Game 4: Denver-20 Indianapolis-38

MichaelJordanEberle (sabf) · 09-30-2007, 06:16 PM

I was working so I didn't see this game, but I can't say I'm not surprised. Looking at the numbers, it looks like Cutler did a good job of taking what the defense gave him, but couldn't stretch the field much, which is what the Cover 2 tries to do. Henry had another very good day, as well. But we couldn't stop the run at all, and they torched us in the red zone. Anyone with more in depth analysis?

Diehard · 09-30-2007, 07:53 PM

The second half was brutal to watch. Manning made our defense look like a joke... which, unfortunately, is pretty close to reality. The guts of the defense (DT, LB, S) is a shambles. No one could stop the run or cover the TE. Ian Gold is the biggest piece of garbage on the planet. Argh.

Offense had the right gameplan - run the ball down their throats. Cutler's INT was a real killer, though. Our defense was so shaky you knew we couldn't afford a mistake like that.

Special teams are still noticabily lacking in the "special" department. Colts had generally good field position. Hixon continues to be lackluster as a returner.

I never expected the Broncos to win this game, but the soft, gutless play on the defensive side of the ball is insufferable. This is the same kind of crap we saw last week against Jacksonville, which is apparently all the team is able to muster at the moment.

My modest hopes are going into the toilet right now. 6-10 looks about right for this team. My only hope is that the game against SD isn't shown next week, so I can actually enjoy watching football instead of this ongoing exercise in frustration.

stephenson86 · 09-30-2007, 08:02 PM

i watched, tbh i think this team needs a few more years before its going to get to the top purely because cutler needs to develope and ur recieving core is young/injured but they showed flashes but like he does alot, manning played with the D in the second half

Diehard · 10-01-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njx9

i'm sick of this team. i'm sick of the coaches. the only things that are working well are cutler, marshall and henry. pretty much everyone else should be shot on sight.

While I'm very much in favor of sniper fire as a solution to many of our problems, please avoid hitting Selvin Young. He's been a very nice pickup, playing a lot better than many of the drafted RBs. If he continues to improve, we'll have a solid core of skill players for the next decade.

Quote:

please, someone come in and tell me why/how cutler is holding this team back now. i can't ****ing wait.

I agree, Cutler is not the problem. Unfortunately, he's still too green to carry the team. The offense will have some success, but the failure of the defense/special teams sets a hard limit how many games we can possibly win this year.

MichaelJordanEberle (sabf) · 10-01-2007, 10:36 AM

It seemed in the first game(which was the only one I've been able to watch), Cutler was gunning all over the field, making plays with his arm, but then Shanny stop letting him throw when they got to the redzone, for the most part. If that is what's happening, I think that's a big mistake, and something they need to change. He has the weapons, he has the talent, he got it done for the previous 50 yards, why not let him do it now?

Geo · 10-01-2007, 12:36 PM

The Broncos came out with some very interesting formations yesterday.

Offensively, they ran a max run-blocking formation with three tight ends - anywhere and everywhere on the field mind you, not just the goal line - that really gave the Colts fits for the first half. The Broncos' run-blocking, the skill positions players in formations as the above included, was excellent. There were other formations that Shanahan bombarded the Colts with, it was something yesterday.

As I said in the offseason, I was very glad that Shanahan took Travis Henry away from the AFC South, the Colts only have to see him once now instead of twice and the Broncos would run on the Colts no matter who is the back (see yesterday). Henry's not an elite back, but he definitely is a very good back when healthy and is undoubtedly the best back Denver has had since Portis. The success he's exhibited is no fluke, I expect it to continue for the remainder of the season and against a faltering Chargers defense next week especially. Henry looked like he hurt his leg in the third quarter, but he came back in the game for the next drive and carried the ball some more, so that's a good sign I suppose.

Dan Graham probably had his best game as a Broncos player thus far, with his blocking and receiving. Whatever doubts I had before the season that Brandon Stokley wouldn't be fully recovered yet were removed, he looked his effective self - he just needs to stay healthy now. Cutler, like Matt Schaub last week, spread the ball around very well, I thought. There were three of four passes in the game that were just a tad off or that the Colts defended well, we can only wonder how things might have been different.

Defensively, the Broncos ran a 3-4 look for most of the game, for most of the the first three quarters at least (at least I would guess). Three lineman up front, at least two of which were defensive ends (Elvis Dumervil lining up at LDE), and Jarvis Moss standing up and rushing up the middle. Not sure who the Broncos had playing nose tackle, Sam Adams either was inactive or didn't play at all as Shanahan knew he'd be a liability with the Colts' no-huddle offense, though I'm curious. The look seemed to catch the Colts off guard a bit the first two drives, but it seemed they adjusted to it.

JCutlery · 10-02-2007, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geo

Defensively, the Broncos ran a 3-4 look for most of the game, for most of the the first three quarters at least (at least I would guess). Three lineman up front, at least two of which were defensive ends (Elvis Dumervil lining up at LDE), and Jarvis Moss standing up and rushing up the middle. Not sure who the Broncos had playing nose tackle, Sam Adams either was inactive or didn't play at all as Shanahan knew he'd be a liability with the Colts' no-huddle offense, though I'm curious. The look seemed to catch the Colts off guard a bit the first two drives, but it seemed they adjusted to it.

Whoever decided to run THAT defense should be fired. We never even sniffed Manning. The play-calling on this team is atrocious.