Week 8: Broncos - Lions Post Game

Butt freakin' ugly game! Nothing nice to really say, nothing great really happened for us.

Will be a short post considering I'm disappointed in this team for letting this game get out of hand & plenty could have been done about it.

Offense:

Tebow... oh Tebow... clearly he is still trying to work some stuff out. Plenty of the offense's troubles are on him in this game but quite a few of his passes were very catchable & that goes on the receivers. Those incompletes make Tebow look worse than he really is.

The line still has yet to give Tebow good protection. Orlando Franklin showed his rookie side several times, letting Dlinemen get to Tebow. The line is also to blame for 7 sacks. Granted Tebow needs to get better at reading when to throw the ball away or not, but 7 sacks is unacceptable. It's ridiculous, especially for the second week in a row. 14 sacks in 2 weeks... that's insane!

The offense had more than enough penalties to set us back. 5 for 55 yards... the whole offense needs help, not just Tebow. All 5 may not be on the offense but I know at least 3 of them were.

Tebow can't run this thing all by himself. His receivers, the line & the RBs have got to help him out & do their part. We also had 5 fumbles, 2 were lost. This is one game I will forget very quickly.

The only parts I care to remember was the very first drive when we should've had a TD. Decker was SO close to having that touchdown. I think had we got that score to start the game, it would've been a different more productive game for our offense. I think it would have boosted Tebow's confidence enough to have done better the rest of the game than he did.

Patience is THE key word with #15.

Tebow had a real bad day with 18/39 for 179 yards, 1 TD & 1 INT. Those 179 yards is pretty good considering how many incomplete passes he threw. The touchdown was an impressive one too.

Knowshon Moreno lead in rushing yards with 14 carries for 69 yards.

Eric Decker led the receiving corps with 6 catches for 72 yards & Denver's only touchdown late in the 4th quarter.
Eddie Royal was also seen more in this game with 6 catches for 41 yards.

Defense:

I'd say they started out well but 45 points is overkill. 6 of those belong to our offense off Tebow's first INT of the year but our deficit is still sickening to watch.

Stafford had a fun day with our defense putting up 267 passing yards on them, easily.

For a while our D held down the fort sending Detroit back to their sidelines multiple times on quick 3 & outs but those good drives our defense quickly fizzled out when Detroit began their rally of putting points on us in OUR house for heaven's sake.

And the big match-up of Champ vs. Calvin Johnson ended up in Johnson's favor for the most part. Champ wasn't covering Johnson for a good portion of the game so the match-up came down to rookie undrafted FA Chris Harris getting beat on the routes he was set to cover.

But even respected vets like Champ & Dawkins got beat several times, getting faked out or just bad timing & reads.

Overall, horrible game for Denver. Now the Broncos face 2 HUGE games against 2 very hated rivals in their territory, the much hated Raiders & then the Chiefs.

Both places are tough stadiums to play in, tough crowds to play in front of. I almost shutter to think what will happen to us in these next 2 games.

Definitely not making a bet with my raider fan friend... no way man, not doing that again, no sir............


Playcalling has got to change. The awesome John Lynch was one of the commentators during the game & he made several points about what needs to be done with Tebow and it came back to the playcalling while he's on the field.

Each QB is different & with Tebow the playcalling should be different than it was with Orton. And besides that point, it needs to change. Whatever they are doing out there, its clearly not working; not getting us anywhere. Coach Fox needs to seriously re-evaluate his playbook with Tebow in the picture, if they start him again, and base that calling on Tebow's abilities but also give him calls to work with & that will help him to get better, more productive & improve.

Like John Lynch said, "they have to give the guy a chance in order for him to improve". Even Lynch believes in Tebow, he sees potential in #15 but Tebow also needs a coach that believes in him. I don't think Coach Fox really does, which is hurting him more.

We all know we have bigger problems beyond who's at QB or not. Tebow can only do so much. This TEAM has got to start playing like one.

The Lions definitely came to play today, something the Broncos showed no sign of. Both offensively & defensively, Detroit earned that win. Tastes like vinegar in my mouth saying that....... bleh....

More of a shame we lose like this in our own house. No excuse for that or the way we played.

Videos:

Tebow to Decker for late 4^th qtr TD

Here's to hoping for a MUCH better game with more passion & fight against Oakland.

Game 7: Broncos Vs Lions

After being on the road last week to get the big win over the Dolphins the Broncos return home for Orange Sunday against the floundering Detroit Lions. The Lions after starting the year off hot have frizzled in recent weeks and are now struggling with key injuries. The Lions starting QB Stafford is likely out with an ankle injury and that could mean Shaun Hill may play. Either way the Lions biggest weapon Calvin 'Megatron' Johnson is hoping for a big day against our secondary. This will be the most important match up, will Champ be able to do a number on Johnson and take him out of the game or will Johnson have a big game? You will have to watch and find out.

Why to watch
Tim Tebow basks in the glory of his home crowd, while Ndamukong Suh, after being called dirty by the Falcons last week, leads a scary pass rush against him. The Lions can't afford to lose three in a row after a dream start, and Matthew Stafford is facing injury questions again. Can Tebow continue the heroics against a better opponent?

Inside story
Detroit plays the run on the way to the quarterback, and if Tebow can make a quick cut and get by the first wave of linemen, there could be some fertile running lanes. The Lions are poor against the run.

Things to Watch
I still would like to see Larsen get more involved in the offense.

The play calling, with McGahee out a few more screens and runs outside to get Knowshon in space would be nice. Also some boot-legs and play action passes would be nice.

Tebow have a complete game, play well for most of the game and complete passes.

Decker, Thomass'(?) and Royal getting open and making plays.

Less then 6 sacks, the line needs to protect Tebow more.

For defense, turnovers and sacks. The more times they can get the ball for Tebow the better. And of course Champ Vs Megatron, that will be a big matchup.

Other News
A new form of photos that has over taken Planking, Tebowing. Some of the photos are really good, even Von Miller has gotten in on the act.

You can now vote for the pro bowl, so do it. Vote now and often!

Injury Report
Elvis Dumervil, Ankle, DNP
Willis McGahee, Hand, DNP
Brian Dawkins, Illness, DNP
Marcus Thomas, Knee, Limited
Julius Thomas, Ankle, Full

DETROIT LIONS
Jahvid Best, Concussion, DNP
Gosder Cherilus, Knee, Limited
Rashied Davis, Feet, DNP
Nick Fairley, Foot, DNP
Sammie Hill, Ankle, DNP
Rob Sims, Illness, DNP
Chris Houston, Back, Limited
Vincent Fuller, Elbow, Limited
Matthew Stafford, Ankle, Limited
Willie Young, Calf, Limited

Jokes
Little David is in the 5th grade. Yesterday morning when the teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living, all the typical answers came up: fireman, policeman, salesman, etc.

The teacher noticed that little David was being uncharacteristically quiet and so she asked him about his father.

"My father's an exotic dancer in a gay bar and takes off all his clothes in front of other men. Sometimes, if the offer's really good, he'll go out to the alley with some guy and do it with him for money."

The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some coloring, and took little David aside to ask him, "Is that really true about your father?"

"No," said David, red faced. "He plays for the Detroit Lions, but I was too embarrassed to say that in front of the other kids."

Q: Why did the NFL award Super Bowl XL to the city of Detroit?
A: Because they felt bad for the Lions, figuring it was the closest the team would ever come to a Super Bowl.

That is it for me, enjoy Orange Sunday and cheer on the Broncos! ~ Aussie.

Broncos Honor Wall - Update

Hey everyone how is the week treating you? Heart recovered from the weekend yet? Anyway I thought it was time to updated the Broncos Honor Wall, that is displayed in the right sidebar, since we are about half way through the season. I am looking for suggestions from our loyal fans on players or coaches that have performed to a high level and deserve to be enshrined on the honor wall. There are 5 spots available for players/coaches on the Broncos honour wall. As a rule of thumb I like to include at least one offensive lineman as they don't get enough love as it is.

Currently the spots are held by:
Tim Tebow
Brandon Lloyd (traded)
Elvis 'Doom'ervil
Champ Bailey
Ryan Clady

So which players should be kept if any and who else would you like to see up there. Leave your responses in the comments. ~ Aussie.

Week 7: Broncos - Dolphins Post Game

Week 7 is done & over, but not without a whirlwind ending to a very boring game. Only one person could bring this much excitement, hope & fun to a game... Tim Tebow.

Granted it was a team win at the end just like it was the whole team who struggled through the whole 4 quarters. Its never a one-man show, or at least it shouldn't be, but yesterday ALL eyes were on Tebow.

Here's the breakdown of the insanity...

Offense:

Tim Tebow was the focus of everyone in attendance or watching at home. His time to show & prove he is NFL worthy.

The vast majority of this game did him no justice... he did himself no justice. It was boring watching both teams punt back & forth the entire time. At one point I really did think I was watching a very weird tennis match. But leave it to Tebow to be apart of a very unorthodox, unconventional, unusual football game.

For nearly a full hour, Denver didn't score at all. It wasn't until the very final moments in the game that the Broncos came alive. They way they rallied together to fight for that win, where in the world was that during the WHOLE game??

Nevertheless, Denver won and that's what matters. However, it leaves me at least, concerned about the way they played (or the lack thereof) during the bulk of the game. We can't play like that on offense against division rivals & the Pats later on in the season & get away with it. They will roll over us like a big semi truck over a pancake.

I fully believe that this was a great game for Tebow to work out his kinks, namely his passing. He WILL get better with each game. Watching him yesterday, I fully 100% realized just how patient us fans are gonna have to be.

Stat wise, Tebow wasn't half bad. He's VERY lucky he didn't get intercepted yesterday, he should've had at least 3 of them. But he got away with it.

#15 ended his first start of this year with 13 completions out of 27 passes for 161 yards & 2 TDs. No way would a certain someone have gotten 161 yards... with the majority of those yards coming in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Tebow also took 8 carries for 65 yards in the game.

Now that I've said my peace on Tebow, the rest of our offense looked very troubling out there.

Willis McGahee took 18 carries for 76 yards and in either the 3rd or 4th quarter I believe, it was then we lost McGahee to a broken hand, which means we'll be without our best RB for at least several weeks. Just what we needed.........

Knowshon Moreno will probably take over & Lance Ball will be seeing more field time as well now. So to paint a more clear picture, we are without McGahee for at least our home game against Detroit, away game in Oakland & KC and possibly our Thursday night game at home vs. the Jets. I think all of that sums up how well our run game is going to be for the next 3 weeks to a month......

Our Oline got themselves a few more penalties than preferred costing our offense time & yardage. The line also let the Miami defense get to Tebow for 7 sacks. Way too many....... heck, one is too many.

Both McGahee & Tebow had one fumble each; McGahee's was lost.

Matthew Willis led our receiving corps with 1 reception for 42 yards; Daniel Fells had 2 catches for 31 yards & 1 amazing touchdown; Demaryius Thomas (in his first game all season long) had 3 catches for 27 yards & 1 TD.

Long, tough day for our offense. Will be interesting to say the least to see what they can do at home vs. a 5-2 Detroit Lions team. Lord help us.............

Defense:

I would definitely have to say our defense had a better day than offense, considering we held them to just 15 points. They had double the time to prepare for this game with the bye week and I was happy with what our D accomplished.

Dawkins was a hot tamale out there with 2 sacks and 2 more from red hot rookie Von Miller & DJ Williams.

DJ Williams also forced a fumble in the 4th quarter on the QB with Denver coming up with the ball which led to our miracle win.

Jonathan Wilhite led the team in tackles with 10 and 1 assist.
Joe Mays came in 2nd with 5 tackles, 1 assist

And for the most part the Champ vs. Marshall match-up was a quiet one but there were several times where Champ blocked a pass to Marshall but BM also came up with a few catches. If you ask me, Champ won the match-up. lol

Special Teams:

OMG. We punted 9 times, Miami 8. Enter really boring football game slightly disguised as a tennis match. 17 punts... that's not gonna fly against other teams.

Matt Prater... you scare me sometimes. lol Missed two FGs, a 49 & 43, I believe, and yet you can make a 63-yarder in pre-game practice & a wild 52-yarder to win it. That's nuts man!!

Injuries:

McGahee is now out for several weeks with a broken hand. Not good news. He was doing really well for us.

Videos:

Broncos-Dolphins Highlights

Tebowmania: 2 point conversion

Tebowmania: 21-yard run to avoid a sack & safety

Tebowmania: Tebow throws 3-yard TD to Daniel Fells

Prater’s miracle 52-yard FG to win the game

Broncos Defense at its best

Tebowmania: Tebow throws 42-yard pass to Matt ‘Ninja’ Willis

Tebowmania: Tebow to D. Thomas for 5-yard TD

Tebowmania: Tebow to Fells for a wild 28-yard catch

2^nd sack of game & year for Weapon X

Von Miller’s 6^th sack of year

1^st sack of year & game for Weapon X


Enjoy the highlights... there's plenty of them!! haha

Game 6: Broncos Vs Dolphins

The Broncos are on the road again and heading to sunny Florida after an uneventful bye week (lies). The Broncos take on cellar dwellers the Miami Dolphins, who also will be honoring our starting QB Tim Tebow, go figure. This will be an interesting game as the Broncos pretty much have a completely new offense. Tebow is the starter, Brandon Lloyd has been traded away and the WRs corps is full of returning healthy players including the Thomas's and Royal. I am expecting a big day and a bigger score in this one.

Why to watch

Brandon Marshall, the self-proclaimed monster who vowed to get tossed from Monday night's game, meets the team he spent the bulk of his drama-filled career with. Perhaps this meeting with Champ Bailey will be as eventful as the Marshall-Darrelle Revis match up a week ago. The possibility of fireworks exists.

Inside story

This really is the Andrew Luck Bowl. John Elway is back at Stanford watching the kid all the time. Dolphins owner Steven Ross tried to hire Luck's college coach in the offseason. Neither team has a sure-fire quarterback of the future. Oh, and Tim Tebow is starting.

Things to Watch
Tebow for starters.

The new healthy offense and what type of plays we will run with Tebow at quarterback.

I would like to see Larsen get a bit more involved also.

On the defensive side of the ball lets hope the secondary can get some turnovers and the front seven can stop the run.

But the best match up to watch will be Baily versus Marshall. Lets see if Bailey can have a similar game against Marshall as did Revis.

I am predicting a score of 48-14, I am thinking big for Tebow's coming out party!

Injury Report

Julius Thomas, Ankle, Limited
Brian Dawkins, Neck, Full
Eddie Royal, Groin, Full
Demaryius Thomas, Finger, Full
Willis McGahee, Back, Full

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Reggie Bush, Groin, Full
Brandon Marshall, Quadriceps, Full
Reshad Jones, Knee, DNP
Cameron Wake, Hamstring --
Chris Clemons, Hamstring, Limited
Vontae Davis, Hamstring, Limited
Daniel Thomas, Hamstring, Limited
Nolan Carroll, Hamstring, Limited
Will Yeatman, Shoulder, Limited

Check out this article on Tebow, ESPN

Other News

Denver owner Pat Bowlen has stepped down from being part of the NFL labor committee. He’s been through some nasty negotiations in his day, including this year’s lockout.

Pat Bowlen, the Broncos' owner since March 1984, had served the past 10 years as co-chairman of the league's labor committee, along with Carolina owner Jerry Richardson.

With the owners and players able to work out a new collective bargaining agreement in July that will extend for 10 years, Bowlen has joined Richardson in stepping away from their leadership roles. New York Giants​ owner John Mara now will chair the labor committee.

"After helping to lead extremely demanding labor negotiations during the last few years, Mr. Bowlen has elected to pass the torch," Broncos spokesman Patrick Smyth said. "He's grateful for the opportunity to be part of the process that yielded 10 years of labor peace."

Bowlen will continue to serve on the league's compensation, broadcasting and NFL Network committees. And he will continue to work on trying to fix a Broncos franchise that is 1-4 this year and hasn't been to the playoffs since 2005.

Well guys and gal enjoy Tebow's first start for the year ~ Aussie.

Fun with Pictures: Against the Chargers

Here is a selection of pictures I put together from the Chargers game, enjoy.

That is all I got, if there is any pictures or ideas for funny pictures you think I should make up feel free to share. Otherwise I will have a pregame post on the upcoming game in a day or two. ~ Aussie.

Brandon Lloyd Traded and Other News

It is official, the Broncos traded Lloyd to the St. Louis Rams today in exchange for either a sixth-round draft pick, or fifth rounder if he has 30 catches in the final 11 games this year. More on this story from the DP.

Lloyd said he has not yet talked to Josh McDaniels, the Rams' offensive coordinator who was the Broncos' head coach last season when the receiver had a breakout year of 77 catches, 11 touchdowns and NFL-leading 1,448 yards. But Lloyd had heard that McDaniels and other coaches had been pushing St. Louis general manager Bill Devaney to swing a deal with Broncos GM Brian Xanders in recent days.

"I think it's a good situation for both sides," Lloyd said. "(The Broncos) have an opportunity to take a look at their young guys, see what direction they want to go in. And I get to go into a system where they pass the ball more."

Lloyd became somewhat expendable to the Broncos because Demaryius Thomas, a first-round draft pick last year, and Eddie Royal, a second-round pick in 2008, are returning from lengthy injuries this week. Eric Decker, a third-round pick in 2010, had already been starting opposite Lloyd.

"It stinks that I have to leave Denver," Lloyd said. "But it feels like a smooth transition. I get along with Xanders. My agent David Dunn gets along with Xanders. That's why this was so smooth. This wasn't an angry, disgruntled situation. I loved my time here. If I ever say anything about Denver, the organization, the players, the city, it's a mistake. It's been awesome. I'm not angry, I'm not bitter. I'm ready to go play."

At first glance, it appears the separation between Lloyd and the Broncos was sparked by a money dispute. Lloyd is making $1.395 million in the final year of a two-year deal he signed as free agent late in the summer of 2009. The league's top receivers start at $5 million a year and go north of $10 million.

The Broncos did offer Lloyd a two-year extension that included guarantees to be paid after this season, but there was no upfront signing bonus.

It can't be all about money, though, because Lloyd is happy about his trade to St. Louis even though he is not immediately getting a contract extension.

"That's what I'd like to point out," Lloyd said. "I'm not going to completely dismiss that. But No. 1 was I was being used on the field. No. 2 was the contract. I wanted to be appreciated and the way teams show their appreciation to a player in this business is to pay them accordingly."

Again, Lloyd broke out his enormous laughs.

"Obviously it matters but I want to play where my skill set can reach the best of my abilities," he said.

Lloyd's production did slip this year, partly because he missed a game with a groin strain, but still had 19 catches and no touchdowns in the four games he did play.

His willingness to leave, he said, had nothing to do with the full-time quarterback switch last week from Kyle Orton to Tim Tebow. And indeed, trade discussions had started a couple weeks ago.

"No, the offense changed with coach (John) Fox," Lloyd said. "We still had the same quarterback. There just wasn't as many pass plays being called. Nothing against coach Fox. He's the coach."

With the Rams, Lloyd will join a promising young passing quarterback in Sam Bradford who has struggled to execute McDaniels' pass-oriented offense. The Rams rank 32nd, or dead last, in the NFL with 9.8 points per game — an average of 23.0 fewer points than the Green Bay Packers.

"I think it's a win-win situation for me because I get to go in and try to establish myself in a leadership role," Lloyd said. "It's a role I'm ready for at my age and my career. I think I'm mature enough to handle a leadership role because that was a role I was developing in Denver."

Other trade news

Rumors circulated Monday afternoon that Orton may be on the trade block to Oakland. But Orton has not requested a trade. With a newborn daughter, he does not want to be traded.

Other News

Broncos defensive tackle Ryan McBean was arrested Friday on allegations of stalking in Denver, according to Colorado Bureau of Investigation records.

McBean, who posted a $50,000 bond, is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 28.

McBean was back at Dove Valley Monday morning for team meetings and participated in practice. Head coach John Fox said the team "is aware" of McBean's bye-week arrest.

"We'll let the legal process run its course, but at this point, we're gathering information and, hopefully, the facts," Fox said.

This situation will have to be monitored.

Returning Players

One receiver leaves, three more return.

Just as the Broncos and Rams were finalizing a deal to send Brandon Lloyd to St. Louis, the Broncos began their first post-bye practice with receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eddie Royal​ and receiving tight end Julius Thomas on the field.

All three players have missed significant time with injuries this season. Royal participated in one practice last week before the bye.

Demaryius Thomas' impending return is especially important considering Lloyd's departure. Arguably the most physically gifted player in the Broncos' receiving corps, the former first-round draft pick is expected to make his season debut Sunday at Miami, helping replace Lloyd as the team's best deep threat. Thomas had surgery to repair an injured Achilles tendon in February and surgery to repair a broken pinky finger in early September.

Today marks only his third practice since last season.

The only player sitting out today's practice is safety Brian Dawkins​, who suffered a head/neck injury against San Diego on Oct. 9.

That is it for today, I will have a 'fun with pictures' post up sometime soon. ~ Aussie.

Where to for Orton?

With Tebow being named the Broncos starter what now becomes the plan for Orton? Will he go quietly into a backup role or will he request to be traded? I don’t know what Orton’s feelings are but watching the Chargers game you could see he knew his time had come to an end and Tebow’s was just starting. What is the Broncos brain trust of EFX thinking? To be honest I have no idea what we will do with Orton now but let’s take a look at a few scenarios.

First to being with we need to look at the ‘Original’ plan or what EFX were originally thinking when they decided to put Orton on the open market at the end of the lockout. Remember for the first week leading into the start of training camp the Broncos were trying to move Orton onto another team. The deal was only stopped because Orton could not come to agreement on a new deal. At this time remember that the Broncos also signed QB Adam Weber as a College Free Agent. It is my belief the Broncos would have moved Orton on and gone with the remaining 3 QBs, being Tebow, Quinn and Weber. With Tebow and Quinn fighting it out for the top two spots. Of course Orton stuffed that all up and won the starting job. Orton’s plan going into the season was to probably play as well as he could and get a new deal with another team as he already knew he was not in the future plans of the Broncos.

That gets as to the current point in time. Orton’s plan tanked as much as he did and now Tebow is the starting QB for the rest of the year. So what happens now? There are three scenarios that could take place.

The first would be we keep Orton in a backup role. He becomes second string leaving Quinn number 3 and never getting his chance to start. There are a few issues with this situation. There is the locker room, will the players and all the coaches for that matter be on the bandwagon, will they all play for Tebow or will there be disgruntle players. One could be Lloyd, he has been vocal in the past. But remember Lloyd is out for himself and that big contract. He will want the QB that gives him the best chance to be up big numbers. Whether that is Orton or Tebow is to be seen. Only time will tell. Secondly there is Orton himself. Will he be a cancer in the locker room? Will he undermine Tebow’s leadership and be a distraction? I doubt it, doesn’t seem like that is a part of Orton’s character to act that way. However these are all issues that need to be considered in making any personal decision. It is my opinion that nothing probably comes of this. Orton sits quietly on the bench the rest of the year and signs somewhere else next.

Scenario two is that Orton is traded. The first issue with this is not many if any trades occur in the middle of the year before the trade deadline. Which it in itself is not too far off, restricting any possible time frame on a deal. Then what teams would be interested in Orton and what is his trade value. The Seahawks and Dolphins (again) may be interested as both have had issues with QB play and injuries. But what price do you put on Orton after a dismal start to the year? I say we get whatever we can. Maybe a depth player or a late round draft pick. If we are trying to trade him we won’t have much to bargain with. The other perspective of this scenario is what if Orton requests a trade? Again I doubt Orton requests a trade or is very vocal, like I said before it is not really in his character but he does want to be a starter. This may cause a distraction to the locker room with an upset player but I think it is unlikely.

The third and finally option is Orton is straight up cut. The Broncos have had enough of Orton and will go with the remaining 3 QBS instead. This also allows Orton to sign with a team of his choice. But I pretty sure that EFX won’t let Orton just walk for nothing. However then why let him ride the pine all year to just leave at the end?

This I think really comes down to how he handles himself in the coming week. If he is vocal I can see him being traded at a discount price or we could just get rid of him. Otherwise Orton goes off quietly into the setting sun over the Rockies. Here's a Mile High Salute to the Neckbeard. ~ Aussie

300th post - Tebow named Starter

Tim Tebow is now the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos.

On Tuesday, Head Coach John Fox made the announcement to the media after telling the team in an early morning meeting.

“We announced (to the team) that Tim Tebow would start the Miami game and we’re moving forward.”

Bronco players were told at an 8 a.m. meeting today that Tim Tebow would replace Kyle Orton as the starting quarterback.

After this afternoon's practice, head coach John Fox explained the decision.

"We're a 1-4 football team. I'm a 1-4 head coach," Fox said. "It's my job, our job, to make decisions to try to change that. We'll see if this is one that does that."

Fox also made it clear that the Broncos' 1-4 record is not all about who's at quarterback.

"We haven't gotten it done as a football team," Fox said. "It's not one guy, it's not all Kyle Orton's fault, but we do have to make adjustments, we do have to change, and we have to do something to win football games."

Today Tebow talked about handling expectations and what he and the Broncos offense need to accomplish before facing the Miami Dolphins.

"I'm just very honored to get this opportunity," Tebow said this afternoon from the team's headquarters at Dove Valley. "I'm very excited. I'm just blessed to be a Denver Bronco, and to go out there and play for this organization is truly a privilege."

Coaches informed the quarterbacks of the decision to go with Tebow after the players arrived at Dove Valley this morning.

"I'm just disappointed with everything," demoted quarterback Kyle Orton said at his locker after his first practice as a backup. "I wish I could have played better, wish we had a better record, wish a lot of things. But the reality is what it is."

Orton said he would continue to be a good teammate to Tebow moving forward.

As for Tebow, how will he approach practice as heads into the Miami game as the starter?

"It's not just in the 'what if' — what if I'm in there for this, what if we get this look — you have to plan for it because it's going to happen," Tebow said. "I just really try and visualize it and be ready for practices so we can have sharp, crisp practices all next week and really improve. One, to give coaches confidence in me, the players confidence in me. And two, to go out there and practice and do it right."

Tebow will take a Broncos team that is 1-4, through a bye week of practices before traveling to Florida to face the Dolphins.

"I'm very excited about it," said Tebow, a former star at the University of Florida. "Not that it's Miami or that it's in Florida, it's just the opportunity to start for the Denver Broncos and that truly is an honor and a privilege."

The Dolphins on that day will honor Tebow at halftime for his time in college with the Gators — an odd move by a host team putting the spotlight on the opposing team's quarterback.

"I haven't really thought about it," Tebow said. "It's extremely nice of them and it is great memories. But on that day, I'll be focused on being a Denver Bronco and trying to go out and compete to the best of my abilities."

Tebow also talked about being thrust to the top of the depth chart.

"I feel I've improved in several ways, just with my knowledge of the offense and understanding defenses and how we're trying to attack them and what I need to do to exploit weaknesses that day that they have," he said.

He also addressed past concerns about his throwing motion.

He said he has improved "just with my fundamentals, with accuracy and footwork and getting the ball out of my hand."

But expectations for Tebow, among Broncos fans and nationally, run high.

"That's something I've never tried to do is live up to other people's expectations," he said. "I set high expectations of myself and try to live up to them, that's why I put pressure on myself every day, that's why I work hard, try to improve every day, because I have expectations of what I want to accomplish."

Tebow's goals?

"Every single day, get better," he said. "Understand the game plan, understand what we're trying to do against the defense and go out here and practice and execute what we're tying to do for that game."

Tebow started the final three games last season — going 1-2 — after Orton got hurt and the Broncos decided to see what Tebow could do. Tebow was selected by former coach Josh McDaniels with the 25th overall pick in the 2010 draft.

As a rookie, Tebow completed 50 percent of his passes and threw five touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also ran for six TDs.

The Broncos will practice Wednesday before being dismissed until Monday for the bye week. During those four consecutive days off, players are not allowed to meet or work with coaches, making these two days of practice and meetings important for Tebow as he prepares to start Oct. 23 against Miami.

Players will be allowed in Dove Valley to do voluntary work on their own during the bye.

Tebow, who has thrown for 733 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions — in addition to 264 rushing yards and seven touchdowns — in 12 career games. The Broncos do not play this week so Tebow will make his first start of the season, fourth of his career, on Oct. 23 at Miami — where the Dolphins will honor former University of Florida football players.

There could be just as many Tebow fans, in other words, as Dolphin fans, in the stadium that day.

Other News:

Cornerback Champ Bailey, safety Brian Dawkins, wide receivers Eddie Royal and Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas were held out of practice for injury reasons. Right tackle Orlando Franklin was excused for personal reasons after the death of his younger brother. All are expected to be back for the next game.

Aaron Brown, a speedy, 205-pound tailback who spent the previous two seasons with the Detroit Lions, was brought in to Dove Valley for a tryout Monday.

Brown was a sixth-round draft pick in 2009 and was one of Detroit’s final cuts from their 53-man roster prior to this season. He rushed 189 yards on 44 carries (4.3 per carry) in 21 games for the Lions.

Also working out for the Broncos on Monday were defensive backs David Jones and Trevard Lindley. Jones is a fifth-year defensive back/special teamer who played three seasons with Cincinnati and last season in Jacksonville.

Lindley was a fourth-round pick just last year by the Philadelphia Eagles but was cut just prior to this season’s opener.

The Broncos also waived running back Brandon Minor off their injured reserve list.

300th Post
This also happens to be the 300th post on Broncos Blog. Thanks to everyone that reads and enjoys our stuff. Thanks to Princess and Digger who have contributed posts. Hope we continue to make many more posts and grow our reader base. ~ Aussie.

Week 5: Broncos - Chargettes Post Game

The Broncos met their second division rival of the 2011 season in the Mile High City, the Chargettes and came thisclose to almost tying the game & then winning.

First half was ugly for Denver on both sides of the ball. The defense was getting run over by Rivers & Co., and the Kyle Orton led offense was getting stuffed with 3 'n outs.

But the second half, now that was a football game. Far from a pretty game but more bearable to watch by far.

Denver Head Coach John Fox FINALLY jumped off that Orton train and gave Tim Tebow the entire second half to work with.

Here's the breakdown...

Offense:

Kyle Orton still sucks, Tim Tebow is a work in progress & Orton's butt finally found the bench. LOL

First half was not good at all for Orton's starting job. I think after the bye week, he loses it to Tebow. Tebow struggled at first, had trouble with 3 snaps while behind center, a few bad passes but look at the stats. They speak volumes.

Each quarterback had a half to play and yet the stats for each one tell 2 completely different stories.

Orton was 6/13 for 34 yards no touchdowns but his guaranteed INT.

Tebow went 4/10 for 79 yards, 1 rushing TD for him & a pass to Moreno for a TD & no interceptions.

Tebow more than doubled Orton's total passing yards. I don't know how much more I can plead for Tebow's case.

And then there's Tebow's effort, his athleticism on the field and his passion for the game. The man is huuuungry!

He's a tough one to take down, to catch. The very last play of the game, he had those San Diego DE's running all over trying to catch him. Orton would've been sacked instantly.

I will be my bold blunt self and say Tebow gets the majority if not all 1st team reps in practice when they return from their bye and we will see much more of him when we come back in week 7 to face Miami.

As for the rest of the offense, it was a quiet day. Brandon Lloyd & Eric Decker were nearly invisible with Lloyd catching 1 pass for 20 yards and Decker catching 2 passes but for negative yardage. Was really hoping Decker would have another stand out day.

Willis McGahee was on fire yet again earning his 3rd consecutive 100-yd rushing game. So nice to see Denver get their run game back to decent numbers.

McGahee went 125 yards on 16 carries. No touchdown but still solid day for the RB.

Knowshon Moreno has become more of a 'change-of-pace' back for us but managed to score the 2nd Bronco touchdown in the 4th quarter on a 28-yard pass from Tebow. #27 had an awesome run into the end zone. Was real nice to see him get that TD.

Overall, ok day for the offense. With more time, Tebow will get that consistency we need from a QB. Gotta stick with him though, none of this switching back & forth between quarterbacks. That doesn't work & it isn't fair to anyone, especially the players.

And coach Fox, welcome to Tebow Time! haha

Defense:

The Denver defense got into a rhythm in the 2nd half after a dismal first.

Early in the first quarter Rivers was intercepted by Cassius Vaughn who took it back for a 55-yard pick-six. Couldn't tell you the last time Denver got one of those. lol Now Champ needs to get back in the habit of doing that. Miss watching him get INTs.

After that, the defense got quiet and the Charger offense kept on rolling over us as our offense wasn't staying on the field very long.

Overall, Rivers was sacked 4 times by 4 different guys, which is always funny.

Credit goes to D.J. Williams, Robert Ayers, Von Miller & Ryan McBean. Where are ya Doom??

Then in the 4th quarter, when Ayers got his hands on Rivers, he also forced the very hated #17 to fumble and the Tebow-led offense went on to bank it with a touchdown.

Defense definitely came to life in the second half. More productive for sure.

Joe Mays continues to make a name for himself too leading the team in tackles (8) with 1 assist. #51 was a beast out there today. D.J. Williams came in a close second with 7 tackles on the day.

Injury Report:

In some not so good news, veteran Safety Brian Dawkins left the game in the first half after suffering a neck injury. He may have a concussion but I hope & pray its not that bad. This would be real bad news for our already ailing defense.

So now this 29-24 loss leaves Denver at 1-4 & at the bottom of the AFC West. What does Denver need to do to progress after the bye? I think the transition, if made, from Orton to Tebow will help but we played a less-powerful San Diego Charger team, a team we should have beat today, especially in our house.

We all know our issues go far beyond who should be QB and come week 7, we will be facing an either 0-5 or 1-4 Miami team, and if we lose that one I'd say we have even bigger problems. Any thoughts on what needs to be done for us to get back on the winning side?

Whatever it is, something's gotta give for Denver.

Videos:

Cassius Vaughn’s 1^st qtr INT-Pick Six

McBean’s 7-yard sack on Rivers 

Brandon Lloyd’s only catch of the day – amazing!!

Tebow to Moreno for 2^nd, 4^th qtr TD

Tebow’s 12-yard TD

Fumble or Incomplete? Ruled Fumble & Recovered for Denver

28-yard run by McGahee


***Also, I think some of these pictures need captions... like the last one of Tebow & Clady celebrating Tebow's TD. I can think of a few, lol...........

Game 5: Broncos Vs Chargers Preview

The Broncos return home this week after getting demolished last week against the Packers. They take on the Chargerettes who have yet to fire up this year and are cruising along on a steady record. The Broncos are starting to get healthy and really need to get a win here. Otherwise the Broncos will be going into the bye week with a 1-4 record, dismal. The Broncos really need to step it up or that Tebow noise will be deafening.

In some sad news rookie starting right tackle Orlando Franklin practiced Thursday after the death of his younger brother Wednesday. He was excused from the team Wednesday, but the fact he was back at practice Thursday is a sign that Franklin is on pace to play Sunday. He has started every game for Denver this season. “Thanks guys for all your prayers for my little brother,” Franklin stated on his twitter account. “It’s a shame he had to die at 20.” Our condolences to Franklin and his relatives and friends.

Why to watch

If you are part of Tebow Nation, then you will bask in the inevitable signage, screaming and general hoopla that Broncos fans will make for Tim Tebow. But if you want to actually see him play football, you might not get more than another play or two.

Denver: Willis McGahee, running back: McGahee had a nice bounce-back game in Week 4. He had 103 yards on 15 carries at Green Bay. He had 52 yards 22 carries in Week 3. McGahee is better served to keep his carry totals fewer than 20. If Denver can do that, perhaps he can bring life to the run game again Sunday against visiting San Diego.

Inside story

Denver has the worst pass defense in the NFL -- though Champ Bailey should be back for this one -- and Philip Rivers has yet to really hit stride. Vincent Jackson could be in store for a big day.

Cornerback Champ Bailey continued to make strides toward returning Sunday after a three-week absence due to a hamstring injury. He told reporters in Denver on Thursday that he expects to play Sunday. He practiced fully both practice days this week.

Denver does have some issues at safety. Brian Dawkins (ankle) missed his second straight day of practice and fellow starter Rahim Moore missed Thursday’s practice with an illness. The Broncos hope they both play, but if not, rookie Quentin Carter and little-used veteran David Bruton would be set to play against the Chargers.

Injury Report

Eddie Royal (WR), Groin, DNP
Demaryius Thomas (WR), Finger, DNP
Julius Thomas (TE), Ankle, DNP
Brian Dawkins (S), Ankle, DNP
Daniel Fells (TE), Knee, Limited
Jonathan Wilhite, Illness, DNP
Rahim Moore (S), Illness, DNP
Champ Bailey (CB), Hamstring, Full
Marcus Thomas (DT) Groin, Full

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Luis Castillo (DE), Tibia, DNP
Jacques Cesaire (DE), Knee, DNP
Antonio Gates (TE), Foot, DNP
Quentin Jammer (CB), Illness, DNP
Vincent Jackson (WR), Leg, DNP
Nick Hardwick (C), Neck, Full

Words can't express how much I dislike the Chargers, so here is one of my favorite pictures. ~ Aussie.

 

Week 4: Broncos-Packers Post Game

The end result of this week 4 (lopsided) match-up shouldn't really come as a surprise to any Bronco fan. I even felt this one coming, just didn't want to say it out loud.

Overall, the Broncos were never really a fair match to the reigning Super Bowl champs. The whole game was just one big lopsided mess. Defense was horrible, reminded me our D from last year. They got bullied, ran over and torn to bits. Honestly, I can only give our defense a few compliments... hats off to rookie Von Miller for getting 2 more sacks. Well-deserved on his part. Glad to see him really becoming a solid part of this team. And congrats to the other rookie, Rahim Moore on his first NFL career INT.

The offense was better than our D but not by much. Bottom line: I LOVE Eric Decker & someone, please for the love of God, flea-flick Orton off this planet!! grrrrrr

Here's the review & stats from the game, plus another one of my pleading cases as to why Kyle Orton should be dropped from this team like a fly.

Offense:

During the first half I saw this team going straight down the toilet till we really started to fight back, which made me think we just might have a real shot at this game. That thought didn't last very long.

As I remember it when it got the 2nd quarter we were down 21-3 and then the great Eric Decker got us 2 touchdowns (making Orton look much better than he really is) which brought us 4 points in reach of the Packers. From there, it went all downhill. Green Bay scored another TD after our two and we never re-gained momentum.

I think after halftime we should've put Tebow in, then again if you really want my honest & blunt opinion we should've never traded the dirt in the ground for Orton, or Hillis for Orton's equal (Quinn) and just let Tebow run this offense. How do like them pickles, coach Fox?! hmmm

These numbers don't sound that bad till you see 3 INTs and that sums it up... that's what blew the game for us offensively.

Orton completed (by a miracle I'm sure) 22/32 passes for 273 yards, 3 TDs and the whopper... 3 interceptions. Yep, Mr. Butterfingers...... throwin' that football around like its candy to anyone & everyone that wants it.

Oh and did I mention is cheerleader-type mad dash for a first down. O.M.G. I wasn't sure if I should laugh hysterically or turn the TV off in embarrassment that our QB runs like that.

Not sure if I can rip into Orton anymore than I have, I could go on & on about how much I dislike him on this team. Stop giving him "one more chance" coach Fox... you're killin me!!!!!

In the famous words of Deion Sanders, "C'mon man!"

As for the lonely #15, I really feel for the guy. The game was dead & gone for us by the 4th qtr for sure and still Orton was in there. They would show Tebow on the sidelines before our offense would go on the field, Tebow was all suited up ready to go and never saw the field. Un-freakin-believable. What really had me ticked was that before the game coach Fox made comments that "Tebow was in the game plans for several packages for the game against Green Bay"... bull!!

We saw Tebow once and what did they do with him... of all the "genius" things, they decide to try & run it up the middle, something that NEVER works for us. And we lost yardage. I can't get over how stupid it was. Whole game long they had us trying to run it up the middle, that's one thing I have yet to comprehend. McGahee would run straight into the herd of men and the part that gets me is they kept doing it! We would lose yards and they kept attempting that?? Seriously, change of pace people!

If you're gonna egg us fans on and say we will see Tebow, you better put him in for more than one lousy play. I swear, they are bound & determined to set this kid up for failure. One decision they will regret if they don't start seeing clearly.

Hurricane Ashley needs a breather.....

Aside from the disaster we call our QB (lol I can't stop), Denver does have several bright spots on offense with WRs Eric Decker & Brandon Lloyd. Both of which stole the show for Denver on Sunday afternoon. Lloyd had 8 receptions for 136 yards (his 11th 100-yd game of his career) while Decker continued to put a smile on my face with 5 catches for 56 yards & 2 freakin' awesome touchdowns! You the man #87, you the man! ;)

And for the second game in a row, Willis McGahee had his second 100-yard rushing game despite all the lame up-the-middle plays they had him doing. Glad to see him doing well. Still we have yet to establish a decent run game, we pass the ball more than half the game. Got to get some consistency with our run game. That's gotta change.

To round out the scoring for Denver, TE Daniel Fells scored a 7-yard touchdown late in the 4th quarter.

Defense:

Not much to be said here other than we need a ton of improvement. We never really stood much of a chance against the SB champs but we got owned Sunday, simply said.

LB D.J. Williams returned to the field for the first time this season and led the defense with 8 tackles (7 solo).

Rookies Von Miller & Rahim Moore made the headlines with Miller accumulating 2 more sacks and Moore earning his first INT of his NFL career.

All I can say is I know our defense won't be this bad all season long. They will snap out of this little rut they're in. Our next game at home before the bye against San Diego will be a good test for us and we'll just have to wait & see where our defense lies come this Sunday.

I do think that not having Champ on the field vs. Green Bay played a big part in our CBs getting owned. I would love to have seen Champ play in this game. I can only imagine how much different it would've been. Good news is he is fully expected to return to action when we host the Chargettes in a matter of days. I can't wait!
And thank goodness Orton wasn't on defense too, have mercy...........

Injury update:

**Champ Bailey (hamstring) has vowed that he'll play against San Diego. Thank God!

**Coach Fox has gone mental keeping Orton in games where he doesn't belong... Bronco fans say a good dose of "Tebow Time" is the cure. Question is, will Fox give in? Brain scan results will come in on Sunday come game time. Stay tuned........ lol

Videos:

Despite the loss and ugly score, there are several highlights worth watching again.

Rahim Moore’s 1^st NFL career INT

Jonathan Wilhite’s INT – First Bronco INT of the season 

Double Decker Stud – 5 yd & 33 yd TD catches 

Von Miller’s 1^st sack on Rodgers 

Von Miller’s 2^nd sack on Rodgers

Thought this picture of baby Orton was funny.

Time to move on to the next division rival game against San Diego. Gotta win this one, end of story. And I honestly think we can.

Chargettes aren't as red hot as they have been. Make 'em pay boys!