Playoff implications of the INdy game

by Flunkie on Dec 14, 2009 8:28 AM MST

Way back during training camp I made my predictions. Throw out the Washington debackle and swap the SD games and I was pretty darn close. In my prediction post I said the Broncos would play well, playoff well, but still come up short. As fans we always like to think we can win any game, and we find ways in our mind to even see it as likely. I really would have loved to have been proven wrong on this game. There is simply too much to prepare for when you travel to Indy. But this was a trip where the Broncos won much more than they lost, it will help them be more than a one and out in the playoffs.

Yesterday we put together a defensive scheme taylor made for Mr. Manning. Obviously the plan as it was written had some fatal flaws and we spotted Indy 21 points. Once Nolan had a chance to see Peyton's reactions to it he made the adjustments and suddenly turned Manning into an 'average QB'. Our 'Greybeards' were every where! In this scheme it was very much the secondary giving the front line time to get to Manning - not great presure up front, but enough to prevent the recievers from coming free.

On offense I was less than pleased at the choice to power inside on short yardage, A hurt Buck and dinged up Larsen and Scheffler certainly did not help us out at all.

Our chances at the AFC west title pretty much slipped away in Dallas. We are likely to be the fifth seed in the playoffs most likely playing in New England. Not that our 'Greybeards' need any confidence, but coming out of yesterdays game they know they can stop anyone now. I see Denver getting past the Pats in fine shape.

As the lowest seeded team we will get to revisit Indy in round two. Yesterday's game becomes hyper critical. We probed indy, found a weakness and experimented with it. Indy will have to react to what we did - we found a way to stop them and they did not find a way to counter. The number of different looks available with our personel is almost impossible to anticipate. Having now gained real game experiance with this scheme, Nolan will be able to adjust it, tune it, and enhance it. Indy can only prepare for what they have already seen.

Our objective on offense has to be getting that running game going. Even without the running game our offense still worked well for the most part. Indy was very successful at making us one dimensional - #15 - we lose when we cannot pound the rock. Indy's defense is just too stout to limit them to ten yards beyond the line of scrimage. In the next 4 games we need to show them a new tendancy of deep threats. Coaches and players always say never look beyond the next game. McD is a chess player, he will be looking several moves ahead - while focusing on the next game. A couple times in years past we beat Indy in the regular season only to be blown out in the playoffs. This year I believe we turn the tables. Maybe not a blow out, but what we learned yesterday will result in a big ole W in January.

The AFC championship game - will it be against SD or Cincy? Hate to say it but SD has been playing some real tough football lately.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 2 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

No offense to those who i may offend

But 13-3 was a ludacris prediction. Going in, I predicted 9-7 with a wild card appearance. This team is going in the right direction. A few pieces here, and couple players getting better with exp over there, and this team will be elite. This team is very close to being on the brink of elite, but its not there yet.

by DBroncs1414 on Dec 14, 2009 8:41 AM MST reply actions

Not yet

But on the verge. I predicted 12-4 and will not be disappointed at 11-5. We are good enough to beat the elite teams – but we need everything to be working right. If we had Buck and Larsen in the game maybe we convert one of those 4ths. If we are running well maybe we don’t try for 2 . Offensively we were off of our game plan. Defensively we were slow to start. But as a team we are oh so close to being there

by Flunkie on Dec 14, 2009 9:03 AM MST up reply actions

You were more optimistic than me, I will be the first to admit that I predicted 8-8 and considered with all the offseason turmoil that 8-8 would mean we were not taking a step back and would improve in the future. I was pleasantly surprised with teh way we have played, and think it is possible to beat Indy in the play-offs. Wish we could have gotten a W, but this will help in the playoffs.

by JesseDForrer on Dec 14, 2009 9:06 AM MST up reply actions

13-3

Was not a prediction. It was a call for respect. I predicted 10-6 and it looks good. I think Denver did what they needed to do against Indy. The mistake was 3 and out on the first series. and not getting off the field on third down on Indy’s last series as well as settling for a field goal. A lot but overall not bad they played a good game for 3 quarters taking out the first half of the first and the last half of the 4th. For the first year in a new offense and new defense Denver is doing great.

... if you have a belief, you will tend to find things that support it. But if you have a prejudice, you’ll move heaven and earth to maintain it. BroncoBear

by 3nS on Dec 14, 2009 9:50 AM MST up reply actions

IN real life

I have often lost out in a promotion at work, or in a romantic adventure, or any number of other ways. Generally a loss is just a loss. There have been occassions where my best effort was not good enough and losing taught me some very important things – I learned and won the next time around. This ‘loss’ for Denver will likely be considered a turning point – where we matured as a team and McD as a coach. Going against the best and standing your ground teaches so much more than whooping up on KC.

by Flunkie on Dec 14, 2009 9:57 AM MST up reply actions

But 13-3 was a ludacris prediction.

We were not being ludicrous. It was a rallying chant. Everyone was predicting the end of the world when Shanny, and “the world’s best QB” got canned. Then we hired some “kid” as Head Coach. Then the worst draft in the history of the League. The calls for Pat Bowlen’s head, etc. Nobody gave this team a chance. There are some of us who are optimistic sorts and it just naturally grew. With the absurdities of doom, we fought back with something equally irrational. 13-3Baby!

Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks

by KaptainKirk on Dec 14, 2009 5:33 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs

13-3 2010

Maybe even better

... if you have a belief, you will tend to find things that support it. But if you have a prejudice, you’ll move heaven and earth to maintain it. BroncoBear

by 3nS on Dec 14, 2009 5:37 PM MST up reply actions

Now I can get on board for this one

Another year of growth for McD and everyone involved! Besides, we get to play the NFC West and probably won’t have to play division winners (though it looks like we have Indy again because we play the South, but this should be here).

And thanks to the Bears that remaining #1 pick should help us fill in an immediate need. :-)

~me

by vincerelli on Dec 14, 2009 8:17 PM MST up reply actions

13-3 a response for those on the edge

I once had a counseling professor tell the class “When the guy is on the edge of the ledge, don’t go stand next to him, stand back a bit and try to talk him away”

13-3 was my response to try and encourage some of those who felt like the season was a lost cause before we’d even played a game.

Another professor once told me “Usually it’s the responses that make us laugh that are the most effective.”

11-5 until we ain’t LOL

"Never give up! Never surrender!" Captain Peter Quincy Taggert in "Galaxy Quest"
"The best defense is a good offense. Or is it the other way around." Wolverine
Pray for the best, prepare for the worst, and know you will come down somewhere between the two.
Livin' in La La Land and Lovin' It

by Brian Shrout on Dec 14, 2009 9:10 PM MST up reply actions

I think...

the key is to make the playoffs, whether we win a game or not, and not blow it and miss out. We are a playoff caliber team. Making the playoffs will do two key things:

1. Build confidence and a culture of winning in the new system we have in place, instilling the playoffs as an expectation, not a bonus

2. Give our young players an experience as to what it is like to play at a high, playoff level. I sometimes wonder if Cutler had actually made the playoffs one of the years we were close, instead of just missing out, would he have raised his level of play as a whole and changed to fit the team. Only speculation, but a playoff position this year is key to developing a championship team.

The AFC Championship game is possible-but the playoffs are a MUST.

by BroncoJeff on Dec 14, 2009 9:17 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

Agreed

The calibre of football played in January is almost as different from the regular season as the college came is to the NFL. Every player on both sides of the ball knows that any mistake can be the end of the season.

by Flunkie on Dec 14, 2009 9:51 AM MST up reply actions

Great points

So long as we get one more win (which I’m seeing at least the two, in the remaining divisional games as likely wins, Philly will be another all around hard core game), I see being the fifth or sixth seed a given….. But nothing is that in the NFL now is it?

Anyway, I agree wholeheartedly, so long as we get to at least that one playoff game, it will build the standard for Josh’s coaching career with Us in the future. I can dig…

First team to three consecutive SB wins!!!! and then some, right? I think four and someone else oughtta have a 'fair' shot ( =

by PearlJamBroncoGFunk on Dec 14, 2009 10:29 AM MST up reply actions

Predicting anything right now is only a false hope.

We have to win out to be in the playoffs, we can’t depend on other teams folding up their lawn chairs and going home. The Ravens may be one of those teams and they have beaten us already, so a tie would go to them. Remember New England last year went home last year sporting a 11-5 record.

This season is different but the same ramifications may apply to the Broncos. Bottom line if we want to go play after Jan 3rd then they have to win out.

Guess what we have beaten 3 of the division leaders so anything can and usually does happen.

by bfree2bronc on Dec 14, 2009 1:38 PM MST reply actions

Did anyone notice after our last offensive play that Champ came over to Marshall and said something to him?

Just paraphrasing here: “Don’t worry about this game B, we’ll play these suckers again and kick their butts”. Well, it might not of went down like that but, that’s what I was thinking. We can play with these suckers, we showed it and the next time the outcome will be different.

by bfree2bronc on Dec 14, 2009 2:50 PM MST reply actions