WEEK 14: Lions at Bronco's

[thebestever6]

I cringed when Sanchez kept talking playoffs and comparing us to the 09 10 jets . i just don't see it at all great cupcake win today completely dominant.  We have 4 teams left in the AFC playoff hunt we control our own destiny. 

[paul-mac]

If the niners hold on to beat Cincinnati, that will be a great result for us.

[paul-mac]

Bills losing to Tampa is also good.

[paul-mac]

Let's go Jimmy G

[AKRNA]

16 minutes ago, bMiller031 said:

Even more decisively than I thought!

I knew somebody came close, just couldn't remember who.

[BroncoBruin]

Next week is almost like a playoff game with a 7-6 Bengals team coming to Denver. Loser of that game is going to be in a really bad spot. This team drives me crazy but it’s nice to be playing in big games again. 

[AKRNA]

22 minutes ago, BroncoBruin said:

Next week is almost like a playoff game with a 7-6 Bengals team coming to Denver. Loser of that game is going to be in a really bad spot. This team drives me crazy but it’s nice to be playing in big games again. 

Too true and too funny!

13 games into the season and still don't know who we are.

[Broncofan]

6 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

Yet again the biggest issue is the QB. Play calling has been fine and it was fine last week. Teddy is just not good enough to move the ball consistently even in favorable situations. 

Really the only negative from today.    No one got hurt of note, the run game was great, and our D played awesome, other than some soft run D in the 2Q/early 3Q (but got fixed).

Let's be clear - this wasn't even the normal Detroit team.  Their best 2 RB's, their top TE, missing their C, and their top 3 CB's, top 2 pass rushers and 1 of 2 starting ILB's and 1 of 2 starting safeties.   So yeah, this was supposed to be a slaughter, and it was.   We shouldn't take anything more out of this than we could from our first 3 games against NYJ/NYG/JAX.     This wasn't a pro-level team we faced.

BUT.....that also means our inability to take advantage of the pass game, it shows just how limited our QB play was.   Patrick had a bad drop, but really, it was TeddyB's inability to create anything on his own, or make the right read with anticipation - is our downfall.   Basically, our only path to winning is getting ahead, winning the TO battle, and then not having to rely on the pass game..at all.   It works against bad teams, or when we get a LAC/DAL situation where they turn it over a ton, and get behind early.   

On the plus side - this further reinforces the perception that we're a very desirable landing spot for next year's crop of trade market QB's.    We really only need the QB (plus HC/OC combo to maximize the O with said QB) to be a legitimate and sustained contender.    No matter the result of the next 4 games (for which a 1-3 outcome would be my take in TO-neutral games best-case, barring KC getting a Week 18 bye), the goal will be the same - hope for the young core guys to keep progressing, avoid injuries, and the rest will be a bonus. 

[Broncofan]

BTW, in case this was missed - pure class by DET to let DEN honor DT on the field.   Awesome move, tip my cap.

 

[lomaxgrUK]

Yeh, I don't think it's fair to call the Lions a poor opponent given everything they are going through injury/COVID related right now. Very exceptional circumstances. 

That was always going to happen. A paper thin team playing in altitude was never going to last the distance. Fair play, they threw some good punches in the 2nd but they just fell apart in the 3rd.

This probably won't be popular with the "run the ball crowd"; I still don't think our running game is as good is at that top level that is required for it to be the focal point of an Offense like the maybe the Derrick Henry Titans, or the Peterson Vikings back in the day. 

At some point, Bridgewater is going to have to make throws on every down in every situation, and he's going backwards if anything in that regard.

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by lomaxgrUK

[broncos67]

3 hours ago, lomaxgrUK said:

Yeh, I don't think it's fair to call the Lions a poor opponent given everything they are going through injury/COVID related right now. Very exceptional circumstances. 

That was always going to happen. A paper thin team playing in altitude was never going to last the distance. Fair play, they threw some good punches in the 2nd but they just fell apart in the 3rd.

This probably won't be popular with the "run the ball crowd"; I still don't think our running game is as good is at that top level that is required for it to be the focal point of an Offense like the maybe the Derrick Henry Titans, or the Peterson Vikings back in the day. 

At some point, Bridgewater is going to have to make throws on every down in every situation, and he's going backwards if anything in that regard.

 

I agree with this overall. I think it's clear Teddy is not long for this team. We just gave two WRs a bunch of money and invested draft capital in Jeudy and Hamler. We didn't do that for Sutton to have 1 catch. Someone else will be here in 2022, just a matter of who, but hopefully it's someone that throws the ball to their WRs.

[jsthomp2007]

52 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

I agree with this overall. I think it's clear Teddy is not long for this team. We just gave two WRs a bunch of money and invested draft capital in Jeudy and Hamler. We didn't do that for Sutton to have 1 catch. Someone else will be here in 2022, just a matter of who, but hopefully it's someone that throws the ball to their WRs.

I think it's Russ..I know there are a lot of comments that we won't trade for him.  But he throws the best deep ball in the league. Which means he will have four targets to go deep with...balls deep for everyone. And he will have a much much much better offensive line, and a running game.  Which when he went to back to back Super Bowls he had all of that, and a stout defense.  It just makes too much sense.  Plus, he got drafted by the Rockies; he was destined for Denver. 

[thebestever6]

win the game only drop 3 spots in draft position. 

[champ11]

Great to get an easy win yesterday. Super sad week and cool to see all the special moments on Sunday.

I think the obvious disappointment on the team is the passing game. I don't understand how this team is not getting chunk plays off of play action with the run game being solid. Obviously Shurmur is disappointing and Teddy just has not been great. 

I am hopeful that my thoughts before the season (being competent / competitive) can help us out in the Russ/Rodgers potential sweepstakes. Obviously will be a disappointment if they can find some more direction with the QB and coaching staff.

BUT. It is fun to have a solid team. We obviously were spoiled for decades so it is important to remember these things have processes. 

[AnAngryAmerican]

So I didn’t get to watch the game live - was at a family wedding in Colorado Springs (beautiful place BTW if you haven’t been there) - and I tried to stream on my phone but not so easy with a wife, 3-year old and all the in-laws (not to mention the open bar). 

So I watched it somewhat quickly last night. I agree with a lot of what has been said, Teddy’s numbers were much better than his play, no surprise there. Dre’Mont was a monster, great to see a breakout game from him, let’s hope it wasn’t just a flash in the pan, always thought he had hordes of ability. Love the running game but teams will figure it out. I think our OL is upper tier as run blockers and only above average in pass pro, but our OL experts here like UK, AK and BF know more than I do, so correct me if I’m wrong. 

We’re 7-6 and, like Deuce says, it’s good to see a team that is competing and respectable. A real QB and a real OC and we have a legit contender. We’re 4-0 against 4 teams who currently hold the #s 1, 2, 4 and 6 draft positions and 3-6 against the rest of the schedule, including a fluke win over a Cowboys team that was looking past us. 

It puts us in a weird spot - we want to be good enough to attract Rodgers/Wilson but also bad enough that Paton can justify firing the staff and ditching Teddy. It’s such a two-edged sword. It’s very, very similar to 2011 when we went 8-8 and won a playoff game with Tebow. 

If we can land Russell or Aaron and give them free rein on offense, even just have an OC in name only (Peyton called plays 2012-2014, McCoy was just collecting a paycheck all the way to a HC gig), then Vic can stick around and run the defense it might work. 

Anyway, great to get the win. Detroit is a better team than their record shows and they play their ***** off for Campbell but they’re still a hapless team that was further devastated with injuries and COVID ineligibilities.