I hate doing these posts after a loss, especially after Denver was riding a high & mighty 6-game win streak only to see it crash & burn against New England.
Definitely feel the burn on this one.
Not that its completely surprising that we lost to NE but I am still very disappointed in this loss. I was convinced we could pull off this huge upset and really shut up the haters. Now, we've only proven a lot of them right and have brought a lot of others back down to "reality".
I will say that a loss like this will keep this team humble & grounded which is a good thing but we really needed this win. While Denver is still atop of the AFC West thanks to Detroit beating Oakland, the division is now completely open to any of the 4 teams winning it.
Let me get this over with....
Offense:
Clearly we have a young offense still making the same mistakes over & over but I didn't think they played half bad. The stinger though, is that we were up against the worst defense in the league as far as yards are concerned and once the 2nd quarter began, we got schooled by them.
The NE defense held down their own and held us to 23 points.
I find it funny & ironic that in our 6 wins, we started off slow, struggled to get anything going all game but ended every one of those games with a big win... but against NE, we started off great scoring on our first 3 possessions, we owned the first quarter but we went downhill from there and couldn't get back up on our feet and lost.
Maybe we should stick to starting off slow & sloppy so we end it with a W??
Tebow had a rough game but still managed to complete half his pass attempts going 11 for 22 for 194 yards and rushing 12 times for 93 yards & 2 touchdowns.
#15 also got sacked 4 times, one of those I will not mention as it was butt freakin' ugly and he also had 2 fumbles, one was lost.
Current back-up RB Lance Ball also had a fumble lost and had 11 carries for 64 yards a TD.
D. Thomas continued to shine on the field for the 3rd straight game, with 7 catches for 116 yards.
Defense:
The strong Denver defense we have seen for 6 straight wins got run over by Brady & Co., but that didn't start till the 2nd quarter. They came out strong like our offense but something about the 2nd that started our downhill run in the game.
Our D only got to Brady twice for 2 sacks, one of which was a huge lick laid on him by THE Elvis "Doom"ervil... I laughed so freakin' hard when I saw that hit I couldn't breathe. I have never seen anything so funny. Play of the game for me.
I'm really surprised Brady didn't get hurt on that play, kinda wish he had.
Undrafted rookie FA, Chris Harris led the defense in tackles with 9 and 2nd round rookie Rahim Moore who filled in for the injured Dawkins came in second with 6 tackles & 1 assist.
What really disappointed me was how quiet the stud rookie Von Miller was in this game. He only notched up 1 tackle the entire game. I think that made a big difference in how our defense played with him being blocked so well.
I expect to see him come out flyin at Buffalo on Saturday and eat up their QB alive. Be ready for MillerTime ;) Special Teams: Quan Cosby had a BAD game on special teams dropping two kicks/punts, can't remember... one of them was lost and turned into points for NE.
All 3 aspects of the game for us struggled and made it that much more unbearable to watch.
Injury Update:
Willis McGahee was in and out of the game on Sunday with a hamstring injury and has been limited in practice but is expected to play against Buffalo in 3 days.
How's your heart? I feel for our older fans (Digger :P) with the way the Broncos have been playing of late. Has anyone checked on Bowlen lately? The Broncos have been playing with some real heart of late and toughness. They have been doing enough to win games, most of them late and that was the same against the Bears. They are doing whats needed to get by but they take on probably their toughest opponent this week in the Patriots. The Patriots are coming to town for another home game before the Broncos go back on the road. The Patriots are having a good season and have a record of 10-3. Luckily for the Broncos they are kryptonite to the Pats. Brady only has a losing record against one team and that is the Broncos (1-6). Hopefully this continues and I think it will. Why? because there are a few cracks appearing in this team, for example my take on the little girly fight Brady had with his offensive coordinate. Their biggest weakness would have to be their secondary which is dead last in the league. It will be up to the Broncos offensive to pick that apart but more on that later...to the preview!
Why to watch
This game is so good, TV networks and owners were flexing muscles at the league office to keep it from being flexed to Sunday night, or to keep it at the 4 p.m. kickoff time. It's Tebow Time vs. Tom Brady; two of the best fourth-quarter teams this league has seen. Could the Broncos pull off another miracle as they try to win the AFC West?
Inside story
Denver's power-running approach could cause problems for a New England defense that is leaky and not exactly full of speed. Jerod Mayo must be the guy to contain Tebow. You have to like Denver's pass rush in what will be a raucous environment as well. The Broncos are built to play a ball-control game, which could keep Brady on the sidelines.
Match Ups
Lets start on defense. The front seven will be key in this game. Brady struggles when you get him under pressure early, we need to get to him in the first quarter and knock him out of his mojo. I am looking at you Von Doom. Miller has been doing really well, I am still worried about his cast but he is a fighter. He only needs three more sacks for the rookie sack record and a few against Brady would be great. And what about Doom? For a guy that had no sacks for several weeks to now have 7.5, he is balling. I think he will finish with double digits this year but I have been really surprised by his improvement. He has been a beast against the run which was his biggest weakness. I am really pleased with these two.
The Patriots really don't have a run game, they do run but not as often as others. But the one thing that will need to be watched for is the screens, the Pats love them and probably will go after Miller when he blitzes. We will need to shut these down to prevent those third down conversions.
The biggest problems for our defense will be the tight ends and Welker. I think Branch will be shutdown by Champ easily. DJ, Woodyard will need to be on point to cover Gronk who is having a monster season. It will be interesting to see who covers Welker, will it be the rookie Harris or someone else? If it is Harris this will be his toughest test yet.
For the offense it will be an interesting game. The run game has to get going early to help out Tebow, last week against the Bears it didn't and the Broncos struggled for most of the game. The problem against the Pats is the Broncos like to run up the middle between the tackles. The Pats have Wilfork and Mayo who are both great against the run. It will be on the O-Line to open up some nice holes for the RBs which they struggled at last week.
I do like the option against a 3-4 team like the Pats but they have used a lot of 4-3 this year as well. We should be able to move the ball against these guys and put up some points....IF
IF our receivers can catch a frigging ball. Actual I am of the opinion that most of the balls they dropped last week were tough catches, low and had to slide for them. Tebow lead your receivers more. If they can hook Tebow up with a few catches we will be alright.
Now it is Tebow time, last week I said this "This week I am going to set Tebow a challenge, I ask for 15! completions and a 50% completion rate, lets see if you can do that. Also I expect this week Tebow throws an intercept." And what happened? More than 15 completions, a 50% completion rate and he threw an intercept. (Tebow reads our blog!) This week I am going to set him a huge challenge, why? Because I think he will need to do this to win the game against a Pats team that can score points. I ask for 20+ completions a 60% completion rate and 3 passing touchdowns, yes 3! And NO intercepts this week. The Broncos need to score points and against the Pats the best way is through the air.
Prediction
Last week I must have been channeling something because I was spot on with a lot of what I said. Or it was blind luck. Either way I like the Broncos in this one. They seem to improve every week and rise to the occasion. One thing I do like against the Pats is Foxball. The reason being that it limits the opportunities for the Pats to put up points against us. I will take our D over theirs any day and I think that is what the difference will be in this game. Broncos win 31-21.
Injury Report
David Bruton (S), Achilles, DNP
Brian Dawkins (S), Neck, Limited
Andre' Goodman (CB), Concussion, Limited
Eddie Royal (WR), Concussion, Full
Spencer Larsen (FB), Hamstring, Full
Von Miller (LB), Thumb, Full
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Patrick Chung (S), Foot, DNP
Sebastian Vollmer (T), Back/Foot, DNP
Kyle Arrington (CB), Foot, Limited
Tom Brady (QB), Non-Injury, Limited
Deion Branch (WR), Groin, Limited
Dan Connolly (C), Groin, Limited
Julian Edelman (WR), Back, Limited
Dane Fletcher (LB), Thumb, Limited
James Ihedigbo (S), Shoulder, Limited
Devin McCourty (CB), Shoulder, Limited
Matt Slater (WR), Shoulder, Limited
Brandon Spikes (LB), Knee, Limited
Shane Vereen (RB), Hamstring, Limited
Wes Welker (WR), Knee, Limited
Ryan Wendell (C), Calf, Limited
Vince Wilfork (DL), Non-Injury, Limited
Danny Woodhead (RB), Abdomen, Limited
Other News
Some high school kids got suspended from school for a day for Tebowing in the hallway. Full story here.
If you haven't seen it yet or knew, Tebow was mic'ed up for the Bears game. Here is part one and part two. Also Cutler makes an appearance at the end of the 2nd part. It is interesting to see how clam Tebow is and how in control he is.
Ladies
Gisele Bundchen, there are so many reasons to dislike Brady and this is just another one.
Jokes
A new take on a classic.
Tom Brady, after living a full life, died. When he got to heaven, God was showing him around. They came to a modest little house with a faded Patriots flag in the window. "This house is yours for eternity Tom, said God. "This is very special; not everyone gets a house up here." Tom felt special, indeed, and walked up to his house.
On his way up the porch, he noticed another house just around the corner. It was a huge 3-story mansion with Orange and Blue sidewalks and drive ways, a 50 foot tall flagpole with an enormous Broncos logo flag waving, a swimming pool in shape of a horse, a Broncos logo in every window, and a Tim Tebow jersey on the front door.
Tom looked at God and said "God, I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but I have a question. I was an all-pro QB, I won 3 Super Bowls, and I even went to the Hall of Fame."
God said "So what’s your point Tom?"
"Well, why does Tim Tebow get a better house than me?"
God chuckled, and said "Tom, that’s not Tim’s house, it’s mine."
Funny YouTube
Whats funnier then a big man running with the football?....He picked off Philip Rivers....and then Turners face afterwards, classic.
That is it from me, enjoy your weekends and Go Broncos! ~ Aussie
I LOVE THIS TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Denver has done it, AGAIN.
After way too many missed chances and opportunities, a blocked field goal the Tim Tebow-led offense found a way for the 6th consecutive time to pull off a miracle... in overtime.
They had my heart pounding and literally ready to jump out of me. It's stressful and exciting at the same time.
Bottom line is, no matter how bad they played or how long it took them to do something productive, they got the miraculous win.
Now Denver is the sole leader of the AFC West. Dang, that feels good to say that.
Here's how they wrote their 6th consecutive win....
Offense:
Blah... and that's putting it nicely.
Once again, the first half is nothing to remember. Plenty of dropped passes, our run game was practically MIA as Tebow topped our rush stats with 12 carries for 49 yards above our go-to guy in Willis McGahee who only had 17 carries for 34 yards.
Not sure what happened but for quite some time, McGahee wasn't in the game (possibly due to an injury)?? If I recall correctly, he returned during Denver's "Miracle hour" but fact remains, our run game got stuffed by the Bears' heavy & hungry defense.
On the bright side, Tebow continues to improve on his passing game completing half of his pass attempts. When it came down to the wire and Denver needing to do something to win the game, he drove the offense down the field like any other pro... pass after pass, completion after completion.
It was nothing short of impressive.
In the end, Tebow ended the game with 21 for 40 for... get this,236 yards, a TD and a very rare INT. << Aussie, you got to stop calling the INTs, it don't help!! lol
And after an agonizing 4 dropped passes on D. Thomas, #88 proved he's still a hot receiver on the field making 7 catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
So nice to see Thomas getting more involved and that Tebow has found another target but I want to see Decker get back in it... I miss his game-saving catches.
Matthew Willis moved up as Tebow's 2nd favorite target for this game as he caught 4 passes for 75 yards, right behind Thomas.
The Oline got off track again letting Tebow get sacked 5 times for 15 yards. Of course Tebow needs to get rid of the ball earlier, even if it means throwing it out of bounds to avoid those costly sacks. Tebow even had a fumble lost on top of his other turnover, the interception by Tillman.
But when it came to "do or die" at the end of the game, the offense came through for Denver. But next week, against a very stingy New England defense, we have to without a doubt play much better. We can't afford to keep trying to run the ball up the middle all the time and expect to get away with it, especially when Brady gets on the field and does what he does.
Can't stand the guy, but he does know what he's doing on the field. Its a VERY tall order but we've pulled off 6 miracles since our bye week, I would love nothing more than to see this offense dominate the New England defense and rack up the points early and turn the game into win #7.
I believe in the craziness that is this Denver Broncos offense.
Defense:
I'm proud and speechless at the same time.
As much as Chicago's defense held us to nothing in the first half, we can say the same for ours. They fought like warriors out there and came out hungry with a total of 4 sacks on Hanie. Oh how I wish that was Cutler they were pounding into the ground. Next time.....
DJ Williams is the leader on defense this week in tackles with 9 solo and 2 sacks.
Dumervil came in second with 5 and 1 sack; the outstanding rookie Von Miller played another great game for himself and got another sack to add to his stats, making his total so far 11.5.
That's hot. lol
I just love how this defense has improved and that they come out fighting every week. All I can say to that is, its about time.
Special Teams:
Prater is the next best thing to Jason Elam. That 59-yard FG blew me away. I was sitting there peeking out at the screen through my fingers, couldn't stand to watch it with the game on the line but of course I had to see it and it would've been good from probably 62, maybe 63 yards.
After the FG tied the game, Denver went for an on-side kick which did not go as planned as Chicago got the ball back right away... but then blew it almost just as fast.
I must say though, that was like the most perfect on-side kick a kicker could make. Prater hit it just right, but no Denver player could get it. Interesting notes:
I proclaim Marion Barber as the MVP of this game as when it came down to the final minutes/seconds of the game, he not only screwed up once but twice to give Denver an extra chance to win it.
When Chicago got the ball back after a bad on-side attempt by Denver, Barber had the ball and defeated Chicago's intention of staying in bounds & winding the clock down as he ran out of bounds to give Denver the big chance. A chance to win the game that Barber, I'm sure, is kicking himself for but I would like to thank him for being a butt and doing something real stupid. haha
But Barber's "fun" didn't stop there. Once Denver tied the game with the help from Matt Prater's leg, Chicago won the coin toss to start OT and of course, opted to get the ball first.
Whoops... there went the ball right out of Barber's hands while in field goal range (thanks to Wesley Woodyard's forced fumble) and Elvis was in the house to recover it.
The rest is history as the Broncos won the game with Prater's 2nd 50+ yard FG of the game.
Injury Update:
Brian "Weapon X" Dawkins left the game (can't remember when) due to a neck injury. X-rays came back negative but was set to have an MRI on it yesterday. No word yet on how serious it is. Looks like his time clock might be running out. I hope he's got a little more left in him cause when he's healthy, he's a beast on that field.
Eddie Royal (concussion) almost played against Chicago but stayed out of the game. Looks like he might return for the Patriots game. We need all the help we can get on that one.
Videos:
I could watch that 59-yarder all day... now that my friends is a thing of beauty.
Till the next BIG upset, enjoy the highlights ;) New England ain't ready for this, I think they'll be in for a big shocker, as will the rest of the NFL. I like our chances of beating them now than I did at the beginning of the season.
The Broncos return home this week for the last stretch of football for the year. In the previous 5 weeks they have gone UNDEFEATED for the first time in years and are on the cusp of grabbing a playoff spot. Over the next four weeks 3 of those 4 games are played at home at Mile High. This week is one of those three games as the Bears come to town to play. As it happens the Broncos are on the rise, where as the Bears are the opposite and trying to prevent a downward spiral. They have lost their starting punk QB (luckily for him, VonDOOOOOOOM!) and their electric starting RB Matt Forte (there goes my fantasy team :P). As such they have Hanie and Barber filling in those spots. Hanie is an talented and athletic QB but with little game time. Barber is an old bruiser that is in the twilight years of his career. Some believe they will be lucky to win another game this year.
The Broncos however are now favorites in almost all of their remaining games. The problem is can they held the tag of favorites? They have won most of their games on the road with a QB many believe can't play the position giving them the ultimate underdog tag. This view has changed, in my opinion, in the last week since the Broncos are now a top of the AFC West division. People and other teams now know we are for real. Even if we do it in an weird or unorthodox fashion, we still win games. Other teams look at our defense and now see an formidable opponent (which we know has weaknesses and can be beaten).
I worry that the Broncos don't come out firing, they come out cold and can't beat a struggling Bears team. It almost happened against the Vikings, a team that we were meant to beat easily. We only won because Tebow figured out 2+2 = 88 and hit up D-Thomas. I worry that we may underestimate a Bears team that has a very good defense. Urlacher, Briggs, Peppers to name a few. This is a Bears team that was built for the playoffs until it lost its QB. I expect this to be a low scoring affair with the better defense getting the win. Both team's offenses may not even score some points.
The Broncos are now in a position that many have never been before, the cusp of greatness. It will take some of our veteran players to keep this team grounded and on track. Onto the preview.
Why to watch
This was supposed to be a homecoming for Jay Cutler, but now it's Caleb Hanie against Tebow Time. While Hanie has thrown six picks in two starts, Tebow has thrown one all year. Denver is on a 6-1 run while the Bears are sliding outside of the playoff picture with Matt Forte now out, too.
Inside story
One would imagine the Broncos run plenty of read-option stuff at Julius Peppers and try to keep him off Tebow's back. Von Miller could be back for the Broncos, and Hanie has been sacked 11 times in two starts.
Match Ups:
The Key for me in this game is Special Teams versus Hester. Hester has destroyed us in the return game before and has turned games completely against us. We will need to shut him down and not allow good field position. I am looking at you Colquitt, time to earn your paycheck. This goes for Knox as well.
Otherwise this is a defense battle. For our D we have to limit Hester, Knox and Bennett. Each can do something's in space and pick up yards. The Bears would have watched what the Vikings did to get Harvin in the open and will try to repeat that with Hester. Goodman you better play well. I also hope we activate Moore for this game, McCarthy is a special teamer ONLY. Our coverage should be better anyway as Miller should play in this game. Meaning we probably only send 4 allowing us to drop more guys in coverage.
Also don't sleep on Roy Williams. When he is on he can be unstoppable but just send DJ at him and we should be sweet as.
I am not worried about our pass rush, the turnstile that is the Bears O-Line will struggle to protect Miller and Doom. Which should benefit the others along the line. But I am a little worried about the run defense. Mays it is time to step up and make some plays in the run game because Barber only goes one way and that is down hill. Our middle should be solid but we need to limit the conversions on 3rd down which Barber is a specialist at.
For our offense I think we will probably go run heavy. Hopefully Clady's knee is OK because he going up against Peppers who is one of the most talented DE....ever. If I was the Bears I would flip flop Peppers and have him take on Franklin too because I think he would probably school the rookie.
The secondary for the Bears is pretty good (player wise, though they have struggled recently). Meriweather is a player I really like, he has his limitations but he can make the big plays when needed. Tillman and Jennings are solid corners and Wright is a young safety that has impressed so far. Therefore don't expect wide open receivers like last week, tight windows will be the norm. It will be on McCoy to use his receivers to create space for completions and with a group that has DT, Decker, Willis, JT, maybe Royal as well as others (Larsen!) we have more than enough weapons to cause problems for the Bears secondary.
But I expect a heavy dose of the run. Which on the Bears is not an easy thing too do. Urlacher and Briggs are two of the biggest LBs in the last decade and know how to find the football. It will be interesting to see if we use the option and whether Tebow finds any space.
If McGahee goes down, if his knee plays up, we should go the pass. We have the weapons so use them. That means Tebow will need to step up.
Speaking of Tebow what do I expect from him this week. Last week in the preview I said "I ask for 10 or more completions and a 50% completion rate." And of course Tebow delivered. This week I am going to set Tebow a challenge, I ask for 15! completions and a 50% completion rate, lets see if you can do that. Also I expect this week Tebow throws an intercept.
Prediction:
With everything I have read and looked at I think this game should be really close. If we get on a roll early and play with good field position we may put up 30 points but I doubt it. Like I said this one is on the defense. I am feeling a 13-10 score with both teams getting a touchdown not by their offenses. I am thinking a Bailey pick six and a Hester kick return for TD as the points scored. Prater kicks the remaining points with the last field goal in the final two minutes of the game. How is that for a detailed prediction.
Injury Report:
Eddie Royal (WR), Concussion, DNP
Ryan Clady (LT), Knee, Limited
Willis McGahee (RB), Knee, DNP
David Bruton (S), Achilles, Limited
Von Miller (LB), Thumb, Limited
Jeremiah Johnson (RB), Ankle, Full
Mitch Unrein (DE), Lower Back, Full
Quinton Carter (S), Cramps, Full
CHICAGO BEARS
Jay Cutler (QB), Thumb, Out
Matt Forte (RB), Knee, DNP
Major Wright (S), Shoulder, DNP
Anthony Adams (DT), Back, Full
Charles Tillman (CB), Quad, Full
Brian Urlacher (LB), Quad, Full
Henry Melton (DL), Knee, --
Every Bronco player should play except maybe Royal. It depends if he passes his concussion tests or not.
And just like that, in a flip of a switch, Denver went from owning the bottom of the AFC West to now standing on top thanks to another exciting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat TEAM win & with the Raiders letting the Miami Dolphins kick their little butts, bahaha way too funny!
Denver is tied with Oakland in win-losses at 7-5 but our 5 game win streak among other things shoved us to the top spot in the always unpredictable AFC West. Funny enough, San Diego now claims the bottom spot, which I find hysterical considering that they have done nothing but dominate our division and its nice to see them falter for once. So long Norv Turner....... :p
What can I say about this team that will do them justice?? Frankly, I don't know because they have been so wildly unpredictable in the 2nd half of their last 5 games but I am lovin' every second of it. The first half is nothing to remember and the way the offense plays there makes you wonder what's wrong with them.
But the 2nd half, its pure Mile High Magic coming to life.
The way all 3 aspects of the team comes together to get the win, its just unbelievable. The Broncos' playoff dreams & hopes have just gotten a little closer and I'm on the verge of getting ahead of myself with all the excitement of how this team is playing. I think my season prediction of 10-6 is very, very realistic at this point. I would love nothing more than to beat the Pats in our house, that would be HUGE for Denver. And right now, as crazy as it may sound, we have a real shot of pulling it off.
2-3 months ago, I would've said its a given loss for us. Now there's a glimmer of hope. The way this team has come together, I'm almost in shock. Its such a relief to see Denver play like this once again. I haven't been this giddy about my team since Elway was here... that says a lot about our current players, young & seasoned.... they got the fire & passion in them to make it into the playoffs for the first time in 6 long agonizing years.
So without further adieu, here is the breakdown of Denver 5th consecutive second-half team rally to win a game against the Minnesota Vikings....
Offense:
You guys make me smile... you make me nervous.
Very sloppy start to the game, which isn't unusual as of late in our recent games. It drives me crazy that we start off so sloppy, so unorganized, crappy playcalling (same play over & over & over... stop running it up the middle!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!)
But there's something about that 2nd half that lights a fire under them to actually play like a team with the will to win. I can't honestly say it doesn't matter how we get the job done, cause it does matter. We played a 2-9 team... we should have buried them all in their own turf with points. We should have run them into the ground.
For whatever the reason, bottom line is we fought like the crazy Bronco team we are the entire second half and walked away with another close one.
Only 7 points scored in the first half vs. 28 in the second. That's nuts.
As for Tim Tebow, he played much better in the 2nd half... more like a quarterback should. He completed more than half of his attempted throws and when it came down to this offense keeping up with Minnesota who seemed to be controlling the 2nd half offensively, Tebow led the offense on 4 scoring drives to keep up and not let the game get out of hand.
Tebow made sure this offense stayed in check and they fought till they got the job done.
He completed 10 out of 15 attempts for 202 yards and 2 passing touchdowns. And of course he still managed to get himself on the rushing stats with 4 carries for 13 yards.
It's very clear though that he is becoming more comfortable in the pocket & making passes. It will be a slower journey for him to get there but fact is, he WILL get there. He will do whatever it takes to become a better, more accurate passer. His determination will server him well in doing so.
Willis McGahee continues to be the running back this team has so long needed, earning his 6th 100+ rushing yard game, taking 20 carries for 111 yards and 1 touchdown. Lance Ball also got some game time with 7 carries for 25 yards.
Really nice to see this team with a solid RB like McGahee and not as many injuries in that area as we've had in the past. Amazing what you can do when your players stay healthy, hmmm.......
Well the ghost has come to life... welcome back to football Demaryius Thomas.... where in the world have you been boy???
The first-round pick, also known as Bay-Bay, finally got back into a game and with style I may add. Thomas had 4 receptions for 144 yards & 2 TDs. Was nice to see Tebow get him more involved and really nice to see him get not 1 but 2 amazing TDs out of it.
This offense is slowly but surely getting back on its feet.
Defense:
The men of Denver's defense continues to carry this team on their shoulders. Granted they allowed 32 points but in the end, they won this game. And a hard fought game it was for our defense.
In the first half they harassed rookie QB Christian Ponder, at one point I thought Ponder would leave the game with all the hard hits he was taking.
Even without the standout rookie, Von Miller, his replacement for the game in Mario Haggan was as good of a replacement could get. Haggan even led the team in tackles with 7 and 5 assists and an INT returned for a touchdown in the first quarter.
I remember watching the game and they were showing Miller on the sidelines jumping & going crazy for his teammate. That's real sportsmanship right there, cheering them on instead of grumbling about how "that should've been me". Don't worry, it will be Miller Time again next week against Chicago. lol
Andre Goodman came in second on tackles with 5 and 2 assists along with the game-winning INT. Funny it worked out that way because I noticed that most of the game, Goodman was playing off so far from his receiver giving them plenty of room & yards to make a catch and do something with it. And then in the end he's the one who wins the ball back for Denver to avoid going into OT. Well done in making up for lack of good coverage.
Next on the list is THE Weapon X with his 26th career sack and a forced fumble to go with it. The almost 40-year old safety still has a little something left in him.
Doom & Ryan McBean also got a piece of the rookie QB with a sack each, making a total of 3 sacks on Ponder. Injury Update:
On a punt return, Eddie Royal was prepared to catch the ball but his own teammate Matthew Willis ran into him and took Royal out for the rest of the game. It is now confirmed he sustained a concussion on the play. To top this off, he's also battling an ankle & toe injuries as well.
Interesting notes:
While we did win this game, we also fell back into getting penalties that cost us some big yards & big plays, with the addition of 2 turnovers & 2 sacks. This is a very, very young Oline and I guess you could call all this "growing pains" for the offense but you got a very talented player with experience in Ryan Clady and he's been off his game all season long. I would hope he would be guiding these other guys but in the end its up to each individual to know what they are doing and to do it right.
I must say the line has gotten much better at protecting Tebow, they give him all day to make a pass which is great. But 1 sack is 1 too many, granted though it is better than 7 in one game.
As for the penalties, that's on all sides of the ball. The holding calls that we've been getting are getting really old. I know its a fact of every football game, there's bound to be several holding calls but its so annoying!! We need to back off on the penalty craze, we can't afford it.
Whew!! Lots of highlights but good stuff. The 41-yard TD by Thomas - man, I could watch that play over & over all day. No one can bring him down. Arguably my favorite play of the game. Enjoy!
Also, Denver is up again for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week after overcoming another first-half slump vs. Minnesota and to come out fighting the entire 2nd half. Be sure to VOTE!!!!
Next up for Denver are the Bears, too bad Cutler won't be playing. I would love nothing more than to see our Defense destroy him. I've been waiting all season for this game just to see the reaction of the fans and now he won't even play, grrrr. Will be a good game & exciting for sure.
The 'Road Warriors' Broncos are on the road yet again after getting the victory against the Chargers. The Broncos this week are taking on the Vikings who have a record of 2-9 and have struggled so far this year. This is a game that the Broncos are expected to win, which would be a first for them this year. The Broncos should not underestimate the Vikings as every win is crucial to the Broncos playoff hopes. Time to get into the preview.
Why to watch:
Tebow Time, baby! Come on now. Fantastic finishes. Read-option football. The Broncos are trying to ride it to a division title. Are you on board?
Inside story:
This could be a long week for Christian Ponder. Elvis Dumervil is back in peak form and rookie Von Miller is a track star out there off the edge. And with the Vikings possibly without Adrian Peterson again, ball control might prove difficult. Percy Harvin will continue getting carries and will be featured big in a gadget role.
Match Ups:
There are some really good match ups for the Broncos in this game but there are two keys for me in this game.
Number one is AP. The Broncos front seven have to stop AP and limit him to less than 100 yards. We may be helped out with this as AP has an ankle injury and may not play. But if he does we will need to shut him down.
The second is Jared Allen. Even on a bad team he has been a monster and has great numbers. He could make Tebow's day a nightmare. We need to block him and take him out of the game.
If we can do this I think we can come away with the victory.
Other match ups, Champ Vs Harvin, Champ has to shut him down. If this is done Von Doom (if he plays) should be able to get after Ponder and make his day a living hell. Make him Orange and Blue!
Storming Mormon needs to get a few touches as always to take a bit of pressure off Tebow and McGahee.
As always a word on Tebow. He is going against one of the worst secondaries this week and needs to have a good showing. I ask for 10 or more completions and 50% completion rate. I don't ask much and I think he can do it.
Other news:
The NFL has honored Denver linebacker Von Miller as its defensive rookie of the month for November.
Miller tied for the team lead with 31 tackles, 4.5 sacks and two passes defensed as the Broncos went 4-0 during the month and became a playoff contender. Miller, the No. 2 overall draft pick in April, became a dominant player this month as Denver’s defense improved dramatically. Miller was drafted to help a defense that was No. 32 in the NFL last year. It is currently ranked No. 16 in the NFL.
This likely won’t be Miller’s last rookie honor. He is considered a leading contender to win the NFL defensive of rookie of the year award.
Harvard students set out to statistically prove the “Miracle of Tim Tebow” for Broncos, link.
Von Miller (LB), Thumb, DNP
Eddie Royal (WR), Toe, Limited
Daniel Fells (TE), Hand, Full
David Bruton (S), Achilles, Full
Ryan Clady (T), Knee, Full
Willis McGahee (RB), Illness, Limited
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Adrian Peterson (RB), Ankle, DNP
Kyle Rudolph (TE), Quadricep, Limited
Anthony Herrera (G), Knee, Limited
Chris Cook (CB), Non-Injury, Out
E.J. Henderson (LB), Shoulder, DNP
Asher Allen (CB), Shoulder, Limited
Erin Henderson (LB), Hamstring, Full
Jamarca Sanford (S), Shoulder, Full
Visanthe Shiancoe (TE), Hamstring, Full
Jared Allen (DE), Not Injury Related, DNP
Denver Broncos star rookie linebacker Von Miller took another step toward not playing Sunday at Minnesota as he failed to practice for the second straight day. He had surgery Tuesday to repair ligaments in his thumb.
Miller suffered the injury Sunday at San Diego, but he finished the game and made a huge play near the end of overtime to help the Broncos. Denver coach John Fox didn’t shed much light on Miller’s status for Sunday against the Vikings.
“It’s in the medical people’s hands, and if they deem him ready to play, he’ll play. They’re working on all those things,” Fox told reporters Thursday. “Again, I’ll meet with the medical people. We’ll make that determination tomorrow.”
Perhaps this is a positive: Fox said Miller is in the process of getting medical protection gear. It will likely be in the form of a hard cast or hard splint.
Also for Denver, running back Willis McGahee (illness) and receiver Eddie Royal (toe) were both limited Thursday after not practicing Wednesday.
I have a feeling that all three will play but both Royal and Miller will be limited. Miller will probably only be used in pass rushing situations and Royal will probably only get out there in 4 wide sets. I expect to see a lot more of D-Thomas. If Miller doesn't play then Haggan will slot into his position.
Prediction:
The Broncos don't score a lot of points and I expect that is the case in this one. The Vikings don't have a very good defense so I am expecting the Broncos to try somethings and score some points. I say a 24-14 game Broncos win.
Jokes:
Q: Why did the National Hockey League allow Minnesota to get a franchise?
A: The fans were crying to have at least one professional team in Minnesota.
That's it from me, enjoy the game and your weekend. Go Broncos! ~ Aussie.
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1 - Thurs - Aug 9 - at Chicago - 31-3 - Win 2 - Sat - Aug 18 - vs SEATTLE - 10-30 - Loss 3 - Sun - Aug 26 - vs SAN FRANCISCO - 24-29-Loss 4 - Thurs - Aug 30 - at Arizona - 16-13 - Win
Season - 13-3
1 - Sun - Sep 9 - vs PITTSBURGH - 31-19 - Win 2 - Mon - Sep 17 - at Atlanta - 21-27 - Loss 3 - Sun - Sep 23 - vs HOUSTON - 25-31 - Loss 4 - Sun - Sep 30 - vs OAKLAND - 37-6 - Win 5 - Sun - Oct 7 - at New England - 21-31 - Loss 6 - Mon - Oct 15 - at San Diego - 35-24 - Win 7 BYE 8 - Sun - Oct 28 - vs Saints - 34-14 - Win 9 - Sun - Nov 4 - at Cincinnati - 31-23 - Win 10 - Sun - Nov 11 - at Carolina - 36-14 - Win 11 - Sun - Nov 18 - vs Chargers - 30-23 - Win 12 - Sun - Nov 25 - at Kansas City - 17-9 - Win 13 - Sun - Dec 2 - vs TAMPA BAY - 31-23 - Win 14 - Thurs - Dec 6 - at Oakland - 26-13 - Win 15 - Sun - Dec 16 - at Baltimore - 34-17 - Win 16 - Sun - Dec 23 - vs BROWNS - 34-12 - Win 17 - Sun - Dec 30 - vs CHIEFS - 38-3 - Win
I hate doing these posts after a loss, especially after Denver was riding a high & mighty 6-game win streak only to see it crash & burn against New England.
6 wins, we started off slow, struggled to get anything going all game but ended every one of those games with a big win... but against NE, we started off great scoring on our first 3 possessions, we owned the first quarter but we went downhill from there and couldn't get back up on our feet and lost.
n over by Brady & Co., but that didn't start till the 2nd quarter. They came out strong like our offense but something about the 2nd that started our downhill run in the game.
