For Denver Broncos fans and Baltimore Ravens fans alike, the bye week is finally over, and it is time to get back to work.

This week’s matchup pits the Broncos (6-0, 1st place AFC West) against the Ravens (3-3, 3rd place AFC North) in what figures to be a pivotal matchup for both teams.

Denver has a flawless record following their bye week, and only one injury to report which has some fearing the off time came a bit too early for Denver this season, though it was nothing they could control.

The Ravens are a very intriguing matchup for the Broncos, especially since it will be a road game.

After starting the season 3-0, the Ravens appeared to be one of the NFL’s top teams following an impressive 2008 campaign which saw them win 11 games.  It appeared as though they were on track to increase last year’s total following victories over Kansas City, San Diego, and Cleveland.

Then it went downhill.

The Ravens lost three straight games by a combined 11 points, including a two-point loss against Minnesota in week six on a missed field goal by kicker Steven Hauschka as time expired.

Three losses by eleven points would lead one to believe that the Ravens are much better than their record would indicate, and I think they are.

For the first time this decade, Baltimore boasts a better offense than they do defense, led by their passing game and quarterback Joe Flacco.

Flacco has had an outstanding season so far, but the MVP of Baltimore’s offense has got to be undersized running back Ray Rice, who leads the team in both rushing and receiving. 

Rice has rushed for 441 yards and three touchdowns on a six yard per carry average, and has 33 receptions for 325 yards and a touchdown. 

The Ravens are in the top ten of every major offensive category, and boast the league’s ninth ranked run defense.  This is a team that can get out to a large early lead, and hold on to it.

How will the Broncos counter?

The biggest thing for Denver will be running the ball.  The Broncos have the league’s seventh best rush offense, but they did not look great running the ball against San Diego for some odd reason. 

If the Broncos are unable to run the ball, Baltimore will be in the game until the very end, if they haven’t already run away with it.  Inversely, if the Broncos can run the ball effectively, they will most certainly control this game from the outset.

Denver’s defense has been absolutely suffocating this season, ranking in the top ten of every major defensive category.

The biggest thing with Denver’s defense is that they are aggressive, and the Ravens like to run a lot of screen plays.  If the Broncos blitz early and often, the Ravens will take advantage by dumping the ball to Ray Rice or Willis McGahee on a screen play.

Mike Nolan will have his unit well prepared, and the Broncos always seem to make proper adjustments during the game anyway.

If Denver can limit the big play on screen passes, it will be hard for the Ravens to really get anything going on offense.  It doesn’t appear as though they will match up well with Denver’s outstanding defensive backs either.

On the other side of the ball, the Broncos have some very favorable matchups.  Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, and Tony Scheffler could have a field day against a Ravens defense that ranks only 24th against the pass.

Kyle Orton has played exceptional football so far this season, and virtually mistake free.  If he can keep the ball away from Ed Reed’s grasp, the Broncos will have to do a lot to beat themselves offensively.

The Ravens have home field advantage in this game, but the Broncos are hungry for their seventh consecutive victory.  If Baltimore is going to keep pace in the AFC North, they need to win this game and move to 4-3.

It should be an exciting contest in Baltimore on Sunday.

This will be the first installment of this particular segment, and I don’t think it could have come at a better time given the fact that our Denver Broncos are currently concluding their bye week.

There was still a lot of football being played on Sunday, and a lot that involved Denver indirectly.  Here is a roundup of Sunday’s activities and how the Broncos were impacted.

San Diego 37, Kansas City 7

The Chargers travelled to Kansas City on Sunday, and the Chiefs or “Texans” as they dressed up as might as well have not showed up. 

The Chargers came into Arrowhead and simply embarrassed their division rivals, and leading the way were Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson.

This game is impactful for the Broncos in two respects:

1. San Diego decreased their deficit in the AFC West to 3 games with the win
2. Kansas Ciy is now 5.5 games back in the division

San Diego moves to 3-3 on the season, while the Chiefs go to a dismal 1-6.

New York Jets 38, Oakland 0

To be blunt, Oakland and Kansas City are the reason this division is labelled the AFC “Worst”.  The Raiders are absolutely horrendous, and are a train wreck sitting on a 2-5 record with losses against San Diego and Denver at home, who are both ahead of them in the standings.

Oakland was flat out embarrassed on Sunday by the visiting Jets, who were led by their outstanding running game.  It must have been the fact that I decided to wear my Iowa Shonn Greene jersey, because the dude went off.  The third round pick had 144 yards on 19 carries and two touchdown runs, but it doesn’t stop there.  Veteran Thomas Jones added over 100 yards and a touchdown of his own in the rout.

Oakland is now 4.5 games behind Denver in the AFC West.

Cincinnatti 45, Chicago 10

My brothers are Bears fans, so I felt bad watching this drubbing, but part of me enjoys watching Jay Cutler fail…And then I remember that he is on my fantasy football team.

Just days after signing a contract to give him a pay raise, Cutler threw his eighth, ninth, and tenth interceptions to the Cincinnati Bengals, who proved they are a legitimate contender for the playoffs when they are fully healthy.

The Bengals controlled this game from the outset, and quarterback Carson Palmer had his team out to a 31-3 lead at halftime on the strength of four touchdown passes.  He would go on to finish the game with five.

Probably the most intriguing part of this game was Cedric Benson, the Bengals’ RB, playing his first game against the Chicago Bears since he was released over a year ago.

Benson had 189 yards on the ground with a touchdown, and he became the NFL’s top rusher through seven games.

This game is significant to Denver fans because the Broncos own Chicago’s first round draft pick, which if the season ended right now would be in the top 15.

Attention Broncos fans–I have been given a very unique opportunity.

Next week I will conduct an interview with former Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, one of the most decorated players in team history.

Since his playing days in Denver with a unit that is known as “The Orange Crush”, Mecklenburg has become a very successful public speaker and recently wrote a book entitled Heart of a Student Athlete:  All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families.

I really look forward to the interview, and I very much look forward to sharing my experience with all of you.  Watch for that in next week’s posts.

Although a bye week after six games is not ideal, the Denver Broncos are sitting pretty at 6-0, and 3.5 games ahead of San Diego in the AFC West.

The Broncos have been quite a surprise story to many this year, and as fans head into two weeks with no Denver Bronco football, here is a recap of the incredible ride the first six games have been.

Week One–@ Cincinnati  12-7 W

What many expected to be an offensive struggle turned out to be a defensive battle between the Broncos and Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium to kick off the season.

Denver led 6-0 most of the game, and they had a really good chance to put the game on ice late in the fourth quarter with a Matt Prater field goal, but Kyle Orton took a sack, foolishly, putting the Broncos out of field goal range.

The sack cost the Broncos in a big way, as the Bengals drove down the field with their two minute offense, and took a 7-6 lead with 38 second remaining.

Then the magic happened.

After Orton missed wide receiver Brandon Marshall on a first down pass, he threw to him again on second down and Cincinnati cornerback Leon Hall leaped in the air to swat the ball away—or so he thought.

Hall’s tipped pass was caught by Brandon Stokley who sprinted to the end zone on a play that has been dubbed “The Immaculate Deflection” to win the game for the Broncos.

The win against the Bengals is the most questioned for the Broncos, but Denver didn’t cheat or win in an unfair way, they just won.  Plain and simple, even if it was ugly.

1-0

Week Two–vs. Cleveland  W  27-6

This game was really over before it started.  Denver’s defense was led by a ferocious pass rush, one that saw outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil record four sacks on quarterback Brady Quinn.

Correll Buckhalter, Peyton Hillis, and Tony Scheffler each had a touchdown in Denver’s dominant effort, and the Broncos completed the two game sweep of the state of Ohio.

2-0

Week Three–@ Oakland  W  23-3

At this point, people still thought the Broncos were just a beneficiary of poor competition, and the smack talk was in full form for the first Raider week of the season.

Correll Buckhalter, Knowshon Moreno, and the Broncos’ running game absolutely thrashed the Raiders, running for a combined 198 yards.  Denver controlled the line of scrimmage all game long, and the Broncos’ defense held Oakland to only nine first downs.

The Bronco defense was starting to show its true dominant form, and wide receiver Brandon Marshall caught his first touchdown pass of the season.

Still, the haters were in full form, and the win was not so much credited to the Broncos as it was to the deficiencies of the Oakland Raiders, who did not really stand a chance in this game.

3-0

Week Four–vs. Dallas  W  17-10

Many figured that Dallas was Denver’s first real test of the season and that the Broncos would be overmatched against a big, athletic Cowboys front line.

After one quarter of play, they appeared to be right.

Dallas led 10-0, and the Broncos were back on their heels as Tony Romo and the Cowboys had the ball back once again and were looking to increase their lead to 17.

On two plays, safety Renaldo Hill sacked and forced a fumble of Romo which was recovered by Denver, and Knowshon Moreno caught one of the more improbable touchdown passes you will see to put the Broncos back in the game with a score of 10-7.

Denver tied the game later on at 10 points apiece, but the drama was not even getting started.

After the two-minute warning, Kyle Orton threw a deep ball to Brandon Marshall who simply went over Terrance Newman to catch the ball, and the whirling dervish himself dashed to the end zone 51 yards to put the Broncos ahead by a touchdown.

On the ensuing Dallas drive, Tony Romo escaped pressure and dumped a pass to Sam Hurd, who took the ball deep into Denver territory.

The Cowboys ended up getting the ball on the Denver two yard line, and Tony Romo tried throwing the ball into one-on-one coverage between Hurd and Denver cornerback Champ Bailey.  Needless to say, the Cowboys’ attempts at the end zone failed, and Denver won a nail-biter at home.

4-0

Week Five–vs. New England  W  20-17 (OT)

Ah, the battle of the “hoodies.”

Josh McDaniels and the Broncos played host to his mentor and friend Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in Denver’s first throwback game of the season.

For the second consecutive week, the Broncos found themselves in a 10-0 rut, and at halftime, the Patriots appeared to be in control with a 17-7 lead.

Brandon Marshall and the Broncos’ defense would not be denied, however, and Denver stormed back to tie the game at 17-all behind a pair of Marshall touchdown catches and a Matt Prater field goal.

The Patriots had the ball with just over two minutes left, and it appeared as though Tom Brady would orchestrate one of his ever so famous fourth quarter comeback drives to win the game, and the Patriots actually made it to about midfield before Brady was sacked for the first time that game by Vonnie Holliday who forced a fumble—which Denver recovered.

The game ended up in overtime, and Kyle Orton did what everyone figured Brady would do, and drove the Broncos down the field on a drive that resulted in a game-winning field goal by Matt Prater.

5-0

Week Six–@ San Diego  W  34-23

Even though they were 5-0, the Broncos were still not getting much respect from the big boys in the media, so they still had a lot to prove against the Chargers who were absolutely desperate for a victory.

Eddie Royal lit up Qualcomm Stadium with two first-half return touchdowns, one on a kickoff and one on a punt which paced a high-scoring first half of football, which saw the Chargers lead 20-17 going into the break.

Denver’s defense continued its second half dominance, allowing San Diego’s potent offense only three points.

As for the Broncos’ offense, they were led by the arm of Kyle Orton who threw two touchdown passes, one to tight end Tony Scheffler and one to wide receiver Brandon Stokley.

The Denver defense was absolutely suffocating for Philip Rivers, and Elvis Dumervil once again paved the way for a Broncos pass rush that ranks first in the NFL with 21 sacks on the season.

6-0

The first six games of the Broncos’ season have been absolutely magical, and this Denver team is the best fans have had since the John Elway days.

Fans are brimming with confidence and players are picking up all kinds of accolades and achievements, and this team is finally getting the respect it deserves after an offseason when so many gave up hope.

There simply are not enough game balls to go around.

The Denver Broncos are off to a 6-0 start after going on the road and defeating the San Diego Chargers 34-23 in a prime time matchup on Monday Night Football.

The Broncos made a huge statement with this win, putting on their most complete performance of the season so far in front of a national audience as they increased their lead in the AFC West to an outstanding 3.5 games.

Enough is enough of this “surprising” tag that has been attached to the Broncos, they are absolutely for real and are playing their best ball this decade.

Monday night’s game went as a lot of Bronco fans expected, as the Chargers were forced into a one-dimensional offense and their inability to run the ball really cost them in the end.

Game Recap

First Quarter

After a 92 yard San Diego drive resulted in a short Nate Kaeding field goal, Eddie Royal ignited some fireworks at Qualcomm Stadium.  Royal took the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to give the Broncos a 7-3 lead.

That lead would be short lived as Philip Rivers and the Chargers drove the ball right back down the field again, finishing a 74 yard drive with a three yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiver Vincent Jackson, putting the score at 10-7 in favor of the home team.

Second Quarter

After a long 13 play drive ended in a Matt Prater field goal to start the scoring in the third quarter, the Broncos tied the game at 10 points apiece.

Following the field goal, the Broncos forced the Chargers into a three-and-out, and the Mike Scifres punt was taken 71 yards to the house by Eddie Royal, becoming the first player since Devin Hester in 2007 to return both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in the same game.

The Broncos, now nourishing a 17-10 lead, were able to stop the Chargers short of a touchdown on their next drive, and San Diego settled for another Nate Kaeding field goal, this one from 44 yards out.

Denver’s following drive was pitiful, and they were forced into a three-and-out.  Bronco punter Brett Kern made the decision to punt the ball to Darren Sproles, which is never a great idea.  Sproles took the punt all the way to the end zone, giving the Chargers huge momentum heading into halftime with a 20-17 lead.

Third Quarter

Another Nate Kaeding field goal gave the Chargers a six point lead, but the Broncos answered right back.

Following the field goal, Kyle Orton hooked up with Tony Scheffler on a beautiful 19 yard touchdown pass that capped off a nine play, 77 yard drive to give the Broncos the lead for good.

Fourth Quarter

Following an Elvis Dumervil forced fumble that was recovered by Vonnie Holliday, the Broncos had probably the shortest ten play drive in the league so far this year, going 36 yards in ten plays.  That drive was capped off by a Matt Prater field goal to give the Broncos a 27-23 lead.

Late in the fourth, Orton and the Broncos were on their most important drive of the night and set up for their most important third down conversion of the night, a third-and-goal from five yards out.  Kyle Orton dropped back to pass and hit Brandon Stokley right at the goal line for a touchdown that put the game out of reach for the San Diego Chargers.

Random Game Thoughts

In the intro, I said there were not enough game balls to go around, but having given it some thought, the game ball has to go to Eddie Royal.  The Broncos may not have won without Royal’s two return touchdowns, and neither would my little brother in fantasy.

Royal’s special teams performance was absolutely phenomenal, and he set a Denver Broncos record for return yardage in a game with 230.

Now to those who also deserved a game ball.

Tony Scheffler had his best game as a professional in my opinion.  I’m sure the stat line (Six catches, 101 yards, TD) are not the most staggering for his career, but he played extremely well and was the Broncos’ biggest difference maker offensively.

The offensive line was outstanding for the Broncos.  The Chargers had one sack on the night, and it came as Larry English was being pancaked by Ryan Clady.  The only suspect area for this unit was in the running game, where the Broncos were slow to get it going at times.

Denver’s third down defense was at its best on Monday night, holding the Chargers to only two conversions on 11 attempts on the night.  The Broncos gave up a few screen passes in the first half, but in the end, their defense did exactly what I thought they would, and they put the heat on Philip Rivers.

Elvis Dumervil led the Denver defense tonight, recording two sacks and a forced fumble of Philip Rivers.  As a unit, the Broncos had five sacks and were seemingly in Philip Rivers’ face the entire second half.

Switching back to the offensive side of the ball, how good has Kyle Orton been for the Broncos so far this season?  After his performance tonight, he has thrown for 1,465 yards, nine touchdowns, one fluke pick, and he has a rating of 100.1.

Orton is truly playing MVP caliber football through six games this season, and is running Josh McDaniels’ offense better than anybody expected.  His efficiency in the red zone and accuracy have been crucial to the Broncos’ success this season.  Orton improved to 27-12 as a starting quarterback in this league, and many, including myself, feel he has played at a Pro Bowl level so far this season.

Clearly, this Denver Broncos coaching staff has this team in a good place.  They didn’t listen to the nay-sayers prior to this season (so they claim), but they sure are shutting them up so far.

Mike Nolan has devised excellent defensive game-plans, and this Broncos team has allowed a league-best ten points in the second half of football games so far this year.  Through six games, that is absolutely outstanding and the main reason the Broncos have been able to start this season unblemished.

Josh McDaniels has done a superb job of preparing his offensive game plan and planning to his player’s biggest strengths.

The Broncos are a very efficient team, and if they can continue to play ball like this, they are going to be tough to beat.

The main deficiency for the Broncos tonight was the running game, which actually was not as bad as I thought.  They were still able to gain over 100 yards on the ground, but it seemed at times that they could go nowhere.

Correll Buckhalter was back for the first time in two weeks, and it appeared as though Knowshon Moreno was primed for a big game going up against a run defense that ranked 27th in the NFL heading into this matchup.

San Diego was able to bottle Moreno up for most of the game and hold him to just over 40 yards rushing.

Final Thoughts

The Broncos could not have scripted a better way to head into their bye week.

They are 6-0 for the first time since Elway lined up under center, and they have been quite a story thus far, and the most impressive part?  They are doing it with defense, something nobody anticipated.

Now, the offense is starting to really click, and the Broncos are looking like a more complete team with every game they play.

Still, this team knows it has a lot to improve upon, and they have a lot of time to prepare for their road matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in week eight.

The Ravens, like the Chargers, have an explosive passing offense but an even more dangerous running game with Willis McGahee, Ray Rice, and LeRon McClain.

Denver is sure to have its hands full, but for now, 6-0 feels great, and this team deserves every bit of it.  Enjoy Broncos fans, your team has joined the NFL’s elite this season, even when nobody thought they could do it.

Prior to yesterday, the Denver Broncos had gone 5-0 four times in team history, and all four times they made it to the Super Bowl.  With their 20-17 overtime win against the New England Patriots, fans have reason to hope this team can accomplish what was thought to be impossible.

The fifth win for the Broncos may have been the most unlikely of them all.

Tom Brady had started 75 games in which the Patriots led after three quarters, and lost only one.

Brady had never lost an overtime game.

The Patriots had only lost one game in which Brady, Wes Welker, and Randy Moss play.

Still, on the coldest week five game in NFL history, the Denver Broncos proved doubters and haters wrong once again, and for once it was the New England Patriots getting a taste of their own medicine.

Game Recap

The first half was all Patriots.  New England controlled the clock, and for the most part they made the number one defense in the NFL look out of sorts.

Denver had a decent drive going on their opening possession, but kicker Matt Prater was unable to capitalize on his first field goal attempt of the day, leaving the Patriots with good field position.

Tom Brady made the Broncos pay.

A big screen pass to Sammy Morris set the Patriots up for a quick strike touchdown from Brady to Wes Welker to get New England a 7-0 lead.

Rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno fumbled on the ensuing drive for the second straight game, and the Patriots took advantage of the turnover with a career-long 53-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, increasing their lead to 10-0.

The Broncos started the scoring in the second quarter, capping off a 10 play, 90 yard drive with an 11 yard fade pass from Kyle Orton to none other than Brandon Marshall, who scored for the third straight game.

New England fired back later in the quarter when Brady hit tight end Benjamin Watson on a seven yard pass, capping off a 10 play drive of their own to essentially end the half.

The Broncos had a very impressive 12-play, 66 yard drive going when they were unable to convert on third and short, and they settled for a 24-yard Prater field goal to decrease the margin to 17-10.

In the fourth quarter, the Broncos were pinned on their own two-yard line and Kyle Orton orchestrated the Broncos’ most impressive drive of the season.

Denver went 98 yards in 12 plays, and Brandon Marshall once again capped off the huge drive with an 11 yard touchdown reception, his second of the day, tying the game at 17 apiece.

Now the Broncos had to stop Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who started their final drive at their own 30-yard line.

The first play of the drive, Sammy Morris scampered 19 yards to the 49, putting the Patriots in an optimum situation to win the game with another fifteen yards of offense.

It appeared Brady and New England would do it again.

On the following play, Morris took the ball up the middle and Wesley Woodyard forced the ball out, but the Broncos were unable to capitalize and the Patriots recovered.

The very next play, Tom Brady dropped back to pass, and Denver defensive end Vonnie Holliday came up with the team’s first sack of the game and forced a fumble of Tom Brady.

This time, the Broncos took advantage.

Elvis Dumervil fell on the ball, setting the Broncos up in Patriot territory with over a minute to play.

The Patriots’ defense also came to play, and they shut down any chance the Broncos would have of scoring a game-winning field goal in regulation.

We had overtime.

The Broncos won the coin toss in bonus play, and started with the ball on their own 20-yard line.

After ten plays, kicker Matt Prater took the field to attempt a 41-yard field goal to win the game for Denver.  His kick could not have been more perfect, and the Broncos took the game 20-17 in overtime.

Random Game Thoughts

Quarterback Kyle Orton played his best game as a Bronco, completing 35-of-48 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns.  He also threw his first interception of the season, but it came on a “Hail Mary” play at the end of the first half.

Orton was pin-point with his passes, and he got everyone involved.

Eddie Royal tripled his season total in receptions, catching ten on the game for 90 yards.  Brandon Marshall had 8 receptions for 64 yards and two touchdowns.  Jabar Gaffney caught six passes for 61 yards.

I was actually extremely surprised that Denver did not score more than they did.  They had 424 yards of total offense, and other than the fumble by Knowshon Moreno, they did not turn the ball over.

The Broncos’ defense continued its impressive play, but this time they did not have any sacks until the fourth quarter.  One of my “Keys to Victory” for them was putting heat on Tom Brady, and they did not do that very well.

For the most part, Brady had time to knit a sweater and call home while he waited for a receiver to get open, or that’s what it seemed like at least.

The Broncos got their stops though, and they did not allow the Patriots to score the entire second half.

For the first time this season, the Broncos lost the turnover margin, and the Patriots were 53-of-53 in their previous games when they won the turnover margin.

As high as I am on Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos missed Correll Buckhalter.  They did not incorporate Peyton Hillis like I thought they would, but Moreno did a very nice job.  He ran the ball 21 times for 88 yards, 11 of which came at a crucial point of their overtime drive.

A defensive player who has been hot the last two weeks, other than Champ Bailey, is fellow cornerback Jack Williams who made some great plays.  The Broncos have a very formidable secondary, and Williams is great depth.

One stat that really stood out to me was that Denver had 27 first downs to the Patriots’ 18, which is a substantial difference.

Another one of my “Keys to Victory” was getting off the field on third down defensively, and the Broncos were able to hold the Patriots to a 35 percent conversion rate, which is over 11 percent lower than their season average heading into this game.

Inversely, Denver converted 42 percent of their third down plays, and that was critical in them winning this game.

Final Rant

This game was a statement game for the Broncos, although it shouldn’t have been.  Denver has proven they are an elite team thus far, and they did it prior to this game.

The bandwagon is sure to be overflowing after this win, and the Broncos are set up for a prime time matchup with San Diego next Monday night.

This team still has a lot to prove and a lot  to work on, which is encouraging for the fans.  Denver is 5-0 and has a long way to reach its full potential.

A magical win in what so far has been a magical season.  Denver is not just a surprise anymore, they are legitimate AFC contenders.

The Denver Broncos (4-0, First Place AFC West) are set to play host to the Boston Patriots (3-1, Second Place AFC East) in an old-school style AFL matchup. The Broncos will be wearing an odd shade of yellow and brown while the Patriots will be wearing their old uniforms as well.

Denver is coming off of a huge win at home last week against the Dallas Cowboys when wide receiver Brandon Marshall made probably the play of the week and gave the Broncos a 16-10 lead late in the fourth quarter.  Even more impressive was the goal line stand from Denver led by cornerback Champ Bailey who knocked away passes on third and fourth down to seal the victory for the Broncos.

New England or “Boston” is coming off of an impressive victory against the previously undefeated Baltimore Ravens as well as a victory over the then undefeated Atlanta Falcons.  Even before that, the Patriots played the undefeated New York Jets and the 0-0 Buffalo Bills, so this game could even be considered their fifth straight against an undefeated team.

The Patriots have played a grueling schedule while the Broncos have been criticized for not having the best competition they could on the way to their 4-0 start.

This game is shaping up to be the game of the week, and if the Broncos are going to win, they are going to have to do it without the leading rusher in the AFC West:  Correll Buckhalter.

Likewise, the Patriots are without starting running back and big free agent signee Fred Taylor, who is getting ready to have surgery on his ankle.  His absence will mean the second straight year New England has lost its starting back to injury, and he will be replaced by a combination of Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, and Laurence Maroney.

This game is being dubbed the “Battle of the Hoodies” for obvious reasons.  Josh McDaniels is the latest branch of the Bill Belichick coaching tree to face his mentor, and both coaches have had great things to say about each other throughout the week.

Still, this game is a business, and all friendships will be thrown out the door for sixty minutes on Sunday afternoon, and the former Patriots assistant coach is sure to have his hands full.

Here are the keys to victory for the Broncos in week five.

1.  Get off the field on third down defensively

The Patriots’ offense, led by quarterback Tom Brady, is averaging a stellar 45.8 percent success rate in third down situations, and they get it done in a variety of ways.  Brady has Wes Welker coming out of the slot, Randy Moss and Joey Galloway on the outside, and a variety of good pass-receiving backs who can pick up big yardage on screen plays.

Defensively, the Broncos are holding opponents to a similarly staggering 26.4 percent success rate.  Denver’s defense is fast, athletic, and smart, and they are led by a host of veterans including D.J. Williams, Elvis Dumervil, Champ Bailey, and Brian Dawkins.

If the Broncos are going to create opportunities for their offense, they are going to need to get off the field on third down.  The Denver defense has allowed a mere two touchdowns so far this season, and only 26 points overall.  It remains to be seen if this unit is of the “bend, don’t break” variety or the “elite” variety.

Based on the numbers, we are forced to believe they are elite.  Despite playing two of the worst teams in the NFL in consecutive weeks, the Broncos allowed opponents into the red zone a total of six times in four weeks, twice because of fumbles inside the 25 yard line.

The Broncos struggled in the first quarter against Dallas against the screen pass, and they are going to need to get ahead on New England early.  Limiting screen passes and underneath routes will be crucial to victory.

2.  Keep the Heat on Tom Brady

The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks this season, and they are led in that category by fourth year player Elvis Dumervil who is in just his first season as an outside linebacker in the NFL.

Dumervil is tied for the NFL lead with eight individual sacks, and his production on Sunday will be big for the Broncos.

This revamped front seven will be going up against a very solid offensive line and a quarterback who excels at making quick decisions.  Any pressure they choose to apply will have to come early, often, and with help on the short passes.

Denver certainly has the cornerbacks to keep up with New England’s wide receivers, and the return of Alphonso Smith to the lineup really helps the Broncos.  Smith played very well at the start of this season as the nickel cornerback, and he could be a name called a lot on Sunday.

The Broncos will have to disguise their pressure, and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has done a superb job of that so far this season.

3.  Kyle Orton and Knowshon Moreno

These two players are going to be absolutely critical for the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

On one hand, Orton is going to need to play his very best against a defense that ranks in the top ten in many major categories.  The Patriot defense, though battered right now is one that is athletic and aggressive.  The Broncos will have to use a variety of short passes, screens, and halfback delays to offset that aggressiveness.

Orton needs to be precise with his passes.  He has a great arsenal at his disposal, and now that his finger appears to be fully healed (first week without glove on throwing hand) we assume his throws will be at the very least more comfortable.

Eddie Royal, the rookie phenom from 2008, has been getting blanketed by opposing defenses but with the recent emergence of Brandon Marshall on the outside and the potential return of Brandon Stokley, teams will no longer be able to key in directly on Royal.

This will help Orton with his short passing game, and another player who will help the Broncos with the aggressive style of New England is rookie running back Knowshon Moreno, who was recently named Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his performance against Dallas.

Moreno has come along, slowly to be sure, but he is getting there.  He is an extremely talented back who runs with a purpose, and who is extremely versatile.  The Broncos are going to need a big game from the rookie on Sunday as they attempt to control the clock with their fourth ranked running game.

Team Advantages

Quarterback:  Patriots

Running Back:  Push (due to injury to Buckhalter)

Wide Receiver:  Push

Tight End:  Broncos

Offensive Line:  Broncos

Defensive Line:  Patriots

Linebacker:  Broncos

Cornerback:  Broncos

Safety:  Broncos

Special Teams:  Patriots

Advantage:  Broncos

This is an intriguing matchup to me.  The Broncos have a lot of advantages at the skill positions, but you can never count the Patriots out with Tom Brady under center and Bill Belichick in his headset.

Denver is an upstart team who is riding an emotional victory, and New England is in a similar situation after a close encounter with the Baltimore Ravens.  The Broncos have the advantage of their home turf in this contest, which is a lot more significant when you are a mile above sea level compared to other venues.

The Patriots are a very talented team, but Denver’s defense may be too much, and I think the offense is poised for a breakout.

It will be a fun game to watch, to be sure.

The Denver Broncos are 1-0.

How sweet does that sound Broncos fans?

After the longest verbal beating I can remember, the Denver Broncos proved their skeptics wrong on Sunday, and they did it with an unexpected strength: their defense.

In fact, the Broncos’ defense was so on point that the home team Bengals only reached the red zone twice in the entire game, and did not score a point for 59 minutes, 19 seconds.

The new-look Broncos defense forced three turnovers, seven punts, and sacked Carson Palmer three times.  Steelers fans and Giants fans may laugh that the Broncos are proud of those statistics, but one must realize that this kind of defensive performance is not commonplace for the Broncos over the last three years.

In addition to the great play of the defense, the Broncos had stellar play from their special teams, namely Matt Prater who made both of his field goals from 48 and 50 yards.

The low spot of the game for the Broncos was the abysmal play of their offense, which was only able to get 10 first downs the entire game.

While those who did not watch the game will blame the ineptitude of the offense on quarterback Kyle Orton, anyone who actually saw the game knows that the offensive struggles came from an inability to effectively run the ball and a large amount of dropped passes.

This was a very boring game to watch until the last two drives of the game if you were an unbiased third party. Neither team scored a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter, but the scoring was totally worth the wait.

After a long drive by the Bengals culminated in a one yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson, the Broncos defied incredible odds.

Trailing 7-6, the game clock read 0:20 and Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels realized that the time remaining should be nearly doubled because of a failed challenge attempt by the Bengals with 41 seconds remaining. The ensuing touchdown play only took three seconds off the clock, and McDaniels’ pleading paid off.

The game clock was reset to 0:38 and that proved to be absolutely crucial for the Broncos.

After a pass by Orton that was nearly intercepted by Jonathan Joseph, he heaved up a pass to Brandon Marshall that was tipped in the air by Leon Hall and subsequently caught by fellow Bronco Brandon Stokley who ran 87 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

The game-winning drive took 27 seconds off the clock, so it was huge that Denver got the clock reset to 0:38 before the game resumed.

A crazy finish, and one for the ages to be sure.  Broncos fans will remember this one for a long time, and unfortunately, so will Bengals fans.

Kyle Orton did about as expected with his stat line which saw him complete 17-of-28 passes for 243 yards, a touchdown, a 100.7 QB rating, and most importantly:  no interceptions.

Orton effectively managed the game, and the Broncos did not make any mistakes, and it is even more impressive that he did it all with a dislocated pointer finger on his throwing hand.

The Broncos were absolutely shut down in the running game, partly because they did not run it very much, and had a lot of trouble with dropped passes.  In fact, every Broncos receiver had a dropped pass today except for Daniel Graham.

Defensively, there is a lot to talk about for the Broncos.

The team finished the game with three sacks from Andra Davis, Mario Haggan, and Darrell Reid, all of whom are from the linebacker position.

Denver also forced three turnovers, two interceptions from Wesley Woodyard and Tony Scheffler, and a botched field goal attempt by Cincinnati.

This game has to be looked at as somewhat of a reality check for the Broncos who will host Cleveland in week two. They did some great things defensively, but the defense can only hold so much weight on its shoulders. Eventually, the offense is going to need to be able to score points on a more consistent basis, and eventually means by next week.

Cincinnati’s defense looked vastly improved from what we have seen in recent years, and they were very stingy against the pass. Their defensive backfield is very solid, and they were able to get three sacks on one of the best pass protecting defensive lines in the NFL.

Granted, Kyle Orton’s indecision and inability to get rid of the ball at times were the cause of those sacks, it is still an impressive feat by the Bengals.

A lot of the offensive struggles can be attributed to a pure lack of chemistry, as the team welcomed for the first time at the same time a group that included Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Marshall, and Russ Hochstein as irregulars.

The Broncos should come out more aggressive offensively against the Browns next week who were absolutely crushed by the Minnesota Vikings 34-20. Adrian Peterson had his way with the Cleveland run defense, and the Broncos need to take advantage with their new group of backs.

This was one of the best finishes to a game the NFL will see all season long, and it helps that the Broncos got win number one off their chests, and if the defense continues to play like they did today, there will be many more wins to come.

It also helps that the only people who thought Denver would win this game were fans of the team, and even some of them were skeptical because of the loss of quarterback Jay Cutler.

By the way, Cutler threw four interceptions in his Chicago Bears debut against Green Bay, and the Bears lost 21-15. I know it is only the first game of the season, but Kyle Orton and the Broncos are heading home winners, and the Bears are staring Pittsburgh in the face at 0-1.

Somewhere Josh McDaniels is smiling, and he should be.

In the wake of his recent practice field hissy fit, Denver Broncos wide receiver may have gone far beyond anything any fan ever thought possible.

In addition to losing respect from virtually every respectable NFL fan, coach, or executive, he may have lost the respect of his role models and elders on the team.

When asked if he was surprised of Marshall’s recent suspension, veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley responded by saying, “Not really, not with his attitude and how he was acting,” Stokley said. “Something had to be done. They made the decision. We’re moving on, and hopefully in a few weeks, when he’s back, he’ll be ready to contribute.”

Hopefully.

2008 offensive co-captain and tight end Daniel Graham also weighed in on the Marshall situation.

“We’ve had a few conversations and Brandon, he’s running his own ship,” Graham said. “He’s doing what he feels is best for him. Now, I’m just making sure, as a leader on this team, that we stay focused.”

A very interesting choice of words by Graham, to say the very least.

Marshall is “running his own ship.”

This entire offseason has been a self-imposed disaster for the Pro Bowl wide receiver.  Even Colorado Hall of Fame wide receiver and Bronco great Rod Smith, a former player who has given a great deal of time and effort mentoring Marshall distanced himself when he made a cameo at Broncos camp earlier this summer.

One thing though, is for sure.

If Stokley and Graham’s comments are to be taken as a general consensus of the feelings of the entire team, then this whole fiasco has proven that the players are on McDaniels’ ship, not Marshall’s or any of their own.

McDaniels said on Friday that he does not know how long Marshall will be on his “ship” at all.

“I’m not sure necessarily if I think it will or I think it won’t [work out],” McDaniels said. “I’m just hopeful that it will, because obviously he’s a talented football player that we’d love to have pulling in the same direction as the other 79 guys that go out there and work their tail off.”

And if he is not?

If Marshall is unwilling to pull in the same direction as the 79 other guys, where do the Broncos go from there?

While suspending him for the regular season would go a long way if the Broncos were committed long term, it does not seem to make much sense anymore for a guy they may want to trade at the end of this season.

Which is why it makes perfect sense to suspend him for the final two games of the pre-season.

This gives Marshall time to study his playbook and vie for a fresh start when he returns to the team on September sixth.  Also, it gives him time go face the temptations of doing something else stupid or getting in trouble with the law.

Two weeks may not seem like a long time, but for Brandon Marshall, it could seem like a lifetime.

When Marshall returns to the Broncos, he better show this team that he is serious about the “fresh start” he said he wants, and he had better keep his nose out of trouble.

Like the majority of the Denver Broncos’ offensive line heading into 2008, the center position was really in question.

Future Broncos’ Ring of Famer and possibly Hall of Fame selection Tom Nalen,  the lone remaining Bronco from the Super Bowl days, had suffered his second consecutive season-ending injury before the year had even started.

Fortunately, Denver had a backup plan.  Late in the 2008 offseason, the team signed veteran Casey Wiegmann to a two year contract.  Wiegmann had played most of his NFL career with the rival Kansas City Chiefs, and had been one of their better players over the course of the decade.

Wiegmann had every intention of backing up Nalen at the outset, but after the injury, he was thrust into the starting role.

To say he relished his role would be an understatement.

Whilst extending his NFL record for consecutive starts among active offensive linemen to 152 games (amassing 7,062 consecutive plays), Wiegmann earned his first career trip to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

After his stellar 2008 campaign, the 14 year veteran let the Broncos know that if he was not rewarded for his efforts with a new two-year contract worth more money, he would retire prior to training camp.

Unlike diva wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Wiegmann proved to Broncos brass that he was worthy of such an extension. He missed only one session of the team’s offseason activities, voluntary or mandatory.

Wiegmann was honored with a new contract, and heads into the 2009 season as the unquestioned starter and veteran leader of the Bronco offense.

Right behind him on the depth chart lurks 2008 fourth round pick Kory Lichtensteiger, formerly of Bowling Green.

The knock on Lichtensteiger is that he has short arms. But despite his critics, the second year player fits the theme of “versatility” on Denver’s offensive line.  He can play center and guard equally as well; he even lined up for the Broncos as a third tight end and fullback in goal-line situations last season.

He will be a valuable asset on special teams and could fill in at center, left guard, or right guard if the Broncos need him because of an injury.  He is also said to be the heir apparent to start in place of Ben Hamilton or Wiegmann when one retires.

The reason I mention him as an heir apparent to Hamilton at left guard is because the Broncos drafted another center in 2009 who they really like.

In the seventh round, Denver drafted Blake Schlueter of TCU—a very versatile and athletic lineman.

He proved that by running a sub-4.80 second 40-yard dash at TCU’s pro day, and the Broncos could have more first year plans in mind for him than at the center position.

Much like Lichtensteiger in 2008, Schlueter could be used in goal line situations as a fullback or tight end.  His athleticism and size would make him a nightmare for defenders to take down if he were given the ball inside the five yard-line.

There is also a chance that he could end up being the heir to free agent signee Lonie Paxton, who was the Broncos’ first acquisition of the off-season.

Paxton is a ten year veteran who has played nearly every game over the last decade for the New England Patriots.

He is familiar with coach Josh McDaniels, and is considered one of the NFL’s elite long snappers.

Paxton is a three time Super Bowl champion, and will prove to be a very valuable offseason addition.

I believe the Broncos will keep three centers and a long snapper, as I have projected them to keep only one left guard.  Lichtensteiger could be considered a guard/center hybrid player, allowing the Broncos to use roster spots on other positions.

Center could very well be the position with the most depth on the Broncos’ offensive line for 2009—which is really saying something.