The Broncos welcomed an old friend as former head coach Mike Shanahan returned to Denver as the head coach of the visiting Washington Redskins. Denver, coming off a loss at the hands of the Colts a week earlier, played what was one of their best games of the season on both sides of the ball. The Broncos rallied to blow past the Redskins and win 45-21. The win gives Denver a 7-1 record as they head into their bye week. More importantly, it got Denver back on the winning track, and the defense was one of the big stories of this game. A fourth quarter rally was also the highlight as Denver stormed back from a 21-7 deficit to take control of the game in the final quarter. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game......
1) The Broncos ran a video tribute for Mike Shanahan before the game, and the Broncos fans gave him a standing ovation as well. It was a nice touch by the Broncos organization, and Shanny handled the whole situation with class as expected. He might get some grief for his last few years in Denver, but Shanahan is the best coach in Broncos history by far. I was glad that the fans and the Broncos gave him a nice salute before the game.
2) Give credit to the Broncos defense in this game. They deserve the game ball. This was their best effort of the season by far. They forced four straight punts to start the game, and they really only gave up one drive to the Skins all day. Washington score a touchdown close to the end of the first half to tie the game at 7, but the Broncos had a 12 men on the field penalty on the field goal attempt, and it gave the Redskins a first down, and they converted it for a touchdown. Washington's second touchdown was a result of a strip sack of Peyton Manning deep in Denver territory. Denver's defense absolutely destroyed Robert Griffin III. I haven't seen the Broncos defense pound a QB as bad as they pounded RG III all day. The defense capped off the day with four interceptions to end the game, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie added a 75 yard interception return to cap off the game with 2:07 left.
3) Von Miller showed up this week big time. His strip sack of RG III in the fourth quarter was one of the biggest plays of the game. It is nice to see him back affecting the game from a defensive standpoint. Also, it was nice to see Chris Harris get another huge interception in the fourth quarter, and Wesley Woodyard returned to the lineup as well.
4) The best part of this game outside of the defensive performance was the way that Denver turned it on once they fell down 21-7. After Manning had back-to-back turnovers in the third quarter (Sack and fumble and a pick-six to DeAngelo Hall), the Broncos turned the game around. Manning and the offense put together a nice drive and converted a fourth down to punch it in with Montee Ball to make it 21-14. After forcing a Redskins punt, the Broncos put together a classic drive punctuated by a fourth and goal touchdown pass from Manning to Joel Dreessen to make it 21-21. After a three and out, the Broncos took advantage of a shanked punt, and the Broncos immediately converted with a sweet 35-yard screen pass from Manning to Knowshon Moreno to make it 28-21. After Von Miller sacked RG III and forced a fumble, Denver was able to convert a field goal to extend the lead to 31-21. After the teams traded interceptions, the Broncos put the game away on a Manning to Demaryius Thomas 35 yard screen play to make it 38-21. It was awesome to see Denver's offense completely turn the game around and convert big plays when they needed it.
5) Manning finished 30-44 for 354 yards and 4 touchdowns. He did throw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble on a sack. Overall, Manning played well and he made the big throws when he needed to, but he was hobbled by two ankle sprains that stemmed from the last two weeks. He is definitely not healthy right now, but he was able to make a lot of "Dink and dunk" throws that he lived on last season. Hopefully, Manning's ankles will heal better, and once they do, his throws will be back to more of the vertical and deep ones that we saw earlier in the year.
6) The game was an important one because Denver needed to get back on the winning track and they did. Their defense needed to step up, and for the first time all year, they really dominated the game. The offense turned it up when it faced some adversity, and those are all good signs as we head to the second half of the season. Denver is 7-1 and kept pace with the 8-0 Chiefs in the AFC West. The Broncos head into their bye week with a chance to rest and get healthy for a big game in two weeks at San Diego on November 10th. It was definitely a solid win all around.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Week 8 Picks
Last Week's Record: 7-8
Overall Record: 54-49-6
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
San Francisco (-14) over JACKSONVILLE (In London): What a joke for the fans in London. They get stuck with the Jags "hosting" the Niners. Quietly, with the help of an easy schedule, the 49ers have worked their way back into the thick of the NFC contenders race.
Dallas (+3) over DETROIT: Tricky game. I just don't know where to go with this one. I have a feeling the Cowboys will pull off the upset on the road. I thought I could trust the Lions, but I don't have a good feeling about them right now.
New York Giants (+6) over PHILLY: I think the Eagles will find a way to win this game outright, but look for a close game between two pretty bad teams. The Giants got their first win last week, and I could see them being a little rejuvenated for this one.
KC (-7) over Cleveland: The Chiefs are the talk of NFL with their 7-0 start, but their schedule has been a cakewalk. They get another easy win this week with Brandon Weeden and the Browns coming to town.
NEW ORLEANS (-10) over Buffalo: The Saints are at home and are coming off a bye week. The week before their bye, they lost a heartbreaker to the Pats. Look for them to take out their frustration on the Bills in the dome.
Miami (+7) over NEW ENGLAND: I don't like what I have seen from the Pats this year. They are 5-2, and they definitely could have lost Week 1 to the Bills, Week 2 to the Jets, and Week 6 to the Saints. They will probably win this game late, but look for the Fish to make them sweat it out.
New York Jets (+7) over CINCY: You have to give the Jets, Geno Smith and Rex Ryan some credit. At 4-3, they are legitimate wild card contenders in the AFC. They will be playing for a playoff spot come December. The Bengals got a huge win late over the Lions last week. At 5-2, they are leading the AFC North, but I still don't trust them at all.
Pittsburgh (-2) over OAKLAND: At 2-4, the Steelers have life in their season again. They need to take care of business over the Raiders in Oakland this week though. Last year, their season began to slip after a brutal loss at Oakland. This year is a different story and look for them to get to 3-4.
Atlanta (+3) over ARIZONA: The Cardinals have been feisty, and they are a tempting pick, but I'll take the Falcons to win a gutty game in the desert. This seems like a 23-20 game either way. I'll take Atlanta on the road to get to 3-4.
Green Bay (-8) over MINNESOTA: Awful Sunday Night Football game on NBC this week. We get stuck with the Vikings once again in a primetime game. It doesn't matter who the Vikings throw out there at QB because the Packers will take care of business in this one.
Seattle (-10) over ST. LOUIS: Awful Monday Night Football game on ESPN again this week. The Rams lost Sam Bradford for the season with a torn ACL, so they turn to Kellen Clemens with Brady Quinn on deck. That is pretty bad. The Seahawks will roll easily.
Washington (+12) over DENVER: Mike Shanahan returns to Denver, and every Broncos fan should cheer him when he comes back. Shanny is the best coach in the history of the Broncos, and he brought our franchise two Super Bowl titles, and I'll will certainly always be thankful for that. Shanny will have his troops prepared for this win, and the Skins come into the game with a great comeback win over the Bears last week. I am concerned about the Broncos and the amount of injuries that are starting to pile up. Champ Bailey will be out again after hurting the same foot that sidelined him for the first five games this season. Orlando Franklin probably won't play again, and Wesley Woodyard is a game-time decision. This game scares me, and I could see RG III going off and having a banner day. The Broncos just aren't playing well right now, and this line is way too high.
Final Score: Redskins-30 Denver-27
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Luck and Colts Outshine Manning and Broncos
The Broncos undefeated season came to a crashing halt on Sunday night as the Colts dispatched them with a 39-33 victory in Indy. Peyton Manning's much anticipated return to Indy was a rough one for him. Manning was harassed for much of the game, and the offense sputtered in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Andrew Luck did outplay Manning, but only because Luck didn't turn the ball over, and Manning threw an interception on a tipped pass, and he fumbled the ball out of the endzone for a safety after a sack from Robert Mathis. The Colts took advantage of numerous Broncos mistakes and built a 33-14 lead late in the 3rd quarter. Manning and the Broncos were able to rally and make it close, but too many mistakes and penalties killed their chances at the end, and the Colts were able to hold on. Here are my thoughts and observations about the game.....
1) Nice tribute to Manning by the Colts before the game. It was a nice touch by the Colts and their fans, and it was a very cool moment to watch on TV.
2) Luck outplayed Manning, but it wasn't like Luck had the game of his life. He didn't turn the ball over, and he converted on many of the Broncos mistakes and positive field position situations.
3) The Denver defense actually played well in my opinion. Although it doesn't look like that when you give up 39 points, but for awhile there the Broncos defense did a solid job of shutting down Luck and the Colts offense. Denver's run defense completely shut down the Colts running game, and they got some big stops in the redzone early and late in the game.
4) Von Miller's return to the Broncos didn't start so well. He seemed nonexistent in the 1st quarter, but he really picked up his game in the second half. He didn't get a sack, but he really started to bring some pressure late in the game. That is certainly a good sign going forward.
5) The Broncos weakness on the offensive line was very evident in this game. The loss of Ryan Clady was definitely felt because Chris Clark got destroyed by Robert Mathis all night long. Also, the absence of Orlando Franklin was big because Denver was forced to move starting RG Louis Vasquez to RT, and they had to insert Chris Kuper into the starting RG spot. Kuper had a rough night too. Manning was pressured a lot and he got hit a lot for the second straight game.
6) This game turned on the few sequences in the 2nd quarter. Trindon Holiday fumbled a punt return deep in Denver territory with the Broncos leading 7-3. The Colts scored on the next play to take a 10-7 lead. After Manning hit Julius Thomas for a touchdown, the Broncos were up 14-10 and backed up inside their own 10. Manning got blindsided by Robert Mathis and fumbled the ball out of the endzone for a safety. At 14-12, the Colts took over the rest of the half, and two Andrew Luck TD passes made it 26-14 going into the half. That sequence there coupled with some really poor offensive drives by Denver changed the entire complexion of the game.
7) After Manning got hit by Mathis, it seemed like he wasn't the same player. Many of his passes floated and wobbled. It became a discussion on Twitter, and I thought he might have been shaken up. Manning did seem to throw the ball better in the 4th quarter, but the Mathis hit definitely had an effect on him.
8) This game was a carbon copy of the three regular season losses Denver suffered last year to Atlanta, New England, and Houston. In those three games, Denver got behind a lot of points in the second half only to see Manning and the offense make a furious comeback and fall short at the end. This game was exactly the same way. Once Denver was down 33-14 late in the 3rd quarter, they finally started to put drives together and score some points. Denver's comeback was aided by a huge fumble by Trent Richardson and Denver converted to get the game back 33-23 in the 4th quarter. Denver managed to get the game to 36-30 and they had the ball, but Manning was hit as he was throwing and the ball was intercepted deep in Denver territory. The Broncos defense held the Colts to a field goal to make it 39-30. Denver was driving deep to make it a 39-37 game late, but Ronnie Hillman fumbled again at the Indy 2 and that pretty much finished Denver off in the game.
9) Hillman and Holliday's fumbles were huge, but they weren't the only mistakes the Broncos made. Denver took way too many penalties and some of them were just dumb. Kevin Vickerson took a really bad late hit on Luck late in the 4th quarter with the score 39-30. Overall, it was a very sloppy and undisciplined performance by the Broncos.
10) The Colts did outplay the Broncos and they were the better team that night. This game proved that the Broncos had some real flaws-especially on offense. Give the Colts pass rush and secondary a lot of credit because they did a really nice job on the #1 offense in the NFL. Perhaps the Broncos will use this game as a learning tool and grow from it for the rest of the season.
11) All hope is not lost in Denver. This was their first loss of the season and they still have a 6-1 record. Put it this way: This was Denver's first regular season loss since Columbus Day weekend of 2012. They had won 17 straight regular season and had not lost a regular season game in over a year! This game does expose Denver in certain areas though. There is a good chance that these two teams could meet up once again in January in the playoffs.
12) At 6-1, Denver needs to regroup, lick their wounds, and tighten their game up with the Redskins coming to Denver this Sunday. The return of Mike Shanahan shouldn't be the only motivation for the Broncos this week. They need to put together a really good performance in all three phases, and get a solid victory heading into their bye week.
1) Nice tribute to Manning by the Colts before the game. It was a nice touch by the Colts and their fans, and it was a very cool moment to watch on TV.
2) Luck outplayed Manning, but it wasn't like Luck had the game of his life. He didn't turn the ball over, and he converted on many of the Broncos mistakes and positive field position situations.
3) The Denver defense actually played well in my opinion. Although it doesn't look like that when you give up 39 points, but for awhile there the Broncos defense did a solid job of shutting down Luck and the Colts offense. Denver's run defense completely shut down the Colts running game, and they got some big stops in the redzone early and late in the game.
4) Von Miller's return to the Broncos didn't start so well. He seemed nonexistent in the 1st quarter, but he really picked up his game in the second half. He didn't get a sack, but he really started to bring some pressure late in the game. That is certainly a good sign going forward.
5) The Broncos weakness on the offensive line was very evident in this game. The loss of Ryan Clady was definitely felt because Chris Clark got destroyed by Robert Mathis all night long. Also, the absence of Orlando Franklin was big because Denver was forced to move starting RG Louis Vasquez to RT, and they had to insert Chris Kuper into the starting RG spot. Kuper had a rough night too. Manning was pressured a lot and he got hit a lot for the second straight game.
6) This game turned on the few sequences in the 2nd quarter. Trindon Holiday fumbled a punt return deep in Denver territory with the Broncos leading 7-3. The Colts scored on the next play to take a 10-7 lead. After Manning hit Julius Thomas for a touchdown, the Broncos were up 14-10 and backed up inside their own 10. Manning got blindsided by Robert Mathis and fumbled the ball out of the endzone for a safety. At 14-12, the Colts took over the rest of the half, and two Andrew Luck TD passes made it 26-14 going into the half. That sequence there coupled with some really poor offensive drives by Denver changed the entire complexion of the game.
7) After Manning got hit by Mathis, it seemed like he wasn't the same player. Many of his passes floated and wobbled. It became a discussion on Twitter, and I thought he might have been shaken up. Manning did seem to throw the ball better in the 4th quarter, but the Mathis hit definitely had an effect on him.
8) This game was a carbon copy of the three regular season losses Denver suffered last year to Atlanta, New England, and Houston. In those three games, Denver got behind a lot of points in the second half only to see Manning and the offense make a furious comeback and fall short at the end. This game was exactly the same way. Once Denver was down 33-14 late in the 3rd quarter, they finally started to put drives together and score some points. Denver's comeback was aided by a huge fumble by Trent Richardson and Denver converted to get the game back 33-23 in the 4th quarter. Denver managed to get the game to 36-30 and they had the ball, but Manning was hit as he was throwing and the ball was intercepted deep in Denver territory. The Broncos defense held the Colts to a field goal to make it 39-30. Denver was driving deep to make it a 39-37 game late, but Ronnie Hillman fumbled again at the Indy 2 and that pretty much finished Denver off in the game.
9) Hillman and Holliday's fumbles were huge, but they weren't the only mistakes the Broncos made. Denver took way too many penalties and some of them were just dumb. Kevin Vickerson took a really bad late hit on Luck late in the 4th quarter with the score 39-30. Overall, it was a very sloppy and undisciplined performance by the Broncos.
10) The Colts did outplay the Broncos and they were the better team that night. This game proved that the Broncos had some real flaws-especially on offense. Give the Colts pass rush and secondary a lot of credit because they did a really nice job on the #1 offense in the NFL. Perhaps the Broncos will use this game as a learning tool and grow from it for the rest of the season.
11) All hope is not lost in Denver. This was their first loss of the season and they still have a 6-1 record. Put it this way: This was Denver's first regular season loss since Columbus Day weekend of 2012. They had won 17 straight regular season and had not lost a regular season game in over a year! This game does expose Denver in certain areas though. There is a good chance that these two teams could meet up once again in January in the playoffs.
12) At 6-1, Denver needs to regroup, lick their wounds, and tighten their game up with the Redskins coming to Denver this Sunday. The return of Mike Shanahan shouldn't be the only motivation for the Broncos this week. They need to put together a really good performance in all three phases, and get a solid victory heading into their bye week.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Week 7 Picks
This Sunday features the return of Peyton Manning to Indianapolis. We all know the story about the reasons why Manning was let go by the Colts. Manning's NFL future was uncertain following four neck surgeries which kept him out of the entire 2011 season. The Colts, after finishing 2-14, were slated to pick #1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Andrew Luck was the consensus #1 pick. Luck was considered the best QB prospect to come out of college since Manning. The Colts decided to release Manning, and go with Luck to kickstart the franchise. It was understood by everyone involved that this move made sense, but the one question that puzzled everyone was how Manning was going to play when he came back in 2012 with a new team. Manning picked the Broncos after becoming a free agent, and he has played sensational since coming to Denver. The Colts went 11-5 with Luck as a rookie and look like a playoff team once again this year. It seems like everyone wins in this scenario. The only thing that is crazy about the situation is that the breakup between the Colts and Manning was about as easy and painless as you can get. This week some sparks flew when Colts Owner Jim Irsay kind of tweaked Manning by mentioning that the Colts only won one Super Bowl in Manning's time there. Although Irsay's comments might have been taken out of context, the marriage between Luck and the Colts and Manning and the Broncos has worked out extremely well for both franchises and fan bases. That is where this game has so much meaning to me. How do the Colts fans feel about Manning as he returns to Indy? They have watched Manning battle back from injury, and basically picked up where he left off after all those years in Indy. Do they still feel good about the move? Are they fine with it? It seems like it is a tough question in my view. I can tell you one thing if Denver had released John Elway under the same circumstances and he came back to Denver for a game in the same situation, then I think it would be hard for me to handle. I think I would have a very tough time watching Elway put up video game numbers for another fan base. This isn't like when Brett Favre returned to Green Bay as a Minnesota Viking. It is pretty close to when Joe Montana faced off against Steve Young when Montana became a Chief, although Montana never returned to SF for that matchup because the game was in Arrowhead. This is different because it never really had to happen. If the Colts kept Manning and traded the #1 pick, then they would have made the playoffs last year, and they would still be sitting atop the mediocre AFC South again this year. It is one of the weirdest breakups in sports history, and it all comes to a head on Sunday night. There are a few games in a 16 game season that really stand out. So far Denver has had the opening night revenge game over Baltimore, the Manning Bowl in Week 2, and the shootout in Dallas a few weeks ago. This is the game that everyone wants to see though. The Colts are good and present a real challenge to the Broncos, but I got a feeling that Manning plays lights out, and shows the Colts and Irsay that he is still the king of Indy, and Lucas Oil Stadium is really the place that he built.
Denver (-5) over INDY:
Final Score: Broncos-31 Colts-24
Onto the picks for Week 7.....
Last Week's Record: 9-5-1
Thursday Night Game: 1-0
Overall Record: 48-41-6
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
NY JETS (+4) over New England
San Diego (-7) over JACKSONVILLE
KANSAS CITY (-6) over Houston
DETROIT (-2) over Cincy
MIAMI (-7) over Buffalo
Chicago (PICK) over WASHINGTON
Dallas (+3) over Philly
ATLANTA (-6) over Tampa Bay
St. Louis (+7) over CAROLINA
TENNESSEE (+4) over San Francisco
Cleveland (+10) over GREEN BAY
PITTSBURGH (-2) over Baltimore
NY GIANTS (-3) over Minnesota
Denver (-5) over INDY:
Final Score: Broncos-31 Colts-24
Onto the picks for Week 7.....
Last Week's Record: 9-5-1
Thursday Night Game: 1-0
Overall Record: 48-41-6
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
NY JETS (+4) over New England
San Diego (-7) over JACKSONVILLE
KANSAS CITY (-6) over Houston
DETROIT (-2) over Cincy
MIAMI (-7) over Buffalo
Chicago (PICK) over WASHINGTON
Dallas (+3) over Philly
ATLANTA (-6) over Tampa Bay
St. Louis (+7) over CAROLINA
TENNESSEE (+4) over San Francisco
Cleveland (+10) over GREEN BAY
PITTSBURGH (-2) over Baltimore
NY GIANTS (-3) over Minnesota
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Broncos Breeze to 6-0 with Win Over Jaguars
The Broncos entered Sunday's game against Jacksonville at home as the biggest favorite in the history of the NFL. Denver was favored by 28 points over the Jags. It seemed like a lot of points to give a team, but many people felt that Denver would cover the spread against the hapless 0-5 Jaguars. The Broncos were in a no win situation. If they blew out the Jags by more than 28, then everyone would say that they should do that considering this is a matchup of the best and worst teams in the NFL. If Denver struggled a bit and didn't cover the spread, then the Broncos would be criticized for failing to destroy the Jags. Either way, Denver couldn't win. The only thing they could do is actually win the game-which they did 35-19. It wasn't the greatest performance by the Broncos, but it certainly was enough to defeat Jacksonville by 16 points. Here are my quick thoughts and observations about the game...
1) Denver and the offense struggled at times in the game. Peyton Manning had two fumbled exchanges that resulted in turnovers and a pick-six. It wasn't the best performance by Manning or the offense, and they still put up 35 points and won going away.
2) Credit Jacksonville for hitting Manning early and often. This was the hardest he was hit all season long, and you could tell it took its' toll on Manning in the first half.
3) The Broncos defense played well against the run, and give credit to Shaun Phillips. He played great once again. He has been the Broncos best pass rusher since the beginning of the season. He forced a late Chad Henne interception that swung the momentum back into the Broncos favor.
4) The turning point for me was David Bruton's fake punt late in the 3rd quarter. It led to a Broncos touchdown and gave Denver some much needed momentum. Great call by the Broncos coaching staff on that play.
5) I never really felt nervous that Denver was going to lose this game. When it 14-12 at the half, I felt confident. After Knowshon Moreno scored to make it 21-12, I thought Denver was in good shape. After the Jags scored to make it 21-19, I was still very confident that Denver would pull away. Two more Moreno touchdown runs and the Broncos did indeed pull away in the 4th quarter. I never was too worried at any point that the Broncos were going to lose.
6) Champ Bailey came back and got burned repeatedly by Justin Blackmon to the tune of 190 yards. Hopefully, Bailey needed a week to knock the rust off before next week's game at Indy.
7) Speaking of Indy, how awesome was the promo for Peyton Manning's return to Indy on Sunday Night Football? Next week's game will be one of the games of the year, and I can't wait for this matchup. Also, next week features the return of Von Miller. The Broncos really need Miller back in the lineup and they need him to get their pass rush going once again.
8) Overall, this was a game that Denver had to take care of business in and they did. You can't get overhyped with emotion every single week in the NFL. There are going to be some weeks where you have a letdown. This seemed to be one of those weeks, but the Broncos were still able to win by 16. Next week it is onto Indy and a showdown with the 4-2 Colts.
1) Denver and the offense struggled at times in the game. Peyton Manning had two fumbled exchanges that resulted in turnovers and a pick-six. It wasn't the best performance by Manning or the offense, and they still put up 35 points and won going away.
2) Credit Jacksonville for hitting Manning early and often. This was the hardest he was hit all season long, and you could tell it took its' toll on Manning in the first half.
3) The Broncos defense played well against the run, and give credit to Shaun Phillips. He played great once again. He has been the Broncos best pass rusher since the beginning of the season. He forced a late Chad Henne interception that swung the momentum back into the Broncos favor.
4) The turning point for me was David Bruton's fake punt late in the 3rd quarter. It led to a Broncos touchdown and gave Denver some much needed momentum. Great call by the Broncos coaching staff on that play.
5) I never really felt nervous that Denver was going to lose this game. When it 14-12 at the half, I felt confident. After Knowshon Moreno scored to make it 21-12, I thought Denver was in good shape. After the Jags scored to make it 21-19, I was still very confident that Denver would pull away. Two more Moreno touchdown runs and the Broncos did indeed pull away in the 4th quarter. I never was too worried at any point that the Broncos were going to lose.
6) Champ Bailey came back and got burned repeatedly by Justin Blackmon to the tune of 190 yards. Hopefully, Bailey needed a week to knock the rust off before next week's game at Indy.
7) Speaking of Indy, how awesome was the promo for Peyton Manning's return to Indy on Sunday Night Football? Next week's game will be one of the games of the year, and I can't wait for this matchup. Also, next week features the return of Von Miller. The Broncos really need Miller back in the lineup and they need him to get their pass rush going once again.
8) Overall, this was a game that Denver had to take care of business in and they did. You can't get overhyped with emotion every single week in the NFL. There are going to be some weeks where you have a letdown. This seemed to be one of those weeks, but the Broncos were still able to win by 16. Next week it is onto Indy and a showdown with the 4-2 Colts.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Week 6 Picks
As we head into Week
6, the Broncos are off to a fast 5-0 start, and they host Jacksonville this
week with the chance of getting to 6-0. The quick start by Denver and Peyton
Manning has become one of the big storylines for the 2013 season. An undefeated
season has been brought up a lot with the Broncos so far this year. I’m not too
worried about an undefeated season. I just want the Broncos hoisting the
Lombardi Trophy in February at the Meadowlands. But there are some really
astonishing numbers that have highlighted this start for Denver. Here are a few
nuggets to consider:
-Denver has scored
230 points in five games. They are averaging 46 points a game.
-The Broncos have
scored at least 37 points in their first five games. Twice they hit 40 or more
and twice they hit 50 or more.
-The Broncos only
scored 50 points once in their history. They have scored over 50 points twice
in the last two weeks.
-Peyton Manning
started with 16 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the first four games. He
stands at 20 touchdowns and only 1 interception after five games. He is on pace
for 60 touchdowns this year.
-Since Peyton Manning
started with the Broncos last year, the team has played 21 regular season
games. They have a record of 18-3 in those games. Including playoffs, they are
18-4 in their last 22 total games.
-The Broncos are on a
16-game regular season winning streak.
Those numbers are
just a few of the numbers to digest, but in any event it is pretty staggering.
I’m just enjoying this ride, and looking for another win this week over the
Jags. You have to enjoy the journey not just the destination, so I’m taking it
week to week and having fun along the way. Onto the picks for Week 6….
Last Week’s Record: 8-6
Thursday Night Pick: 0-1
Overall Record: 38-37-5
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
KANSAS CITY (-7) over
Oakland: This line seems a little high, but I think the Raiders have trouble
coming East this week. KC always is tough at home when they are a good team,
and they will get to 6-0 with a solid win over Oakland.
TAMPA BAY (+2) over
Philly: I think the Bucs get their first win of the season this week. I just
can’t buy into Nick Foles for the Eagles this week. The Bucs are pretty bad,
but they will find a way to get the job done at home.
Green Bay (-2) over
BALTIMORE: The Ravens are a team that is going to confuse people all year long.
You really can’t get a handle on them this early in the season. I have liked
the Packers in this game all week, and I am not wavering. I’ll the Pack on the
road with a huge win.
Detroit (-2) over
CLEVELAND: This is another game that I have liked since the beginning of the
week. If the Browns still had Brian Hoyer, than I would buy into them, but
although they are 3-2, they have to back to Brandon Weeden. I’ll take the Lions
defense in this matchup-even on the road.
Carolina (+3) over
MINNESOTA: The Ron Rivera Watch is on in Carolina. It is only a matter of time
before Rivera gets the boot this year. In the meantime, this is a spot where
the Panthers rise up and play well. Take them getting the points on the road.
St. Louis (+7) over
HOUSTON: Do you really trust Matt Schaub this week? The Rams haven’t been that
good so far this year, but I expect them to give a big effort this week. Look
for a Texans win, but this game has a 20-17 feel to it.
Pittsburgh (+3) over
NY JETS: Everyone is going to pick the Jets because the Steelers are 0-4, but
be careful with rookie QBs. Geno Smith was great in the upset win over Atlanta
on Monday night, but rookies can follow up a great performance with a stinker
the next week. Dick LeBeau might be able to dial up something to confuse Smith
this week. I’ll take the Steelers one more time this year before I give up on
them.
Cincinnati (-7) over
BUFFALO: The Bills are going with Thad Lewis at QB this week against this
Bengals defense. E.J. Manuel is hurt, and the Bills have no real QB as a
backup, so Lewis gets the start. I can’t see how the Bengals are going to lose
this game. The Bengals are good, but Andy Dalton is the only thing that is
holding them back from a Super Bowl run. They get the job done this week in
Buffalo.
SEATTLE (-12) over
Tennessee: This game would be interesting if Jake Locker was not injured. I
would give the Titans a chance to keep it close. Now that Ryan Fitzpatrick is
filling in for Locker, the Titans have no shot in this game. Plus, the Seahawks
are coming home after blowing a game at Indy last week. No a good combination
for the Titans.
Arizona (+10) over
SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers will win this game, but I think it will be closer than
the experts predict. I have been riding the Cardinals all year long, and they
have been a very solid underdog. I think the potential is there for a bloodbath
with the Niners winning something like 31-6, but this will be closer than that.
NEW ENGLAND (-2) over
New Orleans: The best game of the weekend by far. The Pats look like they will
be getting Rob Gronkowski back for the game. With Gronk and Danny Amendola in
the fold, the Pats offense should get going again. I think this is a back and
forth game, and I think the Saints will play real well, but look for Tom Brady
to will his team down the field for a game-winning score late.
DALLAS (-5) over Washington: This is a classic spot where everyone will pick the Cowboys because of what Tony Romo did to the Broncos last week, and then the Redskins will roll into Dallas on Sunday night and win by 10. I don't see it happening this week. Look for the Cowboys to take advantage of the matchups in the Redskins secondary and win this game by at least a
SAN DIEGO (+2) over
Indy: The Chargers were pretty bad in their loss to the Raiders last Sunday,
but I think that they rebound here. The Colts have been flying with wins over
the Seahawks and Niners already this year. I think the Colts are due for a
letdown while they are thinking about the Broncos and Peyton Manning next
Sunday night.
Jacksonville (+27)
over DENVER: The spread is just too high in this game. The Broncos should roll
to an easy victory, but if they win 31-10, then you lose the bet if you take
Denver. 27 points is just crazy.
Final Score:
Broncos-34 Jaguars-10
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Thursday Night Week 6 Pick
CHICAGO (-7) over New York Giants: The Giants are so bad right now that it is almost laughable. I can't believe that the Giants are 0-5. There is nothing that makes me believe that the G-Men can rise up and win this game on the road on a short week. Take the Bears to get to 4-2 with an easy home win.
Broncos Outlast Cowboys 51-48 in Thriller to go to 5-0
The Broncos and Cowboys played a classic, wild shootout on Sunday in Dallas, and at the end of the day, the Broncos survived and won the game 51-48 in the 2013 season's signature game. The game saw Denver trail 14-0 early, storm back to take a 21-17 lead, and eventually a 35-20 lead in the third quarter. From that point, the game turned to a Peyton Manning and Tony Romo clinic on passing. After Romo and Manning traded pass for pass and score for score, Denver was able to capitalize on a Danny Trevathan interception of Romo right before the 2:00 minute warning. The Broncos were in field goal range at the time, and they moved the ball to the one before setting up Matt Prater for the game-winning 28 yard field goal as time expired. The game went back and forth so much in the second half that it left my head spinning by the end. It was a great game and a classic game for the Broncos and the rest of the NFL, and now Denver moves to 5-0. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game...
1) Normally, I start with Peyton Manning and the offense, but I have to start with the defense-or lack of defense in this game. The defense started off slow and gave up a first drive touchdown to Dez Bryant and a second drive touchdown to Demarco Murray. The second touchdown was given up after an Eric Decker fumble on Denver's first offensive possession. After being down 14-0, the Broncos defense seemed to step it up a bit. They were able to force a field goal on Dallas' third drive with the aid of a huge Shaun Phillips sack on 3rd down from the eight. On the fourth possession, the Broncos forced a Bryant fumble. They forced a three-and-out on the fifth possession highlighted by a Malik Jackson sack of Romo on 2nd down. From that point on, the Broncos defense was absolutely awful. They gave up a field goal right before the half on a series which Tony Carter once again got a guy behind him down the sideline. The 2nd half was brutally worse. They gave up an 82-yard touchdown pass, another touchdown pass from Romo to Bryant on the next possession, another Romo to Jason Witten touchdown pass on the following possession, and another Romo to Cole Beasley touchdown on the next possession. That run was about as bad as it gets for a defense. It was the worst defensive performance in the John Fox era, and it was the worst defensive game since early in the 2011 season when Denver went to Green Bay and got smoked by the Packers. It was eye-opening at how bad they played. There are a lot of holes in that defense right now. Von Miller and Champ Bailey can't get back soon enough.
2) Granted, the Broncos defense was bad, but there are few things here to consider. First, Tony Romo is a really good QB, and I always said that I would take him on my team any day of the week. Romo was sensational in the game and passed for over 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. You can't take anything away from him. Secondly, the Broncos lost Wesley Woodyard, Robert Ayers, and Chris Harris in the game at various points. Those three guys have been three of their best players on defense this year. Once they all went out of the game, the Broncos defense was shot. When you have guys like Omar Bolden trying to match up in the secondary, then you are in trouble. You could make a case that the Broncos were down their top five defensive players in yesterday's game (including Miller and Bailey) and it showed in the second half.
3) As bad as the defense played, you have to give them credit for making the stop and the play that they needed at the end. Danny Trevathan got the huge pick of Romo, and it set up the game-winner. You need a defense to make big stops in big moments of the game, and the Broncos got it when they desperately needed one.
4) The Broncos offense continues to roll on with amazing performance after amazing performance. Manning was brilliant once again. He finished 33-42 for 414 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Julius Thomas absolutely ate up the Cowboys and he finished with 9 catches for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, and Wes Welker all finished with 5 catches, but Decker finished with 87 yards and a touchdown, Thomas finished with 57 yards, and Welker added 49 yards and a touchdown. Knowshon Moreno also continued to play well, and he ran for 93 yards on 19 carries and 1 touchdown. Moreno continues to run hard and he is one of key components to their offense by continuing to keep the running game moving.
5) The Broncos trailed 14-0 early, but their offense came storming back. Manning's 4 touchdown passes featured a variety of throws and plays. The first one was a shovel pass to Julius Thomas, and the second one was a sweet fade to Decker for a 2-yard score. The third one was a bullet to Thomas on a slant for 9 yards, and the fourth one was a great play/route to Wes Welker. Welker faked like he was running an arrow route, and they cut inside and Manning hit him perfectly for the 2-yard score. I also loved the play call when Manning ran a naked bootleg for a touchdown right before the half to give Denver a 28-17 lead. It was the a great play and a great call, and it was the only play that no one saw coming.
6) This game was a classic and it was definitely the signature game for this season so far. The game was basically broadcast to entire nation in the late window on CBS. It pitted Peyton Manning vs. the Cowboys. It featured a shootout between two the of league's most recognizable stars, and both teams put up 99 points collectively. It was an instant classic, and the ratings were off the charts. The game's rating matched the rating from last year's SF-GB Divisional playoff game. A crazy and memorable game, and I am just glad that the Broncos were able to come out on top.
7) Denver showed some grit in this game. They were able to come back from an early 14-0, and they were able to fight back and tie the game late. Huge win for the Broncos and now they are 5-0 and heading home to take on the Jaguars on Sunday. The Broncos are an early 28-point favorite at this point. Whatever lies ahead for the Broncos doesn't matter at this point. All they need to do is get ready for Jacksonville and get to 6-0.
1) Normally, I start with Peyton Manning and the offense, but I have to start with the defense-or lack of defense in this game. The defense started off slow and gave up a first drive touchdown to Dez Bryant and a second drive touchdown to Demarco Murray. The second touchdown was given up after an Eric Decker fumble on Denver's first offensive possession. After being down 14-0, the Broncos defense seemed to step it up a bit. They were able to force a field goal on Dallas' third drive with the aid of a huge Shaun Phillips sack on 3rd down from the eight. On the fourth possession, the Broncos forced a Bryant fumble. They forced a three-and-out on the fifth possession highlighted by a Malik Jackson sack of Romo on 2nd down. From that point on, the Broncos defense was absolutely awful. They gave up a field goal right before the half on a series which Tony Carter once again got a guy behind him down the sideline. The 2nd half was brutally worse. They gave up an 82-yard touchdown pass, another touchdown pass from Romo to Bryant on the next possession, another Romo to Jason Witten touchdown pass on the following possession, and another Romo to Cole Beasley touchdown on the next possession. That run was about as bad as it gets for a defense. It was the worst defensive performance in the John Fox era, and it was the worst defensive game since early in the 2011 season when Denver went to Green Bay and got smoked by the Packers. It was eye-opening at how bad they played. There are a lot of holes in that defense right now. Von Miller and Champ Bailey can't get back soon enough.
2) Granted, the Broncos defense was bad, but there are few things here to consider. First, Tony Romo is a really good QB, and I always said that I would take him on my team any day of the week. Romo was sensational in the game and passed for over 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. You can't take anything away from him. Secondly, the Broncos lost Wesley Woodyard, Robert Ayers, and Chris Harris in the game at various points. Those three guys have been three of their best players on defense this year. Once they all went out of the game, the Broncos defense was shot. When you have guys like Omar Bolden trying to match up in the secondary, then you are in trouble. You could make a case that the Broncos were down their top five defensive players in yesterday's game (including Miller and Bailey) and it showed in the second half.
3) As bad as the defense played, you have to give them credit for making the stop and the play that they needed at the end. Danny Trevathan got the huge pick of Romo, and it set up the game-winner. You need a defense to make big stops in big moments of the game, and the Broncos got it when they desperately needed one.
4) The Broncos offense continues to roll on with amazing performance after amazing performance. Manning was brilliant once again. He finished 33-42 for 414 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Julius Thomas absolutely ate up the Cowboys and he finished with 9 catches for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, and Wes Welker all finished with 5 catches, but Decker finished with 87 yards and a touchdown, Thomas finished with 57 yards, and Welker added 49 yards and a touchdown. Knowshon Moreno also continued to play well, and he ran for 93 yards on 19 carries and 1 touchdown. Moreno continues to run hard and he is one of key components to their offense by continuing to keep the running game moving.
5) The Broncos trailed 14-0 early, but their offense came storming back. Manning's 4 touchdown passes featured a variety of throws and plays. The first one was a shovel pass to Julius Thomas, and the second one was a sweet fade to Decker for a 2-yard score. The third one was a bullet to Thomas on a slant for 9 yards, and the fourth one was a great play/route to Wes Welker. Welker faked like he was running an arrow route, and they cut inside and Manning hit him perfectly for the 2-yard score. I also loved the play call when Manning ran a naked bootleg for a touchdown right before the half to give Denver a 28-17 lead. It was the a great play and a great call, and it was the only play that no one saw coming.
6) This game was a classic and it was definitely the signature game for this season so far. The game was basically broadcast to entire nation in the late window on CBS. It pitted Peyton Manning vs. the Cowboys. It featured a shootout between two the of league's most recognizable stars, and both teams put up 99 points collectively. It was an instant classic, and the ratings were off the charts. The game's rating matched the rating from last year's SF-GB Divisional playoff game. A crazy and memorable game, and I am just glad that the Broncos were able to come out on top.
7) Denver showed some grit in this game. They were able to come back from an early 14-0, and they were able to fight back and tie the game late. Huge win for the Broncos and now they are 5-0 and heading home to take on the Jaguars on Sunday. The Broncos are an early 28-point favorite at this point. Whatever lies ahead for the Broncos doesn't matter at this point. All they need to do is get ready for Jacksonville and get to 6-0.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Week 5 Picks
Last Week’s Record:
6-7-1
Thursday Night Pick:
1-0
Overall Record: 30-30-5
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
Kansas City (-2) over
TENNESSEE: Easy game to pick because the Titans are without Jake Locker, who
was playing very well for them. I see KC going on the road and getting to 5-0.
MIAMI (-2) over
Baltimore: Tough game to call, but I think Miami’s loss at New Orleans on
Sunday Night could be considered a mulligan. The Ravens are going to be up and
down all year long, and they were just brutal in their loss to Buffalo last
week. I’ll take the Dolphins at home to find a way to win this game late.
ST.LOUIS (-11) over
Jacksonville: I did take Jacksonville to cover last week at home versus Indy,
and I got burned, so I am pretty much done with the Jags for the rest of this
season. This should be a good game for St. Louis to get back on track and get
to 2-3.
CINCY (-1) over New
England: The Pats always lose a game early on in the year, and I thought last
week was going to be the game at Atlanta, but they pulled it out 30-23. I think
this week they fall on the road. The Bengals really need to win this game after
a dreadful performance against Cleveland last week. Take the Bengals and you
are only laying a point.
Seattle (-3) over INDY: The Seahawks are due for a road loss. This is their third long trip in
the first five weeks of the season. They barely escaped at Carolina in Week 1,
and they should have lost to Houston last week, but they won in overtime. The only
thing that scares me about the Colts is that if they win, then they would
have beaten the Niners and Seahawks in a three-week span. That might be hard to
fathom. Plus, everyone loves the Colts this week.
Detroit (+7) over
GREEN BAY: The Packers will win this game, but they will have to really gut it
out in the end. With Reggie Bush on their offense, the Lions can hit all
cylinders. I really like the makeup of this Lions team on their way to the 3-1
start. The Packers are more desperate so they will probably win it, but look
for a really close game.
New Orleans (PICK)
over CHICAGO: The Saints have a tendency to fall apart on the road, but they
will find a way to beat the Bears this week in Chi-Town. This is a really good
matchup, but I am worried about the Bears defense. It might be a bad defense,
so look for the Saints to take advantage and move to 5-0.
Philadelphia (+2)
over NY GIANTS: How can you take the Giants and feel confident at this point?
They have been so bad so far this year. At least the Eagles have a Week 1 win
to hang their hat on. I see Philly going into the Meadowlands and burying the
Giants.
ARIZONA (+3) over
Carolina: I have been dead on with Arizona all year, and I will ride them again
this week. They are a feisty team, and I love them at home against Carolina in
this spot.
OAKLAND (+5) over San Diego: This game got moved to Sunday night at 11:35pm EST as a result of the
A’s playoff game the day before. Whatever time this one starts, I think the
Chargers will find a way to get the win and move to 3-2, but I can see a scenario where the Raiders give them some trouble and keep it close.
Houston (+7) over SAN
FRANCISCO: Interesting game for Sunday Night Football on NBC. I think the 49ers will win the game, but I think the Texans will keep the game very close. Does anyone else think the Niners are a little overrated? I might be wrong here, but I just don't think the Niners are that great. We'll see as the year progresses but I'm taking the Texans as a live dog this week.
ATLANTA (-8) over New
York Jets: I can't really build a case for the Jets winning this game. The Falcons need to get a win after a surprising 1-3 start, and this looks like another tough road game for Geno Smith and the Jets offense. Take the Falcons and the points.
Denver (-7) over
DALLAS: I never take the Broncos in any of these games, but why not do it this week. The Broncos and Peyton Manning and in "Fuck You" mode, and I could see them walking into Dallas this week and burying the Cowboys. Denver is 4-0 with an offense that can't be stopped, so if they lose this game it won't be the end of the
Final Score: Denver-31 Dallas-21
Final Score: Denver-31 Dallas-21
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Broncos Dismantle Eagles To Improve to 4-0
Denver’s 52-20 win
over the Eagles on Sunday was a full display of a dominant performance on all
three levels. The game also featured another ridiculously brilliant performance
by Peyton Manning. The Broncos jumped out to a 14-3 lead, watched the Eagles
fight back to make it a 14-13 game, and then they went into overdrive and blew
the doors off the Eagles the rest of way. After Knowshon Moreno scored to make
it 21-13 near the end of the first half, the Broncos scored on three straight 3rd
quarter possessions (Two TD passes from Manning to Demaryius Thomas and one to
Wes Welker) to turn the game into a 42-13 rout. A blocked punt for a touchdown
from Steven Johnson gave Denver a 49-13 lead, and Matt Prater added the final
three points for a franchise record 52 and the Broncos improved to 4-0 in the
process. There are so many mind-blowing stats about Denver’s run with Peyton
Manning, but I will save them for my Friday column with Week 4 picks. Here are
my quick thoughts and observations on this week’s game….
2) Another impressive effort by Knowshon Moreno this week. He rushed for 78 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown. The thing that impressed me with Moreno is that he ran really hard. They will need a running game down the stretch, so Moreno needs to continue to run the ball the well.
3) Another week and another impressive passing performance with the receivers. Eric Decker had 5 catches for 88 yards, Demaryius Thomas had 9 catches for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Wes Welker add 7 receptions for 76 yards and 2 touchdowns. Manning continues to spread the ball around to this trio, and every week it seems like each guy makes his own significant contribution. By the way, Demaryius Thomas is a beast in the redone.
4) The Denver defense was once again impressive as well. They got 3 sacks: 1 each by Shaun Phillips and Derek Wolfe, and Wesley Woodyard and Robert Ayers each added a half a sack. They also added 5 total tackles for a loss. They only time they seemed to struggle was in the 2nd quarter when they were on the field for most of the time because of the Trindon Holliday kickoff return for a touchdown.
5) Speaking of Holliday, this guy is really amazing. Not only do the Broncos have a great offense, but their return game is led by arguably the best return man in the sport right now. Holliday took a kickoff back 105 yards for a touchdown to give Denver a 14-3 lead in the 2nd quarter. Everytime he touches the ball it is the possibility for a big play. He is must watch television when he gets the ball. Also, Steven Johnson added a blocked punt and return for a touchdown. One thing that stands out is that the Broncos special teams have been really solid the last two years.
6) The Broncos are flying right now and they look like the best team in the NFL. There will be some ups and downs, and they will run into some adversity at some point, but let's face it, this team in loaded. Manning is playing some of the best ball of his career, and the team has a lot of really good players in a lot of key positions. Plus, Champ Bailey and Von Miller still are due to return this year. It has been a great start for the Broncos, and I just will keep on enjoying this run each and every week.
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