redefining "light" posting

So I took a couple weeks off from blogging. No big deal, to be sure.

But to come back to the 'sphere with an article about the Broncos? Their goes any last vestige of "legitimacy" I can muster. . .

. . .but it must be done. You see, the B-men stunk it up big-time yesterday. And I know a lot of blame is going to be laid at the feet of Jake Plummer. And while I've been as harsh on him as anybody, he is not the reason yesterday went so bad so fast.

Remember that billion-dollar defense that had Broncos fans giddy in anticipation earlier this year? Well, they clunked--Big Time! I know that Indy's offense is very good, but to give up 35 points in the first half was beyond embarassing. It was even worse than last year's performance, the performance that brought about all these changes that were supposed to make the Broncos contenders again.

Champ Bailey? Well, all I can say about him is that he wasn't thrown to very often--but there was one play early in the game just WAITING for him to make, and he didn't. Dallas Clark made a spectacular catch, to be sure--but a million-dollar cornerback should have TAKEN that ball out of the air, making Clark's single-hand a non-factor in the play.

John Lynch? Hey, I like the guy--but he really didn't add a lot to the team's play this game, did he?

Al Wilson? If you want to lose your cool and look like a Raider, at least save it for the sidelines. On YOUR sideline were the people you really needed to get all huffy and puffy at!

And the list goes on. As a unit, they performed MISERABLY! And before you go giving the Colts too much credit, consider that just 4 weeks ago the Broncos D looked exactly this bad against the Chiefs--a Chiefs team that, for all their potential, hadn't really put up the huge numbers this year. The Broncos seemed to be the perfect remedy for them, just like they were the perfect remedy for a Colts offense that wasn't sick to begin with.

The problem? Gosh, where to begin. . .I think I'll start with our front 4. While I love the fact that the B-men are notoriously aggressive on defense, it would be nice if they didn't have to blitz just to get pressure on the QB. Against the better O lines in the game (Indy, KC, even San Diego), our front four didn't do the job. And while Pryce might have made a little difference in the unit's play, I don't think he's worth that much. We need a corner-burning DE, and that's something that you can buy--IF you understand your needs. The Broncos, desperately lacking a big-play DE for many years, have blown this call time and again.

Secondly, I'll hit our defensive coordinator. Indy throws 3 pretty good wide receivers into the defensive backfield--and one of them was constantly undressing Rock Alexander. While he may go on to a hall-of-fame career, yesterday he was not ready for the big time, but the big time is what he got. We needed to understand that before the game started, or at least make an adjustment before it got out of hand. Wayne's 150-yard first half lets you know that we failed pre-game and we failed in-game, and that falls at the feet of Larry Coyer.

And for all you Plummer-bashers out there, I've got something on the offensive side of the line, too. That was an awful game plan! For a team that knows it must keep the opposition's offense on the sidelines to keep the game respectable, their calls in the first half were the epitome of sick. If you have a problem with putting the ball in Jake's hands, then you need a different quarterback. If, however, you're going to let Plummer drive you to the dance, then you darn well better let him drive. The first half was so cautious, so careful--so "not playoff caliber", you would think the B-men were prepping for a 10-6 final score! And that 's not the first time I've had a problem with the B-men's play-calling. One of the fastest offenses in the league barely looks to go downfield. . .one of the best running offenses in the league makes horribly transparent calls on short-yardage situations. . .etc etc etc.

The good news is, of course, that nobody really expected anything from them yesterday. Last year, the day after losing to the Colts I was really bummed. This year, I was "over it" by the time the second half rolled around. I guess that can be called progress. . .although I'm not exactly sure what kind of progress it is!