Wild Card Weekend: Home Is Not So SweetThe offseason got off to a big start for the Broncos this week. There are plenty of opportunities to share your thoughts in some of the other blogs and many of you have already done that.
As for me, I’m going to focus on the playoffs over the next few weeks. I’ll break down the upcoming games, make my predictions and hopefully get yours as well.
AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
NEW YORK JETS 23, INDIANAPOLIS 20
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Playoff Preview: Wild Card Weekend
If Week 17 wasn’t intense enough, the Wild Card playoff weekend has arrived. Three of the four matchups pit teams that played each other last week. Here are previews of all four of contests.
Saturday, 2:30 p.m. MST
NEW YORK JETS (9-7) at CINCINNATI BENGALS (10-6)
TV: NBC
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Monday Blues in Denver via Philly
It’s funny how Mondays in this town after a defeat are BLUE. Everyone I talked to was a little down and troubled by the Philly defeat and the loss of control of our own destiny. Monday morning Blues.
The future’s bright, it’s just not now. As much as I love these guys, it’s just not the team that can get us to the Super Bowl…yet. We have flashes of absolute brilliance and I like Kyle Orton, the way he handles the offense.
I like a lot about this team and the coaching staff and I like the direction we’re going. Super Bowls don’t just happen, promise. I really like what I see and with this year under our belt and maybe a playoff shot with some help…you never know. We are a lot closer than most may think or give credit.
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Broncos at Eagles: Second Half Live BlogQ3 15:00: Matt Prater’s kickoff is downed in the end zone for a touchback to start the half.
Q3 14:41: Philadelphia starts its drive with a 25-yard gain to the 45-yard line on a pass from Donovan McNabb to Jeremy Maclin. On second down, however, McNabb has a long time to throw and tries to loft a pass to DeSean Jackson, but Champ Bailey jumps the route and intercepts it. Denver will take over at midfield.
Q3 13:54: Knowshon Moreno carries for four yards on first down into Philadelphia territory, and an Eagle is down after the play. He walks off the field with the help of trainers — it was defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley. On second down, Kyle Orton is in the shotgun. he drops back and fires to Brandon Marshall, who avoids his first tackler and picks up yardage for a first down.
Q3 13:09: Philadelphia is called for a personal foul — 15 yards for a facemask by Trent Cole — giving the Broncos a first down at the 22-yard line. On the next play, Orton fakes a handoff to Moreno and fires to Marshall for a quick two-yard gain. On second down, Orton fakes a handoff to Moreno and fires again to Marshall for a first down.
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Broncos at Eagles: First Half Live BlogCOIN TOSS: Daniel Graham calls heads for the Broncos. It is heads. The Broncos elect to receive to start the game.
OPENING KICKOFF: After a squib kick by the Eagles, Richard Quinn takes the kickoff out to the 37-yard line.
14:55: On the first play of the game, Buckhalter takes a carry for no gain. The starting offense is Kyle Orton at quarterback and Buckhalter at running back. Ryan Clady, Russ Hochstein, Casey Wiegmann, Chris Kuper and Tyler Polumbus make up the offensive line. Brandon Marshall at wide receiver, Peyton Hillis at fullback and two tight ends — Daniel Graham and offensive lineman Brandon Gorin, who declared eligible.
14:18: After an incomplete pass by Orton, the referees rule that the quarterback threw a backwards pass on third down, which was incomplete and picked up by Dimitri Patterson and returned for a touchdown. Head Coach Josh McDaniels has thrown the red challenge flag, however.
14:15: After a review, the ruling on the field is overturned — it was a forward pass, and thus an incompletion. Now it is fourth down, and Mitch Berger is on to punt. DeSean Jackson is excitedly motioning deep to return, but Berger punts short of him, setting up a first down for Philadelphia at its own 36-yard line.
13:25: The defense is on the field, led by Brian Dawkins, Renaldo Hill, Champ Bailey, Andre’ Goodman and Tony Carter in the secondary. Robert Ayers, Vonnie Holliday, Ronald Fields, Ryan McBean, Mario Haggan and D.J. Williams make up the rest of the nickel unit defense.
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Broncos at Eagles: Pregame Blog
Here we are in Philadelphia, and you’d have no idea the city had more than a foot of snow just a week ago. Last night it was pouring down rain as we checked into the hotel, but this afternoon it’s sunny and warm.
As a matter of fact, here’s the gameday weather report:
Broncos at Eagles Weather Report
A few players are already on the field, including Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, Tyler Polumbus and Vernon Fox for the Broncos. Can’t quite tell which Eagle is on the field — there’s only one.
The word is the Eagles will introduce the Broncos defense before the game, so we’ll get a taste of the reaction Brian Dawkins will get in his return to Philly. When the Broncos offense takes the field, we’ll certainly hear a similar reaction for former Eagle Correll Buckhalter.
More and more Broncos are making their way out to the field in orange hoodies — David Bruton, Tony Carter and Alphonso Smith are taking a lap around the field.
Old Stomping Grounds
One way or another, it will be an emotional weekend for Broncos’ running back Correll Buckhalter and safety Brian Dawkins. Both players are returning to Philadelphia to play their former team on Sunday.
Before joining the Broncos this past offseason, Buckhalter spent eight seasons with the Eagles, while Dawkins was with them for 13 and made the Pro Bowl seven times. He knows Sunday will be special.
“It’s going to be an electric atmosphere, I know that,” Dawkins said this week. “It’s going to be hyped. But once the whistle is blown and kickoff after that, it’s football.”
Larsen and Royal Ruled Out
At his Friday afternoon press conference, Head Coach Josh McDaniels said Spencer Larsen (hamstring) and Eddie Royal (neck/head) have been ruled out of Sunday’s Week 16 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
With Larsen and Royal’s absences, a host of other players will get some additional chances. McDaniels said Peyton Hillis will serve as the team’s primary fullback, while several other receivers could be called on to fill Royal’s void.
One of those individuals is rookie Kenny McKinley, who’s made an early dent in the kicking game. The South Carolina product has appeared in six games this season, with six kickoff returns for 136 yards and three punt returns for 37 yards.
Hopeful for Hill’s Return
On Monday, Head Coach Josh McDaniels said he was “hopeful” Renaldo Hill would be active for Week 16′s matchup with the Eagles.
Hill sat out last Sunday’s game against Oakland with an ankle injury and was a limited participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday.
McDaniels would like to have the ninth-year safety available against Philadelphia — and every week for that matter. Not just because of what he bring to the defense, but his value to the team as a whole.
“He is maybe as intelligent of a player as I’ve ever been around, and I’ve been around some smart ones,” McDaniels said. “This guy is very in tune with the entire game plan.”
Guarding Against the Big Gain
For the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense, wide receiver DeSean Jackson fulfills the need for speed.
In 13 starts this season, Jackson has hauled in 56 catches for 1,087 yards. That 19.4 yards-per-catch average ranks first among all receivers with at least 15 catches.
For Champ Bailey and Andre’ Goodman, respecting Jackson’s speed is a given. But the antidote for the second-year standout’s athletic ability is keeping him from breaking the big gain.
“I think you’d rather give up those 10- or 12-yard comebacks than to give up those 60-yard plays for touchdowns,” Goodman said. “You’ve got to stay on top of him. There’s no doubt there and just force them to make those short throws and come up with the tackle.”