Thread: Why you should root for the Denver Broncos

Great article. Great Read

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...7&sf98597607=1

What you need to know so you don't sound stupid

John Elway is the Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos are John Elway.

You're caught up.

I know it's simplistic to just say that, but it's the truth. The Broncos have won three Super Bowls. He's been directly responsible for all three. He went back-to-back to close out his playing career. And I know a lot of you Elway haters will be all, "But only because Terrell Davis," to which I say, it was about freaking time somebody else showed up. Elway took the Broncos to three Super Bowls in four years during the 1980s with some dreadful teams. Seriously, he was a miracle worker. It would be as if Dave Grohl was competing in a battle of the bands, but instead of the Foo Fighters, he was carrying a middle school band from Corona. I mean, it would still be pretty good because Dave Grohl. But compared to the best of the best? You can only do so much. So I'm not going to disparage Elway's two Super Bowl wins at the end of his career with competent squads. And let's be fair here: In the second of those two Super Bowltriumphs, Elway threw for 336 yards with a touchdown passing and running. That strike to Rod Smith in the second quarter -- over Eugene Robinson -- was actually somewhat cruel:

For the record, Elway himself is on record that his lone SB MVP award was thanks to Terrell Davis drawing the entire defenses focus (much as on his TD run in SB XXXII.)

That's not to diminish Elway, only give credit where due; it's no shame nor shock Elway wasn't the same at 38 as he was at 28, but even the aging Elway remained elite. And the article is of course right to note that if we say Elway in his late thirties couldn't have won two SBs without Davis, it's at least as true that Denver never gets near a SB (much less THREE in four years) without Elway in his mid-twenties.

because i root for the denver broncos, and you want to be on the cool side at least once in your life. . .

Originally Posted by Joel

For the record, Elway himself is on record that his lone SB MVP award was thanks to Terrell Davis drawing the entire defenses focus (much as on his TD run in SB XXXII.)

That's not to diminish Elway, only give credit where due; it's no shame nor shock Elway wasn't the same at 38 as he was at 28, but even the aging Elway remained elite. And the article is of course right to note that if we say Elway in his late thirties couldn't have won two SBs without Davis, it's at least as true that Denver never gets near a SB (much less THREE in four years) without Elway in his mid-twenties.

Conversely, let's look at TD's 3.8 average without Elway. That doesn't mean I don't think he was elite, but he wasn't nearly as effective when teams didn't respect the pass. He averaged at least a yard more every year with Elway at QB.

Originally Posted by Northman

Great article. Great Read

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...7&sf98597607=1

I said all this shit two years ago when Elway delivered me to the promised land. I'm suing this man for stealing my work! Glad you were on the case, Northman!!!!!111

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Conversely, let's look at TD's 3.8 average without Elway. That doesn't mean I don't think he was elite, but he wasn't nearly as effective when teams didn't respect the pass. He averaged at least a yard more every year with Elway at QB.

A degenerative knee condition prematurely ending Davis' career may also have had something to do with his lower post-Elway average. "Passing to establish the run" is ill-conceived for many reasons:

1) All else being equal, any decent D always prioritizes stopping passes over stopping runs, because passes do more damage faster and easier. Receivers don't have to follow blockers and weave between multiple tacklers at the line, just beat downfield coverage (often one-on-one) and a safety. That's why running to establish the pass IS so critical: Because the pass defense won't dare loosen up until/unless forced to pay more attention to the run.

2) Part of what makes knockout/walkoff runs so memorable is that they're so much less common than knockout passes, because runs are far less likely to make big gains or score points in a single play. For every thread about a classic Beast Mode or Diesel finisher, there's a dozen or two Hail Mary passes on a scale that could fill a whole website.

3) Running the score up enough can always sideline even the best RBs, but there's no possible situation where any coach will ever say, "I know our franchise guy's having yet another All Pro season, but we're too far behind with too little time left to keep passing."

It doesn't take a Terrell Davis; had Elway had a Clinton Portis or even Olandis Gary back in the '80s instead of Sammy Winder and Steve Sewell, he might have achieved the ultimate postseason success in his prime. And, ironically, probably have a less legendary legacy: The only way to earn a reputation for regularly making miraculous game-winning drives is to regularly find yourself way behind late in the 4th, when running for 150 yds on 30 carries is no longer viable whether or not it's possible.

Not saying Elway didn't make Davis better, but it was almost impossible for that to have the same impact as Davis making Elway better: Davis' BEST season rushing yardage—when he became just the 4th person EVER to run for >2000 in a year—was less than all but Elways WORST season passing yardage (as a rookie, when he went 4-6 and DeBerg 4-1, hence the latter started our wildcard loss @Seattle.)

It's a team sport, after all; Elway and Davis made EACH OTHER better, just as they and their blockers did. Arguably the biggest most memorable play of Eddie Macs career was a downfield BLOCK on a LB on a pass to a FB that gave us "1st and Championship to go." Without a lot of three-and-outs and a couple turnovers from an underrated Broncos D against Favres high octane Pack, even Elway and Davis combined might not have been enough.

Point being, even saying something like "Terrell Davis never could've had a 2008 yd rushing season without a HoF QB like John Elway" doesn't and can't invalidate the claim Elway never could've won a SB at 37 (let alone 38, his age when Davis ran for 2008 yds) without Davis. The statements aren't contradictory, they're complementary.

I root for the Broncos for the same reasons I always root for them. I grew up around them. They are one of my few pro or college teams that consistently wins and occasionally wins championships. What's not to love?

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Conversely, let's look at TD's 3.8 average without Elway. That doesn't mean I don't think he was elite, but he wasn't nearly as effective when teams didn't respect the pass. He averaged at least a yard more every year with Elway at QB.

Actually, that's mostly, if not entirely, his yards per carry with Brian Griese as starting QB. Don't forget that he tore his ACL about Bubby Brister started 4 games for the Broncos in 1998:
https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/1998/

Davis' stats in those games:

@ Redskins 21-119 (5.67)
vs. Eagles 20-168 (8.40)
vs. Chargers 24-78 (3.08)
@ Chiefs 24-88 (3.67)

TD's stats with Bubby Brister as starting QB: 89-453 (5.09)
https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/1998/

Explanation: Back then, when Ds go up against QBs with no starting experience, standard strategy was to pack 8 or 9 in the box in order stop the run and force the QB to stop them. Brister was not only an experience backup, he also had years of prior experience as a reasonably successful starter. Griese's prior experience before becoming a starter in 1999, 1-3 for 2 yards & 1 INT.

That said, is 2001 numbers (Griese's 3rd year as a starter, 2 years after his injury) were better then I realized it: 167-701 (4.20)
https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/2001/

I think anyone that watched the Broncos for longer than their Superbowl winning years understands Davis played a huge role in winning those championships. It doesn't diminish Elway's career at all because we'd still be the Browns without him.

Davis wouldn't have won a SB without Elway either.

Joel, I'm not reading your essay.

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Joel, I'm not reading your essay.

You used to read mine.

I <3 Dave Grohle.

Originally Posted by Joel

For the record, Elway himself is on record that his lone SB MVP award was thanks to Terrell Davis drawing the entire defenses focus (much as on his TD run in SB XXXII.)

That's not to diminish Elway, only give credit where due; it's no shame nor shock Elway wasn't the same at 38 as he was at 28, but even the aging Elway remained elite. And the article is of course right to note that if we say Elway in his late thirties couldn't have won two SBs without Davis, it's at least as true that Denver never gets near a SB (much less THREE in four years) without Elway in his mid-twenties.

Dude, shut tf up with your Elway hate.

Also, Eugene Robinson earned that embarrassment with his big ******* mouth.

"Oh, Josh McDaniels was overrated"

Truer words have never been spoke, Adam, but Tebow is by far the single most overrated Broncos player ever.