Denver Broncos blog, news and rumors


FB

[hype it up!]
[Share with Yardbarker]

Published on 10/09/2010 at Sat Oct 09 08:21.
Tagged: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.



Predicting the Future: Broncos vs. Ravens

Posted Sat Oct 9th by

Champ Bailey and Jason Hunter celebrate after they recovered a muffed Tennessee Titans kickoff. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Champ Bailey and Jason Hunter celebrate after they recovered a muffed Tennessee Titans kickoff. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

So we had ourselves a football game last week; an old school brawl, the Tennessee Titans gave it their all and then some. Yet they still couldn’t come away with the victory.

What people failed to notice is that I came within one point of predicting each teams score the Denver Broncos can probably beat anyone in the NFL… if they can just get their running game together. Name a player on Denver’s defense without the last name: Williams, Bailey or Ayers… Don’t look– yeah you probably got one, but name five… And although it’s not boast able in any shape or form the Broncos defense sits in the middle of the NFL in all major categories, despite facing two of the top three running backs in the league and Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts after four weeks.

2-2 is probably what most smart analytics would have the Broncos at if they were guessing these games beforehand, but Denver holding Chris Johnson to less yards than the Pittsburgh Steelers is something only I am crazy enough to predict. Though, I didn’t, I figured the secondary is where the Titans would aim their sites. This is where the Baltimore Ravens will make their mistake, sure, they’ll try Ray Rice, but with his will-he/won’t-he injury persistent, even fantasy footballers aren’t sure whether to start him or not (and he’s a first round pick). Willis McGahee did well against the Steelers last week, but the Broncos are not the Steelers and Baltimore is jam-packed with receiving talent.

Here’s where Denver has them, if Andre Goodman is back, Perrish Cox fits perfectly into that nickle spot and this is where Denver’s defense has been hit hard. Nate Jones is not the answer, but Cox is and with Jones covering a fourth receiver (likely T.J. Houshmandzadeh) in dime situations the Broncos aren’t all that bad off. I would love to see what that incredible special teamer Cassius Vaughn can do in a more predominant role in the secondary though… The kid plays with a chip on his shoulder and his talent is screaming to be let loose.

Baltimore’s coming in high off their win over Pittsburgh and they’re going to get their throats cut, because Josh McDaniels and Wink Martindale are focused. The loss to Indianapolis was all Denver needed to light the spark that exposed every weakness on the Broncos defense. Denver will not face a better offense all year than they did in Indianapolis. I maintain, as should you, that the game against the Colts was winnable… Now that’s scary.

So here are the X factors the Ravens defense is number one against the pass, the Broncos offense is number one passing. The Ravens defense is number twenty-one against the run, the Broncos are dead last in rushing.

Denver fans grab for their hair every time Laurence Maroney takes a hand off; in fact I want to take the opportunity and speak directly to McDaniels– how bad could Andre Brown and Lance Ball possibly be? Get Maroney off the team, now. You had no problem getting rid of Peyton Hillis, what in the hell are you doing letting Maroney continue to replace Knowshon Moreno? Correll Buckhalter was a big reason Denver started off 6-0 last season, please don’t be so forgetful.

That being said, McDaniels play calling can speak for itself, as evidence by Kyle Orton and the Broncos receiver’s numbers this season. Maybe instead of throwing the ball only 50 times this Sunday Denver throws for 60. Who needs a rushing game when the team can just throw for seven yards at a time instead?

Broncos win 34-20.

By the way, we’ve started a Denver Broncos Facebook Group, if you want to be plugged into the absolute best coverage on Facebook, check it out here.

  • Jake White

    34 points huh? If Denver scores 34 against the Ravens in Baltimore, they go undefeated the rest of the season.

  • Dan

    Buck will do just fine. Denver has the player and coaching potential to score over 30 points on the Ravens. This team can beat any team in the league. No one is saying undefeated, but we are due to put away a good team with a lead larger than 10 points, and Baltimore in my opinion is over rated (Harbaugh, secondary, Flacco, OL, and Bolden). If it doesn't happen in Baltimore, then it will probably happen against the Jets at home.

  • Jake White

    I can see Denver scoring 24 and winning (with the assumption that Denver plays with the same moxy on defense that they did against Tennessee). But Baltimore hasn't given up 34 points since November 5th, 2007 (in Pitt). The Ravens are just flat out stingy.

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

    Completely agree on the Baltimore defense being stingy. It would probably impress me even more to see a 10-3 game.

  • http://baltimoresportsreport.com Zach

    Yeah, I'm sorry. I think this prediction is slanted pretty heavily. The Ravens never give up that many points at home and to think that Baltimore wouldn't be able to get moving offensively against an average run and pass defense with their receivers and running game makes the argument even harder to support.

    I wouldn't expect to see that many points for either team and would be shocked if Denver was able to put up over 20. The Ravens don't give up yards at home, I don't care how well Kyle Orton has played.

    23-17 Ravens.

  • Someone who's not delusional

    LOL

    seriously
    LOL
    LOLOL

    The Ravens D will shove Orton's face down in a puddle of reality and hold him under all game long. Sure, Boldin might be covered to the game. But there's about 40 other receivers Flacco can and will throw it to. Even if you do miraculously cover all of them with your team of UFL backups, Baltimore will just hit you with Rice/McGahee/McClain. 34-20, lol.

  • your an idiot

    NOW THAT IS FUNNY

  • areferee

    For someone who boasts of not being delusional, you speak like a man with a paper *ssh*le.

    Flacco has “40 receivers”, for example. In order for that to be true, he will have to target his teammates, most of the coaching staff and several of your cheerleaders…and I've seen some of them. They are indeed, WIDE receivers. Woof!

    There, how does it feel to read inane, worthless trash-talk?

    No one here cares about your opinion.

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

    Rice likely won't be hitting much harder than your little sister tomorrow. Denver is very susceptible to the run game for sure though.

    What about Denver's secondary screams UFL backups? The worst member of our secondary is now employed by Baltimore…

  • BBB

    I understand that both teams are a bit different than last year, but Denver is not that different. In my opinion they were better last year. The Ravens will break the hearts of Denver fans once again and send the Broncos into a downward spiral for the second year in a row. I have a hard time understanding how anyone that has payed attention to both of these teams could think otherwise. The Ravens defense is not going to allow them to play the way they have been. Not in Baltimore, not in a divisional game, and certainly not when the Broncos are so one dementional. Sorry Denver – in advance

  • TheTroglodyte

    lol You must have drafted Flacco in your Fantasy League and got your panties all in a ruffle because he burned you. Sorry bout that mate!

  • http://twitter.com/jholm7 Jason

    LOL! I'm there with ya Jake. 34 points in Baltimore is a bit of a stretch. I'll be good with a win. 20-16 Denver.

  • http://twitter.com/jholm7 Jason

    Yikes. Denver has been one dementional since day one, every team in the league knows it. Now, who has been able to do something about it?

    Exactly.

  • Rev_Rock

    I like the thought of that, but Denver's one dimension plays to Baltimore's strength, and that's not a good thing. If Maroney would run forward as much as he runs side to side, we might just get a running game going! But since he thinks his job is simply to duck and dodge, it'll be up to Buckhalter to do the running, and he's been pretty bad himself. But we can hope….

  • Dave

    Sorry guys but the Raven's will put up the 34 pts.. The bronco's will be hard pressed to score in the double digits. 34-14 Raven's

  • Nick Shadow

    I am going way, way out on a limb, call me crazy. Denver will run today, and make it work. It may not be explosive to the point of making headlines, but they will run.

    Why, do I say that? Because no one thinks they can, and based on the history, that would be a correct position to take. Unlike some, I think McD is a smart guy who has been building a team since the day he came here, and he will find a way to overcome the problems in the running game. I know, I know, he has made a lot of mistakes, but there always mistakes in big, long term projects, with opportunity, comes risk, and he hasn't been afraid to shake things up.

    You can pretty stop laying this on the running backs, this is a young O line problem, but the longer they play together the better they will get, and as I watch, I see them getting closer to making the running game work.

    You could say there is nothing, absolutely nothing, to back up what I am saying. I would say that by the time the stats are there the problem will have long since been corrected. Stats, like unemployment, are trailing indicators.

    Hope I am right, not just to be right, but because I love it when they play really solid football, win or lose.

    Nick

  • AtomicLeo

    I didn't like what I saw out of the offense last week. Still no running game. Points put up on the board when the defense gave us great field position and a bounce that went our way in the 4th sealed game. A well coached team that takes advantage of opportunities on the road, but Orton can not continue to throw the ball 45-50 times a game and Baltimore is a physical defense. Ravens 27-13

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

    The quickest way for Denver to die a quick death is to run the ball. The Ravens have faced run first teams (and not great ones) and the one time they played a team with good receiving talent they lost (Cincinnati). The teams only interception this season came last week (and it was by Ray Lewis).

    They're the number one pass defense because they have yet to play a team that was good at passing… The same can't be said for the Broncos and their passing game.

  • TheTroglodyte

    The Ravens are better against the pass then the Titans but look at who they have had to play. They aren't THAT strong against the pass. If Kyle can be given 2.5 – 3 seconds to throw, he'll expose them.

    Plus Baltimore's best dl pass rusher now plays for the Jets since they were so stupid to cut him.

  • Someone who's not delusional

    34-20 LOL

    OH LOL
    WE 4-1 NOW

    31-17, kiddos. That's what happens when you play against an NFL team.

  • Someone who's not delusional

    What was this about Rice not running hard? Or McGahee, for that matter. Enjoy your 2-3. I'll enjoy my winning record.

  • Cabbagetreesolutions

    I understand that both teams are a bit different than last year, but Denver is not that different. In my opinion they were better last year. http://www.ufcsale.com

  • Cabbagetreesolutions

    I understand that both teams are a bit different than last year, but Denver is not that different. In my opinion they were better last year. http://www.ufcsale.com