Cutler on Broncos Come From Behind Win

[Denver Native (Carol)]

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=50236@kcnc.dayport.com

AND

http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/Broncos.chiefs.denver.2.881974.html

Rivers: Broncos Prove Maturity, Find A New Star

DENVER (CBS4) ― This game was a maturity test for the Denver Broncos. Throughout the season, the criticism against them has been that they're too inconsistent -- they play well against good teams and poorly against bad teams. That's the hallmark of youth and immaturity.

When veterans talk about being a "pro," they're referring to the ability to be consistent during meetings, practices and games. Young players tend to ease up when things are going well, get demoralized too easily when things aren't going well, and slack off during practice and/or meetings.

So right away Jay Cutler throws an interception that the Chiefs return for a touchdown and Denver is down 10-0.

That's when their maturity test began. Generally, this year, the Broncos offense has not responded well to adversity. We saw the young defense bounce back last week against the Jets when New York scored a long first-quarter touchdown, but we haven't seen the offense make that recovery.

But they did it Sunday.

They fought back with a Peyton Hillis touchdown run, a Brandon Marshall touchdown catch and a Matt Prater field goal to tie the game at 17. The game is even again, it's like the Chiefs early lead never happened.

And in the fourth quarter, the Broncos put the Chiefs in their rearview mirror with another Marshall touchdown.

So this was a sign that the Denver offense is growing up late in the season when they most need to demonstrate maturity. We know that this offense has plenty of talent, but the key for them as they advance into the playoffs is to prove to themselves and the coaches that they can handle the inevitable ups and downs of tough games.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Broncos may have found their new "cover safety." We've all heard of "cover corners" -- guys like Champ Bailey who can shut down a receiver. The cover safety became a necessity when tight ends like Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates really started to dominate. They were too fast for safeties and linebackers to cover and too big and strong for defensive backs to cover.

A new breed of player was necessary. Defenses needed a player with the speed of a corner, but the strength of a safety, and for Denver, safety Sam Brandon was the first to fill that role.

Since Brandon was cut several years ago, the Broncos haven't had a player to fill that unique role, but rookie safety Josh Barrett had a great audition in his first career start. Tony Gonzalez caught 5 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, because he's the type of player that you can't stop -- you can only slow him down. But there was a stretch in the fourth quarter when Barrett had man-to-man coverage on Gonzalez and stopped four consecutive passes to the big tight end.

He might just be the player the Broncos have been looking for to fill that niche.

[Timmy!]

Guys...really...we were not going to lose this game. 10 years ago, on December 7th, 1998, I attended my 1st ever Broncos game. Broncos vs Chiefs....in Denver. That's right, 10 years to the day, same exact teams, same place. Broncos game back from a 14 point deficit and won that day. This game was never in doubt guys, trust me :D

[Fan in Exile]

I liked what they had to say about Barret. I hope he pans out and we get a little more leeway in next years draft.

[broncofaninfla]

Barrett is solid! He should have been in the mix the whole season

[G_Money]

The concern with Barrett is injuries and instinctive reaction.

He's been FAR better instinctively this year, preseason and now, at doing what he's supposed to be doing. He's apparently killing it in the video room or soaking up coaching like a sponge or something.

Injuries just ruined his career at ASU. He has first round talent and 2nd-3rd round instincts - but then again it may just LOOK like his instincts are off because he's been playing injured so much that he can't do what his brain is telling him to do.

We picked him up for a song. The kid is smart (graduated early), well-spoken, a leader, and as physically gifted a DB as there is in the NFL - ALREADY.

I pray every day that he can stay healthy, because if he can he'll be a REALLY good player for us.

Cross your fingers - but I would feel okay with Barrett as our FS, Woodyard as our SS/LB hybrid 8th man in the box (you did see him chase down Bowe to save a TD and absolutely blow up a screen pass, right?) and Fox as the backup safety. Fox is a decent backup. He can stay.

But put those two large, fast men back there in the secondary and let them kill people and see if we don't play better next year.

It all depends on whether Barrett can keep it up the last few weeks of the season and have the health to showcase that ridiculous talent level of his.

~G

[horsepig]

I agree G. Barret looks
like he just might be the real deal. I'm pretty psyched about the potential on this Dee.
Hagans looks like a good pickup and I love the way the whole unit seems to kick it up a notch when Larsen or Hagans are in the middle. Please put Nate back on ST where he belongs.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

G,

When are you finishing your book on da Broncos?

[MOtorboat]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.

[G_Money]

G,

When are you finishing your book on da Broncos?

LOL I thought all the crap I make you guys read WAS my book on the Broncos. :laugh:

~G

[G_Money]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.

I dunno man. Going down 10-0, then blowing them out 24-7 the rest of the way, while going on 3 long, clock-consuming drives to give our D a rest from KC's own clock-consuming drives is okay with me.

It wasn't a great performance, but it was a gritty and necessary one.

We haven't blown anyone out all year since that first game. Dunno why we'd start now.

~G

[Scarface]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.

Division rivalry games can always end up close than expected. I wasn't expecting blowout.

[gobroncsnv]

The guy that has Shanny's offenses most figured out HAS to be Cunningham. Unreal how bad the Chiefs can be against others, but play lights out against us. Which goes on to show just what a tribute to our offense the long drives were, against his defenses.
Again, I just gotta say hats off to the oline for their protection, and Jay knowing how to work their blocking, when to shuffle, when to run, etc. They block well, and he plays off of them well. INSANELY good, how many passes we've thrown, and again, how few sacks. I just marvel at this.

[tripleoption]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.

While I definitely agree with you, one thing I keep in mind during games like this is that it is the NFL. These are the best players and coaches there are in football. Lousy teams can play good teams close and even beat them occasionally. While there are differences in talent and coaching, the gap between the top and bottom teams isn't anywhere near as proncounced as it is at the college or high school level. Close games and upsets between good and bad teams in the NFL don't surprise me one bit.

[TXBRONC]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.

I don't know MB just because they're a bad team doesn't mean we should have blown them out. The Bengals are a bad team but most of their games have been close.

[deacon]

I dunno man. Going down 10-0, then blowing them out 24-7 the rest of the way, while going on 3 long, clock-consuming drives to give our D a rest from KC's own clock-consuming drives is okay with me.

It wasn't a great performance, but it was a gritty and necessary one.

We haven't blown anyone out all year since that first game. Dunno why we'd start now.

~G

I think this was Denver's best game of the season. Not because they were unstoppable on Offense and solid on defense but because they didn't quit and just kept pounding. They learned something about themselves in this game that will pay off bigtime down the road.

And....while on the subject. Is there anyone who doesn't think this has to be Shanahan's finest year coaching? With all the adversity he's done a tremendous job|!

[gobroncsnv]

Did anyone hear the network playing the theme from M*A*S*H while they went through our injury list for the year? Funny and sad all at the same time.

But yeah, with all the injuries this season, he's definitely done a good job... even forced him to use better players than some of our starters turned out to be. Kind of anxious to see how we'll be with DJ and Champ in there, WHILE finding a way to keep Woodyard on the field. Barrett and Bell also did a good job.

Hurry back, Peyton.

[Dreadnought]

I think that in many cases the injuries have been a blessing in disguise, BUT that doesn't mean the coaching staff was necessarily idiots for not starting (say) Barrett from the get-go. Its likely a lot of them were by no means ready to play in week 4 and now they are. They might have been ate up at least as badly as the stiffs we were playing early on, and we don't have inside knowledge as to whether they "got it" in meetings, practices, etc. in the first half of the Season. If you've got a kid with tons of talent but totally confused by his responsibilites you've got no choice but to sit him and let him keep learning until he's ready. You could ruin his confidence otherwise, while getting no better production.

Alternatively, it is possible that our coaching staff really did have their heads in their rectums for a few months and simply got lucky. I guess we can all form our own pet theories :D

[haroldthebarrel]

I think that in many cases the injuries have been a blessing in disguise, BUT that doesn't mean the coaching staff was necessarily idiots for not starting (say) Barrett from the get-go. Its likely a lot of them were by no means ready to play in week 4 and now they are. They might have been ate up at least as badly as the stiffs we were playing early on, and we don't have inside knowledge as to whether they "got it" in meetings, practices, etc. in the first half of the Season. If you've got a kid with tons of talent but totally confused by his responsibilites you've got no choice but to sit him and let him keep learning until he's ready. You could ruin his confidence otherwise, while getting no better production.

Alternatively, it is possible that our coaching staff really did have their heads in their rectums for a few months and simply got lucky. I guess we can all form our own pet theories :D

yes and no

While you are correct that we have no idea how the rookies have been in practice, there are still some considerations.

1. These players have become starters through injuries over the last few years.
Other mentioned got his shot due to another reason.
Kuper- got his from the injury to Hamilton
Chris Myers, got his through injury to Nalen
Ryan Harris got his shot through injury to Pears, as well as Holland was too fat to play which lead to Kuper playing RG. He was supposed to play RT.
Marshall. Largely got his shot to start and play due to injuries to Walker and Smith. Remember we drafted him with the intention to consider him at TE.
Selvin Young, Mike Bell, Hillis, Dreughns, Anderson and Portis all got their shot at rb due to injuries.
Barrett, Larsen and Torain all got their starting shot in part due to injuries.
Barrett due to injury to McCree, Larsen to Webster and Torain in part due to injuries to Hall and Young.

Cutler, DJ, Thomas, Royal and a few others got their shot through outperforming the starter, or in Cutlers case the starter being so bad that we won in spite of him. The same can be said of Thomas to an extent.

And these are just people on top of my head over the last few years.
Am i blind or is there are a pattern here of some slightly conservativeness which has lead to some injuries being a blessed in disguise?

[MHCBill]

I love the win, but it shouldn't be sugar coated. We should have blown this team out of the water. Period.Typical MB... Coach should be along shortly.