SB Nation - Correll Buckhalter

MHR CHalk Talk - Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos '09

Steve Nichols — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

During practice this week, and under the watchful eye of Coach "Jedi" McDaniels, Broncos QB Kyle Orton practices levitating a football. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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I have a lot on my mind right now, and I want to touch on each issue that is rumbling around in my head.

1) The loss of Bengals receiver Chris Henry,

2) The great effort by Denver in their loss in Indianapolis,

3) The beating we are about to administer to the Raiders, and

4) What is in store for the Broncos, this year and next.

Let's start with the big news of the week, the death of Chris Henry. I don't know the circumstances surrounding the death of Chris. I know there was a domestic dispute, and Chris fell out of the rear of a moving pick-up truck. But that's it. I'm not interested in who was at fault, and what led up to this tragedy. Here's what I do know:

Chris was a young father. There are young children whose lives are going to be impacted by this death, and that is more crucial than anything having to do with football. My prayers are with them.

Second (and not even on the scale of importance as the loss of a human life) is the question as to how the Bengals will choose to react to this tragedy. This week the Bengals play the Chargers. As we know, the Broncos would like to see the Chargers lose as many games as possible in the final three weeks. CIN is the biggest threat left for the Chargers (the other two games are at TEN and home against WAS). Will the Bengals take this death too hard to play four quarters of football, or will they play an inspired game?

I was against SD in this game, but now I'm for Cincy. I'm sure much of the football world will be too. Let's keep Chris's children in our prayers.

More below the fold...

Denver is a Very Good Team

What did I want and expect from Denver this year? A record of at least 8 wins, and improved play. Well, I've received what I wanted (and expected).

Our defense is exciting to watch! Brian Dawkins is all over the field making big plays, Elvis Dumervil is looking like the sack leader of 2009, and Andre' Goodman and Renaldo Hill have held their own with Champ Bailey for for playing at an elite level. Robert Ayers and Darcel McBath look like they have secure futures with the team, and Andra Davis has silenced the naysayers that said he didn't belong on the same team as D.J. Williams. Denver has one of the best defenses in the League right now, and the hiring of Mike Nolan to run the defense was brilliant.
When Josh McDaniels had to determine the best way to get something in return for Jay Cutler, his options were limited. He took Kyle Orton and a few draft picks. Right now, Orton is playing much better than Cutler (many of us would have said this was even the case before the trade), and that number one pick from Chicago is looking like a real jem right now. Orton isn't flashy, but he isn't giving the ball (and ballgames) away either.
I don't like the fact that we "only" rank 12th in running the ball. Still, Moreno is on track to go over 1000 yards for the season (despite sharing the running load), and Correll Buckhalter averages 5.3 yards a carry. I'll take it.

It sucked losing to Indianapolis didn't it? Well, not entirely. First of all (as our own John Bena points out), this isn't the same Broncos team of the last few years that would have been blown out. It was a tight game. Denver blew some chances in the redzone (including a missed FG, and an INT in the endzone), but the team also played for 60 minutes and did a lot of things right.

I read Ted Bartlett's excellent ST&NO article on Tuesday, and found myself nodding my head in agreement time and time again with his take on our Indy game. I'd like to copy and paste many of his thoughts here, but I'd have to use most of his article, so you might as well just click the link I provided and read the whole thing again because it is that good. Here are the highlights -

The Broncos outgained Indianapolis 357-312. They held the ball for 31:27, versus the Colts' 28:33. They won the turnover battle 3-1. The Broncos advanced into Colts territory on 8 of 12 posessions.

And now I'll just paraphrase some more thoughts from the story -

We proved that we can disrupt Manning. Andre' Goodman was brilliant. Darcel McBath may be lost to IR, but he had a heck of a game before going down to injury. In fact, he was awesome. Indy didn't have an answer for Marshall (more on this in a moment). Jabar Gaffney looked good. Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil looked great (despite a lack of sacks). Doom (despite a recent fanpost calling for a trade due to his of ability in run stopping) continues to handle run stopping and pass rushing duties like a pro.

And now about Brandon Marshall. The Broncos may be trying to sound "politicaly correct" when they say that they weren't trying to get the ball to Marshall over and over. Coach McDaniels says that Marshall happened to be open a lot, so that is where the ball went. I appreciate what the coach is saying, but he's reciting "coach speak" because he's too polite to state the cold, hard truth.

The truth is, Marshall was open some of the time, and some of the time he wasn't. But the bottom line is, nobody on the Colts secondary had even the smallest trace of ability to stop The Beast. Simply put, Marshall did a brilliant job of out-muscling, out jumping, and out distancing his opponents on nearly every play. The Tampa-2 remains a good defense, but it still takes mediocre cornerbacks and puts them into positions to make plays. When a good QB like Kyle Orton can dink and dunk underneath the coverage, a powerful man like Marshall can make the catches and run over lesser corners. Coach McDaniels has too much class to put it like that, but that's how it was. We kept going to the well because the well wasn't drying up, and the guys guarding the well just weren't that good.

We have beat great teams this year, and lost a close game to a probable Super Bowl contender. I feel great!

The Oakland Raiders

How bad have things gotten in Oakland? This bad (warning - strong language). When the editor of a fan blog goes this far over the top, we know that things have collapsed completely. The unfortunate linked story tells us everything we need to know about the Raiders organization. Most notably, that the fan base is disgusted with their own team.

Where to begin? Denver is saying all the right things in their press conferences (such as "Oakland is a better team than their record, and they're capable of big plays if we aren't careful"), but really, c'mon now.

As a coach, I am going to pump my team up as much as possible. Any team can beat any other team if one of those teams isn't playing at a high level. But here's the problem. This is a new Denver team, a team that plays with the "Brian Dawkins Work Ethic". We don't let up, and we play hard. The shennanigans (or Shannahanagans) of the last three or so years have ended. This team is pumped up, and playing hard. I frankly can't see the Denver Broncos taking a team for granted anymore.

Here is what you need to know as we go into this game.

First, Oakland is a terrible team on offense. They are second last in the following vital stats - points, yards, and pass yards. In fact, they only average 11.9 points per game. And while they rank 31st in those areas, they rank only 22nd in running the ball. Denver's defense matches up perfectly - 4th in preventing points, 3rd in preventing yards, 2nd in preventing the pass. Denver is 15th in stopping the run.

Things are so bad, that posters at S&BP are excited about the prospect of seeing their third string QB get the start!

On defense, things aren't much better. The Raiders are 26th in stopping points, 28th in stopping yards, and 30th in stopping the run. At least they are 17th in stopping the pass (which isn't saying much). Meanwhile, the Broncos are a better match on the offensive side of things, though the stats aren't great. Denver is 20th in points, 17th in yards, 18th in passing yards, and 12th in the rush. Still, Denver has a record setting WR, a careful QB, and excellent RBs.

Do the Raiders have any hope at all? Of course they do. Everything (including home field advantage) screams for a Broncos blow-out over the Raiders, but it isn't a done deal.

First of all, the Raiders have players that anyone should respect. That the team doesn't play together as a team is their downfall. The Raiders have good running backs in depth, and any of them could break a good play with good blocking and poor defense by Denver. But with a 5-2 look and motivated play from Denver, I'm not sure this will be an issue.

The Raiders also have a decent defensive line, but right DE Greg Ellis is probably out for this game. A good match-up may be L-DE Rischard Seymore against Denver RT Tyler Polumbus.

One of the better players for Oakland is Nnamdi Asomugha, a young and very talented CB. He'll face Brandon Marshall. Even with excellent coverage, Orton has several other places to go with the ball (3 other excellent receivers, and two TEs).

Sadly, the best player on the Oakland team (in my opinion) is kicker Sebastian Janikowski. He has the power and accuracy to make just about any field goal, and the thin air in Denver only gives him better chances to score.

Denver's biggest weakness isn't players or coaches, it is injuries. Denver's primary running back is out for this game. R-DE/OLB Elvis Dumervil didn't practice, and neither did SS Renaldo Hill.

So forgive me for the keys to this game sounding a bit, well, tongue in cheek. I'm being serious.

Keys to the Game

Oakland -

Forget about this game. If you want to start winning games, the change needs to come from the top. Al Davis is unable to keep his claws out of the team's football operations. He has brought in a boxer instead of a head coach, a QB who needs Jenny Craig more than Kirstie Alley does, and forces the team to play a vertical offense approach that has been outdated for decades. Throw in the terrible player moves of late (such as Javon Walker), and this team isn't going to win many games. Until Al Davis is removed, the Oakland Raiders are the ~~Detroit Lions~~ Oakland Raiders of the NFL.
Pray that the Broncos take you for granted like Pittsburgh did.
Run the ball, and pray to God that Denver makes mistakes.

Denver -

Take this game seriously. The only way that you lose this game is to play against the Raiders as if the Raiders are as bad as they are. Play your own brand of football, and play hard on every down. Everything else will work out.
Limit mistakes. If you want to hand the game to Oakland, get some penalties and turnovers.
Curb the excessive celebrations. I expect a lot of great plays on offense, defense, and special teams. If you take off your helmet (I won't mention any names) or do a choreographed dance, we can get penalized. (lol)

Where do we go from here?

With a newly built team that doesn't sleep on games, I expect wins against KC and OAK at home. The game that really intrigues me is the one against Philly. I have this game circled on my calander as an excellent game against a good team. I also see it as a prelude to the playoffs. How we play against the Eagles in an away game will tell me a lot about our post-season chances. More on that game next week.

If the Broncos can win the last three games (I'd put the odds at about 50/50) and SD loses to CIN and drops a game in TEN, I really like where the Broncos could end up. On the other hand, if DEN loses to PHI and the Ravens win out (games against CHI, PIT, and OAK), we could drop from 5th seed to 6th seed. In the end, I think Denver gets the 5th seed, regardless of the PHI game. But winning that game (along with the must win "easy" games of OAK and KC) may prove to be critical based on what SD and BAL do.

Here's a major thought - there are four teams ahead of Denver in the playoff seedings at this point, and Denver has beaten three of them (SD, CIN, and NE). We are good enough to go far this year. We also lost to two of those teams (SD and IND). I don't think we're likely to win or even make a SB appearance. In fact, it is hard to beat any team twice (the losing team has more film that benefits them), so I think a deep playoff run is difficult.

But I wanted improvement this year, and a playoff appearance is ahead of where I thought we would be. Coach McDaniels gets an A+ for his first year.

Last year, it would have been silly to talk about playoffs this early (remember the three game losing skid?), but a new coach and a new team attitude has me believing that we will make the playoffs this year. I'm not even concerned about how far we get after that. Denver has already exceeded my expectations, and everything now is icing on the cake.

And now, for a parting shot...

I want to thank the Colts fans who visited us last week. They were friendly, smart, and active. I congratulate them on their fine victory, and for having class at our site. Well, almost all of them.

I enjoyed the following comment under my story last week...

Which is the bigger overstatement?

“Broncs have the best secondary ever assembled on one team”

OR

“Colts are facing an incredible pass rush”

Neither the secondary or the pass rush are the best in the league this year, let alone legendary. Let’s watch the game and decide which of these statements is the most absurd.

by Check Your Facts

I didn't see the comment until today. Here was my answer some moments ago...

Check YOUR facts sir.

Is it just me, or is Elvis Dumervil leading the League in sacks right now? Bailey and Dawkins not legendary players with HOF in their futures? Are you kidding me?

Denver wasn’t going to win this game (as I wrote), but your comment is very perplexing. As it turns out, we intercepted Manning three times, and hurried him through out the game.

Check your facts indeed. lol

by Steve Nichols

It is now clear which comment was most absurd. Funny, but it wasn't either of mine.

: )

Poll

Jamarcus Russell, QB of the Oakland Raiders....

Horse Tracks 12/18/09 - Hill, Law, Buckhalter miss practice again; Dumervil returns; Shanny may take 'Skins job

Douglas A. Lee — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:30:13 -0000

NFL Films - Week 15: Raiders vs. Broncos Preview - Video

DB - Week 15 - Thu: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Tickets Available for Raiders Game

DB - Ready to Seize the Moment - Zach Eisendrath
"There were three changes to the Broncos Week 15 Injury Report on Thursday. After not practicing on Wednesday, Elvis Dumervil (toe) and Brandon Lloyd (not injury related), participated in full during Thursday’s practice session. A limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, Knowshon Moreno (ankle) also participated in full on Thursday."

DPP - Broncos sack master Dumervil still learning fine points of 3-4 defense - Lindsay Jones
"Safety Renaldo Hill and nickel corner Ty Law both missed a second consecutive practice Thursday, increasing the chance for significant playing time for rookies David Bruton (for Hill) and Alphonso Smith (for Law). . . . Running back Correll Buckhalter is unlikely to play Sunday after missing his second consecutive practice."

DPP - Broncos QB Orton's toughness earns respect - Mike Klis
"If they would have made a one-for-one deal, I would take Orton straight up over Cutler, no question," said Joe Theismann, an NFL Network analyst and former quarterback. "Noooo question."

DB - Week 15 - Thu: Marshall - Broncos TV

DB - Week 15 - Thu: Bailey - Broncos TV

DB - Eddie the Entrepreneur - Zach Eisendrath

LTC - Denver to face Frye - Brian Howell

DPP - Orton a winner, but not a keeper - Dave Krieger

DPP - Analysis: Raiders, Miller could be good test for Broncos' Bruton - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Q&A: Another Peyton Hillis question - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Spotlight: CB Alphonso Smith - Lindsay Jones

CSG - Broncos' Bailey lends time to Denver Rescue Mission - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos notes: Rivalry strong - Frank Schwab

AP - Broncos Banged-Up On Both Sides Of The Ball - Arnie Stapleton

NFL Results

NFL - Indianapolis Colts 35 at Jacksonville Jaguars 31

Y! - Manning takes a page from Marino's book - Jason Cole

SI - Unpolished Colts should keep chasing perfect season - Jim Trotter

FH - Caldwell's Gamble Dumb, but Peyton Saves Him - Jay Mariotti

CBS - Still-unbeaten Colts can now take foot off gas pedal ... right? - Pete Prisco

AFC West News

DPP - Raiders owner Al Davis' football genius conflicts with recent struggles - Jim Armstrong

FH - Fassel: Losman Can Thrive With Raiders - Anthony Olivieri

SFC - Raiders opt for mobile Frye over Russell at QB - David White

OT - Raiders' Trevor Scott has flourished since moving to weakside linebacker - Steve Corkran

OT - McFadden strictly a singles hitter - Jerry McDonald

OT - Branch will play anywhere - Jerry McDonald

SDUT - High-scoring Chargers driving on pass plays - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Boomer bullish on Bolts’ passing game, shot at Super Bowl - Jay Posner

SDUT - Bolts not pressured by blitzes - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Blackout lifted for Chargers game

KCS - Chiefs game won’t be on local TV - Adam Teicher

KCS - Albert’s poor play has weighed heavily on the Chiefs - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs buzz | Bowe still getting up to speed - Adam Teicher

Redskins/Shanny

NFL - D.C. shakeup: Allen will run Redskins as GM after Cerrato resigns

NFL - Redskins hiring Allen could be first move toward adding Shanahan - Jason La Canfora

DPP - Shanahan may become Washington's next head coach - Mike Klis

NFP - Diner morning news: ‘Skins clear way for Shanny - Mike Lombardi

CBS - Cerrato latest to earn scapegoat label under Snyder's 'Skins - Clark Judge

NFP - Will coaching dominoes start to fall? - Robert Boland

NFL News

NYT - Congress Schedules 2nd Hearing About Brain Injuries in Football - Alan Schwarz

NYT - New Stadium at the Meadowlands Allowed to Bid for Super Bowl in 2014 - Joe Lapointe

NFL - Thursday Injury Reports

NYT - Friday Morning QB: Updated Playoff Possibilities for Breakfast - George Bretherton
The Jags' loss to the Colts was good for the Broncos, as another contender for the 5-seed fell out.

NFL Opinion

NFL - Five teams nobody wants to face in the playoffs - Vic Carucci

FOX - Boom or Bust: Woodson is NFL's best on D - Adam Schein

ESPN - New Orleans Saints are the soul of America's City - Wright Thompson

CBS - Having Brees instead of Romo has Saints feeling blessed - Larry Holder

PFW - Texans' defense makes remarkable turnaround - Mike Wilkening

Y! - Browns search raises Rooney Rule concerns - Jason Cole

FH - Mike Holmgren a Popular Choice With Browns Players - Josh Alper

FH - Lions' Coach Frustrated With Team of 'Castoffs' - Chris Burke

SI - Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson? NFL players, GMs debate - Jim Trotter

NFL - In quest for 2K, CJ might have passed AD as NFL's top RB - Bucky Brooks

PFW - Jay Cutler, with glimpses of Jeff George - Tom Danyluk

PFW - Jones not leaving Jets for a while - Dan Parr

Y! - Jones-Drew Q&A: Stop the Bush comparisons - Jason Cole

NFP - Evaluating two early entry wideouts - Wes Bunting

Picks/Previews

NYT - Week 15 N.F.L. Matchups - Mike Tanier

NFL - Oher gets latest test in Ogunleye and other Week 15 matchups - Gil Brandt

ESPN - John Clayton breaks down the biggest NFL games of Week 15

RIP Chris Henry

SI - Chris Henry's death latest tragedy to hit Bengals - Don Banks

SI - Chris Henry's death interrupted his redemption with Bengals - Paul Daugherty

Y! - Henry was contrite, optimistic in camp - Mike Silver

NFP - Coping with the death of a teammate - Matt Bowen

FOX - A tragic end to Chris Henry's troubled life - Alex Marvez

FH - Chris Henry Another Senseless Statistic - Kevin Blackistone

FH - Unfortunate Break Derailed Henry's Shot at Redemption - Thomas George

FH - Sad Thing Is, Henry Really Did Change - Terence Moore

FH - Grieving Bengals Must Shift Focus to San Diego - Nancy Gay

DPP - Bengals' loss of Henry reminds Broncos of Darrent Williams - Jeff Legwold

CSG - Marshall "crushed" by passing of Bengals receiver Chris Henry - Frank Schwab

NYT - Saints Player With a Shared Heritage Mourns Henry - William Rhoden

Horse Tracks 12/17/09 - Key Broncos Dumervil, Hill, Buckhalter, Law miss Wednesday practice due to injuries

Douglas A. Lee — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:41:02 -0000

DB - Studying Beyond the Standings - Chris Gentilviso
"For the Broncos, five players did not participate in Wednesday's practice: Correll Buckhalter (ankle), Elvis Dumervil (toe), Renaldo Hill (ankle), Ty Law (hamstring) and Brandon Lloyd (not injury related). Knowshon Moreno (ankle) was a limited participant. The four others listed on the report -- David Bruton (quadricep), Spencer Larsen (back), Richard Quinn (hamstring) and Tony Scheffler (ribs) -- were full participants. Five Raiders also did not participate in their Wednesday practice: DE Greg Ellis (knee), QB Bruce Gradkowski (knee), WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (foot), WR Nick Miller (shin) and TE Zach Miller (concussion). The two others listed on the report -- S Michael Huff (neck) and C Samson Satele (calf) -- were full participants."

DB - Week 15 - Wed: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DPP - Raiders pick Frye over Russell for start at QB - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Broncos forced to deal with injuries, inexperience at safety - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Briefs: Hobbled backfield may create chance for Hillis to help - Jeff Legwold

NFP - Marshall's big payday is coming - Matt Bowen

DPP - Q&A: Broncos likely to trade down in draft - Jeff Legwold

DB - Week 15 - Wed: Orton - Broncos TV

DB - Week 15 - Wed: Dawkins - Broncos TV

DPP - Time to draft new deals for star duo - Woody Paige

DP - Marshall vs. Asomugha matchup a key for Broncos - Mike Klis

DPP - Analysis: Raiders' issues at QB standard fare in NFL - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Toronto doctor "saved" Simms - Mike Klis

CSG - Seymour incident adds to Broncos-Raiders rivalry - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos have injuries at safety - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos notes: Bruton among candidates to replace Hill if needed - Frank Schwab

KDVR - Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders Preview - Chris Tanaka

INDT - Broncos building for the playoffs - Hunter Ansley

DB - Broncos History From ‘Hoagy’ - Gray Caldwell

DB - Original Bronco Al "Hoagy" Carmichael Visits Dove Valley - Broncos TV

DPP - Former Bronco Bell sounds great again - Jim Armstrong

AFC West News

OT - Charlie Frye, not JaMarcus Russell named Oakland Raiders starting quarterback - Steve Corkran

OT - Is there more to come after JaMarcus Russell's demotion by the Raiders? - Monte Poole

OT - Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski is inclined to re-sign with Oakland Raiders - Steve Corkran

OT - Russell might never get off bench for Raiders or anyone else - Cam Inman

OT - No `breakthrough’ in sight for JaMarcus - Jerry McDonald

PFW - Safety shuffling hampers Bolts' pass 'D' - Michael Blunda

SDUT - Dependable Kaeding quietly holding record - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Ochocinco calls out Merriman - Chris Jenkins

KCS - Chiefs in bad hands with their receivers - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs notebook: Bowe works with first-team offense in return to practice - Kent Babb

NFL News

NFL - Wednesday Injury Reports

NFL - Bengals WR Henry sustains life-threatening injuries in fall from truck

NFL - Mangini says he's not worried by Browns' interest in Holmgren

NYT - For John Madden, at 73, the Game’s Still On - Richard Sandomir

NFL Opinion

NFP - Despite drama, Pats still a playoff team - Matt Bowen

NFP - Warming up the NFL coaching carousel - Robert Boland

NFP - Wednesday whys: Big extensions for Peyton, Brees? - Andrew Brandt

NFL - Colts, Saints becoming pride fighters in perfection pursuit - Steve Wyche

NFL - Defensive prowess has been the real key for Colts and Saints - Bucky Brooks

FH - No Guts, No Glory: 19-0 Is Way to Go - Jay Mariotti

NFP - Diner morning news: Can Holmgren rebuild Browns? - Mike Lombardi

NFP - Tavern talk: Holmgren not on Seattle’s list - Mike Lombardi

ESPN - 'The Big Show' coming to Cleveland? - John Clayton
"The Texans are close, but I thought the four-game losing streak in the division could cost Kubiak his job, particularly with Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher available." If John Clayton thinks Shanny would EVER take a job from which Kubes had been fired, he's even dumber than I've ever thought.

CBS - Coaching diagnoses: Survival chances of eight on edge - Clark Judge

CBS - Young talent may make Jacksonville anonymity thing of past - Pete Prisco

ESPN - Have at It: Will Cutler make it? - Kevin Seifert

Y! - HGH cloud begs for future testing - Charles Robinson

SN - Will Two Undefeated Teams Help NFLN Pressure Time Warner? - Dan Levy

NFP - NFP’s 2009 Big 12 all-prospect team - Wes Bunting

Predictions, Etc.

NYT - Week 15 N.F.L. Game Probabilities: What Is the Effect of Resting Starters? - Brian Burke

NYT - Thursday’s Matchup: Colts at Jaguars - Mike Tanier

SN - Week 15 picks: Electric Chargers will continue surge - Vinnie Iyer

FH - NFL Picks, Week 15: Will Colts Play Soft? - Dave Goldberg

FOX - Week 15 Cheat Sheet - Peter Schrager

SI - NFL Playoff Projections, Scenarios for Week 15 - Dom Bonvissuto

FH - Predicting the Playoffs: A Nearly Drama Free NFC - JJ Cooper

SI - Eagles crack top five - Don Banks

FOX - Handicapping the MVP race - Alex Marvez

San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:18 -0000

vs.

The 49ers remain on the periphery of the playoff race (I will most definitely NOT say in the thick of it at this point for karma purposes). They find themselves heading into Philadelphia badly in a need of a win in a game that most people don't give them much of a chance in. We've moved past moral victories, so while I won't be stunned by a loss, keeping it close in Philly won't exactly make me happy as a clam.

The 49ers travel to Philadelphia in what will be the 29th meeting between the two teams, with San Francisco holding a 17-10-1 advantage in the series. The 49ers and Eagles have matched up six times this decade, but this week’s game will mark the first in Philadelphia since 2005.

San Francisco enters the upcoming game following a 24-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. In that game, the 49ers defense created 7 turnovers, while RB Frank Gore rushed for 167 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. TE Vernon Davis leads all NFL receivers with 11 touchdown receptions after registering a 5-yard score from QB Alex Smith against Arizona and is only the 9th tight end in NFL history to record at least 11 touchdown receptions in a season. The NFL record is 13, held by TE Antonio Gates (2004).

Last week’s contest marked the third week in a row that the 49ers defense had posted at least 4 sacks in a game. San Francisco now ranks tied for 7th in the NFL with 34 sacks and a +6 turnover ratio. The 49ers 18 forced fumbles rank tied for 1st in the NFL in 2009 and are tied for the most by the team in a single season (1996 - 18), dating back to 1992.

49ers-Eagles Connections
Coaching Connections
• Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhingweg was the 49ers offensive coordinator and QBs coach from 1997-2000. In 1998, the 49ers became the first team since the 1941 Chicago Bears to lead the league in gross passing and rushing yards thanks in large part to Mornhinweg’s guidance. Mornhinweg attended Oak Grove HS in San Jose, where he was the Northern California POY and an all-state performer.
• 49ers secondary coach Johnnie Lynn and Eagles WRs coach David Culley coached together with the Tampa Bay Bucs from 1994-95.

FORMER EAGLES - Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye was on the Eagles roster in 1969 ... Pass rush specialist coach Al Harris played with the Eagles for two seasons (1989-90) ... SS Michael Lewis was drafted by the Eagles in the 2nd round in 2002 and played in Philadelphia for 5 years. He earned a Pro Bowl invitation in 2004 ... LB Takeo Spikes spent the 2007 season with the Eagles, starting 14 games ... Strength and conditioning coach Duane Carlisle served as the Philadelphia Eagles speed development consultant from 2000-04. Carlisle also coached at
Penn State from 1989-92 ... Director of pro personnel Tom Gamble entered the NFL as an assistant for the Eagles player personnel department in 1996. He is the son of former Eagles president Harry Gamble and was born in Cherry Hill, NJ ... Area scout Todd Brunner first joined the Eagles as a scouting intern in 1992 and worked as a scouting assistant in 1993.

FORMER 49ERS - CB Joselio Hanson, a native of Playa del Rey, CA, was originally signed by the 49ers as a rookie free agent in 2003 and appeared in 13 games for the 49ers.

49ERS PENNSYLVANIA CONNECTIONS - RB Michael Robinson played collegiate football at Penn State ... CB Shawntae Spencer is from Rankin, PA ... Rookie LB Scott McKillop hails from Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

EAGLES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS - Head Coach Andy Reid spent time as the offensive coordinator at San Francisco State from 1983-85 ...TE coach Tom Melvin is a native of Redwood City, CA, and began his coaching career at San Francisco State from 1982-85 and attended Cubberley HS in Palo Alto ... Special assistant/defense Brian Stewart served as defensive backs coach at San Jose State (1997-98) ... WR DeSean Jackson played at Cal and is a native of Long Beach, CA ... TE Alex Smith lettered at Stanford from 2001-04.

PLAYER CONNECTIONS
• 49ers DT Justin Smith and Eagles G/T Stacy Andrews were teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2004-07.
• 49ers DT Demetric Evans was a teammate of Eagles DE Chris Clemons and LB Jeremiah Trotter for the Redskins (2004-05).
• 49ers LB Parys Haralson and Eagles LB Omar Gaither were teammates at Tennessee from 2002-05.
• 49ers G Chilo Rachal played at USC with Eagles DT Mike Patterson and T Winston Justice.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 28
Series Record: 49ers lead series 17-10-1
49ers Away Record vs. Eagles: 49ers Lead Series 9-3-1
First Meeting: 10/6/51, Eagles win, 21-14, at Philadelphia
Last Meeting: 10/12/08, Eagles win, 40-26, at San Francisco
Current Streak: Lost 3
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (9/23/84 - 11/29/92)
Longest Eagles Win Streak: 3 (9/18/05 - Present)
Most 49ers Points: 38 (Two Times), Last: 38-28, at ~~San Francisco~~ Philadelphia
Most Eagles Points: 42 (9/18/05), 42-3, at San Francisco
49ers Shutouts: 1 (12/29/96), 49ers win 14-0, at San Francisco
Eagles Shutouts: None

PHILADELPHIA 40, SAN FRANCISCO 26
At ~~Glendale, AZ~~ Philadelphia, PA, October 20, 2008

The Philadelphia Eagles forced 3 turnovers during a 23-point 4th quarter of a 40-26 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. CB Donald Strickland returned a blocked FG 41 yards for aTD on the final play of the 1st half and the momentum carried into the 3rd quarter when the 49ers scored 10 points to take a 26-17 lead.

After the Eagles rallied back to take a 27-26 lead with 7:38 left to play, the 49ers next three drives ended in turnovers that set up scores for Philadelphia. S Quintin Mikell intercepted a QB J.T. O’Sullivan pass and returned it to the San Francisco 7-yard line to set up a short FG. On the next series, Eagles DE Trent Cole forced a fumble on a sack of O’Sullivan, allowing Philadelphia to recover at the San Francisco 20-yard line to set up another short FG for a 33-26 lead with 1:10 left. San Francisco got past midfield on the next drive when O’Sullivan connected with WR Josh Morgan on a 25-yard gain, but two plays later with 48 seconds to play, O’Sullivan was picked off by DE Juqua Parker, who returned it 55 yards for a score to seal the 40-26 win.

Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb threw for 280 yards and 2 TDs while RB Correll Buckhalter, playing in place of an injured Brian Westbrook, had 93 yards rushing and 85 yards receiving. Philadelphia took a 7-6 1st quarter lead and then added 10 points in the 2nd quarter for a 17-6 lead. PK Joe Nedney hit a 53-yard FG with 34 seconds to play, but Philadelphia moved to the San Francisco 36-yard line with one second remaining on the clock before halftime. The Eagles sent PK David Akers on to the field to attempt a 54-yard FG DE Ray McDonald blocked the kick, and Strickland scooped up the loose ball and ran 41 yards for the score to make it a 17-16 game at the half. RB Frank Gore had his second 100-yard game of the year with 101 yards on 19 attempts.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		EAGLES (rank)
6-7 (2nd NFCW)	Record	9-4 (1st NFCE)
20.7 (18th)	Points per game	28.6 (3rd)
288.6 (27th)	Total Offense	360.2 (11th)
98.8 (24th)	Rushing Offense	106.1 (19th)
189.8 (22nd)	Passing Offense	254.1 (10th)
29:31 (16th)	Possession Avg	28:30 (25th)
18.6 (8th)	Points allowed/gm	21.0 (t-16th)
338.6 (18th)	Total Defense	320.1 (10th)
95.0 (5th)	Rushing Defense	101.5 (10th)
243.6 (27th)	Passing Defense	218.6 (18th)
34 (t-7th)	Sacks	36 (t-4th)
47.8 (2nd)	Punting Avg (Gross)	41.7 (27th)
+6 (t-7th)	Turnover Differential	+15 (3rd)

Horse Tracks 12/16/09 - Broncos thin at running back and safety heading into game versus Raiders

Douglas A. Lee — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:29:55 -0000

DB - Shopping with the Broncos - Broncos TV

DB - Holiday Spirit Hits Store Shelves - Zach Eisendrath & Chris Gentilviso

DB - Wide Receiver Draws Wide Smiles - Zach Eisendrath & Chris Gentilviso

DPP - Broncos not yet willing to talk about playoffs - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Hurting Broncos wait to see which RBs can play - Jeff Legwold
"Correll Buckhalter left last weekend's loss at Indianapolis with an ankle injury and is not expected to play against the Raiders. LaMont Jordan has missed practice time in recent weeks with a back injury, and a battered Knowshon Moreno was moving rather gingerly after the Colts game."

DPP - Broncos' defense started too slowly vs. Colts, Peyton Manning - Jeff Legwold
"Russell, who was benched four weeks ago, was sacked six times, fumbled and threw an interception in a half of work against the Redskins on Sunday."

LTC - Happy Holliday - Brian Howell

LTC - Denver’s short-yardage woes against Colts bring RB Hillis back to mind - Brian Howell
"In the past three games, the Broncos have outscored their opponents 49-20 after halftime."

DPP - Analysis: Broncos on right path to succeed - Jeff Legwold
"It's a lot to ask for the Broncos to go from living life in the league's mediocre club, as they had done in 2006, 2007 and 2008, to cleaning house, to suddenly arriving as championship contender months later."

NYT - Doctor Who Treated Top Athletes Is Subject of Doping Inquiry
By now, you've probably heard about this guy due to his ties to Tiger. It's only mentioned briefly here, but Chris Simms (and Javon Walker) have both been treated by Dr. Galea. Folks, take a look at this guy's pictures and try to guess how old he is; the guy takes HGH. Once you find out his true age, you'll probably be a bit creeped out (as I was).

DPP - Broncos QB Simms among athletes treated by doctor who is under investigation - Mike Klis

NFP - Tavern talk: Smart decision by McDaniels - Mike Lombardi
"Most of the comments were, "Has he lost his mind? Why would he give the Colts a lead in the game?" My thought: It was brilliant and very perceptive, which is why McDaniels will win a Super Bowl in Denver."

DB - Record-Setting Day Brings AFC Award - Gray Caldwell

DB - Marshall Named AFC Player of the Week - Broncos TV

DPP - Q&A: Playoff tiebreakers ready for use - Jeff Legwold

CSG - Broncos in good shape for wild-card berth - Frank Schwab

CBS4 - Royal Compares Marshall's Dominance To Basketball - Matthew Buettner

AFC West News

ESPN - How I See It: AFC West Stock Watch - Bill Williamson

SDUT - Bolts’ soft ground defense put to the test - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Fans not voting many Chargers to Pro Bowl - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Scouting Report: Sputtering Bengals look to regroup on Sunday - Jay Posner

SDUT - Teams choosing to take a pass on running the ball are doing just fine - Tim Sullivan

KCS - Chiefs need to sell 5,500 tickets to avoid blackout - Randy Covitz

KCS - Haley doesn’t consider Cassel among Chiefs’ shortcomings - Kent Babb

OT - Raiders sign former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman - Steve Corkran

NFL News

Y! - Doctor makes proposal for concussion prevention - Jason Cole

NYT - The N.F.L.’s Playoff Scenarios - Judy Battista

NFL - Holmgren meets with Browns over 'czar' of football job

NFL - Cowboys' Ware feels better, optimistic about playing vs. Saints

NFL - MRI shows no significant damage to Fitzgerald's knee

NFL - Panthers’ Delhomme expected to sit Sunday

NFL - Struggling Steelers will be without Kemoeatu, Polamalu vs. Packers

NFL Opinion

NFL - Colts, Saints, Vikings look to put poor home playoff history in past - Pat Kirwan

SN - To beat Colts, Saints, foes need to follow bold formula - Vinnie Iyer

NFL - Can Manning and Brees rest on their laurels and still be MVP? - Vic Carucci

CBS - Owner Irsay is block that Colts' winning engine is built on - Clark Judge

ESPN - Saints, Colts passing depth test - Len Pasquarelli

NFP - Diner morning news: Cards still inconsistent - Mike Lombardi

SN - Fearless (and Baseless) Playoff Prognostications - Michael Tunison

NFP - One more Pro Bowl vote for Redskins’ Fletcher - Matt Bowen

SI - Alex Smith's future with Niners depends on final three games - Peter King
"Well, I'll tell you this -- if Mike Shanahan gets the (Washington) job, he's bringing Bob Slowik in as defensive coordinator, and I'm pretty sure he'll use a draft choice to pick and then develop his long-term quarterback."

SI - Michael Oher to Lions, Percy Harvin to Chiefs - Don Banks
Banks works his 2009 Draft do-over, in which he's got Denver still taking Knowshon; at 18 he's got them selecting Louis Delmas over Robert Ayers. Judging by what he's written lately about the Broncos, I'm guessing Banks thinks Ayers is a bust because he lacks statistics...

CBS - Scared straight? McNair case has negligible impact on NFL infidelity - Mike Freeman

CBS - Defensive transition taking toll, challenges ahead for Patriots - Charley Casserly

FH - Palmer Says Arm's OK, So What's the Bengals' Problem? - Dan Graziano

FH - Between the Lines: Steelers O-Line Confused by Browns - JJ Cooper

FH - Lovie Smith Is Right: Bears' Final 3 Games Are Important - Michael David Smith

FOX - How mighty Giants defense has fallen - Adam Schein
As if FOX wasn't already an obnoxious enough product, they've now enlarged their fonts and their web presentations in general. How "In your face" can they get?!?!

ESPN - Emboldened critics target Moss - Howard Bryant

NYT - The Most Unlikely Playoff Participants in N.F.L. History - Chase Stuart
Interesting, although it brings up a pair of the worst Broncos memories of all time...

NFP - The high cost of preparing prospects - Jack Bechta

NFP - What Locker’s decision means for the draft - Wes Bunting

NFP - Coaching Carousel: How colleges should do it - Robert Boland

Power Rankings, Etc.

NYT - Passer Ratings: Bad and Worse - Luis DeLoureiro

Y! - Well-rested Winfield ready for stretch run - Mike Silver

CBS - Power Rankings: Unbeatens fattening up on cupcakes - Pete Prisco

ESPN - NFL Power Rankings Week 15

FH - NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Vacating the Throne - Chris Burke

Previewing the Enemy: Denver Broncos

Rated-R Superstar — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:37:54 -0000

Earlier this season, Denver won a topsy-turvy 23-3 game in Oakland. [via www4.pictures.zimbio.com]

Unfortunately for us loyal fans of the silver and black, the season isn't over quite yet. With Bruce Gradkowski out, our already slim chances just became even slimmer. Coming off of a blowout loss at the hands of the Washington Redskins, we next face our hated rival in the Denver Broncos. Denver's real season hasn't even yet started. Sitting at 8-5 and atop the AFC Wild Card, the Broncos in great position to grab a playoff spot. I'll admit that I did in no way see this coming from this Denver squad. They've definitely proven a lot of people wrong as they continue their final push into the playoffs. A familiar opponent to us, let's see what we're up against this Sunday.

Let's take a look at their schedule and see how they've fared so far.

Week 1: @ Cincinnati Bengals -- W, 12-7
Week 2: Cleveland Browns -- W, 27-6
Week 3: @ Oakland Raiders -- W, 23-3
Week 4: Dallas Cowboys -- W, 17-10
Week 5: New England Patriots -- W, 20-17 (F/OT)
Week 6: @ San Diego Chargers -- W, 34-23
Week 7: Bye Week
Week 8: @ Baltimore Ravens -- L, 7-30
Week 9: Pittsburgh Steelers -- L, 10-28
Week 10: @ Washington Redskins -- L, 17-27
Week 11: San Diego Chargers -- L, 3-32
Week 12: New York Giants -- W, 26-6
Week 13: @ Kansas City Chiefs -- W, 44-13
Week 14: @ Indianapolis Colts -- L, 16-28

Wow, the Broncos have really cooled off after a great 6-0 start. Just 2-5 in their last seven games, the Broncos still have good wins against teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers and Giants. They're no slouch.

Let's take a look at the Bronco offense first.

Pass Offense Rank: 225.2 yards/game; 19th in NFL
Rush Offense Rank: 123.2 yards/game; 12th in NFL
Total Offense Rank: 336.4 yards/game; 19th in NFL
Scoring Offense Rank: 19.7 points/game; 20th in NFL

I bet this guy feels like an idiot now. [via stfusports.files.wordpress.com]

Head coach Josh McDaniels is pretty close to being an offensive genius. A disciple of Bill Belichick's, the 33-year-old McDaniels really knows how to run a team at least offensively. There was controversey before the season started, especially revolving around star wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Still, he's around and there aren't any qualms circling around him. In the offseason, the team waved goodbye to Jay Cutler. It may have been the best thing they've done after all.

Kyle Orton, QB: No, he doesn't have the big arm that Jay Cutler does. No, it's not a problem at all. Coming over from the Chicago Bears in an offseason trade that sent Cutler packing to Chicago, Orton has flourished in Josh McDaniels' system. Orton is completing a career-high 63 percent of his passes and will break a career-high in touchdowns and yards before the season concludes. He's a smart quarterback. He doesn't make mistakes. He can make the play, too. What more do you want?

Knowshon Moreno, HB: A rookie from Georgia, Knowshon Moreno didn't immediately step into the starting role. Lately, he has been getting the bulk of the carries. Moreno has carried it an average of 18.2 times over the past five weeks for an average of 82.8 yards. He has also scored three times during that span. Moreno has pretty much taken over the feature back role, although he won't catch many passes out of the backfield.

Correll Buckhalter, HB: Buckhalter was brought over in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles and has done a pretty good job this season despite not getting the bulk of the carries. Overall, Buckhalter has posted a 5.3 yards per carry average and has been very reliable carrying the football. Like Moreno, though, Buckhalter isn't a threat out of the backfield to catch the ball having no more than three grabs in a single game in two months.

Brandon Marshall caught an NFL record 21 passes last week against the Colts. [via a.espncdn.com]

Brandon Marshall, WR: What more can be said about Marshall that hasn't already been said? At one point, we didn't even think he'd be a Denver Bronco. Now, he's tearing up the league. Amongst AFC pass-catchers, Marshall is tied for the conference lead in touchdowns (9), is third in receptions (86) and is seventh in yards (1,008). He is probably headed to a Pro Bowl. In case you missed it, last week against the Colts, Marshall had an NFL record 21 grabs for 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It'll be fun to see him matched up against Nnamdi Asomugha.

Jabar Gaffney, WR: Josh McDaniels brought Gaffney over from New England to play in his system in Denver. Gaffney is averaging about 39 yards per game when he does catch a pass as he was shutout in Week 10 and Week 13 each. Still, Gaffney must be accounted for along with the rest of the weapons that go unmentioned during this preview, such as Brandon Stokley. At any given week, one of those these weapons can step up and hurt you.

Eddie Royal, WR: More dangerous in the return game, Raiders fans know all about this speedy little man from Virginia Tech. Last year on Monday night, Royal had a huge coming out party in the opening game. After a great 2008 campaign, this season has been bit of a disappoint for Royal; however, he still makes an impact. As previously mentioned, Royal is a threat in the return game -- both kicks and punts. Not quite as dangerous as someone like Joshua Cribbs of the Cleveland Browns, just ask the Chargers about Royal's prowess.

Daniel Graham, TE: Yet another former Patriot is calling Denver home. With Tony scheffler's status in doubt this Sunday, Graham becomes even more keyed-in on in the passing game. Graham isn't Orton's favorite target or anything, but last week, Fred Davis hurt us with his two touchdown receptions. With all of the guys Orton has to throw to, limit as many of them as you can. Stopping Graham isn't high on the priorities or anything, but just don't let the people who shouldn't beat you hurt you.

Let's shift gears to the Bronco defense now.

Pass Defense Rank: 183.3 yards/game; 2nd in NFL
Rush Defense Rank: 107.4 yards/game; 14th in NFL
Total Defense Rank: 290.7 yards/game; 3rd in NFL
Scoring Defense Rank: 17.7 points/game; 5th in NFL

Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has completely transformed the defense. [via a.espncdn.com]

Man, where do I begin with this defense? Last year, they were outright terrible. Ex-49er head coach Mike Nolan steps in, implements a 3-4 defense with the right personnel and viola. Some no-name defensive linemen Kenny Peterson, Ryan McBean and Ronald Fields have stepped in and played well. At the linebacking core, D.J. Williams and Andra Davis are very solid in the middle. Elvis Dumervil, playing the outside linebacker spot and even defensive end, he has become a sack machine. He leads the entire NFL in sacks with 15. With all of that said, the rushing defense is still just a tad above average despite improvement -- dramatic improvement. The secondary is where the defense shines with the pass defense. The team gets great rush on the quarterback and the defensive backs are very skilled. Veterans Brian Dawkins at safety and Champ Bailey at cornerback lead the defense.

Conclusion: Well, it's quiet simple: Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and all the rest of you running backs need to be ready to carry the load. With Bruce Gradkowski out and Zach Miller's status in question, it only makes sense to pound the rock. Denver's rush defense is ranked 14th, significantly worse than their pass defense which is only worse than the Jets'. JaMarcus Russell or Charlie Frye -- we're all collectively praying for McDonald's instead of Fasto Burger which can be seen on That '70s Show -- will have a tough time. The young wide receivers are up against a tough secondary and it's just setting up for disaster, really. Again, we're going to have to establish some sort of ground game. Use 'em often and use 'em all with the exception of Gary Russell as he should be used in the flat. I don't know what else to tell you. We could be in for a long day. This could easily turn into a 41-6 rout.

Feel free to leave your predictions or even your own thoughts and ideas about the Denver Broncos and how we can earn a win our fourth win of the season on Sunday.

*-All stats are through Tuesday, December 15, 2009. (Happy 44th, mom!)

Poll

Do you feel more confident in a win, less confident in a win or about the same in a win after reading this preview?

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:30:13 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall, left, avoids the tackle of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. Marshall had 21 receptions for 200 yards in the game. The Colts defeated the Broncos 28-16. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

Happy Tuesday, friends, and welcome to another edition of Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations. Christmas is coming - and I, for one, am hoping for a much more joyous holiday season than I experienced last December. All I got for Christmas last year was the Broncos' historic collapse, and all I had to give was the one scenario that could possibly be worse than the season-ending Chargers game (it involved hypothetically cutting an apple, slipping, and stabbing myself in the groin WHILE watching that game).

I'm not much for moral victories, but today in Donny Deutschland, I will talk about why I feel better about Sunday's loss than I have about any Broncos loss in years. There's no time to waste, so let's not waste any time. Out of the echo chamber, and into the fire, y'all. Ready..... BEGIN!!!

1. I learned on Sunday that what I suspected was the case, was in fact, the case. That is, the Broncos can play with Indianapolis, at Indianapolis. It happened a little differently than I thought it would, but the Broncos competed, and got back in the game after getting down in really ugly fashion. Consider these statistics, as I pretend that I care about statistics for a moment. The Broncos outgained Indianapolis 357-312. They held the ball for 31:27, versus the Colts' 28:33. They won the turnover battle 3-1. The Broncos advanced into Colts territory on 8 of 12 posessions. These measures would tend to indicate victory, but in this case, the Broncos fell a little short.

For next time, we can internalize a few thoughts:

a. The Broncos have the players and schemes to cover the Colts receivers, pressure Peyton Manning, and generally disrupt their offense.

b. The Broncos have the players and schemes to move the ball at will against the Colts defense.

c. As a fan base, we all mistakenly thought to ourselves "Here we go again" when the Colts got up 21-0 after four possessions. We can take this game as a lesson that the past doesn't indicate the future. Those Broncos teams which got their doors blown off by the Colts passing game are definitely not these Broncos.

One general concern is that the Broncos could have run the ball better, and will need to next time. I felt the run scheme was too zone-heavy and horizontal, and it played into the Colts' plan to run-blitz the gaps. A smaller, faster team needs to be man-blocked with a vertical scheme. Those are guys you don't necessarily want moving laterally, because they're comfortable doing so.

The other concern is that at money time, Dallas Clark needed more and better attention. Josh Barrett needed to be on the field manning him up, because he's the best guy in the NFL at covering TEs man-to-man.

All in all, I am proud of the way the Broncos stayed in the game, despite some reasons that lesser men would take to quit. This was really a game which turned on a few plays, and I am pleased to know that the Broncos can compete with Indianapolis, unlike in past years. This week, it's the Raiders, and luckily, JaMarcus Russell will be under center again. Expect Elvis Dumervil to get some shots at him. The Broncos can take care of business at home, and position themselves well to make the postseason. Happy Raiders Week, friends.

2. Information From My Eyes, Broncos at Colts:

a. Andre' Goodman got beat on a crossing route by Pierre Garcon on the first offensive play of the game, and in the moment, I wondered if there was a major speed mismatch. Goodman settled down to play Garcon spectacularly the rest of the game, breaking up four well-thrown balls. Goodman has been terrific all year, but I'd call this his best game as a Bronco.

b. When the Broncos drafted Darcel McBath, I'd never heard of him. I'm very impressed with his play as a rookie, though, and he had a fantastic game Sunday. He separated Dallas Clark from the ball on a 3rd down, and also baited Peyton Manning into his third interception. It's a real bummer that he broke his forearm and is gone for the season, but he showed well when he got the opportunities. I look for him to make a serious run at Renaldo Hill's starting job next season.

c. I really "misunderestimated" the Colts' DTs, Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson. They both played fantastic, and drove the Broncos' interior players backward consistently.

d. Ryan Clady didn't play very well in the running game, which was a departure from what we've been seeing lately. He got pushed backward several times when he lost leverage, and he misread a few run blitzes, and didn't hit the right guy. He's young and growing, and we can only hope he learns from this game.

e. Brandon Marshall was spectacular, of course. It's obvious that Kyle Orton really trusts him to make plays at this point. I wish he trusted Eddie Royal a little more, though. The truth is, though, Royal hasn't come up with some plays when he's had chances to do so.

f. I was happy to see Jabar Gaffney back in the mix this week. He's a pro's pro, and the Broncos offense is better when he is involved.

g. I was pleased with what I saw from Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil, despite the Broncos' lack of sacks. Both played well against the run, and generated pressure against Manning.

h. Peyton Hillis isn't a very good lead blocker, and I think a key part of the trouble the running game had was with the loss of Spencer Larsen. Larsen has been knocking heads the last two weeks, and he wasn't there this time, obviously.

Hillis is a good RB, but he's a true HB, not a FB. The truth is, he is where he should be on the depth chart; the third RB for the Broncos. Zappa said that some DP posters were calling for Knowshon Moreno to be benched, and Hillis to get the starting job. That's not going to happen, and frankly, it's asinine. Hillis could get more opportunity to make plays, but he deserves to be behind Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. There's no question in my mind of that.

i. The Colts' last drive was enabled by missed tackles by Vonnie Holliday (first play of the series) and Mario Haggan (3rd down inside the Broncos 10).

j. Oh, Dallas Clark. Ty Law did a good job on him, but he often was assigned to cover Austin Collie. Wesley Woodyard is a good zone player, but he can't cover a Clark in man-to-man. That 4th-and-4 was badly schemed, because Brian Dawkins shouldn't be manned up on Clark, either.

Finally, at the end of the game, the approach should have been to look at the formation. The power was left, and the only receiving threat was Clark, playing with his hand down on the right side. You need somebody to drive him straight into the ground, so he can't get out in the pattern. That's how I would coach that situation, anyway. Tackle him when he pretends to block, without getting called for holding.

k. D.J. Williams had a very good game, except for the one stupid penalty. Darrell Reid got (another) one of those too, while we're at it.

3. Information From My Eyes, Other Games

a. I thought Thursday's Browns-Steelers game was pretty riveting, and I almost wish I went (but not quite). Several of my friends tried to get me to go, because everybody in the world was trying to dump their tickets. It was 12 degrees, with 50 mph winds, and felt negative-7 in Cleveland that night. That's a recipe for freezing your hind-parts off, as Omar would say.

The Browns are changing for the better, and I wonder if it saves Eric Mangini's job. They're doing some very interesting things, like using Mike Furrey at FS. He's played both ways in his career, but has been more of a WR in the NFL, and caught 98 passes for the Lions in 2006, which was second in the NFL.

He did some nice things at Safety in the game, and it reminded me of Troy Brown playing defense for the Patriots, though, as I mentioned, Furrey has played defense at the professional level. You have to be impressed with a player doing what it takes to help his team win.

b. A guy who I have always liked, who the Browns found for free is Matt Roth. He got on the wrong side of Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano in Miami, and they put him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, and then waived him in November. The Browns smartly claimed him, and he's played very well for the Browns thus far. The Sam position in a 3-4 is pretty hard to fill, because it's a unique skill set. Lamarr Woodley and Mario Haggan are both very good at it, and Adalius Thomas used to be, but like RT on offense, there are a lot more average 3-4 Sams than there are good ones. Roth is a good one, because he sets the edge well, and generates a good pass rush when he's called upon to do so. Finding a guy like him in-season is what a bad team has to do.

c. Two unheralded guys who the Browns have discovered on offense are RB Chris Jennings and TE Evan Moore. Jennings won a Grey Cup recently with the Montreal Alouettes, and looked like the best back on the Browns roster last Thursday. He ran with power and explosion against an excellent run defense.

I meant to mention Moore last week and forgot; but I know a football player when I see one, and he's a player. He was a big WR at Stanford for 4 years, and also played basketball for his first 2 years. His fluidity, body control, and overall athleticism jump off the screen, and really remind me of Antonio Gates. I don't know if he's as fast as Gates, but he looks to me like he could definitely be a Brent Celek-caliber receiving TE. He's been key to Brady Quinn's recent improvement, because Quinn does his best throwing work inside the numbers.

Jennings and Moore are two players who the Browns can be very excited about, as they figure out what their program is during the offseason. Like Roth, they came with no significant cost. Now the Browns just need to nail their offseason.

d. I had a friend who is a Steelers fan ask me what was wrong with his team, and I think I may have disappointed him by not having a real definitive answer ready. It's kind of a tough question to answer, really, because Mike Tomlin had it exactly right when he said it was a function of struggles in all three phases of the game.

The defense really misses Troy Polamalu, who I think might be the most irreplaceable defensive player in the NFL. No safety plays with the speed of Polamalu, and the Steelers are much more conservative in their blitz packages without him. Their CBs are also playing pretty poorly over the last five games. On offense, I think the Steelers play-calling has been suspect. Rashard Mendenhall has emerged as a good RB, and the Steelers seem reluctant to commit to letting him run. I'm not surprised at the rumblings Sunday that some offensive coaches are likely going to get whacked after the season.

e. Now, on to why the Browns won Thursday. There were two reasons. One reason is that Joshua Cribbs is a great football player, and he carried his team on offense and special teams. The other is that the Browns covered the Steelers' receivers at a shockingly high level. ST&NO Favorite Brandon McDonald was fantastic. He might have had the best coverage game I have seen from a CB this year (although Andre' Goodman was awesome on Sunday, too). Eric Wright was strong on the other side too, though he gave up a few completions to Santonio Holmes. As has often been the case with the Broncos this season, the coverage allowed the pressure to get to Ben Roethlisberger, who was sacked 8 times.

f. It was another annoying weekend when almost every game was early, including the Broncos. I had the Chicago-Green Bay game on at the same time as the Broncos game,. and as I watched some of it, I was struck by the fact that neither team showed me anything that I didn't already know about them. Aaron Rodgers continued his recent run of getting sacked less, and the Packers defense was strong again. The Bears had some flashes, but self-destructed at key times.

The only real takeaway from this, to me, is another reminder why I don't really like fantasy football. The number one player in the Official MHR League this year has been my QB, Rodgers. In real football terms, he played fine on Sunday. He completed 16 of 24 throws for 180 yards, and lost a fumble on a blind-side sack. His team won the game, so no worries, right? Well, in fantasy terms, he tanked. Not only that, I am playing Zappa in the playoffs this week, and he has Ryan Grant, who had a monster game with 137 yards and 2 TDs, because the Bears were playing coverage to prevent big plays in the passing game.

g. Speaking of guys who tanked on my fantasy team, Randy Moss, this skunky, warm Miller High Life is for you. One catch for 16 yards, and a lost fumble? Really? He really looked like he wasn't trying hard, too; it was a total flashback to the Oakland days. Good thing I had Brandon Marshall and the Eagles (TD scoring) defense.

h. I think the Patriots are in trouble, and that their culture needs an adjustment. I read Bill Belichick's sending tardy players home as a clear indication of that. Adalius Thomas lipped off in the media, and got benched for it, and Randy Moss did it with his play somewhat on Sunday. I wouldn't be shocked if both are gone after this season. Thomas is gone for sure, and Moss is a possibility. The Patriots have a lot of draft assets with which to restock the WR position, and they're pretty solid at LB anyway, with guys like Tully Banta-Cain and Rob Ninkovich making positive contributions.

It was pretty interesting how Tom Brady and Bill Belichick came to Moss's aid on Monday, after he clearly was dogging some pass routes. Michael Lombardi had a good point on NFL Network that Moss has done that his whole career, and that the Patriots probably weren't too alarmed by it. I think it's pretty bad, personally.

i. Scary moment in Arlington, Texas, when DeMarcus Ware was carted off the field with a neck injury. The Chargers had a false start, and then went right down the field in two plays to score the deciding TD afterward. Reports on Monday were that Ware would miss the next two weeks, which would really handicap the Dallas defense. Most casual fans think of Ware as just a pass rusher, but he is a rare player who stars against the run, and in zone coverage too.

j. I alluded to this thought last week, but it was well-articulated by Michael Lombardi last night; Dallas's struggles have nothing to do with what month it is. The same can be said of the Chargers and their success in the month of December. If you're playing in a lot of places where there's bad weather, then maybe the month is a semi-meaningful data point, but neither Dallas nor San Diego particularly qualifies. I know somebody is going to say that a game in December is a pressure game, but even that's not true a lot of times. San Diego has tended to be healthy in December, and Dallas has tended to be banged up. San Diego has tended to play weak late-season schedules, and Dallas has tended to play difficult ones. Don't get caught up in things which Peter King would incorrectly call a factoid.

k. That Radio Shack commercial with the sleeping scruffy dude saying "Dance, Sugar Plum Fairies" is bizarre. It makes no sense at all to me, and I can't imagine how it would make anybody want to shop at Radio Shack, or buy that craptastic phone from Sprint.

l. NBC lucked out with a great game on Sunday night between the Eagles and Giants. Neither defense looked particularly good, but both offenses lit it up. The difference in the game was a defensive TD from Sheldon Brown, and a punt-return TD from DeSean Jackson. Those plays also provided the difference in the Shallow Thoughts team beating Zappa's Sactown Beavers in the playoffs.

m. I would never let Jackson get off the line of scrimmage without getting hit. Teams just insist on letting this guy run free through their secondary, and he kills them. Little, fast guys like him must be re-routed off the line, and then you want over/under coverage on him after that. He's not the typical big, physical number-1 WR like Brandon Marshall, but he does need double-team attention, or at least Cover-3 behind him, so he can be hit at the line with confidence.

n. Brandon Jacobs, to me, is like a 98-mph fastball that's a little too straight, and rarely misses bats. Jacobs has been running harder lately than he was early in the season, but he doesn't make anybody miss. He takes so many hits, and this year, he's going down more easily than he used to. I think the Giants offense is better when Ahmad Bradshaw is getting more carries than Jacobs at this point, even as Jacobs has been better lately.

o. Speaking of the Giants, I want to share some ST&NO light with a Giants fan, because I've coincidentally been listening to his music as I wrote this part of the column. If you like hip hop, you ought to check out Nickel at his website www.SpotMeANickel.com. He's got a couple albums worth of MP3s available for free download there. I went to high school with the guy at Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, CT, and it's cool to see him doing well, and making good music.

p. As always, I watched 5 games on Monday night, and the one I learned the most from was the New Orleans-Atlanta game. Very simply, New Orleans deserved to lose the game, and I haven't seen or heard anybody acknowledge that. I take that as a reaffirmation that my effort is worth the time.

Brent Grimes got called for two horrible pass-interference penalties, on plays where he reached around his man to play the ball. Those two plays directly led to 14 points being scored, and the Saints won by 3. The officials bogusly penalized ST&NO Favorite Thomas DeCoud on an even better play in the fourth quarter too, but Garrett Hartley subsequently missed a Field Goal, so it didn't affect the scoreboard. The Saints are a very good team, and they don't need any bonus help, but apparently you can't breathe on their receivers. It reminded me of the 2006 NBA Finals, when Dwyane Wade got "fouled" practically every time he touched the ball, and it disgusted me just as much to watch.

q. Jonathan Vilma deserves credit for sealing the win for New Orleans. He intercepted Chris Redman with 3 minutes to go in the game. Then, after the Saints arrogantly tried a fake field goal, rather than taking the points and going up 6, Vilma tackled the formidable Jason Snelling cold in the open field, a yard short of the first down on 4th and 2. He made the plays that were there to be made.

r. While I'm on the topic of the Saints, here's an E! True Hollywood Story for you. Or maybe it's a Letterman-style Top 2 list. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Top 2 Things Ted Bartlett Currently Doesn't Give A Damn About (And Al Roker's Forecast Calls For No Change:)

1. Whether or not the Colts or Saints go 16-0, and on a related note, whether or not they rest their starters.

2. Who wins the NFL MVP Award.

Going 16-0 doesn't matter to anything. All it would do is create something which Peter King would someday mistakenly call a factoid (even though it's actually a fact). The only thing that matters is going 3-0 (or 4-0) in the Playoffs. Plus, the whole thing puts Mercury Morris back in the spotlight, and he's a jerk who doesn't deserve it.

As for the MVP Award, really, who cares? I may start caring if somebody other than a QB or RB can win, other than the rare Lawrence Taylor in 1986. (Since the AP award began in 1957, only DT Alan Page, K Mark Moseley, and Taylor have won the award from positions other than QB or RB. Taylor is the only winner for the Pro Football Writers Association award, which began in 1975. This is an absolute farce.)

Remember ST&NO Rule #1: If reporters vote for it, and decide it, it's usually not particularly worth paying attention to. That includes any and all power rankings, the NFL All-Pro team, all season-ending awards in all sports, and membership in all Halls of Fame. Reporters often mean well, and they add some value to the overall football discourse, but the value they add ends when they're not asking questions, finding things out, and reporting those things. When you ask them to judge something, most can't get past the very obvious, or what other people tell them, and nearly all are biased by what they consider to be the most interesting story. While that's understandable, given the fact that they're in the interesting story business, it's also self-serving, and represents noise rather than a reflection of truth.

s. The more I watch Chad Henne, the more I like his mechanics, all the way through the process of playing QB. I most especially like the way he carries out his fakes after he hands off the ball. You can tell that he's very well coached, both at the collegiate level and the professional level.

t. Speaking of good coaching, if Head Coaching jobs were being handed out based only upon excellence as a coordinator, Mike Mularkey would be looking pretty good for a shot at another job. People who know things about offense, and pay attention, know that Mularkey has been getting a lot of production out of some pretty marginal talent the last two seasons. It's equal parts scheme, knowing the capabilities of his players, and getting his guys to execute, but Atlanta's offense overachieves. Remember - Mularkey didn't get fired in Buffalo; he resigned in 2006 because he didn't see eye-to-eye with the recently hired Marv Levy. He's up there with Houston's Kyle Shanahan on offense, and the Broncos' Mike Nolan, Cincinnati's Mike Zimmer, and Arizona's Bill Davis on defense as guys who I think are adding a great deal of value to their sides of the ball.

u. I tend to dislike University of Texas players, because they have a well-known reputation for being coddled in Austin, and often coming into the NFL as soft players. A limitation of making evaluations from a distance is that you sometimes have to rely on information which may or may not be meaningful, such as the fact that coaches are prohibited from cursing at players at UT. That's pretty absurd in my opinion, like the urban legend about stress cards in basic training.

I didn't take to Brian Orakpo much coming out of college, partially due to the UT factor. Turns out, he's very good, and he's brought a lot to the table for Oakland. He has had a very good rookie season, but he was dominant on Sunday against the Raiders' bad offensive line and indecisive JaMarcus Russell. I still prefer Knowshon Moreno to Orakpo for the long haul, and I still think the Redskins should have taken Michael Oher (after the Packers should have taken Michael Oher). Orakpo was a good choice though, and is a good player, so I missed on that one.

v. I said a couple weeks ago that I was pretty sure that the Chiefs didn't regret acquiring Matt Cassel, and he's proceeded to have the two worst games of his career the last two weeks. His ability is very clear, so I still don't think they regret it, but he needs to step it up, and buy Todd Haley and Scott Pioli some cover. Kansas City has an aggressive local sports media, led by Adam Teicher and Jason Whitlock. Whitlock has already renamed Pioli as Scott Egoli, so it would be mighty helpful to this regime if they and Cassel could finish the season stronger than they've been showing, and feel like there's something to build on.

w. A vital part of a 3-step drop passing play is that the outside blocker on the throw side (usually the Tackle) needs to cut the Defensive End and get him on the ground. The 49ers RT, Adam Snyder, failed to cut Darnell Dockett twice in the first half Monday night, resulting in an Interception by Dockett, and another deflection by Dockett, which Alex Smith caught himself, and promptly was tackled for a 6-yard loss. Neither play was Smith's fault; his job is to get to the top of his drop, and let the ball go. Snyder's job is to clear the throwing lane.

x. Speaking of guys clearly not doing their jobs (and jumping back to the Dallas game because of the topic), Tony Dungy was right on when he was asked if coaching was the problem in Dallas. He said that he knows Terence Newman has been coached to jam a WR and re-route him in Cover-2, and that coaching definitely wasn't the problem on the big Vincent Jackson 39-yard catch on 3rd and 12 (right after the aforementioned Ware injury).

That was the key play of the game, and Newman didn't make it. As the play happened live, I yelled out "Where's the f$%^&* jam, 41?" I was glad Dungy called him out, although I bet he wasn't moved to profanity like I was. I've always thought Newman was highly overrated, by virtue of being a Cowboy. It comes with wearing the blue star, I am afraid.

y. Usually, when a defensive lineman is drafted highly, you expect him to be a big sack guy. The Bengals once drafted Justin Smith fourth overall, in 2001. His career high in sacks, mostly as a Right DE in a 40-front, was 8.5 in his rookie season. He had 6.5, 5, 8, 6, 7.5, and 2 in his next five seasons, which are respectable numbers, but not for an open-side DE drafted that highly.

Smith signed a 6-year $45 million deal with San Francisco in 2008, and moved to 5-technique in a 30-front. It's the role he should have been playing all along, because he's always been a physical, block-defeating player more than a speed-rushing player. It's not too different than the highly drafted Derrick Harvey from the Jaguars, or Jamaal Anderson for the Falcons (who moved to DT eventually). Their skill sets are just better suited to playing with physicality than with speed. (Harvey got only his second sack of the year Sunday, and Anderson has 0.5).

Anyway, Smith was dominant on Monday night, and consistently held the point of attack, while often penetrating and disrupting the Cardinals offense. It sure seemed like he is earning his money. I was also very impressed with the pass-rushing skills of Ahmad Brooks, who used to be just a MLB.

z. Another rookie I criticized for seeming to be soft was Beanie Wells, and he continues to play like he isn't. His TD run early in the 4th quarter Monday night was a man's TD run, all second effort. He did fumble later in the 4th quarter, but it was on a kill-shot by Dashon Goldson, who had a couple of those in Monday night's game.

aa. Genetics are a funny thing. In my family, we have something called the Bartlett Calves. My dad and all his siblings have them, and all my siblings and I have them, even my 8-year old half-sister Abby. The Bartlett Calves are notable for being disproportionately muscular and large, compared to the rest of our bodies. I am 6 feet tall and weigh 235 pounds, and when flexed, my calves are 18 inches around, which is 3-4 inches bigger than the average man's calf, and an inch bigger than the average man's neck.

I bring up this genetic oddity, because it makes me feel a certain kinship with Frank Gore, who has thunder thighs like whoa. He's found out a way to make good professional use of his thighs, because they're what give him such impressive power in traffic. Mine don't really come in too useful as an accounting manager and blogger.

ab. The jury is in as far as I am concerned for San Francisco. The 49ers are on the right track, and ST&NO Favorite Alex Smith has definitely emerged as their long-term QB. They have 2 first-round picks this season, which are both going to be in the 10-15 area. They need a CB and an offensive lineman with those picks, or maybe even two offensive linemen. This team is not far at all from the playoffs, and they're not even going to miss by much this season.

ac. The Cardinals are still legitimate championship contenders, but they got their hind parts kicked Monday night. The result of the game was more a reflection of good play by the Niners than it was of bad play by the Cardinals. The bright spot for Arizona was the excellent Adrian Wilson, who baited Smith into a dumb INT, and was around the ball constantly, the whole game.

4. I couldn't agree more with TJ Johnson's piece about deferring the option yesterday, and a smart analyst got out ahead of me before I wrote about it, which happens once in awhile with a Tuesday slot. I'm always glad to see an in-house MHR guy do it. Big up TJ! If you haven't read his article, you should. So should Don Banks (and Dan Fouts.)

From Banks:

• Did I hear that right, the Broncos won the coin toss to start their game at Indy and deferred to the Colts? And Peyton Manning? Why exactly would you give Manning the chance to get the ball in his hands any more than you absolutely have to? What were you thinking, Josh McDaniels? That's a dubious, rookie-like call for the Broncos new head coach. I do believe McDaniels was guilty of overconfidence in his defense.

My two cents was going to be that each team gets the ball kicked to them to start one half, and there's no way around that fact, so if you consider just this fact, it's utterly meaningless which half a particular team gets their opportunity to receive. TJ goes much further, and finds that there is actually evidence that teams who get the ball to start the second half tend to experience more success. Very interesting stuff.

5. That first-rounder from the Bears is looking really good right now. Chicago fell to 5-8 Sunday, and I like them to finish 6-10. They play at Baltimore and home against Minnesota before finishing at Detroit. For the Broncos' playoff chances, I'd like to see the Bears beat the Ravens, but I doubt it happens. A 6-10 record is probably good for a pick in the neighborhood of 9th or 10th overall. I gave a cursory look at the remaining schedules of every team with a losing record, and this is what I came up with for season-ending records, and way-too-early possible picks.

1. St. Louis 1-15 Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma

2. Tampa Bay 1-15 Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska

3. Detroit 2-14 Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma

4. Kansas City 3-13 Eric Berry S Tennessee

5. Cleveland 4-12 Russell Okung T Oklahoma State

6. Oakland 4-12 Carlos Dunlap DE Florida

7. Buffalo 5-11 Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame

8. Washington 5-11 Trent Williams T Oklahoma

9. San Francisco ~~Carolina~~ 5-11 Joe Haden CB Florida

10. Seattle 6-10 Anthony Davis T Rutgers

11. Denver ~~Chicago~~ 6-10

12. San Francisco 7-9

13. Pittsburgh 7-9

14. Houston 8-8

15. Tennessee 8-8

With a 10th or 11th pick, you can get yourself a difference-making defensive player like a Terrence Cody, Rolando McClain, or Brandon Spikes. You could also go outside the box, and draft a guy like C.J. Spiller from Clemson, who projects as a major home-run threat, a la Chris Johnson, at the NFL level. You have to admit, he'd make a nice tandem with Knowshon Moreno. My move, though, might be to try to trade down, and enjoy some of the depth of this Draft. (I say try, because you can't always do it.) I am treading kind of lightly with this line of thinking, because I am a well-known believer that players are better than draft picks. (A player is a real asset, and a draft pick is a derivative asset; when you're needing to operate now, it's better to have a barrel of oil than a contract guaranteeing the delivery of a barrel of oil at a future date and price.)

To me, the Broncos could get back once or twice to #20 or so, and take someone like either Mike or Maurkice Pouncey from Florida, if they elect to enter the draft. (Incidentally, I think Florida is going to lose a bunch of underclassmen.) Both are 6-5 320-pound interior offensive linemen, and would fill what I think is the Broncos' biggest roster need. The overall point, though, is that it's good to be in the position the Broncos are in right now, with this pick coming in higher than their record would earn. For those who were sure the Broncos erred in trading their own pick rather than Chicago's, I'd hope they remember that you don't know how things are going to play out until they play out.

6. Bad news emerged for QB-needy teams yesterday that Washington junior Jake Locker will return for his senior season. It was not altogether unexpected, but I believe that Locker would have been the first QB selected, and maybe the number-1 overall pick. His talent as a thrower and runner is way ahead of the other guys in this class. The guy who benefits is Sam Bradford, because if he checks out healthy, his size and arm are both a bit better than Jimmy Clausen's. I, personally, am not in love with either guy. Bradford looks like a young Matt Hasselbeck to me, while a comparison for Clausen doesn't come to me so easily. Clausen is short, average athletically, looks like he needs to get a lot stronger, and has an average arm. He looks a bit like a young Drew Brees, before Drew worked so hard to become what he became. I am reluctant to make that comparison, but it's the best one I can come up with.

7. Retired for John Elway.

That's all I have for this week. We'll be back next Tuesday with more Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations. Until then, have a fantastic Raiders Week, and Go Broncos!

Horse Tracks 12/15/09 - Fox replaces injured McBath; Larsen should play Sunday; Buckhalter, Hill both have ankle sprains

Douglas A. Lee — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:25:49 -0000

DB - Week 15 - Mon: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Broncos Sign Fox; McBath to IR - Gray Caldwell

DB - Weekly Press Release - Patrick Smyth

DPP - Broncos guard Kuper attracts attention with receiving yards - Lindsay Jones
"Denver coach Josh McDaniels said fullback, linebacker and special-teams ace Spencer Larsen is expected to be fine after leaving Sunday's game against the Colts after the opening kickoff with what the Broncos called a back injury. . . . Running back Correll Buckhalter and safety Renaldo Hill likely will be questionable for Sunday's home game against Oakland. Each player sprained his right ankle."

DPP - Q&A: Short-yardage struggles part of Broncos' transition season - Jeff Legwold
"Opposing defensive coaches believe the Broncos are getting beaten up at the line of scrimmage in short-yardage situations while playing with a backup right tackle, Tyler Polumbus, and having benched Ben Hamilton at guard to replace him with Russ Hochstein."

DPP - Analysis: Eddie Royal having a second-year slump for Broncos - Jeff Legwold
Legwold thinks Eddie's double-duty as PR and KR may be making him less effective at WR.

DPP - Broncos WR Marshall moves into big-money position - Mike Klis

DB - Broncos-Eagles Flexed - Gray Caldwell

DB - The Morning After: Week 14 - Chris Gentilviso

DB - Record Day For Marshall - Jim Saccomano

DB - The Beast, congrats on NFL record - Mark Cooper

DB - Ask Knowshon Moreno...

CBS4 - Broncos Quarterback John Elway Sounds Off On Brandon Marshall's 'Unstoppable' Game - cbs4denver.com

CBS4 - Broncos Fan Gets Birthday Surprise At Colts Game - Tom Mustin

DPP - Broncos lose safety McBath for season - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Legwold's breakdown: 3-wide hurts Broncos' run game

DPP - Spotlight: Kuper catches attention - Lindsay Jones

DPP - The curious case of Peyton Hillis - Dave Krieger

DP - Broncos Mailbag: Hand the ball to Hillis - Mike Klis
"What I like about covering the Broncos under McDaniels is you can always ask him why. Not once has he ever shown up a reporter by belittling a question. He gives honest, full answers...McDaniels added Larsen should be fit to go at fullback this week against the Raiders and, with Correll Buckhalter likely out with an injured right ankle, Hillis would get an increased role as a tailback this week."

DP - Broncos moved quick to add Fox - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Broncos below .500 against top-tier QBs - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Numbers: Broncos' postseason picture coming into focus

DP - In order: Brady, Peyton, Rivers, Brees - Mike Klis

DPP - Broncos eyeing ... The Raiders - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Broncos linemen block for Samaritan House - Mike Klis

CSG - Marshall's big game still creating a buzz - Frank Schwab
"By Josh McDaniels’ count, the Broncos forced the ball to Brandon Marshall on Sunday only one or two times."

CSG - Broncos rookie safety McBath done for season - Frank Schwab

LTC - Broncos still likely to advance - Brian Howell

SI - Saints chase perfection; Colts plan to rest starters; more NFL - Peter King

NFP - Diner morning news: Colts win with defense - Mike Lombardi

NFL Results

NFL - Arizona Cardinals 9 at San Francisco 49ers 24

FH - Cardinals Fumble Away Chance at Clinching Division - Nancy Gay

AFC West News

NFP - Time for Raiders to sit Russell again? - Matt Bowen

ESPN - Tough decision looms in Oakland - Bill Williamson

SFC - Cable isn't ready to choose between Frye and Russell - David White

OT - Injured Raiders QB Bruce Gradkowski still hoping to play - Steve Corkran

SDUT - Return unit’s goal: spring Sproles - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Win vs. Cincy warmly inviting - Kevin Acee

KCS - Bowe's back with Chiefs after suspension - Adam Teicher

NFL News

PFW - Week 15 matchup tidbits

ESPN - A look at the scenarios if the NFL playoffs started today

FH - Two NFL Games Headed Overseas in '10 - Chris Burke

FH - Jake Locker Will Skip NFL Draft, Return to Washington

NFL Opinion

NYT - Week 14 Quick Hits: No Need for Panic in Pittsburgh - Andy Benoit

FH - It's Not Time to Blow Up the Steelers Yet - J.J. Cooper

SI - Steelers need depth, new offensive line; Randy Moss needs time - Jerome Bettis

NFP - The Monday Tavern - Mike Lombardi
"The Broncos might not have the fastest secondary, but they are smart and rarely out of position. Safety Brian Dawkins proves, although you might lose a step as you get older, you gain wisdom through experience."

NFL - Six from Sunday: Steelers still reeling from loss in Cleveland - Pat Kirwan

CBS - Prisco Grades: Week 14

NFL - Beyond Colts, much left to be sorted out in AFC playoff race - Vic Carucci

SN - NFL Power Poll: Eagles peaking at the right time - Clifton Brown

Y! - Another Cowboys season slipping away - Mike Silver

SN - Cowboys are feeling another December chill - Clifton Brown

ESPN - Bruschi: Moss not a quitter

PFW - Moss' effort reflects bigger Patriots problem - Nolan Nawrocki

FOX - The Day After: What's eating Randy Moss? - John Czarnecki

NFL - With the playoffs approaching, Eagles are making their move - Mike Lombardi

FH - Rehab Becomes Reality for Michael Vick - Kevin Blackistone

FH - Eagles' Samuel Has Heart in Philly, One Eye on Former Team - Thomas George

NFP - Is SRS funding no small thing? - Andrew Brandt

NFP - NFP’s 2009 Big East all-prospect team - Wes Bunting

Horse Tracks 12/14/09 - Broncos fall 2 games behind Chargers; Marshall sets single-game catch mark in loss to Colts

Douglas A. Lee — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:37:24 -0000

Good Morning, MHR Friends. Well, the first 20 minutes yesterday were pretty rough. The day was marred by plenty of mistakes and missed chances on the Broncos' side of the ledger, but they sure did hang tough when it would've been quite easy to lose by 40+. I'm sure most of you had flashbacks to those playoff debacles of years past (I know I did). The decision to defer the opening kickoff was bizarre, to say the least; both the Broncos' offen have been shaky on opening possessions (if not 1st quarters in their entirety) all year long, so I was quite puzzled. No, it's clearly not why they lost; there were plenty of opportunities later on, and the Broncos were in it late. But it was a strange decision which I immediately disliked. Well, apparently Orton and BMarsh have gotten used to each other; remarkable performance from Brandon. Unfortunately, Kyle still can't seem to connect with Eddie Royal. Hopefully Buck isn't too banged up, although we're fortunate to have Jokeland heading to town next week.

DB - Broncos-Colts Highlights - Video highlights with radio calls

DB - Colts Postgame: Report - Broncos TV

DB - Marshall sets new single-game receptions record - Video

DB - Colts Postgame: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Colts Postgame: Marshall - Broncos TV

NFL - Denver Broncos 16 at Indianapolis Colts 28 - Box Score

DB - Comeback Bid Falls Short - Zach Eisendrath

DB - 'Bittersweet' Record - Gray Caldwell

DPP - Colts clip Broncos 28-16 in Indy - Mike Klis
"McDaniels' research had shown that the team that kicks off at the start usually has the final possession of the first half, and then gets the ball again to start the second half." This is a strange explanation. Why is the goal to gather momentum at halftime? We're talking about Peyton Manning here, and a Broncos defense that has struggled early in many games, especially against quality teams...

DPP - Short yardage, big problem - Lindsay Jones
"The Broncos converted only 1-of-6 opportunities on third or fourth down when they needed fewer than 3 yards. They converted only 6-of-17 third downs overall. The Broncos also were stopped three times on fourth down, including twice on fourth-and-1."

DPP - Briefs: D.J. positive part of defense's soft first-half effort
"Running back Correll Buckhalter and starting safety Renaldo Hill were on crutches after the game because of injuries to their right ankles, and rookie safety Darcel McBath — who had replaced Hill in the second half — had his right arm in a sling after injuring his shoulder late in the fourth quarter."
"A charged-up Reid briefly took his helmet off to celebrate, then quickly jammed it back on. "That's a prime example of things we can't do," Reid said. "We could have got three points out of that drive."" Yeah, that was a big one. UGH.

DPP - A glimpse at the best of the Beast - Mark Kiszla
This is a terrific story, and that sure is one lucky Broncos fan.

DB - Colts Postgame: Orton - Broncos TV

DPP - Head-scratching logic can hurt - Dave Krieger

DPP - Analysis: Subpar Manning still enough - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Broncos, Colts could meet again - Mike Klis

DP - Coming up short in short yardage - Jim Armstrong

DPP - Offense lets Broncos down - Jim Armstrong

CSG - Colts break records with 28-16 victory over Denver - Frank Schwab

CSG - Marshall's record 21-catch game is wasted - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos almost had emergency at safety - Frank Schwab

AP - Marshall Sets NFL Record, Not Enough To Top Colts - Michael Marot

KUSA - Public memorial planned for 'Barrel Man' - Dan Boniface
Thanks to Randy for the link!

Colts News

NFL - Getting healthy, rather than keeping edge, is Colts' main goal - Vic Carucci

Y! - Colts defense comes up huge at crucial times - Jason Cole

CBS - Would rest mess with AFC's best? Let debate begin for Colts - Clark Judge

FH - Now's Not the Time for Colts to Go Easy - Greg Couch

FOX - With home-field clinched, question remains for Indy - John Oehser

IS - Colts secure home-field edge, record winning streak - Phil Richards

IS - Broncos' Marshall snags record - Philip Wilson

IS - Nice winning streak, guys! Now we'll see you in 34 days - Bob Kravitz

IS - Clark (3 TDs) leads red-zone attack - Mike Chappell

IS - Colts say let's keep playing - Mike Chappell

IS - Bob Kravitz's report card

NFL Results

NFL - San Diego Chargers 20 at Dallas Cowboys 17

NFL - Buffalo Bills 16 at Kansas City Chiefs 10

NFL - Washington Redskins 34 at Oakland Raiders 13

NFL - New Orleans Saints 26 at Atlanta Falcons 23

NFL - Detroit Lions 3 at Baltimore Ravens 48

NFL - Green Bay Packers 21 at Chicago Bears 14

NFL - Seattle Seahawks 7 at Houston Texans 34

NFL - Miami Dolphins 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars 10

NFL - Cincinnati Bengals 10 at Minnesota Vikings 30

NFL - Carolina Panthers 10 at New England Patriots 20

NFL - New York Jets 26 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3

NFL - St. Louis Rams 7 at Tennessee Titans 47

NFL - Philadelphia Eagles 45 at New York Giants 38

AFC West News

SDUT - Turner will be here for a while - Kevin Acee

CBS - Week 14 Judgements: Chargers are Colts' recurring nightmare - Clark Judge

FH - Cowboys Sinking and Chargers Soaring? Must Be December - Nancy Gay

FH - San Diego Charging as Contenders Come Into Focus - Dave Goldberg

SDUT - Bolts' big D smashes 'Boys - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Acting like they've been there before - Tim Sullivan

SDUT - Rivers gives Coach the game ball - Kevin Acee

SDUT - Power ball is finishing touch for win on road - Kevin Acee

SDUT - No such thing as weak side in goal-line stand - Chris Jenkins

SDUT - Tim Sullivan's report card

KCS - Chiefs can't overcome offensive mistakes in 16-10 loss to Bills - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game - Jason Whitlock

KCS - Crucial decisions on fourth downs don't pan out for Chiefs - Randy Covitz

KCS - Charles has big day on offense and almost makes big play on defense - Randy Covitz

KCS - Chiefs' defense gets run over once again - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs Buzz | Team honors Tom Watson; first-quarter woes; Dorsey, Waters injured - Randy Covitz

KCS - Grading the Chiefs - Adam Teicher

FH - Gradkowski's Injuries Reopens Door for Russell in Oakland - Chris Burke

SFC - Cut off at the knees - David White

SFC - 49ers, Raiders will never share a stadium - Ray Ratto

SFC - Flags fly, but please, no saluting - David White

SFC - Game review - David White

SFC - Russell is the new Marc Wilson - Ray Ratto

SFC - Raiders eliminated from playoff contention - David White
Did anyone know the Raiders were IN playoff contention? Oh, that's right - Seymour guaranteed they'd make it...well, hopefully he's in Denver next year, just not saying stupid stuff like that.

OT - Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell seizing the day the wrong way - Gary Peterson

OT - How bad is it for the Raiders? The fans are calling for Charlie Frye - Monte Poole

NFL News

NFL - Cowboys' Ware sprains neck, hospitalized after collision

NFL Opinion

SI - Assessing the chances of AFC wild-card contenders - Don Banks

SN - Week 14 Checkdown: Scramble on for bottom seeds in AFC - Vinnie Iyer

ESPN - John Clayton's Last Call
"Despite their 28-16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos once again proved they are a playoff-caliber team."

NFL - Bengals will make playoffs, but loss to Vikings shows flaws - Steve Wyche

FH - Dominant Defense Lifts Favre's Vikings Into Playoffs - Dan Graziano

FOX - Favre winning battle against aging - Alex Marvez

SI - Vikings not perfect, but they may be close enough - Joe Posnanski

NFL - Confidence boost could have Ravens embarking on playoff run - Bucky Brooks

Y! - 'Fragile' Moss threatens to set back Patriots - Charles Robinson

CBS - Saints will throw caution to wind, make run at perfection - Pete Prisco

SN - When Reggie Bush goes airborne, Saints fly high - Ryan Fagan

SI - Philadelphia Eagles prove they're class of NFC East - Don Banks

FH - Reid Rules: Eagles Follow Coach's Lead - Thomas George

CBS - Giants can't contain Eagles' Jackson ... but Reid would be wise to - Mike Freeman

PFW - Steelers in midst of Super collapse

MHR Chalk Talk - Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts (2009)

Steve Nichols — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:30:19 -0000

This is it; the big game. Indianapolis and Denver are both likely to go to the playoffs, and this game is the toughest game on the Denver schedule. IND is undefeated, has the best QB in the League, and a defense that hasn't missed a beat even when three of four starting defensive backs went down to injury earlier this season. The Colts feature an amazing one-two punch with their pass-rushing ends. They have an offensive line that protects their QB very well. In short, the Colts are a team to be respected for their well-earned accomplishments.

So there is only one question on the minds of Denver fans this week - "Can the Broncos beat Indianapolis this week?" My answer is "Yes". Let's face it, IND is a great team and they are (in my opinion) Super Bowl-bound. However, while a betting man ought to go with the Colts this weekend, the Broncos are better situated to hand the Colts an upset than most analysts might think. Denver is built to win this match-up in terms of system match-ups, and we'll explore the possibilities below the fold...

Here are the reasons that Denver can pull of the upset this weekend:

1. The Colts are facing the best secondary ever assembled on one team

Denver features a legendary secondary. Champ Bailey is a future Hall of Famer, and has shown this year that he is still one of the elite cornerbacks in the League. Most folks will look quickly at how many interceptions a CB has to measure worth, but this can be deceiving. Not many QBs throw towards Champ because of fear of INTs. While Champ hasn't racked up INTs this year, he has broken up enough pass plays to make the receivers he covers worthless (and he's faced many of the best this year). Champ can turn on a dime, has blazing speed, is a sure tackler (he gets several RB tackles in many of his games), and has a wealth of experience and study skills to fall back on.

(Photo courtesy thestate.com)

"Nothing escapes a black hole, not light or even time", Einstein.

At free safety, Brian Dawkins (another future Hall of Famer) is deadly to opposing offenses. He has the speed and intelligence to cover the deep field for passes while STILL reading and reacting quickly enough to meet opposing RBs near scrimmage. He is one of the hardest hitting players in the game, and seems to be in on every play. As a team leader, he ensures that the rest of the defense is playing up to his non-stop standard of play.

Andre' Goodman has four INTs so far this year, and has shown that he can take the heat when opposing QBs refuse to throw towards Bailey. He has been a sure tackler, and a solid addition to the defense. Likewise, Renaldo Hill (playing at strong safety with two INTs) has proven that there is no weak link on a start studded secondary. He has shown the ability to cover deep zones as well as cover runs in shorter coverages.

Rookie David Bruton, a back-up safety, was likely taken in the draft to serve as a powerful special teams coverage player and fills the role nicely. However, there are some injury questions for him going into Sunday's game.

So is the secondary the reason for Denver fans to put their hopes in an upset? Surprisingly, I would say no. I don't think any team is going to have much luck disguising coverages against Peyton Manning. In my mind, Peyton Manning is the best QB in the NFL, but not because of his physical skills. Peyton Manning has an uncanny skill. He is able (due to incredible intelligence) to keep track in his mind of every route his players are running simultaneously, and to do this under pressure. This includes what his receivers will switch to on broken plays. Manning can then throw the ball without looking, and nail his target with precision. Manning has the physical tools that other excellent pocket passers have, but his mind is what sets him apart. Combine Manning's talent with timed passing patterns, and Manning becomes the closest human possibility to playing with a QB that can win blindfolded.

Coach's note - The way for a secondary to beat a timed passing game is to jam receivers. This throws off the timing patterns, and forces the QB to re-evaluate his options.

Even an elite secondary like the Broncos will leave an opportunity at some point during each play. The longer a play goes on, the more chances a receiver has for separation. And of course, there are always the quick hooks and curls that pick up short yards in bunches.

So while the secondary is a key component, it isn't the prime way to beat Manning. The pass rush is.

2. The Colts are facing an incredible pass rush

If The Colts are to be stopped, the pass rush will be the reason. The rare team that limits Manning and his high powered passing game is the team that gets to Manning. Sacks are great, but not required. If Manning is harassed, he can't make ideal throws. No quarterback wants to throw before a play is fully developed. And while there are QBs known for being good at passing while running, no QB prefers to do so. Manning is a big QB, and can absorb some punishment and make some decent moves. But he is not considered a mobile QB, and his value to his team dictates that he shouldn't be taking any hits if he is tempted to move downfield.

Denver's 3-4 (which looks like and is run like a 5-2) is truly in line with the "Amoeba Philosophy" that Coach McDaniels brought with him from New England. Denver not only has seven players up front who are very talented, but they are capable of rotating in about five other players on a regular basis without a drop in talent. Several of these players make plays at the "micro" level that don't garner recognition, but create opportunities for other players. This spreads the talent out, and keeps several players from getting recognition they deserve. But this is fine, because "winning", not individual recognition, is how this front seven works. Despite this philosophy, one player stands out.

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo News)

"Another one bites the dust", Queen

Elvis Dumervil is the NFL's leading sack master. At 15 sacks during the first 12 games, the odds show that "Doom" will get a little over a sack every game. That's an excellent enough stat, but it becomes dizzying when one considers the sheer quantity of hurry-ups that Doom gets that don't even turn into sacks. And hurry-ups, not sacks, are what defensive coordinators dream of.

Coach's note - Denver loves to move Dumervil around between the two OLB/DE positions. He's hard enough to stop as is, but his switches add one more crucial delay to the QB's protection coverage calls. Teams HAVE to account for where he is.

Fans love sacks, as do defensive players. Fans love sacks because they lead to a loss of yards and a down (not to mention rattling the opposing QB). Players strive for them because a sack is the end result of a goal - to get to the QB. But to a defensive coordinator, sacks are wonderful but not the ideal. Hurry-ups cause one of several possibilities. They lead to hurried decisions on the part of the QB, thus increasing the potential for incomplete passes or interceptions. A sack is a wonderful thing, but continuous pressure is what a DC is really after.

Here's an analogy. A race dog (probably a greyhound) really wants to catch the robotic rabbit on a rail. If he catches it, that's great (which of course, never really happens). I'm sure that spectators would like this result too. But the purpose of the rabbit, and the real goal for the betters, is for the dog to run fast enough to win the race.

So a sack or two would be loads of fun. But if Denver wants to beat INDY, the real key to the game (above all others) is for Denver's front seven to find ways to hurry Manning on a regular basis.

3. Denver's style of offense slows down the tempo, and keeps the Colt's strength off the field

Denver does two things very well. First, the play a low risk passing game that dinks and dunks the ball down the field. It isn't a spectacular thing to watch, but it takes time of possession away from the other team. It is also an effective way to counter defenses that use a lot of zones (like INDY).

(Photo Courtesy of Yahoo)

"There's a new sheriff in town" Eddie Murphy

from the movie "48 Hours"

The other thing that Denver does is run the ball very well. Here again, we take time off the clock and keep the ball from Manning. While Denver only "only" ranks ninth in rushing, they have been coming on strong lately. Knowshon Moreno is leading rookies with rushing yards (despite splitting carries with Correll Buckhalter), while Buckhalter holds an amazing 5.4 yards per carry average. In theory, one could give Buckhalter the ball and do nothing else while gaining first downs every other play.

IND is a high tempo team. They love shootouts, and win games without success in running (they are 32nd in rushing yards).

Denver has stars all over the offense, including four excellent receivers, three excellent TEs, and an amazing offensive line. Denver's only offensive concern might be the loss to Injured Reserve of RT Ryan Harris, though Denver is confident that the role can be filled well.

Keys to the Game

(image courtesy of Flickr.com)

Denver Broncos -

Pressure Manning. This is the ONLY way to stop the Colts offense, based on years of results. If you can't pressure Manning, you can't win the game. Period.
If Denver can run the ball consistently well, the battle is half over. Manning has to be hurried to stop his advances, but keeping him off the field is the next step.
Don't leave points on the field. IND is going to score points, no matter how you slice it. Denver cannot afford to punt or turn the ball over much. And while I'm a conservative type (I'm almost always fine with field goals when others are screaming for touchdowns), we need more TDs than FGs in this game.

Indianapolis Colts -

This game is the toughest game left on the schedule. Don't take it for granted. Forget about going undefeated, and forget about the playoffs being a lock. Denver is better that their record suggests, and they are getting better. The Steelers just learned a hard lesson about trying to beat an opponent in cruise control.
The Colts have two outstanding DEs. Kyle Orton is a solid QB, but can make mistakes under pressure. The DEs can take away the passing game and allow the rest of the team to handle the run.
Watch out for Eddie Royal on special teams. He can shut down the home crowd and give Denver and easy seven points without Orton and Buckhalter even touching the field.

You don't take a team that is undefeated after 12 games and pick against them. You just don't. But looking at the type of game that each team plays, this game isn't in the bank for the Colts by a long shot. Indianapolis should win this game at home behind Peyton Manning, and if you had to bet, that's where the money goes. But then again, I wouldn't bet on this game. The smart money says to take your money elsewhere.