Looking at the schedule

[Morpheus]

Sep 5 Baltimore Won 49-27 P. Manning (462) R. Rice (36) D. Thomas (161)
Sep 15 @N.Y. Giants 4:25 pm
Sep 23 Oakland 8:40 pm
Sep 29 Philadelphia 4:25 pm
Oct 6 @Dallas 4:25 pm
Oct 13 Jacksonville 4:05 pm
Oct 20 @Indianapolis 8:30 pm
Oct 27 Washington 4:25 pm
Week 9 BYE
Nov 10 @San Diego 4:25 pm
Nov 17 Kansas City 4:05 pm
Nov 24 @New England 8:30 pm
Dec 1 @Kansas City 1:00 pm
Dec 8 Tennessee 4:05 pm
Dec 12 San Diego 8:25 pm
Dec 22 @Houston 1:00 pm
Dec 29 @Oakland 4:25 pm

 

[Morpheus]

Before the season started, the games I had checked off as being tough and possible losses were on the road against NY and NE, and maybe on the road at Houston.

With the Von Miller suspension, I was worried it was the difference maybe between winning and losing a close game. My biggest worry was the Ravens. Without an effective pass rush, Joe Flacco would have time to throw the long ball again. Well Shaun Phillips filled in nicely as did the rest of the defense, who after a slow start, brought the pressure and shut down Ray Rice in the run game as well.

In retrospect, Von Miller was pretty much a non factor in the playoff game last year.

If our offense has anywhere near the production against the Giants as it did against Baltimore, we should be able to go into New Jersey and beat the Giants.

Their secondary has holes in it, the only worry is their front 4 can get pressure without having to blitz, so Manning will be forced to make a lot of quick decisions, which he fortunately is very good at.

Giants are also very stout against the run, so I would like us to use the RB out of the backfield in the passing game to counter that. It will force the safeties and LBers to play up and create more one on one situations for the WR's and TE's.



Philadelphia got some buzz with that fast temp offense, but it stalled in the 2nd half, and their defense is suspect at best. They are coming to OUR HOUSE. It could be a very high scoring game, but I am not convinced that Chip Kelly and Michael Vick are going to out score Manning and Co.

Dallas on the road is the only other game where there are question marks. But if we can get to Romo, he will make mistakes.

After that, NE on the road, but it is a Sunday Night game. Not an early road game back east, so slight break there and NE seems to be struggling mightily on offense. They are just not getting the production they are used to. They are 2-0, but have played weak, weak, teams in Buffalo and the NY Jets. I don;t think they can match the offensive production we will have. As long as we stay healthy, by that point of the season, we should be a well oiled machine.

Finally Houston on the road. Tough defense, JJ Watt is a game changer, but their secondary has weaknesses and they have a tendency to blitz and are susceptible to play action. Winnable game.

If we come out on top of these 5 games, there is not a single opponent left who can even come close to matching up with us.

An undefeated season is not that big of a stretch.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I've never really liked to look to look at the schedule and pencil in Ws and Ls. There are surprises across the league each week and teams improve and get worse over the course of a season. With PMFM as our QB, however, it is obviously more tempting than if we still had, say Kyle Orton taking snaps, to look ahead. Definitely seems reasonable to expect to win the division and a good chance to earn HFA in the playoffs. As we saw last year, however, even getting all of that done is not sufficient for reaching the ultimate goal. With the level of competition perhaps down even more this year in the AFC relative to the NFC, it does seem that we have a great chance to surpass what was accomplished last year. We shall see.

 

[Morpheus]

I've never really liked to look to look at the schedule and pencil in Ws and Ls. There are surprises across the league each week and teams improve and get worse over the course of a season. With PMFM as our QB, however, it is obviously more tempting than if we still had, say Kyle Orton taking snaps, to look ahead. Definitely seems reasonable to expect to win the division and a good chance to earn HFA in the playoffs. As we saw last year, however, even getting all of that done is not sufficient for reaching the ultimate goal. With the level of competition perhaps down even more this year in the AFC relative to the NFC, it does seem that we have a great chance to surpass what was accomplished last year. We shall see.

Yea, i usually avoid predictions, as of late especially. But at the beginning of the season, I was quietly guessing 13-3 season, but the focus was who we meet in the playoffs and will we be able to prove the doubters wrong?

I am specifically referring to the notion that Manning chokes in the playoffs and can't play outdoors in cold weather.

That obviously will have to wait until we know how the playoffs will shape up. Everyone needs to get there first, including the Broncos.

But in looking at the path to the playoffs, I don't see one game on the schedule that we can't win. Heck, we are 7 1/2 points favorites on the road against the Giants. Is there any game that you would expect us to lose? And objectively speaking. Not as a fan.

 

[WalkerBoh]

Yea, i usually avoid predictions, as of late especially. But at the beginning of the season, I was quietly guessing 13-3 season, but the focus was who we meet in the playoffs and will we be able to prove the doubters wrong?

I am specifically referring to the notion that Manning chokes in the playoffs and can't play outdoors in cold weather.

That obviously will have to wait until we know how the playoffs will shape up. Everyone needs to get there first, including the Broncos.

But in looking at the path to the playoffs, I don't see one game on the schedule that we can't win. Heck, we are 7 1/2 points favorites on the road against the Giants. Is there any game that you would expect us to lose? And objectively speaking. Not as a fan.

Perrish the thought! Our playoff record at 13-3 stinks! Better to be 14-2 or 12-4

 

[TDs3nOut]

Yea, i usually avoid predictions, as of late especially. But at the beginning of the season, I was quietly guessing 13-3 season, but the focus was who we meet in the playoffs and will we be able to prove the doubters wrong?

I am specifically referring to the notion that Manning chokes in the playoffs and can't play outdoors in cold weather.

That obviously will have to wait until we know how the playoffs will shape up. Everyone needs to get there first, including the Broncos.

But in looking at the path to the playoffs, I don't see one game on the schedule that we can't win. Heck, we are 7 1/2 points favorites on the road against the Giants. Is there any game that you would expect us to lose? And objectively speaking. Not as a fan.

No, but I'm a bit less than an unbiased observer.

Not trying to be a wet blanket and I share your enthusiasm. I think that the playoff loss to Baltimore, which although I knew ex ante was a possibility, was still so unexpected that I'm trying to keep my expectations this year in check. That and all the years of rooting for Denver and other various teams just makes me think that more often than not seasons turn out some way other than the one I expected.

I am also very annoyed by those who seem to try and undermine PMFM by pointing to all of the times that the team he led lost in the playoffs, despite the fact that he has also led a seem to a SB win. I think it's quite obvious that QBs get both too much blame and too much credit for the outcomes of games in what might be the most team oriented sport of all. Still, until PMFM does help another team win a SB, I understand that he will have detractors who say he's not capable of doing that. But I am (guardedly) optimistic that he and the rest of our team will quiet his detractors this year. Certainly hope so!

 

[xBxtxDx]

I am also very annoyed by those who seem to try and undermine PMFM by pointing to all of the times that the team he led lost in the playoffs, despite the fact that he has also led a seem to a SB win. I think it's quite obvious that QBs get both too much blame and too much credit for the outcomes of games in what might be the most team oriented sport of all. Still, until PMFM does help another team win a SB, I understand that he will have detractors who say he's not capable of doing that. But I am (guardedly) optimistic that he and the rest of our team will quiet his detractors this year. Certainly hope so!

What annoys me even more about that blanket statement that Manning cannot win in the playoffs is that the mouth breathers that continually say this, do not even bother to check the numbers. Manning is actually in the top 10 for highest QBR (I know it is not the end all be all, but it is a fairly decent judge) in the playoffs for all time at 88.4. It is better than Brady's, Flacco's, and Roethlisberger. A lot of his losses during the playoffs could be more attributed to stupidity, the bad Colt's defenses, and just playing all around better teams. Ok, I am done and rant over.