Month: February 2016

I’ll always remember the first time the Broncos won the Super Bowl, what a relief it was to see my favorite team finally win the Lombardi, to see John Elway get his ring after three disappointing Super Bowl outcomes, and to see Terrell Davis run roughshod against a Packers defense that so many believed would have its way against the Broncos.

But the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 win may be the most satisfying of them all. Everyone was convinced that the Panthers would have their way, that the Broncos defense had never played an offense like the Panthers and that Peyton Manning had nothing left in the tank and would fold against the Panthers defense.

Not only were the doubters proven wrong, but the Broncos can smile, knowing that they got Pat Bowlen yet another championship. (And how awesome was it that John Elway got to thank him for everything?)
Continue reading Gut Reactions: Broncos Win Super Bowl 50

Great Season. Here are some of my observations:

Continue reading Observations: Superbowl Win…. DEN vs CAR (24-10)

Good afternoon, Bronco fans! Tomorrow is the big day and I’ll get to a few final thoughts about that game, but first, I wanted to talk about the career of one player who will most likely be playing the final game of his NFL career.

Of course, that’s Peyton Manning, a player who we have discussed countless times this season and who I discussed a fair amount a couple of days ago as to what he’ll need to keep doing to give the Broncos a chance to win. But I don’t want to focus on what he’s done this season (one point aside that I’ll get out of the way early), nor do I want discussion in this thread to focus on this season alone, because that’s not the focus of this piece.

Instead, I want to focus on his career and why some of the narratives that come along with his career really need to be tossed aside and that we recognize him as one of the best to play in the game and that total wins or playoff wins don’t really put his career into proper perspective.
Continue reading Super Bowl 50: Perspective On Peyton (Or Why QB Wins Are A Dumb Stat)

Talk about this or anything else going on for Super Bowl Eve.  Best of luck to Terrell Davis, Steve Atwater, and John Lynch!

UPDATE: (6:09 PM MT)

Just talked to all 3 Broncos HOF finalists-none elected BUT Terrell Davis John Lynch make it inside Top 10-set up for future #9news #9news

— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) February 7, 2016

In the Patriots’ playoff game against the Chiefs early this year, we saw Danny Amendola as a punt returner deliver a brutal blindside hit on a gunner to prevent him from downing the ball deep in Patriots territory.  He was flagged for a personal foul, but because it took place on the Patriots’ 5 yard line, it only cost the team 2.5 yards, a penalty markoff that hardly felt like it matched the foul.

Perhaps in response to this, Roger Goodell just delivered this from his press conference:

Wow. Roger Goodell says he'll pursue a policy of, if a player gets two personal fouls in a game, it results in an automatic ejection.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2016

I think this is too harsh, and I hope the Competition Committee doesn’t pass it.  Players can play honest, good faith football and still accidentally commit personal fouls.  Fear of an ejection after just one could make the offender play too tenuously.

What I have long argued for instead is for the NFL to create a “penalty box” for personal fouls.  A player that commits one has to sit out X number of plays on his side (offense or defense).  The number of plays could increase if multiple personal fouls occur in one game.  You’d likely have to employ an new official completely in charge of the penalty box to enforce it and give the incumbent officials less to think about it, but the NFL can certainly afford it.  Finally, unlike hockey obviously the team needs to be allowed to make a substitution, as playing 11 on 10 would be far too harsh.

Almost time. Go Broncos

In continuing my look at Super Bowl 50, I wanted to focus on the Broncos this time around.

My focus is going to be more about particular players, including obvious candidates and a few who might get overlooked in terms of the impact they could have on the game.

I’ll start with the offense and work my way to the defense, starting with the most obvious candidate for debate, given how he’s fared this season.
Continue reading Super Bowl 50: Broncos With Key Tasks Ahead Of Them