Cool It: Three Reasons Why Broncos Fans Should Not Panic

We knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time.

Like when the main theme from Jaws starts playing, you could feel the attack and disaster coming.  

The Denver Broncos were never going to run the table and finish the regular season a perfect 16-0. It’s only happened twice in the past 37 years, so you knew it was a long shot to happen. The Broncos were eventually going to lose a game.

So why are so many fans panicking and reacting like they had just gotten knocked out of the playoffs in the first round? Well, because that’s what fans do. They cheer and bang their chests when their team is winning, and they scream “fire!” and “abandon ship!” when the team loses. It’s just how a lot of fans are.

While the first loss of a season is always a disappointment to a team and its’ fans, it also provides a chance for the Broncos to see where they can improve and how to do it. It also brings the fan base back to the reality that this is not a perfect team. It’s a wake up call for all parties involved.

That said, there are a multitude of reasons why Broncos fans should not panic over this defeat to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Here are three:

 

1. There Are Still Nine Games to Play

The good news here is this rather flat performance by the Broncos didn’t come in the week or weeks immediately preceding the postseason. Teams that start fast and fade late in the season (see the 2008 Tennessee Titans) often see early exits in the playoffs. 

With this loss coming just before the halfway point in the regular season, the Broncos have plenty of time to adjust and improve in the areas where they fell short against the Ravens. The team still holds a two-game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West, and with two games against Kansas City and one with Oakland remaining in their final nine games, the Broncos should be able to right the ship in time for the playoffs.

Yes, the Broncos face another tough test at home against the Steelers next Monday, but after that they face a much softer three-game stretch on the road against the Redskins, at home against the on again, off again Chargers (who had a tougher time than they should have against the Raiders today), and then a Thanksgiving Day battle with the suddenly beatable Giants.

 

2. The Important Line for Kyle Orton Today: Zero Turnovers

Usually in games as lopsided as these, the quarterback has a turnover or two to his credit. An interception thrown during desperation time or a fumble often plays a role in a defeat like this.

Not so today for Kyle Orton.

While Orton didn’t do the team any favors by averaging a mediocre 6.6 yards per completion today and being sacked twice, he didn’t turn the ball over when the Broncos were trying to play catchup and put this game even further out of reach than it already was. Orton was under fire all day and didn’t make the boneheaded play many quarterbacks do.

What hurt the Broncos much more today was its inept ability to run the ball against a suddenly revitalized Ravens defense led by linebacker Ray Lewis.

Again, Orton will face another brutal defense against the Steelers next week, but the aforementioned three-game stretch afterward should allow Orton to get his groove back.

 

3. The Chargers Are Much Weaker than They Were Last Year

Many Broncos fans have been worrying, especially after today’s loss, that history will repeat itself and the Broncos will yet again blow a big lead in the division and the Chargers will sneak away with the AFC West crown.

As I mentioned in a previous column, don’t bet on it. The Chargers’ performance today against the Raiders proved my claim that they are in much worse shape than they were last season.

The Chargers hung on by four in Week One and then squeaked by with an eight point victory in what was a much closer game this week in Week Eight. Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell has been playing the position about as bad as it can be played, yet the Raiders have managed to hang with the Chargers in both games this season.

With the exception of last week’s blowout of the Chiefs, every one of the Chargers games has been within reach for the opponent in the second half. To me, that sounds a little bit like a team relying on luck more than talent, and that is no way to win a division title.

 

Conclusion

Take a deep, cleansing breath Broncos fans. The world is not ending, so please stop crying wolf or acting like Chicken Little. It was only one game. This team has overcome too much and achieved too much together to let it all come apart at the seams. 

Coach Josh McDaniels will see to it that this team learns from its mistakes and gets back on the winning track. He will continue to preach the “United We Stand, Divided We Fall,” method that has worked so well for the New England Patriots this decade.

It’s a method I suggest some panicked Broncos fans take to heart this week and beyond.

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NFL Playoff Push: Breaking Down The Denver Broncos’ Remaining 10 Games

Even with the extra week off to let it sink in, it’s still hard to believe that we’re actually where we are.

The Denver Broncos are 6-0 and hold a three-game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West.

The Broncos and their fans have been on cloud nine all season long, but as head coach Josh McDaniels reminds the media every week, a 6-0 record doesn’t mean squat. It doesn’t give the Broncos the AFC West, a conference championship, or the Super Bowl ring all coaches and players are after.

All it means to McDaniels and the team is that they had a solid start to the season and they need to be playing their best football in the final weeks. Plenty of teams have started fast throughout NFL history only to crash and burn at the end of the regular season and/or the postseason.

That said, the Broncos are in prime position to make the postseason for the first time since the 2005 season. However, they still face a tough slate of games ahead that will test their mettle and make sure they are playing the best football each and every week, regardless of the “significance” a game holds.

Here’s how the Denver Broncos remaining 10 games should shape up as the Broncos make a push for a division title and a postseason berth:

Nov. 1, at Baltimore Ravens

Many outside observers look at the Ravens as a team in a bit of trouble after their sizzling 3-0 start to the season. The Ravens defense has been anything but fierce and the suddenly explosive offense, led by second year quarterback Joe Flacco, has gone back into its shell. 

However, if there is one thing any coach in the NFL should know is that you never underestimate a defense that has Ray Lewis on it. Lewis is one of the all-time great leaders in NFL history and he will have his unit ready to play against the undefeated Broncos.

Still, I like the Broncos No. 1 defense better here as the Broncos remain undefeated for at least one more week.

Prediction: Broncos win

Nov. 9 vs Pittsburgh Steelers

The Broncos’ second appearance on Monday Night Football in four weeks is a home affair against the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers. The Steelers got off to a bit of a sluggish start in 2009 after All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu went down with an injury, but they have since come roaring back with Polamalu back in the lineup.

If there is one defense in the NFL right now that more dangerous than the Broncos, it’s the Steelers. One only needs to look at the drubbing they put on the previously unbeaten Vikings in Week Seven. Dick LeBeau’s unit swarms from all over the place and will be giving Kyle Orton fits all day.

All in all, I think the Broncos unbeaten streak stops at seven.

Prediction: Broncos lose

Nov. 15 at Washington Redskins

Ever since the Broncos started their magical run, fans have been openly wondering how this team would handle adversity. What would the team do once it lost its first game?

While there is no shame in losing to a solid team like Pittsburgh, Denver gets a chance at what should be an easy bounce back game against the Washington Redskins. I’m not going to re-hash all the Redskins’ problems because every other sportswriter has been writing about them ad nauseum.

That said, this still has the potential to be a trap game for the Broncos. I don’t see that happening, however, as the attitude McDaniels has instilled in this team shouldn’t allow such a thing to happen.

Prediction: Broncos win

Nov. 22 vs San Diego Chargers

The last time the Broncos met the Chargers it was the Eddie Royal Show on Monday Night Football. Royal returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the Broncos’ 34-23 win. The Broncos were behind at the half, but behind Royal and some great halftime adjustments made by the coaching staff, the Broncos were able to come from behind for the win.

This time the Broncos have the home field advantage and the Chargers could be a very desperate team at this point facing a potential huge deficit in the division. It’s likely Norv Turner could be coaching for his life coming into this game.

I like the Broncos here to do yet another “impossible” task that no one gave them a chance to do at the start of the season: Sweep the series against the Chargers.

Prediction: Broncos Win

Nov. 26 vs New York Giants

The Broncos return to the slate of Thanksgiving Day games—this year playing in the nightcap against the Giants. The Giants got off to yet another strong start this season by winning their first five games. They fell back to Earth the past two games though, getting blown out by the Saints in New Orleans and losing a squeaker at home against the Cardinals.

The Giants’ defense is still their strong suit even with new defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan. Eli Manning has struggled a bit as of late and it is taking time for him to gel with his new receivers. 

I look for the Broncos to give Eli fits, but Kyle Orton might need to have a career day against the Giants to win. I think Denver loses its second game of the year here.

Prediction: Broncos lose

Dec. 6 at Kansas City Chiefs

Once again after a potential loss to a solid team, the Broncos face what should be an easy game to bounce back against an inferior opponent. The Chiefs are in a rebuilding process under first-year head coach Todd Haley with former Tom Brady backup Matt Cassel under center. 

They also have a potential major headache in running back Larry Johnson, whose Twitter escapades earned him a suspension by the team this week. With no solid backup, the Chiefs offense is one of the weakest in the NFL.

In another potential trap game, Denver should win this one no problem. The defense should have no trouble containing the Chiefs’ offense, and the Broncos’ offense should run all over the Chiefs.

Prediction: Broncos win

Dec. 13 at Indianapolis Colts

In what could be a preview of either an AFC divisional playoff game or even the AFC Championship, the Broncos undoubtedly face their toughest task of the 2009 season: Stopping Peyton Manning. No one has been able to do so thus far, and frankly I am not sure if anyone can.

What has been remarkable about the Colts this season is that Manning is working with all new wide receivers, especially with Reggie Wayne out with injury. Manning has his young wideouts looking like seasoned vets. That’s the mark of a truly great quarterback.

With home field advantage throughout the playoffs possibly on the line, Denver will keep this closer than many think it will be. I don’t think it will be enough.

Prediction: Broncos lose

Dec. 20 vs Oakland Raiders

Unbelievably, the Raiders showed signs of life two weeks ago, upsetting the Eagles 13-9.

Then the following week they were promptly shutout by rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets, 38-0.

Such are the Oakland Raiders. Who knows who will be under center for the Raiders. Should JaMarcus Russell continue his putrid play? I say who cares? Denver should win this one, too.

Prediction: Broncos win

Dec. 27 at Philadelphia Eagles

In this game, the Broncos face their their last true tuneup before the playoffs start.  The Eagles could still be in the midst of a three-way battle for the NFC East at this point, so the Broncos should expect to see an intense Eagles squad.

The Broncos likely would have the AFC West sewn up at this point, but it seems like that won’t keep McDaniels from getting maximum effort out of his team. Teams that go flat towards the end of the regular season are usually one-and-done once the postseason begins.

I think this game will be a real toss-up, but I like the Eagles here just because they will have more on the line than Denver. It will be a close game throughout.

Prediction: Broncos lose

Jan. 3 vs Kansas City Chiefs

In the regular season finale, the Broncos likely will be resting many starters for the playoffs. That said, I still think the Broncos second-teamers are better than most of the Chiefs’ starters, so I look for the Broncos to win this game.

Prediction: Broncos win

If you tally it all up, I have the Broncos going 12-4 although that could easily be 13-3 depending on the outcome of the game against the Eagles. In a season in which the Broncos were expected to not win more than five games or so, a 12 win season will be cause for celebration in Denver.

The team won’t be celebrating though unless they are able to win the ultimate prize, Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. Could this team be one of the greatest Cinderella stories in league history and bring home the Lombardi Trophy?

With the AFC being ultra-competitive—an 11-5 record did not warrant a playoff trip in 2008—I think the Broncos stand a good chance of getting a first-round bye. They own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Patriots because of the win earlier this season. 

I think the Colts get home field, and the No. 2 seed will come down to Denver and whomever wins the AFC North, which I think will be Pittsburgh. If that’s the case and they beat the Broncos during the regular season, they get the No. 2 seed and Denver faces a wild card team in the first round. 

This is how I see the Broncos finishing the 2009 season, but if there is one thing this team has taught us it is to expect the unexpected and to believe. This team could still go 16-0 at this time.  t’s still a possibility and as long as it still is, the Broncos will continue to pursue that goal.

Buckle up Broncos fans, the fun has just begun.

You can follow Kris Burke on Twitter @KBurkeNFL

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Top Five Plays from the 2009 Denver Broncos (so far)

What a season it has been so far for Broncos fans.

In a season in which the team was expected to struggle, the team has surged out to a surprising 6-0 start and a three game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West.

There have been many great memories so far this year. Here are the top five to date:

Begin Slideshow

Top Five Plays from the 2009 Denver Broncos (so far)

What a season it has been so far for Broncos fans.

In a season in which the team was expected to struggle, the team has surged out to a surprising 6-0 start and a three game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West.

There have been many great memories so far this year. Here are the top five to date:

Begin Slideshow

Believe It: Three Things The Broncos Can Do To Make a “Super” Run

Crazy, off your rocker, cracked, and insane.

Those are the words I would use if you had told me in August that the Broncos would be 6-0 going into their bye and talk of a Super Bowl run, let alone a playoff berth, would be discussed with a straight face.

But here we are.

Most fans almost always hold out hope at the start of every season that this could be “the year” for their team, but it was especially hard for Broncos fans to even give consideration to such thought this year. Their stalwart head coach was gone, as was their young Pro Bowl franchise quarterback, and their star wide receiver was throwing a temper tantrum that would make Terrell Owens proud. The defense was rebuilding in a new scheme under yet another defensive coordinator.  Broncos fans were bracing for the worst year the team had in recent memory.

But here we are.

The team is 6-0 going into their bye. The rookie head coach, Josh McDaniels, looks like a genius and the new quarterback, Kyle Orton, is having a career year playing practically mistake-free football. Brandon Marshall, the angry receiver, has overall bought into the team’s philosophy and is back playing in Pro Bowl form.  Perhaps most surprisingly, the defense has been playing lights-out football, pressuring the quarterback and generating turnovers.

Thanks to their 34-23 win over the San Diego Chargers Monday night, the Broncos hold a three and a half game lead in the AFC West. The team is healthy overall, and the confidence of McDaniels and his team is at an all-time high.  Barring an even more monumental collapse than last season, the Broncos are likely to make the postseason for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. 

But why stop there?

If the Broncos are going to make a serious run at the Lombardi trophy, there are areas they definitely have to improve in.  Here are the three most important areas of improvement:

 

 

1. Start games faster

 

During the first half of games this year the Broncos are barely outscoring their opponents, 57-56. During the second half,  however, the Broncos are walloping the other team by a combined score of 76-10. 

The Broncos have been fortunate so far, but if they are to make a deep playoff run, they need to get off to a better start. If they face Indianapolis in playoffs, which they very likely could (and the teams do meet during the regular season as well), the Broncos will need to at least keep pace as the Colts can put up points early and often as long as Peyton Manning is under center. Same goes for the Patriots as we all saw what Tom Brady is capable of during their 59-0 demolition of the Tennessee Titans.

In order to fix this, Orton needs to get in a rhythm much sooner than he has.  He usually starts games out 0 for 2 or so and it’s key that he be accurate early.  While it’s only two passes, you never know if those could turn out to be big plays.

The two-headed rushing attack of Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno must also be sharp early.  While they don’t need to get a first down every carry, pounding outs runs of four, five or six yards go a long way towards forcing the opposing defense into respecting the run game and allowing Orton to make more plays down the field.

 

 

2. Stop committing so many penalties

 

Looking at this past game against the Chargers, the Broncos were penalized four times for 44 yards.  While the numbers don’t look that bad, they don’t show the entire picture. Two of them were absolutely inexcusable and could have cost the Broncos the game. 

One was on Marshall for unsportsmanlike conduct in the second quarter that, had the Chargers not also committed a pass interference penalty, would have made an easy field goal for Matt Prater that much harder to make by backing the team up 15 yards. Three points could have come off the board there.

The second was on Moreno for spiking the ball after not getting a first down on 3rd and 1.  It was a five yard delay of game penalty that, had it occurred further down field, the Broncos could have lost points there as well.

Correcting this issue lies with both the players and the coaches.  The players need to maintain focus and mental discipline while the coaches need to inform the players that continually committing penalties could cause them to be removed from the field.

While the Broncos don’t have as severe an issue with penalties as say the Green Bay Packers do, committing penalties in key game situations will bring any potential postseason run to a grinding halt.

 

 

3. Handle adversity properly

 

I’m going to stop short of saying there’s no way the Broncos run the table and go 16-0.  If there is one thing I have learned about the NFL, it is to expect the unexpected. However, since the New England Patriots in 2007 were the only team since 1972 to complete a perfect regular season, it seems relatively safe to say the Broncos will lose at least one game along the way this year.

This is just about the only thing we have not seen from the team at this point: how they bounce back.  At 6-0, they haven’t dealt with a loss yet.  They have faced close games, but each one has turned out in their favor. 

They can likely bounce back from one, but what happens if the team loses two or three games in a row?  Will they begin to see themselves as overachievers that played too hard at the beginning of the season and that they aren’t as good as they thought they were?  Will the confidence of the team begin to dwindle?

My guess right now would be no.  McDaniels has been saying all season that he and the team haven’t accomplished anything yet and it is key to be playing their best football at the end of the season.   He is trying to keep the team humble by saying that many mistakes were made and need to be corrected.

McDaniels is saying all the right things, but we won’t know for sure until some adversity occurs.  Here’s hoping it doesn’t, but it likely will.

 

 

They can do it

 

Based on what we have seen through six games, it’s possible for the Broncos to make a deep playoff push.  That said, this team is far from perfect and they need to correct the above issues amongst others if they want to make a run for glory.

It would be the ultimate Cinderella story, and these first six chapters have been a lot of fun to watch.  Here’s hoping the next ten are just as exciting.

 

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A Tamed Stallion: Marshall Is No Longer a Bucking Bronco

Let’s turn the clock back a little less than fifty days to August 29.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall had just been suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, adding more salt to a still fresh wound for the Broncos.  The team a few months earlier had traded their disgruntled franchise quarterback to the Chicago Bears and now were dealing with their number one receiver demanding a trip out of Denver.

Now fast froward to the present day.

The Broncos are the surprise of the NFL standing atop the AFC West with a perfect 5-0 record.  Even more surprising is the fact that Marshall of all people has been the key player in the past two Broncos victories. Marshall made a spectacular run and catch for the go ahead touchdown against the Cowboys and just last Sunday scored the game-tying touchdown against the Patriots.

In other words, Marshall has gone from zero to hero amongst Broncos fans in less than sixty days.  So what has changed?

First off, everyone and their mother knew that Marshall had the skills to be an elite receiver in the NFL. His past two seasons both saw him with over 1,200 yards and more than 100 catches.   His talent was never in question.

What was in question was his ability to stay out of trouble off the field.  A “freak” accident last season involving him putting his arm though a television was one thing, but him serving a one game suspension (it was reduced from three games) at the start of last season served notice that he could be problem child.  His latest arrest this past March for disorderly conduct didn’t help matters, though the charges in that case were dismissed.

The creme de la creme, however, came this past offseason after Jay Cutler was traded. Marshall, allegedly upset over his contract, demanded a trade from Denver.  He had “trust issues” with the organization, and wanted out. 

His antics during training camp that were caught by TV cameras were the straws that broke the camel’s back and coach Josh McDaniels had no choice but to suspend Marshall for the remainder of the preseason.  People figured it was a matter of “when” Marshall would be out of Denver, not “if.”

Thankfully for the Broncos and their fans, McDaniels didn’t give up that easily.

What has occurred since has been one of the most remarkable in-season turnarounds by a player in league history.  Yes, the Broncos are winning and winning supposedly cures all, but what happens if the Broncos lose a couple games? Will Marshall revert to previous form and act like a petulant brat?

My money is on “NO.”

My reasoning for this? Two images from the win over the Cowboys.  First is the emotional embrace Marshall shared with McDaniels after he scored the winning touchdown and second is another embrace that Marshall and McDaniels shared during the coach’s post-game press conference. 

They a say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case two pictures are worth a million.

No one knows what words were exchanged between Marshall and McDaniels during their embraces, but what everyone should see is that a player can’t fake emotions like that.  Not even receivers like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco could create something like that and have it just be a show.

What Marshall and McDaniels shared was real, and the Broncos and their fans have every reason to believe Marshall has turned the corner and won’t be looking back. 

That is not to say he is completely out of the woods. Marshall’s challenge from this point forward is maintaining focus, especially if the Broncos make the Super Bowl. Success breeds attention and Marshall could easily become distracted and the off field issues could rear their ugly head again if Marshall loses concentration on the big picture.

That is where McDaniels comes in.  While he cannot and should not be Marshall’s personal babysitter, what McDaniels can do here is make sure Marshall is reminded of how miserable he once was and how happy he is right now. Marshall needs to keep growing as a player and a person and all should be well.

One of the biggest surprises this season has been that no “star wideout” like a Marshall, Owens, Moss, or Ochocinco has erupted into a display of public humiliation. It’s still early in the season and I bet one will happen.

But it won’t come from the guy named Marshall.

 

Follow Kris Burke on Twitter @KBurkeNFL

 

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One-Upped: Kyle Orton “Out-Bradys” Tom Brady

So you say Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton is a “game manager,” eh?

Take a look at these statistics from Sundays 20-17 overtime win over the New England Patriots: 35-of-48, 330 yards and two touchdowns. I don’t hold his one interception against him because it was a desperation heave at the end of the first half.

If Orton is a “game manager,” then so is Brett Favre, Drew Brees, John Elway and, oh yeah, Tom Brady.

For one game at least, Orton played Brady-style football better than Brady himself.  Orton led a remarkable 98-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17 after the Broncos trailed 17-7 at halftime.

New England got the ball back with two minutes remaining in regulation. Many thought it was going to be another Brady comeback because he has become so masterful at bringing his team back late when the game is on the line.

Not this time. 

First, the Broncos defense stopped the Patriots on crucial third downs late in the game. 

Second, and more surprising, Brady was off target. 

Late in the fourth quarter, he bounced what would have been a sure touchdown pass off the hip of receiver Wes Welker. It was the kind of pass Brady never misses.

Today, he did. And Orton didn’t.

After winning the coin toss at the start of overtime, Orton led the Broncos on a steady drive, resulting in Matt Prater’s game-winning 41-yard field goal.

Orton did it. He pulled a “Tom Brady” against the Patriots in a game not many people expected the Broncos to win. This time, Orton was the superstar and Brady looked like the sixth-round draft pick that he was back in 2000.  

I am not saying Orton is better than Brady. Brady has three rings to Orton’s zero and, in the big picture, this game will do little to nothing to tarnish Brady’s image as a master of the fourth quarter comeback. What it does show is that he is beatable if you game-plan properly.

However, it does do a lot for Orton. 

People now see what the man can do with quality receivers and a head coach that believes in him. Josh McDaniels took the leash off Orton and let him run wild, attempting an astonishing 48 passes. 

People have been saying since his arrival that the Broncos would win in spite of Orton, not because of him. Well, Orton proved them wrong and, in turn, has added a whole other dimension to the Broncos’ offense. 

Expected to be a dink-and-dunk team under McDaniels, Orton’s solid play along with the re-emergence of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal and complementary play of Jabbar Gaffney and Brandon Stokely have made the Broncos a suddenly potent passing squad.

Combine that with a continually impressive defense, a 5-0 start and a head coach that helped gel the most explosive offense in NFL history in 2007, and the Broncos are now one of the teams no one in the NFL wants to face.

Heck, this team has even made the most hardcore McDaniels opponents forget about ol’ “what’s his name,” you know, the dude that was traded to Chicago?

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Broncos-Patriots: It’s David vs. Goliath, But Which is Which?

There comes a time in every NFL head coach’s career that he gets a shot to face off against the man who taught him the ropes. A win against the teacher gives the student the first crown jewel of his head coaching career.

For Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels, that opportunity comes in the fifth game of his head-coaching career, and he faces a considerable challenge in beating his teacher: a three-time Super Bowl winner by the name of Bill Belichick.

When the NFL released its schedule this past spring, the matchup between the Broncos and the Patriots seemed like the ultimate David vs. Goliath game. That phrase could still be used to define the game that is now two days away, but it is highly debatable who is David and who is Goliath.

The Broncos are one of the NFL’s most surprising teams, starting 4-0 after one of the most chaotic offseasons in recent memory. Led by a surprisingly stingy defense that has allowed only 26 points through four games—and with smart and thus far interception-free play by new starting quarterback Kyle Orton—the Broncos enter this game with a much better shot than many thought they had even one month ago.

Still, many people doubt whether or not this Broncos team is a contender or a pretender. Critics point to a soft early schedule and a fluke win over the Bengals as evidence that the Broncos are not ready for prime time and a brutal mid-season schedule will bring them back to reality quickly. That said, even the harshest critics are saying the Broncos are looking better than previously thought.

The Patriots, on the other hand, were expected to come out swinging following the  return of quarterback Tom Brady to their lineup after missing most of the 2008 season with an ACL injury. While Brady has made his presence known—as shown by the Week One comeback victory over the Bills—the Patriots are struggling in other areas. Losing three key defensive starters this past offseason, the normally stout Patriot defense has had trouble getting on its feet.

Even with a struggling defense, teams around the NFL have learned never to count out or overlook the New England Patriots. Just when you think they’re dead and buried, they fire off a long winning streak and blow by the competition. People thought they were through when Brady went down in Week One last year, but the Patriots—with a quarterback that had not started a game since high school—finished 11-5 and lost the AFC East crown on a tiebreaker.

Another thing that has added a level of intrigue to this game is the aforementioned chess match between the sidelines with McDaniels facing off against Belichick. Both men know each other really well, with McDaniels serving on Belichick’s staff from 2001-2008, most recently as offensive coordinator. 

Belichick will know the Broncos’ offense and McDaniels will know the Patriots’ defense.  The wild card will be the Broncos defense, as defensive coordinator Mike Nolan could be the difference maker in this game.

When the final whistle blows on Sunday, either the student or the teacher will be victorious (unless the ever-so-rare tie occurs), and David will once again have slayed Goliath.

Unless you are a fan of the team that loses.

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Regime Change: Time For Thompson and McCarthy To Go

No, this is not an emotional knee jerk reaction to the Packers losing 30-23 to the Vikings Monday night.  I have been on the fence regarding the future of Mike McCarthy as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers since the end of last season.  Tonight, at the hands of an ageless Brett Favre performance ironically, I have chosen to pick a side of the fence. Yes, the season is only a quarter finished and the Packers could still turn it around but I see some trends from the Packers last season that have trickled down to this season and I can draw only one conclusion:

McCarthy’s time is up, and GM Ted Thompson’s may be as well.

Let it be known that over the past year, I defended McCarthy and Thompson’s decision to move forward with Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback over a waffling Brett Favre.  I still think that was the right decision even after Favre lit up the Packers defense Monday night.  Rodgers has proved to be one the top quarterbacks in the league, but what good is any quarterback when he is sacked an average of five times per game?

This is Thompson and McCarthy’s biggest blunder to date: the offensive line.  McCarthy inherited a solid unit from the previous regime and three years later it is the worst in the league. The blame here falls on Thompson first because he keeps drafting players here but none are turning out as hoped. 

That is where the coach–McCarthy–is supposed to come in.  The players aren’t developing and that falls squarely on the coaching staff.  McCarthy has been shuffling offensive lineman due to not only injuries but also inconsistent performance.  This hinders the line from developing any in of chemistry with their young quarterback, and that is key to a young quarterback’s confidence developing.

My second beef with the Thompson/McCarthy regime, is the refusal to even dip a toe into free agency.  Coming off a 13-3 season, nobody questioned Thomspon’s approach, but after a 6-10 season last year and the Packers appearing well on the road again to mediocrity this season, eyebrows are being raised. 

I think we can all agree that the Packers of the 1990s don’t win Super Bowl XXXI without the big free agent signing of defensive end Reggie White.  Thompson doesn’t see the benefits of free agency, but maybe he should look in the franchise’s rear-view mirror.

Another issue with McCarthy’s teams the past two years have been a ridiculous amount of penalties.   Remember when Ray Rhodes got canned for a team not playing disciplined football?  Anyone see any kind of similar problems here? 

Yes, there were some questionable calls (Monday night included), but if that many penalties are being called, chances are most are legit and the fact that problem started in one full season and persisted into the next shows a severe deficiency in coaching,

Finally, Thompson and McCarthy both have a hubris problem.  Thompson said after the end of last season, a 6-10 campaign that saw the Packers five in a row before beating Detroit in the finale,  that he thought they had a “pretty good football team.”

Uh, Ted? 6-10 is not a good record.  Ergo, you do not have a good football team.

McCarthy is suffering the same kind of symptoms. Take a look at his press conferences. They are chock full of “we need to clean it up” when the team nearly lays an egg against a poor opponent, “PLAYER X made some mistakes but we’ll get them corrected” when they never do.

Bottom line is Thompson and McCarthy are showing a Belichick-esque swagger.  Except they don’t have three Super Bowl rings to back it up, and the players and fans are paying the piper for it.

I’m not an advocate for coaches being fired mid-season,  That’s something franchises usually in disarray do and the Packers aren’t like the Oakland Raiders.  The change needs to be made at the end of the season and I’ll be the first one to lobby for Mike Shanahan to come to Green Bay.  Or maybe even Mike Holmgren again.

One thing is for certain, the Packers can upgrade their coaching and front office this off-season due to a stellar class of unemployed coaches looking for work.  I suggest the Packers make the move and get this franchise back on the path to glory.

 

 

 

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Broncos and Fans Buying Into McDaniels’ System: They’re Lovin’ It

If the 2009 Denver Broncos were fast food, I would call them a “Happy Meal” thus far into the campaign. Pleasant. Satisfying. Fun. Making their fans, you know, happy.

Oh, and yes I did mean those Denver Broncos.

Six months ago the Broncos were a franchise in turmoil.  The team had fired its stalwart head coach, Mike Shanahan, who led to the franchise to its two Super Bowl titles. Then Denver replaced him with a 33-year-old offensive whiz kid, Josh McDaniels, who had never been a head coach at any level. 

To make matters worse, franchise quarterback Jay Cutler was trying force his way out of town after hearing McDaniels and the team listened to offers for another quarterback, presumably sending Cutler to another team.

Once Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears, wide receiver Brandon Marshall suddenly demanded a trade, saying he didn’t trust the Broncos. McDaniels had no choice but to suspend Marshall for a good chunk of the preseason for conduct detrimental to the team. 

What a way for McDaniels to start his NFL head coaching career.

He had more pressure on him than anyone, and he had not even coached a single game.  People were calling for his head before the season started and others thought he’d be one (year) and done.

It’s amazing what a 3-0 start can do for your image, isn’t it?

During all this drama, McDaniels kept saying his players were ignoring the potential distractions and focusing on doing their jobs and making sure everyone was putting forth a “team first” attitude.  The suspension of Marshall proved McDaniels meant that.

However, many fans and media types blew that off as McDaniels saying what any coach would say—regardless of what was really going on in the background. Thanks to these distractions, said the critics, the Broncos would be lucky to win five games.

Well, we’re not even a quarter of the way through the season and the Broncos are already past the halfway point to five wins and many people are in shock.

Why?

Because the players actually are buying into McDaniels’ system.  Everyone is focusing on doing their jobs and trusting their teammates to do theirs.  McDaniels’ a system that has paid off in the form of three Super Bowl rings for the Patriots and it’s one that has the Broncos starting fast out of the gate.

The players believe. They’re smiling on the sidelines, and McDaniels even got a Gatorade shower after Denver’s victory over the Browns last week.

See, the players notice the little things.  McDaniels let the top participants in offseason workouts to create a playlist on an iPod to be played during practices in training camp.  Instead of simulating crowd noise, the players heard all kind of music from country to the late Michael Jackson.  It was a touch the players definitely appreciated.

Now, what about the fans?

Those who were calling for McDaniels’ job from the onset of the Cutler situation have been mysteriously silent as Cutler leads the NFL in interceptions and Orton has yet to throw a pick after three solid games.  Fans are jumping on the Broncos bandwagon by the bunches.

That saying that “winning cures everything”?  True, in this case.  Very true.

Now, we shouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves.  The Broncos face a killer schedule the next few weeks, starting this weekend with a battered but potent Cowboys team coming to Invesco.  

However, if the Broncos remain as tight knit as they seem to be right now, they will weather this storm.  They enter this tough stretch as a team, and they will emerge from it as a team.

Buckle up, Broncos fans.  It’s going to be a fun ride.

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