I am not one to believe I am wrong too often. Honestly, I’m pretty self-righteous, so when I begin prognosticating, I’m putting a bit on the line… and the following teams, players, and twists of fate have already ruined it for me…
1) The Patriots. OK, they can be shady. I’m not surprised. I don’t think it’s an uncommon issue in the NFL, and I don’t like it. I also question their treatment of the team itself… I’ve always said Belichick creeped me out. But I also said that I questioned the Pats ability to gel as a team and play as well as they seemed able on paper. I was wrong. Beating the Jets was one thing, but the way they shut down and burned up the Chargers was another. I hate them, but they are a team to beat.
2) The Saints. Granted, it’s only week 2, and it is not the time to declare anyone dead in the water, but I now question my own sanity in picking them to go all the way to the Super Bowl and… win. It’s not that I don’t consider them still capable, it’s just I’m horribly dismayed by the terrible play of an “improved” defense, and the short, conservative approach taken earlier in the game. That’s not what propelled them so far last year. If they don’t start picking it up and playing like a team on a mission, they will leave many people looking stupid.
3) The Falcons. This might have been more wishful thinking, but I really wanted Joey to do well. I really wanted the Falcons to do well. I really thought they might actually do… OK. Now, not only will they make me look silly for picking them to do well, but also because I picked Tennessee and Minnesota to be the worst…
4) Steven Jackson: During my fantasy drafts, Jackson was listed as my #2 selection. He looks lost and vulnerable out there, and with Pace out, I’m suddenly relieved that of my many FF leagues, I never got to draft second.
5) The NFC. I still don’t believe the NFC on the whole is on par with the AFC. It’s just, within the NFC, my rankings were all upside-down, it seems. Darn them.
But there is a silver lining, folks. I’m not wrong all the time. Here’s why…
1) Carson Palmer. I said he would come back to full strength, and the offense would take off in Cincinnati again. I was right. I just didn’t foresee the defense being “give up 51 points to the Browns” bad.
2) The Panthers. I said with a healthy Steve Smith, Delhomme would look good again, and they could make themselves into players in the NFC… which brings us to…
3) The Texans. Looks like Kubs finally has a team this year… and they could rule the NFC. Too bad about not being in there… Still, don’t be surprised if they make waves this year.
4) I said Culpepper would be a great mentor for JaMarcus Russell. If nothing else, it seems like they can share a lot of quality bench time together.
5) I said Denver would be the top of the AFC West… and this week, they are. This may change, as people are quick to point out that last second field goals against so-so teams are not a good sign, and I would sort of agree. Except that I remember many a year where Denver did not play at their own level, but at the level of their opposition. Conservative game play was opted for over putting a team away, and errors could nearly take the game out of their hands. It’s not good for a guy with high blood pressure to watch this sort of thing. But, as the trite saying goes, “A win is a win”. And for anyone claiming Shannahan cheated, it’s called “icing the kicker”, and it’s one of the oldest coaches’ tricks. And for the record, that game proved another part of my season predictions. The Raiders are going to be better than anyone thinks.
Well,
That's nice to hear from a Bronco fan that the Raiders are going to be better than anyone thinks.
But how can you say that was "icing the kicker"? Maybe if he calls timeout in time for them not to even line up, let alone take the snap and make the kick. What a pathetic way to win. I wish Seabass would have missed the first and then got a second chance and made the second. That would have made Shanahan look like an ####. But he didn't. If Shanahan did call it two secs before like he said, why didn't the refs stop play. Are you telling me that he told the refs he was going to call it, and then it took them two secs to respond when he did, even though they knew ahead of time. What a bunch of bull. The league needs to get some new refs, if they are that slow. Thanks for costing us another win. I bet if you go back to the tape, you will see the refs called timeout and stopped play after the snap. What a f ing joke!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, but I watched the game. The whistle blew pre-snap, which is all you need to do. If the play was active, it would have been ignored. The real trick is to let everyone line up, get set, but not snap. It messes with the nerves. Why the whistle was ignored, I don't know... it wasn't the first time in the game that the Raiders seemed to miss the fact that the play was over... Shanny warned the refs before calling it, which is another classic move so they're paying attention.
I'm not saying those refs were the best, but they were bad on both sides. There were two blatant holding calls on Elvis Dummerville in the third that went unnoticed... but you have to recognize the difference between bad calls and clever coaching. The games was full of both... on both sides of the ball.
Thank God too... I was beginning to fear this match up would lose it's edge... I really hope Al Davis sticks with Kiffin, because I think he's a good thing for that team.
Last edited by jmacsmac on September 17th at 8:43 PM.
Sorry jmac - I've been spending way too much time deflating Bronco fans after a very mediocre showing against two less than mediocre teams. Your team boasts almost 1,000 yards of offense in two games and has only 19 points per game to show for it. To say that red zone efficiency is sub-par to date merely demonstrates a firm grasp of the obvious. These were not games where the Broncos were "playing down to their competition." These were games that were almost lost in contests where the outcome should have never been in question. Denver on top of the AFC West? Yes, there's a good chance of that by season's end, but not because the Broncos are (or will be) an elite team this year; it will only reflect how bad the AFC West has become. Their only competition (San Diego) buried it's chance at greatness when they fired Marty and hired Norv. The result of the Bolts new mediocre coaching was revealed in New England last week. If Denver makes it to the playoffs, you'll see a familiar repeat: one game and out. Barring divine intervention, I see no reason not to look for Indy and New England to be vying for the AFC championship with one of the two taking home yet another league trophy.
You make some good points, but I think it's far too early in the season to be declaring certain teams elite or sub-par. The Patriots have survived their first real test in beating San Diego, but there are many more games to be played. The Colts were almost stopped again by the Titan defense and a recieverless Vince Young. Nothing is a lock in my mind yet, including the status of the Broncos. To be honest, our red zone percentage and defensive ability don't concern me half as much as our special teams... but two wins are simply that, and whether they were out of sync, playing down, or simply struggling is not going to be completely seen until later in the season when we play the Colts, Bears, or Chargers.
As far as playoff projections, I've already admitted I'm probably wrong... I wonder how many folks taking the easy route with the Colts or Patriots will find the same thing.
You are right that it's very early, and I'm no more of a psychic than you - but rather than taking an "easy route", it's more of an analysis of team personel (plus the not so subjective element of coaching talent) that points to one of two teams in the AFC as the probable winner. As for coaching, Denver has one of the better football minds in the game today. As for personnel, the Bronco's roster is left wanting when compared with either the Colts and Pats. Yes, "on any given Sunday" Indy or NE could lose to the likes of the Titans, or even the Raiders, and the unknowns such as injuries between now and December can always change the course of a season's destiny. Hence, the reason we play 16 games. But even looking at overall depth on the comparative rosters, it's hard for me to see the next Lombardi trophy being handed to anyone except a team from Indiana or Massachusettes. If I'm wrong, I'll be back at the end of the year to acknowledge the error of my ways and eat my alloted portion of humble pie.
And I'm not going to disagree with you there, at least on the front of the Pats being stack in personel and coaching, and the Colts nearly the same (still not sold on their D)... but I'm not counting out the Broncs personel yet. I look forward to a good season anyway, because more than a Denver fan, I'm a football fan, and I love that there are so many teams who can compete "On any given Sunday" this year.
With the 1-1 Jags at home (a team which Denver beats in every statistical catergory), your boys should be 3-0 come Sunday. Three "gimmes" however, are followed by the Colts, the Bolts and the Steelers. Fortunately, all but Indy are at home. We'll chat in a month after we see how well the 7 new starters on offense look against some of the league's better competition. At any rate, I'm with you in at least expecting to see some good contests.
