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Published on 11/12/2008 at Wed Nov 12 18:30.
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Quenching the Mid-Week Addiction

Posted Wed Nov 12th by

INVESCO Field at Mile High

Hello Bronco Nation, this is East and I will be guest posting today. First off, I would like to thank Kyle for giving me this opportunity to give you all this post about the best freaking franchise ever to be created. It’s mid week now so it’s about that time us Denver fanatics scour the whole web for any story that will help Sunday come faster. So here I am, feeding your blue and orange furnace.

Now I know that I speak for all Denver fans when I say that the game in Cleveland is one that our hearts desperately needed. However, our heart rates start to rise and our sanity starts to lower the closer we get to Atlanta. Facing this turn-around-team will prove to be difficult, but if the Broncos show up to play this will prove to be another nail bitter for the umpteenth time this season. Let me try to gauge for you what we love, but more importantly what we need to improve.

The things we loved

Jay Cutler

What can I say about this man? Actually, I can’t say enough. When you throw for 400+ yards and 3TDs in a game you deserve AFC Offensive Player of the Week. However, despite his flashy stats he did other things that impressed me more. He made great reads; he found Scheffler, Graham, Jackson, Royal, Marshall, and Stokley. Cutler also won our hearts this game by minimizing turnovers, he did have the one interception but Marshall did break from his route so we can’t be too harsh on him. In Cleveland Cuter strayed away from forcing the ball to his target, let’s hope that this future Pro Bowler is starting to learn his lesson.

Tight Ends

Ed Note: East made some brilliant points on Tony Scheffler – so brilliant, in fact, that they deserve some front page space (so I can pretend I thought of it – just kidding). So I’m making an executive decision and will feature this section in its own post. Stay tuned for that!

Things we need to work on

Running Backs

Who would have ever thought that running backs would be in this category? I don’t like the signing of Tatum Bell morally, but hey, I’m just a blogger what do I really know about Bell’s situation? I guess it’s time to give him a second chance. Bell had his moments in 2006 and Denver’s eyes will be looking for him to hit those homeruns once again. I am intrigued by Alex Haynes and P.J. Pope; Denver has always been successful with unsigned free agent running backs. However, what I’m dying for is to see Peyton Hillis get the ball in his hands via a screen pass. Hillis should be used how the Eagles use Brian Westbrook and the Saints use Reggie Bush (and was in the Miami game). Hillis has speed and power, I have no doubt that he can truck over for the first down or even better, the touchdown.

Defense

It pains me that I can’t subcategorize this subject into smaller things like “Getting to the passer”, “Stopping the run”, or “Stopping the pass.” The sad, sad, sad fact is that we are having trouble do all of these things. Despite injuries we have been playing about the same perhaps even a bit better. D.J. going down pains me, especially in his pro-bowl like year, but you just have to love Wesley Woodyard, I hope he gets all the practice in the world while D.J. is gone.

Champ Bailey

He wants to come back to the ATL, this should scare Denver fans. He said that his groin injury was worse than the one the put Mike Anderson out for a whole entire season. Sure, Champ has used modern medicine, however he is not 100% and if he hurts himself even worse because he had to play in his hometown, I’m sure he won’t forgive himself for it.

Jarvis Moss

Moss rides the thin line of bust. However, he registered 2 sacks in the Miami game. There is no denying that he is a physical beast, but he is definitely not a defensive end. Moss needs to be used as an outside line backer immediately. He has the speed, size, and strength of Shawne Merriman (actually he’s faster). Who does he have to compete with in our myriad of injured linebackers? Taking Louis Green or Jamie Winborn out a snap or two every now and then couldn’t hurt or defense anymore than it already hurts. This all boils down to the defensive coaching, they need to start using the players they have in the right positions. Give the man a chance.

Before I sound off

My condolences to Glenn Martinez… you and Denver had a good run. I hope to see you picked up sometime in the near offseason… just to be cut again.

  • pwsbronco

    I agree with you on Moss, lets try him at the LB position and see if we don’t have another jewel just sitting there waiting to be discovered.
    Our young guys now have their chance to shine for this team and if nothing else some of them have been very impressive for their first chances.
    Our defense is going to be our dreaded weak link for the remainder of this year so if they can at least hold their own and not step backwards, with the occaisional defensive stops and forced turnovers then they will be a success for this year. We know what we have to concentrate on for next year, so lets go defense play hard and smart and for the whole 60 minutes. Play like last week and we should be alright.
    Offense, lets keep feeding off of last weeks perfomance minus the interception and we should be piling up the points once again. We are a definate threat to any defense when our youngsters are performing at top notch, we have the talent and ability so now lets learn to find that killing blow without relaxing at the end of the game.
    Special teams, pick it up, make your stops and dont give up the big returns and Prater make the field goals and keep kicking it deep into the end zone….. Lets go sunday Bronco’s, one at a time and with a couple more wins we should own the division…….BRONCO’S

  • http://merlinofchaos.livejournal.com E. Halsey Miles

    Linebackers have to cover tight ends. I don’t think we want to see J. Moss covering Antonio Gates. Ever.

  • MikeY55

    i actually think in past weeks jarvis is getting it done pretty well… he got 2 sacks against miami but he is starting to cause a bit more disruption and ur really noticing him more… moss has played in only 12 games not even 1 full season and were calling out bust?? he will still be a bronco come 2009 season and thats when we should expect to put the hate on let him play as a d end!!! Joey porter the leagues sack leader failed misserably in a 4-3 as a pass rushing linebacker.. i only wanna see moss as a LB in a 3-4 besides that let him put his hand down n get at the qb i dunno bout u but i think he is getting better

  • AKscott

    i agree MikeY55, i thought Moss had some good pressure as did a few others last week. Brady Quinn was just shockingly effective at getting the ball out of his hands quick. I imagine thats something they (the browns) worked on by using more 3 step drops for him, since it was his first game, or maybe he just has a quick release.. a bit like Marino did, or some combo of the two. Keep up the good work Jarvis!

    Nice original post. I dont agree 100%, but it was a good read and i like the breakdowns you did. Thanks!

  • http://BroncoTalk.net East

    Thanks for the kind words everyone!

    E. Halsey, I totally agree with you, Moss on Gates would be scary to watch. That’s why I would like to have him situational like in a 3-4 package or an obvious passing down. I should have probably stated that.

    MikeY55 – I agree I don’t think he’s a bust… yet. I think if he stays healthy he will be on the 2009 team. However, if he doesn’t up his productivity then Denver will either cut him or trade him for a fourth rounder at best, which will state he wasn’t worth the first rounder and the third rounder it took to move up to get him.

  • broncobear

    A lot of DE and DT take 3 seasons to mature into nfl players, and as some folks here have said, Moss has less than 1 seasons’s worth of games under his belt. His productivity this week was just fine – if he makes a habit of getting a couple of sacks a week, we just might keep him…

    As far as a SAM in a 3-4 – we still need a serious NT. That aside, I don’t know how Moss’ skills in coverage are, or if he even has any. He’s certainly fast enough, has the size. Strong enough? That’s long been the knock on him. Some have also questioned his motivation, but we’ll see about that over time. Even if we keep him as a DE, if we go to a 3-4 Zone Blitz scheme, as we have played with this year, we’ll need him to drop into coverage at times. Anyone here know if he has the skills?

  • MikeY55

    haha oh i beleive he wasn’t worth the trade.. i understood the need of a pass rusher but i really didn’t want moss i stand by him now just in mere hopes he can turn it up… i wanted the guy the jags ended up taking anyways with our first round pick reggie nelson. our defense would look alot better without moss and with nelson i think