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** Official 2014 Denver Broncos Thread ** (1 Viewer)

Interesting. Should be tough sledding against Arizona this week, too.

Also, while most of us assume the Broncos will win 11-13 games and make the playoffs, the Chargers are a real threat to win the division. If you look at the schedules of both, it favors San Diego. Granted, I think San Diego is more prone to lose a game they shouldn't than the Broncos are (every game the Broncos have lost with Manning has been to a team that made the playoffs that year), but still, it is something to watch.
what happened to no team in the afc will be competitive?

times change, I guess

ps

have no idea if this is accurate, but

Adam Schefter , ESPN, NFL Insider
Matt Prater will count $4.1 million against Denver's cap next season. Prater was scheduled to make $2.5 million this year.
 
have no idea if this is accurate, but

Adam Schefter , ESPN, NFL Insider
Matt Prater will count $4.1 million against Denver's cap next season. Prater was scheduled to make $2.5 million this year.
I have no idea where that's coming from. Prater only had $4.25 guaranteed in his entire contract, and at least $1.8 of that has already been accounted for (his cap charge last year). Add in his $0.8m signing bonus proration this season, and by my (rough) calculations, there is at most $1.63 in guaranteed money still unaccounted for. So I'd think that would be the maximum that Prater could possibly count.

And this assumes that his guaranteed money didn't void as soon as he was suspended. I was under the impression that it did, in which case Prater wouldn't count anything against the cap.

I know Schefter wouldn't report anything unless he's hearing something, but that tweet has me very :confused: .

 
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With all due respect to Adam Schefter, I'm going to trust Jason Fitzgerald on this one:

http://overthecap.com/broncos-release-kicker-matt-prater/

The Denver Broncos released kicker Matt Prater from his contract before his suspension was set to end next week.

The move looks to be purely a financial one as Prater’s replacement, Brandon McManus, makes just $420,000 this season compared to $2.294 million earned by Prater. With big time players like Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas up for contract extensions and kicker not exactly looking like a critical position for the Broncos it made sense to save the money for more critical needs. It is a move, in my opinion, that more teams should consider in the future when making difficult roster decisions and having high priced special teams talent on the roster.

The Broncos will save $2.294 million in cap room in 2014 and $3.25 million in cap room in 2015 with the release. Prater will count for $812,500 against the Broncos salary cap in both 2014 and 2015. Prater should have also triggered just over $191,000 in bonus forfeiture that will be credited to the Broncos salary cap next season.
 
Interesting. Should be tough sledding against Arizona this week, too.

Also, while most of us assume the Broncos will win 11-13 games and make the playoffs, the Chargers are a real threat to win the division. If you look at the schedules of both, it favors San Diego. Granted, I think San Diego is more prone to lose a game they shouldn't than the Broncos are (every game the Broncos have lost with Manning has been to a team that made the playoffs that year), but still, it is something to watch.
what happened to no team in the afc will be competitive?

times change, I guess
I never said that.

 
My wife and I flew out for the game this weekend. couldn't have been more fun. Game was relatively competitive (until late anyways), when the Broncos pulled away. Lots of great plays, big-time explosive plays by Demaryius, and Von is back to his 2012 form.

Weather was perfect, stadium experience was great. Got to have my picture taken with 2 SB trophies and Mark Jackson.

Loved the team finally playing a complete game. O and D were both at a high level throughout the game. the D stiffened up in the red-zone, keeping AZ to a couple of FG's, and then allowed one TD after a Manning interception put the D in a bad spot, and then the fluky Ellington long reception - not sure exactly how that happened.

Here's a really cool stat: Cardinals had 13 straight drives with 4 or fewer plays. 11 punts forced in the game - wow.

 
also, by weird coincidence, I will be at the NYJet game this weekend. Watch for me on TV - i'll be the guy wearing the Manning jersey.

 
wow, that was great. most complete game I've seen since...2012 I guess.

That 2012 defense was nasty - 2nd in points, 4th in yards, led the league in sacks. Well, the stats don't quite show it yet (due to caliber of competition faced so far), but this D is better than that one.

Ware>Dumervil

Knighton>Bannan

Ward>Adams

2014 Harris>2012 Harris

The only guy better from that 2012 squad than 2014 was Woodyard, who is better than Brandon Marshall.

Peyton Manning is playing ok too.

 
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Sure is fun to see Hillman "get it". Quick burst cuts and finishing his runs
it's crazy. Haven't seen a Bronco running like that since Mcgahee playing w/ Tebow. If this team can run the ball consistently, and mix it up between Hillmans speed, Thompsons power, and whatever it is Ball brings to the table, the offense has a completely new dimension.

The O may not score as many points as last years version, but ultimately will be better.

This is easily the best team in Denver since '98.

 
I know I shouldn't take what Manning and the passing game do for granted, but I can't help but be more excited by what the team is doing on defense and in the running game. Those are two components that were somewhat lacking last year, and if they can keep those going into the postseason, they will be difficult to beat in the playoffs.

 
moleculo said:
ffldrew said:
Sure is fun to see Hillman "get it". Quick burst cuts and finishing his runs
whatever it is Ball brings to the table,
Ball can be the change-of-pace from the change-of-pace back. They'll start with Hillman who is quick and cuts nice, then go to Thompson who hits the hole hard. Then they can bring in Ball, who will lull the defense into a false sense of security with easy tackles and slow movement. Just when the other team starts to say "Holy ####, their running game stinks!! This is great!", we bring back in our other RBs and surprise them with the HUGE improvement.

They won't know what hit 'em.

 
moleculo said:
ffldrew said:
Sure is fun to see Hillman "get it". Quick burst cuts and finishing his runs
whatever it is Ball brings to the table,
Ball can be the change-of-pace from the change-of-pace back. They'll start with Hillman who is quick and cuts nice, then go to Thompson who hits the hole hard. Then they can bring in Ball, who will lull the defense into a false sense of security with easy tackles and slow movement. Just when the other team starts to say "Holy ####, their running game stinks!! This is great!", we bring back in our other RBs and surprise them with the HUGE improvement.

They won't know what hit 'em.
The ol' rope-a-dope. I like it.

 
So during the telecast they had the field mikes turned up loud so that you could hear Manning's "Omaha" call, or more precisely his "Omawhaw" call. During one play I swear I heard him audible, or fake audible, by shouting our "Elway"! Was that my imagination, or did others catch that. Maybe it has been well discussed already and I just missed that discussion. At any rate I was mildly amused by the call.

 
So during the telecast they had the field mikes turned up loud so that you could hear Manning's "Omaha" call, or more precisely his "Omawhaw" call. During one play I swear I heard him audible, or fake audible, by shouting our "Elway"! Was that my imagination, or did others catch that. Maybe it has been well discussed already and I just missed that discussion. At any rate I was mildly amused by the call.
no, he did. Elway was defiately an audible. IIRC, it was a zone-stretch play. He also used "Romo", but don't remember when. Not sure if it was that goal line interception that got called back or not.

In pre-season, he used "Montana" as an audible for a sprint-right pass, ala "the Catch".

 
so Elway kicked the tires on Icognito, and apparently decided to wait until after Rams and Dolphins game. gotta say - these are two teams with great DL play. if the Clady/Franklin/Montgomery/ManRam/Vasquez line-up can hold up against these two, we should be ok. If they struggle, looks like Incognito will be the answer.

 
that was actually a miami :whistle: for their narrow loss

think we've already established the pecking order for the pats, and I'm pretty sure even you guys could beat up that sorryass detroit team

 
Prater is out, McManus is in.
This decision backfired badly. No, it hasn't cost them a game yet, but it almost did yesterday. You can't win close playoff games if your idiot kicker can't hit chip shots. :wall:
McManus out, Barth is in.
What does it say that I, as a Bronco fan, feel much better seeing Barth attempt a 44 yarder then I ever did with McManus?

Horrible decision to let Prater go for McManus but this was a move the team had to make.

 
Spanky24 said:
moleculo said:
Prater is out, McManus is in.
This decision backfired badly. No, it hasn't cost them a game yet, but it almost did yesterday. You can't win close playoff games if your idiot kicker can't hit chip shots. :wall:
McManus out, Barth is in.
What does it say that I, as a Bronco fan, feel much better seeing Barth attempt a 44 yarder then I ever did with McManus?

Horrible decision to let Prater go for McManus but this was a move the team had to make.
Absolutely.

 
Great stuff here. it's a radio interview w/ Chad Brown who spent some time hearing Elway speak. Good stuff starts at roughly 5:00.

Cliffs notes:

  • Elway told Manning to "share the responsibilities" after StL game,
  • Gase asked Elway if that meant to run every down, Elway responded to run to win the game.
  • Montgomery is an improvement @C b/c he can get to the second level
  • Hillman/Ball have been "Wally Pipped", meaning they lose the starting role to CJ Anderson.
  • CB's are good enough to blitz from, whatever that means
  • McManus may be brought back as a kickoff specialist
 
Harris re-signed - 5 years, $42.5M. GREAT deal for Denver. Harris took a hometown discount to stay in the Orange & Blue.

He may not get the pub (yet), but Chris Harris is a top 5 CB in the league today - getting him locked down long term is great.

Next signing priority - DT, then Knighton.

 
Really disappointed with Adam Gase - that's where I place the blame for last night. He is a terrible play-caller and has no idea how to keep an offense in rythm, or execute a running game. The only way Denver is able to get yards on the ground is with a 6-man OL, which they can't seem to pass out of. He gets cute when it's time to pound it, the play-calling has been extremely predictable, he doesn't seem to do a good job of adjusting. If he has a lead in Q4, he starts clock watching waaaay too soon.

Denver has basically two offenses - run heavy, 6 OL, where Manning lines up under center and rarely throws, especially on early downs, or pass heavy, 4 WR, where Manning lines up in shotgun and executes the "Star Wars" offense.

The first half, Denver came out trying to run the ball like they had for the past 4 games, which was successful based on volume more than execution. What I saw last night was Manning trying to read the defense and select the right play, but Cincy did a great job of disguising and changing their looks, forcing Manning into playing right into their hands. The playcalling predictability was obvious.

After Cincy stuffed that, Gase responded by dusting off last years play book and that was good enough to get them the lead headed into Q4, but then Cincy adjusted to that and the Broncos were unable to mount anything after that. I'm not sure what their adjustment was.

I get the feeling that in the first half, Denver took a "take what the D gives you" metality. In Q3, Denver said, "eff that, we'll play our game and take what we want - up tempo, execution. Entering Q4, it was time to burn clock, which allowed Manning to fall back into the "take what the D gives you" trap that wasn't working in the first half.

It feels like Manning is declining rapidly - this year could be his last hurrah. It's a shame the twilight of his career will be marred by an incompetent OC.

The irony of it all is that Gase is considered a top HC candidate. Well, good luck to whomever wants to try that experiment. He's no McCoy.

 

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