Well here we are. Week five is bearing down, and I’ve finally got our front page up and working. For those that aren’t familiar with the story, our front page (which previously used a popular content management system named Mambo) was hacked by some Islamic kiddie hacker group specifically targeting sites that had the particular loophole in the software that they knew how to exploit. Due to the circumstances in my life, I just had to pull the plug and let the real attraction of this site, our world famous Denver Broncos discussion forum, carry the Orange Mane domain. We’re back now, and ready to hit the ground running.
And speaking of those life circumstances, I’d like to thank everyone who has sent my wife and I well wishes as we welcomed the newest Broncos fan into the world. Affectionately nicknamed “Baby Z” (for Zachary), my son was born September 2nd of this year. Anyone interested in reading about the tremendous experience that I had that day can find it here, in our Community Discussion Forum.
I hope everyone will continue to check out our front page, and set their bookmarks to arrive here first. I’ve assembled a small team of volunteers to help keep the content going, and we hope to keep our audience informed, entertained and connected. We’re a grass roots site, and it’s up to you, our readers, to be the sunshine that keeps this thing growing. With that note, anyone interested in volunteering, send me a PM with an idea on how you can help. I’m looking to keep our team a small, but committed one, so serious inquiries only, please.
Each week, I plan on posting my own little column here that will provide random musings and observations on the Broncos season, the NFL, and of course, a food review (ok, not really a food review. But go ahead and try to tell me your life doesn’t feel complete without getting a yearly critique of the food from the Broncos training camp cafeteria. Adam Schefter, we miss you).
So without further adieu…
-The Broncos are set to meet the Ravens for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. A win in this match-up would do some good for the Broncos psyche against this treacherous team. Denver has a 2-3 record against the Ravens in the regular season, and has a 0-1 record against them in the playoffs. By my count, that’s 2-4 overall against a team that we used to call the Browns. We’re supposed to own these guys, right? A win on ESPN’s Monday Night Football would go a long way towards shaking the psychological grip that the Ravens have on our Broncos. And maybe karma is lining up for just that purpose. You’ll remember September 30th, 2002, when a winless Ravens team who had at that point been outscored 35-7, took an unbeaten Broncos team to the tool shed in a game that still gives me nightmares (how about you?). A big win on Monday would go a long way towards returning the favor. Handing the Ravens their first loss of the season in front of a national audience would be some sweet revenge.
-Shanahan on why the offense has not scored in the first quarter yet this season: “We just thought that we would try it different this year. We got tired of being so good for so many years that we decided to say the heck with it; we will go the other way and still try to find another way to win. So far it is working.” A funny answer. A disturbing trend. Does it mean anything? Probably not. The Broncos started last season in much the same manner, until they put up 17 points in the first quarter of a Monday Night Football game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
-Jake Plummer on the Baltimore Defense: “You just go play ball. I’ve got to trust my guys up front and my guys outside to get open. They’re a great defense. They’re playing probably better than they did when they won the Super Bowl, as far as keeping teams out of the end zone and causing a lot of havoc out there. It’s about studying them as best we can and going out there and executing. I can’t sit back and hold the ball against these guys, obviously. They’re going to be bringing it, so it’s a matter of letting those guys up front do their job and, like I said, getting those guys open outside.” You gotta love a guy who says the right things. But Monday night will be about making the right throws against a good defense. The Baltimore defensive game plan will be a familiar one: stuff the run and foce Jake to beat them.
-SI.com’s Gene Menez on the fantasy value of Javon Walker: “Broncos wideout Javon Walker is healthy, but it’s always a gamble to rely on one of Jake Plummer’s receivers. Sell.” Say what you will about Jake Plummer (and believe me, I have), but Javon Walker might be just what the doctor ordered. Consider that Javon’s biggest plays have all come on third downs, including an 83 yard catch and go that sent Broncos fans into euphoria, and making Javon Walker’s jersey a hot ticket item among Broncos fans. Javon currently ranks second in the NFL in third down receiving yards.
-Brian Billick when asked where Mike Anderson fits in the Raven’s offensive scheme: “We've had good depth at back. The last two games we have been limited in our ability to run the ball, which is something we have to address. You would love to get them all involved with it, but the number of snaps that we've had in the running game the last two games makes it a little prohibitive to get everybody involved. Jamal [Lewis] and Musa [Smith] have been running very, very hard. We need to get the ball in their hands more, as well. It's great to have that depth. That is something those guys understand. We are fortunate in that it is unlikely - hopefully, knock on wood - that we will ever get pressed into a situation where we don't have an adequate running back because of the depth we have. That's the strength we have. If we are fortunate enough to stay healthy all year long, then the numbers of who gets what get a little tough. They understand that's the role. From a positive standpoint, you hope that happens because it means we stayed healthy." --What a sad place to be for a former NFL Rookie of the Year who would probably be a major part of the Broncos starting rotation if salary cap circumstances had played out a little differently. Throughout the year, I’ll be posting links to Broncos players Wikipedia pages and asking our vibrant community to help do them justice. I’m going to take this opportunity to start with Mike Anderson’s page. Let’s do our boy some justice over there.
-Get ready for some feel good media attention focused on Mike Shanahan during the build-up to the game on Monday Night. Shanahan will be coaching in his 200th career regular season game. Impressive, when you consider that 124 of them have been victories. A win on Monday night will put Shanahan in a three-way tie with Chuck Knox and Marty Schottenheimer for the third most victories by a coach through his first 200 regular season games.
-Rod Smith should be seeing some Monday Night love as well. Rod is the current active leader in receptions (102) on Monday Night Football, which is the sixth highest total in MNF history. But even more importantly, Rod needs 104 yards to become Denver’s franchise leader in combined yardage. He is currently trailing Floyd Little.
-Plummer fans, get ready to be disgusted. I want you to prepare for it now, so that you don’t act surprised when it happens. The media is going to be all over one quarterback during this game, and his initials aren’t JP. They are Steve McNair. What? Those aren’t initials? They are for Steve McNair, for he is so great that it’s a sin to shorten his name. Steve McNair practically invented the quarterback position. When the sun goes down at night, it doesn’t come back up until Steve McNair gives it permission to. Prepare yourselves!
See you in the forums!
