The Broncos had five days to match the Dolphins 4-year $16 million dollar offer to running back C.J. Anderson. They waited into the fifth day and they decided to match the offer, so Anderson will return to the Broncos. To me, I felt that this move was essential because the Broncos couldn't afford to let another key member of their 2015 team leave via free agency. With the departures of Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan last week, the Broncos were looking at losing one of their best offensive players, leaders, and a guy who is still young and could be one of the top backs in the league un the upcoming years. He is also a Bronco who truly defines the term "Kicking and Screaming." If anyone watched this season, they could see how much he meant to our team-especially in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl. I am happy that Anderson is coming back, and it will definitely help this team offensively going forward in 2016. The Broncos also had some other transactions this past week. Here are some of the moves made by the team....
Denver agreed to a restructured contract with Demarcus Ware: This was another move that was essential because it would have been a shame if Denver had to let Ware go. He agree to a pay cut, and he can make up some of the lost money in incentives. I know Ware is getting up there in age, but if you watched the playoffs, you saw how disruptive Ware was and how dominant he was at times. I am very happy he will be back next year.
Denver traded a conditional 7th round pick to Philly for QB Mark Sanchez: Uh oh, the "Sanchise" is coming to Denver. Seriously, this is a move to bring in a veteran QB since we only have Trevor Siemian on the roster at this point. Sanchez will probably end up being the backup if he even makes the team come August.
Safety David Bruton signs with Washington: Bruton was a valuable member of the special teams units the past few years, and he added some quality play at safety in key spots when guys went down with injury. With a loaded secondary and both safeties coming back next year, Bruton wanted a chance to start and get more playing time, so he decided to leave. Bruton is a great guy, and it sucks to lose him, but I understand the move and the secondary is a position of strength for us, so it is a move that makes sense for Bruton.
Tackle Ryan Harris signs with Pittsburgh: Harris might have had a tough time starting for Denver in 2016 because of the fact that Ryan Clady, Ty Sambraillo, Michael Schofield and the newly acquired Donald Stephenson all figuring to be in the mix for the starting tackle positions. Harris gets a chance to start in Pittsburgh. Harris did a great job starting once Clady went down in OTAs, and he did a great job moving over to LT once Sambraillo went down in Week 3.
Guard Evan Mathis signs with Arizona: Mathis is another veteran to leave from the offensive line as he heads to Arizona. Mathis did well for Denver this past year, but age and injury history made him expendable. Also, with the emergence of Max Garcia, it was understandable for the Broncos to move on from Mathis.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, and Danny Trevathan All Leave Broncos in Free Agency
The first few days of free agency has not been kind to the Broncos. First, Malik Jackson left for a huge deal to join Jacksonville. Then, the Broncos got outbid by the Houston Texans for Brock Osweiler. The Broncos lost their heir apparent to Peyton Manning. Then, Danny Trevathan left Denver to go join John Fox in Chicago. As it seems like the world is falling apart around the Super Bowl Champions, as you look deeper into the moves, there is one reason why these guys aren't Broncos anymore: Money. It always comes down to money. Here is the breakdown of these three departures with a little bit of my analysis sprinkled in.
1) Malik Jackson (6 years for $90 million/$45 million guaranteed in the first 3 years): We all knew that the Broncos were not going to be able to keep Jackson and Von Miller, and Jackson will get a whopping $15 million in the first three years. The Broncos were never going to be able to do that, and Jackson took the money and ran off into the abyss of Jacksonville. We will always appreciate Jackson, who was home grown player from the 2012 draft, but money talks and we knew Jackson was going to go to the highest bidder.
2) Danny Trevathan ( 4 years for $25 million/$12 million guaranteed): Trevathan was another guy that we knew was not going to come back to Denver. The Broncos weren't going to be able to afford him if he got a big deal, and he got a big deal from the Bears. I love Trevathan and he did a great job this year, but once again they just couldn't afford him and he took the money and ran. I understand this move, and I think that he does play a position that can be replaced easily. Plus, they need to pay the other ILB Brandon Marshall, and Trevathan was more expendable.
3) Brock Osweiler (4 years for $72 million/$37 million guaranteed in the first 2 years): If NFL free agency was the like the WWE, then on Wednesday Brock Osweiler's music would have hit, he would have come down to sign a contract to return to Denver, then hit John Elway over the head with a chair, took off his suit to reveal and Houston Texans jersey, sign the contract with Houston, and then spit on the Broncos and flip off the fans in the crowd. Osweiler just went heel, and now he became public enemy #1 in Denver. I was surprised that Brock didn't come back to Denver, but in the days leading up to Wednesday, it started to look like he might jump to Houston. The market was set at $18 million a year for Brock, and the Broncos never got up to that number. Houston did and he decided to go to the Texans. I can't disagree with John Elway on this one. There is no way the Broncos should have gone to the $18.5 million guaranteed in the first two years that Osweiler got on the basis of seven starts. I also think the rumors that Osweiler was miffed about the fact that he was benched in Week 17 for Peyton Manning. I think Osweiler has the chance to be a good NFL QB, but I don't think that he is anywhere near a franchise QB, and the Broncos were smart enough to walk away. It is a shame that the Broncos had their potential heir apparent to Peyton Manning right there for them, and it got away from them. Only time will tell if this screws the Broncos, but I do think that John Elway will prove to be right with this one.
1) Malik Jackson (6 years for $90 million/$45 million guaranteed in the first 3 years): We all knew that the Broncos were not going to be able to keep Jackson and Von Miller, and Jackson will get a whopping $15 million in the first three years. The Broncos were never going to be able to do that, and Jackson took the money and ran off into the abyss of Jacksonville. We will always appreciate Jackson, who was home grown player from the 2012 draft, but money talks and we knew Jackson was going to go to the highest bidder.
2) Danny Trevathan ( 4 years for $25 million/$12 million guaranteed): Trevathan was another guy that we knew was not going to come back to Denver. The Broncos weren't going to be able to afford him if he got a big deal, and he got a big deal from the Bears. I love Trevathan and he did a great job this year, but once again they just couldn't afford him and he took the money and ran. I understand this move, and I think that he does play a position that can be replaced easily. Plus, they need to pay the other ILB Brandon Marshall, and Trevathan was more expendable.
3) Brock Osweiler (4 years for $72 million/$37 million guaranteed in the first 2 years): If NFL free agency was the like the WWE, then on Wednesday Brock Osweiler's music would have hit, he would have come down to sign a contract to return to Denver, then hit John Elway over the head with a chair, took off his suit to reveal and Houston Texans jersey, sign the contract with Houston, and then spit on the Broncos and flip off the fans in the crowd. Osweiler just went heel, and now he became public enemy #1 in Denver. I was surprised that Brock didn't come back to Denver, but in the days leading up to Wednesday, it started to look like he might jump to Houston. The market was set at $18 million a year for Brock, and the Broncos never got up to that number. Houston did and he decided to go to the Texans. I can't disagree with John Elway on this one. There is no way the Broncos should have gone to the $18.5 million guaranteed in the first two years that Osweiler got on the basis of seven starts. I also think the rumors that Osweiler was miffed about the fact that he was benched in Week 17 for Peyton Manning. I think Osweiler has the chance to be a good NFL QB, but I don't think that he is anywhere near a franchise QB, and the Broncos were smart enough to walk away. It is a shame that the Broncos had their potential heir apparent to Peyton Manning right there for them, and it got away from them. Only time will tell if this screws the Broncos, but I do think that John Elway will prove to be right with this one.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Thank You, Peyton Manning!
Today, Peyton Manning announced his retirement from the NFL. His 18 year career comes to a close on the heels of winning his second Super Bowl after the Broncos defeated the Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. It was hardly a surprise as most of the rumors and chatter the last month surrounded around the fact that Manning was probably going to retire, but now that it is actually happened, it does seem a little surreal that Peyton is going to hang it up. There are so many ways to talk about Manning's career, and there are so many ways to look at his legacy, but I wanted to break it down into two parts in the analysis of Manning and his legendary career.
The first perspective is to look at Manning the quarterback. Peyton Manning is a throwback at the quarterback position. He always stressed fundamentals and it was evidenced by him constantly doing drills that he worked on back when he was in high school even when he was in the NFL. He was a student of the position. One of the most underrated reasons why Manning was so good for so long was that he had great technique, great fundamentals, and he worked on that aspect of his game every year he played. The other cool thing about Manning was his respect for the position. He knew the history of the great quarterbacks in the NFL, he respected the position, and he redefined it as his career evolved. He changed the way QBs prepared for games because he was about as thorough in his film study and preparation as any person ever was for that position. Broadcasters used to say that he was like a coach on the field during practice and it was true.
He was the QB, offensive coordinator, wide receiver/tight end coach, and franchise player all wrapped into one. The biggest takeaway about Manning was that he completely changed the way the position was played and the way the NFL-and basically all of offensive football- is played today. From high school teams to college to the NFL, you see the same idea on offense: No huddle, push the pace, dummy audibles, hang signals, fake hand signals, check into the right play and out execute the defense. Manning was the one that started that. The way offense is played today is because of Peyton Manning. Yes, Tom Brady followed suit, and now guys like Aaron Rodgers do it exceptionally well too, but Manning was the first to introduce it and perfect it. Once he did that, he completely dominated the NFL. There has never been a player that played the position so dominantly like Peyton Manning did every single week in the NFL. I would say from 2003 to 2014, virtually every week Manning was the best player in the league overall. Sure, he had some bad games, some rough playoff games, and he struggled, but those games and moments were few and far between. Manning just didn't dominate defenses, he eviscerated them week-to-week. There was a point when he was with the Colts that Manning would anger me because he was so damn good. Almost too good. He crushed the Broncos in the '03 and '04 Wild Card games, shredded their top-ranked defense in 2006, and ripped their hearts out in 2009 and 2010. No matter what they did to him, Manning had an answer and then exploited it in a vicious manner. The funny thing is that Manning did that every single week to every team-except the Pats on occasion. He was the master of his craft and every single Sunday during the season, you would turn on a Manning game and he was dominating the other team. I haven't seen a QB do it in this league for that long of a time. That is what I will always remember about Manning: The dominance, the brilliance, and the way he simply out-executed the opposing teams. There is a reason he gained the nickname "The Sheriff." There are cased to be made for Tom Brady, John Elway, Johnny Unitas, and Joe Montana, but the one thing you can compare is how Peyton Manning revolutionized the QB position and the game of football. That is his legacy on the game of football.
As far as my personal perspective on Manning from a Broncos fan, I think about how Manning was the savior for a storied and successful franchise looking to get back on top. In the week leading up to the Super Bow in February of 2012 in Indianapolis, word started to leak out that Manning was going to be released by the Colts. After four neck surgeries that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season, the Colts were going to be picking #1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and the clear cut pick was going to be QB Andrew Luck. Luck was considered the best QB prospect since Manning himself entered the league in 1998. With Manning's health a concern, the Colts had no choice but to take Luck and let Manning. I joked with a friend during that Super Bowl week that it would be funny if Manning were to go to Denver. I really didn't think it was a possibility and most experts were saying that teams like the Redskins, Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals and Titans were the most likely destinations for Manning. I will never forget coming home from work during the first week of March and seeing ESPN and NFL Network showing a live shot of a plane carrying John Elway, John Fox and Peyton Manning landing in Denver because the Broncos were going to be hosting Manning on his first free agent trip. I couldn't believe it. For the next two weeks, all I did was check the internet, read up on everything I could, and I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of the Broncos signing Manning, even if that meant parting ways with Tim Tebow. I will never forget standing in front of my class, giving a test, when a student came to my classroom and told me that Manning just announced that he is signing with Denver. I almost fell to the floor in disbelief. My whole class heard the news as well, and that class just turned into a moment when I just fielded questions about how I felt that Manning was coming to Denver. It was the best non-playing/non-game moment in my life as a Broncos fan. It was just surreal. Who cares about the questions surrounding his health, this was Peyton "Fucking" Manning we are talking about.
I will never forget how excited I was when Manning came running out of the tunnel for his first ever regular season game against Pittsburgh in Week 1 on Sunday Night Football. All day it felt like Christmas Eve as I waited for the game. Just to see Manning as a Bronco was just amazing. Of course, Manning threw two touchdowns, rallied the Broncos back, and Denver won 31-19. It was just an amazing night. There are so many games and moments that stand out for me in Manning's four year Broncos career. I will get to those later on, but the biggest aspect about Manning coming to Denver is that he made the Broncos a real, legitimate Super Bowl contender for the first time since John Elway retired. He put the Broncos back on the map and made them a marquee team once again. All he did in Denver was go 45-12 as a starter, 5-3 in the playoffs, 20-2 in the AFC West, 4 AFC West titles, 2 AFC Championships, and 1 Super Bowl championship (Denver went 50-14 in that four year span as well). He threw for 140 TDs, 17,112 yards, and he put together maybe the greatest season ever for a QB when he threw for 55 TDs and 5,477 yards in 2013. He was everything the Broncos and their fans wanted and more when he signed up to be a Bronco. When Manning signed with Denver, I didn't want to jinx him, so instead of buying a Manning jersey, I bought a Broncos t-shirt with the logo on the front, and Manning and the #18 on the back. I wore that shirt every game that Manning played in Denver. He won 50 of the 65 games I wore that shirt. Talk about a good investment. As I said earlier, there are so many great moments and games for Manning in Denver. In 2012, he had the famous comeback after being down 24-0 at San Diego to win 35-24 in Week 6 with the Broncos at 2-3 and their season at a crossroads. He helped Denver put up 30 or more points in 8 of their last 10 games on the way to a 11-game winning streak, a 13-3 record, and the #1 seed in the AFC. If it wasn't for Rahim Moore's misplay against Baltimore, he might have won a title in Denver in his first year there. 2013 was a storybook year from the very first game when Manning threw for 7 TDs on opening night against the Ravens. His amazing performance in the wild shootout win over the Cowboys 51-48 in Week 5 as he raced out to 16 TDs and no interceptions to start the year. His 5 TD performance in KC in a huge Week 13 game was the best game in his entire Denver career in my opinion. Of course, he cemented that season with his record-breaking day over the Texans in Week 16 to break the touchdown record. In the playoffs, Manning was terrific in beating the Chargers in the Divisional Round, and then he was spectacular in the AFC Championship Game with 400 yards and 2 TDs to defeat Tom Brady and the Patriots 26-16 to advance to the Super Bowl. That Super Bowl didn't cap off that dream season as the Broncos got killed by Seattle, but what Manning did in 2013 was so amazing considering he came off four neck surgeries just two years before that. In 2014, Manning had 22 TDs and only 3 INTs after seven games and he broke the all-time passing TD record in a dominant performance over the 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 7. His most impressive moment might have been his 80 yard drive against Seattle on the road with only a minute left to tie the game and send it to overtime. Although Denver lost the game, that might have been his most impressive feat to date as a Bronco. Injuries and age started to creep up on him and 2014 ended in a disappointing Divisional Round loss to the Colts to end a 12-4 and Super Bowl aspirations. It looked like Manning's career could be over on that day but he decided to come back in 2015 under new head coach Gary Kubiak. 2015 wasn't the same for Manning as the previous three years, but Peyton still had some great moments. The 80 yard drive to tie the game in Arrowhead against the Chiefs in Week 2, the 300 yard performance against the undefeated Packers on SNF in Week 8, and then coming off the bench to rally the Broncos to the division title and homefield advantage in Week 17 at home against San Diego. Manning's performance in the playoffs was a reflection of his career. He wasn't the same player as before but he can still do enough to help his team win. Against Pittsburgh, his first down pass to Bennie Fowler on a 3rd and 12 midway through the 4th quarter kept a drive alive and the Broncos eventually scored on that drive to clinch the game. In the AFC Championship, he connected with Owen Daniels for two huge TD passes to give the Broncos an early lead in route to a 20-18 win over Tom Brady and the Patriots once again. In the Super Bowl, his final pass of his career was a two-point conversion strike to Fowler to secure the game and give Denver the 24-10 lead that helped them wrap up Super Bowl 50 and another Lombardi Trophy. It was fitting that Manning's final pass of his career was a two-pointer instead of a touchdown because that is just the way that Manning's 2015 season seemed to go, but it didn't matter because Manning got his long-awaited second Super Bowl victory. When Manning was brought to Denver, he was brought here to win a championship. He was great enough to do it in 2012, but the Ravens foiled that plan in a stunner. He was really great enough to win it again in 2013, but the Seahawks ambushed those plans in Super Bowl XLVIII. He was great enough to win it in 2014, but a late-season injury and father time ended those plans in the loss to the Colts. He wasn't great in 2015. He was even good at times, but it didn't matter because he did what he had to do in leading the Broncos to the Super Bowl and then winning it. It would have been a shame for Manning to leave Denver and retire without bringing the Mile High city another Lombardi Trophy. He accomplished what he set out to do when he signed in 2012 and four years later he delivered, and now he gets to retire as a two-time Super Bowl champion, a 14-13 playoff record (3-1 vs Brady in AFC Championship Games), 200 wins as a starter in the regular season and post season, the all-time leader in touchdown passes and passing yards, and his place in the Broncos Ring of Fame, the Colts Ring of Fame, and of course the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is a top-five QB all-time and the second greatest Bronco right behind John Elway. As a Broncos fan, thank you Peyton Manning. Thank you for making the Broncos a Super Bowl contender again. Thank you for dominating the AFC West again. Thank you for all the wins and the #1 seeds, and big, primetime and playoff games that you brought back to Denver and the fanbase. Thank you for being one of the greatest QBs and players to ever play the game of football. Thank you for making it an absolute joy to watch you suit up for my team every week. Thank you for everything you did for me, my family, and the entire Broncos Country. Thank you for making my two boys get excited and wear your #18 jersey every week when you played. The Sherriff got what he deserved: A chance to retire and ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl winner. Thank you, Peyton "Fucking" Manning.
The first perspective is to look at Manning the quarterback. Peyton Manning is a throwback at the quarterback position. He always stressed fundamentals and it was evidenced by him constantly doing drills that he worked on back when he was in high school even when he was in the NFL. He was a student of the position. One of the most underrated reasons why Manning was so good for so long was that he had great technique, great fundamentals, and he worked on that aspect of his game every year he played. The other cool thing about Manning was his respect for the position. He knew the history of the great quarterbacks in the NFL, he respected the position, and he redefined it as his career evolved. He changed the way QBs prepared for games because he was about as thorough in his film study and preparation as any person ever was for that position. Broadcasters used to say that he was like a coach on the field during practice and it was true.
He was the QB, offensive coordinator, wide receiver/tight end coach, and franchise player all wrapped into one. The biggest takeaway about Manning was that he completely changed the way the position was played and the way the NFL-and basically all of offensive football- is played today. From high school teams to college to the NFL, you see the same idea on offense: No huddle, push the pace, dummy audibles, hang signals, fake hand signals, check into the right play and out execute the defense. Manning was the one that started that. The way offense is played today is because of Peyton Manning. Yes, Tom Brady followed suit, and now guys like Aaron Rodgers do it exceptionally well too, but Manning was the first to introduce it and perfect it. Once he did that, he completely dominated the NFL. There has never been a player that played the position so dominantly like Peyton Manning did every single week in the NFL. I would say from 2003 to 2014, virtually every week Manning was the best player in the league overall. Sure, he had some bad games, some rough playoff games, and he struggled, but those games and moments were few and far between. Manning just didn't dominate defenses, he eviscerated them week-to-week. There was a point when he was with the Colts that Manning would anger me because he was so damn good. Almost too good. He crushed the Broncos in the '03 and '04 Wild Card games, shredded their top-ranked defense in 2006, and ripped their hearts out in 2009 and 2010. No matter what they did to him, Manning had an answer and then exploited it in a vicious manner. The funny thing is that Manning did that every single week to every team-except the Pats on occasion. He was the master of his craft and every single Sunday during the season, you would turn on a Manning game and he was dominating the other team. I haven't seen a QB do it in this league for that long of a time. That is what I will always remember about Manning: The dominance, the brilliance, and the way he simply out-executed the opposing teams. There is a reason he gained the nickname "The Sheriff." There are cased to be made for Tom Brady, John Elway, Johnny Unitas, and Joe Montana, but the one thing you can compare is how Peyton Manning revolutionized the QB position and the game of football. That is his legacy on the game of football.
As far as my personal perspective on Manning from a Broncos fan, I think about how Manning was the savior for a storied and successful franchise looking to get back on top. In the week leading up to the Super Bow in February of 2012 in Indianapolis, word started to leak out that Manning was going to be released by the Colts. After four neck surgeries that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season, the Colts were going to be picking #1 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and the clear cut pick was going to be QB Andrew Luck. Luck was considered the best QB prospect since Manning himself entered the league in 1998. With Manning's health a concern, the Colts had no choice but to take Luck and let Manning. I joked with a friend during that Super Bowl week that it would be funny if Manning were to go to Denver. I really didn't think it was a possibility and most experts were saying that teams like the Redskins, Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals and Titans were the most likely destinations for Manning. I will never forget coming home from work during the first week of March and seeing ESPN and NFL Network showing a live shot of a plane carrying John Elway, John Fox and Peyton Manning landing in Denver because the Broncos were going to be hosting Manning on his first free agent trip. I couldn't believe it. For the next two weeks, all I did was check the internet, read up on everything I could, and I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of the Broncos signing Manning, even if that meant parting ways with Tim Tebow. I will never forget standing in front of my class, giving a test, when a student came to my classroom and told me that Manning just announced that he is signing with Denver. I almost fell to the floor in disbelief. My whole class heard the news as well, and that class just turned into a moment when I just fielded questions about how I felt that Manning was coming to Denver. It was the best non-playing/non-game moment in my life as a Broncos fan. It was just surreal. Who cares about the questions surrounding his health, this was Peyton "Fucking" Manning we are talking about.
I will never forget how excited I was when Manning came running out of the tunnel for his first ever regular season game against Pittsburgh in Week 1 on Sunday Night Football. All day it felt like Christmas Eve as I waited for the game. Just to see Manning as a Bronco was just amazing. Of course, Manning threw two touchdowns, rallied the Broncos back, and Denver won 31-19. It was just an amazing night. There are so many games and moments that stand out for me in Manning's four year Broncos career. I will get to those later on, but the biggest aspect about Manning coming to Denver is that he made the Broncos a real, legitimate Super Bowl contender for the first time since John Elway retired. He put the Broncos back on the map and made them a marquee team once again. All he did in Denver was go 45-12 as a starter, 5-3 in the playoffs, 20-2 in the AFC West, 4 AFC West titles, 2 AFC Championships, and 1 Super Bowl championship (Denver went 50-14 in that four year span as well). He threw for 140 TDs, 17,112 yards, and he put together maybe the greatest season ever for a QB when he threw for 55 TDs and 5,477 yards in 2013. He was everything the Broncos and their fans wanted and more when he signed up to be a Bronco. When Manning signed with Denver, I didn't want to jinx him, so instead of buying a Manning jersey, I bought a Broncos t-shirt with the logo on the front, and Manning and the #18 on the back. I wore that shirt every game that Manning played in Denver. He won 50 of the 65 games I wore that shirt. Talk about a good investment. As I said earlier, there are so many great moments and games for Manning in Denver. In 2012, he had the famous comeback after being down 24-0 at San Diego to win 35-24 in Week 6 with the Broncos at 2-3 and their season at a crossroads. He helped Denver put up 30 or more points in 8 of their last 10 games on the way to a 11-game winning streak, a 13-3 record, and the #1 seed in the AFC. If it wasn't for Rahim Moore's misplay against Baltimore, he might have won a title in Denver in his first year there. 2013 was a storybook year from the very first game when Manning threw for 7 TDs on opening night against the Ravens. His amazing performance in the wild shootout win over the Cowboys 51-48 in Week 5 as he raced out to 16 TDs and no interceptions to start the year. His 5 TD performance in KC in a huge Week 13 game was the best game in his entire Denver career in my opinion. Of course, he cemented that season with his record-breaking day over the Texans in Week 16 to break the touchdown record. In the playoffs, Manning was terrific in beating the Chargers in the Divisional Round, and then he was spectacular in the AFC Championship Game with 400 yards and 2 TDs to defeat Tom Brady and the Patriots 26-16 to advance to the Super Bowl. That Super Bowl didn't cap off that dream season as the Broncos got killed by Seattle, but what Manning did in 2013 was so amazing considering he came off four neck surgeries just two years before that. In 2014, Manning had 22 TDs and only 3 INTs after seven games and he broke the all-time passing TD record in a dominant performance over the 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 7. His most impressive moment might have been his 80 yard drive against Seattle on the road with only a minute left to tie the game and send it to overtime. Although Denver lost the game, that might have been his most impressive feat to date as a Bronco. Injuries and age started to creep up on him and 2014 ended in a disappointing Divisional Round loss to the Colts to end a 12-4 and Super Bowl aspirations. It looked like Manning's career could be over on that day but he decided to come back in 2015 under new head coach Gary Kubiak. 2015 wasn't the same for Manning as the previous three years, but Peyton still had some great moments. The 80 yard drive to tie the game in Arrowhead against the Chiefs in Week 2, the 300 yard performance against the undefeated Packers on SNF in Week 8, and then coming off the bench to rally the Broncos to the division title and homefield advantage in Week 17 at home against San Diego. Manning's performance in the playoffs was a reflection of his career. He wasn't the same player as before but he can still do enough to help his team win. Against Pittsburgh, his first down pass to Bennie Fowler on a 3rd and 12 midway through the 4th quarter kept a drive alive and the Broncos eventually scored on that drive to clinch the game. In the AFC Championship, he connected with Owen Daniels for two huge TD passes to give the Broncos an early lead in route to a 20-18 win over Tom Brady and the Patriots once again. In the Super Bowl, his final pass of his career was a two-point conversion strike to Fowler to secure the game and give Denver the 24-10 lead that helped them wrap up Super Bowl 50 and another Lombardi Trophy. It was fitting that Manning's final pass of his career was a two-pointer instead of a touchdown because that is just the way that Manning's 2015 season seemed to go, but it didn't matter because Manning got his long-awaited second Super Bowl victory. When Manning was brought to Denver, he was brought here to win a championship. He was great enough to do it in 2012, but the Ravens foiled that plan in a stunner. He was really great enough to win it again in 2013, but the Seahawks ambushed those plans in Super Bowl XLVIII. He was great enough to win it in 2014, but a late-season injury and father time ended those plans in the loss to the Colts. He wasn't great in 2015. He was even good at times, but it didn't matter because he did what he had to do in leading the Broncos to the Super Bowl and then winning it. It would have been a shame for Manning to leave Denver and retire without bringing the Mile High city another Lombardi Trophy. He accomplished what he set out to do when he signed in 2012 and four years later he delivered, and now he gets to retire as a two-time Super Bowl champion, a 14-13 playoff record (3-1 vs Brady in AFC Championship Games), 200 wins as a starter in the regular season and post season, the all-time leader in touchdown passes and passing yards, and his place in the Broncos Ring of Fame, the Colts Ring of Fame, and of course the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is a top-five QB all-time and the second greatest Bronco right behind John Elway. As a Broncos fan, thank you Peyton Manning. Thank you for making the Broncos a Super Bowl contender again. Thank you for dominating the AFC West again. Thank you for all the wins and the #1 seeds, and big, primetime and playoff games that you brought back to Denver and the fanbase. Thank you for being one of the greatest QBs and players to ever play the game of football. Thank you for making it an absolute joy to watch you suit up for my team every week. Thank you for everything you did for me, my family, and the entire Broncos Country. Thank you for making my two boys get excited and wear your #18 jersey every week when you played. The Sherriff got what he deserved: A chance to retire and ride off into the sunset as a Super Bowl winner. Thank you, Peyton "Fucking" Manning.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Random Post Super Bowl Thoughts
Periodically, throughout the offseason I will post some random thoughts regarding the Super Bowl and the Broncos season in general. Here are some of my thoughts as we are now two weeks removed from the Broncos Super Bowl 50 win.....
-The Broncos defense really just dominated and frustrated the Panthers and Cam Newton. I've watched the game four times, and the more you look at it the more you see how the Broncos had a read on everything the Panthers were doing. They frustrated the Panthers like no other defense did the entire season, and it just completely rattled Newton and the entire Panthers offense.
-The Wade Phillips vs. Mike Shula chess match was a complete mismatch. It was advantage Phillips by a wide-margin. How many times did the Panthers try to run on first down? How many times did it not work? Over and over again Phillips dialed up the right call and the Broncos defensive players just did what they did all year- execute and dominate.
-Peyton Manning missed some open receivers on some key downs. For some reason he missed some open guys and it really could have blown this game open. On a key third down in the 4th quarter, he tried to throw a go route to Demaryius Thomas, who wasn't open at all and Josh Norman almost picked it off. He had Owen Daniels wide open on a slant route after Daniels completely beat Thomas Davis. If he looks that way, Daniels gets a big first down and gets the ball into Carolina territory. Also, in the second quarter coming out of his own end, Manning throw a seam that was almost picked off intended for Jordan Norwood. He had Emmanuel Sanders wide open on a dig route that would have picked up a first down and got them out of their own end.
-The Broncos special teams were so good, and they really affected the outcome of the game. The Norwood punt return was a key play, but how about the punting by Britton Colquitt. Watching the game a few times, you notice how often he directionally kicked it and gave Ted Ginn no chance for a return. Plus, Brandon McManus was really good in kicking three field goals in his first ever Super Bowl. Kayvon Webster was also so good at tracking down punt returns and making big tackles all game long.
-In the postseason, the Broncos defense faced Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and Cam Newton. They allowed 2-12 third down conversions to the Steelers, 2-15 on third down conversions to the Patriots, and 3-15 third down conversions to the Panthers in the Super Bowl. That is a combined 7-42 on third down conversions in the playoffs against three of the best offenses in the NFL. That is just unreal.
-Conversely, how many offensive touchdowns do you think the Broncos scored in the three playoff wins? The Broncos only had four offensive touchdowns. One by C.J. Anderson in the Pittsburgh game, two by Owen Daniels in the AFC Championship, and one by Anderson in the Super Bowl. That is pretty remarkable for a Super Bowl winning offense.
-Troy Aikman said after the NFC Championship Game that after Denver beat New England, he thought the Carolina-Arizona game was the Super Bowl. He felt that Denver wouldn't beat either team from the NFC. He was dead wrong. In fact, the AFC Championship was the real Super Bowl because Denver would have beaten Arizona handily. Also, the Patriots would have beaten Carolina in the Super Bowl too.
-How ironic is it that the Broncos only won 4 games by more than a touchdown all year long, and one of those games was the Super Bowl over the 15-1 Panthers and a game that they were six point underdogs.
-NFL Films captured John Elway and Gary Kubiak hugging on the podium after the game waiting for the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy. Elway and Kubiak were just laughing about how this team can win any game in any way. It is so cool to see Elway bring a Super Bowl back to Denver as the General Manager, and it is so cool to see him hire Kubiak as his head coach and to see Kubes win the Super Bowl as the head coach. Just surreal.
-The Broncos defense really just dominated and frustrated the Panthers and Cam Newton. I've watched the game four times, and the more you look at it the more you see how the Broncos had a read on everything the Panthers were doing. They frustrated the Panthers like no other defense did the entire season, and it just completely rattled Newton and the entire Panthers offense.
-The Wade Phillips vs. Mike Shula chess match was a complete mismatch. It was advantage Phillips by a wide-margin. How many times did the Panthers try to run on first down? How many times did it not work? Over and over again Phillips dialed up the right call and the Broncos defensive players just did what they did all year- execute and dominate.
-Peyton Manning missed some open receivers on some key downs. For some reason he missed some open guys and it really could have blown this game open. On a key third down in the 4th quarter, he tried to throw a go route to Demaryius Thomas, who wasn't open at all and Josh Norman almost picked it off. He had Owen Daniels wide open on a slant route after Daniels completely beat Thomas Davis. If he looks that way, Daniels gets a big first down and gets the ball into Carolina territory. Also, in the second quarter coming out of his own end, Manning throw a seam that was almost picked off intended for Jordan Norwood. He had Emmanuel Sanders wide open on a dig route that would have picked up a first down and got them out of their own end.
-The Broncos special teams were so good, and they really affected the outcome of the game. The Norwood punt return was a key play, but how about the punting by Britton Colquitt. Watching the game a few times, you notice how often he directionally kicked it and gave Ted Ginn no chance for a return. Plus, Brandon McManus was really good in kicking three field goals in his first ever Super Bowl. Kayvon Webster was also so good at tracking down punt returns and making big tackles all game long.
-In the postseason, the Broncos defense faced Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and Cam Newton. They allowed 2-12 third down conversions to the Steelers, 2-15 on third down conversions to the Patriots, and 3-15 third down conversions to the Panthers in the Super Bowl. That is a combined 7-42 on third down conversions in the playoffs against three of the best offenses in the NFL. That is just unreal.
-Conversely, how many offensive touchdowns do you think the Broncos scored in the three playoff wins? The Broncos only had four offensive touchdowns. One by C.J. Anderson in the Pittsburgh game, two by Owen Daniels in the AFC Championship, and one by Anderson in the Super Bowl. That is pretty remarkable for a Super Bowl winning offense.
-Troy Aikman said after the NFC Championship Game that after Denver beat New England, he thought the Carolina-Arizona game was the Super Bowl. He felt that Denver wouldn't beat either team from the NFC. He was dead wrong. In fact, the AFC Championship was the real Super Bowl because Denver would have beaten Arizona handily. Also, the Patriots would have beaten Carolina in the Super Bowl too.
-How ironic is it that the Broncos only won 4 games by more than a touchdown all year long, and one of those games was the Super Bowl over the 15-1 Panthers and a game that they were six point underdogs.
-NFL Films captured John Elway and Gary Kubiak hugging on the podium after the game waiting for the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy. Elway and Kubiak were just laughing about how this team can win any game in any way. It is so cool to see Elway bring a Super Bowl back to Denver as the General Manager, and it is so cool to see him hire Kubiak as his head coach and to see Kubes win the Super Bowl as the head coach. Just surreal.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Broncos Mailbag: The Offseason
As much as I want to bottle this season and not think about next year already, I have to be consistent and take a look at the offseason ahead for the Broncos. There are a lot of questions for the Broncos as they prepare for the 2016 season, so let's take a look at some of them as the offseason gets ready to start....
Who are the Broncos key free agents this year?
Unrestricted Free Agents:
Von Miller, Evan Mathis, Vernon Davis, Antonio Smith, David Bruton, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan, Brock Osweiler, Andre Caldwell, Ryan Harris, Tyler Polumbus, Ronnie Hillman, Jordan Norwood, Kyle Williams, Shiloh Keo, Josh Bush, and Omar Bolden.
Restricted Free Agents:
Brandon Marshall, C.J. Anderson, and Lerentee McCray
Exclusive Rights Free Agents:
Todd Davis, Brandon McManus, Bennie Fowler, Matt Paradis, and Sam Brenner
Which players should they resign and who will they most likely lose?
The Exclusive Rights Free Agents should all be back so look for McManus, Fowler, Paradis, and Davis all to return. The Restricted Free Agents should all be given high tenders so look for Marshall and Anderson to return as well. The Broncos will use the Franchise Tag on Von Miller and look to sign him to a long-term deal by the July deadline. They should try to re-sign Brock Osweiler. That move is a no-brainer in my opinion. They could probably get a fair market, team-friendly deal done with players like Ryan Harris, Jordan Norwood and even a guy like Omar Bolden. I think they should and could get another deal done with Evan Mathis. I would love them to sign Trevathan, Jackson, and Bruton, but I don't think they will be able to do it, so sadly I think all three of those guys will leave and head to other teams for bigger deals and more money. They should let Vernon Davis, Antonio Smith, Andre Caldwell, Tyler Polumbus, Josh Bush, Shiloh Keo and Ronnie Hillman go.
Who are their opponents next year?
The Broncos 2016 home opponents are:
Oakland
Kansas City
San Diego
New England
Indy
Houston
Carolina
Atlanta
The 2016 road opponents are:
Oakland
Kansas City
San Diego
Cincy
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
Who will they open up the season with on the Thursday night opener?
As a result of winning the Super Bowl, the Broncos get to host the season-opening game on Thursday night September 8th. There are many attractive teams on the Broncos home schedule, and the NFL likes to schedule a very marquee game for that opening night game. The three choices I think it will come down to are the Pats, the Colts, and the Panthers. If Peyton Manning retires, then I think the Colts at Denver would be a great way to honor Manning and start the season. I think the league will keep the Patriots game for later in the year. I also think the Panthers coming to Denver to start the new season will be a very interesting matchup and they can play up the rematch of Super Bowl 50 to the football world. Right now, I would go with Carolina as the team that the Broncos will open up the season with.
What is the Broncos draft order for next year?
The Broncos will pick #31 and last in the first round (The Pats had to forfeit their first round pick due to Deflategate). The Broncos other draft picks are:
2nd round (#63)
3rd round (#95)
5th round (#144)
7th round (#226)
7th round (#241)
7th round (#251)
The Broncos are also expected to get a number of compensatory picks in the draft. Those are projected to be the following:
3rd round (#99)
4th round (#136)
6th round (#219)
Who will be featured on America's Game before the season starts?
Another cool thing about winning a Super Bowl is the fact that the Broncos get featured on NFL Films "America's Game" program that tells the story of the Super Bowl winning team from that previous year. This show usually premieres the night before the season starts. The show usually features three members of that team that tell the story of that team as the season transpired. I think the three that will be featured are going to be Gary Kubiak, Von Miller, and Peyton Manning. I can't wait for that special.
What was your final record as far as picks go this season?
I correctly picked the Broncos at +6 in the Super Bowl so that gave me a playoff record of 8-3. My final regular season record was 123-125-11. If you add the 8-3 playoffs to that I finished with a 131-128-11 overall record combined.
Who are the Broncos key free agents this year?
Unrestricted Free Agents:
Von Miller, Evan Mathis, Vernon Davis, Antonio Smith, David Bruton, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan, Brock Osweiler, Andre Caldwell, Ryan Harris, Tyler Polumbus, Ronnie Hillman, Jordan Norwood, Kyle Williams, Shiloh Keo, Josh Bush, and Omar Bolden.
Restricted Free Agents:
Brandon Marshall, C.J. Anderson, and Lerentee McCray
Exclusive Rights Free Agents:
Todd Davis, Brandon McManus, Bennie Fowler, Matt Paradis, and Sam Brenner
Which players should they resign and who will they most likely lose?
The Exclusive Rights Free Agents should all be back so look for McManus, Fowler, Paradis, and Davis all to return. The Restricted Free Agents should all be given high tenders so look for Marshall and Anderson to return as well. The Broncos will use the Franchise Tag on Von Miller and look to sign him to a long-term deal by the July deadline. They should try to re-sign Brock Osweiler. That move is a no-brainer in my opinion. They could probably get a fair market, team-friendly deal done with players like Ryan Harris, Jordan Norwood and even a guy like Omar Bolden. I think they should and could get another deal done with Evan Mathis. I would love them to sign Trevathan, Jackson, and Bruton, but I don't think they will be able to do it, so sadly I think all three of those guys will leave and head to other teams for bigger deals and more money. They should let Vernon Davis, Antonio Smith, Andre Caldwell, Tyler Polumbus, Josh Bush, Shiloh Keo and Ronnie Hillman go.
Who are their opponents next year?
The Broncos 2016 home opponents are:
Oakland
Kansas City
San Diego
New England
Indy
Houston
Carolina
Atlanta
The 2016 road opponents are:
Oakland
Kansas City
San Diego
Cincy
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Tampa Bay
New Orleans
Who will they open up the season with on the Thursday night opener?
As a result of winning the Super Bowl, the Broncos get to host the season-opening game on Thursday night September 8th. There are many attractive teams on the Broncos home schedule, and the NFL likes to schedule a very marquee game for that opening night game. The three choices I think it will come down to are the Pats, the Colts, and the Panthers. If Peyton Manning retires, then I think the Colts at Denver would be a great way to honor Manning and start the season. I think the league will keep the Patriots game for later in the year. I also think the Panthers coming to Denver to start the new season will be a very interesting matchup and they can play up the rematch of Super Bowl 50 to the football world. Right now, I would go with Carolina as the team that the Broncos will open up the season with.
What is the Broncos draft order for next year?
The Broncos will pick #31 and last in the first round (The Pats had to forfeit their first round pick due to Deflategate). The Broncos other draft picks are:
2nd round (#63)
3rd round (#95)
5th round (#144)
7th round (#226)
7th round (#241)
7th round (#251)
The Broncos are also expected to get a number of compensatory picks in the draft. Those are projected to be the following:
3rd round (#99)
4th round (#136)
6th round (#219)
Who will be featured on America's Game before the season starts?
Another cool thing about winning a Super Bowl is the fact that the Broncos get featured on NFL Films "America's Game" program that tells the story of the Super Bowl winning team from that previous year. This show usually premieres the night before the season starts. The show usually features three members of that team that tell the story of that team as the season transpired. I think the three that will be featured are going to be Gary Kubiak, Von Miller, and Peyton Manning. I can't wait for that special.
What was your final record as far as picks go this season?
I correctly picked the Broncos at +6 in the Super Bowl so that gave me a playoff record of 8-3. My final regular season record was 123-125-11. If you add the 8-3 playoffs to that I finished with a 131-128-11 overall record combined.
Broncos Mailbag Part 2: The Postseason
Here is Part 2 of the Broncos Mailbag. Now, I take a look at questions involving the Broncos postseason run to a Super Bowl 50 victory....
Why was the game against the Steelers such a struggle?
The Broncos ended up winning 23-16 over Pittsburgh, but the Broncos struggled to get the victory. They seemed to play tight against the Steelers. Their defense was really good for the most part, but they gave up four big plays and it hurt them. Maybe they got a little over confident since Antonio Brown didn't play in the game after getting concussed in the Wild Card game the week before. I felt like the whole team played tight and nervous. The offense struggled because of 7 dropped passes. Those drops really killed some drives that the Broncos had. Also, I think Peyton Manning was a little rusty on a very windy day in Denver in his first start since mid November. There just seemed to be a sense of relief for the Broncos when they finally won the game late in the 4th quarter. If it wasn't for Bradley Roby's forced fumble midway through the 4th quarter, and Manning's key completion to Bennie Fowler on a 3rd and 12 on the ensuing drive, then the Broncos might have been one and done in the playoffs once again.
What is the one memory that you will think of when you remember this game down the road?
It has to be the Bradley Roby strip of Fitzgerald Touissant in the 4th quarter to swing the momentum, and give the Broncos the ball when the Steelers were driving with a 13-12 lead. The other moment that is right up there is when Manning hit Fowler for the big gain on 3rd and 12. The Broncos scored the game-winning touchdown on that drive and it came a play after William Gay almost picked off Manning.
Why didn't you have any confidence in the Broncos defeating the Pats in the AFC Championship?
After watching the Broncos performance against the Steelers and watching the Pats performance against the Chiefs the day before, I really felt like New England was just a better team than Denver. Also, with Julian Edelman back healthy and with Rob Gronkowski healthy, I just didn't see how Denver was going to slow down Tom Brady and that offense. I gained a little more confidence as the week went on because NO ONE was giving Denver any chance to win, but I still thought that the Pats would beat the Broncos by at least a touchdown.
What will be the memory that will always stand out about the AFC Championship?
There are so many memories from that game, so I guess I'll just list them in sequential order:
-Manning hitting Owen Daniels for the opening touchdown on the Broncos first drive to give them a 7-0 lead
-Stephen Gostkowski missed the extra point after the Pats first touchdown
-Daniels second TD of the game on a perfect pass from Manning to make it 14-6
-Von Miller's pick of Tom Brady to set up that TD by Daniels
-Darian Stewart's pick of Brady on the sideline in the second quarter
-The beating the Broncos defense inflicted on Brady all game long
-Chris Harris tackling Julian Edelman for a loss on a 4th 1 in the 4th quarter to stop the Pats from scoring.
-The Brady pass to Gronk on 4th and 10 to keep the Pats hopes alive
-The Gronk TD from Brady on 4th and goal
-Bradley Roby's interception of the 2 point play.
-Shiloh Keo's game-clinching recovery of the onside kick.
Why were you so much more confident in the Super Bowl?
The Broncos defense was so good and they did such a good job against Brady and the Pats that I felt that they would matchup well with the Panthers receivers. I felt like that would be a key and it turned out to be true because the Broncos secondary did a great job and really thwarted their passing attack. I just felt that the Broncos defense would be very tough for one guy like Cam Newton to defeat all by himself.
Were you ever relaxed during the game?
Not until C.J. Anderson scored the 1 yard touchdown run to make it 22-10 and then Manning hit Fowler on the 2 point conversion to make it 24-10. Even after Von Miller strip sacked Cam Newton and T.J. Ward recovered the ball inside the 10, I wasn't relaxed because I was still worried that the Broncos offense would have to settle for a field goal and only a 19-10 lead. When the Broncos got the TD and it was 24-10 with 3:05 to go in the game, I relaxed just a little bit, but I didn't start to celebrate because I have seen a lot of crazy endings in the NFL in my lifetime.
What is the one moment that will stand out for you when you remember Super Bowl 50?
The strip-sack by Von Miller on Newton in the first quarter that resulted in Malik Jackson recovering the ball in the endzone to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead will always be the moment that I will remember. All week every one talked about how Miller and the Broncos defense wouldn't be able to get to Newton, and then BOOM! Here comes Miller around the edge and he crushes Cam, forces the fumble and the Broncos score the defensive touchdown that they needed to help them win. Another moment that I will remember is when Manning hit Fowler for the 2 point conversion and to make it 24-10. I don't know why but I will remember that more than the touchdown by Anderson. I also think when John Elway stood up on the podium and yelled "This One's for Pat." That was a moment that will give me chills every time I see it.
Where does this Broncos team place in team and NFL history?
The 1998 team was the best ever in Broncos history going 14-2 and winning a second straight Super Bowl. That team had a great offense and a very opportunistic, bend but don't break defense. The 1997 team had a very, very good offense and the same opportunistic defense. This team had a great defense and an average offense. It doesn't really matter where you rank them but I'll go with the 1998 team as #1 and the 1997 and 2015 teams at #2A and #2B.
How is this Super Bowl win different from the other two?
It is different because it was a team that won from a defensive perspective. It was defense oriented and won that way all year long. It carried the team to close win after close win. That might not be the prettiest or sexiest way to win, but it doesn't matter because at the end of the day the team still won 12 games, won the division, was the #1 seed in the AFC and beat three really good teams to win the Super Bowl.
How does this Super Bowl win compare with other teams historically?
I always try to compare a current Broncos team to other Broncos teams historically. This one doesn't really equal other teams because the Broncos have never had a defense this dominant. I would compare this team to the 2000 Ravens. The Broncos, just like the Ravens that year, were carried by a dominating defensive unit. The defense also proved itself by shutting down Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and NFL MVP Cam Newton in three straight playoff games. That should be enough for anyone to consider when you look at this team in a historic sense. The 2015 Broncos should be in the conversation with the 1985 Bears, the 2000 Ravens, the 2013 Seahawks, and the 2002 Buccaneers.
How does this Super Bowl victory justify the Peyton Manning era in Denver?
This justifies the Peyton Manning signing as the greatest signing in NFL free agent history. There is no doubt to that statement. It also puts a cap on the greatest era in Broncos history right with the 1996-1998 run with Elway and Terrell Davis.
Have you come down from the elation of the Broncos winning the Super Bowl?
Nope, and I won't come down from it until the next season starts in September. I have watched the Super Bowl four times in two weeks since the game. I watched the parade on NFL Network two days after the game. I watched the NFL Films footage of the game a number of times. I have been wearing a Broncos shirt everyday since the game. I have pumped my fist every time I see, read or think about anything related to the Broncos win. I haven't even thought about the scouting combine, free agency or anything related to the offseason. I don't want to think about next season yet. I am going to soak this in and enjoy every last drop of this championship for the near future and for a long, long time.
Why was the game against the Steelers such a struggle?
The Broncos ended up winning 23-16 over Pittsburgh, but the Broncos struggled to get the victory. They seemed to play tight against the Steelers. Their defense was really good for the most part, but they gave up four big plays and it hurt them. Maybe they got a little over confident since Antonio Brown didn't play in the game after getting concussed in the Wild Card game the week before. I felt like the whole team played tight and nervous. The offense struggled because of 7 dropped passes. Those drops really killed some drives that the Broncos had. Also, I think Peyton Manning was a little rusty on a very windy day in Denver in his first start since mid November. There just seemed to be a sense of relief for the Broncos when they finally won the game late in the 4th quarter. If it wasn't for Bradley Roby's forced fumble midway through the 4th quarter, and Manning's key completion to Bennie Fowler on a 3rd and 12 on the ensuing drive, then the Broncos might have been one and done in the playoffs once again.
What is the one memory that you will think of when you remember this game down the road?
It has to be the Bradley Roby strip of Fitzgerald Touissant in the 4th quarter to swing the momentum, and give the Broncos the ball when the Steelers were driving with a 13-12 lead. The other moment that is right up there is when Manning hit Fowler for the big gain on 3rd and 12. The Broncos scored the game-winning touchdown on that drive and it came a play after William Gay almost picked off Manning.
Why didn't you have any confidence in the Broncos defeating the Pats in the AFC Championship?
After watching the Broncos performance against the Steelers and watching the Pats performance against the Chiefs the day before, I really felt like New England was just a better team than Denver. Also, with Julian Edelman back healthy and with Rob Gronkowski healthy, I just didn't see how Denver was going to slow down Tom Brady and that offense. I gained a little more confidence as the week went on because NO ONE was giving Denver any chance to win, but I still thought that the Pats would beat the Broncos by at least a touchdown.
What will be the memory that will always stand out about the AFC Championship?
There are so many memories from that game, so I guess I'll just list them in sequential order:
-Manning hitting Owen Daniels for the opening touchdown on the Broncos first drive to give them a 7-0 lead
-Stephen Gostkowski missed the extra point after the Pats first touchdown
-Daniels second TD of the game on a perfect pass from Manning to make it 14-6
-Von Miller's pick of Tom Brady to set up that TD by Daniels
-Darian Stewart's pick of Brady on the sideline in the second quarter
-The beating the Broncos defense inflicted on Brady all game long
-Chris Harris tackling Julian Edelman for a loss on a 4th 1 in the 4th quarter to stop the Pats from scoring.
-The Brady pass to Gronk on 4th and 10 to keep the Pats hopes alive
-The Gronk TD from Brady on 4th and goal
-Bradley Roby's interception of the 2 point play.
-Shiloh Keo's game-clinching recovery of the onside kick.
Why were you so much more confident in the Super Bowl?
The Broncos defense was so good and they did such a good job against Brady and the Pats that I felt that they would matchup well with the Panthers receivers. I felt like that would be a key and it turned out to be true because the Broncos secondary did a great job and really thwarted their passing attack. I just felt that the Broncos defense would be very tough for one guy like Cam Newton to defeat all by himself.
Were you ever relaxed during the game?
Not until C.J. Anderson scored the 1 yard touchdown run to make it 22-10 and then Manning hit Fowler on the 2 point conversion to make it 24-10. Even after Von Miller strip sacked Cam Newton and T.J. Ward recovered the ball inside the 10, I wasn't relaxed because I was still worried that the Broncos offense would have to settle for a field goal and only a 19-10 lead. When the Broncos got the TD and it was 24-10 with 3:05 to go in the game, I relaxed just a little bit, but I didn't start to celebrate because I have seen a lot of crazy endings in the NFL in my lifetime.
What is the one moment that will stand out for you when you remember Super Bowl 50?
The strip-sack by Von Miller on Newton in the first quarter that resulted in Malik Jackson recovering the ball in the endzone to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead will always be the moment that I will remember. All week every one talked about how Miller and the Broncos defense wouldn't be able to get to Newton, and then BOOM! Here comes Miller around the edge and he crushes Cam, forces the fumble and the Broncos score the defensive touchdown that they needed to help them win. Another moment that I will remember is when Manning hit Fowler for the 2 point conversion and to make it 24-10. I don't know why but I will remember that more than the touchdown by Anderson. I also think when John Elway stood up on the podium and yelled "This One's for Pat." That was a moment that will give me chills every time I see it.
Where does this Broncos team place in team and NFL history?
The 1998 team was the best ever in Broncos history going 14-2 and winning a second straight Super Bowl. That team had a great offense and a very opportunistic, bend but don't break defense. The 1997 team had a very, very good offense and the same opportunistic defense. This team had a great defense and an average offense. It doesn't really matter where you rank them but I'll go with the 1998 team as #1 and the 1997 and 2015 teams at #2A and #2B.
How is this Super Bowl win different from the other two?
It is different because it was a team that won from a defensive perspective. It was defense oriented and won that way all year long. It carried the team to close win after close win. That might not be the prettiest or sexiest way to win, but it doesn't matter because at the end of the day the team still won 12 games, won the division, was the #1 seed in the AFC and beat three really good teams to win the Super Bowl.
How does this Super Bowl win compare with other teams historically?
I always try to compare a current Broncos team to other Broncos teams historically. This one doesn't really equal other teams because the Broncos have never had a defense this dominant. I would compare this team to the 2000 Ravens. The Broncos, just like the Ravens that year, were carried by a dominating defensive unit. The defense also proved itself by shutting down Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and NFL MVP Cam Newton in three straight playoff games. That should be enough for anyone to consider when you look at this team in a historic sense. The 2015 Broncos should be in the conversation with the 1985 Bears, the 2000 Ravens, the 2013 Seahawks, and the 2002 Buccaneers.
How does this Super Bowl victory justify the Peyton Manning era in Denver?
This justifies the Peyton Manning signing as the greatest signing in NFL free agent history. There is no doubt to that statement. It also puts a cap on the greatest era in Broncos history right with the 1996-1998 run with Elway and Terrell Davis.
Have you come down from the elation of the Broncos winning the Super Bowl?
Nope, and I won't come down from it until the next season starts in September. I have watched the Super Bowl four times in two weeks since the game. I watched the parade on NFL Network two days after the game. I watched the NFL Films footage of the game a number of times. I have been wearing a Broncos shirt everyday since the game. I have pumped my fist every time I see, read or think about anything related to the Broncos win. I haven't even thought about the scouting combine, free agency or anything related to the offseason. I don't want to think about next season yet. I am going to soak this in and enjoy every last drop of this championship for the near future and for a long, long time.
Friday, February 19, 2016
Broncos Mailbag Part 1: The Regular Season
I always head into the offseason with a mailbag discussing various questions that I had related to the Broncos and their just completed season. This year I get to do a mailbag for the Broncos as Super Bowl Champions. How sweet is that to say? I'll start with a mailbag related to the Broncos regular season. Here we go...
Did this regular season exceed your expectations for the Broncos this year?
Yes it did. The Broncos finished 12-4, won the AFC West, and made the playoffs once again. I predicted that Denver would make the playoffs-I had them in as a wild card though- and I figured that they could make a run once they got there. I was optimistic with Peyton Manning coming back, the emphasis of the running game with new head coach Gary Kubiak, and a defense that was good last year. Add it all up and I felt that Denver was going to be a playoff team. I also looked at their schedule and I liked the fact that most of their key games were at home: New England, Cincy, Green Bay all were coming to Mile High in 2015. I wasn't surprised to see them win 12 games, but I didn't think they would be the #1 seed, but I liked their chances to have a successful regular season.
How good historically was this defense in 2015?
The Broncos defense was the best in the league in the regular season. They had the most sacks, led the league in total yards and they only gave up an average of 18 points a game. They scored five defensive touchdowns, forced 27 turnovers, and they were dominant from Week 1 to Week 17. Their only blemish was in Week 15 when they gave up 34 points at Pittsburgh and they gave up 21 second half points in the 34-27 loss. They basically carried the Broncos and their offense the entire regular season. They weren't as dominant as the '85 Bears or the 2000 Ravens in the regular season, but they were right there behind them. Wade Phillips was a great hire as the new Defensive Coordinator and he brought an attacking and relentless style to his group. It was just fun to watch this defense do their job all year long.
Why do you think the offense struggled so much in the regular season?
The Broncos offense scored a total of 319 points this season. That averages to just over 18 points a game on offense. The Broncos scored a total of 355 points including defensive and special teams touchdowns. They only scored 30 or more points as an offense once during the whole season. The reason for their struggles on offense were a combination of a few things. First, Peyton Manning was basically on his last legs as a NFL starting QB. His age and injuries caught up to him, and he had to adjust to a new offense under Kubiak, and he never seemed comfortable. Second, the Broncos lost starting LT Ryan Clady to a torn ACL in OTAs, and he missed the entire season. Then, they lost starting RT Ty Sambraillo to torn shoulder in Week 3, so they were without their starting tackles for most of the year. Ryan Harris filled in admirably in at LT and Michael Schofield was overmatched at times at RT. In addition, after Manning's injuries forced him to shut it down for six weeks, Brock Osweiler took over as a starter and played his first meaningful games in his career down the stretch. Also, the running game never really got going. We know how important the running game is to Kubiak's offense and it just never really materialized the way they envisioned with C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman both being inconsistent at times. All of those factors resulted in a very average offensive group in 2015.
What was one of the biggest surprises of the regular season for the Broncos as far as individual performances go?
Kicker Brandon McManus was a very key player for us this year. For most of the beginning of the season, he was the offensive MVP. He finished 30-35 on field goals and hit five field goals over 50 yards during the season. He was solid all year-with the exception of a few misses later in the year-and he bounced back very nicely after an inconsistent 2014 season. Also, Shaq Barrett was really good in relief of the injured Demarcus Ware during the middle part of the season. He has a bright future in Denver after what he showed this year as a pass rusher and as a run defender.
Who were the best players on the Broncos in the regular season this year?
You can say the entire Broncos defense but the guys that stood out all year were Von Miller, Chris Harris, Aqib Talib, Darian Stewart, Bradley Roby, Danny Trevathan, Brandon Marshall, Derek Wolfe, Demarcus Ware (When he wasn't hurt), and Malik Jackson. On offense, McManus was a very key player and Emmanuel Sanders was solid and very valuable player all year long. He outplayed Demaryius Thomas by a wide margin.
What was the turning point in this season?
A lot of people point to the loss to Pittsburgh in Week 15 as a turning point, but I think there are two key turning points of the year. The first one was the comeback win over New England in Week 12. It was Osweiler's second start of his career and it came against the Pats on Sunday Night Football on Thanksgiving weekend. The Broncos rallied from a 21-7 deficit in the 4th quarter and won the game in overtime 30-24. It put the Broncos at 9-2 and gave them a tiebreaker over the Pats in the playoff race. The second one is a little obscure. The Broncos were down 14-0 to the Bengals in a huge game in Week 16 on Monday Night Football. The Bengals were attempting a field goal late in the first half to make it 17-0. Mike Nugent missed the kick, the Broncos came down and got a field goal to make it 14-3 right before the half, and eventually came all the way back to win the game 20-17 in overtime. If Nugent makes that kick, then I don't know if Denver would have come back to win that game if they fell behind 17-0 before the half. With that win, Denver clinched a playoff berth that night and took some pressure off them heading into Week 17.
What was the biggest break the Broncos got during the year?
The Broncos got a lot of breaks during the year as far as turnovers, missed field goals, etc.. but the biggest break was the Patriots sleepwalking through their Week 17 game at Miami and losing to the Dolphins. The loss opened the door for the Broncos to get the #1 seed in the AFC later in the day and the Broncos capitalized by beating San Diego 27-20 and getting homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
What was the most underrated part of this team this year?
Gary Kubiak did a really good job in his first year as head coach in Denver. He handled the Manning injury very well, he went with Osweiler when he had to, and he managed the ensuing QB controversy in textbook fashion. He also had a great pulse of his team. He played the games to his team's strength, which was a dominant defense, and he was able to get the most out of this group. Kubiak should have gotten more votes for coach of the year than he did. Also, he should get credit for making the most important move of the offseason when he hired his old friend Wade Phillips to run the defense. Phillips did an amazing job with this defense and took a good defense to a dominant and historic level.
What were the best games of the year?
There were a lot of games to choose from but the ones that will stand out the most were the comeback and miraculous win over the Chiefs in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football in Arrowhead. They rallied after being down 14-0, tied it late at 24 on a Manning drive, and won it in the final seconds on Bradley Roby's miracle fumble return for a 31-24 shocker. The win over New England in Denver in overtime was one of the best games of the year in the entire NFL. The overtime, comeback win over the Bengals in Week 16 was a great game and had a playoff feel to it. The dominant performance by the defense and the offense in the 29-10 win over Green Bay in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football was special because both teams came into the game at 6-0. The win over San Diego in Week 17 was great because of the fact that Peyton Manning returned to the lineup in the second half to rescue the Broncos and they pulled out the 27-20 on a Ronnie Hillman touchdown run late to secure the AFC West and the #1 seed in the AFC. All of those games were the defining games of the season.
How did you handle this regular season with all the close games the Broncos were involved in?
It was crazy because every week was basically a nail-biter. It was certainly a difference from the first three years under Peyton Manning when the Broncos routinely blew teams out. Every game was a battle and every game was basically giving me a heart attack. The Broncos played 12 games that were decided by 7 points or less and they won 9 of those games. It was exciting at times because they were winning, but it was crazy how tight this entire season was for the Broncos.
Was there ever a time you were really worried about this team during the regular season?
Once the Broncos got off to a fast start and were 7-0 after pounding the Packers on SNF in Week 8, I was content that they were going to have a good regular season and be a playoff team. Even after Manning got hurt, and the Broncos dropped to 7-2 and had to turn to Osweiler, I wasn't that worried that their season was going to collapse because Manning had not played well up until that point, and if they got anything decent out of Brock, then they would be okay. The only part that I was really worried was going into Week 16. Denver was 10-4, lost two in a row, and Pittsburgh, KC, and the Jets were all 9-5. KC had won eight in a row and they were only a game back in the West, and the Jets and Steelers were both hot coming down the stretch. If all three won their games in Week 16, and Denver lost to Cincy that week, then Denver's playoff fate would be out of their hands going into Week 17. In Week 16, KC beat Cleveland at home, the Jets beat the Pats in OT at home, but Pittsburgh lost a thriller in Baltimore, so even if Denver lost to Bengals, they could still make the playoffs with a win over the Chargers at home in Week 17. Trust me, I was definitely worried that morning watching all the early games.
Did this regular season exceed your expectations for the Broncos this year?
Yes it did. The Broncos finished 12-4, won the AFC West, and made the playoffs once again. I predicted that Denver would make the playoffs-I had them in as a wild card though- and I figured that they could make a run once they got there. I was optimistic with Peyton Manning coming back, the emphasis of the running game with new head coach Gary Kubiak, and a defense that was good last year. Add it all up and I felt that Denver was going to be a playoff team. I also looked at their schedule and I liked the fact that most of their key games were at home: New England, Cincy, Green Bay all were coming to Mile High in 2015. I wasn't surprised to see them win 12 games, but I didn't think they would be the #1 seed, but I liked their chances to have a successful regular season.
How good historically was this defense in 2015?
The Broncos defense was the best in the league in the regular season. They had the most sacks, led the league in total yards and they only gave up an average of 18 points a game. They scored five defensive touchdowns, forced 27 turnovers, and they were dominant from Week 1 to Week 17. Their only blemish was in Week 15 when they gave up 34 points at Pittsburgh and they gave up 21 second half points in the 34-27 loss. They basically carried the Broncos and their offense the entire regular season. They weren't as dominant as the '85 Bears or the 2000 Ravens in the regular season, but they were right there behind them. Wade Phillips was a great hire as the new Defensive Coordinator and he brought an attacking and relentless style to his group. It was just fun to watch this defense do their job all year long.
Why do you think the offense struggled so much in the regular season?
The Broncos offense scored a total of 319 points this season. That averages to just over 18 points a game on offense. The Broncos scored a total of 355 points including defensive and special teams touchdowns. They only scored 30 or more points as an offense once during the whole season. The reason for their struggles on offense were a combination of a few things. First, Peyton Manning was basically on his last legs as a NFL starting QB. His age and injuries caught up to him, and he had to adjust to a new offense under Kubiak, and he never seemed comfortable. Second, the Broncos lost starting LT Ryan Clady to a torn ACL in OTAs, and he missed the entire season. Then, they lost starting RT Ty Sambraillo to torn shoulder in Week 3, so they were without their starting tackles for most of the year. Ryan Harris filled in admirably in at LT and Michael Schofield was overmatched at times at RT. In addition, after Manning's injuries forced him to shut it down for six weeks, Brock Osweiler took over as a starter and played his first meaningful games in his career down the stretch. Also, the running game never really got going. We know how important the running game is to Kubiak's offense and it just never really materialized the way they envisioned with C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman both being inconsistent at times. All of those factors resulted in a very average offensive group in 2015.
What was one of the biggest surprises of the regular season for the Broncos as far as individual performances go?
Kicker Brandon McManus was a very key player for us this year. For most of the beginning of the season, he was the offensive MVP. He finished 30-35 on field goals and hit five field goals over 50 yards during the season. He was solid all year-with the exception of a few misses later in the year-and he bounced back very nicely after an inconsistent 2014 season. Also, Shaq Barrett was really good in relief of the injured Demarcus Ware during the middle part of the season. He has a bright future in Denver after what he showed this year as a pass rusher and as a run defender.
Who were the best players on the Broncos in the regular season this year?
You can say the entire Broncos defense but the guys that stood out all year were Von Miller, Chris Harris, Aqib Talib, Darian Stewart, Bradley Roby, Danny Trevathan, Brandon Marshall, Derek Wolfe, Demarcus Ware (When he wasn't hurt), and Malik Jackson. On offense, McManus was a very key player and Emmanuel Sanders was solid and very valuable player all year long. He outplayed Demaryius Thomas by a wide margin.
What was the turning point in this season?
A lot of people point to the loss to Pittsburgh in Week 15 as a turning point, but I think there are two key turning points of the year. The first one was the comeback win over New England in Week 12. It was Osweiler's second start of his career and it came against the Pats on Sunday Night Football on Thanksgiving weekend. The Broncos rallied from a 21-7 deficit in the 4th quarter and won the game in overtime 30-24. It put the Broncos at 9-2 and gave them a tiebreaker over the Pats in the playoff race. The second one is a little obscure. The Broncos were down 14-0 to the Bengals in a huge game in Week 16 on Monday Night Football. The Bengals were attempting a field goal late in the first half to make it 17-0. Mike Nugent missed the kick, the Broncos came down and got a field goal to make it 14-3 right before the half, and eventually came all the way back to win the game 20-17 in overtime. If Nugent makes that kick, then I don't know if Denver would have come back to win that game if they fell behind 17-0 before the half. With that win, Denver clinched a playoff berth that night and took some pressure off them heading into Week 17.
What was the biggest break the Broncos got during the year?
The Broncos got a lot of breaks during the year as far as turnovers, missed field goals, etc.. but the biggest break was the Patriots sleepwalking through their Week 17 game at Miami and losing to the Dolphins. The loss opened the door for the Broncos to get the #1 seed in the AFC later in the day and the Broncos capitalized by beating San Diego 27-20 and getting homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
What was the most underrated part of this team this year?
Gary Kubiak did a really good job in his first year as head coach in Denver. He handled the Manning injury very well, he went with Osweiler when he had to, and he managed the ensuing QB controversy in textbook fashion. He also had a great pulse of his team. He played the games to his team's strength, which was a dominant defense, and he was able to get the most out of this group. Kubiak should have gotten more votes for coach of the year than he did. Also, he should get credit for making the most important move of the offseason when he hired his old friend Wade Phillips to run the defense. Phillips did an amazing job with this defense and took a good defense to a dominant and historic level.
What were the best games of the year?
There were a lot of games to choose from but the ones that will stand out the most were the comeback and miraculous win over the Chiefs in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football in Arrowhead. They rallied after being down 14-0, tied it late at 24 on a Manning drive, and won it in the final seconds on Bradley Roby's miracle fumble return for a 31-24 shocker. The win over New England in Denver in overtime was one of the best games of the year in the entire NFL. The overtime, comeback win over the Bengals in Week 16 was a great game and had a playoff feel to it. The dominant performance by the defense and the offense in the 29-10 win over Green Bay in Week 8 on Sunday Night Football was special because both teams came into the game at 6-0. The win over San Diego in Week 17 was great because of the fact that Peyton Manning returned to the lineup in the second half to rescue the Broncos and they pulled out the 27-20 on a Ronnie Hillman touchdown run late to secure the AFC West and the #1 seed in the AFC. All of those games were the defining games of the season.
How did you handle this regular season with all the close games the Broncos were involved in?
It was crazy because every week was basically a nail-biter. It was certainly a difference from the first three years under Peyton Manning when the Broncos routinely blew teams out. Every game was a battle and every game was basically giving me a heart attack. The Broncos played 12 games that were decided by 7 points or less and they won 9 of those games. It was exciting at times because they were winning, but it was crazy how tight this entire season was for the Broncos.
Was there ever a time you were really worried about this team during the regular season?
Once the Broncos got off to a fast start and were 7-0 after pounding the Packers on SNF in Week 8, I was content that they were going to have a good regular season and be a playoff team. Even after Manning got hurt, and the Broncos dropped to 7-2 and had to turn to Osweiler, I wasn't that worried that their season was going to collapse because Manning had not played well up until that point, and if they got anything decent out of Brock, then they would be okay. The only part that I was really worried was going into Week 16. Denver was 10-4, lost two in a row, and Pittsburgh, KC, and the Jets were all 9-5. KC had won eight in a row and they were only a game back in the West, and the Jets and Steelers were both hot coming down the stretch. If all three won their games in Week 16, and Denver lost to Cincy that week, then Denver's playoff fate would be out of their hands going into Week 17. In Week 16, KC beat Cleveland at home, the Jets beat the Pats in OT at home, but Pittsburgh lost a thriller in Baltimore, so even if Denver lost to Bengals, they could still make the playoffs with a win over the Chargers at home in Week 17. Trust me, I was definitely worried that morning watching all the early games.
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