It’s time for Denver’s D to “pull a Peyton”
“Denver’s defense has a golden opportunity to quiet its doubters in much the same way Peyton Manning did by beating the Titans on a frigid day. And, just like Manning’s “accomplishment”, it won’t really mean a whole lot. But even a little window dressing can’t hurt.”
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He couldn’t win in the cold … but against Tennessee he did.
Peyton Manning knew the narrative surrounding his performances in cold weather and he made a point of proving his doubters wrong against the Titans at Mile High.
Now it’s Denver’s defensive unit’s turn to flip the script.
They can’t get to the quarterback. They are soft against the pass. They can’t stop teams on third down. They can’t control a game. They are among the five worst defenses in the NFL. They are going to keep the Broncos from winning the Super Bowl. That’s the narrative surrounding the Denver D. It’s time for them to “pull a Peyton” this coming Sunday against the crappy Texans.
With quarterback Case Keenum listed as questionable for week sixteen there’s a very good chance that Denver will see Matt Schaub start for Houston. Schaub is a turnover machine. The Broncos’ secondary could feast. A pick-six or two could be a nice confidence booster for a unit that’s been burned repeatedly throughout the season.
Running back Ben Tate is also a potential scratch. If he were to not play the Texans would be left starting undrafted free-agent Dennis Johnson. The Broncos haven’t been too shabby against the run this season, despite what Ryan Matthews did to them last Thursday. It hasn’t hurt their cause, of course, that teams are usually coming from behind and aren’t able to rely on the ground game very often.
Peyton Manning should have a mammoth game on Sunday. He’s chasing the all-time passing yardage and touchdown passing single-season records. Facing a two-win team that has surrendered its self to playing for the first pick in next year’s draft is just what the doctor ordered for Denver’s angry offense – which was held to just twenty points against the Chargers. This should force the Texans to throw, throw, throw.
Denver’s defense has a golden opportunity to quiet its doubters in much the same way Peyton Manning did by beating the Titans on a frigid day. And, just like Manning’s “accomplishment”, it won’t really mean a whole lot. But even a little window dressing can’t hurt. Nobody believes that the Broncos can go all the way without improving on defense. A boost in confidence at the expense of the Texans could go a long way.
