Lonestar
12-08-2009, 12:10 AM
Armstrong:
By Jim Armstrong
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/07/2009 01:29:54 AM MST
Updated: 12/07/2009 01:30:13 AM MST
TRUE STORY Did an article for The Post the other day about a Chiefs fan living in Denver who couldn't take it any more. He was so distraught and disgusted, he e-mailed the paper and asked if we could arrange to have him hypnotized into becoming a Broncos fan.
Since The Post, as you know, takes great care of its readers, we arranged to make it happen. And so it is that Dave Hoye, a card-carrying Chiefs fan for 40 years, has a new life, a new attitude and a new team.
Memo to Chiefs fans near and far: Take a hint already, will you?
It's one thing to rebuild. The Chiefs are more like repulsive. The Broncos were more than happy to add to their misery Sunday, pounding their way to an easy 44-13 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
No typo, just fact: The Broncos beat the Chiefs. At Arrowhead. In December. Nothing out of the ordinary there except that Denver had won at K.C. in December once in 16 games.
I'd say it was a historic moment in franchise history, but beating the Chiefs these days doesn't qualify. Consider this: With the loss, the Chiefs are 9-35 in their last 44 games.
But enough already about the Performers Formerly Known as the Chiefs. The story of the day was how easy the Broncos made it look, cracking the 40-point plateau for the first time since their 2008 opener at Oakland. But the big-picture issue is that Denver tacked on another win to move another step closer to the Broncos' first playoff appearance in four years.
With the dubya, the Broncos improved to 8-4. Go ahead, call them streaky and inconsistent. Yes, they started the season 6-0 before losing four in a row before winning back-to-back games against the Giants and Chiefs. All that matters is that they're in great shape for the playoffs.
Eight wins? With home games remaining against the Chiefs and Raiders? Welcome to the driver's seat, Josh McDaniels. Particularly after the Steelers' shocking home loss to the Raiders. A win in that game and Pittsburgh, which beat the Broncos at Denver, would have been only one game behind the Broncos.
The victory over the Chiefs may well loom more significant next week after the Broncos play the Colts at Indy. With a likely loss there, they would drop to 8-5 with the Raiders next on their schedule.
If the Broncos are going to hang with the Colts, they'll have to run the ball to keep Peyton Manning on the sideline. Now, more than ever, it's conceivable that they could do it. As we speak, their running game is producing at a higher level than at any previous point this season.
What, you thought Correll Buckhalter was signed as a free agent to be a third-down back who wasn't going to get a lot of touches? You're not alone. Instead, Buckhalter, after an injury-filled career in Philadelphia, is having a great season in his first year in a Broncos uniform.
Sunday's game was decided in the third quarter, when the Broncos scored 20 points to break things open. By the end of the quarter, Buckhalter had 11 carries for 114 yards. When Knowshon Moreno went in from 18 yards out to make it 41-13, the Broncos had ground out 202 yards on 33 carries.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
By Jim Armstrong
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/07/2009 01:29:54 AM MST
Updated: 12/07/2009 01:30:13 AM MST
TRUE STORY Did an article for The Post the other day about a Chiefs fan living in Denver who couldn't take it any more. He was so distraught and disgusted, he e-mailed the paper and asked if we could arrange to have him hypnotized into becoming a Broncos fan.
Since The Post, as you know, takes great care of its readers, we arranged to make it happen. And so it is that Dave Hoye, a card-carrying Chiefs fan for 40 years, has a new life, a new attitude and a new team.
Memo to Chiefs fans near and far: Take a hint already, will you?
It's one thing to rebuild. The Chiefs are more like repulsive. The Broncos were more than happy to add to their misery Sunday, pounding their way to an easy 44-13 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
No typo, just fact: The Broncos beat the Chiefs. At Arrowhead. In December. Nothing out of the ordinary there except that Denver had won at K.C. in December once in 16 games.
I'd say it was a historic moment in franchise history, but beating the Chiefs these days doesn't qualify. Consider this: With the loss, the Chiefs are 9-35 in their last 44 games.
But enough already about the Performers Formerly Known as the Chiefs. The story of the day was how easy the Broncos made it look, cracking the 40-point plateau for the first time since their 2008 opener at Oakland. But the big-picture issue is that Denver tacked on another win to move another step closer to the Broncos' first playoff appearance in four years.
With the dubya, the Broncos improved to 8-4. Go ahead, call them streaky and inconsistent. Yes, they started the season 6-0 before losing four in a row before winning back-to-back games against the Giants and Chiefs. All that matters is that they're in great shape for the playoffs.
Eight wins? With home games remaining against the Chiefs and Raiders? Welcome to the driver's seat, Josh McDaniels. Particularly after the Steelers' shocking home loss to the Raiders. A win in that game and Pittsburgh, which beat the Broncos at Denver, would have been only one game behind the Broncos.
The victory over the Chiefs may well loom more significant next week after the Broncos play the Colts at Indy. With a likely loss there, they would drop to 8-5 with the Raiders next on their schedule.
If the Broncos are going to hang with the Colts, they'll have to run the ball to keep Peyton Manning on the sideline. Now, more than ever, it's conceivable that they could do it. As we speak, their running game is producing at a higher level than at any previous point this season.
What, you thought Correll Buckhalter was signed as a free agent to be a third-down back who wasn't going to get a lot of touches? You're not alone. Instead, Buckhalter, after an injury-filled career in Philadelphia, is having a great season in his first year in a Broncos uniform.
Sunday's game was decided in the third quarter, when the Broncos scored 20 points to break things open. By the end of the quarter, Buckhalter had 11 carries for 114 yards. When Knowshon Moreno went in from 18 yards out to make it 41-13, the Broncos had ground out 202 yards on 33 carries.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com