No One giving Denver a chance to win this week?.....

[psychoPat]

Until reading this thread, i wasn't aware that
the conventional wisdom is saying that SanDi only has to show up at gametime.

In case you haven't noticed, mgcolby is our schoolmaster in this thread.

Never thought so before
and would hate to ever think so again ...
but wouldn't this be a great time

for Shanahan's kneecappers
to execute more brilliantly than ever
what they've always been taught
(and the league condones?)

 

[Hamtown]

I am not really sure who will win. I am sure that I hate Denver, and I hope that they all get food poisoning the morning of the game. And now you know how I feel.........................P.S. Pass interference my A#S!

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Quote by Mgcolby:
Why they did for most of the game 3 weeks ago and the Raiders did it the following week. Heck the Bills did it for most of the second half last week.

Uhhh, you're supposed to play the whole 60 minutes. Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Be sure to tell these guys that this weekend.

There was a time when the Broncos might have "been capable" of doing it, but that window is quickly closing. That defense runs out of gas. Plus, it appears they do not have quite the talent level Shanahan though they had. I thought it would be apparent last year, but they surprised me with their adrenaline-induced level of play. This year, I'm not surprised this has happened.

They feature fast, small linebackers that ordinarily can hide a multitude of sins. I like their linebacking corps. The line? I've seen better. I've seen much better. Champ Bailey is a champ, yes, but the other guys are showing themselves to be increasingly mortal. I do not mean to say they are bad, because they're not. They're just not what they have been advertised as.

Yes, Cutler may win 2 more games for them. He may not. He has good physical tools, but he's just a kid, coming out of a school with a program that is really pretty weak. This is my point with him. For all his talent, he could not raise the quality of that team or that program on his own. However this translates to the next level, we'll have to see. Lots of guys have strong arms. But it's the mental and character dynamics that make the difference. So we'll see.

As the season winds down into crunch time, it is unmistakable - it's the Broncos that are getting crunched. It's theoretically possible to turn things around, yes, but if the Broncos lose Sunday, they can just about forget about it.

Sunday's task is unenviable. They face the juggernaut that ripped them badly in the 4th quarter a month ago that exposed them for what they are, and started them on their current 3-game slide. This is a major, major test for this defense, both mentally and physically. Offensively, they are witness to Part Deux of the dumbing down of their playbook for the new rook. Shawn Merriman is back, no doubt in ill humor. The (SD) defense doesn't have to excel in this game. They simply have to play a decent version of their game for them to win. That's all.

That's the truth of the current situation with the Broncos. If they win Sunday, can they build on it the following Sunday? Realistically, this team cannot suffer any more losses this season. If they do...

This is longer than I had planned to make it...Sorry.

Thanks for the reply....

 

[shmessy]

Will be holding my nose and rooting for the Broncos. The playoff bye is just too important for this very (again) beaten up team. The Patriots will need that rest.

 

[mgcolby]

some props to mgcolby for good research on the SD defense.

As for LT being "half" of the offense, well, that's a bit fo the chicken or the egg thing. Since he's gained half it seems to make sense that stopping him is the key. But if everybody knows this and LT is still putting up half of the yards gained for SD, then 'stopping LT' couldn't really mean much - he's first in the league in total yards from scrimmage despite having a target on his back. I see LT's success being derived from Rivers having proven he can be dangerous when need be. Rivers is 7th in the NFL in QB rating, has thrown only 6 INTs in 360 attempts, completes 64.4% of his passes, and is 7th in yards per attempt. So is LT so good because of Rivers, or is Rivers good because of LT. the old chicken or the egg, but either way they both prevent this team from being very one dimensional.

Good reply but I don't think Rivers would execute under heavy pressure in a playoff environment, especially if he can't find Gates. If they take LT away (which I know isn't easy) then he will have to progress through his reads and make the right decision. I know he has good regular season numbers much like Big Ben did in 04. Now I realize that the situations were different given the fact that Rivers sat for two seasons, but they aren't asking him to win games. If you look at the stats even from the Cincy game he is hitting LT or Gates the majority of the time. Which I guess goes back to your question of the chicken or the egg. I think he would do well against a few teams but I think he would struggle against the Pats, Ravens or Jets.

 

[skri65]

I'd think BB will scheme both very well. Rivers and Cutler are both young, and BB fiests on people like them.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Hey!
On a related note, I heard yesterday on the NFL network that the league is about to outlaw cut blocks and to make chopblocks an ejectable offense! Deliberate intent to injure and all. They went on to say that one more stunt like the one Nalen pulled in their last meeting will result in such a rule being all but guaranteed this offseason!
:woohoo:

 

[ATippett56]

Nothing better to watch than a Shanahan coached Denver Broncos implode in the second half of the season. The New England Patriots chances of playoff success improves dramatically once the Denver Broncos are eliminated from playoff contention.

 

[shakadave]

The Defense isn't as good as people make it out be either.

Over the Past six games they have allowed an average of 25.3 ppg. Against the 15,30,7,22,31, and 25 ranked scoring offenses. Every team scored more than their season average against them.

Season
Bills 17.7 Against SD 21
OAK 12.2 Against SD 14
Den 17.9 Against SD 27
Cin 24.2 Against SD 41
Cle 16.0 Against SD 25
StL 20.2 Against SD 24

If you remove the lone top 10 scoring team (Cincy) and they have still allowed 22.2 ppg in that span.

To put it into perspective the Colts (one of the worst defenses in football) allowed 21.5 ppg over their past six games and if you take out the highest scoring game (31 points) they averaged 19.6 ppg. Against the 18,6,2,25,8 and 22 ranked scoring offenses. The Colts allowed nearly 4 ppg less than the Chargers against better offenses.

Great work, Colby!

 

[mgcolby]

Great work, Colby!

Thank you. I enjoy looking that stuff up.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

If you look at the stats even from the Cincy game he is hitting LT or Gates the majority of the time.

Oh baby, if you had those two wouldn't you try to hit them the majority of the time?! :rocker:

Rivers struggle against the Jets? Whoa, I like your work bro' but the Jets stink. They have beaten Tenn, Buff, Miami, Det, NE (gulp), Houston, GB, hardly a murders row. They didn't beat the Bears in New Jersey despite Grossam playing like dirt (11 of 22, 119yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) while letting Thomas Jones rip them for 121 yards on 23 carries. They wouldn't haven't beaten us if we had had field turf in for that game, I'm certain of this. Rivers and SD would tear the Jets to shreds, I'm afraid, mgcolby.

 

[mgcolby]

Oh baby, if you had those two wouldn't you try to hit them the majority of the time?! :rocker:

Rivers struggle against the Jets? Whoa, I like your work bro' but the Jets stink. They have beaten Tenn, Buff, Miami, Det, NE (gulp), Houston, GB, hardly a murders row. They didn't beat the Bears in New Jersey despite Grossam playing like dirt (11 of 22, 119yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) while letting Thomas Jones rip them for 121 yards on 23 carries. They wouldn't haven't beaten us if we had had field turf in for that game, I'm certain of this. Rivers and SD would tear the Jets to shreds, I'm afraid, mgcolby.

You have a point, the answer would be yes. As we all know in the Playoffs a team too dependent on one or two options usually gets knocked out. For instance we never worried about Pittsburgh because we knew that all we had to do was stop the run and we would win. BB knew in SB 36 that if we contained Faulk we would win. A lot of times those great regular season strengths become playoff vulnerabilities, unless your greatest strength is a cold blooded QB and a killer defense.

Sorry I should have made it more clear, I think he would have a hard time throwing the ball successfully against the Jets. Not so much that the Chargers would have a hard time beating them. I think Mangini would give him looks that would keep him guessing all game. It would come down to whether or not they could muster any form of run defense.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I can't say I'd ever root for the Donkeys. Just hate them too much. But if the Bolts lose I won't mind.

I don't think you guys understand how hard it is to "contain" Ladainian Tomlinson. He is looking like Marshall Faulk did in his prime except with more power. Isn't that a scary thought?

Oh well you never know what will happen for sure, that's why they play the games.

 

[dhamz]

While the SD defense has been struggling of late, you do have to take into account that they were playing those games short handed.

Merriman missed 4 games due to suspension before last week. When he has played he has probably made a bigger impact than any defender in the AFC.

Luis Castillo is their 2nd best defensive player and he has missed 4 staright games. He was having a Pro Bowl type season before he got hurt. He is going to play today.

Shaun Phillips who has 10.5 sacks at OLB missed time as well over that stretch.

I don't think the Chargers are on a different level like people are saying. They are a very good team though and I don't see any way Denver goes in there and beats them today.

 

[sdaniels7114]

I've decided to root for a tie. SD doesn't have to loose two games for us to pass them in the rankings. One loss and one tie will do nicely as far as I can see. This allows me to not violate rule number 2 in my Football book. Which is never root for the Donkeys.

 

[Flying Fungi]

it slays me that the general consensus here wanted Indy to beat this Denver team because they were such a threat to us...and now Denver is toothless and SD is such a threat to us...

whatever

we play the games on the schedule

 

[pats1]

I've decided to root for a tie. SD doesn't have to loose two games for us to pass them in the rankings. One loss and one tie will do nicely as far as I can see. This allows me to not violate rule number 2 in my Football book. Which is never root for the Donkeys.

I don't have any silly little "rules" like that.

What I care about is the Patriots having the easiest path to a higher seed. And that means the Broncos need to win. I would root for the Colts in the same situation.

Today, the teams I root for are easily determined:

Pats over Dolphins
Broncos over Chargers
Chiefs over Ravens
Jaguars over Colts

 

[shmessy]

I don't have any silly little "rules" like that.

What I care about is the Patriots having the easiest path to a higher seed. And that means the Broncos need to win. I would root for the Colts in the same situation.

Today, the teams I root for are easily determined:

Pats over Dolphins
Broncos over Chargers
Chiefs over Ravens
Jaguars over Colts

I'm with you, Pats1. Priority #1 for me is the Pats playoff picture. The emotions vis-a-vis the Broncos take a back seat here. Who here would trade a Patriot first round bye for a regular season pasting of the Broncos? Not me. Remember, with all the injuries the Pats accumulate every year, they have never won a SB without that all important week off at the beginning of the playoffs.

I can't stand the Choppers either, but the saying "Don't bite of your nose to spite your face" is relevant in this situation.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

With Indy at Jax, Den at SD, Balt at KC, things could break PERFECTLY for the Pats today for the postseason. Gotta beat Miami first, though.

 

[shmessy]

With Indy at Jax, Den at SD, Balt at KC, things could break PERFECTLY for the Pats today for the postseason. Gotta beat Miami first, though.

Which makes this perhaps the most critical Sunday of the season. The Pats may never have as big an opportunity for that bye as today.