2014 NFL Second Quarter Power Rankings

According to the Caveman

We’re (almost) at the halfway point in the NFL (stupid 17 can’t be divided by 2). Some teams have risen impressively (the Patriots and Lions are rising stars) while others have slid into the depths of a lost season (Bears and Falcons are so screwed). Where does everyone fit on the ranking of power?

32. Oakland Raiders (0-7) – So bad. Soooooo bad. And they still have to play the Broncos twice! Bwahahaha!!!!

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) – The Jags are trying their best to be worse than Oakland. But they’re even failing at that.

30. New York Jets (1-7) – So. Many. Turnovers. Rex Ryan is on the hot seat!

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6) – I put them above the Jets solely because of their stud defensive tackle. Dear John Elway, I want Gerald McCoy on the Broncos, paired up with Pot Roast. That would be epic.

28. Tennessee Titans (2-6) – This team is still poop. They’ll be lucky to go 4-12.

27. St. Louis Rams (2-5) – Besides a win against the Seahawks, they have had almost nothing positive come out of this season. A great team can win without their starting QB (see Arizona). The Rams are not a great team. They’re not even a good team.

26. Atlanta Falcons (2-6) – I have the perfect analogy for the Falcons – they are the Colorado Rockies of the NFL. They have a lot of talent, but they can’t pull it all together, largely due to being constantly bitten by injuries.

25. Chicago Bears (3-5) – The Bears are unravelling faster than a spider web in a thunderstorm. They are currently the worst team in the NFC North. Ouch.

24. Washington Redskins (3-5) – The defense looks good, but the merry-go-round at QB will prevent the Skins from being able to pull together a winning season.

23. Minnesota Vikings (3-5) – The Vikings are making some good strides. Bridgewater may end up being the best of the QB class of 2014.

22. New York Giants (3-4) – Eli may retire before Peyton does…

21. Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) – I feel sorry for Cam Newton. He’s pretty much the only good player on his offense (except maybe TE Greg Olsen). Plus, the very fact that they have a tie means they suck.

20. Cleveland Browns (4-3) – Hoyer the Destroyer is looking more like the backup QB he’s been most of his career. The Browns are still winning, but a no-touchdown performance against Jacksonville tells me all I need to know.

19. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1) – After starting the season as one of the best teams in the league, the Bengals are worse than their record suggests. And that tie is stupid.

18. New Orleans Saints (3-4) – Here’s a prediction – the Saints will go 8-8. That’s because they’ve won their 3 home games and lost their 4 road games.

17. Houston Texans (4-4) – The Texans are the only team with a .500 record. How sweet is that? The probability of that is something like 2,500-to-1. Anyway, as their vanilla record suggests, Houston is very average.

16. Miami Dolphins (4-3) – The Dolphins are exactly the opposite of the Saints. First, their defense is impressive. Second, they’ve won their last 3 road games, while losing their last 2 home games.

15. Buffalo Bills (5-3) – All Kyle Orton does is win. The Bills are still in this thing.

14. Seattle Seahawks (4-3) – They are still scary at home. But on the road, the Seahawks are just an average team. And because they will likely be without home field advantage (if they even make the playoffs), they have no chance to be back in the Super Bowl. Awesome.

13. San Francisco 49ers (4-3) – The weak link on this team is Colin Kaepernick. I wonder if they miss Alex Smith yet? Plug in a top-10 QB, and the Niners would be dangerous.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) – A sudden but convincing improvement on offense has lifted the Steelers from being the worst in their division to being right up there with the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers have an offense that’s bailing out their defense? What???

11. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) – I’m scared for the Broncos when they go into Arrowhead. After a weak start to the season, the Chiefs are 4-1 in their last 5 games, including wins against the Patriots and Chargers.

10. Indianapolis Colts (5-3) – Everyone was really high on them after their 5-game win streak. But who did they beat? The Jags, the Titans, the Texans, the rapidly reeling Bengals, and the hot-and-cold Ravens…not exactly the cream of the crop.

9. Baltimore Ravens (5-3) – Yeah, they can smack down bad teams. But they are 1-3 against teams with a winning record.

8. Green Bay Packers (5-3) – When they fly, they fly high. But their defense, particularly their run defense, is keeping them from being an elite team.

7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2) – The Cowboys came back down to earth in an overtime loss to the lowly Redskins. That said, they remain one of the best NFL teams…for now.

6. San Diego Chargers (5-3) – The Chargers are a great team. But due to an unexpectedly strong AFC, they will have to be very good down the stretch to make the playoffs. They’ll do it, but it won’t be easy.

5. Detroit Lions (6-2) – I’m having a really tough time putting them into the top 5, but I have no choice. With 6 wins at the halfway point, the Lions are getting it done. And that’s without the best player on their team for the past few weeks (Megatron). When he returns, the Lions could climb even higher.

4. New England Patriots (6-2) – I hate the Patriots. I hate everything about them and everything they stand for. But it’s hard not to admire their success. They have a below-average team talent-wise, and here they are at 6-2. Denver should go into NE on Sunday and whoop them, but don’t tell me you’re not nervous.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) – The Eagles have two loses – at San Francisco and at Arizona. Both of those losses were close games, in which the Eagles very much beat themselves. I think that by season’s end, they will have the best record in the NFC.

2. Arizona Cardinals (6-1) – Who would have predicted that the Cards would lead their dreaded division by two games…at the halfway point? With the loser of the Cowboys/Eagles rivalry likely taking one NFC Wild Card, Arizona’s play will knock either the Seahawks or the Niners out of the playoffs. Awesome.

1. Denver Broncos (6-1) – Now that’s more like it. Convincing wins against playoff teams is how you get to #1. The Broncos have the same record as the Cardinals, but Arizona’s single loss was a thrashing by these very Broncos. No homerism here – the Broncos are the best team in football.

 

5 Predictions for the Broncos – Jets Blowou…..Game

The Caveman

#1 – The pedal stays to the metal. The Broncos started 2014 with 3 straight games in which they were handicapped by conservative (and just plain bad) play calling. They turned it around last week against the Cardinals, with some aggression…and look for that to continue. The dominance of the San Diego Chargers means that Denver has to keep pace if they want to win the division. This is good news for those of us who want to see a 15-1 end-of-season record.

#2 – Ronnie Hillman gets more love than Montee Ball. Montee Ball looked really really bad in his first three games this year. Some of that might be that he’s still recovering from an appendectomy. A lot of it could be that the O-line wasn’t jelling for the first three games. Maybe Montee just isn’t that good. And Ronnie Hillman, in my opinion, is even worse. That said, I think Hillman has a good game on Sunday. The O-line seemed to click against Arizona, and Ronnie was swagging around like Knowshon. That success will probably continue against the Jets, earning Hillman some maybe-not-quite-deserved fan love.

#3 – Ware and Miller combine for 3+ sacks. Von Miller is FINALLY killing it. He and Demarcus Ware are hitting their tag-team stride, and will have a field day on the horrible Jets offense.

#4 – McManus has some struggles. I feel bad for Brandon McManus. It’s not his fault the Broncos front-office has an itchy trigger finger. He didn’t ask for them to drop the best kicker in the NFL like a sack of potatoes, and thrust him into the void that was left. McManus may yet become a great kicker – he definitely has the leg (did you see how far some of his kickoffs went???). But it’s going to take a little bit of time to get his head straight and have the confidence to make all the kicks. I’m predicting another few weeks of minor struggles for him.

#5 – Peyton Manning breaks the career TD mark of 508…next week against the 49ers. I love this matchup for PFM against a bad Jets secondary. But asking for 6 TD’s against a really bad team is asking a little too much. It’s better if it happens at home anyway.

 

They are who we thought they were! Denver Broncos could be great

http://youtu.be/SWmQbk5h86w

I’m not talking about a 1990’s Bear’s team or the epic rant from head coach Dennis Green but rather using his words towards the 2014 Denver Broncos.  They are a 3-1 team that hasn’t had a ton of love from their fan base despite only losing one game to the defending Super Bowl Champion Seahawks. A fan base including a contrite but still somewhat skeptical blogger/uber fan….me.

We have all screamed and cried for the heads of the coaching staff after a lackluster 2-1 start to the season for the Broncos but the team silenced many of it’s critics after a clobbering of the solid Arizona team this last Sunday. A Cardinal team that came into Mile High undefeated and with one of the top defenses in the NFL.

The team didn’t leave Denver with the same impressive defensive stats after getting womped for 41 points to an offense that finally appears to have hit it’s stride. Perhaps we saw Sunday that the Bronco’s offense doesn’t only go however it’s HOF QB goes but how it’s superstar receiver plays.

Demaryious Thomas went off against Arizona for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns and was playing like a man among boys against a good defense. He hit a gear on that 87 yard touchdown that I have rarely seen before and coming from a 6’3 235 pound wideout it was nothing short of incredible. Thomas had struggled in the previous three games but after this last performance we should have faith that the big guy is back up to speed and playing at his normal all pro level.

Orange Julius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders (6th in the league in rec yards with 435) have been a good/great core group so far and there’s no reason to think that Manning will continue to break record after record this season and for seasons to come.

The run game…..well it may be good news that Montee Ball is out with a groin injury because he didn’t look right since his appendectomy and he was one of the worst RBs in the league. He needs to go get entirely healthy, get his mind right and get back to the stud RB that I think he can be. That said, Hillman ran like he was pissed off when he was given the chance and I hope we see more of that for the weeks to come. Thompson and  Anderson as backups will do a fair enough job and we could see some life from this rush attack from now on.

The defense played some bend but don’t break ball against the Cardinals in the first half and then came in and completely shut them down for the rest of the game. Partly because the Cards were down to their third string QB and their offense (and defense) appeared to be completely worn out. Gotta love what we’ve been seeing from Von Miller the last few weeks as he appears to be back to his old self and add that to a very very good Demarcus Ware and this pass rush will just get better as the year goes on. The secondary could be the strength of the team and Ward, Talib and Roby have really stuck out as being stud muffins on the back side of the D. The guy who has really been great is Chris Harris JR. Just back from an ACL tear, he has been ranked by ProFootballfocus.com as the number 2 cornerback in all of football.. Clearly a guy who is going to earn a pay raise after this season.

Up next are the New York Jets and there’s NO reason to think this game should be even close. The Jets have perhaps the worst offense in football and made it across midfield only ONCE in the entire game in a 31-0 shellacking from the San Diego Chargers this Sunday. The defense isn’t much better and this game really should end at something like 45-0. Still, there’s a reason why they play the games and anything could happen. If you’re in Vegas though, put your money on the Broncos to win this one and win it big.

The offense is back to it’s fast paced, big play form and it’s defense is playing with some guts and mojo. This doesn’t bode well for the AFC West or the rest of the NFL.

Good luck Jets.

The Broncos Lose a Game and I Lose My Cool

It’s just a game.

No reason to be upset, it’s just a game.

One team must win and one must lose, it’s the obvious eventuality of every sporting event.

They played well and almost came back so it’s a moral victory at least.

All things that I tried to tell myself after the Denver Broncos overtime loss to the hated Seattle Seahawks. Though Peyton Manning led the Broncos back in the fourth quarter to an unbelievable and unlikely 20-20 tie, the defense was just too gassed to keep the birds out of the end zone in OT. The home hawks marched right down the field on the first possession in extra time and eventually punched the winning score in with Marshawn Lynch who lived up to his nickname (Beast Mode) for one day at least.

The Broncos showed that they have some toughness and that they can hang around in a brutal road game in against one of the best teams and THE best crowd in football. They also dropped passes, missed tackles and had some wild throws from the elderly superstar, Peyton Manning.

The fact remains that the team was down 17-5 late in the fourth quarter not only because of their play on the field but also from their deplorably conservative play calling. John fox (Head Coach), Adam Gase (Offensive Coordinator) and Jack Del Rio (Defensive Coordinator) continue their seemingly poor start to the season with yet another lack luster coaching performance. It seems week in and week out that the Broncos have zero chance at out coaching any team in the NFL and with the talent this team has that’s just a shame. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this loss is all on the shoulders of the coaching staff. It isn’t. The players didn”t show up either excluding a few standouts (Von Miller, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders) and unless these guys start playing with more urgency I don’t see this team ever reaching it’s potential of greatness.

As I sat at home watching the game (primarily so I could scream and curse alone and not get arrested for disturbing the peace) I asked myself what makes  team truly great. There have been “dream teams” on paper many a time. Great coaches have gone long careers without winning a Superbowl. Players have attacked each week with passion and vigor unrivaled and yet still have not gone the distance. In the end it’s a mix of everything and a bit of luck that makes a great team on paper a truly great team on the field.

This Denver Broncos team in 2014 has the “dream team” on paper but does it have the coaches, passion and luck that are needed to go all the way? It’s yet to be seen but I think there’s still a chance that this could be a great team.

It’s certainly not time to panic if you’re a Denver fan. They lost to a very good team, on the road in a tight, well contested game. On the other hand it’s also not time to proclaim any sort of greatness and until this team puts it all together like they should I claim the right to be a tad worried.

Bye week next Sunday so a bit of rest for my stress bone and a deep breath before heading into week five and the rest of the NFL season!

Broncos vs Chiefs (LOL)

Well Kansas City, there’s a part of me that want’s to say “NEENER NEENER SUCK ON THAT YOU COCKY BLANK BLANK BLANKERS!”….but I won’t…I will handle this situation with class and instead I’ll say “good game guys you really showed a lot of fight in that one, bully for you and good luck moving forward!” (giggle)

Unfortunately this win loses a bit of it’s good feelings because everyone expected the Broncos to win and win easily and they did so, even covering the line of -8 1/2 against an undefeated team. People kept saying before the game how KC was the worst 9-0 team in history and they’d played 4 third string QBs in 9 games and so forth and I’d say those people were pretty right. The Chiefs are who we thought they were. A weak offense with a game manager at QB and an incredibly overrated defense that crumbled against a legit offense and a great quarterback.

Now it’s all “well we all expected Denver to win this one but the game in KC will be a different story”. After a lot of thought I’ve come up with the best answer that I could in the short amount of time allotted. *ahem*….”Bull S***.” Why will home field change this matchup so much that the Chiefs can have a chance to win it? Denver is a better team in every facet of the game and they are going to open up yet another can of whoop ass when they show up in Missouri and kick the stuffing out of their inner division rivals.

This division belongs to the Denver Broncos, this conference belongs to the Denver Broncos, home field advantage belongs to the Denver Broncos and the super bowl will indeed belong to the Denver Broncos after they prove to be one of the greatest teams in football history and we are partying in the streets of Denver drinking champagne out of the helmets of our enemies! CAN I GET AN AMEN?!

DRINKING THE COOL AID!

 

4 Reasons the Broncos are #1 Again

By The Caveman

 

Denver is 8-1, and just beat the Chargers with a pedestrian (by Broncos standards)

Broncos alternate logo (1997–present) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

final score of 28-20. That looks close on paper, and some might wonder if the Broncos are slipping. Winning by only 8 vs a .500 team? Are the best days of the 2013 Broncos behind us?

 

No. If anything, this win solidifies my confidence in this Broncos team. Sunday was a display of their championship-favorite status. My reasoning:

 

1. The Chargers are better than their record. San Diego has been good at times, great at others. Even with this loss to the Broncos, they still have a very solid chance of getting the last AFC Wild Card spot. They are a better team than any of their Wild Card competitors (Dolphins, Jets, Titans, etc). Beating them is not an easy task, and Denver did it.

 

 

2. The game was never in doubt. The Broncos were up comfortably at halftime, and the Chargers scored their only two touchdowns in what was very nearly garbage time. They came within 8 points, at which time the Broncos shut them down. That’s the way dominant teams play (see the 1998 Denver Broncos): get a strong early lead, and don’t let the opponent recover. The come-from-behind 3rd quarter blowouts we’ve been seeing lately are much more worrying to me than a steady lead-nursing game.

 

 

3. They did it on the road. Granted, half the stadium was in orange, but that comes with being the best team in the NFL including an all-time great at QB. It was still a hostile stadium with a loud crowd when Denver lined up on offense. They still owned the Chargers.

 

 

4. This was as close as it gets to a team win. We all know that if PFM goes down, the Broncos are finished. But we also know that if the entire team is completely and utterly dependent on him, that will not turn out well either. On Sunday, the run game looked solid. At least solid enough to keep some pressure off Manning, which is all you need in today’s NFL. The defense (as always) had holes in the passing game, but the amount of pressure they put on Rivers was Super Bowl worthy. If the defense consistently plays well enough to keep a very good offense to 20 points, the Broncos can start planning the parade now.

san diego chargers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Denver has a tough 3-game stretch coming up, playing KC at SAFAMH (Sports Authority Field at Mile High), followed by NE on the road, and then travelling to Arrowhead for another rumble with the Chiefs. That said, I’d go so far as to say that I’d be shocked if the Chiefs beat them even once, and very surprised if the Pats can muster a win.

 

These Broncos are for real. The Lombardi trophy (if Manning stays healthy) is coming to town.

 

NFL Quarterly Review: Power Rankings (Part 2)

According to Kevin Gillikin

32. Jacksonville Jaguars ( 0-4) – Maybe one of the worst teams in history they could really go 0-16 without blinking. *Breaking news* Tim Tebow likely to sign with the Jags and start at QB in week six against….the Denver Broncos.

31. New York Giants (0-4) – Storied franchise, won two Superbowls in six years, Eli Manning blah blah blah….I’ve watched the four games this team has played and they…are….bad.

30. Oakland Raiders (1-3) – OK so they have a win, against the Jaguars big whoop! With Terrell Pryor, they’re bad. Without Terrell Pryor, they’re horrible. Who woulda thunk it.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4) – Defense is old, running game is bad and the offensive line is, Charles Barkley style, “turrible”. Troy Polomalu is the most overrated player in football and Big Ben makes big mistakes far too often.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) – I don’t have a ton of conviction on this ranking but since they’re 0-4 they deserve it. Josh Freeman and Greg Schiano in constant cat fights hasn’t helped and a rookie QB won’t solve their offensive problems. This team is a disaster…John Gruden back as coach?

27. St Louis Rams (0-4) – This is my most disappointing ranking. I had high hopes for this Jeff Fisher led team and they’ve been downright puke worthy. They have no offensive play makers, their run D is pee wee level and QB Sam Bradford is looking like a first pick bust. This team could lose a lot of games in the brutal NFC West.

26. Minnesota Vikings (1-3) – It’s been a strange year that so many teams have a 2-2 record through four games, making it hard to rank anyone. The ViQueens are 1-3 and are in a really tough NFC North division. They still have Adrian Peterson and I think they could move up this list by week 8.

25. Carolina Panthers (1-2) – How come we no longer hear all the hype about Cam Newton the phenom young quarterback? Maybe because HE DOESN’T WIN. As long as Newton is on this team they will never have what it takes to be a winning team.

24. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) – They started out with a crushing defeat of the Redskins but since then their defense “can’t stop a nose bleed”. They have one of the most explosive offenses in football but Chip Kelly’s gimmicky style of coaching just doesn’t cut it in the NFL.

23. Arizona Cardinals (2-2) – This defense is actually fairly OK but Carson Palmer at QB and Larry Fitzgerald on and off the field due to injuries is not a great recipe for success on offense. They will meander around .500 for the season but this team isn’t going anywhere.

22. New York Jets (2-2) – J. E . T. S YUCK YUCK YUCK! Rex Ryan may be a great defensive play caller but he’s a dolt of a head coach. Geno Smith looks like a dazed and confused rookie with less control over the offense than Sanchez had…if that’s possible.

21. Washington Redskins (1-3) – I understand they are 1-3 and at the back end of their division but it’s a horrible division. I think this team could still have what it takes to WIN the NFC East. Ya…I said it. RG3 is my homeboy and when he’s healthy, watch out.

20. Green Bay Packers (1-3) – Aaron Rodgers on a team ranked 20th overall?? Sure. His offense is explosive but he’s had some unusually bad turnovers and his defense is carousel of crap.

19. Atlanta Falcons (1-3) – My pick to go to the Superbowl in the NFC…curse you Atlanta! Just can’t stay healthy on offense, their defense is gross and Matt Ryan just is not clutch.

18. Buffalo Bills (2-2) – EJ Manuel looks like the franchise QB for this team but he’s still playing like a rookie. Their defense has been very good at turning the ball over and they’ve looked decent against some underwhelming competition. They have a statement game tonight against Cleveland where we may just get to know more about this Bills team.

17. Houston Texans (2-2) – This year H o u s t o n spells fraud. Their running game has been whelming, their defense (except JJ Watt who is a FREAK) is only ok and Matt Schaub is a pick six machine. A team that was consistently picked to go far in the AFC is so far looking up at the Colts in the AFC South.

16. Dallas Cowboys (2-2) – America’s team…well if that means, unpredictable, unreliable, overpayed and under performing then ya that’s Dallas. Tony Romo puts up a lot of points but he’s the king of unclutch, They’re just fortunate to be in a brutalized NFC East Division.

15. Baltimore Ravens (2-2) – Joe Flacco’s huge contract may have been the death knell for this Ravens team. They lost 8 starters from their Superbowl team and just don’t have the offensive or defensive talent to be competitive. Flacco is Fluky and his 5 interception game against the Bills showed that he is NOT a top QB.

14. San Diego Chargers (2-2) – Originally founded by the Germans it was called San Diaggo….OK, well the Chargers are better than most people expected. Phillip Rivers has been in beast mode and the defense has been decent enough to win. Where is the love for Mike McCoy? Coach of the year so far? I’d say…possibly.

13. San Francisco 49ers (2-2) – What happened to this offense? Kaepernick is only a second year starter but he has been called “one of the best QBs ever”…so what gives? Defense has been good but not great and they’re just not the dominant team that we saw last year. Another team I have been wrong about thus far.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) – So I don’t necessarily think that Cincinnati is a better team than the 9ers…but they play in a worse division so will have a better chance at making the playoffs. That being said, this team has been hugely disappointing and Andy Dalton just might not be their long term solution at QB. The ‘Ginga Ninga’ may want to look into acting (he’d make a great Vulkan)

11. Cleveland Browns (2-2) – OK so they’re only 2-2 but I have a soft spot for the Cleveland Browns and I like what they’ve done the last two weeks. Their defense is legit and I like their management. Sadly though, I don’t think they will continue to win with Brian Hoyer at QB and Willis McGahee at RB. Honestly though, I think it may be better long term if they lose and have a higher draft pick next season.

10. Tennessee Titans (3-1) – They were doing some good things with Jake Locker and the offense and then….he got injured. He should be back in a few weeks but they better hope they can stay within reach of the Colts until he gets back. This defense is nasty mean and spunky and I like it.

9. Detroit Lions (3-1) – Matthew Stafford must be the happiest guy in football after the addition of Reggie Bush to this already explosive offense. This team can score points with the best teams in the league….they will also give up some of the most points in the league. I like this team but I don’t love them.

8. Miami Dolphins (3-1) – I really like Ryan Tannehill but his weapons are few on this offense. Mike Wallace has been a terrible signing so far and Brian Hartline is good but not a great number one receiver. The defense is beast though, and I like this team as a whole. They’ll duke it out with New England for the AFC East division for the whole year. GO MIAMI!…..

7. Chicago Bears (3-1) – The Bears are who we thought they were!…kinda…Marc Trestman has brought a simple but fairly brilliant offense back to Chicago and no one is happier about it than Jay Cutler. Cutler has struggled the last few years but that was with a bad O-line and a few odd offensive schemes. He also finally has some talent around him and Martellus Bennett is a game changer at tight end.

6.  Indianapolis (3-1) – The Colts have been better than I expected. Their defense has been good and their running game decent after the addition of Trent Richardson from the Browns. They clearly think they can win right now and with Andrew Luck playing a phenomenal QB, that’s always a possibility.

5. New Orleans Saints (4-0) – This team could be unbeatable at home and I never like betting against a QB like Drew Brees. Their defense has been fairly impressive so far but their many injuries will likely come back to hurt them. This will be a really entertaining team to watch through the year and really is one of the best coached teams in the league.

4. Seattle Seahawks (4-0) – Like the Saints, the Seahawks may be unstoppable at home this year. They find ways to win, have an outstanding QB and leader in Russell Wilson and as much as I hate Pete Carroll, they’re very well coached. They are, however, a different team on the road and their offensive line will have to play better for them to be one of the best teams through the long season.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) – Andy Reid may be the worst interview in the history of sports and he looked rather frumpy on the sideline but he’s without doubt one of the best coaches in the league. They won two games last year but so much of that was the lack of a QB and perhaps the worst coaching staff in history. Now this team has the coach in Reid, the QB in Alex Smith and the talent surrounding them to really be a top team all year long.

2. New England Patriots (4-0) – They have little talent on offense, their defense is slightly above average and I think Bill Belichik is the most overrated person in the history of the world and I don’t like the team…but they just WIN. Tom Brady is unquestionably one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game and the organization just wins ball games. Losing Vince WIlfork for the season will hurt their defense but this team will likely be the Bronco’s only competition for the AFC title.

1. Denver Broncos (4-0) – They have one of the greatest offenses I’ve ever seen and by the end of the year I believe they’ll be recognized as one of the greatest offenses of all time. Peyton Manning is a genius and with this many weapons around him it’s almost unfair. Their defense has also been solid and their run D is one of the best in football. That’s all without possibly their two best defensive players in Von Miller and Champ Bailey who will both likely be back week 7 vs the Colts. Unless there’s an injury or something fluky happens I truly believe this team could go 16-0 and then the season truly starts.

Part three will be a back and forth between Kevin and Caveman about why exactly they made the picks that they made. Could get interesting….stay tuned!

NFL Quarterly Review: Power Rankings (Part 1)

According to the Caveman

Courtesy – realmadridfootballblog.com

32. Jacksonville Jaguars – With the exception of garbage time against Seattle, the Jags have scored a single touchdown. Seriously Jacksonville, pick up Tebow. You literally cannot be worse than you are right now.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – This team is bad. Coach is bad, both QB’s are bad. They have lost 9 of their last 10. The Bucs should be thankful the Jaguars exist.

30. Oakland Raiders – Will Oakland ever be relevant again? I hope not.

29. Pittsburg Steelers – The Steelers are officially in rebuilding mode. I personally like Mike Tomlin, but I don’t think he’ll be coaching in Pittsburg next year.

28. Minnesota Vikings – When you get better switching QB’s to Matt Cassel, you can’t be in good shape.

27. Washington Redskins – I foresaw a sophomore slump for RG3, but not quite this bad.

26. New York Giants – Wow. Just wow. 0-4 and hopeless? Not quite, they are only 2 games back in the division.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – Chip Kelly is taking the Eagles down the same arrogant path Josh McDaniels took the Broncos a few years ago. He will not last long in the NFL.

24. New York Jets – They are still bad, but not the stinking excuse for a team it was generally presumed they would be.

23. Arizona Cardinals – They are who we thought they were.

22. Cleveland Browns – They started 0-2, traded away their best player, and made a change at QB. Since then, they’ve gone 2-0. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery.

21. St. Louis Rams – I had thought the Rams were going to be a force in the NFC, maybe even vie for a Wild Card spot. It sure doesn’t look like it so far.

20. Carolina Panthers – I know it’s crazy, but the Panthers actually have a change to go 0.500 this year!

19. San Diego Chargers – Same old same old for the Chargers. They show flashes of potential, but lack the grit needed to win games.

18. Buffalo Bills – Not a horrible team when it’s all said and done.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Some teams have made big leaps forward (see Kansas City). On the other hand, you have teams like Baltimore taking big leaps backwards. Flacco is not a $20M QB.

16. Atlanta Falcons – They are better than their 1-3 record…but it’s still a 1-3 record. My pre-season pick NFC pick had better get their act together ASAP.

15. Dallas Cowboys – How ‘bout that NFC East? If Dallas doesn’t win it this year, they may as well give up all hope of ever being a contender again.

14. Detroit Lions – Just call them the Detroit Reggies. Or the Michigan Bushes.

13. Tennessee Titans – One of the many surprise AFC teams in this first quarter.

12. Houston Texans – Not saying I believe in them, but they are not all bad. Put a top-5 QB in there, and you’ve got a force to reckon with.

11. Miami Dolphins – They are a very solid team. Not ready to hop on a playoff bandwagon just yet however, due to a stronger-than-expected AFC.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Solid, not spectacular. Have a wide-open division to their advantage.

9. Green Bay Packers – After a rough start, I have no doubt the Pack will get their season straight, and will make the playoffs with ease.

8. San Francisco 49’ers – The NFC darlings all offseason, the Niners are now facing a harsh reality: Kaepernick is not a top-ten QB.

7. Chicago Bears – Cutler seems to be getting his act together. Or maybe it’s just that he has a decent O-line now?

6. Kansas City Chiefs – It took the Chiefs one month to double their win total from all of last year. That, my friends, is some spectacular improvement.

5. New England Patriots – 4-0, what can you say? Even if their first three wins were against bottom-feeders.

4. Indianapolis Colts – This might be my most controversial pick, but after a slow start and losing to a very solid Dolphins team, the Colts have been dominant and balanced.

3. New Orleans Saints – After their blowout of said solid Dolphins team, I was tempted to put them at #2…

2. Seattle Seahawks – Not as dominant as some talking heads might suggest (scraping out a win against the mediocre Texans is not a good sign). Still the team to beat in the NFC.

1. Denver Broncos – Four straight blowouts by an average margin of 22 points. Without Miller or Bailey. Has there ever been a team more deserving of the #1 power ranking?

(Tomorrow will be power rankings from Kevin G and then a comparison between each list. Stay tuned!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_3RNRwDzF0

 

The Curious Case of Von Miller

By the Caveman

 

 

 

If you’re a Denver Broncos fan, chances are you’ve heard of this guy, Von Miller. Some argue that he is the best defensive player the Broncos have ever had, and it’s not hard to agree. Champ Bailey has had a spectacular run with the Broncos, but the position he plays made it difficult to consistently dominate an offense. Atwater hit hard and was a fantastic leader, but was never best-player-in-the-NFL level. Linebackers Mecklenburg and Gradishar are the best Bronco defenders of all time in my opinion, and it is tough to compare a player that has played only 2 years to those that have played 10+.

But a quick projection (assuming 10 total years of play at his current prowess) comes out to 150 sacks. That’s 50 more sacks than Mecklenburg and Gradishar combined! I would even say that’s a moderately conservative projection, as generally sack machines don’t hit their stride until their 3rd or 4th year, and a 10-year career for Von Miller would have him retiring at a measly 32 years of age. Von Miller absolutely has the potential – perhaps even the expectation – to become the greatest defensive Bronco of all time.

NFL Week 3 – Broncos Status

By Eric “Caveman” Kosovich

Well, the first two games are in the books. In the history books, actually. The week 1 game saw Peyton Manning throw 7 TD passes…the last time someone did that was a mere 2 months after mankind first landed on the moon. In addition, PFM just passed the 60,000 yards passing mark. He is now 3rd all-time.

But enough about PFM – we hear about him all the time. What’s the status of our 2013 Denver Broncos as a team?