Broncos Gameday Recap: Game #2 - vs Browns

I'm sorry, but there is just no proper occasion for those pants, ugh! So Ugly! Must avert eyes!!!

I'm trying to figure out which looked worse on Sunday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns football performance or the ugly brown pants they were wearing as they played. It's a difficult decision to make, as both pants and football team looked terrible. (Seriously, Brown pants?? Did someone lose a bet?)

Shannon Sharpe entered the Ring of Fame in Style today!

On the day that the Broncos organization enshrined Shannon Sharpe into the Broncos Ring of Fame, the Broncos actually looked pretty sharp themselves for the occasion. Although, it's difficult to tell whether the Broncos played well, or they were just the benefactor of playing an abysmal Cleveland team that played okay in the first half and then totally fell apart in the second half. I mean honestly, how bad do you have to be to lose by 21 points to the Broncos?

Positives from the game:

1. The Defense was stout today, granted, I don't want to get too excited about it because it was the Cleveland Browns, but you gotta like it when your defense holds any opponent to only 54 yards rushing and only 161 yards passing, that is what they call, "A Good Thing." The Browns could get absolutely nothing going on the ground, and apart from a few decent pass plays, they really didn't do much through the air either. Don't look now, but the Broncos have given up fewer points than anyone else in the NFL except for the Colts, and the Colts have played half as many games! (That is what I call a surprising stat, even if it is only through 2 weeks of the year.) Is it too early to call the Broncos a defensive juggernaut? Yes, Yes it is. However, the early returns are at least promising. If this keeps up, I may have to change my mind about Josh McDaniels. Speaking of which...

Yes, I'm actually saying nice things about Josh.

2. Josh McDaniels had his team prepared. Apart from burning through first half time outs like they were nickels for a slot machine, the Broncos ran like a well oiled machine today. They looked and played well enough to describe them as well coached, which is definitely a plus.

Stop Booing Orton! He doesn't deserve it.

3. Kyle Orton. Yes, I went there. Kyle Orton played a decent game today. He's not going to make anyone forget John Elway, or probably even Jake Plummer, but he plays within himself, he makes pretty solid decisions, and he doesn't lose the game for you. I have one thing to say to the morons who were booing him in the first half after he made a good decision to throw away the ball on a third down in the red zone rather than try to force something and turnover the ball, and that one thing is, "SHUT UP!" Yes, it is rather a bummer that because Jay Cutler was a baby that now we no longer have a rocket armed quarterback who is dynamic and fun to watch, but that is not Kyle Orton's fault. Just because Cutler wasn't thick skinned enough to be able to handle being shopped around a little bit doesn't mean that Kyle Orton needs to be booed when he fails to make a spectacular play. All Orton has done to this point is come into a difficult situation, played the best and smartest he knows how, had a good attitude throughout it all, and oh yeah, won his first two games. Stop booing him for not being an all time talent, that is not his fault, and he is the best player the Broncos can put behind center right now.

Elvis was making a habit of throwing Brady Quinn Medicine Woman to the turf.

4. Elvis Dumerville. Number 92 played like a man possessed today. Four sacks and Seven tackles is a very solid day. I'd say the transition to outside linebacker is proceeding nicely.


Negatives from the game:

1. It was just the Cleveland Browns. If the Broncos are able to lay this kind of a licking on the New York Giants when they come to town on Thanksgiving, we'll have something of which to be proud. Right now, the Broncos are 2-0, but all they've done is beat down the best that Ohio has to offer, which isn't really that great and to get the first one, they required a fluke the likes of which the NFL hasn't seen since Leon Lett stupidly tried to recover a blocked field goal against the Dolphins on Thanksgiving way back when. Actually, that Bengals play was an even bigger fluke, it was a play so fluky I can't think of it's NFL equal. Without that gift from the football gods, the Broncos would only be 1-1, so safe to say it's not time to start printing playoff tickets in Denver just yet.

I understand there was wind, but I need better from my kicker than two misses from less than 40 yards.

2. Matt Prater. Seriously, you are not allowed to miss kicks from inside 40 yards, especially not two of them. Yikes, this guy seems like a good kid, but I have very little confidence in his ability to make the kicks that he should make easily. It's a weird phenomenon, as I have a ton of confidence in him from 56 yards away, and yet he make me nervous when he is kicking a 33 yarder. I've never known a kicker who seems so money on difficult kicks and so mediocre at seemingly easy kicks. I hope he can get more consistent from 25 to 40 yards out, as at some point missing two field goals in one game may actually hurt the Broncos, thankfully it was meaningless today.

3. Um, there isn't a whole lot more that I can complain about with this game. Other than maybe don't fumble the opening kickoff. Seriously, if the Broncos play this way every game, I'll be quite satisfied, I feel like I am picking nits at this point.

While he didn't catch a ridiculously lucky 87 yard strike off of a deflected pass this week, Brandon Stokley did have another solid game.

So, the Broncos are 2-0 and looking ahead to a date in Oakland where they will face a Raiders team that has been looking better than Raider expectations, but still not great. The Broncos have a great shot in Oakland, and then we will see how good they really are as they face a frightening stretch which includes the Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers, Ravens and Steelers. Ask me how good they are after that Monday Nighter in November versus Pittsburgh. Right now, I'd say they look solid, but they've only been tested by poorer teams. Oh well, I'll take 2-0 and being all alone atop the AFC West any way I can get it! Go Broncos!