Schefter: Broncos need altitude adjustment

[rovolution]

Used to be that Denver held a Mile High mystique, an advantage all opponents struggled to overcome. Now the altitude appears to be suffocating the Broncos.

After dropping Sunday's game to Jacksonville, Denver now has lost five of its past seven home games. And here's the literal kicker: Denver's only two homes wins in nearly a full year both involved special-teams flukes.

Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
After losing to the Jaguars on Sunday, it has become even more apparent that the Broncos no longer enjoy the home-field advantage they once held.

Two Sundays ago, Denver coach Mike Shanahan called a timeout before Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski booted an overtime field goal that would have beaten the Broncos.

And last December, Cincinnati's snap on an extra point in the final minute sailed wide of holder Kyle Larson, preventing Bengals kicker Shayne Graham from attempting his 159th straight conversion. Denver held on to win 24-23.

In other words, Denver's only two home wins over the past year have been by a combined four points, and both games could have been losses as easily as they were victories. The Broncos' home record from 1996-2005 was 64-16 (.800), including three season in which the team went undefeated in Denver.

The Mile High mystique has faded and the Broncos need to figure out a way to recapture it to save their season.

After this Sunday's game in the Broncos' haunted house known as Indianapolis' RCA Dome, the team returns to Denver for the teeth of its schedule and three straight home games against the San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

With Denver sporting a 2-1 record, the Broncos now will play their next four games against teams with a combined 10-2 record. If they don't play better, it's possible their home record could get worse before it gets better.

It's hard to imagine the Mile High mystique going M.I.A. But it's also hard to imagine over the past year Denver posting a 2-5 home record.

[bpc]

Pretty damn sad.

[broncofan2438]

Yup, read that on NFL.com, it sucks but true!

[Popps]

It's equal part team and fans. Outside of maybe Webster on defense and Marshall and Walker on offense, there's just no fire. No one flying around getting guys pumped up, working the crowd, etc. This team sorely lacks for personality.

The fans are no better. Every once in a while, and NFL coach will call out the home fans. I think Shanahan might need to start thinking about that. The Jags game was embarrassing. It was like a freakin' tennis match.

[Los Broncos]

Dam, kind of brings me down.

[bronco militia]

since the playoff games in 2006, the broncos are only 6-6 at home

[theAPAOps5]

Too much wine and cheese.

[bronco militia]

Too much wine and cheese.

try too much ****ty football.....the fans have been great since the 2005 season

[BroncoBuff]

Is anybody a structural engineer? Because we should implement some retro-fitting of some kind on that stadium to get the volume up. There's gotta be something we could do ... that construction blunder os just short of the DIA underground luggage fiasco.

The place is simply not LOUD enough.

[pdvd23]

Invesco caters toward families and old people. They need to stop all of the ads and gimics going on throughout the game. Great, some hack made a FG for 100$ worth of french fries at Wendy's, nobody cares. Also the Broncos have about a million charities that they are a part of and thats fine, people should bring in their stamps and some canned food, but why advertise them throughout the whole game and who is the dumb*** PR guy that decides to play Al Wilson's prostate cancer fund on third and 2 in the fourth quarter. I doubt that this happens in Pittsberg, or Chicago, or any other team that has balls. 75 thousand strong should be focusing their efforts and lungs toward the field and not at the Jumbotron. Cut everything but the replays and cut all the music that allows the older generations to start dancing.

[Orange_Beard]

It's equal part team and fans. Outside of maybe Webster on defense and Marshall and Walker on offense, there's just no fire. No one flying around getting guys pumped up, working the crowd, etc. This team sorely lacks for personality.

The fans are no better. Every once in a while, and NFL coach will call out the home fans. I think Shanahan might need to start thinking about that. The Jags game was embarrassing. It was like a freakin' tennis match.

I disagree with this. Al and keith burns used to work the crowd and we still lost. The team is not been very good. There are flaws that have not been fixed.

[BroncoBuff]

Has there been any talk at all about structural modifications to make the place louder?

[SureShot]

The stadium doesn't need modifications. The team needs to give the fans something to be excited about.

[Rock Chalk]

I dont know maybe Im wrong but I dont remember the few losing season Elway had having a problem with crowd noise. Even though the product on the field wasnt a lot to cheer about, the fans were still loud and noisy even in our worst years.

[TheChamp24]

We could always go the Colts route and pump crowd noise through the speakers...

[eddie mac]

Blaming the fans is just a kop out. We seriously overrate this team as does Shanahan.

[milehimikey]

try too much ****ty football.....the fans have been great since the 2005 season

Now I can't argue the poor football comment but I've been a season ticket holder for almost 20 years and I can tell you that the fans are nothing like they used to be in the old Mile Hi. It used to be that the fans knew the game and the situation...now they are too busy talking on cell phones and screaming at the people in front of them to sit down.

I'll give you that the football has not given fans too much to cheer about but neither did the football in 1993 and the place was 10 times as loud then as it is now. I sit in a section where most people just sit there when we're on D and complain if people around them get stirred up and cheer...and I sit 18 rows from the field, its not like I'm in the nose bleeds where some might think making noise doesn't matter. These are not the same fans that presented an ominous shadow to all incoming visitors in the old stadium, these are Chargers fans who only want to cheer when the going is good.

....hang on, I'll finish my rant in a second, the cotton candy vendor is coming by my section.

[bronco militia]

Now I can't argue the poor football comment but I've been a season ticket holder for almost 20 years and I can tell you that the fans are nothing like they used to be in the old Mile Hi. It used to be that the fans knew the game and the situation...now they are too busy talking on cell phones and screaming at the people in front of them to sit down.

I'll give you that the football has not given fans too much to cheer about but neither did the football in 1993 and the place was 10 times as loud then as it is now. I sit in a section where most people just sit there when we're on D and complain if people around them get stirred up and cheer...and I sit 18 rows from the field, its not like I'm in the nose bleeds where some might think making noise doesn't matter. These are not the same fans that presented an ominous shadow to all incoming visitors in the old stadium, these are Chargers fans who only want to cheer when the going is good.

....hang on, I'll finish my rant in a second, the cotton candy vendor is coming by my section.

you are right and since 2005 the fans and the noise level have improved.

[Garcia Bronco]

I have been working for several weeks now to train the fans in my section. I let them know when to be loud, and when to be quiet. :)

[milehimikey]

The stadium doesn't need modifications. The team needs to give the fans something to be excited about.

I couldn't disagree with you more. If you don't have anything to be excited about then stay home and sell your tickets to the people who truly want to go support their team.

Sure, the Broncos haven't been playing well and are coming off a sub-par season. But you've got a promising young quarterback, 1 great wideout, 1 emerging great wideout, a solid running back, decent offensive line, one of the best defensive secondaries in football. Your missing a pass rush, some experience on offense and some special teams help.

This team has more potential than any team since the 96,97,98 teams. I'm not sure what it takes anymore to get fans excited but it only used to take the month of September to start.

Sorry to rant again but maybe, just maybe it will get at least one person fired up and ready to support the Broncos next home game instead of whining because they don't win every game. :gripe: :gripe:

[Broncos123]

We just have to get back the home field advantage. It starts again now.

[Kaylore]

try too much ****ty football.....the fans have been great since the 2005 season

Yeah. The fans aren't the problem. The cameras still shake on the telecast and the commentators regularly mention the sound there. The problem is the team. We have no killer instinct - particularly on defense. Good defenses benefit the most from home field advantage.

[Sodak]

Last game I went to some douchebag behind us was whining about us standing. (During critical moments of the game) We were excited, screaming our guts out only to be admonished by some ****nut "Broncos" fan who didn't appreciate our fondness for the game. I wanted to punch "Mr. Metrosexual" right in the vagina.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Blaming the fans is just a kop out.

Thread over.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Has there been any talk at all about structural modifications to make the place louder?

The stadium was designed to enhance the noise level of the crowd.

[milehimikey]

Thread over.

I hope it doesn't sound like anyone is blaming the fans. At risk of speaking for others I'd say its more that the fans used to provide an element of advantage to the team as well as an energy level. Used to be able to feel the excitement in the stadium when you walked in. The team seems to have lost their edge at home and that seems to have made fans complacent.

I say as fans we should make it clear to the team we're not going anywhere and we still take pride in our team and expect more from them rather than saying things like 'they should give us something to be excited about'.

Doesn't mean its the fans fault, only that the fans seem to be okay with it.

[Cito Pelon]

Invesco caters toward families and old people. They need to stop all of the ads and gimics going on throughout the game. Great, some hack made a FG for 100$ worth of french fries at Wendy's, nobody cares. Also the Broncos have about a million charities that they are a part of and thats fine, people should bring in their stamps and some canned food, but why advertise them throughout the whole game and who is the dumb*** PR guy that decides to play Al Wilson's prostate cancer fund on third and 2 in the fourth quarter. I doubt that this happens in Pittsberg, or Chicago, or any other team that has balls. 75 thousand strong should be focusing their efforts and lungs toward the field and not at the Jumbotron. Cut everything but the replays and cut all the music that allows the older generations to start dancing.

Dang, that was different. That broke up the same old **** posts.

[Cito Pelon]

Has there been any talk at all about structural modifications to make the place louder?

Of course not. WTF? Geez.

[Don Flamenco]

The stadium was designed to enhance the noise level of the crowd.


Wasn't it supposed to be made with 90% more steel than Mile High, just so it had the same feel and be even louder? I don't think it worked

[Cito Pelon]

Blaming the fans is just a kop out. We seriously overrate this team as does Shanahan.

The bottom line is that is a very ignominious record, and I think the team - the players - have to correct that. It's up to the players. Losing on the road is one thing, as a player if one is so inclined you can blame it on any number of things. Losing at home - or more importantly - barely competing at home, that's on the players. Especially at Mile High where the altitude really does have an effect.

I remember from Sunday's game Paul Spicer stuffing a play in the red zone, getting overly physical, then yelling insults galore at Denver's O, the same Paul Spicer that blamed Denver for dirty tactics a couple years ago when he got injured, and in fact Denver got penalized 15 yards for the play.

Did Denver respond and kick his ass, win the game at home, compete at home? Nope. Ok, rant over.

The bottom line is Denver certainly has to show some spirit. I could go on, but this has been covered already, and I try not to pile on the team after a loss. But this article certainly gets my bile up. The team looks like wimps.

[Popps]

I disagree with this. Al and keith burns used to work the crowd and we still lost. The team is not been very good. There are flaws that have not been fixed.

Obviously, cheerleading does not a champion maketh.

But, having a little fire on the field and looking like maybe you don't have other things you'd rather be doing might get the crowd a bit more involved... and that can actually help a team. You'd have to go back a decade or so to see what I mean, but if you have any tapes from the 90s... watch any game played at Mile High.

Yes, we have personnel problems. But, we also have a fairly boring team and a boring stadium right now.

They're two separate, but equally valid issues, imo.

[Kaylore]

I can't believe people are still whining about the crowd noise. We forced a couple of procedure penalties last game and have been loud all year. The crowd isn't the reason we lost the game. The crowd is fine.

[Popps]

I can't believe people are still whining about the crowd noise. We forced a couple of procedure penalties last game and have been loud all year. The crowd isn't the reason we lost the game. The crowd is fine.

Bro, I'm fairly sure no one said "the crowd lost the game." Another person went to a game and was disappointed in the crowd. It's just an observation that a lot of people happen to agree with.

[24champ]

Blaming the fans is just a kop out.

Rep, nailed it.

[BroncoBuff]

Wasn't it supposed to be made with 90% more steel than Mile High, just so it had the same feel and be even louder? I don't think it worked
That's exactly right - that's it in a nutshell. Are you hearing this ... Cito Pelon?!. ;D

[Orange_Beard]

Obviously, cheerleading does not a champion maketh.

But, having a little fire on the field and looking like maybe you don't have other things you'd rather be doing might get the crowd a bit more involved... and that can actually help a team. You'd have to go back a decade or so to see what I mean, but if you have any tapes from the 90s... watch any game played at Mile High.

Yes, we have personnel problems. But, we also have a fairly boring team and a boring stadium right now.

They're two separate, but equally valid issues, imo.

I agree. A crowd can help.
They show up flat way too often, for games we should win going away. The trend is that we come out hard, get a lead then hold on. I know it is an old saying but since the Superbowls we have looked like a team trying not to lose instead of trying to kick the other teams ass.( With the exception of the 13-3 year, where Champ won the playoff game)

We come out, push the other team around then HANG ON. We have too much talent for that, for a couple of years Shanny stole a bunch of games this way when he did not have the talent.

Since the move to Invesco the atmosphere has changed. I have never even seen a fight at the new Invesco. Not that I want to see fights, just saying in mile high people were off the hook. It really was protect yourself at all times. There is none of that at the new place. Could be that we won those superbowls and people are satisfied. I don't know.
I wish I had the answer. Really I wish Shanny had the answer.

[BigPlayShay]

The crowd, and the Mile High Crowd in particular use to, and still could contribute to the outcome of a game:

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=341&contentID=1213

On third-and-goal from the 1, Bratton scored again and Treadwell’s extra point gave Denver its first lead of the game with 2:27 left. Pittsburgh got the ball on its own 20, but on third down Brister’s signals were drowned out by the crowd and he mishandled the snap. Randy Robbins recovered for Denver on the Pittsburgh 18 and the Broncos were able to run out the clock.

Fact of the matter is that the crap that they display at the stadium use to incite the crowd. Instead of showing ****ing fantasy stats the scoreboards use to have messages like "Hello South Standers, Stand up for your Broncos", "Hello North Standers", "Noise", etc...

I freaking grew up in the South Stands and it sickens me to see a dull crowd, a dumb crowd. A crowd that the offense had to hush every bit as much as the Defense (Dre Bly only really) had to try and pump the crowd up.

A sad fact is that the Latte' drinking fans in Seattle create more noise in an outdoor stadium than they use to in the dome, and part of the reason is that the team, the stadium, and the fans have made an emphasis on "the 12th man". Mile High use to be like that.

[TheChamp24]

Fact of the matter is that the crap that they display at the stadium use to incite the crowd. Instead of showing ****ing fantasy stats the scoreboards use to have messages like "Hello South Standers, Stand up for your Broncos", "Hello North Standers", "Noise", etc...



Well, I agree with this. The freakin lame things they show and make us hear is IDIOTIC. Like the weather crap, NO ONE CARES REALLY. We are outside, WE CAN TELL IF ITS GOING TO RAIN/SNOW DUMBASSES.
I loved the South Standers/North Standers signs they had. That was awesome.

Also, another thing is I think some seats are too far away from the field. Sure, it may sound noisy to us, but on the field, its average. And its too spread out.

Another point to make: Oakland had I believe 4-5 false start penalties. The crowd was rockin for the Oakland game IMO. Really though, I think the lackluster effort generated by the players has contributed to the crowd becoming silent. And also fans getting seperated and the south stands not really being the south stands anymore.

[maher_tyler]

Maybe it's cause every team runs for and average of 150 yards and our defense can't get off the field...a 11 minute drive is demoralizing for players and fans!!

[TallyBronco]

At most sporting events nowadays there is too much emphasis on entertaining the crowd between plays or during timeouts with activities that have nothing to do with the game. Soccer moms can kiss my arse. Give your tickets to someone who cares about the outcome of the game.

[anthonypacino]

Is anybody a structural engineer? Because we should implement some retro-fitting of some kind on that stadium to get the volume up. There's gotta be something we could do ... that construction blunder os just short of the DIA underground luggage fiasco.

The place is simply not LOUD enough.

I don't care what the engineers say, it just isn't a loud indimidating place like old Mile High. That place was almost built straight up and down, pretty indimidating from the field, the fans almost seemed on top of you, the south stands pounding their feet over the other teams locker room.

The new place is more "fan friendly" but it doesn't hold the sound like the old one. And the fans aren't as loud either. During a 3rd down when our D is on the field most of our fans are on their butts. They can't even get a "Wave" to go around the stadium once. At one time one side of the stadium would chant GO and the other BRONCOS or chant a players name, or a bad call. That doesn't happen anymore. Is it wine and cheesers? Aging fans who simply don't have it in them anymore? Young fans who don't really know what to do? PC America gone beserk? Or, has the times just changed for the better or worse?

[milehimikey]

Yeah. The fans aren't the problem. The cameras still shake on the telecast and the commentators regularly mention the sound there. The problem is the team. We have no killer instinct - particularly on defense. Good defenses benefit the most from home field advantage.

The cameras are easy to make shake. Just a few people stomping on the steel rafters makes that happen. The noise does come at times but its not as persistent nor as deafening as it used to be.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the lack of audible fan support is an excuse for the teams performance. What I am saying is that the fans used to show support either way.

I'll get off that topic, sorry for the tangent.

[TailgateNut]

The stadium was designed to enhance the noise level of the crowd.


We just need to wear out the "New Metal" so it can rattle, shake and feel like it's going to fall down like OLD MILE HIGH.

[Billy Clyde Puckett]

At most sporting events nowadays there is too much emphasis on entertaining the crowd between plays or during timeouts with activities that have nothing to do with the game. Soccer moms can kiss my arse. Give your tickets to someone who cares about the outcome of the game.

Bingo.

[Cito Pelon]

That's exactly right - that's it in a nutshell. Are you hearing this ... Cito Pelon?!. ;D

You were asking about a "retro-fit" to make the stadium louder, I was stating of course there is no talk about a retrofit.

[LonghornBronco]

Is anybody a structural engineer? Because we should implement some retro-fitting of some kind on that stadium to get the volume up. There's gotta be something we could do ... that construction blunder os just short of the DIA underground luggage fiasco.

The place is simply not LOUD enough.

YO! :thumbs:

[LonghornBronco]

I believe the noise of the old mile high was the sound of steel surfaces banging together which was probably the result of a failed tack weld of the floor plates. Give the new place some time I think those connections will develop some "slop" and eventually rattle.

Also one could say the ticket prices have priced the common man out of the seats, and you have the corporate sales guy taking a vendor to the game, who probably does not even care about the game let alone football!

I think they should do something similar to the Rock Pile at mile high... jmo

[Circle Orange]

The bronco organization got a little too cute thinking building a hollow beer can would be the key to home field advantage.

The real advantage was the old stadium AND certain players. And home field advantage is a flux thing...KC has one, but the team isn't that good so who knows how their record will hold up.

[TailgateNut]

The bronco organization got a little too cute thinking building a hollow beer can would be the key to home field advantage.

The real advantage was the old stadium AND certain players. And home field advantage is a flux thing...KC has one, but the team isn't that good so who knows how their record will hold up.


The old stadium came to life, because when you went to the stadium on sunday, you knew who would be in the seat beside, in front and behind you, regardless of record and weather and we were the "echo team". It had nothing to do with who was on the field, it had everything to do with dedication and love for Bronco football!

Then came "INCESTCO" (I, to this date can't stand that f-in name) and the Stadium mgt. district and their braindead "relocation plan" AKA "**** the fans plan".

After 6 years in the new and "improved" stadium, I am only sure of one thing. I know I will be there and the two seats beside me will be occupied by family or friends. Other than that, there is no guarantee. To the right of me I either deal with a "stick in the mud" and one of his grandchildren, or "the asshole Dr. from Florida and his Bitch ass wife". To the left of us there's a couple who either shows or doesn't show??? ...and to the front are three "good ol boys" which are starting to "grow on me".

It will NEVER be the same!