Rivers vs Cutler (1 Viewer)

[HoTnickZ]

This time it could be Cutler doing the talking. Should be interesting.

 

[DrJamesAndrews Fan]

Fantasy wise, Cutler, but me thinks SD wins.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fantasy wise, Cutler, but me thinks SD wins.

No Mcneil, Merriman, Cromartie, and a banged-up LT in Denver.....dont count on it.

 

[Andy Herron]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking.

That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.

It's that simple.

 

[meanjoegreen]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

 

[Andy Herron]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

Stay tuned.

 

[meanjoegreen]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

Stay tuned.

Answer the question. Did last years two wins not count for Rivers?

 

[DrJamesAndrews Fan]

Fantasy wise, Cutler, but me thinks SD wins.

No Mcneil, Merriman, Cromartie, and a banged-up LT in Denver.....dont count on it.

I didn't hear that Cromartie was definately OUT. I would take a banged up LT over Selvin, Hall, and whoever else the Rat can muster. JMHO

 

[Burning Sensation]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

 

[meanjoegreen]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

 

[Andy Herron]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

Stay tuned.

Answer the question. Did last years two wins not count for Rivers?

Sure they count. Chalk'em up.It's kind of like giving Rivers a head start, and believe me, he'll need it.Rivers does not display near the precision that Cutler does. Cutler has now benefited from having his diabetes diagnosed, and has the weapons to take his game to the next level. Rivers simply doesn't have the skill set as a QB that Cutler has.

 

[Football Jones]

I'm not a fan of either team, but there's something about Rivers' personality that irks me, LOL (& I rarely say that about anybody). Maybe it was the thing on TV with him & Cutler. Anyway, just for the record, I believe Cutler would absolutely destroy Rivers if they threw down.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fantasy wise, Cutler, but me thinks SD wins.

No Mcneil, Merriman, Cromartie, and a banged-up LT in Denver.....dont count on it.

I didn't hear that Cromartie was definately OUT. I would take a banged up LT over Selvin, Hall, and whoever else the Rat can muster. JMHO

Sorry, either out or at less than 100%. Yes, LT is better than any Denver RB, even at 50%. I'll give the Broncos the advantage in everything else though, with the exception of kicker. Denvers QB and WR's have a huge advantage over the Chargers, plus Denver has the biggest homefield advantage in all the NFL. Denver is one of the three best bets of the week, with the Titans +1 and Bills +5.5 ahead of them.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

 

[Tau837]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking.

Is Rivers more apt to talk on the field? Probably. But in the much publicized incident last year, it was Cutler who was talking trash, not Rivers.I posted this in January... see the bolded part below:

Relevant articles from both the Chargers support group and Rivers threads:

Broncos hate Rivers' talk show

Monday night mouthiness creates a flap in Denver

By Kevin Acee

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

December 27, 2007

Philip Rivers got the Denver Broncos bucking mad, and he doesn't really understand why.

“I don't know what the big deal is,” the Chargers quarterback said yesterday.

Two days after the Chargers beat them, the Broncos were still talking about Rivers and his mouth.

“I don't really care for the guy, first of all,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey told the Rocky Mountain News yesterday. “He's not a respectable guy right now, because you talk too much trash and do this and that, but you're really not a great player in this league right now. You're surrounded by great players, but you're not a great player.

“I think he needs to understand where he stands in this league – on his team first and foremost. They've got a lot of classy guys on that team. He kind of represents the classless guy on that team. He's definitely lost my respect.”

Even before Monday night's game Bailey told ESPN he didn't like Rivers because of how much Rivers talks.

In fact, someone told Rivers about the ESPN report during the game and he asked Bailey on the field, “Champ, what's up? I thought we were tight.”

Rivers talks almost constantly on the field. He considers it part of the game and loves getting into exchanges with opponents.

“I talked no more in that game than any game in my life,” he said. “ . . . We get after our guys more in practice than in that game.”

Bailey and other Broncos spoke yesterday in response to questions about Rivers being caught on camera yelling toward the Broncos during the fourth quarter, long after he had been taken out of the game in the 23-3 rout.

After a failed fourth-down pass by Jay Cutler, Rivers was shown going a few steps onto the field to greet linebackers Shaun Phillips and Matt Wilhelm. While doing so, he was looking toward the Broncos.

“We get a fourth-down stop,” Rivers recalled yesterday. “I'm not in the game anymore, so I'm way into the defense more than I normally am. . . . Matt Wilhelm and Shaun Phillips, those guys have been jawing the whole game with them. We get a good stop. They are jawing. I'm not anywhere involved. I come out to congratulate them on the stop, and while I'm out there, yeah, there is some eye contact, but I'm saying, 'Atta baby' to Matt Wilhelm and Shaun Phillips. Sure there is eye contact. Maybe there is a smirk. But I am speaking to my guys.”

Cutler could be seen at midfield looking in their direction, and Phillips said yesterday that it was Cutler who started the talking.

“It's funny,” Phillips said. “Philip walked out and told us not to say anything, that we're winning. And Cutler is yelling. . . . Cutler does a lot of talking. I thought it was funny they were talking and losing.”

Phillips said in the fourth quarter Cutler was “just letting us know he wasn't a punk. I respect that. He was letting us know he'd see us next time.”

In the exchange, Wilhelm was seen waving good-bye to the Broncos, and Phillips was pointing at the scoreboard.

But there was immediate reaction from the television commentators and in the ensuing days from fans about how the behavior was unbecoming for Rivers.

Rivers has heard the talk for more than a year that he gets too riled up during games. He has long maintained it's simply how he plays and that it even helps him.

“I'm not going to change,” he said. “ . . . I'm not saying I'm trying to be the guy who goes nuts and acts crazy. That's not who I am. But the thing is there are no bad intentions. It's all in fun.”

Other Chargers defended Rivers.

“What they've got to understand is Philip is a football player,” tight end Antonio Gates said. “If they put him in that category it wouldn't be a problem. But since he's a quarterback, quarterbacks stereotypically shouldn't say or do or act a certain kind of way on the field.

“That's the thing that's not known about him. We know him as a person. He does it in the locker room, in practice, on the field. He plays the game with his heart. That's why he's that way.”

Rivers also explained yesterday another time he was caught talking by ESPN's cameras on Monday. Rivers said after a play in which Broncos linebacker Jamie Winborn had gotten past fullback Andrew Pinnock, Winborn came near the Chargers sideline and yelled, “Where's Lo Neal?”

Rivers said he yelled back, “The ball is over there,” and then yelled to Winborn, “You're glad he ain't playing.”

Cutler said yesterday the Broncos had discussed Rivers' antics.

“It's an unfortunate situation,” he said. “They talk a lot of stuff. It got heated between the two teams. Personally, I don't think the teams like each other, which is fine. It's just going to add to it later next year and the year after that. It should be exciting.”

Of all the teams to question what Rivers has done, Denver seems an odd antagonist.

In four career starts against the Broncos, Rivers has a 119.8 passer rating, and the Chargers have won all four by an average of 39-13. In those games, he has completed 69.6 of his passes for 960 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions.

“I understand some of the frustration is they've lost four in a row to this team,” Rivers said. “People don't like losing four in a row.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/charg...27chargers.html

Rivers is real

Kevin Acee

December 27, 2007

So many e-mails, so many questions in the mailbag. I thought I'd just give my take on the hyper QB here.

I cannot stress enough how great a guy Philip Rivers is. I say that not because he makes my job easier and more enjoyable. I say it because it is the truth.

He is not a poor sport or in any way the ugly trash talker some are portraying.

I defend him (if that's what you want to call it) because I know that he's real. He is who he is. And it is what makes him who he is -- on the field, in the locker room, at practice. He just loves the game and plays it all out.

Nope, he has not yet won a playoff game. (He's 0-1 in the postseason.) But after 31 regular-season starts, he has won 24 times. He has an 86.8 passer rating and has thrown 41 touchdown passes to 24 interceptions in those 31 starts.

Sure, as Champ Bailey noted, he is surrounded by great players. Rivers is fortunate to have LT, Antonio Gates and now Chris Chambers. But Rivers is also a very good quarterback. He has struggled this year. He is not a Pro Bowler. But he makes throws and decisions that reveal he is a fine QB. And he is tougher than many.

As for how Rivers acts on the field, his talking and gesturing is part of his play. It always has been. I'd imagine it always will be.

The comment I hear most often is that Rivers should stop talking and concentrate on playing better. Do people who say that think he is not spending 80 hours a week working on being better? Do they think if he stopped yapping, he'd automatically be better. I argue that he might be worse.

I used to cover a guy named Jim Edmonds, who had something of the opposite "problem" as Rivers. His teammates and Angels management wondered aloud again and again how good a player Edmonds would be if he just tried harder, was more passionate about the game. Thing was, Edmonds was the most exciting and most clutch baseball player I ever covered on a daily basis. When the rest of the Angels were collapsing in September of 1998, he was batting something like .380. His argument (and mine) was that if he were a different guy, he wouldn't be as good a player.

I'm not saying everything Rivers says or does is brilliant or even advised.

But honestly, if Rivers were a linebacker, no one would even notice. As he said yesterday, if he were to give me a list of all the things that were said on the field Monday night by every player, "It would be longer than the Mitchell Report."

He does not talk about people's mom's or wives. He doesn't curse.

"To think of what is said on the field that is way worse than anything out of my mouth is unimaginable," Rivers said.

He has all the respect in the world for Champ Bailey.

"You don't go after the guy," Rivers said.

But he loves to have fun and considers that fun part of the game. When he does complete a pass on Bailey, if Bailey looks at him, Rivers said he will grin "like, 'Hey we got you.' It's always been a very respectful communication between me and him."

He noted that maybe Bailey hasn't taken it that way.

Rivers was honestly surprised by the hubbub over what happened Monday.

He said he took no offense to what anyone said to him or his teammates. Recalling Jamie Winborn hollering about Lorenzo Neal on Monday, Rivers said, "So what? I would have done that too. It's fun."

I promise you he is like that pretty much every moment of the day. Quite a few times I have gotten irritated at him for interrupting an interview by walking by and making fun of me or his teammate that I'm trying to talk to.

The reasons this is an issue is because ESPN had about a million cameras at that game and the game was a blowout and Rivers was on the sideline. And because he is a quarterback, people think he shouldn't act this way.

As he reminded me last night of his high school career, "I used to be a linebacker."

 

[Andy Herron]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking.

Is Rivers more apt to talk on the field? Probably. But in the much publicized incident last year, it was Cutler who was talking trash, not Rivers.I posted this in January... see the bolded part below:

Relevant articles from both the Chargers support group and Rivers threads:

Broncos hate Rivers' talk show

Monday night mouthiness creates a flap in Denver

By Kevin Acee

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

December 27, 2007

Philip Rivers got the Denver Broncos bucking mad, and he doesn't really understand why.

“I don't know what the big deal is,” the Chargers quarterback said yesterday.

Two days after the Chargers beat them, the Broncos were still talking about Rivers and his mouth.

“I don't really care for the guy, first of all,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey told the Rocky Mountain News yesterday. “He's not a respectable guy right now, because you talk too much trash and do this and that, but you're really not a great player in this league right now. You're surrounded by great players, but you're not a great player.

“I think he needs to understand where he stands in this league – on his team first and foremost. They've got a lot of classy guys on that team. He kind of represents the classless guy on that team. He's definitely lost my respect.”

Even before Monday night's game Bailey told ESPN he didn't like Rivers because of how much Rivers talks.

In fact, someone told Rivers about the ESPN report during the game and he asked Bailey on the field, “Champ, what's up? I thought we were tight.”

Rivers talks almost constantly on the field. He considers it part of the game and loves getting into exchanges with opponents.

“I talked no more in that game than any game in my life,” he said. “ . . . We get after our guys more in practice than in that game.”

Bailey and other Broncos spoke yesterday in response to questions about Rivers being caught on camera yelling toward the Broncos during the fourth quarter, long after he had been taken out of the game in the 23-3 rout.

After a failed fourth-down pass by Jay Cutler, Rivers was shown going a few steps onto the field to greet linebackers Shaun Phillips and Matt Wilhelm. While doing so, he was looking toward the Broncos.

“We get a fourth-down stop,” Rivers recalled yesterday. “I'm not in the game anymore, so I'm way into the defense more than I normally am. . . . Matt Wilhelm and Shaun Phillips, those guys have been jawing the whole game with them. We get a good stop. They are jawing. I'm not anywhere involved. I come out to congratulate them on the stop, and while I'm out there, yeah, there is some eye contact, but I'm saying, 'Atta baby' to Matt Wilhelm and Shaun Phillips. Sure there is eye contact. Maybe there is a smirk. But I am speaking to my guys.”

Cutler could be seen at midfield looking in their direction, and Phillips said yesterday that it was Cutler who started the talking.

“It's funny,” Phillips said. “Philip walked out and told us not to say anything, that we're winning. And Cutler is yelling. . . . Cutler does a lot of talking. I thought it was funny they were talking and losing.”

Phillips said in the fourth quarter Cutler was “just letting us know he wasn't a punk. I respect that. He was letting us know he'd see us next time.”

In the exchange, Wilhelm was seen waving good-bye to the Broncos, and Phillips was pointing at the scoreboard.

But there was immediate reaction from the television commentators and in the ensuing days from fans about how the behavior was unbecoming for Rivers.

Rivers has heard the talk for more than a year that he gets too riled up during games. He has long maintained it's simply how he plays and that it even helps him.

“I'm not going to change,” he said. “ . . . I'm not saying I'm trying to be the guy who goes nuts and acts crazy. That's not who I am. But the thing is there are no bad intentions. It's all in fun.”

Other Chargers defended Rivers.

“What they've got to understand is Philip is a football player,” tight end Antonio Gates said. “If they put him in that category it wouldn't be a problem. But since he's a quarterback, quarterbacks stereotypically shouldn't say or do or act a certain kind of way on the field.

“That's the thing that's not known about him. We know him as a person. He does it in the locker room, in practice, on the field. He plays the game with his heart. That's why he's that way.”

Rivers also explained yesterday another time he was caught talking by ESPN's cameras on Monday. Rivers said after a play in which Broncos linebacker Jamie Winborn had gotten past fullback Andrew Pinnock, Winborn came near the Chargers sideline and yelled, “Where's Lo Neal?”

Rivers said he yelled back, “The ball is over there,” and then yelled to Winborn, “You're glad he ain't playing.”

Cutler said yesterday the Broncos had discussed Rivers' antics.

“It's an unfortunate situation,” he said. “They talk a lot of stuff. It got heated between the two teams. Personally, I don't think the teams like each other, which is fine. It's just going to add to it later next year and the year after that. It should be exciting.”

Of all the teams to question what Rivers has done, Denver seems an odd antagonist.

In four career starts against the Broncos, Rivers has a 119.8 passer rating, and the Chargers have won all four by an average of 39-13. In those games, he has completed 69.6 of his passes for 960 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions.

“I understand some of the frustration is they've lost four in a row to this team,” Rivers said. “People don't like losing four in a row.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/charg...27chargers.html

Rivers is real

Kevin Acee

December 27, 2007

So many e-mails, so many questions in the mailbag. I thought I'd just give my take on the hyper QB here.

I cannot stress enough how great a guy Philip Rivers is. I say that not because he makes my job easier and more enjoyable. I say it because it is the truth.

He is not a poor sport or in any way the ugly trash talker some are portraying.

I defend him (if that's what you want to call it) because I know that he's real. He is who he is. And it is what makes him who he is -- on the field, in the locker room, at practice. He just loves the game and plays it all out.

Nope, he has not yet won a playoff game. (He's 0-1 in the postseason.) But after 31 regular-season starts, he has won 24 times. He has an 86.8 passer rating and has thrown 41 touchdown passes to 24 interceptions in those 31 starts.

Sure, as Champ Bailey noted, he is surrounded by great players. Rivers is fortunate to have LT, Antonio Gates and now Chris Chambers. But Rivers is also a very good quarterback. He has struggled this year. He is not a Pro Bowler. But he makes throws and decisions that reveal he is a fine QB. And he is tougher than many.

As for how Rivers acts on the field, his talking and gesturing is part of his play. It always has been. I'd imagine it always will be.

The comment I hear most often is that Rivers should stop talking and concentrate on playing better. Do people who say that think he is not spending 80 hours a week working on being better? Do they think if he stopped yapping, he'd automatically be better. I argue that he might be worse.

I used to cover a guy named Jim Edmonds, who had something of the opposite "problem" as Rivers. His teammates and Angels management wondered aloud again and again how good a player Edmonds would be if he just tried harder, was more passionate about the game. Thing was, Edmonds was the most exciting and most clutch baseball player I ever covered on a daily basis. When the rest of the Angels were collapsing in September of 1998, he was batting something like .380. His argument (and mine) was that if he were a different guy, he wouldn't be as good a player.

I'm not saying everything Rivers says or does is brilliant or even advised.

But honestly, if Rivers were a linebacker, no one would even notice. As he said yesterday, if he were to give me a list of all the things that were said on the field Monday night by every player, "It would be longer than the Mitchell Report."

He does not talk about people's mom's or wives. He doesn't curse.

"To think of what is said on the field that is way worse than anything out of my mouth is unimaginable," Rivers said.

He has all the respect in the world for Champ Bailey.

"You don't go after the guy," Rivers said.

But he loves to have fun and considers that fun part of the game. When he does complete a pass on Bailey, if Bailey looks at him, Rivers said he will grin "like, 'Hey we got you.' It's always been a very respectful communication between me and him."

He noted that maybe Bailey hasn't taken it that way.

Rivers was honestly surprised by the hubbub over what happened Monday.

He said he took no offense to what anyone said to him or his teammates. Recalling Jamie Winborn hollering about Lorenzo Neal on Monday, Rivers said, "So what? I would have done that too. It's fun."

I promise you he is like that pretty much every moment of the day. Quite a few times I have gotten irritated at him for interrupting an interview by walking by and making fun of me or his teammate that I'm trying to talk to.

The reasons this is an issue is because ESPN had about a million cameras at that game and the game was a blowout and Rivers was on the sideline. And because he is a quarterback, people think he shouldn't act this way.

As he reminded me last night of his high school career, "I used to be a linebacker."

San Diego beat writers can spin it however they like. The fact of the matter was that Rivers was the one singled out in the National media.Of which, none of this really means anything. The games will continue to be played on the field. The best that we can take from this is that we have a growing rivalry on our hands in the AFC West for years to come. I'm indulged, and looking forward to this matchup, as well as the continued rivalry down the road. Game on!

 

[Tau837]

San Diego beat writers can spin it however they like. The fact of the matter was that Rivers was the one singled out in the National media.

Of which, none of this really means anything. The games will continue to be played on the field. The best that we can take from this is that we have a growing rivalry on our hands in the AFC West for years to come. I'm indulged, and looking forward to this matchup, as well as the continued rivalry down the road. Game on!

Check the bolded part of this article in the Denver post:

In case anyone was worried there wouldn't be any heat in the game Sunday:

sports

Broncos looking to do the talking now

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 09/11/2008 01:56:12 AM MDT

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has made a lot of waves with his mouth, yelling at opposing players and fans. (The Associated Press file photo )

As often happens in a world ruled by television, the cameras arrived late, but just in time.

"Atta baby!" mocked San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers while scowling directly at Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. "Atta baby! Atta baby!"

The TV cameras had missed so much more to the trash-talking story last Christmas Eve night in San Diego. It had all started with the pregame introductions of the Chargers' starting defense, which the networks consider too cliche to televise. The Chargers' tunnel of nonintroduced players and cheerleaders extends to within a few feet of the visitors' sideline, where the playoff-eliminated Broncos were awaiting kickoff for the meaningless game.

The Chargers were feeling frisky, having whipped the Broncos 41-3 earlier in the season in Denver and having clinched their second consecutive AFC West title the week before.

After passing through their coed tunnel, Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky flexed his biceps, Mr. Olympia style, and screamed at his adoring crowd, hardly bashful about the Broncos standing right in front of him. The most egregious taunt was perhaps delivered by Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips, who waved what appeared to be an AFC West champion cap at the Broncos' bench.

"When you're on top, it's easy to say whatever you want," Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley said Wednesday. "When your beaten like we were by them last year, there's nothing really you can say. What can you say to get back at them when you're getting beat? You have to let your play do the talking first, so until we prove it between the lines, we can't say anything."

When the Broncos and Chargers play Sunday afternoon at Invesco Field, it will be the first meeting of AFC West contenders since Christmas Eve, when San Diego added all those insults to its 23-3 victory.

That game was clinched when the Broncos turned it over on downs in the fourth quarter. The Chargers' sideline, already filled with starters pulled from the game, was hooting and hollering.

"Atta baby! Atta baby!"

Something else the cameras missed but was visible for the Qualcomm Stadium crowd to see: Cutler, not one to stand there and take it, had made a gesture toward Rivers and his pals. It was this unmentionable form of communication that perhaps escalated the venom in the Chargers' taunts.

Roll 'em! The cameras zoomed in just in time to pick up Rivers — a clean-cut, handsome fellow but looking mean in this shot — yelling "Atta baby!" while looking directly at Cutler.

"I just hate that it got blown up the way it did," Rivers said Sunday, after his near-heroic performance ended in a late-play defeat to the Carolina Panthers. "I don't have any animosity toward Jay. It's going to be crazy in Denver on Sunday. I don't expect anything less than that. That's fine. I'm trying to think of a conversation Champ (Bailey, the Broncos' star cornerback) and I had and we both had a big smile on our face. There's no profanity or anything with those guys. That's the only thing I say in defense is I'm not coming after anybody and being derogatory toward them. Hey, that's the way I play. Unless it's a distraction for our guys, I'm just going to continue to play. It's not, 'Hey, there's the TV camera, what can I do?' There's none of that. If somebody followed me around for 51 games at N.C. State, they'd have seen the same thing."

Thing is, the way the TV world works, if the cameras don't show it, then it must not have happened. What the brief video clip from Christmas Eve did show — time after time after time — was the making of Rivers into Denver's newest villain.

What Todd Bertuzzi is to the Avalanche, what Kobe Bryant is to Colorado hoops fans, what Barry Bonds was to all of baseball, Rivers is now to the Broncos. Raiders owner Al Davis has almost become too old and irrelevant for anyone but Broncos coach Mike Shanahan to hate.

Rivers is not only transparent, he's a Bronco killer. He is 4-0 against the Broncos with a 69.6 completion percentage, seven touchdowns against only two interceptions and a 119.8 passer rating. Even if Rivers was the silent type — and he's about as quiet as a neighbor's barking dog at 5 a.m. — Broncos fans would have reason to dislike him.

"He doesn't bad-mouth anybody," said Chargers center Nick Hardwick, who missed the opener against Carolina as he continues recovering from foot surgery. "He doesn't use a curse word. He's a genuinely good guy who just loves to compete."

For their part, the Broncos are downplaying the offensive smacktalk they took from the Chargers last year.

Cutler said Wednesday he holds no animosity toward Rivers.

"Nah," he said. "He don't play defense. I'm not worried about him."

"I don't get into that," Shanahan said. "That's history."

Uh-huh. The Chargers all but laughed at the Broncos last year but, hey, all is forgiven. The Broncos will be no more fired up for this game than they would for any other divisional opponent. And in a related matter, the NFL will acknowledge the struggling economy by reducing all tickets to Sunday's games to half-price.

The Chargers know better.

"Whenever you have a division game, it's riding on everything you do," said Shawne Merriman, San Diego's star linebacker who won't play Sunday because of a season-ending knee injury. "So there's going to be some jaw jacking and some extra little push when taking over the pile. It's going to be that kind of game."

A game of tackling and trash talking, blocking and jaw jacking. In the end, all either team wants is the right to say, "Atta baby!"

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or denverpost.com

This one should be a good one - for those of you not regularly scheduled to get this game who have the ticket and DVR I highly recommend recording this one and watching the whole thing.

Rivers may talk, but his talk is G-rated. He doesn't curse or make obscene gestures, which Cutler apparently did. According to a Denver writer.And by the way, it's not a rivalry unless both teams are competitive in the games. Will Denver show up this year?

 

[Andy Herron]

San Diego beat writers can spin it however they like. The fact of the matter was that Rivers was the one singled out in the National media.

Of which, none of this really means anything. The games will continue to be played on the field. The best that we can take from this is that we have a growing rivalry on our hands in the AFC West for years to come. I'm indulged, and looking forward to this matchup, as well as the continued rivalry down the road. Game on!

Check the bolded part of this article in the Denver post:

In case anyone was worried there wouldn't be any heat in the game Sunday:

sports

Broncos looking to do the talking now

By Mike Klis

The Denver Post

Article Last Updated: 09/11/2008 01:56:12 AM MDT

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has made a lot of waves with his mouth, yelling at opposing players and fans. (The Associated Press file photo )

As often happens in a world ruled by television, the cameras arrived late, but just in time.

"Atta baby!" mocked San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers while scowling directly at Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. "Atta baby! Atta baby!"

The TV cameras had missed so much more to the trash-talking story last Christmas Eve night in San Diego. It had all started with the pregame introductions of the Chargers' starting defense, which the networks consider too cliche to televise. The Chargers' tunnel of nonintroduced players and cheerleaders extends to within a few feet of the visitors' sideline, where the playoff-eliminated Broncos were awaiting kickoff for the meaningless game.

The Chargers were feeling frisky, having whipped the Broncos 41-3 earlier in the season in Denver and having clinched their second consecutive AFC West title the week before.

After passing through their coed tunnel, Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky flexed his biceps, Mr. Olympia style, and screamed at his adoring crowd, hardly bashful about the Broncos standing right in front of him. The most egregious taunt was perhaps delivered by Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips, who waved what appeared to be an AFC West champion cap at the Broncos' bench.

"When you're on top, it's easy to say whatever you want," Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley said Wednesday. "When your beaten like we were by them last year, there's nothing really you can say. What can you say to get back at them when you're getting beat? You have to let your play do the talking first, so until we prove it between the lines, we can't say anything."

When the Broncos and Chargers play Sunday afternoon at Invesco Field, it will be the first meeting of AFC West contenders since Christmas Eve, when San Diego added all those insults to its 23-3 victory.

That game was clinched when the Broncos turned it over on downs in the fourth quarter. The Chargers' sideline, already filled with starters pulled from the game, was hooting and hollering.

"Atta baby! Atta baby!"

Something else the cameras missed but was visible for the Qualcomm Stadium crowd to see: Cutler, not one to stand there and take it, had made a gesture toward Rivers and his pals. It was this unmentionable form of communication that perhaps escalated the venom in the Chargers' taunts.

Roll 'em! The cameras zoomed in just in time to pick up Rivers — a clean-cut, handsome fellow but looking mean in this shot — yelling "Atta baby!" while looking directly at Cutler.

"I just hate that it got blown up the way it did," Rivers said Sunday, after his near-heroic performance ended in a late-play defeat to the Carolina Panthers. "I don't have any animosity toward Jay. It's going to be crazy in Denver on Sunday. I don't expect anything less than that. That's fine. I'm trying to think of a conversation Champ (Bailey, the Broncos' star cornerback) and I had and we both had a big smile on our face. There's no profanity or anything with those guys. That's the only thing I say in defense is I'm not coming after anybody and being derogatory toward them. Hey, that's the way I play. Unless it's a distraction for our guys, I'm just going to continue to play. It's not, 'Hey, there's the TV camera, what can I do?' There's none of that. If somebody followed me around for 51 games at N.C. State, they'd have seen the same thing."

Thing is, the way the TV world works, if the cameras don't show it, then it must not have happened. What the brief video clip from Christmas Eve did show — time after time after time — was the making of Rivers into Denver's newest villain.

What Todd Bertuzzi is to the Avalanche, what Kobe Bryant is to Colorado hoops fans, what Barry Bonds was to all of baseball, Rivers is now to the Broncos. Raiders owner Al Davis has almost become too old and irrelevant for anyone but Broncos coach Mike Shanahan to hate.

Rivers is not only transparent, he's a Bronco killer. He is 4-0 against the Broncos with a 69.6 completion percentage, seven touchdowns against only two interceptions and a 119.8 passer rating. Even if Rivers was the silent type — and he's about as quiet as a neighbor's barking dog at 5 a.m. — Broncos fans would have reason to dislike him.

"He doesn't bad-mouth anybody," said Chargers center Nick Hardwick, who missed the opener against Carolina as he continues recovering from foot surgery. "He doesn't use a curse word. He's a genuinely good guy who just loves to compete."

For their part, the Broncos are downplaying the offensive smacktalk they took from the Chargers last year.

Cutler said Wednesday he holds no animosity toward Rivers.

"Nah," he said. "He don't play defense. I'm not worried about him."

"I don't get into that," Shanahan said. "That's history."

Uh-huh. The Chargers all but laughed at the Broncos last year but, hey, all is forgiven. The Broncos will be no more fired up for this game than they would for any other divisional opponent. And in a related matter, the NFL will acknowledge the struggling economy by reducing all tickets to Sunday's games to half-price.

The Chargers know better.

"Whenever you have a division game, it's riding on everything you do," said Shawne Merriman, San Diego's star linebacker who won't play Sunday because of a season-ending knee injury. "So there's going to be some jaw jacking and some extra little push when taking over the pile. It's going to be that kind of game."

A game of tackling and trash talking, blocking and jaw jacking. In the end, all either team wants is the right to say, "Atta baby!"

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or denverpost.com

This one should be a good one - for those of you not regularly scheduled to get this game who have the ticket and DVR I highly recommend recording this one and watching the whole thing.

Rivers may talk, but his talk is G-rated. He doesn't curse or make obscene gestures, which Cutler apparently did. According to a Denver writer.And by the way, it's not a rivalry unless both teams are competitive in the games. Will Denver show up this year?

Let's review on Monday.

 

[Tubalcane]

Interesting. I guess it's all on Cutler. SD will roll up points in a big way Sunday as the Broncos will be helpless to stop them. We'll see how much Cutler has progressed. Shanahan has made a mistake in saying that it's history. He should use this to fire up his team.

I will say this...Rivers should bend over backwards to make sure he doesn't piss off Champ Bailey.

 

[jonessed]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

 

[Tubalcane]

I hope the two keep this up CAUSE THE NFL NEEDS THIS. A great rivalry with two young QBs. They could end up being the next Manning vs. Brady. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

[Andy Herron]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

I already said to go ahead and afford him those wins in post #11, but let's move forward.TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO SCOUTING REPORTS: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 12, 2008, 9:33 p.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist’s prepares scouting reports for three games per week. For the first time, he scouts his franchise with which he worked for well over a decade.]

It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that the San Diego Chargers have had the Broncos’ number the past 2 seasons. The Chargers dominated Denver in 2007, holding the Jay Cutler-led offense to only two FG’s, while piling on 64 points of their own.

Don’t expect more of the same in ’08. Cutler was a machine in guiding his troops to 41 points against a Raiders defense that punched Denver in the mouth the year before. Now the Broncos look to exact revenge on a San Diego team that must rebound quickly from last week’s opening-day upset in order to keep pace in the AFC West. All that with an injury list that keeps going and growing.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/12/...ers-at-broncos/

This clip goes on to a very indepth breakdown of this matchup.

 

[jonessed]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

I already said to go ahead and count those wins in post #11, but let's move forward.TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO SCOUTING REPORTS: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 12, 2008, 9:33 p.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist’s prepares scouting reports for three games per week. For the first time, he scouts his franchise with which he worked for well over a decade.]

It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that the San Diego Chargers have had the Broncos’ number the past 2 seasons. The Chargers dominated Denver in 2007, holding the Jay Cutler-led offense to only two FG’s, while piling on 64 points of their own.

Don’t expect more of the same in ’08. Cutler was a machine in guiding his troops to 41 points against a Raiders defense that punched Denver in the mouth the year before. Now the Broncos look to exact revenge on a San Diego team that must rebound quickly from last week’s opening-day upset in order to keep pace in the AFC West. All that with an injury list that keeps going and growing.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/12/...ers-at-broncos/

This clip goes on to a very indepth breakdown of this matchup.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

 

[Andy Herron]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

I already said to go ahead and afford him those wins in post #11, but let's move forward.TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO SCOUTING REPORTS: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 12, 2008, 9:33 p.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist’s prepares scouting reports for three games per week. For the first time, he scouts his franchise with which he worked for well over a decade.]

It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that the San Diego Chargers have had the Broncos’ number the past 2 seasons. The Chargers dominated Denver in 2007, holding the Jay Cutler-led offense to only two FG’s, while piling on 64 points of their own.

Don’t expect more of the same in ’08. Cutler was a machine in guiding his troops to 41 points against a Raiders defense that punched Denver in the mouth the year before. Now the Broncos look to exact revenge on a San Diego team that must rebound quickly from last week’s opening-day upset in order to keep pace in the AFC West. All that with an injury list that keeps going and growing.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/12/...ers-at-broncos/

This clip goes on to a very indepth breakdown of this matchup.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

It's a "scouting report for this week's game," not a look into the future. I'm willing to take this one game at a time.

 

[jonessed]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

I already said to go ahead and afford him those wins in post #11, but let's move forward.TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO SCOUTING REPORTS: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 12, 2008, 9:33 p.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist’s prepares scouting reports for three games per week. For the first time, he scouts his franchise with which he worked for well over a decade.]

It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that the San Diego Chargers have had the Broncos’ number the past 2 seasons. The Chargers dominated Denver in 2007, holding the Jay Cutler-led offense to only two FG’s, while piling on 64 points of their own.

Don’t expect more of the same in ’08. Cutler was a machine in guiding his troops to 41 points against a Raiders defense that punched Denver in the mouth the year before. Now the Broncos look to exact revenge on a San Diego team that must rebound quickly from last week’s opening-day upset in order to keep pace in the AFC West. All that with an injury list that keeps going and growing.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/12/...ers-at-broncos/

This clip goes on to a very indepth breakdown of this matchup.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

It's a "scouting report for this week's game," not a look into the future. I'm willing to take this one game at a time.

Sorry, I thought we were talking about "years to come".

 

[cmv5]

Thats a poor argument. What happened last year doesnt matter anymore. Both these QB's are young and have the majority of their careers in front of them. Cutler is a much better QB than Rivers, and things will only get worse for Rivers once LT is gone.

What happened last year should matter since Andy Herron said Rivers will be playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come. Why shouldn't last year count?

"Will be", not "has been".

I see. So instead of comparing what they have done since becoming starters we will start comparing them when Cutler finally wins a game.

I already said to go ahead and count those wins in post #11, but let's move forward.TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO SCOUTING REPORTS: CHARGERS AT BRONCOS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 12, 2008, 9:33 p.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist’s prepares scouting reports for three games per week. For the first time, he scouts his franchise with which he worked for well over a decade.]

It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that the San Diego Chargers have had the Broncos’ number the past 2 seasons. The Chargers dominated Denver in 2007, holding the Jay Cutler-led offense to only two FG’s, while piling on 64 points of their own.

Don’t expect more of the same in ’08. Cutler was a machine in guiding his troops to 41 points against a Raiders defense that punched Denver in the mouth the year before. Now the Broncos look to exact revenge on a San Diego team that must rebound quickly from last week’s opening-day upset in order to keep pace in the AFC West. All that with an injury list that keeps going and growing.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/12/...ers-at-broncos/

This clip goes on to a very indepth breakdown of this matchup.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

I agree. It seems as though people are putting too much into a dismantling of the vaunted Raiders. This is not to say that Cutler and Denver don't look improved but I don't see Denver owning this division just yet. Chargers are still the team to beat.

 

[Tau837]

I agree. It seems as though people are putting too much into a dismantling of the vaunted Raiders. This is not to say that Cutler and Denver don't look improved but I don't see Denver owning this division just yet. Chargers are still the team to beat.

Plus, there is actually controversy over last week's defensive performance by the Raiders, with some suggesting that Rob Ryan intentionally played vanilla defense to undermine Kiffin. There is a thread on that today.Denver's passing game probably had its best day of the season in week 1.

 

[Tau837]

Let's review on Monday.

 

[Riffraff]

This time it could be Cutler doing the talking. Should be interesting. :(

Cutler was talking more than Rivers last time. Rivers got caught on film though.

 

[Largent]

This time it could be Cutler doing the talking. Should be interesting.

Cutler was talking more than Rivers last time. Rivers got caught on film though.

who really knows. Rivers is jawing all the time against any team. I think he gets under the skin of his own players in fact. I recall when Brees was gone, LT/Gates were kind of choked they had this blow ### as a QB. Cutler might be jawing, but you don't see the back of his throat, or his head moving up and down when he does it.....and from what I've read, he has a lot of respect from his own team-mates.....

 

[SSOG]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

San Diego fell to Minnesota last year. Does Rivers stand in Tarvaris Jackson's shadow? Rivers can beat Cutler a million times head-to-head and still be a worse QB.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

So you're saying that Rivers will be a better QB than Cutler because Antonio Gates is better than Tony Scheffler? Because Marcus McNeill will be better than Ryan Clady? When last I checked, how good a QB was had nothing to do with how good his teammates were- how good his PRODUCTION and his WINS are depends on his surrounding talent, but the actual talent of the QB himself is independent of supporting cast. If someone claims that Rivers isn't fit to hold Cutler's jock, the correct response isn't "Rivers is as good as Cutler because Merriman averages 14 sacks a season and Gates is unstoppable in the red zone".

I agree. It seems as though people are putting too much into a dismantling of the vaunted Raiders. This is not to say that Cutler and Denver don't look improved but I don't see Denver owning this division just yet. Chargers are still the team to beat.

Plus, there is actually controversy over last week's defensive performance by the Raiders, with some suggesting that Rob Ryan intentionally played vanilla defense to undermine Kiffin. There is a thread on that today.Denver's passing game probably had its best day of the season in week 1.

Did Rob Ryan ask Hall to wet the bed against a rookie to undermine Kiffin, too? Did Rob Ryan tell his pass rushers to allow themselves to get stonewalled?Denver's passing game just got its best weapon back. It's just getting started.

 

[travdogg]

Sorry, either out or at less than 100%. Yes, LT is better than any Denver RB, even at 50%. I'll give the Broncos the advantage in everything else though, with the exception of kicker. Denvers QB and WR's have a huge advantage over the Chargers, plus Denver has the biggest homefield advantage in all the NFL.

That is not even remotely true. On the QB topic, Cutler is better than Rivers, but its not like Rivers is some bum. Both these guys are among the top-15 QB's in the NFL right now and Cutler is likely top-10. They are both 2 of the best young QB's in the league.

 

[W1cked]

Didn't last year Rivers get into with another teams fans? Indy fans? If you want to make a comparison, Rivers has clearly been on the more talented team. On both side of the ball. Yet he manages to struggle at times... and frustrating his all-pro RB. What do u think Cutler would do passing wise if he had LT in the backfield instead of Selvin Young?

Just for kicks...

 

[jonessed]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking.

That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.

It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

San Diego fell to Minnesota last year. Does Rivers stand in Tarvaris Jackson's shadow? Rivers can beat Cutler a million times head-to-head and still be a worse QB.

His predictions focus on San Diego's injuries . Their overall success is going to be based around their team's longterm outlook and a healthy SD looks a lot better than a healthy Denver going forward.

So you're saying that Rivers will be a better QB than Cutler because Antonio Gates is better than Tony Scheffler? Because Marcus McNeill will be better than Ryan Clady? When last I checked, how good a QB was had nothing to do with how good his teammates were- how good his PRODUCTION and his WINS are depends on his surrounding talent, but the actual talent of the QB himself is independent of supporting cast. If someone claims that Rivers isn't fit to hold Cutler's jock, the correct response isn't "Rivers is as good as Cutler because Merriman averages 14 sacks a season and Gates is unstoppable in the red zone".

I agree. It seems as though people are putting too much into a dismantling of the vaunted Raiders. This is not to say that Cutler and Denver don't look improved but I don't see Denver owning this division just yet. Chargers are still the team to beat.

Plus, there is actually controversy over last week's defensive performance by the Raiders, with some suggesting that Rob Ryan intentionally played vanilla defense to undermine Kiffin. There is a thread on that today.

Denver's passing game probably had its best day of the season in week 1.

Did Rob Ryan ask Hall to wet the bed against a rookie to undermine Kiffin, too? Did Rob Ryan tell his pass rushers to allow themselves to get stonewalled?Denver's passing game just got its best weapon back. It's just getting started.

No need to be overly defensive about it.

He said "playing in his shadow". I didn't interpret that as one being better than the other. I interpreted it as which one would be more successful. I even clarified it in the quote. Like it or not, success is determined by the team.

 

[SSOG]

No need to be overly defensive about it.He said "living in his shadow". I didn't interpret that as one being better than the other. I interpreted it as which one would be more successful. I even clarified it in the quote. Like it or not, success is determined by the team.

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound defensive at all. Chalk it up to a difference in interpretation, then- when I hear one player will be in the other player's shadow, my first impression is we're talking about how much better one player is than the other.

 

[meanjoegreen]

Not to take anything away from Rivers, but Cutler is more apt to letting his play on the field do the talking. That being said, Rivers is going to find himself playing in the shadow of Cutler for years to come in this division.It's that simple.

How is it that simple? Did last year not count when the Chargers beat the Broncos twice last year w/ Rivers and Cutler behind center in both games? The Broncos only scored 3 points in both of those games too.

San Diego fell to Minnesota last year. Does Rivers stand in Tarvaris Jackson's shadow? Rivers can beat Cutler a million times head-to-head and still be a worse QB.

Whoa there Mr. Sensitive. I'm not the one who used the analogy of anybody playing in someone's shadow. That was Andy Herron saying Rivers will be playing in Cutlers shadow. I merely pointed out that a Rivers-led team has been successful playing the Broncos over the last two years.

 

[Tau837]

This time it could be Cutler doing the talking. Should be interesting.

Cutler was talking more than Rivers last time. Rivers got caught on film though.

who really knows. Rivers is jawing all the time against any team. I think he gets under the skin of his own players in fact. I recall when Brees was gone, LT/Gates were kind of choked they had this blow ### as a QB. Cutler might be jawing, but you don't see the back of his throat, or his head moving up and down when he does it.....and from what I've read, he has a lot of respect from his own team-mates.....

I posted quotes above from Rivers' teammates that are supportive. Can you post any quote or link that shows anything he does "gets under the skin of his own players?" I seriously doubt it.

 

[moleculo]

technically, this is round 4. Right now, it's 3-0 in favor of Rivers.

 

[Tau837]

I agree. It seems as though people are putting too much into a dismantling of the vaunted Raiders. This is not to say that Cutler and Denver don't look improved but I don't see Denver owning this division just yet. Chargers are still the team to beat.

Plus, there is actually controversy over last week's defensive performance by the Raiders, with some suggesting that Rob Ryan intentionally played vanilla defense to undermine Kiffin. There is a thread on that today.Denver's passing game probably had its best day of the season in week 1.

Did Rob Ryan ask Hall to wet the bed against a rookie to undermine Kiffin, too? Did Rob Ryan tell his pass rushers to allow themselves to get stonewalled?Denver's passing game just got its best weapon back. It's just getting started.

I don't know if the Ryan rumor is true or not, but supposedly they called only 3 blitzes all game, despite the fact that they were getting no pressure. I'm not saying he threw the game, just saying that Cutler's game 1 performance may have been a bit inflated.Yes, they got their best passing weapon back. No doubt they'll have other great passing games. But I doubt Cutler will have another game this season with a rating as good as 137.5.

 

[Courtjester]

I am one of the biggest Bronco homers on here and I do think Rivers is a punk. But, you know, that just makes their games against one another that much more special and fun.

When you are playing non-conference teams and all you are hoping for is a win and some good stats for your FFL players, that is nice, but when you have a game where every play you are hoping for a stop or a sack, it is great.

It is wonderful to have a rivalry. I remember hating the Raiders for years and years and now that they have become irrelevant, there is no rivalry and it sort of makes me sad.

But the thing about this week's contest is that it definitely will be won or lost on the shoulders of the QB. I could see Rivers coming out throwing to set up the run. If he is not on and makes a mistake like an INT early, then it could be a long day for SD. Denver rush defense is terrible and LT is primed to have a field day, but it takes some kind of passing attack to force Champ and Bly to at least respect the San Diego WRs so they are not cheating inside to help out on the run on every play.

This is going to be a big game and with the prospect of sending SD back home with an 0-2 record makes it that much more important.

Here's to Sunday

 

[rascal]

This time it could be Cutler doing the talking. Should be interesting.

Cutler was talking more than Rivers last time. Rivers got caught on film though.

We obviously have to take the chargers word on it over the evidence on film. They wouldn't be lying or biased anything.

 

[Boltz Boy]

As a Chargers fan, I could care less about whether other teams or their fans like Rivers. I'm quite happy with him at QB. I remember going into the playoffs in 2005, and everyone was saying "The Chargers are the best team, but Rivers will hold them back." I then watched so many ridiculous bonehead plays (dumb penalties, dropped passes, bad coaching decisions, the McCr-- play) in the game against the Pats, and Rivers still got the ball back and gave Kaeding a chance at a long FG.

Fast forward to last year: Rivers goes into New England missing a ligament from his knee and plays a much better game than his stats would suggest. Watching that game, I saw the quarterback I want leading my team. Yes, he talks a lot. Big deal. Do something about it on the field. Why are people asking Champ about how much Rivers talks and not asking him why an elite-shutdown corner can't cover a tight end?

Rivers and Eli are going to be linked through the draft day trade they were in. Cutler (and the rest of the Broncos, for that matter) aren't rivalry worthy right now. Does Jay Cutler even cast a shadow? Good game against Oakland or not, he's still done as much when the chips are down as Brodie Croyle. The only reason there's any semblance of a rivalry with the Broncos is because both the Raiders and Chiefs are pathetic, and Denver at least resembles a professional football team.

And I know if the Broncos win Sunday their fans will be all over the board celebrating, but it doesn't really matter, because by the time week 17 rolls around, Mr. Phillips will have a new division champions cap he can wave at Cutler.

 

[TheOriginalDoubledown]

As a Chargers fan, I could care less about whether other teams or their fans like Rivers. I'm quite happy with him at QB. I remember going into the playoffs in 2005, and everyone was saying "The Chargers are the best team, but Rivers will hold them back." I then watched so many ridiculous bonehead plays (dumb penalties, dropped passes, bad coaching decisions, the McCr-- play) in the game against the Pats, and Rivers still got the ball back and gave Kaeding a chance at a long FG.

Fast forward to last year: Rivers goes into New England missing a ligament from his knee and plays a much better game than his stats would suggest. Watching that game, I saw the quarterback I want leading my team. Yes, he talks a lot. Big deal. Do something about it on the field. Why are people asking Champ about how much Rivers talks and not asking him why an elite-shutdown corner can't cover a tight end?

Rivers and Eli are going to be linked through the draft day trade they were in. Cutler (and the rest of the Broncos, for that matter) aren't rivalry worthy right now. Does Jay Cutler even cast a shadow? Good game against Oakland or not, he's still done as much when the chips are down as Brodie Croyle. The only reason there's any semblance of a rivalry with the Broncos is because both the Raiders and Chiefs are pathetic, and Denver at least resembles a professional football team.

And I know if the Broncos win Sunday their fans will be all over the board celebrating, but it doesn't really matter, because by the time week 17 rolls around, Mr. Phillips will have a new division champions cap he can wave at Cutler.

Now that's funny. Funny because its true. The only way to dismiss this is for the Broncos to prove it wrong by going out and winning on Sunday. Can't wait to see how this one turns out and how Bronco and Bolt fans will respond.

 

[SSOG]

I don't know if the Ryan rumor is true or not, but supposedly they called only 3 blitzes all game, despite the fact that they were getting no pressure. I'm not saying he threw the game, just saying that Cutler's game 1 performance may have been a bit inflated.Yes, they got their best passing weapon back. No doubt they'll have other great passing games. But I doubt Cutler will have another game this season with a rating as good as 137.5.

Why? He had a game last season with a rating of 137, and another with a rating of 141. Both came after Week 10, when he was in the middle of losing 30 pounds to undiagnosed diabetes (the 141 game was actually in week 14). Both came before the emergence of a second receiving threat to compare to Royal. Both came after the offensive line had been eviscerated by injuries. Why is he suddenly unlikely to merely repeat a performance now that his situation is so dramatically better?With 15 more chances on the table, I'm very confident that Cutler will surpass last week's QB rating at least once this season.

Why are people asking Champ about how much Rivers talks and not asking him why an elite-shutdown corner can't cover a tight end?

Are you serious? Seriously serious?Denver acquired Champ Bailey in 2004, the same year Gates burst onto the scene. In his first two years with the Broncos, Denver primarily asked Bailey to shadow the opposition's top receiving threat- which, against SD and KC, meant Gates and Gonzalez. During that two year span, Gates averaged 4 receptions for 41 yards against Denver... and 6 receptions for 73 yards against everyone else. His catch% against Denver was 55%. Against everyone else, it was 69%. His yards per target against Denver was 5.7. Against everyone else, it was 8.6. Gates scored 23 TDs in 26 games when not covered by Bailey... and 0 TDs in 4 games against Bailey. In three of those games, he posted 23, 30, and 31 yards. Basically, Gates got spanked and sent to bed without any supper any time Champ Bailey was covering him. No shame in that- Bailey dominated Gonzo just as badly.2006 marked a major shift in defensive philosophy for Denver, though. In the 2005 season, Denver's defense lived by the Blitz, with man coverage on the outside (with Bailey responsible for the biggest threat). In the playoffs, they died by the Blitz. In the offseason, they abolished the Blitz. In 2006, they evolved into a read-and-react defense, with Bailey lining up EXCLUSIVELY on the defensive left instead of shadowing the top threat. Bailey spent a lot less time in tight coverage and a lot more time off the line of scrimmage, looking into the backfield, and using his supernatural instincts to make plays. In order to try to contain Gates and Gonzalez, Denver implemented a "big nickle" package, which your basic 5 defensive back set, except instead of a 3rd CB, they'd bring in a 3rd safety with solid coverage skills whose responsibility was Gates. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't- regardless, Gates spent almost no time actually covered by Bailey in the 2006 or 2007 seasons.So, in short, the reason people aren't asking why an elite shut-down CB can't cover a TE is because most of those people already realize that said elite shut-down CB humiliates top TEs more than any other defender in the entire NFL.

 

[greenroom]

San Diego beat writers can spin it however they like. The fact of the matter was that Rivers was the one singled out in the National media.This one should be a good one - for those of you not regularly scheduled to get this game who have the ticket and DVR I highly recommend recording this one and watching the whole thing.

Rivers may talk, but his talk is G-rated. He doesn't curse or make obscene gestures, which Cutler apparently did. According to a Denver writer.And by the way, it's not a rivalry unless both teams are competitive in the games. Will Denver show up this year?

Yes lets not let facts get in the way Denver still holds the edge in the all-time ledger, 52-43-1 So maybe San Diego will show up this year since they have a history of not when playing the Broncos.I know San Diego beat the hell out of Denver last year when it was a down year for them, but the Broncos are looking better than ever so I would expect a different outcome this season.

 

[by_the_sea_wannabe]

When last I checked, how good a QB was had nothing to do with how good his teammates were- how good his PRODUCTION and his WINS are depends on his surrounding talent, but the actual talent of the QB himself is independent of supporting cast.

All I ever see in debate threads about the greatest qb's of all time is how many super bowls they have won. From what I have seen WINS overshadow production in just about every qb debate. It is crap but that is usually the way it goes.

 

[Andy Herron]

Good game.

That's one.

More to come...