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Published on 11/03/2010 at Wed Nov 03 18:20.
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Three things to ponder during the Bye week

Posted Wed Nov 3rd by

While the Broncos take a week off during their bye-week, we the fans are stuck with no Bronco-related news during the week, no game to watch on Sunday, and no venting (or celebrating) next Monday. So, to help get through the week, here’s three things for you to dissect during the long Bye week.

1. We are not alone

Mediocre Football League

It hasn't been a very exciting NFL season. (Courtesy of Drew Litton, DrewLitton.com)

This season has been kinda strange. The NFL, rather, MFL (Mediocre Football League), has no stand out Super Bowl contenders like the Colts and Saints of 2009. And the Broncos sure aren’t the only team that’s disappointed their fans. Heck, the AFC West’s combined record is 14-17! It really could be worse. At least we’re not fans of the Cowboys, Vikings, Bengals, Panthers, or Bills. There’s eight other teams besides the Broncos that haven’t won their third game yet either. It’s just hasn’t been the Broncos year.

2. Are the Broncos under a curse?

Since starting 6-0 in 2009, the Broncos have gone 4-14. The reason for that has been discussed and debated extensively. I suggest a new theory; the Broncos got cocky after starting out 6-0 last season, and as Josh McDaniels admitted, they didn’t prepare for the Ravens like they should have. As a result, the Broncos angered the football gods, who in turn, placed a curse on the Broncos. The team went out in week 8 and got their butts kicked-in by Baltimore and finished the season poorly. Still under the curse, the Broncos were never able to get their mojo back this season. Faced with another bye week, the Broncos can release the curse–or jinx it if you will–by getting a reality check and some humility and preparing better for the Chiefs than they did for the Ravens in 2009. The bye-week-to-bye-week curse would then be removed, and the Broncos could get back on track.

3. Is the season completely lost, or do the Broncos still have a legitimate chance to do something this season?

Chargers Rams Football

The AFC West as a whole hasn't been very competitive. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Root for the Texans on Sunday. If they can knock off the Chargers in Houston, San Diego would fall to 3-6, putting the Broncos just one game behind them. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, who are coming off a narrow overtime victory over the Bills, have back-to-back road division games coming up against the Raiders and Broncos respectively. The Raiders will close the second half of the season facing opponents who have a combined record of 26-18, with the Chiefs, Steelers, Colts, Chargers and Dolphins coming in a six-week stretch. What I’m getting at is, if the Broncos can manage to finish the season 8-8, closing the season with two home games, they still have a shot at the AFC West. While it may be a slim chance, the NFL is always full of surprises and nobody knows how the rest of the west will fair through the last nine weeks of play.

I’m not expecting a late season surge that catapults the Broncos into the Playoffs, but I’m also not giving up all hope – like I know nearly all other Broncos fans have already done. The Broncos have eight games left to play and a week off to regroup, I haven’t given up hope – just yet.

  • Vince_marine

    Great article Jon! Don't ever give up hope!

  • anthony33

    I wouldn't rule out anything at this point. Damn the football gods.

    It would be nice to finish 5-3 or 6-2. Favorable schedule, no travel over 2 hours and only one time zone jump.

    They need to get their collective act together over the next 2 weeks and start learning how to win again.

  • (dee)

    Call me crazy … I still think we can finish 10-6. Even with all my pro McD talk, I love this team more than anything…it makes my Mondays better when they win, and I still dont think McD has given up trying to get this team to win.

    One game at a time gentlemen…slowly McD and Co will get us to the playoffs.

  • crazykid

    I sure hope your bye-to-bye curse is true and we can start winning again. It seems like we were close in several games against good teams during that stretch (colts last year, jets this year). Hopefully we can pull it together to get those hard wins and lift the curse.

  • Crwolff

    Dee- With all due respect… I'm calling you crazy. I'm a die hard Bronco fan. But the fact of the matter remains: we can't run the ball, we can't stop the run, we can't play from behind, we play sloppy undisiplined football, both fronts are in shambles, our secondary looks old, and week after week we see poor game plans and play calling from McD. I sure hope he can right the ship, but I'm afraid we may be riding on the Titanic.

    Why not cut our losses at the end of this season and pursue a proven coach that can pick up the pieces and move on? Oh it hurts to write that, becuase I really wanted McD to succeed…. I'm afraid it ain't happening in Denver.

  • TheTroglodyte

    Great article Jon!

  • Omega

    Great comment Dee.. I think the bye will do us good.. The last 12 years of mediocrity have made us die hards anxious.. McD will be the 1st successful Belicheckian (LOL) I know one more year, staff shuffle, and a SOLID RB, we'll be ok..

  • (dee)

    I can't give up … McD gave me hope last year to begin the year… I can't abandon ship now.

    The 6-0 start last year was an incredible dream, the 4-14 record since is a terrible nightmare, but I still have faith this team and McD will wake up…

  • http://twitter.com/dxmanning Joshua Manning

    I think the bye week will help the Broncos ………… At least the Broncos can win a bye week LOL! And if not then …….. I'm be shaking my damn mother F****** head that the Broncos are this bad.

  • http://twitter.com/dxmanning Joshua Manning

    Broncos finishing 10-6!?!?!!? I love your enthusiasm but that not gonna happend. Don't get me wrong, the Broncos can finish 10-6 …………………. only in Madden though.

  • adrenaline27

    Agreed… only I am not sure they will make the playoffs.. I do think they can rebound though..

  • adrenaline27

    How many of you guys truly…. and I mean truly thought Denver would go 6-0 to start of last season? I didnt… Anything can happen.. not saying it will, but we have seen some crazy stuff. If anything and they keep losing then we will all perhaps see Tebow. If thats the case I would like to see him get some reps if they get to the point where they are out of the playoffs. I see alot of potential on this team.. Lots…. Things they can build on.

  • Vince_marine

    Amen Dee!!!

  • Vince_marine

    How can you say McD hasn't had success? He has only been the coach for a year and a half! These things take time. What did you expect, for him to come in and win a superbowl in his first two years. That isn't realistic. Give it time and things will come along!

  • Laramiefan

    The coaching is fine . It's implimenting everything . How can the running back get beyond the line if there are no holes made for him ? How can you stop their running back when there are holes made for him ? How can you throw a pass when you are constantly looking at the Mr Sackman in your face ? It will take some good ole ” Out- performing your opponent “

  • JT

    What do folks think about a change in the personnel department…i.e. replace Xanders? I know a lot of the roster decisions have been greatly influenced by McDaniels but however is in charge of personnel (Xanders) has the final say and is responsible for putting the best team together. Why do you let Scheffler go and then pine for a receiving TE; yes I now there were issue with McDaniels but so what, suck it up and be professional. Why do you let Hillis go and wish you had a power back? The one move that in retrospect I see as bigger than either of these more talked about changes is the loss of Weigmann. Why in the world do you cut your starting center before the draft when you have NO other center on the roster? What if you don't get your man in the draft? What if you can't find someone in free agency? What if you get a rookie center and he can't run block effectively or pick up blitzers coming late up the middle…..then you have a crappy run game, you watch Orton get whacked at least once every game and you can turn and watch the Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best run games and only give up 8 sacks on the year with Weigmann as starting center. I don't care if he's not 300lbs and fit the mold of the power blocker he was a hell of a lot more effective than Walton. It was a STUPID personnel move to cut him without a proven replacement. I don't think a GOOD personnel guy does this, draft Quinn with a 2nd round pick to be a receiving TE when he had 10 or 12 catches in his college career (STUPID!), cut A Smith after using a 1st round pick and giving him 1 year, or make the Hillis, Scheffler, etc moves. Again, I know McDaniels has had a role in all this but a sound, maybe even creative, personnel man has the Broncos in a much better spot and I think we better find him quickly!…..There's a very high 1st and two 2nd round picks coming up in the not too distant future and they had better be impact players or we are in for lots of crappy football.

  • http://broncoszone.blogspot.com/ Jon

    Thanks, TheTrogloydyte!

  • jdkchem

    The curse began when some idiot mayor sold the naming rights to Mile High Stadium for a few pieces of silver to a company that has no physical presence in the state and nobody knows who the hell they are.
    Everything “invesco” needs to be torn down and burned/melted in a massive bonfire.

  • jdkchem

    Scheffler was in the training room more than he was on the field and Hillis developed a case of fumble-itis and an uncanny ability to not move the ball. Sucking it up and being professional takes two and in any leadership position you never compromise. Both Hillis and Scheffler made a choice and neither were entitled to special treatment because of a perceived need.

  • milehigh

    Amen jdkchem. “Invesco” is the reason mile high has lost its mojo. We should all start a collection to buy the name back.

  • JT

    I think Hillis fumbled a kickoff return and was never heard from again. His stats from ESPN list 0 fumbles in either 2008 or 2009 (must be as a rb)…..he's lost two fumbles this year but has 104 attempts for 460yds and 5 tds…not bad for a crappy Cleveland team. Scheffler had some injuries issues and was questioned at the end of the year by McDaniels along with BMarsh but he played in 15 games last year and has only missed 7 games over the last 4.5 years…..without someone better on the roster and without getting much in return, I just don't see these as very good personnel moves. Plus these two (and A. Smith) are young players on an old roster. I think Weigmann was a poor decision given the lack of replacement on the roster. Giving up a 4th for Maroney is questionable given questions about his production in the very same system we're trying to build. The signing of Jarvis Green to a big contract and then he doesn't even make it out of training camp???? Name the other significant free agent signees that didn't make the opening day roster?….bad personnel decisions. McDaniels is responsible, Xanders is responsible…..find a replacement for Xanders and give him the power to make final decisions……Parcells want a new gig??

  • broncoman24

    I think this article shows that too many people think with their heart and not with their brain. Not trying to down anyone, but realistically they are done. I don't see them winning more than 2 more games and wouldn't be surprised if they lose all of them. Again I don't care that people want to have hope. It is not like having hope is a bad thing thing to believe in. Just don't down the people that know in their mind that Denver doesn't have any chance of turning it around this year. And.. if they do turn it around then I will be the first one on here admitting I was wrong. I am still a loyal fan, I just don't think this team will ever go anywhere with Mcd at the helm. Go Broncos!!!

  • herc_rock

    Yeah, we're finished. I think going .500 the rest of the way and get it to 6-10 is about as good as it's going to get this year.

  • JT

    I hear you on your points…truly I do. Smith was a tough call. I like the fact that the current regime will make a tough call but given the fact they spent a first rounder on Smith, cut him, and now he has 4 interceptions shows that something is missing within the Broncos….either he wasn't a system fit and shouldn't have been drafted or the coaching staff didn't get him going mentally (talk him off the ledge of 1st round pressure) or put him in the right situation…?
    Quinn….UNC has the same coaching staff as when Quinn was there and Zack Pinalto (TE) was leading the team in receptions until breaking his leg recently. Quinn doesn't have separation speed or route running experience or knowledge. I think it is a big stretch to draft a TE in the second round when they barely have any receptions in college unless they are the worlds best blocker or they come from a system that doesn't throw to the TE AND they have 4.4 40 speed…he doesn't, the pick was a reach, and to this point he's not helping a team that could use some production from young players.
    I'm not saying Weigmann's loss is the problem with the O line or Walton is to blame. I agree with you….. BUT I am saying in my opinion it was a dumb personnel move to cut a veteran center when you do NOT have a single other center on the roster….why, so you can sign Stanley Daniels? I think it would have been smart to keep Weigmann on the roster and given Walton the chance to beat him out….if it took Walton a year to do that then no big deal. I think Weigmann would improve the pass blocking and the running game…if you do that maybe they when a couple of the recent close losses and folks aren't clamoring for McDaniels' head. So while I like the staff making some hard decisions, they need to be smart about it and leaving themselves with no options at center doesn't seem to smart to me. You don't get to make the hard decisions for long if you are no longer in charge.
    So, are you saying you have no interest in considering a move in the personnel department?

  • areferee

    Just beat the AFC West, so we can gain back some sense of the pride that has been lost, just like any reasonable chance for a winning season.

    Beating the “Chefs, the Dolts and the Fraiders” is always the number one priority, even in a bad year.

  • Cbwolff

    I suppose you are right, Dee. It is just so depressing to see my team at 2-6 and at the bottom of the power rankings. The D should be better after we get Ayers back and even better yet once Doom is back next year. It will be interesting to see if McD can develop Tebow. Maybe Tebow can be a good QB for all four quarters of a game….and not just in the 2nd and 3rd quarter like Orton is.

  • Crwolff

    I certainly don't expect them to win the Super Bowl in his first two years….. But I don't think it is out of line to expect a little progress in year two. Losing 59-14 at home to an averager Raider team is just not acceptable. Being physically outmanned is one thing (like when we played the Ravens)….. but what is with the delay of game penalties?? and the 12 men on the field penalties? the turnovers? These are things that poorly coached teams do. I am trying to hang in there… I just need to see something that gives me hope! I bet Pat Bowlen feels the same as I do.

  • mauibroncofan

    I think Xanders muxt go and be replaced by a strong GM/Director of Football Ops over McD. McD must be relegated to coach only and the GM must make the decision to keep him or let him go. Wonder if Charley Casserly of NFL channel is available. He made some great draft choices in Houston

  • slkdjfod

    This season has gone terribly wrong but I'm not giving up hope yet either, only because we're fortunate enough to be in the AFC West. If I were a Vikings or Cowboys fan, well then I'll be looking at who we can get early in the draft. We played the Colts and Jets extremely close, I know we can play with everyone, we just need to quit making stupid mistakes. What was with our kicking game last Sunday, two HORRIBLE punts and a missed EXTRA POINT?!! Last time we missed an extra point was at home against the Colts, in the snow. Pretty sure we lost by one that game. Take the week off, regroup, get back out there, AND KICK THE CHEFS ASS!! We only have one division lost right now, no reason we can't finish our weak division 5-1.

  • slkdjfod

    There's no reason to buy the name back, just do what every Bronco fan and Denver native does, don't mention Invesco. It's just mile high. Always has been, always will be.

  • slkdjfod

    I never thought we'd start 6-0 last year but I didn't think we'd be 2-6 right now either. I do see potential, I would love to see Tebow back up Orton for another year, but be used more often next year, throw the ball around at least. Losing Doom hurt a ton, but we played the Colts and Jets so well, I don't know how we lose to Raiders so bad, then lose to the 9ers. You're right though, anything can happen, we could finish the season 8-0!! Highly unlikely, just sayin, anything can happen in this league.

  • slkdjfod

    We have a solid RB, Moreno is great, our O-line is just young and you can't switch from a zone block scheme to a power running scheme overnight.

  • crazykid

    I agree with several of the 5 comments above me, and like the insight. On the Scheftler issue though, I think we got a pretty good deal of an unused catching TE for Perrish Cox, who has shown enormous potential thus far. Also, McD admitted that he was unprepared for his first draft, which led to several questionable decisions. At least he admitted it, even if i agree with several other readers that he made stupid draft decisions.

  • LevonZevon

    I agree with JT, except on the Weigmann point. Casey was physically overwhelmed last season and I don't know what explains his resurgence in 2010 besides more talented RB's to block for and a more-mobile QB.

    I would have kept young Center Kory Lichtensteiger (now playing for the Redksins along with Ryan Torain). Why weren't they given a chance in Denver before being jettisoned for nothing? Huh, McXanders?

    I like Parcells or Elway as GM and I like Gruden, Rob Ryan or Stanford's Jim Harbaugh as head-coach (since Cowher is too expensive for Pat “lost his money in a Ponzi scheme?” Bowlen and is Carolina-bound besides).

    But McDaniels? He still truly doesn't get it. As I read that Denver has brought in a converted linebacker as TE (Edgar Jones or some name from the Ravens).

    He still believes that the Shannon Sharpe principle doesn't apply and that the way to run it is not dependent on the element of surprise.

    Why else would he try another blocking TE to execute his supposedly-perfect scheme (instead of a TE who can get down the seam.. like even Jeb Putzier managed).

    He had a rich TE draft but was more interested in setting up the future coaching seasons with Tebow and acquiring players like Jammie Kirlew (as if we needed another undersized OLB for the 3-4).

    Meanwhile, Hillis and LaGarrette Blount were bypassed (even though they were cost-free… except to Coach McChoirBoy's ego).

    Hey Josh: If you have your “Wink” puppet run an overloaded blitz, an “Amoeba formation” or a run-blitz, Mike Nolan can't sue you for copyright infringement (and the “Denver Post” writers know so little about football, evidently, that they won't even notice).

    In other words, how about coaching to win instead of coaching to buttress your previous moves?

    Jon Gruden isn't so caught up in his ego to pretend that pass-pressure doesn't impact a QB's decision-making and performance.

    There's the game on the chalkboard and the game on the field. John Elway and Peyton Manning can make mince-meat of blitzes, but 98% of the QB's in the NFL cannot (especially when they hear footsteps).

    According to Jake Plummer, Shanahan was so obsessed with getting someone to execute his schemes that he created a miserable environment where real-world difficulties on the field were dismissed as easily-avoided mistakes.

    Now we have a less-mobile and defeated-looking QB that many posters here are calling “great” (along with Knowshown Moreno).

    Maybe its just the line that is holding them back. But if defenses had to worry about something other than the bubble-screen, they wouldn't be able to play 8-in-the-box so automatically.

    Chaz Mattson has a great article about what ails the penny-pinching Bowlen's bargain-basement Broncos. And, like the Jets– who got rid of supposedly-modern and meaner-looking uniforms when Parcells took over– Mattson suggests the same sage return to Denver's orange and powder-blue roots.

  • 5280

    I LOVE all of jt's comments and levons comment. It's obvious that Broncos fans actually know their football, so why can't we get an owner, a GM, or a coach to do the same thing. The front 7 of a Defence is (arguably) the most important part of any NFL team.

    Look at all the consistantly good teams in the NFL. they all have great front 7's. The secondary doesn't look old, they look tried. they have no halp up front. we have one of the best secondary's in the nfl but they're usless because they have to do everything. the only glimmer of hope up fron is doom and DJ williams. oll the others need to be cut. we need to start over. It's not so much learning how to overload one side as it is just simply disguising your blits. wink telographs the shit out of every blits( when he actually blitz's). not letting dawkin blitz from the blind side is killing them also. but how can you blits dawk when you dont have the personnel to cover for him?

    Alphonso smith wasn't beat out indefinitly. he was apparently not smart enough for the dynamic system that McFuck perfers on D. this is why our defence sucks. the reason he got rid of nolan is cuz nolan wanted full control of the D. he sat down with McDouche and told him that if he didn't get full control, he'd walk. McButtsniff just could let anyone running any part of the team without his approval of every step. now miami has the 7th ranked D in the NFL. McAss has stated that he doesn't believe int he blitz cuz he thinks that if you need to blitz you don't have a good enough front 4. no shit. Did your daddy belichik teach you that because it couldn't be common sence. But if thats what he really believes, you'd think he would have drafted brian orakpo or tyson Alu Alu. but instead we have ryan “facemask” Mcbean. we also should have drafted ray maualuga. instead we got robert ayers. ayer is okay. but rays been starting for the bengals since his rookie season.

    So TJ, i agree 100% with kicking xanders out of the organization and finding a real head of personnel. Bowlen needs to step up and take control of this team and lay down the law. hell id even like to see shannahan come back(even though that can't happen).

  • 5280

    I LOVE all of jt's comments and levons comment. It's obvious that Broncos fans actually know their football, so why can't we get an owner, a GM, or a coach to do the same thing. The front 7 of a Defence is (arguably) the most important part of any NFL team.

    Look at all the consistantly good teams in the NFL. they all have great front 7's. The secondary doesn't look old, they look tried. they have no halp up front. we have one of the best secondary's in the nfl but they're usless because they have to do everything. the only glimmer of hope up fron is doom and DJ williams. oll the others need to be cut. we need to start over. It's not so much learning how to overload one side as it is just simply disguising your blits. wink telographs the shit out of every blits( when he actually blitz's). not letting dawkin blitz from the blind side is killing them also. but how can you blits dawk when you dont have the personnel to cover for him?

    Alphonso smith wasn't beat out indefinitly. he was apparently not smart enough for the dynamic system that McFuck perfers on D. this is why our defence sucks. the reason he got rid of nolan is cuz nolan wanted full control of the D. he sat down with McDouche and told him that if he didn't get full control, he'd walk. McButtsniff just could let anyone running any part of the team without his approval of every step. now miami has the 7th ranked D in the NFL. McAss has stated that he doesn't believe int he blitz cuz he thinks that if you need to blitz you don't have a good enough front 4. no shit. Did your daddy belichik teach you that because it couldn't be common sence. But if thats what he really believes, you'd think he would have drafted brian orakpo or tyson Alu Alu. but instead we have ryan “facemask” Mcbean. we also should have drafted ray maualuga. instead we got robert ayers. ayer is okay. but rays been starting for the bengals since his rookie season.

    So TJ, i agree 100% with kicking xanders out of the organization and finding a real head of personnel. Bowlen needs to step up and take control of this team and lay down the law. hell id even like to see shannahan come back(even though that can't happen).