For a look at the game from the Raiders view, check out SilverandBlackPride

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

CHANGES IN BOLD

For a look at the game from the Raiders view, check out SilverandBlackPride

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

A Mix of Good and Bad

The thing about our 'backers going forward, is that Bob Slowik, our new defensive head-honcho, will have to make a few choices.

He will have to choose between versatility, provided by some players to our nickle coverages, and  comprehension, players with a grasp of the playbook.  He will have to choose between a guy who makes his tackles, but who hesitates, and a guy who never hesitates, but always misses his tackles.  He will be choosing between tangible size and intangible heart.

In the end, he will be choosing between the future, and now.  If he chooses now, we might get off to a hot start with our linebacking corp.  They will be fast and powerful, but with time, they will be exposed.  If he chooses the future we may fail to gain purchase in the early goings of the season, sacrificing early momentum for the hope that eventually sound technique and consistency will win out, but by then it may be too late.

Or, he may choose to balance both ideas on the edge of a razor, which could cut either way, or neither.  Or, if handled incorrectly, as our defense has been for the past several years, it could cut both ways.

Lets look at the players poised on this thinnest of edges amongst the Broncos' hopeful, and see what case they have made for their future.

My early vote for our starting MLB, Niko has had his ups and downs.  The NPLB analysis points out that he can help this team if he is on the field, especially when it comes to stopping the run.  He shows tremendous instincts when he gets into the garbage around the line, and sometimes you are left to wonder just HOW he managed to slice through and get his hands on the tackler.  The other solid trait that he brings is his tackling.  Whether he is a hard hitter is still up in the air, and for my money, a starting MLB better be able to lay some wood when he gets the chance.  But in every other respect his tackling is exactly what you should hold a MLB too.  It is sure and consistent, and it is a breath of fresh air to see the SAM take out a FB with Niko right behind him.  It gives me a confidence that I haven't felt since Al manned the middle. 

But Niko had his share of mistakes so far in the preseason, including misreading his gaps, and worst of all, playing tentatively.  You see it on the (very few) blitzes that get called, where he looks slow and uncertain, two things he isn't, judging by his physical displays on special teams.  You also see it when he is reading playaction.  He has a knack for staying at home and not overcommitting, and he definitely reads 90% or better of his plays very well, but sometimes his patience borders hesitation, and you are left to watch him choosing a proper angle for pursuit rather than seeing a tackle for a loss.

He seems to be getting his guys into a good position, and though DJ has more familiarity with Webster, he and Niko are getting the plays in and the guys lined up.  When Niko was in with the starters I saw only a handful of instances where players seemed unsure on their assignments, and those were nickle formations, where Niko isn't normally in.  Niko has seen only 3 reps in the nickle so far this preseason, and he was able to hold his own, though he was brought on a blitz one of those times, and showed his tentative side, unable to effectively penetrate to the QB after hesitating near the line.  In goalline situations he led the second team LBs to an above average overall performance against Green Bay, and if he had lined his guys up a yard closer to the LOS, Rodgers wouldn't have gotten through on his sneak.  That Niko laid back a little is a telling sign that he needed more room within which to read the play, something that only experience can change.

Above all, however, Niko is fundamentally a sound player, still adjusting to the speed with which he must read, register and react to the offense.  He executes so consistently that there is no drop off whether he is in with the starters or second teamers, and he is the only LB, including DJ not to receive the lowest grade on at least one play.  In the end he grades out as one of the top backers because he never follows a bad play with another bad play, or a worse one.  I can't say when he will pick up all the nuances and be able to change games, but I can say that he won't hurt this team if he is on the field.  Is that good enough Broncos fans?

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Here's a Tuesday edition of Horse Tracks.  Enjoy!

 Some Broncos were held out of Monday's practice.  See here and here

 Jim Armstrong states the obvious:  Jay Cutler is key to Broncos' playoff hopes.  See here

 The "Boss" will be out for at least two weeks.  See here

 After some scary moments for Louis Green, he hopes to be back on the field soon.  See here

 Good thing the Broncos got the first game out if the way.  Much work is needed to be done.  See here

 There is some good news today.  Montrae Holland rejoined his team for practice.  See here

 Two Broncos are making an impact in camp.  See here

 Denver welcomes the Cowboys this week.  Hope the result is better than last year.  See here

 Mike Klis had some items in his mailbag.  See here

 Wesley Woodyard is getting everyone's attention.  See here

 Former Bronco Jeff Shoate signed with New England.  See here

AFC West

 Looks like Greg Wesley just escaped the conquered fader nation and Adam Archuleta joined them.  See here

 Gunther Cunningham is looking for defensive toughness out of his Chefs.  See here

 Phyllis and his merry men have a MLB that is impressing everyone.  See here

That is all I have.  Have a great day!

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  Denver Broncos 16      @       Houston Texans 19

August 9th, 2008 - 6:00pm MST
Reliant Stadium - Houston, TX

Game 1 of the pre-season is behind us and while the end result was a loss there were some encouraging signs.  There were also some things that concern me a bit.  Yes, it was only the first pre-season game.  Yes, in reality, they don't mean anything.  That doesn't mean, however, that we can't look at the game and find some positives and negatives to carry forward.  There are also some distrubing trends that continue to manifest themselves on this team that need to get worked out over the next 3 weeks. 

Using the games stats as a baseline, lets breakdown the game -

QUARTERBACK PLAY

First off, Jay Cutler is back and better than ever.  After the expected early jitters by the offense as a whole on their first drive, the Broncos first string offense dissected the Texans defense on a beautifully executed TD drive.  Cutler was 7-9 on the drive, and finished it off by running 15 yards for the touchdown.  Cutler 1 - Diabetes 0.  Sure, it was only one game, but the Broncos are also practicing right now alot more than they will during the season.  That leads me to think that Cutler is in for a HUGE season. 

The same can't be said for Patrick Ramsey who was simply awful, and trend that has continued the entire Camp so far.  Both interceptions were ugly, and Ramsey's 2.9 yards per pass are an embarrassment.   Ramsey's feet are all over the place in the pocket and his poor mechanics lead to a horribly inaccurate delivery.  Let's face it, the Broncos would be in trouble no matter what if Cutler went down for a significant amount of time, most teams would be, but if I have to into battle with a backup QB I at least want it to be a guy who will give me the best chance.  Anyone out there NOT THINK the best chance to win is Darrell Hackney??

Hackney played well in his time, was able to move around in the pocket and moved the team very well.  Could he do it against 1st Team defenses?  Good question, but he looks a lot more comfortable in the pocket than Ramsey and seems to have a better handle on the offense, even if it is pared down quite a bit.

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Boss Bailey is a big addition at Linebacker

My, how quickly things can change.  Two years ago, the linebacker position for the Denver Broncos was considered a strength.  With team-leader Al Wilson manning the middle, D.J. Williams on the strong side and Ian Gold returning to play Will, the Broncos seemed set for the foreseeable future.  All that changed on December 3, 2006 when Al Wilson was injured on a punt return.  As I watched Wilson get carried off the field it seemed the morale on the field and the energy in the stands went with it. 

The Broncos, who only 2 weeks before were 7-2, lost their 3rd straight game and a season that seemed to have so much promise continued to unravel.  Wilson would try to play the next week, but the damage was done.  After being held out of the season-ending loss to the San Francisco 49'ers Wilson never wore a Broncos uniform, or any uniform for that matter, again.  The Broncos lost their identity that night, an identity that has followed the team since the days of Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson and Karl Mecklenberg.

The Broncos head into 2008 looking to rebuild that legacy, to rediscover the identity that has been so important throughout Orange and Blue history.  Questions abound heading into camp, however, with two new starters in Boss Bailey at SAM and Niko Koutouvides at MIKE.  The remaining holdover, D.J. Williams, moves back to the WILL, his third move in 5 years.  How will this group come together?  What kind of depth is behind them?  Can Broncos' linebackers regain the glory of the past? 

Let's break them down. 

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