Humphries and the Chargers experienced a magical start to 1994...kind of like the Broncos have in 2009
Remember 1994? If you can, you remember how magical a year it was for the San Diego Chargers. It started with the very first game, when it looked like John Elway was going to march the length of the field at the end of the game to beat San Diego in Denver. Then, the ball slipped out of his hands and Seau picked it off. Chargers win, 37-34. Week 4, Stan Humphries was crumpled on the turf, his knee bent back after being hit while throwing a pick six to the LA Raiders. Gale Gilbert was going to come in, but Humphries hobbled back to the huddle and led a drive down the field to win the game 26-24. Even at 4-0, the Chargers and their fans knew something special was happening.
The magic kept growing as the year went along. In Week 11, a critical 14-13 road win at rainy Kansas City, it looked like the Chiefs were going to come back and win but Joe Montana(!!) couldn’t get the snap off in time. In the first round of the playoffs, Pete Stoyanovich could have ended the dream, but no! The Miami kicker’s field goal sailed wide.
So many magical things had happened all year long that when it came time to defend the last series against Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game, the Chargers truly BELIEVED they would make something good happen. And so they did. BATTED DOWN!
Feel good to relive those memories? That’s exactly what the Denver Broncos are feeling right now.
The Broncos defense is much improved from last year/(AP Photo/ Barry Gutierrez )
From a bizarre tipped pass that turned their first loss into a win, to Brandon Marshall’s 1-on-5 catch and run against the Cowboys, to Sunday’s gutsy victory over the Patriots, the Broncos are building a resume of confidence and close wins. Worse yet (from the San Diego perspective) they are doing so with a team that clearly has talent on both sides of the football. Their young coach is fist-pumping for the camera and his attempt to dress like/look like/be like Bill Belichick is almost sick/fascinating, but you’ve got to give him credit. Josh McDaniels, so far, has the Broncos playing great football.
Having watched most of their last two games and all of the OT win over the Patriots, I am going to go ahead and shelve any thoughts of Denver pulling off another collapse like last year. Their defense is far too good to just fall apart like last year’s did. Brian Dawkins is the playmaker in the defensive backfield that the Chargers needed, but Denver got him instead. While Tom Brady did miss a couple of touchdown passes that I’d hope Philip Rivers would connect on, for the most part the Denver D was in Brady’s face and all over his receivers.
Orton's spreading the ball around and finding a rhythm in Josh McDaniel's "wild horses" offense/(AP Photo/ Chris Schneider )
Of greater concern (from a San Diego perspective) is what’s happening on offense in Denver. Kyle Orton’s found a groove and is developing chemistry with receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. Yesterday Royal, who had been largely absent from the first four games, re-emerged as a reliable possession receiver, catching 10 passes. Knowshon Moreno is running with burst and catching passes out of the backfield.
Did you see the Broncos’ “Wild Horses” formation? It was basically the “wildcat” with Moreno, except that 75% of the time Kyle Orton would go in motion from the wing and go back under center, then throw a quick pass from what was a spread formation. It’s the combination of the two things that have destroyed the Chargers defense so far: a downhill running game, and a spread passing attack.
What are the odds that: A) Norv Turner and Ron Rivera will talk this week about how the Chargers have been practicing against the “wild horses” formation, and B) the Chargers themselves will look completely clueless against this formation on Monday night?
Mike at Avenging Jack Murphy broke down the road ahead for the Broncos and Chargers, and it’s clear to me that the next six weeks will be a decisive sprint. The Chargers get two shots at Denver, and in between they battle two of the toughest teams remaining on the schedule (Giants, Eagles) as well as two of the weakest remaining (Raiders, Chiefs).
If the Chargers don't make a move in the next six weeks, Josh McDaniels will be pointing at an AFC West championship/(AP Photo/Chris Schneider)
The Broncos get a bye after the Monday night game then travel to Baltimore, play Pittsburgh at home, and back on the road to Washington before the return date with the Chargers. If San Diego beats Denver on Monday night, they could realistically hope to see them with three losses by the time the two teams meet again. If they lose, the Chargers would be 3 1/2 back with the Broncos getting San Diego on their snowy home turf next time around.
As the season has played out so far, the Chargers schedule has gotten easier. After Week 11, the toughest remaining games are on the road against the Cowboys, and at home against the Bengals. I could easily see San Diego sitting at 5-5 after Week 11, then running the table again to get to 11-5. The problem is, this year the stumbling start won’t get rewarded in the division. If the Chargers miss their chance to corral Denver on Monday night, those wild horses might get so far out in front that this time, they won’t be caught from behind.
Craig Elsten -
Chainsaw -
