Horse Whisperings - Division Playoffs Edition

by KaptainKirk on Jan 11, 2012 10:00 AM MST in Horse Whisperings

Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers loses the ball against Elvis Dumervil of the Denver Broncos during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 8, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

As the Denver Broncos take to the friendly skies this week and head to Foxborough to play against the New England Patriots on Saturday, the Weekly Press release is out, which brings another edition of Horse Whisperings. I have covered just about all of the cumulative stats and factoids for the regular season, so this one will be short on commentary. However, those of you who prefer charts over words will enjoy this offering.

2011 DENVER BRONCOS PRO BOWL SELECTIONS

Congratulations to Cornerback Champ Bailey, Defensive End Elvis Dumervil and Linebacker Von Miller. They were the Broncos voted to the 2012 Pro Bowl, which will be played on January 29th at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu at 7 p.m. EST.

Bailey, in his 13th NFL season and eighth year with the Broncos, was named to the Pro Bowl for the 11th time to become one of just six players in league history with that many selections. Named to the Pro Bowl as a Bronco seven times (2004-07, ’09-11), Bailey is the 5th player in club history with at least seven Pro Bowl selections, joining QB John Elway (9), Safety Steve Atwater (8), LB Randy Gradishar (7) and TE Shannon Sharpe (7).

Dumervil, in his sixth NFL season, was named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection after leading the NFL with a team record 17 sacks in 2009, and his nomination this year came after missing the entire 2010 campaign due to injury.

Miller, whom the Broncos selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft from Texas A&M University, joins kicker David Treadwell (1989) as the only rookies in team history to be named to the Pro Bowl. He is the first rookie linebacker to earn a Pro Bowl selection since Brian Cushing (Hou.), Clay Matthews (G.B.) and Brian Orakpo (Was.) in 2009.

TEBOW’S PLAYOFF DEBUT

Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow completed 10-of-21 passes for 316 yards with two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 50 yards (5.0 avg.) with one score in his playoff debut against Pittsburgh. With his performance, he joined Joe Montana and Jeff Garcia as the only players in NFL postseason history to pass for 300 yards and two scores in addition to rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown. Tebow’s 15.1 yards per passing attempt against Pittsburgh also represented the best mark in NFL postseason history (min. 20 att.), and his 316 passing yards were the most ever by a player in his postseason debut with the Broncos.

PLAYERS TO PASS FOR 300 YARDS AND 2 TOUCHDOWNS AND RUSH FOR 50 YARDS AND 1 TOUCHDOWN, NFL POSTSEASON HISTORY

Player	Opponent	(Date)	Result	Pass	TD	Rush	TD
Joe Montana	S.F. vs. Mia.	(1/20/85)	Win,	331	3	59	1
Jeff Garcia	S.F. vs. NYG	(1/5/03)	Win, 39-38	331	3	60	1
Tim Tebow	Den. vs. Pit.	(1/8/12)	W, 29-23(OT)	316	2	50	1

MOST PASSING YDS./ATT., NFL POSTSEASON HISTORY (min. 20 att.)

Player	Opponent	Att.	Comp.	Yds.	Y/A
1. Tim Tebow	Den. vs. Pit.(1/8/12)	21	10	316	15.1
2. Terry Bradshaw	Pit. vs. LAN (1/20/80)	21	14	309	14.7
3. Peyton Manning	Ind. vs. Den. (1/4/04)	26	22	377	14.5
4. Peyton Manning	Ind. vs. Den. (1/9/05)	33	27	458	13.9
5. Bob Waterfield	LAN vs. Chi. (12/17/50)	21	14	280	13.3

MOST 25+YARD PASSES, SINGLE GAME, NFL POSTSEASON HISTORY

	Player	Opponent	25+
1.	Aaron Rodgers	G.B. at Ari. (1/10/10)	7
2.	Peyton Manning	Ind. vs. Den. (1/9/05)	6
3.	Tim Tebow	Den. vs. Pit. (1/8/12)	5
	Doug Flutie	Buf. vs. Mia. (1/2/99)	5
	Joe Montana	S.F. vs. Cin. (1/22/89)	5
	Philip Rivers	S.D. vs. Ten. (1/6/08)	5

MOST PASSING YARDS IN BRONCOS POSTSEASON DEBUT

Player	Opponent (Date)	Att.	Cmp.	Yds	TD	ONT	Rating
1. Tim Tebow	vs. Pit. (1/8/12)	21	10	316	2	0	125.6
2. Jake Plummer	vs. Ind. (1/4/04)	30	23	181	1	2	74.4
3. Craig Morton	vs. Pit. (12/24/77)	23	11	164	2	0	100.6
4. Steve DeBerg	at Sea. (12/24/83)	19	14	131	1	1	87.8
5. Gus Frerotte	at Bal. (12/31/00)	28	13	124	0	1	44.3

DEMARYIUS THOMAS’ POSTSEASON DEBUT

Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas fueled Denver’s 29-23 win against Pittsburgh in the AFC Wild Card round with his four-catch, 204- yard performance, which included an 80-yard game-winning touchdown reception on the first play of overtime. Thomas’ 204 receiving yards represented the most by a Broncos in postseason history and marked the seventh most in NFL playoff annals. His 51.0 receiving average also stands as the 2nd-highest receiving average in any NFL game (min. 4 rec.).

MOST RECEIVING YARDS, SINGLE GAME, BRONCOS POSTSEASON HISTORY

Player	Opponent	Rec.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
1. Demaryius Thomas	vs. Pit. (1/8/12)	4	204	51.0	1
2. Steve Watson	vs. Pit. (12/30/84)	11	177	16.1	1
3. Haven Moses	vs. Oak. (1/1/78)	5	168	33.6	2
4. Shannon Sharpe	at LAA (1/9/94)	13	156	12.0	1
5. Rod Smith	vs. Atl. (1/31/99)	5	152	30.4	1

MOST RECEIVING YARDS, SINGLE GAME, NFL POSTSEASON HISTORY

Player	Opponent	Rec.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
1. Eric Moulds	Buf. at Mia. (1/2/99)	9	240	26.7	1
2. Anthony Carter	Min. at S.F. (1/9/98)	10	227	22.7	0
3. Reggie Wayne	Ind. vs. Den. (1/9/05)	10	221	22.1	2
4. Steve Smith	Car. at Chi. (1/15/06)	12	218	18.2	2
5. Jerry Rice	S.F. vs. Cin. (1/22/89)	11	215	19.5	1
6. Calvin Johnson	Det. at N.O. (1/7/12)	12	211	17.6	2
7. Demaryius Thomas	Den. vs. Pit. (1/8/12)	4	204	51.0	1

HIGHEST RECEIVING AVERAGE, SINGLE GAME, REGULAR SEASON OR PLAYOFFS, NFL HISTORY (min. 4 rec.)

Player	Opponent	Rec.	Yds.	Avg.	TD
1. DeSean Jackson	Phi. vs. Dal. (12/12/10)	4	210	52.5	1
2. Demaryius Thomas	Den. vs. Pit. (1/8/12)*	4	204	51.0	1
3. Gary Clark	Was. vs. Atl. (11/10/91)	4	203	50.8	3
4. Homer Jones	NYG vs. Was. (10/1/67)	4	196	49.0	2
5. Raymond Berry	Bal. vs. Dal. (10/30/60)	4	195	48.8	3

*Playoff game

Demaryius Thomas totaled 25 receptions for 448 yards (17.9 avg.) with three touchdowns in Denver’s final five games. Thomas’ 448 receiving yards during that stretch rank second in team history during the last month of a season (Dec./Jan.).

MOST RECEIVING YARDS IN DECEMBER/JANUARY, BRONCOS HISTORY

Player	Year	GP	Rec.	Yds.	Avg.	TDs
1. Brandon Marshall	2007	5	43	478	11.1	3
2. Demaryius Thomas	2011	5	25	448	17.9	3
3. Steve Watson	1982	5	27	433	16.0	2
4. Anthony Miller	1994	4	16	431	26.9	0
5. Rod Smith	1998	4	24	428	17.8	1

I've probably gone on long enough by now, so I will leave you with this: Last years top two picks (Tebow and Thomas) are making meaningful contributions and are beginning to mature. Sure there is room for improvement, but there is also room to grow. This years top draft pick (Von Miller), has made the impact he was drafted for, proving the fact by his Pro Bowl selection. He needs to improve his Run Defense, but that was known on Draft Day. With an offseason to work on these things, this trio will represent part of the core of the Broncos team for years to come.

Go Broncos!

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Comments

Tebow's Playoff Debut...300 passing yards not rushing.

Win, lose or draw, we are the Denver Broncos! 13-3 Baby!!! Until we ain't!

Follow @bfree2bronc

by bfree2bronc on Jan 11, 2012 10:11 AM MST reply actions

Its sad looking at how much we relied on BM

43 receptions? Surely there were other people open???

by trumanj on Jan 11, 2012 10:19 AM MST reply actions

he was never worth it

NEVER

Brad James

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With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!

by the new Bradfather on Jan 11, 2012 12:34 PM MST up reply actions

If he had DT's personality,

he would be competing with Jerry Rice for best WR ever right now

by KT3 on Jan 11, 2012 11:01 PM MST up reply actions

is b. dawkins playing?

"They’re a very special group of men. Cherish them, you will not see their like again."

by chaucer on Jan 11, 2012 10:25 AM MST reply actions

We won't know his status until Friday or Saturday morning...

Win, lose or draw, we are the Denver Broncos! 13-3 Baby!!! Until we ain't!

Follow @bfree2bronc

by bfree2bronc on Jan 11, 2012 10:27 AM MST up reply actions

So what do we have as wide receivers? Thomas, Royal, Willis and Goodwin?

Establishing the run again and executing without errors will be key to winning this game. Brady can score in a few seconds just like Rodgers and it will be very difficult to hold their offense down. The Steelers did it in their win over NE, and I still can’t figure that one out, how they pulled it off unless the Pats all had an off day.

Win, lose or draw, we are the Denver Broncos! 13-3 Baby!!! Until we ain't!

Follow @bfree2bronc

by bfree2bronc on Jan 11, 2012 10:25 AM MST reply actions

Ball control is how they did it

If you look at the stats, the Steelers just didn’t let Brady have the ball. Look at the scoring drives
First Drive: 11 plays 5:52 of the clock—Touchdown
Second Drive: 16 plays 7:47 off the clock—Field Goal
Third Drive: 10 plays 5:39 off the clock—Touchdown
Fourth Drive: 14 plays 7:06 off the clock—Field Goal
Fifth Drive: 11 plays 5:54 off the clock—Field Goal

They punch a few more of those short field goals in and it would have been a route. The only let the Pats have the ball once in the First Quarter. It was a nice mix of short passes all over the field and running plays. They only went deep a few times (got a big PI penalty on one), but mostly it was just short passes and running plays. They ran 28 more plays than NE, holding the ball for nearly 20 minutes longer!! That’s how you beat NE.

by shasta77 on Jan 11, 2012 11:41 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs