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.

Greatest Game Since Elway?

Just think about it. Sunday's unbelievable win against the Chargers wasn't only the game of the short NFL season, but it might have been the greatest win for the Broncos since John Elway's last game, Super Bowl XXXIII all the way back in 1999. There are many cases you can make for the 2005 Divisional Playoff win against Bill Beeeee-licheck and the Patriots and you wouldn't be wrong. Hell, I might even agree with you on that account, but it doesn't in any way diminish the Broncos victory over a hated division rival. In a game that was so wild, Bear Grylls was on the sidelines trying to fashion a makeshift shanty using only Shawne Merriman's syringes and Phillip Rivers' inflated ego, the Broncos emerged victorious thanks to one of the gutsiest coaching decisions in recent memory and a 4th quarter comeback that may remind Broncos fans of a certain #7 in the sky.

1) Let's forget about all the superlatives you could use to describe this football game and let's just focus on the facts. Here's a sample:
Jay Cutler- 36-50, 350 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Brandon Marshall- 18 receptions, 166 yds, 1 TD
Tony Scheffler- 6 rec, 64 yds, 2 TD
Eddie Royal- 5 rec, 37 yds, TD, 2 PT conversion catch
Selvin Young- 8 rush, 78 yds
The Bailey Bros- 13 tackles, 1 INT
Mike Shanahan- 2 enormous cajones

Cutler had career highs in completions, attempts, passing yards, and touchdowns. Coming into the game, the only talk was of Chargers QB and resident loudmouth redneck Phillip Rivers talking smack to Cutler in last year's Christmas Eve game in which the Chargers dominated the Broncos 23-3. We all wanted to shut Rivers the hell up and in a way, we did I guess. Rivers still had some damn impressive numbers by throwing for 377 yards, but he didn't get the win which is a direct correlation to the game put up by JC (Jay Cutler, not Jesus Christ, but hell, a few more games like this and I'll be ready to crown him worthy heir to the Elway throne.) Though the offense stalled in the third and most of the fourth quarters, Cutler had a dominating game. His passes were lightning quick, he was putting the ball in places where only his receivers had a chance to catch it, and he led a clutch 4th quarter game winning drive that was reminiscent of, that's right you guessed it, Sir John of Elway. He was cool under pressure, really only made one bad throw on the game (the interception on the goal line with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter), and exuded the confidence that a top tier quarterback in the NFL should have and needs to have. With the numbers he has put up so far and the way he's controlling the best offense in football thus far, Cutler's name should begin to be mentioned with the upper echelon of quarterbacks in this league.

2) Brandon Marshall had one of the greatest receiving days in NFL history yesterday. That's right, in the 60 years of the NFL, only one receiver had had better single game numbers than the ones Brandon Marshall put up yesterday. That receiver would be Terrell Owens who back in 2000, caught 20 balls in a game. I'm not sure if it was right before or after that he went to the media and told him that his quarterback Jeff Garcia was gay (though the guy was currently dating a Playboy model.....do I smell jealousy, T.O.?) B-Marsh was catching all kinds of passes from JC. Passes with 3 guys on his back, passes near the back of the end zone, passes with Antonio Cromartie trying to decapitate him. It didn't matter where Jay threw the ball, Brandon was going to come down with it. Brandon said he wanted to catch 140 balls this year even with missing the first game due to his suspension. Before yesterday, you might have laughed at him, but now you have to wonder if he's just crazy enough to do it.

3) What more can you say about the kid so far? Eddie Royal didn't put up the kind of numbers he did last week against the Raiders and he only had 37 yards total receiving on the day. But he had the two most important catches of the day when the Broncos, the fans, and the city of Denver needed it most. He hauled in Cutler's 4th and Goal toss with 24 seconds left and also the two point conversion on the ensuing play. You don't expect this kind of poise from a rookie in his second NFL game, and he just adds a wonderful weapon to our suddenly explosive offense.

4) The stones on that man.......Mike Shanahan, we here at Frost Brewed Baseball Mile-High-Salute you, Sir. For two years we have watched Shanny's normally expansive playbook be whittled down to a bland combination of runs and play action passes. There was no more razzle dazzle and, to be honest, no more killer instinct on the part of the coaching staff. This may have been because the Broncos didn't have the weapons they have now, but starting last week, glimpses of the old Shanahan came back into the public spotlight. His admitting that he'll always hate the Raiders, his use of Eddie Royal as receiver, running back, and quarterback in last week's ballgame, and the cherry on top of a knockout sundae sundae sundae, the decision to go for 2 instead of kicking the extra point to tie and send the game to overtime. Yes, we got the benefit of the doubt on a few calls that probably should've gone the other way. Whatever. To all you bitching and moaning about the favorable calls for the Broncos, every team in a given season has calls go their way that probably shouldn't have so just enough with it. The game's over and there's no use crying over it (I'm talking to you Norv Turner.) Shanny's decision to go for the win, knowing that the outcome of the play either makes him a genius or a martyr, took GUTS, but he raced up the Aggro-Crag and ended up on top of the AFC with only the Steelers and superstar-less Patriots to keep him company (The Titans realized that Vince Young pretty much sucks and they could win without him and are also 2-0 along with the surprising Buffalo Bills. ETID is probably very happy.) He showed supreme confidence in his offense and showed the fans that he's going for it this year. The days of the Broncos wallowing in mediocrity are over if Shanny has anything to say about it.

It took me about two hours to get my breath back to a normal rate after yesterday's game, and I haven't been this excited about my beloved Broncos since the 2005 playoffs. My optimism is still cautious but I'm beginning to get that fervor back. Look out.