As the first week of the offseason began in the midst of a snowstorm in the Northeast, the NFL always remains in the news somehow. The next "event" that comes up on the NFL calendar is the Scouting Combine at the end of February. Apparently, some of the best ratings NFL Network gets is during their coverage of the Combine. I won't watch every single minute of it, but there are some elements that are interesting to watch. The QB drills are fun to view, and the WR drills are entertaining. Also, the 40-yard dash is exciting to watch, especially with the Defensive Backs and Receivers. One other thing about the combine is that all the GMs and Coaches are there, so NFL Network gets a lot of interviews and football talk on the platter.
Free Agency will start on March 5th. Normally, I would do a huge Free Agent preview, and I would look at the possible players that the Broncos could acquire, but I can't do that this year because of the uncertainty of the CBA. The CBA probably won't get agreed upon before March 5th, so the NFL is headed into the uncapped season. It is too complicated to figure out how all that will affect each team and their players who are coming up on Free Agency.
The NFL offseason is long and many media outlets will look to keep the teams and league in the news all offseason. You can't believe every rumor or detail that comes up on ESPN or SI.com. If you are a Bronco fan, you can't buy into the fact that the Broncos will offer a second round pick for Donovan McNabb. You also can't buy into the notion that Brandon Marshall will be traded. The Broncos have a plan, and no one outside of the walls of Dove Valley knows what is going to happen. Throw in the fact that the CBA is up in the air, and there is really no way to tell what Denver will do this offseason.
With all that said, here is what we do know: At the Owners Meeting in the middle of March, the NFL usually announces their opening week matchups and their Thanksgiving games. It is a fun tradition around here to try and predict what the league will do with these matchups. Here is my prediction for Opening Weekend and the Thanksgiving slate:
Thursday Night Kickoff Opener (NBC): Pittsburgh at New Orleans
Sunday Night Football Opener (NBC): Philadelphia at New York Giants
Monday Night Football (ESPN): Houston at Indianapolis (Early Game)
Seattle at San Francisco (Late Game)
Thanksgiving Games:
New York Jets at Detroit (CBS)
Chicago at Dallas (FOX)
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (NFL Network)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Final Playoff Picks Record
With the Colts losing to the Saints, my final playoff picks record ended 3-7-1. It was not exactly my finest hour in the postseason this year, but I will be putting in the time this offseason to crunching numbers and finding a way to foil the betting gods next year.
Super Bowl XLIV Wrap Up!
The New Orleans Saints pulled the upset and defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 to win Super Bowl XLIV. Tracy Porter's 74 yard interception return late in the fourth quarter put the nail in the coffin, and gave the Saints their first Super Bowl title in franchise history. Drew Brees received the MVP award, as he outdueled Peyton Manning in a very crisp and solid Super Bowl. Give credit to the Saints and the city of New Orleans. It was a great story going into the game, and I am happy for New Orleans and everyone in that area. Here are my random thoughts on Super Bowl XLIV.......
I) When Manning hit Pierre Garcon for a touchdown and gave the Colts a 10-0 first quarter lead on a 96 yard drive, I thought the game was over and this was going to be a 34-10 type of blowout. Give credit to the Saints for hanging in there and getting back into the game.
II) Great decision by Sean Payton to go for it on Fourth and Goal from the 1 yard line down 10-3 late in the second quarter. You need touchdowns against the Colts not field goals. Eventhough he didn't get it, he had enough time and timeouts available to get the ball back before the half was over. He got the ball back and converted a field goal to make it 10-6 at the half.
III) Terrible job by Jim Caldwell, Manning, and the Colts offense at the end of the half. Three straight running plays-two by fullback Mike Hart- resulted in a punt back to the Saints. Why go so conservative there? You have Peyton Manning. Throw the ball once to get a first down! Awful job by Caldwell.
IV) Payton's decision to onside kick to start the second half will go down as one of the gutiest and greatest coaching decisions in Super Bowl history. What a call and what a job by the Saints to come out of the pile with the ball. If they don't get it, Manning has great field position to put the Colts up 17-6. Sean Payton earned his paycheck with that one call.
V) The Saints capitalized on that onside kick with a touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas to go up 13-10. Manning came right back to make it 17-13 on the ensuing drive. Great sequence in the game.
VI) With the Colts leading 17-16 in the 4th quarter, Caldwell made another bad decision: Why attempt a 51 yard field goal with Matt Stover on 4th and 11. Go for it or at least punt the Saints down. Everyone knew that Stover couldn't make that kick. Now, the Saints have great field position and were moving the ball at will. This wasn't Jim Caldwell's coming out party.
VII) Garret Hartley was sensational for the Saints. The rookie made all three field goals from over 40 yards.
VIII) Nice redemption for Jeremy Shockey on the touchdown reception from Brees to give the Saints a 22-17 lead late in the fourth.
IX) Sean Payton's decision to challenge Lance Moore's two point conversion play was another great move. At first glance it looked like it was not a catch, but the replay and the rule confirmed that Moore had caught it and crossed the goal line for the two-pointer. The game is a lot different at 24-17 then it would have felt at 22-17 with Manning getting the ball.
X) The most definitive moment of Super Bowl XLIV goes to Tracy Porter's pick six of Manning. I thought for sure that the Colts would march down and tie the game 24-24, and we would be headed for the first overtime in SB history. On 3rd and 5 deep in Saint territory, Manning made his only mistake of the night. Tracy Porter read the route and jumped it and took it the distance to give the Saints the 31-17 lead. It was unreal to watch it at that moment because it was so unexpected. It is the greatest interception in Super Bowl history, and it will be the one image that will always live from this game going forward. Remarkable turn of events.
XI) The Colts did an awful job once again near the end of the game. Manning took too much time, dumped it off too much to Joseph Addai, ran the ball to Addai when he shouldn't have, and then called a timeout late in the game when he shouldn't have. For a QB and a team that pride themselves on being so meticulous and prepared, they looked lost at the end of the game-especially Manning. Peyton Manning's legacy took a hit in the Super Bowl. He didn't get his second ring and his interception cost him the game. He isn't at the top of Mount Rushmore just yet. He can't join the likes of Unitas, Montana, Elway, and Brady just yet.
XII) The Saints will be hosting the Thursday Night Season Opener next year and look for the Saints to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday 9/10/2010 in the Superdome to kick off the 2010 NFL season. It will feature a matchup of the last two Super Bowl winners.
XIII) Overall, it was a solid Super Bowl. The game was played at a crisp pace because there weren't a lot of penalties, only one turnover, and a lot of completions by both quarterbacks. I enjoyed the game, and although we were deprived of the overtime that everyone would have loved to have seen, it was a fun game, a good game, and a game that I would watch anytime it was on NFL Network and replayed.
XIV) Another NFL season comes and goes. It was another fun season on the Bronco Blog. I'll be hibernating for a little while and then I will come back later in the month to give some Free Agency talk and see where the Broncos go in terms of the offseason.
I) When Manning hit Pierre Garcon for a touchdown and gave the Colts a 10-0 first quarter lead on a 96 yard drive, I thought the game was over and this was going to be a 34-10 type of blowout. Give credit to the Saints for hanging in there and getting back into the game.
II) Great decision by Sean Payton to go for it on Fourth and Goal from the 1 yard line down 10-3 late in the second quarter. You need touchdowns against the Colts not field goals. Eventhough he didn't get it, he had enough time and timeouts available to get the ball back before the half was over. He got the ball back and converted a field goal to make it 10-6 at the half.
III) Terrible job by Jim Caldwell, Manning, and the Colts offense at the end of the half. Three straight running plays-two by fullback Mike Hart- resulted in a punt back to the Saints. Why go so conservative there? You have Peyton Manning. Throw the ball once to get a first down! Awful job by Caldwell.
IV) Payton's decision to onside kick to start the second half will go down as one of the gutiest and greatest coaching decisions in Super Bowl history. What a call and what a job by the Saints to come out of the pile with the ball. If they don't get it, Manning has great field position to put the Colts up 17-6. Sean Payton earned his paycheck with that one call.
V) The Saints capitalized on that onside kick with a touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas to go up 13-10. Manning came right back to make it 17-13 on the ensuing drive. Great sequence in the game.
VI) With the Colts leading 17-16 in the 4th quarter, Caldwell made another bad decision: Why attempt a 51 yard field goal with Matt Stover on 4th and 11. Go for it or at least punt the Saints down. Everyone knew that Stover couldn't make that kick. Now, the Saints have great field position and were moving the ball at will. This wasn't Jim Caldwell's coming out party.
VII) Garret Hartley was sensational for the Saints. The rookie made all three field goals from over 40 yards.
VIII) Nice redemption for Jeremy Shockey on the touchdown reception from Brees to give the Saints a 22-17 lead late in the fourth.
IX) Sean Payton's decision to challenge Lance Moore's two point conversion play was another great move. At first glance it looked like it was not a catch, but the replay and the rule confirmed that Moore had caught it and crossed the goal line for the two-pointer. The game is a lot different at 24-17 then it would have felt at 22-17 with Manning getting the ball.
X) The most definitive moment of Super Bowl XLIV goes to Tracy Porter's pick six of Manning. I thought for sure that the Colts would march down and tie the game 24-24, and we would be headed for the first overtime in SB history. On 3rd and 5 deep in Saint territory, Manning made his only mistake of the night. Tracy Porter read the route and jumped it and took it the distance to give the Saints the 31-17 lead. It was unreal to watch it at that moment because it was so unexpected. It is the greatest interception in Super Bowl history, and it will be the one image that will always live from this game going forward. Remarkable turn of events.
XI) The Colts did an awful job once again near the end of the game. Manning took too much time, dumped it off too much to Joseph Addai, ran the ball to Addai when he shouldn't have, and then called a timeout late in the game when he shouldn't have. For a QB and a team that pride themselves on being so meticulous and prepared, they looked lost at the end of the game-especially Manning. Peyton Manning's legacy took a hit in the Super Bowl. He didn't get his second ring and his interception cost him the game. He isn't at the top of Mount Rushmore just yet. He can't join the likes of Unitas, Montana, Elway, and Brady just yet.
XII) The Saints will be hosting the Thursday Night Season Opener next year and look for the Saints to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday 9/10/2010 in the Superdome to kick off the 2010 NFL season. It will feature a matchup of the last two Super Bowl winners.
XIII) Overall, it was a solid Super Bowl. The game was played at a crisp pace because there weren't a lot of penalties, only one turnover, and a lot of completions by both quarterbacks. I enjoyed the game, and although we were deprived of the overtime that everyone would have loved to have seen, it was a fun game, a good game, and a game that I would watch anytime it was on NFL Network and replayed.
XIV) Another NFL season comes and goes. It was another fun season on the Bronco Blog. I'll be hibernating for a little while and then I will come back later in the month to give some Free Agency talk and see where the Broncos go in terms of the offseason.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Super Bowl XLIV Pick!
Last Week's Record: 0-1-1
Playoff Record: 3-6-1
COLTS (-4) over SAINTS:
Super Bowl XLIV will kickoff in a little over 48 hours. The Colts and Saints will take the field in Sun Life Stadium, and the matchup has produced little drama all week from South Beach. The only injury storyline is the health of Colts DE Dwight Freeney. The only other storylines from Miami involving this game have been about Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and the city of New Orleans. With that being said, this has the possiblity of being a very good Super Bowl. Both teams feature elite Quarterbacks, very good offenses, and opportunistic defenses. The Saints are the underdog, but they are no slouch. They can move the ball and score in chunks, and their defense forces a lot of turnovers and produce a lot of big plays from that standpoint. We know what we are getting from the Colts: An offense that can be deadly when it is in rhythm with the best QB in the league at the controls, and a tough and hard-nosed defense that tackles well and flys to the football. Since Super Bowl XXXII (Denver over Green Bay 31-24) there have been 7 Super Bowls that have been decided by 7 points or less. In this modern NFL no longer is the Super Bowl a big blowout and dissappointment. Underdogs have real chances and the lesser team is not that far away from the favorite, so I would expect the Saints to play well and give America a good showing and a good game.
Forget about all the rest of the storylines because this game comes down to one aspect and one aspect only: Peyton Manning. When he is all said and done, he will have all of the records NFL history: Consecutive Games Started and Played, Wins as a Starting QB, Completions, Attempts, Yards, and Touchdown Passes. He will own every single one of those records. He already has 1 Super Bowl to his name, but he needs one more to solidify his status as the "Greatest QB Ever." What we have witnessed in Manning's career is unreal. The guy is amazing. If he gets his second ring on Sunday, then Peyton Manning's name would have to vault to the top of the QB list and above the other members of the exclusive group. That group includes: Otto Graham, Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, John Elway, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre. Manning would stand above all of them if he gets his second Super Bowl on Sunday. We could be watching the greatest player at the QB position cement his status among the immortals. One day my kid is going to turn to me and say, "What was Peyton Manning like?" If he wins on Sunday, then I have no choice but to tell my son that Manning was the greatest Quarterback ever- hands down.
Will he get that second ring on Sunday? Yes, he will. I see this game playing out like some of the better games this decade. A lot of jostling back and forth for three quarters, then an aerial assault to finish up a wild fourth quarter. The Saints will play well, and I even see them taking an early lead. The Colts will respond with Manning and that offense. Expect a few turnovers and missed field goals. When push comes to shove, Manning will make the plays that are needed in the fourth quarter to give the Colts a late lead. That Colts defense-one that gets no respect- will then put the clamps down on Brees and the Saints to finish it off. The Colts will get their second Super Bowl victory in four seasons, and Manning becomes an immortal.
Final Score: Colts-31 Saints-24
Playoff Record: 3-6-1
COLTS (-4) over SAINTS:
Super Bowl XLIV will kickoff in a little over 48 hours. The Colts and Saints will take the field in Sun Life Stadium, and the matchup has produced little drama all week from South Beach. The only injury storyline is the health of Colts DE Dwight Freeney. The only other storylines from Miami involving this game have been about Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and the city of New Orleans. With that being said, this has the possiblity of being a very good Super Bowl. Both teams feature elite Quarterbacks, very good offenses, and opportunistic defenses. The Saints are the underdog, but they are no slouch. They can move the ball and score in chunks, and their defense forces a lot of turnovers and produce a lot of big plays from that standpoint. We know what we are getting from the Colts: An offense that can be deadly when it is in rhythm with the best QB in the league at the controls, and a tough and hard-nosed defense that tackles well and flys to the football. Since Super Bowl XXXII (Denver over Green Bay 31-24) there have been 7 Super Bowls that have been decided by 7 points or less. In this modern NFL no longer is the Super Bowl a big blowout and dissappointment. Underdogs have real chances and the lesser team is not that far away from the favorite, so I would expect the Saints to play well and give America a good showing and a good game.
Forget about all the rest of the storylines because this game comes down to one aspect and one aspect only: Peyton Manning. When he is all said and done, he will have all of the records NFL history: Consecutive Games Started and Played, Wins as a Starting QB, Completions, Attempts, Yards, and Touchdown Passes. He will own every single one of those records. He already has 1 Super Bowl to his name, but he needs one more to solidify his status as the "Greatest QB Ever." What we have witnessed in Manning's career is unreal. The guy is amazing. If he gets his second ring on Sunday, then Peyton Manning's name would have to vault to the top of the QB list and above the other members of the exclusive group. That group includes: Otto Graham, Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, John Elway, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre. Manning would stand above all of them if he gets his second Super Bowl on Sunday. We could be watching the greatest player at the QB position cement his status among the immortals. One day my kid is going to turn to me and say, "What was Peyton Manning like?" If he wins on Sunday, then I have no choice but to tell my son that Manning was the greatest Quarterback ever- hands down.
Will he get that second ring on Sunday? Yes, he will. I see this game playing out like some of the better games this decade. A lot of jostling back and forth for three quarters, then an aerial assault to finish up a wild fourth quarter. The Saints will play well, and I even see them taking an early lead. The Colts will respond with Manning and that offense. Expect a few turnovers and missed field goals. When push comes to shove, Manning will make the plays that are needed in the fourth quarter to give the Colts a late lead. That Colts defense-one that gets no respect- will then put the clamps down on Brees and the Saints to finish it off. The Colts will get their second Super Bowl victory in four seasons, and Manning becomes an immortal.
Final Score: Colts-31 Saints-24
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Super Bowl Prop Bets
There are so many different types of bets to place on the Super Bowl. I'm going to take a shot at some of this year's prop bets, and take a look at some of the over/under bets related to Super Bowl XLIV. Here we go...........
Points:
Over/Under 25 points for New Orleans: Under
Over/Under 28 points for Indianapolis: Over
Passing Yards:
Over/Under 300 yards for Drew Brees: Under
Over/Under 300 yards for Peyton Manning: Over
Turnovers:
Over/Under 3 for New Orleans: Under
Over/Under 3 for Indianapolis: Under
Receptions:
Over/Under 7 receptions for Marques Colston: Over
Over/Under 7 receptions for Reggie Wayne: Over
Rushing Yards:
Over/Under 65 yards for Reggie Bush: Under
Over/Under 65 yards for Joseph Addai: Over
Super Bowl MVP (If Indy Wins):
Peyton Manning
Super Bowl MVP (Not including Peyton Manning):
Reggie Wayne
Super Bowl MVP (If New Orleans Wins):
First Indy player to score a touchdown:
Dallas Clark
First Saints player to score a touchdown:
Pierre Thomas
Super Bowl Prediction Column Coming Tomorrow!!!!
Points:
Over/Under 25 points for New Orleans: Under
Over/Under 28 points for Indianapolis: Over
Passing Yards:
Over/Under 300 yards for Drew Brees: Under
Over/Under 300 yards for Peyton Manning: Over
Turnovers:
Over/Under 3 for New Orleans: Under
Over/Under 3 for Indianapolis: Under
Receptions:
Over/Under 7 receptions for Marques Colston: Over
Over/Under 7 receptions for Reggie Wayne: Over
Rushing Yards:
Over/Under 65 yards for Reggie Bush: Under
Over/Under 65 yards for Joseph Addai: Over
Super Bowl MVP (If Indy Wins):
Peyton Manning
Super Bowl MVP (Not including Peyton Manning):
Reggie Wayne
Super Bowl MVP (If New Orleans Wins):
First Indy player to score a touchdown:
Dallas Clark
First Saints player to score a touchdown:
Pierre Thomas
Super Bowl Prediction Column Coming Tomorrow!!!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Broncos name new Defensive Coordinator
I forgot to mention it last week, but I wanted to give my take on it. The Broncos named Don Martindale their new Defensive Coordinator. Martindale was on the Bronco staff last year as their Linebackers Coach. He previously spent the past few seasons as the Linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders. Martindale was viewed as a up and coming coach in the NFL. He was actually considered for the Head Coaching job in Oakland in the wake of the Lane Kiffin firing. The players love Martindale and a lot of the big names on the defense (Champ, Dumervil, DJ, and Dawkins) all endorsed Martindale. I think it is a good fit, and I like the move by the Broncos. I think it is important to continue to build some sort of stability in the staff and the organization. Josh McDaniels said that Martindale will keep the same system, and the Broncos will continue to be aggressive in nature on the defensive side of the ball. I like it, and I'm glad that the Broncos kept the move in house, and I look forward to seeing what Martindale can do with our defense.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Super Bowl XLIV Nuggets and Tidbits
Some interesting Super Bowl Tidbits as we try to kill time until the game on Sunday....
-Every Colts Super Bowl Appearance has been in the city of Miami. Super Bowls III, V, XLI, and XLIV all have taken place in South Florida.
-Now that the Saints have made the playoffs, only four teams in the NFL have not made a Super Bowl. Those teams are Jacksonville, Houston Texans, Detroit and Cleveland.
-Since 1991, every NFC team has made the Super Bowl except the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
-Every NFC South team has made a Super Bowl appearance since 1998.
-Both number one seeds made the Super Bowl for the first time since 1993.
-In the past 9 years, the NFC has been represented by 9 different teams. You have to go back to Super Bowl XXXV when the Giants played to find a repeat NFC champion.
-In the last 25 Super Bowls (including XLIV), all but 3 games have featured at least 1 team that has never won a Super Bowl game. The only exceptions were Steelers-Cowboys in XXX, Colts-Bears in XLI, and Giants-Patriots in XLII.
*We'll be back with more Super Bowl information as the week goes on.
*FRIDAY: Super Bowl XLIV Preview Column!!!
-Every Colts Super Bowl Appearance has been in the city of Miami. Super Bowls III, V, XLI, and XLIV all have taken place in South Florida.
-Now that the Saints have made the playoffs, only four teams in the NFL have not made a Super Bowl. Those teams are Jacksonville, Houston Texans, Detroit and Cleveland.
-Since 1991, every NFC team has made the Super Bowl except the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
-Every NFC South team has made a Super Bowl appearance since 1998.
-Both number one seeds made the Super Bowl for the first time since 1993.
-In the past 9 years, the NFC has been represented by 9 different teams. You have to go back to Super Bowl XXXV when the Giants played to find a repeat NFC champion.
-In the last 25 Super Bowls (including XLIV), all but 3 games have featured at least 1 team that has never won a Super Bowl game. The only exceptions were Steelers-Cowboys in XXX, Colts-Bears in XLI, and Giants-Patriots in XLII.
*We'll be back with more Super Bowl information as the week goes on.
*FRIDAY: Super Bowl XLIV Preview Column!!!
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