It’s time to make a confession.
I really didn’t have any expectations for how I thought the Broncos would play in their preseason opener against Dallas last week.
Of course, I was hoping they would play well. In many ways, I thought they did.
Head coach John Fox did, too.
“We played very physical. We played fast. (We) probably didn’t play as precise as I’d like. There were too many penalties, a couple of them costly in the red area that we’ve got to clean up. All in all, I kind of liked the way we went about our business. I thought we made some strides. I wasn’t really pleased with the result there at the end but those are things you kind of fight in the preseason. We’re looking for big improvement for our home opener this week.”
I liked the way the Broncos went about their business, too.
Look, we all know this is preseason. While the games don’t count in the standings, they are still important for a team like the Broncos, who are getting used to a new head coach, another new defensive coordinator and trying to turn things around after several years of subpar football.
A few things stood out for me in the game against Dallas.
1 – I HAD GREAT COMFORT IN SEEING JOHN FOX ON THE SIDELINE. I know he might not have been the flashiest hire but he has brought a professional, steady, non-nonsense approach to the Broncos and all of that came through on Thursday night. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: He is the right coach at the right time for the Broncos. The way the Broncos played against the Cowboys confirmed that to me.
The Broncos came out and represented themselves well in the game against Dallas. I love the fact that Coach Fox has said he wants to win preseason games. While the Broncos fell short in that regard, their approach reflected their new coach. I believe that will serve them well moving forward.
2 – THE BRONCOS DEFFENSE COULD VERY WELL BE BETTER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT WILL BE. Again, it was one preseason game but I still liked the way the Broncos played on defense for a lot of the game. I know, the first team D was only on the field for a short time. I know, things got a little out of hand in the fourth quarter. But I saw some real toughness, some passion and some pass rush, all of which have been lacking in the recent past.
3 – FOR THE FIRST PRESEASON GAME, THE BRONCOS DID SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS. In the preseason, this is about the best one can hope for. It is so hard to get a true feel for where a team stands but I liked the way the Broncos moved the ball. I liked the way the defense held Dallas down for three quarters. I liked the intensity Denver brought to the field. All of this is to say nothing of some of the fine individual performances that certain players turned in. Other than allowing Dallas to drive down and score late in the game, I thought it was a really good effort in many areas for the Broncos.
I’m not ready to say the Broncos are back. They’ll have to show that during the regular season. But I do believe they showed that at least they’re on the right track after one preseason game.
What do you want to see in preseason game number two against Buffalo this weekend? Thanks for reading and posting your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Mike
Mike called it ” a lttle out of hand” yeah, nate jones hand.
about the 4th quarter meltdown.
release nate jones day
While Titans are willing to make Johnson the highest paid RB in NFL, those close to Johnson believe he should be paid as a top playmaker.
what more can u ask for besides being the most paid RB … sigh … thats your position, playmaker is not a position.
Where were those cuts announced? It seems Buffalo released Aaron Maybin but at 220 pounds what did he expect he was lighter than some running backs
MHR:
The #Broncos have released DT Louis Leonard and waived/injured LB Derek Domino.
DT Louis Leonard’s short career with Denver is now over. Signed on December 27, 2010, he never made an appearance in a regular season game.
LB Derek Domino was inactive for last Thursday’s game at Dallas. Assuming he clears waivers, Domino will be eligible for Denver’s Injured Reserve.
The Dominos are starting to fall…
LOL – nice word play Bay!
I think overall the Broncos looks good and hungry to improve!!! I just hope they make it happen on the field.
And I am getting tired of the so called, “QB cunundrum” (spelling?) in Denver – well at least the media’s take on it all!!! I think we are fairly strong at the QB position and we will move forward as best we can with who ever is in the driver seat!
GO BRONCOS!!!
Rice- I would like to see more from ayers, doom, miller and bunkley and warren. I think we did have a little pass rush but that was only when we were blitzing our LB’s i didn’t see any of those individual players get into the back field quick enough to cause any problems when we were not blitzing. they got some good runs on us early on. it just looks to me like we are still going to have a problem stopping the run. I still don’t like the fact we are back to a 4-3 we have a lot of great speedy lbs that need to be utilized. in the 4-3 we are not getting the full potential of our D. Hunter and woodyard are good enough to be in the starting line up. and that won’t happen in the 4-3. not to mention we still have Haggan and Irvin. With all those good LB’s it will be hard to rotate them all.
I love what I saw out of Moreno and Mcgahee. I didn’t like to see how Orton gave up on soo many plays. and He has a hard time when he is under pressure. Tebow looks good under pressure. I just didn’t like how he was real quick to tuck the ball and run with it after only looking at his first option WR.
But at least he tries to make something happen other than just throwing it away everytime.
Also I would like to see more out of all our WR’s. We ran very easy conventional routes. there wasn’t much to judge anyone on.
Eddie Royal and Nate Irving are participating in today’s practice. Both had missed time due to injuries.
good to know they are back out there. Hopefully we see them in buffalo.
Those released players were announced on Twitter, along with the fact that Ty Waren will wear number 94 now. Later days, TRB.
The jury is still out on all three qb’s. I suspect it will be at the end of the season as well. Have you seen new young qb Ponder from Vikings? Wow! What poise!! What an athlete! What an arm! We can only wish.
I can’t wait for Elvis! One game is not a season. Let’s see where we are at the end of pre-season. A horse and a fox…..a great team! Go Bronco’s
Johnson is done..he should get paid for what he did tho
A guy that small, in that conference?? he is done
Matt Willis runs out of his shoe, but still manages to catch a long bomb from Tebow
tebow willis combo
and Decker Orton of course … they practiced alot in offseason. No suprise.
Mays lays the wood..period We will need that when teams decide to punk us..again…Middle linebacker is a signature spot…U have to sign off on people..that spot is the spot teams need to avoid..Al wilson did it…Gradishar did it..he had to go lay guys out on the sidelines because they avoided him..party time..Gradishar,Jackson,Rizzo was usually busy, and Swenson….has anyone EVER seen swenson..he was nasty
Between Mays, Haggan, and Irving (The future?) … we are good at MLB … vets starting while Irving learns. No hurry for the 3rd rounder, same for the 4th round SS Carter. TRB
sweson was a rangy guy who’d lay people out with his forearms…he knocked out that Colts QB(Bert Jones)..they said he ‘swensonsized’ people! I got his autograph under the south stands and I couldn’t believe how tall he was! He was bigger than Jack Ham..he was a beast on the corner just waiting to jack people up..he used to pile drive runners into the ground! He got penalized alot!
I liked Bert Jones! he was good..but has planted by Swenson…I hope he gets on the ring of fame..anyone hear what he’s upto these days? Just a big dude riding a tractor somewhere I bet..or a Hog or BOTH
as for this team……haggan is your starter..Irving is okay…but he hasn’t been baptised yet..like they are in the ack small 10 sec,acc etc…..I saw his film..he’s in for a surprise..Denver is NOT the pac
The AFC west sends brutal guards after your MLB…and Irving doesn’t look like he can fend them off……I see people running past him kinda like DJ Williams..it’s fast and up the gut…U know the raiders will play smash mouth…AFC west isn’t bad, it’s just become so much of a destroy each other thing….and we’re beating each other up with noones…..I bet Al is p.o. we have Tebow though..that should dampen the depends
Case in point…when Denver was the shizzy…they made a commercial of them taking on the Bulls in Spain or where ever…a buncha guys I do not believe I EVER heard an interview from????? They were very BAD guys! and who gets away with NOT talking to media these days? They’d sign autographs but they were not very nice to media..and you could tell the media was kinda intimidated by them…name them if you can!
they were bad a****! No very big but very aggressive and just mean non stop kick you butt types..remember stinky? Used to sh** his pants? And one guy used to throw up on the football to start the game!~!!! wow I think Tom Nalen was just a borderline personality smacking folks around
I agree that we are good at MLB. I was excited watching some of the hits Mays laid out last season. I hope he keeps it up this year. He is a beast.
As for the Titans’ Johnson, I realize that he is a good runner and that people have off days, but I think that “top playmaker” doesn’t quite fit a guy who was held to 53 yards last year against the worst defense in the league (us). Just a thought.
maybin was released b the bills.. i have a feeling the broncos may look at him since they have been taking on alot of former first round DE
You can’t just throw up on a football..he was a nose guard my bad..
but still…the Broncos had a dude named moose? Biggest guy in San Diego football history…Terrell was clown who used to bully people…good kid but aside from migraines…how can you hurt him? Green Bay? Hello?
Elway? Matt Millen…very bad guy..nasty..admitted he took a cheap shot on Elway and thought he had to be dead…Elway popped tall and winked at him…from that day Millen respected Elway as a dangerous man..doesn’t like him..but respects him…Bosworth?? Brian? ask him..it didn’t go well for him…I was in Norman with Brian and Troy…Elway wasn’t a joke or his linemen..one was a dam Sumo Wrestler
U can’t get past a sumo wrestler and catch a dang QB who is big and runs! Tebow might be okay
and one guy who dookies his pants!
Damn I need a beer……………lol.
CJ deserves a 5 year 60 million dollar contract,that is a huge RB contract!
With 30 million garunteed!…imo.
beast don’t talk about Oilers here
I’m eager to see Nate Irving out there. All these MLBs taken behind him are starting for their teams already. I have high hopes for him.
I think I said Johnson is done..esp in that conference
I was pretty fast..how long do you think that last??? unless you’re Darrell green and he was a buck 65 dripping wet
asfast as Johnson is..one tick slower and a collision he is done he will get twisted by some huge safety or linebacker or some 300 behemoth twisting his little abs into a jolly rancher
I’m sure the comp is hiring guys to stop him today
I think johnson will be fine in this league for years size has nothing to do with strength and heart it needs to be in this league
he better get his money! he’s a target
Randy2191 are U on crack?
theres ex-NFlers that can bust you up…U think CJ with all his pads can keep getting away?
no but i have watched and played football my whole life.. size isnt everything.. if it was he wouldnt even be in the NFL.. there is a reason he is there
do you have some warped since if reality? look around in everything bigger doesnt always mean better.. in all sports.. thats like saying djax from philly is to small so he is going to get hurt and his time is limited.. its like anything i have watched guys 275 pounds of muscle be dropped by a guy who was maybe 160 pounds just cuz your bigger doesnt mean nothing.. and something you are always taught in football is speed kills in a collision in football it doesnt matter who is bigger it doesnt matter who is stronger what makes the difference is the speed and the heart the player is carrying.. speed = power.. its even simple basic math and science
I bet money…somebody like hmmmm……Mke Ditkas old a** could slap the taste out of your mouth and drop colgate on your doorstep when he leaves you bleeding and asking what station is transmitting from Mars? HuH? U ever play against these guys?
Randy is right, CJ isn’t going anywhere. He’s in what, his fourth year? He’s still got gas in the tank. He’ll run for another thousand yards this season for sure. He probably does deserve his crazy contract, but I just wouldn’t call him a “top playmaker.”
dude i play college ball right now.. i have seen games where a little 150 pounds back comes bursting through the hole and puts a 300 pound lineman on his ass.. watch some clips of his games CJ has gotten hit and hard and popped right up.. theres RBs Who weigh 220 who dont even make it through a first season.. have you ever played football? or have you just always watched and like to try and say what you think.
Randy…you are on point ‘size isn’t everything’ but look at the comp? Are they loading uP?? I know they did for Elway…your average time in 40 in NFL is 4.9 or higher..these are brute men..gladiators..doesn’t matter how fast you are If I’m 6-4 and 250 and get a shot..you are OUT!
now do i think Cj is worth being the highest played player right now naw because i dont think he is the best back playing.. but do i think he is worth around 8 mill a season.. all day everyday.. the kids the dude is going into is 4th season.. has missed only 1 game his entire career i bet he goes on to have atleast another 1200 yards this season and the season after.. The kid is a beast straight up!
BFE=BUDLIGHT!!!!!
Sign CJ or trade him to us. We`ll show in the money!!
ok and you act like he is super small the dude is what 5’11 190 195? you act like he is 5’6 160 pounds
CJ isn’t Elway….he can’t do it byhimself..he will get his money and my man..he is done..check out Terrell Davis…..That boy came out of no where with a nasty O line _like Oilers and blew t up……….in case you didn’t know..the Oilers have historically (I met Bum Phillips,Earl Campbell,and I think his name was Pastorini) their linemen wouldn’t sign autoraphs…but one guy was a monster..go back to the Bills…2000 yard rushers are a product of the LINE! I played guard when I was 11 years old trust me
cj got his 2k because the Oilers have ALWAYS had a line