As Diehard As They Come

Since I wrote the blog on Monday Peyton Manning's best play would be to retire not surprisingly I’ve received a ton of flack from Broncos Fans. 3 days later the sting of the loss doesn’t seem as devastating as it was on Sunday but I still stand but what I said about Manning. The issue that needs addressing today is the question of fandom. I posted the blog on facebook were I have many friends that are Broncos Fans and a bunch responded and some questioned my fandom.

On Monday I wore my Broncos shirt and Cap in public and I live in the Pacific NW were most people are Seahawks Fans. You talk about hard, I took a lot of good natured ribbing all day but I own the loss because I’m a “real” Broncos fan.

The thing that gets me to become instantly reactionary is when I get questioned about my fandom by fan's who think that being a loyal fan means not critiquing the games, the team or individual players. Most of the hard core football fans I know would give up the game all together if they couldn’t cuss and discuss the game.

I take the Broncos games seriously, I take winning seriously. When my team goes to the Super Bowl and loses I take it very seriously. It took 15 years for us to get back to this game and it could be 15 or more before we get back again who knows for sure. So when my team loses the biggest game they’ve played for 15 years to a team they should at the very least given a competitive game to I get furious and have a right to do so.

One of the comments a fan to remain nameless posted after reading my blog is this one. I have no animosity towards her and I know she's a Diehard just like me but it stirred up my emotions and it lead to an epic rant.

First here’s the fans comment:

Oh my goodness...the people who hurt the worst is the Denver Bronco players. Being a fan and crying woe is me I am so hurt my team did not win the Super Bowl is ok for like a day. After you lick your papercuts, you might think about the sucking chest wounds the players are dealing with.

My response:

Here’s the thing, the fans DO support the players. The fans have made this game what it is today and made them all millionaires. Their feelings are hurt I know but without me and you and the others fans that are supporting the team there would be no team, there would be no NFL.

Manning is bummed he played a horrible game I know that but when he failed he has to accept the consequences of the fans anger and frustration. This is part of the game, he knows its part of the game. On Monday morning when he woke up he knew that he’ll be getting a $20 million dollar payday from the Broncos next season, wow poor Peyton. I can't say I really feel all that sorry for him since next season he'll earn more money in 1 year than any player in NFL History. He blew a perfect opportunity to pay back the fans for their support with a good game instead he tanks despite having a fantastic set of players around him on offense to get it done.

If I speak the truth about Manning does that mean I don’t support the TEAM?

When I have to pay $225 to get NFL Sunday Ticket because I’m not in the local Denver broadcast area I support the team. When I fly to Denver as I did a few years ago to see a Raiders game and it cost nearly $800.00 for the weekend I support the team. When I traveled to the Hall of Fame to see Elway get induced and it cost $2500 for the trip I support the team. When I buy a closet full Broncos clothes that hang in my closet and expensive memorabilia I support team. When I’ve seen every single game the Broncos have played on National TV since the mid-70’s or attended them at the stadium I support the team. When I give up time with my wife and kids every Sunday to watch the Broncos on TV I support the team. When I write a blog about the Broncos on the internet which I’ve done since 2005 I support the team.

So in my mind I have every freakin’ right to say how I feel about just how crappy a game the Super Bowl was and how I believe that Manning is a choke artist in the playoffs and I don’t believe he’ll ever win a SB that’s my right as a Diehard Fan. If you don’t like it and other fans don’t like it fine but don’t say I don’t support the team or that I’m less than a fan. This isn’t really directed at you but I can say in all honesty I’ve forgotten more about the Broncos, their history, their stats, their players, their coaches, their playoff games and Super Bowls than most will ever know.

To those that think the Broncos are going to march right back to the Super Bowl and win next season that’s great Positive Mental Attitude. But PMA isn’t going to win Super Bowls, its great teams, great coaches, great players and great individual leaders that win Super Bowls. Getting back to the SB won’t be that easy for this team. It’s already been announced that 16 players will be gone from the roster. That’s just the start. In my mind Manning should be one of them because he isn’t going to get it done.

The team was there this year but the QB was absent, next year in all likely hood the team won’t be as good as the one this year. I like any Broncos Fan hope for the best but I just don’t see it getting any better than it was this year to win a Super Bowl.

Peyton Manning's best play would be to retire

Peyton Manning should retire. I know I still have a hangover today and to some Broncos Fans this sounds patently insane but before you call me a negative fair weather fan hear me out.

The game yesterday and I will underscore it first so my detractors won’t say I didn’t say this was a TEAM LOSS. The Broncos couldn’t handle the Seahawks young aggressive style of defensive play. The Special Teams play was horrendous, from the mid 3^rd quarter on the Broncos Defense came undone. The tackling and the pass coverage melted down. The Offense Line didn’t protect Manning as well as they could have on some plays and the running game stalled. Lastly the offensive game plan was one of the worst ever.

Still… in my opinion Manning was the biggest negative as far as the team was concerned. The first play of the game proved it. I’ve been saying for 2 years that running a hurry up offense for an entire game was not always a good game plan and it blew up in dramatic fashion in the Super Bowl.

The noise level was a factor on the Broncos first play and first offensive series. Instead of just sticking with the original play call Manning at the last second changed his mind and the Center couldn’t hear the call. Result: a snap above Manning’s head, this wasn’t the Center’s fault it was Manning’s and his pension for trying to be the trickster instead of running a conventional offense cost him dearly. Unfortunately that dumb play set the tone for the rest of the day.

The two INT’s that Manning threw were very costly as well. On both plays he was feeling pressure but instead of throwing the ball away or taking sacks he tried to force it in knowing there was good coverage. Manning had to have known the Seahawks would blitz and pressure him; he should have been patient enough to know not every one of his passes could be a competition. Furthermore this idea that the Offensive Line is to blame for the lack of passing offense is utter nonsense. He had time to throw on many plays but couldn’t get the ball deep down field because he wasn’t patient enough or confident enough in his arm to make them. His throws were late, early, short and to long and he wasn’t calling the right plays against the Seahawks Defense. It wasn’t a coverage problem or an Offensive Line pass blocking problem it was Manning’s problem.

Manning’s play calling was a very conservative passing offense. The screens, the short outs weren’t working and he gave up on the running game way to soon. It didn’t fool the Seahawks at all in the first half and he didn’t change up his calls in the second. He didn't attempt to throw the ball deep even after it was clear he needed to in the 2nd half to get back in the game.

The Defense did an outstanding job of keeping Marshawn Lynch in check. He had 39 total yards. This was exactly what they needed to do going into the game since he was the Seahawks biggest offense threat. They also held the Seahawks to 2 FG’s in the 1^st Q which was amazing considering the field position and the momentum the Seahawks had on their side. Yes the Broncos D had some injuries to key players going in and the damn broke in the second half but I can’t be all that disappointed in their overall performance.

The problem lied with the Offense and Manning who essentially became the Offense Coordinator of the Broncos when he was signed 2 years ago to a mega bucks contract. Adam Gase is the Offensive Coordinator in name only, Manning is the real OC and that’s the problem. His sand lot type of hurry up offense has proven to be a fruad and his post season play continues to be some of the worse in the history of the game.

Despite all the individual regular season records he set this year the one that would have mattered most was a Super Bowl win. Despite having the 4 greatest set of Receivers in the history of the franchise, 2 capable RB’s and a serviceable Offense Line Manning made the Seahawks D look way better than they actually are and could do nothing to generate any offense. 

As I mentioned earlier the Broncos D did what had to until late in the 3^rd Q to give him a chance to recover and reload but he wasn’t up to it. The Broncos lost as a team but the one player on that team, the MVP of the League, the so called greatest QB in NFL history played an uninspired and unimaginative game. He had the greatest offensive team he’s ever had surrounding him and laid a disastrous egg.

If Manning couldn’t win a Championship with the team he had on the field yesterday he never will. I’m convince he won’t and if he was smart he'd do the Broncos, the Fans and himself a huge favor and bow out now.

Then the Broncos could give Brock Osweiler the job and use the $20 million dollar salary due to Manning next year to rebuild and shop for Rookies and Defensive Free Agents at every position,  especially in the Defensive Backfield.

Of course this isn’t going to happen because Manning won’t walk away from the big money. Manning has said he still enjoys the game and wants to play but I believe what will motivate him more is the astronomical paycheck he’ll receive. This is the wrong reason for him to continue because from here on out it’ll only get uglier for him and more importantly the team and the fans.

The Manning experiment has run its course and failed big time, it’s time to move on instead of delaying the enviable pain that will follow if he suits up next year. Love me, hate that's how I see it from my armchair.