Klis: Peyton Manning follows in Joe Montana's criticized footsteps

Klis: Peyton Manning follows in Joe
Montana's criticized footsteps
Mike Klis
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
Against the Wade Phillips-coached Houston Texans' defense Sunday, I expect
Peyton Manning to complete 34-of-53 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns.
Those were the numbers Joe Montana, the previous iconic quarterback who got
Whitlocked, put up against the Phillips-coached Broncos' defense in an October
1994 Monday night game in Denver.
"He's not that old, is he?" Montana's wife, Jennifer, yelled to the pre-Internetcrazed media gathered outside the Kansas City Chiefs' locker room.
She was quoted in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. I knew why Mrs.
Montana felt so vindicated, because I had read Jason Whitlock's column that week.
The Kansas City Star's gutsy columnist had dared to rip Montana before that game.
At 38, Joe Montana doesn't handle a pass rush, no matter how tame, like a 28year-old, Whitlock wrote in the days before the game.
I say at 38, the thought of some 300-pounder engulfing him has more mental
impact on Montana than it did a few years ago when he was healthy. Montana looks
uncomfortable in the pocket, and he's rushing his throws, which is affecting his
accuracy on down-field passes.
The Chiefs had failed to score a touchdown in their two games previous to
Whitlock's analysis. Montana was listed as questionable for the Monday game at
Mile High Stadium because of a painful hip and battered ribs. But he would get
healthy against a bad Broncos team.
John Elway had put the Broncos ahead with 1:29 remaining.
Just enough time for Montana to complete 7-of-8 passes against Phillips' prevent
defense, including the game-winner to Willie Davis.
Afterward, the victorious Montana ran off the field, his wife and daughter following
closely behind. He entered the visiting locker room while his family stayed outside
with the media. After Mrs. Montana shouted, I asked her to explain.
"They talk about how he's too old every week," she said. "It's just something he
has to put up with now."
Which brings us, 18 years later, to Peyton Manning. Whitlock has had quite a career
because he's still composing if, alas, as a dot-comer.
After Manning threw three first-quarter interceptions Monday in a 27-21 loss to the
Atlanta Falcons, Whitlock wrote of the Broncos quarterback for FoxSports.com:
Manning can't throw the ball accurately or with zip more than 20 yards. Manning is
toast.
Denver scrapped its game plan after the first quarter. Manning threw sideways the
rest of the night. Denver was reduced to dinking and dunking. This was painfully
obvious.
Just like Montana had to constantly deal with the age issue in the final three years
of his career, Manning's arm strength will be discussed after every subpar
performance. The scrutiny is automatic for quarterbacks who once reached
unprecedented heights in a society that both gawks at the famous and is forever
curious about the inevitable fall.
And frankly, the inspection is not unfair. That Monday night at Mile High turned out
to be somewhat of a last hurrah for Montana. He retired after that season. Manning
is returning from a missed season at 36 years old, not 26.
It's just that the great ones don't fall easily. They tend to make those predictors of
demise sweat it out before they're proved right.
In the big picture, Whitlock's biting commentary 18 years ago was true, even if
Mrs. Montana would argue such brutal honesty was unnecessary. But for one week,
Mrs. Montana's husband made Whitlock eat his words. And now Whitlock, an alltime great quarterback and Phillips have again converged.
Phillips was the Broncos' head coach against Montana on a Monday night in Denver.
He will be the Texans' defensive coordinator Sunday afternoon against Manning.
Come breakfast time Monday, who will be toast?
Eye on ... Danny Amendola, WR, Rams
When: 11 a.m. Sunday vs. Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
What's up: The 5-foot-11, 188-pound receiver had 15 catches — 15! — for 160
yards last week in surprising 31-28 win against the Washington Redskins. He tied
an NFL record with 12 catches by halftime. Amendola lost a fumble after his first
catch, but his quarterback, Sam Bradford, obviously didn't lose confidence.
Background: Amendola draws comparisons to Wes Welker in that both were
smallish, high-volume pass catchers/returners at Texas Tech, neither was drafted
and both are productive NFL receivers.
After spending his rookie season of 2008 on the Cowboys' practice squad,
Amendola was signed to the Eagles' practice squad in 2009 and then to the Rams'
53-man roster in Week 3 of the 2009 season.
Klis' take: The Rams were dead last a season ago in the NFL in third-down
conversions, converting just 28.1 percent. Compare that to league-leading New
Orleans, which converted 56.7 percent of its third-down plays. I talked last year to
former Broncos tight end Daniel Fells, who played for the Rams from 2008-10,
about how bad his former team's offense was playing. Entering the final week of
2011, the Rams were averaging a putrid 11.1 points a game. Fells didn't blame
then-Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, like everybody else around here.
He said the Rams almost couldn't function on third down without Amendola, who
suffered a season-ending elbow injury in the first game of 2011. Indeed, in 2010,
Amendola's 29 third-down catches were third in the league behind Roddy White
(36) and Stevie Johnson (30).
THREE UP
1. Chargers: Less showy, more solid. Maybe because their defense has smothered
two bad offenses (Raiders, Titans).
2. Falcons: Whipped two AFC West opponents, Chiefs and Broncos, and looking to
go 3-0 at San Diego this week.
3. Seahawks: It's Pete Carroll's defense and Seattle's 12th man vs. Aaron
Rodgers' Packers on Monday night.
THREE DOWN
1. Chiefs: GM Scott Pioli is the latest Bill Belichick disciple to land on hot seat.
2. Titans: They're not just 0-2, they've lost one by four touchdowns and another
by three TDs.
3. Raiders: Averaging just 34.0 rushing yards per game. Darren McFadden
averaging just 2.1 yards per carry.
Paige: Kubiak just one of many Colorado
ties for Texans
Woody Paige
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
Timing and circumstances aren't everything; nitrous oxide is a good thing.
But if it weren't for timing and circumstances, Gary Kubiak could have been coaching
this weekend for the Buffaloes or the Broncos.
Instead, Kubiak is head coach of his hometown team — the Houston Texans.
On Jan. 1, 1999, Kubiak had agreed to succeed Rick Neuheisel as the head coach at
Colorado when, at the last moment, he backed out to remain as an assistant with the
Broncos, who were in the playoffs. He said he couldn't do both jobs at the same time.
The Broncos would win their second Super Bowl.
If Kubiak had taken the CU position, he might still be in Boulder, and the Buffs wouldn't
have been so atrocious.
On Jan. 1, 2011, it seemed Kubiak would be dumped as Texans coach — especially
after losing 24-23 on Dec. 26 in Denver when Tim Tebow won his first game as the
Broncos' starter with a late touchdown run.
The Broncos were about to install John Elway as executive vice president, and Kubiak
was his obvious choice to replace the fired Josh McDaniels. After all, Elway and Kubiak
came to the Broncos the same year (1983) as rookie quarterbacks, and were
roommates; Kubiak served as Elway's backup and confidant for nine years; then,
Kubiak was Elway's offensive coordinator when the Broncos twice won the Super Bowl.
The stars were aligned for Elway and Kubiak to be reunited.
Yet, Texans owner Bob McNair decided to give Kubiak, with two years left on his
contract, one more chance. Last year, the Texans reached the playoffs for the first time
in team history — and Kubiak has a new, three-year extension.
On the same day (Jan. 5) that Elway assumed control of the Broncos, Kubiak hired
Wade Phillips, a former Broncos defensive coordinator and Elway's head coach for two
seasons. Elway chose John Fox as coach over Texans offensive coordinator Rick
Dennison, an ex-Broncos linebacker and offensive coordinator.
Yes, it does seem all very confusing.
There's more.
Elway's counterpart in Houston is Rick Smith, who was hired away from the Broncos.
He served as an assistant coach and assistant general manager. At the time, Pat
Bowlen could have named him general manager — and Smith and Mike Shanahan
might still be here.
Karl Dorrell, the Texans' quarterbacks coach, used to be an assistant for the Broncos,
the Buffs and the Rams — before he was the UCLA head coach (and a CU head
coaching candidate). Offensive line assistant Jim Ryan was a Broncos linebacker and
assistant coach before being added to the Texans' staff.
Tight ends coach Brian Pariani had the same task with the Broncos for nine seasons,
receivers coach Larry Kirksey was a Broncos assistant in 2004, and strength and
conditioning coach Cedric Smith had worked for the Broncos.
Vance Joseph, the Texans' defensive backfield coach, is a former Buffs quarterback and
assistant coach; John Benton, the offensive line coach, was offensive coordinator at
CSU; running backs coach Chick Harris was an assistant at CSU; and offensive assistant
Marc Lubick was an assistant at CSU and is former CSU coach Sonny Lubick's son. Two
of Kubiak's three sons played at CSU.
If Kubiak had been fired and hired, it's quite possible that all those coaches would have
been on the Broncos' sideline in Sunday's game.
Even Phillips, whom the Broncos should have named defensive coordinator when he
was dismissed as head coach of the Cowboys — whose owner, Jerry Jones, said in 1998
that Kubiak was a finalist for his head coaching position.
What would Kubiak have done with Tebow last season? Would Peyton Manning have
signed with the Broncos if Kubiak, not Fox (whose presence was a major factor in
Manning's decision), was the coach? How would the triumvirate of Kubiak, Dennison
and Phillips (all former Broncos coordinators) have done with the Broncos last season?
Would the Broncos be better, or worse off, now?
It's a tangled web we weave.
And if the Broncos hadn't acquired Elway from the Colts in 1983, would Kubiak, drafted
in the eighth round, eventually have become the Broncos' starter? Would they have
ever reached a Super Bowl with Kubiak, 3-2 as a starter when Elway was ill or hurt
(and four limited playoff appearances)?
And with Kubiak and Elway adversaries for the first time in their lives after spending 13
years together as teammates and coach-player, who will prevail — the Broncos or the
Texans, Woody (the nickname Kubiak gave Elway) or Koob (the nickname Elway called
Kubiak by)?
Broncos 30, Texans 23. Timing and circumstances, but no laughing gas.
Kickin' in with Kiz: Subtraction of quality
by intimidation factor
Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
Ben there, done that. I hope you read the reaction in The Denver Post of former
NFL official Ben Dreith to the childish behavior of Broncos coach John Fox for his
embarrassing performance Monday night before a national television audience.
Dreith, who actually knows something about officiating (you don't) and knows
something about the NFL (you don't) takes to task coaches, players and
sportswriters demonstrating diarrhea of the mouth in their criticism of replacement
officials.
Dennis, Littleton
Kiz: Did anybody else find it amusing Fox went ballistic about too many men on the
field, when he probably should have been fined for trespassing (or jaywalking)
between the white lines, where a coach has absolutely no business roaming? Hey,
Foxy. You want on the field? Strap on a helmet. No NFL coach has ever been
ejected from a game, according to my friend Dan Patrick, the king of all media.
Unless Fox changes his sideline demeanor, he could make league history. I admire
Dreith for sticking up for officials. Refs and umps are made scapegoats far too often
for bad decisions by coaches and errors by players. The officials in Atlanta should
have flagged Fox for unsportsmanlike conduct more than once. But they didn't have
the guts to police a ranting coach who overstepped his bounds. And that's one of
many problems with replacement officials working an NFL game. Too often, they're
too intimidated to do the job.
NFL brass tarnished. I really hate what happened with officials in the Broncos'
loss at Atlanta. I really think Denver could have made a comeback if things had
been done correctly. I know it was the longest first half ever. The refs could not
handle the situation very well. I wanted the guys from Denver to win, but I want it
honest. Shame on Atlanta.
Teresa, bleeds orange
Kiz: Kickin' It Headquarters made issue of an obvious offensive pass interference
on a crucial play by Atlanta late in the fourth quarter because high-profile, active
people in NFL circles brought it to the attention of our office. The NFL and
commissioner Roger Goodell have an integrity problem. At all levels, I don't get too
upset about blown calls by officials. Human error is, well, human. The issue here is
substitute officials are in way too far over their heads to effectively control the
game or manage player safety. I feel sympathy for sub officials. My anger is
directed at NFL leadership.
On the record: 7-9. Venus Williams is a great tennis player but her younger sister,
Serena, is better. Peyton Manning is a Hall of Fame quarterback. But his younger
brother, Eli, is better. If Tim Tebow was the Broncos quarterback against the
Falcons and had played as poorly as Peyton did, I believe people would be using it
as proof Tebow can't be a starting quarterback in the NFL. So far Manning and Fox
are running a very predictable offense. Count the times Manning is under center
and it's a running play. Count the times Manning is in the shotgun and it's a pass.
Other NFL teams split passing and running when the QB is under center more
effectively. Sorry, but as a neutral observer, my opinion: With or without Manning,
the Broncos are not a playoff team. Prediction: 2-4 record at the bye and 7-9 at
end of season.
Larry, Giants fan in Denver
Kiz: OK, I was reaching for my wallet to buy the $50 Rolex you're selling, until
something sounded a little fishy. As a fan of the New York Giants, are you sure
you're a neutral observer when evaluating the relative merits of the Manning boys?
But I will give you this: The Broncos aren't certain what kind of offense they want
to run with Manning, maybe because they aren't quite sure how close to 100
percent Manning is at this point in his rehab from serious injury.
From Rox to gallstones. The Rockies are difficult to follow, much less stomach.
The starters can't pitch, the defense is atrocious and the hitters, well, there is some
potential there, even if they don't always come through in the clutch. I truly believe
franchise owners Dick and Charlie Monfort have only one logical move to make. The
day after the season ends, they need to fire everyone from Dan O'Dowd down to
the bullpen coach. Clear out the entire brain trust!
Peter, Tampa, Fla.
Kiz: Don't look now. But the truly awful Chicago Cubs might be all that can stop the
Rockies from losing 100 games. On a more positive note, outfielder Michael
Cuddyer is a nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which honors a
player for sportsmanship and community involvement. If you want to give Cuddyer
some love, go to mlb.com and vote.
Slow delivery. And today's parting shot sounds suspiciously like a line from a
sports movie starring Kevin Costner:
In regards to Manning, we should get used to something an aging pitcher once
said: "I throw it as hard as I used to; it just doesn't get there as fast."
Dennis, Aurora
Peyton Manning's bad quarter doesn't
worry those around Broncos
Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
The man who caught more passes as a Broncos wide receiver than anyone else in
team history stood on the sideline at Dove Valley this past week, eyes focused
intently on Denver's new quarterback. Rod Smith watched in awe as Peyton
Manning launched pass after pass to the new crop of Broncos receivers, such as
Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, and even Brandon Stokley, who was a new
Bronco in 2007 when Smith was on his way out.
"I'm watching (Manning) throw this kind of deep seam route to Stokley," Smith
said. "I'm in the perfect position, because I'm watching this ball when it leaves his
hand. I'm watching it, I'm watching it curve and just lay in his hands, and I get the
flashbacks from John (Elway) and (Brian) Griese and all the guys I played with who
used to do it to me."
There, inside one sentence in a 30-minute news conference, Smith revealed a juicy
bit of insight into how Manning is trying to bounce back from a disappointing
second game as a Bronco.
Did Smith really mention a deep seam pass to Stokley?
Sounds like Manning is really trying to fix what went wrong in Monday's 27-21 loss
at Atlanta, when he threw three first-quarter interceptions, each on about a a 30yard pass down the seam. One of the intercepted passes was intended for Stokley.
"What happens is, he's adjusting," Broncos coach John Fox said. "It's only his
second game in a Bronco uniform. Sure, we had an offseason, but it's been a busy
offseason for him. So I think it's remarkable what he's done."
Still, Manning's off night — well, off quarter, to be specific — set off a near mass
panic back in the Mile High City, and hysteria that Manning might not actually be
the Manning fans remember. There were questions about his arm strength
(because all three interceptions came on deep passes) and concerns that Mike
Nolan and the Atlanta defense had outsmarted Manning.
All of those questions seemed to perturb Manning to the point of snippiness with
the media during the week and had him wound tightly during the portions of
practice that was open to reporters Thursday and Friday.
"It's not been deterred at all," Manning said, when asked to evaluate his confidence
level, "if you're insinuating that coming off a game. We're still learning about each
other."
Manning routinely seemed miffed during the preseason to learn that his training
camp passes were being charted by reporters, yet scrutiny on a quarterback is
hardly new in this town, from John Elway's infamous Halloween candy exposé
through analysis of every Tim Tebow pass, handoff and scramble.
"It's comical, all right, the degree of the roller coaster, win or lose," Fox said. "It's
kind of what you sign up for. Our fans are interested, it's on the Internet, it's this,
it's that. It's great because it's popular, but sometimes the extremes are a bit
comical."
Fox and Manning quickly shot down any idea that Manning's interceptions were the
result of a weak arm or the aftereffects of the four surgeries Manning had
performed on his neck that resulted in a year away from football.
That could be supported by science, as well.
Dr. Vikas Patel, the chief of orthopaedic spine surgery and associate professor at
the University of Colorado, said Manning's nerve regeneration should be nearly
complete a year after spinal fusion surgery.
"Our textbooks will tell us a nerve can take two years to reach maximum recovery.
Reality is, the vast, vast majority of that healing happens in the first six months,"
Patel said. "Nerve healing doesn't wax and wane. Doesn't heal and go backward.
For him to throw a solid game one day and then poorly the next, it doesn't say to
me his arm is falling apart, it says to me he had a bad game."
Manning blamed the interceptions on his "poor decisions" to throw into quality
coverage, but he declined last week to expound upon what he had learned about
the throws he can and can't make, or what he was reading of the Atlanta defense.
So, should the fact that Manning made poor decisions — and the same poor
decisions — three times in one quarter worry Broncos fans more than the fact that
some of his passes aren't perfect spirals?
Fox said no.
"I look at that glass half full. I look at the way he finished, the way he adjusted and
the way he remained determined. I mean, if we can get a stop (at the end), we
have a chance to win that game. Very close."
Smith, who will be inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame on Sunday, fielded text
message after text message last week after Manning's rocky start. After a couple of
days around the Broncos last week, Smith wants to calm the panic.
"Offense is about timing. A lot of people don't understand that. They want you to
come out and be perfect, and that's not going to happen," Smith said. "Trust me,
he has plenty of arm strength. You don't have to throw it as far. You just have to
be accurate. When he needs to fire one in there, he can. He can let that thing go
like a baseball if he has to."
Denver Broncos safety Mike Adams a big
fan of helping children
Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
As a child growing up in Paterson, N.J., Mike Adams said he and his peers had two
choices: sports or the streets.
Adams picked sports, and now, at age 31 and in his ninth season in the NFL, is
working toward a goal of establishing a community center for kids in his old
neighborhood.
Adams was the first free agent signed by the Broncos this past offseason as part of
a plan to revamp the team's secondary with the expected retirement of safety Brian
Dawkins. When Dawkins officially decided to end his career in May, Adams took
over ownership of jersey No. 20, the number he began wearing as a college player
at the University of Delaware.
Q: What do you want Broncos fans to know about you as a player?
A: I want them to see that I play hard, and that I still have the passion as when I
was playing in high school, and that I still run around like I was 21. I want them to
know I go hard every play, and you can expect me going 100 percent all the time.
Q: That certainly sounds like Brian Dawkins. Do you think you have big shoes to fill
replacing him?
A: No. Not at all. I mean, I don't feel any pressure. I'm my own man. I've never
been to a Pro Bowl; he's been to a bunch of Pro Bowls. I'm not as big as him; I'm
just me. We are two different players. I admire him, and I tried to mimic part of
game, especially his intensity.
Q: What was your childhood like in New Jersey?
A: It was rough growing up because there really wasn't much to do but play
football in the backyard. Like right now, there's no place like a community center,
no place for kids to go to get away from the streets and all the negativity. That's all
we had, really, was sports.
Q: How has that impacted what you like to do off the field?
A: That's why I'm now focused on New Jersey, on doing a lot of stuff there.
Ultimately my goal is to get a community center up and running. I do a lot of things
there, like backpack drives, free haircuts, free football camps, things like that.
Q: How close are you to the goal of starting a community center?
A: I'll be more in tune with it when I'm done with football. Right now it's difficult
because I'm a hands-on guy. I don't want to have someone else do it.
Q: Did you always want to play safety?
A: At first I wanted to play receiver. But then I started getting hit in high school,
and I decided I wanted to hit people. You can't hit anybody on offense, so I
switched to defense.
Q: How did you end up at Delaware?
A: Nobody else wanted me. It was funny, Rutgers came to recruit me. And (the
coach) asked me all sorts of questions: Was I smart enough? Was I big enough?
And I said, "Do you think I'm big enough or smart enough?" He gave me a stale
look, so I said, "Have a nice day." I left. End of the day, I ended up in Delaware. It
was between Maine and Delaware. My mother told me that no matter which school
I went to, I had to get my education first anyway. That helped me a lot. (Adams
earned a degree in family communications.)
Q: You've also played cornerback in the NFL. Is it an advantage, having experience
at both positions?
A: I think so, because I understand what a corner sees. Sometimes, for instance,
Champ Bailey or me and Tracy Porter, I can just give him a nod, or they nod at me
and they can do something and know that I've got their back. And vice versa.
Q: Other than Dawkins, who were some of your favorite players to watch when you
were young?
A: Jerry Rice, Roger Craig. I was a 49ers fan.
Q: How does a New Jersey kid end up cheering for San Francisco?
A: It was because of rivalry between the Giants and the 49ers back then. My
brother is a die-hard Giants fan. It was basically the whole house. I was the
oddball, I was always different, so I adopted the 49ers. It was on from there.
Q: So it must have been special to start your career with the 49ers.
A: That was about the coolest thing ever. Actually, I teared up. When I had my first
day of practice for the 49ers, I took my helmet off and looked at it. I was like, "Holy
cow."
Mike Adams
Age: 31.
Hometown: Paterson, N.J.
College: Delaware.
Draft: Undrafted in 2004, signed with San Francisco as a college free agent.
Experience: Ninth year. Played for San Francisco from 2004-06 and for Cleveland
from 2007-11.
2012 stats: 12 total tackles, four passes defended in two games.
Texans at Broncos: Game plan
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
When the Broncos run
Wade Phillips' defense doesn't put much garnish on the plate. The Texans simply
line up and play it. They're sound in their gap control, have speed to protect the
corners and J.J. Watt is consistently pushing his blocker back into the play, which
means Broncos right guard Manny Ramirez and right tackle Orlando Franklin have
to find a way to handle him. The Texans have faced a total of only 33 rushing
attempts in two games and have flashed a five-linebacker defense this season when
they want a little more bulk in the lineup. Edge: Texans
When the Texans run
Talk to Gary Kubiak about his team's prospects for the season and it won't be long
before he stresses the importance of "protecting the ball" on the road by being able
to run when the Texans want to. Arian Foster and Ben Tate give Houston a good
tandem that can consistently eat the clock and extend drives. The Texans will
attack the edges of a defense more than most offenses out of their zone-run
scheme, which means the Denver linebackers have to find a way to keep from
being shoved out of the play. Edge: Broncos
When the Broncos pass
The Texans have shifted inside linebacker Brian Cushing to the weak side in hopes
of getting him more involved in the pass rush, Watt is consistently a blocker's
nightmare because he never quits on a play and outside linebacker Brooks Reed
has flashed potential. They will come after Peyton Manning, especially in the middle
of the Denver formation. But the Broncos also easily offer the steepest challenge
the Texans have faced thus far, given that they handled rookie Ryan Tannehill and
struggling second-year pro Blaine Gabbert in their first two games.Edge: Broncos
When the Texans pass
Having played with the lead much of the time, quarterback Matt Schaub has not
thrown an interception this season — and he's been sacked only twice. He's usually
looking for Andre Johnson first in his progressions, with Owen Daniels and Foster
not far behind. Kubiak figures to try to isolate the Denver linebackers in coverage
with Daniels and Foster, since the Broncos won't be able to use safeties to cover
both players and still maintain any deep help defensively. If the Broncos go small
on defense to put more players in pass coverage, the Texans will likely pound away
at those looks with audibles to runs. Edge: Texans
Special teams
With place-kicker Matt Prater's accuracy and leg strength, he gives the Broncos an
enormous advantage in their high-altitude home stadium. Texans kickoff and punt
returner Trindon Holliday, who is 5-foot-5 and 170 pounds (maybe), could be the
NFL's smallest and fastest player. Holliday gives the Texans a big scoring threat on
special teams. He earned a silver medal in the 100 meters at the U.S. track and
field championships in 2007. If he gets in the open field, the Broncos likely don't
have any player who can catch him. Edge: Broncos
Texans at Broncos: Five things to watch
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
1. Keep Arian Foster from going bananas
Since the start of his second year in the league, running back Arian Foster has
become the hub of the wheel in the Texans' offense. Since the beginning of 2010,
he leads the league in yards from scrimmage at 138.2 per game. And Texans coach
Gary Kubiak keeps him busy. In 2010 Foster accounted for 35.9 percent of his
team's yardage on offense. It was 30.9 percent last season and this season, even
with limited work in two blowout wins, Foster is still at 29.7 percent.
2. Texans will test Broncos middlemen
Kubiak runs the same kind of high-percentage, catch-and-run passing game with
the Texans that he called for so many years in Denver on Mike Shanahan's staff.
And he will have seen what others in the league have seen — that the Broncos are
still on the hunt for answers, both in the base defense and in the nickel, to cover
the middle of the field. And Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has directed 29 of his
46 completions this year to running backs or tight ends, particularly to tight end
Owen Daniels to go with Foster and running back Ben Tate. Those three have 24
catches combined already this season.
3. Texans' second-year DE is high-wattage player
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, selected in the same 2011 draft class the Broncos
selected Von Miller, has been nothing short of remember-when dominant thus far.
He leads the Texans in solo tackles with 10, has three sacks and has knocked down
five passes in just two games. Some guys don't knock down five passes in a career.
In 38 defensive snaps against the overmatched Jaguars, Watt still had five tackles,
1½ sacks, two tackles for losses, three hits on Jacksonville quarterback Blaine
Gabbert and recovered a fumble.
4. Broncos need Elvis in the building
Elvis Dumervil has never had a sack in a season opener thus far in his career, a
total that now includes this season. Dumervil didn't have a sack Monday night
against the Falcons either and found himself in a rotation at right defensive end
with Robert Ayers. The Broncos need Dumervil's knack to disrupt an offense,
especially with Miller seeing more and more double teams on the other side — the
Falcons repeatedly doubled the second-year linebacker. That should allow Dumervil
to attack single blocking more than at any point in recent seasons.
5. It's not if you fall, it's how you get back up
Monday night's loss in Atlanta was the 16th time in his storied career that Peyton
Manning has thrown at least three interceptions in one game. The Falcons played a
variety of coverage looks and caught the future Hall of Famer with three of them
early in the game. But few players adjust as quickly as Manning — he didn't have a
turnover after the first quarter and was 11-of-17 passing for 199 yards and a
touchdown in the second, third and four quarters combined. Kubiak has warned his
players all week to expect a bounce-back game.
NFL's top scandals
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
Between "Bountygate" and replacement officials, the NFL has experienced its share of
trouble this year. But it's not the first time. The 10 biggest scandals in NFL history:
1. Paul Hornung-Alex Karras gamble (1963): The league's first sordid affair that
set punishment precedent. Two of the league's biggest stars served a full-season
suspension.
2.Michael Vick (2007), Plaxico Burress (2009) imprisoned:
Vick, a star QB, was suspended two years for dogfighting. Burress, a star WR, was
banished two years for a gun charge in New York.
3. Patriots cheating spies (2007): The Patriots (crooked) Way leaked into Dove
Valley with "McSpygate" in 2010. Bill Belichick no longer an automatic Hall of Famer.
4. Saints bounty program (2012): Allegations of pay-to- injure took down Gregg
Williams indefinitely and coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season.
5. Broadway Joe and Bachelors III (1969): Soon after the Jets' famous Super Bowl
III victory, Joe Namath retired rather than obey Pete Rozelle's order to sell the bar with
mafia patrons. Namath later came out of retirement.
6. Pacman Jones lets it rain (2007): New commissioner Roger Goodell, tired of
offseason arrests, levied a year-long suspension on the cornerback for a strip club
incident.
7. Bill Leavy's crew robs Seattle in Super Bowl XL (2006): Overlooked among the
bum calls was offensive pass interference on Darrell Jackson that wiped out a
touchdown.
8. Broncos circumvent salary cap (1996-98): Denver fined $968,000 and stripped
of third-round draft pick for deferring $29 million payments to John Elway and Terrell
Davis.
9.Eddie DeBartolo Jr. convicted (2000): Extorted by Louisiana governor, DeBartolo
sold the 49ers to his daughter. The 49ers are just now recovering.
10. Vikings Love Boat (2005), Big Ben (2010), Eugene Robinson (1999) sex
charges: The 17 Vikings involved in a sex party were lucky Goodell was not yet the
commissioner. Ben Roethlisberger wasn't so lucky. Elway further embarrassed "man of
the year" Robinson in Super Bowl XXXIII.
Sunday's NFL games: Points pile up at
fast pace
The Denver Post
September 23, 2012
A pile of teams have run a pile of plays for a pile of touchdowns over the course of
the NFL's life. But two weeks into this season, teams have scored more points —
1,556 — than they did in the first two weeks of any other season.
That breaks the record set, well, last season. Teams scored 1,502 points in the first
two weeks of the 2011 season and went on to set the record for the first three
weeks of a season as well (2,157 points).
Of the top five scoring performances over a season's first two weeks, all five have
some since 2002.
What's it all mean? It means the business of defense is tougher now than ever
before given the rule book leans toward the kind of scoring the league wanted, and
now has.
Also, this generation of quarterbacks is more accurate than most that came before
it — six starters have completed at least 70 percent of their passes so far. Offenses
are more willing to work the middle of the field and few teams have enough
defensive backs to keep up.
Must-see game of the week
Eagles at Cardinals 2 p.m. The skinny: It is the beauty in the eye of the
beholder bowl, with the Eagles having started the season at 2-0 despite nine —
count 'em, nine — turnovers, including six interceptions by quarterback Michael
Vick. Plus, the Cardinals having already used two starting QBs in their 30th-ranked
offense. The Cardinals have not started a season 3-0 since 1974, and the Eagles
are the first team in league history to win the first two games of the season each by
one point. Philadelphia has squeaked by Cleveland and Baltimore. The difference
will be: Whether the Cardinals' struggling offense can move the ball against an
Eagles defense that is tops in the NFC, allowing 267.5 yards per game. The Eagles'
defense is tied for the league lead in interceptions with five. With two receptions,
Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald would become the youngest player in NFL history to
reach 700 career catches. Since the start of the 2005 season, no player has more
receiving yards and more receiving touchdowns that Fitzgerald. The call: Cardinals
27-23
Catch 'em if you can
Buccaneers at Cowboys 11 a.m., KDVR-31 At least some of the luster is off the
Cowboys' sky-high hopes after a dismal 27-7 loss at Seattle last Sunday. Of
particular concern with the Cowboys is the 182 yards rushing the Seahawks gained
against Rob Ryan's defense. Cowboys QB Tony Romo is 3-0 against the Buccaneers,
with 11 TD passes and no interceptions in those three starts. The call: Cowboys
23-17
Bengals at Redskins 11 a.m. Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton appears to have made a
significant jump in his development in his second season in the league and is
coming off a three-touchdown game against the Browns. Bengals RB Ben Jarvus
Green-Ellis has a total of seven rushing TDs against his last eight NFC opponents
and has 12 rushing TDs in his last 18 games overall. Washington's Robert Griffin III
is the first rookie QB since 1969 to have a touchdown pass of at least 65 yards in
each of his first two games. The call: Redskins 28-21
Falcons at Chargers 2 p.m. The Chargers are one of the surprising teams in the
league because of the many injuries they suffered in the preseason, the loss of WR
Vincent Jackson in free agency and the retirements of Marcus McNeill and Kris
Dielman. Falcons QB Matt Ryan is 14-4 against AFC teams, and his team is 25-0
when he finishes a game with a passer rating of at least 100 — including Monday
night's 27-21 win over the Broncos at the Georgia Dome. The call: Falcons 27-19
Patriots at Ravens 6:20 p.m., KUSA-9 New England coach Bill Belichick is 5-1
against the Ravens in his career, but few teams have protected the home field like
Baltimore has of late. The Ravens have won 11 consecutive home games and QB
Joe Flacco is 28-5 in home starts. The Ravens have been uncharacteristically
generous on defense, including an eye-opening 486 yards allowed in their loss to
the Eagles last weekend. The call: Ravens 24-23
Rams at Bears 11 a.m. The Rams aren't pretty as they try to climb out their
struggles in recent seasons, but they play hard for first-year St. Louis coach Jeff
Fisher. Also, QB Sam Bradford is beginning to find his groove. The call: Rams 2016
Quick hitters
Bills at Browns 11 a.m. Buffalo RB C.J. Spiller, a former track All-American at
Clemson, leads the NFL in rushing after two games and brings a double-takeworthy 10.1 yards per carry average into this season. The call: Bills 30-17.
Jaguars at Colts 11 a.m. The Jaguars ran just 38 plays on offense against the
Texans last week and continue to stumble on that side of the ball as they try to
build quarterback Blaine Gabbert's confidence. Colts QB Andrew Luck may be a
rookie, but he already knows the benefits in getting Reggie Wayne the ball — 15 of
Luck's 43 completions have gone to Wayne. The call: Colts 20-16.
Jets at Dolphins 11 a.m. The Jets' decision makers have routinely acted as
though they knew exactly how the handle the public swirl that comes with Tim
Tebow on the roster. If they lose this one, they'll see a entirely different level. The
call: Jets 23-19.
49ers at Vikings 11 a.m. Normally a home underdog that plays in a dome is a
quality upset pick. But the 49ers' defense can be a tough code to crack even for
franchise quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, so the Vikings' Christian Ponder is
looking at a tough day. The call: 49ers 31-10.
Chiefs at Saints 11 a.m., KCNC-4 Given how the Chiefs have played defense thus
far, especially in an injury-ravaged secondary, the potential exists for some passhappy ugliness here. Saints quarterback Drew Brees has thrown for at least 300
yards in nine consecutive games. The call: Saints 35-21.
Lions at Titans 11 a.m. If you're the Titans and quarterback Jake Locker is your
leading rusher, you have significant issues. Tennessee is averaging just 2.2 yards
per carry, and Chris Johnson is averaging a what-is-wrong 1.1 ypc. The call: Lions
35-16.
Steelers at Raiders 2:25 p.m. Take a team trying to remake its roster, toss in
some ill-timed injuries and you have a recipe for struggles. That's the Raiders'
situation, especially at wide receiver and in the secondary. They worked out four
street free agents this week at defensive back. The call: Steelers 24-12.
More from former NFL referee Ben
“Givin’ Him the Business” Dreith
Terry Frei
The Denver Post
September 22, 2012
My story on former NFL referee Ben Dreith, the long-time resident of Denver, and
his comments about the work of the league’s replacement officials is in the
Saturday paper.
I found it an amazing twist — or a tongue-in-cheek manipulation by league powers
— that the No. 12 formerly worn by Dreith in the NFL is being worn now by
replacement referee Donovan Briggans of Denver, a real-estate agent by trade.
Like all the replacement officials, by the way, Briggans has been instructed by the
league not to speak to the media.
Because of the narrow scope of the story, I wasn’t able to use a lot of Dreith’s
reminiscing about his long AFL and NFL career, so here are some leftover
comments from the man who worked three Super Bowls — II (Chiefs-Packers), VIII
(Dolphins-Vikings), and XV (Raiders-Eagles) — while continuing to teach and coach
in the Denver Public Schools and also work as a basketball official.
– On his famous “givin’ him the business” call: “It was in New York, with the Jets
and Buffalo. Jim Kelly was the quarterback for Buffalo and Marty Lyons and (Mark)
Gastineau played for New York. Kelly threw a pass and released the ball and the
ball was out of his hands just this far and Marty Lyons hit him perfect. He timed it
perfect and knocked him flat on his back. He was sitting on top of Kelly and
punching him in the face and kelly was kicking back. The ballplayers started piling
on and I said, ‘What the heck am I going to tell all these people, 70,000-some and
a national television audience? I flipped on the mike and said the tackle was good,
but he was down there giving him the business.”
– On why he wasn’t taking sides in the dispute between the league and the officials’
union, the NFL Referees Association: “I don’t know what they want. I don’t know
what the league is offering them. But I read in the paper that they’re making
$120,000 a year. I don’t know if that’s true or not.” Always helpful, I pointed out
that if he read it in the newspaper, it must be true. “Well, baloney,” Dreith said.
– On his role in negotiating with NFL Commissioner Peter Rozelle, when Dreith was
an officer in the officials’ association before it officially was a union. “Rozelle didn’t
want any unions, boy, I tell ya,” he said. “”We’d go in and talk to Rozelle to try and
get an increase in salary, get more per diem because we had to pay for out hotels
and meals and all of that stuff. Rozelle was a great person, and he said, ‘Ben, when
I get more money, you will get more money,’ and that’s the way the negotiations
went.
“Some of us wanted to get a pension. Rozelle said, ‘Naw, you’ll never get a pension,
you’re part-time employees.’ He said, ‘You can talk to the competition committee,’
but we said, ‘No, we want to talk to the owners.’ He said, ‘OK,’ and I and two other
officers went to Miami to the league meetings and we talked to the owners. One of
our members was a big insurance guy and he came up with a figure of how much it
would cost each team to give us a $200 a month pension, and another figure what
it would cost each team for $300 a month. We presented that to the owners, it was
a drop in the bucket . . . We went out in the lobby and Rozelle came out and said,
‘OK, you got a pension.’” The figure was the low one — $200 a month — and Dreith
noted that the figure has been raised considerably over the years, to where he now
receives about $2,400 a month in pension.
– On what he thought of the idea of making NFL officials full-time employees of the
league: “What would I do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday? Every
one of the officials working has a job. We had lawyers, business owners, Bob
Frederic from here had a printing company. . . They can’t do it. What do you do the
months you have off? I would have had to quit my job and think of what they would
have had to pay me.”
– I repeatedly told him I was surprised that he didn’t resent the replacement
officials, or hadn’t thought of how he’d have reacted if the league did the same
thing when he was working. “I thought about that,” Dreith said. “I asked who hired
these officials, where did they get them.” In addition to the comments he made in
the story, he said this of the criticism the replacements have been taking: “They
get on officials all the time! We made mistakes every game! They’re getting on
these replacement officials. In my 31 years, I don’t think there ever was a perfect
game worked.”
Denver-bound
Bill Williamson
ESPN.com
September 22, 2012
I am headed to Denver to cover the Broncos’ intriguing early-season AFC matchup
against Houston.
This will be a good test for the Broncos. Please check back Sunday for pre, in and
post-game coverage from the Denver game as well as all of the action in the AFC
West.
Mailbag: Palmer trade revisited
Bill Williamson
ESPN.com
September 22, 2012
Weekend mail call:
Tyler from Hamilton, Ontario, wants know why Denver rookie running back
Ronnie Hillman hasn’t been active yet.
Bill Williamson: It comes down to being able to pick up NFL blitzes and overall
blocking. That is what keeps most running backs off the field early in their career.
This is fairly normal for mid-round picks. If half the season goes by and the
explosive Hillman is not playing then, it is time to worry. Right now it’s just part of
the process.
Jerm from San Diego wants to know what I think about the Chargers’ work in
the trenches so far.
BW: It’s been good. The San Diego defensive line is better and deeper than in
recent years. It is physical. Offensively the unit is also playing well. Left tackle
Jared Gaither is out and undrafted rookie Mike Harris is going a nice job. The line
will be better whenever Gaither gets back, but Harris’ work has been admirable.
Omar from Yorba Linda, Calif., wants to know if I think the Carson Palmer
trade will work out for Oakland.
BW: It’s a tough question because I don’t think Palmer will ever lead the Raiders to
a Super Bowl on his own and I thought the Raiders gave up way too much to get
him. It was a panic move by former coach Hue Jackson, who had way too much
power after the death of owner Al Davis. Oakland gave up its first-round pick in
2012 and its second-round pick next year for Palmer. The Raiders are 4-8 since the
trade. Palmer is a decent player, but he will be 33 this year and he seems to be in
decline. I have a hard time thinking we will look back at this trade in 10 years and
think it was a good one for Oakland.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Lance Britton
Mile High Sports Magazine
September 22, 2012
We are two weeks into the NFL season and the Broncos have given us ZERO
indication on whether they can be legitimate AFC contenders. A 12-point, Week 1
win over a tough (but how tough?) Steelers team followed by a Week 2, six-point
loss to a good (but how good?) Falcons squad. To help sort through the early 2012
edition of the orange and blue, here is my good, bad and ugly for the Broncos so
far:
THE GOOD
Peyton Manning
The biggest free agent in the history of the NFL has shown glimpses of his old self.
Against Pittsburgh, he two led no-huddle touchdown drives of 80 yards and also
took advantage of a vulnerable Steelers defensive alignment on a 71-yard bubble
screen pitch-and-catch to Demaryius Thomas for another score. After a horrendous
start on Monday night, No. 18 brought the Broncos to within one defensive stop of
having a chance to win late in the game.
Willis McGahee How a running back, who is a month from turning 31, can run as
effectively as McGahee has in the past two seasons, is a thing of mystery. On
Monday, McGahee went for 113 yards on 22 carries (better than five yards per
carry) and two touchdowns. In the opener, he ran for four yards a pop and was on
the receiving end of a two-point conversion. There is obviously a lot of season left,
but taken over a full year, McGahee's numbers project to more than 1,400 yards.
Run Defense This was a much-maligned component of the Broncos defense in
2011. Through two games, Denver has allowed 2.9 and 2.4 yards per attempt,
respectively. A new interior defensive line including the likes of Derek Wolfe and
Justin Bannan has proven stout thus far.
Tracy Porter The former Saint, who came to the Broncos via free agency, appears
to be the best cornerback opposite Champ that Denver has featured in Bailey's nine
seasons in the Mile High City. In addition to his game-clinching pick-six against
Pittsburgh, Porter has also proven very capable as a tackler, which allows him to
play closer to the line of scrimmage when necessary.
THE BAD
Peyton Manning
Following his sensational return to the gridiron in the opener, Manning came out
Monday night and threw three BAD interceptions on Denver's first three
possessions. His arm looked weak and his accuracy subpar. In short, Manning
looked like the quarterback that critics and purveyors of the dreaded "worst-case
scenario" forecasted.
The Pass Rush Considered to be the strongest component of the Broncos defense,
the pass rush has been virtually non-existent through the season's first two weeks.
Elvis Dumervil has been ineffective to the point that he was replaced by Robert
Ayers during portions of Monday night's second half. Von Miller has three sacks to
his credit, but only one of them carried any significance, as the two against
Pittsburgh came in the final minutes with an all but insurmountable 12-point
Denver lead.
Joel Dreessen Over the years, the tight ends have also been an important part of a
Peyton Manning-led attack. That's because Manning is a master of the short-tointermediate passing game. Unfortunately, the former CSU Ram from whom many
expected big things, given his recent success in Houston, has been limited to 22
yards on three catches. Fellow tight end Jacob Tamme was a strong target for No.
18 against Pittsburgh, but had only two receptions for 13 yards on Monday night.
The Rookies After a solid game in the opener, second-round pick Derek Wolfe was
nowhere to be found against Atlanta. We already know Brock Osweiler is a project.
Ronnie Hillman, thought to be elusive and electric, has yet to be on the active game
day roster. Omar Bolden hasn't helped much in the field position game as a
returner, while late-round picks like Danny Trevathan, Philip Blake and Malik
Jackson haven't seen the field. In a "win now" state, the Broncos need contributions
from the youngsters.
THE UGLY
Peyton Manning
Never a quarterback who has been praised for his ability to "spin it", Manning has
looked even worse than normal at times in the early going. A handful of throws
have lacked a tight spiral and the touchdown pass to Thomas on Monday looked
down right Tebow-esque.
Von Going Vogue On the aforementioned three sacks by Von Miller, as well as two
strong defensive plays where he was near the pile, I counted five (yes, FIVE)
different forms of celebration: 1) Eatin' greedy (his conventional sack "dance" in
2011) 2) the more-than-overdone "Tebowing" pose 3) a lower body "chicken
dance"-type of gyration 4) a birds of prey wing flapping motion and 5) a "onearmed alternating breast stroke"-like celebration. Madonna may have encouraged
us to strike multiple poses, but Von needs to stick to one.
Replacement Officials This low-hanging fruit was almost too easy to include. But
alas, I must. I am not angry at the scab referees. Rather, I feel sorry for them.
They are so overmatched; it's ridiculous. The recent tales of one official leaving
photos that evidenced Saints fan-ship on his Facebook wall as he prepared to call a
New Orleans game, along with alleged fantasy football statements to LeSean McCoy
from another ref give the faux zebras an amateur feel. The NFL claims that no
"game-altering" errors have been made. They had better hope it stays that way
because if a call from a replacement ref affects an outcome, the league will have a
mutiny on its hands.
There you have it. Two weeks in, providing us with the good, the bad and the ugly.
What will week three unveil?
Wobbling, Peyton has an edge vs. Texans
Buck Harvey
MySanAntonio.com
September 22, 2012
Practice opened, and the media filed in. This was last Thursday in Denver.
The Broncos were finishing a practice drill, and that's when Peyton Manning warned
the press to take a step back from the field to avoid danger.
“Those wobblers still hurt,” he said, “if they hit you in the head.”
Those wobblers. Manning might as well have been shooting another ad, playfully
kicking his brother, working the joke for the cameras.
But within his humor was an edge. One week after everyone announced Manning
was back, they were announcing he was old and throwing wobblers. And that's why
the Texans aren't the only ones primed today to show what they have.
Manning is primed, too.
Nothing is what it has been, and this begins with the Texans. When Manning was
winning 12 games a year in Indianapolis, the Texans were losing about the same
number. Given that, when the Texans chose not to pursue Manning last spring, Bob
McNair's bravado was laughably hollow.
“We beat him when he was healthy,” the Houston owner said then, “and we'll do
it again.”
The Texans beat him, all right. Twice in 18 tries. The only teams Manning has a
better quarterback rating against are teams he has played three times or fewer
(Detroit, New Orleans and Arizona).
But Manning's lifetime record against Houston isn't relevant today. His starting
streak ended a year ago with the Texans as the opponent, and everything has
reversed since. It begins with Wade Phillips and a defense that Manning didn't see
when he last played Houston on Nov. 1, 2010.
“Our whole mentality is different,” Brian Cushing told reporters last week. “When
we played Peyton in the past, it was that bend-but-don't-break mentality. ... What
we do now is the complete opposite. We set the tone. We attack, we come
after people.”
Manning, at his best, never minded that. He would inspect the defense in front of
him, then audible, then audible again.
No one doubts he can still do that. But can he take advantage of what he sees?
After the opener against Pittsburgh, no one asked that question. Manning was
nearly perfect, and Sports Illustrated reacted accordingly. He was on the cover with
this headline:
“What, You Doubted Him?”
Then came Atlanta, and seemingly everyone is doubting him. Manning threw three
interceptions in the first quarter, and a late-game note added to it.
The Denver rookie, Brock Osweiler, began warming up with about two minutes left.
And afterward, he told the media why. Had there been a Hail Mary, Osweiler was
going to throw it.
Didn't that confirm all suspicions? Didn't that suggest Manning's arm was dead?
Osweiler is 6-foot-7 and throws farther than Manning ever has. Besides, what if the
Broncos were backed up to their own 40-yard line? If Manning struggles to throw a
football 70 yards, does that mean he's unable to throw into seams?
The questions are not meritless. Manning is 36, and he's coming off a series of neck
operations, and he didn't play last season.
Still, after the interceptions in Atlanta, Manning showed signs he will be fine. He
threw a rope in the second quarter to Demaryius Thomas that a Falcons defender
broke up with a hit, and another 35-yard fastball later went through the hands of
Eric Decker.
“He hummed it,” Decker said.
As the game went on, Manning adjusted. As awful as that first quarter was, he
found enough to give the Broncos a chance to win.
If anything, Manning has needed time to adjust to a new team and new offensive
coordinator. If anything, last week was the kind of over-reaction that follows so
many NFL games.
So the Texans should beware today. Wobblers can hurt, and so can Hall of Fame
quarterbacks with an edge.
Despite the rust, it's still Peyton Place
Steve Corkran
Contra Costa Times
September 22, 2012
Two games into the season, the myriad questions about Peyton Manning's return
are starting to be answered.
To no one's surprise, his ability to orchestrate an offense remains flawless, as he
demonstrated while guiding the Denver Broncos to a season-opening victory over
the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Yet questions about his arm strength surfaced after he floated three interceptions in
a Week 2 loss to Atlanta.
Then there's the matter of Manning's durability. He still hasn't taken a massive hit,
so no one is certain how his neck - four surgeries later - will hold up in the long run.
Denver coach John Fox, teammates and former quarterback Phil Simms were quick
to point out that adjusting to his new team and questionable decision-making
probably had more to do with Manning's face-plant against the Falcons than his arm
strength. (He actually has completed a league-best 82.9 percent of his passes
outside the painted numbers).
"No one talked about arm strength after the Pittsburgh game," said Denver receiver
Brandon Stokley, a teammate of Manning's in Indianapolis.
From the view here, Manning looks like the Manning of old, deciphering defenses
from the line of scrimmage, making adjustments on the fly and putting his team in
favorable positions.
Sure, he still is shaking off the rust after missing all of last season and is learning a
new system.
Manning's toughest test so far comes Sunday, when the Houston Texans and their
top-ranked defense invade Denver.
Manning has dominated the Texans - 42 touchdowns vs. eight interceptions. A solid
showing against them would help silence the critics and make upcoming opponents
view Manning in a different light.
Here he comes, Raiders.
- As the impasse drags on between the NFL and its officials, both sides are cranking
up the rhetoric.
"The management of the games gets tougher (in the coming weeks)," former
referee Jerry Markbreit said in a radio interview. "These guys have relied on
competent, top-notch, terrific officials all these years. And now they have a bunch
of amateurs out there, and it's going to fall apart."
ESPN broadcasters didn't sugarcoat their criticism of the replacement officials
during the Monday night game after things got out of hand several times.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he is sympathetic toward the officials being thrust
into a difficult situation.
"We've discussed it and discussed it openly, and the reality is these guys have a job
to do and they're trying to do it to the best of their ability," Tomlin said. "They
didn't create this situation, they're just simply taking advantage of an opportunity
and doing the best that they can with it."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the replacement officials are going to get
better as the season progresses.
Markbreit's take? "It's going to get worse."
- The company that was prepared to build a stadium in Los Angeles to attract an
NFL team is for sale.
The Anschutz Entertainment Group owns the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Galaxy
and Staples Center, but it apparently has given up on a bid to get in on the riches
of the NFL.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said AEG's sale won't affect the city's plan
to pursue an NFL team.
Raiders owner Mark Davis said in January that relocating to Los Angeles is a
"possibility" and that he has had discussions with people in Southern California. The
Raiders' lease with the Coliseum expires after the 2013 season.
The San Diego Chargers are another team with a tenuous existence in their city. It
is difficult to envision things working out with San Diego anytime soon, especially
on the heels of the 2-0 Chargers failing to sell out a game against the 2-0 Falcons.
NFL: Peyton Manning's reality check
Mike Tierney
The National
September 22, 2012
A player has a good game, as defined by initial media stories. Those reports enter the 24/7
news cycle and are whipped up by pundits trying to out-shout each other. A wind tunnel
effect kicks in, speeding up the original "good" game evaluation into "very good", then into
"great".
By the time he next takes the field, the Hall of Fame is just short of asking the player to
send his shoes from the good-turned-great game for bronzing. (Conversely, the week
interim allows for a subpar performance to inflate into a consensus that the offending player
be waived.)
In his season opener, Peyton Manning looked impressive for a guy whose previous game
that mattered was 20 months earlier. Reborn as a Denver Bronco after four neck
operations, he threw 26 passes, completing 19 for 253 yards and two touchdowns, in
Denver's win.
It did not take long for sweeping sports cliches to attach themselves. "Picked up where he
left off … Has not skipped a beat … As good as ever".
Manning cautioned that he had not regained his old form. But this became such a feel-good
story that objectivity was lost in the process. One could plainly see that his passes, while
mostly accurate, contained less zip. So, if he were equal to the pre-surgeries Manning, his
already high quarterback IQ must be in the clouds.
Well, against the Atlanta Falcons, Manning misread coverages as if he were football
illiterate, and his floaters were picked off three times in the first eight minutes. From there,
he showed flashes of his former self and finished 24 of 37 for 241 yards and a TD in defeat.
Afterward, Manning hinted that the interceptions were not entirely his fault, which is usually
the case. "Each turnover has its own story that nobody wants to hear," he said, "so I've got
to take care of the ball better. I won't make any excuse for it. We made poor decisions three throws into coverage."
Tellingly, the Broncos coach John Fox had the rookie Brock Osweiler warming up. Fox said
the back-up would have been called upon only for a desperate long pass, preferring "a 20year-old arm versus a 36-year-old arm".
A few years ago, it would have been unfathomable to see Manning leave a game with the
outcome on the line. That Fox was considering it suggests he does not believe Peyton has
picked up where he left off. Or is as good as ever. "You know he is going to get better," said
Fox, which is probable, with all parties still in the get-acquainted phase.
But he is unlikely to ever again be considered the best. No player is immune to the ravages
of age and multiple surgeries.
Texans ‘Tough Across the Board’
Sam Davis
DenverBroncos.com
September 22, 2012
An elite rushing attack, one of the game’s best wideouts, and the NFL’s top-ranked
defense will make the Houston Texans a formidable opponent on Sunday afternoon.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos will face a major test on Sunday afternoon as
the 2-0 Houston Texans visit Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
Priority No. 1, according to Broncos defenders, will be to contain Houston’s rushing
attack, which cornerback Champ Bailey called “the best run game in football.”
The Denver defense will be tasked with limiting not only Pro Bowl running back
Arian Foster -- the second-leading rusher in the NFL in 2011 -- but also his very
capable backup, Ben Tate.
“It’s pretty darn good,” Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said of Houston’s ground
game. “They’re both very good backs. They do a good job blocking for them and
when they get in space they can really do some damage. It’s as big a challenge as
we’ll face in the running game. It’s a very formidable opponent and we’re going to
have to be on top of our game.”
In 2012, the Broncos run defense has been equally as strong as the Texans rushing
offense, setting the table for a crucial battle in the trenches. Denver has allowed its
opponent to gain just 2.6 yards per carry on 54 rushing attempts.
Its first two tests came against a perennial force on the ground in the Pittsburgh
Steelers, and one of the league’s top backs in Michael Turner of the Atlanta Falcons.
While the Broncos run ‘D’ ranks inside the top five in the NFL, the Texans’ 299
yards on the ground in two games puts them at sixth. But with five rushing
touchdowns, they stand alone atop the league.
That isn’t the only category in which Denver’s opponent ranks as the league’s best.
Houston also brings its top-ranked defense to Denver that has allowed just 124
yards per game through the air in 2012, which is good for tops in the NFL as well.
Houston has surrendered just 17 points in its two games, with four forced fumbles,
three interceptions and six sacks along the way.
“They play the game the way it should be played,” Offensive Coordinator Mike
McCoy said. “They play extremely hard. It doesn’t matter what situation is the
game -- first quarter, fourth quarter, they’re up, they’re down -- it doesn’t matter.
All 11 guys are flying around. I’ve got a very close friend that was there last year
and he said he’s never seen a team practice so hard. They fly to the football. That’s
what they do every play.”
With the threats that the Houston Texans have on both sides of the ball, the
Broncos expect to have their hands full on Sunday afternoon -- a 2:25 p.m. kickoff.
Bailey, the 14th-year cornerback, knows that as well as anyone. He’ll play a role in
trying to keep quarterback Matt Schaub from connecting with wideout Andre
Johnson throughout the game. That just adds to the numerous challenges that a
steadily improving Houston team presents.
“I think their talent level far exceeds what they had in the past,” Bailey said.
“They’re getting better every year. (The) quarterback is getting better. When Andre
Johnson is healthy, he’s obviously one of the best in the game. They’re tough,
across the board.”
Denver will look to be sharp in the early goings.
“I think they rattle teams early,” Bailey said. “We’re aware of it, and we’ve just got
to make sure we come out strong.”
Notebook: Strong Start Key in Week 3
Sam Davis
DenverBroncos.com
September 23, 2012
The Broncos will look to get off to a strong start against the Texans, the offense
prepares for Houston's imposing pass defense and Keith Brooking is playing a
bigger role for Denver.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After last week's turnover-plagued start, which Offensive
Coordinator Mike McCoy called "as bad a start as you can possibly have," the
Broncos are looking to get off on the right foot against Houston.
"(With) four turnovers early on in the game, we were very fortunate our defense
kept us in the game," McCoy said. "(The defense) only gave up 13 points on those
four turnovers and then we got rolling. (Starting off strong) definitely something
we've discussed and just said, 'Listen, we've got to eliminate the turnovers and play
our game, do the things we know we can do and do your job every play and good
things will happen.'"
Bailey echoed McCoy, adding that Houston's ability to get off to a fast start on the
offensive side of the ball makes it even more important for the Denver defense to
be ready.
"I think they rattle teams early," Bailey said. "They're up-tempo, quick passes here,
screens there, and I think they get people on their heels. Guys don't know how to
stop it. If you don't take them out of their rhythm, they'll put up 40 on you easy.
We saw that the first two weeks. We're aware of it, and we've just got to make sure
we come out strong."
POTENT PASS DEFENSE
The Texans defense has allowed just 124 yards per game through the air in 2012,
good for tops in the league. One way they've troubled quarterbacks is by batting
balls down, both at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary.
"Once they see that quarterback get ready to cock the ball and throw it, they're
putting their hands up," McCoy said. "It's one of those things you always tell the
players to be alert to. Certain techniques they're going to use to do that and you've
just got to understand, 'Hey, that's something they're going to do.'"
Cornerback Jonathan Joseph has been a leader of the Texans' stout pass defense
this year. Quarterbacks have tended to stay away from him so far this year, but
he's still managed to rank second on the team with eight tackles.
"He gets up there," McCoy said. "He likes to press a lot. He does a nice job on the
edge. He's playing with a lot of confidence and he should. Not a lot of balls are
thrown and completed his way but he's done a nice job so far this year."
BROOKING'S ROLE EXPANDING
Working linebacker Keith Brooking into the defensive rotation has been a process
that began when he arrived in Denver late in the offseason.
On Monday night, Brooking saw a dramatic increase in playing time from Week 1,
playing in more than half the team's snaps.
Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said that he liked what he saw from Brooking
against the Falcons and the 15th-year linebacker will continue to play a significant
role in the middle of the defense.
"He hadn't had a lot of padded exposure," Del Rio said. "Nine plays in the previous
game (against Pittsburgh). He got a lot more this week and he'll continue to get
some playing time. He's doing a good job. He's a tough, smart linebacker who's
been a good player for a long time in this league. I'm just glad we have him right
now."
Brooking made five tackles against the Falcons and also forced a fumble from
Michael Turner on the goal line, although it was recovered by Atlanta.
Rod Smith Featured on Gameday Cover
Gray Caldwell
DenverBroncos.com
September 22, 2012
This Sunday, the Gameday program handed out to fans at Sports Authority Field at
Mile High doesn’t feature a player on the roster.
Rather, it highlights one of the best Broncos of all time — the team’s newest Ring of
Famer, wide receiver Rod Smith.
The cover story — titled “Undrafted, Unmatched” — takes the reader through
Smith’s heralded career from an unheralded beginning.
Here’s a snippet from the story:
Despite a standout college career at Missouri Southern State University,
Smith went undrafted in the spring of 1994 and signed with the Broncos as a
college free agent.
It was Smith’s unyielding work ethic that fueled his unprecedented rise from
an undrafted free agent to one of the top receivers in NFL history. Smith said
that because of the way his career began as an undrafted player out of a
Division-II school, he always had the mindset that he’d have to work harder
than other players for his spot on the roster.
“I knew where I wanted to go and I knew I was going to outwork everyone
else,” Smith said. “When they were gone, I was still working. When they
were asleep, I was still working. I tell people that all the time — work works.
I wanted to be the best teammate I could be. I knew if I was better, it made
our team better.
“You have to clock in and sometimes you don’t clock out,” he continued. “In
the NFL, I never clocked out. The day I clocked out was the day I retired.”
The program also features an exclusive Q&A with Executive Vice President of
Football Operations John Elway, as well as a coach Q&A with Assistant Special Team
Coach Keith Burns. Both were once teammates with Smith.
If you’re headed to the game on Sunday, be sure to grab a program on your way
through the gates.