On Tuesday, John Elway finally realized what everyone had been screaming about all training camp: A Super Bowl contender can’t enter the season and start three offensive linemen who have never played a down in the NFL. Particularly considering they’ll be blocking for a 39-year-old quarterback. Elway remedied that problem by signing All-Pro guard Evan Mathis.
Fun fact: The last team to start three offensive linemen who had zero NFL starts was the 2010 Denver Broncos, a team coached (to start the season) by Josh McDaniels and that ended the year a miserable 4-12. Thank heaven that crisis was averted.
The Mathis signing reaffirms that the Broncos have indeed pushed all of their chips into the middle. It is a refreshing sign, considering there have been whispers that Denver was ready to move on to the Brock Osweiler era.
The whispers of Denver looking to move on from Peyton Manning have been slowly growing. And, in what can only be described as a head-scratcher, there was/is a portion of Broncos Country that felt Elway and Company should have moved on this offseason. Those people are irrational.
Denver’s only chance to win a Super Bowl this season is with Manning at the helm. Before Tuesday, it was hard to tell if the Broncos felt that way or if the Super Bowl was really their goal. They’d never say that publicly, but why on earth would you try and protect Manning with three guys who’d never played a down in the NFL (including two rookies)? It made no sense. It’s understandable why so many fans and pundits didn’t believe the Broncos really had their eyes set on a serious run at a Lombardi Trophy this season.
So with The Duke finally standing up and calling “All-in,” I say it’s time this town does the same. Governor John Hickenlooper should lead the charge.
In the next couple of weeks Hickenlooper should release the Super Bowl parade route. But, don’t just release the route; go ahead and pick a day for the parade. By Sept. 13every Broncos fan in Denver should have the Super Bowl parade day marked on their calendar. This will give everyone plenty of time to ask the boss for the day off.
But, Broncos fans can’t ask Hickenlooper to be bold and not do the same themselves. Go ahead and start planning your Super Bowl parties; get your AFC Championship gear printed up; start putting away some cash for those tickets to the big game.
Or, if you really want to double down follow my lead, take advantage of cheap airfare today and book your flights to San Francisco.
Yes, I’ve already booked my flight to San Francisco for the week of the Super Bowl. This is no joke and I’m not alone. I attended Super Bowl XLVIII with Will Petersen and James Merilatt, both of whom also bought plane tickets yesterday to San Francisco for Super Bowl weekend (we’ll be damned if the last Broncos Super Bowl we attend is 43-8). Believing starts now.
I can already hear the curmudgeons.
What were you thinking?
You just put the cart before the horse you idiots!
It’s a long season and Denver needs to play one game at a time.
They haven’t earned anything yet.
Bad omen! You jinxed it!
First of all, take it easy with the coaching clichés.
Second, oh really? For the last three years I’ve refused to say the words Super Bowl for fear of a jinx. In 2014 I didn’t buy my tickets to New York until Monday morning, fearing I’d wake up from a dream and New England was actually the AFC champs. Did that passive attitude payoff? Not at all. It’s only led to heartbreak after heartbreak. It’s time to flip the script.
Broncos Country, it’s time to be bold this year. It’s time to believe deep down that this team can and will be playing in Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara (by way of San Francisco). No more beating around the bush.
On Tuesday, John Elway put his money where his mouth is; yesterday I followed suit. Who’s going to step up next?
