Monta Ellis got off to a fantastic start, which propelled the Pacers to an eight point lead after the first quarter. He scored 13 points on 5-6 shooing, while hitting all three of his attempts from three. I thought he would cool down as the game went on, but he kept hitting typical Monta shots. He finished with 32 points and he iced the game with an and-one lay in with 20 seconds left.
Will Barton was showcasing why he should be in the dunk contest early in the game with two fantastic dunks.
Number 1: https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/693593845196394496/video/1
Number 2: https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/693595635761582080/video/1
Gallinari forced himself to the line six times in the first half. His ability to get to the line and manufacture points even when the rest of the shots aren't really falling is almost invaluable to the team.
Gary Harris played an important role in the game for the Nuggets. Gary was born in Indiana so he must have cooked up something special. He was sensational in the third quarter when he played a pivotal role in helping the Nuggets get the lead back in that quarter. He had eight points in the quarter and made both of his three point attempts.
The team played fantastic as a whole in third quarter, which is when they finally got the game in hand after Indiana was doing well keeping a 6-10 point distance in the first half. They outscored the Pacers by 11 points in the quarter and it should have been even more. The front court let the Pacers get a lot of offensive rebounds in the quarter and they were able to turn those opportunities into points most of the time. The starters played phenomenal as well and Malone elected to keep them on for the entirety of the third because of their special play.
They struggled to begin the fourth because all of the bench players were cold after not playing at all in the third. They were able to get things back on track and not let the Pacers take a commanding lead. It was the starters who got the lead in the first place and it would have to be up to the starters to win the game. Every player on the bench finished with a negative plus/minus, while all of the starters finished on the positive end. They were able to tie the game 99-99, but they did not get a good shot when they had a chance to go ahead late in the game. Luckily, Monta Ellis missed the game winning shot and the game went into overtime.
They weren't able to finish the game in overtime and were not able to overcome a quick 5-0 run by the Pacers to begin overtime. They climbed back to make it a one point game with less than a minute left, but a three point play by Monta Ellis with 20 seconds left took away any chance that they had to win the game.
Nikola Jokic played a great game and finished with 16 points 11 rebounds and 5 steals. He showed fans why he should be seeing at least 30 minutes per game. If he and Nurkic show that they can play together, and I don't think there is any reason they shouldn't since Jokic can shoot from deep, they will be one of the best under 24 front courts in the league. This game showed why I cant wait to see Jokic's development during the rest of the season.
These are the games that you would like to see the Nuggets win against similar competition on the road, but a loss isn't all bad. They were competitive throughout the game and there were many points where they could have let it slide away from them, but they held on. They will need to win against either the Raptors or the Bulls in order to finish the seven game stretch before the All-Star break at 5-2.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
The Nuggets Season Could Be Determined Before the All-Star Break
The Nuggets have seven games to play until the All-Star break. The outcome of these seven games will be a major indicator for how the Nuggets will likely finish out the season. As of now, they are 3.5 games out of eighth place in the Western Conference. They are also 4.5 games away from having a top five pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. As long as they are in the race for the playoffs, they will go all out for it, but if they drop five or more of these games, the team could be demoralized and slide for the rest of the season.
This pivotal stretch starts tonight in Indiana. The Nuggets beat them in a matchup at Pepsi Center two weeks ago. This is definitely a winnable game since the Pacers are not much better than the Nuggets this season and they are coming off of losing six of their last eight.
The Nuggets are finally healthy, minus Wilson Chandler of course. Nurkic and Myles Turner is an intriguing matchup since Nurkic is playing more minutes since getting healthy again. Turner has been fantastic for Indiana of late and is looking like their center of the future. Nurkic should be able to stifle him, but he needs to stay out of foul trouble, which has costed him minutes over the past few games.
These are the games that the Nuggets need to win for the rest of the season if they want to make the playoffs. Winning games against team on your level or slightly better is a good sign of improvement. However, if they lose games like these, we know that they are one more high lottery pick from being an actual playoff contender.
Thee rest of the games in this stretch include home matches against Toronto and Chicago. It's rough for the team to have their only home games before the All-Star break against tough competition, but they may be able to sneak out a win against the Bulls. They will also have road matches against Utah, New York, Brooklyn and Detroit. All of these are games that this team should win or at the very least bring the games down to the wire.
Fans should be happy about the state of the team right now. They have the best of both worlds since they can contend for a playoff spot and still have a chance for a good draft pick. Even if they do make the playoffs, they will still have two first round picks, which they might be able to swing into a better pick.
If they can end this stretch at 4-3 or 5-2, they will be in the thick of things. Then they will have two quick games against the Sacramento Kings after the All-Star break that they can use to catapult themselves even further up the standings. They could be in the playoffs within a month if all goes well or they could be competing for a top five pick.
This pivotal stretch starts tonight in Indiana. The Nuggets beat them in a matchup at Pepsi Center two weeks ago. This is definitely a winnable game since the Pacers are not much better than the Nuggets this season and they are coming off of losing six of their last eight.
The Nuggets are finally healthy, minus Wilson Chandler of course. Nurkic and Myles Turner is an intriguing matchup since Nurkic is playing more minutes since getting healthy again. Turner has been fantastic for Indiana of late and is looking like their center of the future. Nurkic should be able to stifle him, but he needs to stay out of foul trouble, which has costed him minutes over the past few games.
These are the games that the Nuggets need to win for the rest of the season if they want to make the playoffs. Winning games against team on your level or slightly better is a good sign of improvement. However, if they lose games like these, we know that they are one more high lottery pick from being an actual playoff contender.
Thee rest of the games in this stretch include home matches against Toronto and Chicago. It's rough for the team to have their only home games before the All-Star break against tough competition, but they may be able to sneak out a win against the Bulls. They will also have road matches against Utah, New York, Brooklyn and Detroit. All of these are games that this team should win or at the very least bring the games down to the wire.
Fans should be happy about the state of the team right now. They have the best of both worlds since they can contend for a playoff spot and still have a chance for a good draft pick. Even if they do make the playoffs, they will still have two first round picks, which they might be able to swing into a better pick.
If they can end this stretch at 4-3 or 5-2, they will be in the thick of things. Then they will have two quick games against the Sacramento Kings after the All-Star break that they can use to catapult themselves even further up the standings. They could be in the playoffs within a month if all goes well or they could be competing for a top five pick.
Friday, January 29, 2016
This Is Not 2013, The Offense Only Needs To Do Enough
The last time the Broncos offense was in a Super Bowl, they were decimated by the Seahawks. They brought the best offense in the league into New York and left as a laughing stock because Seattle's defense matched up very well against that type of offense. They were not able to get anything going for just about the entire game. This time around, the defense is the unit to be feared, while the offense doesn't need to do a lot, just enough to win the game.
Carolina had the second best defense in the league for most of the season. Their passing defense is on par with Denver's when looking at yards per attempt, but far behind when looking at DVOA. Injuries have hurt their ability to defend against the pass. Josh Norman is undoubtably one of the top corners in the league. However, injuries to Charles Tillman and Bene Benwikere stripped Carolina of their second and third best corners. They are now left with Robert McClain and Cortland Finnegan in the backup and nickel spots. Finnegan was never that good even in his prime and he looks like a shell of his former self now. The biggest threat that he poses to the Broncos is him taking a swing at Demaryius or Emmanuel Sanders. The Broncos receivers will be able to take advantage whenever McClain and Finnegan are lined up across from him. If I were Manning, I wouldn't target whoever Norman is covering. Don't even try him, he will make plays when given the opportunity.
The front seven for Carolina is where the offense will find its biggest challenge. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis present unique challenges for Manning and the tight ends. They can both cover really well, Kuechly has two pick sixes in each game, and they are both amazing in the run game as well. Luckily for the Broncos, Davis is fresh off of surgery on his broken arm that he suffered during the NFC Championship Game. He says he will play and I have no reason to doubt him, but it is very hard to believe that he won't be limited during the game. His health is important for the Panthers, not because their backups are bad, but because Davis is too good just to have most of his production replaced by a guy off of the bench.
Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short have torn apart most offensive lines they have faced this season. They are both dynamic players who can both be game changers. Charles Johnson is a threat off of the edge as a pass rusher. The Broncos game should include keeping the running back in on almost every pass play because there is no doubt that Carolina's rushers will be able to get through on almost every play, if they decide to protect Manning with only 5 guys.
The Broncos offensive line has been horrid for most of the season. They have played better since Manning has come back because he gets the ball out quicker and does a great job at making adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Even with all of that said, there was a period in the second half of the AFC Championship Game where the offensive line was getting beat pretty easily, which lead to a lot of drives being stalled.
The best lineman on the team reside on the inside. Vasquez, Paradis and Mathis are the best linemen on the team and occupy the inside of the line. These three will focus almost all of their energy on stopping Lotulelei and Short. Their ability to do so will determine if the offense will actually be able to put up points. At this point in his career, if Manning has a lot of pressure down the middle and in his face, he will not be good. He needs to be able to step into the pocket in order to be accurate. This is probably going to be the most important battle in the Super Bowl. If they don't do their job, the Broncos might put up less than 10 points in the Super Bowl again.
I do think that the offense will be able to find some holes in the running game. The Panthers ranked seventh in the league in yards allowed per rush attempt (3.9), which is very good, but its not like their run defense is unstoppable. The Broncos will also lean on the run a decent amount as long as they don't get behind by a good margin. That strategy worked last week when they stuck with the run even though it was not working and CJ Anderson was able to break a long run late in the game.
I would like to see the Broncos mix it up and use seven players to block for Manning often. Normally that does not work all of the time because it can lead to a lot of coverage sacks with only three receivers on a passing play, but with Finnegan and McClain covering two of the options, they should be able to find plays to get open. They will need all of the blockers that they can use to stop the Panthers front seven on passing downs.
The Broncos hope for scoring in this game resides in the running game. The offense cannot be expected to convert a ton of third and sevens or longer. CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman need to run well on first and second downs in order to give the team easy conversion opportunities. Manning will make plays if he is given time by the offensive line, but if they cant block then there is no hope.
They probably need to put up around 24 points in order to win this game. I think they are more than capable of doing that if they execute. One another note, this game might be one of the quickest Super Bowls in recent memory since both teams will lean on their running games and play good defense. If there is an over/under bet on the length I would probably go with the under.
Carolina had the second best defense in the league for most of the season. Their passing defense is on par with Denver's when looking at yards per attempt, but far behind when looking at DVOA. Injuries have hurt their ability to defend against the pass. Josh Norman is undoubtably one of the top corners in the league. However, injuries to Charles Tillman and Bene Benwikere stripped Carolina of their second and third best corners. They are now left with Robert McClain and Cortland Finnegan in the backup and nickel spots. Finnegan was never that good even in his prime and he looks like a shell of his former self now. The biggest threat that he poses to the Broncos is him taking a swing at Demaryius or Emmanuel Sanders. The Broncos receivers will be able to take advantage whenever McClain and Finnegan are lined up across from him. If I were Manning, I wouldn't target whoever Norman is covering. Don't even try him, he will make plays when given the opportunity.
The front seven for Carolina is where the offense will find its biggest challenge. Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis present unique challenges for Manning and the tight ends. They can both cover really well, Kuechly has two pick sixes in each game, and they are both amazing in the run game as well. Luckily for the Broncos, Davis is fresh off of surgery on his broken arm that he suffered during the NFC Championship Game. He says he will play and I have no reason to doubt him, but it is very hard to believe that he won't be limited during the game. His health is important for the Panthers, not because their backups are bad, but because Davis is too good just to have most of his production replaced by a guy off of the bench.
Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short have torn apart most offensive lines they have faced this season. They are both dynamic players who can both be game changers. Charles Johnson is a threat off of the edge as a pass rusher. The Broncos game should include keeping the running back in on almost every pass play because there is no doubt that Carolina's rushers will be able to get through on almost every play, if they decide to protect Manning with only 5 guys.
The Broncos offensive line has been horrid for most of the season. They have played better since Manning has come back because he gets the ball out quicker and does a great job at making adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Even with all of that said, there was a period in the second half of the AFC Championship Game where the offensive line was getting beat pretty easily, which lead to a lot of drives being stalled.
The best lineman on the team reside on the inside. Vasquez, Paradis and Mathis are the best linemen on the team and occupy the inside of the line. These three will focus almost all of their energy on stopping Lotulelei and Short. Their ability to do so will determine if the offense will actually be able to put up points. At this point in his career, if Manning has a lot of pressure down the middle and in his face, he will not be good. He needs to be able to step into the pocket in order to be accurate. This is probably going to be the most important battle in the Super Bowl. If they don't do their job, the Broncos might put up less than 10 points in the Super Bowl again.
I do think that the offense will be able to find some holes in the running game. The Panthers ranked seventh in the league in yards allowed per rush attempt (3.9), which is very good, but its not like their run defense is unstoppable. The Broncos will also lean on the run a decent amount as long as they don't get behind by a good margin. That strategy worked last week when they stuck with the run even though it was not working and CJ Anderson was able to break a long run late in the game.
I would like to see the Broncos mix it up and use seven players to block for Manning often. Normally that does not work all of the time because it can lead to a lot of coverage sacks with only three receivers on a passing play, but with Finnegan and McClain covering two of the options, they should be able to find plays to get open. They will need all of the blockers that they can use to stop the Panthers front seven on passing downs.
The Broncos hope for scoring in this game resides in the running game. The offense cannot be expected to convert a ton of third and sevens or longer. CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman need to run well on first and second downs in order to give the team easy conversion opportunities. Manning will make plays if he is given time by the offensive line, but if they cant block then there is no hope.
They probably need to put up around 24 points in order to win this game. I think they are more than capable of doing that if they execute. One another note, this game might be one of the quickest Super Bowls in recent memory since both teams will lean on their running games and play good defense. If there is an over/under bet on the length I would probably go with the under.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
To Stop Cam and the Panthers, the Defense Will Have to Play At an Elite Level
The Broncos defense completely obliterated the Patriots in their AFC Championship victory. They were able to do so by only rushing 3 or 4 players on almost every down and still getting an amazing amount of pressure. This is the key to beating literally any quarterback. If you are able to get pressure without blitzing and allow 7 players to drop back in coverage, any quarterback will have trouble finding open players. However, the main reason that the defense was able to pull this off against the Patriots was because there was absolutely no threat to run from New England. Obviously, things will be different when the Panther's offense is on the other side.
The Panthers offensive line is better than the Patriots offensive line, but if the Broncos defensive line plays as well as they did last game, they should be able to get pressure with four or five guys most of the time. Cam Newton's ability to run means the pass rushers need to be discipline and stay in their lanes. Cam is not easily brought down either. An arm sack will not work against him, sometimes even a gang sack is required to actually bring him down to the ground. Von and Ware cannot get too far upfield against him because when he has that opening he will probably take it. The sack numbers wont be as gaudy as they were in the AFC Championship game, but if they get Cam uncomfortable in the pocket by forcing pressure up front, that is all the defense should need to succeed and hold them below 20 for the game.
The best thing that the Broncos can do on defense would be to force Cam to stay in the pocket with a 4 or 5 person rush and let their excellent secondary to shut down options for Cam. Carolina simply does not have the receivers to counteract Denver's excellent corners. The defense was also able to neutralize Gronk for the most part until both Darian Stewart and TJ Ward went down with injury. If they were able to handle Gronk and not let him have many big plays, I don't doubt that they can do the same with Olsen. Unfortunately even though they do not have a great or even good receiver on this team, Ted Ginn is just too fast to leave one player on him for the duration of the game. One of the safeties will have to watch the deep zone of whichever side he is lined up on.
The Panthers running game adds a threat that the Broncos' defense did not have to worry about against the Patriots. Jonathan Stewart has been playing excellent this season and will provide the run defense's its biggest challenge of the season, outside of Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles. Although, Stewart had his best season since 2009, Cam is the one who makes the running game what it is. The defense has to account for him on every play. I am sure the Broncos are counting their blessings that they have one of the smartest outside linebackers in the league and his partner on their other side is probably the best in the business. Von and Ware have to keep their eyes on Cam on every run play and allow the interior lineman and inside linebackers to focus their attention on Stewart.
The Panthers do have a dynamic running game, but I think a lot of people are forgetting how great the Broncos' defense has been this season. Although most of the praise is placed on the pass rush and coverage, this defense also had the number one defense against the rush, when looking at yards per attempt (3.3). Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevanthan are two of the best 3-4 inside linebackers in the league. They do a great job dissecting running plays and meeting the runners in the hole. They will be instrumental pieces defending against Cam and Stewart.
There will be plays for the Broncos defense to make. Sometimes Cam sails balls high when he is under duress and the secondary needs to take advantage of those few opportunities. The offense will probably need all of the extra possessions and good field position that is possible in order to score enough to win this game. They know that Cam is a gunslinger and throws off balance a lot so I am sure that they will focus on practicing on creating those during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
The key for the defense is to stop the runs on first and second down and force Cam to convert third and longs. If the Panthers are able to get ahead of the sticks and are facing a lot of third and threes, the Broncos will be in trouble. They cannot allow running to be an option on third down or else they will never get off of the field.
The Panthers offensive line is better than the Patriots offensive line, but if the Broncos defensive line plays as well as they did last game, they should be able to get pressure with four or five guys most of the time. Cam Newton's ability to run means the pass rushers need to be discipline and stay in their lanes. Cam is not easily brought down either. An arm sack will not work against him, sometimes even a gang sack is required to actually bring him down to the ground. Von and Ware cannot get too far upfield against him because when he has that opening he will probably take it. The sack numbers wont be as gaudy as they were in the AFC Championship game, but if they get Cam uncomfortable in the pocket by forcing pressure up front, that is all the defense should need to succeed and hold them below 20 for the game.
The best thing that the Broncos can do on defense would be to force Cam to stay in the pocket with a 4 or 5 person rush and let their excellent secondary to shut down options for Cam. Carolina simply does not have the receivers to counteract Denver's excellent corners. The defense was also able to neutralize Gronk for the most part until both Darian Stewart and TJ Ward went down with injury. If they were able to handle Gronk and not let him have many big plays, I don't doubt that they can do the same with Olsen. Unfortunately even though they do not have a great or even good receiver on this team, Ted Ginn is just too fast to leave one player on him for the duration of the game. One of the safeties will have to watch the deep zone of whichever side he is lined up on.
The Panthers running game adds a threat that the Broncos' defense did not have to worry about against the Patriots. Jonathan Stewart has been playing excellent this season and will provide the run defense's its biggest challenge of the season, outside of Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles. Although, Stewart had his best season since 2009, Cam is the one who makes the running game what it is. The defense has to account for him on every play. I am sure the Broncos are counting their blessings that they have one of the smartest outside linebackers in the league and his partner on their other side is probably the best in the business. Von and Ware have to keep their eyes on Cam on every run play and allow the interior lineman and inside linebackers to focus their attention on Stewart.
The Panthers do have a dynamic running game, but I think a lot of people are forgetting how great the Broncos' defense has been this season. Although most of the praise is placed on the pass rush and coverage, this defense also had the number one defense against the rush, when looking at yards per attempt (3.3). Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevanthan are two of the best 3-4 inside linebackers in the league. They do a great job dissecting running plays and meeting the runners in the hole. They will be instrumental pieces defending against Cam and Stewart.
There will be plays for the Broncos defense to make. Sometimes Cam sails balls high when he is under duress and the secondary needs to take advantage of those few opportunities. The offense will probably need all of the extra possessions and good field position that is possible in order to score enough to win this game. They know that Cam is a gunslinger and throws off balance a lot so I am sure that they will focus on practicing on creating those during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
The key for the defense is to stop the runs on first and second down and force Cam to convert third and longs. If the Panthers are able to get ahead of the sticks and are facing a lot of third and threes, the Broncos will be in trouble. They cannot allow running to be an option on third down or else they will never get off of the field.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Mudiay and Jokic will Participate in the Rising Stars Challenge
Although the Nuggets aren't likely to have any representation in the all star game, their young stars will be represented in the Rising Stars game. Both Mudiay and Jokic have played shown that they can be stars in a couple of years and they will demonstrate their abilities in front of a national audience against other first and second year players.
Mudiay has had his ups and downs this season, but he is on the upswing as of now. He was turning the ball over a lot and shooting at a low percentage, but slowly, he seems to be turning those things around. He is scoring 11 points per game and dishing out 5.7 assists per game. Once he is able to shot consistently he should be one of the best point guards in the league.
Nikola Jokic is probably more impressive. He only gets around 19 minutes per game, but he does the most that he can with limited minutes. His per 36 stats are 17 ppg, 10 rpg. This is on 55% shooting from the field and 35.7% from deep. He can score inside and out, which causes problems for any matchup. He still needs to work on his defense, but once that rounds into form, he will be one of the top big men in the league.
It should be remembered that this game is still an exhibition game and success in this single game only means so much. Many Nuggets fans will remember when Faried dropped 40 in the Rising Stars game a few years ago, but he did not continue that scoring success.
All in all it is a good experience for Mudiay and Jokic. They should be happy that they are being recognized as two of the best young players in the league. Especially Jokic who was the 46th overall pick two years ago and only started playing in the NBA this season.
Mudiay being from the Congo and Jokic being from Serbia means that both players will suit up for the "World" team. This is the second year of this new format for what used to be the Rookie-Sophomore game. I'm not sure when the starting lineup will be set for the game, but it will be interesting to see if either earn the nod.
Mudiay has had his ups and downs this season, but he is on the upswing as of now. He was turning the ball over a lot and shooting at a low percentage, but slowly, he seems to be turning those things around. He is scoring 11 points per game and dishing out 5.7 assists per game. Once he is able to shot consistently he should be one of the best point guards in the league.
Nikola Jokic is probably more impressive. He only gets around 19 minutes per game, but he does the most that he can with limited minutes. His per 36 stats are 17 ppg, 10 rpg. This is on 55% shooting from the field and 35.7% from deep. He can score inside and out, which causes problems for any matchup. He still needs to work on his defense, but once that rounds into form, he will be one of the top big men in the league.
It should be remembered that this game is still an exhibition game and success in this single game only means so much. Many Nuggets fans will remember when Faried dropped 40 in the Rising Stars game a few years ago, but he did not continue that scoring success.
All in all it is a good experience for Mudiay and Jokic. They should be happy that they are being recognized as two of the best young players in the league. Especially Jokic who was the 46th overall pick two years ago and only started playing in the NBA this season.
Mudiay being from the Congo and Jokic being from Serbia means that both players will suit up for the "World" team. This is the second year of this new format for what used to be the Rookie-Sophomore game. I'm not sure when the starting lineup will be set for the game, but it will be interesting to see if either earn the nod.
Malone Should Keep Riding Mudiay
The Nuggets were probably giddy at a chance to draft Emmanuel Mudiay with the seventh pick in the draft when it was predicted that he would go in the top five of the draft. However, they knew that Mudiay still had a ton of work to do on his game in order to become what they drafted him to become. His jumper still needs work, but he has shown enough flashes of having one that the staff can live with the ugly field goal percentage for now. He turns the ball over a lot, but he has shown improvement in that area over the course of the season. All the staff should want to see in Mudiay is improvement. Improvement is the name of the game and I think he has shown enough to earn 32+ minutes per game for the rest of the season.
Ever since Jameer Nelson injured his wrist, Mudiay has seen increased minutes. During that six game span, he has averaged 13.5 points per game on 39.5% shooting and 35% from deep and 6.1 assists per game and 3.3 turnovers per game. All of these numbers are above his season averages and are better than any of his full monthly splits. This recent stretch of games, is probably his best five plus game stretch of the season. He is also more aggressive and by doing so is getting to the line more often and seems to not escape from contact as much as he did earlier in the season. He still needs to be more consistent at the line, some nights he forces you to remember that he is a guard at the line, other times he might as well be Andre Drummond.
Mudiay looks to be coming into his own that last couple of games. He is more controlled when driving to the hoop. He rarely jumps without a purpose, which lead to a lot of his turnovers previously. Him being more aggressive is something the coaches have to like. Some people, including myself, were worried that he would turn into Rondo and just refuse to go to the basket. Fortunately, that does not seem to be the case. He has shown that he has a smooth stroke from the line and from mid range, so I don't think it will take much to make him a serviceable free throw shooter.
He needs to remain in the starting lineup even when Jameer Nelson comes back because getting minutes is the only thing that will help him develop his game. Putting him on the bench only serves to limit his minutes and therefore his learning time. Although Nelson might have more experience and better basketball IQ, Mudiay is still better than him on the defensive end of the floor. This is an underrated aspect by many fans because it doesn't show up in the box scores, but I think when he reaches his prime he will be considered one of the best defensive point guards in the league. His performances can be shaky at this point in his career because he lacks some basketball IQ that comes with experience, but when it comes to straight up man to man defense he is much better than Nelson.
The goal of any team should be to win games and I know Mike Malone would rather not lose games since he has to put that on his resume, but he should know that he wont get fired this offseason. Starting Jameer Nelson might give the team their best chance to win, but Mudiay is the future. With the team only three games out of eight place in the West, Nelson starting might even be enough to push the team over the top into the playoffs, but Malone still shouldn't do it. Mudiay's development is too important to the future of the team to have it wasted on a chance to get embarrassingly swept by the Warriors.
Mudiay will have a tough matchup tonight against the Celtics tonight. First he will have to try to create some offense against Marcus Smart who is one of the better defensive point guards in the leagues. Then they also have Isaiah Thomas coming off of the bench who presents a very tough defensive matchup for Mudiay. He will be tested both offensively and defensively throughout the game.
Ever since Jameer Nelson injured his wrist, Mudiay has seen increased minutes. During that six game span, he has averaged 13.5 points per game on 39.5% shooting and 35% from deep and 6.1 assists per game and 3.3 turnovers per game. All of these numbers are above his season averages and are better than any of his full monthly splits. This recent stretch of games, is probably his best five plus game stretch of the season. He is also more aggressive and by doing so is getting to the line more often and seems to not escape from contact as much as he did earlier in the season. He still needs to be more consistent at the line, some nights he forces you to remember that he is a guard at the line, other times he might as well be Andre Drummond.
Mudiay looks to be coming into his own that last couple of games. He is more controlled when driving to the hoop. He rarely jumps without a purpose, which lead to a lot of his turnovers previously. Him being more aggressive is something the coaches have to like. Some people, including myself, were worried that he would turn into Rondo and just refuse to go to the basket. Fortunately, that does not seem to be the case. He has shown that he has a smooth stroke from the line and from mid range, so I don't think it will take much to make him a serviceable free throw shooter.
He needs to remain in the starting lineup even when Jameer Nelson comes back because getting minutes is the only thing that will help him develop his game. Putting him on the bench only serves to limit his minutes and therefore his learning time. Although Nelson might have more experience and better basketball IQ, Mudiay is still better than him on the defensive end of the floor. This is an underrated aspect by many fans because it doesn't show up in the box scores, but I think when he reaches his prime he will be considered one of the best defensive point guards in the league. His performances can be shaky at this point in his career because he lacks some basketball IQ that comes with experience, but when it comes to straight up man to man defense he is much better than Nelson.
The goal of any team should be to win games and I know Mike Malone would rather not lose games since he has to put that on his resume, but he should know that he wont get fired this offseason. Starting Jameer Nelson might give the team their best chance to win, but Mudiay is the future. With the team only three games out of eight place in the West, Nelson starting might even be enough to push the team over the top into the playoffs, but Malone still shouldn't do it. Mudiay's development is too important to the future of the team to have it wasted on a chance to get embarrassingly swept by the Warriors.
Mudiay will have a tough matchup tonight against the Celtics tonight. First he will have to try to create some offense against Marcus Smart who is one of the better defensive point guards in the leagues. Then they also have Isaiah Thomas coming off of the bench who presents a very tough defensive matchup for Mudiay. He will be tested both offensively and defensively throughout the game.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Hawks @ Nuggets Thoughts
I was at this game and was excited because the Nuggets have been competitive if nothing else, however that was not the case tonight. They trailed by about 12-20 points for most of the game and never really had a run to back into the game. These types of games are the type that the Nuggets need to not have in order to take the next step in their development.
The team struggled to shoot the ball all night and finished 39% from the floor. They still could have been in the game if the defense was able to do anything at all. The Hawks shot 50% from the field; Millsap and Horford could not be stopped. The duo combined for 40 points on 16-27 from the field. Nurkic must still not be at full strength or else he would have seen the court for more than a measly seven minutes. He makes the Nuggets a much better defensive team when he is on the floor and is the only big on the team that has any interior presence.
Nikola Jokic obviously still needs to work on his defense, but he was still the only starter on the Nuggets to have a positive plus/minus. I'm of the belief that Coach Malone should play Jokic much more. He was only on the court for 18 minutes despite being the only starter who wasn't a net negative.
Will The Thrill played a very good game off of the bench like normal, but they need to get better performances off the the bench from just about anyone else. Foye finished with 0 points, though he was injured during the game. Darrell Arthur was awful from the field in this game (1-7). Other than Barton, he seems to be the only player who can put up points off of the bench, but when he has games like this the bench has no chance.
Sean Kilpatrick played well and finished with 11 points. He is the type of scoring option this team desperately needs off of the bench. I think the Nuggets should sign him for the rest of the season after they re-upped his 10 day contract earlier in the week.
This was a down game for the Nuggets. They came out flat, much like they did against the Grizzlies and Pistons, but they were never able to make a comeback. When Nurkic is at full health in the coming weeks, Malone should experiment with some lineups that utilize him and Jokic. These are the big men of the Nuggets future and they need to get as much court time as possible this season while there isn't much at stake.
The Nuggets will take the floor next in Boston on Wednesday.
The team struggled to shoot the ball all night and finished 39% from the floor. They still could have been in the game if the defense was able to do anything at all. The Hawks shot 50% from the field; Millsap and Horford could not be stopped. The duo combined for 40 points on 16-27 from the field. Nurkic must still not be at full strength or else he would have seen the court for more than a measly seven minutes. He makes the Nuggets a much better defensive team when he is on the floor and is the only big on the team that has any interior presence.
Nikola Jokic obviously still needs to work on his defense, but he was still the only starter on the Nuggets to have a positive plus/minus. I'm of the belief that Coach Malone should play Jokic much more. He was only on the court for 18 minutes despite being the only starter who wasn't a net negative.
Will The Thrill played a very good game off of the bench like normal, but they need to get better performances off the the bench from just about anyone else. Foye finished with 0 points, though he was injured during the game. Darrell Arthur was awful from the field in this game (1-7). Other than Barton, he seems to be the only player who can put up points off of the bench, but when he has games like this the bench has no chance.
Sean Kilpatrick played well and finished with 11 points. He is the type of scoring option this team desperately needs off of the bench. I think the Nuggets should sign him for the rest of the season after they re-upped his 10 day contract earlier in the week.
This was a down game for the Nuggets. They came out flat, much like they did against the Grizzlies and Pistons, but they were never able to make a comeback. When Nurkic is at full health in the coming weeks, Malone should experiment with some lineups that utilize him and Jokic. These are the big men of the Nuggets future and they need to get as much court time as possible this season while there isn't much at stake.
The Nuggets will take the floor next in Boston on Wednesday.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
The Broncos Are....SUPER BOWL BOUND!
The Broncos are headed to Super Bowl 50! This will be their second appearance in three seasons, but hopefully this one turns out different than the last one they "participated" in.
Manning played well in the first half, connecting on two touchdown passes to Owen Daniels before getting out of rhythm in the second half. He did what he needed to get the Broncos the win. All he needed to do was keep them ahead and he did his job. The offense was not able to get the running game going all day besides a long run by CJ Anderson on 3rd and 1.
The defense was the star of the game though. They pass rush hit Brady 23(!) times during the game, which was the difference maker. That was the most hits in a game in either the regular season or playoffs in any game this season. Most of those hits came from 3 or 4 people rushing the ball, which allowed the Broncos secondary to focus their attention on Gronk and Edelman.
The Patriots offense did not do much until TJ Ward and Darian Stewart were sidelined with injuries. Before they went out, the Patriots only had two field goals and a touchdown when field position was gifted to them by Ronnie Hillman not picking up a football that was at his feet. The defense shut down Tom Brady and his offense all day in what was their best showing of the year. The offense tried to give the Patriots every chance to tie the game, but the defense came up big every single time. Even when Gronk made an exceptional play to pull them within two, they stopped the two point conversion.
This defense just needs to play one more complete game for the Broncos to become world champions. As long as Manning continues to play the game manager role, they will have a chance.
Im still too amped about the game to give it a proper run down. Time to find Super Bowl tickets.
Manning played well in the first half, connecting on two touchdown passes to Owen Daniels before getting out of rhythm in the second half. He did what he needed to get the Broncos the win. All he needed to do was keep them ahead and he did his job. The offense was not able to get the running game going all day besides a long run by CJ Anderson on 3rd and 1.
The defense was the star of the game though. They pass rush hit Brady 23(!) times during the game, which was the difference maker. That was the most hits in a game in either the regular season or playoffs in any game this season. Most of those hits came from 3 or 4 people rushing the ball, which allowed the Broncos secondary to focus their attention on Gronk and Edelman.
The Patriots offense did not do much until TJ Ward and Darian Stewart were sidelined with injuries. Before they went out, the Patriots only had two field goals and a touchdown when field position was gifted to them by Ronnie Hillman not picking up a football that was at his feet. The defense shut down Tom Brady and his offense all day in what was their best showing of the year. The offense tried to give the Patriots every chance to tie the game, but the defense came up big every single time. Even when Gronk made an exceptional play to pull them within two, they stopped the two point conversion.
This defense just needs to play one more complete game for the Broncos to become world champions. As long as Manning continues to play the game manager role, they will have a chance.
Im still too amped about the game to give it a proper run down. Time to find Super Bowl tickets.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Patriots Broncos Preview
Manning-Brady XVII will likely be the last matchup between the two legendary quarterbacks. They couldn't ask for any better of a backdrop for their final game, a chance to go to the Super Bowl. For a while, it looked as if Manning would not start another game for the Broncos, but he took his starting job back in the last game of the regular season and now has a chance to lead his team to the Super Bowl. It is fortunate that this game even happened, fans could easily be watching Osweiler-Brady II instead of this iconic matchup.
The Broncos were able to squeak out a win in overtime in the snowy week 12 matchup. However, Brock Osweiler was the starting quarterback so the previous matchup provides little indication as to what will happen on Sunday. However, the run game has looked pretty much the same because Manning has been taking more snaps from under center since he returned. CJ Anderson was able to get whatever he wanted as he ran for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 carries. Hillman also ran pretty well, he had 14 carries for 59 yards. This game was played in the snow so neither running back was able to grip the field very well. Both should have very good games again, especially since the field will not be covered in snow.
The running game is the key for the Broncos, they cannot abandon the run early and have Manning throw the ball 45 times this game. If the running game is going and keeping the offense ahead of the sticks, Manning should be able to convert a lot of third downs. Otherwise, the team will face a lot of third and longs and their conversion rate could look like it did against the Steelers. There have been a couple of instances during the regular season where Kubiak just decided to not run the ball consistently in the second half. If they do that in the AFC Championship game, the Patriots will probably run away with the game.
The drops need to be fixed this week if the team is going to win. There were a couple of drops on crucial third downs last week that could have extended drives. It is imperative that the offense scores touchdowns against the Patriots, or they will be on vacation starting Monday. Demaryius Thomas had is worst showing of the season in the first meeting against the Patriots. I don't remember how many drops he had, but it was pretty egregious. He only pulled in one catch on on 13 targets. Some of the incompletions were the result of good defense, but the success rate on throws to one of the best receivers in the league should be much higher than that. That game looks like an anomaly so I expect him to have a typical Demaryius day on Sunday.
Emmanuel Sanders was great in the first game, he finished with 6 catches for 113 yards. He is the key to the passing game since I believe that they do not have a corner that can lock him down. Sanders is a third down converting machine and I expect to see him move the sticks often on third downs.
The pass protection seemed improved in the Divisional Round. Manning is able to get the ball out quickly, which means that if the line can hold up just for a little bit, the offense should be in good shape. If the offensive line breaks down again, it is a wrap from the Broncos. Manning has to have a clean uniform by the end of the game.
The Passing game will rely on the ability for Sanders and Thomas to get yards after the catch. I suspect most of Manning's passes wont go more than 10 yards downfield. because of the porous offensive line, so the receivers will need to make some plays.
The running game is the key for the Broncos, they cannot abandon the run early and have Manning throw the ball 45 times this game. If the running game is going and keeping the offense ahead of the sticks, Manning should be able to convert a lot of third downs. Otherwise, the team will face a lot of third and longs and their conversion rate could look like it did against the Steelers. There have been a couple of instances during the regular season where Kubiak just decided to not run the ball consistently in the second half. If they do that in the AFC Championship game, the Patriots will probably run away with the game.
The drops need to be fixed this week if the team is going to win. There were a couple of drops on crucial third downs last week that could have extended drives. It is imperative that the offense scores touchdowns against the Patriots, or they will be on vacation starting Monday. Demaryius Thomas had is worst showing of the season in the first meeting against the Patriots. I don't remember how many drops he had, but it was pretty egregious. He only pulled in one catch on on 13 targets. Some of the incompletions were the result of good defense, but the success rate on throws to one of the best receivers in the league should be much higher than that. That game looks like an anomaly so I expect him to have a typical Demaryius day on Sunday.
Emmanuel Sanders was great in the first game, he finished with 6 catches for 113 yards. He is the key to the passing game since I believe that they do not have a corner that can lock him down. Sanders is a third down converting machine and I expect to see him move the sticks often on third downs.
The pass protection seemed improved in the Divisional Round. Manning is able to get the ball out quickly, which means that if the line can hold up just for a little bit, the offense should be in good shape. If the offensive line breaks down again, it is a wrap from the Broncos. Manning has to have a clean uniform by the end of the game.
The Passing game will rely on the ability for Sanders and Thomas to get yards after the catch. I suspect most of Manning's passes wont go more than 10 yards downfield. because of the porous offensive line, so the receivers will need to make some plays.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Broncos pressured Brady on 40% of his drop backs and he only completed a quarter of those attempts. This is the key to the defense's success on Sunday. They need to get to Brady while only rushing four or five, which is not a stretch when you have Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson on the line. Pressure through the middle of the line is very important against Brady. The success of Wolfe and Jackson getting up front pressure is paramount. Expect to see some A gap blitzes from Miller and Ware as the team tries to find creative ways to get pressure up the middle. In the divisional round, the Chiefs failed to put pressure on Brady, which is why they were able to drive the ball with ease.
The Broncos had the best defense this season according to The Football Outsiders DVOA metric and they were leagues ahead of anyone else in passing defense. I don't feel like writing about how DVOA is measured so I'll leave a link to the explanation. Their total defense DVOA was -25.8%, which was well above Carolina who clocked in at -18.4%. When measuring pass defense alone the Broncos came in at -28%, which was well above Carolina who was at -18.2%.
However, the defense will have to deal with Gronk. He is basically impossible to cover because of his unprecedented combination of size and athleticism. He recorded 6 catches for 88 yards and touchdown before he left late in the fourth quarter because of a knee bruise. The Patriots offense was non-existent after Gronk was injured, which proved that he is the MVP of that offense and team. The good news for the Broncos is that TJ Ward will be back after not playing most of the first matchup because of an injury he sustained in the first quarter. He is the only player on the Broncos that has the size and speed to handle Gronk so it is very important to have him back. Even Ward cannot handle him on his own, which is why I think Brandon Marshall or Danny Trevathan should be physical with him off of the line of scrimmage and let Ward so move of the coverage beyond 5-7 yards.
Chris Harris is listed as probable for the game. He was always going to play this week, even with the bum shoulder, but it is great to see him listed as probable. This likely means that he will start and he that he will play a majority of the snaps, after being in doubt earlier this week. His health is paramount because Julian Edelman is back after not playing in the first meeting. Edelman is a very good slot receiver who makes a lot of important plays in the Patriots offense. However, Harris is the best slot corner in the league and if he is at full health Edelman will have a tough time finding room to work. Harris will be the most important corner on the team because Edelman is really the only threat at wide receiver. Talib and Roby should be able to easily cover whomever they end up lining up across from.
The Patriots are not going to run the ball. The defense should come out in nickel and use that package for the entirety of the game. Even if they do run the ball, what is old-man Steven Jackson actually capable of in 2016? The defense needs to keep them behind the sticks. If they get to third and five or shorter, it is almost a gimme with Gronk.
In a rematch of the 2013 AFC Championship game, I believe the Broncos will put on a repeat performance. However, winning this game means they need to get pressure on Brady and the offense will need to put up 27 points. Both of these are doable. I have seen many talking heads pick the Patriots and some even predicting a blowout. This game will be much more competitive than they are predicting. This will be a one score game one way or the other. Expect a great final matchup between two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Inactive Update: Lorenzo Doss is inactive and the Broncos only have four active cornerbacks for this game. This is good news for Chris Harris' health. They team must be confident that there is little chance that he is re-injured during the game. They also decided to make Juwan Thompson inactive and roll with two running backs again. This frees up another position at a position of need.
The Broncos had the best defense this season according to The Football Outsiders DVOA metric and they were leagues ahead of anyone else in passing defense. I don't feel like writing about how DVOA is measured so I'll leave a link to the explanation. Their total defense DVOA was -25.8%, which was well above Carolina who clocked in at -18.4%. When measuring pass defense alone the Broncos came in at -28%, which was well above Carolina who was at -18.2%.
However, the defense will have to deal with Gronk. He is basically impossible to cover because of his unprecedented combination of size and athleticism. He recorded 6 catches for 88 yards and touchdown before he left late in the fourth quarter because of a knee bruise. The Patriots offense was non-existent after Gronk was injured, which proved that he is the MVP of that offense and team. The good news for the Broncos is that TJ Ward will be back after not playing most of the first matchup because of an injury he sustained in the first quarter. He is the only player on the Broncos that has the size and speed to handle Gronk so it is very important to have him back. Even Ward cannot handle him on his own, which is why I think Brandon Marshall or Danny Trevathan should be physical with him off of the line of scrimmage and let Ward so move of the coverage beyond 5-7 yards.
Chris Harris is listed as probable for the game. He was always going to play this week, even with the bum shoulder, but it is great to see him listed as probable. This likely means that he will start and he that he will play a majority of the snaps, after being in doubt earlier this week. His health is paramount because Julian Edelman is back after not playing in the first meeting. Edelman is a very good slot receiver who makes a lot of important plays in the Patriots offense. However, Harris is the best slot corner in the league and if he is at full health Edelman will have a tough time finding room to work. Harris will be the most important corner on the team because Edelman is really the only threat at wide receiver. Talib and Roby should be able to easily cover whomever they end up lining up across from.
The Patriots are not going to run the ball. The defense should come out in nickel and use that package for the entirety of the game. Even if they do run the ball, what is old-man Steven Jackson actually capable of in 2016? The defense needs to keep them behind the sticks. If they get to third and five or shorter, it is almost a gimme with Gronk.
In a rematch of the 2013 AFC Championship game, I believe the Broncos will put on a repeat performance. However, winning this game means they need to get pressure on Brady and the offense will need to put up 27 points. Both of these are doable. I have seen many talking heads pick the Patriots and some even predicting a blowout. This game will be much more competitive than they are predicting. This will be a one score game one way or the other. Expect a great final matchup between two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game.
Inactive Update: Lorenzo Doss is inactive and the Broncos only have four active cornerbacks for this game. This is good news for Chris Harris' health. They team must be confident that there is little chance that he is re-injured during the game. They also decided to make Juwan Thompson inactive and roll with two running backs again. This frees up another position at a position of need.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Grizzlies @ Nuggets Thoughts
The Nuggets had a awful first quarter in which they allowed Memphis to shoot lights out. Memphis jetted out to a 37-23 lead to begin the game. 37 was the most points in a quarter for the Grizzlies this season. Even after that great start by Memphis, the Nuggets were able to keep the game close. Games like these are bittersweet for the team because they showed that they could perceiver, but they were still not able to pull away in the end.
After an abysmal first quarter, coach Malone laid into the team and they were able to completely turn the game. They trailed by 7 at half after trailing by as much as 18. Gallo's play in the second quarter was a huge reason why they were able to cut the lead. He had 5 points in the first, but got called for two quick fouls that kept him out of the game for the rest of the quarter.
Gallo is the only player on the team that can consistently create and make his own shot. His presence on the court makes the team so much better. This was demonstrated during the contrasting first and second quarters tonight. Gallo finished with 17 points, but he should have had more if he was not in foul trouble.
Jameer Nelson missed the game with a sprained ankle, which allowed Mudiay to start. He had a rough first half with only 2 points. Even after his rough first half, Mudiay played really well to begin the second half. He finished with 14 points and 8 assists, but the most important part was only 1 turnover against a very good defensive team. He also shot 6-13 from the field. If he can improve on his turnovers and shot selection, he should undoubtedly be the starter moving forward.
Mudiay's recent performances have shown improvement in almost all aspects of his game. His passing looks much better than it did a month ago and he is making much better decisions. More games like this will give him confidence going into the all star break.
Gary Harris is much better than many people give him credit for. He played great defense today and can be a difference maker on that side of the floor. He needs to become a more consistent shooter and he did not shoot well this game (3-9), which is holding him back from being a net positive player.
Joffrey Lauvergne was a very important player off of the bench because he was able to bother Marc Gasol more than Faried and Jokic. Gasol still had a good night, but at least Lauvergne was able to contest most of his shots.
Josef Nurkic made his return, but he was only on the court for three minutes and picked up 3 fouls. It was not a pretty return for him, maybe he was not quite ready yet. It will be interesting to see if he can stay on the court when the team plays again on Saturday.
Will Barton made all of the plays for the Nuggets late in the fourth quarter. He was not playing very well heading into the fourth quarter, but 10 quick points from him allowed the Nuggets pull ahead with 30 seconds left in the game.
The game came down to one possession with the Nuggets leading 98-97 with 23.8 seconds left. They had a terrible defensive possession that allowed Gasol to easily get to the hoop and get the and one. The team needs to be better in these types of situations. I would have been OK if he made the shot, but it was contested well. The fact that he was able to get to the hoop easily is cause for concern. Malone should have at least brought in Nurkic for that last defensive possession since he is their best post defender. For some reason he stuck with Lauvergne and it hurt them.
The Nuggets let another close game slip through their hands, but being competitive is very important in order to get back on track. They were able to handle the Grizzlies for the majority of the game, but the terrible first quarter came back to haunt them. Without it, they would have likely won this game.
After an abysmal first quarter, coach Malone laid into the team and they were able to completely turn the game. They trailed by 7 at half after trailing by as much as 18. Gallo's play in the second quarter was a huge reason why they were able to cut the lead. He had 5 points in the first, but got called for two quick fouls that kept him out of the game for the rest of the quarter.
Gallo is the only player on the team that can consistently create and make his own shot. His presence on the court makes the team so much better. This was demonstrated during the contrasting first and second quarters tonight. Gallo finished with 17 points, but he should have had more if he was not in foul trouble.
Jameer Nelson missed the game with a sprained ankle, which allowed Mudiay to start. He had a rough first half with only 2 points. Even after his rough first half, Mudiay played really well to begin the second half. He finished with 14 points and 8 assists, but the most important part was only 1 turnover against a very good defensive team. He also shot 6-13 from the field. If he can improve on his turnovers and shot selection, he should undoubtedly be the starter moving forward.
Mudiay's recent performances have shown improvement in almost all aspects of his game. His passing looks much better than it did a month ago and he is making much better decisions. More games like this will give him confidence going into the all star break.
Gary Harris is much better than many people give him credit for. He played great defense today and can be a difference maker on that side of the floor. He needs to become a more consistent shooter and he did not shoot well this game (3-9), which is holding him back from being a net positive player.
Joffrey Lauvergne was a very important player off of the bench because he was able to bother Marc Gasol more than Faried and Jokic. Gasol still had a good night, but at least Lauvergne was able to contest most of his shots.
Josef Nurkic made his return, but he was only on the court for three minutes and picked up 3 fouls. It was not a pretty return for him, maybe he was not quite ready yet. It will be interesting to see if he can stay on the court when the team plays again on Saturday.
Will Barton made all of the plays for the Nuggets late in the fourth quarter. He was not playing very well heading into the fourth quarter, but 10 quick points from him allowed the Nuggets pull ahead with 30 seconds left in the game.
The game came down to one possession with the Nuggets leading 98-97 with 23.8 seconds left. They had a terrible defensive possession that allowed Gasol to easily get to the hoop and get the and one. The team needs to be better in these types of situations. I would have been OK if he made the shot, but it was contested well. The fact that he was able to get to the hoop easily is cause for concern. Malone should have at least brought in Nurkic for that last defensive possession since he is their best post defender. For some reason he stuck with Lauvergne and it hurt them.
The Nuggets let another close game slip through their hands, but being competitive is very important in order to get back on track. They were able to handle the Grizzlies for the majority of the game, but the terrible first quarter came back to haunt them. Without it, they would have likely won this game.
Chris Harris' Shoulder Has Improved
According to multiple reports, Christ Harris' shoulder feeling much better than was initially projected. Earlier this week, it was reported that Harris would not be able to play the majority of the snaps during the game, which raised many questions as to how well the defense would fare against Julian Edelman who is their best receiver. Harris is the best slot corner in the league and Edelman lines up almost exclusively in the slot. If Harris can play the majority of the snaps while being somewhat physical at the line of scrimmage, the defense as a whole will have a much easier time.
Bradley Roby will still be available and he is a pretty good slot corner too. If needed, he could probably lock down Edelman, but most would rather have Harris doing that job.
The one concerning thing about this news on his shoulder is that he could land wrong during the game and the team would be down one of its best players. The coaches should probably still limit his snaps to second and third and longs in order to preserve him.
Lorenzo Doss should be active again just for depth purposes if Harris were to get injured in game.
Bradley Roby will still be available and he is a pretty good slot corner too. If needed, he could probably lock down Edelman, but most would rather have Harris doing that job.
The one concerning thing about this news on his shoulder is that he could land wrong during the game and the team would be down one of its best players. The coaches should probably still limit his snaps to second and third and longs in order to preserve him.
Lorenzo Doss should be active again just for depth purposes if Harris were to get injured in game.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Thunder at Nuggets Recap
The Nuggets were not able to squeak out the win, but they continued to play tough the entire game and the teams seems to be getting better with every game. This was one of the games that the recent teams and even this team earlier this season, would have been blown out in. Playing against a far superior team would have been an automatic loss and likely a blow-out a year ago. Now, they at least believe that they can win these types of games.
As is protocol, Durant and Westbrook combined for 57 points 17 assists and 16 rebounds. There was nothing that team could do all night. Gallo's length bothers Durant at times, but he is just too good of scorer to expect him to be held down for the entire game.
Mike Malone said the Josef Nurkic was on a 15 minute limit restriction, but apparently that meant zero because he did not see the floor. Without their only rim protector, Enes Kanter was able to do what he does best, get buckets. He racked up 14 points in the first half alone as he abused just bout any defender the Nuggets threw at him.
Gallo absolutely went off in the first half (20 points in the first, 27 overall), but he did not get much help from the rest of the team, which was a major reason the team was not able to hold onto the lead in the first half. Their disappointing second quarter was a major reason why they were not able to win this game. If Gallo had another player to take over the scoring load when the Thunder began to key on him, They would have taken a 5+ point lead into the half. Gallo began to cool down in the second half, which was unfortunate and was another reason the team fell behind late in the third and into the fourth.
Mudiay really improved his play in the second half. He finished nicely at the rim at one drive early in the third quarter after missing several layups in the first half. A lot of his success in the second half came from making better decisions when passing the ball. Hopefully he continues to improve in that area over the next couple of games. He has been getting better at jumping with purpose, which is where a good chunk of his turnovers stem from. With Jameer Nelson out, he will be seeing a lot more playing time so he has plenty of time to prove to the coaching staff that the lessons he learned in the first half of the season stuck.
Kenneth Faried played well today. He finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, but his lack of ability on defense was a major reason why the team lost today. He continues to play well this season, but I think the Nuggets need to look into trades for him as the deadline nears. Faried has nice boxscore stats and in the right system he can be a very effective player, but the Nuggets need to look into finding power forward who can play defense.
Once the team lost the lead in the second quarter, they were not able to regain it as Durant and Westbrook were just too good offensively. Its good to see the team in competitive games against good teams. This type of experience will benefit the young guys for years to come. It is painfully obvious that they do not have any rim defenders when Nurkic is out. Enes Kanter finished with 23 points in as many minutes. There was not a defender on the Nuggets who could even come close to stopping him. They either need to go after another big man who can defend or hope that either Lauvergne or Nikola Jokic turn into serviceable defenders.
As is protocol, Durant and Westbrook combined for 57 points 17 assists and 16 rebounds. There was nothing that team could do all night. Gallo's length bothers Durant at times, but he is just too good of scorer to expect him to be held down for the entire game.
Mike Malone said the Josef Nurkic was on a 15 minute limit restriction, but apparently that meant zero because he did not see the floor. Without their only rim protector, Enes Kanter was able to do what he does best, get buckets. He racked up 14 points in the first half alone as he abused just bout any defender the Nuggets threw at him.
Gallo absolutely went off in the first half (20 points in the first, 27 overall), but he did not get much help from the rest of the team, which was a major reason the team was not able to hold onto the lead in the first half. Their disappointing second quarter was a major reason why they were not able to win this game. If Gallo had another player to take over the scoring load when the Thunder began to key on him, They would have taken a 5+ point lead into the half. Gallo began to cool down in the second half, which was unfortunate and was another reason the team fell behind late in the third and into the fourth.
Mudiay really improved his play in the second half. He finished nicely at the rim at one drive early in the third quarter after missing several layups in the first half. A lot of his success in the second half came from making better decisions when passing the ball. Hopefully he continues to improve in that area over the next couple of games. He has been getting better at jumping with purpose, which is where a good chunk of his turnovers stem from. With Jameer Nelson out, he will be seeing a lot more playing time so he has plenty of time to prove to the coaching staff that the lessons he learned in the first half of the season stuck.
Kenneth Faried played well today. He finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, but his lack of ability on defense was a major reason why the team lost today. He continues to play well this season, but I think the Nuggets need to look into trades for him as the deadline nears. Faried has nice boxscore stats and in the right system he can be a very effective player, but the Nuggets need to look into finding power forward who can play defense.
Once the team lost the lead in the second quarter, they were not able to regain it as Durant and Westbrook were just too good offensively. Its good to see the team in competitive games against good teams. This type of experience will benefit the young guys for years to come. It is painfully obvious that they do not have any rim defenders when Nurkic is out. Enes Kanter finished with 23 points in as many minutes. There was not a defender on the Nuggets who could even come close to stopping him. They either need to go after another big man who can defend or hope that either Lauvergne or Nikola Jokic turn into serviceable defenders.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Denver Nuggets Halfway Point Thoughts
The Nuggets will begin in the back half of their season against Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They are 16-25 through the first 41 games and are in a strange position because they are only two games out of 8th place in the Western Conference, yet they would also own the 6th spot in the lottery if the season ended today.
Danilo Gallinari has been playing very well, which has contributed to the team winning three out of their last four with one of those being an amazing win over Golden State where he had a clutch steal on Stephen Curry to seal the game in the closing seconds. Plenty of teams will come calling about his availability, but the front office needs to stand firm. He is very important to the success of the Nuggets in the next five years and they cant trade him away for just anything,
There is no reason that the front office to buy during the trade deadline as it wont make the Nuggets contenders. However, there is very little reason to give up and start selling assets because they could have a high pick in the lottery anyways. Adding another draft pick to the team next season could make them an actual contender in the future.
The team has to be excited about how they are playing right now. Even though they are still one of the worst teams based on their record, they are competitive on most nights, which is sadly a compliment after the Brian Shaw era. They need to continue to develop their young talent. Gary Harris is a very good defender early in his young career, but he has made great strides on offense. He upped his three point percentage by 16 percentage points up to 36.5% and field goal percentage up 15 percentage points up to 45.8%. If he continues to develop offensively, the Nuggets have their shooting guard of the future.
Emmanuel Mudiay has struggled at times, but if he gets his turnovers under control, he can still be the player that the Nuggets envisioned when they picked him with the seventh pick. Josef Nurkic and Nikola Jokic might be the two most important young players on the team.
Nurkic has only played 6 games due to injury this season. However, he completely changes the game on the defensive side when he is in the game. Nurkic is the only rim protector on the team and he is big enough to handle any player in the league on the block. Hopefully he is not a player that will be chronically injured because he has the ability to be a defensive player of the year award candidate when he reaches his prime.
Jokic is a better player on the offensive side of the ball and at 19 years old, he has a lot of potential. Having two players like that to anchor the front court in the future should not be tinkered with by bringing in players at the trade deadline that would start immediately.
The Nuggets should stand tight for the rest of the season and just see where the season takes them. If they contend for a playoff spot, that will provide great experience for the young players. I won't complain if they end up with a nice shot at a top lottery pick though as long as they don't give up in the process like last season.
I look forward to seeing the development of the team throughout the second half of the season. Even if the team begins to lose, the games will still be fun to watch because of the young talent on the team.
Danilo Gallinari has been playing very well, which has contributed to the team winning three out of their last four with one of those being an amazing win over Golden State where he had a clutch steal on Stephen Curry to seal the game in the closing seconds. Plenty of teams will come calling about his availability, but the front office needs to stand firm. He is very important to the success of the Nuggets in the next five years and they cant trade him away for just anything,
There is no reason that the front office to buy during the trade deadline as it wont make the Nuggets contenders. However, there is very little reason to give up and start selling assets because they could have a high pick in the lottery anyways. Adding another draft pick to the team next season could make them an actual contender in the future.
The team has to be excited about how they are playing right now. Even though they are still one of the worst teams based on their record, they are competitive on most nights, which is sadly a compliment after the Brian Shaw era. They need to continue to develop their young talent. Gary Harris is a very good defender early in his young career, but he has made great strides on offense. He upped his three point percentage by 16 percentage points up to 36.5% and field goal percentage up 15 percentage points up to 45.8%. If he continues to develop offensively, the Nuggets have their shooting guard of the future.
Emmanuel Mudiay has struggled at times, but if he gets his turnovers under control, he can still be the player that the Nuggets envisioned when they picked him with the seventh pick. Josef Nurkic and Nikola Jokic might be the two most important young players on the team.
Nurkic has only played 6 games due to injury this season. However, he completely changes the game on the defensive side when he is in the game. Nurkic is the only rim protector on the team and he is big enough to handle any player in the league on the block. Hopefully he is not a player that will be chronically injured because he has the ability to be a defensive player of the year award candidate when he reaches his prime.
Jokic is a better player on the offensive side of the ball and at 19 years old, he has a lot of potential. Having two players like that to anchor the front court in the future should not be tinkered with by bringing in players at the trade deadline that would start immediately.
The Nuggets should stand tight for the rest of the season and just see where the season takes them. If they contend for a playoff spot, that will provide great experience for the young players. I won't complain if they end up with a nice shot at a top lottery pick though as long as they don't give up in the process like last season.
I look forward to seeing the development of the team throughout the second half of the season. Even if the team begins to lose, the games will still be fun to watch because of the young talent on the team.
Chris Harris' Shoulder Injury
Chris Harris had a shoulder injury that will relegate him to the nickel back role, while Bradley Roby ascends to the starting lineup. It has apparent that Harris was injured during the Steelers game as he was not able to be his normal physical self with receivers.
He only played a smattering of snaps in the second half, only coming in on third down or obvious passing downs. Hopefully before the AFC Championship game, he will take painkillers that will allow him to be effective for the limited amount of snaps he will be on the field.
Luckily, against the Patriots, the Broncos don't need two lockdown corners because they do not have star receivers on the outside. Gronk will be the main focus for the defense. If they are able to contain him, then the rest should fall in place.
I would be more worried if wasn't for Talib locking down one side. He will be able to take on Edelman, Amendola and Martin with no problem. Edelman only runs a couple of routes and doesn't usually go long so might have some play making opportunities when they line up one on one.
Many non-Bronco fans don't know about him or don't think that he is that good because he is not a starter, but they are sorely mistaken. Roby would be starting on 75% of the teams in the league and maybe even more. There should not be much of a drop off in production when he takes the field on Sunday. Roby, like Harris can lock his man up without much of a thought so, Harris' limited availability shouldn't change the scheme at all. The scheme will focus around Gronk as they'll need two people to bracket him.
The most important part of this injury is his availability if the Broncos move onto the Super Bowl. Maybe a week off will heal his shoulder enough to take the majority of snaps, especially if they end up playing Arizona.
Kayvon Webster will have to put on a very good performance too. He was shaky during the season and putting together a full game might be tough to ask. Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan need to both stay on the field in passing situations, if the team does not want to go very deep into the depth chart for corners. Both are very capable in coverage and should not be at a disadvantage because the Patriots play a lot of two tight end sets. Lorenzo Doss may make an appearance on the active roster this week because the team will need all depth available if Harris is re-injured during the game.
He only played a smattering of snaps in the second half, only coming in on third down or obvious passing downs. Hopefully before the AFC Championship game, he will take painkillers that will allow him to be effective for the limited amount of snaps he will be on the field.
Luckily, against the Patriots, the Broncos don't need two lockdown corners because they do not have star receivers on the outside. Gronk will be the main focus for the defense. If they are able to contain him, then the rest should fall in place.
I would be more worried if wasn't for Talib locking down one side. He will be able to take on Edelman, Amendola and Martin with no problem. Edelman only runs a couple of routes and doesn't usually go long so might have some play making opportunities when they line up one on one.
Many non-Bronco fans don't know about him or don't think that he is that good because he is not a starter, but they are sorely mistaken. Roby would be starting on 75% of the teams in the league and maybe even more. There should not be much of a drop off in production when he takes the field on Sunday. Roby, like Harris can lock his man up without much of a thought so, Harris' limited availability shouldn't change the scheme at all. The scheme will focus around Gronk as they'll need two people to bracket him.
The most important part of this injury is his availability if the Broncos move onto the Super Bowl. Maybe a week off will heal his shoulder enough to take the majority of snaps, especially if they end up playing Arizona.
Kayvon Webster will have to put on a very good performance too. He was shaky during the season and putting together a full game might be tough to ask. Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan need to both stay on the field in passing situations, if the team does not want to go very deep into the depth chart for corners. Both are very capable in coverage and should not be at a disadvantage because the Patriots play a lot of two tight end sets. Lorenzo Doss may make an appearance on the active roster this week because the team will need all depth available if Harris is re-injured during the game.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Broncos Steelers Recap
I felt like I was watching a repeat of last years Divisional Round game against the Colts. They struggled to convert third downs (1-12 for the day) and struggled to run the ball. Manning didn't look terrible, but dropped balls in critical situations really put a limit on what the offense could do. They had missed opportunities on all of their potential scoring drives. None of this mattered too much in the end since they were able to come away with the victory. Brandon McManus tied the record for most field goals made in a playoff game with five, which was very impressive in those windy conditions.
Manning got good field position on the first drive, but was only able to turn it into three points. Kubiak broke out a trick play early that involved a direct snap to Ronnie Hillman while Manning was calling a phantom audible, but it was easily stopped by the Steelers. CJ Anderson needed to be in on short yardage plays, not that it would have made a difference on that particular play, but he is better in those situations. After a terrible punt that had the Broncos starting at the Pittsburgh 30, they settled for another field goal after what looked like a miscommunication between Manning and Norwood.
Kayvon Webster made this great play to avoid a touchback.
Fitzgerald Touissaint scored the first touchdown of the game on a one yard run after an explosive Steelers drive that only took 5 plays to complete. Another busted coverage lead to a field goal for the Steelers on the next drive. Big plays continued to hurt the defense early in the second half as they extended their lead to 13-9.
Peyton gave himself up on a sack, but was not touched so he immediately got up and made a throw to Sanders. I knew he had been self-sacking himself in order to do that one time. Pretty tricky Peyton.
Apparently there is a rule that if you muff a punt, but recover it in the end zone, you are actually rewarded. That rule needs to be changed because it makes absolutely no sense.
Roby made a great play to force a fumble with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter which gave the Broncos life again as it looked like the Steeler would at least get a chance to attempt a field goal on the drive. That crucial takeaway gave Manning a chance to lead the go ahead drive down, which (and CJ) turned into a touchdown. Manning made a critical pass to Bennie Fowler on third down that got the Broncos to the Steelers side of the field. Good running and precise passing put the Broncos ahead 18-13 after a CJ one yard run. A screen pass to Demaryius Thomas for the two point conversion put the team up by 7 with around 3:00 left.
Settling for field goals and not converting third downs was detrimental to the team throughout the game, but they were able to escape with the win because of a nice strip by Roby and a nice touchdown drive by Manning. Manning played well enough to win in the playoffs and his stats would be much better if the receivers were able to hang onto the ball in the first half. It was an ugly game, but in the playoffs the game are much tougher and all you need to do is advance. The wins might not be pretty, but if they are there then nobody will care.
The Patriots will be coming to town next week in a rematch of their week 13 bout where Brock and the Broncos prevailed in overtime.
Demaryius Thomas's Mom Will Be present
Demaryius Thomas's Mom will get to watch him play live for the first time in her life today against the Pittsburgh Steelers. She went to prison in 1999 for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. She was released in 2015 when President Obama commuted the sentences of 46 non-violent criminals. Unfortunately, she was unable to go to games earlier in the year due to travel restrictions.
I don't want to get into weather or not this influence Demaryius to play better against the Steelers, especially since they have a sorry pass defense. The offense should be able to put plenty of points on the board much like they did in the first game, but hopefully they are able to add something in the second half.
This will be a great moment for both of them. Hopefully she will be able to make the AFC Championship game as well.
I don't want to get into weather or not this influence Demaryius to play better against the Steelers, especially since they have a sorry pass defense. The offense should be able to put plenty of points on the board much like they did in the first game, but hopefully they are able to add something in the second half.
This will be a great moment for both of them. Hopefully she will be able to make the AFC Championship game as well.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Steelers @ Broncos Preview
This game would be much more exciting if Big Ben and Antonio Brown were at full health, this is not the case and as a Broncos fan, I cant really find it in me to care that much. Their offense is severely limited if they cant go deep to Marckus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant. TJ Ward and Darian Stewart missed the first matchup between these teams and their presence will certainly help the passing defense. Harris, Talib and Roby will do their thing and I wouldn't expect the Steelers to score more than 13.
Peyton Manning looked pretty good when he made his surprise emergence back into the starting lineup during the second half against the Chargers. He was able to make better calls at the line of scrimmage, which is the main reason the offense was able to move the ball better in the second half. Well, that and not turning the ball over. Benching Matt Schofield was a move that should have been made after he was abused for four sacks by Kahlil Mack. Tyler Polumbus came in for him in the second half and although he was pretty mediocre, he was a big step up from Schofield.
Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson make a fairly intimidating duo in the backfield. If they can both play like they have shown that they are capable of, this offense will be really tough for the Steelers to stop. Neither of them were able to get it going in the first matchup, but the line has been blocking better since then and their play improved over the last two weeks. Kubiak needs to feed Anderson the ball more consistently, he always runs better with ten or more carries than he does with five. For some reason, Kubiak shies away from him at times and it tends to hurt the team.
Demaryius Thomas's Mom will be able to watch him play live football for the first time in her life since she was released from prison in October of 2015. I expect Thomas to want to have a big game in front of his Mom and the Steelers' secondary lends themselves to those types of big games.
Emmanuel Sanders had a huge game in the first meeting and had 10 catches for 181 yards to go along with a long touchdown. He should be able to cook that secondary for a second time. Sanders probably should have had a bigger game, but Osweiler had a poor showing in the second half, which limited his opportunities.
Virgil Green caught his only pass last week when Manning came back in the second half. He and Owen Daniels will get most of the snaps at tight end since they cant risk putting Vernon Davis out there in important moments.
Virgil Green caught his only pass last week when Manning came back in the second half. He and Owen Daniels will get most of the snaps at tight end since they cant risk putting Vernon Davis out there in important moments.
Derek Wolfe tallied half of a sack in the first meeting. He could be in line for another big game and ready to prove that he is worth the big contract he just signed. Ben will be punished by him and the rest of the defensive front as well. He is already suffering from a separated shoulder and a relentless pass rush could cause him to come out of the game. Malik Jackson was ruthless in the first game as he tallied 1.5 sacks. His pass rushing ability will continue to cause many problems for the Steelers. Von Miller, who was voted first team all-pro, is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Expect Ben to try and get rid of the ball extremely quick because of the pass rush coupled with his injury.
The only way that the Steelers can move the ball effectively is if they are able to run it on first and second down. They were effective running the football against Cincinnati so I would not discount them even though the Broncos defense is spectacular. Big Ben will have a tough time throwing deep because of his shoulder injury, but he will likely still be a very effective passer within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The only way that the Steelers can move the ball effectively is if they are able to run it on first and second down. They were effective running the football against Cincinnati so I would not discount them even though the Broncos defense is spectacular. Big Ben will have a tough time throwing deep because of his shoulder injury, but he will likely still be a very effective passer within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The hobbled Steeler should not be able put up many points against this very good defense. All the Broncos' need to do is sustain a couple of drives in order to put this one away. 27-10.
Update: Trevor Siemian is inactive, which means Brock must be healthy since there was talk of dressing a third QB earlier in the week. Shiloh Keo is inactive for the second time since they acquired him. He has not played very well and with the other safeties healthy, there isn't much reason to have him out there. Omar Bolden is active, which means he will provide safety depth because of his ability to cover. He will also be available to return kicks. Bolden is a not a big name as a returner, but he does have the ability to take it to the house.
Update: Trevor Siemian is inactive, which means Brock must be healthy since there was talk of dressing a third QB earlier in the week. Shiloh Keo is inactive for the second time since they acquired him. He has not played very well and with the other safeties healthy, there isn't much reason to have him out there. Omar Bolden is active, which means he will provide safety depth because of his ability to cover. He will also be available to return kicks. Bolden is a not a big name as a returner, but he does have the ability to take it to the house.
Should Kansas City Draft a Quarterback?
Alex Smith is a quarterback who can get you into the playoffs, but he will never be good enough to make the Super Bowl. Any Kansas City fan that still believes that he can do so is delusional. He cannot throw it deep effectively even though he has made more of an effort to get the be downfield this season.
He is due to be payed almost $18 million next season, which is too much for a QB of his caliber. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the distribution of quarterback salaries are skewed to the top. They have shown that they are willing to pay big money for a QB so that money should go to one that has the ability to win a Super Bowl.
I am not advocating that Smith should be cut, they need to keep him in order to remain as competitive as possible. Carson Wentz, a small school star a North Dakota State, could be available for them late in the second round. He is the type of quarterback that this team should pursue in order to move onto the next phase of their team. Cardale Jones and Christain Hackenberg could also be available in the second or third rounds. If the do not pull the trigger on a mid round quarterback this season, one has to wonder if their front office is content with only making the playoffs.
One thing was clear during the Saturday matchup against New England, Alex Smith is not talented enough to win playoff games on his own. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger have been the only quarterbacks to make it out of the AFC since the Raiders made the Super Bowl in 2002. Alex Smith does not compare to any of those quarterbacks. They cannot afford to wait another year.
He is due to be payed almost $18 million next season, which is too much for a QB of his caliber. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the distribution of quarterback salaries are skewed to the top. They have shown that they are willing to pay big money for a QB so that money should go to one that has the ability to win a Super Bowl.
I am not advocating that Smith should be cut, they need to keep him in order to remain as competitive as possible. Carson Wentz, a small school star a North Dakota State, could be available for them late in the second round. He is the type of quarterback that this team should pursue in order to move onto the next phase of their team. Cardale Jones and Christain Hackenberg could also be available in the second or third rounds. If the do not pull the trigger on a mid round quarterback this season, one has to wonder if their front office is content with only making the playoffs.
One thing was clear during the Saturday matchup against New England, Alex Smith is not talented enough to win playoff games on his own. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger have been the only quarterbacks to make it out of the AFC since the Raiders made the Super Bowl in 2002. Alex Smith does not compare to any of those quarterbacks. They cannot afford to wait another year.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Kansas City @ New England
I'll start off by saying that I want Kansas City to win this game. Not because I believe that the Broncos will lose if they end up playing the Patriots, but I want Manning to to able to have revenge against the team that sent him to the bench two months ago.
The Chiefs have more of chance to win this game than many people believe they do. The Patriots didn't really inspire confidence in anyone by losing their last two games to end up as the 2nd seed. However, they still need to deal with Gronk, which is a difficult task for any defense, even a good one like Kansas City. Julian Edelman will be back for the Patriots. He makes the offense better even if he does not create many explosive plays.
The Patriots are going to run into problems if they fail to run the ball effectively. If they faced with multiple long down situations, the Chiefs defense should be able to feast.
Kansas City's pass rush will punish Tom Brady if he cannot get rid of the ball quickly. The rush from the inside is every bit as important as from the outside against Brady because it limits his ability to step up into the pocket and make throws.
The entire game lies on the Chiefs defense. If they are not able to contain the Patriots offense, they have absolutely no chance to win the game because I cannot expect Alex Smith to win a shootout against Tom Brady. If they are able to keep the score low and the offense is not expect do to too much, they could pull out the W.
The Chiefs cannot expect Alex Smith to go out there and win them this game. He is not that type of quarterback. They need to get the run game going in order to have any type of success. Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware need to get the offense in short yardage situations on second and third downs. Then Smith can be effective at moving the sticks, which is all they can reasonably expect him to do in the playoffs.
Jeremy Maclin might not play and even if he does he will be limited, which forces the Chiefs to keep the passing game short. Travis Kelce will have to be a big part of the offense if they expect to move the ball.
I think that the Chiefs will win this game 20-17, but I would not be surprised if they lose. Expect the game to be within three points either way.
The Chiefs have more of chance to win this game than many people believe they do. The Patriots didn't really inspire confidence in anyone by losing their last two games to end up as the 2nd seed. However, they still need to deal with Gronk, which is a difficult task for any defense, even a good one like Kansas City. Julian Edelman will be back for the Patriots. He makes the offense better even if he does not create many explosive plays.
The Patriots are going to run into problems if they fail to run the ball effectively. If they faced with multiple long down situations, the Chiefs defense should be able to feast.
Kansas City's pass rush will punish Tom Brady if he cannot get rid of the ball quickly. The rush from the inside is every bit as important as from the outside against Brady because it limits his ability to step up into the pocket and make throws.
The entire game lies on the Chiefs defense. If they are not able to contain the Patriots offense, they have absolutely no chance to win the game because I cannot expect Alex Smith to win a shootout against Tom Brady. If they are able to keep the score low and the offense is not expect do to too much, they could pull out the W.
The Chiefs cannot expect Alex Smith to go out there and win them this game. He is not that type of quarterback. They need to get the run game going in order to have any type of success. Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware need to get the offense in short yardage situations on second and third downs. Then Smith can be effective at moving the sticks, which is all they can reasonably expect him to do in the playoffs.
Jeremy Maclin might not play and even if he does he will be limited, which forces the Chiefs to keep the passing game short. Travis Kelce will have to be a big part of the offense if they expect to move the ball.
I think that the Chiefs will win this game 20-17, but I would not be surprised if they lose. Expect the game to be within three points either way.
Derek Wolfe Extended
Derek Wolfe signed a four year extension today, ensuring that they will have good defensive lines for years to come. He will make 36.7 million over the life of the deal, which makes it very unlikely that they will also sign Malik Jackson. It was always going to be a one or the other situation with those two. Wolfe's ability to defend very well against the run probably gave him the edge over Malik when in front office was deciding who to pursue. Only about half of the deal is guaranteed, which makes it very easy to cut ties with him if he does not perform in the future.
Wolfe has been a extremely important part of the top ranked defense ever since he came off of his four game suspension to begin the season. He has registered at least half a sack in six out of the last seven games to finish the season. He finished with the most sacks since his rookie season despite missing four games.
He finally found his fit in the NFL in the 3-4 defense. He was good before this year, but he has been able to take his play to another level this season in his natural position.
Resigning Wolfe allows the front office to focus all of its efforts on Von Miller. I expect his deal to be done before the franchise tag deadline, unlike Demaryius last offseason.
Wolfe has been a extremely important part of the top ranked defense ever since he came off of his four game suspension to begin the season. He has registered at least half a sack in six out of the last seven games to finish the season. He finished with the most sacks since his rookie season despite missing four games.
He finally found his fit in the NFL in the 3-4 defense. He was good before this year, but he has been able to take his play to another level this season in his natural position.
Resigning Wolfe allows the front office to focus all of its efforts on Von Miller. I expect his deal to be done before the franchise tag deadline, unlike Demaryius last offseason.
Antonio Brown Ruled Out
Antonio Brown will officially miss Sunday's Divisional Round game against Denver due to a concussion he received on the last drive of the Steelers Wild Card Round game against Cincinnati. Brown is probably the best wide receiver in the league at this moment, which makes his absence in this game a huge bonus to the Broncos.
Antonio Brown had his best game of the season in the week 15 matchup between the two teams in which he racked up 16 catches 189 yards and 2 touchdowns. I believe Chris Harris would have a better game against him the second time around, especially since he will have safety help this time around as TJ Ward and Darian Stewart are expected to play. Even with all that taken into account, Brown's absence undoubtedly makes things easier for the Denver defense on Sunday.
Martavis Bryant and Marckus Wheaton are still good option for Ben to have, but they are nowhere near the level of Brown. Ben wont be able to throw downfield often, which limits the big play ability of those two. I believe that Talib and Harris will stick to one side or the other for most of the game because none of the Steeler's receivers are good enough to be shadowed.
This game would have a very different feel if Antonio Brown was healthy. He creates problems for any team that he faces and his absence is a huge blow to the Steelers' offense.
Antonio Brown had his best game of the season in the week 15 matchup between the two teams in which he racked up 16 catches 189 yards and 2 touchdowns. I believe Chris Harris would have a better game against him the second time around, especially since he will have safety help this time around as TJ Ward and Darian Stewart are expected to play. Even with all that taken into account, Brown's absence undoubtedly makes things easier for the Denver defense on Sunday.
Martavis Bryant and Marckus Wheaton are still good option for Ben to have, but they are nowhere near the level of Brown. Ben wont be able to throw downfield often, which limits the big play ability of those two. I believe that Talib and Harris will stick to one side or the other for most of the game because none of the Steeler's receivers are good enough to be shadowed.
This game would have a very different feel if Antonio Brown was healthy. He creates problems for any team that he faces and his absence is a huge blow to the Steelers' offense.
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