John Elway, Terrell Davis, and Seven More Reasons To Love the Denver Broncos

On a day in which the Denver Broncos lost once again to their greatest post-Elway nemesis, the Indianapolis Colts, I have decided to share seven of the great many reasons why the Denver Broncos are my favorite team. 

 

7. Great Success in Hideous Throwback Uniforms  

On two occasions this season, the Denver Broncos took the field in outfits more closely resembling those of the University of Wyoming than their own, and each time Denver prevailed against one of the league’s flagship teams.

Defeating the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots in consecutive games is an impressive enough feat, but to do so dressed like a team from the Mountain West Conference is downright rootin’ tootin’.

 

6.  America’s Greatest Famous Fan

The New York Jets may claim Fireman Ed, the Oakland Raiders have the Black Hole’s shoulder spiked residents, and the Cleveland Browns‘ Dog Pound features a bunch of guys and gals wearing studded collars and rubber dog masks.

In fact, nearly every team has a recognizable superfan who represents the rooting interests of the home team each week, but one would be hard pressed to find a fan possessing the dedication and bravado of Denver’s recently deceased Barrel Man .  

Wearing nothing more than a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and a Broncos’ logoed barrel held up with suspenders, Denver supporters could long rest assured that Barrel Man would be in the stands urging the men in orange to victory, whether it was 70 degrees on opening day or -10 on a December Monday night.

Tim McKernan, who passed away last week, only missed four games in over four decades as a Broncos ticket holder.  His dedication and commitment to his team, his family, and friends are characteristics everyone should emulate and respect.

Rest in peace, Barrel Man.

 

5.  Denver’s Orange Crush Defense

Aside from the Steel Curtain and the Purple People Eaters, Denver’s Orange Crush has the best nickname of any defensive unit in NFL history. 

I am too young to remember watching the original O.C.D., but Broncos defenders Karl Mecklenburg, Rulon Jones, Simon Fletcher, Greg Kragen, Lyle Alzado, and Dennis Smith helped form my earliest Denver memories.  

All-Pro safety Steve Atwater’s devastating tackle of Christian Okoye was one of the hardest hits of the 1990s and several other defensive stars, including John Mobley, Al Wilson, John Lynch, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, D.J. Williams, and Brian Dawkins have continued Denver’s defensive tradition in recent years up until today.

 

4.  They’re Not the Raiders

No Black Hole, no Al Davis, ’nuff said.  The Raiders are evil and Al Davis is Montgomery Burns. How many skeletons do you know with such a dogged commitment to “excellence?” 

 

3.  Terrell Davis and the Mile High Salute

Terrell Davis only played in seven NFL seasons, but in that short period of time, he put together a Hall of Fame caliber career including a four-year opening stretch in which he amassed 6,413 yards, a pair of NFL Offensive MVP awards and a Super Bowl MVP. 

Known to his teammates and fans as T.D., Davis created one of the league’s most understated, classy and popular scoring celebrations when he honored the Denver faithful with his post-touchdown Mile High Salute.

Unfortunately, T.D.’s career was shortened by leg injuries and a degenerative knee condition that never allowed him to fully recover from a pair of seemingly routine surgeries, but make no mistake, Terrell Davis is one of the greatest runners to play the game and a Denver Broncos icon.

 

2.  The Big Game

I have watched hundreds of great Broncos games over the years, but those etched most vividly in my memory and heart have also been among the most important in team history, for better and for worse. 

The Drive.  The Fumble.  Timmy Smith.  Jake Plummer.

I suffered with Dan Reeves’ AFC Champions during devastating Super Bowl losses to the Giants, Redskins, and 49ers in my earliest years as a Broncos fan and I rejoiced with Mike Shanahan’s back-to-back Super Bowl champions following wins over the Packers and Falcons in the late 1990s.

In 23 years, I have ascended to victory’s summit and sunk to the depths of defeat with my team as only a true fan may, and these experiences have shaped my relationship with the Broncos as I have remained a faithful supporter throughout.

However, the main reason I love the Broncos is…

 

1.  Number Seven

John Elway is Mr. Bronco. 

Dan Marino and Brett Favre passed for more touchdowns, and Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, and Tom Brady can flaunt more Super Bowl rings, but John Elway played with a swagger, a style, and a confidence that make him the greatest in my eyes.

Elway’s tailback legs, bazooka arm, and uncanny ability to lead his team to improbable comeback wins cemented his status as a legend of the game and a first ballot Hall of Famer. 

With No. 7 at quarterback, the Broncos nearly always had a chance to win the game and they did so more often than not. 

Mr. Elway will always be my favorite Bronco, the reason I became a fan and, I believe, one of the greatest and most important quarterbacks to ever play the game.

More importantly, though, he played a positive role in many of my fondest childhood memories as a sports fan and he was instrumental in shaping me into the Denver Broncos fan I am today. 

———————

Congratulations to Denver wideout Brandon Marshall for setting a new NFL single-game receiving record with 21 grabs today in a 28-16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Three Amigos would be proud.

Kyle Orton also passed for a pair of touchdowns and completed nearly 80 percent of his passes on a day in which he outplayed Peyton Manning between the 20’s but could not lead his team to victory.

 

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Sunday Morning Under the Helmet: What to Watch for in NFL Week 14

It’s another great day for football! Here’s a look at what to watch for in Week 14.

Matchup of the Week: San Diego Chargers (9-3) at  Dallas Cowboys (8-4)

Last week we asked the question: can the Dallas Cowboys find a way to win in December? But, as they have done often in the final month since 2006, the Cowboys lost.

Today the Cowboys host the 9-3 San Diego Chargers who are 15-0 in December since ’06, the longest such streak in NFL history. Since starting this season 2-3, the Chargers have won seven in a row and are one of the league’s hottest teams.

Both teams are trying to remain first in their respective divisions as the Cowboys have the 8-4 Eagles breathing down their necks and the Bolts have the 8-4 Denver Broncos knocking on their door.

The play of Phillip Rivers could be the biggest factor in each team’s quest at holding onto first place.

Rivers, who is experiencing an MVP caliber season so far for the Chargers, has thrown for 3,311 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 104.9 which is third behind the Saints‘ Drew Brees and Brett Favre of the Vikings.

Rivers has thrown for 300+ yards and two touchdowns in each of his last two games. He has a completion percentage of 72.0 percent or higher in each of his last four games.

His top two targets, Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates, are also playing very well right now.

Gates leads the team in receptions and receiving yards with 67 and 994, respectively, he also has four touchdown catches.

Jackson has 51 catches for 869 yards and a team high seven receiving touchdowns.

But the high powered Chargers offense (3rd in points per game with 28.5) have been pretty one-dimensional this season.

San Diego ranks sixth in passing but 30th in rushing yards. They’re averaging just 88.7 yards per game on the ground and at times are predictable.

The Cowboys are a bit more balanced. They rank seventh in passing and eighth in rushing yards. They also rank 11th in points per game with 23.2.

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo is having a Pro Bowl season himself. Through 12 games, Romo has thrown for 3,325 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has a rating of 96.3.

But it will be the running game that will be the key to the ‘Boys’ late season success (or lack thereof).

Marion Barber leads the team with 669 rushing yards but has only topped 100 yards once this season and that was all the way back in Week Two. Barber, along with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, have to find a way to run the ball better if they’re going to win in the final month of the season and into the play-offs.

 

Keys to the game

-Rivers and Romo

-Which team can run the ball better?

-Quarterback protection

Prediction: Chargers win 38-27.

 

 

Small Names, Big Games

Here we will take a look at three non-superstars who will post big numbers in Week 14.

Fred Jackson (RB, Buffalo)

Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch have shared the starting running back job for the Buffalo Bills all season long. But despite Lynch’s success in past seasons, Jackson has seen the majority of the carries and has had a few big games to show for it.

Jackson is averaging 4.1 yards per carry and has totalled 919 yards from scrimmage this season.

This week the Bills go against the Chiefs who rank 27th against the run.

Look for Jackson to have another big game both rushing and receiving this afternoon.

 

Davone Bess (WR, Miami)

Second year receiver Davone Bess leads the Miami Dolphins in receptions and receiving yards thus far in 2009.

Last week in Miami’s 22-21 victory over New England, Bess caught 10 passes for 117 yards, both career highs. He also had a 13 yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

Today, Bess and the Dolphins head to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars who rank 24th against the pass. Bess could have another big performance this week.

 

Quinton Ganther (RB, Washington)

With all the injuries in the Redskins backfield, running back Quinton Ganther is expected to make his first career start this afternoon against the Raiders.

Ganther has carried the ball 19 times for 88 yards so far this season including eight rushes for 46 yards in last week’s loss to the Saints.

Ganther, an Oakland native, will replace Rock Cartwright atop the ‘Skins depth chart and could have some success. The Raiders rank 30th against the run and are allowing an average of 158.7 yards per game to opposing rushing attacks.

Don’t be surprised if Ganther makes a few big plays in the run game this afternoon.

 

Others To Watch: Chris Brown (RB, Houston), Ray Rice (RB, Baltimore), J.P. Foschi (TE, Cincinnati)

 

 

Upset Alert!: Denver (8-4) over Indianapolis (12-0)???

For the third consecutive week the Indianapolis Colts are featured in this section, but in the previous two weeks have found ways to win despite the predictions. Is the third time the charm?

The Colts are attempting to break the record for longest regular season winning streak in NFL history. They’re currently tied with the ’06-’08 Patriots with 21. (However, the ’03-’04 Pats still comfortably hold the longest winning streak, including playoffs, in league history)

The Broncos have a good chance to finally put an end to that streak today.

But to do so, Denver will have to stop the Colts’ best weapon: Peyton Manning.

Manning leads the NFL in passing yards with 3,685 yards. He also has thrown for 25 touchdowns. He has a quarterback rating of 101.9.

Manning’s top receiver, Reggie Wayne, is third in the NFL with 83 catches and sixth with 1,035 yards.

Dallas Clark, the team’s tight end, is fifth in catches with 77, tops for his position.

So how do the Denver Broncos counter the Manning-Wayne-Clark trio?

Elvis Dumervil.

Dumervil leads the NFL with 15.0 sacks. He has dominated all season long.

Dumervil is just one sack away from tying the franchise record of 16 set by Simon Fletcher in 1992. Dumervil is on pace for 20 sacks and could possibly break Michael Strahan’s record of 22.5.

The Colts will have to find a way to stop Dumervil, especially on third downs. Dumervil is one short of the NFL record for sacks on third downs. He currently has 10.

The Broncos also boast the league’s third ranked defense. They’ve held opponents to just 16.8 points per game. They’re also second against the pass and third in total yards allowed.

The keys to stopping Manning have always been to get pressure and take away his top targets. As cited above, Denver has that dominant pass rusher, and with Champ Bailey having a great season at cornerback, they’ve got that shut down defensive back. So maybe, just maybe, this defense will be able to put a stop to Manning.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos will likely try to attack the Colts’ weak secondary. Indy is 19th against the pass and have injuries in their defensive backfield.

Kyle Orton and Brandon Marshall could have their way in the passing attack.

The Broncos will also need to win the time of possession battle. Running a lot with rookie Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter could make that possible.

 

 

Keys for DEN

-Put pressure on Peyton Manning

-Shut down Wayne and Clark

-Control time of possession

-Stretch the field with Brandon Marshall

Prediction: Broncos win 30-21

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Fantasy Football Week 13 Sleeper: Knowshon Moreno

Since draft day, everyone has been waiting for Knowshon Moreno to emerge as a go-to fantasy option. Over the season’s first nine weeks, that type of optimism appeared like it was going to be a complete bust.

He had just one rushing touchdown. He had rushed for 75 yards or more just three times. His best game saw him overage 4.6 yards per carry (and he had four games averaging less than four yards per carry, including one where he was at 0.6).

Over the past three weeks he suddenly has put things together. He’s rushed for 265 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He’s also found the end zone once and is getting the ball regularly.

That’s not to mention, he’s also done it against some pretty good defenses:

• Washington—currently allowing 127.9 yards per game, best in the league
• San Diego—currently allowing 118.1 yards per game
• New York Giants—currently allowing 107.8 yards per game

I know the Giants defense is not playing as good as their ranking. I know you can probably point to things (like injuries) regarding both the Redskins and Chargers defenses as well. I know that these are not the best defenses; in fact, only the Giants are in the top half in the league. Still, when someone starts to perform you have to take notice.

This week he gets an even better matchup, taking on the Kansas City Chiefs, currently allowing the sixth most yards per game (134.5). They are also 11th in the number of rushing touchdowns at 11 (the league leader is at 17). While they did manage to contain LaDainian Tomlinson this past week, the three prior to that saw big performances:

• Week Nine: Maurice Jones-Drew—97 yards
• Week 10: Michael Bush—119 yards
• Week 11: Rashard Mendenhall—80 yards

Considering what he’s done in recent weeks, the positive matchup certainly has to excite fantasy owners, even though he is likely to continue sharing carries with Correll Buckhalter. He is on a roll these days and he’s worth considering in all formats.

What do you think? Is Moreno a player you would use? How good do you think he may be in Week 13?

Make sure to check out our Week 13 Rankings:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Kickers
• Defenses

 

This article is also featured on www.rotoprofessor.com/football

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

Broncos Losses, Kyle Orton Injury Put QB Controversy on the Radar in Denver

The current state of the Denver Broncos is somewhat reminiscent to the famous scene in the movie Young Frankenstein. Strange things start to occur while Igor and Dr. Frankenstein are working late at night digging a grave.

“It could be worse,” says a loony looking Igor, played by the late Marty Feldman.

“How?” says Dr. Frankenstein, played by Gene Wilder.

“It could be raining.”

Then, in a flash of lightning with a booming thunder and a torrential rain, the joke hits the audience and puts them in stitches.

Now this movie line wasn’t talking about football, but it could easily be applied to the likes of the New England Patriots blowing a 17-point lead Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. It could also just as easily be applied to the current downward trend in Denver that took the team’s amazing 6-0 start and quickly turned south to a mediocre 6-3.

Something strange happened to the Denver Broncos during their bye week, which coincidentally fell on Halloween weekend. Perhaps it was raining.

Either way, since the Broncos blew up the Chargers in San Diego, their season has taken on water of torrential proportions.

The Denver Broncos now find themselves fighting for their playoff lives. If they don’t wake up soon, they will fall victim to the San Diego Chargers and their fast start will go for naught.

A last-ditch effort to win the division and control the fate of the Chargers and the Broncos comes this Sunday in Denver.

It’s mind boggling to think the Broncos had a 3.5-game lead after beating down the Chargers in San Diego on Oct. 19. That lead has now entirely evaporated following two big wins by the Chargers against the Giants and the Eagles. Meanwhile, the Broncos posted two tough losses to the Ravens and Steelers and one unsettling loss to a dismal Washington squad.

 

The Recap

It seemed to start with a cloud of dust and a hearty “Hi-Ho, Silver!” and the Denver Broncos were off and running and throwing the deep ball. The same two elements that seemed to be lacking in their two previous losses showed up in Washington D.C. on Sunday.

Knowshon Moreno got the game going with a 29-yard jaunt and the Broncos were immediately in business. On the following third down play Kyle Orton went top shelf 40 yards to Brandon Marshall and the Broncos had the early 7-0 lead.

Almost as quickly as the Broncos scored did the Washington natives show that they came to play ball as well. They responded with a 78-yard drive that ended with a short two yard pass from Jason Campbell to big tight end Todd Yoder to even the score 7-7.

Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter was hit from behind by Lorenzo Alexander on the subsequent drive and fumbled. The one thing that is certainly a constant in the Broncos three losses are the turnovers and the Broncos turned it over twice to Washington’s zero on Sunday.

The Broncos defense held the Washington attack at bay following the turnover and Denver went back on offense.

Coach McDaniels chose to go on the quick strike again as he hit Brandon Marshall deep again on a ball that traveled 45 yards through the air for a 75-yard touchdown and a Broncos 14-7 lead.

Orton later had Eddie Royal wide open deep down field and the Broncos could have scored a third touchdown on a deep ball if not for overshooting an outstretched Royal.

Then, at the 6:39 mark of the second quarter, came the worst blunder of the Josh McDaniels era in Denver.

Say what you will about how poor special teams play was under Mike Shanahan’s watch, his teams never allowed a punter to look like John Elway. That is exactly what happened to Denver when Washington punter Hunter Smith hit Mike Sellers off of a fake field goal that went for a touchdown. 

The real embarrassment off of this play was that Washington showed their hand on the fake prior to coach Jim Zorn calling a timeout to set up the play correctly. Denver sadly enough failed to make any adjustments in preparation for a fake. The only response to come from McDaniels was that the Broncos had not seen the play before.

The play put the score at 14-14.

This play in particular might signal that it’s time for a new special teams coach. The Broncos have been riddled with poor play on special teams and certainly that play cost the Broncos this game at least in part.

On Orton’s last drive of the day, he led the Broncos to a field goal and their last points on the day and a 17-14 edge at the half.

Orton was injured on third down and it appears it is an injury that will have the Broncos looking at their future starter sooner than later.

The second half the Broncos defense played valiantly in the third quarter to help the offense find a way to win. The reality, however, was that backup Chris Simms was not ready to play mentally, and that fact alone ensconced the Broncos’ fate.

Washington subsequently wore down the Broncos defense by the fourth quarter and scored 17 points in the quarter to beat the Broncos going away, 27-17.

 

Quarterback Issues on the Radar

The real issue now is it comes with an underlying quarterback controversy brewing in Denver with Orton literally falling victim to what appears to be a very bad sprained ankle. Orton’s left leg was caught under the weight of a tackle and with it took some of the stability the organization was used to at the position.

The pure nature of the sort of injury suffered by Orton leads to easy speculation that he could be out anywhere between 6-8 weeks at minimum and the rest of the season a strong possibility. These sorts of injuries make an already immobile quarterback a duck on water for all too eager defenses to finish off for the rest of the season. In other words, it’s pure speculation on an early front but Orton may be done for the season and possibly as the starting quarterback in Denver.

Simms clearly showed he was not ready to play, going 3-of-13 for 13 yards and an interception. That leads to this thought: It might be time to start Tom Brandstater again this season. It would absolutely set off a sort of quarterback controversy, but face the facts. Simms, a highly paid backup, was not ready to play when all his team probably needed was one drive for a touchdown. If the Broncos get that touchdown early enough it might be a different outcome.

Going into the most important game of the season, it’s a simple question to consider. Would you rather have a quarterback that throws a good ball with a little inexperience or a backup who’s shown he’s not ready to play and isn’t throwing the ball incredibly well?

You have to feel for McDaniels, since he went the distance to get Orton and for a time that bet was paying off huge dividends on the Broncos’ tumultuous offseason. Now the Broncos’ season comes down to this. He must make the right decision here or the Broncos are in trouble in their most important game of the year.

Having looked at film on Simms and fellow backup Brandstater, it would seem that Brandstater, for all of his inexperience, is the more capable quarterback to help the Broncos franchise move forward. The situation, however, opens up the floodgates to trades and free agent signings to right the ship sooner than later. This is obviously a situation where anything is possible moving forward.

Earth to Jake Plummer: Come in, Major Tom!

So stay tuned.

 

The Final Note on the Washington Namesake

For nearly a century, the Washington football franchise has made its living off of the backs of a race of people that are nearly extinct in North America. Regardless of the origins of the team name, which there are exhaustive stories and excuses alike made to endorse the name, it needs to change.

That said, today an “official” decision was passed down today regarding the namesake, and Washington will not be forced to change the name of their franchise.

The irony is this: Neither Dan Snider, the previous ownership, nor any of the judges handling this case are part Native American in any form.

With the era that our country is currently under, it’s no longer a time to live in ignorance or under predatory capitalism, under both of which this clearly falls.

If the Washington franchise is so bold to claim to be the torch on the hill for an overrun race of people, they should put their money where their namesake is and sponsor tribal rights issues and scholarship programs.

For the better part of a century the football team has had the opportunity to do so and they have failed miserably.

The reality is there are no other sports franchises named after the color of a persons skin and their likeness emblazoned on a team logo. This is racism; apparently the Supreme Court does not consider racism an atrocity on humanity. In multicultural America it is an issue whether they admit it or not. It is racism, and let’s be clear; there are no mild forms of racism, just racism.

So this is something that the NFL should now address as a league. It has been a league that is quick to respond to detrimental actions from its players.

In this case, it should crack down on this ownership group for leaving a black eye on the league. It’s bad public relations for this charade to continue, and the team should change its name immediately.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Kyle Orton: The Consummate Winner

In the NFL‘s world of today, the quarterback is basically the President of the United States. Everyone knows him, no one knows the people around him, and they blame him no matter whose fault it really was.

What’s interesting about that is that Kyle Orton is a starting quarterback that no one talks about. Some people would rather have Vince Young on their fantasy team than Kyle Orton, even though he is a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Kyle Orton does not have a bazooka for an arm, he was a fourth-round draft choice out of Purdue, he was benched the entire 2006 season in favor of Rex Grossman, and the Bears went to the Super Bowl without him.

Orton has never reached 3,000 yards passing in a season, his rookie year was spent handing off the ball to very able running backs, and his career individual stats are unimpressive, so he is not what one would want if they needed to get a starting quarterback in the NFL.

There is just one little thing wrong with that though. He wins.

This guy is 27-12 as a starter in the National Football League. He has never had as losing season as a quarterback.

• 2005: 10-5
• 2007: 2-1
• 2008: 9-6
• 2009: 6-0 so far.

How is this possible? How is it that this guy, who is not nearly as athletically gifted as Jay Cutler, Drew Brees, or Philip Rivers, has a better win percentage than all of them?

It is amazing to see his critics talk about how he’s not effective enough or how the odds against him are daunting, but he shuts them up every time.

Yeah, he’s had a chunk of help. The Bears were a very good running team in 2005 with the number one defense, but he still was a rookie, with Muhsin Muhammad as a No. 1 wide receiver, and Justin Gage as the second guy.

No offense, but the words “double coverage” doesn’t apply to those two guys. They have never applied to those two guys.

He never really had a chance to play with Bernard Berrian, who is now in Minnesota, where Brett Favre loves his tremendous speed.

What is a rookie going to do without any big threats at wide receiver? Peyton Manning had Marvin Harrison, Troy Aikman had Michael Irvin, Matt Stafford has Calvin Johnson.

Despite all the negatives, he was the quarterback under center for a winning team. He didn’t screw it up. He kept the season going as an unselfish player.

Again, he was benched by the Bears for the 2006 season, and in the 2007 season, when the Bears had no chance to make playoffs and both Rex Grossman and Brian Griese were sidelined with injuries; Kyle Orton makes his start.

This is where I come in. I was watching the Packers play the Bears for the second time that season. The Bears had beaten the Packers in the final seconds before, and the Packers were 12-2 at the time.

I’m watching Orton and I’m just amazed at how much of an improvement he is. I’m watching his footwork, his sense of the defense, his throws, and especially his decisions.

The Bears’ defense and special teams dominated, yes, but they had the will to keep going because Orton never gave the game away. Orton even put Green Bay in the hot seat with his sole touchdown pass to Desmond Clark.

He had a line of 9/15 for 104 yards and a touchdown, but Orton was not intercepted or sacked. He threw the ball away instead of risking it. He handed off and he just led by example.

The Bears destroyed the Packers 35-7 and I said, “That’s going to be the Bears new starting quarterback.”

He goes 9-6 with a defense that slumped to 16th overall and no receivers except Devin Hester, who dropped a lot of balls.

The guy may have looked like a product of a team, but as he matured, he became more of a focal point for that team. There were games that you could say he was the X-factor.

However, he never had a real chance to show even more improvement because due to horrific miscommunications by Jay Cutler and new head coach Josh McDaniels, he was traded to the Denver Broncos with first round picks from 2009 and 2010, and a third pick in 2009 for Jay Cutler, who was a franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

Everyone, including me, thought that Denver was sunk for the 2009 season. It wasn’t because Kyle Orton wasn’t a good player, but Denver’s defense was something that you would see in college games, not the NFL.

Now, Kyle Orton is in the right system, has a great attitude, has good receivers in Eddie Royal, Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley and Tony Scheffler with an excellent defense.

Look at his statistics now, 1465 yards passing, nine touchdowns, one interception (off of a hail mary at the end of a first half, so it is not like he intentionally threw it and screwed up), a 100.1 quarterback rating, and a 63.9 completion percentage (5.4 percent higher than last year).

And this is in only six games.

Kyle Orton, say what you want about him, but he wins and he wins often. He may be lucky, he may just have good chemistry with his team (you play harder for your friends), but he wins on a regular basis, and that’s all that matters when it comes to the season.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

Knowshon Moreno Pulling Away from the Rest of the Rookie Class

The rookies were harder to rank this week due to the impact some made on the field as well as some injuries. The list has been shaken up a bit because of these factors.

New faces are showing up for their respective teams while some rookies are falling off a bit. This week’s rankings:

1. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos: Moreno is now the feature back, evident by his 21 carries and four receptions in the game against the Patriots. Moreno did not have the statistical outburst I was expecting against the Patriots, but his 88 yards rushing and 36 yards receiving helped lead the Broncos to a big win. Now that he is the undisputed No. 1 running back in Denver, expect big days from Moreno.

2. Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets: Sanchez and the Jets were defeated on Monday Night Football, but this time Sanchez cannot receive all the blame. He held on to the ball and did not put his team in bad spots. He only finished with 172 passing yards and one touchdown, but the absence of turnovers was important to the young quarterback’s frame of mind.

3. Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings: Harvin’s production has fallen off steadily. He has not caught a touchdown pass since Week Two and does not seem to be Brett Favre‘s favorite target. The Vikings are a run-first team, which means when push comes to shove the Vikings will run Adrian Peterson first and pass later. I am still high on Harvin because of his versatility, but the rookie receivers behind him are pushing him for this spot.

4. Hakeem Nicks, WR, Giants: Nicks has scored in the Giants’ offense for two straight weeks, showing why he was a first round pick. Now that his injury is healed he can become a viable option for the Giants as the biggest target in Eli Manning‘s arsenal. Nicks only had 49 yards receiving against the Raiders last week, but his size makes him a favorable target in the red zone.

5. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles: Maclin exploded with Donovan McNabb back under center. Maclin finished with six catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns last weekend. He has the same speed as fellow receiver DeSean Jackson, but his size makes him an easier target in the passing game. Maclin has the ability to beat guys deep or jump over defenders. His rise up this list is expected based on his potential.

 

Last Week’s Rookie Report Rankings

1. Knowshon Moreno
2. Percy Harvin
3. Mark Sanchez
4. Matthew Stafford
5. Kenny Britt

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

San Diego Chargers: A Team In Trouble

Looking ahead to Monday night, when the Broncos take on the Chargers in San Diego, reveals a very interesting matchup. A couple of years ago, if someone would’ve told me the Chargers will be struggling to run the ball I would’ve laughed in their face and called them an idiot—but that’s exactly what is happening.

The Chargers have an aging offensive line to go along with their declining star running back LT. Hampered by nagging injuries and age, LT is but a shell of his former self/ While I will point out he can still be productive, he needs a stellar line to make him more effective. In the past, LT could’ve made even the weakest offensive lines look good.

This will present a problem for the Chargers this Monday night. With a veteran defensive backfield and the league’s top pass rush, the Broncos will challenge the one-dimensional Chargers, who like the to drop back with five and seven-step drops.

The Chargers are coming off a bye week, so they had extra time to prepare for this matchup. And while they do boast an amazing passing attack, when your offense is that one-dimensional the advantage is definitely with the defense.

The Chargers’ problems do not end with the running game. In fact, their biggest issue lies in their porous defense. The run defense is has been heavily affected by the lack of production from Merriman and Phillips, but it’s the absence of Jamal Williams and the lack of depth behind him that is hitting them the hardest. 

The passing defense is a little better than last year’s, but the continued regression of CB Cromartie and the complete ineptitude of their safety play are worrisome. Added to the lack of a dominant pass rush, the defense as a whole leaves much to be desired.

As said before, the Chargers do have weapons on the edges in the form of Jackson and Gates, but the lack of a running game is troubling, to say the least. LT is showing his age and then some, the offensive line is once again regressing, and Sproles is not an every-down back. 

Sproles is more of a change of pace back, and even then he is not a true running back—he is better as a receiver out of the backfield. The Broncos’ run defense has been anything but porous and should be able to handle the Chargers’ running game with ease.

The Broncos should be able to go into San Diego and dominate Chargers and improve to a 6-0 record before heading to their bye week.

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

What We Learned: NFL Week 4.

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

Off-Broadway Mark

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

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

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

Drinking The New Coach Kool-Air

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A “Reunion” Of Sorts

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

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

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

Contenders and Pretenders

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

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

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

Tony Dungy who? Marvin Harrison who?

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

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

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

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

Could the Oakland Raiders ever get out of pretender status?

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

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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

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

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

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

Game Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random Thoughts and Stats

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next Week

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

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

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

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