The defense overall has been playing out of their minds, and lightyears ahead of where we were last season, or even at the beginning of this season. One thing that has caught my eye though is our run defense, and the fact that for whatever reason, we have been pretty fortunate playing the opposing teams leading rusher.

Like I said we have come a long way from the beginning of the season, but for the context of this post I will only focus on this season. Keep in mind also I am not accounting any receptions or receiving yards by these RBs I am just looking at rushing yards, so if you want to look at TOTAL yards given up to RBs you actually need to add some more onto these numbers.

Week 1 vs the Raiders we gave up 150 yards rushing to McFadden, 30 yards to Michael Bush and 11 to Marcel Reece. Total rushing yards allowed: 191

Week 2 vs Bengals we gave up only 59 yards to Cedric Benson and 10 to Bernard Scott. Total rushing yards allowed: 69

Week 3 for me is where it starts getting interesting...


Week 3 vs Tennessee: We play Tennessee who have CJ2K, but the important thing to remember is when we played them week 3 he had just come from not only having no offseason due to the lockout, but he held out of what little training camp there was because of a contract dispute with the front office. With that being said we hold him to 21 yards, and hold Javon Ringer to -6 yards. Total rushing yards allowed 15

I want to point out however that getting Chris Johnson so early in the season was the most opportune time to play him, and I am sure that nobody here would actually think that we would hold them to only 15 positive yards of rushing over an entire game if we were to play CJ and the Titans this week, especially considering in 3 of his last 5 weeks he hasn't gone under 130 yards rushing, by himself, let alone with Ringer adding to that total.

Week 4 vs Green Bay: I think we all remember this beat down, we held James Starks to 63 yards total and John Kuhn to 3 yards. Total rushing yards allowed 66.

The rushing yards don't tell the whole story though as Aaron Rodgers absolutely torched us and I believe he even ran for a touchdown or 2 (although IIRC they were all from very close). They also had a pick-6 adding to their tally. The fact remains because of what was working for them, they had no need to even try to run the ball, their short passes served as a substitute for the run after they gashed us early and often with the deeper throws. I don't think this game can be seen as a game to evaluate our run defense.

Week 5 vs SD: We finally play a team with a healthy running back and one that is in game condition for the first time since week 1. What happens? We give up 125 yards to Ryan Mathews 24 to Mike Tolbert, and 47 to Jacob Hester. Total rushing yards allowed: 196 (Like I said i am only looking at rushing yards, and if we look at receiving yards accumulated by these RBs i wouldnt be surprised to see the number of total yards well over 200 and into the 230-240 range)

Week 6 is our BYE (goodbye Orton)

Week 7 vs Mia: Played against Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas (either of those names keeping you up at night? didnt think so). Reggie has been playing better as of late, and our Run D actually does a really good job keeping them in check. We hold Bush to 42 yards and Daniel Thomas to 53 yards. Total rushing yards allowed: 65

Week 8 vs Detroit: Once again a massacre, but in terms of rushing, the Lions did not have their top rusher in Jahvid Best, or Kevin Smith, and they use their TE Pettigrew in those short swing pases as their running game. Overall we did well in the running game holding Maurice Morris to 58 yards rushing and Keiland Williams to 25 but just like the Green Bay game, there was no need for them to even try and run the ball. Total rushing yards allowed: 63.

Week 9 vs Oakland: No McFadden, only 96 yards given up to Michael Bush

Week 10 vs KC: No Jamaal Charles, give up 48 to McCluster, 61 to Jackie Battle, Total rushing yards allowed: 109

Weel 11 vs NYJ: LT gets injured early, As does Shonne Greene after 10 yards, and we're left to deal with the juggernaut RB that is Joe McKnight (sarcasm) Total yards allowed: 69

Week 12 vs SD: Once again with injuries to the top RBs from weeks 8-11, we only had to play the backups and really nobody that an NFL defense shouldnt be able to stop. With SD back on the schedule we finally play a team that will run the ball, and has the means to do so in regards to healthy running backs. What happens? We give up a 137 to Mathews, a career high for him might I add, and 44 yards to Tolbert. Total yards allowed: 181

Week 13 vs Minn: No Adrian Peterson, Gerhart runs for 91

Week 14 vs Chi: No Forte, Marion Barber runs for 108 Khalil Bell for 40. Total yards allowed 148

IMO we have been extremely fortunate to get the RB matchups that we have (CJ2k early on, no AP, no McFadden, no Forte, no LT/Greene, no Jamaal Charles, no Jahvid Best) Going ahead we will play NE who uses the TE as their run game for the most part, Buf, once again without top rusher Fred Jackson and KC without Charles.

We will go an entire season without playing some of the top RBs in the game, even though we will play their respective teams. I find that crazy I don't believe our running game has truly been tested, and when we have been I havent been overly impressed. (Chicago, 2 games vs SD).

I would still want to shore up that Defensive front early in the draft and get a run stuffer up front, but am I wrong for seeing our run D the way I am? I think our success against the run has been more fortune than anything else

PTI: Highlights from the first episode - Oct. 22, 2001 (via espnfrontrow)

10 years ago, ESPN came out with a program called Pardon the Interruption (PTI). I am sure almost everyone has at least caught a segment of the show or is familiar with Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser, the hosts of the show.

For their first ever "5 good minutes" segment, they interviewed none other than Brent Musberger, ESPN/ABC college commentator.


Why is this relevant you ask? 10/20/01, exactly 10 years ago today UCLA was 6-0, #3 in the BCS and in the picture for the national championship. Looking at that video and seeing how far we've fallen in 10 years hurts. Musberger talks about tough games agsint Washington St, Oregon, and Stanford. He even says that the most entertaining BCS championship game would be that start studded 2001 Miami team and our very own Bruins.  Almost sage like however, Musberger talks about the difficulty of the rest of our schedule from that point out, and man was he right. For those that don't know we lost 4 of our last 5 games to finish 7-4 and thus started the downward spiral we still find ourselves stuck in a decade later. Goodbye BCS championship, goodbye national relevance, hello mediocrity.

Adding salt to the wound, almost all the other programs mentioned seem to have mantained their level of relevance on the national landscape. All except for us that is.

Brace yourselves Bruin faithful, this video hits like a Tyson punch to the gut.

Let me preface this post by saying I am not hoping in even the slightest way that I hope Tebow fails. The notion that EFX is sick and tired of the fans chanting for Tebow, and are throwing him out there to prove to the fans that he isn't ready, is completely obsurd to me.




With that being said, we are 1-4 this far into the season. Playing devil's advocate a little, with 11 games remaining, what if we finish soemthing like 4-7 or 3-8. That would put us with 4-5 wins on the season and back in line for a pick somewhere between picks 3 and 6.

Assuming that Luck is gone (I dont see how he would possibly fall past 1 or maaaaaaybe 2) and Tebow performs decent, but not great, what do we do? Extrapolating his stats from the SD game over a whole game (very scientific I know haha) would put Tebow averaging somewhere between 150-200 yards, 1-2 TDs and another 50-75 yards rushing with maybe a TD, although I wouldn't bank on rushing TDs every game, even if the small sample size indicates otherwise.

Looking at the 3 games from last year

vs Oakland: 78 yards rushing 1TD, 138 passing and 1 TD

vs Houston: 27 yards rushing, 1TD, 308 passing, 1TD, 1 Int

vs SD: 94 yards rushing, 1TD, 205 passing, 2TDs, 2 Ints

The numbers certainly are decent, but what if in a larger sample size the numbers aren't so great, what do we do going into next year?

Proponents of Tebow will surely bring up the fact that there was no offseason to prepare and that he has been given a raw deal by EFX judging him based on 11 games and the 3 from last year.

Opponents will argue that 14.5 games (11 games this year, 3 last year, and second half of this past week) is enough to see that Tebow is nothing but a complimentary package player (if there is such a thing) and although will be a very serviceable backup and leader in the locker room, is not starting QB material.

Do we pass up on QBs like Landry Jones and Nick Foles (both of which I am personally very high on) and give Tebow another year with the offseason, OTAs, etc etc.?

Part 2 to that question is do you think that if given the opportunity, EFX would pass up on a QB in the next draft given the assumptions I threw out? I for one am not so sure they will.

I assume some of you may be aware of this story because the young boy's story was on the news out there in Denver. The kid is a Broncos fan and came to America from Armenia to get medical treatment on tumors. He and his mother have been here for years but because their visas have expired, they will be forced to leave back for Armenia, effectively ending any chance of survival for the boy back in his home country.




I would not post this on here except for the fact that the kid is one of us. He is a Broncos fan, and I think we should do what we can to help one of our own. There is an online petition that has been started, and if you can spare the time to sign the online petition we could help the kid and his family out.


It literally takes 5 seconds (not exaggerating) and you don't have to make a username or anything.

Here is the video that was on the news out there in Denver, and here is the link for the petition.

Also for those of you on facebook, there is an event if you want to invite friends/family to help this kid out.



Like I said I would not post this normally but because the kid is a clear Broncos fan, I think it would be nice for us to get this on the front page and help him and his family out, at no cost to us other than 5 seconds of your time.

Couple of questions for those of you on here that know much more than I do about the players in this years draft.

So there was a post discussing us really liking Von Miller but that our #2 would be too high to take him, but people had him going at 7 and seemed to be fine with that. Given everyone is expecting this new rookie contract issue to get hashed out in the new CBA, the #2 overall pick and the #7 overall pick wont have AS drastic a price difference as previous years correct? In that case why not take  a player you like at #2 if hes projected at #7, its not that much of a reach imo.

Also I was thinking, and maybe this has been discussed in other posts, but shouldn't all bronco fans be praying, hoping, and wishing that Carolina takes a QB with their #1 pick. Gabbert or Newton, does not matter, but lets for example say that the panthers take Gabbert with the #1 pick. Conceivably many teams that need a QB drafting down in the 9-15 range would want our draft pick at #2 to take Newton before Buffalo can get to them at #3.

Basically what im saying is that given that so many teams need a QB, and being sandwiched between 2 teams that need a QB, wouldn't the above situation give us a lot of leverage and options with that pick? Pick up who we want if we dont like any of the deals offered, or trade down and pick up some extra picks. In my opinion that would be the ideal situation, but like I said I leave final commentary to those of you that know much more than I do.

So I was having an argument with a friend today over what  "contributing" to a blog entails. Some may wonder, how does this argument even come up...Ill spare everyone the details of which I am sure nobody is interested in haha.

Long story short, I believe that you "contribute" through functions like fanshots and fanposts. I do believe there is a very solid distinction between contributing and managing, editing, etc. and I have never claimed to do anything else other than contribute. By posting relevant information for example about the broncos through the fanshots and fanposts here on MHR I believe you are "contributing" to the overall blog and are thus a "contributor". My friend sees it as contributors run the blog and the rest of us just read and cannot claim that you contribute to the blog.

Is it a pointless argument? Absolutely. But I thought I would ask what you guys thought, if nobody answers I wouldn't think blame anyone.

I seriously doubt that CNC will be let go this offseason, but with the Broncos firing Josh McDaniels what do you guys think of bringing him in as OC..his problems with Denver wasn't necessarily in the Xs and Os but rather in questionable personnel moves (trading a 1st round pick in 2009 for a 7th round in '10).Obviously he wouldn't be in charge of such personnel decisions at the college level but the man did resurrect Orton's flailing career as a good (although not great) QB and when he was with NE Tom Brady and Cassell thrived in the system.As an OC when those were his only responsibilities all including Brady and Belichick praised his system.

If anything I think he can at least work with the QBs to help the anemic offense, but with that being CNC's area who knows it that becomes a case of diminishing marginal returns (too many minds working on the same project makes all ineffective). One thing is for sure he won't settle for guys fooling around and would bring some discipline.  (just ask Marshall and Cutler)..

Like i said just throwing it out there i doubt it would EVER happen but what would be your thoughts of getting someone who has had relative offensive success at the NFL level albeit not head coaching success.

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as far as what seats are good/bad at Invesco? I am from LA and am planning on flying out for the Rams game in Late November. I went online to find tickets but before I buy I figured id ask some of you on here that have been to the games before.

I want to sit in some good seats and though I would love to sit as close to the field as possible, I just graduated college and lets just say living on a budget is my mantra right about now. Which basically leaves me sitting in the 500s unless someone here has any insight. Any suggestions? Thanks guys this will be the first time I get to see my Broncos in action (been a fan since elementary school) and I just want to make sure i end up with a good seat.