Broncomania

[eyer]

The 4-11 Oakland Raiders host the 12-3 Broncos tomorrow in a final, NFL regular season game. Unfortunately, the Raiders probably are going to go into the game without their two starting cornerbacks; latest odds have Denver as 16.5 pt favorites...

...Oakland will start ex-Buckeye Terrelle Pryor at quarterback tomorrow, counting on his running ability and explosiveness to have a better chance of clock control. Pryor doesn't seem to have any illusions about what - and who - the Raiders are facing:

"We just have to play a perfect game and move the ball," Pryor said. "Time of possession is going to be huge because we're going to play against the best quarterback in league history. We have to control the ball and take advantage."

 

[eyer]

Just how popular have the Broncos been this year?

Consider:

For the 8 away games this year, Denver has played before 581,000 fans, resulting in 103% stadium capacity, both stats #1 in the NFL this season...

...and when you add-in the 8 SRO Denver home games, the Broncos will have played live before 1.1 million fans in 2013.

For their final regular season game today, Denver plays in Oakland...

...the 4-11 Raiders have stunk-up the field this year, but their game today with the Broncos is a sell-out.

 

[eyer]

Which team is the greatest offensive unit in the history of the NFL?

The 2013 Denver Broncos have certainly put themselves into the conversation...

...here's a list for discussion:

1941 Chicago Bears
1950 Los Angeles Rams
1981 San Diego Chargers
1982 Green Bay Packers
1984 Miami Dolphins
1996 Green Bay Packers
1999-2001 St. Louis Rams
2004-2005 Indianapolis Colts
2007 New England Patriots
2011 New Orleans Saints

 

[eyer]

A quick scan of the AFC playoffs...

#1 seed Denver and the #2 seeded Patriots get the byes next weekend...

...while #3 seed Cincinnati hosts #6 San Diego and #5 Kansas City visits the #4 Colts.

The lowest seeded winner of those two games will advance to play the Broncos in Denver; that means either the Chiefs, the Colts, or the Chargers. If the Chargers beat Cincinnati, San Diego goes to Denver and the winner of the Kansas City-Indianapolis game moves on to New England.

...if Cincinnati beats the Chargers, the Bengals will travel to New England the next weekend and the Broncos' opponent at Mile High will be whichever team wins the Chiefs-Colts game.

I'd like to see the Chargers best the Bengals...

...but I'd much rather see the Colts come to NFL Jesus.

 

[eyer]

Denver's Peyton Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team announced today...

...50 media members who regularly cover the NFL vote.

New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and Indianapolis outside linebacker Robert Mathis each drew 49 votes. Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy and Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman had 48.

Manning was named an All-Pro as a Colt in 2003, '04, '05, '08 and '09, and in his first year as a Bronco in 2012...

...with his 7th selection coming this season, Manning ties Otto Graham for being named All-Pro most times as a quarterback.

Bronco offensive guard Louis Vasquez joined Manning on the 2013 All-Pro 1st team...

...while receiver Demaryius Thomas and kicker Matt Prater were named 2nd team All-Pros.

 

[neci]

pinces broncos.

 

[eyer]

Indianapolis needed an extension today to sell-out their game with the Chiefs this weekend, thus avoiding a local TV black-out of the playoff game...

...Green Bay (vs Philly) and Cincinnati (vs San Diego) also just barely made it in time.

On the other hand...

...96% of Bronco season ticket holders immediately snatched-up tickets to Denver's playoff game January 12 (vs either the Colts, Chiefs, or Chargers), and the 4,000 leftover were gone within roughly a half hour.

BTW:

The current 10-day weather forecast for Denver has the high temp of the day on Jan. 12 occurring right around kickoff...

...48°F.

 

[eyer]

From today's post-game news conference...

Manning, 37, was questioned about a report that suggested his future would be determined by an examination of his neck after the season. Manning, who missed the 2011 season after undergoing four neck surgeries, was asked if the uncertainty weighed on his mind.

"It's really not," he said. "What's weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth. That's priority No. 1. It was an intense game and up and down and a lot of emotions. That question is way far ahead. I am not there."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...-showdown-with-tom-brady-s-patriots-1.6784255

 

[eyer]

Denver did not punt today for the first time in its entire playoff history...

...and it was just the eighth time in all of NFL postseason history that a team has not had to punt.

Three of those eight have now happened...

...with Peyton Manning QBing.

 

[eyer]

The Broncos-Chargers game yesterday drew the largest national TV audience of the 4 division games...

...in Denver, it drew a 81.2 share, the biggest local audience of the season.

Nationally, the Broncos-Chargers game captured a 42 share...

...the largest TV audience for a divisional playoff game in 18 years.

 

[eyer]

A 38 year-old Peyton Manning will rejoin his Bronco teammates as they return to Denver for offseason conditioning April 21...

...Manning passed his contract-required physical this past Monday morning, thereby activating the third year of his deal which guarantees him $20 million this season. Manning signed a 5 year, $96 million contract with Denver in March 2012; one of its stipulations is that Manning must pass the physical on his neck for the contract to continue.

Another Bronco $96 million dollar man, though, won't be showing up in Dove Valley for the first time after 10 great seasons with the team...

Champ Bailey, longtime Broncos cornerback, set to be released by team

Champ Bailey, arguably the best defensive player in Broncos history, is moving on. Bailey, who earned eight of his record 12 Pro Bowl selections with the Broncos, met Wednesday with general manager John Elway and coach John Fox at the team's Dove Valley headquarters.

The possibility of reworking the final $10 million salary on Bailey's contract was not presented as an option.

"There were no discussions about it," Bailey said Wednesday night. "It was like, 'We're ready to move on.' That was that."

Was Bailey stunned the Broncos didn't make an attempt to bring him back for an 11th season at a pay cut?

"I wouldn't say stunned," he said. "A little surprising, but not really. After all this time, it's tough when it ends. But at the same time, 10-plus years anywhere, that's pretty good."

Bailey, 35, wants to keep playing, so the Broncos will release their left cornerback, most likely before free agency opens Tuesday.

...the Broncos paid him $96 million over 10 years.

They will not pay him for an 11th year. However, five years after Bailey does decide to retire, the Broncos are expected to induct him into their Ring of Fame.

"It's a little bittersweet," Bailey said. "I'm excited. At the same time I'm a little disappointed it has to end here. Nothing to cry about. Let's move on."

Full piece here:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/c...y-longtime-broncos-cornerback-set-be-released

 

[Super-Surprise]

http://assets.explainthisimage.com/hashed_silo_content/27f/908/893/resized/explainthisimage-com-6b2859.jpg

 

[eyer]

And so the 2014 season begins in Dove Valley...

http://mediacenter.smugmug.com/006-BRONCOS/2014-07-24-Broncos-training/i-6Th4sx9/0/L/072414_broncos_27-L.jpg

 

[Dream59]

http://mediacenter.smugmug.com/006-BRONCOS/2014-07-24-Broncos-training/i-6Th4sx9/0/L/072414_broncos_27-L.jpg

They will be good again. They just have to get a defense that can keep Manning in the ballgame.

 

[eyer]

The Broncos kick-off their preseason Thursday night @ Mile High against Seattle.

Denver Broncos' first official depth chart of preseason

OFFENSE

Wide receiver: Demaryius Thomas, Andre Caldwell, Greg Wilson, Bennie Fowler

Left tackle: Ryan Clady, Winston Justice, Paul Cornick

Left guard: Orlando Franklin, Ben Garland

Center: Manny Ramirez, Will Montgomery, Matt Paradis

Right guard: Louis Vasquez, Vinston Painter, Ryan Miller

Right tackle: Chris Clark, Michael Schofield

Tight end: Julius Thomas, Virgil Green, Jacob Tamme, Jameson Konz, Gerell Robinson, Cameron Morrah

Wide receiver: Emmanuel Sanders, Cody Latimer, Nathan Palmer, Greg Hardin

Wide receiver: Wes Welker, Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse

Quarterback: Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, Zac Dysert, Bryn Renner

Running back: Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson, Juwan Thompson, Kapri Bibbs, Brennan Clay, Jerodis Williams

DEFENSE

Left defensive end: Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Will Pericak, Greg Latta

Defensive tackle: Sylvester Williams, Kevin Vickerson, Mitch Unrein, Cody Larsen

Nose tackle: Terrance Knighton, Marvin Austin, Sione Fua

Right defensive end: DeMarcus Ware, Quanterus Smith, Kenny Anunike, Hall Davis, Chase Vaughn

Strongside linebacker: Von Miller, Lerentee McCray, Shaquil Barrett, Jerrell Harris

Middle linebacker: Nate Irving, Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson, L.J. Fort

Weakside linebacker: Danny Trevathan, Brandon Marshall, Jamar Chaney, Corey Nelson

Left cornerback: Aqib Talib, Bradley Roby, Tony Carter, Louis Young

Right cornerback: Chris Harris Jr., Kayvon Webster, Omar Bolden, Jerome Murphy, Jordan Sullen

Strong safety: T.J. Ward, Duke Ihenacho, John Boyett

Free safety: Rahim Moore, Quinton Carter, David Bruton, Charles Mitchell

SPECIAL TEAMS

Place-kicker: Matt Prater, Mitch Ewald

Punter: Britton Colquitt

Holder: Britton Colquitt

Long snapper: Aaron Brewer

Punt returner: Wes Welker, Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse

Kick returner: Andre Caldwell, Omar Bolden

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_26270205/wolfe-and-moore-are-back-business-starters