SB Nation User Blog: John Bena

Bengals WR Chris Henry passes away

John Bena — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:01:05 -0000

ESPN.com is reporting that Cincinnati Bengals WR Chris Henry has died from injuries suffered when he fell out of the back of a truck during a domestic dispute with his fiance. He was 26.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry died Thursday, one day after suffering injures in a fall from the back of a pickup truck, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said. He was 26.

Police on Wednesday described the incident as a domestic dispute with his fiancée. Henry was found in the road about eight miles north of downtown Charlotte.

While this website focuses on the Broncos, it seems relevant to take notice anytime that something tragic, and senseless, like this happens within the NFL. We are coming up on a tragic anniversary of our own in a couple weeks, which makes this even more saddening.

Our thoughts go out to Chris Henry's family, friends, the Cincinnati Bengals and their fans as the reality of this tragedy sets in.

Brandon Marshall named AFC Player of the Week

John Bena — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:31:29 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall, left, catches a pass over Indianapolis Colts safety Tim Jennings for a touchdown 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)

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall will be named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for games played during the 14th week (Dec. 10-14) of the 2009 season, the National Football League informed the Broncos on Tuesday.

Marshall's selection as AFC Offensive Player of the Week is the second such award of his four-year NFL career. He also received the honor for his effort in Week 2 of the 2008 season against San Diego.

During Denver's game at Indianapolis on Sunday, Marshall posted an NFL-record 21 receptions for a career-high 200 yards with two touchdowns. His 21 catches surpassed Terrell Owens' previous league record of 20 receptions, which he totaled for San Francisco vs. Chicago on Dec. 17, 2000.

Below are a few notes on Marshall's performance against Indianapolis:

His NFL-record 21 catches vs. Indianapolis give him two of the top-four single-game receiving totals in NFL history. His 18 grabs (166 yds., 1 TD) vs. San Diego on Sept. 14, 2008, tie for the third-highest single-game total in NFL annals.
His 21 catches represented his eighth career game with at least 10 receptions, marking the most by a player through his first four seasons in NFL history.
The former University of Central Florida star was targeted 28 times, which represented the highest such total in the NFL since at least the 1994 season.
His 12 receiving first downs were the most by an NFL player in four seasons and tied for the fourth-highest total in the league since at least the 1994 season.
His 200 receiving yards represented the third-highest total by a Bronco in club history and were the highest total by a Denver player in five seasons (Rod Smith, 208 yds., vs. Atl., 10/31/04) as well as the highest total by an AFC player this year.

Marshall is Denver's fifth AFC Player of the Week winner this season, joining cornerback Champ Bailey (Wk. 4 vs. Dallas), quarterback Kyle Orton (Wk. 5 vs. New England), wide receiver/returner Eddie Royal (Wk. 6 at San Diego) and kicker Matt Prater (Wk. 12 vs. N.Y. Giants). He is Denver's 45th AFC Offensive Player of the Week winner since the award was initiated by the NFL in 1984.

Darcel McBath to IR, Broncos sign Vernon Fox

John Bena — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:50:16 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

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The Broncos lost more than a game in Indianapolis yesterday; they lost a promising rookie for the season as well.

Broncos HC Josh McDaniels announced during his weekly Monday Presser that Rookie S Darcel McBath was placed on Injured Reserve with a broken arm suffered in the 2nd half against the Colts. Wasting no time, the team brought back DB Vernon Fox to replace McBath on the 53-man roster.

McBath was playing well - both on Special Teams and on defense whether playing for Brian Dawkins or Renaldo Hill.

On the season, McBath had 2 interceptions to go along with 13 tackles.

Brandon Marshall talks about his 21-catch game against the Colts

John Bena — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:24:51 -0000

Brandon Marshall talks about his 21-catch game against the Colts

Broncos-Eagles kickoff time changed

John Bena — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:28:27 -0000

Broncos-Eagles kickoff time changed

The Broncos-Eagles game did not get "flexed" into primetime, but the Dec. 27 game — a key outing in both teams’ playoff races — will now kick off at 2:15 p.m.

The game had been scheduled for a 11 a.m. kickoff.

The Eagles (9-4) lead the NFC East while the Broncos (8-5) are trying to keep their grasp on one of the AFC’s two Wild Card slots. The Broncos face the Raiders this Sunday in Invesco Field at Mile High.

Miss the game? Here are each one of Brandon Marshall's NFL-Record 21 catches.

John Bena — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:52:06 -0000

Miss the game? Here are each one of Brandon Marshall's NFL-Record 21 catches.

Potent Quotables - Colts 28 - Broncos 16

John Bena — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:35:53 -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)

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HC JOSH MCDANIELS

(opening comments)
"Start out with giving credit to the Colts. They certainly set the bar here in the AFC. We found out why when you play sixty minutes and make the mistakes we made today it is going to be difficult to beat a winning, top-caliber football team that plays well under pressure. That team is extremely well coaches, Coach Caldwell and his staff do a great job and I want to give them credit today- they forced us in to making a lot of mistakes in situations that ultimately determined the outcome of the game."

(on whether it was the game plan to throw to WR Brandon Marshall so much)
"It is part of it but not necessarily the game plan to throw it to him that many times. We knew we'd have our chances to get the ball outside to the receivers. It just so happened to be Brandon a lot more than usual."

(on costly mistakes)
"You can't set yourself back the way we did today. We had a few third and short opportunities there and end up with third and six- whether it is a delay or false start. There was also that big penalty in the two minute offense right before the half that put us with the ball instead of on the fifty on the thirty-five. You can't give them yards and opportunities because they take advantage of them. We knew that coming in that they are the best team in football at taking advantage of your mistakes and they did that."

(on the Colts Defense getting multiple short yardage stops)
"They got penetration. That is something that if you are going to create a hole or a running lane there-you go off tackle- you're going to have to stop the penetration. They did a great job today of getting in the backfield on a couple of those third and one's. They did that a few other times too. Those big plays on those third and one's was all because of penetration."

(on the WR Brandon Marshall's twenty-one catches)
"He played hard. I think everybody on our team played hard today. Brandon had a lot of productivity. That's great but I'm sure he would trade a bunch of that productivity for a victory today. Again, individual things are great but we are looking for team accomplishments."

QB-KYLE ORTON

(on being down 14-0 early)
"Certainly not the start we wanted to get off to, we thought going in we'd be right with them all the way to the fourth quarter and we end up doing that. We'd talked all week about finishing every play and finishing every opportunity. Certainly, we didn't do that and kind of ended up like five or six other teams in the same situation-losing late in the fourth quarter to a great team."

(on the possibility of meeting the colts again in the play-offs)
"Well, we know where we need to go. They are clearly the class of the AFC and I'd love to see them again. Right now, we are just focused on getting to that point. Where we can finish those plays, finish those drives, finish those games, and compete."

(on the Red Zone being the strength of the Colts Defense)
"That is where their speed shows up, their defensive ends get so much. That's when you've still got a timing issue because the defensive ends are coming at you and creating a lot of pressure and they've got that much less of a space to defend. It's a very good defense in the red zone- we knew we were going to have to be on top of our game and didn't capitalize."

(on WR Brandon Marshall's twenty-one catches)
"In his case, it means a lot. He got into a rhythm and we got into a rhythm together. We were going after them and he kept making plays so I kept feeding it to him."

WR-BRANDON MARSHALL

(on the game being bitter sweet)
"I believe it is one of those games where whenever you accomplish something like that it definitely feels good but at the end of the day we have one goal. Our ultimate goal is to win games. I would definitely trade in a couple of those catches for a win anytime. So, yes it is bitter sweet."

(on the possibility of meeting the Colts again in the play-offs)
"I don't know about beating them, but we definitely saw today if we play our best and eliminate the mistakes we have a shot to play with the best of them. We can walk away with our heads held high today."

(on being down 14-0 early)
"It is scary! It is scary when you have Peyton Manning over there leading the offense and you're down. It is a scary feeling but with the character, the leaders we have on this team, the character we have in the locker room, we can't do anything but keep going."

(on giving a ball to a fan)
"Before the game I just felt her spirit and her vibe. She had my jersey on and that's always a good feeling being on the road and seeing your jersey in the stands. My fans have been behind me through everything I've been through and seen me grow. For them to still support me means a lot to me."

WR-BRANDON STOKLEY

(on Brandon Marshall's play)
"Those days just happen. You don't plan for them. They just happen. He made some great catches for us and he really kept us in the game."

(on making mistakes against the Colts)
"You can't do it if you want to win. You can't make those mistakes against a good team like this and expect to win the game. Every time we made a mistake, they made us pay for it. Also, we can't settle for field goals. You got to score touchdowns. A couple of times we had to settle for field goals and it always comes back to bite you."

RB KNOWSHON MORENO

(on lost opportunities)
"There were definitely a lot of opportunities out there, but we played a really good team. Unfortunately, we didn't come out with a win."

(on frustration of defense giving the offense extra chances)
"It's definitely frustrating, but you've got to give it to them. They flew around today and made some big plays on defense, and we didn't capitalize on our opportunities. Our defense played really well for us to keep us in the game so now we've got to get back to work."

DL KENNY PETERSON

(on making the Colts offense look ordinary in the 2nd and 3rd quarters)
"We just calmed down and played our game and everyone was playing together. We got them off their spot a little bit and pressured him (Peyton Manning) and shut them down a little bit."

(on giving the Denver offense a chance with the three turnovers)
"It's a team game. Games that they don't play as well we pick them up and they do vice-versa. It's a tough one. At the end of the day we got a loss."

(on having the chance to win and not capitalizing)
"It's the Colts. Now we know how to play in this league. They are a barometer of a good team in this league. Now we know where we got to go. We know where we got to go and what we got to do."

OLB/DE MARIO HAGGAN

(on what they did different defensively in the 2nd and 3rd quarters)
"We just had to calm down and play our type of game. We were just making small mistakes. Once we got that going and started playing our style of defense we made some things happen. We just came up a few plays short."

(on making Peyton Manning look ordinary for a part of the game)
"I wouldn't say ordinary. He's an elite quarterback. We made him do some things that are out of his character. We feel like we have a great defense. We feel like we can play with anybody. He just came up as elite quarterbacks do and made the plays when they count."

(on the 4th quarter drive that put the game away)
"Definitely. The Colts, they trust him (Peyton Manning) and thats why he's Peyton Manning. First ballot guy in my opinion. Once again we just have to keep fighting and have to give our hats off to them. They played well. They did the things to win. We just have to go back, look at the film, see what we did wrong and get ready for Oakland."

OLB/DE DARRELL REID

(on getting a piece of the ball on an interception)
"I don't know much else I did today."

(on the difference defensively after the Colts jumped out to the early lead)
"We tightened down. I think coach (Mike) Nolan did a great job of mixing up the calls and getting guys opportunities. I think they tightened down on the back end. We tried to get to the spot, get a little pressure on Peyton (Manning). I know Robert Ayers had a hit on him early. A couple tipped balls caused a couple interceptions. It's tough. You get a couple stops and they come right back and he is right back at it hitting (Reggie) Wayne and (Dallas) Clark."

(on there being a moral victory since the Broncos hung with the Colts who are undefeated)
"At 21-0 the game could have gotten ugly at that point. So, you walk away with a little pride that we hung in there even though we were down early and didn't give up and kept fighting. You can't make the mistakes we made today and beat that team. They set the bar in this league. They are the best team in this league. They proved that again today."

CB TY LAW

(on disappointment with the loss)
"It was very disappointing because I think when you into the game with high expectations. We felt very confident coming in that if we do what we were supposed to do that we could win the ballgame. But, you know, you got to give those guys credit. What else can you say? They are the standard for the NFL along with New Orleans. We played with them, but we just didn't play long enough to win."

(on his team's slow start on defense)
"It's just about us getting into the rhythm defensively. It's always those first couple of series. You're getting warmed up and things like that. But they were just on it better than we were and we gave them too much cushion."

Colts 28 - Broncos 16 - Colts remain undefeated as Broncos miss opportunities

John Bena — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:05:22 -0000

FINAL

Category	Broncos	Colts
Score	16	28
Rushing Yards	95	92
Passing Yards	262	220
Total Yards	357	312
3rd Down Conversions	6-17	9-16
T.O.P	31:27	28:33
Turnovers	1	3
Red Zone	2-4	4-4

Here are the final numbers. Talk about the game. This one stings, to be sure, because the Broncos had their chances - but as this team continues to grow, and tries to get into the playoffs, this is a growth opportunity as well. The Broncos could have folded, down 21-0 early in the 2nd Quarter, and been embarrassed by the Colts. They didn't. They fought for 60 minutes. The Colts were better, and they won the game.

Each week we learn a little more about these Broncos, what they are, and what they will become as Josh McDaniels continues to build the roster in his image. Anyone not like what they see?

Congrats to Brandon Marshall for breaking Terrell Owens' single-game receptions record with 21 passes caught. Marshall was a Beast today. Kyle Orton played well, and the defense was awesome after a slow start. Too many missed opportunities, however, in short-yardage situations, to go along with sloppy game-management at times was too much to overcome when playing a team like the Colts, a quarterback like Peyton Manning.

Again, I know there is frustration, but I feel good about the BIG PICTURE.

Brandon Marshall breaks single-game catch record in loss

John Bena — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:06:53 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

4 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) goes in for a five-yard touchdown-reception while being defended by Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea (41) and safety Tim Jennings (23) during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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Brandon Marshall nearly broke the NFL's single-game catch record last season against San Diego. That day, Marshall had to settle for a team-record 18 receptions. He didn't stop short today. Marshall caught 21 passes, good for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Broncos fell short in Indianapolis 28-16.

The record, while one to be proud of, rings a bit hollow because of the loss; but it is impressive nonetheless. Marshall now has 86 catches for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns on the season.

Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts 4th Quarter Open Thread

John Bena — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:30:41 -0000

Start of 4th Quarter

Category	Broncos	Colts
Score	7	21
Rushing Yards	90	65
Passing Yards	198	165
Total Yards	288	230
3rd Down Conversions	4-13	6-11
T.O.P	25:59	19:01
Turnovers	1	3
Red Zone	1-2	3-3

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