The Sports Guru

VS.

Finally!!  Week 2 has arrived, and not a minute too soon.  We have been waiting seven days to erase the memories of last Sunday, and now we get to take all that frustration out on the poor Kansas City Chiefs, in our house, no less!  New Coach, backup quarterback, no Willie Roaf, the Chiefs are in trouble.  But they are also very dangerous, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.  Here are the 5 things I am looking for out of today’s game, and if the Broncos can do these things, they will be victorious!

1.  Get Off To A Fast Start - Much has been made in the past about Shanahan’s scripted plays.  The Bronocos coach has the first 15 plays scripted out in an attempt to get out to quick leads.  It has worked, for the most part, the Broncos lead the leage in 1st Quarter scoring in teh Shanahan era.  When the Broncos struggle it is usually becuase these plays are ineffective, and the Broncos fall behind.  Sure, Jake Plummer is not a good “play from behind” quarterback.  The Broncos as a team aren’t very good in that role either.  The entire philosophy of the team harbors around getting out to an early lead then taking the air out of the ball.  The defense is fast, but undersized, not set up to dominate physically, or to sustain over long periods of time.  The offensive line is quick, but undersized, set up for the zone blocking scheme, and to run the football, not to pass protect. When the Broncos are behind, it usually means they are doing both of the things they don’t do very well.  Look for Denver to use the energy of the corwd to try and get up early.  The running game is the key, but don’t be surprised to see a quick shot downfield to Javon Walker early to try and create some quick thunder.

2.  Run, Run, Then Run Some More - This is a big key.  When I rewatched last Sunday’s game there were 3 seperate possessions that the Broncos threw the ball on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down.  Each possession ended in a turnover or punt.  The problem is, what Mike Shanahan likes to do through the air isn’t a particualr strong suit of Jake Plummer.  He is not the most accurate of passers, and is worse in the pocket than when rolling out of it.  Team are going to increasingly force Plummer to stay in the pocket, and make the accurate thorw down field.  The Broncos need to stay out of 3rd and long situations, and the best way to do that is to run more on 1st and 2nd down.  The Broncos were able to average over 6 yards a carry last Sunday, and at times abandoned the run to soon in drives.  I look for Shanny to get back to the smashmouth style he likes to play, and to use it to wear down the Chiefs defense.  Tatum Bell has the opportunity to have a big day today, and I expect to see Cedric Cobbs at times as well as a nice change of pace back.  He was de-activated last week, so it will be interesting to see what happens.  Expect the Broncos to have 35-40 carries, minimum.  That happens and it’s a W.

3.  Beware Of The Injured Animal - The nice thing about Trent Green at quarterback was the Broncos knew exactly where he was going to be, in the pocket.  Last SUnday showed why Green was never considered a scrambling QB, and after getting blown up by Robert Geathers he may never scramble again.  Dammon Huard, on the other hand has some mobility and the Chiefs are going to play hard with their backup QB in the game.  My mama always taught me to stay away from a wounded animal, because they are the most dangerous, and teh Chiefs come to town wounded for sure.  The Broncos defense needs to avoid the temptation of going after Huard and make him beat them awith his arm by sitting back in coverage.  Having more guys in coverage will also allow the D to contain Larry Johnson, and not allow any of the big plays Stephen Jackson was able to make lasat SUnday.  Don’t think LJ wasn’t watching the game tape and drooling just a little bit.  The Broncos haven’t tackled well yet this year and will need to do a better job against Johnson, who figeres to get the ball 40 times in some way, shape, or form tomorrow.  

4.  Win The Turnover Battle - Not everything I come up with is going to be revolutionary, but this is very important.  The Broncos defense played great last week, for being given a short field so often.  There are only so many times you can plya russian roulette before the gun goes off, and the Chiefs have the talent ot convert these types of tunrovers into 6 instead of 3.  With Huard in the game the Broncos not only need to create some turnovers, but they need to avoid giving the Chiefs the ball on teh Broncos side of the field.  Force the Chiefs go the length of the field to score and it’s going to be a long day for the Chiefs offense.  I don;t think they will be able to sustain drives over 70-80 yards all game long without something bad happening.  Conversly, the Broncos can be deadly if they can start some possessions accross the 50, and I look for the defense to fly to the ball, looking for the tip of strip to get the offense the ball, and some confidence.

5.  Pull Their Weight - Rod Smith said it best.

That’s all that needs to be said.  The Broncos are used to being led by the offense, and to mainstays like Smith, last week’s performance was as shocking as it was disappointing.  I look at Smith as the pulse of the offense and the team.  He expects and demands perfection and led by Smith the Broncos offense will put up some big numbers tomorrow.  Nothing is usually needed for the Broncos to get up to play a divisional rival, but with memory of the Ram’s game performance fresh in the head of Smith, Plummer and Co. the offense knows they owe the defense.  Hey, everyone knows that football is a team game, and you win and lose as a team, but after not showing up last week, and still having the ball late in the 4th quarter with a chance to tie the game, the Broncos offense needs to take advantage of the Crowd, the energy, and the defense to jump out and take command of this game early.  Remember, it was a defensive TD in week 2 that jump-started the Broncos 13-3 season.  This year, maybe it will be the offense, and a big play early in the game by Javon Walker, or Tony Scheffler that will be the turning point early in the 2006 campaign.

BONUS - Look for the Broncos to employ the infamous “Big Nickel”, Sam Brandon, to shadow Tony Gonzalez all over the field.  The Broncos have incorporated the safety in formations against Gonzalez and San Diego TE Antonio Gates in recent years, with some success.  Both TE’s are well below their averages when facing the Broncos, and with Huard in the game, and no real outside threat to worry about(what, Eddie Kennison???) Huard is going to look for Gonzalez early and often.

Guru Predicts -Let’s face it, the Broncos love playing the Chiefs, especially at Invesco.  In the last 4 meetings in Denver, the Broncos have averaged 440 yards and 35 points per game.  Impressive.  The Chiefs did look a little more stout defensively against the Bengals, allowing only 236 net yards to Cincinnati, but still losing by 13.  That was at Arrowhead, however, and this is the Home Opener for the Broncos.  I firmly believe the offense will have a big play early to set the tone, and that the defense’s performance in St. Louis is a sign of things to come.  The Chiefs will look decent early behind Huard, but if Herm Edwards is anything as a Head Coach, he’s very vanilla on offense and the Chiefs will become predictable.  Larry Johnson will have some yards, but will never break a big one, and Tony Gonzalez will be held in check by Brandon and the LB’s.  D.J Williams needs to avoid falling into the opponents sideline over pursuing Johnson, and he will, learning from his over-aggression last weekend.  The Broncos learned an early lesson, and won;t come out flat against a Division opponent at home.  I like the Broncos, ealr yand often, to get their first win of the year —

DENVER 31 - KANSAS CITY 13  

Week 2 in the NFL couldn’t come too soon for the Guru, still reeling from a 7 win opening week, including a 3 win mess against the spread.  Not to be detered, I am back and

better than ever with my Week 2 picks.  Let’s get it started…

Last Week — 7-9  Straight
Last Week — 3-13 Spread

Overall — 7-9  Straight
    — 3-13 Spread

Carolina @ Minnesota +2 1/2 - My Super Bowl pick for the NFC is in some trouble already.  The injury cloud just doesn’t seem to ever leave Carolina, who was shut down by the Falcons at home last Sunday.  Steve Smith is still questionable with a hammy, and the Panthers lost their starting Left Tackle, Travelle Wharton for the season to a knee injury.  On defense, the news isn’t much better with Dan Morgan out indefinitely after suffering another concussion, and you have to start to wonder if Morgan’s career is in jeapordy.  Things are alot brighter in Minnesota who went into Washington, on the 5th anniversary of 9/11, and beat the Redskins in a highly entertaining game.  Brad Johnson is the fine whie of the NFL, getting better with age, and Chester Taylor is making the most of his first opportunity to be the starting tailback.  On defense, the Vikings are flying around the ball, and just seem faster in those new unis.  At home, in the dome, I like the Vikings, who are going to run Taylor until his legs fall off, to give the Panthers fits without Morgan in the middle.  Take the points in this one, but I am taking the Vikings to win outright in Brad Childress’ debut in the baggy dome.

Vikings 21-18

Detroit +8 1/2 @ Chicago - I don’t like guarantees.  Well, let me take that back.  I like them on my car, or my electronics, or anything else I can break, but I don’t like them from athletes, especially from fottball players.  That dislike quadruples when the player making the claim plays for the Detroit Lions, who scored a whopping 6 points in their home opener last week.  Roy Williams’ claim that the Lions were “so close to scoring 40 points it was stupid” was it self stupid.  The Lions scored 6 points.  Williams went on to guarantee victory in Chicago this Sunday, and if the Bears were over looking the Lions, they certainly not now.  All the happenings had me seriously considering the Bears covering the huge spread, but the fact is I like the Lions defense and think they’ll keep it close.  I am still not sold on Rex Grossman, and the Bears aren’t playing the Packers this Sunday.  Points will be hard to come by, but the Bears stick it right in the face of Roy Williams, beating the Lions by a TD.  Take teh points, Bears win.

Bears 24-17

Houston @ Indianapolis -13 1/2 - For about a quarter the Houston Texans looked great.  They scored 7 quick points against the Eagles and were moving the ball effectively.  Then they rememebred they were the Texans, being outscored 24-3 the rest of the way.  The David Carr sack machine continued, as Carr was sacked 5 times.  Indianapolis struggled offensively at times, especially in the red zone, in their first appearance without Edgerrin James.  The result was still a win in a tough spot at the Meadowlands, and coming back home to face the Texans is just what the doctor ordered.  I like Joseph Addai to start to lay claim to the starting running back position and for Peyton Manning to really get the passing game untracked.  The Texans drafted Mario Williams specifically for this game, to get to Manning, but it’s too soon for that to happen, and the Colts are going to look to put up a good showing to erase the tough loss the last time they played a meaningful game at home.  Dwight Freeney and the Colts D has a field day, and Carr may get sacked 5 more times.  Give the points, take Manning and Co.

Colts 34-13

New Orleans -1 1/2 @ Green Bay - The New Orleans Saints have never started a season 2-0.  EVER!  We are a week away from the emotional return to New Orleans for the Saints, and after slapping the Browns around in Cleveland in Week 1 I think they are primed to return to the SuperDome at 2-0, making an exciting night that much better.  Reggie Bush has shown he can play at this level, and Drew Brees brought steady, if unspectacular, play to the QB position.  The Packers are a mess.  It seems every week the Brett Favre is breaking some some of record, or leading the team to some sort of first.  Last week it was the first shut-out in his 16 year career.  Congrats Brett.  You have single-handedly destroyed one of the proudest franchises in sports for your own selfish, self-serving reasons.  I hope the Packers do run you out there every week, to get slapped around, to throw picks, to lose.  The losing continues this weekend, and the amazing Saints stay undefeated.  Give the Packers the point.  Oh yes the Saints, go marching in, oh yes the Saints go Marching in to Lambeau and beat the Pack.

Saints 17-10

New York Giants +3 1/2 @ Philadelphia - After dealing with the hype machine for 6 months, the Manning v. Manning game is finally over.  I was surprised how well Eli played in the game, with all the pressure to beat his big brother.  He would have, had the Giants DBs held on to about 4 of the ball they had right in their hands during the game.  The Giants come into the game a little banged up, with Jeremy Shockey already suffering his yearly ankle injury.  Tiki Barber looks like he is going to have another solid season, and Brandon Jacobs is a star in waiting.  There are some questions on defense, though, as the G-Men just couldn’t get off the field on third down against the Colts.  Philly, on the other hand, looks to have that swagger back and Donte Stalworth may just be the biggest acquisition for any team this season.  Stalworth will need to prove he can consistenyl put up the numbers he had week 1(6 catches, 141 yards, 1 TD).  After giving up an early TD to the Texans, the Eagles D played solid and looked like the Eagles team that played in 4 straight NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl.  THis game means more to the Giants than the Eagles, but every home opner is special and if the Eagles win they’ll already be two games up on 2 teams in the East.  The Giants make it tough, but the Eagles win on a last second Field Goal.  Take the points, but Eagles win.

Eagles 20-17

Oakland @ Baltimore -8 1/2 - Ya know what?  I need Elias Sports Bureau.  When was the last time a team shut out an opponent 2 weeks in a row?  When was the last time a team was shut ouot twoo weeks in a row?  When was the last time a team was shut out 2 weeks in a row by a team shutting out an opponent 2 weeks in a row.  Wow, now I have a headache.  Until the Raiders prove to me they are more than a high school J.V. team I am going to take their opponent, and give the points.  All Ravens, all the time.

Ravens 24-3

Tampa Bay +5 1/2 @ Atlanta - This game is really stressing me out.  The Buccaneers got embarrassed at home last week, while the Falcons looked unbeatable in their beatdown of the Panthers on the road.  The Buccaneers have won 8 of the last 11 against Atlanta and have been a thorn in the side of the Falcons since both teams moved to the NFC South.  Last season, the Buccaneers were shut out in New England, and came back and beat the Falcons in the dome.  Could the same thing happen again?  The Falcons are a little banged up with Ed Hartwell and John Abraham nursing injuries.  If both play, the Falcons defense are going to be tough to beat.  If they don’t there will be yards to be had for Tampa.  As for the Bucs, they are a little roughed up as well, with Cadillac Williams nursing a bad back.  Chris Simms looked over-matched and confused last Sunday and will need to step up if the Bucs are going to get their season back on track.  The Falcons running game, best in the league last season, looked even better rushing for well over 200 yards.  Warrick Dunn looks like a kid out there and loves playing against his former team who felt he couldn’t be an every down feature back.  The spread is way too high, but I like the Falcons to get a monkey off their back and get one against their division nemesis.  Take the points, but the Falcons win.

Falcons 31-27

Cleveland @ Cincinnati -10 1/2 - My question about the Bengals coming into the season was whether Carson Palmer would be all the way back mentally early in the season.  Physically, his knee is souond, and is probably stringer than his “good” leg.  But I questioned how he would handle it mentally.  Well, after the Week 1 thrashing of the Chiefs, in Kansas City, I am a believer.  Even more impressive was the Bengals defense, that racked up 7 sacks and one K.O. of Kansas City QB’s.  Marvin Lewis finally has the horses on that side of the ball to run the aggressive style of defense he made famous in Baltimore.  The Bengals also seem to have the deepest receiving corp in football, not missing a beat with the loss of T.J. Houshmanzadeh.  The Browns, on the other hand, are still a mess offensively.  Maurice Carthon might be the worst Offensive Coordinator in football, period, at any level.  I think Romeo Crennel is a great coach, but Carthon is keeping this team from making strides.  His play calling last week, in a very winnable game at home against the Saints was laughable, and this O-Line is going to get another quarterback killed.  You’ll hear the “experts” tell you that this series is usually close, but only when the Browns are out of it and the Bengals have clinched.  The Browns can have he points, Palmer, Johnson and Johnson are going to score early and often, and the Browns won’t score enough.

Bengals 31-17

Buffalo + 6 1/2 @ Miami - If week 1 taught us anything, it’s that Daunte Culpepper still makes bad decisions late in games, and that the Buffalo defense is goiong to be pretty good this season.  Buffalo stormed out to a 10 point half-time lead before succumbing to the Patriots in Foxboro.  J.P. Losman cannon get sacked in that situation, for a safety no less, but I give the Bills credit for having enough confidence in Losman to even considering a pass from their own end-zone.  Losman has shown flashes, and with his arm and athletic ability will become a good quarterback in this league, but it is going to take time.  Miami had the Steelers on the ropes until Culpepper starting throwing pick-6’s and will need him to play alot better this week to avoid the upset.  The Dolphins are going to need Ronnie Brown to get started and Culpepper is going to need to get Chris Chambers involved early and often.  Another thing I noticed last week was Culpepper is still favoring his injured leg, and seemed to tire as the game went on.  Culpepper is a big guy and it is going to take time for him to get his football-legs back.  I expect his game to improve as the season goes on but the Dolphins are going to need to get early leads to get off to a good start until that happens.  Take the points, Buffalo, but give the W to the Dolphins.

Dolphins 20 - 14

Arizona +7 1/2 @ Seattle - Arizona was the worst team in football last season socring in the 1st quarter.  That meant they were playing from behind early and often.  Last week, in opening their new stadium, the Cardinals scored 21 points on three straight drives in beating the 49′ers.  There are still questions, though, as Edgerrin James could never get started.  The defense gave up alot of yards to Alex Smith and the 49′ers.  Just a mirage?  We’ll see, as the Cards head on the road to Seattle, and face Shawn Alexander, who has run up and down the field against the Cardinals the last couple of years.  This is going to be a solid litmus test for the Cardinals who want to show the league that they are a playa in the playoff race this season.  Will it happen?  Yes and no.  The Seahawks have one of the best home-field advantages in football, and the Cardinals are lucky to get this one out of the way now.  Kurt Warner is going to be chased all over the field, and if the Cardinals O-Line isn’t careful we may see Matt Leinart alot sooner than anybody thinks.  Arizona has alot of weapons and will score some points, but I like Seattle to bounce back from a moribund offensive performance in week one to win.  Take the points, Seahawks win.

Seahawks 28 - 24

St. Louis @ San Francisco +3 1/2 - Both teams were surprises last week, as the Rams showed their defense is going to be tough for everyone, giving Jake Plummer fits all day forcing 5 turnovers, and Scott Linehan is going to run, then run, then run some more, on the legs of Stephen Jackson.  The 49′ers, and more specifically Alex Smith, who were so inept on offense last season showed some life, especially on the ground, where Frank Gore showed he can handle the load at RB.  Which of these teams will crash back to earth?  Neither, as I think the last week’s performaces for both is an indication of what they are going to be in 2006.  The worry for St. Louis is how disturbing the offense has been in the red zone.  The Rams have yet to score an offensive TD in 2006.  With the talent they have on offense that’s unacceptable.  In San Francisco, the defense got throttled early by Arizona, and it doesn’t get much easier this week.  The home-field is going to help the 49′ers, while the Rams defense will be slowed down a little bit of their home surface.  I do like the Rams in this spot, but in another close, field goal filled affair.  The Rams will score a TD this week, but take the points.

Rams 17-14

Tennessee @ San Diego -10 1/2 - This is pretty simple.  The Titans cannont stop the run, and the Chargers have the best RB combo in football.  L.T. and Michael Turner are a great 1-2 punch and Kerry Collins is a mess at QB for Tennessee.  The Chargers learned a valuable lesson last season, losing key games at home, and missing the playoffs by one game.  Not this year.  Charger roll it up on Fisher’s boys, all Chargers, give the points.

Chargers 34-13

New England @ NY Jets +6 1/2 - You gotta like Tom Brady.  How many superstar quarterbacks would openly admit that what was happening off the field, primarily with Deion Branch, caused a distraction in preperation and thus a lackluster performance on gameday.  Not many, yet Brady did, and even though that CANNOT happen as a professional, I respect his honesty.  Oh, and the Pats still won the game, and head to New York for a metting with former Defensive Coordinator Eric Mangini.  Mangini is coming off a big win himsilf, at Tennessee where Chad Pennington looked solid in his first game back from shoulder surgery.  The Jets have a lot of holes on defense, however, and the Pats are alot better than the Titans.  It will be a spirited Meadowlands crowd, and the Jets will keep it tight most of the way.  It will be one of those games where the score is close, but the Pats are never seriously threatened.  Look for Brady to come back with a strong performance, and with Bruschi supposed to return the defense will be ready as well.  Belichick advised Mangini not to leave, and now will show his pupil why.  Take the points, Jets fans, but the Pats win.

Patriots 24-21

Washington +5 1/2 @ Dallas - Is there such a thing as a must win game in Week 2?  If so, this is it.  Both of these teams have high expectations for 2006, and for one the road is going to get alot tougher, with an 0-2 start.  Both teams have Hall of Fame coaching staff and aging quarterbacks.  Both defenses like to get after the quarterback, and can create turnovers.  I like the “star” power on the Cowboys and they are looking for revenge after the tough loss last season at home to the Redskins when Santana Moss scored 2 TD’s in the last 4 minutes to beat the Cowboys.  T.O. is making his regualr season Dallas debut, and no one loves the Sunday Night Spotlight more than Owens.  Drew Beldsoe needs a big gae to ward off the call by Cowboys fans for backup Tony Romo.  The Redskins offense is in total dissarray, and Mark Brunell doesn’t look like he is taking to quickly to the 700-page playbook brought to town by Al Saunders.  He had better pick it up fast, because the Redskins are teetering on trouble already and the schedule doesn’t get any easier.  This is a rivalry game, however and as we have seen in the past strange things always seem to happen.  I’ll take the points, but the Cowboys take the win.

Cowboys 20-17

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville +1 1/2 - The Monday Night game should see the return of Ben Roethlisberger, who has made a miracle recovery from an appendectomy only 10 days ago.  To be honest, whether Ben or Charlie Batch plays won’t matter to the Pittsburgh offense.  The Steelers go as far as the defense takes them, and with Troy Palamalu banged up a little but they may struggle.  Bill Cowher has complied an incredible 18-7 record on Monday Night Football, but 2 of those loses are in Jacksonville.  The Jags beat the Steelers as season at Heinz Field and always seem to give Pittsburgh a tough time.  Jacksonville turned a corner last weekend, after falling behind to Dallas 10-0.  They rose up and played inspired football on both sides of the ball, and will come into the game with alot of confidence.  It’s going to be a great game, but I think the Jags squeak it out.  Take the points and the win.

Jaguars 24-20

Technorati Tags: NFL Predictions, week 2 predictions, nfl, football

Chris T.,

Blogger, Arrowhead Pride.com

This week we welcome Chris, head blogger at Arrowhead Pride, a Chiefs fan blog. With the Broncos facing the Chiefs this Sunday I asked a few questions regarding some of the issues revolving around the Chiefs already this season.

1. With the injury to Trent Green, have the expectations of Chiefs fans lowered? How do you think Damon Huard will fare?

Kansas City Chiefs’ fans hopes certainly haven’t increased but I do not think they have lowered that much, if at all. Trent Green is projected to be out at least two weeks/games but I’m a bit skeptical about that. I’ve seen all too often concussions and head injuries (Priest Holmes anyone?) become recurring problems. Priest’s injury is a great example. His neck injury against the Chargers last year just lingered on and on to the point where we are in Week 2 of the 2006 and Holmes’ NFL future is in serious doubt.
Luckily, the Chiefs have their bye in Week 3 this season so Trent will have that extra time to recover without a losing his talent. Unfortunately, because of the nature of his injury, Trent could be back in 2 weeks, 6 weeks or be done for the season. We just don’t know and I’m afraid to speculate. Damon Huard is a career backup whose history is pretty standard for a player in his position. He hararely started and rarely been given a chance to actually get into a rhythm and play with a consistent team. His stats weren’t bad last week- 12/20, 140 yards passing and a TD- but what the QB passer rating doesn’t take into account are fumbles. Huard did have a fumble last week in a blown play where the pocket collapsed around him and he panicked. Huard struck me as unprepared for Trent’s injury- as we all were- so I hope and believe this week of prep time will benefit him greatly. I see Damon Huard playing a low-risk game, in which he relies on Larry Johnson to set up the pass.

2. What was the turning point in Larry Johnson’s career?

Obviously, LJ turned the corner when he was allowed to become a full time starter when Priest Holmes’ went down against the Chargers on October 30, 2005. We all knew Johnson had the talent after rushing for over 2,000 yards at Penn State. He simply needed the chance to start. And he had one of the league’s best O-lines blocking for him, which helps. LJ expected to play more in 2004 but Vermeil was unwilling to give in to his demands, which Vermeil was correct in doing.

3. Will Priest Holmes ever play another down in the NFL again?

I do not think Priest Holmes will ever play again. His neck injury has kept him out for so long that now it seems like he may just be hanging on like older football players do, unwilling to let the game go. This is not a criticism of Holmes by any means. His passion for football is so intense and his competitive nature will not let him officially quit just yet. For now, he is on the physically unable to play list and could not return before Week 7 even if he wanted to. I expect Holmes to officially throw in the towel sometime this season. Unfortunate ending to a great, great career.

4. When Herm Edwards was hired as Head Coach of the Chiefs, what was your initial reaction?

I was excited to have a new coach on the sideline but not as excited as when we brought Dick Vermeil on. Vermeil is a near legendary coach. Herm is still on his way. One aspect of Herm Edwards that I really enjoy when comparing him to Dick Vermeil is his emphasis on defense over offense. We’ve seen where an overemphasis on offense leads. Nowhere.

5. Did the retirement of Willie Roaf come as a surprise? Will anything less than a playoff birth be considered a disappointment?

The Roaf retirement did come as surprise, especially since he was so adamant about coming back this season. Roaf just felt like his time had come. Unfortunately, that time was before the 2006 season.

**BONUS – What will the final score of the Broncos/Chiefs game be?

Does Jake Plummer still have a beard? I can’t remember. If he does, Tamba Hali will end the game with a sack by legally tackling Plummer by his beard. After checking the weather forecast, it doesn’t seem like rain will be a factor like it was last week. Chiefs win 24 to 17.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the opportunity and drop by Arrowhead Pride anytime. We love the healthy trash talking.

Technorati Tags: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Interviews, Broncos Preview, Chiefs Preview, NFL, Football

Wowsers. What a week one in the NFL. A tough week for the Guru to say the least, but week 1’s usually are unpredictable and I avoid them when it comes to the real dough. Here are the horrible results:

7-9 Straight Up
3-13 VS. the Spread

Not the start I was hoping for, but hey it’s only week 1 and I have plenty of time to recover. Right? I hope so!

Here are some of my thoughts about what I saw –

*–The Patriots had better figure out who they are going to throw the ball to, because that wasn’t a great defense they played on Sunday and Tom Brady completed only 11 passes to receivers. Wih the official word regarding Deion Branch released yesterday the receiving corp just got thinner. The Patriots were able to swing a deal for Doug Gabriel and may want to call on the Raiders again to check out the availability of Jerry Porter.

*–Speaking of the Raiders, they officially are the worst team in football, on and off the field. On the field, everyone seems unhappy. Randy Moss is unhappy, Warren Sapp is unhappy, Aaron Brooks can’t be happy getting thrown to the ground every play. Then comes word that disgruntled receiver Jerry Porter was clapping and fist pumping on the sidelines after the Raiders got crushed by the Chargers last night. So maybe everyone isn’t unhappy in Hater-Nation, it seems Porter is pretty happy. As for the front office, total chaos. First, they hire a guy that hadn’t coached in 10 years to be head coach, and did one better by hiring an offensive coordinator that hadn’t coached in 12 years, and was running a bed and breakfast 6 months ago. Umm, not the best choice in my opinion. I write this blog, I might be a better choice. As a Bronco fan I love nothing more than what is going on in Oakland, but as a sports fan it is truly sad to see what is going on with one of sports’ most storied franchise.

*–I may have underestimated the Baltimore Ravens just a bit. A tad maybe. That defense looked dominant on the road, and the team I watched is going to win more than the 6 games I havd them down for. For one week at least, Ray Lewis looked like he was 6 years younger and Chris McAllister suddenly figured out how to cover people again and it looked like 2000 again as he was running down the sidelines on that pick-6. Tampa looked about as good as I expected, for an 8-8 team. But after one week, Baltimore looks like a team to be reckoned with.

*–My big over-estimation for the season just many turn out to be Kansas City. I had forgotten that Herm Edwards was head coach and the disaster he left in NY. Even before Trent Green got planted into the Arrowhead turf the K.C. offense looked like a high school team. Now with Green out, they may be hard pressed to be at .500 at midseason. At his age, coming back from that severe of a concussion may be harder than most think and if Green is gone long-term teams will stack the line to stop Larry Johnson. LJ was already going to be affected by the late retirement of Willie Roaf, and this could put a big damper on his quest for 2000 yards.

*–Another tough opening day for Jake Plummer and the Broncos, but all they did last season after getting blasted 34-10 in Miami was finish the season 13-2. If the Broncos can get to their early BYE at 2-1 everything will be fine, 1-2? The Jay Cutler watch will officially be on in Denver.

*–Not a bad opening weekend for all the new head coaches. New Orleans, Minnesota, St. Louis, and the Jets all won with Head Coaches in there first game. Nothing like getting off on the right foot. AS for Head Coach re-treads, well, not as fortunate. Oakland, Buffalo, and Kansas City all lost the debut’s of their new coaches, even though each has coaching experience. So much for experience.

*–Either the Arizona defense is lousy, or Alex Smith and the 49′er offense is going to be alot better than everyone thinks. Frank Gore looked solid as the feature back and Smith looked composed and accurate in a tough situation. Let’s face it, playing a team that is opening a new stadium is never easy, and the 49′ers were in that game until the end.

*–The bomb squad is on red-alert in Dallas after the Cowboys blew a 10-0 lead and lost to the Jags. Everyone is saying the right things after the loss, that featured horrible penalties and 3 bad picks by Drew Bledsoe, but the ‘Boys are built to win, and win big. After an effective 1st half, Owens was invisible for most of the 2nd half until scoring a late TD. A big divisional game with the Redskins is up next, and both teams need a win to avoid falling to 0-2. Should the Cowboys lose, heads may roll.

*–The total collapse and destruction of the Brett Favre legacy continued Sunday when “The Guy Some People Thought Was One Of The Best Ever, Until He Kept Playing And Now He Sucks” accounted for ZERO points in the home opener against the Packers’ arch rival, the Chicago Bears. Please let it end. I am not a Packer fan, far from it. But I do feel bad for them. They are in a no win situation. Brett Favre still thinks he’s the man, and the team and fans are afraid to tell him the truth. You know, like when your girlfriend asks if she looks fat in those jeans. You can’t tell the truth, so you don’t. I have never been a Favre fan, mostly because everybody chose to selctively ignore things with Favre that they murder other players for, but what is happening now is a joke. And the Favre lovers still have the audacity to say he can still win in the NFL. HE CAN”T. Time to go back to Louisiana, back to the tractor, back to the farm and let the Packers being the long rebuilding process. Each time Favre takes the field is another week longer the Packers are going to be a joke in the NFL.

Technorati Tags: NFL, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Deion Branch, Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City, Larry Johnson, Trent Green, Jake Plummer, Denver Broncos, Dallas Cowboys, Drew Bledsoe, Bill Parcells, Terrell Owens, T.O., Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers

Andrew Mason,
Managing Editor, DenverBroncos.com

Here is a new feature on TheSportsGuru.com, “5 Good Questions With….”, a feature where I will ask a guest 5 questions about what is going on in the world of sports. Today, my guest is Andrew Mason, the Managing Editor over at DenverBroncos.com.

1. Since you were at every practice and game during the pre-season, which player or players really stood out to you?

There were quite a few this year, starting with David Kircus. Not only did he show a knack at making the big play from the first day of camp, but you could see his progress on making the little ones. He dropped some short passes in the first weekend of camp, but as the days passed, the drops ceased and he became more and more consistent — while keeping his quick-strike capability. Mike Bell, of course; the first few days of camp he showed a knack for making precise and quick cuts that sent some defenders sprawling. John Lynch mentioned Hamza Abdullah as a player who stood out in camp, and he did, ultimately doing enough to crack the 53-man roster along with his former college teammate and roommate, Karl Paymah. Cameron Vaughn also looked quite promising at linebacker when he played, and I liked his attitude when I interviewed him during OTAs, particularly his willingness – and, frankly, his eagerness – to play all linebacker slots if asked.

2. Which player to make the 53-man roster was the biggest surprise and why? And of those who were cut?

That’s tough to say. I know a lot of friends who are fans were surprised by the inclusion of Erik Pears, but this is a guy who showed in NFL Europe that he possesses some skills, earning All-NFLE honors. Among those who were cut, I can honestly say I wasn’t taken aback by any of the names that popped on the list. Based on how many friends have asked me about Watts, I know his release took a lot of fans by surprise, but when you consider that Brandon Marshall started the preseason opener before getting injured and that David Kircus and Todd Devoe started the preseason finale at Arizona, it seemed clear where Watts fell on the totem pole.

3. Darius Watts received a lot of praise during the pre-season, then was released. In your opinion, what changed?

I think it was as simple as this — he got outplayed. Being at Broncos five camps has taught me that the Broncos’ brass really does mean it when they say they give everyone an opportunity to show their skills and make the roster. Devoe and Kircus just did better. “We’ll keep the best 53 guys,” Head Coach Mike Shanahan has said over the years, and he did just that this year. Kircus and Devoe made plays both big and small, they showed resiliency in the games, they worked diligently. I don’t think that the release of Watts was an indictment on him as much as it was praise for the efforts of Kircus and Devoe.

4. Being around the team as much as you are, what is feeling you are getting from the locker room about 2006, and how has the AFC Championship Game motivated the team?
Quiet confidence. As for the AFC title-game loss, I think Lynch said it best this week when asked whether it was a motivating factor: “I think it was an extreme motivator. I was proud of this team throughout the entire offseason because there’s a couple of ways you can respond to how devastated we were after the Pittsburgh game. One’s to go in the tank and right away we saw that wasn’t going to be the case because our offseason program set league records in terms of guys that were here.”

Everyone dealt with the AFC Championship in his own way. For instance, Nick Ferguson watched the tape repeatedly, while Al Wilson didn’t look at it at all. But it’s foremost in the minds of each. If the Broncos build from that loss the way they used their last previous home playoff defeat, then everyone in Broncos country will be giddy come February.

5. Other than Jay Cutler, which of the rookies has impressed you the most and which will have the biggest impact on the season?

This is a tough question, and in my personal opinion, it’s a dead heat between Mike Bell – obvious, since he was the only rookie listed on the first team in the preseason — and Tony Scheffler. Scheffler is the first to tell you that his blocking needs work, but as a pass-catcher he is smooth, fluid, and could cause matchup problems for defenses if the Broncos use him in the slot like they did in the preseason.

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