Enjoy the ravings!!!

1.     I'm tired of the name "Jay Cutler" being treated like a dirty word around here.  Lots of people, including myself, are keeping a close eye on how Jay is doing in Chicagoland, and we should all be able to talk about that trade and its impact on our team in a straight forward and open way, without someone piping up and ripping us for not "letting it go". 

     What went down with Jay Cutler this off-season has had a huge impact on where our team is today, and we all should be able to mention Jay's name without having to apologize to everyone for doing so.  Evaluating the decision to trade Cutler is part of accurately assessing the decisions that have been made by our coaching staff... and ultimately, it will be an important component to allocating trust in their decisions of the future.  It is not all about spewing hate on "the player".

     Personally, I love the fact that the decision to trade Jay Cutler has, up to this point, been extremely profitable to the Broncos, and I don't apologize for saying it.  The Broncos are a better team because of that trade, and it is evident, not only in the passing stats... but more importantly... in the Win's and Losses column.  If you would rather "trade back" right now... you are either a McDaniel's hater, a Cutler lover, or... a bears fan.

     The reality is, what many of us were unable to see at the time, is becoming more and more clear every week.  Jay is an amazing athlete, with a real gift at throwing the ball.  He is, however, very immature and not much of a leader.  He also is arrogant and selfish, and that arrogance causes him to make risky and ill-advised throws... leading to turnovers.  And as Lebowski has demonstrated so clearly in his posts... those turnovers ultimately cost your team Wins! 

     So when we talk about Jay Cutler, we are really just considering the beauty of the decision to send him away, and celebrating the fact that an un-popular decision is proving itself out to be the right one.  What we thought was going to be our "great un-doing", has ultimately led us to a "great awakening"... and I, for one... would like the freedom to talk about it!

2.     Speaking of Jay Cutler, how in the heck does he avoid the scrutiny that every other QB on the planet would be under if they had thrown 10 INT's after 6 games.  Jake Delhomme, Jason Campbell, Mark Sanchez, Josh Johnson, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Kerry Collins, and Jamarcus Russell have either been benched, or have received calls to be benched... and yet only one of those names (Delhomme) has more INT's than Cutler.  Why there is not the same kind of buzz going on about Cutler is beyond me.  I'm tired of Jay getting treated differently than every other QB in the NFL. 

     Think on this.  Kyle Orton had 3 INT's in his first PRESEASON GAME and it was front page news.  He threw a left-handed INT in a 4th and Goal situation in his second PRESEASON GAME and he was dubbed "reckless and turnover prone".  Remember all of the calls to start Simms or Brandstater?

     I'm not sure how he does it, but Jay has the ability to "never be the problem", when many times, he is the problem.  The talk in the media right now is how bad the Bear's D is (sound familiar) or how bad the Offensive Line is or how little talent Cutler has at the WR position.  But I have yet to read or hear anything on Jay's poor play... which is simply amazing.  Had Cutler not thrown 4 INT's against Green Bay, the Bears would be 4-2... instead of 3-3...  Had he not continued the trend for throwing Red-Zone INT's, they might have beat Atlanta for a 5-1 record.  Honestly, couldn't you make a case that if Cutler wasn't the QB, the Bear's could be a better team?  Don't take that to an extreme, but honestly... I think I could.

3.     I'm tired of reporters making a big deal about "must win games" as the reason a team is going to win.  Hello people... This is the NFL and every game should be a must win game... especially at this point in the season.  If the only reason your team is going to give their best effort is because their back is against the wall... well, that says a lot about the character of your team.  The only games that might not be "must wins" in a season would be if it's week 17 and your team is 14-1, and has already secured the prime position in the playoffs... but other than that, you had better be playing to win every game.

     That is why I love Brian Dawkins.  The guy just gives 110% every time he steps onto the field.  There is no 90%... or 95%... it is all go... all the time.  The moment you decide that you don't need to give your very best, every play, that is when you will forfeit your right to be a champion.

     Almost every pundit that picks Baltimore to win uses this exact excuse... "The Raven's are in a "Must Win" situation."  Are you saying that winning games has nothing to do with the talent, the coaching, the game-plan, the execution, or anything else?  Are you suggesting that the 3 games that the Raven's lost is because they really weren't giving 100%... or that they didn't consider those other games as games they needed to win?  Please. 

     If you don't like the Bronco's... or you get your information from Jamie Dukes... or you really just don't want to give McDaniels any credit for putting together a tough and competitive team... then just say so.  At least that is an honest and rational justification to pick a 3-3 team over a 6-0 team that has defeated Cincy, New England, Dallas, and San Diego.  Just know, your probably going to be wrong.

4.     I'm tired of the Broncos leading the league in "Dead Money" against the cap.   I had no idea that this year, we have $29.6 Million held against the cap for players that are long gone from Broncoland.  That is more than any other team in the NFL... even the Raiders.  What this proves is, while Shanny was an offensive Genius, he was a personnel nightmare.  When Al Davis and the Raiders have less "Dead Money" against the cap than you... that is bad.... really, really bad. 

     Do you realize just how devastating "Dead Money" is to your team's ability to be competitive?  Check out the 4 teams that are just below us  (they are actually better than we are!)... Oakland, St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City.  The fact that we are 6-0, with such a huge "handicap" is simply amazing.

     Which leads me to one of the most unsung hero's of this year's team (although not here at MHR), Brian Xanders.  The guy has been an absolute money!  When teams were dumping huge contracts on players like Albert Hanesworth ($41 Million Guaranteed), McD and Xanders were snagging players such as BDawk, Renaldo Hill, Andre Goodman, Andre Davis, Ronald Fields and 8 others, all for just under $37 Million.  Think about that for a little while.  We signed at least 9 quality starters for less than the what the Redskins dumped on Hanesworth. (read the article by Mike Klis here)

     What is even more telling is that 11 of the 16 players that make up the "Dead Money" cap hit are not even in the NFL any longer.  This is absolutely the most horrific stat of all.  Why?  Because it proves how poorly the personnel decisions have been the past couple of years.  When you are still taking a cap hit on players who can't even make another NFL roster... that is a bad, bad thing.  The fact that this team is as deep as I can ever remember, is proof that Xanders and McDaniels are doing an amazing job.  Just think about what they will be able to do once that "Dead Money" is cleaned up a bit... think BMarsh, Orton, and Doom... OH MY!

5.     I'm tired of the Draft Projections for 2010.  Don't you think it is a bit premature to start digging around in that pit.  First of all, we have only completed 7 weeks of a 17 week season.  Where a team will be drafting is an absolute guess at this point, unless you are talking about the St. Louis Rams.  Who they will be drafting is simply ridiculous to even consider.  It is too early!!!!  Secondly, even the mock drafts that speculate the day before the draft are completely wrong.  Which leads me to the biggest point.  What value do Mock Drafts have anyway?  It's kind of like the MSM's preseason NFL power-rankings, or John Clayton's 3-13 prediction for the Bronco's this year.  We all know how valuable and accurate that has been so far this year.

     I know that we all get itchy thinking about what is coming down the pipe for our team in 2010, but it really is way to early to start these kind of speculations.  Keep your eye's open for the talent out there in the college ranks, and continue to evaluate areas on the Broncos that might need some consideration come draft time, but save the projections and the mock drafts for January or February 2010... or just wait until draft day and watch what really happens then.

6.     I am so tired of there not being any MHR RADIO for an entire week.  Hey GURU... we miss you man!!!  Can't wait for tonight's show!!! Is it true we've got ROMO on tap? 

7.     I'm still tired of the Bye Week...  and I'm still tired of being 6-0.  Bring On The Raven's and 7-0 Baby!

GO BRONCOS!!!!