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(This is the Corners look at the upcoming NFL season. For the next 32 days we'll be previewing each team and their prospects for the 2006 season. Today we look at the Denver Broncos.)
The Denver Broncos had a disappointing ending to a very good 2005 season that saw Mike Shanahan's squad go 13-3 in the regular season and win the AFC West division. In the playoffs, the Broncos advanced to the AFC championship only to lose to the Steelers at home in Mile High.
A deep, veteran squad returns with the hope to go one step further than last season and give Shanahan a third Super Bowl victory.
Offense: Jake Plummer (3,366 yards, 18 touchdowns) led his team to a division title and deep into the playoffs, but he was inconsistent at times and non-existent in the championship game. The window of opportunity is closing for Jake the Snake, thanks to age and Jay Cutler, the Broncos number one pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Plummer is still the man, but the time is growing short. Bradlee Van Pelt is the third QB.
Mike Anderson and his thousand yard season are gone, but Tatum Bell returns and will be handed the starters job after a solid 921-yard, eight touchdown campaign. Shanahan loves to alternate backs, so expect to see a lot of Ron Dayne and/or Cecil Sapp as well. Kyle Johnson is an excellent receiving fullback who scored five touchdowns last season.
The big offseason acquisition for the Broncos was the trade for Packers disgruntled receiver Javon Walker. Walker missed all of 2005 due to injury, but he's recovered nicely and is one of the best wideouts in the game when healthy. Ageless wonder Rod Smith (85-1,105-6) returns to give Denver a potent 1-2 combo. Ashley Lelie (42-770-1) wants out of Denver and has threatened a training camp holdout. He really has no leverage considering he's under contract, but Shanahan may deal him just to shut him up. Darius Watts, Charlie Adams and rookies Brandon Marshall and Domenik Hixon will fight for playing time.
Jeb Putzier is gone at tight end, but veteran Stephen Alexander takes over and rookie Tony Scheffler will see plenty of time on the field.
What can you say about the Denver offensive line? Every season it's one of the best units in the NFL and this year is no exception. Shanahan is a master of the running game and his blocking schemes are tailored for the undersized quicker lineman that the Broncos have. All five starters return so expect Bell to rack up nice numbers. Tom Nalen is an All-Pro center, Ben Hamilton and Cooper Carlisle are at guard and Matt Lepsis and George Foster man the tackle spots. Greg Eslinger, Cornell Green, Taylor Whitley and former tight end Dwayne Carswell provide excellent depth.
Defense: This unit was considered a patchwork at the start of last season, but came together to be one of the top defenses in the league. Ten starters return and barring injuries, should be solid once again.
Long time Broncos favorite Trevor Pryce is gone, but Courtney Brown, reborn in Denver, is back at one end spot. John Engleberger, Ebenezer Ekuban (four sacks),and free agent pickup Kenard Lang will battle for Pryce's starting job. Rookie Elvis Dumervil is a pass-rushing specialist at end. Gerard Warren (three sacks) and Michael Myers anchor the middle. Demetrin Veal is a key reserve.
The strength of the Denver defense is the linebackers. Their quick, athletic, run to the ball and make big plays. Al Wilson (72 tackles, three sacks) is the captain from his middle linebacker spot, while D.J. Williams (55 tackles) and Ian Gold (88 tackles, three sacks) control the outside. Free agent addition Nate Webster and Patrick Chukwurah will see action as well.
Champ Bailey cemented his All-Pro status with eight interceptions last season and will lead a young, but impressive corner group in 2006. Domonique Foxworth (70 tackles, two interceptions) starts at the other corner slot. Darrent Williams (two picks) and Karl Paymah will play significant amounts of time. John Lynch (61 tackles, four sacks and two picks) starts at strong safety with Nick Ferguson (79 tackles, five interceptions) set as the free safety. Sam Brandon provides depth.
Special Teams: The special teams suffered a blow when punter Todd Sauerbrun (43.8) was hit with a four-game suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Jeff Williams is currently the only other punter on the roster and Shanahan may elect to bring in a veteran free agent. No problem though with the kicker as Jason Elam (115 points, 24-32 field goals, 43-44 extra points), the all-time leading scorer in Denver history, is back for another season.
Williams (8.7) and Adams (8.3) will fight it out to see who returns punts, while Williams (23.9) and Roc Alexander (21.8) return kickoffs.
Outlook: This is a loaded, veteran team, barring injuries, that will challenge for the division, the conference and the Super Bowl. Plummer's time is growing short and the opportunity has never been more ripe for him to take advantage of. The addition of Walker opens up the offense and gives Plummer a serious deep ball threat. Shanahan is one of the top five coaches in this league and he may have his best team since his Elway Super Bowl runs in 1997-98.
Prediction: This team has the capabilities to win the AFC and the Super Bowl, provided they stay healthy and play at the level they did during the 2005 regular season. Denver is unbeatable at home so if Shanahan's charges do well on the road, the AFC title game could be played in Mile High once again. The Broncos will finish 12-4 or 13-3.
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ESPN recently finished showing the Top 3 "Webgems" from every Major League Baseball team. This morning, they showed the best of the best as the Top 10 Webgems of all time.
Were I to rank my Top 3 Labor Days, followed by the Top 10 Days of all time, September 4, 2006 would probably make both lists.
Kel from Who Threw That Ham At Me? and I were at a happy hour plotting a hang-out and started discussing wine country. As we were firming up plans last weekend, Michael from Try Not To Panic expressed an interest in going. Chad Fox couldn't make it, but gets a shout-out here for introducing me to both these guys.
I like my baby to be pretty when I start a road trip, so I got her an Ultra-Wash.
They always miss a couple of spots near the vents on the hood, but they do a pretty good job for the price.
I picked the boys up at Kel's around 11:30, put on the country music, and we were on our way. Despite my fears of Labor Day and Bay Bridge closure traffic jams, we made it to Healdsburg in just over an hour. For those who don't know me, I'm over Napa, and mostly over Sonoma. Great wineries for sure, but I think the wine farther north can be just as good, the people are much more fun, and the tasting price (free) is right. (My exception to this is when friends from out of town want to do a tour -- I think some of the Napa wineries are a little better.)
J Winery was our first stop as they have great wine, pair it with food, and we hadn't eaten lunch. It was a gorgeous day, and we availed ourselves of the outdoor special of wine, cheese, and meat. They planned to serve us their Brut, a Chardonnay, and two Pinot Noirs, but brought out a third Pinot at Kel's request. I didn't request the ogle-worthy waiter, but I certainly enjoyed both him and the third Pinot. The meat on the tray with the cheese wasn't bad either. I always forget to take pictures, so I made my companions pose.
Our next stop was Camellia Cellars, where they make, IMHO, some of the best red wines in California. I forgot the pictures this time, but here is one from their website:
The man on the right is Bruce, who always doles out good wine and good conversation. This time, he even gave me a taste of 2005 Petit Syrah, which currently has too high an alcohol content for production. It tided me over nicely until we got to Hop Kiln, especially given that Michael volunteered to be our DD. It's nice to have a car that others want to drive. Thanks again, Michael.
Hop Kiln makes some nice wines, especially their Thousand Flowers white, but I mostly take people there because "I like-a da sauce". They have a smorgasbord of pestos, mustards, and dessert toppings. I like the Cognac Pepper Mustard and Pinot Chocolate Sauce seen here, but Michael fell in love with the Pumpkin Sauce.
Davis Bynum was our next stop. My two favorite pourers weren't there, but I thought Kel and I had a good time. After looking at some rarely seen footage of me, though, it seems that I had a good time and Kel fell asleep:
Our last wine stop was Locals, a tasting room in Geyserville. Again, my two favorite folks were absent, so we tried a number of wines but didn't linger. Since the sun was still shining, we decided to drive over to "The 1", AKA the Pacific Coast Highway. There's something soothing about the ocean, and John Denver said it best: "Sunshine, on my shoulders, makes me happy." It's hard to imagine anything more beautiful than the right day in California, but you can judge for yourself.
Michael drove us back to "The 101" as the sun set and Kel and I reprised favorites from my country mix. We were a hungry bunch when we arrived in SF, so we parked the car and headed to Espetus. What could please the three of us more than a place where the meat just keeps on coming. Like J, Espetus too had an ogle-worthy waiter. His inability to slice the meat correctly (and his pink shirt) made him that much cuter.
After dinner, Kel and Michael went home. I had the next day off, so I went to Badlands, sad to say. I had a bottle of water and a chat with Charlie, AKA "The Whoooh Guy". It didn't take long to realize that I was unlikely to meet a boy worthy of the day, so I packed up a smile and a bunch of wonderful memories and headed home.
Here's hoping your Labor Day was as good!
Denver Broncos Schedule
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