no respect

[Gort]

i know these threads come up from time to time, but i'm getting a bit annoyed at the sports media who seem to think the Broncos are a joke... and them making the playoffs is a joke.

fact 1) the Broncos are 8-6. if they win today and next week against SD, that's 10-6 and a legit record for anyone making the playoffs.

fact 2) they've played 6 teams which are 9-5 or better right now, and they went 3-3 against them.

fact 3) 2 of the Broncos losses are against historic division rivals. these are games that are potential "trap" games any year no matter what the records of the teams.

fact 4) their only "bad" loss is to a 5-10 Jacksonville team. that was a 1 TD loss.

the only joke coming out of the AFC West would be the Sparkies making it with an 8-8 record. if the Broncos lose the next 2 and Sandy Eggo wins the next 2 and makes the playoffs because of tie breakers, then the sports media can legitimately call the AFC West champion a joke. if the Broncos win out, they are a legit playoff team.

i think we can all agree that 10-6 looks better than 9-7, so i hope Shanny plays to win both weeks, even if the Broncos wrap it up today.

a 10-6 record and a first round matchup with the Colts seems... vaguely... familiar. Shanny's had a few years now to prep a playoff gameplan for the Colts, so hopefully he'll have his team ready for them.

[lex]

In the end, it doesnt matter what "they" say. Everyone knows E!SPN is full of rabid, loudmouthed, ma-holes and new yorkers. But in the end, if Denver gets in and plays well, then theyre validated. If they are a one and done and look miserable as such, then its fair to say Denver was a weak playoff team.

As far as the boo-hooing is concerned:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_NFL_season

[DaFace]

The Broncos have the fourth-weakest strength of schedule in the league this year (behind New England, San Diego, and Oakland). Given that it's very likely at least 2 teams will not make the playoffs with better records, it's tough to blame them for not giving Denver much credit.

[lex]

Originally Posted by DaFace

The Broncos have the fourth-weakest strength of schedule in the league this year (behind New England, San Diego, and Oakland). Given that it's very likely at least 2 teams will not make the playoffs with better records, it's tough to blame them for not giving Denver much credit.

Theres a difference between not being given credit and people whining about the fact that teams 8-8 and 9-7 teams sometimes win their divisions. This wouldnt be the first time something like this has happened but since NY and Boston might not make it with better records, you have to tolerate all this belly-aching more than other years when stuff like this hasnt involved them.

[KS Bronco]

Originally Posted by WhoIsJohnGalt

i know these threads come up from time to time, but i'm getting a bit annoyed at the sports media who seem to think the Broncos are a joke... and them making the playoffs is a joke.

fact 1) the Broncos are 8-6. if they win today and next week against SD, that's 10-6 and a legit record for anyone making the playoffs.

fact 2) they've played 6 teams which are 9-5 or better right now, and they went 3-3 against them.

fact 3) 2 of the Broncos losses are against historic division rivals. these are games that are potential "trap" games any year no matter what the records of the teams.

fact 4) their only "bad" loss is to a 5-10 Jacksonville team. that was a 1 TD loss.

the only joke coming out of the AFC West would be the Sparkies making it with an 8-8 record. if the Broncos lose the next 2 and Sandy Eggo wins the next 2 and makes the playoffs because of tie breakers, then the sports media can legitimately call the AFC West champion a joke. if the Broncos win out, they are a legit playoff team.

i think we can all agree that 10-6 looks better than 9-7, so i hope Shanny plays to win both weeks, even if the Broncos wrap it up today.

a 10-6 record and a first round matchup with the Colts seems... vaguely... familiar. Shanny's had a few years now to prep a playoff gameplan for the Colts, so hopefully he'll have his team ready for them.

i hope he rests our players next week if we do lock it up today. we probably wouldnt gain anything, unless we somehow had the oppurtunity to tie the jets, then we would end up the number 3 seed because of our head-to-head victory.
and, i think we would have a great shot at beating the colts. first off, they have to come to our house, which i know hasn't been favorable to us this year, but it still gets peyton out of the comfort of his heated dome. secondly, they cannot run, nor can they stop the run. if we had champ back to shut down wayne, harrison is currently hurt, i think we could pull off the "upset."
i just hope we get that opportunity!

[tsiguy96]

Originally Posted by DaFace

The Broncos have the fourth-weakest strength of schedule in the league this year (behind New England, San Diego, and Oakland). Given that it's very likely at least 2 teams will not make the playoffs with better records, it's tough to blame them for not giving Denver much credit.

anyone playing the chiefs or lions will have an inaccurate SOS. SOS is such a pathetic way to measure the teams you are playing. im gonna assume the packers, bears and vikings are near the bottom of the list as well?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by tsiguy96

anyone playing the chiefs or lions will have an inaccurate SOS. SOS is such a pathetic way to measure the teams you are playing. im gonna assume the packers, bears and vikings are near the bottom of the list as well?

You'd assume incorrectly.

Vikings - 4
Bears - 11
Packers - 12
Broncos - 29

You're right that it's not a perfect stat, but I'm just saying that I can't blame people for at least thinking about how the Broncos should have won those games against the Chiefs and Raiders - rivalry and all.

[tsiguy96]

Originally Posted by DaFace

You'd assume incorrectly.

Vikings - 4
Bears - 11
Packers - 12
Broncos - 29

You're right that it's not a perfect stat, but I'm just saying that I can't blame people for at least thinking about how the Broncos should have won those games against the Chiefs and Raiders - rivalry and all.

they should have also won the 2 games against jax and miami, phantom offensive PI calls on marshall killed both games. SD got 2 gifts from KC by winning those games, if they lost those they are tied for 4th in the division. the chargers suck as bad or worse then the broncos.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Why should they be respected? They're -40 in point differential, have been blown out 4 times, and 5 of their wins have come by 5 points or less.

They're really not that good, despite what their record says and despite the fact they'll probably make the playoffs.

[Jason in LA]

There are a number of Bronco fans who think this team is a joke. I'm really hoping that they can get to 10-6 so they don't look like a total joke in the playoffs. Making the playoffs at 8-8 will be embarrassing.

They lost to KC (2 wins), Oak (3 wins), and J'Ville, (5 wins). That's pretty bad. They needed a wild 4th quarter come back to beat 4 win Cleveland. They were down by 10 points in their second match up with KC.

I don't want to totally dog this team out. The are legit playoff contenders, but they aren't Super Bowl contenders. This is a young team with a lot of good pieces. Add a few players, and with a few players developing some more, and they can really be in the mix, as soon as next year.

After the '04 season Shanahan said that they were only a few players away from being Super Bowl contenders. He was laughed at but he was right. Those Bronco teams were playoff contenders, finishing 10-6 two years in a row. Then they add a few players and adjust the schemes and they were 13-3 and hosting the AFC Championship game.

I'd say that they are in a similar position now. I'd even say an even better situation because this team is so young. The future is bright. But the present, meaning the next few weeks... not so bright.

[manchambo]

I'm right with you.

Teams that get their poop pushed in by the Raiders and the Chieves, their poop really pushed in on national TV by the Patriots, and gasp through with an 8 and 6 record in the weakest division in football, ought to get tons of "respect."

[summerdenver]

I don't think any one in media takes Den offense ligthly and most of it is due to the putrid defense. I understand they had some good games but in my mind they are the most predicatble defense in nfl and that includes the detroit lions. Teams in nfl go to extraordinary lengths to disguise the coverages except the denver broncos. I was shocked to see Den declare their hand and make the ss basically useless 20 yards away from the los(when panthers were on the 20 yard line of den, Barrett was on the end zone line and started going back at the snap!!!!!). How hard it is know that the Moose is going to be sinhgle covered by 5' 5" Bell? Which genius is designing these game plans - Its not like Den has talent on defensive side to win one on one matchups.Seriously, tomorrow if they had to stop Det or STL in the 4th quarter to win a game do you trust them? I don't.

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by summerdenver

I don't think any one in media takes Den offense ligthly and most of it is due to the putrid defense. I understand they had some good games but in my mind they are the most predicatble defense in nfl and that includes the detroit lions. Teams in nfl go to extraordinary lengths to disguise the coverages except the denver broncos. I was shocked to see Den declare their hand and make the ss basically useless 20 yards away from the los(when panthers were on the 20 yard line of den, Barrett was on the end zone line and started going back at the snap!!!!!). How hard it is know that the Moose is going to be sinhgle covered by 5' 5" Bell? Which genius is designing these game plans - Its not like Den has talent on defensive side to win one on one matchups.Seriously, tomorrow if they had to stop Det or STL in the 4th quarter to win a game do you trust them? I don't.

I agree it seems any team can march down the field achieving first downs every 2 plays via the pass our pass coverage allows five yards gains at any givin time based on the fact our coverage is playing off so far. The only thing that stops an opposing offense is themselves, mistakes and poor play calling which i pray for each drive we very rarely force a punt or a turnover for that matter.

[tsiguy96]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

I agree it seems any team can march down the field achieving first downs every 2 plays via the pass our pass coverage allows five yards gains at any givin time based on the fact our coverage is playing off so far. The only thing that stops an opposing offense is themselves, mistakes and poor play calling which i pray for each drive we very rarely force a punt or a turnover for that matter.

which is why almost everyone wants slowik gone. he does the same thing every week, brandon marshall even called slowik out on it, and what do you know he wont fix it.

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by tsiguy96

which is why almost everyone wants slowik gone. he does the same thing every week, brandon marshall even called slowik out on it, and what do you know he wont fix it.

I just don't see the difference between giving up 17 plays for a TD vs 1 big play which seems to be slowiks worry i just think we have a better chance to break up a play going man to man. When was the last time you saw a DB jump a route for an INT? ( IT JUST DRIVES ME CRAZY)

[HAT]

Points allowed 366 = joke

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by HAT

Points allowed 366 = joke

yep and not one adjustment to try and fix it.

[tsiguy96]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

I just don't see the difference between giving up 17 plays for a TD vs 1 big play which seems to be slowiks worry i just think we have a better chance to break up a play going man to man. When was the last time you saw a DB jump a route for an INT? ( IT JUST DRIVES ME CRAZY)

thats what ive been saying all year. just run all man every paly, why not atleast occasionally well make a play, whereas now we make 0 plays unless the other team makes a mistake. in fact, if you look at every good defense play this year, nearly all of them where due to an offensive mistake, not a good defensive play.

we have 2 interceptions when playing tight man coverage (bly and paymah), but we run so little straight man, when it does it works, why not run it more? just makes no sense, instead we allow a ton of palys for a TD

[Gort]

i'm with you all on most of the complaints. cutler's occassional boneheadedness. injuries. predictable play calling. tentative pass coverage schemes. etc.

however, the fact is that this team is still 8-6 and could end up 10-6. if they get into the playoffs at 10-6, they earned it and they deserve it. at 9-7, it's a little more embarassing. at 8-8, any team that makes it is a joke.

if just sick of reading about how "nobody wants to win the AFC West" and how weak all of the teams are there and how some other more deserving team (such as NE) might miss out on the playoffs even though they are better than the AFC West champion, etc.

[Jason in LA]

Originally Posted by manchambo

I'm right with you.

Teams that get their poop pushed in by the Raiders and the Chieves, their poop really pushed in on national TV by the Patriots, and gasp through with an 8 and 6 record in the weakest division in football, ought to get tons of "respect."

Well, that's an interesting way of putting it.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by Hercules Rockefeller

Why should they be respected? They're -40 in point differential, have been blown out 4 times, and 5 of their wins have come by 5 points or less.

They're really not that good, despite what their record says and despite the fact they'll probably make the playoffs.

Good post. The OP said only the Jac loss was "bad" but hard not to also consider the NE and Oak losses as not only bad but horrible. If this team somehow wins a playoff game I will be very, and pleasantly, surprised.

[TheChamp24]

Originally Posted by Hercules Rockefeller

Why should they be respected? They're -40 in point differential, have been blown out 4 times, and 5 of their wins have come by 5 points or less.

They're really not that good, despite what their record says and despite the fact they'll probably make the playoffs.

This, times infinity. Its a freakin miracle we are 8-6 IMO looking at the stats.
Bottom 5 defense, one of the worst turnover differentials, a mediocre running game, getting blown out a lot. And our biggest win against a good opponent was by freakin 4 points.
I don't see why we SHOULD get respect. Yes, we may be dangerous in the playoffs if the offense is playing worth a damn, but that defense is atrocious and the offense has been as inconsistent as you can get.

[Gort]

Originally Posted by TonyR

Good post. The OP said only the Jac loss was "bad" but hard not to also consider the NE and Oak losses as not only bad but horrible. If this team somehow wins a playoff game I will be very, and pleasantly, surprised.

bad in the sense that Jax is not a good team. NE is clearly a good team and getting beaten by them (or Carolina) is less of a blemish on the record than the Jax loss. Oak and KC suck too, but they are rivalries and both teams have the ability to play with a fire in their belly against the Broncos.

this has been an up and down season and it feels like the Broncos have done worse than their record indicates, but at the end of the day, it's the W/L record that matters most. not how many points you score or how many points you give up or the TO differential. if the Broncos go 10-6, i don't want to hear any idiot (costas, olberman, collinsworth, dierdorf, kornhole, etc.) spouting off about how horrible the team is and how somebody else deserved their playoff spot.

[SoCalBronco]

We haven't earned any respect, so why should they give it to us?

[Bronx33]

Originally Posted by SoCalBronco

We haven't earned any respect, so why should they give it to us?

yep...