Denver Broncos News - Horse Tracks - 11/23/10

I am officially off the Kyle Orton band wagon…in fact I am ready to set fire to it……he aint clutch, and has the athleticism of an elephant on valium.
I am now ready for Tebow.

I agree with this idea:

I think I’m too close to the Broncos, think MHR is as well, to understand this Bronco squad.

I think there’s nothing harder to make sense out of than a totally average team, because it tends to be the last thing a fan thinks about their team. Even if you think your team is terrible, has the worst coach ever, has the worst QB ever, or whatever at least your team is in some way special.

I wrote the following in the Oakland game thread, and after the blowout win followed by last night’s loss, I think I stand by it:

This is exactly what mediocre NFL teams do — they win games that make you think they’’re about to turn the corner and be good, they lose games that seemed easy to win, and they muddle through the rest winning a game here, losing one there.

The Broncos are OK, not great, not terrible, just a standard issue, middle of the road NFL team. It’s only paying a lot of attention to them that makes it seem like there’s something really good or bad going on, since there’s so much data that needs to be fit into some kind of narrative.

But I had this ‘feeling’ we were going to play them tough… I also don’t know this team at all. These guys definitely don’t take the losses as hard as we do.

reading the replies below as i write… Orton. CAN’T lead us. Bottom line. We need a leader or three.

Which leads to the captains comment …certainly our vets aren’t!! They can jump in the drama last year with Marshall but they can’t generate enough heart to put up a real fight when the game’s decided and we just want em to show some pride. I don’t give a damn about a single veteran on this team. Not one. Orton shows heart but he isn’t THAT guy I’m very sorry to say. The rest? Screw em. They’ve become paycheck collectors.

I never dreamed we’d be 4-12 but I think that’s the target we’re aimed at unfortunately. I’ve been a lifelong Bronco and love them still but even I thought the game was over after that fake punt. For Turner to call a fake punt on 4th and long showed zero respect for the Broncos at all; offense or defense. When they converted it was like a blind uppercut in a boxing match. It didn’t end the bout but it took a lot of energy out of the boxer. For the rest of the game the Broncos were covering up and trying to get some lucky shots in.

And when that fake punt happened I knew it was a game defining play. The stadium absolutely erupted and the once pumped up Broncos sideline fell silent and expressionless. It was one of those “here we go again” moments. Considering how this team has responded to momentum shifts in games this year, tell me why you did NOT think this play would be the end of the game. We have shown absolutely no ability to shift momentum back into our favor all season except for maybe the Titan game.

I watched the film early this day (because I’m a loser, that’s why, I’ll admit it) and there were so many opportunities to get back in the game that we flubbed. It sucks rocks but it’s up to the team to change it. Film can be educational if the players let it be. There were mistakes the Broncos CAN correct. Of course, if they don’t bother changing things on the field, it only increases problems that already exist. Thanks for being the only realist that isn’t an a-hole, I mean that!

You are right on so many levels…this team is weak overall…especially weak on defense. That defense is a vat full of weak sauce with a couple of strong old meatballs floating around in it.

But the OL isnt helping him much. But I agree it seems like all you have to do is get a hand on him and he falls

Like I said two weeks ago. Preseason should already be started! Let’s get to preparing for something better than this BULLSHIT. This is the worst streak since 1972 already…

Come on.

LOL

but then I knew for a fact that this was true after reading this…

I’m glad we got that second touchdown late, so that at first glance this only looked like a FOUR touchdown beating.

three divisional opponents lose out for the rest of their games (except when they play each other, of course) and the Broncos win out, that’s how we’re mathematically alive. I told my coworker, the mathematical probability exists we can be a playoff team but the chances are remote. We did this to ourselves and I’m sick about it. However, I love this team come hell or high water

have to watch the Rams on atdhe.net because the SLC market wants to broadcast the Eagles-Bears game. War fuzzy picture and Swedish commercials I guess!

Even if we do stoop to Raider status…. I know we’ll still be loyal. That’s how it works with a true fan.

Now if we could train up some ‘true players’ as mentioned above.

i think wink gets more time with them, if for nothing else but to have one guy go more than one year.

the offense, on the other hand, has absolutely zero excuse for 1-12 on 3rd downs. completely pathetic. screen plays on 3rd and longs. outside of one drive, this vaunted offense was useless for most of 4 quarters.

But I truly doubt he’s the leader we need, because if he was, he’d be getting a lot more game time.

in the midst of all of the Kyle Orton love, I think everyone from MHR to the rest of the media forgot that there’s a reason that we drafted Tebow. When to put him in is another question.

My guess at this point?
Some team will want to trade for KO at the end of the season, but if we bench him now we’ll significantly decrease his trade value. I say trade him at the end of the season for whatever we can get and go with Tebow next year.

The playcalling is not conservative though. I’m really not sure if you’ve been watching the same games as me if you think the playcalling is conservative.

Is that he is so far from being ready to be an NFL QB at this point that McD won’t dare put him in any real, extended game situations as a “real QB” (that is, not in the swamp offense or whatever they call it) because it will only expose that fact. His footwork is horrible. His ball handling skills are subpar. And his delivery is awkward. From the little I’ve seen, that is. Yes, he is athletic. Yes, he was a winner. But imo, he’s probably at least a full year or two away from being an NFL QB.

How else can we explain the fact that he hasn’t played in any of our blowout wins or losses?

and Peyton Manning have shown nice guys can finish first. You can be a nice guy and have fire, as Brian Dawkins has proven. Sadly, no one on the team seems to think that even though there is a precedent

That was the Raider game. This is drowning in the bottom of the pond.

The only players on our D in their prime are DJ and Doom, neither are vocal leaders, but leading by example can be just as good if we have the right players around these guys. Dawkins and Champ are definitely leaders on this team. However, up until this point in their careers they have been able to lead by example, but this is the first time we’ve really seen either of these guys playing on a team that is insignificant before the end of November. It will be interesting to see how they respond. This defense is in serious need of some more fiery, physical players like Joe Mays. Can’t wait for the draft…

Thank Shanny for that. (we SO should have beaten the Steelers and then Seattle with Plummer)
Rebuilding looks like this year in the real world.