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Archive for 2008

Bowlen, Shanahan Press Conference Live Blog

December 31st, 2008 - 11:37am by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

10:35 a.m. MST: The team meeting room is flooded with reporters and television cameras. I count 20 cameras, with plenty of photographers lined up across the front of the room.

The parking lot outside is flooded with satellite trucks — there are live radio shows happening as we speak here at Dove Valley. You can really get a feel how big this story is, not only in Broncos Country but across the nation.

10:45 a.m. MST: Vice President of Public Relations Jim Saccomano is addressing the crowd — he said the conference will begin at around 11:01 or 11:02, for television purposes.

10:53 a.m. MST: Broncos staff members are heading into the room — the room is pretty packed. People are standing along the sides of the room against the wall, as well. Quarterbacks Coach Jeremy Bates and Wide Receivers Coach Jedd Fisch just arrived and found seats.

10:58 a.m. MST: Assistant General Managers Brian Xanders and Jeff Goodman along with Vice President of Football Operations/Player Personnel Jim Goodman are standing along the wall. The room is silent as the crowd awaits the arrival of President and CEO Pat Bowlen.

11:03: a.m. MST: A number of assistant coaches have arrived now, including Tight Ends Coach Pat McPherson, Offensive Assistant Joe Baker and Running Backs Coach Bobby Turner. Jim Saccomano is headed to the podium to address the crowd.

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Looking Ahead

December 30th, 2008 - 4:12pm by Romi BeanOther posts by

Hello Broncos Country! So I know that we are all wearing big frowns now that our season has come to an end. It’s always hard to envision our lives without football for the next few months. But with the end of a season comes the excitement of preparing for a new one and improving upon our mistakes. And if it makes you feel better, just remember that we are not alone in our sadness – Detroit became the first team in NFL history to go winless and finish 0-16, and both New England, the defending AFC Champions, and Dallas, the preseason Super Bowl favorites, failed to clinch a playoff spot.

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Clady Third in R.O.Y. Voting

December 30th, 2008 - 1:26pm by Adam ZinserOther posts by

The has announced that quarterback Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons has won the AP 2008 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

That comes as no surprise to many people, as Ryan has keyed the huge turnaround in Atlanta — taking the 4-12 squad from a year ago and leading them to an 11-5 record and playoff berth in 2008. And Ryan certainly deserves congratulations after his great year.

But more importantly for Broncos Country, Ryan Clady finished third in voting.

50 total votes were cast, with Ryan receiving 44 of them. In distant second place was Tennessee running back Chris Johnson, earning three votes. Then came Clady with two while Bears running back Matt Forte got one.

Many Broncos believe Clady deserves Pro Bowl honors, considering he did not give up a full sack while starting all 16 games, but though he didn’t earn a trip to Hawaii, getting votes for Rookie of the Year shows that his excellent play did not go unnoticed. Clady also won Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week Honors in Week 14.

Congrats to Ryan!

– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com

Tough Season Ends With Bolts

December 30th, 2008 - 9:30am by mark_cooperOther posts by

Wow, tough game yesterday. The Playoffs really started three weeks ago with Carolina. I mentioned that then and would have before the Bills game, had I been in the country.

I didn’t see any of last weeks game against the Bills while in Mexico so I didn’t blog, sorry. It’s a little tough to get the internet down there in some of the remote locations and very expensive in others. It probably didn’t really matter with the Bolts being the end game for all the marbles. Turnovers and defense were the tell-tale here. Some folks that I’ve talked to today turned the game off after the third quarter. I didn’t because we have the ability to strike quick but couldn’t hold off the Bolts running game.

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Moving Forward

December 29th, 2008 - 3:34pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Even though the Broncos fell just short of the postseason, it’s still playoff time in the NFL, and that means that players, coaches and fans are excited.

The Broncos’ excitement is certainly tempered, by Brandon Stokley said he can’t help but to watch some of this weekend’s matchups.

“I am a football fan,” he said. “I love football. I love watching the playoffs. I will be cheering for Indy.”

Stokley used to play for the Indianapolis Colts, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re going up against the San Diego Chargers.

Jay Cutler, on the other hand, said his TV won’t be tuned in to any playoff football.

“I won’t watch them,” he said. “No interest in it.”

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Not Where They Want To Be

December 29th, 2008 - 2:36am by mike_riceOther posts by

This is not where they Broncos wanted to be or where they thought they would be. But it is undeniably where they are. The Broncos will be sitting home for the post-season.

The Chargers made sure that would happen with a convincing 52-21 win Sunday night in San Diego.

So many of the issues that have plagued the Broncos cropped up again.

–The Denver defense just could not stop the Chargers’ offense. San Diego scored on six of its first seven possessions. The Chargers set a franchise record with 289 rushing yards. Their two running backs, LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles combined for 211 yards on 28 carries to score five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving). The Chargers had 10 possessions, scored seven touchdowns, kicked a field goal and punted once. The first half ended on one of their series. That is a really good night at the office.

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Broncos at Chargers: Fourth Quarter Notes

December 28th, 2008 - 9:41pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

15:00: The Broncos have a first-and-10 at the San Diego 49-yard line when play resumes.

Jay Cutler is in the shotgun with Tatum Bell to his right. He tries to find Eddie Royal downfield after avoiding pressure, but he skips it just short of the rookie. That brings up second-and-10. The offense breaks its huddle and jogs up to the line — there are four receivers out wide. Cutler drops back and avoids pressure from all angles — very impressive pocket presence — and finds Darrell Jackson for a 13-yard gain near the left sideline for a first down.

On the ensuring play, Cutler gets it to Brandon Marshall, who falls backwards for what looks like another first down.

13:42: In fact it’s second-and-1 for the Broncos after Marshall’s nine-yard gain. Cutler takes the snap in the shotgun and pitches it quickly to Tatum Bell, who runs forward for four yards and the first down.

On first down, Cutler avoids pressure once again, rolls out to his right and throws a bullet toward Tony Scheffler in the end zone, who was locked up with a defensive back. At the last second he leaps high in the air to haul in the touchdown pass.

The Broncos are going for two. Cutler is in the shotgun and takes off toward the end zone. He gets in on his own with a run up the middle. It looked like the same formation from the first time Denver ran a two-point conversion against the Chargers 15 weeks ago.

Now the Broncos trail the Chargers 38-21.

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Broncos at Chargers: Third Quarter Notes

December 28th, 2008 - 9:02pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

15:00: The Broncos get the ball to start the second half, and Chad Jackson is back deep to receive. He fields it at about the five-yard line and makes it out to the 27-yard line, where the offense lines up for its first drive of the second half.

First-and-10 and Jay Culter is in the shotgun. He looks downfield before finding his checkdown, Tatum Bell, for a quick pass over the middle and a first down.

The team walks right back up to the line and Cutler gets it out quickly to Eddie Royal for a three-yard pickup on first down.

13:50: Cutler is in the shotgun again, takes the snap and drops back before stepping forward in the pocket and firing a pass to Tony Scheffler, who grabs a first down in Chargers territory.

Cutler takes another snap in the shotgun and finds Eddie Royal, who picks up six yards.

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Broncos at Chargers: Second Quarter Notes

December 28th, 2008 - 8:05pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

15:00: On first down, LaDainian Tomlinson takes a carry up the middle for 12 yards, setting up another first down at the Denver 26-yard line.

He takes a carry again on second down, but is brought down by John Engelberger after a gain of only two.

13:45: Second-and-8 for the Chargers. Philip Rivers looks to be calling an audible at the line and tries to call a timeout before the play clock winds down — but there’s a flag on the play. The flag is picked up, however, no delay of game. They grant the Chargers their first timeout of the half.

13:39: Rivers overthrows his target in the end zone, setting up a third-and-8 for San Diego. Rivers is in the shotgun, takes the snap and finds Antonio Gates — but he’s short of the first-down marker.

Fourth-and-a short 1 for the Chargers. The offense stays on the field. It’s another quarterback sneak and Rivers barely picks up the first. Not much of a push for the Chargers offensive line.

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Broncos at Chargers: First Quarter Notes

December 28th, 2008 - 7:23pm by Gray CaldwellOther posts by

15:00: Darren Sproles is back to receive for the Chargers, and the Broncos special teams unit is gathered at the 20-yard line. Matt Prater has the football from the referee, and he sets it on the tee. It’s game time.

Prater’s kick sails to the four-yard line and Sproles heads toward the sideline — he makes it up to the 30-yard line.

The starting defense comes out onto the field — it’s Ebenezer Ekuban, Marcus Thomas, Dewayne Robertson and Elvis Dumervil on the line, D.J. Williams, Nate Webster and Jamie Winborn at linebacker and Champ Bailey, Dre’ Bly, Vernon Fox and Josh Barrett in the secondary.

14:25: On the first play of the game, the Chargers employ some trickery. Philip Rivers fakes a handoff to LaDainian Tomlinson and then pitches it to Vincent Jackson on an end-around. The receiver picks up 17 yards.

On the following first down, Tomlinson finds a hole for another first down, but there’s a flag on the play — holding on San Diego.

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