3 X 80 = ???

No it does not equal 240 in Bronco land.

A little over a year ago MHR did an article on "Denver Broncos Greats ... By The Numbers". Brian Shrout did a really great piece on those Broncos that wore the #80 jersey. There were three excellent players who stood out in that article and while living in Denver, so many years ago, I had the good fortune to watch all three of those players live and in action in Denver.

The first was Rick Upchurch (75 - 83), next was Mark Jackson of the "Three Amigos" fame (86 - 94) and of course Rod Smith who took the # 80 to new heights. Take a minute to refresh your memories by looking over Brian's article at:

http://www.milehighreport.com/2011/6/21/2232431/denver-broncos-greats-by-the-numbers-80

Go Broncos!

It may be all for naught but January is for sitting before a crackling fire with a warm mug of a favorite drink and doing some mental rehashing of the past Bronco seasons and also doing some "what if" dreaming for the upcoming year.

My thoughts turned to how much a great running game enhanced the Bronco offense. Willis McG brought back respect for the missed McD choice on Knoshon! Kim Constantinesco over at Predominantly Orange
wrote about how Mcgahee and the freshness of his legs for his age may be attributed to his being a compliment to Ray Rice in the Raven backfield.

( http://predominantlyorange.com/2012/01/20/willis-mcgahee-needs-relief-in-broncos-backfield/ )

The article also mentioned the need for McG to have help in churning out heavy ground yardage. The Steelers were nearly caught flatfooted on the pass to D.T. due to the Bronco whole game tendancy to run on first down.

Included in the article was a list of upcoming free agent RBs and one name particularly caught my eye. A five yards at a time RB with three LBs hanging on for the ride. A 1200 yard rusher in 2009 who is being treated like yesterdays soiled laundry by his current team regarding a contract extension. A powerhouse runner who suffered from the Madden curse this past season. I am talking about the guy that McD dumped because he didn't fit into the Josh plan. Yep, non-other than, you guessed it, PEYTON HILLIS will be a free agent soon.

Even if, Timmy T. does not blossom as a pocket passer in 2012, I can envision the Hillis smashmouth running style coupled with the McGahee style (who takes that fraction of a second to look for and quickly see where his avenue into the secondary lies) tearing up and tiring out defenders and setting up new opportunities for those sparingly used deep passes that reap great rewards. The John Fox run, run, run and then run some more game style would fit both McG and the human tank from Arkansas to a successful "T". Mr Hillis makes a living delivering TD's in short yardage Red Zone situations. We certainly need that.

I hope the EFX combine has Mr. Hillis near the top of their list. Can you imagine that duo in the backfield with Timmy at QB/FB. Opposing DC,s would have nightmares.

I am hoping we get to see Peyton Hillis again wearing orange and blue for the Broncos next season.! By the way, he can catch a pass too !

Well, I expected the emotional Tebowmania to fill the Bronco Blogs today and was not surprised when they popped up. There are always numerous hero's in a winning effort but lose a game and the rath falls upon one person then appointed as the games "goat". Many times a blown coverage on defense allowing the opponents a winning score will put the "goat" title on a CB or safety. Sunday the wrath was, in my opinion directed at the Wrong person for the loss. Fingers pointing all in the direction of Kyle Orton as the reason for the loss and the "goat" title for the game. Kyle had a less than stellar afternoon, but the "goat" label should be hung on someone else who deserves the heat more than Kyle. In fact, we can go back to last years miserable performance and the real "goat" of those crappy Red Zone production numbers avoided the tag and it got hung on the McD. You remember it well from last year. First and goal from the 5 or the 3 or even the one yard line and with a proven miserable running game, what is called. Another run off tackle only to be stuffed by a defense that was not in the dark as to what would be called and were ready to put up the heavy beef to again send the Broncos to the services of Mr. Prater on fourth down.

What is the commonality here between last year and yesterdays loss? The person who CALLED the plays last year is the same one this year. Mr. McCoy again called four straight runs from within the 5 yard line and closer without success. Kyle did not have the authority to check off on those plays and try a run himself from the one or do a quick pass to a TE in the end zone. Those four plays and lousy play calling cost the Broncos the game. Success there gives the Broncos a 21 to 17 WIN. So let us not pin the "goat" tag on Kyle but on the one person who deserves it most in that loss. Mike McCoy, stand up and accept your award. Stand up and accept the responsibility for continued lousy play calling in the Red Zone.

Back in the preseason game against the Seahawks, guard Robert Gallery threw a "cut block" on DT Broderick Bunkley which gave Bunkley a minor knee injury and took him out of the game.  Kevin Vickerson got into Gallery's face at the time and said the block was " uncalled for". Gallery.later said he would do it again as the hit was perfectly legal. Gallery was completely unapologetic about the hit. Later, Bunkley would not be critical of Gallery's hit.  See the following article about the event.:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2011/08/27/hit-on-bunkley-uncalled-for-teammate-said/9124/

Well, Bunkley, apparently carried no ill will toward Mr. Gallery, although, if he had not seen Gallery moving to block him at the last moment, the injury could have been more serious.

So, some people say, "what goes around comes around" or in another way of putting it, bad Karma catches up. Yesterday, in the Steeler game, Robert Gallery, suffered a groin injury which will require surgery and he will miss four weeks or more of play. See story at:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82264b26/article/seahawks-guard-gallery-out-4-to-6-weeks-with-groin-injury?module=HP11_headline_stack

Paybacks can be a "B----"!

Before tuning into the Bronco game tonight, I watched a quarter of the Detroit - New England game. My earlier thoughts about win losses for the Broncos versus these two teams this year reversed. I earlier hought we would beat the Lions and lose to the Patriots.  After watching these two battle one another, it looks like Detroit has an awesome D that caused Brady to run for his life tonight and not be his typical successful self. Maybe it was just a Patriot OL having an off night. In any case, I am thinking that Doom and the Dominators can disrupt Brady's game to maybe snatch a win by three points or so. An our OL will be seriously challenged by Detroit's DL. Maybe to the point off our losing by a couple points.

Did anybody else see all or part of that Detroit/New England game. if so, input please!

Yes, I am quite optimistic about the Broncos season. I won't go into individual game match ups but here are a few reasons for a winning season.

DEFENSE
Last year our "D" had a league wide nick name given to it; "Swiss Cheese". We had some positive standouts; Bailey, Dawkins, Williams, and even Justin Bannan carried his share. But without the "Doom" the opposing QB had all day to find receivers. The RB's had huge holes to scamper through and the LB corps and safeties forgot how to tackle. It seemed like when the Bronco "O" would get an advantage score wise the porous "D" would give it right back plus some.

This year the "Doom" is back and is healthy. Through the Draft, we have snagged some awesome talent at LB and have acquired some stalwarts through Free Agency to the "D" line. I feel these guys staying healthy will cut at least a TD off the opponents average score from last year. We also have a winning defensive mind as head coach. I have confidence he will get the right mix of personnel plugged in to get opponent shut down results.

OFFENSE
Last year is mostly forgettable. With absolutely no run threat, opposing defenses could blitz at will with success or just double team receivers. I am surprised that Orton was able to get as many 300 yard plus games as he did. That one dimensional offense was so predictable. Last year with a rookie or two on the "O" line and a pro bowl OT at less than 100% still recovering from injury the QB was always under pressure to deliver a strike to receivers in a hurry. This year with what looks like a decent RB group, a healthy Clady back at OT, an luxurious extra 1/2 or full second of time will be given to the QB to find receivers while the mystery of run versus pass will slow down the opponent "D". With Orton at the helm, we should be very successful as it was proven last year that WR's and TE's have gotten in "sync" with Orton's delivery. Excellent receiver - QB connection timing makes for winning games.

WEAKNESS
Will OC Mike McCoy continue to be a conservative play caller; especially in the RED ZONE! Will he use all of the fire power at his disposal? Maybe a gadget play or two?
The play calling will make or break the Broncos in 2011. I am thinking positive. GO BRONCOS!

Bear with me as I digress from football for a minute. Hopefully, you'll soon get the connection.

Back in the 80's President Reagan busted the Airline Traffic Controllers union when they went on strike. He fired them all and brought in supervisors and military personnel to man those posts.

Under Clinton, NAFTA was born and major US Industry and the accompanying jobs went to Asia and cost Americans millions of jobs and weakened the economy and what was left of any labor unions.

Recently, Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, signed into law a bill repealing collective bargaining rights for State Employee unions.

See the trend here? In my opinion, Government in collusion with the corporate interests that now are allowed to give UNLIMITED funds to finance re-election campaigns, are driving toward a complete controlling force over the American labor force. Pro football players included.

Those moneyed influences may also reach into the halls of justice at a Federal level, maybe? A Mile High Report member, who is a lawyer, commented on the earlier ruling by the local judge banning the lockout saying in general (paraphrased) that the legal anti-trust precedents supporting the ruling were highly in favor of the players over the long term. Enter the FEDERAL Court of Appeals. Those earlier opinions, precedents and rulings get wadded up and round filed and the lockout is back on with negotiating power resting in the hands of the NFL and owners. I think this recent ruling bodes ill for player benefits, health insurance, pensions, salaries, bonuses, and profit sharing by players in the multi-billion dollar business called pro football. The less than star quality players will be hurt the worst.  Is America, and pro football returning to an era 150 years old where workers on the plantations only response to directives by their bosses was, "Yessuh, massah!" ( No racial slur intended)

Support the players !

Six months ago on September 2, I posted a blog here titled "Locked Out Denver Bronco Football Addict". There were some excellent responses on the article then. I am re-posting that article now that the dreaded event has happened and hope many of you will update your thoughts and feelings on the issue. Here is the re-post:

by lobouno on Sep 2, 2010 2:44 AM PDT

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I am primarily an Denver Bronco  FOOTBALL ADDICT. I spend hours searching for and reading all that I can find about my mountain mustangs. I keep stats on my favorite players.  My weekly NFL television time catches everything the standard TV channels broadcast. Have thought about signing up to get all the games on the NFL Channel.  I wear my "colors" if I go to a local sports bar to catch the Sunday action. I use to own three season tickets in the nose bleed zone in the North stands at the old Mile High Stadium.  Almost died when I lost them around a divorce.  I repeat, I AM AN DENVER BRONCO FOOTBALL ADDICT.

Sounds like an open confession from one of those anonymous substance abuse groups. But, like any junkie, I put my self in a place of subservience to my supplier. In this case the NFL.

What's the point you ask? Here are a number of them:

1. Will the NFL lockout the players next year and produce a season manned by second class ability players and force myself and my fellow NFL addicts to accept a "fix" that has been "stepped on" but with the fix still carrying a full "pure" product price?

2. With this year being free of salary cap rules,you would have expected rich teams to go on a spending spree to bring in free agents and nail down their existing premium players. For the most part it didn't happen.

3. If regular players are financially squeezed by a non payday lockout 2011 season, they might just be tempted to jump out of the NFLPA and bargain individually with the teams to play for a pittance of a re-negotiated salary just to keep the roof over their families heads.

4. Next year, will the NFL blame the players union for a "hard nosed" attitude in negotiations as reason for the lock out season? And will that be the precursor to a NFL team united front to "break" the NFLPA and thus increasing their "bottom line" through payment of lower player benefits,pensions, and salaries across the board? And in an inflationary time like now, the owners profits will multiply while applying a financial headlock on the players.

As a DENVER BRONCO ADDICT I understand that the owners and management sit at the top of and currently control the issue. I also understand that the owners would not be where they are WITHOUT the class players who have put them there over the many seasons. Class players equaled a first class football product over the years. Who paid for it? I did, and all my fellow pro-football addicts.

I hope the gloomy scenario doesn't happen, but if it does, please support those that make the game we love possible; the players. Help support the NFLPA financially next year and boycott the games as a message to the owners to be open to a fair sharing of the profits and openness in negotiations. Bronco addicts are you with me on this issue?

In a recent Fan Post on Dec. 1,(Hold McD to Same Accountability as Players) I said that maybe all Josh needed was a huge slice of "humble pie" to complete his nourishment for becoming a great coach. He has the drive, experience, and intelligence and now Humble Pie. I would say the only other ingredient required is a self improvement course in how to truly motivate (jack up) players after they have faced a period of diversity.  I believe that over the long run Josh will become a stellar winning coach. A new start somewhere else is the medicine he needs now to reflect and become stronger as a man. I would bet that most greybeards reading this post would admit that heavy trying times heat their inner metal and they either melt under the pressure and quit or become tempered steel in the process. I think McDaniels is in the latter group. I just hope he doesn't land in the AFC-West. I wish him the very, very best.

A new coach???? I don't think that Cower, Johnson, or Parcells would fit. Maybe Tony Dungy could be coaxed out of retirement. And there is always John Gruden, known as "Evil Chuckie" to Bronco fans when he coached the Raiders. We know he would at least be fierce against Division foes.

Back when McDaniels was being touted as a candidate to replace Shannie, there was a statement made about McD’s career record that got my attention and made me think that he, as in the MATRIX movies, could “be the one”. It was noted at that time that Josh McDaniels had NEVER been associated with nor been a part of a losing football program. That applied to his assistant coaching and coordinator record as well as to his playing time as kid back in school. Pretty impressive!

He has the perfectionist mental set and the experience to get the job done. Maybe all that is lacking to complete his nourishment as a great coach is a large slice of HUMBLE PIE. He certainly has gotten a few large servings of that over this season.

Mr. Bowlen has back peddled from a position that Josh would have his job in 2011 regardless of record to a “lets wait and see” attitude with no guarantees. I support that position. Mr.B is putting Josh in the same position that McD puts every Bronco player. Perform, or you are relegated to the bench or are “history”. Ask Peyton Hillis or the Phonz about that reality.

These last five games will certainly tell the tale. Lose one more game and it becomes Josh McDaniels’ first ever association with a losing effort. It is up to McDaniels to prove he has the mental set and motivational skills to bring “his” team back to a place of respectability. Losing three of those games or winning three games should be the deciding factor on whether Mr. McD stays or as they use to say about Elvis P., “he has left the building”.

I personally wish him and the team the best of luck!

Headlining the Saturday MHReport was John Benas story about DJ Williams alcohol related arrest. Immediately following the story was the Horse Tracks story list. Following that, there was a prominent ad for, get this....ABSOLUT VODKA.. I know that the advertisers pay the freight for MHR and I have no problem with the ad but WHY place it in MHR when the DJ Williams issue is so fresh and when only a few paragraphs separate the two. I think a particular A/B Inc. beer ad might have been more appropriate as they do caution for "responsible" use of their product.

What say you,John?

In an CNBC post,it was announced that Bronco players have voted to give the NFLPA decertification authority. The move to do so gives the NFLPA another tool to use in its' labor negotiations with team owners and options to file anti-trust action in the event of a lockout next Spring. NFLPA representatives are contacting all players as individual groups now instead of waiting till the off season. Story is posted at: http://www.cnbc.com/id/39788835

Peyton Hillis now has an ex-Bronco RB team mate joining him in the backfield in Cleveland. Mike Bell was shipped to Cleveland from the Eagles this week in a trade sending the unhappy RB Jerome Harrison to Phillie.

Like the Broncos, the Browns have also been hit by the injury bug which claimed backup QB S. Wallace with an ankle injury. Third string QB Colt McCoy will be at the helm for the Browns this week against the Steelers who have a number one running game defense. Pittsburg is heavily favored but anything can happen in this decades old rivalry.

Just read John Benas' article about the NFL changing to NIKE as the new supplier of team uniforms and fan sportswear in 2012. I am a bit confused by the whole matter of the NFL, as a single entity, bargaining on behalf of the individual teams to name a "single supplier" for on field uniforms and fan sportswear. I thought that the Supreme Court (on May 24, 2010 case # 08-661) ruled against the NFL and in favor of American Needle in their lawsuit about the NFL as a single entity having the authority to conduct this sportswear and uniform business instead of 32 team businesses bargaining individually. Any legal beagles out there to give an educated opinion about this matter? And......how does this effect the NFLPA's right to bargain for players especially in regard to strikes and free agency?

For years under the Shannie regime, Rick Dennison successfully coached an offensive line that took any of Mikes' off the street RB's, and helped them to become success stories around the league. Dennisons'mastery of the Zone Blocking scheme.

Today, Dennison is doing the same in Houston for the Texans and I believe Shanahan is still using the zone block with the Redskins.

Here are a few current comparative stats related to those teams and the Bronco running success:

...............................................Denver....................Washington..........Houston

3rd Down Conversions     25/60  41.7%         11/44  25%            22/47  46.8%

4th    "             "                      3/8      37.5%          0/1      0%              2/3      67%

Total Yards Rushing          220                           392                        688

Total Rushes/ YPC            101/ 2.2                    92/ 4.3                   124/ 5.5
********************************************************************************
Top 3 Rushers & Stats

Denver................................................Washington..................................Houston

K. Moreno  111Yds/ 2.8 YPC          C. Portis  195Yds/ 4.0 YPC        A. Foster  537Yds/ 6.0 YPC
C. Buchhalter 49 Yds/ 1.8 YPC      R. Torain  116Yds/ 4.6 YPC       S. Slaton    94Yds/ 5.5 YPC
L.Maroney  23 Yds/ 1.3 YPC           D. McNabb 81Yds/ 10.1 YPC     D.Ward       84Yds/ 6.0 YPC

A few points:

1. I don't know if Denver is still using TWO coaches to teach the O-linemen technique and the blocking scheme but I would think it would make sense to only have ONE coach fully responsible for grooming and conditioning those OL guys.  Two heads here is not neccesarily better than one. Even two great coaching personalities and individual approaches might contribute to O-Line CONFUSION. Anyone who has had TWO bosses at the same time will know of what I speak. The point being, would a single coach who is INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE for the O=Line performence be better than two regardless of the type blocking scheme desired by the head coach?

2. Would a conversion back to a pure Zone Blocking system with attendant playbook adjustments help the Broncos find running success within the current healthy RB and O-Line roster?

3. How does one factor in the RB and O-Line injury plague suffered by the Broncos???

4. Many people, myself included, have been crying about the loss of power running back Peyton Hillis to the Browns (102 Yds on 27 carries and a TD this past week ) but a longer term Bronco loss was Dennisons departure to go to the Texans. He is still producing an O-Line that helps make no-name runners consistent FIVE plus YPC producers. The Texans' passing game has also benefitted from that Dennison inspired running attack. The Texans will make the playoffs this year.

I know that Ortons' arm and receivers have made the decent 3rd down conversion numbers but with a successful ground game, I think the Broncos would be contenders. Maybe i am just a Home Boy drunk on the teams' past glories to even hope and pray for a winning season. I can dream, can't I???

The Cleveland Browns lost to the Ravens on Sunday but regained their running game through the efforts of ex-Bronco FB Peyton Hillis who had 144 yards on 22 carries. Included in those numbers was a single carry for 48 yards. He also had 7 catches for 36 yards. He also had a short yardage rushing TD.

It's all past history but each week that passes, it looks like the Broncos got the worst of the trade with Cleveland.

Browns and Hillis story in Cleveland Plain Dealer at:
http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2010/09/another_close_defeat_cant_hide.html

When Coach McD traded for Brady Quinn, I didn't think much about it but then when Josh traded up to get Tebow in the draft I thought it was quite a vote of "No Confidence" in Orton's abilities as a potential long time into the future Bronco QB.  That still may be the case, but after watching Ortons performances so far in 2010, I think he has taken the gauntlet that McD laid down and smacked Josh right back in the face with it.  The way he has been ZIPPING passes into receivers hands lately reminds me of the golden olden days when Johnny Boy destroyed defenses with his ability to read them and then pick them apart with his jet speed football missiles.

If Orton stays healthy, and with the receiver corp he has, I think that McD will have to defer his #15 replacement to the bench for a year or two more. Our blue collar Orton is certainly not a "franchise" Elway but given the time, I believe he will surpass many of number 7's records. In John Bena's (Aftermath...) column today, he mentioned that ONLY QB Frank Tripuca had more passing yardage than Orton over a sequential three game span and that was a bunch of decades ago.

A premier QB is in the making here in Denver and it is not Timmie T.

I am primarily an Denver Bronco  FOOTBALL ADDICT. I spend hours searching for and reading all that I can find about my mountain mustangs. I keep stats on my favorite players.  My weekly NFL television time catches everything the standard TV channels broadcast. Have thought about signing up to get all the games on the NFL Channel.  I wear my "colors" if I go to a local sports bar to catch the Sunday action. I use to own three season tickets in the nose bleed zone in the North stands at the old Mile High Stadium.  Almost died when I lost them around a divorce.  I repeat, I AM AN DENVER BRONCO FOOTBALL ADDICT.

Sounds like an open confession from one of those anonymous substance abuse groups. But, like any junkie, I put my self in a place of subservience to my supplier. In this case the NFL.

What's the point you ask? Here are a number of them:

1. Will the NFL lockout the players next year and produce a season manned by second class ability players and force myself and my fellow NFL addicts to accept a "fix" that has been "stepped on" but with the fix still carrying a full "pure" product price?

2. With this year being free of salary cap rules,you would have expected rich teams to go on a spending spree to bring in free agents and nail down their existing premium players. For the most part it didn't happen.

3. If regular players are financially squeezed by a non payday lockout 2011 season, they might just be tempted to jump out of the NFLPA and bargain individually with the teams to play for a pittance of a re-negotiated salary just to keep the roof over their families heads.

4. Next year, will the NFL blame the players union for a "hard nosed" attitude in negotiations as reason for the lock out season? And will that be the precursor to a NFL team united front to "break" the NFLPA and thus increasing their "bottom line" through payment of lower player benefits,pensions, and salaries across the board? And in an inflationary time like now, the owners profits will multiply while applying a financial headlock on the players.

As a DENVER BRONCO ADDICT I understand that the owners and management sit at the top of and currently control the issue. I also understand that the owners would not be where they are WITHOUT the class players who have put them there over the many seasons. Class players equaled a first class football product over the years. Who paid for it? I did, and all my fellow pro-football addicts.

I hope the gloomy scenario doesn't happen, but if it does, please support those that make the game we love possible; the players. Help support the NFLPA financially next year and boycott the games as a message to the owners to be open to a fair sharing of the profits and openness in negotiations. Bronco addicts are you with me on this issue?