Archive for Denver Broncos
2009 Rookie of the Year Candidates
Posted by: | CommentsThe NFL season is winding down, and the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. I have followed the rookies for the whole year on both my site and this one, keeping a close eye on those who stand out as top of the class. With the offensive and defensive Rookie of the Year award, there are a few contenders that are at the forefront of the discussion. Many of these rookies have won at least one of the Upper Deck Rookie of the Week awards, and there are still three weeks left for the others to jump on board.
First, I want to discuss my thoughts on the offensive side of the ball, as these are the players that usually receive the most attention. Each of these candidates has meant a great deal to their team (some of which have even won games single handedly). They’ve also had some of the better rookie seasons in recent memory, and the exclamation point will be on the way for two of them come February.
Percy Harvin
If there is one player that has redefined the word “electrifying” this year, Percy Harvin is him. In addition to catching six TD passes from Brett Favre, he also has run back two kicks for touchdowns as well. He leads all rookies in plays over twenty yards from scrimmage, and has been Favre’s favorite third down target for the whole year. He has also functioned as a running back in some cases, carrying the ball out of the Wildcat and motion formations (some of which went for good yardage). He is pretty much the complete package, but the problem of migraines late in the season may hamper his run for this award. He has already missed one game, and is on track to miss at least one more. Regardless, his odds are still pretty good to come home with the trophy.
Knowshon Moreno
Denver has always been famous for churning out great running backs, and Moreno is no exception. He leads rookie running backs in yards, attempts, yards per carry, touchdowns, and has put together a very nice rookie campaign. Denver started off as one of the three undefeated teams into the middle of the season, and Moreno was a factor in those wins. His five touchdowns are tops on the team, and he is primed for a 1,000 yard season with 837 yards and three weeks to go. Moreno also looks like he will be a force in the years to come, as the Broncos running game has drastically improved with his arrival. His drawbacks are few, but the ones that stick out in my mind are a few key fumbles in key situations. However, this shouldn’t hurt him too much: if Harvin falters and misses the last few games, Moreno is probably the favorite.
Matt Stafford
Before last year, rookie quarterbacks were never expected to put up good seasons due to the time needed to develop into an efficient playmaker. Stafford was drafted by the Lions to take over the reins as soon as possible and has done that effectively. He brought the first two wins in the last two years to the team, one coming on the last play of the game with a hurt shoulder. He also set the rookie record for touchdowns and passing yardage in a single game, making a good case for his winning the award. But the problem with Stafford all season has been injuries, as he missed a number of games with knee and shoulder problems. Stafford has done his best to make us forget those weeks, but at this point he will need some big numbers to convince us that he deserves consideration.
Mark Sanchez
This season has been about as big of a roller coaster as it could be for Sanchez, starting very high and going through some twists and turns. Right now, the roller coaster is probably at its lowest, with Sanchez having missed the last game, but the team record could do a lot more for him when compared to Stafford. Sanchez has also thrown a lot of interceptions, but those came on the back of some great performances early in the season. I’m not sure how much of a chance he has right now, but he still has some time to make his case.
Beanie Wells
Although he started off slow, Wells has slowly become the running man in Arizona, putting up touchdowns in the last few games. He has also performed above expectations with yards per carry average, and has done a very good job in getting the struggling Cardinals running game on track. It used to be that the Cardinals would come in and hit you with the gruesome wide receiver twosome, but now there is an added element with Wells carrying the ball. I like Wells’ potential in years to come . . . but as for Rookie of the Year, he is a longshot.
Hakeem Nicks
I think Hakeem Nicks has quietly put together an awesome rookie season. He leads the rookies in receiving yards and is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions, but hasn’t received the same kind of attention as someone like Harvin. He definitely has a shot if the Giants can put together a nice run to get into the playoffs, but it will take some major convincing to dethrone the people ahead of him.
When it comes to defensive Rookie of the Year, there are really only two names in the discussion, mainly because of how well they have performed in their team’s overall defensive arrangement.
Brian Cushing
Cushing is the only rookie to have put up 100 tackles, and has also had 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a few interceptions. He has truly been a one man wrecking crew, and his credentials are top notch for Defensive ROY. I would say that Cushing is basically the end all and be all of this award, but the overall Texans defense has been less than stellar.
Clay Matthews
Matthews has been a freaking beast for the Packers in their 3-4 defense. He has 8.0 sacks and has put together an awesome season. He may only have 40 tackles, but he did rip away a touchdown from Adrian Peterson when the Packers played the Vikings early in the season. Its going to be him or Cushing, and that is a no doubter.
With that, my picks so far are going to be Percy Harvin and Brian Cushing, but there is still a chunk of season left to play. Many of the rookies are going to be playing on teams that are fighting for their lives, and that may lead to some changes in the rankings. Who knows: once the season comes to an end, we may have someone new altogether.
Also, be sure to continue to enter the codes from all of your favorite Upper Deck cards, as you still have the chance to win great prizes if your code matches the Rookie of the Week. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to bank on these guys, as they are mostly all past winners. You can also win an autographed football of all the rookies who attended the 2009 Rookie Premiere, giving you another reason to diligently follow the Own The Rookies site.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: 69% [?]
Undefeated, But for How Long?
Posted by: | CommentsAfter seven weeks of what has already been an exciting NFL season, three undefeated teams remain: the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, and the Denver Broncos. The Saints expected these results when they first acquired Drew Brees. The Broncos, however, didn’t expect these results for at least a season. The Colts have been there and done that several times throughout the Peyton Manning era. In any event, the fact is that these teams have accomplished their goals up to this point, even though they’ve done it in different ways.
The 6-0 Saints boast the most efficient offense in the NFL, and it all starts with Drew Brees’ arm. He is third in passer rating, fourth in touchdowns, and seventh in passing yards. As a team, the Saints are fourth in total offense and lead the NFL in offense by almost 10 points per game. Without a doubt, Brees is having an MVP season, and this is exactly what the Saints envisioned when they acquired him in 2006. There have been very few shortcomings on offense ever since the quarterback arrived. And unlike past Saints teams, this 2009 version has added an aggressive defense to match their acclaimed offense. The Saints went from being ranked 23rd overall in total defense in 2008 to eighth this year. With a defense that can equally hold its own on the football field, the Saints are definitely a team that is headed in the right direction.
The Saints had sort of a close call this past Sunday when they traveled to Miami to take on the Dolphins. They uncharacteristically fell to a 21-point deficit, the biggest they have faced all season. Yet, the Saints proved that they could win another way. We’ve seen the many different ways this team was capable of winning in the past: it’s no secret that they can do it with offense, as they did in the first game of the season when Brees torched the Detroit Lions for six touchdowns. We have seen them win with defense, as they did against the New York Giants where they forced them into two crucial turnovers. This past week, we saw that the Saints have the ability to fall behind, and depend on the arm of their clutch Pro Bowl quarterback to win the game for them . . . even when he doesn’t live up to expectations to start a game. The NFL’s leading passer inked his worst game of the season to date, throwing three interceptions, losing a fumble, and taking five sacks. However, Brees performed when it mattered, leading his team to touchdown drives of 82, 79, and 60 on successive possessions in the second half. The Saints outscored the Dolphins 22-0 in the 4th quarter to capture their sixth straight victory of the season. Looking ahead at their schedule, their next significant game comes Week 12 against the New England Patriots. Yes, we have to wait four more weeks in order to tell if this Saints team is for real.
If you have been reading my other posts, then you know that the Broncos are well-chronicled on our website. Why? Because they are, by far, the biggest surprise of the year. Nobody expected them to be undefeated this far into the season. But the real test for the Broncos is yet to come. They still have two games remaining against the horrid Kansas City Chiefs, and one game against the Oakland Raiders. Would anyone kill me if I already penciled in three more victories for them? I doubt it. However, the rest of their non-divisional games are against some of the best teams in the NFL, who are also fighting for playoff positioning. The Broncos have a daunting schedule going forward, starting next week with the Baltimore Ravens. After the Ravens, they still have to face the Pittsburgh Steelers, Giants, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles. We will see what the Broncos are made of after their next two games.
The Colts are the third and final undefeated team in the NFL. To be honest, I completely expected this from a veteran team. Many would argue they have the best quarterback in the league in Peyton Manning. Before the season started, I predicted the Colts would start off 8-0. I didn’t even consider that to be going out on a limb, especially once you looked at their first eight games on the schedule. Their first true test will be against the Patriots in Week 10. Circle this one on your calendar because it will be a game for the ages; that is, if the Colts remain focused on a week-by-week basis, and don’t overlook any teams in-between (such as their division rival Houston Texans in Week 9).
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Can anyone tell me why the 2-2 San Diego Chargers were favored by three points to defeat the undefeated 6-0 Denver Broncos? It seems like every year, the Chargers are handed several unwarranted accolades before the season starts. For the last five years, it’s become standard to see NFL analysts picking the Chargers as their Super Bowl favorites.
Well, in the last five years, I can’t remember the Chargers overcoming either of their on-field archrivals: the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New England Patriots. Since they haven’t beaten either of those teams, I can’t understand why we continue to praise them. It’s about time that we start watching and analyzing the game of football from an unbiased point of view and stop attempting to rename chickens as ducks every year.
If you were able to see through the hype this time around, you knew the Chargers came into this year looking just as vulnerable as they did last season. Let’s not forget they needed a four game winning streak (vs. the Raiders, Chiefs, Bucs, and Broncos) and a Broncos three game collapse in order to make the playoffs last year. Nevertheless, they looked no different Monday night when the Broncos avenged last year’s game that essentially eliminated them from playoff contention. Denver rushed for over 100 yards, and quarterback Kyle Orton went toe-for-toe with the much-hyped Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers. Orton ended the day with 229 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a 115.4 quarterback rating.
Both the offense and defense performed as expected for the Broncos. What was extremely surprising was the special teams play in this game, which featured a total of three returns for touchdowns, one by the Chargers and two by the Broncos. The Chargers pride themselves on having a sound special team, especially since they send at least two players to the Pro Bowl every year. Well, Eddie Royal had little respect for what the Chargers’ special teams had accomplished in the past, torching them for a 93-yard kickoff return and a 71-yard punt return. Royal became the first player in Broncos history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game, leading undefeated Denver to a wild 34-23 win over the San Diego Chargers.
The only bright spot that head Coach Norv Turner can build on is the fact that LaDanian Tomlinson looked healthier than he has at any point in the last two years. He was running with an attitude, which is a welcome change after seeing him spend many games being ineffective, if not sitting on the bench. For at least one night, his trademark cuts, quickness, and elusiveness seemed to be back. If he can get going, then maybe the Chargers’ season isn’t a forgone conclusion quite yet. And let’s not forget about Darren Sproles reinforcing what we already know: he is an electrifying player when used the right way.
Looking ahead to next Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles are taking on the Washington Redskins. This is an intriguing game because both of these teams have glaring issues that need to be resolved. Redskins head Coach Jim Zorn was stripped of his play-calling duties this past week after scoring only two field goals and losing to the winless Kansas City Chiefs. It seems like management is giving him subtle signs that unless he gets this team turned around quickly, he could be on his way out.
The Eagles compounded their division problems by losing to the Oakland Raiders. Truly an embarrassing loss for head Coach Andy Reid, and incumbent starter Donovan McNabb. This is the same Raider team that was eaten alive by Eli Manning and the New York Giants. In fact, I recall Manning ending the first half with 173 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a perfect quarterback rating (backup quarterback David Carr ended up finishing the game with over 100 yards and a touchdown). The blunder by the Redskins against the Chiefs is somewhat acceptable, because the Redskins have looked horrid all year. The Eagles on the other hand, have disappointed many by losing a game they should have won convincingly.
On the bright side, both teams have a chance to redeem themselves come Monday. I’d put my money on the Eagles, since their issue was more about underestimating the competition and failing to prepare properly for a west coast game, rather than lack of talent and coaching. The Redskins, however, have a lot more pressing issues to deal with, starting with their head coach and ending with their quarterback.
Get ready for another exciting Sunday, followed by a much-anticipated division rivalry on Monday Night Football!
Popularity: unranked [?]
Monday Night Football Review and Preview
Posted by: | CommentsThrough the first five weeks of what has been an intriguing football season, the Miami Dolphins are the most successful team rushing the ball, averaging 177 yards per game. The funny thing about this fact is that they are doing it in a most unconventional way by utilizing the Wildcat offense. The phenomenon of the Wildcat offense has caught many defenses in the NFL off guard. The New York Jets experienced it firsthand on Monday night. The Dolphins have said over and over again that they will continue to put their best players on the field. The difference is they put all their best players on the field at the same time. The Dolphins one-two punch of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for a total of 226 yards against one of the league’s stingiest defenses. Once again, head coach Tony Sporano executed his game plan to perfection, converting on nine of 14 third-down attempts.
The Wildcat is not a new offense. The Dolphins’ version features their most electrifying playmaker, Brown, taking a direct snap from center, and then having the option of handing the ball of to the motion receiver, in this case Williams, or faking the handoff and taking it up the gut himself. This type of offense was developed in college football many years ago, and was recently implemented into the NFL last year by Sporano and former coach and current Dolphins’ VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells. In the past, coaches would not dare run this type of offense because NFL players were said to be too strong, smart, and quick for an offense such as this. Apparently, Sporano and Parcells knew something the rest of the league didn’t.
For some odd reason, the New York Jets looked extremely confused on defense. First-year head coach Rex Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens last season. Mind you, the Ravens have been known for boasting one of the top five defenses in the league since 2000. He brought this same philosophy to the Jets, along with some of his favorite players including Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard. He also played the Dolphins twice last year, shutting down this same Wildcat offense both times. So, if any blame is to be placed for Monday night’s debacle, it solely rests on Ryan’s shoulders for failing to adequately prepare his team.
Next Monday night, however, may be a game for the ages. The undefeated Denver Broncos travel to San Diego for the first time this season. Forget the fact that it is only their first meeting and we are only six weeks into the season; this is a must-win game for the Chargers if they want any shot at making the playoffs. Once again, they’ve gotten off to a slow start (2-2), except this time it may hurt them more than ever before. Last season, the division was fairly competitive. But after looking at both teams’ schedules with four games remaining, it was easy to conclude that the Broncos were probably not going to make it to the playoffs.
This year, however, poses a different Broncos’ team that seems focused and has taken on the mentality of their new head coach, Josh McDaniels. Their staff does a great job of putting the team in successful positions to win games. Add this to the fact that they have a great defense and a quarterback named Kyle Orton who doesn’t turn the ball over, and it seems that they are in a prime position to steal a victory in San Diego.
What makes this scenario even more likely to come true is the fact that the Chargers’ organization is currently in a state of flux. They were the premier team in the division and have been for a long time. But all of a sudden, they can’t run the ball because of a poorly assembled backfield. And they can’t stop the run because of dreadful outside linebacker play, which means there is no pressure on the opposing quarterback so they have trouble defending the pass. This chain of reaction is what the Chargers face every game. The Broncos’ staff is comprised of several former New England Patriots coaches, some of whom are widely recognized as the best game planners in the NFL. I believe that McDaniels will exploit the Chargers for their long list of shortcomings because that’s the New England way.
Get ready for another interesting Monday Night Football game!
Popularity: unranked [?]
Collector of the Month: Gabriel D’Arthenay
Posted by: | CommentsEvery month, Upper Deck will spotlight one of our valued collectors to showcase their collection. The great thing about sports collectors is that they are all very different in what they collect, how they collect items and what they do once they have them. This month we spend some time with a Rocky Mountain Super Collector named Gabriel D’Arthenay.
I have been an avid sports fan all of my life growing up in Denver, CO and rooting for all of the home teams. My passion became Denver Broncos football. I started collecting at a young age, but my collection has really taken off over the last five years in particular.
I started purchasing memorabilia for my sports room that included autographed items and game-used items from all sports. While I am very loyal to my Colorado teams, I also have a passion for Oklahoma Sooners football collectibles. I have been able to acquire a nice assortment of game-used jerseys and equipment from all of my favorite teams. Most of the cards shops in my area are pretty good about bringing in guest athletes, so by attending those events, I’ve been able to amass quite a collection of autographs.
I attended a local signing at a card shop and that visit brought back memories of collecting cards as a kid. My passion for collecting memorabilia soon turned to trading cards. Trading cards today seem to have a lot of elements of the memorabilia I collect and the best part is they don’t take up as much room. The trading card industry has evolved tremendously over the last 15 years and it’s a lot more exciting than it used to be. With autographed cards, game-used memorabilia cards and so many other exciting innovations, I never would have thought trading cards would come so far when I was a young boy. For the last few years, I’ve been collecting the SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph sets. Check out some of them here:
SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 1
SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 2
SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 3
I became a Jay Cutler collector when the Broncos selected him in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Bronco fans had been waiting for the next coming of John Elway and I was certain Jay was that guy. I focused mainly on all of his rookie cards which were mostly autographed. My prized possessions include the higher-end rookie autograph cards released by Upper Deck. I found the holy grail of my collection last year at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. I purchased a 2006 Exquisite Collection 3-color patch autographed rookie card #d to 20. This card is by far Jay’s best and most valuable rookie card. Currently I own over 80 Jay Cutler autographed items.
I was disappointed when Cutler was traded to Chicago, but I still believe he will become one of the better quarterbacks in the league. I decided to hold on to my collection in hopes that it will continue to gain value over time.
Besides Cutler, some of my favorite pieces include items signed by John Elway, Brett Favre , Champ Bailey, Adrian Peterson, Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan to name a few.
I started to exclusively purchase Upper Deck Authenticated items which include pieces signed by Adrian Peterson, Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods. UDA is a trusted source of memorabilia and has a selection of the best athletes from the major sports. The best part is you know that you’re getting the real thing.
I am excited about sharing my hobby with my children as they get older. This will all belong to them someday so I hope they will enjoy it as much as I do. Collecting is a passion and it takes a special drive and commitment to create a truly valuable collection that can be enjoyed across many generations. Sharing my passion with my family, friends and now all of you through the Upper Deck Blog is really special. I hope you enjoyed taking a look, especially my fellow Broncos fans!
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