The Denver Broncos just got beat by 14 points and I am feeling pretty good. Why? Maybe it is a multitude of serious beatdowns at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in their building that has numbed me to a similar outcome today. Maybe it is the fact that, as I watched highlights of the Chiefs loss to the Colts, or the Texans loss to the Giants - or even how the Titans, a team the Broncos beat last week, are beating up on the Cowboys. All those things - and a little Raiders-Chargers fun - has me feeling pretty good.
The Broncos are in the middle of, what some might call, a tough stretch. Indy, Tennessee, Baltimore, New York all back-to-back. it sounds better if I say it by team name - Colts-Titans-Ravens-Jets. Four AFC games, four elite teams in different ways. To say the Broncos have a chance to come out of that grouping at 2-2 makes me feel pretty good.
I don't enjoy watching the Broncos get man-handled, don't enjoy penalties or turnover or injuries. We'll talk all about that in the Aftermath tomorrow. For now, however, I keep thinking about the AFC West and those 6-games the Broncos still have to play against the Division. Go 5-1, and the Broncos win 10 games and win the West.
I know, maybe I'm foolish, but I am, after all, a FANatic. I can't help myself. The Broncos lost a game today to one of the elite teams in the AFC. Hard to watch, yes, but not without some positives.
The Broncos have an elite QB, whether you want to admit it or not. His 104.5 rating and 300 yard passing day against the NFL's highest-rated defense was no mirage. Again, no running game, again, Kyle Orton was effective. That has me feeling pretty good - especially in AFC West play.
Hopefully this makes you feel a bit better until we meet tonight for MHR Radio(9:30PM et / 7:30PM mt). The Broncos are 2-3. Beat the Jets, and the schedule sets up for a solid finish. Big If, but while it seems the Broncos can't buy a win in Baltimore, beating the Jets in Denver seems much more feasible - even likely. I like that.
GO BRONCOS!