Winning Close Games

[DownSetHutch]

This has probably been mentioned, but I felt it was worthy of its own thread. Winning close games builds character, and the Broncos have built A LOT of character so far. This will be huge in the post-season, and really even in games the rest of the way in the regular season. Once you prove to yourself you can do something, it becomes easier to repeat, even in adversity. Here's to the Broncos using this experience to continue their success the rest of the way.

 

[Malibu]

Play like this versus the Packers, Bengals, Patriots then they won't be close games. Those teams don't turn the ball over and make you pay for turnovers. It's great there winning but it's very unrealistic for any team to have an offense like this and expect to win a Super Bowl. The offense has to get it going. Manning interceptions, dropped balls, a tight end getting involved, need a slot wr to get involved, better running game(though today was better). This defense is starting to get banged up and I think sooner or later the defense will wear down at this rate. Can't expect stops every game like today in OT. Raiders, Browns, Chiefs, Ravens, aren't teams they will see in the playoffs. Great time for a bye week.

 

[DownSetHutch]

Play like this versus the Packers, Bengals, Patriots then they won't be close games. Those teams don't turn the ball over and make you pay for turnovers. It's great there winning but it's very unrealistic for any team to have an offense like this and expect to win a Super Bowl. The offense has to get it going. Manning interceptions, dropped balls, a tight end getting involved, need a slot wr to get involved, better running game(though today was better). This defense is starting to get banged up and I think sooner or later the defense will wear down at this rate. Can't expect stops every game like today in OT. Raiders, Browns, Chiefs, Ravens, aren't teams they will see in the playoffs. Great time for a bye week.

Fuck, I knew someone was going to shit on my thread with negativity. Maybe I should have added, "Builds Character" to the thread title.

Look Malibu, I get what you are saying, but I'm talking about character here. That's it. Not all of the problems we have on offense. It is easy to underestimate what heart can do for a team.

 

[iknowftbll]

I'm with you, DSH. This team is mentally tough, to say the least. I'd like to see the offense get it going consistently and win by 10 or more a few times but there is no denying this team is proving its mettle in some of these dogfights they've been in.

 

[Malibu]

Fuck, I knew someone was going to shit on my thread with negativity. Maybe I should have added, "Builds Character" to the thread title.

Look Malibu, I get what you are saying, but I'm talking about character here. That's it. Not all of the problems we have on offense. It is easy to underestimate what heart can do for a team.

I agree it builds character that's great but how about a game with not many mistakes? That would build more confidence and character as well. I already knew this team was tough in close games. That's due to the defense which anyone that had a clue knew it would be better without J.D.R. Play like this versus the Patriots on offense and character will not matter. You may call it being negative but I would say there facts. Sorry I'm not a complete homer and happy at all that this team has character over an offense that I expect and many of you should as well can do better then this across the board. I get it new offense. I get it injuries. I get it new o line. I don't want excuses I want to see an offense that can produce and not turn the ball over to not put it all on the defense. It's reminding me of a few years back with Tebow at QB and expecting the defense to hold up then the Patriots came to Denver and blasted them. Sorry that I don't want to see that again and see a wasted year out of a defense that is playing great. If that makes me a negative person so be it but I'm sure there are more Broncos fans besides me that aren't thrilled with this offense and rather see them produce over character.

 

[iknowftbll]

I expected the offense to experience "growing pains" early in the season. I think they're getting closer on the ground, though they got some extra playing time to rack up some ground yards. Hillman looked pretty solid and CJ came in in OT and did what we needed him to do.

Manning made some bad throws and 3 picks is 3 picks and that's bad no matter how you rationalize it. But DT and Sanders both dropped some balls they should have caught. The passing game is in a funk and it's not just Manning. I'm not sure what the issue is but I do expect they'll get it right. With this defense, the offense realistically needs to account for 23-24 ppg. At this point eliminating turnovers alone would account for a huge improvement. Even if you replace those turnovers with punts you have an immense amount of improvement.

This bye came at the right time. It's time to take a long look at the offense to see if they can make some marginal improvements here or there. It's time to get some guys healthy, too. And to be 6-0 right now...I'll take it every time.

 

[DownSetHutch]

I agree it builds character that's great but how about a game with not many mistakes? That would build more confidence and character as well. I already knew this team was tough in close games. That's due to the defense which anyone that had a clue knew it would be better without J.D.R. Play like this versus the Patriots on offense and character will not matter. You may call it being negative but I would say there facts. Sorry I'm not a complete homer and happy at all that this team has character over an offense that I expect and many of you should as well can do better then this across the board. I get it new offense. I get it injuries. I get it new o line. I don't want excuses I want to see an offense that can produce and not turn the ball over to not put it all on the defense. It's reminding me of a few years back with Tebow at QB and expecting the defense to hold up then the Patriots came to Denver and blasted them. Sorry that I don't want to see that again and see a wasted year out of a defense that is playing great. If that makes me a negative person so be it but I'm sure there are more Broncos fans besides me that aren't thrilled with this offense and rather see them produce over character.

Dude, every fan has a problem with the offense. It has been a problem all year so far. It doesn't make you negative to point that out, and just because someone else doesn't focus on that for a minute, that doesn't make them a homer either.

I was trying to create a thread to focus on one thing: character. That's what this thread is about, (or was supposed to be about). There are/will be plenty of other threads to talk about the offense's struggles, et. al. Use those to vent.

And BTW, I'm not saying don't be negative or have a differing opinion here, I'm just saying stay on topic.

 

[Duffman]

I'm tired of the excuses for Manning. We had 130 yards Rushing before OT so we didn't get that many in OT and Manning had perfect pass protection all game, he was sacked 0 times and was maybe pressured twice and yet this was his worst game of the season? Pathetic.

I know there were some drops today but there were a lot more drops when Manning put up 55 TD's so that's not an excuse. I'm tired of people thinking 3 good throws by Manning cancel out the 7 bad ones.

Winning close is great when it's a team effort, when the Defense knows that if they make a mistake it might lose us the game because they can't count on the Offense that's a shitty position to be in.

This is no longer and Offensive problem or a Scheme problem, this is a Peyton Manning as our QB problem.

 

[DownSetHutch]

/thread

 

[58crash]

lol

 

[Malibu]

/thread

Dude we get it. This team has a tons of character. No denying that. You are dead on. It will help playoff time if it's a close game but wouldn't you though like to see them win a game pretty easily without the defense having to bail them out? Sorry if I messed up you thread. Carry on with the great job.

 

[SpiritOf77]

I disagree with the "character" assessment - at least in the way it applies to winning big games

Manning and Thomas have no ******* balls, and they are the two catalysts in the offense .. Smack them in the mouth and they both get that deer in the headlights expression . .

No amount of close calls will do anything at this point

 

[Malibu]

I disagree with the "character" assessment - at least in the way it applies to winning big games

Manning and Thomas have no ******* balls, and they are the two catalysts in the offense .. Smack them in the mouth and they both get that deer in the headlights expression . .

No amount of close calls will do anything at this point

I think the defense has a ton of character because they have been forced in to terrible situations. The offense when it has needed to has made some plays. I do agree with you somewhat.

 

[SpiritOf77]

2015 Broncos points scored:

Offense - 48 pts
Defense & Special Teams - 75 pts


- That's 8 points per game

- Three of our wins have come against 1-5 teams ... our opponents, so far, have a combined record of 10-24


I'm not saying that the sky is falling ... Just posting some numbers

 

[58crash]

I think we are fine other than Kubiak need to give up with the his game plan .. it is not working what so ever .. the 4th quarter were did a little on O was mostly in shot gun .

Manning did finally pull off the bootleg ..

 

[cdumler7]

I think the offense has plenty of character as well as the defense. Look at our games this year. Against Baltimore holding a slim lead our offense goes on an 11 minute drive longest in Manning's career. Against the Chiefs well I think we all know what happened in that game. Against the Lions holding a 17-12 lead our offense goes and scores a touchdown to ice the game. Against Minnesota they marched down under 2 minutes to score the game winning field goal. And of course against Cleveland starting at their own 12 yard line the team drove down the field to score the game winning field goal in overtime.

So while the offense has definitely had lots and lots of struggles and deserve plenty of criticism I don't think that means they don't have character as almost every game so far they have done something at the end of the game to help win the game. When the team needs them most to step up for the most part they have done just that.

Now as for the offense yesterday we saw a run game that looked pretty decent. We saw an OL that actually looked pretty good even though 3 back ups were playing for different parts of the game. We saw 2 WR's go for over 100 yards. To me the offense has 2 major problems. Turnovers being the biggest and the other is just consistency. They can get drives going pretty well but it seems like they kill themselves with a big penalty, turnover, or as we saw yesterday dropped passes. I mean just think of that Oakland game where we had 2 touchdowns dropped. Those type of plays keep us from being a team that blows teams out. It is why I am not as worried as some as we are not that far off in many of these games from winning by 14 compared to just by 3.

 

[MileHigh64]

I think the offense has plenty of character as well as the defense. Look at our games this year. Against Baltimore holding a slim lead our offense goes on an 11 minute drive longest in Manning's career. Against the Chiefs well I think we all know what happened in that game. Against the Lions holding a 17-12 lead our offense goes and scores a touchdown to ice the game. Against Minnesota they marched down under 2 minutes to score the game winning field goal. And of course against Cleveland starting at their own 12 yard line the team drove down the field to score the game winning field goal in overtime.

So while the offense has definitely had lots and lots of struggles and deserve plenty of criticism I don't think that means they don't have character as almost every game so far they have done something at the end of the game to help win the game. When the team needs them most to step up for the most part they have done just that.

Now as for the offense yesterday we saw a run game that looked pretty decent. We saw an OL that actually looked pretty good even though 3 back ups were playing for different parts of the game. We saw 2 WR's go for over 100 yards. To me the offense has 2 major problems. Turnovers being the biggest and the other is just consistency. They can get drives going pretty well but it seems like they kill themselves with a big penalty, turnover, or as we saw yesterday dropped passes. I mean just think of that Oakland game where we had 2 touchdowns dropped. Those type of plays keep us from being a team that blows teams out. It is why I am not as worried as some as we are not that far off in many of these games from winning by 14 compared to just by 3.

Great post, CD. I echo your sentiments and feel like the Broncos offense is not that far away from vast improvement. The interceptions have been a killer for this team but dropped balls by the receivers aren't helping either. That game yesterday looked pretty ugly but the Broncos had a 100 yard rusher, two receivers over 100 yards and a QB that was ten yards short of 300. If Peyton hadn't thrown 3 picks, this could have been a very convincing Broncos win on the road. The big question is whether or not Peyton will get better as the season wears on (adjustments, comfort with the scheme, more dependable receiver play, better running game) or will he regress (bad weather, body breaking down, scheme not fitting his skills, etc.).

 

[MrDoc420]

Fuck, I knew someone was going to shit on my thread with negativity. Maybe I should have added, "Builds Character" to the thread title.

Look Malibu, I get what you are saying, but I'm talking about character here. That's it. Not all of the problems we have on offense. It is easy to underestimate what heart can do for a team.

LOL

 

[theknight307]

I know this is not going to be a popular thing to say, but I am having deja vu of that 2009 6-0 start. If we remember there were wins that we really did not deserve. Like that miracle holy Stokely against the Bengals. The defense that year started out great. Culminated in a quality win against the Pats (have not a win like that yet.) Then they came out of their bye week to play a tough Ravens team. The rest as they say is history.


There have been at least 4 wins where I really thought they should have lost. The offense, if it improves is not going to be 2013. We know that, but my fear is they will not even get to be as good as that Orton offense of 2009. will this offense even get to that point?

Well, like 2009, Broncos are coming out of the bye against a tough team. I do feel this defense is truly legit. play makers (when healthy) everywhere. I just have this sinking feeling about that season reminding me of this season.

 

[Broncos6482]

I swear it's like some of you people WANT the Broncos to fail, just so you can say "I told you so!'