It’s not official, but it’s pretty close. Barring a major collapse and a major resurgence by the Chargers, the Broncos are going to the playoffs.
After three games, this looked like a foregone conclusion. Then at the midway point of the season, it looked like a remote possibility at best. Then for the past four games, the prospect of a post-season berth has been a week-to-week roller coaster ride.
Believe what you want about how good you think the Broncos are or how you think they will fare in the playoffs, assuming they do indeed make it, the fact is there has been one huge constant in the last month: The Broncos have been a terrific road team.
The latest example was Sunday’s 34-17 domination of the Jets.
I must admit I didn’t think the Broncos would win the game; my guess is I was not alone. But there was absolutely no way I thought the Broncos would make it look as easy as they did.
Vernon Fox’s 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 8:41 left in the first quarter gave the Broncos a 7-0 lead and set the tone. The defense came up huge again by holding the Jets to field goal after Derek Lowery intercepted Jay Cutler in the third quarter. That field goal cut the Broncos’ lead to 27-17 but it was still a two-possession game.
Offensively, the Broncos took care of the football. They committed one turnover while forcing two. They threw the ball effectively early and that helped loosen up the defense. The result? Peyton Hillis rushed for 129 yards and touchdown.
The Broncos seized control of the game early and never let up. It was as complete of a win as they have had all year, especially given the quality of the competition.
The Broncos again showed they are focused on the road. Four games ago, they went into Cleveland when the Browns were much healthier and had much more for which to play and they came from behind to win. Then they handled an 8-4 Atlanta team that boasts the third-leading rusher in the NFL (Michael Turner). And Sunday they snapped the Jets’ five-game winning streak on the Jets’ home field.
That is impressive stuff.
But before I get too excited, I’ll remember the three consecutive home losses to Jacksonville, Miami and Oakland.
That is not-so-impressive stuff.
I’ll also remember the fact that while the Broncos have played some good football lately, they are also fortunate that the Chargers have simply faded.
It should be a fun December in the you-never-know world of the NFL.
With the Chiefs coming to Invesco Field at Mile High this Sunday, what do the Broncos have to do to get back on the winning track at home?
Thanks for reading and for your posts.
Best,
Mike
Tags: 2008, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers
—WOW—
Thats a word that can explain this season better than ever..
- WOW… we lost to the Raidser’
- WOW… we beat the Jets.
- WOW… what happened to the injury bugg this year
- WOW… were did that Rookie come from
- W.O.W – this team is amazing agains the amazing, and sloppy against the sloppy.
I am from Norway, bought a plaint ticket i August, and then tickets to the Bills game at mile high. How this season will end no one can predict, not the respected Rice, not the Orachle Adam Shefter, not even Tor the Norwegian god of thunder can give us a clear answer.. but one thing I do know, is this team has the best rookie potential I have ever seen in a NFL team. And next offseason will be as exiting as it has ever bin!
WOW, I cant wait to see the Bills get stuffed by the Broncos at the Invesco filed at Mile High…
Salute to the Broncos…
Now I must go sacrifie a goat to the gods, and pray thet i meet a bronco player so he can sign my Jersey when i visit the BEST darn city in the WORLD.. DENVER!!…
I think my MVP of the game was Josh Bell. With Bailey out, this undrafted rookie, he of zero college interceptions, came in as a starter and played a great game. What a great bunch of rookies we have!
Now what do we do when DJ Williams and Nate Webster come back? Larsen has played well, and Woodyard has been phenomenal. Put Woodyard at SAM over Winborn? Is he heavy enough for that? But we can’t just take such a playmaker off the field,can we? What to do…
LOL Hey Mike, I was one of those who was more than a bit dubious about our boys coming away with a win from the Meadowlands but i am so stoked over the win. This was more than just a win but was a big step to seciuring the West title… and yes I know I dont want to count my chickens before they hatch so will stay silent but hopeful.
The Broncos have 4 games to go KC, @ CAR, BUF and then @ SD.. 2/4 wins and its all ours but 3 losses could spell disappointment.. So we need to control our own destiny by winning all 4 games to stomp our mark on a topsy turvey season… Great win today but the job is not yet done.. smash KC/CAR & BUF and the SD game becomes nothing more than complete bragging rights and to shut that mouthy Rivers up!
All four of the upcoming games are winnable IF we follow the formula that gave us success against the Jets. The Panthers are not as good as their record indicates. Jake Delhomme has been playing really poorly over the course of the last month. The Bills have faded, the Chiefs are no good and the Chargers are dead. I can see the Broncos at 11-5 or 10-6 if Cutler plays like he did in the Jets game. Champ and the others are coming back so that’s always nice!
In a different Blog I called a 31-24 victory….wasn’t that but it sure as hell was way better. We undoubtedly lose when we turnover but another key factor is that this young team looks at a teams record and takes them lightly. When it comes to a real challenge, they have stepped up every game this season. You can’t look past any team and I hope they have learned that. Like someone said, “We play best as Underdoggs” and thats what we will be in playoffs and for our sake, I hope that statement is true. GO BRONCOS.
PS: B Marsh is still a beast but He has gone from 18 receptions in one game to uncharacteristic drops since. I think part of the problem was when he took Braylon Edwards Jersey….also known as butterfingers.
I know a lot of us, including me, have been disappointed in some of our players play, especially Bly. Last season he got burnt bad by Favre, but not this time, he even got himself an INT. Would you expect anything else our of our rookies, another awesome game for them. Hillis got his first 100 yd game, and Royal…WOW. Clady and Harris didn’t let anyone touch Cutler. Great game..maybe we should opt for more road games if we can play like that every time..ok maybe not so much but still, we’ve been playing really well on the road against some good teams.
We are probably the last team to talk about blown calls, but come on. Unless Jones’ elbow has some crazy bones anatomy 101 says his elbow hit the ground. It’s not conclusive enough to the refs then they need to go see a doctor.
Anyway, we did a great job against the Jets. Favre looks like he should have stayed retired. Hopefully this week they remember what happened earlier with the Chiefs, and what happened last week with the Raiders. The Jets did exactly what we did, we overlooked a struggling team and they beat us. Well lets not do that again and bust the Chiefs up something fierce.
One last thing I loved seeing Culter congratulating and acting like a leader on the field. We haven’t seen enough of that lately and it was great to see him in that role.
What is with everyone getting hurt all the time. Or was that to keep Favre from getting in a rhythm and going no huddle?
Go Broncos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There’s still issues, but the fact is WE WON!!! Great job to the Broncos for getting it done, one way or another. I’m not going to bother stressing over what needs to transpire within the locker room or on the roster. Besides we can all see by now, you can’t rely on “that someone” being out there every week anyway.
With those weather conditions anything can happen, good and bad. I think we did more of the good. Hillis’ contribution was huge, having three rushes of 19 yds or more. We needed to get it done on the ground and he did. He did a great job securing the ball, you could tell it was his top priority to wrap it up even before contact was made. He became the first 100 yd rusher against the Jets this season! Cutler scared me a few times with how willing he was to let the ball fly, but with his confidence and skills, along with his receivers’ athleticism, they ended up with a number of great connections. The defense stepped it up at times also, coming up with some critical plays.
We’ve seen both the offense and the defense win games for us with big plays. We need them both to play like that in the same game and we’ll be in good shape.
And to all of you negative Bronco bashers out there…YES, I am one of those “My glass is half FULL” guys! Especially when it involves my Team.
GO BRONCOS!
Hey Gami I sort of agree but not sure if its the only factor. Taking your opponent for granted becoz of ther record is a HUGE mistake.. And if our boys are doing that then I suggest they remove that line of thought from thier mentality and treat every team with respect.
BucknBronoc – I think what scares you about Cutler is what makes him such a leathal weapon.. although not as accurate as he would like, its enough to strike fear into the heart of any defensive CoOrdinator!
Broncos to the HOUSE!!!!!
you right gami3it, you look at it from the beginning of the season – SD, NO, TB, ATL, and now NYJ.. we’re undefeated whenever we play as the underdog.. which is perfect, because when we make the playoffs, doesnt matter who we play, we’ll be considered the underdog
WOW is right! I like many other Bronco faithfuls was hoping for an upset but went into the game thinking it would be a loss. after the first quarter though i had a different thought. we could win this game. the team, and i mean TEAM played very well. you could see the emphasis on ball control and ensuring it didn’t pop out in the rainy weather. Defense was solid minus a couple big runs by Jones. this was a great game all around.
Now like many of you have said, as an underdog we seem to play better, but i believe they hit the mark during the game when they said, Denver plays to the caliber of the team that it is playing. Hopefully this week we will get over that and crush the Chiefs at home, with two more wins and one more San Diego loss the division is ours and hey, maybe going in a lower seed is a good thing seeing how we are playing on the road this year.
I’m just happy to see our streak of not making the playoffs over with and yes i’m already assuring that we will get in as the AFC West Champs.
Keep the faith and great game guys
GO BRONCOS!!!!
This year we’ve lost to two horrible teams in KC and Oakland–the way I see it, we are a 9-3 team with a 7-5 record. Now the D is beginning to click and we have found, I hope, that Hillis is more than a backup. Good thing they don’t let horrible teams into the playoffs, so we should be OK to make a run of it.
I wouldn’t be surprised with anything this year. I’m convinced we could beat anybody if we don’t turn the ball over.
One thing I do know, is that I’m excited to see our team take the field in the Orange jerseys again this Sunday. It does this old fan’s heart good. We should always wear orange at home (break out the Blues on special occasions for a change). I tell you what. The Chiefs are in trouble.
What a game! We all need to give credit to our defense. Especially Dre Bly, Josh Bell, all the LB’s, and Doom. These guys stepped up only allowed 2 plays one which I believed his elbow was down but I might be a little bais. I am really impressed by Dre Bly he has stepped up since Bailey went down. Bly is making big plays on defense to help us win games. Offense nice balance with Hillis getting over 100 yards and our passing game going over 300 yards. Good job Culter but lets give credit to who really deserves it our offensive line was amazing!!! I was more worried about playing K.C. then the Jets.
One more thing I the Broncos have been inconsistent but we are a dangerous team and I don’t think many teams look forward to seeing us in the playoffs.
ITZ AMAZING HOW WE HAD ALOT OF OUR OWN FANZ BAGGING ON BLY AND NOW EVERYONE IS QUIET. THE BOTTOM LINE BLY IS A TOP CORNER IN THIS LEAGUE AND WHEN HIS OPPERTUNITY APPEARS HE PLAYES REALLY WELL…..NICE WIN ON THE ROAD BY THE WAY LETS GO HOME AND POUND THE CHIEFS WITH A STATEMENT GAME TO THE REST OF THE DIVISION……. AFC WEST CHAMPIONS ….GO BRONCOS
We can revel in victory but lets stop talking about the play offs and pay attention to the next game the Cheats. If the Broncos O Coaches call another ballanced game plan, and the players execute properly this TEAM will win. We must stay focused on this game. Run the ball on first down, play action pass to the TE’s, then find a wide out. easy right? TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
Did anybody else watch Casey Weigmann he’s my stand out of the game. He totally contained all of Kris Jenkins 360lbs. 0 solo tackles, 0 sacks, and only 3 assits! He’s a big part of why Hillis had so many yards. This TEAM plays well when they run on first down! Control THE TIME OF POSSESSION, and keep Cheats O, and our D off the field.
TIME OF POSSESSION! ! !
GO BRONCOS! ! !
I will gladly bash Bly. He is not worth his salary. He made his reputation when he was younger by baiting QBs and then swooping in for the int. The trouble is that he is now older and not fast enough for that style of play. He is an OK corner but that is all. If that int would have been on target it would have been a big play against him. I know we beat up on him recently but I would take Foxworth over Bly any day.
WOW does say alot about this season and about us. We have been all over the place – up, down, left, right, the middle… you name it and its happened to us or we’ve done it. We always end up getting a little bit (or almost) of everything in every season. Its a non-stop rollercoaster for us but that can come to our benefit… meaning if other teams don’t expect us to play like the #1 team in the league, they’ll get the shock of their lives like what we did yesterday. I had my faith and hope but I really did not see us coming away with such a huge win over the Jets, that was definitely a surprise but I will take it!!!
The way our guys played yesterday was just astounding. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance, that INT on us was really nothing b/c the Jets couldn’t bank off it like we did both times to them. Yeah, the number of INTs went up one for Cutler but we’ve got bigger fish to fry then counting the turnovers on us. And although that happened and I about killed my TV, our defense took care of our lead and preserved it by stepping up and doing their jobs. They played like a TEAM yesterday and look at what happens when they do… they earn themselves a WIN.
I found this article on Yahoo today and this guy wrote one whole paragraph about this team and mostly about Cutler. This guy has done wonders for this team & he has brought so much leadership and class to this team. This paragraph about our #6 says alot about him, so don’t take my word for it. And when a team like the Jets and their rude fans automatically ASSUME they got us all figured out, the way we played yesterday makes our win even more sweet. NO one has us figured out including ourselves.
Here’s this paragraph written by Michael Silver from Yahoo Sports:
“So you think you have the Broncos all figured out? Yeah, sure you do. Here’s what this playoff-bound team did in November: Lost at home to the Dolphins, pulled out a wild road victory at Cleveland, upset the Falcons in Atlanta, got blown out at home by the Raiders and, on Sunday, ended the Jets’ five-game winning streak at chilly, rainy Giants Stadium by a 34-17 score. Another stealth MVP candidate, Jay Cutler, had a monster game (27-of-43, 357 yards, two TDs, one interception) that set him apart from John Elway in one way: Elway, one of the greatest players in football history, absolutely hated throwing a wet ball. Conversely Cutler, coach Mike Shanahan told reporters, “embraced throwing in the rain. He likes it. There is nothing that seems to bother him. Some guys it bothers, others it doesn’t.” Like the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals, Denver, despite its inferior divisional competition and choppy campaign, has an offense explosive enough to make it a potentially dangerous playoff team.”
We’ve needed a leader for so long and we’ve got him, my friends!! And I want to congratulate Hillis on having one heck of a game and his 129 rushing yards – beyond impressive, and even more so for a rookie. Keep it up!!!
Shred those Chiefs to pieces on Sunday, I’ll be there!!!! Go get ‘em boys!
Have faith and keep believing Broncos Country…
GO BRONCOS!!!!!
We play the best when were the unerdogs, that will help us in playoffs. Go Broncos!!
This was a great win for the team. They all did one heck of a job controlling the ball in the elements. I did like the way that Cutler stepped up as THE LEADER of the team. It is great to see him come out and congradulate the team when they do something good. Whether it was the offense, the defense, or the special teams. When Prater made the field goal and Cutler stepped out on the field to congradulate the team, you could see a change coming. I hope this is the win they needed to overcome the rollercoaster ride of a season that they have had, and propell them into the playoffs and more. Let’s take it to the Chefs or I mean the Chiefs.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!
Wow is right I to didnt think our team could come away with a win. But they played with such dominance !! I was really glad I cant explained what happened !! all I know is that this denver broncos team played thier best game this past sunday !! way to go
GO BRONCOS
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What a great game plan we had and the O-line came thru with a phenominal performance !! These guys don’t get the credit they deserve but Cutler knows he can’t do it without them. You will see him congratulate a lineman – whenever they score. This is truly one of the best offensive lines we’ve had in quite some time! Graham and Scheffler ran great routes on the wet field! B-Marsh and Eddie made some key catches & the old vet Stokely was there to put the icing on the cake! The TEAM needs to take this energy into every game left and finish strong!! Leave it all out on the field. Continue to execute and GOOD THINGS will happen! Whomever said we’re a dangerous TEAM when we get in the playoffs is right !!
Winning on the road unifies the TEAM and boosts their confidence !
Let’s take care of business at INVESCO Boys !! We’ll be there screaming our hearts out for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BRONCOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!