I am usually one to try to keep things in perspective. The NFL season is a long one. Every team typically goes through some ups and some downs. Rarely are there must-win games in October.
At the same time, it is becoming clear that the Broncos are at a critical point in their season. The injuries are piling up. The play on the field has been inconsistent. Another quality opponent is looming. There is a danger of things going south in the locker room if the team isn’t careful.
Which way will things go? Will they spiral down? Will the team rally and overcome the adversity and make the season a positive one?
In times like this, I find it helpful to do something that is very simple…take a deep breath…hold it for just a moment…then slowly exhale.
The season isn’t over. That is important to keep in mind.
I do believe, however, this is a crossroads moment for the 2010 Denver Broncos. Teams can often have more than one of these in a season and this is, in my opinion, the first one for the Broncos this year.
Head coach Josh McDaniels said on Monday that Brian Dawkins, Andre’ Goodman, Robert Ayers, Wesley Woodyard and Darcel McBath will all miss the game against the Jets because of the injury. Demaryius Thomas might also have to sit out; his status is uncertain.
Facing any team without five prominent defensive players is a tall order. Playing a team like the Jets with that group on the sideline will be, to say the least, difficult. The Jets can run the ball, they have multiple weapons at wide receiver and tight end and they have a quarterback that is getting better.
One of the best ways the Broncos can help out an injury-ravaged defense would be to have the offense stay on the field. The problem there is that keeping the offense on the field usually involves running the ball successfully and as we all know, that has been problematic for the Broncos to this point.
Most offenses are having trouble running the ball against the Jets. They are fourth in the NFL, allowing only 79 yards per game on the ground. It is another tough week for the Broncos to try to find a running game.
There is no doubt the Broncos have their work cut out for them. They are 2-3. They have to play a really good Jets team when they are at well below full strength.
“There’s a lot of ways to look at this,” head coach Josh McDaniels said on Monday. “We’re kind of up and down. You can look at it and say we have two straight home games and we still haven’t played a game in the division yet. We’re not even halfway through the year. It usually takes one victory to make you feel better about the direction you’re headed in and how you’ve played. That’s got to be our mindset at this point, (that) we’re one game away from being 3-3.”
If the Broncos get to 3-3, they should feel better about things. If the Broncos fall to the Jets and slip to 2-4, well, I think we all know how things go when an NFL team is struggling.
Welcome to life at the crossroads.
How do you think the Broncos will fare this week? Can they overcome the adversity they are facing and beat the Jets? Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Mike Rice
Baylin
Ive been yelling that for the past 2 weeks. I think Kreiger stole my post lol. ive been saying that nothing has changed, we are as potent as we were in shanahans last year offensively but no redzone effectiveness. I also said that year we barely ran the ball but at least shanahan had the excuse of 9 injured RBs and everyone placed in was effective as usual. Not the McD run game tho, only effective runner is Moreno an djust barely because the blocking scheme and the plays suck. TOO direct. Just a bunch of big sets with 9 TEs that lets EVERYONE know its a run. This “new era” that was supposed to change thigns is exactly the same except with a less potent running game, and a slightly better defense so all that change for nothing. Just left the fans arguing and picking sides. This team isn’t well coached in my opinion, and I hope people start to see that, cuz the slopiness is also ridiculous. But Ill probably catch fire for this post. Go Broncos..
Hey guys Shawne merriman is going to be up for grabs in a few weeks once he is healthy, do you guys think we should make a move on him?
Oh no prob Danso – yeah – both those games were great home victories last season.
Anyone know if Cowher coming back to the NFL next year?
I think that would be a great move but we probably wont because he isn’t the type of player mcdaniels likes. But if we did sign him to think about next year, with merriman on one side and dumervile on the other side would be one of the biggest pass rushing threats in the nfl.
I am making my first trip to Invesco this weekend. Does anyone have suggestions of what to do before the game and during the weekend?
We already have one charger which I never thought would happen. Steroid boy meriman however is not welcome around these parts lol
Broncos signed LB Lee Robinson to practice squad.
Who the heck is that. YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHH, another no name player who won’t contribute.
“Smith has three interceptions for the Lions, including one he returned for a touchdown against the Rams on Sunday. Denver gave up on Smith and shipped him to Detroit on cut day for backup tight end Dan Gronkowski. In 2009, Denver traded its No. 1 pick in 2010 (which turned out to be the No. 14 pick) to take Smith at No. 37. He was replaced in Denver several times and the Broncos would have cut him had he not been traded.” Just proves that Denver has poor coaching!!!!
Gosh darnit. I ran out of orange kool aid again. LOL
Doesn’t matter who is on the field, the coaching is horrid. Bad play calling and bad player managment. If you need another example take Thomas our Number one pick this year, the “Marshall replacement” we have him returning kickoffs!????? What a bonehead move.
What we should do is trade our RB’s and pick up more lineman and just place lineman at the RB’s spot and pass on every down!
This team is going nowhere but down the tubes. You “true fans” on this site will soon jump on board when we go 0-6 aganist division rivals.
Smith has been performing well in Detroit…good for him. That doesn’t mean our coaching is poor. I watched some of his highlights from that game and to me it looks like he’s putting forth a bit more effort than he did here. Maybe because he’s getting more playing time or something, I don’t know. You have to remember it was the Rams also.
Mandiego, I agree about Thomas returning kickoffs. I think I posted that on Monday. We cannot affort to put our top pick at returner and risk him getting a serious injury. All we need is a guy who is fast, has balls, and can read blocks to return kickoffs like the other Thomas (from Cal.). I’m definitley frustrated too. There are just too many things to point fingers at that I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around all the problems. I’m not in the “doom and gloom” mindset yet but I fear that this team does not know how to properly react to adversity under this regime. I sure hope McD proves me wrong. It totally throws a wrench in my week when the Broncos suck it up. So please, ball up guys and play some good football. We have NFL players on our team too, there is no excuse for getting embarrassed.
ILMSDB…..
Revis limited to individual drills. LB Calvin Pace sat out with a foot injury. He missed the first 4 games due to it.
Cowboys released S Ken Hamlin.
Hillis is doing such a great job in Cleveland, they traded Jerome Harrison. And aquired Mike Bell. Yeah, that Mike Bell! weird
Of course phonzy is doing good. Havent u heard…everyone McD trades turns into a better player. Its the McD curse lol. Maybe our coaching just isnt up to par…which is evidenced by our one dimentional offense and sloppy gameplay especially on K/P coverage. But then again they could all just be a a bunch of coincidences. Hmm, we traded our recieving TE, then traded essentially a first round pick to the same team for their 4th string TE who aint doing nothing here….Nice…McD just wanted a Gronkowski because belichek had one, except belicheck took the right gronkowski TE lol.
I see Dez Bryant is returning kicks for Dallas. If we didn’t use Thomas some would say why? If we do use Thomas some would say why? Good thing coaches don’t read these blogs. They would be so confused. Mandiego 0-6 against division rivals? Holy crap, I don’t want to watch. Guess I will anyway just in case you are wrong..
IMO, Thomas and Royal should be used primarily on offense. On kick off and punt returns, guys have a 30 yard sprint before they hit you. There is just too much risk. And Dez plays for the Cowboys, another team that isn’t doing too well. Most teams do not use there star players on kick off and punt returns. Didn’t DeSean Jackson just get hurt for the same reason? We absolutely need to utilize Thomas, but I would prefer using the other Thomas or Vaugn. IMHO
Mean’t to say I would prefer to use the other Thomas or Vaughn on returns..
IF it were up to me as well Royal and Thomas wouldnt touch the ball on KR. too risky. PR maybe. But not KR. Especially not Royal since he actually starts. I feel like since Perrish cox fumble they havent given him another shot. The man is a killer in the return game. But at the same time, He is starting on Defense now so he will be too winded from 3 downs to return punts but he sure can return kick returns in my opinion cuz he woulda rested and Offense will be taking over after his return. Makes sense in my head, not sure about in work. But for me it would be Royal, Thomas PR. Cox, Vaughn KR. IMO. Heck maybe even Sydquan, he had some nice returns in preseason and is more “expendable”…
PS: I think the Jets run the power O right? man they do it way better than us. The plays look less obvious and the run some nice traps. All we do looks like goal line lol. I miss the Zone cuz while the Power O has its good side … we have been yet to tap into it the patriot way with all those TEs
TRB, the Jets run the same zone blocking scheme we used to run, that’s why LT was so excited to go over there, BFE posted a link to that effect on the previous page, check it out.
Big D, don’t you mean Thompson, not the “other Thomas”, as in Syd’Quan Thompson, because Marcus Thomas certainly isn’t going to return anything, LOL.
Anyhow, I would go with Thompson and Cox returning, Syd’Quan showed great potential there in pre season, and it was Cox’s strength in college he is electrifying at returning, so what if he had a bad fumble, just like Hillis why put him in the stupid doghouse for the remainder of a season, that’s absolutely asinine, not using your weapons accordingly because of a mistake here and there, how bogus, so put Royal and your first draft pick at risk instead? yeah a real winner there McD, what an absolute disgrace of player assignments, and I’m supposed to drink the kool aid and like it because McD does it? Think again…
Here is the LT link:
http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2010/08/ladainian_tomlinson_excited_to.html
wouldnt going back to the zone scheme be an admission of guilt on McDs part? btw, I think the phonzy thing is just a little skewed. He really isnt that good. One of the smarter moves made by McD, IMO
not that upset with phonzy either. Hillis yes, because I liked him. Well hopefully some of these so called “bench” players will step up and become key players in our teams future. I would put money on Vaughn and Brutton to make some plays.
I think I have given up on Moss. I remember hearing about him doing standing backflips in his rookie preseason, and though this guys is going to be awesome. Maybe he should have stuck to gymnastics instead of football!
Dont care about the phonzy one either, but I felt he was at LEAST a practice squad player. He at least got an INT in the last preseason game. But to give him up for a wack 7th round TE…thats just sad. i know they were gonna cut him anyway but they coulda put him on the practice squad. It allc omes back to mcd tho. Trading a first round pick for a second pick. Just saying. It could easily have gone the other way, I am aware of that, but more often than not, it goes this way, u get a bust at an expensive price. A bust u passed on TWICE in the first round. But yea, Hillis im mad about as well lol.
Not to mention we still have a a wasted seocnd round pick in Richard Quinn… so wasted we got another TE a whack one…