Predicting the Future: Broncos vs. Rams

A Chargers fan reacts during the game against the Broncos. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Giving up?

Not on my life…

This time I want you to save me.

A brief recap of the Denver Broncos season:

I have seen orchestrated perfection, I have seen absolute self implosion– an empire that never was… crumbling. David holding the sling to Goliath’s temple and shouting, “Just kidding!” The team has done absolutely everything that fans could think of, good and bad and just falling on their own faces moments before the finish line.

It brings me to my knees really, see there’s a pressure on me. I want to call it honestly; I want to call it like I see it, but the Broncos are a disappointing, under achieving child… They’re capable of greatness, but they just can’t stop drinking and chasing tail. I just wish the collective consciousness of Denver fandom could will the win.

But you can’t as fans and most especially you won’t. Somewhere in Denver it became more important for fans to be right, for a fan to say Josh McDaniels is too young, too immature, too greedy, too ambitious– to succeed.

I flew for miles to Denver this week and I flew for miles to get out in time to get back to New York City for the game against the St. Louis Rams. I’d rather be amongst my own insanity than to be amongst the collective insanity of the local (Denver) Broncos fans.

McDaniels isn’t without fault himself, tradition or not, players need to be held accountable just as much as the coaching staff… Giving the players bye week off, letting them off to be with their family early on Thanksgiving… George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas Day, without that there would be no American Football– my point is there’s no rest for the wicked and weary. There’s especially no rest for losers. Yes, that stuff may have flied in New England, but the Patriots won games often. Let this be my final warning Josh. You lose my support, you’re losing one of your last real supporters with a voice (albeit very minor voice, in an internet blogging universe).

You and your team need to go 6-0 to end the season in the same manner you went 6-0 to start last season.

I won’t call for you to be fired, but I will call for you to be replaced; though I know it’s fiscally irresponsible of Pat Bowlen to do so, Bowlen had no problem paying out millions of dollars in dead money during the Mike Shanahan era why would he mind now? Now, I know that the team went 8-8 in 2009, but the last time Denver went from a losing season to a losing season was in 1971. When you (Josh McDaniels) walked through the door in Dove Valley you (Josh McDaniels) took over a team, a city, a nation, that doesn’t know what it means to lose for very long.

I still believe in you Josh. Don’t mess that up.

Philip Rivers is congratulated by Tim Tebow after the game (Reuters, Lucy Nicholson)

God, I can’t get over it… Why is Tim Tebow smiling with Philip Rivers after the game? That’s just… I mean you’re 2-7 what in the mother heck are you smiling about? No wonder McDaniels says Tebow’s not ready to start. Yeah, $22-million is exciting, but really? If football is just a business, you don’t go up to the man that just beat you out of a deal, literally mopped the floor with you and congratulate him like he just had a beautiful new baby. No wonder Kyle Orton‘s still starting in Denver.

Onto the game…

You’ve got two teams in the Rams and Broncos that walk into the game without a thing in the world to lose. At worst a loss likely means a higher draft position and a win, a worse draft position.

Knowshon Moreno‘s got his groove back, which is exciting and the Broncos defense has been known to shut down a world class running back this season. So, Steven Jackson who? Sam Bradford‘s the future in St. Louis, but so is Perrish Cox in Denver.

Tit-for-tat the Broncos are the strongest 3-8 team in the league, I’ve made arguments inside of this column that the team should be at worse 5-6. Being the strongest 3-8 team in the league is kind of like being the prettiest guy at an all boys school though. Denver simply needs to shut down Jackson in the same way they did Chris Henry, force Bradford to throw the ball and blitz the heck out of him.

On offense, Moreno’s new found success should continue, but don’t think the Rams defense will just lay down. One thing to keep in mind is this is a bit of a revenge match for Steve Spagnuolo, he was brought it two years ago to interview as Shanahan’s replacement (and I loved the idea of having him as a head coach). So Spag’s could see this as a bit of a grudge match. Two of the youngest, most brilliant coordinators in the NFL squaring off against each other as head coaches. Should be fun to watch.

If the Broncos offensive line can get Orton the extra second/second and a half that he needs to find one of the three amigos Denver should coast.

If Denver doesn’t run the gamut with St. Louis, then I give up (not on the team, but on the season)… As should the Broncos, a top five pick will benefit Denver much more than a 6-10 season. The team full of “competitors” should let some of their veterans like Brian Dawkins ride off into the sunset. Though it won’t be pleasant, they at least deserve to be let out of their own misery.

Broncos win 31-27.