The Bronco game balls go to…

By Os Davis  |   Monday, September 08, 2008  |  Comments( 11 )

Denver Broncos
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The message from the Denver Broncos-Oakland Raiders Monday night game? Simple: This is why you shouldn’t make predictions before Week 1. Reckoning that the Raiders’ new-look, all-star secondary would give Jay Cutler fits while the little-augmented Denver ground defense (30th in the NFL last season) would allow Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and company to run wild, this writer had a low-scoring Raider victory forecast. The smart money, indeed.

Commentary: Without further ado, then, the Denver Bronco post-game balls go to ...

Offense. What better way for a receiver to debut in the NFL than to play against a shockingly porous Oakland defense while your team’s top receiver is suspended? Um, none, basically. On Monday, second-rounder Eddie Royal became a household name while repeatedly burning DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson. Heck, the young Royal had Hall so stymied by the second quarter that the cornerback was faked out by Royal’s footwork while the WR posted up 5 yards in front of him. So frustrated was Hall that Royal was able to draw personal fouls on consecutive plays with about six minutes remaining in the first half to go with his 99 yards and one TD reception. After a horse-collar takedown and a late hit, Royal proved himself NFL tough, too. As good as Cutler was, Royal gets the game ball, perhaps the first of many in a suddenly sunny future. Brandon who?

Defense. In response to the ill game plan against the run in 2007, middle linebacker D.J. Williams was switched to the outside for 2008. All Williams did was notch the Broncos’ first sack of the year once Denver solved the Raiders’ zone-blocking pass protection about 10 minutes into the first quarter, and generally neutralized any effort from the Oakland attack. Plus, with awesome awareness in stuffing the run and leading the team in tackles with seven solos and four assisted, Nate Webster made it look like the Broncos were sporting two fierce MLBs out there. A game ball for each of the killer Ws formerly from the U.

Fan pulse: The live blogging going on at Bronco Talk showed a Mile High crowd already mile high on Royal, with 91 percent of poll voters there wanting Royal as No. 3 receiver again next week ahead of Darrell Jackson because “he’s explosive.” Otherwise, it was all giddiness in the chatroom, just as you’d expect from a fan base thrilled to be crushing its most hated rival. One Bronco backer went so far as to predict that Lane Kiffin would be retiring tomorrow. We’ll see.

Fantasy Football Impact: Don’t know about your team, but this fantasy owner is counting the minutes until the add/drop deadline lifts in order to pick up Royal while releasing ... ah, you don’t want to hear about my receiving corps, trust me. Selvin Young and the promise of 2,000 yards rushing aside, this Broncos team has a truly awesome-looking passing game for 2008, not to mention a beautiful friendship between Cutler and Royal that began in the Week 1 game. The Bronco 'DST' might just be worth a start against low-watt and/or pass-heavy teams; the schedule says the Broncs get New Orleans in Denver in Week 3, at Kansas City in Week 2, versus Tampa Bay in Week 5 ...
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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