FINAL GAME NOTES

WIN NO. 150 FOR SHANAHAN

* - With the win, Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan earned his 150^th overall career victory (150-96-0, .610) and became the 17th coach in NFL history to reach that win total. His overall record with the Broncos improves to 142-84-0 (.628).

SIXTH IN A ROW AT HOME

* - The Broncos extended their home winning streak to six games with their victory against Tampa Bay. It is their longest such streak since posting 13 consecutive home wins in the regular season from Dec. 12, 2004, through Oct. 15, 2006.

CUTLER MILESTONES

* - Broncos QB Jay Cutler completed 23-of-34 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 96.1 passer rating.

* - His 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley in the third quarter moved him ahead of QB Steve Tensi for sole possession of seventh in Broncos history in career touchdown passes (39). 

* - Cutler also became the eighth player in Broncos history to reach 6,000 career passing yards, finishing the game with an even 6,000 for his career.

* - The victory improved Cutler’s career record as a starting quarterback to 13-13.

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It's time to take an honest self evaluation.  There are a lot of good things to take comfort in if you are a Broncos fan.  There are also some things that need to be faced that should keep you awake at night.  I want to look at both.

Coming from a coach's perspective, folks shouldn't panic over one game.  On the other hand, folks shouldn't get too excited over the 3-0 mark we were at before the KC loss.  What we have on our hands is a very, very good team that has some terrible flaws.  Yes, we beat SD and NO, but the games were close enough to be decided by a two point conversion and missed FGs.  We beat Oakland, but that's not much to brag about.  We also lost to KC, and that's a concern.

We'll look at what can be adjusted for and what probably can't, and where this puts the team as it continues The Quest.

Read on...

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Another nail-biter for the Broncos came down to the final seconds, and again the Broncos survived.  Let's take one last look at the 34-32 win over the Saints before getting right back to the AFC West and the Kansas City Chiefs.   We'll talk much more about that, but it is time for this week's edition of  "Making The Grade" where I will grade the Broncos performance from the day before.  The most important "grade" is the one on the scoreboard, and for the Broncos this week it was another W.  What about the players performance?  Let's take a look....

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YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM

  For all your San Diego Chargers News, check out Bolts From The Blue

So you thought week one was important?  Well, it was.  After all, Denver was playing a division rival (ok, ok, the division rival), it was a Monday Night Football game, and the first game of the 2008 season.  Still, this week's game goes well beyond all of that.

1. Denver leads the AFC West.  With a win against SD, Denver takes a commanding lead over the team many "experts" pick to represent the AFC West in the playoffs.
2. Along with NE, this is supposed to be one of the toughest games on a weak schedule.  Did I say NE?  They of "Bradyless" fame?
3. More than any other game this season, this game should indicate the readiness of Denver to get back to the playoffs.  SD is a better team than Oakland.

While many Denver fans waited for the season to start on Monday against the hated Raiders, this is perhaps the game fans have really waited for.  Monday was the game we wanted emotionaly.  Monday's game was a test.  Now the season really starts.  This is the game where Denver answers the question, "Are we for real?"  This is the game where the quest really takes off.

Let's take a look at both teams; the systems, the players, the Xs and Os, the match-ups.  The last game was nice, but against a basement team.  This game is against the current AFC West Champions, and we need to know what's in store for the game.

Read on...

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The Denver Broncos on Friday selected their captains for the 2008 season, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

Broncos players voted quarterback Jay Cutler and tight end Daniel Graham as offensive captains along with cornerback Champ Bailey and linebacker D.J. Williams as defensive captains.

The club also voted tight end/long snapper Mike Leach as its special teams captain for Monday night's season opener against the Oakland Raiders. The Broncos' special teams captain for each game will change on a weekly basis.

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

HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the first week of the regular season --
"It's enjoyable. You look forward to it ever year. We have been working throughout the offseason-obviously the OTAs, summer camp. We have gotten a chance to see our team in live situations. We have a lot of young players playing on Monday night, and I'm looking forward to it."

On whether playing without WR Brandon Marshall will change the game plan against the Raiders --
"I don't think Brandon will dictate the (complexity) of our game plan. We have some young players, so it might not be as deep as it normally is, but we have enough to show up and play."

On Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell --
"He hasn't played a lot, so we haven't seen a lot of him. We have watched a lot (of him) on film. He has played in one game as a starter and played in four other games. Like all other young quarterbacks, it's a growing process. You know how talented he is, being the first pick in the draft. Everybody knows his size, his arm strength and him being a No. 1 pick. So he has a big, big upside and he has a good supporting cast around him.

"He was practicing the whole season, so that is sometimes better than playing-you get some good reps in practice and a chance to grow with an offensive system. He played enough to feel, I would think, somewhat confident in the offensive system, and he played extremely well in his one start against San Diego. Hopefully he doesn't play that well Monday night."

On Raiders RB Darren McFadden --
"He is averaging over five yards a carry, I think 5.4. He has had a good preseason. The have given him a lot of reps and he is a weapon. He has great speed and everybody knows what he did in college. He is going to try to do that at the pro level. They are very coordinated in their offensive line. They went from 29th in the NFL in 2006 to sixth in 2007 (in rushing). That's a big, big jump. There is no other team that made that type of jump. They are running the zone blocking scheme very, very well. They have a lot of confidence in it and they are very well-coordinated, so he is going to a system that gives him a chance."

On why the media is not predicting big things from the Broncos --
"We understand why they are. When you take a look at where we were at last year, both offensively, defensively and special teams-wise, why would they pick us? We have to go out there and prove ourselves each week. We are a young football team and we just have to go out and get it done. If you win games then you get the attention you deserve."

On whether there is extra motivation playing the first game on Monday night --
"The first game of the season is always big, especially in the AFC West on the road on Monday night. It's a big first game for us. We get a chance to showcase our team on national television... It's something that we look forward to."

On Broncos TEs Nate Jackson and Tony Scheffler --
They are both football players. You have guys who are very competitive. We have three tight ends (Jackson, Scheffler and TE Daniel Graham) who can play, and it's a good weapon to have. You can go into a game plan with a three-tight end set or a two-tight end set and not skip a beat. Not very many teams have the luxury to have three tight ends like we do. All three will dress and all three will play."

On how Scheffler has improved in his blocking --
"Tony has done a good job. He has improved every year. He is not at the level of Daniel Graham, but he has improved drastically from when he first started."

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  Dallas Cowboys 13      @          Denver Broncos 23

August 16th, 2008 - 7:00pm MST
Invesco Field @ Mile High
Denver, CO

DENVER BRONCOS COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

General --
"I was pleased with the effort of our entire football team. They did great work against the Cowboys both Wednesday and Thursday. We got a lot of things done, especially with our young guys. During that second drive today we had a couple penalties and we overcame a few of our mistakes. But overall, I thought we played extremely hard from start to finish. I thought we did better tonight."

On the offensive line being pushed around by Dallas' defensive line --
"To be honest, we played really well against them a couple days in a row, and I felt pretty good about our run defense. I thought we fared well. I think we played pretty well against a Houston team that will do well this season. We made some strides, but obviously we're not there."

On playing the starters for the entire first half --
"Yes, we planned on playing them the entire first half. I wasn't going to do it after that second drive. We wanted to get them in a game situation. We got a lot of young people out there. We have a new tackle and a new guard out there and we want to build cohesiveness."

On the offense and if he is surprised by how far along they are --
"I've said that I believe in these guys - they have a lot of fight, but they don't have a lot of experience. So what we have to do is keep on getting guys in there to learn."

On WR Eddie Royal --
"He's got exceptional ability and great speed, and great quickness. You guys saw him the first day, he wanted the starting role, and he embraced the challenge. He has been very consistent in practice, and done pretty well in the game."

On QB Jay Cutler's chances of improving --
"You can always get better, that's why you practice, that's why you work. You always try to improve. Jay is going to be hard on himself. There's not a lot of perfect games out there, so if you think you're perfect, you're going to be embarrassed pretty quickly."

On being a passing team or a running team --
"We're going to do what we're going to do. Jay's doing a great job of passing the ball. He's doing a good job of spreading the ball around. Against the Dallas Cowboys, you better be able to throw it because they have an excellent front seven, and their safety support is doing well."

On holding anyone out because of the rain --
"TE Daniel Graham had a tight hamstring, so he came out after the first series, and hopefully there's no setback there. And the guys that got banged up during practice were kept out for obvious reasons."

On S Josh Barrett --

"He tweaked his ankle on the opening kickoff. He came back later on. I'm not sure how many plays he played."

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  Dallas Cowboys 13      @          Denver Broncos 23

August 16th, 2008 - 7:00pm MST
Invesco Field @ Mile High
Denver, CO
ATTENDANCE: 74,484

* - QB Jay Cutler completed his first 12 passes for 142 yards while leading Denver on two touchdown drives to begin the first half. His string was broken by an incomplete pass intended for Broncos RB Andre Hall in the second quarter (7:20 remaining). Cutler's longest streak of consecutive completions in an NFL game is 11, which he did twice last year (vs. Minnesota 12/30/07 and vs. Jacksonville 9/23/07). That was the longest consecutive completion streak by a Broncos QB in any game since Jake Plummer completed 16 consecutive passes vs. Detroit on 9/28/03.

* - Cutler played the entire first half (5 series, 36 plays). He completed 16-of-20 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 120.4. Cutler spread the ball around to seven different Broncos receivers.

* - Cutler led the Broncos on a 9-play, 65-yard touchdown drive on the game's opening possession that lasted 5:17 and culminated with Hall's 1-yard touchdown run. Cutler was 5-of-5 on the drive for 61 yards for a 117.5 passer rating, completing passes to four different Broncos (WR Brandon Marshall 2-16, WR Eddie Royal 1-35, WR Brandon Stokley 1-8, FB Cecil Sapp 1-2).

* - The Broncos' Hall converted a fourth-and-1 on the Dallas 7-yard line on Denver's opening touchdown drive. The conversion was Denver's first fourth-down attempt and conversion of the 2008 preseason.

* - Denver's starting wide receivers, Marshall and Royal, combined for six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown during the Broncos' first two drives. Royal had two long receptions of 32 and 35 yards and Marshall scored on a 3-yard touchdown reception in the second drive. Marshall finished the first half with six receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. Royal had two receptions for 67 yards.

* - Seven different Broncos receivers finished with at least two receptions (Marshall, 6-51 TD; WR Brandon Stokley, 3-34; WR Clifford Russell, 3-28; Royal, 2-67; WR Keary Colbert, 2-30; RB Cecil Sapp, 2-12; TE Nate Jackson, 2-11).

* - Broncos QB Patrick Ramsey completed 8-of-13 passes for 67 yards in four series of work in the second half.

* - Dallas DE Marcus Smith's fourth quarter sack of Broncos QB Darrell Hackney snapped Denver's seven-quarter streak of not allowing a sack to open the preseason. The Broncos have given up one sack though their first two preseason games.

* - The Broncos dominated in time of possession in the first half owning an 18:50-11:10 advantage. They finished the game with a 33:07-26:53 advantage.

* - Denver's defense held the Cowboys to 128 net yards in the first half on 25 plays from scrimmage (5.1 yards per play). The defense also held Dallas to 0-of-5 on third down conversions in the second half and 4-of-12 (33.3 percent) for the game.

* - Denver was 2-of-2 in the red zone (1 rushing TD, 1 receiving TD) in the first half.

* - Denver capitalized on a sloppy game by Dallas penalty-wise. The Cowboys had nine penalties for 78 yards, including two personal fouls. Four of Dallas' penalties led to Denver first downs.

* - Broncos K Matt Prater kicked off six times, with four of his kickoffs resulting in touchbacks. For the second consecutive game Prater connected on 3-of-4 field goal attempts. He is 6-of-8 so far this preseason.

* - Broncos CB Domonique Foxworth recorded six total tackles, all solo, to lead the Broncos.

* - Punting Battle: Broncos P Brett Kern had two punts for a 57.5 average (long of 63), one of which resulted in a touchback. P Sam Paulescu had two punts for a 50.0 average (long of 57) with one punt inside the 20. Kern had a 36-yard gain (miscellaneous yardage) on an aborted punt in the second half after scooping up his punt which was blocked by Dallas RB Tashard Choice. The resulting first down led to a 29-yard field goal by Prater.

* - Turnover Ratio: The Broncos finished the game with a +1 turnover ratio, posting one takeaway (INT) and no giveaways. Rookie CB Jack Williams' fourth quarter interception led to a Prater field foal.

* - Broncos Starting Lineup Changes: LB Jamie Winborn started in place of LB Boss Bailey (injury) at the strongside linebacker position. Foxworth started in place of CB Champ Bailey (injury). C Casey Wiegmann started in place of C Tom Nalen (injury). Royal started in place of WR Darrell Jackson (injury).

* - Broncos injury report: TE Daniel Graham (hamstring, first half, did not return).

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  Dallas Cowboys      @          Denver Broncos

August 16th, 2008 - 7:00pm MST
Invesco Field @ Mile High
Denver, CO

   To Follow The Week From The Cowboy's Perpective, Check Out Blogging The Boys! 

Welcome to an exhibition version of MHR Game Prep! How does this work? Simple. I'll be providing the game preps for you this year, but the pre-season will be a little different.

In the pre-season, it is hard to gauge what will happen. Neither team plays for the win, but instead calls in plays and substitutions designed to test out potential starters. Because the game is competitive on an individual level (but not so much at the team level), it is very difficult to provide a match up for the game. There's no telling who will play and for how long, nor what kind of program will be run under coaches wanting to call "vanilla" plays.

So what we will do is provide a game prep based on the concept that the game counts, is a part of the regular season, and that the starters are playing four quarters. Call it a preseason practice for the "game prep" author to get up to speed if you will. By reading the articles in the preseason as if they were regular games, the predictive value is worthless, but the value in gauging the strengths and weaknesses of our players and system should provide some good insight on what to expect this year.

The big treat (I hope) is that students of the reloading season series "MHR University" will be able to recognize the terms and concepts in the game preps, and watch the game of football with a trained and discerning eye. If you missed the series, no worries mate! Just click the links in the story to read up on the terms.

Read on...

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The Broncos released their initial Depth Chart of 2008, in preparations of their game against the Houston Texans on Saturday Night.  See Below -

There were a couple surprise in my opinion. 

It does make me wonder just how effective a defensive line can be with John Engleberger as a starter at end, and what the hell has happened to Tim Crowder to be listed as the 3rd string LDE.

Another slight surprise is Michael Pittman who comes in listed as the 3rd string FB, while not being listed at all as a HB.

Not a surprise to me was the meteoric rise of Eddie Royal who sits behind Brandon Marshall at WR.  If the reports we hear are true and Marshall is suspended, that would put Royal in line to start Week 1 in Oakland.

Also of little surprise is Nate Webster starting at MLB.  It was obvious to me that Webster was the better player and deserved to get the nod over Niko Koutouvides.

Things are likely to change over the next month, but it sure is fun to talk about stuff on the field, isn't it?!?