CBS Sports Article Update 10/31/8

I've been trolling MHR for awhile now and recently just started to participate in the community.  One of the things that I have noticed is that the community makes MHR great just as much as the staff of MHR.  I have learned, experienced, and learned as much from the staff (TheSportsGuru, hoosierteacher, styg50, Zappa, and mdierk) as much as I have from other member's FanPosts.

With that being said, I plan on trying to contribute as others have contributed.  These are some of the bye week(s) articles on the Denver Broncos.

Cassel steps up, Morris busts loose as Pats trash Broncos – October 20, 2008

Ugh.  I think those 3 letters describe how we all felt about that Monday Night beat down.  A couple of things that I thought were interesting from the article:

The team Tom Brady used to lead to dominant wins finally showed up.

I disagree – didn’t we just not show up?

"In front of the nation, we didn't show up tonight," cornerback Dre' Bly said. "It's embarrassing."

Very embarrassing – I hope the rest of the team feels that way; embarrassment is a great motivator.

Cassel was sacked six times…

That was nice to see.  Granted Cassel has been sacked a lot this year but I think we got a lot better pressure than other teams have against the Pats.  While this story was lost in the midst of the smack down we received, is this a glimpse of things to come?

"Standing on the sidelines, you can see that the sense of urgency was not there," Champ Bailey said.

"Oh, goodness," Cassel said. "If we run the ball like that, we'll be in good hands."

Oh, goodness?  What the hell Dorothy, where’s Toto?  It should read "If we play run defenses like that, we’ll be in good hands."

Good or Bad: Which Jay Cutler Is It? – October 27, 2008

The notion that he would be the next franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos was coming true.

Back when he was drafted, I think most fans knew he would be the next franchise quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

…but recently he has gone back to the same mistakes he was making as a rookie and in order for Denver to win they can't afford mistakes because their defense is so bad.

True and true.  He does seem to lock in on Brandon constantly and I’m waiting for him to start looking off receivers.  While his big arm does grant him to make tough throws, he has made some stupid throws I think.  There are different types of double coverage but a deep post with a safety overtop and a corner underneath is the worst; a couple of his picks have gone that way.

The Broncos have put a lot of faith into Cutler and if he wants to stick around he needs to start playing like he did.

I can’t imagine anyone in the organization calling for Cutler to not stick around.

There’s no doubt he has the talent, but can he produce on a consistent basis.

A valid point as we have yet to see that.  The defense is responsible for a lot of our woes right now but so is the offense.  We can blame it on injuries, lack of a running game, etc but we haven’t seen Cutler perform consistently yet.  Granted he hasn’t had an extended opportunity yet as he was a rookie, then played with failing health, and this is his first real season being healthy and the starter but consistency would be nice (as long as it’s not consistently bad).  Overall, a pretty good article.

Ryan Torain: The Best Running Back You Have Never Seen – October 29, 2008

The Broncos' rookie running back has not played a game since Oct. 13, 2007 when he was with Arizona State University.

It will be interesting to see how he handles being hit and going up the middle after more than a year.

Rushing for 1,229 yards on 223 attempts (a 5.5 average) and seven touchdowns as a junior, Torain earned All-Pac-10 Second Team honors in only eight starts. Adding 18 receptions for 205 yards (an 11.4 average) and three touchdowns put him at 1,434 all-purpose yards (an average of 110.3 per game).

There are two stats I love, the yards per carry and the yards per reception.  The rushing average is not something flashy like 7 or 8 – instead I think it denotes going up the middle for 2 ½ yards and then falling forward for another 2.  Just what we as an offense need as those LB’s and the SS cheat up to keep him back.  Also the catching average is great – 11.4 yards.  That shows me that when he gets the ball in his hands in space, watch out. 

Head Coach Mike Shanahan even offered up a comparison to Terrell Davis.

That’s a hell of a compliment but it’s still just that…a compliment.  Let’s see what we see.

With the backfield of Denver dealing with injuries, Torain is now the healthiest running back on the team.

Ouch.  If there is one thing I have learned this year, it is not only the importance of the running game, but more importantly to have a healthy running game.  The best RB does no good if you can’t stay healthy i.e. Reggie Bush.

While Torain is not scheduled to start, he will be seeing his first game action this Sunday, against the Miami Dolphins.

The title of the article says it all.  We have such high expectations for Torian that he is the missing component from the Broncos.  In reality, he was taken in the 5th round, has potential but is more likely a development project, and hasn’t played a football game in more than a year and the last one was at the collegiate level.  I would love to see great things from him but I will be happy if I can see "flashes."

How Do the Denver Broncos Finish Strong in 2008? – October 29, 2008

With a paltry 5-3 record, and arguably one of the leagues worst defenses, the Broncos do have the potential to make it through the first round of the playoffs this year.

5-3?  I like to see optimism for this week against Miami but damn…

Dre Bly, in this writer's opinion, was an overrated acquisition.  Bly has been getting burned all season.

To be honest, I’m tired of the Bly bashing.  Bly is what he is and that’s a gambler.  We know he get’s burned.  But we can’t keep blaming Bly for our pass defense.  For 1, Bly is the only one getting burned because they won’t throw to Champ; 2, Bly’s "burned-ness" is scheme, not ability related; and 3, Bly is going to look like Superman now that offenses are going to be torching Paymah and maybe Williams later on this year.

The linebackers need to speed things up a bit, as they're looking a bit sluggish.

In my opinion, the coaches need to help the linebackers out.  We know they are fast but they are sluggish because they are out of position and have no set scheme.

Cutler is the best quarterback to take snaps in the orange and blue since No. 7 made his departure, but he knows it.  It goes to his head, and he makes bad decisions.

I agree.  There is a difference between confidence (Manning and Brady) and arrogance (Rivers).  Cutler needs to be a little more humble I think, have confidence in winning games, but keep it to himself and try and stay out of the limelight with these interviews.  I would much rather be under-rated as a team and get no coverage and just stomp teams week in and week out then watch Cutler on TV.

Brandon Marshall needs to get his poop in a group, do what he's capable of, and not fumble at the absolute most inopportune time.

"Poop in a group" is a new one on me.  Marshall has had some costly fumbles but let me put it in perspective.  One of my favorite 1st Sergeants always used to say "1 ‘Ah sh*t!’ ruins 100 ‘atta-boys!’"  Marshall is a dynamic play-maker and is deadly with the ball in his hands.  Granted he has fumbled when he shouldn’t have but held onto the ball when it should have been bouncing around.  Cut him some slack, he will work on the fumbling.  He is a consummate professional and I’m sure takes those fumbles harder than anyone else.

The final idea that I've been tinkering with over the past year as a potential issue with the Broncos...is Mike Shanahan.  I have been in denial that there could possibly be a chance that Mike Shanahan has lost his touch in Denver.  I know, I know.  Blasphemy.

You’re dang right its blasphemy!

Denver fans have incredibly high expectations, and we refuse to settle for mediocrity and below .500 seasons. 

It is my speculation, that if Denver does not make it into the second round of playoffs this year, Shanahan will have to find another team.

This guy is crazy.  No team can stay in the limelight forever.  Players get old, salary cap issues, etc.  Every team is humbled and goes through cycles of dominance then rebuilding.  Look how horrible the NFC East was for awhile.  There is no denying the team has rebuilt the offense and it will be here for the next 12-15 years.  We need to get the defense in check then its game on.

Broncos report: Notes, quotes – October 31, 2008

"When you get the opportunity you have to rise to the occasion." -- CB Karl Paymah, who is replacing Champ Bailey. Bailey is out four-to-six weeks with a groin injury.

I know I’m very juvenile but…THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID!!!

Broncos report: Inside slant – October 31, 2008

On getting media attention…

"It's been fun," Cutler said. "You start winning, you start getting some attention, and that's good for the program, for the franchise."

Winning would be nicer…

On his Elway and arm strength comment…

"I'm not worried about it," Cutler said. "What's done is done, what's said is said."

Good, shut up and move on.  Let everyone else talk about it and just play football.

…he refused to say he was close to the two quarterbacks he has said have set the bar for the league, Indianapolis' Peyton Manning and New England's Tom Brady.

 

"You've got to win Super Bowls and that's what those guys do," Cutler said. "You can put up all the stats you want to in the regular season but if you don't get to the playoffs and make stuff happen in the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl, you're not in that level. You're just not."

Good I don’t think we’d ever hear the end of that one…

Broncos report: Strategy and personnel – October 31, 2008

The Broncos will try to keep Ginn and Camarillo in front of them, which could mean a lot of catches for either of them.

That has been a recipe for disaster all year long it seems.  With no safety help, that’s all that they can do.

RB Andre Hall didn't practice on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday with an ankle injury. Hall is Denver's top kickoff returner, and might be replaced in that role by Eddie Royal if he can't play.

I say good.  I don’t think hall offers anything returning kicks other than getting it to the 23 yard line.  I say put Royal out there returning kicks…that’s what we drafted him for.  I do understand that you don’t want to injure him but at some point we have to stop living in fear of injuries, getting burned by the run, giving up long passes, and just play football.