Ma”Cheese”Mo: Mike McCarthy Relishes Momentum

In a week that saw plenty of Curtis Painter and Brian Hoyer, Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy shook the dice on a potential severe injury to any of his key players and let his starters play a majority of the game in the Packers’ 33-7 rout of the Arizona Cardinals.

Starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers played into the second half, as did most of the defense. With the exception of what appears to be a minor injury to Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson, the team escaped today’s game free of any severe injuries to key players.

Why would McCarthy take such a risk? One word: momentum.  McCarthy understands that momentum is everything going into the playoffs, perhaps even more than where your team is seeded.  McCarthy would know this better than most as his Packers lost a heartbreaker in the NFC Championship two years ago to a red-hot New York Giants team that went on to win Super Bowl XLII.

While McCarthy was indeed playing with fire, it was a move that could ultimately end up paying off in a big way.  Take a look back at what happened to the Indianapolis Colts in 2005.  They rested their starters the final week and got knocked out of the playoffs by a Steelers team that had played its starters in all regular season games.  The Colts tried it the other way the following season and won Super Bowl XLI.

Another important factor in McCarthy’s decision that should not be overlooked is that he has the youngest team in the NFL.  Despite the team’s success this season, the more experience this group can get the better off they will be.  This is especially true for an offensive line that struggled early this year but has since made strides in keeping Rodgers upright.

When teams lock up home field advantage or a first round bye, some people view the extra rest as a reward for players’ performances during the regular season.  McCarthy doesn’t subscribe to that theory.  What McCarthy likely did tell his squad was that while making the playoffs is a significant milestone, no rings or trophies are given just for making the tournament. 

McCarthy probably wanted to remind his players of the difficult journey ahead in that they still have four more games of increasing difficulty to win, and that they should not be happy until they are hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Miami.

With most of the NFC struggling, the Packers really can think “why not us?” and do so with a straight face.  The Packers are the hottest team in the conference right now. Look at the rest of the NFC field.

Philadelphia looked putrid with the NFC East on the line, the Packers took it to the Cardinals’ starters early in the game, the Vikings lost two in a row before handily beating a Giants team that looked like it packed it in, the Saints have lost three in a row, and the Packers already beat the Cowboys (albeit a potential second matchup would be in Dallas where the Packers have struggled).

Combine that along with the fact that McCarthy chose momentum over rest and the Packers are arguably in much better shape than the 2007 squad was to make a title run, and the ’07 Packers even had a first round bye. That season, McCarthy chose to pull Brett Favre and other starters right before halftime.  The result in the divisional round? The Packers fell behind 14-0 early before rallying for a 42-20 win.

When you also consider that the past four Super Bowls have featured at least one team that played a game on wild card weekend, then history favors the Packers as well. Then again, it also favors the other three teams playing that weekend as well.

It has been an exciting season so far for Cheeseheads, and thanks to McCarthy’s gamble it has the potential to be even more thrilling.

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Josh McDaniels Needs to Learn What Accountability REALLY Means

Apparently it is possible to see a mirage in the Rockies.

Earlier this season after the Broncos started 3-0, I wrote that the Broncos and their fans were buying into what Josh McDaniels was doing with the team and, to steal a line from McDonald’s, I said they were “lovin’ it.”

Well, 13 games later, I think it is safe to say both the team and its fans are “hatin’ it.”  Even yours truly admits he was dead wrong. In a season of low expectations, the Broncos took advantage of no one taking them seriously and surged to a 6-0 start. 

Then the wheels came off and the Broncos finished a putrid 2-8 and becoming only the third team since the AFL-NFL merger to miss the postseason after starting the season 6-0. This collapse is worse than the three-game losing streak the Broncos had to end the 2008 campaign, due to that they played poorly for ten games versus three.

Mike Shanahan got fired for that three-game collapse last season, so logic dictates McDaniels should suffer the same fate. Will it happen?  Probably not this year. That said, Bowlen has even more just cause to fire McDaniels than he had to fire Shanahan.

First, as can be seen in the 44-24 thumping they took at home to the 3-12 Chiefs, McDaniels has lost control of this team. Just when fans thought it couldn’t get any worse than being beaten by JaMarcus Russell at the last second, it does. 

For example, McDaniels had the gall to make a more boneheaded move than Shanahan ever did by benching two of his best three pass catchers for “attitude problems,” for a game that had playoff implications. Anyone who saw today’s game would have been able to see that Marshall’s height and Scheffler’s hands would have helped the Broncos.

Marshall’s case is sketchy at best, but as a former problem child who had been on his best behavior all season it makes McDaniels’ move that much more puzzling.

On top of that, McDaniels has proven himself to be such a big liar that it would make Bill Belichick cringe. Case in point, McDaniels said today that Marshall’s benching had nothing to do with the Pro Bowl receiver missing a treat session for his purported injured hamstring. However, earlier in the week the head coach told Ed Werder of ESPN that missing a session was a primary reason for Marshall’s benching.

Which one is it coach? I understand that coaches mislead members of the media a lot with statements that aren’t necessarily true yet not entirely false, but this was an out and out lie that wouldn’t have been such a big deal had McDaniels told it one way or the other.

Such an outright lack of integrity even has me questioning how much of what McDaniels said about the falling out with Jay Cutler is true, but as they say “there is no use in crying over spilled milk.” We likely will never know what really happened there, but recent events should cause some Broncos fans to re-examine who the real villain in that situation really was.

Owner Pat Bowlen is learning what Cleveland (times two with Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini) and Notre Dame have come to terms with recently: the “Patriot way” of running an NFL works nowhere outside of Foxboro and even there, Belichick’s methods are starting to show signs of strain. Fudging on injury reports is no longer tolerated and Belichick’s monotone press conferences are beginning to become the laughingstock of the NFL. 

Players and fans alike want to see their teams run with integrity and class, a way in which the Broncos were run just one year ago. Taking out shortcomings on defense and struggles to finish off seasons, no one can say that the Shanahan regime wasn’t classy.  Shanahan’s final press conference is an example of that. He didn’t get it done and openly admitted it.

What does McDaniels do? He throws two of his best offensive players under the bus. If you have an issue with some players’ attitudes, that’s fine. McDaniels said the word of the week was accountability, and he held Marshall and Scheffler accountable. 

Now, following another embarrassing defeat, does the coach hold himself accountable? McDaniels said after the game, “Obviously, something is wrong and it needs to be fixed.”  Look in the mirror, coach.  McDaniels went on a power trip this past week and now he needs to learn the true meaning of the word “accountability.”

Mr. Bowlen, for the sake of your franchise, please fire this man. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) bring back Shanahan, but please hire a proven winner.

Bill Cowher would be a good start.

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Last Straw? Brandon Marshall Benched With Playoffs On The Line

As the second decade of the 21st century begins, the Denver Broncos have done a complete 360 degree turn and are right back where they started this past summer.

As training camp commenced last summer, Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall was demanding a trade and head coach Josh McDaniels was forced to suspend Marshall for the most of the preseason due to his antics during practices.

His idiocy started when Marshall “tweaked his hamstring” in a practice. He was then caught on tape punting balls away instead of just handing them off to ball boys like more mature players do.

Now it’s the first day of 2010 and here we go again.  The Broncos playoff hopes are on life support and Marshall once again has been benched by McDaniels.  It was reported earlier in the week that Marshall “tweaked his hamstring” during practice, but it seemed that he would good to go for the season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Instead McDaniels benched his Pro Bowl receiver and made it publicly known that some players playing Sunday have injuries that are worse than Marshall’s. In the situation earlier in the year, most fans stood on McDaniels’ side in how he handled Marshall’s childish behavior.

To quote the great Vince Lombardi, Broncos fans have to be asking “What the hell is going on out there?”

McDaniels and Marshall have once again engaged in a “he said, she said” public debate.  Marshall claims that since McDaniels never played in the NFL, he has no idea what it’s like to play hurt.  The player is watching out for his own health.  Marshall has been on his best behavior all year and should be given the benefit of the doubt here.

McDaniels, meanwhile, has said that this is all about accountability and that the team wants “45 guys on the field on Sun that want to play together,” and that “…anyone that showed indifference to that, we’ll play without them and play well anyway.”

Way to throw some of your players under the bus, coach.  It’s the most arrogant Belichickian statement McDaniels has made all season. In fact, benching his number one receiver for this season finale in which the Broncos still have a chance of making the playoffs is the dumbest move McDaniels has made all year. Herm Edwards needs to remind McDaniels that “YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!”

Now before anyone piles on McDaniels, there is a possibility there is more to this story that the media and fans do not know. McDaniels never shows his hand on these things and we saw a great example of this during the Jay Cutler fiasco last spring. 

It’s possible Marshall did something as stupid as what he did last summer and we just don’t know it. That said, in this age of YouTube, if something did happen we’ll know sooner rather than later.

Until then, Marshall is innocent until proven guilty.  McDaniels needs to produce some better evidence and fast or fans will be calling for his head. What started with whispers after the latest Broncos collapse will turn into screaming is McDaniels made this move without just cause.

Happy New Year Broncos fans.  It looks like 2010 will be a sequel to the soap opera that was 2009.

Oh, joy.

 

 

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Payback Time: Facing Vikings Best for Packers in Wild Card

Packer fans, start your drooling.

Only two weeks ago, it seemed like the only way the Green Bay Packers would get a third shot at the Minnesota Vikings would be in the divisional round of the playoffs and that assumed the Packers would win a wild card game first.

A hot Packers team and a slumping Vikings team have now made such a meeting possible in the wild-card round. 

Thanks to the Vikings losing 36-30 in overtime to the Chicago Bears on Monday, it’s possible for the Vikings to lose the No. 2 spot in the NFC that they have held practically all season. 

If that were to occur, the NFC North champion Vikings would host a wild card game with the Packers as a possible opponent.

Now, it’s unlikely on paper that this will occur. 

The Giants would have to beat the Vikings, the Cardinals would have to beat the Packers, and then the Eagles would have to beat the Cowboys.  A lot has to happen, but this is the National Football League. As many coaches say, “stranger things have happened.”

Cheeseheads still fuming after the Vikings beat the Packers at Lambeau are foaming at the mouth at getting another chance at the Vikings. 

Who can blame them? For one, it is very difficult to beat one team three times in a single season. History works against the Vikings here. 

Second, the two teams are suddenly going in opposite directions. 

The Packers are 6-1 in their last seven, and the Vikings have lost two straight to inferior opponents. 

Taking into account the Packers’ lone loss (to the Steelers) came on a last-minute miracle throw by Ben Roethlisberger, as of right now the Packers are actually the better team.

Fans also should not underestimate how bad the Packers want to beat Minnesota. 

Given the Vikings’ recent struggles, there is no doubt that by losing the two games to Minnesota this year that the Packers blew a prime opportunity to win the NFC North this year. 

Mike McCarthy won’t need to fire up the troops for this one. They will be motivating themselves.

Take a look at what caused the Packers to drop the two games to the Vikings this year. 

One was horrid play by the Packer offensive line that kept getting Aaron Rodgers pummeled. That’s been corrected. 

Along the same line is the Vikings’ pass rush, led by Jared Allen. Any Packer coach watching tape of the Vikings’ two most recent games should be able to develop a plan to contain Allen and keep him out of the game.

The Packers’ defense has risen to the occasion since then, as well. 

Dom Capers’ squad has turned into one of the elite units in the league stopping the run and having potential defensive MVP Charles Woodson in the secondary doesn’t hurt either. 

With Percy Harvin fighting migraines and Brett Favre fighting his own head coach, things certainly look more favorable for the Packers in round three.

Speaking of Favre, his penchant for blowing it in the playoffs looms large for the Packers.  Many members of the Packers were around in 2007 when Favre’s final pass as a Packer was intercepted in overtime, setting up the game-winning field goal that would cost the Packers the NFC title. 

Take that into account along with the reports that Favre has hijacked the offense and the franchise, and the Packers defense is licking its chops at finally laying the smackdown on ole No. 4.

Now, a lot of people are asking why the Vikings are the best matchup for the Packers and not the Cardinals or Cowboys, whom the Packers beat earlier this season. It’s easy to reason why these two teams would give the Packers a better chance at advancing, but let’s look a little deeper.

First, Arizona’s offense is very explosive. Just when you think they are struggling and you go for the KO, BOOM! Larry Fitzgerald catches a 70-yard laser for six points. 

Arizona’s receivers are big and tall and could easily overpower the Packers’ speedy secondary at any time. 

Sometimes the Packers can muscle the Cardinals’ wideouts, but even they can’t magically grow a couple inches taller.

As for the Cowboys, the Packers recently have struggled in Dallas. Though they haven’t played in the gargantuan Cowboys Stadium yet, it’s a ghost that will still haunt these Packers.

Combine that with a suddenly-hot-in-December Tony Romo and the Cowboys will be a much more potent force to be reckoned with the second go-round. Home field advantage can play a huge role, especially in the playoffs.

McCarthy said earlier in the season that “it’s not who you play, but when you play them.”

This never rings more true than during the NFL playoffs. The Vikings likely won’t be shaking in their boots about facing the Packers for a third time—and at home to boot. Any real professional team wouldn’t be scared.

If the Packers keep playing the way they have been, though, they could get what would be one the greatest victories in the history of a franchise that already has a ton of memorable victories.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and the Packers are ready to feast in the Metrodome.

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Silence! Aaron Rodgers Hushes Critics with Playoff Berth for Green Bay Packers

The debate is over. The book is slammed shut. Farewell, Brett.

However you want to put it, by leading his team to victory over Seattle 48-10 Sunday (and with the Giants losing to the Panthers 41-9), quarterback Aaron Rodgers has led the Packers to the postseason in only his second year as a starter. It’s a noticeable accomplishment in its own right.

In Green Bay, though, it’s so much more than that.

After two years of bickering within the Packer fan base regarding what should have happened with Brett Favre, Packer Nation can finally unite behind Rodgers. Most fans were lining up behind Rodgers at the beginning of last year, but there was still a very small holdout amongst some fans given Favre’s performance with the Vikings this year.

With the Packers qualifying for the playoffs this year, the strong majority of Packer fans can now say to that small group “Get on or get out!”, and say it with legitimacy. 

It’s the bottom line now and there is no doubt about it: the train is going full steam ahead and we will be going with or without you. It’s a statement that would bring tears to Mike McCarthy, who told Favre last season that “the train had left the station.”

Look at Rodgers’ statistics this season: 29 touchdown passes, four rushing touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Just think, he did all this despite being sacked more than any other quarterback this season. 

These numbers, and more importantly the Packers’ record, show what Rodgers is capable of. Rodgers put up solid numbers last year and improved this year.   

In fact, Rodgers is the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starter. Look out, NFL.

Just think, if the Packers had a competent offensive line to start the season…the Vikings would instead have quite a battle on their hands. 

They say hindsight is always 20/20 and the same rings true here. Packer fans no doubt will look at certain things this year and wonder, “what if?”.

That said, enough of looking through the rearview mirror. Talk of a second “dark age” coming for the Packers after Favre left can officially be silenced. The franchise is in much better hands now than it was after Vince Lombardi resigned after winning Super Bowl II. 

However, that does not mean McCarthy and Ted Thompson are exempt from criticism.  They both made decisions this past year that deserved to be scrutinized. Scrutinizing is what fans do and should continue to do. It shows they care.

Now, Packer fans who have been in Rodgers’ corner all along should not be yelling, “I told you so!” to other fans that were not. Packer fans are better than that. 

Instead, welcome them with open arms, accept any apologies (even though they shouldn’t be needed), and go forward as one. Cheeseheads take their reputation as the best fans in any sport quite seriously, and despite taking a slight hit over “Favre-gate”, there is no reason to think that reputation won’t hold into the foreseeable future. 

So with Packer Nation united again, what will these past two seasons look like when examined 10, 20, or even 30 years from now? Tough call, as none of us can see into the future. 

They will likely be seen as a civil war that ended up doing no longterm damage to the franchise. Thompson, despite any other questionable personnel decisions, will probably be lauded for standing up to a likely Hall of Fame quarterback and telling him he is not above the team. It will be used as a classic example of “what is right is not always popular”. 

No matter what happens from here on out, Thompson made the right call last summer.

If there are any doubters of Rodgers left after this season, the argument they are likely to make is that he is a “fluke”. Wrong. 

One good year followed by a few bad ones makes that good year a fluke. Two good seasons, in which the second showed great improvement over a pretty good first, are no flukes. 

In fact, there is one word that would sum up the two seasons Rodgers had and it is one that will likely continue to describe his play throughout his career: excellence.

What remains to be seen is how Rodgers handles himself in the playoffs. Given everything he went through to become the starter and how he kept a level head during last season’s shenanigans, Packer fans should have nothing to worry about. His emotions will be kept in check and he won’t make the play that costs you the game.

The haze that settled in over Lambeau Field last summer has finally cleared. The albatross that has hung over Packers management’s head has been cut loose. Fans and media alike can finally stop debating about Favre, which will likely come as a great relief to those who run local sports talk shows.

The Favre era is officially over and the Rodgers era has arrived in a blaze of glory. This is Rodgers’ team and we are his and the team’s fans.

Enjoy it, Packer fans. The Pack is back in the playoffs and without Favre under center.

It’s going to be OK.

In fact, it’s better than OK. It’s GREAT!

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On the Naughty List: Denver Broncos Collapsing Again, But…

It’s a scene that would drive any kid absolutely nuts. 

You are on your best behavior all year and yet when Christmas rolls around, there’s a big ol’ lump of coal sitting under the tree. Again.  You tried your absolute best to be a good boy or girl, yet in the end it’s the same results as previous years.

This feeling is shared by Broncos fans all over the world as the 2009 NFL regular season enters its penultimate week.  We tried our best.  We stood by our team during one of the most turbulent offseasons any franchise has endured in recent memory and it’s basically “second verse, same as the first” except this time with a different melody.

Everything is different about this Broncos team this year.  A new general manager, head coach, starting quarterback and defensive scheme. The team was expected to struggle and compete for a top ten draft pick.

The results? The team has been more competitive than expected, but lately this version of the Broncos seems eerily familiar to last year’s, except they lost the division title much earlier.  This season the Broncos stood at 8-4 and seemingly had a stranglehold on one of the two AFC wild card spots.  Life seemed great despite the Broncos struggling after a scintillating 6-0 start.

Then it started happening. Again.

The Broncos have now lost two in row, one to the undefeated Colts in which it looked like the Broncos might just pull off the upset and the other to the pathetic Oakland Raiders led by JaMarcus Russell in a last minute comeback.  I still can’t believe I just typed that last sentence. That one will hurt for a long time.

The Broncos now have quite a battle on their hands for the AFC’s final wild card spot.  It’s possible to clinch this week, but first they have a very tall order beating the Eagles in Philadelphia and then they need the Steelers, Dolphins, Jets, and Jaguars all to lose.  It’s possible as the aforementioned teams all face playoff caliber teams this week. Then again, the Broncos probably face the toughest test of all in playing the red hot Eagles. 

The point is the Broncos have no business being in this position.  Had they won the easily winnable games against the Redskins and Raiders, they’d likely have a playoff position wrapped up and could rest their key players to make a run in the postseason.  Once again with the Broncos, they have a severe case of “woulda, coulda, shoulda.”

To a Broncos fan, it’s like being stuck in the Twilight Zone.  One year ago, the team had a three game lead over the Chargers with three to go and all they needed to do was win ONE of their final three games, including one at home to the Raiders, and the AFC West would be theirs.  Again, “second verse, same as the first.”

If the team misses the postseason this year, it is highly doubtful Josh McDaniels loses his job unlike what happened to Mike Shanahan last year.  This is McDaniels’ first year trying the change the culture of an entire organization that had gotten stuck in neutral the past few years.  Overnight miracles were not expected.

Indeed, McDaniels has given Broncos fans much hope this year despite recent struggles.  Given the amount of roster turnover this season, the fact that the Broncos are currently even competing to make the postseason shows promise. 

The Broncos weren’t expected to win much more than five games and the Broncos had that matched by week five.  I’ve even told people that if the Broncos finish 8-8 I’d be content considering how bad things looked this summer.

Would it be disappointing to miss the playoffs this year after such a great start to the season? Absolutely. As Herm Edwards so eloquently put it,  “You play to win the game! You don’t play it to just play it.” It would be a darn shame to see the team miss the postseason after the season started with such promise.

Now, I have been as pessimistic in this column as I have been all year, but I still hold out hope for the future. Think about it. If McDaniels was this good this year, his first as an NFL head coach, think of how good he will be the next few seasons as he learns from his mistakes and continues to get personnel in place that fit his system. 

This team will be better next season.  I have no doubt about that.  What seemed like a multi-year rebuilding project is now just a matter of putting the pieces together.  The Broncos are much further ahead than anyone thought they would be at this point, playoffs or not.

Who knows? Maybe instead of coal yet again next year, Broncos fans will get the best kind of Christmas present, one that doesn’t arrive until February: the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Besides, you think coal is bad this year?  Think of what Jay Cutler has under his tree this year.  Use your imagination on that one.

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Veteran’s Day: Broncos Need Experienced Help As Orton Heals

I will finally admit it.  The Denver Broncos need to sign another quarterback. Now.

I say that not for the reasons many Broncos fans have been crowing about since Week One.  I don’t think Kyle Orton is a bad quarterback.  Orton is not holding back the Broncos offense.

He is not the problem. Every single Bronco fan should now realize this.

Orton, actually, is the solution.  With him out of the lineup during the second half of today’s game against the Redskins, the Broncos offense was putrid.  A lot of Broncos fans got their wish when backup quarterback Chris Simms finally got his chance to lead the Broncos’ attack.

It’s a wish they surely want back.  With Orton out with an ankle injury, Simms played poorly.  Three of 13 for 13 yards and an interception.  His quarterback rating: 7.5.  That’s barely lower than the IQ of the owner of the opposition.  (I kid, I kid…..or do I?)

People who have continued to doubt Orton’s value to the Broncos offense have officially run out of excuses.  The scoreboard doesn’t lie.  At the half, Denver led 17-14. The Broncos were then shut out in the second half and were outscored by a pathetic Redskins offense 13-0, leading to a final score of 27-17 in favor of the ‘Skins.

Now, this doesn’t put 100 percent of the blame on Simms.  The fact that the Redskins converted a fake field goal AFTER a timeout is beyond me. There is no excuse for that to happen and I am sure Josh McDaniels will let special teams coach Mike Priefer know that this week.

If Orton can’t go this week, McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders need to give strong consideration to bringing in a veteran.  Jeff Garcia immediately comes to mind.  I think Simms still has potential but you don’t throw someone under center that hasn’t played a meaningful football game in years when you are in the middle of a battle for the division.  With the Chargers coming in this week, you need to put your best foot forward and right now Simms is understandably rusty.

I understand Garcia would be rusty as well and would have to learn a new offense, but this is where experience serves him best.  He is a smart quarterback and could pick up the Broncos offense in a heartbeat.  Same goes for any veteran the Broncos would bring in.  McDaniels offense has been described by the coach himself as very “quarterback friendly” and learning it should not be much trouble for a seasoned veteran.

Now, Orton could be cleared to play this week and this could all be moot.  That said, Orton likely will not be 100 percent.  I think the Broncos would be better off with a more seasoned backup than Simms.  Simms had a chance to prove his worth today and he didn’t do it.  Some of that could be chalked up to rust, but he looked lost out there.

If the Broncos lived up to preseason expectations and were below .500, I would be all for letting Simms play, develop and get his legs back under him after missing so much playing time.  He, in theory, would then be ready to challenge Orton for the starting spot in 2010.

Fortunately, the Broncos are in a much better position than predicted.  Nine games into the season, they are tied for first with the Chargers at 6-3.  While the Broncos’ recent skid allowed the Chargers to close the gap from two games back to a tie, the Broncos are still in better shape than most had thought they would be.

If the Broncos want to get back on the winning track and keep this magical season from completely falling apart, they need to bring in a veteran quarterback.  If Simms truly has bought into the culture McDaniels has brought to Denver, he will understand that it is best for the team that a more experienced signal caller be brought in until Orton is ready again.

Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery for Orton, otherwise Denver better be ready for “plan B,” and that “B” does NOT stand for Brandstater.

 

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Will The Force Be With Them? Broncos Can’t Overlook Redskins

If Admiral Ackbar of “Star Wars” fame were a football fan, he would be screaming his trademark line to the Denver Broncos right now.

“IT’S A TRAP!”

The Broncos are currently in a sort of tailspin following two straight blowouts at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.  If there ever was such a thing as a perfect opponent to bounce back against, it’s the Washington Redskins whom the Broncos face Sunday.

That’s the exact reason why the Broncos should not look past the Redskins this week.  It seems all too easy, like Darth Vader thought fighting Luke Skywalker in “The Empire Strikes Back.” This is the perfect week for a major letdown to happen for the Broncos, and it very well could.  Who at this time last week thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would not only beat the Green Bay Packers, but beat them by more than a touchdown?

Many Broncos fans are feeling confident heading into this weekend’s matchup, but others have a such a bad feeling about this game, it would make Han Solo proud. 

The Broncos offense has been stagnant the past two games and if there was ever a time for Josh McDaniels to take the leash off of Kyle Orton and see what he really can do, now would be the opportune time. Orton is notorious for being a dink and dunk passer and while that served him well the first six games of 2009, it must be dawning on Orton and McDaniels that the deep passing game has to open up for the Broncos to continue to win.

Washington’s defense, for all the team’s other flaws, is fairly stout.  Orton and company will be challenged this weekend so it’s important that the offense establish an early rhythm as well.  The offense needs to do its part early so that the Broncos defense can do their thing while protecting a lead instead of trying to come from behind. Orton needs to avoid sacks and not commit the critical turnover.

As far as the defense goes, they need to regain the form they had against the Steelers in the first half.  Ben Roethlisberger was under siege in the first half and the Broncos need to do the same to Jason Campbell on Sunday. Now, the Steeler offense Washington is not, and it’s easy to overlook Washington’s incompetency. 

That said, the Broncos still need to make plays because what happens if this is the one game in his entire career that Campbell is actually on target? The Broncos need to make the plays on defense instead of waiting for play to come to them.  I’m sure Mike Nolan has preached that all week.Any quarterback can get hot at any given time so the Broncos still need to be on their toes.

The Bottom Line

Denver has no excuses not to win this game.  They are better than the Redskins in every area.  As long as the Broncos offense gets moving early and doesn’t make the critical turnover and let the defense do the rest, the Broncos should be 7-2 heading into next week.

If Washington comes out on fire and the Broncos offense sputters early and often, then the Broncos could be in trouble.  A third consecutive loss would likely tie the team with the Chargers in the AFC West heading into next week’s face-off in Denver. The Chargers would have momentum clearly on their side and some will even begin wondering if Denver is really the team everyone thought they were before the season began.

The Broncos need this game.  It’s not a matter of trying. All they need to go out there and do what they did the first six games of the season.

After all as the wise Jedi Master Yoda said: “Do, or do not. There is no try.”

All of Broncos Country is hoping the team has those words at heart this Sunday.

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Five Things to Watch for with the 2009 Denver Broncos

Originally published September 2, 2009

Do you smell it? That scent of uncontainable hope that springs eternal amongst all 32 NFL teams as the preseason draws to a close? Yet, within about four weeks, a fair amount of those teams will have those hopes of glory dashed as first quarter of the regular season draws to a close.

Will the Denver Broncos be one of them?

If you took a poll of sports writers around the country, the resounding consensus would be a definite ‘yes.’ Offseason drama aside, their number one draft pick just returned to practice after missing significant time due to injury, their starting quarterback dislocated a knuckle, and theri second string quarterback is still nursing an ankle injury.

However, not much is known about this Broncos team. Thanks to a new head coach, new starting quarterback, and a new defensive scheme, this version of the Broncos could be the hardest to gauge in the franchise’s history. Here are a few things to look for as 2009 formally gets underway.

1. Josh McDaniels’ temperament

You have to give the 33 year old head coach some credit. Despite all the offseason and training camp drama involving Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall , McDaniels never once publicly lost his cool. It seems he has learned how to handle such drama from his mentor, Patriots coach Bill Belichick .

However, once the games start, it’s an entirely different deal. If his team gets off to a slow start, and quarterback Kyle Orton struggles, will the youthful McDaniels keep his cool and show maturity beyond his years that will require him to succeed as an NFL head coach?

2. Kyle Orton’s performance

If there is one person on the Broncos who will be scrutinized as much or more than McDaniels, it will be new starting quarterback Orton. When the Broncos acquired him in the Cutler trade, the expectations of his 2009 season skyrocketed.

Assuming he is ready to go in Week One against the Bengals , Orton will need to get out the gate fast in order to avoid the Jake Plummer treatment by Broncos fans.

While he has never put up gaudy statistics, McDaniels’ offense doesn’t require him to. Orton will likely be a dink and dunk passer with the support of a power running game.

Another thing to keep in mind is Orton has much better weapons in Denver than he did in Chicago (even without Brandon Marshall) so Orton could develop much more confidence in his deep ball.

The big question mark comes when Orton will need to pull out games in the final minutes. He doesn’t have the support of a strong defense like he had in Chicago, so this will be key.

3. The defense’s transition to the 3-4

One of McDaniels’ first moves after being hired was to bring in former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator. Despite a lack of success as a head coach, Nolan has a very solid record as a coordinator. He lead the highly vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense from 2002-2004 before becoming coach of the 49ers.

The Broncos also used their second first round pick to draft Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers to help shore up a line that produced very little pressure on the quarterback in 2008. The team also gained a tremendous locker room leader in safety Brian Dawkins who signed as a free agent from the Eagles .

How fast this unit gels could be key to how far the Broncos go in 2009.

4. Brandon Marshall

Who knows what his mindset will be when his suspension ends on September 6th? While rumors persist that the Broncos are quietly shopping the disgruntled wideout, the team and its fans must be prepared for the fact that no team may want him and that Marshall could be with the Broncos for all of 2009.

Here is where McDaniels can earn some points back with the Bronco faithful. If he can somehow whip Marshall into shape and get him pulling with the rest of the team, he should get a medal. While this likely has little chance of succeeding, the Broncos certainly would welcome him back if he was in the right state of mind.

If not, the team will go forward without distraction, as McDaniels has said in the past.

5. Eddie Royal’s potential breakout year

Royal showed flashes of brilliance during the start of the season last year before an injury hobbled him for the remainder of 2008. With Marshall out for an undetermined amount of time, perhaps permanently, Royal has a golden opportunity as the new number one wideout to further develop the skills he showed during the beginning of last year’s campaign.

Despite being smaller and lighter than Marshall, Royal has shown very soft hands and good speed. With former Broncos great Rod Smith working with the wide receivers, Royal could have a breakout year (while staying out of trouble), making him Orton’s favorite target, something the quarterback never really had in Chicago.

Without a doubt 2009 will be an interesting season for Broncos fans. Despite the gloom and doom of all the offseason moves, there is reason for optimism in the Mile High City. Whether or not that optimism becomes something more tangible remains to be seen.

That’s why they play the games.

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Get The Cables: After Loss To Steelers, Broncos Need a Jump Start

16 games. The season is a marathon, not a sprint.

Coaches preach these two phrases to their players privately and publicly every week of the NFL season.  They expect their players to maintain a high level of energy all season and not exhaust themselves during a stretch of five or six games.

Apparently, the Denver Broncos never got the memo.

After an absolutely scintillating start to the season, a season in which the Broncos were expected to compete for a top ten draft pick, the Broncos have come crashing down to Earth. Hard.

During their magical 6-0 run to begin the 2009 campaign, the Broncos showed the poise and energy of a team bound to be one the great Cinderella stories in NFL history.  After the most tumultuous offseason in team history, the Broncos were winning games in all sorts of different ways from a miraculous catch to beat the Bengals to bruising victories over the Cowboys and Patriots.

Now, after back to back losses against the Ravens and Steelers, the Broncos have fallen flat.  Like a car left running with its lights on and stereo booming, it seems like the Broncos are out of juice and require a jump start.

If you want evidence of this look at the tape of the Broncos’ win over the Chargers before the bye and then last week’s loss to the Ravens and this week’s loss to the Steelers. It seems like there were two entirely different football teams on the field.  The offense was making plays all over and the defense was constantly swarming around the ball.

Not anymore.

During last week’s 30-7 loss at Baltimore, the Broncos were constantly outplayed by the Ravens and the Broncos never were able to match the energy level of their opponent.  The Ravens were a desperate team and desperate teams are dangerous.  The Broncos just could not keep pace with them.

Same for this week’s game, especially the second half.  The Broncos were once again outhustled and noticeably lacked the fire and passion that they had showed in the first half, despite trailing 7-3 going into the break. As the second half wore on, the Broncos did something previous thought inconceivable of this group of players:

They quit.

Now, I don’t mean that they quit as in “Oh we’re screwed, let’s go home.”  I meant that they quit because they were exhausted.  it seems like they put so much effort into getting off to such a strong start in the first six games that they emotionally exhausted themselves.  The team was so gung ho about proving all the doubters wrong that they forgot the season was a marathon and not a sprint. 

Most fans will be pointing fingers at Kyle Orton and Josh McDaniels.  They will criticize Orton for going back into shell, making boneheaded turnovers, and afraid to throw the deep ball.  They will crow that McDaniels didn’t vary the playbook enough during the Steeler game and that the Steelers defense was able to figure out the Broncos in the second half.  Both are valid criticisms, but that isn’t what’s important.

What’s important is how to fix it going forward.  It is no longer important who did or did not do what that could have swung some key situations into the Broncos favor.  The Broncos need to find out what is wrong and get better.  Each player needs to look at himself and ask “what can I do better to help the team?” 

As McDaniels is so fond of saying, DO YOUR JOB.  As long as everyone does their job and not worry about everyone else’s job, the Broncos should be able to shake out of this funk.

They don’t have much of a choice.  After all, the suddenly dangerous Chargers are now only one game back.

Broncos fans are beginning to feel like they have seen this before.  They can only hope for a better outcome.

Looking Ahead

If there is such a thing as a perfect opportunity for a “bounce back game,” the Broncos have it this weekend.

This Sunday, the Broncos travel to our nation’s capital to take on the Washington Redskins, believed by many to be the worst team in the NFL.  With a almost certain lame duck head coach and an inept quarterback, the Broncos should be in prime position to get back on a winning track.

However, as the Green Bay Packers showed us this past week in losing to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, games like this are easy to overlook.

For the Broncos’ sake, they had better not.  Otherwise, this surprising and happy season could turn tragic real quick.

 

Follow Kris Burke on Twitter @KBurkeNFL

 

 

 

 

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