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Published on 10/04/2011 at Tue Oct 04 10:13.
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Pinstripe red ale - Ska Brewing, Durango, CO

Pinstripe Red Ale - A Durango, CO product that is actually distributed where I live in AZ. Looking forward to trying it.

Six observations from Sunday’s 23-49 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

1. John Fox kept Tim Tebow sidelined in the fourth quarter, with the game out of hand, and it made it absolutely no sense.

The Denver Broncos, down 49-17 with 7:46 left in the game, were not coming back from a 32-point deficit. Any hope of Kyle Orton lifting the team on its shoulders and delivering a comeback win with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter was out the window.

Yet there head coach John Fox went, trotting out his Best Chance to Win when there was No Chance. Meanwhile, Tim Tebow, potential franchise quarterback in dire need of some real-game snaps in Fox’s system, sat on the sideline, likely staring intently at a clipboard.

I’m not saying Tebow should be the starter. I’m just not there yet, folks. I’ve seen the kid practice and I’ve seen him in the preseason. I see “potential” (and that only sometimes). I don’t see “production.”

But that is exactly why the fourth quarter against Green Bay provided the perfect, disappointingly unused opportunity to see if one “p” could become the other. Even Packers fans were chanting “TE-BOW!”, for crying out loud.

Fox’s hilarious explanation after the game was that Orton needed more reps. “We need our starting quarterback to get experience for us to improve,” Fox said. “That’s the idea behind that. You know he needs to get better in our system.”

You know who else needed to get better in your system? Andre Goodman, Cassius Vaughn, Brian Dawkins, and Rahim Moore. The Broncos secondary was abused. Yet that didn’t give you pause when were you trotting out Chris Clark and other backup DB’s with the game out of line.

Tim Tebow with Packers fans

Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos talks with fans prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 2, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

John Fox showed a willingness to invest game action in the development of his young defensive backs. He was not willing to make any such investment in Tim Tebow. One wonders why.

2. Orton’s pick-six was really the turning point of the game

Don’t tell me that Kyle Orton’s three interceptions cost the Broncos the game, because the last two were more or less meaningless. You take chances when you’re down by 20 in the fourth quarter you wouldn’t otherwise. Am I excusing those picks? No. I’m simply countering the mass’s argument before it gets there.

But you can tell me, and I’d agree, that his first interception was brutal, and a game-changer.

The Broncos had a bit of momentum before Orton’s underthrown ball was jumped by 2008 Defensive MVP Charles Woodson and returned 30 yards for a touchdown. It’s true that Aaron Rodgers had just hit Jordy Nelson for a 50-yard touchdown, but before that, the Broncos had a fourth-down stop and a long field goal drive of their own. They were still clearly in the game.

Orton’s pick-six changed the game’s entire dynamic. The Packers’ surprise onside kick that followed was a brilliant, aggressive move by Mike McCarthy to knock the wind out of Denver’s sails, and it worked. They were down 21-3 in what felt like an instant.

I was happy to see the Broncos claw their way back from that. They fought back to 21-17 with two minutes until the half. But then Rodgers sandwiched halftime with touchdown scores, and the Broncos were down 35-17 when the offense got the ball again. The game had gotten out of line.

Fox said he was also glad to see his team fight back through that initial fire.

“Our offense got off to a rough start as did all the Broncos, but our team fought back to make it 21-17,” said Fox. “Two drives, and only one play on offense later, it was an intentional kneel down and it’s 35-17.”

If Orton doesn’t throw that first quarter flop, maybe things don’t get out of line in the first place.

Story continued on the next page »

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  • Anonymous

    good post, although I like Orlando Franklin where he is. Give the kid some more time at tackle and bring in competition for Walton next year

    Does Ian Henson write here anymore?

  • areferee

    The most demoralizing aspect of Sunday’s game against the Packers is not just being embarrassed on national television, but by having all of our weaknesses exposed for all to see, one of which we may have been unaware until Sunday.

    We have a coach that is being out-thought as well as being out-fought!

    Kyle covered them in this well-written piece, but it can’t be overstated:  Our veteran Head Coach’s weaknesses were as exposed in this game as was our ineffective quarterback, our consistently out-manned defensive backfield and our hyper-conservative game plan.

    Fox has shown an inability to adjust to game conditions.  Like his inept predecessor, he has one plan and one plan only and sticks with it come Aaron Rodgers or high water.

    Yes.  The “Tebow Thing” will just get worse for Fox , because he isn’t just being out-coached, he is being “out-couched”, by every Broncos’ fan that realizes that he is making poor decisions, before, during and after the games.  It is there for the whole world to see, except for the coach himself and a few die-hards like the ones that still supported McDaniels clear up to the bitter end.

    Unlike other cities perhaps, Broncos’ fans expect more… DEMAND MORE!

    Get used to it, John!  Winning will be your ONLY sanctuary.

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    No he went to MHR. We were sad to see him go.

  • Anonymous

    Oh, man…I used to drink gallons of Pinstripe.

  • Anonymous

    The man called a flea-flicker.  That’s about as daring as he ever gets.

  • Anonymous

    Name one coach who could have done better with the current roster.  If the defensive backfield is consistently out manned that is a personnel problem not a coaching problem.
    This is a very bad Broncos team that was not going to be fixed by one draft or a new head coach period.  That is reality. 

  • Cdub12344321

    Look no point of crying over spilled milk not the first whooping we got and probably not the last……. One good thing I can say about fox is he knows how to draft from peppers to Von, but on the other hand I agree he is playing old school football in a new era league which is a huge no no! Our offense is stacked at talent receiver wise, but it just can’t show because one our couch refuses and two our qb can’t make the throws down field! Also, another issue bothering me is why isn’t ball getting more carries the moreno? I’m getting tired of putting up with stuff that should have been fixed!

  • Anonymous

    Well said Aref

  • Anonymous

    You straight up skip the kool-aid and just shovel sugar into your mouth don’t you? haha

  • Anonymous

    Vontaze Burfict MLB AriSt., Russell Wilson out of Wisconsin and Casey Hayward out of Vandi should be our top 3 pics.. i have gave up on Tebow/Orton.. lets get a real stud at MLB, QB and CB.. Tydreke Powell out of North Carolina is a stud we can get in the later rounds. Only way i change my mind is if someone man’s up!

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    You have an argument there in your first paragraph. But is this the worst secondary Fox has every coached with, ever? Dawkins, Moore, Goodman and Vaughn? It’s possible, but I doubt it. Something went wrong with this gameplan and they didn’t adjust.

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    I started P90X just this month, which is a no-beer diet. So I’ll hit up all these brews on the other side in January. I think I’ll write a post about it too.

  • Anonymous

    It isn’t the worst but I don’t think they believe the corners are good enough to cover man-2-man which is why they stuck with zone.  I don’t think they have all of the defense put in yet either.

  • Anonymous

    Funny how many fans have forgotten the Dan Reeves era and the run on 1st and 2nd then throw on 3rd and long.

  • Anonymous

    What? 

  • areferee

    Knute Rockne…

    There is absolutely nothing wrong in your remarks and I am not advocating a change in coaches, but a change in coaching.

  • areferee

    Put 1554 on your list for New Year’s.

  • Anonymous

    A buddy of mine knew the owners of Ska, so we’d get all the stuff they couldn’t sell for whatever reason (too old, color was off, etc.). 

    We were drowning in that stuff.  I saw it a few weeks back in a liquor store here.  It had been almost ten years since I had one. 

  • AtomicLeo

    I listened to Eddie Mac on Vic and Gary, great interview about the Broncos, Tebow and the shell-lacking on Sunday. Ed Mac said either the players were completely screwing up or the scheme is just bad because the completions were just too easy. If it is scheme, and I felt that Ed implied that was the case, we will see more of the same the rest of the season.

  • johnny

    You could put Fox in as the packer’s coach and he’d scheme them into an 8-8 team in one season…gar-un-teed. The guy is never going to get us over 8-8..ever, he just can’t, not won’t, he can’t, adjust to the current NFL. I know, he’s an expert, eats, sleeps football blah blah.
    In 3 years we can all debate how Fox just never could get us over the hump, even after 4 years of his scheming. But the next coach will!

      P.S. Don’t be surprised to see TT traded to Miami before the deadline..he deserves a coach/FO who knows how to use him. 

  • rcsodak

    How do you figure the pick6 was “underthrown”?
    He was throwing to the marker, under pressure, and almost blind. By that I mean he knew wherelloyd was going to be, had a blitz (or pressure, can’t remember) and onstinctively turned and threw it. Problem was, woodso KNEW the bail-out play as well(Simms knew):Denver throws to the 1st down markers”. It was just a heady play by an AllPro CB.

  • rcsodak

    A successful one, mind you. And if moreno hadn’t. Looke like he was auditioning dor DWTS, orton might have hit lloyd in stride.
    But I’m not complaining since it worked.

  • http://nation.theorangepage.com/blog Ian Henson

     I still comment here though Jim, just have been very busy. I’ll be back in the swing of thing soon.

  • Nisse

    our new DC allen was a DB coach.

    our DBs are the worst part of our team.

    what does that say?

  • Nisse

    ppl havent, they still dont like reeves for not using elway properly.

  • http://nation.theorangepage.com/blog Ian Henson

    Fact is the Green Bay Packers are still the best team in the league, they’re playing near flawless football and the Broncos held their own, at least for a half.

    There were plays that could have gone for this or should have gone for that, but these are things that losing teams (and their fans) will usually dwell on. We are not that, we still haven’t learned to lose as a fandom, which is very encouraging to me. I am no math major, but I know Arefree was (if the team goes 8-8 this season what is the percentage of wins compared to last season?).

    Looking ahead, the Broncos got out of this game without any major injuries; Champ Bailey should be available this week against the San Diego Chargers and the Broncos will need all they have to beat them. If Denver is somehow able to pull-off that victory they basically control their own destiny.

    Denver plays two of the worst teams in the NFL over the next six weeks (plus a bye, Oakland, along with the undefeated Detroit Lions(?)). So it still really is sink or swim for the team, John Fox sees that these next six weeks the team could just as easily emerge as a 5-4 team with at least a tie for first in the AFC West as they could a 3-6 team.

    So that is basically where I stand on the Orton vs. Tebow issue, why Tebow wasn’t brought out and why Orton stayed in. You leave the dance with the girl you came with and it is not yet time to turn it in for the season. Prior to Green Bay, the Broncos had lost two games by three points each. Hardly reason to throw in the towel, which at this point would be the only justification for playing Tebow in my opinion.

  • http://nation.theorangepage.com/blog Ian Henson

     Would you consider the idea that maybe Fox needs to take a MORE hands on approach to this offense? Look at our team like a defensive coach would, find the game plan and exploit that? Denver does not have a bad passing game, nor do they have a bad running attack… So what gives? They’re even top 15 within the red zone… To me there is no justification for Tebow time.

    I don’t want to start a civil war, but it’s clear to me. The problem seems to rest in a few areas that cannot be fixed right now (front seven not meshing with the back four). Lack of depth in the secondary as Kyle pointed out, but I was proud of the defense for the most part. The team was just simply out-coached and out-played as you said. Nothing that happened can’t be fixed via coaching and whether Denver fandom likes Kyle Orton or not he’s going to play his ass off this season to avoid ending up as Sam Bradford’s career back-up.

  • anthony33

    Too early to call out Fox IMO… remember McD going 6-0???  He has an enormous mess to clean up and not a whole lot to work with.  Going to take three years. Don’t know if he’ll get that much time, but look what Detroit has done in three years. We need talent!!

  • anthony33

    BTW… you think our Broncs are bad, just moved to the pacific NW and the Seahawks look awful!

    My prediction for the winner of the Luck sweepstakes is… the Indianapolis Colts. That just sucks… not fair to follow P Manning with Andrew Luck. Bastards.

  • Anonymous

    He still got the Broncos to 3 Super Bowls and 4 AFC title games.

  • Anonymous

    You’re not supposed to remind people of that.

  • Anonymous

    I figure Tebow more suitable for the CFL.

  • Anonymous

    I doubt Knute can work miracles.

  • King

    There is so much truth in your post, my only comment is that Fox seems to be over his head.  He truly needs to go back to being a DC.

  • King

    Shanahan.

  • King

    Reeves is 0-4 in the Super Bowl.

  • King

    I get the same sense Johnny.  I hope I am wrong, but I won’t be surprised if we are just a mediocre team 2-3 years from now with Fox.

  • King

    It was thrown too slowly and should’ve been thrown slightly closer to the sideline. 

  • http://thingsatrexdoes.tumblr.com Mike Birtwistle

    I stopped drinking beer one summer when I got into running and never started again.  I know a Brit who doesn’t drink – as rare as an optimistic Bronco fan

  • http://thingsatrexdoes.tumblr.com Mike Birtwistle

    Meh, the colts have a history of trading away the rights to franchise QBs picked at the #1 slot of the draft.  Maybe we can rob them again.

  • anthony33

    It’s just too damn hard to forget. 

  • Anonymous

    Moreno doing his thing on that play is what made it work.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a RB sell a flicker like that.  He was awesome on that play.  Orton made a terrible throw

  • Anonymous

    True and moving from #2 to #1 isn’t going to be that big of a deal anyway haha

  • Anonymous

    You mean the same Shanahan who ignored the defense, made some pretty useless and expensive free agent moves, drafted poorly and went through defensive coordinators like Liz Taylor went through husbands?  That Shanahan?

  • Anonymous

    That would be magnificently WRONG.  Reeves is 2-7 as player, assistant coach and head coach.  Furthermore it is ignorant to argue that getting two teams to 4 Super Bowls as a head coach makes that coach a failure because he did not win any as head coach.

  • rcsodak

    Yes, he did sell it.  All the while, lloyd was busting downfield.  It looked like a play that’d been well rehearsed in practice, though,  because orton threw that ball flat footed.  Likr maybe lloyd was more open than they allowed for, or the dancing took longer.
    Just alternative possibilities other than the normal “orton sux” drivel.

    Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

  • rcsodak

    Ok.  Thx Mr Elway.

    Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

  • me

    fuckin sellout

  • me

    yeah we already have a running QB in Tebow. why the hell would we draft another one in the kid from Wisconsin?