For the second time in three games, the Broncos had a really good chance to win. For the second time in three games, they came up short, falling to Indianapolis on Sunday.
It isn’t that difficult to see that struggles in the red zone were critical for the Broncos. Five trips to the Colts’ 20 yard line or deeper and the Broncos could only come away with two field goals while turning the ball over on downs three times.
Some may question Josh McDaniels’ decision to go for the touchdown on 4th and goal at the one yard line in the second quarter. I liked the call.
The Broncos were down 13-0. The Broncos had the ball at the one yard line. They had four plays to get the ball into the end zone. Four plays.
They gave the ball to Laurence Maroney, whom the Colts stopped on first and second downs. Third down was a fade route to Demaryius Thomas, a big, physical target who has the ability to go up and get the ball. Orton’s pass was a bit long and out of bounds. Thomas never had the opportunity to make the play.
On fourth down, the Colts stopped Maroney short of the goal line, thanks to a correct reversal by instant replay.
Coach McDaniels’ decision to go for it on fourth down is certainly a decision worthy of discussion. But I don’t see there being an obvious right or wrong decision. That is only determined in hindsight, after the play works or doesn’t work.
There was not a single play call in that series where I was thinking, “What in the world was that?” The Colts held. In situations like this, many people like to blame the coach for deciding to go for it. But when you come up short four times from the one yard line, and there was no clear cut mistake in the play calls, I have to look at the guys on the field. Somehow, someway, they have to punch it in.
I also like the decision to go for it for a couple of other reasons.
First, you’re playing the Colts. A team only gets so many chances in the red zone in any given game. Against Indy, there is more of an urgency to take advantage of those opportunities because of the Peyton Manning and the potent offense he leads.
Second, the Broncos were trying to get the game down to one possession. Even though it was still pretty early, it was an understandable thought. Plus, while they didn’t convert, the defense held the Colts three-plays-and-out, forced a punt, got good field position and drove for a field goal right before halftime.
The other interesting fourth down decision came with just under nine minutes to go and the Colts ahead 20-13. Fourth-and-three at the Indy 12 yard line. There was a miscommunication between Kyle Orton and Brandon Lloyd on the route and the pass was incomplete. As I understand it, there was an option for Lloyd to run one kind of route if he got one defense and another kind of route if the Colts played something else. Apparently, the Colts switched, Lloyd and Orton each thought different things and the pass had no chance to be caught.
Some people think Coach McDaniels should have kicked the field goal. And there is merit to that point. In my opinion, however, it is not a no-brainer to kick the field goal.
They trailed by a touchdown. They had been moving the ball. They were deep in Colts’ territory. The defense had already had some success slowing down Manning and the Colts’ offense.
Why not go for it, try to keep the drive going and score a touchdown and tie the game in the fourth quarter? I can’t argue with it. In fact, I liked that the Broncos were again aggressive.
Going for it as the Broncos did in some key situations and being smart about what they were doing, which I believe they were, sends a message of confidence to the team. It sends the message that the coaches believe their guys is good enough. I like that.
I would have liked it better had either decision worked out and the plays been executed on the field.
But let’s not take the easy way out and blame the coach for this loss because of a couple of decisions to go for it on fourth down in the red zone didn’t work out.
In many ways, the Broncos played well against a terrific team. Yes, they lost and that is the bottom line. But the season is three games old. I’m not ready to come to any conclusions except the obvious one that the Broncos are 1-2.
What did you think about the game on Sunday? Thanks for reading and posting your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Mike Rice
Oooops, hit wrong key, where was I, ok… McD is not growing in his HC job, he is constantly acting as if he is in a state of panic, making kneejerk moves all over the place therefore giving no time for the players to come together as a team. All that does is causing division between the players, just like last year and then everything unravels, you would think he would of learned, well not yet, still hoping though, it’s never too late… until it’s too late.
“It’s hard to be patient right now with some of the decisions being made regarding a team that we all obviously love.”
Well said Big D.
We need to be patient, McD shows none. Shouldn’t that be the other way around with a coach? The coach instills patience into everything and us idiots chew impatiently at the bit for wins? Not here, we have to be the adults, LOL.
I just saw McD’s press conference and noticed he had two small cuts on his forehead. Is that from continuously banging his head against the wall? LOL
the way I see it I just want to see points on the board. A field goal win is a win in the nfl last time I check. This sunday will be another great test for our offense and they will look much more improved. Kuper should be back that will help us out a lot maybe they can try a qb sneek next time.
60 MINUTES OF FOOTBALL GO BRONCOS!!!
Or maybe someone is trying to beat some sense into his head, LOL.
Manny01, we had Kuper against the Colts. However, we are getting Harris back.
Dumb move taking Cox off punt returns,Royal needs to do what he does best and thats focusing on being a WR,the proof is in the pudding,I think a lot of fans are fed up with McDs mistakes over,and over and over like a freaking broken record.I say if he don’t get things turned around by the end of the season give him the AXE,just one man’s opinion that don’t mean a Helluva lot.
As far as Quinn being the #2 QB,I think that is ridiculous,he couldn’t be the #2 waterboy.
BFE
LMAO @ Quinn….
New practice blog is up guys.
Baylin, I’ve been following the broncos blogs for about a year now and I have always felt like you do your homework before you comment. But I finally signed up specifically to argue with you about Coach McDaniels. Neither one of his 4th down calls were the reslult of a knee jerk reaction. They were informed decisions based on how both of teams had been performing. We gave up six points and we lost by 14. If both calls have work we’re in overtime and everyone would have been applauding his gutsy calls. Simple mathematics. He is cetainly very passionate. That’s how I am in competition, and those are the kind of players and coaches I want in Denver. It has nothing to do with panic and I certainly don’t believe there is a rift in the Broncos organization. Much respect though.
I don’t know where you got that I was talking about the two 4th downs, that was the furthest thing from my mind, but anyhow, glad to see that I could make you wanna join and chime in, always love to have another point of view here and real glad you love everything that’s going on now. I love some, I like some, I dislike some and I loath some, all and all I hope you are right and that everything is really much rosier than I tend to think. Really don’t want to be set back again starting with a new regime in a couple of years, hope this all works out, honest. The reason I bring up what I see as negatives is just to keep people honest, criticisms aren’t necessarily a negative thing, we can grow from it, and that’s what I wish McD did with his players, criticize them to make them grow, not just sending them to his doghouse, that really was my point. I don’t know how you got to the 4th downs once again, and I hear you about that, I thought the first one was the right call but the second one was not.
hello everyone
I guess I thought it was about 4th downs because that’s what the article was about, but after rereading I see it’s more general. I assume you probably don’t like Cox being taken off punts and I don’t necessarily like it either. One thing I do know about McD is that he articulates what went wrong and right in a game better than most coaches. The others might just be withholding but I always get the feeling that McDaniels understands the game as good as anyone after listening to an interview. I think he is building a real team much like Tony Dungee did for the Colts years ago and much like Sean Peyton has done. I’d love to see us draft a hardnosed middle line backer who loves nothing more smash people but we’ll see. Like everyone else I hate what’s going on in the running game. I think running by committee doesn’t work unless Tom Brady is throwing it. But McDaniels can only work with what he has. I apreciate and respect that you take a more pessimistic point of view, Baylin. I’ll just play devils advocate because we need a little positivity too!
Go Broncos!
Yeah, Cox demotion is what brought all that up. About the Dungy and Payton comparaison, I would agree that it seems as it is what McD is attempting to do, building some powerhouse for the long run, but I guess every coach in the NFL wants to do that, and if McD has all the x’s and o’s to compete with the Dungy’s and Payton’s of the NFL, he has nearly none of the people skills they have.
I mean Dungy is probably the furthest thing from McD as far as people skills are concerned, he treated and respected everyone on his team to the upmost standards, and Peyton also seems to do real well in that category unlike McD here who’s track record with the players so far has been dismal, he discards them or demotes them on a whim, not exercising all options that a coach should use to turn the players he’s got into what he wants them to become. If you cut players and acquire new ones all the time and demote others back and forth to no end, it will be very difficult to get that unity with the players that Dungy and Payton have been able to build, and that is a MAJOR difference between how these coaches operate, just my opinion.
GO BRONCOS!!!!
You raise a good point. Players have been jumping on and off our roster. Tebow and Quinn playing musical backups is bothersome and the Cox demotion was hasty. However we’ve seen a lot of QB’s getting demoted around the league and McD is one of the few who has actual kept his word. The media had a field day speculating on who would start and the whole time he said Orton was the guy. And he is. I was infuriated about Tebow moving down in the depth chart but I have to believe him when he says it’s a game to game strategy. Hopefully in a year or two Tebow will prove that McD CAN develop players into what he wants them to be. I think Tebows competitive attitude and his Michael Jordan-like work ethic will further that goal. In closing there have been some A-hole coaches that have won Super Bowls. Chuck Noll and Brian Billick come to mind off the top of my head.
The saddest thing about thinking on giving the axe to McD would be that he already dismantled the awesome offense we had and let the rest of the team alienated with his erratic handling of players. Firing POTENTIAL stars, demoting good guys, recruiting talentless FRIENDS out of nothing to substitute established starters…
Ok what friends did he hire? Maroney comes over and all of sudden everyone’s saying we’re a junkyard for washed up Patriots players. None of that talk was going on before that transaction. Or is it because he hired his brother as QB Coach? I think it’s logical to hire someone you know has the same offense philosophy as you but I may be way off.
And with all the stuff that goes on in the league every year – going on in the league THIS year, I can’t fathom how McD is the oned viewed as some erratic maniacal coach. Six or 7 QB changes have occured after two games or less, Singletary’s fired two offensive coordinators, Andy Reid swearing by Kolb when he knew Vick was clearly playing better only to start Vick anyway the following Sunday… the list goes on. And we’re losing it because Cox will be returning kickoffs instead punts? It’s not like some joker is taking over him.
If the players are alienated from him and each other they sure put on a convincing play at practice, in the locker room, and at games. Players aren’t quiet when there’s a problem. We’ve seen some good team’s players pointing fingers at each other when they lose, but whose done that in Denver since McD’s been here? The Cutler situation was unfortuante but none of us know exactly how that really went down. In the end McDaniels said he wanted him here and Cutler said he didn’t feel wanted. McD had no choice but to let him go. Can’t keep someone who won’t play for you. Same with Marshall and Scheffler. Our recieving core is fine without both of those guys.
If there is one thing I’m unhappy about, it’s the way Hillis is producing right now in Cleveland while our running game is at a standstill. But we have to consider how much better we can expect the o-line to get after when they’re healthy and the young guns get more and more experience under they’re belts. Dungy rebuilt his o-line and d-line when he arrived in Indy and it didn’t happen overnight. We won’t really know until futher along in the season how much giving up Hillis really hurt us.
As true Broncos fans we always want them to win and we want them to win now. I understand that. But I can’t help but think we’re overreacting to some of McD’s decisions. Every coach in the league makes tons of them and they don’t all workout, especially in the very short run. But all the greats have something in common: they take risks. On the field and in the front office. I for one have faith that these risks will pay off. We all have seen it happen like that before. Shanahan was a former offensive coordinator and rookie head coach just like McD in ’94. We went 7-9 that year. We went 8-8 after that. In his third year we made the playoffs and we all remember what happened in ’97. I wonder how many fans trash talked him before he won us our first Super Bowl…
I’m sorry guys I made a mistake. It was 1995 when Shanahan came over so we were 8-8 his first year. I was 9 years old when that happened so please forgive my memory. The message is still the same though. Let’s hold off before we give McD a scarlet letter alright? Haha
Why didn’t McD use Tebow on goalline?
Yeah, we were 8-8 in Shanny’s first year, but MOST IMPORTANTLY 13-3 in his second, so McD has just one more game to lose this year if you want to make similar references to McD and Shanny. Tall order….
I think it is interesting to read a lot of these posts and see people’s view of McDaniel’s. I do not live in Denver as my handle would suggest, but I go out every year for the home opener, and I was amazed at how many true “die-hard” fans hate McD. (not the restaurant) I am not a fan of his, I disagree with the person who says he is forthcoming, and I do not think he is building a winner. You talk about Dungy’s team, I think we all agree we do not have Manning, we don’t have an Edgerrin James, we lack a Freeney and Mathis, we are minus a Bob Sanders. You mention the Saints, we are without a Brees, a Bush, Colston, Thomas, Shockey and the guys they have on defense. Even if you want to say the Patriots, we have no Brady, Moss, Welker, Brushchi and the like. I say all that to say this, playing like a team is important, and I understand that, but TALENTED players playing as a team is the way you win. McD AND Xanders have stripped this team of talent. Decimated it. For what, to get guys who will do whatever McD says for the sake of being on the “team”. I disagree with the poster who said we have only picked up Maroney….uhhhh…have you been watching this team before this week, we are CONSTANTLY funnelling old Pats onto this team. Even funnier is how the Chiefs have the ENTIRE front office and coaching staff from New England now and they aren’t bringing any of those guys over. Sure other teams have made quarterback changes, but it has been in situations where they were necessary. Was Trent Edwards the QB of the future in Buffalo? Did the Titans come back and win the week after? How about two in a row in Philly. The problem with this team is that it is not on the upswing, and our young players are not there. You cannot tell me that you are comfortable with Cox out there at corner…returner sure, but he was getting beat by a practice team guy on Sunday. Where is the pass rush? Oh yeah it is the draft pick we should have taken (Orakpo) instead we have a RB who has yet to break 100 yards on the ground. Please don’t give me the “it takes time” arguement for KM, JAhvid Best is on a bad Detroit team, already done it. When AP went tothe Vikings, they were bad, he did it. Jamaal Charles, yep. So please rest that argument. Blaming the line isn’t going to work either. When McD got here, that line was one of the best in football. PERIOD. Cutler didn’t get sacked and we had SEVEN different backs produce on the ground. SEVEN. now we cannot get one….A player is a player, the NFL is Not For Long. There is no minor league, no time for “developing” young talent. When you are constantly “developing” young talent you are the Lions. Walton can play the other linemen…nope. Clady came in and PLAYED, Harris came in and PLAYED. No year or two of “development” they flat out had skills. We WASTED, that’s right I said it, WASTED a draft pick on Tebow. Sure he sells a lot of Jerseys but a first rounder is supposed to help your team, and how exactly is he doing that? If you felt we needed a qb, your scouts should have told you there are no less than 5 legit qb’s coming out this year…chill out and handle the need areas of this team….anyway I am ranting…lot on my mind…hate to see this team go under…just two years ago, I was thinking, “man if we get a defense, with the offensive weapons we have” now I am thinking…just thinking. Peace out Bronco fans…hears to a win inthe land of country music
That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. I buy most of that as most every one knows here. The only thing that matters is the present, I really don’t care what might or might not happen in the future, wins are not won in the future they are won now starting Sunday and so far McD has done a subpar job of putting us into that position, for the many reasons well spelled out above by broncoguy.
It has not been a good HC start for McD either way you want to spin it, unless you buy everything he does just because he is the big cheese and the Broncos are your life and you can’t stand the thought that we might no be on the right track so it feels better to think that we are that everything McD does is orchestrated magic with nothing but dynasty and SB’s in the future, but in the real world that obviously isn’t what all the bloggers are about here, and it’s not pessimism, it’s just realism.
It is what it is, if it smells like….. well you got the idea. Here is hoping for a huge turnaround, may the earth flip on its axis and straighten everything up for us, because I feel like I’m living in an upside down Bronco world right now. I thought I was getting a breath of fresh air after Marshall’s departure, but it was obviously rarified air and is now long gone, much wrong has gone on since then.
VAbroncoguy,
I apreciate the thought you put in to what you said. I agree that I’m not comfortable with Cox starting at corner but the young guy has done well. Would I rather see Goodman out there? Yes. And I didn’t say we only picked up Maroney from NE but I did say that no one was talking about us being a NE junkyard until he came. We have multiple players from other teams as well, like the Eagles, but no is complaining that we’re an eagles junkyard because Mcdaniels didn’t come over here from Philly.
True we don’t have a Manning, a Bush, an Addai or a Shockey. The Panthers didn’t have a ton of names in Super Bowl XXXVIII and they had a great season and played a damn good game against the elite Patriots. Sure guys like Peppers have turned out to be a force in the NFL but no one was comparing any of those guys to any greats at the beginning of that year.
Go ahead and get your pitchforks and torches out now but I think Demaryius will be a Moss, that Decker can be a McCaffrey, Lloyd is already proving to be somebody, and most importantly that Tebow will be a Brees or a Rivers. I’m among the minority who’s believed he can play in the NFL from the beginning. Vick is out there right now proving that a run first Quarterback can become a smart, accurate pocket passer with hard work.
There’s talented young guys on both sides of the ball and a lot of them aren’t just developing on the sideline. They’re playing now and they’re going to continue to get better. Lloyd and Gaffney have stepped up and Orton certainly has as well. Sure we need points, not just NFL leading passing yards. But I believe we are a team that has the right work ethic to improve and we have the talent. I agree there is no Bush or Addai in sight, and I’d kill to get a Freeney or a Mathis (we do have a Dumerville on in reserve). But McDaniels has only had two draft classes and he tried to get an Addai when he drafted Moreno last year, and at the time Denver fans thought that was a pretty good pick. Picks don’t always work out but we have rookies who are already impacting the team. Cox has done more good than harm. He got beat last week by the best QB playing the game right now. Demaryius had one of the finest rookie openers in franchise history, and the rookies on are o-line are doing an outstanding job of pass protection.
We are not the Lions. They were 2-14 last year. We were 8-8. They’re 0-3 this year. At least we’ve won one, agaisnt a pretty explosive team at that. If we had had Javhid Best we might just be 3-0 right now.
Baylin,
There is some truth to what you say. I’m sure part of me believes what I believe because I WANT to believe. But if I don’t believe there’s no reason to watch my team every week. I don’t want to operate like a Red Sox fan and say we have the worst team and staff when we’re losing, and turn around say we are the best when we’re winning. I have to look at the evidence of the good things to come and believe. We’ve always been the underdog and one thing that unites all the fans commenting on this blog is that we’ve always cared. And the way that I continue to care is by believing. I learned in 1997 that there is no better feeling than to be the overlooked, the underestimated, and then to WIN. I haven’t ignored the things that are wrong on our team, but you guys have ignored plenty of things that are going right, in my opinion.
Hard work beats talent when talent don’t work hard! Go Broncos!
He also had John Elway. Dungy had Peyton Manning. You’re going to need to take that into consideration to make references as well. Taller order
Born&raised, just a couple tidbits, the very last time I missed watching a game was in 1994 because it was getting real bad with coach Phillips and I was neck deep in a business venture, so no worries about me not watching games, unless it goes back the Phillips way, but even then since I am now retired I would still watch it. Anyhow, totally hardcore here, I have a Bronco photo paraphanelia album starting in the seventies that is so heavy I need a fork lift to move it around, autographed pics and footballs from many players including Bowlen and Shanahan, a guest room closet strictly reserved to all my Bronco clothing, from jerseys, shirts, T-shirts, jackets, shorts, hats, the monster flag which goes up for every game, etc.. plus a Bayliner cruiser, with an orange top gelcoat, white hull and blue interior named Orange Crush proudly displayed across the stern, not to mention ever since I left Colorado in 1990 I try to attend a game each year when they are in a stadium close to the state I live in at the time, so no Charger style fan nor Red Socks fan here, well you get the point.
And only reason I voice many bad points now is because there are many to point out, but you should know that I always talk about the good too, just like in the good the bad and the ugly pieces. I believe that if you can’t say anything good about something you are probably not qualified to talk about the bad, stick around you’ll see, I’ll give kudos when they are due, even to McD.
Anyhow, I’m glad you joined in this blog, you are a well spoken young man, born in 86 from what I gather, and even so I’m 32 years older than you are I always enjoy a good conversation with the now generation, specially when it’s with a well educated man and done in a polite fashion just like your posts. All I ask is that you take my Bronco life experience which started in the early 70′s when we discuss things so you will remember I have gone through many tribulations with the organization since then. In short I feel I’ve earned the right to speak my mind about my beloved team, good or bad, and so have you, and I respect that. Now, GO BRONCOS!!!
Baylin I definitely respect everything you have to say. When I see everyone reaming McDaniels I know it’s because you all care and I’m glad to be a part of that regardless of any of our differences of opinion. We are all on the same team after all! I’ve known a lot of fans who bash the team but loyally watch every Sunday just the same and I can respect that. My route is the one of optimism. My faith in my team keeps watching. But even if we go 4-12 I’ll be there watching every agonizing minute of every loss with the rest of you guys. I can also repsect the high expectations for anyone replacing Shanahan. I know I sure didn’t want to see him go and he will always be beloved in Denver. I was born in December of 85 and have been rooting on the Broncos ever since I learned there was a game called football. I’m so happy to be participating in intelligent discussion with all of you. Go Broncos!
BBR…Thats what it’s all about bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!