Lonestar
12-02-2009, 04:56 PM
Opponent on Thanksgiving seemed lethargic to Maximus from Denver
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/01/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/01/2009 02:03:08 PM MST
Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag on Tuesdays during the 2009 NFL season.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.
Did the Giants' offensive/defensive lines look tired to you? All night long, the commentators were talking about how the Broncos dominated in the line battle, but it seemed like a combination of altitude and short rest really showed in the Giants' play. Did you see this as the primary reason this Giants team didn't perform Thursday night?
-- Maximus, Denver
Maximus - I think you're on to something. One reason why the Broncos were in great shape for the Thanksgiving night game was just four days earlier, the Giants had to play into overtime before beating Atlanta. That game had 144 plays -- 78 by the Falcons -- and 808 yards of total offense. Considerable physical energy is expended in a game like that.
Contrarily, the Broncos got whipped by the Chargers, 32-3. Not much energy is needed for blowouts and three-and-outs, particularly late. Couple this with the fact the Giants had to fly three-plus hours to get here, and their owner John Mara planted a negative seed in his team's minds by complaining about the trip, and the Broncos almost had the game won before it started.
I wouldn't go so far as to say the Giants didn't want to be here. But I will say it was easy for them to surrender once they sensed the game going the Broncos' way.
Hey, Mike. I think Josh McDaniels should wash his mouth out with soap then make up for his tirade (on Thanksgiving!) by wearing a suit and tie a la Vince Lombardi on the sideline during the next game. What do you think? Thanks.
-- Jeff R., Denver
Jeff - Lombardi, a devout Catholic, went to mass every morning. And cussed out his players every
A Broncos fan in Thanksgiving-day attire appears to be having a good time at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday. The Broncos defeated the Giants 26-6. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post )afternoon. There are two parts to your letter, Jeff. I'll start with McDaniels' wardrobe.
I like that he wears hoodies because it shows he's not afraid to demonstrate his gratitude to Bill Belichick, the coach who helped get him here. When I talked to McDaniels at his parents' home in Massillon, Ohio, this summer, he said he liked the concept of the hoodie because it's an understated fashion statement that signifies coaches are nothing but. The game is about the players. In college basketball, so many well-dressed coaches draw too much attention from the crowd and cameras.
Granted, the hoodie is so underrated it's become overrated, but McDaniels doesn't strike me as a guy who will stop wearing something he likes just because others don't.
As for McDaniels cussing out his team in front 6.1 million television viewers, I have many thoughts. The first was it was unfortunate because McDaniels has become the most compelling figure in Denver sports. As such, he is a role model to so many young adults. It seems to me that in the past 20 years, our country has become less tolerant of smokers, drunks who drive, and profanity. Cursing is no longer accepted in business discussions, and it even brings pause to many casual conversations.
Cussing, though, still has its place in the athletic environment. Remember, the Broncos offense had just ruined a first-and-goal situation with three illegal motion penalties. Those aren't physical errors; those are unforgivable mental mistakes. Had a coach not got after his players for that, he would have been criticized for being too passive. See the common complaint Bears fans have of Lovie Smith.
And if you're going to get after your players, "daggum it" doesn't carry as much impact in the pros as it once did with Air Force players under Fisher DeBerry. The primary blame for the McDaniels' expletive episode was the too intrusive NFL Network. The game is too heated for microphones to eavesdrop on sideline discussions.
Mike - The game at Kansas City scares me. What do the Broncos have to do to avoid the Washington game all over again?
-- Maxwell, Albuquerque
Maxwell - Your concern is justified. When it comes to the NFL, the phrase, "Any Given Sunday" is more fact than cliché. New England lost to the Jets. The Eagles and Bengals lost to the Raiders. The Packers lost to Tampa Bay. The Steelers lost to the Chiefs and Bears.
To avoid an upset at Arrowhead -- the Broncos are favored by 4 to 4 1/2 points for one of the few times this season -- keeping Kyle Orton healthy is paramount. There has been much talk about how the Broncos regained their swagger against New York, but they have to make sure they didn't lose it during their long break and upcoming short road trip.
I would think all McDaniels has to do to get his players' attention this week is mention how the Broncos are 1-17 lifetime in December games at Kansas City; 1-12 at Arrowhead Stadium. Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan went a combined 0-11 in December games in Arrowhead. Even the Broncos' lone December win in Arrowhead, in 1994, was bittersweet -- it was the last for Wade Phillips as Broncos coach.
I've been following the Broncos since 1983 and watched about every game live even though some games start 4 a.m. where I am. I don't think we will make the playoffs. What are your thoughts?
-- Marwan Al Sudais, Saudi Arabia
Marwan - Saudi Arabia, land of oil, riches, devotion and ... pessimism? It's about 6,500 nautical miles from Denver so perhaps your letter, Marwan, was written and sent before the Broncos' win against the Giants. In which case, your cynical outlook is understandable. It was looking bleak during the four-game losing streak.
But thanks to their win against the Giants, and the dominant manner in which they won it, the Broncos are in great shape to make the playoffs. The Broncos lead all AFC wild-card contenders with a 7-4 record. The others -- Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville -- are 6-5.
These records suggest there won't be a repeat of last season, when 11-5 wasn't enough for New England to play in the postseason. A 10-6 record will make it this year. With two games against the Kansas City Chiefs, a home game against the Oakland Raiders, and road games at Indy and Philly, the Broncos should be able to win at least three of their final five games.
I would caution that the key to this forecast is this Sunday at Kansas City.
Who is more deserving of the Hall of Fame: Terrell Davis or Shannon Sharpe? I don't think it's a close call at all. Sharpe redefined his position. How long did Davis play for? Five years?
-- Jason, Omaha
Jason - Both are worthy. Sharpe for the reason you mentioned, plus the fact he played for three Super Bowl winners and held every significant career tight end receiving record at the time of his retirement.
Davis' candidacy is trickier. The good news is he was All-Pro three times. That means he was the game's greatest back for three years. There's a substantial percentage of Hall of Famers who were never the best at their position for one year, much less three consecutive seasons.
The bad news for Davis is he only made the Pro Bowl three times. His devastating knee injury made him the classic boom-or-bust candidate. Mike Shanahan argues its Davis' postseason accomplishments that should nudge him through Canton's doors. And I agree. The Hall of Fame is for the greats. And to me, there are two ways to achieve greatness. One is to be great for a short time -- it's why I give a Hall of Fame baseball vote each year to Dale Murphy. And two is to be good for a long time -- which is why any player with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs or 300 wins should be automatic inductees.
Since the Broncos and Chargers beat each other this season, if they end up tied at the end of the season for the AFC West lead, will the Chargers win the tiebreaker because they scored more points against the Broncos?
-- Larry Benallie Jr., Fort Defiance, Ariz.
Larry - After head-to-head, where the score is 1-1 not 55-37, the next tiebreaker is record within the division. The Chargers are already finished with the AFC West, posting a 5-1 record. The Broncos are 2-1 with two games remaining against the Chiefs and one against Oakland.
The next tiebreaker is record against common opponents. So far, the Chargers are 7-3 and the Broncos are 6-4.
Then it's conference record. So far, San Diego is 6-3 while the Broncos are 5-3.
Then it's strength of victory -- winning percentage of opponents beaten. There's more, but let's see what happens Sunday in Kansas City first.
Mike Klis
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/01/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/01/2009 02:03:08 PM MST
Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag on Tuesdays during the 2009 NFL season.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.
Did the Giants' offensive/defensive lines look tired to you? All night long, the commentators were talking about how the Broncos dominated in the line battle, but it seemed like a combination of altitude and short rest really showed in the Giants' play. Did you see this as the primary reason this Giants team didn't perform Thursday night?
-- Maximus, Denver
Maximus - I think you're on to something. One reason why the Broncos were in great shape for the Thanksgiving night game was just four days earlier, the Giants had to play into overtime before beating Atlanta. That game had 144 plays -- 78 by the Falcons -- and 808 yards of total offense. Considerable physical energy is expended in a game like that.
Contrarily, the Broncos got whipped by the Chargers, 32-3. Not much energy is needed for blowouts and three-and-outs, particularly late. Couple this with the fact the Giants had to fly three-plus hours to get here, and their owner John Mara planted a negative seed in his team's minds by complaining about the trip, and the Broncos almost had the game won before it started.
I wouldn't go so far as to say the Giants didn't want to be here. But I will say it was easy for them to surrender once they sensed the game going the Broncos' way.
Hey, Mike. I think Josh McDaniels should wash his mouth out with soap then make up for his tirade (on Thanksgiving!) by wearing a suit and tie a la Vince Lombardi on the sideline during the next game. What do you think? Thanks.
-- Jeff R., Denver
Jeff - Lombardi, a devout Catholic, went to mass every morning. And cussed out his players every
A Broncos fan in Thanksgiving-day attire appears to be having a good time at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday. The Broncos defeated the Giants 26-6. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post )afternoon. There are two parts to your letter, Jeff. I'll start with McDaniels' wardrobe.
I like that he wears hoodies because it shows he's not afraid to demonstrate his gratitude to Bill Belichick, the coach who helped get him here. When I talked to McDaniels at his parents' home in Massillon, Ohio, this summer, he said he liked the concept of the hoodie because it's an understated fashion statement that signifies coaches are nothing but. The game is about the players. In college basketball, so many well-dressed coaches draw too much attention from the crowd and cameras.
Granted, the hoodie is so underrated it's become overrated, but McDaniels doesn't strike me as a guy who will stop wearing something he likes just because others don't.
As for McDaniels cussing out his team in front 6.1 million television viewers, I have many thoughts. The first was it was unfortunate because McDaniels has become the most compelling figure in Denver sports. As such, he is a role model to so many young adults. It seems to me that in the past 20 years, our country has become less tolerant of smokers, drunks who drive, and profanity. Cursing is no longer accepted in business discussions, and it even brings pause to many casual conversations.
Cussing, though, still has its place in the athletic environment. Remember, the Broncos offense had just ruined a first-and-goal situation with three illegal motion penalties. Those aren't physical errors; those are unforgivable mental mistakes. Had a coach not got after his players for that, he would have been criticized for being too passive. See the common complaint Bears fans have of Lovie Smith.
And if you're going to get after your players, "daggum it" doesn't carry as much impact in the pros as it once did with Air Force players under Fisher DeBerry. The primary blame for the McDaniels' expletive episode was the too intrusive NFL Network. The game is too heated for microphones to eavesdrop on sideline discussions.
Mike - The game at Kansas City scares me. What do the Broncos have to do to avoid the Washington game all over again?
-- Maxwell, Albuquerque
Maxwell - Your concern is justified. When it comes to the NFL, the phrase, "Any Given Sunday" is more fact than cliché. New England lost to the Jets. The Eagles and Bengals lost to the Raiders. The Packers lost to Tampa Bay. The Steelers lost to the Chiefs and Bears.
To avoid an upset at Arrowhead -- the Broncos are favored by 4 to 4 1/2 points for one of the few times this season -- keeping Kyle Orton healthy is paramount. There has been much talk about how the Broncos regained their swagger against New York, but they have to make sure they didn't lose it during their long break and upcoming short road trip.
I would think all McDaniels has to do to get his players' attention this week is mention how the Broncos are 1-17 lifetime in December games at Kansas City; 1-12 at Arrowhead Stadium. Dan Reeves and Mike Shanahan went a combined 0-11 in December games in Arrowhead. Even the Broncos' lone December win in Arrowhead, in 1994, was bittersweet -- it was the last for Wade Phillips as Broncos coach.
I've been following the Broncos since 1983 and watched about every game live even though some games start 4 a.m. where I am. I don't think we will make the playoffs. What are your thoughts?
-- Marwan Al Sudais, Saudi Arabia
Marwan - Saudi Arabia, land of oil, riches, devotion and ... pessimism? It's about 6,500 nautical miles from Denver so perhaps your letter, Marwan, was written and sent before the Broncos' win against the Giants. In which case, your cynical outlook is understandable. It was looking bleak during the four-game losing streak.
But thanks to their win against the Giants, and the dominant manner in which they won it, the Broncos are in great shape to make the playoffs. The Broncos lead all AFC wild-card contenders with a 7-4 record. The others -- Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville -- are 6-5.
These records suggest there won't be a repeat of last season, when 11-5 wasn't enough for New England to play in the postseason. A 10-6 record will make it this year. With two games against the Kansas City Chiefs, a home game against the Oakland Raiders, and road games at Indy and Philly, the Broncos should be able to win at least three of their final five games.
I would caution that the key to this forecast is this Sunday at Kansas City.
Who is more deserving of the Hall of Fame: Terrell Davis or Shannon Sharpe? I don't think it's a close call at all. Sharpe redefined his position. How long did Davis play for? Five years?
-- Jason, Omaha
Jason - Both are worthy. Sharpe for the reason you mentioned, plus the fact he played for three Super Bowl winners and held every significant career tight end receiving record at the time of his retirement.
Davis' candidacy is trickier. The good news is he was All-Pro three times. That means he was the game's greatest back for three years. There's a substantial percentage of Hall of Famers who were never the best at their position for one year, much less three consecutive seasons.
The bad news for Davis is he only made the Pro Bowl three times. His devastating knee injury made him the classic boom-or-bust candidate. Mike Shanahan argues its Davis' postseason accomplishments that should nudge him through Canton's doors. And I agree. The Hall of Fame is for the greats. And to me, there are two ways to achieve greatness. One is to be great for a short time -- it's why I give a Hall of Fame baseball vote each year to Dale Murphy. And two is to be good for a long time -- which is why any player with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs or 300 wins should be automatic inductees.
Since the Broncos and Chargers beat each other this season, if they end up tied at the end of the season for the AFC West lead, will the Chargers win the tiebreaker because they scored more points against the Broncos?
-- Larry Benallie Jr., Fort Defiance, Ariz.
Larry - After head-to-head, where the score is 1-1 not 55-37, the next tiebreaker is record within the division. The Chargers are already finished with the AFC West, posting a 5-1 record. The Broncos are 2-1 with two games remaining against the Chiefs and one against Oakland.
The next tiebreaker is record against common opponents. So far, the Chargers are 7-3 and the Broncos are 6-4.
Then it's conference record. So far, San Diego is 6-3 while the Broncos are 5-3.
Then it's strength of victory -- winning percentage of opponents beaten. There's more, but let's see what happens Sunday in Kansas City first.
Mike Klis