NFL Week 8: End of the Weeden Dynasty

[Maithanet]

I'm sure the Chiefs will have some success running the ball against the Broncos. But they are far from a prolific offense. They have only reached the 30 point mark once this season, and that was against the Giants who are A) Terrible and B ) turned the ball over four times. Sure, the Chiefs can win games with their efficient quarterback, strong running attack and stout defense. But their margin for error is much much smaller against the Broncos. Just a couple of defense/special teams breakdowns and suddenly you are relying on Alex Smith to lead a comeback with Von Miller in his face.

It's nice that the Chiefs and Broncos are in the same division, we'll get to settle this at least twice this year, and possibly three times. But I know who I would be most worried about in the playoffs, and it isn't the Chiefs.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

The Broncos are #2 in the NFL in rush defense. A big part of that is always having the lead, but they're also holding opposing teams to 3.4 ypc so it's not like there's this big weakness here.

Jamaal Charles is a great back, but as he's the Chiefs only big weapon, I can't imagine his presence alone is keeping Jack Del Rio up at night.

ETA: Oops, #3 behind the Jets and Panthers.

ETA2: Looks line Washington runs the ball better than KC in terms of yards per game, ypc etc. That said, top two teams in running the ball are SF and Seattle, and GB is #4 amazingly, all teams I could easily see meeting them in the Superbowl so they better continue to have their shit together.

As you mentioned, that ranking is heavily skewed by circumstance. I can only find two box scores where Broncos opponents even attempted more than 20 run plays against them (Washington and Indy) and both resulted in more than 100 yards of production. Small sample size, I spose, but it seems to me that running the ball against this team is the way to go. Keep the ball out of Peyton's mitts and chew time off the clock.

[Rhom]

I'm sure the Chiefs will have some success running the ball against the Broncos. But they are far from a prolific offense. They have only reached the 30 point mark once this season, and that was against the Giants who are A) Terrible and B ) turned the ball over four times. Sure, the Chiefs can win games with their efficient quarterback, strong running attack and stout defense. But their margin for error is much much smaller against the Broncos. Just a couple of defense/special teams breakdowns and suddenly you are relying on Alex Smith to lead a comeback with Von Miller in his face.

It's nice that the Chiefs and Broncos are in the same division, we'll get to settle this at least twice this year, and possibly three times. But I know who I would be most worried about in the playoffs, and it isn't the Chiefs.

Smith did out-duel Drew Brees in a shootout in the 2011 divisional round.

[Nictarion]

What's with calling the Redskins the bravehearts?

[Rhom]

What's with calling the Redskins the bravehearts?

It was a suggested name in a column last week if they were to switch from Redskins. Personally, I like the thought of the Senators better.

[Jaxom 1974]

Also about 8 days hence to possibly be known as one of the highest scoring game of all time. I'll be surprised if Green Bay doesn't put up around 50 on the Bears D and the Bears to put up another 40 or so on Green Bay, especially without Clay Matthews in the lineup.

And there is a really good chance it's going to be entertaining see hell in a so-bad-it's-good kinda way...

[ljkeane]

It was a suggested name in a column last week if they were to switch from Redskins. Personally, I like the thought of the Senators better.

Didn't one of Dan Snyder's neighbours take out a patent on the name or something?

[Rhom]

Didn't one of Dan Snyder's neighbours take out a patent on the name or something?

I believe so.

[Jaime L]

It was a suggested name in a column last week if they were to switch from Redskins. Personally, I like the thought of the Senators better.

Just me, but I hate Senators or any kind of bland political type nickname. Two other teams in town already pay glancing homage to this being the Nation's Capital and they end up feeling so milquetoast. I'm in favor of anything with "red" in the title - Redtails, Redhawks (like University of Miami, another team that changed from Redskins) etc.

I don't want another Bullets to Wizards situation where the new name has no relation to the old. If they were concerned about gun violence, they should've just changed it to the Stabbings.

[balefired-ed]

I like a good laugh, so I say they should buy the trademark and change their name to the Washington Generals.

[awesome possum]

I'm shamelessly stealing this from reddit, the 2013 All-ACL Team:

OFFENSE

QB Sam Bradford (STL)

RB Vick Ballard (IND)

RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (PIT)

WR Reggie Wayne (IND)

WR Jeremy Maclin (PHI)

FB Mike Zordich (CAR)

TE Dustin Keller (MIA)

LT Bryan Bulaga (GB)

LG Dan Koppen (DEN)

C Maurkice Pouncey (PIT)

RG Amini Silatolu (CAR)

RT Garry Williams (CAR)

DEFENSE

DE Melvin Ingram (SD)

DT Henry Melton (CHI)

DT Nate Collins (CHI)

DE Will Smith (NO)

OLB Desmond Bishop (MIN)

MLB Brian Cushing (LCL tear; HOU)

OLB Victor Butler (NO)

CB Aaron Berry (NYJ)

FS Stevie Brown (NYG)

SS -none-

CB Chris Culliver (SF)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K -none-

P -none-

KR/PR Travis Benjamin (CLE)

That's a pretty decent team

[Rhom]

Perhaps you could add that Grammatica brother that tore his ACL celebrating a kick as an honorary member?

(Which one was that? I don't think it was Martin... but I don't remember the other guy's name.)

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

I don't want another Bullets to Wizards situation where the new name has no relation to the old. If they were concerned about gun violence, they should've just changed it to the Stabbings.

Lulz. Wish I could plus that. I would SO buy that jersey.

[trickster]

Re: Denver vs KC

The Chiefs are averaging 24 points (with 31 against the Giants being the high mark). They are winning because their opponents are scoring a paltry 12.1 points against them. To put this in perspective, against Washington, the Broncos scored 31 points during the 4th quarter alone. The Colts battered and bruised Manning, created 3 killer TOs, played as good a defense as you could and did not allow any defensive and special team scores. The Broncos still scored 33 points (they were at the 1 yard line of the Colts when Hillman fumbled.). They scored 45 points against Washington even after committing 4 TOs.

If the Chiefs D plays great, create 3/4 TOs, the Broncos will still probably put up 33+ points on board. I don't see how the Chiefs score more than that against an improving Denver defense. The Chief's leading rusher AND receiver is Jamal Charles. He is a heck of a player but I think being so dependent on one non-QB player ( whose name is not Kelvin Johnson) is a fatal flaw.

The Broncos opponents are scoring 27 points on average against them, but the defense that I saw yesterday is much better. Also some of these points are results of the opposing teams throwing everything at them as they know they are in a shootout.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

Re: Denver vs KC

The Chiefs are averaging 24 points (with 31 against the Giants being the high mark). They are winning because their opponents are scoring a paltry 12.1 points against them. To put this in perspective, against Washington, the Broncos scored 31 points during the 4th quarter alone. The Colts battered and bruised Manning, created 3 killer TOs, played as good a defense as you could and did not allow any defensive and special team scores. The Broncos still scored 33 points (they were at the 1 yard line of the Colts when Hillman fumbled.). They scored 45 points against Washington even after committing 4 TOs.

Granted The Colts played Denver well, but do you think that defense is as talented as K.C's? I don't see K.C. putting up 33 on Denver either, but I doubt that they will have to. At least not in the game played at Arrowhead.

[Jace, Extat]

Anyone think that the Bengals might finally be living up to their expectations? Dalton is spreading the ball around to 7-8 different receivers each week. He's now completing 52% of his passes over 20+ yards, 4th in the league. Marvin Jones is exploding onto the scene as a legitimate threat across from Green and they still have threats like Eifert, Gresham and Bernard. Oh and their defense is really good.

I now have a blood feud with the Ravens, so I hope the Bengals dominate that division for the next decade. If Dalton can be the guy, awesome. Marvin Lewis still makes me nervous, though... history of questionable coaching.

I'm thinking Indy at Cinci in Week 14 is going to be for the #2 playoff seed in the AFC.

What up, that's an instant classic matchup. Too bad the Colts offense now consists of Coby Fleener dropping passes, and T.Y. Hilton running in a straight line.

Yeah, I don't see the Chiefs doing well in the playoffs. Regular season I figure they'll be great - super easy schedule thanks to sucking last year + a great defense. But despite what the old adage says, defense doesn't win championships or playoff games by itself, not very often at least. And while their defense is great, it's not legendary enough to throttle teams to the point of death in a big game.

I fully expect Denver to murder them a couple times.

This. I have been saying this to my peoples, but they don't believe me. Homefield and all that, but the crowd tends to get quiet if a team rips off three unanswered scores, as the Broncos always seem to do.

You clearly didn't watch how they played Sunday.

Also this Chiefs team is like every good Chiefs team of the last 20 years. They may win homefield throughout, but it doesn't make them close to the best team in their conference and I would take both the Broncos and the Bengals and maybe even the Colts and Patriots to beat them in the playoffs.

The secondary has been hugely flawed to this point. But on Sunday they seemed to blanket everyone but Jordan Reed pretty well. DRC and Chris Harris are probably in the top 5 of most talented CB tandems in the NFL even if they haven't played like it yet.

Yeah, the Chiefs are the tallest midget in the room right now. Wakeup call in 2 weeks.

And MNF games have blown ass this year so I'm expecting this one to as well.

Jay sucks against GB, but he's better than McCown.

As you mentioned, that ranking is heavily skewed by circumstance. I can only find two box scores where Broncos opponents even attempted more than 20 run plays against them (Washington and Indy) and both resulted in more than 100 yards of production. Small sample size, I spose, but it seems to me that running the ball against this team is the way to go. Keep the ball out of Peyton's mitts and chew time off the clock.

It's easy to say that you need to play clock-control offense against Peyton, but it's hard to actually do. When it worked against Indy, it worked because even though everyone on earth knew it was a run, the Colts defense refused to play the run. The Broncos D doesn't put up with that shit. They believe they have the best QB on the field, so they turn it into a QB's game.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

It's easy to say that you need to play clock-control offense against Peyton, but it's hard to actually do. When it worked against Indy, it worked because even though everyone on earth knew it was a run, the Colts defense refused to play the run. The Broncos D doesn't put up with that shit. They believe they have the best QB on the field, so they turn it into a QB's game.

I thought Washington did a pretty good job of doing just that, at least in the first half anyways.

[trickster]

Granted The Colts played Denver well, but do you think that defense is as talented as K.C's? I don't see K.C. putting up 33 on Denver either, but I doubt that they will have to. At least not in the game played at Arrowhead.

Dude, Colts defense played the game of their lives against Denver. KC has a great defense, but I doubt they can play much better than that against Manning and Co.

I guess what I am saying is even if a defense plays very well (creating multiple TOs that leads to points and/or stops a sure score, e.g. Hillman fumble), the Broncos still score a ton of points (33 being the lowest, which is more than what KC has scored in any game and they have played some really bad defenses). KC has to grind out wins, they are toast if they are down by 10 points.

What up, that's an instant classic matchup. Too bad the Colts offense now consists of Coby Fleener dropping passes, and T.Y. Hilton running in a straight line.

Don't forget Trent Richardson 3.0 ^_^ May be we can exchange him for Josh Gordon? Any chance we can trade for Gordon/Blackmon/Nicks? We need a receiver :bawl:

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

The proof will be in the pudding, as always. Guess we'll have to wait for Week 11 before we can draw any head-to-head conclusions regarding the Chiefs and the Broncos.

[trickster]

The proof will be in the pudding, as always. Guess we'll have to wait for Week 11 before we can draw any head-to-head conclusions regarding the Chiefs and the Broncos.

:cheers: