Shades of 97

[Ziggy]

I've sat and watched the last two weeks unfold. America's new sweetheart team, the Carolina Panthers are slated to crush the hapless Broncos tomorrow in Super Bowl 50. Cam Newton is on top of the world. Nearly all of the experts are picking the Panthers. Carolina is brash, cocky, and over confident. The Broncos have been quiet over the last 2 weeks. Very quiet.

I watched this same pattern unfold with the Broncos of 97. The Packers were favored by 2 TD's in that Super Bowl. Brett Favre was on top of the world. They were brash, cocky, and over confident. The Broncos stayed quiet in the weeks leading up to the big game. Then they came out confident, relaxed, and prepared. They took down Goliath in the big game.

Gary Kubiak was the offensive coordinator of that 97 team. Now he's the head coach. I don't think it's coincidence at all that the Broncos are keeping to themselves this week. Tomorrow, they will come out confident, relaxed, and prepared. Get ready for deja vu.

[Northman]

I've sat and watched the last two weeks unfold. America's new sweetheart team, the Carolina Panthers are slated to crush the hapless Broncos tomorrow in Super Bowl 50. Cam Newton is on top of the world. Nearly all of the experts are picking the Panthers. Carolina is brash, cocky, and over confident. The Broncos have been quiet over the last 2 weeks. Very quiet.

I watched this same pattern unfold with the Broncos of 97. The Packers were favored by 2 TD's in that Super Bowl. Brett Favre was on top of the world. They were brash, cocky, and over confident. The Broncos stayed quiet in the weeks leading up to the big game. Then they came out confident, relaxed, and prepared. They took down Goliath in the big game.

Gary Kubiak was the offensive coordinator of that 97 team. Now he's the head coach. I don't think it's coincidence at all that the Broncos are keeping to themselves this week. Tomorrow, they will come out confident, relaxed, and prepared. Get ready for deja vu.

Indeed. I have a good feeling about tomorrow. I was not as confident in 2013 as i am about tomorrow. Totally different feel.

[Yashahla17]

I hope you are right. Got to go out and defeat carolina. The big time favorite.

[Edmonton Bronco Fan]

I'm just anxious... the first few series on both sides of the ball will be telling. If we can get a lead on the Panthers, I think we can really dictate the game.

I like the fact that nobody is giving us a chance. Worked out well for us a couple weeks ago against the Pats then.

[Cugel]

I'd say the biggest difference was that the '97 team had a really GOOD OL and had 4 Hall of Famer caliber players on offense, including Shannon Sharpe, Elway, LT Gary Zimmerman and Terrell Davis.

This team has 1 Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning. The '97 OL was great. This one is horrible.

But, this defense is better than the '97 defense overall, deeper.

So, the Broncos aren't going to be able to just line up and smash the Panthers in the mouth and run the ball down their throats and win that way. It's going to take Peyton having a good game.

In '97 Elway was 12 of 22 completions for 123 yards and 0 TDs and 1 Int. It was probably his worst playoff performance ever but it didn't matter because Terrell Davis had 157 yards and 3 rushing TDs.

Peyton is going to have to have a good game throwing the ball and not turn it over, because they are not going to be able to run the ball much on this great Panthers front 7. If Peyton can hit a couple of deep balls early it will open things up for the running game.

Meanwhile the defense has to play their best game in the SB to slow down Cam Newton and the Panthers offense and give the Broncos a chance.

On paper it looks like the Panthers in a rout, but the games aren't played on paper! This Broncos team is underrated because they ALWAYS win ugly. They never blow anybody out.

They had to go to overtime to beat the Cleveland Browns. They lost at home to the lowly Raiders and were blown out by the Chiefs. They struggled to beat the bottom feeding Chargers in a game where Peyton had to come off the bench to relieve Osweiler.

They struggled to beat an injured Steelers team with Ben Roethlisberger playing on a separated shoulder and no Antonio Brown. They barely hung on to beat the Patriots - who had a couple of possessions in the red zone where they failed to convert on 4th down late in the game and still only lost by 2 points.

Everybody looking at these two teams say Carolina is better by a mile. It should be a blowout. The Broncos shouldn't even be in the SB.

But, winning ugly is something this team has done all season long and there's no reason to think they can't continue to do it in this game.

All the pundits and experts are caught up in the pretty team that looks good winning. But, this isn't a beauty pageant. This isn't like college football before the National Championship game when the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll decided everything.

Carolina wins both polls by a mile. But, they have to play the game.

And it's ONE game. If the Broncos and Panthers had to play a best of seven series like baseball, basketball or Hockey, the Broncos would have no chance. But, on one afternoon?

It's just one game for 3 hours and anything at all can happen. I like their chances for that reason.

[Ziggy]

I'd say the biggest difference was that the '97 team had a really GOOD OL and had 4 Hall of Famer caliber players on offense, including Shannon Sharpe, Elway, LT Gary Zimmerman and Terrell Davis.

This team has 1 Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning. The '97 OL was great. This one is horrible.

But, this defense is better than the '97 defense overall, deeper.



That might be the understatement of the year Cudgel. The 97 defense went into that super bowl giving up more yards per rush than any team in super bowl history at 4.7. The 97 offense was better than this one, but this defense is the best is Broncos history.

[Yashahla17]

Definitely the best defense we ever had, atleast to my knowledge. Im not that old.

[SR]

Definitely the best defense we ever had, atleast to my knowledge. Im not that old.

If you paid any attention to this team at all you would know that the 2015 season is the first time in Denver Broncos history that they've finished with the top ranked defense in football.

[BroncoJoe]

If you paid any attention to this team at all you would know that the 2015 season is the first time in Denver Broncos history that they've finished with the top ranked defense in football.

He's not that old.

[Nomad]

He's not that old.

LoL!

[Yashahla17]

If you paid any attention to this team at all you would know that the 2015 season is the first time in Denver Broncos history that they've finished with the top ranked defense in football.

Being the top ranked defense doesn't mean much, when it comes to the eye test is what im talking about, best defense I've ever seen. So you failed bro.

[SR]

Being the top ranked defense doesn't mean much, when it comes to the eye test is what im talking about, best defense I've ever seen. So you failed bro.

That's the dumbest ******* shit I've ever heard.

"Yea bro, they may not be ranked number one but they pass the eye test so they're number in in my book."

******* idiotic.

[Yashahla17]

You're drunk.

[Shazam!]

I'd say the biggest difference was that the '97 team had a really GOOD OL and had 4 Hall of Famer caliber players on offense, including Shannon Sharpe, Elway, LT Gary Zimmerman and Terrell Davis.

This team has 1 Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning. The '97 OL was great. This one is horrible.

But, this defense is better than the '97 defense overall, deeper.



That might be the understatement of the year Cudgel. The 97 defense went into that super bowl giving up more yards per rush than any team in super bowl history at 4.7. The 97 offense was better than this one, but this defense is the best is Broncos history.

It was only for that big day Napoleon Kaufman had in the first loss of the season, to Jokeland. He had like almost 150 yds on 2 big runs.

Denver's D was very good that year. Stats lie.

[Joel]

I'd say the biggest difference was that the '97 team had a really GOOD OL and had 4 Hall of Famer caliber players on offense, including Shannon Sharpe, Elway, LT Gary Zimmerman and Terrell Davis.

This team has 1 Hall of Famer in Peyton Manning. The '97 OL was great. This one is horrible.
That's the key difference, alright, and why I'm far less confident. I concede it DOES feel eerily similar, but I've learned to suspect my subjectivity where Denver's concerned. The one thing that DOESN'T feel the same is that even before that game was played I felt we were the better team; this year I don't. Carolinas offense is overrated, but its D underrated, and (IMHO) they should win this unless they choke or we take risks and get lucky against a team that lives off punishing risk.

Super Bowl losers have choked and SB winners gotten lucky before though, and it's not like MLB nor the NBA: We only need to beat them ONCE.

[dogfish]

hell yea, zig. . . i posted almost the exact same thing yesterday. . .


oh yea, everyone's expecting carolina to win. . . i'm off today, and i've been doin' shit around my crib, flipping coverage between nfln and bspn all day-- most of them are acting like denver has no chance. . . meanwhile, our boys are quietly confident, keeping their heads down and going about their business. . .

it's startin' to feel a lot like '97 to me, nomad. . .

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/showthread.php/602629-Super-Bowl-Edition-Broncos-Panthers-press-conferences-articles-etc?p=2455816#post2455816

:defense:

[dogfish]

That's the dumbest ******* shit I've ever heard.

"Yea bro, they may not be ranked number one but they pass the eye test so they're number in in my book."

******* idiotic.

8481

[BroncoBuckeye73]

I dont feel quite as confident as I did in 97 as that was a stronger team overall I feel. I do think we can win playing our game as Carolina is not the 97 Packers. They have what one possible HOF on offense in Olsen and who else. On D we have one sure fire HOF on D and one well on his way, maybe a couple of more potential HOF's on D. That is why we should win.

[SR]

You're drunk.

No.

[BroncoBuckeye73]

The O line maybe our weak link but it has helped get us this far. The way their D is set up actually is the strength of our line versus the strength of their D line in the guards, center and dts. Their edge rush is not that strong so we may just be able to win the match up with strenght going on strength.

[Joel]

I dont feel quite as confident as I did in 97 as that was a stronger team overall I feel. I do think we can win playing our game as Carolina is not the 97 Packers. They have what one possible HOF on offense in Olsen and who else. On D we have one sure fire HOF on D and one well on his way, maybe a couple of more potential HOF's on D. That is why we should win.
It's too soon to say, but if their careers continue as they've begun, both Cam and Miller are first ballot HoFers, and so is Kuechly; Jared Allen might make it, too, though probably not on the first ballot. The Panthers are not a weak nor even average team in any sense: Even against weak schedules, average teams don't go 15-1, demolish the two-time defending conference champ, then blow out their CCG opponent by halftime. That's my big question:

Can we win playing our game or our only chance is throwing deep early and often despite poor protection and an opponent who led the NFL in Ints.

I lean heavily toward at least TRYING to play our game, because if it fails it should still keep it close enough we'll have time to start swinging for the fences (though at that point they'll pin their ears back because they expect just that.) If we come out throwing haymakers that don't connect, we'll quickly pile up turnovers and go down 20-30 pts, at which point switching to a run-first Plan B won't be an option.

[Joel]

The O line maybe our weak link but it has helped get us this far. The way their D is set up actually is the strength of our line versus the strength of their D line in the guards, center and dts. Their edge rush is not that strong so we may just be able to win the match up with strenght going on strength.
*coJaredAllenugh*

They have an edge rusher tied with Peppers (who's three years older) for most career sacks by ANY active player. Harris may need help; Schofield ALWAYS does.

[shank]

*coJaredAllenugh*

Good point, Joel. Joel, good point.

[BroncoBuckeye73]

Okay a washed up injured has not played in 3 weeks with a broken bone in his foot Jared Allen and a torn hamstring shadow of himself Charles Johnson strike fear in me.

[Joel]

Allen broke his little toe, not his leg, and Johnson came back from IR 3 months ago. Neither was on last weeks injury report, much less this weeks. It's not like Carolina has NO ONE else at DE; if Allen and Johnson couldn't play well they surely wouldn't START. Davis may be limited, but I doubt either of them will be. Reality:

Carolinas D is good enough to make an offense 10th in rushing AND passing average #1 in scoring, thanks to an NFL-best average starting field position. Their 7th in yds/run and 2nd in yds/pass: The only team better against the pass is US, so this is LITERALLY THE TOUGHEST PASS D WE COULD POSSIBLY FACE.

That would be hard enough in itself, but our offensive line is, um... not good. We didn't get this far because it "helped" us, but DESPITE it (ESPECIALLY on the edge.)

[BroncoBuckeye73]

Okay I all ready posted in the they will crush us thread but your right we have no chance. I guess the 10 years I played football from junior high to college and the 30 years of watching football have led my eyes to decieve me. I guess we should all pray the players that got us here admit they are just not good enough and bow down to the might of a good but not great team and surrender to their superiority. Wow thanks for opening my eyes to our infinite inferiority to the mighty Panthers.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

*coJaredAllenugh*

They have an edge rusher tied with Peppers (who's three years older) for most career sacks by ANY active player. Harris may need help; Schofield ALWAYS does.

Allen is a shell of his former self. The Panthers would be better of playing their first round draft pick from 14'.

[dogfish]

Okay I all ready posted in the they will crush us thread but your right we have no chance. I guess the 10 years I played football from junior high to college and the 30 years of watching football have led my eyes to decieve me. I guess we should all pray the players that got us here admit they are just not good enough and bow down to the might of a good but not great team and surrender to their superiority. Wow thanks for opening my eyes to our infinite inferiority to the mighty Panthers.

he's always glad to help-- that's what he's here for. . .

[Yashahla17]

The only reason Denver is being viewed as garbage is because manning is the qb and last time people seen us in the sb we were blown away. When you look at the team that has the better roster up and down it's Denver. And when we win that's exactly what everyone who picked Denver to lose will be saying.

[Joel]

Okay I all ready posted in the they will crush us thread but your right we have no chance. I guess the 10 years I played football from junior high to college and the 30 years of watching football have led my eyes to decieve me. I guess we should all pray the players that got us here admit they are just not good enough and bow down to the might of a good but not great team and surrender to their superiority. Wow thanks for opening my eyes to our infinite inferiority to the mighty Panthers.
I didn't say we have no chance, I said Carolina isn't devoid of pass rushers (though I do think Carolina's a better team overall; doesn't mean we can't or won't win, but we'll have to play flawlessly, IMHO.) Junior high, HS and a couple years of college ball is about as relevant to the NFL as amateur anything is to professional anything, and I've watched >30 years of PRO football, so let's just see what happens. Hopefully we outplay what I believe (rightly or wrongly) a better team.


Allen is a shell of his former self. The Panthers would be better of playing their first round draft pick from 14'.
Yet Coach of the Year Ron Rivera disagrees. He may not be 100%, but 80% of a 33-year-old Allen's still pretty good; better than Harris, IMHO. And better than a pretty good rookie backup DE, in the opinion of a consistently good defenses coaches. He ain't NOTHING.

[BroncoBuckeye73]

I am beginning to understand that dogfish

[Ziggy]

As it was in 97, so it is in 2016. Underestimated, counted out, and given up on. The 2016 Denver Broncos are the new world champions.

[Northman]

As it was in 97, so it is in 2016. Underestimated, counted out, and given up on. The 2016 Denver Broncos are the new world champions.

#NostraZiggy

[Dapper Dan]

One of these is Elway from SB32 and the other is Peyton from SB50.

12/22 123 yards 0tds 1 int
13/23 141 yards 0tds 1 int

Both are 2 of the best ever and 2 time SB Champs.

[Ziggy]

"We don't have to say nothing. We let them do all the talking. We let our pads talk. We talk with our helmets and our shoulder pads. They could do all the media talking, you know what I'm talking about? We're not about that flashy stuff. We're about that grind, putting in that work. Grind it. Work. That's how you get the 'ship," safety T.J. Ward said, via USA Today's Lindsay Jones. "They want to be famous. We want to be champions. They want to be rappers and backup dancers. We want to play football."
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000634613/article/tj-ward-slams-panthers-for-pregame-trash-talk

Great job Kubes. He had to sell every player on this attitude leading up to the super bowl, and did.

[Northman]

Emmm, ok. ^^

[TXBRONC]

As said awhile back Manning just needed to play a clean game and Denver would be fine. Other than the one int he was solid.

[Joel]

One of these is Elway from SB32 and the other is Peyton from SB50.

12/22 123 yards 0tds 1 int
13/23 141 yards 0tds 1 int

Both are 2 of the best ever and 2 time SB Champs.
Didn't realize it was THAT eerily similar.

I do know which is which though, thanks to recently writing (more) long-winded rants about why Terrell Davis should've been a first ballot HoFer; in Davis' "A Football Life" vid this year Elway outright said his SB XXXIII MVP was really Davis', because everyone keying on him made Elways huge day happen.

All 53. The difference between SB 50 and SB XLVIII is night and day, but what was the biggest change...?