Peyton Manning
He had is best year statistically throwing for 4,659 yards 37 TD's and 11 Interceptions. He lead this team to their best record since 2005 at 13-3. He is the reason the team was able to secure the top seed in the AFC. Even after the neck surgeries he still looked like a top 5 QB and although he lost some arm strength he was still able to outsmart defenses with his football knowledge.
Grade: A
Willis McGahee
He only played 10 games, but still rushed for 731 yards at a 4.4 YPC clip and he ran for 4 TD's however, he coughed the ball up 5 times. His fumbling issues were a problem they altered games such as the Patriots game where the Broncos tried to make a comeback, but he fumbled the ball, ending the comeback bid. It is hard to successful when your running back turns it over so often. Moreno out-shined Willis when he got the chance rushing for just over 500 yards in his 6 starts and also having 4 rushing TD's to only 1 fumble.
Grade: C+
Demaryious Thomas
Thomas showed everyone what he was capable of in the second half of last season and in the playoffs. With Manning at the helm things only got better. He caught 94 balls for 1,434 yards for 10 TD's. Thomas dominated opponents and made a name for himself as a potential top 5 wide receiver. Some only thought he could be a deep threat in the NFL, but he showed he could be a good possession receiver too. Early in the year he struggled with dropped balls and fumbles, but he got over his fumblitis fairly quick. His dropped balls persisted, but they became less and less of a factor as the season wore on.
Grade: A-
Eric Decker
Decker played well in the second option role, he finished with 85 receptions 1,064 yards and a surprising 13 TD's. He was the Broncos best receiver in the red zone, he knew how to find the open spot and make a target for Manning. He had some problems with dropped balls during the middle of the season, but he seemed to overcome that part of his game as the year went on.
Grade: B+
Jacob Tamme
Tamme did not do as well as some though he would considering he played for Manning before and that developed a good rapport during the 2010 season. Tamme only finished with 52 receptions 555 yards and 2 TD's. Joel Dreessen seemed to take over more and more of the Tight End duties since he was a better blocker and a decent receiver. Dreessen was more effective in the red zone catching 5 TD's. Tamme needs to step it up or he may lose his starting job next season.
Grade: C
Ryan Clady
There is a reason Clady will be receiving the franchise tag and hopefully a long term deal this offseason. He has done an excellent job of projecting Manning's blindside and he deserves all of the money he will receive. He does lack a little in the run blocking department, but he is not that bad.
Grade: A-
Zane Beadles
In my eyes, this was Beadles best year yet. He needs to improve as a pass blocker, but his run blocking was phenomenal. He looked great always getting guys out of the way and moving onto the second level. In order to thrive in a Peyton Manning run offense he needs to improve his passing blocking, but I saw improvement from last year until this one so lets hope he can keep that up.
Grade: B
Dan Koppen
Koppen replaced Walton early in the season due to injury. Koppen was exactly what this offensive line needed, a veteran presence, since they were also without Kuper. Koppen did an excellent job calling out who to block and seemed to mesh well with Manning. I hope he can keep his starting job when Manning comes back.
Grade: B+
Manny Ramirez
He was just awful. Could not pass block to save his life and he is a mediocre run blocker. He was the weak link on this line the whole season. Since Kuper cant seem to stay healthy, I would not be surprised if the Broncos drafted a backup guard that could spot start when someone is injured. If the Broncos have to go with Manny any longer it could prove to be deadly.
Grade: D
Orlando Franklin
What an improvement this guy made as a pass blocker from year one to year two. He was head and shoulders above what he did in his rookie year. His feet seemed to move a little quicker. This is not to say he still cant make major improvements in the pass blocking arena, but if he improves this year like he did last he could be one of the top tackles in the league.
Grade: B+
Friday, March 8, 2013
Who Are the Broncos Looking at in the Draft?
The Broncos could go many different directions with their picks in the 2013 NFL draft.
They need a middle linebacker assuming Nate Irving does not make the jump to starter. I liked what I saw from Irving last season, when he received playing time he looked like a capable starter. I think they would most likely they would take a middle linebacker in the middle rounds in order to have a competition with Irving. I would like to see them take a look a Jon Bostic in the 4th round. They could also go Kevin Reddick from UNC in rounds 2 or 3.
As has been they story over many drafts the Broncos desperately need a Defensive Tackle that can push the pocket and stop the run. The front office cannot continue to put this off any longer. If they are able to snag someone who can push the pocket, that helps Doom and Miller because QB's will not be able to step up and avoid them. I counted numerous sacks that were missed last season because of no inside pressure. I would like them to take a look at John Jenkins from Georgia, Kawaan Short from Purdue or Sylvester Williams from UNC in the first round. In the middle rounds they should look at Brandon Williams from Missouri Southern.
Corner is also going to be an issue in the future. I personally hope the Broncos trade for Revis, but there is a strong possibility that will not happen. Tony Carter came through last season, but his is a free agent and can go anywhere he wants and possibly start. Chris Harris was phenomenal last season, he is just all over the place and around the ball. He also proved he could play opposite of champ, but I think his more natural spot is in the nickel. Champ is getting old and although he played well last season, sans Baltimore, nobody knows how long his strong play will keep up. The Broncos could consider Desmond Trufant from Washington or Xavier Rhodes from FSU in the first round. In the middle rounds they could take David Amerson from North Carolina State, B.W Webb from William and Mary.
Willis McGahee is old and coming off a a knee surgery. Moreno is a good runner, but has a hard time carrying the load. Ronnie Hillman is fast, but too small to be the feature back as he has trouble running between the tackles. Eddie Lacy could be an option in the first round, he is the most well rounded back in the class. He runs with power, but is also pretty quick and elusive. My personal favorite would be Mike Gilislee from Florida. He carried the load last season for the Gators and decimated top teams such as LSU and FSU. He is fast and quick, but also runs with a purpose and wont back down from a hit. Stepfan Taylor would also be a good addition, He was the workhorse for Stanford and his running style would mesh will with Hillmans.
Having a slot receiver is a must for Denver heading forward. Stokely only has one year left in him and that is assuming the Broncos resign him. Decker could move inside in 3 receiver packages, but who would replace him on the outside? Terrence Williams from Baylor would be a nice addition. Cobi Hamilton from Arkansas would also be a nice middle round addition to the receiving core.
They need a middle linebacker assuming Nate Irving does not make the jump to starter. I liked what I saw from Irving last season, when he received playing time he looked like a capable starter. I think they would most likely they would take a middle linebacker in the middle rounds in order to have a competition with Irving. I would like to see them take a look a Jon Bostic in the 4th round. They could also go Kevin Reddick from UNC in rounds 2 or 3.
As has been they story over many drafts the Broncos desperately need a Defensive Tackle that can push the pocket and stop the run. The front office cannot continue to put this off any longer. If they are able to snag someone who can push the pocket, that helps Doom and Miller because QB's will not be able to step up and avoid them. I counted numerous sacks that were missed last season because of no inside pressure. I would like them to take a look at John Jenkins from Georgia, Kawaan Short from Purdue or Sylvester Williams from UNC in the first round. In the middle rounds they should look at Brandon Williams from Missouri Southern.
Corner is also going to be an issue in the future. I personally hope the Broncos trade for Revis, but there is a strong possibility that will not happen. Tony Carter came through last season, but his is a free agent and can go anywhere he wants and possibly start. Chris Harris was phenomenal last season, he is just all over the place and around the ball. He also proved he could play opposite of champ, but I think his more natural spot is in the nickel. Champ is getting old and although he played well last season, sans Baltimore, nobody knows how long his strong play will keep up. The Broncos could consider Desmond Trufant from Washington or Xavier Rhodes from FSU in the first round. In the middle rounds they could take David Amerson from North Carolina State, B.W Webb from William and Mary.
Willis McGahee is old and coming off a a knee surgery. Moreno is a good runner, but has a hard time carrying the load. Ronnie Hillman is fast, but too small to be the feature back as he has trouble running between the tackles. Eddie Lacy could be an option in the first round, he is the most well rounded back in the class. He runs with power, but is also pretty quick and elusive. My personal favorite would be Mike Gilislee from Florida. He carried the load last season for the Gators and decimated top teams such as LSU and FSU. He is fast and quick, but also runs with a purpose and wont back down from a hit. Stepfan Taylor would also be a good addition, He was the workhorse for Stanford and his running style would mesh will with Hillmans.
Having a slot receiver is a must for Denver heading forward. Stokely only has one year left in him and that is assuming the Broncos resign him. Decker could move inside in 3 receiver packages, but who would replace him on the outside? Terrence Williams from Baylor would be a nice addition. Cobi Hamilton from Arkansas would also be a nice middle round addition to the receiving core.
Nuggets vs. Clippers Recap
Wow! What can I say about how hot Ty has been lately. He only had 2 points in the first half and if this was old Ty he would have finished with single digit points. New Ty however, is someone who can turn it on whenever he wants and he decided the second half was a good time for that. He finished with 21 points 11 dimes 6 boards and an all important 0 assists. He has averaged 20 points and 7.4 assists in the new year, I know it is hard for Denver to fathom since they built this team without a superstar in mind, but we might have another star on our hands. Andre Iguodala stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points 3 boards and 7 assists, like Ty he has also stepped up his game recently. Even though it does not show up in the box score he abused Chris Paul all night and did not let him get anything easy. Andre has been looking like his 76er's self by stuffing the stat sheet and playing lock down defense. Although his shooting leaves something to be desired I think he scores at a fine rate for this Nuggets team. He hit a nice 3 pointer that started the Nuggets second half run.
Gallo was looking like his pre-injury self in this game. He scored from all over the place which resulted in 20 points and he was also finding passing lanes, finishing with 6 assists. Gallo is an important cog to this team and it has been no coincidence that when he and Ty started playing better, the team has stepped up their game. Kenneth Faried played like his normal energetic self and frustrated Blake Griffin inside to get him off his game. Faried finished with 11 points 10 boards and a surprising 4 blocks, which resulted in his 27th double-double of the season. When Faried plays like this it overshadows the fact that he can be a defensive liability and I would have liked it more if he was on DeAndre Jordan rather than Griffin because Jordan is not that great of a post player. Koufus is one of my least favorite players on the team, it always seems that he misses easy shots and can never catch a ball when thrown to him. However, I would have loved to see more of him this game because I think he could have handled Griffin better than Faried did.
The Nuggets bench was, well the Nuggets bench. They provided energy and some defensive help. Chandler has an especially good, well rounded game, finishing with 12 points 5 assists and 4 rebounds on 5-8 shooting. Chandler was someone who I especially wanted to trade because he seemed like a punk who hated Denver, but he has provided such a spark off the bench or in the starting lineup when Gallo was out. Brewer had a decent game he did normal Brewer like things, such as getting out in transition and bugging players on the defensive end. I am an avid "Start McGee" type of person, but tonight reminded me he still has a lot of room to grow before he can become a solid starter. Aside from 2 highlight blocks he did not do anything tonight, he failed to box out on many occasions and only played 14 minutes. Andre Miller is not a player I want on this team he is selfish in his shot selection and dominates the ball for too long before he decides what to do with it. His stats look nice, but if you actually watch him he hurts this team and whenever he is on the court he slows Ty's progression in becoming a star player.
Overall, this was a great blowout win against a team on a back to back. These are the games they should win.
Gallo was looking like his pre-injury self in this game. He scored from all over the place which resulted in 20 points and he was also finding passing lanes, finishing with 6 assists. Gallo is an important cog to this team and it has been no coincidence that when he and Ty started playing better, the team has stepped up their game. Kenneth Faried played like his normal energetic self and frustrated Blake Griffin inside to get him off his game. Faried finished with 11 points 10 boards and a surprising 4 blocks, which resulted in his 27th double-double of the season. When Faried plays like this it overshadows the fact that he can be a defensive liability and I would have liked it more if he was on DeAndre Jordan rather than Griffin because Jordan is not that great of a post player. Koufus is one of my least favorite players on the team, it always seems that he misses easy shots and can never catch a ball when thrown to him. However, I would have loved to see more of him this game because I think he could have handled Griffin better than Faried did.
The Nuggets bench was, well the Nuggets bench. They provided energy and some defensive help. Chandler has an especially good, well rounded game, finishing with 12 points 5 assists and 4 rebounds on 5-8 shooting. Chandler was someone who I especially wanted to trade because he seemed like a punk who hated Denver, but he has provided such a spark off the bench or in the starting lineup when Gallo was out. Brewer had a decent game he did normal Brewer like things, such as getting out in transition and bugging players on the defensive end. I am an avid "Start McGee" type of person, but tonight reminded me he still has a lot of room to grow before he can become a solid starter. Aside from 2 highlight blocks he did not do anything tonight, he failed to box out on many occasions and only played 14 minutes. Andre Miller is not a player I want on this team he is selfish in his shot selection and dominates the ball for too long before he decides what to do with it. His stats look nice, but if you actually watch him he hurts this team and whenever he is on the court he slows Ty's progression in becoming a star player.
Overall, this was a great blowout win against a team on a back to back. These are the games they should win.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Nuggets Asserting Themselves at the Top of the Western Conference
The Denver Nuggets are currently 5th in the Western Conference and have a chance to catch the Memphis Grizzlies for the 4th seed. They could also catch the Clippers with some luck and a nice winning streak. Denver is 2-1 against the Thunder and the Grizzlies and they are 1-1 against the Spurs and the Clippers. They play the Clipper tonight at home so that record could change, but they do not have a losing record against the top 4 teams in the Western Conference.
They have been marvelous at home, but it is their 14-19 road record that has been holding them back from becoming a top team. They need to perform better on the road and especially against below average team. As an example look at the Kings game, yes it was a back to back, but they did not perform well and did not pull away until late in the 4th quarter. They should have put this game away in the first half. If they do not improve on the road, especially against below average teams, they will never make the jump into the top teams and will have a tough time becoming a contender. They are almost unbeatable at home so if they improved on the road they could become one of the best teams. They have the chance to catch Memphis and LA, but they need to win road games to become a force in the playoffs.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thunder Extend Ibaka
The Thunder have re-signed Olympian Serge Ibaka to a 4 year 48 million dollar contract. Ibaka is probably the best up and coming Power Forward in the league. He would have commanded much more money next offseason so it was smart to extend him this offseason. Ibaka averaged 9.1 points 7.5 rebounds and a whopping 3.7 blocks in 27 minutes per game last season. With this contract he will gain more minutes.
The downside is now that the Thunder will have a hard time extending Harden. They will have to rid themselves of Perkins contact and receive expiring contracts to be able to pay for Harden. If they cant re-sign Harden they made the right decision in extending Ibaka because he provides them with a big man presence instead of just another scorer.
The downside is now that the Thunder will have a hard time extending Harden. They will have to rid themselves of Perkins contact and receive expiring contracts to be able to pay for Harden. If they cant re-sign Harden they made the right decision in extending Ibaka because he provides them with a big man presence instead of just another scorer.
Broncos Pre Season Week 2 (Defense)
The Defensive line was a mixed bag. The run defense looked like it did last season. Proving that if you dont have talented players then no scheme will work. The Pass Rush on the other hand looked remarkable. Miller and DOOM could not be stopped without being held. Even though he didnt get a sack Derek Wolfe looked impressive as well fighting off blocks. The Defensive Tackles need to be upgraded. Justin Bannan was blown off the ball a lot in this game. The Broncos should focus on getting quality DT's next offseason. Makil Jackson looked like he could be a starter down the road if he added 15 pounds.
The Linebacking Corps was decent but they also play a roll in stopping the run which they didn't do well. Mays is a big hitter but he also misses a lot of tackles and that has not changed. He will lay some lumber, but he could also whiff because he is always looking for the big hit. Woodyard played well too, he is a solid tackler who wraps up. Still look for Danny Trevethan to make the team.
The defensive backs looked great. Whenever there is a good pass rush the defensive backs look all that much better. Champ had a sweet pass defense against TO. Tracy Porter didnt play because he was injured so Drayton Florence took his place and played well. David Bruton may have made the team with his play last night. He blocked one punt and got his hand on another. He is a great special teams player who can fill in on D when there are injuries.
The Linebacking Corps was decent but they also play a roll in stopping the run which they didn't do well. Mays is a big hitter but he also misses a lot of tackles and that has not changed. He will lay some lumber, but he could also whiff because he is always looking for the big hit. Woodyard played well too, he is a solid tackler who wraps up. Still look for Danny Trevethan to make the team.
The defensive backs looked great. Whenever there is a good pass rush the defensive backs look all that much better. Champ had a sweet pass defense against TO. Tracy Porter didnt play because he was injured so Drayton Florence took his place and played well. David Bruton may have made the team with his play last night. He blocked one punt and got his hand on another. He is a great special teams player who can fill in on D when there are injuries.
Broncos Pre Season Week 2 (Offense)
The first team offense only put together 2 scoring drives in the first half. Manning had 2 interceptions and about 1.5 of them were his fault. The first one was tipped at the line, Beadles blew his block and didn't fight to keep the defensive lineman down. Manning should not have thrown the pass because he was trying to squeeze it into a whole that was simply not there. The second one was completely his fault. He severely overthrew Joel Dreesen and it was easily picked off. Manning looked his best when the Broncos went to the no huddle. On the touchdown drive he looked like manning circa 2006. In the 2 minute drill before half he tore up the field. If it wasn't for 2 drops, 1 by Decker and another by Tamme in the endzone the drive would have ended in a touchdown. Osweiler was the second QB to play in this game and he looked terrible. He seemed lost and was not able to his receivers. He did not look as good as he did in the Chicago game. There is a reason he was drafted as a prospect.
McGahee looked like he did last season. He was running with purpose and if it wasn't for a 4 yard loss on one play he would have put up spectacular numbers. His Back up Lance ball was just the opposite. He only had 2 carries for 5 yards and he fumbled. I think Knowshon us better than ball and tha should be represented on the depth chart. When Hillman returns he should be the second back on the depth chart. He is the best receiving back on the team, Moreno is a close second, and there is no reason he should be behind Ball when he is healthy. After an impressive showing in Chicago Xavier Omon only had one carry this weekend. He is ineligible for the practice squad so he has to make the 53 man roster or he will not be on the team.
The receiving corps was pretty good despite a couple of drops. Eric Decker had 2 catches for 34 yards. He will be Manning's main target during the regular season. Demaryius Thomas had 3 catches for 28 yards, but I would like to see him catch more deep balls. Brandon Stokley was the leading receiver with 3 catches for 41 yards. He will be one of the best 3rd down receivers in the league with his old buddy Peyton Manning throwing to him. Joel Dreesen seemed like Mannings top tight end target which is surprising since they picked up Jacob Tamme for that reason. No backups stood out because Osweiler simply could not do anything at all.
The offensive line was a mixed back with Chris Kuper out. Manny Ramirez took his spot and was blown up at the LOS on numerous plays including a 3rd and 1 that resulted in a 4 yard loss. Clady looked better in his second game. Beadles and Walton need to be replaced because they cant cut it at this level. Backup Phillip Blake looked bad too. Both Waltons and Beadles jobs are safe this year, but the need to be replaced ASAP.
McGahee looked like he did last season. He was running with purpose and if it wasn't for a 4 yard loss on one play he would have put up spectacular numbers. His Back up Lance ball was just the opposite. He only had 2 carries for 5 yards and he fumbled. I think Knowshon us better than ball and tha should be represented on the depth chart. When Hillman returns he should be the second back on the depth chart. He is the best receiving back on the team, Moreno is a close second, and there is no reason he should be behind Ball when he is healthy. After an impressive showing in Chicago Xavier Omon only had one carry this weekend. He is ineligible for the practice squad so he has to make the 53 man roster or he will not be on the team.
The receiving corps was pretty good despite a couple of drops. Eric Decker had 2 catches for 34 yards. He will be Manning's main target during the regular season. Demaryius Thomas had 3 catches for 28 yards, but I would like to see him catch more deep balls. Brandon Stokley was the leading receiver with 3 catches for 41 yards. He will be one of the best 3rd down receivers in the league with his old buddy Peyton Manning throwing to him. Joel Dreesen seemed like Mannings top tight end target which is surprising since they picked up Jacob Tamme for that reason. No backups stood out because Osweiler simply could not do anything at all.
The offensive line was a mixed back with Chris Kuper out. Manny Ramirez took his spot and was blown up at the LOS on numerous plays including a 3rd and 1 that resulted in a 4 yard loss. Clady looked better in his second game. Beadles and Walton need to be replaced because they cant cut it at this level. Backup Phillip Blake looked bad too. Both Waltons and Beadles jobs are safe this year, but the need to be replaced ASAP.
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