Orange Colored Glasses: Nine and One-derful
“The Chiefs came into Denver with pundits oohing and ahhing over their punishing defense but limped back home having been exposed, undressed, and revealed to be the frauds that they are.”
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My buddy Phil invited me over to watch the game last night, along with a couple of other fellahs. I was reluctant to go and vacillated all day over whether or not I would. The unbeaten Chiefs were coming to town and the contest was going to play an enormous role in determining Denver’s path moving forward. A loss would probably cost them the AFC West title and frankly I didn’t need drunkards blabbing about politics while I was hanging on every play so I considered eschewing the invitation and staying home instead.
Then it dawned on me … this game was not going to be close at all. And it wasn’t.
I’m glad that I made the decision to go watch the Broncos take on the Chiefs with friend and football treats and booze and conversation. The game did not demand my uninterrupted attention because it was never a contest at all. The Denver Broncos are light years ahead of the Chiefs in every single imaginable way. That team does not even belong on the same field as the Broncos and that was proven last night – as it will be again in two weeks.
Kansas City’s defense is shockingly over-rated and on offense the Chiefs are a one-trick pony. The Broncos’ defense proved last night that all that must be done is to contain Jamaal Charles and KC has no other answers. Alex Smith is no better than any of the ten or so backup quarterbacks leading NFL teams this season. He’s average at best and he plays scared. Denver’s secondary was mostly unchallenged last night because Smith refused to test them. Save for some dump-offs to no-name tight ends and a handful of tosses to his security blanket, Dwayne Bowe, he just looked lost against the superior Broncos.
The Chiefs came into Denver with pundits oohing and ahhing over their punishing defense but limped back home having been exposed, undressed, revealed to be the frauds that they are. Their success has come at the hands of terrible NFL teams with quarterbacks coming off benches. The better defense on Sunday night was the one that nobody had been talking about – Denver’s.
Because the Broncos have a legend at quarterback at a host of offensive weapons they are talked about as an offensive team. It’s easy to overlook Denver’s defense. But, like other great teams, the Broncos get it done on both sides of the ball. And they are only getting better with each passing week.
Jamaal Charles busted one long run – for 35 yards. His other fifteen carries netted him only 43 yards. Charles is one of the most dominant backs in the league. For the Broncos to have stuffed him all night the way that they did is very impressive. And, if it weren’t for Manning, Decker, Thomas, Thomas and Welker that’s what people would be talking about around water coolers this morning.
Shaun Phillips is turning out to be the free-agent acquisition of the year for the Broncos. He and Wesley Woodyard are both playing exceptionally well and helping to disguise whatever is wrong with Von Miller. Alex Smith saw lots of pressure last night and that is a very encouraging sign. If there is one thing that has been worrisome about the 2013 Broncos it has been their pass rush. They got to Smith three times for sacks last night and held him to 230 passing yards. They took Smith out of his comfort zone.
Finally the AFC West is ours – and rightfully so. And the Broncos won’t give it back. They are going to beat the Chiefs again at Arrowhead in two weeks – in an even more convincing manner than they did yesterday. Believe that. The ongoing dilemma that “the Broncos won this week but the Chiefs did, too” is at long last over. We don’t need to look back now. We can make our plans.
I think that the Broncos will get beaten next Sunday in New England. That’s OK. The Chargers are going to come into Arrowhead and transform the Chiefs’ loss into a tailspin. So, both the Broncos and Chiefs will be 9-2 when Denver goes into Arrowhead to hand Kansas City its third straight loss. And then it’s smooth sailing toward the post-season for the Blue and Orange.
I’m fighting a nasty hangover thanks to partying with friends last night instead of studiously watching the Broncos from the safety of my man cave. But still it’s a great day to be a Broncos fan. My Broncos are nine and onederful and the fraud that was the Chiefs’ “perfection” has finally seen the light of day.
