By Nick Gustafson
McDaniels marched into Denver this spring, full of confidence and boasting of an offensive mind that would revolutionize the game of football. 14 weeks into the season and with a majority of the offense’s stars returning, the Broncos have fallen well below last years rankings. There’s nothing revolutionary about taking last year’s 2nd ranked offense in the NFL and turning it into this year’s 17th ranked offense. McDaniels does deserve a ton of credit for what he has done with the team as a whole, but where is this offense he promised?
A year removed from designing the record breaking offense of the Patriots, most expected that McDaniels would bring with him that high scoring and exciting mindset. With the weapons that the Broncos had on offense similar results were expected, but that has been far from the case. The Broncos offense has been less productive than your local politician this year. Even with the bevy of talented receivers and our number one draft pick at running back, the Broncos rank 25th in plays over 20 yards. That amounts to a slow moving meticulous offense that can’t afford a small setback, not exactly a great plan for a group still learning on the job. Continue reading ‘All I want for Christmas is a 2 Back Set’
at seemed to be an insurmountable 3-1/2 game lead over their division rivals. However 3 weeks later it is a much different story and the Broncos now have the same record as the San Diego Chargers atop the AFC West. The Broncos have looked like a different team after coming out of their bye week. The offense remained lethargic, but the once dominant defense couldn’t stop a 4pm buffet rush at the local senior citizens home. The first two losses after the bye week were somewhat dismissed as they came against a tough Baltimore team and the defending Super Bowl champs; note that both teams were dominated by the Bengals in successive weeks. This week’s loss against the lowly Redskins cannot be put into that same category. Fan’s wanted to believe that the Broncos would pummel the Redskins and get back on track just in time for this weeks battle for AFC West supremacy with San Diego. Instead the Broncos hold only a ½ game lead on the red hot Chargers, who come rolling into Denver this week after reeling off 4 straight wins. In what seems to be an odd replay of last years collapse the Broncos and Chargers are on the same track, but headed in opposite directions.
The Broncos stepped out of the bye week healthy and fresh, but unfortunately they stepped directly into oncoming traffic and were promptly run over by Ed Reed and the Ravens. Much like Knowshon Moreno after he was hit by Reed, the Broncos dropped the ball. With both teams coming off of a bye week neither had a distinct advantage. Both teams knew the game would be decided based on who executed better and who wanted it more. It was clear that team was the Ravens after just the first play of the game when Orton was blindsided as he dropped back to pass. The Broncos never did seem to get on track after that. Their lone scoring drive was sustained more by penalties rather than a well executed game plan. The Ravens dominated the Broncos from the very first play of the game and they never let up. 
Can we please cross the San Diego Chargers off the list of legitimate football teams now? Every year we are force fed the idea that they are Super Bowl contenders even though they currently have as many wins as the tube fed Raiders. They weren’t a good football team last year and they aren’t a good one this year. They won’t be a good team until they get rid of Norv Turner and even then they might not make it. In the cycles of NFL success the Chargers seem to be sinking. Rising are the Broncos, and even the Chiefs are showing they might be pulling it together. Year after year of high draft picks should have the Raiders on the up swing as well, but Al Davis just won’t let them get off the ground. The Raiders have amassed the fastest, least talented and most unmotivated squad in the league. If they were to challenge any other NFL team to a track meet they would surely win, if they were in shape, understood the rules, or even bothered to show up.
Even though Halloween is still a few weeks away the Broncos decided to get a head start on dressing up. Last weekend versus the Patriots the Broncos won the prize for the best costume at the party. The Broncos stepped into the way-back machine and resurrected some of the ugliest football jerseys ever worn. Those jerseys weren’t the only thing scary on the field however. Strong play from both the offense and defense against a tough Patriots team has other teams around the league beginning to fear the Broncos. It has become obvious that McDaniels is going to have his team prepared and ready to compete with anyone in the NFL each week.
The Bandwagon has rambled into Denver and while there is still plenty of space available right now, you may want to get a seat while you can. The Broncos have started the season by rattling off 3 straight wins and fans are slowly making their way towards it. No one seems too willing to climb aboard just yet especially after how last year ended and how the off season has gone. Instead most fans are standing quietly in the shadows, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible and waiting patiently until this weekend’s game versus the cowboys. At about 5pm on Sunday afternoon, there will either be a mad rush to climb aboard or a collective call for McDaniel’s job. That’s how fickle the fans can be in Denver.
You know how the old saying goes, it’s better to be ugly than good, or wait, it’s better to be lucky than ugly? Well whatever it is, the Broncos were all of it and more in their first regular season game. The defense wasn’t as defenseless as years past, but the special teams looked far from special and the offense was rather offensive. However all that matters is the Broncos emerged from their first week of the regular season with a win thanks to a last second, miracle touchdown catch by Brandon Stokely.
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