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Published on 09/06/2008 at Sat Sep 06 15:00.
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Walker vs. Bailey and Other Pure Potential

Posted Sat Sep 6th by

Champ Bailey
Anticipation
an·tic·i·pa·tion
\(ˌ)an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən\
noun
14th century.

  • 1. When a fan peeks at a recently released Denver Broncos schedule and sees opening week- “Monday Night Football Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders.”
  • 2. The thought of Champ Bailey going one-on-one against that traitor Javon Walker, shutting him down and shutting him up.
  • 3. Getting to see Brandon Marshall going one-on-one against Nnamdi Asomugha.

Enough to raise one’s blood pressure, whether you be a south stander or one of the guys with the silver cones on their shoulders.

It’s not likely that fans will get to see either situation though. Walker is good to go, but, he’ll be at about the same capacity as he was during week 17 (for the Broncos) against the Minnesota Vikings. This creates another scenario, where Bailey will cover another former Bronco, Ashley Lelie AKA Javon Walker 1.0 (who will be fourth on the depth chart for Oakland). Instead of Marshall, Asomugha will square off against Darrell Jackson. To make this game even less exciting, I don’t think there’s a fan in Denver who is anticipating Jackson’s play (except me, maybe). However, please, have no fear, I’ve already played two seasons on Madden ’09 and Jackson is awesome, I swear… Just kidding.

Reality
re·al·i·ty
\rÄ“-‘a-lÉ™-tÄ“\
noun
1550

  • 1. Giving credit where credit is due: This will possibly be the best cornerback duo Jay Cutler will face all season (unless Philadelphia makes it to the Super Bowl, again with the kidding).
  • 2. An immediate measure of whether or not Cutler will be the third-year phenomenon that he is anticipated to be.
  • 3. Rookie Eddie Royal drawing a very good corner in DeAngelo Hall, all game.

The more and more you analyze this game, it could not have been any more perfect for a realistic gauge of how Denver will be this season as a team. We know where Denver stands versus the pass, with a stellar duo in corners Bailey and Dre Bly. The fact that JaMarcus Russell is starting- we could care less about it being his first full year and that he has displayed a lack of passing ability early. Let’s see him run and let’s see Denver’s revamped linebacker corps react.

Let’s see how improved Denver’s defensive linemen really are, going up against the very good Justin Fargas and the Oakland’s rookie phenom Darren McFadden. Is Denver’s defense expecting to go up against a better one-two punch this season? Who knows, McFadden hype could die out immediately and Denver’s defensive line would deserve full credit. So let us dream.

Oakland’s defense is nothing to shake a stick at, part of the reason that Asomugha has looked half as good as he has, is the Raiders ability to create pressure in the trenches. So there we have it again, Oakland’s defensive line versus Denver’s brand spanking new offensive line. Will Gerard Warren embarrass Shanahan again for trading him? Or will Casey Wiegmann shut him down, like he did when Wiegmann played for the Kansas City Chiefs?

The most glaring rivalry of all- will Mike Shanahan continue to own Al Davis’ Raiders?

I literally haven’t seen one mention of, “Raider Week.” Remember when it used to be a big deal? Then last year, when we barely beat them and then they beat us; all of a sudden no one cared that we’re playing, “The got damned Raiduhs!”?

So where is the love nation? Did the Broncos forget, “Raider’s Week?” Let’s make it Raiders weekend, hell, I already have in my complex. What are you looking forward to this game? What are your interesting matchups and who do you see as having a make or break week?

  • Richard

    If I were designing a game plan for this contest, I would keep sending Jackson and Royal long to stretch field and then throw underneath to Sheffler, Graham, Young, Hall, and Hillis. Make thier questionable linebackers cover the 5-7yd receptions. And finally when they bring their safeties up , Pop a long one to Royal. I would also throw in a lot of reverses, and roll outs to tire out their DLinemen. Lets find out early if Tommy Kelly can move laterally on his repaired knee. Everone in the universe knows that we were 30th in run D last year. What most fans don’t know is the Faiders were 31st. Selvin and Andre will get thier yards.

  • GreasyQtip

    Im very excited for this game for sure, Im still nervous about Eddie Royal though, are Bronco fans getting excited to early, he only had like 2 catches in the preseason i think. I think Jackson will have to be a big part of this offense this week and im happy with our WR depth. The TE are going to be a big part of the gameplan i hope, making defenses keep a guy on Shef and DG will open up the D. I refuse to get overly excited about Royal considering how many fans i see walking around with jerseys embroidered with the names Watts, Lelie, Nash, etc. But i really cant help myself but love our chances this week.

  • OC Bronco

    I’m fired up to see D-Jax. Guy is a stud and just had a horrible year in SF last year. However, I imagine it will be our run game that is the most effective Monday night.

  • http://broncos-denver-broncos.blogspot.com/ Ian Henson

    Richard –

    Seems like a decent idea. I’m sure it’s going to be more of the same, with run, run, pass– run, run, pass. But that may be all that’s needed.

    GQ- I think the same thing, TE’s if you’ve got Scheffler on your fantasy team, start him! To think that Royal is going to just blow up the stat book Monday night is a bit of wishful thinking, but I do think his presence is going to open up a whole lot of the offensive playbook.

    Next week, I expect the starters to be Brandon Marshall and Darrell Jackson though. Using a fresh Eddie Royal vs. tired legs will take at least two defensive players away from being anywhere near a play.

  • Roy

    Believe me, it is not forgotten. I work and play flag football and softball with A LOT of Raider fans. We have been chomping on this since the schedule first came out.

  • jibbons

    this mus be my fourth time checking this page today, and today is a slow day. Add in all of my visits to MHR, DP, RMN, CBS, and whatever I could find on google, and I have been breathing Broncos raiders all week long. Its all I can think about, I’ve even made like 6 visits to silver and black pride over the course of the week (and they only do like one update a day). I will take any info on this game I can get even if it is coming from the foaming mouths of raiduh fans. To me (I hope not to the Broncos, as there are 14 non raider games afterall), this is one of the two biggest games of the year.

    oakland raider hater for life!

  • kerry

    did this article refer to Mcfaggen as a “Rookie Phenom?” i really think that is an overstatement. see Mcfaggen had an excellent lead blocking FB named…. Hillis. he doesnt have that anymore. but what he does have is a weak O-line. our run D will be too good for them to run on

  • http://broncos-denver-broncos.blogspot.com/ Ian Henson

    jibbons-

    Comments like that are what I’ve been missing. Maybe it’s just that there are too many new journalists in Denver? I don’t know, maybe it’s just because I’m not in Denver anymore. The Denver facility used to go into lock down and there were “Raider Week” stamps all over any report that came out.

    I’m guessing mostly, it’s because the game is on Monday night. So the hype will probably start Monday morning.

  • Boisebroncoguy

    I still get pretty jacked for raiders week. They will always be the team I hate the most. I must admit though that because of constantly hearing how great the Chargers are, I am probably more excited about that game. Not to mention the fact that they killed us last year. As far as what I am looking forward to seeing, since I live in Boise, I want to see how Ryan Clady does.

  • Jordan

    Yea, I have to agree with all of you here. The game plan must be run the ball first and then fire some deep balls along with mixing it up 5-7yrd pass plays. I to have been all over the internet and so jacked up about this game. I think a lot of the media is not giving Denver a chance in hell, but its time to upset that and stay below the radar.

  • LorDog

    It seems to me in the last few years the Raider hype has been low for a couple of reasons. 1. The Raiders have sucked so bad there wasn’t much to get hyped over. 2. The Raiders don’t seem to play as dirty as they used to so the rivalry didn’t seem as hot. They really used to throw in a lot of cheap shots and dirty ball. I personally haven’t seen it as much. That’s where I miss guys like Romo who would spit in their faces :)
    This year, however, with Walker and Lelie representing the enemy team I would think the energy Monday night is going to be white hot!
    Can’t wait for MNF!!!! Go Broncos!!!

  • http://broncos-denver-broncos.blogspot.com/ Ian Henson

    Kerry-

    Always the lovely touch =) I didn’t want to put “rookie phenom” in quotes, but there are a couple elements to the second part that are tongue and cheek.

    Boise- I am very much looking forward to Clady’s play as well. The Chargers have become my most hated team in the AFC West, but I’ll always have a certain contemptuous spot for the Raiders.

    Jordan- Ah men! It’s interesting to see people picking the Raiders over the Broncos… Really? In reality though, I don’t blame them, if I were trying to pick the over under on a game like Savannah vs Appalachian State- I probably wouldn’t have a clue either. Is Plummer still starting for Denver?

    – Ian

  • http://broncos-denver-broncos.blogspot.com/ Ian Henson

    LorDog-

    Good points, the Sam Jackson promo that I posted yesterday is still relevant today. I kind of forgot about how many players that we’d shared with Oakland, because I’ve been overwhelmed by Houston lately…

  • mussilini

    will always be a fader hater but im getting a really bad taste for the farters with their little cry baby of a running back

  • http://horviltiki.com Horvil Tiki

    Evil alf davies rader come to play the bronco guy, even when they is the dooky team they rader still snatch grab clutch aganst the bronco they hates the bronco the fan throw crapt on to feeld the al davies try do everythig he can to destruct bronco everythig guy he blindeds in hatred of bronco sine the javvod wakker, no one want the javond wakler cant even sell the javvod rooky card on the ebay in the mint conditional but evil empror gives him all the hooge monies guy, all the hooge monies.