Gut Reaction: Week 8 - Broncos vs Chargers

It’s still a week away from Halloween, but the Broncos are getting scary.

Too many monsters. Too many ways for the opponent to die.

Tonight, the Broncos fed the Frankenstein that was Emmanuel Sanders.

The Chargers were torn limb from limb.

Be afraid, AFC West. Be very afraid.

The Positives

1. Emmanuel Sanders was a one-man wrecking crew tonight. On his second score he gave a clinic on how to shake man coverage at the line of scrimmage (hint: be born really f#$king fast). For the game, Sanders was targeted nine times. He came away with nine catches.
2. Any reason to think Von Miller won’t challenge Michael Strahan’s single-season sack record of 22.5? If my virgin algebra is correct, after tonight, Miller is on pace for 20.5 sacks. The real threat to Miller is the amount of double teams he’s already facing.
3. Sufferin' succotash, Broncos, Sylvester Williams stuffs the run.
4. I’m not sure there is a better pair of corners in the league now than Aqib Talib and Chris Harris.
5. Nate Irving and Brandon Marshall are really growing on me, and not like a fungus. More like a skin tag. No need for cosmetic changes.
6. Ronnie Hillman moving the pile? That just happened.
7. Ronnie Hillman down the sideline. Whoa, dude.
8. Phil Rivers as MVP. No. After tonight, it’s Peyton Manning—again. There is no quarterback playing right now outside of Aaron Rogers who gets defenses to give away their leverage pre snap. Also, you might want to check out Manning’s QB rating so far this year. It’s going up faster than a Cialis commercial.
9. Speaking of erections lasting more than four hours, I’d be shocked if the Broncos don’t lock up both Demaryius and Julius Thomas for a long, long time.
10. Outside of Orlando Franklin’s penalties, this was the offensive line’s best game of the year. Ryan Clady, in particular, played well.

The Negatives

1. I disagree with John Fox’s decision on the first drive of the game not to go for it on fourth down. And Phil Simms’ logic for supporting Fox was completely asinine—namely that San Diego might get momentum. Momentum is like your girlfriend’s orgasm. Often faked; never proven.
2. San Diego decided early on to force Manning to work downfield with a lot of dudes in coverage. It was the right move, of course, and it’s the blueprint from which all opponents’ game plans will emerge.
3. Quinton Carter apparently forgot how to play bracket coverage and let Antonio Gates behind him on third-and-twenty.
4. Despite his interception, it seems like Rahim Moore drifted a little too much in coverage tonight. I know I’m nitpicking.
5. Orlando Franklin didn’t have his best day at the office, but you gonna tell him?
6. Mike McCoy did something that John Fox probably wouldn’t have done to end the third quarter. He went for it on fourth-and-goal at the five-yard line.
7. Just like last week, I’m not a huge fan of T.J. Ward in coverage. Of course, I’m a fan of stripper poles in recreation rooms, so what does that say about me?
8. Like the guy at the bar who rants on endlessly, I wonder if Jim Nantz and Phil Simms ever have a point.
9. Quit playing games with my heart, Britton Colquitt. I love you. I hate you. Then I love you. Then I hate you again. Each and every punt.
10. Nine penalties is still nine penalties too many.

The Who The Heck Knows

1. Don’t assume Wes Welker is losing his effectiveness in the slot by his stats. Teams know that to beat Manning they have to drop more defenders. Manning naturally gravitates to the outside where he finds man coverage.
2. I don’t know what’s funnier, Mike Carey butchering a call from the CBS studios, or Jim Nantz trying to explain why he wasn’t wrong (which, of course, he was).
3. Oh, I almost forgot—Phil Simms, go f#$k yourself. There, I had to get that out of my system. I feel much better now.
4. So Jay Cutler says Brandon Marshall never singled him out after last week’s loss. If that’s true, it’s only because Culter wasn’t listening.
5. Sports Authority Field at Mile High—the only place you can wear a horse head and no one calls the cops.
6. Look, Julius Thomas may not be even an average blocker, but at least the Broncos are giving him reps. Otherwise, teams will be able to tell what’s coming through personnel packages. Give him time. He’ll get better (see: Sharpe, Shannon).
7. Remember, kids, if you are going to steal food off someone’s plate, punch a cab driver, then hide from the police inside a construction site, you might want to refrain from telling them to call your boss. Especially if that boss is John Elway.
8. For a halfback, Juwan Thompson sure does a good imitation of a fullback.
9. Never kill Keanu Reeves’ dog, or you die.
10. Peyton Manning, in his post-game interview, had it right. The Broncos have beaten two teams in the last two weeks with defenses decimated by injuries. That calls for cautious optimism.