SB Nation User Blog: Broncofan

For "DEFENSIVE" Discussion

Broncofan — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:41:39 -0000

This is just to throw a quick question out there and prompt a discussion about our defensive scheme and style next year. First, the question, Will we be exclusively a 3-4 or will we play whatever is best to stop that weeks opponent?

When I look at some of the top 3-4 defenses, such as NE or Pittsburgh, I see them in many different fronts during the course of any given game. It seems to me that what alignment they are in depends on many variables. Opponents strength and weaknesses, down and distance, situation and where they are in the game are among the variables to be considered. Now I realize that our base scheme will be 3-4, every team has a standard base but the better defenses tend to run whatever will "get the coon" so to speak. When I watch the better 3-4 teams, I see them in 3-4, 4-3, 5-2 and even 6-1 fronts among others. I think we need to consider that McDaniels has talked repeatedly about having versatility in his players. In my opinion, I think we will be more like New England's defense, we will run whatever matches up the best and whatever will get us the win THAT WEEK. Our base will probably still be 3-4 but I don't think we should expect that to be totally exclusive. I think we will play a very versatile style of defense that we can adapt and tweak from one week to the next depending on the opponent. It seems that our goals should be the same every week but we will have the versatility to use different methods to obtain those goals. Hopefully this is what our team is working for.

Anyway I wanted to start a discussion on this as we really aren't completely sure what we have or where exactly we are going on D. Let it rip guys, I'm looking forward to a good discussion.

Speaking of Snubs

Broncofan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:22:23 -0000

I am at my Dad's today and I was watching Sportscenter. They did a segment on whether or not Larry Fitzgerald is the best Wide Receiver in the NFL. They never even mentioned Brandon Marshall. They did a poll and didn't even have Marshall as an option to vote for, another joke and reason ESPN sucks. Schlereth was talking and he never mentioned Marshall either. It just pisses me off that they don't even mention his name although they mentioned several receivers who didn't have the stats Marshall did, TO being among them. What a joke ESPN is. I mean he may not be the best in the NFL but I think Marshall right now deserves more of a mention than TO.

Broncos Hire McDaniels!!!!!!!!

Broncofan — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:03:51 -0000

Well, it looks like Bowlen has made his choice for HC. Just now on the news here in Colorado they reported it. I'm not sure what I think about this but I'm willin to jump in and support the guy. I am most interested to see who we get for a DC and what will happen to our offensive staff. I don't know what I want as far as the offensive staff goes but I definitely want a more aggressive defense. Has he said he can get Capers? If so, I wouldn't be against that. No matter who it is we still need major talent upgrades on that side of the ball.

My Uncertain Thoughts

Broncofan — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:02:58 -0000

After taking some time to reflect and deal with the shock of Shanny's firing, as well as reading all the post's since the event took place, I have had some thoughts that might be normal for most of us, and maybe they aren't. I just wanted to throw them out there and see what you all think.

We have all speculated and posted about the why and how of the Shanny firing, I am not sure if it is good or bad. On one hand I am shocked and dissappointed, on the other hand I am excited to see where we go from here. Bottom line is that I will support my beloved Broncos, NO MATTER WHAT. I'm not completley sure what I think yet but am also excited about the future. So here is what I saw this season and what I'd like to see in the offseason, you all give it a read and either agree or tear it apart at your leisure. LOL

This is what I felt at the end of the season before the Shanny firing. First, Slo needs to go, along with several defensive players. I am sick of watching Nate (I like to take a bad angle and then try to arm tackle backs up high) Webster play and he needs to be run out of town on a rail. I realize that Webster is not the sole reason our defense was so bad but it was pretty obvious that he was a big part of it after he came back and we were back to the same seivelike defense. ANY warm body would have been better IMO. Also I got really sick of seeing the corners give a 15 yard cushion on 3rd and 5-8. Who isn't going to convert that? This draft needs to be extremely heavy on defense and we can't afford too many misses. In my humble opinion we need a stud tackle and the meanest, baddest, nastiest MLB we can possibly find to restore some attitude to this D. Safety also is a need and I'm not totally sure what is out there, I like the way Barrett hits but he is a ways from being what I think he can be.

On offense, we are fine. Once we get some running backs back and healthy so we can run effectively and with power, we will be right where we want to be. Cutler will be better once he has the freedom to operate with a defense that doesn't make him feel like he has to score every possession.

I think special teams needs to become more of a priority, I don't know if it is O'Brien or just the fact that it hasn't been a huge priority among the higher-ups. That being said, I do think they were a little better this year.

Now for the Head Coaching change. I have read about all the speculation from bringing in Cowher to Brian Billick, also bringing in Pioli and a hot young coach. I was thinking that we had good talent evaluation with the Goodmans so I'm not sure Pioli would help. I know he is one of the best but the big name isn't always the answer. I'm just wondering if it was the Goodman's talent evaluation the last couple drafts or did we just get lucky? I don't know, maybe some of you know more about it and can clarify. If that is the case then we need to concentrate on the best coach we can get and let him coach. I have to admit, as a fan of smashmouth football, I am intrigued at the possibility of Cowher. I am a huge fan of playing nasty defense and cramming the ball down people's throats. However, one thing I loved about our Super Bowl teams is that we could kill you with the pass as well, If you keyed on the pass too much we could run it right up your left nostril, and if you wanted to stack the line we would go over you. We have that kind of offense now. I think we need that nasty defense to go with it. We need some players on defense that will get in your grill if you aren't there to win and play well. I think one thing I saw on defense this year was a little apathy, guys were ok with getting their arses handed to them. We had some rah rah guys but we need that guy that will rah rah when you get a sack but get in your grill when you miss your gap and give up a 15 yard run. Not to hammer Webster too much but I got tired of him celebrating one decent play when he totally screwed up on the previous 5 plays. It's like, "Nate it wouldn't be first and goal had you done your job earlier in the drive, you idiot." I remember when I was a freshman in high school and I played on a state champoinship team in a small town, every one of us conducted ourselves with class and worked our tails off in practice AND the games down to the last feshman on the team. Because if you didn't, the juniors and seniors on the team would put you against a locker after practice and send a clear message that if you are not here to win then you need to check your stuff in and leave. What we had was accountability not only from the coaches but the other players as well. That is harder to acheive on a high school team but is a definite must in the pro's to be successful. Anyway, back to the new HC, I'm not sure who I want, I hope we get better on defense and special teams no matter who we get for a coach. I guess I am disappointed that Shanny is gone, but am excited for change as well, I think Shanny is one of the best in the game but maybe it was time for a change? However it shakes out, it is going to be a really interesting offseason and I'm looking forward to it as there are many changes needed for out beloved Broncos. Hope you all enjoyed this post and have an awesome New Year!!!!

My Thoughts from a Mental Confidence Standpoint.

Broncofan — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:06:41 -0000

I have been reading the posts and just wanted to point out some of the positives that I saw last Sunday against the Jags. First, I thought the defense played admirably considering the positions the offense kept putting them in. There seems to be a pattern of toughness an heart emerging among the members of this team that I like. Obviously we are talking about a young team here and that brings about some hairpulling moments while one is watching the games themselves. I have pulled several out myself already this year. However I have seen a lot of good things considering how young we are overall, not only the players being youthful but a couple of the coaches as well.

First of all, our offense came out and shoved the ball right down the Jag's throat in our first drive, that is becoming a habit this year and I like it. The defense seems to be able to play decent when we can hold on to the ball and give them time between drives. I wonder how much of this comes in to play when they don't have much time on the sideline to discuss with coaches what happened on the last drive and what adjustments they might need to make. Maybe HT or styg could comment on this because as a coach I know that comes in to play some. Also in the second half of the Jags game the offense a couple of times couldn't hold onto the ball long enough to let the D rest. I really do think our D wasn't that bad Sunday, they were at least adequate and the special teams were much improved. Our coverage units had their best game of the year, as did the return units when they got the chance.

Now don't get me wrong, there are things I'd like to see us do more of, blitzing being one of them, but overall we were adequate on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously there is no quick fix or we would have stayed a Super Bowl contender since 98. I think we are ahead of schedule as far as the rebuild goes.

The thing I noticed the most last Sunday was the simple fact that we played hard, tough, physical football for 60 minutes. Sure we made some mistakes and we let the game get away but remember this is the same team that came in here and ABSOLUTLEY manhandled us last year. I guarantee you they felt lucky to leave Denver with a win this time. There was no manhandling going on this time, there was a young explosive team that made just enough mistakes to lose the game. That comes with the territory with a young team but I promise you Jacksonville knew they were in a football game and not a game of pattycake like we gave them last year. We had several games last year where we just packed it in and got killed. I haven't seen that yet this year and I hope I never see it again. Say what you want, our boys are leaving it all out on the field. We make enough mistakes to lose here and there but we are giving it all we have. I'm seeing that across the board this year and that, along with better talent (albeit young) is the difference between this team and the 07 Broncos. LOL I just hope I have SOME hair left before we get the next ring. Anyway just a few thoughts from a colorado redneck that bleeds Orange.

MHR RADIO PODCASTS

Broncofan — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:28:42 -0000

Hey guys, I've heard of the podcasts that you can subscribe to to hear past MHR Radio shows. Where would I find these? Also, does it cost anything to listen to them? I don't have a good enough connection to get MHR Radio live, it is frustrating me but I thought maybe I could listen to the podcast. Any information from those of you who know would be greatly appreciated. For some reason the connection on my new laptop isn't as good as the one on my old laptop. The show last night wasn't bad at the beginning but by the time the second hour started, I couldn't anything but a word or two here and there.

LOL......Stories from High Atop LALALand

Broncofan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:09:12 -0000

Just had to share this after yesterdays game. I've been as perplexed as most of us over the performance of the defense lately. Especially after the debacle in KC. As a coach I knew that I wanted to see a more active, fiesty defense. A defense with that little bit of Nasty that guys like Dennis Smith, Karl Mecklenberg, Steve Atwater, John Lynch and Al Wilson brought to our defense. But as a fan, I was at a loss as to what to do about it. I was pretty sure that putting a call in to Shanny would get me nowhere as would a call to Mr. Slowik. So I strained the superstitious, redneck, abstract part of my enormously small brain, which is buried inside of what my wife says is a gargantuanly thick skull. I finally came up with it. Buried deep in my closet I possess an orange and navy Bill Romanowski jersey. I have a friend who has a friend who works for the Broncos, and she got me the jersey along with a Bronco helmet. She did this for me in 2001 a couple months after we lost our little boy who was a huge Bronco fan (chip off the old block). The helmet has Brian Greise's autograph along with Cyron Brown, whoever #79 was that year (can't read the sig.) and my favorite one on the helmet is Eddie Mac's sig. But my favorite thing in that whole gift basket was the autographed Romo jersey that reads "In fond memory of Dyson, Bill Romanowski" As I was getting a migrain from straining my pea-sized brain I figured, what the heck, I'm already a bonafide member of LALALand, I might as well break the Romo jersey out for the TB game and see if it helps. The LALALand, redneck logic of this can only be understood by LALALand residents. Anyway, I wore the jersey for the first time ever for the TB game and you all know the result. LOL the defensive performance was obviously because of my totally well thought out and intelligent decision to wear the Romo jersey. I know Romo is classified as a shady character but you need that nasty attitude on a defense. Our Broncos brought it last Sunday. So I have officially fallen off my rocker but it is a great place to be if the Broncos keep it up.

I never used to be suspicious, but this all started in the first Super Bowl winning year. It's kind of a neat story so I'll tell it at the risk of boring you all completely to death. In that year, my wife was waiting tables at a local restaraunt. The owners were huge Bronco fans and would close the restaraunt down to host Bronco parties every year that year. In the first playoff game the woman who owned the place offered to cook me my favorite dish when I got there. This was no small task as the kitchen was closed and my favorite meal was Chicken Fried Steak with Fried Spaghetti. Well, the Broncos won. So she did it the next week and for every playoff game that year as well as the Super Bowl. You know the result. So, even though we had moved and lived an hour away the next year, my wife and I came back and attended every playoff game the next year as well, including me eating the special meal. BOOM another Super Bowl victory. I haven't done that since and promise to pick it up as soon as the Broncos make the playoffs again (this year; GO BRONCOS!!!!). Anyway, that story will give you a little insight as to why I am superstitious now.

In light of all that (are you bored yet?) I vow to wear the Romo jersey every game day from now until the Broncos win another Super Bowl. LOL I just hope I can get it dry cleaned so as not to wash the Sig. off. There, now you all know that I am doing my very best as an official diehard Bronco fan and a bonafide member of LALALand to ensure that we win another SEVERAL Super Bowl's.

So long to all my Bronco Brethren who live in the real world, come see me in LALALand some time. LOL

Comforting INFO Concerning Jay's Diabetes

Broncofan — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:25:14 -0000

Hey guys, I found out some good info on how they are managing Jay's Diabetes. Just wanted to share it. My wife Diabetes is being managed by a Doctor at the Barbara Davis Center in Denver. They are world renowned for their cutting edge research and treatment of Diabetes. She has found out that he wears a watch that checks his blood sugars every MINUTE, if the sugar levels even get close to the edge of the range an alarm goes off and it won't quit until the levels are taken care of. We know these are effective because my wife was in on the testing phase of these several years ago. They have now been completely perfected and have proven invaluable to many diabetics across the world. The only reason my wife doesn't have one is because insurance won't cover them yet. The bonus is that she has been given all the test results and research data on the watch. Hope this gives you all confidence that Jay is getting the best treatment possible and is being monitored as close as he possibly can be during games. I suppose there could be circumstances where it could cause him to miss a few plays but I would say that would be highly unlikely unless he was sick with flu or something that would jack his sugar levels up. According to my wife they probably run his sugars a bit on the high side of the range during games to give him a little cushion, but they are probably careful to get them back in the middle as soon as the game is over. This wouldn't do any long term damage to his health and gives them a cushion if he did have a drastic drop during the game. But to clarify, a drastic drop would be caused by some extenuating circumstances such as a flu bug or something of that nature. The normal range you shoot for is blood sugar levels between 60 and 140, they are most likely keeping Jay's above 90 during games. You do not feel the effects of low blood sugar levels at 90. I know from experience a half of a 12 ounce soda will take my wife from 40 to around 120 in 15 minutes, an IV can do this within about 2 minutes. Then you would eat something with protein to maintain that level. Anyway, I'm not trying to cause an argument just getting some good info out there for any of you that may be concerned and don't necessarily understand the disease. Hope this helps and here is to Jay having a monster year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!!!

Broncofan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:21:40 -0000

What a night last night was. I'm so pumped, I can't beleive it. I just have to point out one thing I noticed that may have been overshadowed a bit by Royal w/Cheese's debut. I know we all expected Cutler to have a breakout year as far as his play but one thing I noticed was his poise and demeanor throughout the game. We all knew Cutler was going to be special and I fully expected the kind of play he displayed last night. However, his leadership was extremely impressive all game long. We saw his willingness to take a leadership role in the offseason when he got after Marshall, but the leadership he displayed last night was awesome. His quiet confidence wasn't so quiet when you take his body language into account. What I saw last night was a man with confidence oozing from every pore. Not a cocky or arrogant confidence, but a determined, whatever it takes to win confidence. You could see it in his face as well as his body. I haven't seen that since (dare I say it?) Elway. This is no longer a rising young star, Cutler is a young field general with the poise and intense competitiveness of a seasoned veteran. From his quiet confidence to his jumping on Nate Jackson when he dropped a pass that hit him right in the hands last night, I was taken aback by Cutler's leadership throughout the game. Like I said earlier, I knew he was going to be good this year, but I have a sense that we could be about to witness greatness. Not since Elway have I seen this kind of competitiveness and leadership from the QB position in Denver. Even though his play was outstanding and Royal was totally dominant, I saw something else last night, I saw the intangibles that make the difference between very good and absolute greatness. The kind of intangibles that enable a man to put a team on his back and take them wherever he desires, intangibles that enable a man to will his team to victory under any circumstances. With the talent around him, Cutler will wildly exceed all of our expectations and then some. There were a lot of great things about last nights game, but this stood out to me the most. With all that being said, I don't think it is too far out of the question to say that we've at least got to be considered a dark horse for the Super Bowl, this year. LOL Zappa and Mike Clark, I'm joining you fellas in lala land, and it is a sweet place to be. You guys might not be so nuts afterall.

Damm Inlaws...........LOL

Broncofan — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:43:39 -0000

I just wanted to share an ongoing battle I have had over the years with my Brother-in-law(hereafter referred to as the EBIL, evil brother-in-law) who lives in Minneappolis, Minnesota.

It started when I married my wife 13 years ago. The EBIL started giving me heck about my Broncos all the time even though his Vikings weren't the greatest back then either. I always got phone calls whenever the Broncos lost. Keep in mind it was lighthearted fun stuff and has remained that way ever since. Anyway, I started to return the favor whenever possible. Whenever the Vikings lost he would get a phone call, if he wasn't home I would use up the entire message time going on and on about how awful the vikings were. The pranks started in 2001, the EBIL and his family were out here in Colorado visiting and he was running his mouth as usual about the decline of my beloved Broncos. Well, one afternoon when we were running around town so our wives could shop, I ran across some Bronco sticker packets. I managed to buy them without him seeing me and when we got back home, I stuck them all over his company laptop. Then later on we asked him to look something up on the internet for us so we could all see his reaction. It was priceless. LOL

We live on a ranch in SE Colorado and have chickens, it was the chickens that provided his opportunity to get even with me. He managed to catch one of the white ones and spray painted it purple and yellow. He was pretty proud of himself and I vowed to get even. One of his sons wore a Randy Moss jersey. One evening I got into his son's suitcase and stole the jersey, wrote loser and other unkind words pertaining to Mr. Moss in permanant marker. The next day the kid was all upset so I offered to replace the jersey. I took the kid to town and bought him a much better jersey than he had before, an Eddie Mac jersey.

LOL, other than the phone calls, the fued stayed right there until the next visit from the EBIL and his family. About 2004 they were out to see us one summer and he painted my cattle working chute purple and yellow. I let that one go as he was on his toes and waiting for me to pull something. I bided my time and the next winter when we were out visiting the EBIL, I got to know one of his neighbors pretty well and offered to pay him once every few months to apply a Broncos bumper sticker to the EBIL's car. The neighbor agreed and so every few months I get a call from the EBIL trying to figure out how I am getting this done.

LOL I have a master plan to end it once and for all but I need the Broncos to win the Super Bowl again. Since he lives in the city, I think this plan will be the final humiliation for him. I intend to paint an adult chicken blue and orange and have it shipped right to his office where he is a claims manager for progressive. I have checked this out thoroughly and it can be done, all I need is for the Broncos to win the Super Bowl again. So the sooner our Broncos can win it the better, that'll be a great year!!!!!!!!!

I would be interested to hear about anybody elses personal prank battles in defense of out beloved Broncos.