Time Out! on Broncos Haters

Icing the kicker is an age-old practice in the NFL. Photo Courtesy

I’ve been hearing both sides of the controversy regarding last night’s games, and frankly, I’m tired of all the anti-Broncos sentiment. The refs blew this one, and the silver and black can blame the white and black for this screw up. I also think the fact that CBS showed the score as 23-20 did a lot more damage than viewing the field goal go in – it seemed to strike of finality, when it was anything but.

As in most controversies, there’s a bottom line, and this one’s pretty simple: THE BRONCOS CALLED TIMEOUT. That’s it. End of story. I can just envision the Raiders fans whining 5 years down the line, a la the Tuck Rule game, on how they were cheated out of a win. I don’t want to hear it. I’ve been hearing it all day. The Broncos aren’t dirty, they aren’t cheaters, they just iced the kicker. Happens 20 times a year in the NFL. Overtime kick coming? Ice the kicker. 30 seconds left for the game tier? Ice the kicker.

A good coach knows he needs to use every tool available. I didn’t see Lane Kiffin calling a timeout when Elam was lining up (although Elam proclaims he loves it when they try to ice him, giving him more time to prepare). Two weeks in a row, the game has come down to Elam’s foot and Shanahan‘s supreme coaching. Whether it’s calling “toro” on a 3rd and 9 in Buffalo, or calling a timeout moments before the field goal goes up, he has this team prepared for anything and has found ways to win despite the strangest of circumstances.

Quit whining, Raiders fans, and go prepare for the Cleveland Browns and the explosive (!) Derek Anderson.