Taking the D out of Undefeated (One of them at least)

So.....this is how it's going to be, huh Broncos? I was just wondering so I could, you know, take out a better life insurance policy or buy some stock in Pepto Bismol because if you guys keep up this pace, I'm going to be buying it by the Costco boatload. Bottom line: you won. I don't know how you won, but you won nonetheless. I'm not a religious man by any stretch of the imagination, but after watching the last couple of games, even I'm beginning to wonder whether or not a higher power is wearing orange and blue (or maybe the Mile High Magic is back.) Here are some blatantly true statements about the Broncos that I can safely make as we set our sights onto Week 4.

1) The offense is good.
Not just good, but hella bangin, gnarly, radically tubular good. Though the offense in today's game wasn't as spectacularly sharp as we've seen the first two weeks of the season, it still made enough plays at opportune times to make up for our sieve-like defense. Cutler's numbers of 21-34 for 264 yds and 2 TDs kept up his torrid pace and though his accuracy might have been just a little bit off today, he still captained the Broncos on 3 touchdown drives and without Scheffler's 4th quarter fumble inside the 10 yard line, should have been 4. Brandon Marshall continues to put up Nintendo numbers with a ho-hum 6 reception, 155 yard, 1 touchdown day. That gives him 24 receptions for 321 yards in only 2 games, both leading the league. Cutler's myriad of other weapons (Royal, Stokely, Scheffler, Jackson, Graham) have also done their parts thus far. It should definitely continue next week as we head to Kansas City to face the punchless Chiefs.

2) The defense is bad.
Not just bad, terrible, awful, no good, nauseating frustratingly-bad. Not only did we follow up a game in which we gave up 38 points and 500 yards of total offense with another game in which we gave up 32 points and another 500 yards of total offense, we did it by somehow making game changing plays and pulling out all the stops when the team needed it most. I'm not going to sit here and put lipstick on a pig (to use the parlance of our times) when I'm trying to give excuses for our defense. I'm also not complaining about stopping the Saints on that 4th and goal, or that 3rd and 1, or the 2 point conversion because that saved the game for us in the end. If you guys don't make those plays, we're a 2-1 team with more than a few question marks on your side of the ball. But that's all the more frustrating even for the average fan, not just the die-hards like yours truly. You prove that you can make the big play and shut down a high-octane offense if only for a few plays. Then you're still able to allow 421 yards through the air and another 100 on the ground. Just perhaps put together an entire game where you can do that and we'll be alright.

3) Deja vu isn't cool, but I'll deal.
This game was nearly a carbon copy of the San Diego game, save for the fortuitous call and gutsy last second heroics. We stormed out of the gate and off to a 21-3 lead in both games only to immediately give it back and then some. We finished off the first half with the lead, but in the second half we all of a sudden felt the urge to make it even more interesting. With a slim lead in the final few minutes of the 4th quarter, we were driving once again, looking to put the game out of reach once and for all and get a little breathing room for our defense. Cutler threw a pick in the end zone last week and Scheff fumbled on the 5. Why do we feel the need to do this? Who knows. All I care about is that both games ended in Broncos victories, the ONLY thing that really matters at the end of the day.

4) A real man makes his own luck.
Is it better to be lucky than good? Everyone's opinion is different. I can't argue with the Broncos end results, but much has been made about how these charmed Broncos seem to be winning. Last week it was the blown call by Ed Hochuli who was apparently the only referee to ever make a wrong call in any sporting event ever judging by the national media's response to it. This week it was Martin Gramatica doing his best Scott Norwood impression and man, was it dead on. Wide right. He missed two field goals in a game his Saints lost by 2. The national media will no doubt continue to spout off about how we're winning and if we're for real or not, but I'll tell you one thing. Our defense may not be able to stop you or even hope to contain you, but we sure as hell are going to outscore you. It might not even matter how many points you put up. We're going to do you one better.

Next week is a game the Broncos should undoubtedly roll. I know there are no easy wins in the NFL and everyone on the Chiefs roster is an NFL football player who has a lot of pride and at least a moderate skill set, but the Broncos should have absolutely no problem with this rebuilding franchise. That being said, we're going to come to play. Go Broncos.

Rox Recap 5/19/08 (Deja Vu All Over Again)

I came to a realization today about our boys after enjoying this rare 3 game winning streak they have so generously bestowed upon us. Their record as of today, May 20, stands at 18-27, hardly something to sneeze at (though my allergies have me doing quite the contrary.) 18-27 though. Sound familiar? Last year at this time, the Rox had the exact same 18-27 record as they had just lost the first game of a series in the desert with the D-Backs. Then Troy Tulowitzki, or so the story goes, erupted in the clubhouse after the game, screaming about how the team was too talented to be playing such shitty baseball. From that point on, well, you know the rest. The Rockies were the second best team in baseball the rest of the way going 72-46 and making their magical run to the World Series. I’m not saying history is going to repeat itself because we still have many glaring holes in our ballclub (starting pitching, second base, clutch hitting, upper management, manager, mascot, etc), but I still agree with Tulo circa 2007. This team is way too talented to be playing like they have been all year, and hopefully it’s only a matter of time before we begin another run…to at least mediocrity.

1) Clint Barmes: See Eric’s previous blog post.

2) The starting pitching has begun the slow turnaround as well, hopefully beginning a better trend than the Latin Invasion. Jorge (pronounced George like Jorge Piedra) de la Rosa threw 5.1 manageable innings yesterday, only allowing 2 earned runs and 4 hits. Though Jason "George Foreman" Grilli got the win, his first as a Rockie, our starting pitching has begun to pitch to their potential. From Four-Balldo to Francis, from Cookie to G-Rain (that’s Reynolds) we’ve gotten strong performances from everyone lately. It’s not their fault the offense hasn’t scored any runs or the bullpen hasn’t held their leads. If we continue on this path, everything else is going to fall into place.

3) You might not see a gutsier double play than the one turned by Omar Quintanilla last night in the 8^th. With no outs and runners on first and second, Aaron Rowand, after making the worst decision of his professional career by leaving the Phillies to sign with the Giants, swung at the first pitch and grounded to Atkins at third. He winged it to Quintaniller at second who hung in hard with the runner bearing down on him and somehow got enough on the throw to double up Rowand. He was even hit on the knee in midair and still managed to complete the play. If he doesn’t cowboy up there, it’s first and third with one out and the Rockies are still in trouble. Instead they get out of the inning and eventually take the game 4-3 for their third straight win. Skip Hurdle recognized the play as a turning point and even though Omahhhh is 0 for his last 15, plays like that win ballgames and the Rockies haven’t done enough of the little things right to be successful this season.

On a sidenote, my cousin Justin Masterson pitches for the Red Sox today against the Kansas City Royals in Fenway. In his Major League debut against Los Los Angeles Angeles, he threw 6 innings only giving up 2 hits and 1 run while striking out 4. No pressure though, but all he has to do is follow Jon Lester’s no hitter from last night.

Go…Jets?