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I've been to many Broncos vs Chiefs games in Kansas City, and I can tell you for a fact that after each score, the crowd chants (to that music) "We're gonna beat the hell out of you, you, you, you, you!"...
Well, guess what Chiefs fans? "We're gonna We beat the hell out of you, you, you, you, you!"
Do you see what happens when you play a REAL quarterback? You know, not ones named Blane Gabbert or Jeff Tuel. Defense? You call what you have a defense? I call what you have a paper champion! 11 TDs all season? Hell, we damn near put up 50% of that up on you tonight! Pass rush? You call that a pass rush? I call that a donut run!
Hey, how about those CBs and Safeties? We've heard for a month solid about how you were going to be able to handle our WRs with ease! All we heard was "we will man you up and completely shut you down!"... What part about 300+ yards passing is shutting our WRs down? Oh, and by the way, the first time the Chiefs have faced a competent QB, they gave up 300+ yards. How about that defense?!?!
Now on to the instant reactions!
First of all, I'd like to say, "Thank You" to the Chief's players for not taking cheap shots on Manning.
OFFENSE:
The offense was far from perfect today, and they scored less than their season average, but Peyton Manning and the boys got the job done.
Montee Ball had 2 TDs and Julius Thomas added in another. Overall, the plays were there when the offense wanted them, but they just seemed to be more preoccupied in keeping Manning upright than being explosive on offense, and I for one whole heartedly agree with that. I would rather having Manning leave the game without further injury/aggravation to his ankle than putting up 40+ points.
This was more about our offense being conservative in pass protection and keeping Manning clean than the Chiefs' defense actually shutting the Broncos down. Make no mistakes, if Manning is 100%, the Broncos push the pedal to the metal and hang 40+ on the chiefs.
DEFENSE:
Our defense showed flashes of dominance today, but also showed that their play makers (Miller) aren't quite up to snuff. Has the extra weight Miller gained affected his play? It certainly seems so because he just seems slow and swallowed up by linemen.
Considering injuries to our starting players such as Moore, Champ, Trevathan, I think our defense showed great progress in overall effectiveness. They did seem more of a "bend but don't break" defense at times, but at other times when they seemed to want to dial up the heat, they were very effective at stopping the Chiefs in their tracks (although that shouldn't be very hard seeing how pathetic their offense is).
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Punt and kickoff coverage was fantastic. They completely shut out any hope that the Chiefs had at returning anything for any significant yardage. Our coverage units get an A+ in my book.
As for our return game, it was yet another day of ineffectiveness. Holliday didn't have any hope of returning anything, and "only" muffed (but recovered) one punt.
Overall, our special teams was good because the Broncos don't need flashy returns, but they absolutely need to stop good return teams. Job well done!
Closing Thoughts:
Get well Welker and Moore, we need you. It was also really nice to see Montee Ball get some extended looks. He finally pass protected well and actually left his bricks for hands at home. He was effective in the running game and churned out some really good yards and 2 TDs. It was a very good showing by him.
When Travathan went down, I was happy to see that Steven Johnson seamlessly stepped in for him and caused a fumble even though it wasn't upheld. I think our linebackers have the best depth out of every position on the team.
And lastly, way to go Broncos, you sit atop the AFC with a 9-1 record. You have taken your rightful position atop the AFC West, and I can't wait for the rematch in Kansas City. If Peyton is healthier, it will be an even higher scoring victory for the Broncos. This team is on a mission, and as of right now, we can all say "Who have the Chiefs beaten? Because we know that we just beat an undefeated team! The first time the Chiefs played a team with a winning record, they LOST!!!"
GG Broncos, it was a great night!