****BIG GAME PLAY---rated as a NFL PLAY OF THE WEEK ON:
Denver -3
(EZ 34-24 WINNER!)
-The Mile High City should be Rockin Big Time as Denver opens its season against their AFC West rival the Kansas City Chiefs at Invesco Field tonight...The last time the Chiefs came to Denver they were handily demolished by the score of 45-27...Besides this lopsided score in last years game, the result being a loss to KC is something which has been regularly occurring for the past few years in Denver...In fact, the Chiefs has not won in Denver since the 2000 season and now has currently lost their last 3 in a row in the Mile High City.
Besides this strong history that the Broncos has vs the Chiefs at home in recent years, I like their chances even more so tonight because of several
"KEY FACTORS" that will be existing in this game and which gives the Broncos additional advantages to extending there record to 4-0 vs their rival in their House...
KEY FACTOR # 1: Last year, the Chiefs came into this game possessing the NFL's # 1 scoring Offense, behind RB Holmes, QB Green, and his talented WR and TE corp...This year, their WR and TE corp has been hit hard by the injury bug during the pre-season...Everyone one, except WR/KO return man Dante Hall and rookie WR Smith, were at one time or another injured and missed valuable practice time with the Offense, most importantly with QB Green...
-Starting WR Boerighter (knee) is out...and starting WR Morton (achilles), although probable for this game tonight, has only returned to the practice field this week after being out for more than a month...Another big hit to the passing game is the lost of TE Wilson(broken leg) for a good part of the year...TE's Gonzales and Dunn, as well as, backup WR Kennison all missed practice time during the pre-season due to injuries....But they will be playing tonight...
The missing of practice time could be a huge problem, especially for QB Green as timing with his WRs is something that can only be achieved with a lot of practice....Also important, an achieved with practice time between the QB and WRs, is the ability to be on the same page, which is important in order to automatically and instinctively communicate without speaking a word...This valuable missed practice time takes away from the smooth transition between QB and WRs/TEs, and without the timing and kinks being worked out, may result in wrong routes by WRs, and lack of passing accuracy by the QB...The Chiefs passing Offense will definately not be completely in smooth working order because of the injuries they suffered, and making matters worst is the fact that they will have try and get this timing down during the game and with a defender in their faces....Because of this, I see this years stronger Bronco secondary with CB Bailey and SS Lynch in the lineup having a decided advantage...
KEY FACTOR # 2: Last season, this Chiefs defense was ranked # 30 in run defense...This year, they hired Defensive Coach Gunter Cunningham to try and stop the bleeding...It is not that easy for a team to learn a new defensive scheme and it will take some time and games before they will be able to effectively run the new system....
Problem for the Chiefs...is that they will have to be learning and playing in this new defensive system without its top middle LBs in Mitchell(ankle) and Maslowski(knee) both of whom will be missing this one...This is another Big negative for the Chiefs as the Broncos possess one of the leagues best OL and now have a RB in Griffen, who is Barry Sanders like in his running taking over the top RB spot...Not good news for the Chiefs on defense..
KEY FACTOR # 3: Last year the Chiefs had the 2nd leading scorer in NFL history kicking for them.....This year, the Chiefs has released the old yet dependable Morton Anderson and enter the season with two unproven kickers....Punter Cheek and PK Tynes has never appeared in a regular season NFL game...
This gives Denver another Big edge with their PK Elam at home, if this one turns out to be a kicking matchup...Note: 4 of the last 5 games between these two have been decided by 7 pts or less, and 15 of the last 17 games have been won by the team scoring last...FGs could be Huge in this one...Big advantage goes to Denver...
KEY FACTOR # 4: Denver under Coach Shanahan has done very well in their season openers, winning 7 of 9 home openers...and Denver has won and covered 9 of the last 10 when hosting a division foe...
Opening up the season strong and with a win is vitally important to many coaches like Shanahan...and being that it is against a division rival makes it all that much more important...Big advantage goes to Denver as this one is at home in their House.
Bottom line for me, is that Denver should again take care of the Chiefs at home like they have been doing the past several years...But this year with all the Chiefs inpending problems it may have in the passing game and due to the fact that the Broncos have revamped their defensive squad with some key secondary and DL acquisitions, should make it easier for them to be able to focus completely on shutting down the running of Holmes....If he goes, then the Chiefs Offense will follow...I also like the Broncos Big here because of the fact that the Chiefs, beside having the dangerous Dante Hall on the special teams, will be relying on unproven Punter and more risky, an unproven PK...and Mile High in Primetime is not an easy place to start in their first NFL game.....The Broncos win this one in solid fashion again this year and take the lead over their rival in the race for the division title....Take the Broncos as a
BIG GAME PLAY--PLAY OF THE WEEK selection!....Aloha CC.