I understand why Tim Tebow’s first NFL start grabbed the headlines last Sunday. Undoubtedly this week, Tebow’s second career start will dominate much of the discussion and analysis after the game.
If I knew today that Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow or someone else would be the starter next season, I would be fine with that, as long as the “someone else” were at least decent.
The Broncos’ quarterback situation is not my number one concern. Not by a long shot.
If Pat Sajak were planning to be in Denver any time soon, I’d have to ask him for a “D.” It has become unbearably obvious that defense is where the Broncos have to start in getting their house in order.
The numbers have been mentioned already, but they are worth repeating. In two games against the Raiders, the Broncos surrendered 98 points, 1,010 yards of total offense, 592 rushing yards and 49 first downs.
Gulp.
The Raiders have a solid offense. They are in the top ten in scoring, total offense and rushing yards per game. But they put up video game numbers in their two wins against the Broncos.
Then again, other teams did the same thing this year, too. And there’s the rub.
For years, even long before Josh McDaniels came to town, we heard the Broncos talk about their desire to have a tough defense that stops the run. In the last five seasons, five different defensive coordinators have talked about that.
Hopefully sooner than later, we will start seeing it on the field.
The Broncos are currently last in the NFL, allowing 29.6 points per game. They are second-to-last in total offense given up per game (386.1 yards) and rushing yards allowed per game (158.4).
We all know one can spin stats in a variety of ways but it is really difficult to put those in any kind of positive light. They are what they are. And they are a big reason the Broncos are what they are, namely 3-11.
Of course, every team would like to have a Steel Curtain defense or a defense as good as that of the 2000 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, to name a couple of examples.
But it doesn’t take a unit that dominating to have a great team, even an elite team that consistently contends for championship. At the same time, I can’t think of an NFL team that has won on a regular basis with a defense anywhere similar to the one the Broncos have now.
In the recent past, the primary focus for the Broncos has been offense. As the Broncos begin their journey into a new era, I hope that defense plays a much more prominent role.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful Holiday Season.
Best,
Mike
Tags: 2010, Defense, Denver Broncos, Mike Rice
All this talk about the draft is fine and dandy, but if we tackle events by priority, what about why is it taking so long for Bowlen to reveal what position Elway will have with the Broncos?
This is my take:
It would be because Elway’s new position will somehow overstep on someone’s feet big time who is currently on the Bronco staff so the season must be over before Bowlen feels he can make the move to save them embarrassment and keep things rolling as is until season end.
Could it be Xanders? Like Elway’s new title could take away the final decision power in personnel that Xanders is so badly looking to have now that McD is gone?
Could it be Ellis? Bowlen deciding that he can’t have two right hand man if he makes Elway his right hand man?
This is the truly most important next step for the organization.
What do you guys think is the hold up?
Ray, I like to wear my Bronco colors where everyone can see them, not on my privates, haha.
TRB, here is exactly how happy Belicheck is:
Patriots 2011 draft picks
1st Round
1st Round (OAK – Richard Seymour)
2nd Round (CAR – 2010 3rd Round)
2nd Round
3rd Round (MIN – Randy Moss)
3rd Round
4th Round (DEN – Laurence Maroney)
5th Round
6th Round (NO – David Thomas)
BFE
I like jones…but if we must cut somewhere to improve else where on D…it might be LB (if we stay in 3-4) because 3 of 4 of the LB spots are spoken for in our 3-4 Doom, DJ and Ayers….And like I said, I REALLY liked Mays…He is short at 5-11 but the man can flat out tackle. If we get a new Dline that does thier Job, we will be good…Plus Bowers is the best on the Line hands down (if he declares) and in the second round Paea is a force at DT. So if we go Bowers, paea. We could also go Phil Taylor DT 6-3 340. 2nd rounder and his stock is on the up. 340 will eat up space…and he moves WAY better than mount cody lol
WOW bay, Belichek is the man lol
BTW
JD Walton should know a little about phil taylor…spoke about him. Because not only did he play DT…He also played OG on short yardage runs lol. DT and Guard…what more can u want lol
man i hate belicheat, but you cant argue that he doesnt know what he is doing in the draft room.. he rarely makes bad picks, always makes sure his teams are loaded with talent, and youth, amasses draft picks like most people amass pocket change! DARN IT!! what we should have done instead of hiring McD is hire the patriots talent scout! lol
@ bay… i wear everything broncos i can find. lol im like a freaking walking billboard for broncos advertising!
Yeah, but the Pats don’t have a 7th round pick, we do, LMAO!!!
The way McD ruined the Broncos makes me feel as though he was a Patriot plant sent to destroy us and even get a draft pick for the Patriots.
Is this football espionage?
As for the billboard that is Rayjr – change that monica as it sounds too much like Raider
Ray, with all due respect, I’m not about to fart on my Broncos, haha.
I’ll do Monica, LOL. I better stop before I’m having too much fun….
i cant change my handle. already tried. i was told the only way you can change it is if you had a players name in your handle and the player left the organization.
but for the record ive had the same handle for about 6 years. its mine. i wouldnt change it. if i did no one would know who i am. except bay, he would notice all my emoticons.
Well, I guess no one has any sugestions/answers to my 10:11 am post/question or they simply don’t care to venture a guess, too bad since it is what is truly holding us up from being able to move on now, at least in my opinion….
You can run, but you can’t hide, haha.
And the smiley/sad faces would be a dead giveaway.
I think the hold up is they are waiting to end the season before they make any front office changes or announcements and thats understandable…There is no doubt that Elways job will either be someones job or take away some of the power from one man. Which I like…Cuz people get drunk on power too much. I doubt Ellis is going anywhere however….Xanders on the other hand is gonna lose a portion of his job in my opinion…besides maybe they are still crunching numbers or getting a full understanding of what elways wants because he wants to be more involved but doesnt want to be swamped. There is also the sad possibility that elway might not come on board but I think he does the monday after the Chargers game…
Too bad we couldn’t trade McDaniels to New England in return for their draft picks. He would probably have made the trade himself. It’s not like he ever refrained from taking a trade offer.
Thanks TRB.
BTW, the Monday after the Charger game is only twelve days away!
I2 DAYS TO MAYHEM.
Brian Dawkins will be back at practice today, as will Knowshon Moreno and Demaryius Thomas.
Lloyd on Tebow
“What Tim brings to the huddle is he’s going to execute the play,” Lloyd said. “You look at him in the huddle and you just know he’s going to do extra to make sure the play’s successful. You have a lot of respect for that as a player in the huddle with him because you know if the play breaks down, he can take off, he can scramble, and then we can block downfield. It brings another level of excitement to playing.”
Lloyd on Champ
“I feel Champ is the best because Champ operates with little to no safety help. There isn’t a double team at all,” Lloyd said. “The Broncos’ defense is a man defense. They blitz a lot, they rush, and he’s out there, literally on the island. I have so much respect for Champ and him being able to do that.”
also…for those who think Brandon lloyd just learnt how to catch…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaVwVL2wYuw
He ain’t my favorite brandon at receiver…but he makes some pretty catches…now if only he could work on his YAC lol…altho he is clearly more of a deep bomb/great catch/great concentration receiver.
Yeah, Lloyd is the very definition of spiderman, he can glue on to anything he touches, he is flat out amazing, too bad his getting open skills aren’t as great as his catching skills or he would get many more YAC. Who knows, with the extra time Tebow will give him, maybe he’ll get open more…
Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are both going to be free agents going into next season. Odds are Ricky will be the odd man out. Any else think that could be a pretty good pickup? I know he is older but could still be a great #2 back for a couple of years. Also we should take a stab at Donte Whitner from the bills. He is relatively young and is way better than Hill.
Bay, one of them is gonna go. My guess is Xanders will be gone.
Ahhhh. Just 12 more days, cool.
Spencer Larson has been put on IR today. Stanley Daniels has been promoted from the PS.
Larsen: injury prone
Moreno: injury prone
Bucky: injury prone
What that tells me is we will definitely need to address Full Back and Running Backs this off season since both Maroney and White have also a history of being injury prone. Plus the TE position since we don’t have a legitimate catching TE. And that’s it as far as the O needs, everything else must be D, and at about nearly every position there….
That’s going to be quite the grocery list!
New blog
I can handle keeping Larson and White. But Bucky and Maroney are done.
First of all — STOP with McDaniels ruined the Broncos. That is just a flat out lie.
Cutler was a cancer, Marshall was cancer. We saw how they handled stuff and yet you are ok with this? A true Broncos fan would not stand for this. He did screw up Hillis in a BIG way — there is his mistake.
This team was falling apart under Shanahan. He made some horrible decisions himself. It is rumored he was shopping Marshall too btw.
Many NFL people seem to think Denver made a mistake in getting rid of Josh. Spygate 2 though ruined his credibility and do not buy his story. That is why he needed to be fired, Cheating.
Lets move on stop with the easy targets like it is Josh’s fault or whatever. Let us look ahead and quit the blame game. You all sound like politicians, republicans vs democrats.
jwnarl: I think you are in the %10 that believes McDork wasn’t a big part of the Broncos Failure lately, and we respect that, but let’s “move on” on this topic, I think it has been very well discussed already, and as I said, your are a minority here…
And Yes, there has been something with the broncos Backfield/Running-game/Offensive-line last couple a years with injuries…
Never been a big fan o Moreno either, he is just ok in my opinion, but nothing explosive or anything like that, as a matter of fact, he’s a slow runner, dances a lot in the line of scrimmage and has problems finding gaps and holes to run… kind of like Maroney if you ask me, but better.
TE is something we need to address in offense as well, I have no doubt! We need someone we can rely on to make 1st downs when trusted to make a play(3rd down if necessary), someone with good athleticism who can get some YAC too, qith relyable hands. You do not need a very high pick to get somethin g similar to that.. There’s FA as well, trade Orton for a competent TE!
DT is a big need if we want to stick with 3-4 D, no doubt! and a good DE/OLB and a kick-ass SS woulb be nice to add!
borrachazo, first of all if you call someone McDork, you lose credibility. People here just are thinking with passion and not logically. If you listen to NFL people, they talk about how this team had problems long before McDaniels (and yes I will call him by his proper name)
I mean, you may not like the guy but I think to make it sound like he caused this mess is silly. What changes did he make on defense. None really. Look at the problem because if we had a good defense we would not be in this situation.
Lots of minority opinions have been shown to be the correct one when the emotions have calmed so that does not phase me. When you call him McDork as does the majority of his haters how in the world can you be taken seriously>? State facts and lets discuss it case by case.
I wanted him out with the spy situation btw. I lost a bit of faith in him when he got rid of Hillis. BTW Elway liked him. I guess he is in the minority too
Oh, let me ad Tom Jackson. He defended him. What does he know. Yea, I am in horrible company.
Again, you might be right, I might be right… Just think he is a dork and did not make many smart decisions overall.
Again, I think that discussion ended a couple of weeks ago…
There has been a kazillion of stupid arguments made about McD here and there has been a kazillion of intelligent arguments made about McD here also, and the stupid ones were both con and pro McD and same with the intelligent ones, so anyone wanted to argue it now should do himself a favor and go through the blog archives because pretty much all of us avid bloggers have moved on from those dark days.
I think Xanders has done a good job with the draft for the most part. When Elway is inserted into the Broncos organization, I look for him to replace Ellis, or at least I hope so. As far as the head coach position goes, who knows? Studesville seems like he can handle interviews, and the teamwork of all the Broncos coaches are involved with, the making of the game plan. What’s wrong with sticking with the head coach we have right now? We all know that if they bring in another head coach, the new head coach would have to base his play calling around Tebow and build the team around Tebow as well. If they stick with Stude’s then they (Studes and Tebow) could develop together, and we, as fans, wouldn’t have to endure another overhaul of players.