Wild Wild Wildcard Weekend

Here we are, week 18 of the NFL season. There are only 12 teams left with a shot to hoist the Lombardi trophy, walking off into the sunset with confetti reigning down upon them. Let’s dive into the Wild Card weekend match ups.

Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) at Houston Texans (9-7)

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know about the Chiefs. They come into the playoffs scorching hot, winning ten straight contests including wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and number one seed Denver Broncos. Alex Smith has been more than a game manager during the streak, spreading the ball around with some mastery of this offense. He is finally showing off the ability everyone saw when the 49ers drafted him. Andy Reid is continuing proof that the Bill Walsh coaching tree is alive and well, as all Eagles fans sigh and miss the days of the big guy manning their sidelines. They started the season 1-5 but that one win came in the opening weekend against the Texans. There is very little either team can actually draw from that first game, since on this day they both look completely different. The Texans come in the champs of a dismal AFC South division, but a team who can compete with anyone due to their defense still being very serviceable. Things on offense are on the opposite end of that spectrum. They have started 4 different quarterbacks this season, none of which lit up the scoreboard. Brian Hoyer has been the most effective of the bunch, even though one could argue that Brandon Weeden has looked better, but just hasn’t been on the team long enough for the Texans to pull the trigger and let him keep the job. While the Texans have a decent defense, they sport the worst defensive efficiency in the league against the play-action pass; a staple of the Chiefs offense.

Chiefs stay hot: 34-17 Kansas City

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)

An ugly week 16 loss to the Ravens nearly erased the Steelers from the playoffs, but some luck followed them into week 17 with a win over the hapless Cleveland Browns, and more importantly a Bills upset of the New York Jets. Even though Pittsburgh backed into the playoffs they are not a team to be taken lightly. Their offense is a perfect mix of high flying passing and ground and pound running. Ben Roethlisberger is once again looking like the QB who will carry a team on the road all the way to the promise land like he did in Super Bowl XL. Even though the ground game has much to contribute, this receiving corps that Big Ben is throwing to is going to be a match up problem for every team they face, should they advance. Antonio Brown leads the attack after leading the league in receptions with 136, but the real stat that will matter in this game is Brown was second in the league in first down receptions, with 84. Moving the sticks against this Bengals defense is going to be a major key. These two teams are not short on disdain for each other, considering the last time they played there were fights and skirmishes from pregame warm up to the last whistle. With the Bengals starting A.J. McCarron because of Andy Dalton still being sidelined with a broken thumb, they lose a little bit of the edge they might have had on the offensive side of the ball. One positive from McCarron starting is that he isn’t afraid of the big game, which he was a part of plenty while at Alabama. He has played pretty well to finish out the season, getting more comfortable with the offense as he continues to play in it. The deciding factor in this game is going to Roethlisberger facing the Bengals defense for the 3^rd time. They split the season series, but the game the Bengals won saw Roethlisberger throw 3 interceptions. If they can force the Steelers into turnovers again, expect the Bengals to move on.

A.J. McCarron continues to win big games: 24-16 Cincinnati

Seattle Seahawks (10-6) at Minnesota Vikings (11-5)

Those damn Seahawks. Do you all remember early in the season when everyone was writing off the Seahawks? Nobody could figure out what was wrong. They showed the reason why you play all 16 games. They have weathered a few injuries and are now coming into the playoffs healthy. Marshawn Lynch says he is good to go, which will be a huge lift to the offense, which has leaned a little bit more on Russel Wilson than in past years. Wilson has stepped up and proven all the critics who said he wasn’t worth the big contract wrong. The team really changed and started its upward trend when Kam Chancellor ended his holdout. His return to the defense really brought the team’s identity back to the Legion of Boom. On a defense full of talented players, Chancellor is the quarterback and soul of that group, his leadership and playmaking ability put the league on notice in game one. Wilson has the offense humming along as well, actually looking more scary and effective than the past two years they have made it to the Super Bowl. They go up against a Vikings team that looks vastly different from years past now that they have a more than capable QB to pair with Adrian Peterson. For years, the knock on the Vikings was the lack of consistent quarterback play, leaning on Peterson to do all the heavy lifting while defenses stacked the box to try and slow him down. I have long been a fan of Mike Zimmer leading a franchise, and he has been an amazing fit in Minnesota. His defense has quietly been one of the most improved groups in the league. Zimmer is a big believer of hard-nosed football, run the ball and stop the run. Teddy Bridgewater’s development has blossomed, with a running game to help open up the offense and allow him to show off his arm. This team is much improved and pretty young, the future is bright. The unfortunate part is they are going up against the hottest team in the NFC, whom they lost to once already. And that loss was ugly, 38-7 with Minnesota’s only score coming on a kickoff return.

Seattle has the Legion of Boom back: 27-10 Seahawks

Green Bay Packers (10-6) at Washington Redskins (9-7)

Many analysts and fans have been looking at this game as a wrap for the Green Bay Packers. I haven’t found it that easy, actually, this was my hardest game to pick. The Packers have been up and down all season. Jordy Nelson’s absence has been a factor that a lot of Rodgers apologists have looked at as a major reason for the offensive drop off. But I just can’t buy that. You can’t have it both ways Packers fans. If you are going to talk about Rodgers at the top of the league with Manning, Brady, and Brees, you need to be able to win with no name wide outs catching the ball. Or you need to admit Rodgers, while great, is dependent a bit on scheme and talent surrounding him. When he is on, he looks every bit the part of a great, but this season he has looked pedestrian. Rodgers needs to let the running game be the focal point of the offense this week. At times this season the Redskins defense has looked dominate, but  at other times they look like a floor mat being walked on. Which defense is going to show up for them? But the biggest matchup is going to be the Packers defense against the Washington offense. Kirk Cousins isn’t just having a break-through season on accident, this team has a legit talent pool on offense that is continually getting better and better the more they are on the field together. When DeSean Jackson came back they really took off. His ability to stretch the field really opened up routes for tight end Jordan Reed to exploit, coupled with the ability to run the ball whenever they want. Jay Gruden was brought in to try and fix RGIII, but he is coming out proving his offensive acumen weekly without him. I expect the Redskins to run the ball a lot, try and control the time of possession, keeping Rodgers off the field.

I can’t fake the funk here, my heart says Redskins: 38-31 Washington

The Resolutions that be...

Oh the holidays, a time to reflect and enjoy with family and friends. The last holiday has crept up with the end of the year coming tomorrow. 2016 is going to be here and resolutions will be abound in our lives, along with everyone else. With that in mind…let’s see what resolutions some individuals in the athletic community should make, suggested by yours truly!

Chip Kelly
2016 Resolution - Do anything and everything to get yourself in the driver seat of that new model Tennessee Titans franchise. They are looking for a head coach and you are looking for a head coaching position. By the way, your famed Heisman winning recruit is there and can run your offense like a G. I might be the only person in America that still believes in you as an NFL coach. But, as the guy who is the final say on personnel decisions? Yeah, no. I am less confident in your ability to sign and draft players for both sides of the ball. Lay out a game plan for your GM, let him know your needs and your wants, then let him go out and do the work for you. It’s worth it to you to reach out to them, let them know you are interested.

Cam Newton

2016 Resolution - Keep doing you, big man. It’s going to be a shame if you are not awarded the MVP this season. Your play on the field has been a step above every single player I can think of. The Panthers have the best record in all of the land, you are playing outside your mind, and your defense is once again dominating. Without even trying hard you have become the franchise QB people questioned you could become on draft day. Never once has your character come into question, your philanthropy is off the charts, and your teammates can’t stop raving about you. You are a great role model for kids and young athletes everywhere and I hope you keep this up. Cheers to you!

LeBron James

2016 Resolution– Championship or bust. Yes, you have 2 rings and 4 MVP’s, but dude, if you don’t bring a championship to Cleveland this year, oh man oh man. You ran into a buzz saw Golden State team in the finals, without Kevin Love, then lost Kyrie Irving in game one; your performance was one of the best ever, but you needed more help. You are the best player in the game, time to flex in the playoffs and win a ring for your city. You arrived the savior, departed the villain, and then returned as the chosen one. You might run into another buzz saw with the Spurs being reloaded and looking like a force, Kawhi Leonard is looking like the MVP of the league, but you are destined to win it. Take it home.

Steph Curry
2016 Resolution – Ride the wave. The apple of Adam Silver’s eye. Steph, your resolution is to make 1^st team all defense. Everyone knows you can shoot the rock from anywhere on the court and that your offensive stats are off the charts. Why not shock the world and step your game up on the defensive end? Be the two-way player that is your team’s identity. You have the ability and quickness to shut down the opposing team’s PG. The league, and the world, would be put on notice if you became a force on the other end of the court, which would be quite the sight to see.

Barry Bonds

2016 Resolution – prove your hitting acumen to the baseball world. Your recent hire as a hitting instructor for the Miami Marlins is a big hire for baseball. You are, and probably always will be, a villain to the game outside of the Bay area. Lest they all forget you were an MVP long before the homeruns became your signature. The ability you had to know the strike zone, waiting for your exact pitch wasn’t something the steroids helped you do. That eye was there long before the accusations started flying around you. I am looking forward to seeing your work with Giancarlo Stanton alone. He is already an amazing talent, but what you could add to his swing to improve his average and on base percentage has potential to elevate him to god status.

Troy Tulowitzki
2016 Resolution – Give some consideration on changing positions. The Blue Jays have the reigning AL MVP currently occupying 3^rd base, but you need to start thinking about the switch. You have been a dominate force at shortstop for your entire career, being the best, manning the middle of the infield. A true two-way player who is near the top of his position on both sides of ball, you might be wondering why I say that you should start your transition. You have a history of lingering leg issues that seem to always creep into your season. You now play on the turf in Toronto, and you don’t want to stay in Toronto. Moving over to 3^rd base allows you to still showcase your defensive ability, offensive power, and makes you a trade target to a team that may be looking for some pop out of the hot corner. I’m not saying make the move this year, but start taking some BP over there, see how it feels.

2015 was a great year for the sports fan. We had everything we yearn for: competition, fights, winning, losing, heartbreak, and joy and most titillating, a glimpse of everything we have to look forward to getting out of sports in 2016!

Tis' Better to give than to recieve...

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas everybody! Santa Cheese is here and raring to give out some holiday gifts!

Denver Broncos Fans – Valium, or the now more popular edibles from your local dispensary. I have spoken to you before about your peaks and valleys on Sundays. Chill out, let the game play, critique after. What happens in the first quarter does effect a decision in the fourth quarter. You’d be surprised how different your comments are after the game then if you commented throughout every single play.

Brock Osweiler – A running back coupled with a contract extension. You have shown you have a good grasp of the offense, strong arm, and great mobility; all of which are important to run the Kubiak offense. The rushing numbers are up since you took the helm, but disappearing when you need it most. You need a running back who is more apt to hit the right hole on the cutback. Alfred Morris could be an affordable and perfect fit for this offense.

Peyton Manning – Well old man, you get your health back. You have been massively disrespected in Denver over the past 6 months. You didn’t help the cause with all those interceptions, but you are still PFM. Most Bronco fans can’t admit that throughout your starts this year you were getting nearly 40yds less per game from the rushing attack, allowing the defense to sit back and wait for your flailing ducks to land in their hands. Healthy, you are the QB of now. Brock is the QB of the future.

Odell Beckham Jr. – Humility. Look, I get it, Josh Norman got in your head, and up until that game you were the darling of the NFL. And you earned it. You are a dominate force at the WR position, and not just because of “the catch”. Your numbers are actually astounding in the short time you have been in the league. You are on your way to a long and legendary career. It’s ok to get into a scuffle, they happen, it’s even ok to celebrate a catch, but you went from darling to punk in one game. We are glad you apologized, now put those words to use and continue torching the league.

Major League Baseball Fans – The Chicago Cubs continue losing. Yeah yeah, Cubs fans have been suffering forever, I get it. But everyone may become a believer in curses if they continue to happen. This team is built to win now and for the next 5 years. Theoretically, it could be a nice dynasty. But I’m giving you the gift of the curse. It is going to be a wonderful disaster when this team crumbles in the NLCS, none of us will be able to take our eyes off of the television.

Colorado Rockies Fans – New owners. Last week I asked everyone to be patient with this GM and his plan going forward, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need new ownership. The Monfort family has been holding this franchise hostage along with the fan base. The mystical magic of the 2007 run has worn off, fans now want to see a respectable team on the field daily. We want a winner. All of the other teams in the division have taken steps to improve the team, so please, sell this team.

New York Yankees Fans – Youth. Holy crap your team is old! You guys want and need some youth to invigorate this franchise. I may be a year early, but next winter is going to be a big one in terms of free agents and their youth. If you continue on this pace, you’re going to become a mediocre franchise, which is unacceptable by your standards.

Jason Heyward – Praise. You restored my faith that not every athlete is all about the money. Your signing with the Cubs proved you are about winning, even if I hope they continue losing. Thank you for changing my mind. I am sorry to the Cardinals though. But they are resilient, and it’s going to be a great year watching these two teams play each other 19 times this season.

Sports Fans – Another year of ups and downs. That’s the beauty of what we love about our sports. The ups and downs of being a fan. The classic saying, “you can’t have joy without pain” almost sounds like it was made for us sports fanatics. We love our teams doing well, hell we turn into little children when they win a championship. Tears of joy and sadness can be found throughout your favorite sport, by athletes and fans alike. The San Francisco Giants even used the pain side as a battle cry during a World Series run, saying its “torture”. The beauty is, we love both the joy and the pain of being a fan.

                Side note: Some of the feedback I have received has been fantastic, please continue to criticize, it helps me grow and become better. One thing that I have been terrible with is consistency. From the day I post to the time of the day we get to reading, I need to be better and have a set time. I will continue to post on Wednesday’s as it seems to be the most workable day for folks (yes, I know today is Thursday, I apologize). But going forward I will have the blog posted no later than 11am Mountain Standard Time. Thank you for reading and sharing. Let’s continue to grow!

Rockie talk in December

This past week MLB’s winter meetings concluded in Nashville with its usual beginning of free agent signings and trades. There were some surprises this year with Jason Heyward opting to take less money from the Cubs to move to the North Side of Chicago and Zack Greinke taking his talents to the desert of Arizona to hurl the stitches for the Diamondbacks. Overall the winter meetings did as they always do, produce signings, trades, and start the always entertaining rumor mill. 

This year our boys in the purple pinstripes didn’t cause too many waves, actually, doing what they usually do, signing veterans to fill some gaps on the roster. Jason Motte and Chad Qualls are two big solid relievers the Rockies desperately needed. A few days later they made what is going to literally be a hit or miss signing in 1^st basemen Mark Reynolds. These guys are not world beating names that are going to bring folks out to 20^th and Blake, but they are solid signings as the new GM Jeff Bridich begins to put his touches on this organization. Qualls and Motte are coming into a situation where the pitching staff was the worst in the baseball. These guys are not going to completely change the outlook of the staff, but their veteran presence and postseason moxie can help develop the younger arms while also moving the bullpen in the right direction. Mark Reynolds is long known as a struggle when batting. He strikes out as often as he gets hits, if not more. Despite Reynolds’s ups and downs at the plate, his reputation as a good locker room guy will pair well with the young clubhouse and serve as a good stop gap at first base, in the same fashion Justin Morneau was used. Expect a little bit more of a Jason Giambi pop at the plate.

Those signings along with a couple trades that brought in some pitching prospects have been the only moves the front office has made this offseason. As we head into year 23, very few of us are happy with the product that gets trotted out on the field year after year. We need to start being honest with ourselves about the 2007 World Series run being a fluke. Did they make it to the ship? Yeah. Can’t take that from them, but they weren’t the best team in the National League that season. A better representation of the team the Montfort’s and Dan O’Dowd should have built on was from the 2009 season. In 09’ they were more complete with Jim Tracy making what seemed like the right move in every single game. It was truly a shame that they didn’t build from that season, when they  were one more left handed bat and a solid number 3 starter away from being in the World Series again, with a real chance to win it. I’m rambling, let me digress….

We have officially been removed from the demonstrative O’Dowd era for just over a year, and I’m digging what the new guy, Jeff Bridich has done and is doing. I’ll admit, I haven’t rocked a CR hat on my head since the trade of Tulo. Not for trading the face of the franchise, but because I didn’t like the deal involving Jose Reyes. But now that it has gotten past the gestation stage with me, I can see the logic. It’s a short long term solution to a rebuild that could take 3-5 years. This plan could be a little derailed due to Reyes’s recent Domestic Violence. Depending on how it shakes out with the league office, the suspension could end up in the Rockies just cutting Reyes and eating the $33 Million owed. This would move Bridich’s plan forward a bit quicker than anticipated, advancing both Trevor Storey and Brendan Rodgers up the ranks in the minors. Both are slotted for the shortstop position, Rodgers is the number one prospect in the organization, but was just drafted this year and is likely 3 years out from everyday work. Storey is more game ready now despite some inconsistency on both defense and offense. There are some solid options still available on the market that could platoon with Storey, such as Alexei Ramirez, Everth Cabrera, and a familiar face, Clint Barmes.

Reports also surfaced with news that the Rockies were listening to offers for Corey Dickerson, Charlie Blackmon, and the beloved CarGo. I’ve listened to and read fans getting angry and criticizing the owners about listening to said offers. In the word of Aaron Rodgers, relax. Can Bridich at least get a few years into his vision for the franchise before we call it a failure? He has already proven that he is willing to push the owners into decisions they don’t want to make (Tulo trade). A complete rebuild of culture and talent on all levels takes a lot more than a year. All three of those outfielders can bring in a good haul of talent that can be ready to take the field in 2-3 years. Heck, if we can get a decent prospect back for De La Rosa, let's make that deal as well.. Rebuilds like this can be agonizing and painful for a fan base to sit through, but just take a look where the Astros, Royals, and Cubs are now. They all went through a major change and stuck true to their plans, now they are seeing the rewards. So yeah, from the outside looking in, it looks like much of the same, but there is a plan at work. We are a small market team that I believe can make some noise in year 4 if Jeff Bridich follows suit of the Astros, Royals and Cubs which it looks like he is trying to do. So I leave you with this quote…

“Hey, chill out man, it’s a slow build…it’s a slow build, relax.” – Hannibal Burress

If you got hate in your heart, let it out...

How much do you love your team? Sit back and think about your answer. It’s a pretty simple question to answer. You love your team, more than any other team! It’s your team, your guys, your territory, your statement. We all have our team. If you have ever crossed paths with me, within minutes you knew my teams. I am either A.) Wearing one of those teams or B.) I asked you who you root for, just to tell you who I love. It’s part of me. With you or anyone I meet, people know where my allegiances lie. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Duke Blue Devils. 90% of the clothes I wear are displaying one of those teams. Even when I need to dress up a little bit, I try to coordinate the colors to match one of those teams. With all of the affection you may see out of me about those two squads, chances are you wouldn’t guess that my favorite sport is baseball. Baseball is my love, my muse, and the lady I can’t quit. I can’t pick a favorite team. I follow the Colorado Rockies closer than any other team, but that can be attributed to geographic location. I am fairly certain that no matter what city I lived, I would probably follow that team pretty closely. Picking the teams or sports you love is fairly easy…

But you know what’s even easier? Hating. Naturally the North Carolina Tar Heels, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons, who are the bitter rivals of my teams. I am not alone in my dislike of those teams just based on the fan bases I rep the most. The other teams who could creep into that natural rivals list are North Carolina State and the Green Bay Packers. Obvious rivals of Duke are easy, the Packers are an old rival of the Bucs from the days when the teams were division foes who had the “Battle of the Bays” every year. These days, that on field dislike has dissipated, but old souls like myself still hold onto it.

I wish I could sit here and tell you that those are the only teams I don’t like, but that would be a bold face lie. I can be the most obnoxious, stubborn, spiteful, the biggest hater of all the hater fan out there. I am notorious for not liking teams just because my friends like them. Now to defend myself a little here, most of the time I can find a way to dislike those teams without the help of my friends, but where is the fun in that? Everyone or damn near everyone has said or uttered the word “hater” about a friend of theirs, or a guy in a bar, luckily for me, I am both. But the thing that separates a good hater from a dumb hater is educating yourself of the subject you’re hating on. Yes, I am going to talk trash about your team, yes I am good at it, yes I will make you eat your words. But the best part is, most of the time I am right. Go ahead, fact check that stat I just served up to you, counter my argument, I am prepared. Being a professional hater takes work, especially when your main export of hate is sports. You need to be able to not just know as much as possible about the team you love, you need to be able to broaden your horizons and study and research every team, every aspect of the game. Having my love for the games, it makes research and study easy. I can get lost watching sports for days at a time. My season doesn’t ever end. Baseball leads to football, football leads to basketball and hockey, and basketball and hockey lead right back into baseball. There are few days in the year that don’t have something I can put on the television or go to a venue in my city to watch. Now, I can see where throughout this piece it can look like I am the most obnoxious person in the bar and watching a game with me in public might be dangerous. I promise you it’s not. Even though I have had some very memorable moments (being booed at an Eagles bar, silencing a Michigan State bar), almost never is the amount of times a physical altercation has taken place, because I am more than just some hater at a bar. I will walk right up to you, dis your team, and then proceed to talk to you about YOUR program. Because as much as I enjoy being the guy talking trash to you, I love sports more. Being able to talk to any fan about the game is every bit as enjoyable as telling you how much your team sucks – but also suggesting what it can do to get better. So next time you’re out at the bar watching games with your friends, and you spot someone wearing a team you disagree with, talk trash to them, but let them know you aren’t just a hater, you’re a fan of the sport.

I'm getting too old for this...

When a legend in the game announces his retirement, we reminisce. We look back on their careers, remembering the moments that lead us to believe that they were legends in their games. The past few years we have lost some of these legends…I reminisce…

Last year, baseball lost the last great “it guy” it had, in Derek Jeter. By “it guy” I don’t just mean someone who was just great on the diamond, I mean someone who commanded attention off the field as well. Jeter reminds me of the stars of the game who played during baseball’s golden age: George Herman Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle. These guys were all larger than life when they were manning their positions on the field, and they were the same off of it. The Captain was the last larger than life player in the MLB. He was the Joe DiMaggio of our time, the only player I remember newspapers talking about who he was dating, while he was winning championships and accolades on the diamond. The keyword in that last sentence is newspapers. It was the time before twitter, Facebook, and TMZ, the late 90’s and early 00’s, when reporters had the unwritten rule that you didn’t write everything you saw. Information wasn’t streamed, 24/7 onto a handheld device of your choice. Jeter was a great player and teammate. He will be the last “it” persona who commanded that type of tabloid fodder for baseball.

This past Thanksgiving saw the pride of Kiln, Mississippi, Brett Favre, get his number retired with the Green Bay Packers. Even though he retired in 2010, Thursday night brought back all the memories I had of watching him beat up on my Bucs for years. Before Favre, there were a slew of great QB’s manning the field, but none of them had the vigor and excitement that the good ole boy brought with him. Most of you have seen the NFL film footage of Favre joking with coaches and teammates during pregame and during the games, and if you haven’t, you need to YouTube it. Favre was one of America’s favorite athletes, for the opposite reasons we all loved Jeter, Favre was the everyday man. When we watched him and heard his mic’d up clips, we saw ourselves in him. The only difference being that he was a world class athlete with a rocket arm and fearless confidence. His touchdown celebrations reminded us of when we were kids in pop warner football. He never lost that inner child, but was still as competitive as any other athlete.

Then there is the man who inspired today’s topic. Kobe Bean Bryant. Sunday brought on the announcement that Kobe will be retiring at the end of the NBA season. He is the man that took the torch from Jordan, and he ran with it. I can debate day and night with you about who the greatest players off all time are, and where Kobe lands on that list. But the most important part of it is that he is involved in the conversation at all. Through injuries, a rape accusation, fights with teammates, and fights with coaches, he was the most dominate player of his generation. He dominated the mid-range jump shot, commanded defenses to shift his way, and could turn around and guard the opponent’s best player. He often gets overlooked, but he was a two-way player, his defense was world class. He is my favorite player of all time. There will never be another like him. When the Lakers come to town on December 22, I will be there, and will no doubt shed a tear.

Athletes walking away from the game is something that will always happen. It’s important to us as fans to step back and recognize the greatness we are privileged enough to watch for all those years. The body usually fails the mind, forcing these legends into a life of autograph expos, color analysis, car dealerships, and restaurants. Some get lucky and step into roles as a coach or a front office position, keeping them around their sport. Rarely do they get to walk away with the memory of confetti and champagne raining down on them. The reality is, the end is more likely to be a brick off the front of the rim, an interception, or a groundball to short.  

The Manning Apologist

Denver, let’s talk about your beloved #18. The man who saved this franchise along with the other beloved quarterback of this franchise, Mr. John Elway. As I scroll through all of my social media feeds every Sunday, I most enjoy the posts about Manning and the Broncos. The mix of emotions that most of you go through are just about the best comedy of the week for me. And it’s not because I hate the team and enjoy your turmoil, it’s because I can’t figure you guys out. I have counted at least 5 of you who have publicly benched, started, released, praised, traded, and killed Peyton off, all during one game. Let’s pump the breaks a little bit. Denver is one of the deepest and most loyal fan bases in all of the NFL, but damn, don’t pin everything on Manning! Is Peyton having a difficult season? Hell yeah he is. Is Peyton the sole reason the Broncos haven’t looked great all year, despite their record? No, he isn’t. This team has some other issues that are contributing to what you fans are considering a rough year (you’re 7-2, back away from the ledge). Over the rest of this passage we will talk about some of the other factors and what things look like going forward for your QB and this team.

 

Injuries

 
Monday we learned that Manning is all kinds of messed up. Shoulder, ribs, and a plantar fascia tear in his right foot. Reports surfaced this week that Peyton was having trouble walking at all last week. Gary Kubiak came out and took the blame for playing him during all of these issues, but yes, Peyton you should shoulder some of that blame as well. Understand people, Manning is an all-world talent, first ballot Hall of Famer, and arguably the greatest QB to ever play the game. If Kubiak asks him if he is good to go and he says yes, he has earned the right for the coach to allow him to make the decision. In this situation though blame falls on both sides, Manning should have said he is banged up and needs to heal up. If Peyton couldn’t admit that, Kubiak needed to step in and sit him. I assume many, if not all of you, watched ESPN and Trent Dilfer’s break down on what was wrong with Peyton, to quote “Manning’s body can’t cash checks his mind is writing”. This is true to an extent. Dilfer is wrong to think that this is just due to old age. His injuries play the biggest factor here. Can’t plant his foot and drive into throws hurts any and all QB’s from ages 9 to 45. He gets healthy, the zip on the ball will back.

Manning – Kubiak Offensive Contrariety

These guys are STILL not on the same page. At this point, the stubbornness of Gary Kubiak is hindering this offense which is really hurting the team as a whole. Kubiak is always going to be a Broncos legend. He didn’t just carry John Elway’s jock as his back up, he was a key piece in building the offense that won two Super Bowls, as he was the whiz offensive coordinator. Why do I bring that up? Because he will have plenty of time to bring that offense back to this team after Peyton retires. Why be a stalwart now? You have the greatest QB ever, who himself is like an offense coordinator on the field. His offense has proven to win games, even games in the playoffs- when he has a defense to support him. Throughout his entire career Manning has helped elevate the offense with stellar pre-snap reads and syncing with his wide receivers, making everyone better. He has the scariest defense in the league in his back pocket, let the man be the man. If, over the next couple of weeks, backup Brock Osweiler comes out and runs Kubiak’s offense as it is supposed to be ran, the Manning boo birds are going to come calling like they were a group of prophets, when in reality they won’t acknowledge the offense is different from when Manning is taking the snaps. Here I am calling you out before it happens, of course this may not happen at all because…

Atrocious Offensive Line Play

This offensive line has been terrible. In Peyton’s three years prior to 2015 he has been sacked 21, 18, and 17 times TOTAL in each of those seasons. This year? 15 sacks through just 9 games. He is getting hit at a rate that forces him into throws he otherwise wouldn’t make. It’s rarely talked about now, but the draft day trade the Broncos made to jump up a couple of spots and take Shane Ray hurt this team offensively. Manny Ramirez was a good linemen who helped solidify a stout offensive line, without him, they gained agility but lost the ability to create a comfortable pocket for the QB. Of course it’s not just sacks that hurt the ball club, the inability to run the ball is also a major factor. I talked earlier about Dilfer’s analysis of Manning’s play this year, he made a point to show clips of defensive backs and linebackers sitting on routes waiting for the ball to come their way so they could jump in for an interception, he said that these players could just sit back wait for Manning to throw the duck because he can’t make the strong throws. Why didn’t he talk about the defense being able to drop 6 in coverage blanketing those routes, daring this team to run the ball? It started with a running back controversy, Anderson or Hillman. Even I got in on the act, thinking Hillman was built much better to run in Kubiak’s offense. But the line has created zero holes for either one of these men to run through. If the line doesn’t do a better job, Kubiak’s offense is going to struggle with Brock as well.

Interceptions

Yes, there are 17 of those pesky turnovers to talk about, but I will be short. All the issues previous to this one are major factors into that number. Manning is at fault alone for 7 by my count. This is the stat that makes me laugh most during those social media Sundays. Tips, bad routes, and alligator arms have made this stat line skewed for Manning. Next time, before you post on Sunday, watch the replay, look for that receiver and Manning’s reaction. More than half of the time you will see Manning drawing the route in the air, because that receiver wasn’t where he was supposed to be. Yes 7 is still too many when Manning has only thrown 9 TD’s, but it will be better if Kubiak allows the change. 

This season has no doubt been one of the strangest I have seen, and I am not even a fan of this team. Let Brock run your offense Koob’s. Give the fans a taste of what they can look forward to once 18 retires, but when 18 gets healthy, let the man run his offense. The line will look better, the receivers will look better, Peyton will be back in the fan bases heart, and you will look smarter. This defense paired with a Manning offense takes you to the promised land, at which point you can throw your hat in the ring of who has the best steakhouse in Denver…