Broncos @ Bengals - Game Balls

[epicSocialism4tw]

1. Brian Dawkins - the intensity and leadership that this guy brings to the field is tangible on almost every play. He makes menacing, punishing tackles and pursues like a rabid dog. Dawkins showed us what it looks like to have a multi-dimensional safety who can make an impact on a game.

2. Champ Bailey - Bailey seems to feed off of Dawkins' intensity and forceful play. Bailey actually made a cracker of a hit that knocked a Bengal WR's helmet off, and I thought: "He's trying to play up to Dawkins' level of physicality...cool!". Bailey was rarely thrown at, but when he was, he made things very difficult for Bengal WR's, including the play where he broke up the Palmer slant to Esteban Ochocinco that was subsequently intercepted by Woodyard. For all of Ochocinco's pregame goofiness, he only caught one ball on Bailey...and Bailey was playing the back side of a zone on the play. Bailey is back, folks.

3. Defensive front 7 - Andre Davis was particularly good, and the DL actually got some pressure on the QB. They were key in slowing down a talented offensive unit. Until that last drive, they did a good job in both phases,

4. Brandon Stokley - If for no other reason than the fact that his serendipitous game-winning play symbolized the day for the Broncos.

5. Mike Nolan - this is what a defensive coordinator looks like.

[Rock Chalk]

1) Stokley
2) Mike Nolan
3) The entire defense. Too many people on the defense had great games. From Smith and Champ and Goodman and Dawkins to pretty much the whole front 7. They all get one.

[Sassy]

Matt Prater.

[BroncoBuff]

Stokley
Stokley
Stokley


Maybe Prater. If he's lucky ;D

[tsiguy96]

rookie of the game: smith, no question.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Matt Prater.

Ah yes...good one. He was essentially flawless.

[Popps]

-Andra Davis: A pick-up people loved to ridicule in the off-season, and he's shown why we brought him in every time he's been in games. He's a stout mother****er against the run, and showed some pass-rush skills I didn't know he had, today.

-Special Teams: One shanked kick, but a brilliant day aside from that. What a difference it makes.

-Stoke: Of course.

-Alphonso Smith: Just because. He's a rook, and made an impact today.

-Josh McDaniels: Congrats on your first win as a head coach!

[kdissette]

i was not impressed with your inablility to get pressure on the Qb......I was very impressed that our secondary covered the cincy Wrs for 7 or 8 seconds before someone got open....and after seeing A.Smith's play I feel much better about giving up a 1st rd pick for him......and I was also impressed with Buckhalter he was very solid and showed alot of heart......dawkins is an animal and hope hes got at least 2 or 3 seasons left.....Orton looked confused,pathetic, and he better wake up or he is gonna play himself out of a job and out of the NFL. All in all I am looking forward to next week so i can see if we can get the kinks in our offense and dlines worked out

[BroncoBuff]

And now we have AVATARS!

GAME BALL FOR TACO JOHN!!!!!

[McDman]

Nolan gets it, but we need to erase that last drive.

Our D definitely needs to get pressure. I was disappointed in Doom.

[Taco John]

I would give two game balls:

1. Stokely - Heads up veteran play that put a W on the board where an L would otherwise have been.

2. McDaniels - Congratulations coach. You are *NOW* officially a Denver Bronco. Congrats and a game ball for your first win.

[BlaK-Argentina]

Oh yeah Carolina's Mojo is BACK!! This is going to be a good season!!