The Denver Broncos just won the Super Bowl, but the front office probably already has their eyes on free agency. They have a couple of high profile players that will become unrestricted free agents. They will have some tough decisions to make because they only have $11 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
Von Miller will probably receive the franchise tag designation from the team, which will cost them around 14 million if he does not sign an extension before the season begins. Von's negotiations will likely follow the same timeline as Demaryius' negotiations last summer Von will sign a deal over $100 million sometime before the extension deadline before those that receive the franchise tag. His performance in the playoffs probably earned him an extra couple of million on his new contract.
The defense will likely lose two or three starters. I would love for them to find a way to keep Malik Jackson, but they will probably allow Malik Jackson to walk in free agency. He will probably command $10+ on the open market. He has been an absolute beast all season and whichever team signs him will be in a really good position.
Danny Trevathan is another one that the team will likely have to let go. Brandon Marshall is the better player (not a slight to Trevathan) and the Broncos cannot afford to pay two inside linebackers top five money. Todd Davis will be able to fill his void though. Coaches have been high on him this past year and proved himself when he got his chances this season.
Demarcus Ware could be cut during the offseason since he will be in the last year of his deal and the Broncos could save $10 million in cap space. If he leaves, he will probably sign a one year deal in Dallas to finish out his illustrious career. There is a slight chance that Denver could keep him under contract because of his leadership on the defense.
Brock Osweiler's situation could get tricky if he slips into the open market. The Broncos hope to get his deal done before the tampering period is over because there are plenty of needy teams in the league and one of them might be willing to overpay for the chance at a franchise QB. Hopefully they will be able to get him on a short 2 year deal at $14-15 million per year so he can prove himself for a full season before he becomes a $20 million per year player.
I don't see the Broncos keeping many of the older veteran players that are free agents. Mathis, Vernon Davis, Antonio Smith will all probably walk in free agency. Elway will likely have to draft a defensive end in order to replace both Jackson and Smith on the line, unless he is able to find someone cheap in free agency. Max Garcia made progress as the year went along and he should be ready to take the starting job at left tackle next season.
Jeff Heuerman tore his ACL early in training camp in his first year, but he should be able to do just as much as Davis did for Denver this season. I am actually excited to see what he is able to do in the passing game with Brock next season. There is no reason to bring Vernon Davis back since Heuerman should be able to easily replace his production from last season. All he needs to do is hang onto the ball.
Bruton is an important player to re-sign though. He broke his leg against the Steelers in week 15, which might bring his price down. Bruton is a very important player on the defense and it was evident when Stewart and Ward went down in the playoffs. Bruton is very good in coverage and is probably one of the best if not the best third safety in the league.
I am of the opinion that the Broncos should probably let Ronnie Hillman walk. CJ Anderson does everything better as a back. They can easily replace Hillman in the draft. He is not the dynamic back that the Broncos thought they were getting when they drafted him four years ago.
Elway has a lot of tough decisions to make this offseason, but his track record shows that Broncos fans should remain calm and trust the process.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Denver Nuggets All-Star Break Review
The Nuggets were coming off of a terrible past two seasons and after trading away two starters, it did not look like 2015-16 had much in store for the Nuggets. But they have been pleasantly surprising this season. They come into the All-Star break with a 22-32 record and are in the race for the eighth seed in the West, 5 games back from the Jazz. They are also not too far away from having a top five pick in the 2016 draft. I don't want them to have a top pick and if they do end up getting one that isn't in the top three, they should trade it away. There are enough young players on this team that are showing potential, that I feel that another mid-lottery pick would just clog up the rotation.
Nikola Jokic has improved throughout the season and has become an important part of the offense and is often the second option behind Gallo who has played phenomenally through the first half of the season. Jokic is going to be a major weapon for the Nuggets in coming years because he scores with ease from both inside and out and is a pretty good rebounder as well. The only aspect of his game that is lacking is his defense, but he should be able to improve on that in the coming years. Look out for Jokic to have a very successful two months post All-Star break.
Gallinari is the surprise of the season for this Nuggets team. He has made major strides in his game since his injury and has put up almost 20 points, 5 rebounds and almost 3 assists per game this season. Many thought that it was a mistake to sign him to an extension last summer, but now that is looking like a bargain.
Emmanuel Mudiay has had a tough first season so far, but he does seem to be improving on his game throughout the season. He has limited his rookie mistakes as of late and is becoming a more efficient player. He still needs to work on getting good shots because he has a good shooting stroke, but he takes too many contested looks. He is shooting an abysmal 33% from the field. Over the past 17 games, he is shooting 38% from the field. It's not great, but it shows that he is improving his shot selection. His turnovers are also down from about 3.9 per game before to 2.9 over the past 17. He should start looking like the player many thought he would be coming into the season after the All-Star break.
Jusuf Nurkic took longer than many thought it would for him to get healthy and once he was finally healthy, he was hurt again. He has been coming off of the bench because of the emergence of Jokic. Those two should be able to play together in the future, but as of now, Jokic is the starter and Nurkic is forced to come off of the bench. He finally had a good game against Detroit on Wednesday, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds. He is the best interior defender on the team, but he needs to be able to stay on the court for the rest of the season.
Will Barton has been the biggest surprise for the team this season. He went from an energy guy off of the bench to the biggest scoring threat on the bench and the third biggest scoring threat on the team. He is scoring 15.5 points on 45.5% shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds per game. The Nuggets signed him to a very cheap three year $15 million deal last summer and the the front office is probably rejoicing that they have him on such a cheap deal for the next two years.
Gary Harris has blossomed into one of the best wing defenders in the league and has improved him offensive game immensely. His improvement on the offensive side of the court earned him more minutes, which has allowed him to showcase his defensive abilities. I wish he would shoot a little bit more than he does. He does a good job of getting to the rim and finding good shots.
The Nuggets will make a playoff push in the second half of the season and the player discussed above are going to play a big role in ultimately get them there. They have over preformed this season so there is no reason that they can't over perform some more. Everyone involved in the team has the incentive to make the playoffs because, as I said earlier, another young player will just mess with the rotation. It will be interesting to see if they do anything before the trade deadline. I don't see anyone that they could trade for that would immediately improve the team, without losing some important young pieces.
This is about as excited as I have been for the second half of a basketball season since 2013 when the Nuggets finished in third place. They do have an easy schedule down the stretch because they had the third hardest in the league pre All-Star break. They play LA twice, Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City once. The rest of their games are against middling to bad teams, which gives many fans, like myself hope that they will be in the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic has improved throughout the season and has become an important part of the offense and is often the second option behind Gallo who has played phenomenally through the first half of the season. Jokic is going to be a major weapon for the Nuggets in coming years because he scores with ease from both inside and out and is a pretty good rebounder as well. The only aspect of his game that is lacking is his defense, but he should be able to improve on that in the coming years. Look out for Jokic to have a very successful two months post All-Star break.
Gallinari is the surprise of the season for this Nuggets team. He has made major strides in his game since his injury and has put up almost 20 points, 5 rebounds and almost 3 assists per game this season. Many thought that it was a mistake to sign him to an extension last summer, but now that is looking like a bargain.
Emmanuel Mudiay has had a tough first season so far, but he does seem to be improving on his game throughout the season. He has limited his rookie mistakes as of late and is becoming a more efficient player. He still needs to work on getting good shots because he has a good shooting stroke, but he takes too many contested looks. He is shooting an abysmal 33% from the field. Over the past 17 games, he is shooting 38% from the field. It's not great, but it shows that he is improving his shot selection. His turnovers are also down from about 3.9 per game before to 2.9 over the past 17. He should start looking like the player many thought he would be coming into the season after the All-Star break.
Jusuf Nurkic took longer than many thought it would for him to get healthy and once he was finally healthy, he was hurt again. He has been coming off of the bench because of the emergence of Jokic. Those two should be able to play together in the future, but as of now, Jokic is the starter and Nurkic is forced to come off of the bench. He finally had a good game against Detroit on Wednesday, putting up 16 points and 11 rebounds. He is the best interior defender on the team, but he needs to be able to stay on the court for the rest of the season.
Will Barton has been the biggest surprise for the team this season. He went from an energy guy off of the bench to the biggest scoring threat on the bench and the third biggest scoring threat on the team. He is scoring 15.5 points on 45.5% shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds per game. The Nuggets signed him to a very cheap three year $15 million deal last summer and the the front office is probably rejoicing that they have him on such a cheap deal for the next two years.
Gary Harris has blossomed into one of the best wing defenders in the league and has improved him offensive game immensely. His improvement on the offensive side of the court earned him more minutes, which has allowed him to showcase his defensive abilities. I wish he would shoot a little bit more than he does. He does a good job of getting to the rim and finding good shots.
The Nuggets will make a playoff push in the second half of the season and the player discussed above are going to play a big role in ultimately get them there. They have over preformed this season so there is no reason that they can't over perform some more. Everyone involved in the team has the incentive to make the playoffs because, as I said earlier, another young player will just mess with the rotation. It will be interesting to see if they do anything before the trade deadline. I don't see anyone that they could trade for that would immediately improve the team, without losing some important young pieces.
This is about as excited as I have been for the second half of a basketball season since 2013 when the Nuggets finished in third place. They do have an easy schedule down the stretch because they had the third hardest in the league pre All-Star break. They play LA twice, Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City once. The rest of their games are against middling to bad teams, which gives many fans, like myself hope that they will be in the playoffs.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Can We Please Not "Favre" Manning
I have a favor to ask the media. Can you please not ask Peyton Manning, John Elway or anyone in the Denver Broncos front office about Manning's potential retirement every chance that you get? He will make his decision when he is ready to and he won't give you an answer if he hasn't even decided.
Let the man have his space. He probably won't be back next season, but we should cherish all four years that he was a quarterback in Denver.
There is so much more to talk about, such as impending free agents draft prospects. Hell, you could even still write stuff about the Super Bowl and the aftermath. There is absolutely no reason to badger him about his decision. I definitely don't want this to turn into a Brett Favre situation where reporters are camping outside of his house waiting for a decision.
His $19 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on March 9th. Even if Manning does not have a decision by then, the Broncos will probably cut him in order to save on salary. Obviously he is not the same quarterback that he was when he initially inked his deal almost 5 years ago. He is not worth that much money and even if he does come back, which is a HUGE if, it will have to be at a severely discounted price.
Honestly, I hope he does retire because it could get real ugly next year in Los Angeles if he decides to play another season. He was clearly not the same quarterback as before. He should go out on top rather than playing for one more franchise that probably wont have a good chance to make a deep run into the playoffs.
Let the man have his space. He probably won't be back next season, but we should cherish all four years that he was a quarterback in Denver.
There is so much more to talk about, such as impending free agents draft prospects. Hell, you could even still write stuff about the Super Bowl and the aftermath. There is absolutely no reason to badger him about his decision. I definitely don't want this to turn into a Brett Favre situation where reporters are camping outside of his house waiting for a decision.
His $19 million contract becomes fully guaranteed on March 9th. Even if Manning does not have a decision by then, the Broncos will probably cut him in order to save on salary. Obviously he is not the same quarterback that he was when he initially inked his deal almost 5 years ago. He is not worth that much money and even if he does come back, which is a HUGE if, it will have to be at a severely discounted price.
Honestly, I hope he does retire because it could get real ugly next year in Los Angeles if he decides to play another season. He was clearly not the same quarterback as before. He should go out on top rather than playing for one more franchise that probably wont have a good chance to make a deep run into the playoffs.
Super Bowl Parade Information
I can't make it because I have a test in one of my classes today (that should be illegal), but I encourage everyone to attend this joyous event.
The parade starts at noon, but events will begin in Civic Center Park at 10AM. The parade starts at 17th and Wynkoop. After the parade, there is a rally at Civic Center Park at 1PM that will feature Broncos players and coaches.
They are expecting one million people to show up for the parade and rally. 675,000 showed up for the parade after the teams first Super Bowl victory so one million is not out of reach.
Being at the parade will be a moment to remember for those that are able to attend. If I didn't have a test, I would be one of the first people there. If you can call off work to go, call out and attend the parade.
The parade starts at noon, but events will begin in Civic Center Park at 10AM. The parade starts at 17th and Wynkoop. After the parade, there is a rally at Civic Center Park at 1PM that will feature Broncos players and coaches.
They are expecting one million people to show up for the parade and rally. 675,000 showed up for the parade after the teams first Super Bowl victory so one million is not out of reach.
Being at the parade will be a moment to remember for those that are able to attend. If I didn't have a test, I would be one of the first people there. If you can call off work to go, call out and attend the parade.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Nuggets Lose a Heartbreaker to the Nets
The Nuggets came into this game off of back to back victories against Chicago and New York. This matchup against Brooklyn is their second to last game until the All-Star break. They are five games out of the playoffs and that dream keeps slipping away. They can't afford to drop games to inferior teams if they wish to keep their hopes alive.
This was a heartbreaking loss for the Nuggets. They got the go ahead runner from Faried with 1.3 seconds left, but Joe Johnson banked in a buzzer beating three pointer that gave the Brooklyn Nets the win. I am not putting the entire loss on that one play because the game should not have been that close in the first place.
The struggled out of the gate and Mike Malone already had to call two timeouts by the midway point in the first quarter. The team recovered well out of both timeouts though and were able to close the gap. This pattern was a trend throughout the game. They could get down, then make up the deficit then they would get down again. If they would have come out with some fire, the game would have been over much earlier.
Kenneth Faried continued his recent stellar play into tonights game. He was the star of this game, he played fantastic defense, hit the go ahead shot for the Nuggets on a broken inbound play and finished with 22 points on 10-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. He is communicating very well on defense, which makes him a much more effective player on the defensive side even if he doesn't have the tangible defensive skills. I hope he continues to play this way so that I don't have to hear anymore trade rumors about him.
Gallinari had another fantastic game, which seems to just be the norm now. He has been automatic in recent games and has been getting to the line effectively. Although he did not get to the line double digit times today, he still got there 7 times. He never stopped driving to the hoop even though he was not getting calls and he was still able to finish effectively.
Malone utilized Gallo as a small ball four for most of the fourth quarter because of Nikoa Jokic's stinker of a game. It doesn't normally work well for the Nuggets, but it seemed beneficial to the team tonight. The loss had nothing to do with this small ball lineup because it worked for the most part.
Foye was a star for the Nuggets, hitting two late threes to keep the game close. He played the entire fourth quarter. Although he was playing well on offense, he struggled on defense, which hurt them down the stretch.
Gary Harris was another great player on both sides of the ball. He played great defense and finished with 17 points on 8-11 shooting. He also had a clutch steal when the game was tied with less than a minute to go. He should be getting more recognition around the league as a young up and coming player, but maybe that will come with time. Efficient offensive games like the one he had today will serve to earn him more minutes.
This was a tough loss for the Nuggets and they are now 5.5 games behind the Utah Jazz who are in eighth place. The playoffs don't seem as reachable now as they did a week ago even though the Nuggets have been playing well during that stretch. They have one more game at Detroit on Wednesday before the All-Star break. They won their last matchup against the Pistons a couple of weeks ago, but Drummond did not play many minutes. It will be interesting to see how the Nuggets deal with him when he is not in foul trouble.
This was a heartbreaking loss for the Nuggets. They got the go ahead runner from Faried with 1.3 seconds left, but Joe Johnson banked in a buzzer beating three pointer that gave the Brooklyn Nets the win. I am not putting the entire loss on that one play because the game should not have been that close in the first place.
The struggled out of the gate and Mike Malone already had to call two timeouts by the midway point in the first quarter. The team recovered well out of both timeouts though and were able to close the gap. This pattern was a trend throughout the game. They could get down, then make up the deficit then they would get down again. If they would have come out with some fire, the game would have been over much earlier.
Kenneth Faried continued his recent stellar play into tonights game. He was the star of this game, he played fantastic defense, hit the go ahead shot for the Nuggets on a broken inbound play and finished with 22 points on 10-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. He is communicating very well on defense, which makes him a much more effective player on the defensive side even if he doesn't have the tangible defensive skills. I hope he continues to play this way so that I don't have to hear anymore trade rumors about him.
Gallinari had another fantastic game, which seems to just be the norm now. He has been automatic in recent games and has been getting to the line effectively. Although he did not get to the line double digit times today, he still got there 7 times. He never stopped driving to the hoop even though he was not getting calls and he was still able to finish effectively.
Malone utilized Gallo as a small ball four for most of the fourth quarter because of Nikoa Jokic's stinker of a game. It doesn't normally work well for the Nuggets, but it seemed beneficial to the team tonight. The loss had nothing to do with this small ball lineup because it worked for the most part.
Foye was a star for the Nuggets, hitting two late threes to keep the game close. He played the entire fourth quarter. Although he was playing well on offense, he struggled on defense, which hurt them down the stretch.
Gary Harris was another great player on both sides of the ball. He played great defense and finished with 17 points on 8-11 shooting. He also had a clutch steal when the game was tied with less than a minute to go. He should be getting more recognition around the league as a young up and coming player, but maybe that will come with time. Efficient offensive games like the one he had today will serve to earn him more minutes.
This was a tough loss for the Nuggets and they are now 5.5 games behind the Utah Jazz who are in eighth place. The playoffs don't seem as reachable now as they did a week ago even though the Nuggets have been playing well during that stretch. They have one more game at Detroit on Wednesday before the All-Star break. They won their last matchup against the Pistons a couple of weeks ago, but Drummond did not play many minutes. It will be interesting to see how the Nuggets deal with him when he is not in foul trouble.
Super Bowl Champions!
The Denver Broncos are Super Bowl Champions! The defense absolutely dominated the number one offense in the league from the start. Someone on the defense had to win Super Bowl MVP after their stellar performance and it was Von Miller who brought home the trophy. He had an absolutely amazing game as he racked up 6 tackles 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, one of which went for a touchdown and the other got the Broncos down to the 4 yard line. He probably added another couple million to his contract with his performance today. I'm surprised Elway didn't meet him on stage with a giant novelty check.
Cam came out and showed some nerves early when he sailed some early third down passes high. Then he started to get hit and he was hit a lot. After Von Miller's sack when he ripped it from Newton's hands, Cam and the rest of the Panther's looked shook. They were not able to get any sort of running game going, which put them in a lot of third and long situations, which aren't going to be converted a lot against this defense. When the Panthers were able to move the ball, their drives were derailed by mistakes. Turnovers and a missed field goal caused the game to slip away from them.
The Broncos defensive line was absolutely unstoppable. Von and Ware were obviously doing their thing, but Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe made very important plays and they were consistently able to get pressure up the middle.
The Broncos offense did not look good outside of CJ Anderson, but as I said earlier in the week, the offense only needed to manage the game. They only had one turnover, which was an interception on a spectacular play by Kony Ealy. They weren't able to score a touchdown on offense until they were given a second chance on a defensive holding in the end-zone. But they did their job and the team played how they have all season. They snuck out one last gritty win. which was a fitting ending for the season.
I am so happy for Peyton Manning to be able to go out on top. He did not do much they game, but the second ring will help with his legacy. Demarcus Ware was able to get his first ring, validating signing with Denver two years ago.
Free agency is coming up, but we can talk about that later because the Denver Broncos won the SUPER BOWL!!!!
Cam came out and showed some nerves early when he sailed some early third down passes high. Then he started to get hit and he was hit a lot. After Von Miller's sack when he ripped it from Newton's hands, Cam and the rest of the Panther's looked shook. They were not able to get any sort of running game going, which put them in a lot of third and long situations, which aren't going to be converted a lot against this defense. When the Panthers were able to move the ball, their drives were derailed by mistakes. Turnovers and a missed field goal caused the game to slip away from them.
The Broncos defensive line was absolutely unstoppable. Von and Ware were obviously doing their thing, but Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe made very important plays and they were consistently able to get pressure up the middle.
The Broncos offense did not look good outside of CJ Anderson, but as I said earlier in the week, the offense only needed to manage the game. They only had one turnover, which was an interception on a spectacular play by Kony Ealy. They weren't able to score a touchdown on offense until they were given a second chance on a defensive holding in the end-zone. But they did their job and the team played how they have all season. They snuck out one last gritty win. which was a fitting ending for the season.
I am so happy for Peyton Manning to be able to go out on top. He did not do much they game, but the second ring will help with his legacy. Demarcus Ware was able to get his first ring, validating signing with Denver two years ago.
Free agency is coming up, but we can talk about that later because the Denver Broncos won the SUPER BOWL!!!!
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Terrell Davis Left Out The Hall of Fame Once Again
The 2016 NFL Hall of Fame class was voted on Saturday night. Brett Favre highlights the class. He is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game and was a lock to make it in on his first year of eligibility. He was joined by Orlando Pace, Marvin Harrison, Ken Stabler, Dick Sanfel, Eddie DeBartolo and Tony Dungy.
Favre, Pace and Harrison definitely deserved to make it. Tony Dungy was known for pioneering the Tampa 2 so I think he also deserved it based on innovation. It does seem like Sanfel and Stabler made it because of their deaths between voting. Both deserved it, but their inductions were expedited, by their unfortunate deaths.
Terrell Davis was once again left out of the hall. The Hall of Fame continues to be a farce as long as Jerome Bettis is in the Hall of Fame and Terrell Davis isn't. It baffles me that one of the best running backs to ever step on the field is left out because he only played four full seasons. Too bad he couldn't be mediocre for five plus years like Bettis, then he could be towards the top of the all-time rushing list because clearly thats all that matters to the Hall of Fame voters.
The accomplishments of TD are unmatched by most other running backs: One League MVP, one Super Bowl MVP, 2000 rushing yards in one season, in which he sat out the equivalent of 8 quarters because of blow outs, three time first team all-pro, two time offensive player of the year. TD was also the best post season running back of all time bar-none. He averaged 142.5 yards rushing per game in eight career playoff games. He increased his total rushing yards in each of his four healthy seasons.
Steve Atwater and John Lynch were also finalists, but neither made it. Atwater should also be in, but for some reason, it is extremely hard for safeties to make it into the Hall of Fame. He was a huge difference maker at safety and just about every player feared going over the middle during his years in Denver.
It will be a while until Lynch makes it in. He wasn't as good as Atwater and I think it will be at least another five years before he even makes it in. Out of the number of Broncos players left out of the Hall of Fame, Randy Gradishar and Karl Mecklenberg should go in ahead of Lynch.
Favre, Pace and Harrison definitely deserved to make it. Tony Dungy was known for pioneering the Tampa 2 so I think he also deserved it based on innovation. It does seem like Sanfel and Stabler made it because of their deaths between voting. Both deserved it, but their inductions were expedited, by their unfortunate deaths.
Terrell Davis was once again left out of the hall. The Hall of Fame continues to be a farce as long as Jerome Bettis is in the Hall of Fame and Terrell Davis isn't. It baffles me that one of the best running backs to ever step on the field is left out because he only played four full seasons. Too bad he couldn't be mediocre for five plus years like Bettis, then he could be towards the top of the all-time rushing list because clearly thats all that matters to the Hall of Fame voters.
The accomplishments of TD are unmatched by most other running backs: One League MVP, one Super Bowl MVP, 2000 rushing yards in one season, in which he sat out the equivalent of 8 quarters because of blow outs, three time first team all-pro, two time offensive player of the year. TD was also the best post season running back of all time bar-none. He averaged 142.5 yards rushing per game in eight career playoff games. He increased his total rushing yards in each of his four healthy seasons.
Steve Atwater and John Lynch were also finalists, but neither made it. Atwater should also be in, but for some reason, it is extremely hard for safeties to make it into the Hall of Fame. He was a huge difference maker at safety and just about every player feared going over the middle during his years in Denver.
It will be a while until Lynch makes it in. He wasn't as good as Atwater and I think it will be at least another five years before he even makes it in. Out of the number of Broncos players left out of the Hall of Fame, Randy Gradishar and Karl Mecklenberg should go in ahead of Lynch.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Super Bowl 50
We have had two weeks of talk, but now the game is actually almost here. This is Denver's 8th time going to the Super Bowl, which tied the record for most appearances in the big game. Carolina is still seeking their first Super Bowl win. They have had only one other Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII against the New England Patriots. They lost a thriller when Adam Vinatieri with four seconds remaining. One thing to remember for both teams is that it is an honor to get to the Super Bowl, only two teams do each season. Many Broncos fans doubted they would even make the playoffs after the mid-season Chiefs disaster game. Fans should relish in the fact that they got to see one of the greatest passers to ever play the game play in Denver and get the team to two Super Bowls. However, we all know there will be an empty feeling if they fail to win the final game for the second time in three years.
A lot is at stake for Manning's legacy. If the Broncos win, he is solidified as one of the best to ever play the position, but if they lose many people will bring up that he only won one Super Bowl when talking about his legacy. I don't think that it is fair that one game will decide how fans look back at Manning. He is one of the best quarterbacks in history who has been on the unlucky side in a lot of playoff games, which is affecting his legacy. It should be the onus of the media and fans to have a nuanced view on quarterbacks instead of just looking straight at win/loss.
The media has exhausted all of the possible talking points for the Super Bowl. Therefore, I will talk about fun things that still pertain to the game, namely betting.
All of my prop bets are under the assumption that the Broncos will win because I don't want to win money of they don't win the Super Bowl. However, there is one bet that seems like it could work if the Broncos win or lose. Will Peyton Manning cry at any point during the broadcast? Obviously I want to see tears of joy when the clock hits zero, so I bet that he would. I could still win this if the Broncos lose because I am sure that he won't be stoic if he loses his (or what will probably be) final game.
I have a couple of bets on who will win Super Bowl MVP. So far I have put money on Von, Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon McManus as my bets for MVP and I will still probably put another name or two into the mix. Probably Demaryius and Talib. I also have a bet on CJ Anderson as the first touchdown scorer since I think the Broncos will focus on the run a lot.
There is a bet out there asking, will Ted Ginn Jr. drop a pass? I sure he is due for one big drop during the game, though I hope he is blanketed so that Cam will not target him downfield often. There is another bet where the over/under on amount of times the word "dab" or "dabbing" is set at two. I don't think there is anyway Nantz and Simms say it two times or less and i'm sure it will even be mentioned right before kick-off. Simms might even forget he said it and then say it again the next sentence. Now as a Broncos fan, I hope it doesn't go too far above two because that likely means Cam is in the end-zone a lot.
There is one very morbid bet that is available. Will there be an earthquake during the game? The only option is yes. This would be an awful thing to bet on because who in their right mind is celebrating that if they are right?
I have two bets that actually directly pertain to the score of the game. Before the season started I took 12/1 odds that the Broncos will win the Super Bowl. I also bet an alternative line that listed the Broncos -3.5 favorites at +300. I didn't bet on the spread or the money line though because I don't want to win money of the Broncos lose and I already have basically a head to head bet when I bet the Broncos winning the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season.
I hope everyone does well on their bets, unless you bet on Carolina, then I hope you lose all of your money.
I am coming into this Super Bowl with very little nerves because what could happen? They lose by 35? I saw that two years ago. With this years defense though, that won't happen unless the offense turns the ball over a ton of times. This will be a close, low scoring game no matter who wins.
My final score prediction is 24-20 Broncos. Manning will ride out on top and one of the best defenses ever will finally be fully recognized.
A lot is at stake for Manning's legacy. If the Broncos win, he is solidified as one of the best to ever play the position, but if they lose many people will bring up that he only won one Super Bowl when talking about his legacy. I don't think that it is fair that one game will decide how fans look back at Manning. He is one of the best quarterbacks in history who has been on the unlucky side in a lot of playoff games, which is affecting his legacy. It should be the onus of the media and fans to have a nuanced view on quarterbacks instead of just looking straight at win/loss.
The media has exhausted all of the possible talking points for the Super Bowl. Therefore, I will talk about fun things that still pertain to the game, namely betting.
All of my prop bets are under the assumption that the Broncos will win because I don't want to win money of they don't win the Super Bowl. However, there is one bet that seems like it could work if the Broncos win or lose. Will Peyton Manning cry at any point during the broadcast? Obviously I want to see tears of joy when the clock hits zero, so I bet that he would. I could still win this if the Broncos lose because I am sure that he won't be stoic if he loses his (or what will probably be) final game.
I have a couple of bets on who will win Super Bowl MVP. So far I have put money on Von, Emmanuel Sanders and Brandon McManus as my bets for MVP and I will still probably put another name or two into the mix. Probably Demaryius and Talib. I also have a bet on CJ Anderson as the first touchdown scorer since I think the Broncos will focus on the run a lot.
There is a bet out there asking, will Ted Ginn Jr. drop a pass? I sure he is due for one big drop during the game, though I hope he is blanketed so that Cam will not target him downfield often. There is another bet where the over/under on amount of times the word "dab" or "dabbing" is set at two. I don't think there is anyway Nantz and Simms say it two times or less and i'm sure it will even be mentioned right before kick-off. Simms might even forget he said it and then say it again the next sentence. Now as a Broncos fan, I hope it doesn't go too far above two because that likely means Cam is in the end-zone a lot.
There is one very morbid bet that is available. Will there be an earthquake during the game? The only option is yes. This would be an awful thing to bet on because who in their right mind is celebrating that if they are right?
I have two bets that actually directly pertain to the score of the game. Before the season started I took 12/1 odds that the Broncos will win the Super Bowl. I also bet an alternative line that listed the Broncos -3.5 favorites at +300. I didn't bet on the spread or the money line though because I don't want to win money of the Broncos lose and I already have basically a head to head bet when I bet the Broncos winning the Super Bowl at the beginning of the season.
I hope everyone does well on their bets, unless you bet on Carolina, then I hope you lose all of your money.
I am coming into this Super Bowl with very little nerves because what could happen? They lose by 35? I saw that two years ago. With this years defense though, that won't happen unless the offense turns the ball over a ton of times. This will be a close, low scoring game no matter who wins.
My final score prediction is 24-20 Broncos. Manning will ride out on top and one of the best defenses ever will finally be fully recognized.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Denver Broncos Defensive Outlook For Super Bowl 50
The Broncos have had the number one defense in the NFL this season and they have continued their success in the playoffs by holding both the Steelers and the Patriots below 20 points. This unit has been very impressive, especially early in the season when defending short fields because of turnovers, 3 and outs and bad punts was the norm for them. They have not had to deal with most of those issues for a around two months, save for the first half of the Chargers game. Which has allowed them to play with more ferocity.
This unit forced a lot of turnovers over the first half of the season, which made up for the many times that the offense gave the ball away. However, they subsided in the second half of the season, but hopefully the two pick on Brady in the AFC Championship Game are a sign of things to come on Sunday.
The Broncos pass rush harassed Tom Brady from the time the game started, but it will be tougher to get after Cam Newton. Von Miller and Demarcus Ware were able to get upfield and behind the tackles on a lot of plays because they didn't have to worry about Tom Brady taking advantage of the running lanes that type of style lends itself too. With Cam and the Panthers running game, they will not be able to use the same style of pass rush without getting burned. Although they will have to adjust their pass rush, they can still be super effective. Ware and Miller both have very good bull rushes that can put pressure on Cam even without utilizing their speed.
They Broncos will have more freedom to blitz (or dog) against the Panthers compared to the Patriots because they won't have to worry about their receivers making plays. This should make up for having to take a conservative approach on the outside pass rush. Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson will have to do their part in containing Newton as well. Both cannot get themselves outside of their pass rushing lanes because of Newton's ability to move inside and outside of the pocket. Wolfe's ability to defend against the run will be invaluable to the defense when it comes to the Panther's dynamic running game. Expect to see Sylvester Williams a lot more on Sunday than you did in the AFC Championship Game. His capacity to run-stop will be called upon time and time again. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Darius Kilgo off of the inactive list for the first time in a while just because he is another big body who can slow down the Panther's running game.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jonathan Stewart finished the season third in broken tackles, behind Adrian Peterson and Doug Martin. The Broncos defense does wrap up well, but they will have to make sure to bring him down. They cannot afford to give Carolina any extra rushing yards on plays that should have been stopped.
Many people thought before the season that Carolina's offensive line was going to be one of the worst in the league. Ryan Kalil and Michael Oher were probably the only known names on that line outside of Charlotte and people only knew of Oher for non-football reasons. However, they have come together as one of the best units in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Although, they don't have one individual name that one could point to as one of the best at his position in the league, they have come together fabulously as a unit. The key for the Broncos will be to try to confuse them with intricate blitz schemes. Sending different players on blitzes and dropping some back, could confuse the line enough to get some key hits and sacks on Cam Newton. Dropping Von and Ware into coverage occasionally should keep them guessing as to where the pressure is coming from.
The Broncos secondary will give Carolina's passing game fits. Chris Harris and Aqib Talib will be able to shut down whomever lines up across from them. Harris has battled a dinged up shoulder for the entirety of the the playoffs, but it did not seem to bother him against the Patriots like it did against the Steelers so there is reason to believe that he will be fine, especially with the extra week between games. Bradley Roby should also be able to handle whichever third-rate receiver that Carolina decides to throw at him. He is one of the best young corners in the league and would be a starter if he wasn't stuck behind two top 10 guys. TJ Ward and Darian Stewart both got hurt in the Patriots games, but they will be starting in the Super Bowl, thankfully. When they went down in the AFC Championship Game, the defense had trouble stopping anything that was thrown at them. As long as they remain healthy throughout the game, there shouldn't be much worry about this group. If one goes down, they might be alright, but if both do then Carolina will probably have a scoring party.
Ted Ginn jr. would be my biggest worry on the Panther's offense because of his big play ability. The Broncos don't have a single player that can match up with his speed so it would be smart to play off man and probably keep either Stewart or Ward back in order to protect against passes over the top. They can live with short passes to him, especially since he will drop a few. They just can't let him make the big play. Greg Olsen is the only other pass catcher that I am worried about. He is top 3 in the league at his position, but the Broncos held Gronk in check, until the starting safeties went down. He will be tough to cover, but they won't have to triple team him like they did to Gronk.
Most analysts seem to be picking Carolina and some even say that it might get out of hand quick. However, I think everyone remembers the last time that the number one defense was overlooked and everyone was picking the number one offense to win easily.
This unit forced a lot of turnovers over the first half of the season, which made up for the many times that the offense gave the ball away. However, they subsided in the second half of the season, but hopefully the two pick on Brady in the AFC Championship Game are a sign of things to come on Sunday.
The Broncos pass rush harassed Tom Brady from the time the game started, but it will be tougher to get after Cam Newton. Von Miller and Demarcus Ware were able to get upfield and behind the tackles on a lot of plays because they didn't have to worry about Tom Brady taking advantage of the running lanes that type of style lends itself too. With Cam and the Panthers running game, they will not be able to use the same style of pass rush without getting burned. Although they will have to adjust their pass rush, they can still be super effective. Ware and Miller both have very good bull rushes that can put pressure on Cam even without utilizing their speed.
They Broncos will have more freedom to blitz (or dog) against the Panthers compared to the Patriots because they won't have to worry about their receivers making plays. This should make up for having to take a conservative approach on the outside pass rush. Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson will have to do their part in containing Newton as well. Both cannot get themselves outside of their pass rushing lanes because of Newton's ability to move inside and outside of the pocket. Wolfe's ability to defend against the run will be invaluable to the defense when it comes to the Panther's dynamic running game. Expect to see Sylvester Williams a lot more on Sunday than you did in the AFC Championship Game. His capacity to run-stop will be called upon time and time again. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Darius Kilgo off of the inactive list for the first time in a while just because he is another big body who can slow down the Panther's running game.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jonathan Stewart finished the season third in broken tackles, behind Adrian Peterson and Doug Martin. The Broncos defense does wrap up well, but they will have to make sure to bring him down. They cannot afford to give Carolina any extra rushing yards on plays that should have been stopped.
Many people thought before the season that Carolina's offensive line was going to be one of the worst in the league. Ryan Kalil and Michael Oher were probably the only known names on that line outside of Charlotte and people only knew of Oher for non-football reasons. However, they have come together as one of the best units in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Although, they don't have one individual name that one could point to as one of the best at his position in the league, they have come together fabulously as a unit. The key for the Broncos will be to try to confuse them with intricate blitz schemes. Sending different players on blitzes and dropping some back, could confuse the line enough to get some key hits and sacks on Cam Newton. Dropping Von and Ware into coverage occasionally should keep them guessing as to where the pressure is coming from.
The Broncos secondary will give Carolina's passing game fits. Chris Harris and Aqib Talib will be able to shut down whomever lines up across from them. Harris has battled a dinged up shoulder for the entirety of the the playoffs, but it did not seem to bother him against the Patriots like it did against the Steelers so there is reason to believe that he will be fine, especially with the extra week between games. Bradley Roby should also be able to handle whichever third-rate receiver that Carolina decides to throw at him. He is one of the best young corners in the league and would be a starter if he wasn't stuck behind two top 10 guys. TJ Ward and Darian Stewart both got hurt in the Patriots games, but they will be starting in the Super Bowl, thankfully. When they went down in the AFC Championship Game, the defense had trouble stopping anything that was thrown at them. As long as they remain healthy throughout the game, there shouldn't be much worry about this group. If one goes down, they might be alright, but if both do then Carolina will probably have a scoring party.
Ted Ginn jr. would be my biggest worry on the Panther's offense because of his big play ability. The Broncos don't have a single player that can match up with his speed so it would be smart to play off man and probably keep either Stewart or Ward back in order to protect against passes over the top. They can live with short passes to him, especially since he will drop a few. They just can't let him make the big play. Greg Olsen is the only other pass catcher that I am worried about. He is top 3 in the league at his position, but the Broncos held Gronk in check, until the starting safeties went down. He will be tough to cover, but they won't have to triple team him like they did to Gronk.
Most analysts seem to be picking Carolina and some even say that it might get out of hand quick. However, I think everyone remembers the last time that the number one defense was overlooked and everyone was picking the number one offense to win easily.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Denver Loses a Defensive Battle To Utah
The Nuggets came into Utah hoping that they would make headway in the Western Conference playoff race and Utah is working their way into 8th place in the West. They came into the game 4 games behind Utah so they need all of the head-to-head wins that they can get. Utah came into the game holding the 9th seed in the West, only a half game behind the Portland Trailblazers.
Their inability to close against the Jazz put a damper on their playoff hopes a little bit. They lost a heart breaker 85-81. They only scored 35 points in the second half and none of the players could buy a shot from the field in the second half.
This was a low scoring battle as neither team was able to top 25 points in a single quarter. Free throws were able to keep the Nuggets in the game even though they only shot 37% from the field. The Jazz did not crack double digit free throw attempts until late in the fourth quarter, but it didn't matter as they got to the line 12 times in the quarter. It also helped that they shot 8 percentage points higher from the field.
Nikola Jokic was limited in this game because he was battling a sore left shoulder. He struggled in the first half and failed to score a single point in the first half, but he settled into rhythm and redeemed himself in the second half with 8 points. I hope they let him get fully healthy. The team should not expect him to be as effective when battling a nagging injury. The All-Star break is coming up so he should be able to get some more rest then.
Gary Harris, Will Barton and Gallo played some good defense on Gordon Hayward. He only had 2 points the entire first half and he finished with only 16 after recovering a little in the second half. The defense on him was a major reason why they had such a great first half as a team.
Gallo was really the only player on the Nuggets to do much of anything on the offensive side of the ball and even he only shot 5-15 from the field. He was able to get to the line 14 times, which helped the team when they were going through cold spells from the field. He needs to have another scoring option on this team. When Jokic is going, he can be that guy, but he was hurt coming into the game and was ineffective for the first half. If Gallo had another option to defer to, he would become a much more efficient player.
The team falling apart in the second half is not a good sign for the remainder of the season. They should have put away this game in the third quarter, but they let the Jazz hang around and eventually the rest of the game got away from them. The Bulls are coming into town Friday night and the Nuggets will be looking for redemption after the way that this game ended. As I said, they can't lose more than three games before the All-Star break and still expect to contend for a playoff spot. They don't need to beat the Bulls in order to reach that goal, but it would certainly be helpful.
Their inability to close against the Jazz put a damper on their playoff hopes a little bit. They lost a heart breaker 85-81. They only scored 35 points in the second half and none of the players could buy a shot from the field in the second half.
This was a low scoring battle as neither team was able to top 25 points in a single quarter. Free throws were able to keep the Nuggets in the game even though they only shot 37% from the field. The Jazz did not crack double digit free throw attempts until late in the fourth quarter, but it didn't matter as they got to the line 12 times in the quarter. It also helped that they shot 8 percentage points higher from the field.
Nikola Jokic was limited in this game because he was battling a sore left shoulder. He struggled in the first half and failed to score a single point in the first half, but he settled into rhythm and redeemed himself in the second half with 8 points. I hope they let him get fully healthy. The team should not expect him to be as effective when battling a nagging injury. The All-Star break is coming up so he should be able to get some more rest then.
Gary Harris, Will Barton and Gallo played some good defense on Gordon Hayward. He only had 2 points the entire first half and he finished with only 16 after recovering a little in the second half. The defense on him was a major reason why they had such a great first half as a team.
Gallo was really the only player on the Nuggets to do much of anything on the offensive side of the ball and even he only shot 5-15 from the field. He was able to get to the line 14 times, which helped the team when they were going through cold spells from the field. He needs to have another scoring option on this team. When Jokic is going, he can be that guy, but he was hurt coming into the game and was ineffective for the first half. If Gallo had another option to defer to, he would become a much more efficient player.
The team falling apart in the second half is not a good sign for the remainder of the season. They should have put away this game in the third quarter, but they let the Jazz hang around and eventually the rest of the game got away from them. The Bulls are coming into town Friday night and the Nuggets will be looking for redemption after the way that this game ended. As I said, they can't lose more than three games before the All-Star break and still expect to contend for a playoff spot. They don't need to beat the Bulls in order to reach that goal, but it would certainly be helpful.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Denver Broncos Offensive Outlook For Super Bowl 50
Peyton Manning is walking into this game as a shell of his former self, but luckily his former self is one of the best quarterbacks off all time, so his shell is not too bad to have. His arm strength is not what it once was, but he can still get the job done because he is one of the smartest quarterbacks to step foot on a football field. He has not turned the ball over since reclaiming the starting job 2.5 games ago, which is key for the offense. As long as he is able to manage the game and not make costly mistakes, the offense should score enough points to give the defense room against their potent offense.
The success of Denver's running game is the key for their chances to win the Super Bowl. The offensive line probably needs to double either Kawann Short or Star Lotulelei in order to open up holes for CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. I think the running game has a chance to be very effective against the Panthers defense. They ranked seventh in the league in rushing defense so there is some room to move. They key is to force them to respect the pass so they can't put 8 in the box without any worries.
Josh Norman will cover either Emmanuel Sanders or Demaryius Thomas. Whichever one gets lucky and is ignored by Norman should be thrown to at almost every opportunity. The risk of throwing Norman's way is too high to take that risk unless the receiver clearly wins the battle. Look for three wide receiver threats, using Jordan Norwood and Bennie Fowler, to take advantage of Cortland Finnegan in coverage.
The tight end passing game will probably be somewhat limited with Kuechley and Thomas Davis providing excellent pass coverage. The ability for the tight ends to get open will rely on sucking the linebackers in with play action plays. For that to work though, the running game needs to actually be a threat, unlike it was against New England. For some reason, New England kept biting on the fakes even though the runs were not going anywhere.
The line will have to be ready for Carolina's star-studded interior, but I am sure Vasquez, Paradis and Mathis/Garcia will be up to the task. I am more worried about Charles Johnson dominating Schofield. However, Schofield has played much better during the playoffs, which should give fans help, but he is still the weak link on the line and is the most cause for concern.
It will be interesting to see how often they switch Max Garcia in and out. I wouldn't expect much to change, but maybe Kubiak won't think it is worth the risk in the Super Bowl. However, if it were me, I would continue to do what brought the team to this point. Keep the line rotations the same in order to keep fatigue from becoming a factor late in the game.
The offense can absolutely not afford to turn the ball over. The Panthers defense is incredibly opportunistic and their offense will be sure to turn turnovers into points. The main reason that the Panthers finished first in the league in points scored was because of turnovers that the defense forced. There was a reason they failed to finish top ten in yards, but were number one in points. Manning has done a great job of not throwing interceptions since he returned from injury. I am more worried about Ronnie or CJ putting the ball on the ground.
This offense will not put up more than 30 points in this game. They should be able to get some drives going, but they will be slow burners, nothing quick. Expect them to look like the 80 yard touchdown drive against New England. Productive runs by CJ and Ronnie are needed on first and second down in order to have manageable third downs. The pass protection absolutely cannot look like it did during the second half against New England. However, I can't expect that they wont because Carolina has a much more talented line. This is why they need to have manageable third downs to ensure that Manning does not have to hold the ball too long. If they do these things, they should be able to put up around 27 points, which should be enough to win the game with this fantastic defense.
The success of Denver's running game is the key for their chances to win the Super Bowl. The offensive line probably needs to double either Kawann Short or Star Lotulelei in order to open up holes for CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. I think the running game has a chance to be very effective against the Panthers defense. They ranked seventh in the league in rushing defense so there is some room to move. They key is to force them to respect the pass so they can't put 8 in the box without any worries.
Josh Norman will cover either Emmanuel Sanders or Demaryius Thomas. Whichever one gets lucky and is ignored by Norman should be thrown to at almost every opportunity. The risk of throwing Norman's way is too high to take that risk unless the receiver clearly wins the battle. Look for three wide receiver threats, using Jordan Norwood and Bennie Fowler, to take advantage of Cortland Finnegan in coverage.
The tight end passing game will probably be somewhat limited with Kuechley and Thomas Davis providing excellent pass coverage. The ability for the tight ends to get open will rely on sucking the linebackers in with play action plays. For that to work though, the running game needs to actually be a threat, unlike it was against New England. For some reason, New England kept biting on the fakes even though the runs were not going anywhere.
The line will have to be ready for Carolina's star-studded interior, but I am sure Vasquez, Paradis and Mathis/Garcia will be up to the task. I am more worried about Charles Johnson dominating Schofield. However, Schofield has played much better during the playoffs, which should give fans help, but he is still the weak link on the line and is the most cause for concern.
It will be interesting to see how often they switch Max Garcia in and out. I wouldn't expect much to change, but maybe Kubiak won't think it is worth the risk in the Super Bowl. However, if it were me, I would continue to do what brought the team to this point. Keep the line rotations the same in order to keep fatigue from becoming a factor late in the game.
The offense can absolutely not afford to turn the ball over. The Panthers defense is incredibly opportunistic and their offense will be sure to turn turnovers into points. The main reason that the Panthers finished first in the league in points scored was because of turnovers that the defense forced. There was a reason they failed to finish top ten in yards, but were number one in points. Manning has done a great job of not throwing interceptions since he returned from injury. I am more worried about Ronnie or CJ putting the ball on the ground.
This offense will not put up more than 30 points in this game. They should be able to get some drives going, but they will be slow burners, nothing quick. Expect them to look like the 80 yard touchdown drive against New England. Productive runs by CJ and Ronnie are needed on first and second down in order to have manageable third downs. The pass protection absolutely cannot look like it did during the second half against New England. However, I can't expect that they wont because Carolina has a much more talented line. This is why they need to have manageable third downs to ensure that Manning does not have to hold the ball too long. If they do these things, they should be able to put up around 27 points, which should be enough to win the game with this fantastic defense.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Jokic Has a Coming Out Party Against Toronto
Toronto was one of the hottest teams in the NBA coming into the game, winning 11 straight before they came to town. They are second in the Eastern Conference and are only a couple of games out of first, but none of that mattered when they stepped into Pepsi Center. The Raptors did not look like a team that rattled off 11 straight. The Nuggets deserve a lot of credit for that, they played great defense Nikola Jokic had a coming out party on the offensive side of the ball. They cruised to a 112-93 victory and righted the ship on this important seven game stretch before the All-Star break.
Jokic got off to a fantastic start and scored the first 11 points for the Nuggets and assisted on the next basket. He added two boards and a block in the quarter as well. He continued to play well for the remainder of the half and was in triple double range going into the half with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Jokic was not the only player to play great in the first half. Even Randy Foye decided to get in on the action and scored 7 points in nine minutes. Gallinari scored 10 points in the first half on 3-3 shooting and played fantastic defense to top it off as well. The team shot 54.3% from the field collectively shot 54.3% from the field and held Toronto to a mere 38.5%. The difference in field goal percentage was the main contributor to the 60-49 lead that Denver carried into halftime. The team did a fantastic job of facilitating the ball and finished with an incredible 17 assists in the first half. Mudiay, Gallo and Jokic did a great job of finding the open man.
They got off to a rough start in the third quarter, but fortunately, the Raptors didn't feel like taking control of the game. Jokic continued to dominate the game and showed off some fancy posts moves on his was to a pivotal 6 straight points in the third quarter. He is going to be a star has probably earned himself at least 30 minutes per game until the season ends. Tim Connelly deserves all of the credit in the world for drafting him in the second round in 2014. He is the best young player on the roster currently. He and Mudiay could make a great 1-2 punch in 5 years if everything goes well. He finished with career highs in points and rebounds with 27 and 14. This was probably his coming out party, look out for him to become a well known name in a year or two.
The Nuggets ran away with the game to start the fourth quarter and worked up to a 27 point lead at one point. This game is up there with one of the best game for the Nuggets this season. They did everything right: They had 60 points in the paint, 24 assists, shot 52% from the field and won the rebounding battle. There is not really one negative thing you could say about any player after this game.
Mudiay had an impressive game as well. He only had 4 points, but also had 8 assists and more importantly, only one turnover. It's always nice to see him have games where he limits his turnovers, without sacrificing his assist totals. Will Barton should also get recognition for his game as well. He finished with 20 points 7 rebounds and was a staggering +22 while he was on the court, before they let up late in the fourth quarter.
They made up for losing to the Pacers two nights ago. They are now on track again to win 5 of their last 7 games, which is much needed if they want to make their playoff push after the All-Star break. Their next game will be at Utah on Wednesday. That is a game they should win, but is tricky since they are on the road and its a divisional game.
Promising games from young players like Jokic make the games so much more enjoyable to watch. Getting a glimpse of what those players might be someday helps many fans get through seasons like these.
Jokic got off to a fantastic start and scored the first 11 points for the Nuggets and assisted on the next basket. He added two boards and a block in the quarter as well. He continued to play well for the remainder of the half and was in triple double range going into the half with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Jokic was not the only player to play great in the first half. Even Randy Foye decided to get in on the action and scored 7 points in nine minutes. Gallinari scored 10 points in the first half on 3-3 shooting and played fantastic defense to top it off as well. The team shot 54.3% from the field collectively shot 54.3% from the field and held Toronto to a mere 38.5%. The difference in field goal percentage was the main contributor to the 60-49 lead that Denver carried into halftime. The team did a fantastic job of facilitating the ball and finished with an incredible 17 assists in the first half. Mudiay, Gallo and Jokic did a great job of finding the open man.
They got off to a rough start in the third quarter, but fortunately, the Raptors didn't feel like taking control of the game. Jokic continued to dominate the game and showed off some fancy posts moves on his was to a pivotal 6 straight points in the third quarter. He is going to be a star has probably earned himself at least 30 minutes per game until the season ends. Tim Connelly deserves all of the credit in the world for drafting him in the second round in 2014. He is the best young player on the roster currently. He and Mudiay could make a great 1-2 punch in 5 years if everything goes well. He finished with career highs in points and rebounds with 27 and 14. This was probably his coming out party, look out for him to become a well known name in a year or two.
The Nuggets ran away with the game to start the fourth quarter and worked up to a 27 point lead at one point. This game is up there with one of the best game for the Nuggets this season. They did everything right: They had 60 points in the paint, 24 assists, shot 52% from the field and won the rebounding battle. There is not really one negative thing you could say about any player after this game.
Mudiay had an impressive game as well. He only had 4 points, but also had 8 assists and more importantly, only one turnover. It's always nice to see him have games where he limits his turnovers, without sacrificing his assist totals. Will Barton should also get recognition for his game as well. He finished with 20 points 7 rebounds and was a staggering +22 while he was on the court, before they let up late in the fourth quarter.
They made up for losing to the Pacers two nights ago. They are now on track again to win 5 of their last 7 games, which is much needed if they want to make their playoff push after the All-Star break. Their next game will be at Utah on Wednesday. That is a game they should win, but is tricky since they are on the road and its a divisional game.
Promising games from young players like Jokic make the games so much more enjoyable to watch. Getting a glimpse of what those players might be someday helps many fans get through seasons like these.
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