Denver Broncos News: Horse Tracks - 10/11/10
by John Bena on Oct 11, 2010 4:58 AM MDT
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Relentless Ravens bust Broncos 31-17 - The Denver Post
What scissors were to Samson, what British Petroleum was to water, Baltimore is to the Broncos. The Broncos stink here.
Kiszla: Broncos pounded into fetal position - The Denver Post
Stuck in a brawl against one of the NFL's biggest, baddest bullies, Denver blinked. Now how are the Broncos going to look themselves in the mirror?
Krieger: Broncos offense remains an obstacle - The Denver Post
This is what a football team with a running game looks like. And this is why it matters.
Broncos unable to stop Ravens' run-fueled, 14-play TD march - The Denver Post
Ray Rice and the Baltimore offense stared across the line of scrimmage at the Broncos' defense and saw nothing but big bodies.
Right thigh injury limits Goodman to just four plays - The Denver Post
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was hopeful cornerback Andre Goodman would be able to make it through Sunday's game after being limited in practice this past week because of a right thigh injury, but it was not to be.
Broncos analysis: Third downs were a disaster - The Denver Post
The Broncos should check their pockets, turn them inside out, just to see if anything falls out with the lint.
Orton-Lloyd connection a bright spot in Broncos' loss to Ravens - The Denver Post
Maybe one of these years, the NFL will get a scouting report on Broncos receiver Brandon Lloyd.
Ravens 31, Broncos 17: Bests, worsts and the ex factor - The Denver Post
Bests: Look at Lloyd shine
Cowherd: No worries, Ravens think they're something special - The Denver Post
If you worried about a Ravens letdown for this one, you wasted a lot of emotional energy.
Pass or fail: Ravens 31, Broncos 17 - The Denver Post
Offense: Fail Yes, Kyle Orton finished with 314 yards passing, but 59 of those came on the Broncos' last three plays of the game and the Broncos ran for a dismal 39.
Bronco Talk: Ravens delivered a beating - The Denver Post
Words from the locker room after the Ravens beat the Broncos 31-17 Sunday afternoon in Baltimore:
NFL Game Center: Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens - 2010 Week 5
Ray Rice ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens frustrated Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton in a 31-17 victory Sunday.
NFL Game Center: Kansas City Chiefs at Indianapolis Colts - 2010 Week 5
Peyton Manning didn't have a touchdown pass or throw for 300 yards, so along comes backup running back Mike Hart to rescue the Indianapolis Colts and hand the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season.
NFL Game Center: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders - 2010 Week 5
Michael Bush ran 3 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 3:39 remaining and Tyvon Branch returned a fumble 64 yards for a score as the Oakland Raiders snapped a 13-game losing streak against the San Diego Chargers with a 35-27 victory Sunday over their AFC West rivals.
NFL Game Center: New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals - 2010 Week 5
Max Hall's debut as Arizona's quarterback was a winning one as the Cardinals defense intercepted three passes by Drew Brees and went on to a 30-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
NFL.com news: Lions WR Johnson knocked out of game with shoulder injury
Detroit's Calvin Johnson sat out the final few minutes of his team's 44-6 win over St. Louis on Sunday after hurting his shoulder making a diving catch near the sideline.
NFL.com news: Report: Rams WR Clayton suffers season-ending knee injury
Rams wide receiver Mark Clayton suffered a season-ending knee injury Sunday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh: 'I think it came out the wrong way' | National Football Post
After complaining recently about his lack of involvement, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh acknowledged that he might not be coming off the right way.
Week 5 post game notebook | National Football Post
1. The Saints’ issues: Couldn’t have predicated an Arizona win over New Orleans, but are we starting to see just how important the running game is to Drew Brees and this offense? When Reggie Bush went down with an injury, this offense lost that dynamic ability of a player that could be used creatively and moved around in terms of pre-snap alignment. But, with Thomas out, the Saints lose their downhill running game and a major part of their screen and draw package. And, it is showing in their offensive production.
Ravens expect Ed Reed to return after Patriots game | National Football Post
Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed should be able to start practicing following the team's game next week against the New England Patriots, according to coach John Harbaugh
Darrelle Revis Confirms Via Twitter That He's Playing Monday Night vs. Vikings -- NFL FanHouse
New York Jets Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis announced on his Twitter account that he is indeed playing Monday night against the Minnesota Vikings.
Goodell: League could punish Favre for conduct - NFL - SI.com
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says once the league completes its investigation of allegations Brett Favre sent racy messages and lewd photos to a Jets game hostess in 2008, it will "make a determination" if the Vikings quarterback should be punished.
Packers say Aaron Rodgers got concussion in OT loss - NFL - SI.com
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers got a concussion late in Green Bay's 16-13 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins, one of several injuries for the Packers on Sunday.
Falcons vs. Browns - Recap - October 10, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
tlanta's defensive end leaped to tip a pass, caught the deflection with a headfirst dive, rolled on the ground, alertly jumped to his feet and outran a few Cleveland players for a spectacular touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving the Falcons a 20-10 win over the battered Browns on Sunday.
Injuries derailing Packers' season - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
This is why preseason performances rarely matter. It’s why predictions in August are a joke. And it’s why five weeks into the NFL season, there isn’t a single undefeated team left.
Favre, Moss, Brady turn NFL into three-ring circus - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
In the 90-year history of the National Football League it’s fairly certain that a team’s season has never been derailed because the star quarterback may have text-messaged inappropriate photos to a "media personality" who was originally discovered when a television camera captured her cowboy hat and cleavage attire in the stands of a Florida State game.
Even in defeat, Chiefs show progress - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The measure of how far the Kansas City Chiefs have come in two years under coach Todd Haley and general manager Scott Pioli can probably be judged in one intriguing play during Sunday’s 19-9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Chris Johnson impersonates T.O. during TD celebration in Dallas - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
It wasn't quite Terrell Owens(notes) running to midfield and slamming the ball on the Dallas Cowboys star, but Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson did a star-stomping celebration of his own Sunday during his team's 34-27 road victory.
Knowing roles gets Giants D on a roll - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN
When I was in New York last week, the message I left with the Giants was to have some fun playing this game. It’s a very long season, and you have to enjoy what you’re doing out there. This was a great team win for the Giants. They all seemed to be playing together against the Texans. I believe they finally all understand what their roles are.
NFL Week 5's biggest rulings - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN
Once again, it was a crazy week with a lot of tough calls and crazy endings. I'm going to start off with two plays from the Tampa Bay-Cincinnati game: one that made a difference in the outcome of the game and another one in which uncharacteristically, the ground caused a fumble.
Cowboys have no cause to celebrate - NFC East Blog - ESPN
If the Dallas Cowboys miss the playoffs in 2010 -- and they took a major step in that direction Sunday -- one of the most enduring images will be right tackle Marc Colombo landing on his backside after chest-bumping tight end Jason Witten during a touchdown celebration. The NFL has a rule that players "can't go to the ground" when celebrating touchdowns -- even if the fall and subsequent somersault is a result of a right tackle's poor coordination.
Terrell Owens' tweet before Cincinnati Bengals game violates year-old NFL rule - ESPN
A post on his Twitter account noted that a fan wearing his jersey at the Bengals' game against Tampa Bay would get a football signed by him and Chad Ochocinco. The message was posted an hour before kickoff, violating the NFL's social media policy that prohibits posts 90 minutes before a game.
On the Cardinals and Max Hall's leadership - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Undrafted rookie quarterback Max Hall approached 11th-year linebacker Clark Haggans in the Arizona Cardinals' locker room three hours before kickoff Sunday.
Carolina Panthers buried in avalanche - NFC South Blog - ESPN
You know that lockout that everybody keeps saying might be coming in 2011? It’s already started for at least one National Football League team.
Broncos Fan Confidence Poll
Last tallied on 10/13.
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Thanks John...
Still dont know what to think of our team. Yesterday’s effort was a clanker. We could be the weakest team in the AFC West. I hope our players and coaches have an epiphany of some sort this week….because they need it!
You, my friend, are proof you dont need to have big floppy feet and a red nose to be a clown!
"I actually watched the World Cup. I HATE baseball. Hockey’s over. Hey, at least we have the WNBA. Oh, man. I’m making a noose. Want one?"
Harv Neptune.
by boydy2669 on Oct 11, 2010 6:07 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs
We are still the team that beat Tennessee in Tennessee
We lost to Baltimore in Baltimore.
It was SO awesome watching Buster Davis drop that bomb yesterday. I’m sure AJ “Lord of No Rings” Smith was loving that as Vincent Jackson watched on a couch somewhere.
All those missed early picks the Dolts wasted the last few years are really coming back to bite them in 2010.
- offense and #1 D in the NFL. On a 2-3 team? Talk about a lying stat if there ever was one.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
And Klis has been reading MHR again
To Mr. Klis: Plagiarize Nevermore!
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru.
by KaptainKirk on Oct 12, 2010 12:08 PM MDT up reply actions
Broncos got mugged
Went to the game. It was like watching a mugging in progress. Sat in a corner of the end zone in what was the Broncos goal line at the time and saw DT take the ball upfield when he got destroyed. Don’t know what it looked like on TV, but from my angle it looked brutal. And that was just one play of a game that was filled with similar plays. The Broncos just plain got manhandled. Very demoralizing performance. What a day. The Broncos just have to get better. The only good news was seeing SD and KC lose too.
by OrangeandBluesBros on Oct 11, 2010 7:03 AM MDT reply actions
DT did get destroyed. I would not watch for highlights of that hit.
The SD loss was awesome. 9-7 could win the AFC West this year. It’s another down here for the AFC West. Whomever takes the AFC West is going to get drilled by a Ravens or Steelers type team in the wild card round.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Agreed
Nobody in the AFC West has a shot at winning a playoff game this year.
Why does Madden suck at ranking the Broncos so much?
Random question...
…what section were you in? I was also seated around that area.
Quite a few Broncos fans were mildly heckled, but it was all in good fun.
Random Answer
Section 133, row 35. I saw a few scattered Broncos Jerseys in the vicinity in a sea of purple jerseys (about 95% of Ravens fans were wearing jerseys, the most I’ve seen anywhere).
by OrangeandBluesBros on Oct 11, 2010 1:42 PM MDT up reply actions
Good seats!
I was actually in 535…way up in the sky, in the nosebleeds. Almost directly above you.
But yeah, with the Orioles being so crappy for so long, everyone gravitates to the Ravens. The support for the team is insane here.
Aside from the final score, I hope you had a good time here.
Kiszla is right on in his analysis as any beat writer I have ever read . . .
Now maybe the Broncos will understand where McDaniels wants them to go. They now have a choice: Go there, or whimper and lick their wounds like a whipped puppy. This week is a crossroads for them this season. Hopefully, they will say, “Oh, I get it now,” and play some lights out the rest of the way. I hope that’s what they do . . .
-
BILLY THOMPSON GOT SHAFTED!!
I heard Kiszla set James James Merilatt straight this morning
…when Merilatt was yet again trying to agitate the fan base to run McDaniels out of town.
Seems like those with the most access to McD — like, eg, Vic Lombardi and Gary Miller — are some of his biggest supporters.
The local media has done a horrible job of presenting McDaniels to the fans; fans think McD is arrogant and that he’s lost the team, when in truth, the team buys in and realizes it is on them to get better.
Thanks for the post Jeff. McDaniels has IMMENSE upside. He screwed the ppoch yesterday, but our coach will learn from it.
You, my friend, are proof you dont need to have big floppy feet and a red nose to be a clown!
"I actually watched the World Cup. I HATE baseball. Hockey’s over. Hey, at least we have the WNBA. Oh, man. I’m making a noose. Want one?"
Harv Neptune.
Really stupid.
Thats hoodotry and it has no place in modern society.
Why does Madden suck at ranking the Broncos so much?
by ChristianL on Oct 11, 2010 9:39 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nice!
Josh McDaniels-All he wants to do is win a MF'in game!
by RockyMountainThunder on Oct 11, 2010 10:26 AM MDT up reply actions
LMAO!
Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru.
by KaptainKirk on Oct 11, 2010 10:34 AM MDT up reply actions
McD's problem isn't the media
It’s that he isn’t doing better than .500.
For the real McD haters, it’s because they think the team was primed for playoff runs as soon as 2009 and to go .500 and trade away all of the ‘talent’ is unforgiveable.
For the supporters (self included) it gets tougher with losses like yesterday because there were a ton of penalties and the team looked like it came to into Baltimore with the idea that they had no chance fo winning. For a guy that seems to challenge typical playcalling, I was uninspired by the playcalls on a few 3rd & longs and late in the game.
I like that McD is stubborn when it comes to the intangibles and team attitude he wants on the team and I love the way the passing game looks since he came to town. But, for the most part, a lot has NOT changed since Shanny was shown the door. Questionable draft picks, inconsistent defense, poor special teams play, revolving door at defensive coordinator, etc. And this running game problem just makes you throw your hands up. I mean, I know it’ll improve, but after 5 weeks, the Broncos look like a high school offense team trying to gain yards versus a College defense.
I want to see McD make big changes and be more aggressive with making those changes. I think McD could be a very good coach, but I’m starting to wonder if Denver shouldn have brought in a GM and McD, not just McD. Not that building a team is an easy task – seriously – it’s brutally tough in the NFL.
I still think Denver will finish 2010 with 10 to 7 wins. I think the chances that Denver makes the playoffs are small, but real.
But if Denver is 2-4 after next week, the fans are going to pull the fire drill on the McD regime.
Subscribe FREE to my weekly PODcast on iTunes. The Denver broncos Podcast (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-denver-broncos-podcast/id393488394)
Go Broncos!
The media isn't helping
That’s just a fact.
If they focused on what he was trying to do, and how he’s replaced a number of guys out of the league, and how much the players are behind him, the fans here would act differently.
Instead, we get a constant barrage of how his “arrogance” caused him to get rid of Cutler and Marshall and Scheffler and Hillis — with no reminders that, eg., Scheffler quit on the team, or Marshall would cost us $50 million, or that nobody was bitching at the time about the trade of a back we weren’t using for a first round QB (particularly in light of what we saw out of Chris Simms last year).
I realize it’s now become socially preferred to present yourself as a no-nonsense realist, and no-nonsense realists don’t make excuses.
But part of being a REAL realist is acknowledging things like the local media’s attempts to gin up controversy over McDaniels as a person in order to keep the callers calling and the columns writing themselves.
I said it yesterday, and I’ll repeat it here now: most Denver fans nowadays absolutely suck, and they substitute know-nothing, rote, predictably repetitive bluster (which often draws on the memes of the local sports media for its content) spoken loudly and with dripping disdain, for actual thought or analysis.
They are in this to hate — and yes, I question whether some of them are Broncos fans, particularly when the Broncos don’t have the kinds of star power that they feel warrants purchasing a jersey.
by JeffG on Oct 11, 2010 10:02 AM MDT up reply actions 2 recs
I actually agree with you
when you say that many Broncos fans aren’t very good fans. There’s an heir of stubborn ignorance with a lot of fans (the unsilent majority) and the only way McD will ever gain their favor is if he can get the Broncos into the ‘top tier’ of NFL teams AND (this is important) do it with a marketable star QB.
Broncos fans are more lazy than anything. They want sausage, but don’t want to see (or know) how it gets made. They just want to go to Marczyk’s and buy the stuff and enjoy it, but they don’t realize what goes into to making the stuff so good.
They wan some flash & sizzle at QB and want a ‘toughguy’ coach with super bowl rings. These fans don’t like talk about the O-line or the D-line or the depth at any position. They care about the stars (QB, RB, WR) and the coach. They have the right to call themselves fans, though, even if we just think they’re lazy. And what you say about the ‘jersey players’ is right on point too. Many of these people just want to be told that they were ‘right all along’ and are holding that tack because they sense that there’s a chance that they could be right down the road.
I like this site b/c most here are fans at the ‘next level’. We understand why the Broncos are doing what they’re doing and what has to happen to get better. We also understand what got the Broncos into the mess they’re currently in.
Subscribe FREE to my weekly PODcast on iTunes. The Denver broncos Podcast (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-denver-broncos-podcast/id393488394)
Go Broncos!
Man
I sure could go for some sausage right now. Maybe some bacon too! Mmmm, Bacon.
I’m sorry no there are a lot of doom and gloom fans who forget that the Broncos mean a lot more to some of us than just wins and losses.
Josh McDaniels-All he wants to do is win a MF'in game!
by RockyMountainThunder on Oct 11, 2010 10:33 AM MDT up reply actions
I Disagree
I don’t think you can paint the Denver sportswriters with a thick brush and say they are all biased against McDaniels or have nothing legitimate or positive to say.
Nor do I think the slant of Mile High Report is always correct in that I think it contributes to the polarization of fans by being so pro-McDaniels that there is a positive spin on any debacle like we saw yesterday. I think there is a bit of arrogance sometimes displayed here. The place should be a meeting ground for Denver Bronco fans to discuss what is good and bad about their team without being put in pro- or anti- McD boxes.
I was in Bronco gear at the game. The Broncos got beaten in nearly every phase of the game except for passing and Baltimore didn’t really need to try that since its running game was going so well. Baltimore fans were fairly kind to us given the pain that was inflicted on the Broncos.
Sportswriters like Jeff Legwold and Dave Krieger have tried to present balanced opinions on what is happening with the Broncos. Its pretty clear that the running game has reversed during the past two years. Run stopping is episodic.
Lots of fans do want “meat in the middle” both on the offensive and defensive lines. Not every fan needs sizzle. In fact, I think Bronco fans are among the best around, and I live in Baltimore where pro football is held in sacred light.
Lets go both ways with criticism. The new crowd has done some things right and some wrong. The system works for some things and not at all for others. Among others, I hope Denver learns from its mistakes and improves. I think it can. Denver looked tired yesterday and it is hard to blame them as they have been on the road to three warm Southeastern cities to start the season.
Hopefully the fans will get some Mile High Magic (Invesco Intimidation) going and the team can reverse field and finish strongly this year
by Baltimore Bronco on Oct 11, 2010 10:54 AM MDT up reply actions
Well, I live here
And I listen to all the sports talk radio. So I can say with confidence that, while it is unfair to lump ALL the sports talkers/writers together (and I’ve singled out several who are to be applauded, in my estimation), it is perfectly correct to note that, in the vast majority of cases, the narrative being spun here in Denver is of an arrogant coach who is not a good talent evaluator and whom the players distrust — a guy whose motivations are always, if not nefarious, at least ego driven: to wit, Orton’s last TD yesterday was a function of McD wanting to “pad Orton’s stats” so that he can show that he was right about letting Cutler go., etc.
The point is, for most of local media, it isn’t about “learning from mistakes and improving.” It’s about massaging the narrative in such a way that they can continue to hold onto their initial criticisms of McDaniels, criticisms they are on record with and so have to own up to should they be proven wrong or knee-jerk.
The only ego I see — outside the necessary ego one needs as a head coach — is the ego on display by many in the sports media.
If you want to diagnose actual problems and talk about a fix, that would make for a good radio show. If you want to spend 3 hours knowingly bemoaning the loss of Peyton Hillis, or delve into McDaniels’ mental makeup to find a “little man” who is out of his depth and who chases away stars and solid coaches because he can’t stand to be second-guessed, then you are the sports talk equivalent of Jerry Springer.
by JeffG on Oct 11, 2010 11:04 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yesterday
The Broncos did not look like a well coached team. I would be pretty harsh on how the team dealt with adversity. A team that lives on emotion often eats itself up with penalties or lack of execution and that is what happened yesterday. Of course, McDaniels has done a fabulous job with Orton, anyone can see that. He is very good at coaching quarterbacks to his system. That is a strength. Don’t you question some of his personnel moves? Do you like the running game now? Do you think a coach calling out his team for lacking mental toughness, but not his own preparation, is going to have good results in the locker room? Next week should be interesting. Ryan’s Jets should be tired with a day less of preparation and then the trip, and Rex Ryan’s ego was bruised when Baltimore let New England off the hook when Ryan was defensive coordinator and called a stupid time out that cost Baltimore the game. Emotions will be high on both sides. I hope we are both applauding Denver’s rebound next Monday.
by Baltimore Bronco on Oct 11, 2010 11:18 AM MDT up reply actions
I question some things
But I don’t speak in absolutes.
Today, the Broncos never addressed the defensive front. And that’s a week after they held Chris Johnson to 53 yards.
It’s all hyperbole. And it’s never thought through (does the fact that Broncos had the ball 9 minutes in the second half and were beaten down not account for the final run total Baltimore put up? Is that not a result of not playing the kind of complimentary football McD preaches rather than a result of drafting improperly? Or are Bannan and Jamal Williams suddenly bums by virtue of now being Broncos?)
McD’s first words yesterday acknowledged that his team was outcoached. And yet here you are, asserting that he hasn’t called out his own preparation, when he quite readily did.
And that’s what I mean. It’s part and parcel of a McD narrative that you have internalized. The rest is mere confirmation bias.
by JeffG on Oct 11, 2010 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Getting a Little Personal?
When the discussion is about the media and how it treats the football team and the response is to try to analyze the situation with my own opinions and biases, I am doing mainly what other fans do. You have as much a right to your opinion as I do.
I don’t believe I mentioned the defensive front in my comments. In fact, I have commented favorably on the pickups of Jamal Williams and Justin Bannan. Where did you get the idea that I was commenting on them?
As for McDaniels, you got what you did from his comments and I got what I did. I have never found that trashing my own team in public was a good thing. In the locker room, yes, but publicly no.
One man’s hyperbole is another man’s legitimate analysis.
Meanwhile, please pass on interpreting in psychological terms what others do. We all have opinions, based in part on fact and in part on opinion. No need to trash another fan’s opinion just because it differs from yours.
by Baltimore Bronco on Oct 11, 2010 11:42 AM MDT up reply actions
Rush Limbaugh Sports Radio
Hate for hate sakes, because it makes you so superior to feel so right about what’s wrong.
It’s not really about football or being a fan. It’s about self-righteousness.
Some people get off on that sort of thing and then just say “I’m being a fan.”
You can see it in the words such hate-mongers uses: attacks on how the coaches dress, or just simply name calling.
Personally, I was very sad to see the Broncos lose, and lose so badly. I’m not angry at all. My team play it’s best, even if they look like mentally they could have put more heart into it. Of course they made mistakes. But I don’t curse a baseball pitcher every time he fails to throw a perfect game. Heck, in that sport, if you do something right 3 times out of every 10, you’re a superstar!
I don’t bother listening to what preachers of despair offer. I’ve learned to leave problems to the problem makers. I think Mr. Bowlen has a good bead on this as well. He sees something in McD and is going to give him a chance to make it work. And I’m rooting for them to be successful achieving this goal. I don’t want to live supporting a team that’s short sighted in it’s goals. I’ll leave that to fans in other cities.
Go Broncos!
First they ignore you.
They then laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then, you win.
--Gandhi
by Santa Fe Bronc on Oct 11, 2010 2:43 PM MDT up reply actions
Not saying they never present McD in a fair light
…only after wins though.
MHR is more pro-McD than most other places, but at least it allows for pro-McD-ism, unlike many other outlets. And even then, look at what I said before…it’s not like blind faith. I recognize the failures with as much gusto as the successes.
I may have presented the local media with too thick a brush, but you catch my drift, right?
I guess what I’m saying is that it’s easier and more popular (and sounds smarter) to take the negative road than it is to defend McD. And frankly, he’s not super easy to defend.
Thing that kills me is this: BRONCOS NATION, WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING!? If you were expecting a dominant team (14 to 12 wins)or even an above average (12 to 10 wins) team this year, then you obviously don’t pay enough attention to the Broncos over the last handful of seasons & offseasons.
How are people upset at what the Broncos are? I don’t get it. One, it’s just a game; it’s not like we’re all shareholders and McD is a corrupt fund manager costing us millions, it’s frickin’ opt- in entertainment. And two, when you have to completely rebuild the team from the practice squad – up, it takes a very long time. Not just a season or two. It sucks to be patient, but what other choice is there? It’s extraordinarily rare to right the ship and end up making a deep playoff run in less than 3 seasons. I almost wish Denver was a 3 or 4 win team in ’07 and ’08 so people would apprecaite the process a bit.
Subscribe FREE to my weekly PODcast on iTunes. The Denver broncos Podcast (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-denver-broncos-podcast/id393488394)
Go Broncos!
by super7 on Oct 11, 2010 11:11 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Good Note
I agree that rebuilding is tough and no regime is perfect. Rightly or wrongly, I think a lot of people perceive McDaniels as arrogant. People enjoy seeing arrogant people, even if they are smart and successful, fall flat on their faces.
Bronco fans are spoiled. I think one of Shanahan’ faults was pandering to the need to patchwork for yet another season instead of doing serious rebuilding especially on defense.
What I have tried hard to do is see McDaniels in a positive light and applaud his successes. But, IMHO, he has some maturing to do and what the team does not need is a constant emotional roller coaster. Hopefully, he will level out the criticism of his own team, or place it on his own back, or it may clearly backfire on him.
by Baltimore Bronco on Oct 11, 2010 11:26 AM MDT up reply actions
But Denver wasn't a 3 or 4 win team. Not even close.
When a coach steps into an 24-24 and 8-8 team (as McD did), expectations of at least 8-8 are fair because this allows for change, but not regression. McD delivered an 8-8 team vs a hard schedule in 2009 but with great luck on the injury front.
8-8 is regression in 2010. We have an easier schedule. Your team has to win its share of the games like the one in Jacksonville, the one in Tennessee, the one vs the Jets and the one vs the 49ers. We have to beat teams we can realistically beat based on talent. We also have to beat the lesser teams like Oakland, Seattle and Rams. I still think we hit 8-8 (one dimensional and all) but a lot of that will depend on the Jets game. If we get our ass kicked like we did yesterday, I see 8-8 as unlikely. We didn’t handle adversity well in 2009 (including the coach). We didn’t handle it well yesterday either.
The Jets game is a big litmus test for McD’s regime. If we come out and lose by 14+ at home, this season could turn real ugly.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Yeah - I agree
And yes, the Jets game is huge. I totally agree that the tornado siren goes off if Denver isn’t in the game.
Food for thought:
Ryan and McD both got hired last offseason. I think a lot of people wanted Denver to hire Ryan (I know Woody Paige did) because the thinking was – “Denver has a decent offense and no defense, why don’t we hire a defensive guru and tweak the offense” (the same thought process was given to the Spagnuolo fans out there too). But Denver went in a different direction (regardless of right or wrong) and now – we’ll never know if that would have worked.
Denver went for McD and generally speaking has since gone a very non-traditional (ie unexpected) route (personnel-wise) since that hire. Ryan went a fairly traditional route (ie expected) and he has the Jets where Broncos fans were hoping the Broncos would be by now. The Jets didn’t really deserve to get into the playoffs last year, but they ultimately proved that they belonged. While Denver should have made the playoffs last year, they proved that they didn’t belong.
Interesting matchup in Denver. If the Jets lose tonight (they are 4.5 point favorites currently), a loss next week means that Denver and the Jets are both 3-3.
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And if the Jets win tonight and win next week.
We are 2-4 and they are 5-1.
I don’t gamble, but a betting man would not go all in our your “what if”. They’d double down on the one directly above.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Not arguing w/ that
Best case scenario is the what if. Realistically – the Jets’ll be favored by at least 3.5 next week.
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When the media portrays the McD regime in that way
…it’s very much on purpose.
Most talk show talk and dp articles are written in order to keep the cycle going. If it was truly incredible and insightful journalism that was ‘must read’, there wouldn’t be 10% of the blogs that exist today.
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I think I'm going to talk to Bena about starting a Broncos sports talk radio station
There are plenty of guys here knowledgeable enough to pull it off, and if we can get it streamed on the internet and on smart phones, I suspect that it would draw a bunch of people away from the nattering nabobs of negativity who control the Denver market.
So, John. What say you?
“McD’s problem isn’t the media. It’s that he isn’t doing better than .500”
Yes. This is the truth.
“I want to see McD make big changes and be more aggressive with making those changes. I think McD could be a very good coach, but I’m starting to wonder if Denver shouldn have brought in a GM and McD, not just McD. Not that building a team is an easy task – seriously – it’s brutally tough in the NFL.”
Again, agree with you 110%. Xanders is not this guy. We need an Ozzie Newsome type.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Gawd Yes
That’d be the smartest thing Bowlen’s ever done. He’s always liked the coach/GM to be the same guy, which seems odd considering McD’s inexperinece.
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No, that's just part of the truth
The other part is that he’s portrayed relentlessly in a negative light.
And then the fans parrot that back to the very people who are creating the narrative, and are rewarded for doing so. They are the “realists.”
That’s garbage. They have been trained like Pavlov’s dog that negativity is rewarded, and optimism is “Kool Aid drinking,” such that people here are afraid to speak positively about anything the Broncos have done, lest they be ridiculed.
I hear this every day.
We have a fan base now that thinks to appear “smart” and “informed” they have to be relentlessly negative. That’s unfortunate — and it is a condition that has been largely media driven.
Believe me or don’t. But it is what it is.
The MSM is overly harsh on McD. Local media too. I agree with you.
Does any of these mean McD is doing a great job that is going unnoticed by the haters? No, it does not.
IMO and based on his 21 games of work, McD is doing an okay job.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
At MHR, people get rec’d all day long for being an “optimist” and saying Denver will run for over 100 yards on Baltimore.
Are they the “informed and smart”. IMO – that is drinking the cyanide (sp) laced Kool-Aid. The only thing missing are the pom-poms and skirts.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Neither Polar Opposite is Correct
Some writers perceive McD in a negative light, others in a positive light, and some actually look at specific actions and see things in a mixed light.
I disagree with your psychological analysis of fan behavior. Many good fans are quite capable of holding intelligent views on their own.
Neither “Kool-Aid drinkers” nor “McDaniels bashers” advance our dialog among Bronco fans about the direction our team should be taking.
Some fans are positive, some are negative, and that is probably the same situation that exists in every other NFL city.
Listen to both sides and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
by Baltimore Bronco on Oct 11, 2010 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions
Fan psychology
..is a fantastic subject and I’m wondering why there aren’t consulting firms that specialize in it and work with teams within their local markets in order to sell the product & spin the word to better suit the team.
But in the end, isn’t the prevailing reason why Broncos fans are miffed because their team is percieved as, for the most part, suddenly insignificant on the landscape of noteable NFL happenings?
I mean, Denver used to get top billing through the mid -2000’s. But now, we are typically one of the last highlight packages shown and least talked about teams on the internet and national TV. There’s just no ‘buzz’ about the team nationally. I, personally couldn’t care less, but maybe a lot of fans care very much about this.
Is this wrong or way out of line or kind of true…
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The problem is, the perception has been earned by the team
They are, and have been insignificant on the NFL landscape since 2006. They don’t even make interesting TV. One reason I always enjoyed being a Bronco fan was that, win or lose, they were fun to watch. There was always the feeling that something big could happen at any moment. A lot of that was Elway, and so it may be gone forever. But that’s where McDaniels’ version of the Broncos fails – they aren’t interesting to watch…ever. As fans, we’re biased on the entertainment factor (or don’t care if it’s entertaining or not), but TV networks and “freelance fans” want to find the most interesting game to watch. And this team is not it.
The bottom line is that Broncos do not scare anyone. No one has to come up with special game plans to beat them. Play the Broncos straight up and dare them to match up. That’s it. For all his passing yards, no one is frightened by Kyle Orton because his yards do not result in points. The running game is an epic joke. And bend the D enough, and it will certainly break.
They’ve earned the view.
Can't really argue with that
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I agree with a tweak
I actually think fans turned on McD once they realized the national media decided he was a joke. Denverites were for so long used to being overlooked as a cow town by people nationwide and that the Broncos’ success through the 70s, 80s, and 90s made them feel validated as a “real city.” Somehow, the negative talk surrounding McD triggered some kind of subconscious reaction along the lines of “Oh, no! They don’t respect us again!” I think a large portion of the McD haters (you know, the ones who can’t explain why they hate him outside of his hoodie?) really hate him because they think he’s messed with the city’s reputation nationwide.
Hope that made sense.
kind of funny
but I know exactly what you’re trying to say. It’s totally petty but there’s a ton of truth in there (for SOME of us). In fact, I have tried & failed numerous times to explain what you’re talking about to non-Denverite Broncos fans and people look at me like I’m insane.
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I know you can't remake a team once the season begins . . .
But McD has to find a different way to bring more intensity to the field by his players. Or maybe B-Dawk and KO need to call a closed players’ meeting. Definitely, McD needs to figure out how to pound the ball in the running game. Not time to panic, especially since Oakland took down the Chargers and Colt’s handled the Chiefs. AFC West is still wide open.
I was disappointed in Andre Brown’s performance. I was expecting him to make a physical impact at the very least, but he tip-toed with the ball. And all those penalties? What was that about? Crowd noise? Biased refs? They certainly missed a few holding penalties and at least one pass interference that I saw.
Andre Brown
You shouldn’t have expected anything good from Brown. He was a ‘last guy on the roster’ in NY and he’s the same in Denver.
To make matters worse, Denver’s O-line is gawd awful.
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I hate to say this, because I love the Thomas pick
But we need a guy in the middle like Rolando McClain.
And no, I didn’t advocate picking him at the time of the draft. But we need an Al Wilson type.
Rolando McClain was a Top 8 pick. Denver has not picked that high since 1991.
We do need some defensive producers, which is why whiffs on the Phonz, Rich Quinn and drafting Tebow and Decker when we have other young players playing very well at those spots is such a problem. We could have used to picks to fortifiy other weak spots like pass rush, ILB and DE.
Does McD have a good grip on the talent and needs of his roster? That is the question I’m asking myself more and more these days. His passing game is amazing, really really amazing, but his GM skills are questionable.
Josh McDaniel's Broncos are 10 - 11. He holds a .476 winning percentage. Updated weekly.
Thanks for the Tracks Guru
even if i don’t really feel like reading any of them cos they’ll be depressing
On the bright side, Orton was sacked only once after being brought down six times a week ago. This is outstanding considering the Broncos ran the ball exactly three times for 1 yard in the second half.
Ouch.
魏 多福
-:Broncos season ticket holder:-
I felt going through this portion of the schedule if we could get through the Jets game and be 3-3 we’d be in good shape to make a run. Well here we are at home against the Jets, who are coming off a monday night game, with a chance to be 3-3. I hope Randy Moss runs Revis right to another pulled hamstring like he did in his first game against him. Plus, Revis has never covered Brandon Lloyd, so he’s just like every other Denver opponent so far this year. Mwahahahah.
If we can get to the Bye week at 4-4 or 5-3, even better. We are going to get better this season, because the o-line and d-lines will continue to gel. Remember Williams Vickerson and Bannan have played just two games for us so far.
Josh McDaniels-All he wants to do is win a MF'in game!
by RockyMountainThunder on Oct 11, 2010 10:31 AM MDT reply actions
Schedule could help Broncos against Jets
Jets play Monday NIght game tonight, then have to travel to Denver for Sunday game. I’ve always thought this was a winnable game for the Broncos as long as they didn’t get too badly beat up physically in the Ravens game. We’ll have to check the injury report.
by OrangeandBluesBros on Oct 11, 2010 10:45 AM MDT up reply actions
Good article by Kiszla!
Most certainly a team problem. Coaching staff and the players need to wake the hell up! The Jets game is a must win. We need to come out and play aggressive from the opening kickoff. Take some frigin chances and make a statement. Enough of these conservative 1st quarters where we fall behind. Enough of playing back on our heels!
As if the week couldn't start any better ....
Lindsay Jones is reporting McBath, Woodyard, Goodman, Dawkins and Ayers are out for game on Sunday vs the Jets. What happended to Ayers yesterday?
Denver got their
@$$es kicked by a big, strong, mean group of linemen on both sides of the ball.
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