skid and the San Diego Chargers not gotten so hot to make the division race drastically flip-flop in less than a month.

For their part the Broncos decided before it was too late that it was high time to air out things in a player’s only meeting on Tuesday night.  It was called for by their team’s new found stalwart and spiritual leader Brian Dawkins.

No one outside of the team really knows what was said or done, and no one needs too.  The end result was a full team effort akin to the effort of the first six weeks of the season. 

The team did struggle from time to time on offense but did start producing points on the majority of their drives.  It is something that has not been seen out of the Broncos since the Mike Shanahan era. 

Something else not really seen and in severe neglect since the Mike Shanahan era in Denver was the running game.  In particular the zone running scheme reared its head and turned into a huge problem for the New York Giants defense.

Offensively the Broncos showed a lack of composure at times to the point of being reamed by their youthful head coach Josh McDaniels.  So much so that his verbiage bomb nuked more than a few front-range households to the tune of an NFL Network full apology in real time as the recorded tirade was replayed still intact.  No bleeps but plenty of blunder to go around at the NFL Network offices.

This all came about after three penalties caused a Broncos drive to stall and the team had to settle for a Matt Prater field goal. 

In spite of the minor discombobulated offense, the Broncos were productive and the zone running scheme against the Giants front was lethal. 

The Giants front line has been battling the injury bug and their lateral pursuit and contain did not make the trip to Denver for Thanksgiving.  The Broncos used and abused this advantage in a dominating performance in a game they had to have.

Meanwhile, the Broncos’ defense rose from the dead.

This happened because the offense was moving the ball, make no mistake about it.  The offense and the defense are joined at the hip.  When one succeeds, the other prevails; when both are bad things are terrible.

Additionally the Denver Broncos are very hard to figure out this season. 

At the moment, there is only one description that fits them best.

They are a streaky football team: hot or cold, never both.

 

 

Bright Stats on the Sheet

 

The most important number right now is one.

The Broncos got the one victory they needed so desperately to build the rest of their season and playoff hopes on, and it is far from over for this team.

If the Broncos are able to retain the momentum they will reel off more wins and more stats to be sure and they might possibly win the division if they can play solid like they did on Thanksgiving night.

Statistics from the game bear the fact that they dominated on both sides of the ball. 

Denver had 23 first downs to the Giants’ 15.  The Giants only attained two of their first downs rushing the ball, which shows that their bread and butter on the ground was taken away from them by Denver’s tenacious defense. 

The Broncos offense racked up 373 total yards to the Giants 267.  Keep in mind the Giants faced a prevent defense much of the second half of the football game.

Denver controlled the tempo and the clock at 35:30 to the Giants 24:30 in the telling statistic, time of possession.

On the ground Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter combined for 139 yards.  This combination still only has one rusher over a hundred yards for the season, but provided a much needed shot in the arm.  The Broncos remained committed to the run game and Moreno did eventually score one touchdown.

Kicker Matt Prater has matured a great deal this season and went 4-4 on field goals, with two extra points on the night.

The Broncos scored 26 points on the night, their fifth highest output this season, but it solidified the template they must have for their success.

The Broncos must stay on the field offensively, own the clock, score points in any way they can.  The fact that the Broncos went with the zone blocking scheme was a pure concession from head coach Josh McDaniels that his version of the run game was not playing to his teams’ strengths. 

The Broncos dominated the edge of the line of scrimmage and opened up endless opportunities for Moreno and Buckhalter to run downhill, something that was not seen much in the first ten games of the season. 

This offensive control allowed the defense to be unpredictable and as hard hitting as they were in the first six games of this season.   The Broncos took care of the ball on offense and created turnovers on defense.  Both teams had one interception, but the Broncos forced three Giant fumbles, two of which were recovered by the Broncos with the third rolling out of bounds after a vicious hit by Dawkins.

Furthermore, to add to the Broncos determination came a few shining examples with Brandon Marshall hauling in a pair of spectacular one hand grabs.  Kyle Orton also distributed the ball well to tight end Tony Scheffler on a few keys while Brandon Stokley and Daniel Graham hauled in one big catch each to help the team. 

Defensively the Broncos kept pressure on Eli Manning all night long and turned in three sacks for a loss of 20 yards.

 

 

For the Record

 

The Broncos are now 7-4 and have more than a fighting chance to make the playoffs.  The team will however have to stay on track if they are to secure their playoff slot.

Going to Kansas City in the past has never been automatic by any stretch for the Broncos.  But, if the Broncos are indeed elite in the AFC, look for them to dominate in Kansas City in a very winnable game.

The Broncos are 1-2 in the early games this season, winning in Cincinnati and losing in Baltimore and Washington.  Ironically enough the Broncos have three more early games remaining on the schedule at Kansas City, at Indianapolis, and at Philadelphia.

The Broncos are also 2-1 against the NFC East this season with the remaining game at Philadelphia two days after Christmas in the second to last game of the season.

 

 

Final Note

 

For the Broncos the theme really should be to win out at all cost.  If Denver does win out, they will more than likely surpass San Diego again and win the division.  That would guarantee them one or two home playoff games and anything is possible at that point.

The Broncos had a much better effort out of Orton on Thanksgiving, sprained ankle and all, and again appear headed in the right direction.

Yes it is late in the season; however, it is not too late for the Broncos to look at signing a veteran backup quarterback over the upcoming extended week. 

Should Kyle Orton go down again he is probably done for some time.  The idea of signing a Jeff Garcia makes a great deal of sense when you consider the fact that he is a gamer, not just a game manager.  There is more creativity and more possibilities to bringing in a veteran of his caliber to help the Broncos solidify the position overall.  Without a doubt Chris Simms has proven that he’s not ready and can’t be trusted at this juncture.

Finally they say winning cures a number of ills, in the Broncos case this could not be truer as they are sticking together as a team and grinding it out again to win games.  To Coach McDaniels’ credit, he’s not afraid to get in his players’ grills to help them realize what’s at stake.

 

contact Chaz at sportsmanagement@gmail.com

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