WEEK 6 - (1-3) Broncos @ Patriots (2-2)

[Joe_is_the_best]

Lock deserves some blame for the picks, but Albert O dropped 2 TD’s & Hamilton dropped a big play. It’s good to gain valuable experience & win while you’re at it.

[AKRNA]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

What a difference a few weeks makes.

Team was very well prepared and, props to Vic, he designed a great game plan. Mac is not a good OC absent Brady, but we knew that, but I’m not taking that away from Vic.

McManus is an elite kicker. 

Drew’s numbers were ugly but he played a lot better, IMO, than the stats show. 

Last time we won in New England was 2006, this was huge for a very young and injury-riddled team’s confidence, even if it wasn’t the prettiest football, that’s where the real value of the win comes, looming long-term. 

The bolded is why I really like Fangio. I know we disagree there, but IMO we needed a culture change badly and he's brought that. Every week, regardless of injuries, schedule, whatever he puts a very well prepared, well coached competitive team on the field. No let downs, no excuses, just good professional football, week in and week out. He might never get us to a SB but he's this decades version of John Ralston. He'll get us pointed in that direction.

That said, I do think he defied the football gods today and almost cost us the game. When he decided to punt in the 4th rather than let McManus go for a 56 yarder I was livid.

The roll McManus was on was one you ride. Making that kick would have given him the greatest game a kicker has ever had. 7 for 7 with three over 50. You've got to let him try that kick!

 

 

[thebestever6]

I was too hard on Lock in the heat of the moment earlier. It's the first time the guy has managed a complete football game since week one.

He does need to get better closing out games though if he does that week one we're 3-2 which is night and day.

[thebestever6]

I'm shocked that's only an 8.5 spread next week wasn't the Patriots line higher? Something tells me next week is going to be very close and very winnable.

It wouldn't surprise me to seem this team making a run yeah we lost sutton for the year as well as Casey. But Patrick is stepping up and the defense as a whole is stepping up.

Hamler comes back healthy, Bouye, Fant. 

This team could make a playoff run if the offense settles in and clicks on all cylinders.

[jsthomp2007]

31 minutes ago, thebestever6 said:

I'm shocked that's only an 8.5 spread next week wasn't the Patriots line higher? Something tells me next week is going to be very close and very winnable.

It wouldn't surprise me to seem this team making a run yeah we lost sutton for the year as well as Casey. But Patrick is stepping up and the defense as a whole is stepping up.

Hamler comes back healthy, Bouye, Fant. 

This team could make a playoff run if the offense settles in and clicks on all cylinders.

whooooa there cowboy

[rcpbawler]

I've been a drew lock skeptic ever since we drafted him, but that was the most impressive game I'd seen from him up until those last 2 drives. As mentioned, he made some really incredible throws into tight windows, down the field. There were two (possibly three?) throws that, while difficult, were absolutely catchable to Albert O in the end zone. That deep throw to Jerry was placed where only he could get it and clanked (again, not a simple catch)off his hands. The deep throw to daesean was perfectly thrown as well. Even his worst throw, the deep post to Tim Patrick in the end zone that was nearly intercepted, was more of a great play by the db breaking off his assignment than a bad decision imo. 

 

It's pretty obvious that shurmer and crew saw something with the 2+ weeks off. They routinely took shots down the field. There was a lot of single coverage and they invited it. 

 

That said, those 2 interceptions were bad and inexcusable. I liked the idea of coming out and attacking on that second pick, I just didn't like the play call.

[germ-x]

Had to listen on the radio.  Dave Logan was somewhat gushing over Bradley Chubb and Michael Ojemudia.  
 

[germ-x]

As far as the coaching goes.  I am still not 100% sold on Fangio as an HC, but overall I think this is a really well coached team.  I also think the combination of coaches who have been in the NFL for decades recognize football players.  The past 2 drafts have been excellent.  Elway deserves credit, but I also don’t want to discount Fangio and others entering the room and being able to identify talent.

[French Fan]

10 hours ago, Joe_is_the_best said:

Lock deserves some blame for the picks, but Albert O dropped 2 TD’s & Hamilton dropped a big play. It’s good to gain valuable experience & win while you’re at it.

Albert o is a rookie not too wooried about this. He shows he can play at this level and what we have seen from Fant sometines this season it is not pretty..

Hamilton drop is a lot concerned and i think  Tyrie Cleveland will see more the field in the coming weeks. At best he is a slot WR but behind KJ Hamler and i like to see Albert O playing sometimes in this position. Fant and him in the slot could be a big difference on short yardage.

Lock not dserve blame for the picks but play calling yes. We are (again) too conservative in the 4th. Running is not an answer. Play like 3 QTs and not change the play calling.

Edited October 19, 2020 by French Fan

[paul-mac]

Big Sly Williams making plays for us is so 2015

[lomaxgrUK]

6 hours ago, germ-x said:

Had to listen on the radio.  Dave Logan was somewhat gushing over Bradley Chubb and Michael Ojemudia.  
 

Patriots were chipping Chubb with a TE on near enough every 3rd down, so we were having to constantly blitz to create pressure from elsewhere. I will have to re-watch, but the 2 Malik Reed sacks weren't a fitting reflection of his performance. This is why Cam had splash plays running the ball (blitzing = man coverage, which = DBs with back to QB, thus meaning QB scramble opportunities). Patriots also have injuries all over their OL. Chubb's best impact came in the run game from what I saw (which was the key to the game for us).

I am perhaps being harsh, but Ojemudia got beat by 3 yards on the play he forced the fumble and he was beat by a couple of yards on his PBU (underthrown by Cam). He also gave up 15 additional yards on a QB scramble by not tackling with this arms - i've mentioned this in my game film study.

Two things stood out to me defensively - Shelby Harris in every aspect of playing his position (stout vs run, pass rush, pass deflections) and also our Safeties in Run Defense. 

 

[lomaxgrUK]

39 minutes ago, French Fan said:

We are (again) too conservative in the 4th. Running is not an answer.

To piggyback on this - we ran 12 plays on 1st down in the 2nd half. 10 runs, 2 passes. The 10 runs went for a total of 30 yards. On the 2 passes, we call a deep shot and pass out of shotgun on the other.

The Patriots were just loading up the box, daring us to call deep plays. The one time we do go deep, it's a shot play down the middle of the field (Patriots played single high safety all half from my observation). Bad, bad scheming. If you're going to pass with a lead vs loaded boxes, it has to be from a formation when the opposition thinks you're going to run and you're throwing into space, away from the box.

Run low risk pass plays that move Patriot defenders (WR/TE screens, Jet motion, etc). We ran against so many 8, even 9 man fronts on 1st down and it just put us in a constant hole. Of the 10 runs on 1st down, 5 went for 1 yard or less. That's 2nd and 9 or worse for 42% of our second half drives. This Offense, with the injuries we have, can't be in 2nd and 9 on 42% of our drives.

Edited October 19, 2020 by lomaxgrUK

[AKRNA]

12 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

To piggyback on this - we ran 12 plays on 1st down in the 2nd half. 10 runs, 2 passes. The 10 runs went for a total of 30 yards. On the 2 passes, we call a deep shot and pass out of shotgun on the other.

The Patriots were just loading up the box, daring us to call deep plays. The one time we do go deep, it's a shot play down the middle of the field (Patriots played single high safety all half from my observation). Bad, bad scheming. If you're going to pass with a lead vs loaded boxes, it has to be from a formation when the opposition thinks you're going to run and you're throwing into space, away from the box.

Run low risk pass plays that move Patriot defenders (WR/TE screens, Jet motion, etc). We ran against so many 8, even 9 man fronts on 1st down and it just put us in a constant hole. Of the 10 runs on 1st down, 5 went for 1 yard or less. That's 2nd and 9 or worse for 42% of our second half drives. This Offense, with the injuries we have, can't be in 2nd and 9 on 42% of our drives.

Between your film review and our 2 game winning streak you're pretty much carrying this forum now bud. keep up the good work!

[broncosfan_101]

I think for a (reachy) 3rd round rookie corner, it’s safe to say Michael Ojemudia has surpassed all of our expectations to this point. He’s playing very well. 

[AKRNA]

Does anyone know anything about this DT, Deshawn Williams? I kept seeing #90 being quite active on the DL. Did we bring him up from the PS when Casey was hurt?