After Sunday’s developments, the Broncos-Chargers matchup is essentially a playoff game.
Winner gets in, loser goes home.
With that in mind, the matchup in San Diego has been flexed to Sunday Night Football. The game will begin at 5:15 Pacific, 6:15 MST.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
I’m going to this game, is anyone else?
I hope to allah broncos win.
I love the Broncos and anything can happen, but this looks bad. San Diego is peaking, they and their fans smell blood following the Week 2 controversy and Denver plays awful in primetime while San Diego flourishes in it. Denver proved the naysayers wrong at Atlanta and at the Jets, but this is going to take the effort of effort to come out of San Diego victorious. I still can’t believe Denver let it come down to this game, that Kansas City muffed that onsides kick last week and that the Broncos lost to Kansas City, Oakland at home and Jacksonville at home. If Denver can find a way to win, it will definitely be a great post-Christmas gift.
I hate the Chargers with a passion. I don’t know if I can watch this game without Denver having a running back and the stable is about empty. It seemed like when Pope got hurt the team just fell flat. Tatum looks like an old man out there, not much gas in the tank. Young looks afraid and I wonder how bad his injury is hurting his play. Wish Boyd could step it up, he seems now to be our only hope unless TD comes out of retirement. There is always hope and our team plays hard. If they win the division they will have earned it , that is for sure.
GO BRONCOS!
OUR GOOSES ARE COOKED BUT ON THE PLUS SIDE NOT MAKING THE PLAYOFFS AUTOMATICALLY GETS YOU TWELVE SPOTS HIGHER IN THE DRAFT GONNA NEED THAT TO OVERHAUL THAT WORTHLESS DEFFENSE WE SAY WE GOT HERE IN DENVER, CHAMP AND WINBORN PLAYED THEIR BUTTS OFF AND THE REST OF THE DEFFENSE DIDN’T EVEN SHOW UP TODAY THAT IS STELLAR REALLY IT IS. CUTLER AND THE CREW CAN’T WIN IF THE DEFFENSE IS JUST GONNA LAY DOWN AND DIE EVERY GAME.
Whatever happens next week in SD, I want to see every player playing with emotion and intensity. I really hope DJ moves back to MLB letting Woodyard take his spot. I think they should give Boyd a chance at RB because I don’t believe Tatum is the answer. He has lost a step and it’s obvious. Denver needs to physically dominate this game. Using a FB in a running situation might not be a bad idea. I’m not a coach, so I won’t pretend that I know it all. I do know there needs to be some changes/adjustments.
I will be cheering loud and proud. Even though I believe having a running game is important to having success in this league, Cutler and co. can score enough points to win next week. The question is, can the defensive do their part and shut down the whiners offense?
GO BRONCOS!!!!
I’ll be loud and proud for the Broncs too!!
damn shame they LAID down again!
The last few weeks have been disappointing … but I cannot say that they have been surprising. The Broncos still can’t finish. They can’t finish drives and they settle for field goals early when they could be creating a larger lead for the defense. The defense cannot stymie an offense for more than a couple series. They can’t finish games, so I am not surprised that they can’t finish the regular season.
Let me remind you Broncos … YOU STILL HAVE TO WIN A GAME TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. I know we all thought the AFC West had gift-wrapped the postseason for the Broncos 2 or 3 weeks ago, but now the team travels to an angry San Diego, and the Chargers are hot right now and grateful to be playing for a spot in the playoffs. The Broncos have been playing like they can afford to lose games all year, but guess what they can’t anymore.
Reality check … the teams the Broncos have beaten have a combined win-loss percentage of 44.2%, and the teams they have lost to are not much better at 46.7%. This basically means that the Broncos should have won about 55% of their games just because of their weak schedule, and they have won 53% of their games. This team is mediocre at best, immature, and unfocused.
I have been a Broncos fan my whole life and I really want to see them in the playoffs, but I will not be surprised to see the Broncos make history by being the first team to lose the division after possessing a 3 game lead with 3 games left of regular season play. They have led the weakest division in football all year and have become complacent and lackadaisical. Now the team is poised to let the Chargers take control during the final week, which it might be important to point out to the young team is the most important time of the season. No one cares the Broncos led for 16 weeks … the rules only care who is leading after week 17. So Broncos, YOU HAVE NOT MADE THE PLAYOFFS YET YOU STILL HAVE TO WIN A GAME. Just in case you forgot.
TO: ALL the NAY-SAYERs,
We are being seperated as ‘Fans/Believers’. From ‘fans of fair-weatherness’, to true fans. Some say History repeats Itself, I say i haven’t lived long enough to prove it or say otherwise, however i was home in denver when we won Back - 2- Back championships and I’m seeing a pattern repeat. I prayed then that God would answer my Prayer for our city, and History showed He did!
When i prayed, i didn’t pray for them to just win in the playoffs and for the Super Bowl, but rather that God himself wouldn’t answer a selfish prayer for a sports franchise to win a shiny trophy. Instead, i prayed that he could show a city how to have brotherly love and to come together for a common ‘belief’.
Behold, ‘Tis the season as they say, for such a belief ,….and another time that God could show and move by his mighty hand that where there is HOPE, There He is…..Therefor I am now taking this time, precisely right now to make the statement of our time:
You Are GOD’s team!!
There is a team claiming to be a Dynasty (Patriots), but it is not theirs to claim, it is Yours to Claim!!!
There is a team called “America’s Team”(Dallas), I tell you the truth, more people (silently) like Denver than those other teams, and truthfully our Denver Broncos is the football ‘beacon of hope’!! Everyone loves an underdog and in no other sport has there been more claims of “coming from behind” or 4th quarter “comeback” with a mysticism to follow!
If any, Dares to Challenge me in this statistic, you will do so at your own demise.
You, Denver, now play the game of the year for the right to the THRONE!
God once told a people to “go and Claim what was given by Him” and to do so “against all odds”!!!
Again for the Nay-sayers this is written.
TO: The Bronco Players, who reads this, Spread it to everyone on the team and tell them to “lay there eyes on this Blog”
Fear Not, and know that you are right were you are “meant to be”, NOT for the Glory of YOUR Organization, but for His Glory!!
Do you not know who you are,…. Denver!?
Do you not know, for why you Boast more Comebacks in Sporting History!!!??
Do you not know, the very Earth you Play on at Mile Hi is “enchanted” and sacred soil??
Are not the Fallen- Chanting for You to believe in your own Destiny?
Ask yourself, for those of you who know, Will not The LORD of Lords and KING of Kings return on a WHITE HORSE!!
Who now in all the world, can challenge me on this:
What is the Name of the Horse for which HE shall Return On???
His name is ARABIAN!!
So when you need Inspiration,….When you need to know what your heart believes,….when you need to see a symbol of Hope,….
LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE “WHITE STEED” ABOVE YOUR STADIUM, and imagine if you can, He Who is Worthy To Have Hope Placed in Him…….
Is Firmly Mounted…and whatching you!!!
PLAY FOR HIM Team, and PRAY FOR THEM, Fans….
whether you are fan of statistics, a fan of colors, a fan of the community, a fan of city revenue, a fan of children and their inspirations, a fan of the commaraderie and nostalgia generated from a collective conscience driven solely on belief…….or just a plain ol’ sports fan…
STAND…..STAND NOW…AND STAND AS ONE ….AND FROM THIS HOUR ON…KNOW THAT YOU AS A CITY, A TEAM, AND A NATION OF BRONCO BELIEVERS,…We ARE NOT ALONE!!
If i stand alone in saying you are HIS team, then I stand Not Alone, for HE HEARS ME…and He Will Answer My prayer again, as He did in 97….but it does not have to be my claim alone!
If you are a true fan for what our city believes, Then Be…
If you have been and are a Nay SAYER, I say this to you….From this day forward,…..YOU WILL BELIEVE!!!
If I have to sound like a prophet and predict this, then it Will Be So as i say, not for my sake…but for the sake of those who will become believers on behalf of a sports franchise.
If you say, i have ‘delusions of grandeur’, i say, my faith is more grand than your visions will ever become…
If you say, “he’s weird”, i say i’m no weirder than this season has already been!
But if you say God Bless Him, then so shall it be of You, and OUR TEAM!!
B E L I E V E
Broncos- W San Diego -L!!
Take what is rightfully yours DENVER, fulfill your Destiny!!!!
I could have told you guys this since Hillis got hurt in the chiefs game. We have no running game, a one dimensional offense will get a team no where, pope stepped up for a series.. and then got hurt for the game. I mean we really caught no break this year at thr RB position and its just a damn shame. I’m excited for next season though, the broncos with NO running back on their roster who has been around and healthy since training camp, compared to the chargers with Tomlinson feeling healthy and sproles healthy, will not win. We will not make playoffs this year but this team has improved and will improve this offseason.
The defense isn’t just bad, it’s historically bad. I’ve been watching them for over 20 years and this is one of the most pathetic defenses I have EVER seen put together. Whatever happened to 23 points at home being enough for the D to pull out a win? My GOD, they stopped the Bills from scoring ONE time in the 2nd HALF! I swear I feel like I’m watching the same show I saw in the early 90’s. We pass and score like crazy and the defense can’t do a thing right on its own! Pathetic!
you can’t beat the bills at home : you don’t deserve the playoffs , that’s plain and simple . Next week will be painfull , that’s the only thing the chargers have wanted all year : play for the division the last game and our stupid team gave them this christmas gift …..
Well, we shall see how this goes Broncos, we need the luck of anything and everything on our side for this next/final game! Hope you boys get off your low horse and win this one! Leading the division from week #1, then to let the playoff slot slip right by would be the most disapointing thing ever!
You can do it, just put your mind and hearts to it boys!! Good Luck!
The practical side of my brain says that we will lose to San Diego. They’ve had a couple of good games lately and are playing a lot better then they did when we first met this season. They remember that loss, and they know what is at stake for this weeks game. As for our guys I think they don’t even care if they win or lose. I always hear that “we’re focused this week”, “we’ve had a good week of practice”, “we control our own destiny.” That’s all BS, if you were focused you wouldn’t be losing at home, doesn’t matter if you have a good week of practice of you play like donkey $#!% on gameday, if your destiny is to not make the playoffs then yes you’re controlling it. I’ve been a loyal fan my whole life, I’m only 25 but my whole life. To see this team play like this is hard to swallow.
However, we can beat the Chargers. We’ve been playing well on the road lately. Hopefully this road game will be one of those in our favor. We’ve been playing against the run well, and LT has had a struggling season so hopefully we shut him down. We don’t have a running game so Jay will be throwing like he has lately. Honestly I think that this game will be better than some of the later playoff games. I don’t know what Jay’s problem is but sometimes it looks like he can’t handle the pressure. I know he is young still and I know this is old news but I still can’t get over it. When you compare yourself to John Elway you better make damn sure you can play like him. I don’t give a damn if your arm strength is better I don’t care if you’re more mobile. Doesn’t matter when you throw interceptions in the red zone. Cutler is the best QB since Elway and he has shown some great things. But he has only talked the talk, this week we will see if he can walk the walk. I’ll end with this.. no matter what happens this week, the team that wins, deserves the playoffs.
Go Broncos!!!!!!!!!
We have no healthy backs left, except Tatum and a completely unproven Boyd. I say who cares. Lets throw it every single down. I honestly think we would be better throwing every down than running it one time. If Jay can be patient, I like our odds of picking up first downs more by throwing it 3 straight times than running once and then trying to throw 2 straight. We have zero impat consistent runners left. Lets throw every down. While were at it, lets blitz every play. Can’t do any worse. Do you know how many times we had great coverage yesterday only to give up big plays because the front 4 could get zero pressure 99% of the time. Rivers and the Chargers are going to put up at least 35 points on us. I’m not trying to be negative, but it will happen . I hope the offense goes in there realizing that FGs won’t cut it. We are going to need TDs and a lot of them. Hopefully Shanny will keep this in mind. Prater has been struggling lately, so I don’t even see the point in letting him kick if the 4th down is anywhere 8 yards or in. Lets just throw all day long baby. I think I’m going crazy.
the thing is our front 4 is a non impact . Jarvis Moss doesn’t look like he’s on the field , the 2 tackles are average at best , Elvis is a good pass rusher but nothing else and is a LB playing DE , Eb Ek is starting to get old and was only supposed to be a back up this year , the problem is he’s starting .Last year we drafted 2 DE and look then : Moss is playing sparingly and Crowder is inactive .This is the main reason our Defense strugled this season , last year ’s poor draft . Other than that , we have a pretty good team , maybe not SB caliber but at least playoffs caliber . Remember , Bert Berry , Regggie Hayward AND Trevor Pryce were all Broncos at the start of their careers ans were let go …..
brian_schneider - Do you realize that in 1985 John Elway threw 22 TD’s and 23 INT’s. In 1988, he threw 17 TD’s and 19 INT’s. My point, give Cutler a chance. He will become one of the greats and he is the face of this franchise. The guy is young and played a half season with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes. This season should be considered as his first full season. Just like Elway needed to win, give Jay a running game and a defense that can make the plays, and I guarantee we wouldn’t be having this conversation. With Hillis, Torain and Aldrige, our running game will be fine next year, so the team needs to concentrate on defense and special teams.
GO BRONCOS!!
Guys, Can’t you see the patter here. Like I have been saying all along. We are getting out coached. Our O and D coordinators are horrible. They are not putting the players in the right situations to win ball games. Neither can adjust to the opponents game plans and our D has no imagination at all. All we see it the same D every game. We are a very talented team but with the coaches we have we are wasting the talent. Look for new coordinators next year.
broncofannsd - I know he is young. Cutler has been great for this team. He has been the best QB for this team since Elway. I hope in 16 season we’ll be hanging #6 in the ring of fame. Thanks for reminding me of that. I guess I expected too much from Cutler right away. He’ll get better with age and experirence.
Broncofaninkc1- Are we getting out coached or are our players getting out played?
Cutler is not the problem of this team , once in a while he forces throws in tight coverage but exept that , he’s talented enough , just give him a decent defense .
Our problem is the defense, plain and simple. Again I ask, when is 23 points not enough to win at home on a consistent basis? Our D line sucks, our 75% of our coverage schemes suck and our linebackers can’t figure out where they are supposed to be. Defense should be simple, ATTACK the offense. We change every game, week to week. We don’t have any kind of focul point for our attacks. What other team trots out 5 different linebackers every game for certain schemes?
There is no doubt in my mind. We can win this game! If our players give 100% each play, we will win!
brian_schneider, I don’t know how long you have been following football, but if you watched the broncos play all season long you can see how our offense and defense gets a good start to a game and then lose it at the end. That usually means that the other team is adjusting to our game plan while we are still do the same thing as the game goes on. This is not college or high school football. The good teams adjust when things don’t go well. We start well and when the other team adjust, we can not counter. This has been the pattern all season.
hrdnokd , I agree. Our Defense set up is horrible. Our ” all out blitz or disguise with an umbrella Dbacks 10 yards off the line” is a terrible scheme. There are so many ways to beat that D. Screens, slants, comebacks, outs, and hitch and go has hurts us against that D. Even the best corners in the game is going to have a hard time defending that. If you watch the other teams with good Defense, the Dbacks are at most 5 yards off the line. Make the QB and the WR make a good play rather then giving them a easy play. Dictate the play and make things happen and not hope that the other team makes a mistake.
jay played with so much pressure on him it was terrible we go up 20-16 and then give up a 70 yard pass the only answer against the chargers is play offensively aggresive line up nothing but recievers and throw 80 times if we score 45 pts we might win. i am ready to cheer for some players next year who wants to play mike please put woodyard back at stong side linebacker and get webster out of there he cant play in his position poor champ playing at 50 percent and leading our defense no pass rush at all cutler is agood player but seems confused to often lets be totally aggressive and show no respect to the chargers and if we dont get it done give it our best . go broncos