You'll hear a lot about the stats in this game, the turnover ratio, the onside kick, maybe even penalty calls but this game came down to two essential points that got KC the win:

1)Denver defense allowed KC to establish the run, and LJ was making the first tackler miss.  This kills the defense in the long run.

2)KC defense showed up to rough some guys up.  I'm not calling out the injuries here, but our (broncos) offense has  failed to establish a running game over the last three weeks, and KC saw that weakness and capitalized.  They played rough, forced turnovers, and hit the receivers coming off the line.

Good win guys, it helps to set the record straight:  Denver 3-1 team after 4 games, KC 1-3.  Neither one was as good or as bad as anyone said...

Bob Slowik Has Some Work To Do

Whether we are talking about our defense in 2008, last year's defense or last quarter's defense, one thing will always be eminently true:  defenses need to adjust.  The changes can be scheme, personnel, technique, or even timing or rotations.

But every adjustment isn't perfect.  A team tries one thing for particular reasons, such as bringing a safety into the box to prevent the run, while sacrificing their ability against the pass.  If you adjust, you open yourself up to other problems, in order to capitalize on some benefit you are keying in on.

In short, adjustments don't happen in a vacuum.  They all feature various levels of risk/reward.

For our fledgeling 2008 defense, Hoosierteacher sat down with me to take a look at a handful of potential adjustments the Broncos could make to even off the Broncos defensive performance after two weeks that featured concerning lapses, with the latest lapse leading to a shootout where either team had equal shots at the win.  In looking at these adjustments and how they would affect the Broncos we found ourselves asking questions about the Broncos current scheme, their long term plans, and their weaknesses.  The results are intriguing.

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Read all about it.

HOUSTON -- The Baltimore Ravens-Houston Texans game was rescheduled to Nov. 9 after Reliant Stadium was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike.

The Texans' home opener was originally scheduled for Sunday, then postponed to Monday night as Ike approached the Gulf Coast. The Category 2 storm slammed into Texas on Friday night and moved into Houston early Saturday morning.
Ike tore chunks off the stadium's retractable roof and the damage couldn't be fixed in time for the game, said Shea Guinn, the president and general manager of Reliant Park.

"There are parts of the roof that are completely gone," Guinn said.

The retractable roof on the $352 million venue rolls open in nine sections. Guinn said five of the sections were missing and large pieces of debris had fallen into the stadium.

"It's hard to tell what came from where," Guinn said.

The Texans said alternate sites for Monday night were considered, but logistics made them impossible.

The new date also affects the Cincinnati Bengals' schedule.

Houston was originally scheduled to play the Bengals on Nov. 9. Now, those teams will play on Oct. 26 and Cincinnati will take its bye week on Nov. 9, when the Texans now play the Ravens.

Baltimore had an open date on Nov. 9 on its original schedule.

 

Don't forget to adjust your fantasy rosters accordingly everyone.  Most leagues will treat this as each teams bye week.  And note that Cincinnatti will be affected by this too.

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

The time is finally here!  The Broncos and Raiders are ready to get it on and Broncos fans are ready!  You can check out all the coverage for the game HERE.

There will be open threads for each quarter tonight, so be sure to head on over to the next thread when applicable.  It is going to be a wild and crazy night!!!

I'll post the inactives when they become available.  Want to join me in the RMN chat as well?  Click HERE at 7:00PM Mountain.

GAMEDAY INACTIVES

BRONCOS

#37 S Calvin Lowry

#42 RB Ryan Torain

#52 LB Louis Green

#64 T Erik Pears

#66 C Tom Nalen

#77 G Dylan Gandy

#94 DE Jarvis Moss

#95 DT Josh Shaw

RAIDERS

#19 WR Todd Watkins

#27 S Rashad Baker

#58 DE Kalimba Edwards

#71 C John Wade

#75 T Mario Henderson

#84 WR Javon Walker

#8 QB Marques Tuiasosopo (Third QB)

OTHER NOTES

BRONCOS

#62 C Casey Wiegmann will start at C in place of #66 Tom Nalen

RAIDERS

#15 WR Johnnie Lee Higgins will start at WR in place of #84 Javon Walker

#72 T Seth Wand has been released

I've compiled the following depth chart from watching the STs during the preseason, and factoring in the recent wave of cuts.  I took some notes while watching the film, and I'll include those after.

Kick Returns

Returners:  Royal, Hall

Wedge:  Engleberger, Harris,?(Pears)?

Blockers: Webster, Woodyard, Hillis, Niko,  Scheffler, Winborn

Punt Returns

Returner:  Royal

Blockers:  Paymah, woodyard, Foxworth, Manuel, Webster, Abdullah, Scheffler, DJ, Niko, Winborn

Punts

Punter: Kern

Gunners:  Manuel, Woodyard, (paymah)

Longsnapper:  The Immortal Leach

Rest:  McCree, DJ, Niko, Webster, Winborn, Woodyard, Hillis

Kick Offs

Kicker:  Prater

Rest:  Colbert, Woodyard, Pittman, Manuel, Foxworth, Abdullah,  Winborn, Niko, Webster, Hillis

Notes:

--Our wedge is a question mark, and may have someone starting on the right side (facing forward) who didn't get a single preseason rep at the position, though I can't speak for who has gotten reps in practice.  Clemons will man the spot if he is activated, and he has experience there, but looking at possible gameday 45s I don't think he will be activated that often.  If he can't go, my best guess is Pears, and it is possible we may see a Pears/Clemons activation-deactivation cycle over the course of the season.

--Ryan Harris at the center-wedge position may seem odd or risky, but I don't think it is either one.  He got a lot of reps there, and was one of the better ones we tried.  If Klick were a likely activation, I would expect him to start, but I seriously doubt he will ever be activated unless because of injuries.

--Engelberger is sort of odd as well, but he too was very good, though he had very few reps.  Everyone else who got reps has been cut.  Other likely possibilities are Moss and Crowder.  In fact, a Moss, Pears, Crowder wedge is definitely a possibility.

--Our punting units feature a lot of our most explosive and quick defensive players, with the surprise addition of Scheffler.  I don't know if he is a for sure on STs, but I am 90% certain after watching all the tape.  I would expect that if he were to overcome Jackson for offensive playing time that they would switch roles in STs as well.

--Woodyard, Niko and Winborn figure to be in on all STs plays.

--The backup punt returner will probably be one of the starting CBs, or possibly Colbert.

--It doesn't matter who covers kickoffs.  Touchbacks, baby!!

--Any questions, please ask!

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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