Circus Giganticus

Denver Broncos 2011-2012 Season Predictions: The first eight weeks.

If any Denver Broncos’ fans think this year’s coach and team are going to put last season behind them and post a solid season of wins that put them in AFC West contention, think again. It’s going to be déjà vu all over again with a below .500 record, disgusted fans, franchise mouthpieces spinning public relations damage control to mitigate the mess, and an on field corporate entertainment product that will, once again, prove dull and insulting to serious Bronco football fans. And like the big time annoying house-guest that won’t tell you how long he plans to visit…is Tim Tebow.

The Denver Bronco’s first and most significant problem is they have all forgotten one thing: AFC West football. AFC West football has a style all its own and it’s a style Denver fans have grown to love over the years. Problem is, the Broncos don’t play it anymore. Long time fans don’t need it explained to them what this AFC West style of football entails and looks like. They know it and they miss it. It is this wish to return to this style of football that may explain why half the Denver Bronco fans still wear number 7 jerseys in the stands and on the streets. The other half wear number 15 jerseys in a need for wish fulfillment for AFC West days long gone.

Seasoned Bronco fans know that a quarterback who has the will to win, will take the hard hit and get right back up, rush for yardage, scramble out of the pocket and improvise a pass play on the fly, gamble in tense situations with a cool head, never hesitate to run a bootleg or quarterback sneak, keep defenses guessing instead of plotting, command the respect of defenses because of his multiple threat package, well, these are the traits of the classic AFC West quarterback. And the best thing about a true AFC West-style quarterback is that he boldly leads the offense and stops a control freak coach from choking the offense with over-coaching. Think Mike Shanahan and Brian Griese. Or Josh McDaniels and Kyle Orton.

Now think John Elway. He was the best in a standout field of great AFC West quarterbacks. Tim Tebow is merely the receptacle of vain hopes for Denver Bronco fans who are dying to see one more great AFC West style quarterback that win or lose, is damn well worth watching every Sunday. Play him now for good or trade him now for good but resolve that ongoing circus of a distraction that truly plagues this team named Tim Tebow.

This brings us to why the Denver Broncos are such a sorry team for the 2011-2012 season: they will not demonstrate this season a particular style of football that defines this team or wins the loyalty of the fans for the long haul. No one’s going to see greatness in victory or character in loss. Ya know, like the old AFC West days of Bronco history. When these new-school Denver Broncos start losing early you’ll see the McDaniels effect all over again: people won’t stick around. Bar owners will complain business is way off for Denver Bronco games. Bronco gear sales will flat-line.Stadium no-shows will not be booed. Here’s an awful thought: does it really ever feel like Bronco players are truly playing for any more than their paychecks and their own roster spots? Is there loyalty and respect for hard earned franchise history and custom? AFC West history and custom! You can answer that question for yourself as the season goes on.

Let’s get to the predictions.

Week one: I called the Raiders. I was so certain of a Raider win that I placed multiple bets on a straight win line and did well.

Week two: The Bengals are a dog team (pun no charge) and I maintained it didn’t matter which of the two teams won as it was early in the season, would have no real impact on either team’s season, and would foretell nothing serious about either teams’ fortunes. Fans who attached any significance to this Bronco victory are just setting themselves up for a bigger letdown.

Week three: Tennessee whacked the Ravens in week two after The Ravens whacked the Steelers in week one. Is Tennessee for real? Denver won’t answer that question about Tennessee. What questions Denver will answer is: are the Broncos going to step up and make a well-timed and powerful statement in victory? Can they beat the Titans on the road? Answer no and no. Titans by 10.

Week four: Green Bay…at Lambeau…This will be the game when the no-show running game forces Kyle Orton to air it out in desperate fashion. Green Bay will score early and often and the old Denver one-dimensional pass offense that gave us four wins last year will be back in business. Don’t blame Orton either. Rather, think how easy an afternoon the Packer’s defensive coordinator is going to have of it. As Vince Lombardi said to Bart Starr at the Ice Bowl, “Alright already, win the damn thing and let’s go home.” Packers by 14.

Week five: San Diego. At home. Will the Broncos get the split and win at home now and lose away later. Nope. San Diego comes to Mile High and goes old-school-AFC-West-Dan Fouts on the Broncos. Phillip Rivers will throw all afternoon and San Diego will coast in the fourth quarter with a decisive lead while the Broncos play desperate-need-to-score-garbage ball.
Look for a good rushing day from San Diego as well. Chargers by 17.

Week six: Bye. By this time you’re seriously watching figure skating.

Week seven: This is a total it-just-doesn’t–matter-game. Both the Broncos and the Dolphins will enter this game after the bye with one victory each. The Dolphins…maybe two. It’s Denver’s to lose, however, but remember: Denver does not play well back east as a rule but seeing how these modern-era Broncos have cast off all the old traditions, that may not hold. Denver by 6 in a slop fest of a game.

Week eight: If Detroit’s Tampa Bay victory and destruction of Kansas City mean this team is for real, Detroit could win three out of five against Minnesota, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, and Atlanta bringing them into Denver with a 5 and 2 record. Denver will be in full evidence of disarray with injuries, disgruntled fans, no running game, and a reheated quarterback controversy. A loss at home will be ugly and the self-destruction of the team will enter high gear. Detroit by 10.

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