AFC West Roundup

[iknowftbll]

The Broncos are now 7-4 and outside the playoffs looking in. They're 4-3 in the AFC while the Dolphins are 5-3 and that's why the Dolphins hold the current tie breaker. Despite this, I don't think it's time to panic. The Broncos saw what Siemian could do last night when they give him a little more leash. And despite the defense not being able to seal it last night, we've seen plenty of times what they are capable of. I am encouraged to see the run defense look better the last two games. It's a daunting schedule ahead, and right now people probably consider this Broncos team a long shot to make the playoffs. To me they have the look of a team that just may click at the right time.

 

[Malibu]

The Broncos are now 7-4 and outside the playoffs looking in. They're 4-3 in the AFC while the Dolphins are 5-3 and that's why the Dolphins hold the current tie breaker. Despite this, I don't think it's time to panic. The Broncos saw what Siemian could do last night when they give him a little more leash. And despite the defense not being able to seal it last night, we've seen plenty of times what they are capable of. I am encouraged to see the run defense look better the last two games. It's a daunting schedule ahead, and right now people probably consider this Broncos team a long shot to make the playoffs. To me they have the look of a team that just may click at the right time.

Does the o line and there running game look close to clicking? Stupid penalties as well. This has been going on all year and still going on after a bye. I don't see how it magically changes. I just don't see them winning at K.C. and beating the Patriots and Raiders with that o line and no running game. Now you can add in terrible special teams. Hopefully I'm wrong. Peace.

 

[iknowftbll]

Plenty of highly flawed teams have looked worse than the Broncos and had it all come together. It's just one game, but Siemian looked like he has enough to shoulder the offense if needs be. Back that up with a defensive performance more in keeping with what we're used to out of this unit and the Broncos will be a hard team to beat.

 

[Malibu]

Plenty of highly flawed teams have looked worse than the Broncos and had it all come together. It's just one game, but Siemian looked like he has enough to shoulder the offense if needs be. Back that up with a defensive performance more in keeping with what we're used to out of this unit and the Broncos will be a hard team to beat.

When they go to K.C. with that crowd noise and Dee Ford there best pass rusher back I'm worried Trevor doesn't make it through the game with that o line. Have to be able to run the ball and get key stops and play solid special teams and cut down on the penalties. I haven't seen to much of that all year. Face it if the Panthers drove down to fg range to beat the Broncos due to stupid penalties on defense and if Gano didn't shit himself the Broncos would already be done. I still give them a slight chance to make the playoffs because even though I predicted before the season started Miami would be in the mix I'm not sold on them 100%. Seeing Trevor playing very well was the only good thing I saw from that game last night. After a bye and this many weeks in to the season some of the same problems are still there and at the least haven't improved a little. This team is lucky at this time to even be tied with Miami with all the mistakes and lack of talent on the o line and a defense which many knew can't be expected to dominate like last year. Peace.

 

[Clayton]

I'm honestly not quite sure what to take away from the KC/Denver game. Pass plays against Acker, Gaines and White have basically been free plays this year. Siemian looked good but you take away the plays where Gaines got beat badly and its hard to tell if the Broncos are going to be able to score enough points this year without getting their defense to score points for them like last year.

Ravens play the Dolphins next and the Ravens remaining schedule only has 1 more gimme. Dolphins could effectively knock them out of contention but the more likely scenario of Denver getting in is the Ravens beating the Dolphins. Its going to take 11-5 to get to the playoffs for sure, though.

Chiefs still have issues with injuries. They have worked Hill and Ware effectively but Alex Smith is just not a playoff QB. Somehow he keeps getting bailed out by teams playing soft zones against him to end games because Andy Reid clock management but apparently thats actually the Chiefs strong point this year.

Denver losing to the Chiefs when they don't have Maclin or Nelson is inexcusable for a team that wants to go somewhere. Its the type of thing my STL Cardinals did this year when they just missed the playoffs.

The Chiefs have basically a best case scenario played out for the injury and defensive depth issues they have had. Without a healthy roster, though, its still pretty moot. They are missing enough talent where one mismatch can ruin a whole game for them.

 

[iknowftbll]

When they go to K.C. with that crowd noise...

One week at a time, my friend!

 

[Malibu]

One week at a time, my friend![/QUOT

Next week shouldn't be a game but we shall see. Peace.

 

[iknowftbll]

^ It shouldn't be but who knows. The Broncos have their problems but they should be able to go down and make a 2-9 Jaguars team a 2-10 Jaguars team. Sadly I'll be unable to watch because I'm flying to California during the game. It's for work. I tried like hell to find a flight that wasn't during the game, it just wasn't doable. Super annoying because the purpose behind the trip is entirely pointless.

 

[58crash]

The Field is frozen in KC ...Black and Blue game love it !

 

[randymon]

I guess the best scenario is for Chiefs to lose. Don't see Raiders losing 4 in a row and Denver winning the same amount either. Best shot is to get 2nd place in AFC West and a 4 seed at this point.

 

[Broncosr0k]

I guess the best scenario is for Chiefs to lose. Don't see Raiders losing 4 in a row and Denver winning the same amount either. Best shot is to get 2nd place in AFC West and a 4 seed at this point.

Impressive to beat the AFC south out of the 4th seed.

 

[randymon]

Impressive to beat the AFC south out of the 4th seed.

Right. Didn't count well there did I ? Ok 5 seed.

 

[CEH]

Why do teams continue to punt to Hill? KC has a very bad offense (15 ppg) and they continue to let Hill beat them.

 

[Broncosr0k]

To be fair, that punt return for TD wasn't to Hill but no one told the raider's punt unit to go right, not left.

It was sweet to see that smug punter for the raiders get his dance used on him.

 

[iknowftbll]

I've been MIA a lot lately because of work, but I've still followed the team and division. There really was no good outcome in last night's game. On the surface it would appear the Chiefs winning is better for the Broncos but that now gives them a 4-0 record in the AFC West so the Broncos have to pass them outright to win the division. Had the Raiders won they'd have been 11-2 and at least 2 ahead of the Broncos (maybe 3 if the Broncos lose this week) with a win over the Broncos already in the books. I can't recall another season where an 8-4 team has such a slim chance of winning its division despite being just a game and a half behind the first place team. At 8-4 the Broncos still are a legit playoff contender though, and my guess is they need to just finish 10-6 and they'll be in.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Why do teams continue to punt to Hill? KC has a very bad offense (15 ppg) and they continue to let Hill beat them.

It's honestly puzzling me at this point. Pretty sure King just wasn't accurate on the punt return TD however. Just a piss poor punt relative to the coverage. Strangely the Chiefs are 12th in offensive DVOA (as of Dec 7th) which adds to the frustration, confusion, and angst regarding the offense. A lot of these games don't feel like they should've been close at all.

 

[iknowftbll]

Moose, congrats on the win and really on having the inside track to a division title. No doubt you're aware D. Johnson is out for the season. There's time to adjust before the playoffs of course, but that's a huge loss. Do you think the Chiefs can adjust and overcome?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Moose, congrats on the win and really on having the inside track to a division title. No doubt you're aware D. Johnson is out for the season. There's time to adjust before the playoffs of course, but that's a huge loss. Do you think the Chiefs can adjust and overcome?

I think it makes Pittsburgh a matchup I am pretty afraid of now. I think that's a really bad matchup for the Chiefs as they've been a defense that can't seem to stop everything at once but can take away one or maybe two things on whim consistently. DJ really craters the effectiveness of their Dime packages, imo. Any team that has a big 3 combo (QB, RB, WR) are the Chiefs kyrptonite schematically at this point. If you force the Chiefs defense to defend everything at once, they're in trouble. JDR being JDR didn't really seem to realize this until it was way too late for it to matter.

Chiefs may have gone from one of the tougher coverage LBing unit in the league to a huge question mark.

Terrance Mitchell has been pretty good these past two games, and at this point, he has done so well he's earned hot hand treatment. Was the best DB on the field last night (at least from the broadcast view, no all-22 yet) and that's not a small achievement. Maybe that flips the script a bit to where they can commit more to stopping the run without compromising their Pass D. Or vice versa with Run D. Great deal of concern. Team can only take so many hits before it shows up on the field.

 

[Clayton]

It's honestly puzzling me at this point. Pretty sure King just wasn't accurate on the punt return TD however. Just a piss poor punt relative to the coverage. Strangely the Chiefs are 12th in offensive DVOA (as of Dec 7th) which adds to the frustration, confusion, and angst regarding the offense. A lot of these games don't feel like they should've been close at all.

In some stretches of the season, it was health issues limiting the offense and just being bad in the red zone. Maclin being out and not having Hill developed or the game Foles tanked, etc, etc.

As the team enters the playoff run, it appears that the QB spot in general is an issue, though. The 2 Alex Smith turnovers...1 was 100% on him and the other is at least 50% him as for some reason he sits in the same spot for what seems like forever and gets stripped. QB and LT both seem to have their lapses and its really hard for teams to overcome that. It seems like there is always a holding penalty or defensive PI penalty on the Chiefs.

The Raiders game was different, though, in that its not a game the Chiefs should have dominated exactly. There just should have been more points on both sides and the final score was probably indicative of the play. The Raiders offensive playcalling is like Jeff Fisher bad. I want to blame Carr for a lot of the issues they had and in some plays the Chiefs legitimately made plays but man...the Raiders made some bad coaching decisions that game.

 

[Broncosr0k]

Any team that has a big 3 combo (QB, RB, WR) are the Chiefs kyrptonite schematically at this point. If you force the Chiefs defense to defend everything at once, they're in trouble. JDR being JDR didn't really seem to realize this until it was way too late for it to matter.

Not sure JDR could. Carr has been in shotgun since he snapped his pinky. That really limits your run game. But generally the raiders offense looked very vanilla before and after D. Johnson injury.