It is Wednesday, so that means only five days remain until the Broncos primetime, divisional and regular season opener against the team’s archnemesis, an opponent that ESPN’s Chris Berman will overly refer to as the “RRRaidahs!” prior to Monday night’s clash.
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Head Coach Mike Shanahan for one is, as the Monday Night Football theme song suggests, ready for some football.
“You look forward to it ever year,” Shanahan said about starting the season. “We have been working throughout the offseason—obviously the OTAs, summer camp. We have gotten a chance to see our team in live situations. We have a lot of young players playing on Monday night, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Photo: Eric Lars Bakke
Shanahan’s gunslinger behind center, Jay Cutler, is also looking forward to Monday night’s season kickoff.
“The first game of the season is always big, especially in the AFC West on the road on Monday night. It’s a big first game for us,” he said. “We get a chance to showcase our team on national television… It’s something that we look forward to.”
Eric Lars Bakke
The Raiders are also anxiously awaiting Monday’s opener and for good reason. The silver and black have been stuck at the bottom of the NFL standings for several seasons. Oakland has posted just six wins in the last two seasons. But recent futility is no reason to sleep on the 2008 edition of the Raiders. The losing seasons brought with them the opportunity to draft highly touted college players JaMarcus Russell, drafted No. 1 overall in 2007 and Darren McFadden drafted No. 4 overall in 2008.
The Broncos coaches know that these players have the potential to put up some impressive offensive numbers.
“He hasn’t played a lot, so we haven’t seen a lot of him,” Shanahan said about Russell. “We have watched a lot (of him) on film. He has played in one game as a starter and played in four other games. Like all other young quarterbacks, it’s a growing process. You know how talented he is, being the first pick in the draft. Everybody knows his size, his arm strength and him being a No. 1 pick. So he has a big, big upside and he has a good supporting cast around him.”
Defensive Coordinator Bob Slowik said a player of Russell’s ability can be hard to prepare for.
“Man is he a strong runner,” he said. “He is pretty athletic; he is real fluid. He has got a strong arm. He can move in the pocket well, and if you do get to him, he is hard as heck to get on the ground.”
The Broncos hope they can halt McFadden’s preseason progress from translating into the regular season.
“He is averaging over five yards a carry, I think 5.4,” Shanahan said. “He has had a good preseason. The have given him a lot of reps and he is a weapon. He has great speed and everybody knows what he did in college. He is going to try to do that at the pro level.”
The Broncos have plenty of stars of their own to match up against the Raiders, however they will be without one of their brightest as wide receiver Brandon Marshall will miss the game serving his one-game suspension.
“I don’t think Brandon will dictate the (complexity) of our game plan,” Shanahan said. “We have some young players, so it might not be as deep as it normally is, but we have enough to show up and play.”
Cutler said the Broncos will have to step up in Marshall’s absence.
“We would like to have him, we would like to have him every game,” Cutler said. “He is an offensive weapon that you are not going to find very often in this league. He does some stuff on the field that is amazing. We are going to have to make due. With the receivers we have, the tight ends and the running game, we’ll have to all pull together to make up for it.”
As the Broncos prepare pull of a win with a receiving corps sans Marshall, the Raiders will try to pull off a victory with a pair of former Broncos receivers on their sidelines.
Javon Walker wore the blue and orange of the Broncos the last two seasons and Ashley Lelie, a former first round draft choice of Denver, was on the team from 2002-2005.
Slowik said in a situation such as this one, when a team takes on former players, familiarity breeds parity.
“Most of the time you think that the offense has the advantage knowing where they are going, but with us knowing him and him knowing us, I think that it kind of equals out a little bit,” Slowik said, when asked if Walker’s knowledge of the Broncos defense would be an advantage.
Raider’s Head Coach Lane Kiffin said he is still uncertain whether Lelie will play on Monday. If he does, Slowik knows exactly what to expect.
“I would think if he does play it will be to run as fast as he can down the field and stay on top because he is going to go deep,” he said.
With the Broncos 2008 campaign set to get underway on Monday night, the team knows that this game can set the tone for the entire season.
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“They are all good teams,” Cutler said. “We will see how it goes. We are a whole different team this year. Those teams are proven and we have to go out there and do it week by week.”
It is hard to believe a team that is opening the season on Monday Night Football is flying under the radar, but Shanahan said there is good reason for that.
“We understand why we are,” he said. “When you take a look at where we were at last year, both offensively, defensively and special teams-wise, why would they pick us? We have to go out there and prove ourselves each week. We are a young football team and we just have to go out and get it done. If you win games then you get the attention you deserve.”
The Broncos hope to capture some of that attention Monday night.
-Jake Grilley, DenverBroncos.com
one thing we dont have to worry about is being out done at the wr postition even without b marsh. walker, lelie and curry all abunch of has beens and never will be’s. i hope champ breaks javons will and allows him to ? again wether he should retire. if we stop the run on monday night then its a done deal.
Stupid Chokeland Faiders!
Excuse me while I vent here, but I hope Cry Baby Walker gets a licken from anybody and everybody. I hope that both him and lelie, can show the nation why they weren’t good enough for our team, and also that they are injury prone. Because they are gonna be on the week 2 injury report after we are done with them! Go Broncos!
IM LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT SEASON I THINK ITS IMPORTANT TO GET THE RUNNING GAME GOING EARLY I THINK THIS WILL OPEN UP THE PASSES TO GRAHAM AND SHREFFLER AND THEN THROW DEEP TO MRROYAL ON DEFENSE JUST STOP THE RUN BLY AND CHAMP WILL TAKE CARE OF THE REST LETS START THE YEAR OUT WITH A WIN GO BRONCOS
Wednesday NFL injury report lists Javon Walker WR Raiders questionable due to a hamstring. WHOA, Walker hurt. News alert.
And on McFadden, I keep going back to the combine and discussion’s on how tiny his legs were. Analysts made comments about him getting hit and hurt. And surely would not hold up in the NFL.
Really though, Walker does not want to be laid out by Broncos. Remember Champ called him a girl when it came to injuries.
Kiffin say’s if Lesley Lelie does play then he will run fast straight down the field. DAH, thats all Lelie can do. I did see him make a move once, but that was to pick up his helmut.
Denver 28 Oakland 13
hope mcfadden should be stop first….
faiders right now is a one dimensional team since their wr coprs is in dis-array. walker crying out for retirement, lelie is not 100% and has not fully participated in training camp and curry, well who is he???
if we can stop its running game, we will be 1-0 waiting for the stinking chargers at home on week 2.
go broncos
pinoy-bronco-fan
I think with B. Marshall out Shanny will outcoach Kiffen so bad Al Davis will want to fire him on the spot. Last year was tough on coach Shanny but I think with all the youthful entheusiasium on the team he’s back to his old self, he looks like he is enjoying football again and I expect great play calling from coach Monday night! Go Bronco’s!
When I heard that Lelie signed with Oakland, I thought it was a joke!!! I thought that Javon Walker was the reason Lelie left Denver??? Oh well, two more head cases in Chokeland!!! Hey Faider fans, Lelie was released by the 49ERS!!! Not the Patriots…not the Colts… He couldn’t make the 49ERS roster!!! This should be amusing!!!! GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
I don’t want to see anyone hurt. However, I do want to see some bells rung. When you ring a wuss’s bell, they are afraid to come back into your zone and they become as concerned about the next hit as they are about catching the ball. I think that may be one of the best things about this team that hasn’t been as publicized as it might be. If you happen to ring Hillis’ bell, he’s going to come looking for you come next play. I think everyone on our defense, except Mr. Bly, want’s to be a bellringer. That’s what a young, hungry team gives you. We’ll find out what we have by the end of the first quarter.
This is ours for the taking, fellow Broncos fans. The Raiders are losers and some things never change. I go onto Sporting News at times and write posts which are true. Nevertheless, since they’re anti-Raider, the stupid denizens of the Black Hole give me a thumbs down all the time. Well, the tables have turned losers. It’s like Jim Rome always says, “SCOREBOARD!” The Broncos will be 1-0 and ready to contend for a playoff berth, while the Raiders will be 0-1 and pick up the pieces. Lelie and Walker do hate each other. As all Bible readers know, ” a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Thus, the Raiders will collapse!
PURE HATE FOR THE FAIDERS AND GOOD LUCK FAIDER NATION………………………
Go Broncos.
GOD I love the Bronco nation. We are tough on ourselves but one thing there is no question about is: WE hate the FAIDERS. 2 wins (against them) is a winning season regardless of anything else!
i think this game/season is on the shoulders of Young Hall, last year Henry was a complete BUST. Those guys have to run fast, hard, and make good cuts for us to win. Cause if they do, Cutler can manage the game, make smart throws and we can control the game. Its time to get back into the top 5 or 3 running teams in the NFL, a pedestal where we used reign every year… they years we made the playoffs.
I think the reason we didn’t make it to the post-season last year was mainly to blame the run offense and defense. Yes, Selvin Young rose up to the occasion and played great, but it was too late, and he even has to do better. Andre should give him help, and Pittman should get a lot of goal line carries. I also cant wait to see what Royal can do against the Raiders, they have a very good secondary, but Eddie has been getting behind defenses with ease this preseason… and whos going to start on the other side of him? D-Jack? Stokley? Colbert? and sheffler is going way way down on the depth chart. He was one of Cutlers favorite targets at the end of the season last year. BUT i think we will have a very strong receiving corp this year. no superstars… But guys who get the job done… and thats how you get to championships.
The defense was terrible against the run last year, and you’ll NEVER win a championship playing like that. With the additions of Robertson, Niko, Boss Bailey, and McCree could be the difference makers if they can all gell together and play like a team. Also, if Bailey and Bly dont get burned this year, that would probably help (remember the packers last year…. wasn’t pretty).
And it does help that Cutler might be in the best condition he has ever been in his whole career. I can imagine him being a pro bowl type QB this season.
If we stay healthy and play old school broncos football (pounding with the run, boot-legs, and a hard hitting, ganging tackling defense) we can make a run at the playoffs and potentially a chance for the Super Bowl.
Good Luck Broncos!! I can’t wait for the season!!
hey sorry to jump topic but did anyone hear about Tatum stealing Rudi Johnsons luggage after finding out he was cut. lol that is funny
I find it interesting that you keep hearing people say that if we stop the run we control the game. I hate to tell you all but that is old school thinking and does not apply to the game today. Gone are the days of the run being a handoff. The short dump off passes are the 21st century run game. That is one of the reasons that Lynch needed to go. He is one of my all time favorite players but just did not have the speed we need to counter the Offenses of today. If the Raiders just use McFadden as an old school runner and hand him the ball we are going to break him in half so I hope that they do but if the Raiders mix it up enough we could be in for an upset. All I am saying is that we have focused way too much on the run and that is not as important now days.
Just remember it’s in the Bronco Fan Handbook “Hate the Raiders”. If we play half the game we are capable of it’s on to S.D. 1-0!
DocWho…if you think the “Run” doesn’t matter anymore then I’m glad you don’t coach Defense for us…lol! As a Former player for the man that invented the “West Coast” Offense For Walsh to Steal…Lavelle Edwards the run will always matter and need to be stopped
we have nothing to worry about just as lonmg as are run D is better then last years, WE WILL WIN!!! Are WR will out do the raiders WR any day even without Brandon Marshall.We got E. Royal which is a great WR, then we got one of the best slot WR in the game B. Stokley,then we got an alright veteran D. Jackson taking marshalls place. lelie and curry r alright WR. jevon walker is injury prone thats y hes no longer on the broncos. And we got two great RB waiting to shine
all this talk about curry being a nobody needs to stop, the guy can play and is the best wr on there roster, now with that said. he is the best wr in the roster and we can handle it, no problem. shut down fargas and mcfadden and we’re 1-0
we have the best zone blocking scheme that football has ever seen. every back we have rushes for at least a thousand yards a season. we need to make sure our blocking is on the ball so we can run over any team that tries to stand in our way