Broncos week is here

[JMC00]

Gregory isn't going to play in 6 days. He obviously won't be practicing this week. He's scheduled to miss what they deemed as a "few weeks," although one of them was a bye.

Wouldn't surprise me if Gregory is out there.

 

[supafly]

If Talib and Dennard are out for Denver, I'm sorry but we have no shot. I really don't even like our chances if ONE of them is out. Either scenario is very likely.

Talib couldn't finish the game. I'm sure his hip is going to be a problem coming down the stretch. He clearly wasn't very effective tonight. I know Talib is typically better against the bigger receivers than the shorter/shiftier ones...so that could've been part of the problem. Either way, we are DEPLETED on D going against a ridiculous offense.

IF Dennard and Talib are back, we've got a good chance. Peyton got the ball out very quick this past week against a very good pass rush. He makes it virtually impossible to get to him when he does that. We're going to have to play good man to man (with Dennard and Talib) and then disguise what we're doing in the middle of the field with some mix of zones/man.

I think we can move the ball and score on Denver but I just worry that we won't have the horses to be able to fairly match up in the secondary.

My concerns exactly.

I know that most of us are hoping that they'll be down Welker, but the situation of Julius Thomas is also extremely important. He is really a very important player over there. I think a lot of that tends to go somewhat unnoticed at times. I actually believe that this particular year he is more important than Decker is.

If J.Thomas plays too, we will really have our hands full to say the least. If KC and their all pro-bowl defense (I counted at least 8 or 9/ 11 that I'd love to have on our team) can't stop Manning, then I have a hard time seeing how we will, especially with all of the issues with injuries.

I am hopeful for a good stretch run down the last 5 games though. We may need some help to try and get that #2 seed.

 

[supafly]

Wouldn't surprise me if Gregory is out there.

He's got a cast on his hand.

It would surprise the hell out of me. Tonight's game was the first one that he missed out of a scheduled couple/few.

If he couldn't practice on Saturday, what makes you suddenly think he'll be able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday in a cast?

 

[supafly]

- Weak o-line

- Can't get to the QB if life depended on it

- Defense murdered with injuries

- Incompetent offensive coordinator


Our only hope is Brady and his arm

I actually think that McDaniels does a great job myself.

I did think that it was terribly important to come away with a TD when the score was tied at 17 with about 6 min left though; especially with the way that our defense was playing as a whole.

Throwing on 3rd and 1 when our running game was so effective was a bit strange, but I can understand it. What I can't understand was the particular playcall. I would have much rather have seen some kind of slip screen, bubble screen, or even a bunch to one side with a pick.

Other than that, I like JMcD and think that he's great. Actually, I wouldn't want anyone else.

 

[Bonzo]

I thought this team was like our 2006 team. Lots of issues but a lot of heart and a possibility of going 12-4 and making it to the AFCCG. It seems like we're closer to the 2005 or 2009 teams though, at least in my opinion.

That we have a losing record on the road is certainly reminiscent of 2009. Truth is probably somewhere closer to the middle.

It's certainly to our advantage the AFC is so weak. Even with another loss (or possibly even two), I'm not sure we'd need *that* much help getting the #2 seed. Indy & Cincy have both looked atrocious at times; their worst football has been at least as bad as ours, and I don't see either team winning out.

 

[supafly]

That we have a losing record on the road is certainly reminiscent of 2009. Truth is probably somewhere closer to the middle.

It's certainly to our advantage the AFC is so weak. Even with another loss (or possibly even two), I'm not sure we'd need *that* much help getting the #2 seed. Indy & Cincy have both looked atrocious at times; their worst football has been at least as bad as ours, and I don't see either team winning out.

11-5 may get us the bye and the two seed.

I agree with you that we shouldn't need "much" help from losses with IND/CIN, and I think it's within reach, but we obviously won't control our own destiny. It's never good to put your destiny in another team's hands, as we've learned before.

I think the biggest concern is that the defense is rather piss poor a lot of the time, and that the offense isn't as good as it has been in year's past; which has helped to cover the defensive problems up. We don't have that luxury as much anymore this season.

At one point Ian tweeted that we had once again allowed a ridiculous 3rd down conversion rate, as CAR had gotten 8/11 third downs. I'm not sure how it ended up, but our third down defense has been atrocious this year since the injuries to Wilfork and Mayo took place. That is totally unacceptable. I'm sure there will be some who claim that our defense did things well etc, but I'm just not really buying it anymore. Every team has some things on defense that they do well. The bottom line is that we didn't produce a turnover, we allowed the QB to scramble for major yardage, we didn't get ANY pressure at all, we missed plenty of tackles, we committed some very horrible penalties that were extremely costly, and we did not do a good job of defending the pass. Had Newton been a "real" capable throwing QB who doesn't tend to miss easy throws, we'd have been killed out there.

 

[Bonzo]

You know, if it's all backups and rooks (and a gimpy Arrington) in the secondary, I wouldn't be shocked to see them roll back out that aggressive blitz-heavy plan from the Dolphins game.

 

[PatsFan24]

Broncos 44
Patriots 4

 

[stcjones]

Our weak secondary (that is even MORE banged up and weak) will get carved up like the Thanksgiving day bird by the Giant Forehead. All that while Brady is running for his life because of our anemic OL....the only thing that will change things is if Gomers brothers ankle gets worse and he can't play or is not effective..otherwise I could see us lose by 2tds+

 

[Big-T]

The Peyton Manning yellow flag parade is coming to town and with the way Denver games and Pats games have been called this year then...yeeaaaaah there's going to be a lot of iffy (at best) calls coming.

With the sheer number of injuries the Pats have too, I don't care how many injuries the other team has because there is no way any other team in the NFL is down as many starters as the Pats. So with that, I don't care if they beat a teams best lineup or a load of 3rd stringers.

 

[Banjo]

Brady vs. Manning is by far my favorite and most anticipated regular season game every year. It's always fun to flaunt our superiority over Peyton's teams. This year unfortunately it seems like Peyton will slice and dice our defense at will. The Chiefs couldn't even touch him... what chance do we have? It's up to Brady and the offense to play their absolute best game of the season

 

[dannydyn]

After seeing our secondary last night, donkeys are saying:

 

[patsinthesnow]

We beat forehead last year 31-21 with Sterling Moore covering Thomas.

The defense doesn't need to stop Manning, just make plays at the right time. 0 turnovers forced by our D tonight, thats got to change.

 

[dannydyn]

We beat forehead last year 31-21 with Sterling Moore covering Thomas.

The defense doesn't need to stop Manning, just make plays at the right time. 0 turnovers forced by our D tonight, thats got to change.

Moore is gone... Arrington says hi.

 

[condon84]

I actually think that McDaniels does a great job myself.

I did think that it was terribly important to come away with a TD when the score was tied at 17 with about 6 min left though; especially with the way that our defense was playing as a whole.

Throwing on 3rd and 1 when our running game was so effective was a bit strange, but I can understand it. What I can't understand was the particular playcall. I would have much rather have seen some kind of slip screen, bubble screen, or even a bunch to one side with a pick.

Other than that, I like JMcD and think that he's great. Actually, I wouldn't want anyone else.

McD is vastly overrated.

Playcalling aside, his gameplan yesterday played right into what the Panthers D does best. Slow grind it out games, minimal possessions. Instead of dictating to them and do what our offense and Brady like to do best and play an up-tempo game, we did the opposite.

Granted, we did move the ball, but we would have moved the ball if we played up-tempo no huddle anyways. Panthers D has a great front 7 and a suspect secondary. Brady played great yesterday and he finally has all his guys healthy.

Amendola couldn't be covered.

Vereen was a match up nightmare.

Even Dobson was open when he did go on a pass route.

Gronk was almost exclusively used as a blocker.

Running an up tempo game would have tired the Panthers front. A scenario where if the game was close in the end and we needed a TD, going up against a defense where they're probably tired from an up-tempo game vs going up against a defense who is fresh because of minimal possessions would have given our offense an edge.

Our defense is now back to its unreliable state because of injuries. It really is up to our offense to carry this team.

I am not a fan of McD. His gameplans for SB in 07 still is one of the worst gameplans I've ever seen.

His propensity to slow the game down when our offense is humming is also one of the most dumbfounding crap we see.

Players play. Coaches coach. But I don't think our offense is always put in the best position to succeed.

 

[sb1]

251 yards rushing on 42 carries last year vs Denver. Would love to see that again...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

251 yards rushing on 42 carries last year vs Denver. Would love to see that again...

Won't happen. Denver's Front 7 is improved and the pats o-line not as good as las year. This is a short week for the boys - not expecting much. Plus denver's confidnce has to be high.

 

[sb1]

Won't happen. Denver's Front 7 is improved and the pats o-line not as good as las year. This is a short week for the boys - not expecting much. Plus denver's confidnce has to be high.

Numbers wise the Denver run D looks stout although you have to wonder how much of that is due to the fact teams fall behind quickly and try to throw to catch up to them.

The Pats OL is struggling to pass block, but I think they're doing all right run blocking. The Pats ran on Den's nickel last year, it will be interesting to see what Den does to bolster their questionable pass coverage. If they go nickel again, I want to see lots of Ridley, Edelman and Vereen. And Ridley better hold on to the damn ball...

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

We need turnover on D, the more Manning throw the more turnover chance we get. So i hope Manning drop back 50 plus time.

 

[everlong]

It really should be two 9-1 teams playing for the one seed but unfortunately this has become a must win for the Pats just to get a bye. If Talib can't go or isn't effective I'm not sure they have enough horses on defense to get it done unless the offense plays lights out.