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Lonestar
12-06-2009, 10:29 PM
Denver tallies 20 points in third quarter of 44-13 triumph
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/06/2009 02:12:00 PM MST
Updated: 12/06/2009 02:45:39 PM MST

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Stephen Alexander and Jeb Putzier were the tight ends. Charlie Adams was the No. 3 receiver. Kyle Johnson was a frequently used fullback.

Jake Plummer was the quarterback.

It's been so long since the Broncos participated in the playoffs, only three starting players, two assistant coaches and no front-office executives involved in roster decisions remain from that 2005 season.

It should be safe to at least plan for those January football parties. After embarrassing the Kansas City Chiefs 44-13 on an otherwise gloomy December — that's right, December — afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium — that's right, Arrowhead — the Broncos are now in great position to extend their season beyond the regular 16 games.

The win was only the Broncos' second in 17 December games in Kansas City. Win later in Denver, and the playoffs must no longer be a mirage for a Broncos team that has suffered through a postseason drought of three consecutive seasons. The Broncos are 8-4 with home games remaining against 4-8 Oakland and 3-9 Kansas City.

Take care of business against those poor teams at home, and the Broncos would have attained the magic win total of 10 that is so common among playoff qualifiers.

Where have you gone, Lenny Walls? The only starters remaining from that Broncos' 2005 team are left guard Ben Hamilton, linebacker D.J. Williams and left cornerback Champ Bailey. And only the two defensive players are still starting today.

But never mind whether the Broncos can make the playoffs. It's time to get greedy. Do the Broncos have what it takes to beat Peyton Manning and the 12-0 Indianapolis Colts next week in the domed facility that is Lucas Oil Stadium?

The run game may be the key. If the Broncos can sustain the run — they had 131 yards rushing by halftime against the Chiefs, Correll Buckhalter had 114 yards on just 11 carries through three quarters, and Knowshon Moreno rushed for two touchdowns

Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali, back, forces a fumble by knocking the ball from the passing hand of Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton during the second quarter Sunday. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)— they can play keep away from Manning.
And when Manning does have the ball, he will find that Denver isn't Roc Alexander's secondary anymore.

Perhaps Elvis Dumervil, Bailey and the Broncos' fifth-ranked pass defense can negate the Colts' strength.

Dumervil ran down Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel in the second quarter for his NFL-best 15th sack of the season. Unlike the Broncos teams that took trips to Indy in recent years, Dumervil offers the chance to apply pocket pressure on Manning, and Bailey appears to have considerably improved secondary mates.

Right cornerback Andre' Goodman and safety Renaldo Hill, each signed as free agents from Miami during the offseason, each picked off Cassel in the third quarter to set

Chiefs defensive back Travis Daniels, right, chases Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)up game-clinching scores.
Goodman also returned a fumble for a touchdown. And another Broncos safety, Brian Dawkins, blew up a Chiefs' first-and-goal-from-the-1 chance in the second quarter by tackling Jamaal Charles for a 3-yard loss, then delivering a blindside-blitz hit to disrupt Cassel's third-down pass attempt.

The only time the Chiefs scored a touchdown came after Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton fumbled while hit in the pocket on his own 3-yard line.

Orton had three turnovers against the Chiefs, the only blemish in an otherwise dominant Broncos performance. The last time the Broncos were in a playoff game, against Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game, Plummer had four turnovers in a 34-17 loss.

In that game, Wesley Duke got the only start of his career. These are not the same Broncos that will be taking on Manning next week.

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13936231

Lonestar
12-06-2009, 10:32 PM
Whitlock:
By Jason Whitlock
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/06/2009 07:23:25 PM MST
Updated: 12/06/2009 07:31:04 PM MST


KANSAS CITY, MO. — It's not working, the "process," the "Patriots Way," the musical wide receivers, the $63 million quarterback, the yelling and screaming.

Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs darn near made your eyes bleed.

The Broncos took the baton from the San Diego Chargers and obliterated the last pieces of progress left over from the Chiefs' thought-to-be shocking-at-the-time victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A week ago, I spared you the final score. This week I will not shield you from the unfiltered truth: Denver 44, Kansas City 13.

This thing is headed the wrong direction. Not only was the Pittsburgh victory a total fluke, but it's lost all of it's glitter, thanks to the Steelers' four-game losing streak, including a loss to the Raiders on Sunday.

You can't shine this up. For the first time since 1983, John Mackovic's first season as head coach, the Chiefs surrendered 40-plus points in back-to-back games.

That's right. This is starting to smell like the 1980s on the field and in the stands. Arrowhead Stadium was just a touch more than half filled on Sunday, and Broncos fans comprised a good 30 percent of the spectators.

The only thing missing was Bill Kenney. Unfortunately, Matt Cassel wishes he played at a level as high as Kenney.

Todd Haley benched The Sixty Million Dollar Man after Scott Pioli's prize acquisition completed 10 of 29 passes for 84 yards and two interceptions through three quarters. Haley denied Cassel the opportunity to get angry, fling the ball with confidence and authority and put up some meaningless stats.

Cassel's 14.6 passer rating for the afternoon wasn't all his fault. His receivers, particularly Bobby Wade, dropped numerous passes, failed to complete routes and generally conducted themselves as if they had little interest in risking a Brian Dawkins mouth shot.

So much for the myth that this Haley-coached team never quits. His players don't care that he yells and screams anymore, if they ever he did. He's getting tuned out. In the first quarter, Wade shouted back at his coach and had to be restrained by his teammates.

The scare and intimidation tactics by Haley and Pioli aren't a viable long-term plan. This "process" is immature. You can see it in the players' uneven performance and demeanor. Even a proud, distinguished veteran like Mike Vrabel is beginning to crack.

When the Broncos converted a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-quarter touchdown, Vrabel flipped his middle finger to the Denver bench as he walked off the field.

"I was frustrated," said Vrabel, the former Patriots star. "I've been on the other end of one of those (blowout victory) and it's a lot of fun. Well, now I've been on the other side, and it's not good."

None of this is good. The Chiefs aren't getting better. They have a lone bright spot - linebacker/defensive end Tamba Hali, who recorded three sacks on Sunday and has 6.5 for the season. He's drawn several holding penalties this year and has been a consistent defensive force.

No disrespect to Hali, but let me ask this question: Is this the emergence of a true pass-rush force or the second coming of Eric Hicks?

You remember Hicks' 2000 season. He put up 14 sacks in a disappointing 7-9 season. For a season, Hicks looked like a building block, a foundational block for a bright defensive future.

Over the next six seasons, Hicks recorded 26.5 sacks. He was a solid NFL player. He never had another double-digit sack season.

You could argue that if Kansas City had a second playmaker along its front four, Hali would get 10-plus sacks this season. Someone else might argue that Hali is simply doing what he did his first two seasons when he was playing opposite Jared Allen, and Hali's 6.5 sacks look awesome solely because no one else on the Chiefs gets a whiff of the opposing quarterback. Hali had eight sacks his rookie year and 7.5 sacks in year two. He had three sacks last season.

I'm sorry. I can't pinpoint a legitimate bright spot. Running back Jamaal Charles can't hold onto the football. He's fumbled three times. Chris Chambers? He's likely to fall off the same cliff as the other off-the-street receivers Haley showcases for a week or two.

This season is a disaster. You can't blame these back-to-back blowout losses to AFC West foes on Carl Peterson and Herm Edwards.

When they took over, Marty and Carl didn't blame Frank Gansz and Jim Schaaf.

Jason Whitlock is a columnist for the Kansas City Star.

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13935321

KCL
12-07-2009, 12:03 AM
Yes Jason we know the Chiefs suck.

silkamilkamonico
12-07-2009, 12:14 AM
...and Josh McDaniels still has never been a part of a losing season.

Northman
12-07-2009, 06:55 AM
When the Broncos converted a fourth-and-inches into a fourth-quarter touchdown, Vrabel flipped his middle finger to the Denver bench as he walked off the field.

Oh man. That is hilarious.

KCL
12-07-2009, 06:59 AM
Oh man. That is hilarious.

I took note of that also.. He's use to winning...has 3 SB wins in his
career and gets traded to the Chiefs...priceless....:lol:

SOCALORADO.
12-07-2009, 09:21 AM
Oh man. That is hilarious.

Never thought you would see the day that would happen, huh?
Man, how fortunes can change just that quick.
Still has his rings though.....Its always nice to go home to you mansion and polish those super bowl rings in his tears of hate and frustration.

LRtagger
12-07-2009, 11:00 AM
They are still better than last year.