Recently, Knowshon Moreno has taken a lot of heat.  His lack of big play ability seems to be the main target to these criticisms.  All of these criticisms inspired me to compare Knowshon's stats in his 2nd year with those of LaDainian Tomlinson.  I also took into account the number of years of experience both players' offensive lines had.

Rushing Stats--LaDainian Tomlinson

Games    16

Attempts    372

Yards    1,683

Yds/Game    105.2

Avg    4.5

TD    14

Rushing Stats--Knowshon Moreno

Games    13

Attempts    182

Yards    779

Yds/Game    59.9

Avg    4.3

TD    5

Just looking at the rushing stats between the two, three categories jumped out at me:  attempts, average, and touchdowns.  Tomlinson, in his second year, had twice as many touches as Knowshon did.  Twice as many!  I think that if it ever appeared as if Moreno had disappeared from the game, this would be the reason why.  When a running back plays 13 games and only gets 182 touches, that certainly isn't his fault.  As we know, the offensive line was young and trying to find their chemistry; we had a coach that liked to throw the football, for more than half the year.  Add these two components together and there you have it--a 1st round running back, in his 2nd year that only got 182 rushes this year.

The next stat that jumped out at me was the averages.  Despite Moreno's limited rushing attempts, he still managed to keep his average yds/carry just two tenths below Tomlinson's.  If he was having that much success running the ball, why wouldn't we keep feeding the rock?  This is obviously the part where the playcalling comes into play as well. 

Finally, the touchdowns.  This is very concerning to me, but then again, I guess that was what LenDale White was for.  Then he went down and it was up to Laurence Maroney.  However, when a team is in the red zone, running the football becomes extremely important.  There is a smaller amount of space for WRs to run their routes, therefore, the end zone and the sidelines are acting like a 12th defender.  If you run the ball, you take that 12th man out of the equation.  The lack of Moreno's rushing touchdowns could be a result of two components: despite the 12th man in the red zone, Denver still wanted to pass the ball OR we couldn't run the football in the red zone because teams can put extra defenders on the line to defend the run (using the 12th man to their advantage).  I think it was a combination of the two.  Once Denver got up against the extra defensive lineman, it was tougher to run the ball, so in effect, we were forced to pass.  This would definitely account for Moreno's lack of touchdowns.

Offensive Line Experience--San Diego Chargers

RT    Vaughn Parker    8 yrs

RG    Toniu Fonoti    0 yrs

C    Jason Ball    0 yrs

LG    Bob Hallen    4 yrs

LT    Damion McIntosh    2 yrs

Total years of experience: 14 years

Offensive Line Experience--Denver Broncos

RT    Ryan Harris    3 yrs

RG    Chris Kuper    4 yrs

C    J.D. Walton    0 yrs

LG    Zane Beadles    0 yrs   

LT    Ryan Clady    2 yrs

Total years of experience: 9 years

So between the two offensive lines, the Chargers had the edge by 5 years of experience.  However, both teams had two rookies on their lines.  The biggest difference though, is that the Chargers's most experienced lineman had 8 years of experience while Denver's had 4 years.  It will be interesting to see how our offensive line holds up next year and whether or not the new head coach is going to bring a power or zone blocking scheme.

Conclusions

I think that Knowshon Moreno had a frustrating 2010-2011 season, not because he did not perform well, but because he wasn't given enough opportunities to make plays.  If he was given more attempts, his numbers would have increased and Denver could have won a few more games.  I do however, think that we need to draft another RB to spell Moreno because I think that our backfield lacks speed.

Whoever the new coach is, I also hope that they retain LenDale White, or if they don't, at least acquire a power back and get some sort of backfield together that looks like the Wisconsin Badgers's backfield.  Acquiring two backs that can share the load with Moreno, I believe, could do wonders for this team and for whoever the quarterback is...be it Tebow or Andrew Luck (darn, almost made it through the post without mentioning either one).  If the new staff wants to keep Lance Ball, I would not have a problem with that, because he seems to have good skills for the position.  I still think we need one more RB, so that Moreno can stay off the inactive list along with the other backs.  With a three-back system and an offensive line that will gain another year of experience, I think that this team will have no troubles running the football next year.

Not much to say, except, Denver is now officially not going to be in the playoffs this year (once again).  I guess it's time to move on...

I don't want to make any trades of players, because with four games left, anything can happen, so I will just make trades within the draft.

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Living on the East Coast, I do not get to see many Broncos games on television - that is why the Monday Night Football game was of extreme importance to me.  Even though Denver did not win, I used this time to think about the Broncos.  During the Monday Nigh Football game, I came to terms with Denver's defensive problems.  I did not analyze players' abilities, but I did find some general problems such as continuity.  I realized that part of the reason why San Diego's defense is so good is because they have had the same defensive coordinator for the last four years; their defense has had continuity.

I also thought about Denver's first offensive drive.  Josh McDaniels used the play action and ran the ball; it was a balanced drive.  Everything was clicking - the offensive line was holding its blocks, Orton looked accurate and mobile in the pocket, and Moreno looked sharp.  I was hoping that they would drop 50 points.

Then came the other drives.  The play action lost its spark/effectiveness; the screens McDaniels used were sniffed out; the running game was abandoned (but this was a result of falling behind) and dissolved.  Orton was sacked a lot more in this game and it seemed like the wide receivers were not as sharp in this game; besides that first drive, the offense was not playing complimentary football.

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With the way Denver has been playing, I believe that the 2010-11 season has lost its potential for a Broncos' playoff berth.  Just because Denver will most likely not enter the playoffs, does not mean that we cannot look for improvement and set certain goals for the team.  Each NFL team has sixteen games, so the season can be sliced into four quarters for each team.  Denver went 2-2 in the first quarter of the season; through the second: 0-4.  With eight games left, half of the season, I want to set a few goals for the team - or at least show what I want to see from Denver.

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We are only days away from Broncos' football.  Sure, only preseason action, but after many months of no football, anything will do.  Obviously it does not matter if we win or lose; but sure a win would be nice.  Anyway, unlike the regular season, the preseason actually is a time for players to focus on themselves.  Everyone who steps on the field is trying to make the team, even though some players already have a niche on the team.  The preseason is focused on team depth and this is usually the time when "sleeper players" are discovered.  It's also the time to see how replacement players will handle their new roles.  Obviously we have plenty to look for in this area.

The preseason, for me, is like an appetizer.  We get to see how some players are handling the new offense, how the defensive blitzing schemes have changed, and how the rookies are adjusting to the NFL.  The preseason is also a time to speculate, but this time, we have game notes to help instead of relying on projections.  But, it is still early in the year, and too much speculation can be deadly.  Keeping a level-head in the preseason can be tough since we are not sure if poor play is a result of "rust" or if it should be a concern.  Last year's first preseason game against the Niners is a good example.  The thread went crazy when Kyle Orton drove the team all the way down the field but then throw a red zone INT.  Then to make matters worse, he threw two more.  Everyone kept saying that we were doomed, including myself.  I supported Orton throughout the year but was extremely worried on how he would handle the new offensive system.  So obviously, the first preseason game cannot be used as a sample for the rest of the season, since Orton would go on to have his best season ever.  So, my standards for the first preseason game are not too high.  With this in mind, here is who I am watching for:

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With Darrele Revis, Chad Ochocinco, Vincent Jackson, and Marcus McNeil all making noise about their current contract situations, I thought that it would be a good idea to consider the perspectives of players and teams.  As we all know, athletes, especially the four mentioned above have a right to make considerable amounts of money because of the hard work and dedication to the game of football they displayed.  This is where it gets difficult.  Once players have been drafted by an NFL team, they feel less pressure to accomplish their dream of making it to the pros, but then the pressure to perform hits them, especially if you're a first round pick.  For me, it is hard to understand why an athlete would want to hurt their team because they aren't paying them enough money.  Sure, when you're putting your body on the line for a team, you're going to want a lot of money, but since when is $1 million not a lot of money.  Instead, we have players sitting out of mini camps because they are unhappy with their current contract situation.  We now have teams spending money like our government is right now.  

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Over the past few days, I have noticed that Robert Ayers has been held out of the first team reps.  Obviously, since I am not the head coach or anyone who is close to running the franchise, I have no idea what has transpired in order to "demote" him.  But, seeing as I'm a fan, sharing my opinion with other fans seems to be the logical way to "vent" about this.  It's also true that this theory is not true but an opinion.  I only say this in order to avoid any criticism which is always inevitable.  So without further adieu, I give you my theories for why Robert Ayers has not been practicing with the first team.

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I just read on espn.com that Anquan Boldin was traded to the Ravens...not quite sure what the ravens gave up for him but what a pick-up for them.

They are big-time SB contenders next year.  Well, I guess we won't be trading for Boldin...oh well...

I don't like the idea of Marshall to seattle...who are we going to get from them?  Maybe if they included Houshmanzadeh, but I doubt they would give him up...

Well, after one of my, "not-so-good" mock drafts, I have decided to "redo" my third version.  You could call it "Version 4.0", but my last mock was so bad that I had to delete it.  Maybe you could call it Version 3.1, I don't know, it's up to you. 

I hope that this mock doesn't get hounded like the last one did.  After "bad-mock-3.0" I've decided to write a little bit more about each pick and since my computer has finally decided to let me put pictures on my posts, this mock could pack some punch...doubt it though :).  Below the pictures I will summarize the scouting report on the players which can be found at nfldraftscout.com (cbssports.com).  So before I forget what this post is all about, here is the, hopefully, much better Mock Draft Version 3.0 

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With free agency peeking it's head around the corner, I am still making these picks with a bit of uncertainty.  Like my last draft, I am still not going to have any trades.  So without further adieu...

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Well, many weeks of the off-season have passed and so far, it hasn't been "super" eventful for the Broncos.  I sure could use the stability and lack of stress.  I am actually a little happy that we didn't make the play-offs because we have more time to address our needs and think things out.  Obviously a trip to the play-offs would've been nice, but 1.) we probably would've lost in the wild card round and 2.) teams that make the play-offs are limited in free agency.  I think we all know that this team still needs some veterans and another rookie class to make a play-off push.

I remember John (Bena) saying on a certain MHR Radio Show that this team had problems in the draft the last few years Shanny was still our coach.  I totally agree with that statement.  If they had drafted well, then the players from the 2004 and 2005 draft would be entering their prime and this team might not be in re-building mode.  Well, I guess if it wasn't for the bad drafting from previous years, then Shanny never would've been fired, McDaniels never would've been hired, and the Denver Broncos wouldn't be trying to establish an ACTUAL TEAM.  They would still be a team all about the individual which obviously doesn't win games.  Sure, the Chargers are kind of like this, but our team is still more "individualized"...for now.  Once next year begins, I think that this team will have turned things around and will be getting back into the habit of winning games, especially IMPORTANT games.

Okay, enough of the "pre-post stuff".  Onto the business...

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In my honest opinion, I think that there are three ways to win football games in the National Football League with most teams using two of the three ways.  I have formed these opinions based on the research/data compilation coming from this site and from watching many football games.  I believe that teams can win football games consistently with two combinations of two different types: 1) By running the football and stopping the run, and 2) by passing the football (which includes scoring a lot of points) and forcing turnovers.  The third way to consistently win football games, which is much harder, is to have a good offense and a good defense, which takes many years to build up to...just ask the Colts.

The two easier ways are used more by NFL teams because organizations, usually, concentrate on one area in the draft and use free agency to secure the other side of the ball...just ask the Saints.  To prove my theories, I gathered research about the 12 teams that made the play-offs, which is every teams' goal not omitting the Broncos.  First I categorized all the teams into one of the two types of strategies.  If the team was a category 1 type, then I looked at their average rushing yards per game, their average rushing yards allowed per game, and their average points allowed per game; if they were a category 2 type, I used their average passing yards per game, their average points scored per game, and their turnover ratio.  I gave the Jets, Bengals, Ravens, and Cowboys category 1 status and all the other teams are category 2.  I couldn't find rankings for turnover ratio, so I just gave you the teams' actual turnover ratio.    Here are the results:  

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 I am, by far, no expert at the draft with this being my first mock draft...Whew!  I am already nervous!  I have a fair idea of where the team needs to improve, I'm just not sure which position takes precedent over the other.  But that is what mock drafts are for right?  So, before I forget what this post is supposed to encompass, here is my first, official mock draft.

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After the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that pushed Denver out of the play-offs, I decided to make a series of posts every Sunday (that will probably not happen EVERY Sunday).  This episode is coming a little late but it'll do.  After a long break from my school-work, I will be going back in a few days.  I remember how confident I was that this team was play-off bound.  Now, I look at my past thoughts and laugh at myself for not seeing how hard it is for this team to actually make the play-offs.

But, let's look at it this way.  Even if Denver had pulled out a victory, they still wouldn't have gone to the play-offs because the Jets won their game.  Congratulations to the Ravens and Jets for their accomplishments this season.  They played like play-off teams and they deserve to be in the play-offs.  They got the job done when it counted and Denver didn't.  Denver is heading in the right direction, but they need to continue to go in the right direction if they want to make it into the play-offs.

I believe that sitting Marshall on Sunday was the right thing to do.  You can't have a player like Marshall running the locker room.  Oh, and from what I've heard, it wasn't McDaniels' decision to sit players because they weren't being accountable.  It's of my knowledge that the team leaders wanted McDaniels to sit those players.  I know the media will still be ALL OVER McDaniels and his decision; but we can't change the past and must move forward.  Now, onto my thoughts, concerns, & desires for this week.

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With the season on the verge of ending, it's time to look towards the draft and evaluate some of the personnel.  Obviously one of the most important positions on the field is the QB position.  A team needs all positions to be good in order to win, but some positions are more important than others.  Despite Kyle's "fairly good" season, there have been calls to draft a QB in the upcoming draft.  I do admit, Kyle does have some areas where he needs work, but there are other positions that need more of an upgrade.  This has been Kyle's career high in terms of TDs and his career low in INTs (so far).  This is what KO's stats have been like this year:

14 GS    *304 Comp    *485 Att    *62.7 Pct    *3,371 YDS    *7.0 AVG    *20 TD    *9 INT    27 Sck    *89.3 Rate

The asterik ( * ) means that it is his career high.  His interceptions could still go up, but he would have to throw three more to tie his second lowest total.  Kyle has definitely not been bad this year.  If Denver drafts more offensive lineman to protect Orton that can also provide a better running game, then his numbers will continue to increase. 

Not to mention the team will have completed their first year under McDaniels' new system.  This means that the whole team will know McDaniels playbook and it will open up a bit more, allowing Orton to take some shots down the field.  Yes, that's right...Orton CAN throw the ball deep.  In case you haven't noticed, McDaniels doesn't call that many deep passes.  He does this, not because he believes that Orton's arm isn't strong enough, but because the offensive line won't give Orton the amount of time required to throw the ball deep.  So after this year's draft, when Denver has restocked it's o-line, and the whole team has a chance to learn the playbook even more, then we'll see the playbook open up and see some more of the passing attack that we saw while McD was in New England.  Obviously this team will have more of a running game, but that will set up the pass which will allow the team to be even more successful.

The one concern I have about Kyle Orton is his ability to move around in the pocket.  In the Philly game he had one nice run, but failed to pick up the first down.  I have seen...NUMEROUS TIMES...Ben Roethlisberger make plays in situations like those.  Instead of running the ball for the first down, he moves, laterally, outside the pocket, keeps his eyes down field, and finds the open receiver to pick up the first down.  I cannot tell you how many times I've seen that guy do just that.  IMHO, that one trait makes Roethlisberger one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

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During the Philadelphia game, I noticed that McDaniels called A LOT of screen plays.  Even the commentators noticed this as well.  The screens would work sometimes, but most of the time, they were stuffed, they lost yardage, or they gained very little yards.  The redundant screen calls were annoying the heck out of me.  I'm almost positive that our team called a screen play on every drive!  When the team got the ball at or near the 50 yard line, on their last three possessions, they had trouble moving the ball because the screen plays weren't working.  They would lose yardage, giving the team long yard situations to convert...which is hard for ANY TEAM to do, not just the Denver Broncos.  

This is an Amoeba offense, from what I've heard, so if the screens weren't working, why did McDaniels keep calling them?   

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I didn't see one on the home page yet, so I thought I'd put one up.  If I see one later, I'll delete mine and we'll use the main thread.  We need the Texans, Ravens, Patriots, and the Colts to win today, so hopefully they pull it off.  Oh, and obviously we need to win today...the most important win.  I can't wait to see how our team plays today and hopefully our defense comes out with some intensity today!

GO BRONCOS!!

Losing is never fun, especially when it comes from a team that should have been beat.  The Raiders obviously fit this category and the loss is worse because they are the Broncos' rivals.  Upheaval always enters my mind once the Broncos lose.  It's like a storm wonders its way into my head, but instead of rain, it's bad thoughts about the team falling from the sky.  I try to figure out why Denver lost, and when I can't find an answer, the storm transforms into a hurricane.  Then I go to MHR and I feel better; I don't know what I would do if it wasn't for the intelligent analysis from all the staff and members.

After reading a few posts, I've realized that we lost on account of our offense's performance.  Red zone efficiency also had it's effect on the team, as well as the short yardage situations.  I used to believe that short yardage problem could be fixed if Peyton Hillis was subbed in for Moreno, but now I realize that the interior offensive line is terrible.  The type of offense that Denver runs makes it necessary to have a strong interior line.  A series for this offense should look like: 1st & 10...2nd & 7...3rd & 3...then they convert the third down.  The offense needs to stay on schedule (another fact I've learned by reading posts here at MHR).  Taking a sack or any negative play throws the offense out of rhythm and off schedule.  Once the offense gets to the "3rd & 3" stage, the interior offensive line becomes an extremely important factor.  Since the Broncos' interior offensive line is bad, drives tend to stall in these situations.  Something tells me that Denver will be drafting a few gaurds this April (I've already been looking at gaurds for next year's draft).

I mentioned earlier that the offense needs to stay on schedule.  They can't afford to take negative plays, or else they could be forced into third and long situations, making life more difficult on the offense.  This team needs to do better on first and second down.  They cannot let the opposing defense get to the ball-carrier for a loss.  This is especially true in the red zone.

Okay, now onto next week's game against the Eagles.

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FINALLY!  The Denver Broncos have won a game in November.  This team needed to beat the Giants, and they did...convincingly.  They are now back in the play-off race (not that we were out) and they have gained confidence.  The veteran leadership has grasped this team and changed them into a REAL CONTENDER!  Brian Dawkins never seems to disappoint.  His leadership and play on the field changes the game and his intensity scares even the toughest of the tough.  We have Kansas City next week, and we have nine days to prepare for them.  Denver should come prepared and ready to attack.  Something tells me that they won't let anything slip.  The intensity and passion that this team has is unbelievable.

I'm not going to give my predictions for the Broncos' last five games.  I am going to take each week at a time, and totally focus on that opponent.  There should be NO looking ahead; a NFL team should never, ever, be over-looked.  Just look at what happened to us in the Washington Redskins' game.  That's why this team will not fall into any traps.  They have learned to not over-look teams, and as a result, should take care of Kansas City.  

As for San Diego, they have some real tough games approaching.  They have: @ DAL; CIN; @ TEN (who have been playing A LOT better as of late).  Dallas has been playing extremely well, and playing at their place, should have a rough time.  One thing about all those teams, is that they all have fairly good defenses.  San Diego is at a disadvantage there.  A football team cannot outscore their opponents every single game.  Their defense has to step up if they are going to make the play-offs.  This week they have the Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium.  They are coming off of a big win against the Super Bowl Champion Steelers.  Maybe the momentum will allow the Chiefs to overcome San Diego...we can only hope.

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Happy Thanksgiving, all.  We have some good football (NYG @ DEN), and some not-so good football on today (OAK @ DAL).  Good or bad, it's always nice to have some football on Thanksgiving Day.  So before I forget what the purpose of this post is for, I am going to give you this week's Keys to the Game.

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After last week's fiasco at Washington, one of the main factors that lead to the demise of our beloved Broncos was the use of the deep pass.  Before the game with the Redskins, some fans wanted Denver to throw the ball deep and take some shots down the field, so that our running game could be helped.  Throwing the ball down the field does stretch the field and it keeps the defense on their heels.  After a deep threat has been established in the game and the running game is effective, the play actions and draw plays are used.  This confuses the defense for a second, and allows receivers to get separation.  The problem with the play action, is that it won't be effective if a running game isn't established.  To help establish the running game, coaches will sometimes throw the ball down the field to "stretch the defense".  But, when should a team throw the football deep?

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Last week I went 8-5, losing the GB @ TB, SD @ NYG, TEN @ SF, DAL @ PHI, and PIT @ DEN games.  I'll try to do better this week.  I'm off to a bad start though (I had Chicago winning last night).  Let's see if I can turn my luck around...

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Hey everyone!  Happy Saturday!  Can't wait for Monday's game; it's going to be a good one (win or lose).  The predictions are below.  Hope you like them!

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Thank goodness!  We made it through the bye week, one of the most difficult and "hair-tearing" week's in a year.  I guess Halloween took some of the anticipation away and allowed some people to relax.  One thing that I noticed about this bye week is that it's an extra hour longer!  For some reason, it seems like I'll never be able to watch Broncos football again.  But, sooner or later, we will watch the Broncos dismantle the "mighty" Ravens.  Maybe then we will receive the honor of being favored in a game.  We shall see.

Anyway, I hope that everyone had a great Halloween and that you didn't get sick eating too much candy.  Now, onto the discussion...In Week 6 Denver held the San Diego offense to 23 points, 238 passing net yards, and 73 rushing net yards.  They gave up 20 points in the first half, but as always, gave up way less in the second half, with only 3 points allowed.  On offense we scored 34 points, really putting the Chargers away in the 2nd half.  Eddie Royal returned a punt AND a kick-off for touchdowns and Kyle Orton threw for two more TDs.  With those stats in mind, here's what I will be looking for in the Baltimore game:

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Ahhhhh, finally we seem to have gotten some respect from the media.  Last week's win against the Cowboys showed every team in the NFL that we mean business.  Some of us here thought that we might start 4-0.  I certainly believed that we would at least start 3-1.  No one expected us to have such a good record with such a "meager and terrible defense".  Obviously that defense does not exist anymore.  Denver has allowed 26 points through four games...FOUR GAMES!!!  If this was last year's defense, we probably would have given up 50 points by now. 

This Sunday, we play the mighty Patriots.  I am not going to talk about them though; I want to talk about the AFC West.  Denver has an advantage in our division.  We have something that no other team in the West has.  You could say that this weapon will get us a division sweep of all the teams: Raiders, Chiefs, and Chargers...that's right even the Chargers. 

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Who is going to win in week 3?  There are a lot of interesting match-ups to watch and I can't wait to see who wins the Broncos-raiders game.  This week, I see four close games that could go either way, or end up in upsets.  Now, onto the predictions...

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Remember before the season started how John Clayton and co. had predicted the Broncos to barely reach 5 wins?  John Clayton thought that we'd only have three wins.  THREE wins!!!!  We predicted that everyone, especially the MSM, would pick against the Broncos in the first few weeks (and probably in weeks to come too).  We believed that once we won those games, the MSM would say, "Well, come on people, it's the Bengals and the Browns.  Anyone can beat those teams."  We predicted that they would make excuses such as that.  To prove that we were right in believing this, I have a little story...

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Each week, before the Broncos game, I will do a synopsis of some of five players on the opposing team.  I could choose three offensive players and two defensive or vice-versa.  Once I finish the analysis of the five players, I will give you my take on how I think Denver should handle these players.  I could be wrong with what Denver should do, so if you think I am or if you have a different opinion, please share it.  Now, onto the synopsis: 

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I was browsing the internet, looking for articles to read on the Broncos when I made the mistake of going to ESPN to do so.  Yes, I was that desperate.  Now, what I saw from one of Bill Williamson's articles just blew me away.  His article had to do with this weekend Bears @ Broncos game.  He was comparing Cutler to Orton...the usual.  Though we got Orton in the trade, we still got Robert Ayers in the trade also.  I don't know why so many people overlook this.  They just compare the two QBs.  I mean, we knew that KO doesn't have the same skill set as Jay Cutler, but that's why we traded Cutler for KO and two first rounders.  Anyway, here are some thoughts from some of the fans from one of Bill Williamson's posts.

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