Week 12 GDT : CLE @ DEN

[The Helicopter]

1 hour ago, Cutler06 said:

Was really surprised how we kept the CLE running game in check, especially after our run D has struggled over this season. 

 

Looking over the remainder of our schedule, only HOU and DET seem a bit daunting, is it possible we could win out and find our way into the playoffs ? At worst it looks like 4-2 but that'd place us at 10-7 for the season. Imagine if we had won the games we should've in the early part of the season, Easily could've had a 12-5 season

No, don’t play the backwards game. We had a lot of bad football to coach out. If anything this season speaks to how poorly this team was coached in the past. I know we lost to the Jets, but this is a different team now. We could still slide with injuries or bad breaks. One game at a time…keep playing hard to the finish. I hope Russ shows signs of being the QBOTF. His numbers are much improved. Perhaps better OL talent and play would up his game.

[7DnBrnc53]

Not surprised that they held Cleveland to 12 points, but didn't think that Denver would score 29. Great job!!!

Now, on to Houston. Got to get a W there.

[Broncofan]

15 hours ago, broncosfan_101 said:

I’m pretty sure I was the most bull-ish on Sean Payton of anyone on this board, but even I was selling him short. 

 

15 hours ago, Cutler06 said:

Gotta point out the improvement on ST this year. Prior couple of years our ST was abysmal, another SP area of improvement

 

14 hours ago, Cutler06 said:

Was really surprised how we kept the CLE running game in check, especially after our run D has struggled over this season. 

 

Looking over the remainder of our schedule, only HOU and DET seem a bit daunting, is it possible we could win out and find our way into the playoffs ? At worst it looks like 4-2 but that'd place us at 10-7 for the season. Imagine if we had won the games we should've in the early part of the season, Easily could've had a 12-5 season

 

It's a really good W - but I don't think we can say we controlled the run game.   CLE's HC Stefanski somehow thought running the ball 4x with Jerome Ford in the 1H was the key to success.    And then once they fell behind, they only ran him 9x for 65 yards.    Deciding to go pass heavy in the 1H, and then go with that cutesy reverse that led to the backbreaker fumble, was a Hackett-like coaching job by Stefanski.  I don't for a moment believe we're any better in our run D.

Still, the rest of the W, it's full credit to the players & coaches.   Once again, we won the TO game.   We also have a + ST unit that can flip the field.   And we had a strong run game, and we absolutely stymied the pass game (easier once DTR left - PJ Walker wouldn't succeed in the CFL, let alone here - but we did force DTR out).  

If anything, this points to just how apocalyptic our coaching has been with Hackett everywhere and in Fangio's time on O/ST - and how much good coaching makes such a difference.   I'll give credit to Vance Joseph - still not convinced our front 7 isn't going to get ruthlessly exposed as time goes on, but he's got the pass rush & coverage working well in sync (why teams don't decide they're going to run it 30X+ on us, though, I'll just accept that there are other teams that have bad playcallers & OC's, much like we've experienced for years on end).    It also shows why having players who go all-out matters - it's no coincidence ridding ourselves of Frank Clark and Randy Gregory was followed by our pass rush & pass D taking a quantum leap forward (yes, getting Ja'Quan McMillan & Moreau at CB2-3 was massive, but it was a combo effort).

HOU will pose a different test - because their D can be beat, but has been opportunistic (sound like any team we know? LOL), but the O is all about CJ Stroud.  And the OL does a decent job protecting him.   It's certainly a winnable game, but the EST travel and early game, and Stroud's legit ability, will pose a very different gameplan.

I still don't see us as a legitimate team (we wouldn't go far in the playoffs with Russ-limited version vs. good teams minus some more +3 TO games lol).   But playing meaningful games in December is something we haven't had in a long time.   Full credit to Payton, the coaching staff & the players for hanging in.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Broncofan

[lomaxgrUK]

I can't believe the turnovers are still being generated. At what point does the unsustainable become sustainable? NFL history would say it won't, but it's been 5 games in a row now.

I think it's fair to say every person on this forum, myself in particular, need to give a huge pat on the back to Coach Payton for sticking with Vance. He called another fantastic game yesterday, in particular on 3rd down I felt.

I still think the Offense's reliance on Defense is going to make this team very vulnerable should the Defense lay an egg. That said, I am loving the way they are playing right now and how they are playing to their strengths on both sides of the ball. That's a sign of a well coached team.

Bring on the Texans.

[AnAngryAmerican]

9 hours ago, Broncofan said:

If anything, this points to just how apocalyptic our coaching has been with Hackett everywhere and in Fangio's time on O/ST - and how much good coaching makes such a difference.   I'll give credit to Vance Joseph - still not convinced our front 7 isn't going to get ruthlessly exposed as time goes on, but he's got the pass rush & coverage working well in sync (why teams don't decide they're going to run it 30X+ on us, though, I'll just accept that there are other teams that have bad playcallers & OC's, much like we've experienced for years on end).    It also shows why having players who go all-out matters - it's no coincidence ridding ourselves of Frank Clark and Randy Gregory was followed by our pass rush & pass D taking a quantum leap forward (yes, getting Ja'Quan McMillan & Moreau at CB2-3 was massive, but it was a combo effort).

Before the season began, I said this year will provide a good case study of how important coaching is in the modern NFL.

We didn't have a huge amount of personnel turnover; Sean/Vance are playing with a roster that is not terribly dissimilar from what Hackett/Evero had last year and the results have been almost 180 degrees different. McGlinchy and Powers are really our only newcomers who have been major contributors, and yes both are upgrades over what we had last year, but everything about this team has improved and I think that lies at Sean and his staff. Very well done. 

[broncosfan_101]

I’m already looking forward to the PJ Locke vs. Caden Sterns battle in training camp next summer. 

[lomaxgrUK]

39 minutes ago, broncosfan_101 said:

I’m already looking forward to the PJ Locke vs. Caden Sterns battle in training camp next summer. 

I just wish one of them could stay healthy. If they were both healthy, we'd 100% be seeing 'big Nickel' packages on 3rd down that we used to see under Vic quite a lot.

 

[lomaxgrUK]

one other thing - there is usually a 99.9% chance that a draft darling of this website (not the Broncos forum per se, but the draft forum) doesn't work out. I don't even know how it happens, but a name gets out there and then fans for every team starts pining for them.

JOK is definitely that 0.1% that worked out. Holy cow, he was everywhere yesterday. His name was everywhere on this forum prior to the draft and (for once) with good reason.

[anewdawn]

Man it was so nice to watch a game I really enjoyed.  Loved seeing Russ run by intent and be successful.  I liked when the announcers commented that we still have a lot to improve meaning we could get much better too.  Two huge games coming up with Houston and the Lions.  Really liking the texans as I bet on them and the Lions too but that Lion D needs more upfront.  How they didn't outbid SF for Chase Young still stuns me as a second team fan  - like a real third vs a compensatory 3rd, hell how other teams didn't offer more than a compensatory third stuns me.  NFL trading is the weirdest of any league imo, just doesnt make sense sometimes...... 

[BroncoBruin]

On 11/27/2023 at 8:27 AM, lomaxgrUK said:

I just wish one of them could stay healthy. If they were both healthy, we'd 100% be seeing 'big Nickel' packages on 3rd down that we used to see under Vic quite a lot.

 

The Sterns injury IMO was the worst development of the season. I think Sterns could be a star who hasn’t been on the field enough to prove it, but even if he has the healthy breakout season next year, how can you pay him a contract of any significance with his history? 

[Broncofan]

1 hour ago, BroncoBruin said:

The Sterns injury IMO was the worst development of the season. I think Sterns could be a star who hasn’t been on the field enough to prove it, but even if he has the healthy breakout season next year, how can you pay him a contract of any significance with his history? 

There's a scenario where Sterns plays OK, but not great, as it's the first year back from a brutal injury - and we can sign him to a team-friendly 3-year extension (with only 1-2 years guaranteed).    But yeah, that's probably a lot of copium lol.   Sigh.  

[AkronsWitness]

3 hours ago, BroncoBruin said:

The Sterns injury IMO was the worst development of the season. I think Sterns could be a star who hasn’t been on the field enough to prove it, but even if he has the healthy breakout season next year, how can you pay him a contract of any significance with his history? 

I thought the same thing about KJ Hamler for 3 years until well....you know lol

Edited November 29, 2023 by AkronsWitness