Mile High Report Mailbag: Sandy Eggo Sooper Chokers Edition

Are you worried in any way about a potential Bronco loss on Sunday?

Scotty Payne

A little bit. 

I hate to admit it, but I am. I full expect Denver to win, but deep down I remember last year. Anything can happen in the playoffs. San Diego has played Denver tough this year, but I still think Denver wins.

Big Pete

Yes! After witnessing the 1996 playoff loss and last year's playoff loss, nothing can possibly happen this football season to make me so confident that I'll allow myself to overlook an opponent again. Now, I fully expect the Broncos to not only win, but to wipe the floor with the Chargers, but that doesn't mean that I'm not anxious about this game. I just think that with such a recent loss at home to the Chargers, that the Broncos will in no way overlook them. Sure, I credit the Broncos having just wrapped up a first round bye and the Chargers playing for their playoff lives as to why the Broncos came out flat against the Chargers, but that's just what I think, not necessarily why the Broncos got whooped. So yes, anything can happen.

Bronco Mike

Hell yes!  Losing sucks.  One and done sucks.  Setting records and rewriting history only to lose against Phyllis and co. would really, really, suck.  Then an offseason of questions arguing, most likely about Peyton Manning, would ensue amongst Broncos fans. 9-12, he chokes, can't win the big one, that would be such a bad way to spend the offseason.  Just get it done Broncos!

Ian Henson

When the San Diego Chargers are a Super Bowl team, they will have won a Super Bowl. I am going to go ahead and predict that San Diego will not win a Super Bowl while Philip Rivers is the quarterback. The Chargers go on a hot streak that is very much aided by at best questionable calls and all of a sudden they're a team of destiny? Rivers, the same guy that through so many pick-6's Ryan Matthews the guy that couldn't hold onto the ball to save his life last season, this is who we worry about? When times get rough people revert to who they are, this is who they are. A team that loses to the Washington Redskins, an offensive line that gives up 49 sacks in two seasons.

Their best defense is for their offense to eat up as much time as possible, rush Peyton Manning with an improved front seven and knock Denver's receivers at the line. If that is the plan, then the Broncos have an answer.

In which areas do you think the Chargers match up well with the Broncos?

Ian Henson

Their front seven has gotten a lot better in the second half of the season. Now is that due to their competition getting worse? The fact that they played the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Oakland Raiders in four of their final six games? Probably. By now we all know that the Chiefs were highly overrated going 2-6 after beating up on backup quarterbacks and teams with losing records for the first half of the season.

San Diego was one Nate Irving penalty and one Duke Ihenacho penalty away from not beating Denver 27-20 in Week 15. The last team that won based off of a Bronco mistake got murdered the next time Denver saw them.

Bronco Mike

Their secondary.  Eric Weddle gives them so much flexibility.  They mix coverages well and don't breakdown when they bring extra pressure.  Manning and his receivers are going to have to earn every yard they gain on Sunday.

Scotty Payne

They're a ball control team. Rivers is efficient, and they have a solid run game. They can control the clock, and keep Manning off the field. It will be up to our defense to force 3 and outs, and come up with some crucial 3rd down stops.
I also think the Chargers defensive front 7 will be tough matchup for Denver. In their last meeting they man handled our O-Line. They held us to under 30 yards rushing, and pressured Manning. If Denver wants to win they have to do better in that area.

Big Pete

The logical area is their running defense. The Chargers held the Broncos to 18 rushing yards 4 weeks ago in Denver's season finale at home. When you basically shut out a teams running game (and make no mistake, Fox still loves running the ball), that speaks volumes. However, since that game, this Broncos team seems to have re-focused, so the real answer to this question is "there is no matchup that the Chargers will do well with against the Broncos!"

Which Bronco is your sleeper to make a big impact/play on Sunday?

Big Pete

I'm feeling a pick six by Chris Harris. Rivers loves to throw out patterns, and since Harris is filling in for Champ on the outside, it'll be Harris' ball to grab and take to the house. Outside of that, I feel that Montee Ball will have a good game. Ball is the deep sleeper seeing he was held to negative yardage the last time he faced the chargers, but I've been high on Montee all year, and that isn't going to stop now. He's getting better and better as the year goes on, and he's remembered how to catch the football, so I expect a big impact out of him this Sunday.

Scotty Payne

Nate Irving and Montee Ball

I'm a big Nate Irving fan. Chargers love running the ball, and it seems like Irving has a nose for the ball, and can make some big hits. I believe Irving has a couple big run stuffs, and causes a fumble or two this sunday. 
For some reason I believe Montee will have a big game for us this Sunday. Just a gut feeling. Hope the rookie steps up.

Ian Henson

I called him out just a moment ago, but I am looking for Nate Irving to ball out. This guy is an All American, playing a bit out of position most of the season when he was in and now with Von Miller out it is time to shine. Malik Jackson is another one that I have been sky high on since last season, those two have strong games and I will never mention how bad the Brock Osweiler draft pick was again.

Bronco Mike

Knowshon Moreno.  Huh? Sleeper?  He can have a huge performance in the passing game with what I've seen from the Chargers coverage schemes.  He was open a lot over the middle when Manning went other places.  He has a change to put up 100 receiving.

What was your favorite playoff game this past weekend?

Bronco Mike

Eagles/Saints.  Went out to Bayou Bob's and met Big Pete and his wife, ate great Cajun food, watched the entire bar take free shots everytime the Saints scored, and had one hell of a time in Who Dat? Nation.

Big Pete

The Saints vs Eagles. Part of it is that the Saints are my "favorite NFC team" (don't worry, they don't compete with the Broncos for my fandom), and part of it is that it was an exciting, down to the wire game. Either way you slice it, I really liked that game and had a great time watching it. I was feeling a Saints vs Broncos super bowl pretty much all season, so if they keep winning, I'll probably have my pick right.

Ian Henson

I was cheering for the Chargers, only because I wanted to play them. I didn't want the Broncos to play them because they were the last seed. I wanted a rematch, some people want the rematch with the Indianapolis Colts, but San Diego is a team that Denver sees twice a season without a fault. You must crush your enemy completely in battle. There is no better time to do that than in the playoffs. The Chargers aren't even supposed to be here, they are to be outclassed, outplayed and most of all out scored. Worry not my friends.

Scotty Payne

Indy and KC.

Watching the Chiefs give up a 28 point lead in the playoffs was beautiful.

Then going over to AP and reading through the comments put a smile on my face too haha
Can I say that? ;)

You sure can Scotty, Chiefs fans love misery :D

GO BRONCOS!!!