If You're Betting on the Broncos Be Prepared for a Loss

Okay, I admit that my team, the Green Bay Packers, is not in the Super Bowl - having been bested by Arizona in the Divisional Round. But hey, they did deliver a good spanking to the upstart Washington Redskins!  Now, the only team left to root for - a sentimental favorite and the team of my niece, Vanessa - is the Denver Broncos. But then there is that task mistress called "reality".

The Vegas line is now Carolina by 5 1/2 and I don't see it getting better for Denver.

I have looked at both rosters and the match ups and simply don't see any advantages for the Broncos, despite sporting the putative No. 1 defense in the NFL (and we've all heard the old saw of how "the defense win championships"). Well, maybe not in this case.

The Carolina D is relentless and though ranked 6th to Denver's 1st, they will have a mostly healthy crew with the exception of  LB Thomas Davis. Davis, recall, broke his right forearm in the AZ game and soon after had surgery with 12 screws and a plate inserted into the arm. He will wear a protective brace Sunday.

I at first believed he'd hurt his team more than help it, but watching NFL HQ yesterday a.m. with a report from the Panthers' training, he evidently has had sterling performances in practice - including knocking lots of balls down with his left hand. In addition, Jared Allen - always a tough competitor - will be ready to play. (He gave Aaron Rodgers and the Pack fits when he played for the Vikings and Bears.)

The only hope for the Denver O is big Demaryius Thomas and that assumes he can get into space and more importantly catch the damned ball. As he will be likely going up against the best corner in the NFL, Josh Norman, I give his chances at slim and none. But to grab the first odds he will need to avoid getting into a trash talking match with Norman. (Recall Norman caused O'Dell Beckham's head to blow in the Giant's game and he lost it - being ejected and fined.)

On the other side of the ball, the Broncos D will have to tame Cam Newton, a QB the size of most defensive tackles who can run, jump for TDs, and pass as mightily as any in the game. Even Von Miller - who may be charged with trying to get this guy down - won't have as easy a time as he did with Tom 'the crybaby' Brady. (He suggested he ought to be awarded two sacks for every one of Cam).

A bigger problem awaits the Denver Secondary, namely the two safeties Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward. Both are injured (sprained right knee for Ward, Stewart with an ankle injury) and its hard to see how they can keep pace with Cam Newton's favored target - TE Greg Olsen. And if the Panthers' running game gets going, watch out! It could make for a long time of possession wearing out the Denver D and ultimately leading to collapse.

Peyton and the Broncos will likely make a game of it for at least a quarter, maybe more, but I wouldn't bet on more than that. However, if they can keep the scoring low - and maybe no more than a two score difference by the end of the 3rd quarter (say Carolina 20, Denver 10) they might have chance.

I just think by then it's more likely to be Carolina 35 Denver 10.

I could be wrong, and for Vanessa's and Peyton Manning's sake - so he can ride out into the sunset with a 'W' on his "last rodeo"-  I hope I am.
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SB Postscript:

Well, it turned out that the Denver D did get its mojo on and a consistent pass rush of such virulent proportions that "Superman" Cam Newton (named NFL MVP the night before)  was sacked 7 times, tying a record. Von Miller had two of those sacks and rec'd the game's MVP. Even though the Denver O played a very pedestrian game (194 yards for Peyton who had only a 56.4 QB rating) it still eclipsed the Carolina O which fell flat in the biggest game of the year.

So much for the on paper comparisons. As one wit once said: "Ya still have to go out and play the game". Indeed. At least everyone in the Denver area is now happy, including my niece Vanessa, and there will be no wife beating in the Mile High City tonight. In Charlotte? Well, who can say?

Lessons from a SuperBowl Blowout

"The slime green on his Seattle uniform is nastier than cornerback Richard Sherman. If he's the toughest thing the Seahawks have on their side, Denver will win the Super Bowl by two touchdowns" - Mark Kiszla - Denver Post . Jan. 29

"Compared to the cockroaches under the sink of a double-wide that sat a few miles east of the Mississippi River, Sherman is as cuddly as a pussycat.....There's the bottom line: Sherman isn't a tough guy. But he will play one on television for 15 seconds, " - Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, Jan. 29

 Broncos' fans are still in a state of shell shock after yesterday's shellacking by the Seattle SeaHawks. They somehow made the error of conflating how 'Murica "feels" about a team - 70 percent favored the Broncos after Richard Sherman's rant 2 weeks ago - for actually winning the biggest game of the year.  They felt having a dopey, half--clued in nation of "fans" behind them would secure the Lombardi trophy. They were wrong.

As I predicted at the end of the previous blog (a 34-17 blowout by Seattle) this wasn't going to happen. Seattle's D had quietly stewed all week long as the dumb national media coronated  Peyton Manning and his "legacy" even before a single play of the game. Peyton was the good guy while Richard Sherman (according to dumbass Sen. John McCain) was the "snarling face of Seattle".  He would not realize how much more fuel he gave the Hawks as they laid plans to lay waste to Peyton, the Ponies, and all the dumb Americans who hopped onto the Denver bandwagon.

But perhaps no one delivered more 'fuel' than the Denver Post's resident moron, Mark Kiszla, who still hasn't learned to keep his computer keys and yap shut before big games. Recall that before last year's AFC divisional playoff  Kiszla outdid himself with insults against Ray Lewis and the "over the hill" Ravens. The outcome? The Ravens knocked the Ponies from the Playoffs in a double overtime victory.

Anyway, let's  look at some lessons to take away after his blowout, which rivals some of the worst in SuperBowl history:

1) Don't buy into the media hype leading up to the Big Game.

As assorted pundits wail about the "hype" and how the game never lived up to expectations, they need only look at themselves in the mirror to find who to blame. Following the Richard Sherman rant 2 weeks ago, the callow media immediately jumped on the national bandwagon to stand with the "good guys" and against those "bad, evil Seattle 'thugs'". The rancor got worse when -  in a follow up interview - Richard Sherman said that using the word 'thug' on him (via tweets) was as bad as the 'N-word.' Then John McCain stepped in and added more ignominy, asserting that "decent Americans" would support Denver. Polls appeared to suggest this, with 70 percent preferring a Broncos' win in the SuperBowl.

Meanwhile, to echo this meme, the national sports media (except in Seattle)   drank the kool aid and kept repeating that hey, in this era of high octane offense, with the rules the way they were, there was just no way - no way at all, Seattle could prevail over the number one O in the nation. Especially with Peyton Manning at the helm, who'd already been named MVP and Offensive Player of the year.

So, along with  dissing any Seattle chance to win, the media endlessly sang the praises of Peyton's accomplishments  during the week. Meanwhile, Seattle's players stewed and ramped up their anger, not only at being ignored but at being the "villains" in the piece. They quickly adopted an 'Us against the world' mindset, similar to what the Baltimore Ravens did in 2000 (after Ray Lewis became an issue on Media Day, and coach Brian Billick refused to answer questions about him.). The Ravens went on to pound the NY Giants 34-7.


2)  Great Defenses Will Always Better Great Offenses

The NFL has tried to jury rig the rules to favor offenses, but as the SuperBowl result showed, this doesn't work if a team has a truly high caliber defense: one that's physical, preternaturally fast, furious and prepared to hit on every play. THAT was the D Seattle brought to the game, and Denver simply wasn't prepared for it.  The statement play, as observed by Eric Davis on NFL AM this morning was undoubtedly Kam Chancellor smashing Demaryius Thomas on a crossing route. Thomas was hit so hard that he likely had to check his teeth after, to make sure they were all still there.

As Davis noted, "the message was that you can try to cross over the middle, but you will pay a toll, and it will be paid each time you try."  The Broncos receivers got the message and were wussified by the specter of being tattooed each time - and they played like it.

An excellent A -class defense also finishes, and this is what Seattle did. They didn't go to a "prevent" defense after they were up 43-8, nor did they allow a cheap cosmetic TD at the end,  which drives many of us crazy when our teams do that crap. 

Before the SuperBowl, the media yappers kept repeating how Seattle "had never faced an offense as potent as the Broncos" - but they forgot the Broncs played in the AFC, and truly - I would not put their Offense even on the same level as the Niners or Saints. Sure they chopped up New England and San Diego in the playoffs - but let's bear in mind NE was missing most of their star defensive players (e.g. NT Vince Wilfork), and San Diego was hurting too. Meanwhile, Seattle arrived at the SB healthy and ready.

Bottom line: a top tier defense with all its players healthy will beat a top tier offense- even in this era where the NFL has tried to ensure the "offense" rules..


3) Showboating Isn't a Substitute for Superb Play

I had to laugh when the Broncos players were introduced, preceded by the team's mascot 'Thunder' (shipped specially to NY for the SuperBowl) ridden out from the stadium entrance in a flourish of flares and booms.  This setup - as we learned in The Denver Post- was part and parcel of the massive expectation of a Broncos' win. It was meant to intimidate the other guys, and maybe turn them into wussies. Didn't work out that way! About ten minutes later, in the first play from scrimmage, the snap from Manny Ramirez bounced past Manning into the end zone for a safety. To many Broncos' fans it signified the beginning of the end.

Denver's showboating and pre-game fanfare rated an 'A-plus' but it didn't count against a ferocious defense when the actual game commenced.


4) Seattle's 12th Man Traveled - and Made an Impact.

It was truly amusing before the game to watch videos on The Denver Post website bragging how they were in greater abundance in the stands than the Seattle fans. One guy decked out in Bronco orange bragged in his video that he estimated a 3 to 1 advantage.  Alas, as Denver took the ball first (after Seattle deferred) the crowd noise was almost deafening. The SEATTLE fans thereby made their presence known and likely caused the miscommunication that resulted in the first snap from scrimmage going awry - giving Seattle a safety.  This misplay set the tone for the rest of the game. (In a post game news conference, Peyton Manning blamed the noise for the foul up)


5) What Denver Has to Do To Win A 3rd SuperBowl

From the evidence of this game, the Broncos will need to pay much more attention to building their D, to at least remotely emulating Seattle's. That means aiming for a defense marked by punishing hitters endowed with tremendous speed.  Youth emphasis helps and that means aged guys like Champ Bailey will have to hit the road, for guys with the skills, speed of Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor.

Seattle's swarming defense at the line was impressive - ganging up on RBs, and ball stripping-  as much as delivering powerful hits on the WRs in crossing routes, and their DBs covering every play, preventing long passes. Many teams, including the Packers and Ravens, will be studying Seattle's defense in the hope of building one like it, but most will fail because of a number of reasons, including salary cap issues (the Ravens are limited by the $120m contract to Flacco, and the Pack is limited by a similar mega- contract to Aaron Rodgers, plus $60m to LB Clay Matthews).


Will these lessons be learned in time for the next Big Game? One hopes so, but knowing the short memory of most of the media - as well as most Americans - don't be surprised if they aren't.

Denver Broncos Want No NE Fan "Chowderheads" In Their Stadium - But It Won't Matter!

“No offense to proper Bostonians or any wicked arrogant fan of the New England Patriots. But the Broncos do NOT want you here in Denver. The local NFL franchise did not give blood, sweat and tears all season long to surrender the home field advantage to an invasion of loudmouths from New England. No Chowderheads allowed!"- Mark Kiszla, 'Go HOME, Chowderheads!', Denver Post, Jan. 17 column

Yes, Kiszla and other promoters of the Denver Broncos are on their high horses again. And we ain't talking MJ.  They believe they can effectively keep all NE fans out of Sports Authority Field tomorrow afternoon so there will be no competitive screams (or colors) to rival the Denver fans'.  This means their boys will have the optimum chance to win with a real "home field advantage", or so they believe.

Why this animus to opponent fans in their stadium? According to one Bronco quoted by Kiszla:

"Our fans remember what happened during the last AFC championship in Denver and they didn't like it".

He was referring to the Denver- Pittsburgh AFC 2006 face off when Broncos' players arrived at their stadium to find thousands of yellow "terrible towels" waving- leaving them to wonder where the Denver fans were.  According to former Denver player John Lynch, who was on the 2006 team:

"It was brutal. I'll never forget walking out into the stadium with Champ (Bailey) as we were going out for DB drills early, before the game. We both looked at each other and said: 'What is this?' The problem with the Pittsburgh fans was the Terrible Towels were so visible, so it felt like there were more Steelers fans than Broncos fans. You shouldn't let that affect you but it affected us....and the Steelers got off to a hot start.

We let a great opportunity go. It was a sickening feeling and I think people in the Denver Broncos' organization said: 'We can never let this happen again'"

The upshot,  according to Kiszla, was a 24-3 Steelers' lead at half time from which Denver never recovered .

The hidden reason, buried in another paragraph, is that Denver fans were "too subdued" in their purchase of championship tickets, leaving 30 % unsold just days before - which the Steelers' fans bought up. Kiszla notes this won't happen this time because under the new Bronco dictates, orders can only processed to zip codes in the Mountain West, Massachusetts zips are disallowed. Thus, according to Kiz, all 2,800 available tickets went to buyers in Bronco country.

This means, theoretically, there should be no Patriots' fans in the stands. Of course, this overlooks the money-greed dynamic present in every town's fans, so the ability to sell tickets over eBay or Craigslist remains. So I suspect enough "chowderheads" will show up to at least be heard, maybe part of the time.

In the end, it won't matter. The Broncos are hobbled by having lost star corner Chris Harris Jr. to an ACL injury, after having already lost  LB Von Miller. As SI has noted, this means the Broncos D will struggle to generate pressure. Add on to that NE RB LeGarrette Blount, who doesn't so much run through D-lines as plow through them, and the Pats have the formidable means to dominate time of possession and keep Manning off the field. Finally, let us recall that Brady is 7-0 vs. Jack del Rio coached defenses. Each time he faces them he puts on a QB clinic.

People - superficial observers - say that the Chargers running game didn't succeed  last week in Denver,  so why should New England's now? But they forget that the Chargers' top RB, Ryan Matthews, was only at half strength - having been injured the week before in Cincinnati. This time, the Pats bring a full deck for their running game and Bellichick won't let them be stopped.

Even if the Broncos manage to keep every last NE fan out of their stadium it won't matter in the end:

Patriots 31  Broncos 20


P.S. Don't look for Manning's "OMAHA!" callout  to be used more than once, if at all. It was designed to provoke SD defensive lineman into false starts - but it won't work against the Pats. All those who plunked down $100 for "OMAHA!" tees, sorry 'bout that!

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Footnote: 1/ 20

Arrrgh! YES! Yes, I was wrong on both counts: The Ponies managed to take the game (after Wes Welker took out Patriots' D-back Aqib Talib, thereby assuring Manning would have a field day, and Manning also barked 'Omaha!" at least 25 times.  I only later discovered corporate sponsors in Omaha  (of Manning's charity) had planned to donate in proportion to how many times he yelped 'Omaha'. So naturally, he'd try to help his own charity.

Anyway, let the ponies enjoy their brief time as champs. It won't be so easy against the No. 1 defense in the NFL - the Seahawks. As we know great SB D's beat great O's. Wanna see the script? Look at Superbowl XIX!

About That Broncos - Ravens Game.........

LB Ray Lewis did not appear in the NFL Kickoff Game in Denver  on Thursday night. Neither did over a half dozen other key players from the SB winning team.

Okay, let's discuss that 49- 27  beat down of the Ravens by the Broncos two nights ago. Let's begin by clarifying language. Contrary to some deluded Broncos' fans it was not "revenge" for the January playoff loss. The latter totally eliminated the Broncos from contention, it was "one and done". Broncos' fans wailed in disbelief because their season was terminated.....no more going on. Finito.  The game Thursday night did not eliminate the Ravens in any manner, shape or form since they have 15 more games to play and....can still get into the playoffs and even eliminate the Broncos in them like they did last year (after the Broncos beat them 34-17 in Baltimore)

In order to be revenge, the costs exacted by a Ravens' defeat would have had to be at least relatively equal in magnitude to what they inflicted on the Broncos in January. They weren't. The Ravens move on to next team - Cleveland, Broncos didn't move on at all in January.

Next, the Broncos did not "defeat the Super Bowl champs" other than nominally. The team they played was the Baltimore Ravens, sure, but radically remade from the team that beat the Niners in February. For example, a significant chunk of the SB champion defense was gone, including: LB Ray Lewis, LB Donnell Ellerbe, LB Paul Kruger,safety Ed Reed, safety Bernard Pollard, LB  Brendon Ayanbedejo. The offense also suffered several hits, with power center Matt Birk retiring, Anquan Boldin traded to the Niners for draft picks, Ramon Harewood (released) and tight end Dennis Pitta injured in preseason. Recall that Pitta and Boldin were key playmakers in the Ravens' playoff run.

"But hey! The Broncos' team changed too!"

Yeppers! But they weren't the Superbowl champs! Bear in mind a SB team is defined by its specific players- members not the team name. 

Anyway, I could see the Ravens were going to lose Thursday night's game after two horrific injuries to offensive players: WR Jacoby Jones (who is also the team's return specialist) and Right Guard Michael Oher (made famous in the movie The Blind Side). Hideously, both injuries were "friendly fire" - each one a result of impact with one's own team mate.

Before I go on, recall Jones was the one responsible for the "Rocky Mountain Rainbow" - the killer catch that tied the January playoff game in regulation, see the play here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOeL1D8vMiI

Jones was about to field a punt Thursday night when teammate Brynden Trawick ran into him at the Baltimore 15. He ended up with a sprained knee and was knocked out of the game. This loss of Jones eliminated  one of the only reliable deep threats, and allowed the Broncs' secondary to gang up on Torey Smith, and Brandon Stokeley.  

The loss of Oher was equally hellacious, a result of teammate Marshall Yanda being pushed into him by a Bronco defender. Oher is out with another ankle injury and we don't know for how long. Until the injury, Oher had been doing a good job keeping Bronco defenders out of Flacco's face and the run game had a chance to getting going.  With Oher gone, the run game collapsed and Flacco ended up scrambling or dodging a lot of the time.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Broncos' Offense pretty well found a new weapon in monster  6'7" TE Julius Thomas.  Thomas ran through Ravens' defenders with ease scoring two TDs. The guy was simply too big to bring down.

Yeah, the game could have turned differently had Ravens' coach John Harbaugh tossed a red flag after a dropped ball by Wes Welker of the Broncos. The problem was the replay wasn't televised on the stadium's jumbo screen so Harbaugh couldn't be sure. He didn't want to lose a time out if wrong.  Still, one of the coaches had the responsibility of getting the info to him after seeing the network replay.  Had that been done, it would have been Ravens' ball. As it was the Broncs marched down to get a TD.

Another comment: Dallas Clark who was sure handed in his prime (at Indy), doesn't seem so now. He dropped five of 12 passes, including one sure TD (as he was about to cross  the goal line at the end of the half) and it slipped from his hands. Clark and other newcomer Brandon Stokely were to be the answers to a departed Boldin but from where I sat, it didn't appear they could replace anyone. Stokeley for his part was often out of breath and showing his age, like Clark.

The Ravens at least have ten days to recover and they might get Jones back by the game in Cleveland. In the meantime they are searching for other replacements, free agents, to fill the obvious  holes - but it won't be easy. As I told wifey after Boldin was traded, that might be the worst mistake the Ravens made. Boldin was a tough, high traffic receiver and the Niners now -because of nabbing him - will probably be the team to beat.

As for the Denver Broncos, congrats and hats off to them for taking the first game of the season, and getting a measure of ersatz retribution on Baltimore. Manning's 7 TDs were a Broncos' record and he could have had 8, had a knuckleheaded Denver safety, who intercepted Flacco,  not dropped the ball in pre-celebration before crossing the goal line for what should have been a pick six.

The Packers, my team, meanwhile face the Niners on Sunday in Frisco. It will be a good test to see if they can control Colin Kaepernick this time. Also if they can emulate the toughness the Ravens did against the Niners in the SB, and beat SF this time, getting a measure of retribution for last year's one and done.
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Footnote: It shouldn't be necessary to say this, but those who've never played ANY sports in their lives - except maybe tiddly winks- have no business criticizing true football fans. One blogger dunderhead, it has come to my attention, seems to believe he's a football fan when: a) he's NEVER played the game in his life, and b) can't tell a punt from a kickoff and doesn't know a wideout from a tight end. He also evidently claimed he is a fan of "Dallas" and "the Broncos" - when he likely couldn't name the main Bronco (or Cowboy) offensive players without googling. He then apparently had the chutzpah to insinuate many of us (avid football fans) "never played a contact sport in our lives" when it doesn't matter - since most football fans haven't played football anyway - though I did at intra-mural tag level at Pace High. But this is hilarious coming from a guy whose only vested interest was in trying out for the cheerleader squad at Pace - when they wouldn't let him on the football team (after one materialized).  It's also amusing how he takes football fans to task for "gobbling brats, hot wings and beer" - when this little dork eats three or four whoppers every day - probably explaining most of his health problem and why he has to beg for $$$ on his blog.

Broncos' Fans - Petulant and Whining as Ravens' Banners Go Up in Denver

What Broncs' fans are crying over: Giant Joe Flacco Billboard near entrance to Broncos' Stadium

The Denver Broncos' fans are miserable, whining and they aren't going to take it anymore! Not after Baltimore Ravens' QB banners have appeared all over Denver's 16th Street Mall and a giant billboard stands outside Sports Authority Field.  (This is in preparation for the NFL kickoff  game on Sept. 5th between the Ravens and Broncos.) OH BWWAAHAHHHHAAA! Give 'em their sippy cups and change their nappies!

In an interview with Denver radio station 850 KOA, Broncos'  quarterback Peyton Manning said "it doesn't seem like it makes sense that the Denver Broncos have to have an opposing player on their stadium."

Errrrrr....YES it does, Peyton! Because this game originally was designated a BALTIMORE home opener! Not a Denver home opener! (See below).

Via Twitter,  rabid pony fan Vanessa Park wrote: "The fact that there are Joe Flacco posters on the 16th Street Mall is just unbelievable. Marketing fail by the NFL. Way to make people angry!"

Aw, cry me a river!

Another irate  Broncos' fan named Rachel Nicole wrote: "Why in the hell are there Joe Flacco posters all over downtown Denver? Pretty sure he's one of the most hated people in this city."

Rachel, listen while I play the sounds of the world's smallest violin, to the accompaniment of your veil of tears.....mmrmeeoooowooeeoooaooeoooeooowwiiaaah...ouch!

Yeppers, all those whining Broncos' fans recall that double-overtime victory in the AFC divisional-round playoffs where Flacco threw a touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones at the end of regulation behind flailing Broncos safety Rahim Moore. To see a Broncos' fan  'screaming Mimi' losing it over the tying Raven TD at the end of regulation, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOeL1D8vMiI


Recall that before that game the hyper-delusional Denver Post sports writers were flapping their gums non-stop on how the Ravens and Ray Lewis would be handed their heads. A few of the offhand comments of the worst offender, Mark Kiszla:

“It’s high time to send Ray Lewis into retirement as a loser!” -  Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, p. 1C, 1/6/13

“The Baltimore Ravens are about as terrifying as parakeets.” -          Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, 1/10/13

“Advice to Broncos: Take the football, give it to Peyton Manning and let Manning shove it down the throat of linebacker Ray Lewis and that over-the-hill Baltimore Defense.”- Kiszla, Denver Post, Jan. 13 column


Despite all that bravado and fulsome bloviating, the Ravens took the game, then went on to beat the Patriots and Niners - showing they are perhaps the toughest team in the NFL. Their smackdown, smack talk, edgy attitude is part of that because they aren't choir boys and take no shit. And they aren't awed or overrun by any QB - whether Manning, Brady or Kaepernick! That said, it's the NFL and its marketing arm sponsored by the league and Pepsi that put up the banners.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy noted on Twitter via this photo, there are huge banners of both Flacco and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning up at Sports Authority Field at Mile High
And there are more signs promoting the rematch at Times Square in New York, via this photo.

It's not as if the Ravens or Flacco have invaded the Broncos' turf and posted these banners independently. It's part of the NFL's marketing plan.

Let's get one other thing straight here, for the benefit of the exercised Ponies' fans: The NFL owes Baltimore and the Ravens LOTS of promotion, even on enemy territory!  How so? Because traditionally the NFL seasonal kickoff game is played on the turf of the Super Bowl winning team.

The problem is that the Sunday opener was in "collision mode" with a home game of the city's baseball team,  the Baltimore Orioles. Despite the fact the Ravens play at a different stadium (M & T Bank Stadium) the traffic congestion in the city would have been a nightmare with over 120,000 people piling out of two stadiums. The Ravens appealed to the NFL to have the game moved to Wednesday, Sept. 4th - to preserve the home opener advantage - but the NFL denied this request on the excuse that the date was a "Jewish holiday". (Never mind that they have absolutely NO problem playing games on Christmas Day!)

This left only the Thursday, the 5th but this also was an Orioles' game date so the NFL shifted (for the first time) the opener to enemy territory: Denver!  Having done that, the NFL owes it to Ravens' fans to make the accommodations as Raven-fan friendly as possible. Hell, as wifey suggested, they damned well ought to be selling Ravens' gear in the Broncos' stadium too, as well as Baltimore style pit beef sandwiches.

What do WE plan to do? Watch it from home fortified with plenty of brats and chicken wings! You need lots of great food when gearing up to see the Ponies bite the dust again!

Broncos' Fans Remain Hyper-delusional in Their Post -Game Quarterbacking!

 
 Now, over a week since the Ravens bested the Denver Broncos in a divisional AFC Playoff game, the Broncos' fans remain hyper-delusional on what would have transpired had Peyton Manning only been allowed to play with 31 seconds (and 2 timeouts) left at the end of regulation. Denver Post sports hack Mark Kiszla, for example, yelped two days ago: "John Elway would NEVER have taken a KNEE with 31 seconds left and two timeouts!" Other indignant yappers, calling in to Denver's KOA-850 Radio, berated John Fox for his "lack of guts" and 'Hey! Looksee what Matty Ice did with those Falcons last week, and he only had 31 seconds left too!"

As Fox correctly responded (Dpost, p. 6B, yesterday):

"Some people love comparing it to the Atlanta game. It's not close to the situation because you're going to lose the game if you don't score. Ours is completely different because we get to fight the next round."

Fox, as coach, also would have kept tab of the Broncs' sorry- ass pass stats in trying to go down the field. In the case of the 31 seconds at the end of regulation, Manning would have had to take the Broncos at least 45 yards in order for Matt Prater to have a fair chance of winning the game with a FG. (Prater had already missed one of 43 yds.)  This would have been no 'gimme' given Denver had only one pass play longer than 21 yards during the whole game: a 21 yard catch and run gain by Eric Decker.

Then again, the Manning led Broncs' would not only have had to overcome an increasingly ferocious Ravens' pass rush, but the shock of that 70-yard Jacoby Jones catch that tied the score. As ESPN's Trent Dilfer put it: "It's like getting kicked in the groin!"

So, they'd have had to psychologically overcome that "groin kick" and a ravenous Ravens' D hell bent not to give one more pass yard to Peyton.

So let's do a reverse time scenario, for maybe three parallel universes, and see exactly how Manning's efforts would have unfolded in those other, parallel cosmi, for the same Jan. 12 game:

Universe A: Manning heaves a pass over the middle to Brandon Stokely for what appears to be a 25 yard gain, but it's intercepted by safety Ed Reed who runs it into the end zone for a Ravens' win: 42-35.

Universe B: Manning back pedals as Suggs, Lewis, Nagta crash through the O-line and Ed Reed comes in on a safety blitz causing Manning to fumble on the 6-yard line, recovered by Ngata who scoops it up and runs it in for the TD. Ravens' win: 42-35.

Universe C: Manning makes a desperation pass over the 35 to Eric Decker as the Ravens' pass rush crashed through. Decker bobbles the ball after a ferocious hit by Ed Reed, and it's jarred loose into the hands of Corey Graham- who runs it into the endzone for the winning score. Ravens 42, Broncos 35.

The dispirited Broncos' fans refuse to admit that those are the other scenarios on how their season would end, but they are reality challenged. Mayhap it's the shock of their team's defeat when all expectations were that they'd go to the SuperBowl in Peyton's home town of New Orleans, and he'd get his second ring.

As Trent Dilfer put it, when he pooh-poohed the 31 second gambit:

"The (Denver) receivers couldn't get off the jam. They couldn't get down the field. There was no chunk yardage in the passing game. So you take all that into account and it's a tie game and momentum has just swung to Baltimore. And from my perspective it was a no-brainer to take a knee."

Yes, well, try telling that to the Broncos' fans who all remain trapped in their personal fantasylands....that had Peyton just had the ball in those final seconds he'd have overcome everything and won that game!

Especially to another Denver Post  Über -hack cum Crybaby, Woody Paige  ('Take a Knee? It's Still the Wrong Decision by Broncos) who brain-farted in today's paper:

"There should be a sign at the football stadium "No Game Today" .  Because the Broncos went down not trying. While the Ravens and the Patriots meet in New England, the Broncos sit, not play, at home Sunday.  Their guitar gently weeps.

Forever linked in infamy in Broncos lore will be the phrases "Half-A-Loaf" and "Take-A-Knee."

And Oh,  BWAAAAHAAA!....cry me a river. Grow up, Woody! Your readers expect more of you. Or ....maybe not!

Denver Broncos & Fans Learn A Lesson in Humility

“It’s high time to send Ray Lewis into retirement as a loser!” -  Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, p. 1C, 1/6/13

“The Baltimore Ravens are about as terrifying as parakeets.” -          Mark Kiszla, Denver Post, 1/10/13

“Advice to Broncos: Take the football, give it to Peyton Manning and let Manning shove it down the throat of linebacker Ray Lewis and that over-the-hill Baltimore Defense.”- Kiszla, Denver Post, Jan. 13 column

“I feel like (the Broncos) went into this game overconfident. Did that hinder us from winning today? This is terrible for us." - Caller to KOA Radio “Gridiron Group.

“I thought we were supposed to be in the Super Bowl!” – shocked Bronco fan quoted in today’s Denver Post.


  All week long Baltimore Ravens' fans like wifey had to listen and endure the putdowns, trash talk and general disrespect to her team. Not only meted out by passersby in Bronco getup, but in the newspapers from hacks like Mark Kiszla (Denver Post) and Paul Klee (COS Gazette).  Yesterday, the Ravens came to roost at Denver's Sports Authority Field ....and took the Broncos' hopes of a Super Bowl crashing down with them.   Yet even to read today's sports pages, from the Denver Post and Colorado Springs Gazette, you'd think the Ravens didn't so much win the game as have it handed to them on a platter. To quote wifey: "Not by a damned longshot!"   Paul Klee, a sports hack on the local rag (Gazette) said before the game “Baltimore will be no hurdle” After (this morning's paper) he spouted this crap:

““Baltimore didn’t put Denver’s Super Bowl dreams on ice. The Broncos froze out themselves.”

Huh? I don’t think so, from what I saw! The Ravens’ D, (dismissed as “over the hill” by the likes of played out hacks like the Denver Post’s Mike Kiszla), held Manning to only three TDs and 21 pts., but intercepted him 3x for 17 pts. resulting in a net 4 points offensive gain. THE RAVENS DEFENSE CAME PREPARED TO PLAY! GET IT, DUMMY?   Still the Broncomaniac fans inhabit a cosseted world of their own delusions. As one was quoted after the game: “I thought we were supposed to be going to the Super Bowl”. 

No, sonny. See, your team has to play the game first, then if they win, they move on. But they needed to get through this game then the AFC Championship next W/E first! There are no guarantees! It doesn't matter what some blow-dried hack on ESPN or the NFL channel says, or that his comments are colored by a bias to see New England v. Denver in the AFC championship! All that matters is the end result on the field!  The December Ravens you beat 34-17 were a wounded, injured group also in disarray after a coach’s firing. They had four missing on D, and three playmakers on O. Yet you bought into the Denver writers’ insipid claptrap that it was the same team. How f*ckin dumb is that? That's like asking for a slapdown with iced cold water splashed on top of it.

Even some of the Broncos' moron players were living in delusion after the game. According to DT Kevin Vickerson (quoted in today's Gazette): "I didn't see nothin' different in this team from last time! They didn't do nothin! We beat ourselves"

I'd suggest you best stop use of that high (?) grade dope, dope!


But never mind, the Broncos and their fans are loaded with made-up excuses none of which offers an ounce of acknowledgement to the Baltimore Ravens.  Among the most regurgitated:

 - It was the refs fault for making too many bad calls against the poor Broncos (no word about all the poor calls the Ravens had to overcome, including a nonsense "defenseless receiver" call that ought to have one zebra up on charges for undermining the game!)  

- It was John Fox's fault for punking out and not letting Manning have the ball with 31 secs left in regulation. He'd have surely gotten the Broncs within FG distance with 2 timeouts!  

- It was Rahim Moore's fault for letting the 70 yard pass play by Flacco get completed with only a minute left and the Broncos ahead 35-28.  

These excuses would be funny if they werent' so pathetic! Then there was this remark  quoted from Broncomaniac Geoff Lydon, who said he paid $250 for his ticket, and was visibly upset afterward. "I think the team played scared, I think they were too conservative with their play calling," he said. "Maybe we just weren't as good as we thought we were."  

Uh, yeppers!  Yuh don't think? Maybe you all bought into too much bullshit all week and really thought the Ravens you blistered one month ago in Charm City were the same bunch that you faced yesterday!

Your team failed, deal with it! You all bought into the recycled baloney that you would pound the Ravens like a month ago, not realizing – despite being told over and over – that this was not the same team.   But you chose not to believe it. You accepted instead the delusion that the team you beat was a whole team as opposed to one analogous to a fighter with one arm tied behind his back.

Recall The Broncos entered the AFC divisional playoff game riding an 11-game winning streak. They were the No. 1 seed in the conference playoffs. They had home-field advantage throughout. Meanwhile, the Ravens had difficulty,  losing 4 of the last 6 games. This "swoon" was taken to mean the Ravens were spent, tapped out....but none of the hacks or pundits acknowledged the team was dealing with key missing players, also they WOULD return for the big playoff games.  This laid the foundation for the myth and point spread - awarding the Denver team 9 1/2 points over Baltimore.

  But now, after the revenge served cold to the Broncos and their delusional fans, it's the Ravens who advance to the conference championship game to play the winner of Sunday's New England-Houston divisional contest.

For Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, his magical comeback season ended with a gigantic mistake. Toward the end of the first overtime, with the Broncos driving, he rolled to his right and threw an off-target pass back across the middle toward Brandon Stokley. The misfire was intercepted by the Ravens' Corey Graham, setting up the game-winning score.
Btw, to see a Broncos' fan 'screaming Mimi' losing it over the tying Raven TD at the end of regulation, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOeL1D8vMiI

The final score didn't even show the degree to which the Ravens' D dominated Manning and the ponies, allowing only 21 pts. (The other two TDs were a result of special teams breakdowns allowing two run backs for TDs by a bantam -flyweight dwarf named Trindon Holliday.  Worse, for Denver, the Ravens got three picks against Manning for 17 pts. - the last one in the 2nd OT- finally ending his charmed  nine-W run (though I pointed out over and over to wifey those were with the Colts, with different RBs, WRs, etc.)

Sadly, Manning himself bought into the hype and the "Peyton Manning as God" meme that threaded through the CBS broadcast, see e.g.    http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-ravens-broncos-cbs-telecast--20130112,0,2049639.story

He said afterward: "I wasn’t quite as good as I wanted to be,”

NO! You weren't as good because the Ravens D didn't want you to be!

Footnote on the Packers loss: Well, Justin Smith did play for the 49'ers so that threw my forecast of a Pack win into the dumpster. The Niners D was simply too remorseless to allow Aaron Rodgers to make the type of plays he usually does. Also, two critical turnovers didn't help. In the end, it pains me to say this, but the better team won. Also, it looks to me that this Niners team is likely going to win the Super Bowl. Unless wifey's Ravens can stop them!

A Final, Unceremonious End to "Tebowmania"?

With the signing of 4-time Pro-Bowler, and 1-time Superbowl winner Peyton Manning, Denver General Manager John Elway has made a clear signal of his intention to move the Broncos beyond "Tebowmania". As DPost columnist Mike Littwin put it in his column today, Elway showed he could put Tebow and his mania in the rearview mirror merely by going after Manning. Getting Manning meant a colossal win, and even not getting him would be 'okay' because it sent a clear message to Tebow to look for greener pastures.

Now, with Manning scheduled today to be presented with his new Bronco uniform (No. 18 - bequeathed by the Broncos, originally retired with their first QB), and sign on the dotted line for $90 million for 5 years, Tebow's path out is esssentially a formality. Most likely destination? Jacksonville, FL, a northern Florida conservative city - putatively in the "Bible Belt", and barely 100 mi. from Gainesville and the Univ. of Florida where Tebow played college ball.

None of this sits well with about 20% of hard core Tebow fans in Denver, many of whom have vowed now to drop the Broncs as their team and go looking for Tim's new one. They're pissed at the way Elway and owner Pat Bowlen have treated him, and also vexed at being left with No. 15 Tebow jerseys that they will likely now have to either mothball as an ancient relic, or donate to Goodwill.

But the question persists: Is this the unceremonious end to Tebowmania?

Not necessarily! If Tim lands in a conservative Bible Belt football town like Jacksonville, expect a full -throated endorsement and resurrection. Tim will once again become "God's Quarterback" as he was hailed in Denver after leading them to the promised land of their first playoff game in over 6 years. Tebow mania will also be fueled to proximity to his alma mater, with tens of thousands of Gator fans pouring in to watch each home game in Jacksonville. It will be a bonanza for the Jags, their fans and their new owner, Khan.

Meanwhile, Tebow's maniacal backers in Denver will emit fumes of envy as they watch their boy perform and "Tebow" endlessly after each play, but no longer in Bronco orange and blue.

What about Denver, did they make the right deal with Manning? By any stretch it's a bet (on a 36 year old who's seen better days after four neck surgeries) that most wouldn't take. As reported in today's Denver Post (story, p. 1A) the Las Vegas Hilton sports book has now changed Denver's odds of winning the next Superbowl from 60 to 1 to 10 to 1. But that doesn't mean the lower odds will make their path any easier!

They have a more brutal schedule than last year and will not only have to face powerful defenses in the Falcons, Ravens and Steelers, but defenses that are now operating at full capacity - as opposed to having half their players injured or at half strength as when the Steelers faced Denver in the first playoff game last season (which Denver pulled out with Tebow's last minute pass to Demaryus Thomas).

My bet is still that Manning will be out after his first big hit. I simply don't believe he can take it, whether it arrives from Baltimore's Terrell Suggs or the Steelers' James Harrison. Then, after that, the Broncos SuperBowl odds will likely go back up to 120:1 with some unheard of backup QB taking the reins and Tebow long gone. Likely making the Jags a contender in the new season.

Meanwhile, Pat Bowlen and John Elway will realize what a reckless gamble they made on a former great QB who they only saw pass a few footballs in NC, and under no pressure, while taking no hits.