Getting Started
The bottom line is always the most important factor in the NFL. The bottom line is wins and losses.
From that standpoint, it was a tough day for the Broncos in Jacksonville.
But I don’t think it is the entire story. Because the bottom line tends to dwarf everything else, some of the things the Broncos did well get overshadowed by the fact they lost the game. I understand, that is the nature of the beast and it likely always will be.
Broncos at Jaguars: Second Half BlogKICKOFF: Matt Prater is out to kick off to the Jaguars after the Broncos received to start the game.
Q3 15:00 Tiquan Underwood takes Prater’s kickoff out to the Jacksonville 47-yard line, where the Jaguars will start the second half. David Garrard hands off to Maurice Jones-Drew, who picks up a handful of yards before being taken down. On second-and-6 in Denver territory, Jones-Drew takes another handoff for a first down. The following play is another Jones-Drew carry, and the back picks up 2 yards. Second-and-8 brings a pitch to Jones-Drew, and he’s taken down after a 2-yard gain. There’s a flag on the play — offsides on Justin Bannan — negating the play and making it second-and-3 on the Denver 32-yard line. On the next play, Rashad Jennings picks up the remaining yards for a first down.
Q3 11:35 A 15-yard run by Jennings gives Jacksonville a first-and-10 at the Denver 11-yard line. On the next play, Jones-Drew tries to find the sideline, but he’s brought down after a gain of a yard. On second down, Garrard finds Marcedes Lewis for a 10-yard touchdown, the second scoring connection between the two on the day. Josh Scobee’s extra point is up and in, giving the Jaguars a seven-point lead. Just a quick update on the temperature at the start of the second half — it’s 93 degrees with a heat index of 105.
JAGUARS 14, BRONCOS 7
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Broncos at Jaguars: First Half BlogCOIN TOSS: After a Flyover at the end of the National Anthem, the captains for the Broncos and Jaguars are at midfield for the coin toss. Denver calls heads — and it’s heads. The Broncos have elected to receive the opening kickoff.
Q1 15:00: Perrish Cox is back deep to receive. He takes it out to the Denver 21-yard line. Now the offensive starters are on the field.. At quarterback, Kyle Orton steps up to the line of scrimmage. The offensive line is Ryan Clady, Stanley Daniels, J.D. Walton, Chris Kuper and Zane Beadles. Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd are out wide. Spencer Larsen and Knowshon Moreno are in the backfield. Daniel Graham is at tight end.
Q1 14:03: After a 28-yard pass from Orton to Graham and a 10-yard run by Moreno, Tim Tebow checks into the game in the shotgun. Orton runs out wide right. The rookie picks up a yard on a run before exiting the game. On second-and-9 at the Jacksonville 40-yard line, Orton finds Royal for a gain of 13 up the middle of the field, giving Denver another first down.
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Broncos at Jaguars: Pregame Blog
Week 1 is here. EverBank Field in Jacksonville is virtually empty, however, as fans haven’t yet started streaming into the seats. Then again, who can blame them — they’re probably hiding at the concession stands from the 90-plus degree weather and 70 percent humidity.
No players are warming up at the moment, but we just received the list of inactive Broncos:
Brady Quinn (third quarterback), Syd’Quan Thompson, Andre Brown, Darcel McBath, Eric Olsen, Ryan Harris, Chris Clark and Demaryius Thomas will not suit up for the season opener.
Since Quinn has been designated the third quarterback, that means Tim Tebow will be the backup in his first NFL game, a return to his hometown of Jacksonville.
For Jacksonville, DB Don Carey, DB Michael Coe, RS Scotty McGee, RB/KR Deji Karim, FB Brock Bolen, OT Jordan Black, DE Austen Lane and DT Landon Cohen are inactive.
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It’s How You Play, Not Who You Play
The long awaited 2010 National Football League schedule is out at last, making the coming season truly seem to be right around the corner.
As always, there is a great deal of speculation and analysis about tough schedules, easy schedules, etc., and that puts me in mind of a past moment in which I asked a coach to compare our schedule with that of a division opponent.
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Not Making ExcusesThe Broncos weren’t making any excuses Monday after the team’s 24-17 loss to the Jaguars. Some might have blamed the weather, others could have noted that key players were out of the lineup and others still might have argued that a controversial late call could have cost them the game.
But Denver didn’t do any of that, the team knows this loss is on them, and it is up to them to get better and correct mistakes.
Turnovers Hurt, No Magic Against JagsLike we said a few weeks ago, turnovers in this league will kill you. K.C. proved that against us and so did the Jags. To open the paper today was like reading about a 1-5 team, wow. Anything to sell a newspaper.
Simple math: turnovers = losses, that simple. We’ve all heard it all the way back to little league….in every sport….not just football….it’s that simple.
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Facing A Two-Headed MonsterThe Jaguars have had one of the top running games in the league over the past several years, and with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor in the backfield, it’s no wonder why.
But so far in 2008, they have struggled. In last week’s game against Pittsburgh, the Jaguars’ two-headed running attack combined for just 26 total yards on the ground. The Broncos’ defense remembers last year’s game against the Jags, however, so they know not to underestimate them.
“We still know the talent they have,” D.J. Williams told reporters after Friday’s practice. “Just cause last week they only had 26 yards doesn’t mean they’re not capable of coming in and running for 100 or 200 yards. But that’s our job – to stop them from doing that.”
Another Physical ChallengeAs Sunday’s matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars gets one day closer, the Broncos remember last year’s game all too well.
The Jags jumped out to an early 17-7 lead in the first half, extending it to 20-7 before the Broncos would get on the board again. A fourth quarter touchdown got Denver within a score, but it was not to be. The Jaguars won that game 23-14. This year, the Broncos would like to swap it up.
Denver is coming off a 16-13 win over a Buccaneers team that is similar to Jacksonville in several ways. Both teams like to play hard-nosed defense. Both like to pound the ball in the running game. And in that game against the Bucs, the Denver defense stepped up to match the physicality of their opponent. They’ll need to do it again this week.
Disregarding RecordsThe Broncos have the Jacksonville Jaguars on tap for this weekend. The Jags come to Denver with a 2-3 record on the season but the Broncos know that Jacksonville has played all five of its opponents close this season. Denver realizes that it is up against a talented football team, regardless of what its record may be coming in.
“The average fan looks at them and they see a 2-3 record and they don’t see the football team,” Head Coach Mike Shanahan said. “That’s usually indicative of most people. You are looking at the record and not how they have been playing. Our football team is well aware of that and we will be ready to play.”
