SB Nation User Blog: ejruiz

Improving the BCS: Plus-One?

ejruiz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:11:44 -0000

Hey guys. I know this season has taken a turn for the worse for us Gators fan, but that's no reason for us to turn our backs on the game that we love. As expected, BCS bashing has continued through the announcement of this year's Championship Game. Once again, there are too many fan bases that feel they have a rightful claim to that throne and plenty of sports pundits willing to fan those flames. The calls for a playoff continue to come out of all corners, but I come to you with a slightly different solution. What if, instead of scrapping the system, we tweek the BCS once again? If you're at all curious, then please follow me below the fold.

I would like it if the four traditional BCS bowls went back to their original tie-ins, suplemented by the BCS standings to fill in the gaps, for the Championship Game to be determined after those are played and that it be schedule for a week after the four others. This year, we'd end up with much more enticing match-ups and greater clarity as to which teams should be in the season's final game. Check it out for yourselves:

Rose Bowl: Oregon v. Ohio State
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech v. Cincinnati
Fiesta Bowl: Texas v. TCU
Sugar Bowl: Alabama v. Boise State

This slate would limit the number of undefeated teams to three, allow the underdogs to face the favorites and provide us with excellent AND significant games throughout. For those that are curious, our Gators would play Iowa in the Capital One Bowl in this set-up. That just goes to show the trickle down effect of narrowing the bottle neck at the top, providing better participants and match-ups further down the bowl hierarchy. So, what do you think of this potential solution to the BCS problems?

Poll

So, what do you think?

Mock Draft 2.0: Still Rough!

ejruiz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:44:21 -0000

Hey guys! It's been too long since I posted my first stab at mocking the 2010 NFL draft, so I figured I'd just go with a really rough attempt just to get something out. To be honest, my value chart, understanding of team needs and general draft trends are not matching up in a way that I feel comfortable with yet. As usual, I'm using current winning percentage to determine the order with point differential breaking the ties. Anyway, I'd really appreciate whatever constructive feedback you can provide because I need your help breaking the mental block that I seem to be experiencing with draft mocking this year! My most recent effort is below the fold, with some notes attached.

1. St. Louis Rams – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

2. Cleveland Browns – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

3. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

5. Oakland Raiders – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

6. Kansas City Chiefs – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

7. Buffalo Bills – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

8. Tennessee Titans – Greg Hardy, DE, Mississippi

9. Washington Redskins – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

10. Seattle Seahawks – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

11. San Francisco 49ers (from the Carolina Panthers) – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama

12. Denver Broncos (from the Chicago Bears) – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho

13. Miami Dolphins – Rolondo McClain, ILB, Alabama

14. San Francisco 49ers – Charles Brown, OT, USC

15. New York Jets – Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee

16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Taylor Mays, S, USC

17. Houston Texans – Joe Haden, CB, Florida

18. Atlanta Falcons – Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson

19. New York Giants – Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida

20. Baltimore Ravens – Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU

21. Green Bay Packers – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU

23. Seattle Seahawks (from the Denver Broncos) – Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

24. San Diego Chargers – Arthur Jones, DL, Syracuse

25. Arizona Cardinals – Brandon Graham, OLB, Michigan

26. Pittsburgh Steelers – Ian Williams, DT, Notre Dame

27. Dallas Cowboys – Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia

28. New England Patriots – Jared Odrick, DL, Penn State

29. Cincinnati Bengals – Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

30. Minnesota Vikings – Everson Griffin, DE, USC

31. Indianapolis Colts – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri

32. New Orleans Saints – Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina

Notes: if this were to hold true, there would be great value in the second round as far as RB, CB and WR is concerned... of the notable prospects, I'm holding out Jake Locker at this point...

Poll

Grade this mock!

A - Please lend me your crystal ball!!!

4 votes

B - I'll be borrowing some of your pick for my next mock!

12 votes

C - I can neither confirm nor deny that this is particularly good.

22 votes

D - At least you got the order and spelling right...

13 votes

F - You owe me however much time I just spent looking this over.

13 votes

64 votes | Poll has closed

My Ranking (11/16/09)

ejruiz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:03:06 -0000

I like to take as objective a look for rankings such as these and am often surprised by the results of my approach. I've taken a look at the accomplishments (or lack thereof, as the case may be) of every single team with three losses or less so far this season. I assigned numerical values to wins (one point fora victory over a three-loss team, two points for a two-loss team and three points for a one-loss team), losses (+4 for losing to an undefeated team, +3 for every one-loss team, +2 for every two-loss team and +1 for every three-loss team) and record (being undefeated means you "start" with nothing in the loss column, if you have one loss you start at -5, two losses at -10 and three loss at -15). Ties, which are fairly common, are broken by quality of wins first and then quality of average opponent second. I sometimes allow for some subjective distinctions, such as making sure the winner of a head-to-head match-up is ranked above the loser if their scores are within one point of each. I do this all by hand, so this is about as close as I can get to what I believe is fair and there's also the possibility of human error during tabulation. That's about it for methodology, so if you're still curious about the results, please follow me below the fold!

TCU
Alabama
Cincinnati
Florida
Texas
Boise State
Georgia Tech
Pittsburgh
Ohio State
Oregon
LSU
Iowa
Rutgers
Penn State
Oklahoma State
Utah
Virginia Tech
Wisconsin
Brigham Young
Clemson
Temple
Oregon State
Houston
Central Michigan
USC

Others Considered (in order): Arizona, Navy, Miami, Stanford, UNC, Cal, Troy, Boston College, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Northern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State, Nebraska, Nevada and Ohio.

I wanted to add a few notes as for my first impression of this list: don't fret about UF being #4, because the SEC Championship Game gives them enough potential to earn the #2 spot... the SEC is having a woefully down year, what with LSU receiving a reprieve only because it's two losses are to unbeaten teams and Ole Miss barely on the radar now... 35% of the teams mentioned above do not have a single victory over a team with three losses or fewer... the three teams with the most impressive win quality totals are Ohio State, Iowa and TCU... the five teams with the most impressive loss quality totals are Virginia Tech, LSU, Rutgers, Clemson and Navy...

Well, that's it for me. I hope you find these interesting and informative. I'd be happy to field any questions and/or comments below, so feel free to chime in. I just ask that you keep an open mind and remain civil. Oh, and one more thing: go Gators!

My Ranking (11/16/09)

ejruiz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:36:37 -0000

TCU
Alabama
Cincinnati
Florida
Texas
Boise State
Georgia Tech
Pittsburgh
Ohio State
Oregon
LSU
Iowa
Rutgers
Penn State
Oklahoma State
Utah
Virginia Tech
Wisconsin
Brigham Young
Clemson
Temple
Oregon State
Houston
Central Michigan
USC

Others Considered (in order): Arizona, Navy, Miami, Stanford, UNC, Cal, Troy, Boston College, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Northern Illinois, Middle Tennessee State, Nebraska, Nevada and Ohio.

Some Additional Thoughts on the 2009 Denver Broncos.

ejruiz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:13:51 -0000

Hello again everyone! Earlier this week I published a FanPost (please feel free to click this link and check it out if you haven't already) outlining some points about our beloved Broncos that I felt were either flying under the radar or simply merited reiteration. The piece was well received - which is to be expected in a community like ours - and I really enjoyed writing it, so I felt compelled to expand on it a bit. The truth is that this franchise has done so much so well that a series such as this could go on indefinitely without having to stretch for material. Each of us here at Mile High Report has our own unique perspective and style with which to deliver it; it has been a real pleasure to read much of the work that others produce and I am greatly appreciative of those who take the time to do the same for me. Now, if you'd be so kind as if to follow me below the fold, let's get back to the task at hand and bask in the glow of our Denver Broncos!

Fountain of Youth: The Broncos currently count only 16 players that are at least 30 years old on their roster, but they have all played significant roles in the team's hot start. Along the offensive line, Casey Wiegmann and Ben Hamilton continue to anchor the center of a unit that should be the envy of the entire league. Behind them, back-ups Russ Hochstein and Brandon Gorin have been called to action already this season and held up relatively well. Veteran long-snapper Lonnie Paxton has also yet to let us down. At the skill positions, slot receiver Brandon Stokley has once again done everything asked of him and then some. Tight end Daniel Graham is easily earning the lucrative contract that brought him to Denver three offseasons ago. Running back Correll Buckhalter continues to exhibit the talent and skills of a feature back, while LaMont Jordan has excelled as the go-to guy in late game keep-away situations. A bigger impact from the veterans, however, can be seen on the other side of the ball. Defensive end (guard?) Kenny Peterson seems to have found his calling in our new scheme, while late pick-up Vonnie Holliday has shown flashes of dominance at the position as a rotational player. Linebacker Andra Davis has experienced a renaissance as a force to be reckoned with inside. The retooled defensive backfield, comprised solely of 30+ year olds, has been the cornerstone of the defensive resurgence. Legendary cornerback Champ Bailey is healthy again and benefiting greatly by the support of his superlative peers. Andre Goodman has been so good as to force opposing quarterbacks to throw the ball in the direction of the aforementioned Bailey. Safety Renaldo Hill has played his part to perfection and his partner Brian Dawkins continues to play like a man 2/3 his age and lead like one much older. Many of these men were brought in by the new administration this offseason and all received their vote of confidence while the entire roster was in flux. This may be a younger team than most overall, but they can get away with it because of the quality of its veterans.
Chip on the Shoulder: As fans, we were forced to listen to the incessant rantings of media types counting our team out before a game had been played. Now, with five down and the remaining eleven looking less menacing by the week, many of us can't help but revel in the demise of their doom-and-gloom predictions. Laughing at the sports punditry that couldn't have been more wrong is all well and good, but have you noticed that our team seems ambivalent to it? Sure, they go out on the field every time with something to prove, but it's not for the media's sake: it's for the guys lining up next to them or across the way in practice or for those not wearing pads who believed in them enough to let them wear the Orange and Blue. They were handed volumes of bulletin board material this offseason, but they just don't seem to have a need for any of it. They don't want to win to prove the doubters wrong, but rather to prove the faithful right. That's the sort of positive energy and motivation that will never run out.
Endless Pursuit of Perfection: The Denver Broncos are 5-0, defeating three potential playoff teams along the way, but they still haven't played their best football. We've seen flashes of greatness from nearly every unit at some point or another; at times, we've even been treated to more than one performing at such a high level. That said, there is always room to improve. Head coach Josh McDaniels has stated as much and, when he says it, I believe it. Imagine the passing attack against New England, the rushing onslaught against Cleveland, the pass rush against Dallas, the pass defense against Oakland and the rush defense against Cincinnati... all in the same game! Every individual and every unit on this team, no matter how impressive their performance thus far this year, can - and almost certainly will - get even better. Gone are the days of being satisfied with just enough to get by; here's to the McDaniels era of perpetual improvement.
The Gauntlet: People have been looking at Denver's schedule since it was made public with a sense of awe and concern, much like one might look up at Everest while sitting at base camp. I'll admit that I indulged in that foolish perennial exercise (to a point) and saw cause for concern. I went into the 2009 season expecting an 8-8 record - give or take a game - that we could build on in the near future. Since then, my expectations have changed but my opinion of our schedule has not. The Broncos will face no fewer than eight legitimate playoff contenders this regular season and that is no easy feat. So far the traditional media has viewed every challenge as an opportunity for our team to prove itself, but I have a different perspective: I see every difficult game on our slate as a chance for our franchise from top to bottom to prepare itself for the playoffs. Our fast start provides us fans with a reasonable expectation of a trip to the postseason, but were it not for the difficult path our squad must travel to get there, I'd have less faith that we could make a significant impact once there. We should be thankful for our tough schedule because it will forge us into a better team.
Mocking the Draft: I am what some may call a bit of a draftnik. I love college football (especially the Florida Gators and the SEC) and I love the NFL Draft. Recently, I tried my hand at a 2010 mock draft and the Broncos pick confounded me. On the one hand - and who would have thought this a few short months ago - Denver simply doesn't have many if any true needs. On the other hand, the new administration in Dove Valley is so unique in establishing a draft board and executing that day's strategy that they're nearly impossible to predict. Honestly, at this point, would any selection truly surprise or disappoint you? They only have one year of track record, but you have to love the way McDaniels and Xanders have rebuilt the franchise.

Well, that's going to be it for me for now. I'd like to thank you all once again for sharing some of your time with me by reading this. I can't tell you how proud I am of MHR (having been here for so long) and how happy I am to be a fellow member with such great fans. I look forward to our continued conversation in the comments below. I can't wait until I have another full set of observations to share with you all after our game against those San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. I'm feeling really good about our chances in that one and what a win would mean for our season as a whole.

Oh, I just wanted to share one more thing: the Broncos are once again underdogs (even if you factor out the three points for homefield advantage) and a majority of ESPN's experts picked against Denver once again this week. We've consistently been underdogs in games against live competition and been picked by those aforementioned pundits on 33% of the time now. When will they ever learn??? Go Broncos!

Some Thoughts on the 2009 Denver Broncos.

ejruiz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:27:15 -0000

Hello everyone; I'd like to thank you all in advance for taking the time to read this FanPost of mine and for doing your part in making Mile High Report the single best online community imaginable. Like many of you, I've had the pleasure of watching every second of our team's amazing 5-0 start this year. Through it all, a single sentiment stands out above all else: isn't this a great time to be a fan of the Denver Broncos?!

Our beloved franchise went through a stunning metamorphosis this offseason and, though the changes made were both necessary and ultimately for the best, that process lead to a great deal of understandable tumult within our fanbase. It also ignited a firestorm in the traditional media which, in equal measures, was fueled by and further fueled that upheaval. Now, however, we are welcoming back with open arms those brothers and sisters of our extended Broncos family who were previously distrusting of the new administration in Dove Valley. Moreover, only the echoes remain of the once deafening vitriol of the hopelessly ingnorant pundits and self-proclaimed experts that beset us for far too long.

Denver now stands among the mere handful of remaining undefeated teams in the National Football League, proudly, as one should among equals. There is no expiration date for this success, no limit to their potential and no reason for us fans to restrain our optimism with caution. The Broncos have done so many things so well, that it would be exhausting for me to write and for you to have to read through it all. Furthermore, others here at MHR have done a brilliant job of pointing some of these out and elaborating on them that I could not even hope to have my work rise to the level of redundancy. That said, there are some unique things that I've noticed that I would like to share with you all, if you would be so kind as to continue reading below the fold.

Giving Nothing Away: I am a firm believer that, moreso than any other statistic in football, turnover margin has the single greatest corrolation with wins (if positive) and losses (if negative). The concept of limiting mistakes is one stressed by Josh McDaniels at every turn and it really shows in the team's performance on Sundays. The Broncos offense and return units have turned the ball over to the opposition only four times through five games this year, a number that coupled with the defense's penchant for takeaways has yielded Denver huge gains in field position and momentum. If you take a closer look at those giveaways, however, you will find another even more impressive stat: opponents have scored a paltry six points off of those four mistakes! While one (Kyle Orton's lone interception) did not provide the other team a legitimate opportunity to convert it into points, the other three occured in Broncos territory with plenty of time on the clock to cash in. In those three drives, the defense gave up a combined one first down, two field goals and caused a turnover of their own. That is absolutely incredible!
Mile High is Back: Ever since Invesco Field became the new home of the Broncos, Denver seemed to have lost some of the magic that helped the old Mile High Stadium become the single greatest homefield advantage in the National Football League. Sure, the building never had the benefit of hosting a true Super Bowl contender with the possible exception of the 2005 squad and the team had become thoroughly mediocre after that, but it always just felt different. This year, however, the place borders on frenzy in a way that you almost never see in pro football and you can tell that it's lifting the players to a higher level. There isn't a team in the league that will ever look forward to facing Josh McDaniels' Broncos, but even more than that, they should certainly dread having to do so in Denver.
Cohesion: Our new head coach isn't one to indulge is "coach speak", which is refreshing. That said, it sometimes sounds like it when he's talking about the team in more general terms. When he speaks to preperation, about the full team effort required to win in the NFL, of approaching the season one game at a time, etc. you can tell that what are normally cliches out of other mouths are true beliefs and plans of action for him. What's even more telling than that is the fact that his players are all starting to sound like him. When asked to elaborate on an individual accomplishment, these Broncos deflect the praise onto their teammates... all of them. When proded in an attempt to look at the "big picture", they instead reiterate the importance of their focus. What we have in Denver is a team, one that's learned how to spell "winning" without a single "i". As a fan, that's an absolute joy to watch. For others, it should make them difficult to root against. For the sport, they provide a shining example of the right way. Win, lose or draw, this is a group we can all be proud of. Doesn't it feel like it's been far too long since we could honestly say that?
Franchise Quarterback: I supported the decision to trade Jay Cutler, as well as the deal that brought in Kyle Orton to replace him. To be absolutely clear, I will say that I still believe that Jay is the single most physically gifted QB in football today and that when he's on, he is arguably one of the very best regards of what metric you may chose to judge the position by. But I love Orton in a way that I could never have loved Jay. Kyle is everything you could ask for in a QB without being greedy. He can make all the throws and does make all the right decisions. He's a great teammate and a true leader. He's a good guy. And, yes, he's an underdog. He's also just 26 years old, playing lights out and only going to get better. Maybe we shipped a franchise quarter back out of town this offseason, but we definitely got one back in the move.
FUNdamentals: If you wanted to teach young men about football, then I suggest you start stocking up on tape of the 2009 Denver Broncos both on and off the field. They are the example of how doing all the little things right will get you farther than highlight reels ever could. They are living proof that the sum can be greater than its parts and the demonstrate it at every level and in every way. They're evidence that winning can be a byproduct rather than the goal or the end-all be-all that it's sometimes made out to be. They're imperfect, but their record is flawless. And what's more, they are a joy to watch. I'll ask it again, one last time: isn't this a great time to be a fan of the Denver Broncos?!

Wow! I did not expect this to become a marathon FanPost, but - what can I say - I guess I was inspired. To those of you who made it through any or all of this piece: thank you so much for indulging me. As always, I look forward to our continued conversation in the comments below if you would be so kind as to share your thoughts with me and the other members of our wonderful community here at MHR. I sincerely apologize for any typos, ommisions and/or oversights I may have been guilty of, seeing as the time stamp should belie the insomnia that sparked this writing.

Five games down, one to go and so on and so on until there are no more games left to be played. Thanks again for giving me some of your time and, as always, go Broncos!

Poll

What will the Broncos 2009 record be?

19-0: The Patriots were holding McDaniels back.

34 votes

13-3: La-La Land is now the most populous place on Earth.

117 votes

11-5: In Bena and Bartlett I trust.

147 votes

8-8ish: Yeah, I (ejruiz) underestimated these Broncos...

6 votes

5-11: Trolling is fun!

0 votes

3-13 or worse: ESPN is my church and John Clayton is my prophet.

6 votes

310 votes | Poll has closed

Really Rough Mock - Week 4

ejruiz — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 06:57:12 -0000

It seems as though everyone else has taken their shot with a ridiculously early mock draft and mine is long overdue. Besides, another sleepless night is a fine time to throw together a mock as quickly as possible to get a new conversation going. I'll address a few points about this project before unleashing it onto the Internet. Beware, because it could be just about the ugliest thing you've ever seen!

1) Order: I used the current standings, breaking ties via point differential. This is not how I see things panning out, though I suppose stranger things have happened. I say all this because I don't want people getting caught up in the order and overlooking the picks. One more thing: since I fully expect things to change as the season progress, you may notice a handful of prospects going too early or too late. I ask only that you focus on the pick(s) for the team and not worry too much about value and whatnot.

2) Prospects: There are some names you may not see that you believe should be there and others that you will find that you'll feel don't belong. That's fair game and, while I'm interested in having that discussion, it should not be the principal focus of your comments.

3) Criticism: Though I enjoy patting myself on the back whenever I get anything right, I am fully prepared to get most everything wrong in this attempt. I share this with you here because I value your input. My hope is that you'll propose solutions for the problems you point out. You all know your teams, divisions and maybe even conferences better than I do, so feel free to share that knowledge with me.

And so, without further ado and begging forgiveness for most likely wasting a moment of your time, on to my mock:

1. St. Louis Rams: Greg Hardy, DE, Mississippi

2. Cleveland Browns: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

4. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

5. Tennessee Titans: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State

6. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers): Taylor Mays, FS, USC

7. Detroit Lions: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

8. Oakland Raiders: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

9. Buffalo Bills: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

10. Seattle Seahawks: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

11. Miami Dolphins: Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida

12. Arizona Cardinals: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

13. Washington Redskins: Selvish Capers, OT, West Virginia

14. San Diego Chargers: Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama

15. Houston Texans: Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse

16. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eric Berry, SS, Tennessee

17. Green Bay Packers: Ciron Black, OT, LSU

18. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

19. Dallas Cowboys: Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU

20. Atlanta Falcons: Syd’Quan Thompson, CB, Cal

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky

22. Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech

23. New England Patriots: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida

24. Denver Broncos (from Chicago Bears): Marshwan Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati

25. New York Jets: Jahvid Best, RB, Cal

26. San Francisco 49ers: Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU

27. Baltimore Ravens: Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois

28. Minnesota Vikings: Jevan Snead, QB, Mississippi

29. New York Giants: Rolondo McClain, ILB, Alabama

30. Indianapolis Colts: Sean Witherspoon, OLB, Missouri

31. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina

32. New Orleans Saints: Joe Haden, CB, Florida

Poll

Grade this mock!

A

3 votes

B

4 votes

C

12 votes

D

13 votes

F

12 votes

44 votes | Poll has closed

"If Denver can stay healthy, I think it can stay in the race. This doesn’t look like a team that w...

ejruiz — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:32:17 -0000

"If Denver can stay healthy, I think it can stay in the race. This doesn’t look like a team that will fall apart. I think it will only get better under McDaniels. Realistically, the Broncos can be a factor in the playoff race."

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcwest/post/_/id/4523/reality-check-broncos

Josh McDaniels Checks NFL.com To See What Other Teams Are In The League

ejruiz — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:01:17 -0000

Josh McDaniels Checks NFL.com To See What Other Teams Are In The League

I love The Onion and, while this is not their finest work, it's still pretty funny. If you can't laugh at yourself, then get used to not laughing!

Excitement is Contageous!

ejruiz — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:21:59 -0000

Hey guys and gals! It's been a while since I chimed in with anything more than the odd comment here and there, so I thought it'd be a good time to post something a little more substantial. Follow me below the fold for some random thoughts that I've been collecting for a while now that I feel safe to publish after watching our first preseason game.

Let me go ahead and get this out of the way: I've been a supporter of pretty much all of the franchise's so called controversial moves this offseason. I guess somewhere between my affinity for chess and my need to keep sight of the big picture at all times, I managed to see how everything was coming together rather nicely all along.

There are many others on this site who can offer a greater wealth of knowledge or keener insight for analysis than I, so I tend to focus on the little things that might get lost in the shuffle. If you're into that sort of thing, then I hope I don't let you down with the following list. And so, without further ado, I present you a brief list of things that I'm excited about going into this season:

Passing out of "heavy" sets: in Denver, we're blessed with an impressive array of versatile offensive weapons. One of the advantages of that is that we are able to create mismatches all over the field and at all times. Perhaps the single scenario that most excites me is what we can do in short yardage and goal to go. Imagine a huddle with Knowshon Moreno and Peyton Hillis as running backs, Daniel Graham and Tony Schefler as tight ends and Brandon Marshall as the sole wide receiver. Defenses will surely have to size up and probably have to commit their focus in order to defend the run, but we'd have a full compliment of five capable pass catchers out there against them. Can't you just picture McDaniels waking up in the middle of the night, eyes wide open as he scrambles for pen and paper with which to draw up yet another play to run out with that group at his disposal?
Coverage sacks: many were pleased when the front seven was able to collect four sacks against the 49ers Friday night, but I've been disappointed to see that the fact that at least half of those were coverage sacks has been largely overlooked. Without the full starting four back there, they were still able to absolutely shutdown the Niner passing attack from time to time.
WR screens: we've known for some time that we have two guys out wide that give defenses fits when they have the ball in their hands: Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall. The former is a terror as a kick returner and the latter is a beast to bring down after the catch. Give them the rock in space and be sure to keep both hands free to count up all the missed tackles they'll produce. With effective TEs and slot guys working the middle, plus an offensive line that protects the passer superbly and opens up plenty of holes for our stable of solid RBs, the fuse is perpetually lite on this particular piece of dynamite.
Dominating the Forgotten Third: another tidbit that seems to have been lost on the traditional media as our new management put together our overhauled roster was the focus on guys that could excel in special teams while competing for regular playing time. Alphonso Smith, for example, has looked dangerous every time he fielded a kick. Better than that, though, was the performance of our coverage units throughout the night. Winning the battle of field position makes the game easier for both the offense and the defense and, for the first time in quite a while, we same capable of doing just that this year.
Ground and pound: despite the fact that the powers that currently be in Denver seem partial to the passing game, they certainly demonstrated a commitment to the running game when called for. Not only that, but all the pieces are in place to put together the sort of buzzsaw rushing attack that you must be able to employ in the NFL to dominate time of possession when necessary. When guys like Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan appear to be your lesser options, you're in good shape as far as the Jimmys and the Joes are concerned. Then again, I suppose we all kind of knew that from the get go. For me, I was impressed by how well the coaching staff developed the X's and the O's to get the most out of them.

Well, I'll leave it at the for now. There's a lot more that I could add and that doesn't even count the stuff that's been focused on by others. Needless to say, there's a lot to be excited about in Denver. I've gone from wanting to shove our success in every doubters face to simply impatiently waiting for the rest of this wonder to be revealed to me as the season progresses. Now I can't wait to share that experience with everyone else, I guess.

As always, feel free to chime in with questions or comments and thank you for taking the time to read my work. Go Broncos!