Come Monday night, we will only know everything about the Denver Broncos
Their game against the New England Patriots is the most telling of the season.
Not their biggest game. Not playoff-or-bust. But the game will help resolve the mystery that has been the Broncos’ 2008 season.
Are they a good team? Or just another team that is good on any given Sunday afternoon or Monday night?
“Yeah, but if we go in there and we do happen to come out with a win, people are going to be like, “Well, Tom Brady is down, they’re not the same team,”” said Broncos center Casey Wiegmann. “There’s always going to be something at the other end why we’re not a good team. That’s the way the NFL works. But we know we’re a good team, and we’re going to go in there and give it our all.”
Wiegmann speaks from 12 years of NFL experience. The Patriots finished 16-0 in the regular season last year, and were 18-0 entering the Super Bowl. Yet, people outside New England found reason to dislike them, and critics (cough! cough!) argued they weren’t great enough to go down as the greatest team in history.
There is no such thing as perfection in the NFL and there is no figuring a Broncos team that can score 41, 39 and 34 points in their first three games, only to get ripped by two touchdowns against the horrific Kansas City Chiefs in game 4.
The high-scoring victories were an encouraging start. It was the debacle at Kansas City — which will be lucky to win four games this year — that brought pause and uncertainty to Broncoland.
Lose to the Patriots without Tom Brady and the Broncos will enter their bye week surrounded by doubt. At that point, it would be easy to conclude the Broncos aren’t good enough on defense, and too young on offense, to sustain a playoff march.
But if the Broncos beat the Patriots, imagine the confidence that will permeate the Dove Valley locker room. Even without Brady, the Patriots are 3-2. After getting embarrassed last week in San Diego, the Patriots will play like an injured animal, ready to deliver its best game of the season in front of their home crowd and a national audience.
“You’ve still got their core guys, Randy Moss, Wesley Welker,” said Broncos safety Marquand Manuel. “You put your game plan together from the standpoint those guys are used to winning. They know how to win games.”
Brady or not, beating the Patriots at New England would become a telling accomplishment.
No. 6 is No. 16
The only Broncos player cracking the NFL’s top 25 in jersey sales is quarterback Jay Cutler. His No. 6 jersey ranks 16th in sales. It was the eighth-best selling jersey during September when Cutler was the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
Champ Bailey is the only other Broncos player whose jersey made the top 50.
Apparently, the Broncos would sell more merchandise if they engaged in more controversy. The Dallas Cowboys by far are No. 1 in team jersey sales with four of their players ranking in the top 10 — Tony Romo (2nd), Marion Barber (4th), Jason Witten (8th) and Terrell Owens (10th). No. 1 is Brett Favre’s No. 4 Jets jersey.
Weird stats
Should we call him Peyton “Checkdown” Manning? Manning ranks 15th with a 34.6 first-down percentage on pass attempts. Nothing unusual there except Manning has never ranked lower than 8th in first-down percentage since his rookie season of 1998 and was first in 2004-05.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
ROOKIE WATCH
Texans’ Slaton a sleeper
Who. Steve Slaton, RB, Houston
When. 2 p.m. today vs. Detroit
Why. After sensational freshman and sophomore seasons at West Virginia, Slaton’s stock slipped during a disappointing junior season, then he weighed in at just 199 pounds at the NFL combine. Slaton’s physical stature raised enough concern for teams to work him out as a receiver. The Texans did a nice job recognizing Slaton’s early college dominance, however, and stole him in the third round, where he became the 11th running back taken. He is third among rookies in rushing, behind Matt Forte and Chris Johnson. With Houston basically running the Broncos’ zone-blocking, one-cut rushing and play-action pass system, Slaton is on pace for nearly 1,100 rushing yards and 54 receptions.
RISE AND FALL
Ryan has been up to the task
ON THE RISE
1. Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan is having the best rookie QB season since Big Ben in 2004.
2. Cleveland Browns. They not only whipped the champs, Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards rediscovered confidence.
3. Indianapolis Colts. They lose Joseph Addai, but Peyton’s doing well now that Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark are healthy.
LOSING MOMENTUM
1. Dallas Cowboys. The way it’s going, Jerry Jones should consider inviting Jessica Simpson to his owner’s box, just to change his luck.
2. Baltimore Ravens. John Harbaugh should consider going back on his word and give Joe Flacco a breather.
3. Cincinnati Bengals. Even without Carson Palmer, they’ve been competitive in defeat.
AT ISSUE
Cowboys’ Jones
is still clueless
What. How ’bout them Cowboys?
Background. Even by their tumultuous standards, the Cowboys had a disruptive week. They lost QB Tony Romo, P Matt McBrier and RB Felix Jones to injury and CB Adam “Pacman” Jones to indefinite suspension. A day after Romo reportedly was to miss a month came reports he would play Sunday. Amid all this, the Cowboys surrendered their future — a first-, third- and sixth-round pick — in exchange for WR Roy Williams and a seventh-round pick. Williams was then signed to a five-year, $45 million contract.
Klis’ take. Owner Jerry Jones has put coach Wade Phillips in an impossible situation. Yes, Phillips is a nice guy with a “too soft” reputation. But Col. Red Blaik would struggle to instill discipline into Team Turmoil. Remember, Bill Parcells threw up his arms in surrender as he left Dallas. This is what happens when an owner grossly unqualified in football operations takes control of the football operations. Jones is just another brilliant businessman who has no clue how a professional sports team should be built, but meddles, anyway. It’s admirable Jones will spare no million to win now. But the Cowboys have virtually no chance of jelling the way Super Bowl champions always do, and giving up so many draft choices for Williams increases the chances that tougher seasons are ahead.
ON THE HOT SEAT
Gonzalez got too picky
Who. Tony Gonzalez, TE, Chiefs
When. 11 a.m. today vs. Tennessee
Why. Gonzalez let the world know he wanted to be traded to a contender from the destitute Chiefs. Five teams made offers — the Packers, Eagles, Giants, Falcons and Bills. Gonzalez rejected the Bills, who made the best offer with a third-round pick plus other compensation, and the Falcons. The Chiefs wanted more than a third-round pick from the Packers, who had their verbal agreement rejected by the Chiefs 10 minutes before the trading deadline Tuesday. Now Gonzalez returns to the sinking ship he essentially abandoned. He may be the all-time tight end leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns, but Gonzalez can’t be the most popular guy in his locker room.
