The NFL Must Address The Protests NOW!

Granted the Cowboys were 5-6 going into last nights game against the Redskins and Elliot is out the lineup until Christmas Eve but that can’t explain all these empty seats.

This photo was taken at the kickoff. There's thousands of empty seats. Zoom in on the photo and see for yourself.

Anyone that has been in denial about the effect of the protests or the image problem the NFL has with its players right now is being blown completely out of the water.

Week after week the owners and Goodell refuse to address it. Giving the players $89 million to set up a slush fund for black social justice programs was the dumbest move ever. Especially if the players still have a right to protest this year.

Maybe they’ll agree to stay in the locker room next season when the anthem is played but the damage has been done. I’m wondering if the players will find a way to protest after the anthem is played and before kick off. I don’t trust them to do the right thing.

Goodell and the owners must get an agreement signed by the NFL players union THIS year, not in the offseason, to ban all political protests on the field before, during and after the game period.

If they don’t do it this season the NFL is going to experience an enormous loss of fans next year. Also, if Goodell doesn’t spearhead the effort to get an agreement this season he should be fired at seasons end.

There’s so much turmoil and division in our country with politics today. I’m sick and tired of my favorite game being a forum for more of the same with the racial hatred and division.

The players have every right to free speech and community service off the field but on it they need to end the protests NOW! If not I won’t support the Broncos or the NFL next season and whatever happens to the game, the players, the owners and the commissioner will be responsible for it.

Win it NOW!!!

NOW is time to add a 3rd to this trophy case!

The last time the Denver Broncos won a Super Bowl was in Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami against the Atlanta Falcons. In the years since the Broncos have had some good teams and they’ve made the playoffs several times but only have 3 playoffs wins to show for it. One was against the Patriots in 2006, the Steelers in 2012 and the win last week against the Chargers.

The reality is since 1999 the Broncos have had only 3 excellent opportunities to win a Championship.

The first opportunity came in 2006 when Broncos run came to an end by losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. The Broncos lost because they turned the ball over 4 times. All the Broncos lacked were a good QB. Jake Plummer folded up his tent in that game and after it his career was essentially over. By mid season of the 2007 season he lost his job to Jay Cutler.

The next best chance was last year when the Broncos had home field advantage throughout just as they did in the 2006 season. They lost to an inferior team in the Baltimore Ravens in part because of poor pass defense but also because Peyton Manning had 2 critical INT’s. The Broncos O turned the ball over 4 times. Many Broncos Fans seem to forget that part of the game and focus on Rahim Moore’s bad play that gave the Ravens a late TD. You can’t turn the ball over 4 times no matter how good or bad you’re D is and expect to win many games. You can’t expect to win games when the #1 QB in the game can’t make a play at the end of the game and expect to win either.

Without a heroic performance by Trindon Holliday and his 2 kick returns for TD’s the Broncos would have been completely blown out by the Ravens. Manning totally shrank in the cold weather of Denver, it clearly affected his game.

This year is the third great opportunity the Broncos have had to win a SB and just as in the other 2 they have home field throughout. This year the Broncos are a better team offensively than last year but on the Defensive side of the ball the team may be worse.

You can come up with every football clique to describe how the Broncos break through this year. In my opinion if the Broncos are going to beat the New England Patriots this Sunday it has to start with Manning because he’s the leader of the team and was hands down the best player in the NFL during the regular season. He must play well for 60 minutes. No matter how bad the D plays he must be able to overcome it and play his A game. The Broncos also need to slow the game down and run the ball just as much as they pass it and grind down the clock.

If the D can stop the run and force Tom Brady to throw the ball, the Broncos chances of winning increase. If the D doesn’t give up to many big passing plays that would contribute to a win as well. It’s the bend not break style of D that’ll help the Broncos advance. You’d expect Brady to make some plays but if they can limit the big ones the Broncos have a good chance.

Frankly I don’t care how they win the game as long as they win. The last few years have been football hell; the Broncos have blown too many opportunities to win another ring. They can’t blow this one. Manning maybe as one good year left and after that it could be a lifetime my friends before the Broncos have another chance as good as this one to win a Championship.

The time is NOW for Manning and the Denver Broncos

I’ve taking a hiatus from writing about the Broncos the last 3 weeks for several reasons. One was because of the holidays and two because I injured my back at work in November and I can’t set for long periods of time at the computer. And lastly because I knew the Broncos were in the playoffs. Today we know how who they’ll play, the San Diego Chargers. First a few words about Manning and his fantastic regular season performance.

Manning is the MVP of the 2013 Regular Season

Manning has had an astonishing 2 years with the Broncos. This year he racked up 5,477 passing yards, giving him 64, 964 for a career. 55 TD passes in a single season is remarkable benchmark. For a 37 year old QB to play at this high of level is unheard of. I don’t think there is any question that Manning may be the most talented, intelligent and hardest working QB in the history of the sport.

His tireless analysis of film and his 100% commitment to refine and perfect his game on the practice field is legendary. His execution of the hurry up offense, his ability to get rid of the football in less than 3 seconds and his vision down field are second to none. If Manning wasn’t playing QB in the NFL right now he’d have to be considered a great candidate to be an Offensive Coordinator and even a Head Coach for any NFL organization.

Historically Manning isn’t the same QB in the Playoffs

But… as I’ve said numerous times before, Manning has to finish the deal for the Broncos by helping the team win a Super Bowl. All the regular season success, the records, and the MVP awards are impressive but if a Super Bowl isn’t on his resume after having such a notable regular season the shine on his individual accomplishments will lose its luster. The Super Bowl is forever. I don’t care what other Broncos Fans may think of my opinion and I know it’s a team game but if he doesn’t play competently and help the team win it his tenure in Denver has to be considered a heartbreaking disappointment.

Despite Manning’s tremendous achievements this season he does have inadequacies. If you look closer at the 5,477 passing yards most of them have been of the dink and dunk variety, short passes, screen passes and the run after the catch padded that stat.

Manning can still throw a deep ball if he has time and an open Receiver but he doesn’t have the arm strength he once had. If he feels pressure or has to leave the pocket to throw he’s not as consistent a passer short or long.

The other part of his game that still is an uncertainty is his capacity to play in a cold and windy environment. Denver and East Rutherford can be extremely cold places to play football in January and February. In the cold of Denver last year against the Ravens, Manning had 2 Fumbles and 2 Interceptions. The 2^nd INT was a very costly one because it ended any chance of the Broncos winning the game.

Then there is the most significant of Manning’s statistics which is his past performance in playoff games. In his 16 year career Manning’s teams have been to the playoffs 12 times prior to this year and he has a 9-11 record. In 20 playoff appearances Manning has 21 INT’s and 32 TD’s, that’s only a plus 11. His career passing rating in the playoffs is a pedestrian 88.4 which is 10^th all time.

In 2005 and 2006 when he blew out the Jake Plummer led Broncos in the 1^st round of the playoffs both years as a Colt he lost to Brady and the Patriots (the odds on favorite team to face him in the AFC Championship this season) both years ending his Super Bowl run. Manning has 4-10 career record against Brady and 1-2 record against him in the playoffs.

Rivers thus far owns Manning and the Broncos

This weekend the Broncos face the Chargers in the second round of the playoffs. The Chargers have won 5 in a row going in and beat the Broncos AT HOME 27-20 on Dec. 12. Rivers career record against the Broncos is 10-4 and he has a 5-3 record against Manning, and 3 of those losses came last year when Manning became a member of the Broncos.

The Chargers after having a mediocre regular season have all the earmarks of being another team like the Ravens last year that got hot at the end of the season and made an improbable run at the Super Bowl. The big difference between the Ravens and the Chargers is that the Chargers have a much better QB in Rivers.

The time is NOW

Despite the statistical deficit that Manning and the team have against the Chargers NOW is the time to rise up and kill the failures of the past. Manning’s individual 2013 regular season stats will have less meaning if the Broncos are one and done. Manning must play well but it won’t be enough.

The real test in the Chargers game and the playoff games to follow will be if the Broncos Defense can play opportunistic football, tackle and cover better, get pressure on the QB and make plays in the 4^th quarter. The Broncos must be able to run the ball with Moreno and Ball consistently.

The Offensive Line that’s played excellent football this season must protect Manning and his great Receivers must haul in the catchable balls.

I’m convinced that Offense won’t be a problem but if the Broncos have to play a shootout game going into the 4th Q against the Chargers they could be in real trouble. The table is set, the road to the Super Bowl will go through Denver and I can’t wait to see what happens. I pray to the football Gods that Manning can exercise his playoff ghosts and lead the Broncos onto a Championship.

Broncos Defense Not Ready for Primetime

With all anger still simmering at the surface after the Chargers loss last Thursday night I decided to postpone writing about it. I’m sure many Broncos Fans felt the same as I did about the game going in, that another win was imminent.

As we learn every Sunday there are no locks, no gimme’s and that on any given Sunday anything can happen. You never assume anything and you must take them one at a time. You must be able to win the games you’re supposed to win at home late in the season to solidify your position in the playoffs.

Peyton Manning and company were coming off a short week and an impressive win over the Titans last Sunday on a cold day in Denver. He was a completely different QB than the one in the Patriots game a few weeks ago when it was apparent his game and his psyche were on ice.

But from the opening snap of the Chargers game it was obvious they wanted the game far worse than the Broncos did. The Broncos defense and special teams were horrendous. They let Ryan Matthews one of the must inconsistent RB’s in the NFL run wild for 127 yards. The Safety’s and Corners particularly Rookie Kayvon Webster gave up big pass plays to help keep drives alive. The Front 7 of the Broncos did get 2 sacks on Philip Rivers but for most of the game they couldn’t get to him. The tackling by the LB’s at the second level was as bad as you’ll see. Danny Trevathan seemed to be the only player that was willing and able to make some stops.

The first half turned into a field position game and the Broncos started drives inside their own 20 to many times and had too many 3 and outs. Manning was being contested on every passing play and the Broncos running game could never get any traction. Despite the bad start the Broncos made a run in the 4^th Q but came up short.

The worse part of the loss came when Rivers was on the NFL Network after the game talking smack and hamming it up with the panel. You’d think his team had just won the Super Bowl the way he was acting but it was nothing more than an opportunity for him to enjoy the spotlight for 20 minutes because he knows that his team won’t make it to the playoffs. He likely won’t get another nationally televised interview because all he and his team can do now is be a spoiler. I can’t stand Rivers and his appearance after the game on the NFL Network flipped the switch that ignited my mushroom cloud.

Thankfully this Sunday the Broncos got a reprieve as the Dolphins did them a big favor and beat the Patriots. They still hold the #1 seed going into the last 2 games and must hold onto it. After seeing just how bad the D can play against one of the bottom feeder teams of the NFL if the Broncos have to go on the road to face New England my money would be on Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Let’s hope the Broncos can close the deal by beating the Texans and Raiders and securing home field. Wouldn’t it be a disaster if the Broncos tanked and fell into the Wildcard Spot if they lost them both? The Chiefs are not going away and are playing good football right now.

The other hope is that Fox and Del Rio can come up with a better defensive scheme so when the playoffs start Manning won’t have to score 50 points to win a game.   

Manning "Manned Up" as Broncos secure Playoff Spot

With a game time temperature of 18 degrees in Denver yesterday the big question going in was could Peyton Manning break the huge chunk of ice frozen around him regarding his past performances in cold weather games. Instead of using an ice pick to chip away at that criticism he used a massive sledge hammer. He shattered that ice into tiny shards and in the process with the help of his teammates secured a playoff spot.

Matt Prater kicked a 64 FG in the cold to set a new NFL Record.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the first 2 ½ quarters of the game yesterday but when I did drop in during the 3^rd quarter it was very clear that Manning was in complete control of his game. He didn’t look anything like that cold, unconfident and sometimes weak armed old QB in New England a few weeks ago.     

He was in total command, his passes were crisp, on time, he was never sacked and the OL gave him plenty of time to dissect the Titans D. Manning was sensational; he was a remarkable 39 out of 59, for 397 yards, and 4 TDs. After a slow start in the 1^st half he came out in the 2^nd and played as well as he has in any game for the Broncos. Each of the his stud WR’s Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Erick Decker and TE Julius Thomas caught a TD pass. The combination of Knowshon Moreno and Montee Ball had 155 yards on the ground and both of them scored a TD. It was a well executed and balanced approach by the O.

In short “Manning Manned Up” and proved he can be a real warrior in tough weather conditions and he deserves every bit of praise for this win.

That said, I hate to be a broken record again but Manning has been in this position many times in his career. He’s got to be considered maybe the best regular season QB to ever play the game but in the playoffs he still has one of the worst records there is when you stack him up against other NFL QB greats.

They still have to play them one at time and beat the Chargers this week and work towards the next step which is to secure home field throughout the playoffs. The final step will be taking the Broncos to and winning the Super Bowl. When he, with the help of his teammates, can accomplished that feat his legacy will have been a truly amazing one.

Much will depend on how well they play D down the stretch. The Broncos will have to improve defensively, especially in the secondary. As of this week of the 32 teams in the NFL they’re giving up 274.3 passing yards per game which is 29^th in the league. They’re 26^th in the league in points allowed with 26.5 and they’re giving up a total of 374.2 yards per game which 25^th in the league. Their best ranking is against the run, they’re ranked 7^th giving up just 99.8 yards per game. That stat should be taken with a grain of salt because in most games teams have had to play from behind and air it out to keep up with Manning’s O.

Giving up 28 points to a below average team like the Titans at home is not what John Fox had in my mind when he returned to sidelines this week. He more than anyone understands that won’t be good enough come playoff time. At times it's like they relax a little bit because they know Manning is on the bench and they know he can rack up a score in a hurry if they need it. In the NFL you can't take plays off.

The D did have some injuries this week to Rahim Moore, Derek Wolfe, and Kevin Vickerson. Duke Ihenacho, Champ Bailey and Wesley Woodyard (still hurting from his neck injury) played banged up but that’s no excuse. Every team this late in the season has injuries to deal with on both sides of ball and the good team’s find ways to win with their bench.

The next step to a Championship is to beat the Chargers this and move closer to home field throughout. It’s been an amazing season but there’s still work to be done.

The Chiefs Wrecker was Decker

Eric Decker had a career day in Kansas City.

The Chiefs game was a very important one for the Broncos for 3 reasons. The first was that if they could beat the Chiefs for the second time they would have the inside track to the AFC West Title and take a 2 game lead over them with 4 games remaining. The second was that if they won they’d maintain a 1 game lead over the Patriots for the all important position of home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

But the most important reason for winning had to be rehabilitating Peyton Manning and his confidence. After coming off a lack luster performance the week before against the Patriots Manning needed to regain his composure and win a big game on the road against a divisional opponent.

The game didn’t start out well for him; the 2 interceptions in the 1^st half gave the Chiefs an early 21 to 7 lead. The devastating 108 yard kickoff return by the Chiefs Knile Davis, then the follow up drive by Alex Smith for another TD after the second Manning  INT had the Chiefs Fans at Arrowhead Stadium in full roar. It could have been the turning point of the entire season for him and the Broncos and gave momentum to the Chiefs if the lead held up in the second half.

But Manning was not going to give up that easy. He came back with an impressive drive late in the 2 Quarter when he threw what turned out to be the 1^st TD pass to Eric Decker who would later catch 3 more in the 2^nd half. The Broncos were able to go into half time only down by 7.

As Manning and the Broncos Offense have proven all season they own the 3^rd Quarter. Manning threw 2 TD’s to Decker in the 3^rd and only took 44 seconds off the clock in the 4^th to give Decker his career high 4^th TD catch. The 21 consecutive points were enough for the Broncos to hold onto the victory despite a valiant effort by the Chiefs.

It was Decker’s day to be sure but Knowshon Moreno made some key plays and Montee Ball rebounded from the big fumble last week to run for 117 yards. Demaryius Thomas didn’t record a TD but racked a 106 yards.

Thankfully the biggest news was Manning had his redemption and the Broncos jumped back into the top spot as the best team in the AFC but it wasn’t easy especially on Defense.

The Broncos secondary didn’t play well even with the return of Champ Bailey at Left Corner. He was actually benched on the final drive of the game. RCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was out with a shoulder injury. Corners Chris Carter Jr., Quentin Jammer and backup Kayvon Webster who had a bum ankle didn’t cover well, and neither did Free Safety Mike Adams. You have to wonder how the game may have turned out had the Chiefs Receivers not dropped so many passes. The 2 big drops by Donnie Avery were killers but Dwayne Bowe and TE Anthony Fasano both dropped catchable balls too. Going forward you have to wonder if the Broncos can improve on this part of their Defense because at the moment it’s their Achilles Heel.

The Defense Line was without Derek Wolfe and when the Broncos went after Alex Smith with a 4 man front they didn’t touch him. Even when they blitzed they still didn’t get Smith for a single sack and Smith’s scrambles kept drives alive. The D did keep Jamaal Charles to 91 yards but those yards were ones that continued drives and moved the chains.      

The Defense, mainly the Secondary, must improve in the next several weeks as playoff time approaches. If they play well and Manning plays his A Game late in the December and January cold in Denver they’ll be unstoppable.

The Nightmare in New England

I like many Broncos Fans this morning woke up with a horrible hangover trying to forget what happened last night. Forgetting and moving on in the end is all you can do in this situation because it’s only 1 game and the Broncos season is far from over.

Looking at the remaining schedule they should be more than capable of winning 3 of their last 5 games. The Titans, Texans and Raiders are all winnable games. But the games against the Chiefs at Arrowhead and a hot Chargers team at home are not going to be as easily won.

Despite that, I honestly don’t see any scenario where the Broncos DO NOT make playoffs.

You’d think that’d be enough, just to get to the 2^nd level with the possibility of getting to the 3^rd which would be a Super Bowl but in my opinion as a long time diehard fan it isn’t. Winning the whole thing is the only thing. Another playoff appearance, another playoff win, another AFC Championship title just isn’t good enough. Having another early playoff exit and calling it a “good season”, if that’s what happens this year for many fans would be satisfying enough. Having a “great season” and winning the whole thing is the only outcome that will be satisfying for me.

So as I try to clear my head today and attempt to be optimistic about the possible future outcome for the Broncos this season it’s impossible to not look back at this game last night and relive the devastation.

The Montee Ball fumble swung the momentum to NE in the 2nd half.

Football is and will always be a team game and the Broncos in the second half made numerous mistakes as a team to blow a 24-0 half time lead. The big fumble by Montee Ball, the poor pass rush, the awful pass coverage by a banged up secondary and the horrific game by Wes Welker contributed (Dropped passes and Punt Flub) to the epic meltdown.

Despite all the miscues and with the help of an amazing performance by Knowshon Moreno (A career high 224 rushing yards and 1 TD) they did have a chance to win it in the 4^th quarter.

But…the one key element to finishing the game and winning it in the 2^nd half was Peyton Manning and he shrunk with the responsibility while Tom Brady rose to it.

Manning vs. Brady

I pointed out in a pregame blog yesterday that Manning Must Master Brady and the COLD. In it I said despite having a bum ankle, a 2-9 career record against Brady in Foxboro and a 2-8 record in games that were below freezing, NOW was the time for Manning to put up or shut up. Unfortunately Brady put up and once again can say he shut up Manning in a side by side QB comparison.

If you watched the game in full you couldn’t help but notice that the cold was clearly bothering Manning. When the cameras took close ups of his red face you could see it contort not just from the cold but from his lack of confidence. On the sidelines he looked like the coldest player on the field.

The cold windy conditions affected his ability to make pass plays both short and more noticeably long. His balls were off target and had no zip when he delivered it. He threw too many balls into double coverage and missed throwing to open Receivers.

Manning has never been a scrambler or nifty on his feet and the bum right ankle adds to that deficiency but it can’t excuse his poor play and decision making. The truth is Manning looked like a really old man and a sometimes dead armed QB in this game.

Brady on the other hand didn't have any trouble with the chilly windy weather, looked 10 years younger, moved well on his feet in the pocket, had zip on his throws and exhibited the confidence in his abilities that he’s had from day one of his career.

Brady won this go around and maybe Manning will get another shot at him, hopefully at home in the playoffs but now he and the Broncos will have to regroup, leave this one behind and win this week in KC. Their playoff destiny still lies in their own hands, if they can have a short memory. It’ll be hard to forget this one but they will have to and so will the fans. So will I.

Manning Must Master Brady and the COLD

This is a biggest test of the year for Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Brady has 9 wins over Manning in their 13 career meetings, including the playoffs, which are the most wins for any one QB over another since 1993. Worse yet, Manning is 2-9 in games in Foxboro during his career and 2-6 against Brady at Gillette Stadium. Manning has also thrown an even 21 TD's and 21 INT’s in 11 career games in Foxboro.

Then there's this excerpt from a Denver Post article: “He’s (Manning) 2-8 in which the game temperature is below freezing (32 or below), 0-2 in any game below 20 and 2-5 in games between 20-29.”  “ He’s 8-13 in games where the game time temperature is below 40.”

For most of his career Manning had the luxury of playing 8 regular season games under a dome and he could win most of those games. Clearly, looking at his stats Manning doesn’t play well in cold weather. The current temp in Foxsboro is 28 degrees with winds up to 23 mph. It’ll probably be much colder come kick off.

Manning after the Ravens loss.

Who can forget his bad game in a frosty Denver last year against the Ravens in the 1^st round of the playoffs?

Granted the Patriots are not as good a team offensively as in years past but from a statistical point of view the odds of Manning playing well enough for the Broncos to win are stacked against him.

This is the second game of a 3 game stretch were Manning has to put up or shut up. He got the win in Denver over the Chiefs in game 1 and now must beat the Patriots in game 2. If they can win today and win next week in game 3 of the Chiefs rematch the table is set for home field throughout the playoffs and shot at a Super Bowl appearance.

Despite the odds against him in cold weather games, despite the bad ankle and despite a horrible record against Brady, today has to be the day Manning breaks out and plays a good game. It’s the reason he was brought to Denver, the opportunity is clearly his to prove his critics wrong that he’s not a choker in big games late in the season or in the playoffs.  

It’ll take a total team effort to win today but if Manning hangs out an “Epic Fail” sign in this important game the dream of a Super Bowl win becomes much more difficult. GO BRONCOS!!!

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.

Chargers win comes second to Peyton's ankle

Manning in the air is far better than Manning on the ground hurt.

The Denver Broncos win without John Fox on the sidelines over a much improved San Diego Chargers team yesterday was a critical milestone. It completes a season sweep and buries the Chargers at the bottom of the AFC West standings with the Raiders. YES! It gives Jack Del Rio his first win as interim Head Coach, an 8-1 record and sets up a very important Sunday night match-up against the undefeated division rival Kansas City Chiefs in Denver.

This is all welcome news to Broncos Fans but why I’m I feeling apprehensive and nervous this morning? You’d think it’d be a time of excitement, exhilaration and much anticipation. It’s simple, am I the only one who could care less about what happened in the game yesterday or about the pending one this week and actually more concerned with Peyton Manning’s future health long term?

The hit Manning took yesterday with less than 2 minutes to go in the game to the back of his legs that aggravated a previous injury to his right ankle immediately deflated my enjoyment of the win. The pass Manning completed on that play give the Broncos another 1st down and helped them to run out the clock for the victory but with Manning lying on the ground in obvious pain my heart stopped.

Manning is a tough guy and he did get up and finish the game with a noticeable limp. Just because Manning is a great player and is 38 years old doesn’t make him any less immune to risk of an injury. Football is a very violent game dominated by much younger men that take no prisoners and should make no apology for hitting anyone in the mouth, even if he’s Peyton Manning. I know some will say the hit Manning took was a cheap shot but it’s a reach, it was a bang, bang play with the Chargers D desperately attempting to stop the Broncos to get the ball back. Unfortunately for Manning the blow came below the knees like some do but that’s football. Had the shoe been on the other foot and this was Rivers that went down instead would it have been a cheap shot then?

What I immediately was asking after the hit was why Manning throwing the ball in that situation to begin with? The better strategy right then would have been to hand the ball off to Knowshon Moreno even if he couldn’t run for the 1st down. Time was on the Broncos friend and the Chargers enemy and even had the Broncos had to punt the ball back to them, they probably would have had bad field position with less than a minute to go with no timeouts remaining to score 8 points. From an odds standpoint even then the Broncos had the upper hand and had been getting to Rivers with the pass rush. It was unlikely the Chargers could have tied the game.

I know Manning is a competitor and he really believed the only way the Broncos were going to win was if the ball was in his hands. In the heat of the moment you can’t blame or fault him for it but I believe Manning can still be a winner and survive to fight another day if he slows the game down just a bit and let’s some of his teammates do the heavy lifting.

Manning is only going to be a QB for the Broncos for a finite period of time and maybe that’s why he’s sometimes impatient and desperate I get that but he’s not immortal and he can’t do it all alone. From here forward let’s hope he thinks a little more of self preservation because there are still 7 games to go. The Chiefs game will be no gimme'.

The Chiefs O may be winning ugly but they’re an efficient unit with of Jamaal Charles as their stud. Their aggressive D is the real deal and they’ll be going after Manning early and often. Let’s pray that the Offensive Line can handle the onslaught and that Manning’s quick release can protect his tender ankle. I hope that Manning ego let's him hand the ball off to Moreno and Montee Ball often to slow the game down and kill the clock.

It was reported this morning that the MRI came back negative and Manning will start against the Chiefs Sunday. You know he'll be sore and have to wonder how mobile he'll be. The Broncos have won 8 out of the 9 battles so far but they haven’t won the war and without Manning out there as the Commanding General the war would be lost. So please Peyton, protect yourself.