I don’t care how it happened, against whom it happened or any of the circumstances around the fact that it happened.
I am simply glad the Broncos experienced that winning feeling again.
After five straight losses and nine losses in the ten previous games, the Broncos just needed to win a game. And they did. Let me take a moment to exhale.
Ahhhhh. Nice. It’s good to remember what a Broncos’ win feels like. I had nearly forgotten what a Broncos win felt like, even if at least some of the players had not.
“No, not at all, just missed it” Lloyd told 850 KOA when asked if he forgot what it was like to win. “It was definitely a feeling I was longing for. The appetite for winning is insatiable. You’re never satisfied no matter how much you win and losing definitely takes a lot of steam out of the team. It’s good that we got character guys on this team, guys who are willing to fight when it seems like there is nothing to be fighting for. It was a lot of fun to be out there today.”
I don’t think it would be a stretch to say it was a lot of fun for Broncos Country to watch what happened against Houston, particularly in the second half. Seeing one’s team come back from a 17-0 halftime deficit has a way of brightening up one’s day.
The win was good to see for many different reasons. Some of the significant ones include:
1 – THE FUTURE PERSONNEL FOCUS. I saw enough from Tim Tebow to be completely comfortable with him or Kyle Orton as the starting quarterback next season. Because of that, I believe the Broncos can confidently move forward with the number one priority being to build the defense. Close behind as the number two priority is to fortify the offensive line.
Tebow and Orton have shown me that they are good enough to be quarterbacks who could get the Broncos into the playoffs. While neither might be considered elite at this point in time, they are good enough to get the job done if the defense and the running game improve.
2 – THE BRONCOS HAVE SOME TALENTED PLAYERS. I’m not going to sugarcoat the fact the Broncos need a serious personnel upgrade at more than one position. That is clear. At the same time, it is often easy to think a team no good players when a season goes south.
I was encouraged to see some guys make some plays, especially in big situations. Clearly Tim Tebow did that. Brandon Lloyd continued to do that. Justin Bannan did that. And there were others, too.
3 – IT IS NEAT TO SEE A GOOD MAN SUCCEED. Interim head coach Eric Studesville has stepped into a difficult situation and handled it with the class of a true professional. His focused yet friendly personality has been exactly what the organization needed after nearly two years of upheaval.
By all accounts, Coach Studesville is showing himself to be a darn good coach, too. I root for people like him. He has been businesslike yet outgoing, intense yet approachable, and throughout the last month, positive to the core.
I don’t know what the chance is he will be the Broncos’ next head coach. The common thought seems to be that the organization will go in another direction. If that’s the case, I sure hope there is a place for him on the new staff if he wants to remain with the Broncos.
I hope the win over the Texans was a first step in the Broncos organization going in another direction from the one we have seen in 2010. If it is, the organization and its fans may not soon forget that winning feeling.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. I wish you and your family all the best in 2011.
Sincerely,
Mike
Tags: 2010, Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Justin Bannan, Kyle Orton, Mike Rice, Tim Tebow, Week 16
Mr. Rice I don’t understand how you could say that Orton is good enough to get us into the playoffs. Orton throws for alot of yards but can’t get us into the endzone enough to win. He’s good between the 20′s but once we get into the red zone he’s not very good at all. As far as I know he has never gotten any team to the playoffs. Broncos need to trade Orton for a high second round draft pick.
Hey Mike,
Good post indeed! I think they ought to keep Studesville as the Head Coach because he has put a fire under the team and for financial reasons. His chance to be head coach will temper the money Mr. Bowlen owes Shanahan and McDaniel for the remainder of their contracts. That will give Coach Studesville time to prove his mettle. And should he succeed, which I think he will, reward him with a great contract after 2 years. He will put forth the effort because he’s been given a chance in a lifetime! It’s nice to see a fresh face who wasn’t a great college coach or isn’t a retread from another team. At times, I thought that trying to get a coach like Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, or Steve Mariuci would be great but that means big dinero and we simply can’t put the team under that weight. I think, if we give Studesville some top notch talent in assistant coaches, he will be just fine! Tebow is the bomb! Not saying he won’t have bad games but he has proven that he’s ready to compete and do everything possible to win! Finally, someone ready and able to step into my hero, John Elway’s shoes. Studesville’s decision to use more of our new talent at the end of a bad season is so smart. Robert Ayers, David Bruton, Darcel McBath, Perrish Cox, Syd’quan Thompson, Eric Decker, and Demarius Thomas are our future and have looked really good in these last couple of games. Of course, my favorite is Wesley Woodyard because he matches Tebow’s leadership and winning hunger and is a true sportsman and gentleman off the field! I just hope that they stop using our talented receivers as kickoff returners. It’s so stupid to let a receiver you rely on like Eddie Royal or Demarius Thomas run the ball back. It’s too easy to get a good receiver hurt on the runback. Get the special teams to get someone who’s not so valuable to run the ball back. For players of the year on offense, I vote Brandon Lloyd as the best Bronco offensive player of the year and he deserves to go to the Pro Bowl with the catches he’s made all year. Talk about consistency. As defensive player of the year, I vote for Justin Bannon! That guy is tenatious and causes good plays to happen! As rookie of the year, I vote Tim Tebow! To all the “anal”ysts who poo pooed Tebow’s ability to play, I say C’MON MANNNNNNN!
Let’s step on Invesco on Sunday and make SD cry some rivers!!!!
I like that, most of us are looking forward to get that W against the gay bolts!
That’s called selective reading, haha.
broncofan6453…to reiterate…if the Broncos had a better offensive line/running game and a better defense, I believe Orton is good enough to be the quarterback of a Broncos team that gets to the playoffs.
If, as you suggest, Orton isn’t that good, why would any team give up a second round draft pick for him?
Can’t have it both ways.
Mike
First, I can live with a loss, if we get beaten on Sunday. That said, I would be absolutely crushed if we lost and it happened intentionally in the quest for a better draft pick. It would be an insult to the fans, at the very least. I have not been a Broncos fan my entire life just to see them throw a game to up their draft position.
Okay, enough of that rant. I am just glad that Tebow will be starting, since he will not allow the team to do anything but their best.
Mr. Rice, great thoughts. Great post. Great win. It’s even GREAT that someone else besides me believes in Orton! Lol
With that said, I was a Tebow skeptic like most. I am proud to admit, I was wrong.
I hope this feeling carries on into the offseason as nothing would please me more then beating SD at home. For many reasons. (there is only one reason to lose). It worked for KC last year. And they still ended up with Eric Berry. And the AFC WEST.
GO BRONCOS, DEFENSE in 2011!!!!
Nuff said, even if bay or some other regular bloggers thinks is not the right thing… but it is the way to go on Mile High!!!
Go Broncos!!!!! Like it or not! We’re going all in for that W!!!!
Like it or not!
I am very looking forward to see what would you post if the Broncos show up with a great performance?? Are you gonna be happy? Sad? partial? don’t really care actually? because if you remember just last week, how great was to support our team for a win, then we will have another conversation… But so far, many “old school” fans have let me down… I would never speculated of us making a conspiracy for a better draft position… U should be old enough to know that is not the way Broncos Country goes… When some of this loosing “theory” of yours have came up in the broncos history…
Why start now? That is not who we are, how I feel every time we step in a field.. I don’t feel like loosing on purpose, let me tel you that!
Old enough to tell you Broncos will go for a W on Sunday, all i could say about my team…
And if you haven’t read, the title of the post is called “a winning feeling”,… Don’t know about you, but i love to live it!
You guys all make valid points about the value of winning every single time we hit the field, however the righteous attitude which some do it with is totally over the top.
Get over it, it would be just an absolutely meaningless loss in an absolutely meaningless year, you are so high and mighty on the value of this win it sincerely borders on the side of extremist fanaticism. Relax, it’s just a game, this season has been wasted and I would like the #2 pick is all, that’s as far as it goes, keep the lecture for the ones who care, and no one is asking anybody to throw a game, we know darn well that wouldn’t be tolerated by the league but last I checked I am still allowed to hope we play great all game and lose on a last minute FG like I’ve been saying all along, that’s my perogative and there is nothing you can do about it.
Are you actually worried I have such influence that I could actually turn my personal wish into a wave? That’s too funny. Enjoy your game “The Righteous One” Borracho, I will, win or lose.
Baylin, I’m not trying to have a “holier-than-thou” attitude, it’s just that some of the posts from others have had the tone of ‘lets just take the loss,’ as if they are looking to have the game thrown. Those are the posts that have me up in arms. I will watch every minute of the game on Sunday hoping for a win, but I understand your point, there really isn’t a downside to a legitimate loss. I wish this season wasn’t a wash, but it is what it is.
dfanaj, I really wasn’t addressing you, but thanks anyway, I was mainly talking to C.R who seems to be having a beef with some of us “old guys”.
ok i KNOW baylinorcrush didnt just bash bloggers for an ‘over the top richeous attitude’ in their blog. that cracks me up.
You outta know by now I’m not the kind to just sit there and take it, if you can dish it out my way, it’s coming right back at you. BTW, barely ever heard from you this season, what’s the problem?
Loosing on a last second FG does not sound that bad, but anyways, I will hope for Kaeding to miss it if that’s the case! = )
Mr. Rice. I base my opinions on what I’ve seen throughout the season. I’ve seen Orton go down without even being hit, I’ve seen him throw the ball before the rush was even close to him, I’ve seen him panick before the rush got to him. I saw him in the red zone turn the ball over many time & turn the ball over late in a game when we need a drive & or take a sack. He took over many time for Grossman when he played with the Bears but Grossman ended up getting his job back because Orton couldn’t do it. Maybe we won’t get a second round draft pick for him but we should aleast try. Orton is not a franchise QB.
35-20 SD.