Broncos 9th Victory of the 2013 Season the Best Team Win So Far

I said before the game that the Chiefs offense was no match for Peyton Manning and if the Broncos Offensive Line protected him they'd win. I also commented that the Broncos had to run the ball straight at the Chiefs with Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball to control the clock. Both of these key parts of the game played out for the Broncos but the big momentum change came down to just a one key play in a hard fought game that was much closer than most Broncos Fans would have wanted.

In the 1^st quarter Manning and Ball botched and fumbled a simple hand off exchange that gave the Chiefs the ball on the Broncos 18 yard line. It looked like the Chiefs were in a perfect position to score a TD, go up 7 to 3 and take control of the game early.

Then the game changing play sealed the Chiefs fate. The Chiefs 1^st play from scrimmage after the Ball fumble was a screen pass to FB Anthony Sherman. Sherman run down the field and was quickly grabbed by the ankle by CB Quentin Jammer. Within a split second LB Danny Trevathan came crashing into Sherman’s chest with a hard text book tackle that forced a fumble that Jammer recovered.

That play devastated the Chiefs, had they scored on that possession, their confidence going forward might have possibly changed the outcome of the whole game. Even after the swap of back to back turnovers the Chiefs played some D in the first half and gave QB Alex Smith and the Chiefs opportunities to score but they couldn’t convert.

The Broncos D had a lot to do with limiting the Chiefs scoring opportunities and played very well. They had an outstanding goal line stand, shut down RB Jamaal Charles and sacked Alex Smith 3 times. It didn’t help the Chiefs either that WR Dwayne Bowe dropped multiple catchable balls.

The good news for the Broncos was that Manning didn’t get sacked or knocked down or around. The other interesting part of this game is that Manning didn’t have a big game statistically as in many of the other games this year. He missed a few throws short and long but he did manage the game well enough to let his teammates help him win.

Wes Welker didn’t get in the end zone but he caught 8 passes in the game and after almost every catch he was absorbing big hits. Despite his small size he proved once again he’s a warrior over the middle and will make the important receptions to move the changes.

I was so thrilled that the Coaching staff didn’t give up on Montee Ball after the fumble in the 1^st half. He did have some fumbles early in the season but the one in this game belonged just as much to Manning. Each time he gets playing time he produces on the field. In short yardage, goal line situations (he scored 2 TD's on the Chiefs) and in this game finally he had the opportunity to catch some passes from Manning that moved the chains.

Ball is going to be the every down RB for the Broncos by next season. Moreno has played his best football this year but he doesn’t have the speed, power or the big play ability of Ball. He can’t make guys miss and usually goes down with the 1^st hit. Once Manning has more confidence that Ball can block and be a reliable Receiver out of the backfield, Moreno will go back to the bench as a situation RB. Moreno is playing out of his mind right now to hold onto his starting job but his game just isn’t consistently good enough for him to keep it.

This was the best team win of the season for the Broncos by far but in the next 2 weeks they play the New England Patriots at Foxboro and then have a rematch with the Chiefs in KC. Neither one of these games will be gimme’s. Manning historically has had hell against Tom Brady in New England and the Broncos almost always have a fight on their hands at Arrowhead. If the Broncos win both of these games they’ll be in the driver’s seat for home field advantage throughout the playoffs because their remaining schedule is a fairly soft one.

The best strategy of course is just to take them one at time and when the playoffs come play the best football of the season. If they do that and maybe just maybe it’s our year.