Marshall honors the fallen Chris Henry, but put the writing on the wall. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Unhappy about the way that the first round went Denver fans?

Blame Brandon Marshall…

At least you won’t need to throw your number 15 jersey away, you’ll just need to replace the last name on the back or put some tape on it.

So you’re an NFL owner, team is getting a little stale, little stagnant maybe– what to do?

Hire a younger coach, offensive guru, follow your Mike Shanahan blueprint, it worked immediately (check).

See, with this younger coach (Josh McDaniels) comes younger ideas; now the hotshot quarterback (Jay Cutler) you (Pat Bowlen) banked on two years ago… He’s got problems, he’s mad, a little diva esque even. He doesn’t want the new guy. Well, he’s cool with the new guy if you keep the other offensive guru you have on staff (Jeremy Bates); whom the hotshot had grown accustomed to.

Matter of fact all the young guns (Cutler, Marshall, Tony Scheffler); whom we’ll collectively refer to them as, are getting riled. They don’t own the plantation anymore, see the old coach who had been criticized his entire career for drafting poorly finally hit a home run and let the kids parent themselves. Trips to Atlanta to get their ‘timing’ down, alleged McDonald’s bags, I’m not going to get further into anything else. Let me just say this, shit got bad.

So as the head coach, you trade the ring leader. He’s talking through his manager (Bus Cook) and he’s running his mouth, you’ve seen what that manager had done to Green Bay (Brett Favre) and with your former team how the manager had been with a star receiver (Randy Moss). Your mentor (Bill Belichick) advised you to just steer clear of that managers clients. The manager’s a cancerous vulture, a blood sucker out only for largest 3% he can suck and there’s no renewal in the works for his hotshot quarterback client with you coaching the team.

So the deal is done quickly.

Now the team’s in turmoil, ain’t no way you’re winning any games, not with ol’ what’s his name from the Chicago Bears– didn’t he lose a quarterback battle to fucking Rex Grossman (good God!) of all people!?!

So now the rest of the young guns want out, but they don’t have the pull of the quarterback. So tell them to get in where they fit in and shut the hell up.

Now we draft. A running back, okay this is where you lose the fans. We have Peyton Hillis, why would anyone choose a running back when the only coaches that were retained from the old regime were the ones who coached the offensive line and the running backs? Get a guy out of free agency, get a guy out of a mother fuckin’ cell phone booth, but don’t draft him in the first round! Come on! Not with so much talent available…

Following the draft Marshall basically refuses to attend anything. So he’s suspended by you (the team), no preseason homie, not even a practice, either play ball or go home.

Then he decides he wants to play ball, then we win, and win, and win, and win, and win– because of him and win!

Tune in later today for part two.

Brady Quinn hauls in a pass in front of Brandon Johnson on November 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

Ladies and gentlemen, meet your new quarterback!

Episode two from our third season of Broncos Nation Podcast, we were joined graciously by Kyle from Denver Broncos Blog BroncoTalk.net here’s what you can look forward to:

• We get into it over whether or not Brady Quinn will start in 2010.
• Where Brandon Marshall will be in a Denver Broncos jersey in week one.
• What is Marshall’s agent doing in the same city as every NFL coach and owner this week?
• Who went quietly signed by the Broncos this week.
• Which Bronco was absent from Denver’s first OTA last week?
• Who will play center for the Broncos?
• And breaking down the NFL’s new overtime rules.

Danh, Kyle and I all had allergy problems this time, for forgive the sniffing, but enjoy the belligerence!

Aaaaaaannnnnnnd.

We

Are

Back!

Brandon Marshall scores a TD over Cowboys corner Mike Jenkins in the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Like cooked crack. (Enjoy that image by the way.)

Had a great podcast and it’s good to be back, to be where we’re supposed to be. We love it, Danh, Kyle and me.

So we had a special guest, Kyle Montgomery of our favorite Denver Broncos Blog, BroncoTalk.net and he held us down as we covered:

• Josh McDaniels‘ season ending grade.
• A little McDaniels/Mike Nolan conspiracy theory.
• Denver’s restricted free agent tenders.
• The Broncos unrestricted free agents.
• Does Marshall deserve a spot in Denver?
• Darrent Williams, we air IT ALL OUT! All our feelings, passion and thoughts.
• What to do with the offensive line.
• Chris Simms.
• And throw in just a bit of a season preview where we promise to have guests a plenty!

By guests a plenty, we mean it, hot ones too! And not just in the physical sense (though there will be plenty of those as well…

Hope that everyone has a chance to listen and enjoy, we will preview the draft next week and cover free agency.

Peyton Manning during the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Clash of the titans edition:

Don’t know if anyone noticed, but the Denver Broncos have the third ranked defense in the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts have the fourth ranked offense, where they really come neck and neck is in passing, Broncos rank second in passing defense and the Colts first on offense. I’ll omit any popcorn references and just go ahead and say that this is going to be some good football on Sunday.

Staying with the idea, the Colts haven’t been the greatest at running the ball, so I’d expect them to give it a go at home against the Broncos. Eventually, the Colts will most likely start on defense (how many times has Denver lost a coin toss this season, think it’s time to let someone else call heads in that circle gentlemen), so the Broncos will need to score in their first drive. Consuming time and avoiding a three and out at all costs, statistically it’s just as easy to pass on the Colts defense as it is to run on them. Where it gets difficult on teams is scoring against the Colts (they rank 2nd in the NFL in points against). So start Matt Prater in your fantasy football playoffs this weekend.

Peyton Manning has had a good time making the Broncos secondary look like amateurs in previous seasons, that may be part of the reason Mike Shanahan signed Brandon Stokley. Watching Champ Bailey line up against Reggie Wayne instead of Marvin Harrison will be a great thing, the Colts number two receiver Anthony Gonzalez has been out the entire season, but sophomore Pierre Garcon has filled in quite nicely. Garcon is on his way to a 1,000-yard season averaging 16+ yards per catch so far. Dallas Clark is where the Broncos will face the biggest challenge, in a zone/man zone he thrives and can pick the Denver D apart.

Historically Manning throws at least one interception versus a Mike Nolan coached defense. He generally doesn’t throw too many touchdowns either as Frank Shwab pointed out today in his blog at The Gazette. If we’re going to talk about coordinators, we’ve got to bring up Colts defensive coordinator Larry Coyer (the man who pulled the trigger on drafting Elvis Dumervil), he knows a few of our defensive players (well three of them, but they’re good, hah!) and could expose the fact that Champ Bailey favors his left knee when he’s planning to pick six or that Dumervil generally twitches his thumbs if he’s about to give a QB something that will require stitches. We’ve also got to bring in a former coordinator who has game planned against the Colts defense with a lot more on the line than just a playoff berth, Josh McDaniels. He’s been a part of a team that has ruined an undefeated record or two.

Really couldn’t be more hyped about a game, comes at a perfect time in the season and there’s a lot of risk on both sides of the ball. Hopefully Kyle Orton can remain undefeated in Lucas Oil Stadium and the Broncos can get a little more breathing room in our playoff bid.

Knowshon Moreno is on the shortlist for Rookie of the Year this season. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Watching the Minnesota Vikings lose to the Arizona Cardinals I wondered to myself if Percy Harvin deserves the Rookie of the Year nod from the Associated Press.

To the members of the A.P. who will vote on NFL Rookie of the Year, please consider this. The Viking’s season did not change because of the existence of Harvin, the Denver Broncos season did, because of Knowshon Moreno. Mark Sanchez will most likely not carry his team on his back to the playoffs- Moreno on the other hand most likely will.

And this is what I do, I bring the East Coast Media bias to Denver. Anyone have a good argument as to why Moreno shouldn’t get a Offensive Rookie of the Year? This weekend he has a great chance of creating some seperation in voters minds as it looks like both Sanchez and Harvin will sit out. We’ll see, and of course the best thing about Moreno having a great game… The Broncos usually win.

Wesley Woodyard celebrates after a big play against the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

For Christ’s sake Woodyard, get your helmet back on when you’re on the field (that’s for Waylon)…

Slaughter House Edition:

Don’t get comfortable Denver, we still have to play them again… The Kansas City Chiefs I mean, and with them none too happy about a late 4th down touchdown run, they’ll be looking to make some snot bubbles I am sure.

“This is a tall order. We go from the frying pan into the fire. Offensively, shades of New England. Defensively, shades of Baltimore. How’d you like to line up with that every week?” – Bill Polian on the Denver Broncos earlier this week in a press conference.

This guy gives compliments like Bill Belichick Josh McDaniels, “The St. Louis Rams are one of the best teams in the league (that we will be playing this week)…” A scary compliment regardless though, because that may be just what we are (in two years), hopefully by then the Broncos will have eliminated shades and just become the Denver Broncos once again.

When I predicted the Broncos going 12-4 this season, I had them losing against the Indianapolis Colts and also their second game against the Oakland Raiders (do not, I repeat DO NOT kill me). Well, things haven’t gone exactly as I’ve predicted, but I also would not have guessed that the Colts would be undefeated this late in the season. They’re playing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs and we’re playing just to make it into the playoffs. So who is the onus on to win this game? They’re playing to go undefeated and we’re playing just to beat them, who has more weight on their back?

As McDaniels pointed out in his Wednesday Press Conference, the Colts have had seven games this season that they’ve won by less than a touchdown. He went on to say that 58-minutes of perfect football will not win the game– these guys will get you. Peyton Manning is playing the best football he’s ever played. Here’s my concern, we’ve beat this team before, yes we were under a former regime, but we still won in the regular season. Only to lose big in the playoffs. How does going for broke in the regular season effect us later on when things are really on the line? Then again, a loss here against the Colts and there is no breathing room nor variant course into the playoffs for the blue and orange.

So two weeks ago I wrote about playing with nothing to lose, well, this week both teams have something to lose. Allow me to point out that Kyle Orton is undefeated playing in Lucas Oil Stadium (albeit 1-0), so we have that…

Tough questions for the hangover, we’ll have some answers tomorrow for Happy Hour.

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall #15 of the Denver Broncos makes a pass reception before being corralled by Aaron Rouse #26, Terrell Thomas #24 and C.C. Brown #41 of the New York Giants. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

World War I, and to a great extent the American Civil War, saw Napoleonic tactics of “offense at all costs” pitted against the defensive power of the trench, machine gun and barbed wire. As a reaction to her World War I experience, France entered World War II with a purely defensive doctrine, epitomized by the “impregnable” Maginot Line, but only to be completely circumvented by the German blitzkrieg.

Napoleon developed a famous war tactic known as “offense at all costs”. Victories in World War I and to a large extent the American Civil War are attributed to this ploy, which was pitted against the defensive power of the trench, machine gun and barbed wire. Successful teams in the NFL employ a similar offensive strategies; then there are those that don’t– the best offense is a good defense. The blitzkriegs (Baltimore Ravens and I’ve seen similar things out of the Oakland Raiders this season, remember their first game against the San Diego Chargers?), the Maginot Line (if we’re sticking with this season think Denver’s defense against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving), are all good examples of great defenses, but have they ever been able to truly shut down an incredible offense? Sure, but not for very long or at least not over consecutive weeks.

I’m conjuring images of a certain Indianapolis Colts team of a certain season, whom despite having one of the worst rushing defenses in the league were still able to win riding on the super strength of their offense. Or one could even point to this season, where despite the Colts being ranked in the bottom half of the league in passing/rushing yards allowed they are 2nd best in points allowed… Offense at all costs, ball control, a stingy offense if you will. With the defense that the Colts employ the Broncos are just as capable of lighting up the scoreboard like they did against the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday.

Can this clash of one of the leagues top offenses versus one of the leagues top defenses hold true? Peyton Manning is one of the most intimidating figures in the NFL today and he doesn’t hit anybody… It will be very interesting to see the offensive genius of Josh McDaniels put in a cage verse Manning. Also, to see whether my point will be made, in the NFL today is it the offense or defense that really wins the game?

From the Denver Post:

My big focus this week is beating them because it’ll mean we’re 9-4, you know what I mean?” McDaniels said. “I think that’s the most important thing for me and our team. If it in some way can derail history, then it is what it is.

It took a while but I love the way McDaniels is looking at this next game.  Throw away what you know about the Broncos vs. Colts.  This isn’t Mike Shanahan’s execution plan but Josh McDaniels.  Do I feel better about our chances then previous years?  You bet.   The Broncos are playing as hard as they were when they were 6-0 and the Colts are playing it safe to keep their perfect season alive.

So do you think the Broncos can come into Indianapolis and execute the perfect game plan?  I know it’s Manning but we have a solid secondary that issecond to none.   With an amped up Brian Dawkins and solid play by Champ Bailey, I think the Colts are going down.  Welcome to 12-1 Peyton.

Thanks to twitter follower @roshon2411 for the column name! We’ve had The Hangover here for awhile, it happens on Monday or Tuesday (depending on the size of the hangover), now let us present: Happy Hour! It starts around 7:00 PM on Fridays generally or Thursdays if we’re really excited. Just some quick thoughts and questions heading into the weekend:

• Does Knowshon Moreno have a chance at Rookie of the Year?
• Broncos are 6-1 with Ryan Harris starting at right tackle.
• I think Brian Dawkins will go against the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday, but does he need to?
• The Denver Broncos are 1-17 at Arrowhead in December, the Chiefs are 37-10 at home in December. They’re also 1-6 in the last three seasons at home in December.
• I really hope the Cleveland Browns blow-up the San Diego Chargers this weekend, I also hope Philip Rivers‘ pap smear comes back positive for excessive yeast.
• Is there already a tradejaycutler.com? There’s also a firejoshmcdaniels.com… Hmm. Anyone friends with Jay on Facebook yet? He’s one player that understands Social Media Optimization, I’m going to check out the whoowns on firejoshmcdaniels.com just to see if Cutler owns it.
• Elvis Dumervil can take a major step towards breaking Michael Strahan’s sack record this Sunday against Branden Albert. Taking Dumervil’s record would make Strahan completely irrelevant. Would the world be a better place?

That’s what I got Nation, see you Sunday at Sidebar if you’re in New York City.

Denver Broncos celebrates Brandon Stokley's touchdown against the New York Giants during their NFL football game in Denver (Reuters/Mark Leffingwell).

Let me just go ahead and jinx this right now, last season despite a three game lead going into the final three games of the season the Denver Broncos were not able to make it into the playoffs under coach Mike Shanahan and led by quarterback Jay Cutler. There were a couple of close calls, there was the three incomplete passes in a row to Brandon Stokley in the Buffalo Bills end zone for instance. Hey, it happens… Usually to Denver.

As it stands the Broncos (7-4) currently own the fifth seed in the playoffs and short of a San Diego Chargers (8-3, third seed) nose dive probably won’t get a better seed. San Diego would need to lose two of their next five and the Broncos would have to win five of their next five in order to reclaim first place in the AFC West. The Indianapolis Colts (11-0, 1st seed) can clinch a first round bye with a win this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans (who happen to be in the playoff race themselves in the 11th seed at 5-6) and the Cincinnati Bengals (8-3, second seed) still face the Chargers and Minnesota Vikings this season.

That leaves us with the New England Patriots (7-4, third seed) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5, sixth seed). The Patriots don’t appear to have too many speed bumps for the remainder of their season with a quick glance, but they have a game against two division rivals in the Bills and Miami Dolphins (who would love to ruin the Patriots shot at the playoffs), as well as a game against the Jaguars and Houston Texans. The Jaguars have nothing but trouble a head with games against the Texans, Colts and Patriots.

What is scary to me are the omissions from this playoff list; the Baltimore Ravens (6-5, seventh seed) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5, eighth seed), either team is capable of winning out the rest of the season- the Steelers almost did it last week against the Ravens, without Ben Roethlisberger even. Both teams deserve to be in the playoffs. What’s interesting is that with the exception of the Colts (whom the Broncos play two weeks from now), the only team that is ranked ahead of Denver in the playoff hunt that the Broncos have lost to are the Chargers. We all know that we also beat them, in San Diego (which is where the teams would meet should they play in January) already this season. We own them. I mean we owned them when Josh McDaniels was with the Patriots and 50% of the time he’s been our head coach.

Other teams on the AFC Playoff bubble:

New York Jets (6-6, 9th seed), Miami Dolphins (5-6, 10th seed) and Houston Texans (5-6, twelth seed).