- Let me get this out of the way first, I hate Thursday Night Football! It's just not a good idea. It's terrible for the players health. It's unfair to the road team to be ready in 3 days. Many fans work on weekday evenings. I could keep going. The #NFL is much better sticking with Sundays and Monday nights IMO. They are also reaching a saturation point to certain fans with over exposure. From games on Twitter, to replays on NFL Network all week and so on. It's like that song you love that's only 1 minute 35 seconds long and you can't buy it because it's unavailable for purchase, you crave it more often! It's like OMG my song is on, I've been waiting for days to hear it!!! As opposed to the song you really like too but it's an ungodly 12 minutes long with the same repeated pattern and it's like .79 cents to own, after a couple listens you just fast forward. But I digress. As for the #Broncos, let's go:
- The #Broncos defense is still a very good unit, a top 5 ranking defense. But it’s not 2015 good. That defense was a #1 rated defense in just about every major category including the overall ranking. Passing both the eye test and statistically. It was a once-in-a-lifetime defense. Perhaps no other stat describes this point better than the following:
Through 6 games this year, the #Broncos defense has allowed 41 1st quarter points. Last year, through 6 games, the #Broncos had allowed 0 points in the 1st quarter! Which brings me to a related thought: Interim HC, Joe DeCamillis, said Kubiak and staff have talked about decision to defer possession after winning the coin toss. My view is with 2015’s defensive version I would keep doing it but with this 2016’s version, until further review, I would stop that practice ASAP! Why? 2 long opening drives resulting in TDs by the opponent in last two games after deferring each won coin toss.
- Both LT Russell Okung and WR Cody Latimer are in the NFL concussion protocol. One would have to wonder if #Okung was not right physically in the 2nd half? He had two uncharacteristic holding penalties in the 4th quarter costing the Broncos a safety for 2 points and a called back CJ Anderson TD for a total of 8 to potentially 10 points. In a game they lost by 8 points, those two calls are the difference between winning and losing this game. Very out of character for Okung, he’s been so solid in prior 5 games. I expect him to get back on track.
- #Broncos snapped their NFL best 15-game Divisional road win streak as well as their 5 straight wins vs the Chargers.
- Trevor Siemian had 50 pass attempts last night. Fifty! In comparison, Philip Rivers had 29. No QB in the NFL should be throwing 50 times in a game. That stat usually translates to a loss. Play calling and imaginative offensive looks were not very good in this game and Kubiak's absence loomed large.
- Broncos’ players are off for 3-days. Will all be back to the grind on Monday, including coach #Kubiak for preparation on a suddenly very important matchup vs Billy & the Texans on #MNF in 10 days.
- There is a possibility that DeMarcus Ware makes his return vs the Texans. We'll see.
- Emmanuel Sanders suffered a hip bruise in the game that gave him a lot of discomfort late in the game. Should be good to go with 11 days of rest though.
- In the last 2 games, it's been quite apparent that the #Broncos really do miss both Malik Jackson & Danny Trevathan on the inside of that defense. Offensively speaking the speed of RB Ronnie Hillman, specially in these types of regular season games, is missed big time. Kapri Bibbs has been a solely special teams guy, which is why they kept him. But I feel like Hillman's change of pace speed, which they currently lack completely, came in huge during the season last year. His lack of size rendered him mostly useless in playoff situations. However, I said it then and I'll say it now, I would've kept him over Bibbs easily.
- The Broncos are still a very good team. They are a top 3 team in the AFC. I feel most of their problems in the last 2 games are fixable with coaching, repetition, time and more familiarity with the offense, coaches and each other as players. It's a painful process to watch though! We will persevere. It will be interesting to see if John Elway makes any minor personnel moves, specially on the offensive line, before the NFL trade deadline as he has either done so or tried to pull off in each of the last 2 years.
Let's go #Broncos
By Michael Salavati
#BroncosCountry
#DENvsSD
#TNF
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