Finally … it’s game day.
Well, actually, it’s game overnight here in Western New York. Sleep isn’t coming too easily, so I might as well get a jump-start on the day’s coverage since kickoff will be here in less than 10 hours.
As I began typing this, the shuffled iPod playlist entitled “Andrew Radio” — a compilation that is 994 songs thick — brought up the Great Satchmo himself, Louis Armstrong, singing his timeless opus, What A Wonderful World. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate song for the moments leading into the season.
The morning of the year’s opening kickoff might be my favorite on the football calendar. (Well, it’s either that or draft day.) Optimism is at its crest; aside from the loser of the Thursday night kickoff game, everyone believes they’re headed to the Super Bowl — or at least to a season that is beyond prognosticators’ expectations.
I’ve anticipated this day on an annual basis for as long as I have memories. Some years, it was simply making sure that I could pull the family’s living-room ottoman close to the TV for a better glimpse at the day’s action. Others, it was my father and I getting an early start by pulling away from home at mid-morning for a parking space near Tampa Stadium and a pre-game tailgate feast that awaited, followed by a walk to the stadium in which I felt propelled by my dreams for the day and season ahead. Nowadays, it’s curiosity about what awaits. What are the storylines that will define my work for the days, weeks and months to come? Which players will emerge from anonymity into stardom? How many times will I hear Gus Johnson’s voice and expect to hear a basketball analyst like Bill “mantoman!” Raftery working alongside him?
About the only rain on the parade will be, well, rain — there’s a 90 percent chance of thunderstorms. But, hey, weather happens. I’ll take the late-summer storms over the ice-rink conditions of the teams’ last meeting in December 2005 anytime.
With that, let’s get to the Sunday morning talking points.
Travis Henry’s return to Buffalo … He says it’s not a big deal, maintaining there’s no reason to hold a grudge because the decision makers who cast their lot with Willis McGahee no longer man the controls in Orchard Park. Still, you sense that Henry is eager for this game for a combination of reasons — his recovery from a recent knee injury, wanting to prove to his new team that he’s worthy of their investment in him, his quest to finally help a team make the playoffs (he’s never played in the postseason as a pro) … and then, somwhere way down below is the revenge factor.
Jay Cutler … It’s his first opening day start as a pro, and he’s already a team captain. I don’t think it adds pressure on his shoulders; rather, it confirms how much his teammates already believe in him and trust him. He leads; they’ve got his back.
Simeon Rice … Is he ready to go? Head Coach Mike Shanahan said this week he hopes the new acquisition can go “15-20 plays” against the Bills. If that proves to be the case, how will he fare? Will those plays be enough for him to find a groove? He has, after all, been an every-down guy throughout his career. And if he does play, how will his shoulder feel after a few collisions?
Defense … After going with basic packages throughout the preseason, what will we see from Jim Bates’ unit? As he said this week: “Of course, it’s going to be game plan as far as going into this first game. You’ll see some variables, but we’re going to do a lot building a base and building a foundation. That’s the only way you’re going to build a strong defensive team.”
Saturday’s decision to bring back Chad Mustard and releasing Adam Meadows … Is that move made with today’s game in mind, and if so, would Mustard be able to contribute if needed without the benefit of practicing during the previous week? We’ll find out when the Broncos take the field.
Discuss below. For more gabbery about the game, be sure and listen to the pregame podcast, in which I talk about J.P. Losman, Travis Henry and chicken wings. For now, it’s time to sleep … I’ll talk to you from the stadium later this morning. Until then, vaya con Dios.
Tags: Buffalo Bills
i must be the first one to read this blog. i can’t sleep either. too much excitement for tomorrow.
go broncos!
I cant wait for the game later today, and i just cant wait to see our team, this year it really seems like the most talented we have had in years, and we have a really good coaching staff also
heres to a 16-0 season:)
Go , Broncos !!!
I’m too excited…. can’t sleep well myself.
Totally pumped for this team!
Time for some Orange Crush! Go Broncos Go!!!
Message is coming from up North… Winnipeg, MB Canada.
I cant wait untill tomarow its my high school season opener and denvers season opener i hope the best 4 both my teams
Go Broncos
Thoughts on the Blog:
equal excitement about game day! Travis Henry: I hope the crowd boos him again – it worked for him last december. Simeon Rice: ????? Defense: We have the personell, do we have the scheme? Mustard/Meadows: I’ll take the dijon on a deli sandwich over an overrun vegitationless trafficway for critters. Mustard’s versatility as Blocking TE and Tackle adds to his stock – he did start at the end of last year @ TE and got some practice and game time @ tackle this offseason. Mmmm, makes the Mustard spicy and sweet!!!
all things “broncos” are much more interesting given the sublime intensity of mason’s kid-like “wow!” for the team. forget the banality of the your average reporter, and enjoy the eloquence of a writer whose words match his dreams.
alright, bring those bills…
Alright I would like to start off by saying this is my first post!
With the bitter taste of last years defeat on new years eve that was overshadowed by the tragic loss of Williams early the next morning, I woke up this AM completely pumped for the season to begin and to see what this team can do together. With all the talent and motivation to be great I find myself thinking that this team has something special, similar to how I felt the season after Elway’s Broncos lost to the Jags 30-27 nearly 10 years ago. With that in mind I can say with the utmost certainty that “the sublime intensity of Mason’s kid-like ‘wow!’” is definitely contagious.
Go Broncos!!!
Good morning from Austin Tx. My biggest concern going into week one? Will the defense jell? There have been too many way talented teams stink up the field when it came time to strap it on. Like the Redskins of recent years, after Snyder’s off season spending sprees. Big time talent in Dre’ and Boss, but can they, as well as the rest of the defense find some cohesiveness?
Good morning from Austin Tx. My biggest concern going into week one? Will the defense jell? There have been too many way talented teams stink up the field when it came time to strap it on. Like the Redskins of recent years, after Snyder’s off season spending sprees. Big time talent in Dre’ and Boss, but can they, as well as the rest of the defense find some cohesiveness?
Go Broncos!!!
good evening from england.
Ah well, if things had worked out differently i’d now be being interrogated by us customs on the canadian border on my way to ralph wilson. But alas, i’ll have to settle for a pizza and the international game pass. C’mon it’s time for some football!
Here we go!!! The road to the playoffs starts in rainy Buffalo with a convincing win no doubt. The defense will be fine, possibly our best since the Orange Crush days. I really love our offensive upgrades, I think we have a chance to put up alot of points. Let’s enjoy today’s win!!
Good Morning Bronco-maniacs!!!!!!!!!! Game time is almost here and I like all the rest of you can’t wait. What will Hot 97 look like in Bronco Gear? How will D.J. man the middle? How will have more picks, Champ or Bly? Is Cutler the one to shake away from Elway? Will Henry run like Davis? Will #30 make an impact as a Fullback? Oh and #84 will he be Sharpe? All I have left to say from Woodbridge, Va is…….here we are ALL READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lange photography:
Perhaps it’s self-serving for me to say, “That sounds like something I would have written,” so I’ll stay away from that … but thanks for the compliments, so eloquently presented.
It’s feeling like football. The weather is warm, but a bit raw. I like weather that has a tinge of the nasty, even if today’s technologically-advanced surfaces ensure that there’ll be none of the floods that NFL Films has gloriously chronicled over the years.
broncofan247
I hope your kidding, if your not ….. 1) you sound like an idiot 2) get your facts straight 3) How many super bowls did the Bills lose in a row? 4) HOw many did the Broncos win? Point being, Broncos better than Bills. All Ready
Andrew,
I beg to differ…..it is about the “W”, but let’s tell the truth here…and I’m sorry if I’m the one to say it but I have always been dubbed a “Real-Talk” conversationalist and ‘perspective giver’ so here goes.
That game was not what I expected in terms of offense, and Mike Rice since you have the advantage over myself and I’m sure a ton of others, to get next to a few players and coaches and drop dimes, then drop this one:
Mike and Co. had better find the youthful and prodigy student he was coming underneath the Walsh “Offensive” Tree and stop playing so ‘dad-gumme’ conservative or we all can expect a “Charger”-like season where we have the #1(un-realized by the league yet, hopefully 6 games into the season by the time they figure it out) receiving corps with depth, the #1 running back (by committee) corps, the soon to be realized #1 (un-customarily agile for a 6’3″ non-African American) QB in the league…yeah I said it, what?!!! No, I’m not done, the #1 Tight End tandem with depth, and last but not least and I pray all who are reading adopt this title: “The Magnificent Seven” on Defense with 7 Pro-Bowlers,………………… only to have 5 crucial games decided by 3 pts or less, (one down, 4 to go) and end up saying, “what the heck happened” and of course really make Mike S. look real bad like Marty S., because there are no excuses when we have the best talent Denver has seen in franchise history!!!!!!!!!!
OPEN UP THE PLAY BOOK WITH UNEXPECTED PLAYS AND TRICK PLAYS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, ATTACK>>>>ATTACK>>>ATTACK>>>
Make the league, and game-day planning, play and think like we need them to ( one -dimensional) for our Super Bowl Quest and Dynasty of the Millenium!
DON’T RUN TO SET UP THE PASS, ……………..PASS LONG AND DEEP EARLY AND MAKE THEM FEAR US!!!!!! THEN CRUSH THEM WITH THE UNSTOPPABLE RUN WITH OUR UNDER-RATED YET STILL “YOUNG GUN” QB whose DECISIONS, NOT TALENT, are what Bill B. and Tony D. are Game Planning against!!!!
I hate to sound like the Elf- Lord Elrund, “We ride to war……..not to Victory, … We NEED More PLAYS ” and our ‘style’ switched just a little to throw them off of us.
I believe real football players and analyst(as I am One), whether fans or not, knows that EVERYONE IN THE NFL knows about our run-scheme invented and perfected by Mike Shannahan (not Bill Walsh r.i.p.) for years to come, and now we have a Peyton and Brady ‘type’ QB? translation:
We ARE the team to Covet, Copy, and Recruit like…..look around the league at how many teams are Zone-Running, trying to 1 cut and go, every body is trying to utilizing Tight Ends more thanks to Elway and Sharpe…I mean c’mon, I see it don’t you???
Do what they Don’t Expect………….and EXPECT what THEY didn’t—- 5 Super Bowls!!!!!
find a way to get this message to Mike and Jim, thus saith the Lord:
(The Spirit of Mile-Hi) whose statue is downtown Denver just off the 16th St. Mall, a.k.a. THE HAND OF GOD ALMIGHTY, THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CREATOR, WHO CREATED THE MIGHTY ARABIAN HORSE!
“take the advise of my servant whom I have given you, he speaks on my behalf and the dead Natives upon whom your gladiator stadium rests. Honor those who have fallen, and those who believe in me, and I will pour out My Spirit upon you just as I have with all my children who BELIEVE IN ME, and the League… as you say, will know what team, I the Lord favors.
Set aside yourselves with a Code of Honor, that I may Honor You..(Denver Broncos)…WARRIORS of the symbol chosen to Honor My Creation, Arabian, whose descendants are Great like Abraham’s, and have served Man-Kind Honorably and without prejudice, as I have commanded them, and you will reign like no other team in your NFL History, for you are my chosen and I will be your Great Spirit, Fear NOT, I am with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
——————-OCTOBER 25, 1995 REMEMBER———————–
Pat, Mike and Jim, Sir(s); i pray you receive this and i pray i haven’t offended anyone for that was not my intention, i am just a fan and a “Believer” born of Royal and Native blood who is just passing along a message given to me through prayer……
(r.i.p. #27, and #29)
broncos win 15-14 iwas there in front row that was the most awsome game ending i have ever saw. the broncos could of scored more points put to many mistakes but they got the job done! cutler will get better each week! go broncos
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