It’s a glorious afternoon in Indianapolis, and on a day like this next year, we’ll be able to peel back the roof at Lucas Oil Stadium and play this thing under God’s warming sunshine and blue skies. Instead, we’re under the white roof in the RCA Dome, where the air-conditioning makes this place feel more like McMurdo Station than a football stadium.
We’re waiting on the inactives, which should be coming within the next 60 minutes. For now, I’ll turn this thing over to you guys. I’ll have more questions and answers in the entries to come — and of course, the Tuesday question-and-answer session will bring some extensive responses to many queries. (Click here to send a question if you don’t want to post it below and get in on the mayhem.)
For now, a quick game-day Q&A:
From vegasbronco:
I have a question about yesterday’s roster moves. First of all, I am fired up about Cargile getting called up. I don’t know what it is, but the little bit we saw of him in the preseason, he seems to have that special something the best safeties have. Keeping my fingers crossed … Can you give us some insight into why Brian Clark was waived? From the limited preseason I was able to watch, he seemed to be the most consistently hard worker on the field, and everything we read and heard said he was impressing everyone on the field. Hixon has been underwhelming up until now, so does the Clark move come as a surprise to you? Thanks.
Agreed on Cargile … he’s also a valuable special-teamer, as he proved late last season, and with the Broncos’ kickoff-coverage units struggling so far this season, I expect he could provide a boost.
As for Clark … maybe this is one of those moves where they had to release a guy in order to make room for another on the roster. In this case, the key move would be the promotion of Glenn Martinez from the practice squad; I would be surprised if they promoted Martinez just to sit him among the eight game-day inactive players, e.g. the Weeks 1 and 2 signings of Chad Mustard. Martinez has kick-return experience from the Lions; maybe he gets a look today?
From BroncoFan1018:
Hey Andrew, do you know if the rumour by Adam Schefter of NFL Network is true about Javon being ruled out for the game tomorrow? Or is it still a game-time decision?
It looks to still be a game-time decision … upon which we’re waiting as we speak.
From our good friend and Man United supporter mikebirty:
It’d be tough to find a sports fan that hasn’t had a nightmare about missing a match despite trying to their hardest to get there. Last time I had that dream, I ended up trying to scale a ladder made of flubber.I think during my twenty-plus years of season ticket holding at Manchester United, every time I missed kick off — they lost. And if that isn’t enough to get you in early I don’t know what is.
P.S. Elano looked good yesterday. Could be bargain of the year.
The thing is, I’m paranoid about certain things … like tickets. When I was 12 years old, my dad and I left our Buccaneers tickets for a Week 3 game with the Phoenix Cardinals on the counter at home. We drove home, walked into the house past my stupefied mother, picked up the tickets and zipped back to Tampa Stadium. Never had I seen my father drive so fast before or since. Fortunately, when we walked into the stadium late, it was still 0-0. The Bucs lost, but we didn’t attribute that to our tardiness; they lost no matter what happened in those days.
As for Elano, I was initially skeptical about him, but from what limited clips I finally managed to see this morning, I’m learning not to doubt Sven’s scouting work. Just like he did with those Italian sides, he’s making the most of the transfer market … even with the pickups that are head-scratchers at the time. Seems like there’s a new blue hero every match. I’d become so used to a desultory brand of soccer that I simply can’t believe what I’m watching with City right now. This is a pretty magical start to the season and I’m enjoying every second of it.
A nickname suggestion from ocrush4ever:
A nickname such as ‘Andrew Missin’?
That is the choice of both you and Kyle Sonneman, fellow Web guru here in Broncoland. It’s the leader in the clubhouse unless anyone else has any suggestions.
From Broncosmontana:
That begs a question though — have any “players” ever missed the plane/bus out of town and have to come up with their own spur-of-the-moment travel plans?
There have — not recently, but in the days when players could make their own travel arrangements to the airport, it did happen — but I’m not going to out those guys in a public forum.
From TheSportsGuru:
You know, if the Broncos win tomorrow, you’ll have to miss a flight every week!!!
If that happens, I simply hope they’ll merely ask me to get my Quarter Pounder with Cheese, fries and a diet Coke at McDonald’s.
I’m lovin’ it … and I’m lovin’ the fact that game time is drawing closer. Back with more later; until then, vaya con Dios.
FYI, Lynch and Walker are out … I’ve posted it in the next blog entry.