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Vs. San Diego Chargers (W 26-16)
The Keith Poole Era has begun. On Saturday night, Eddie Kennison
was kicked out of the Broncos team hotel. Reportedly, the
sixth year man from LSU told head coach Mike Shanahan that his heart simply
wasn't in it, anymore. Admittedly, Kennison has struggled since
August, racking up gargantuan totals in his role as the second
WR. 15 catches for 169 yards and 1 TD. Or, the same totals over
eight games, that Rod Smith
would have in one game against Detroit.
The Broncos had to scramble at what was, literally, the 11th hour to replace
their starting wideout.
Thus, the Keith Poole Era began against the Chargers. It didn't get off to a rocking start,
so the Scottie Montgomery Era began. Scottie hurt his knee, so
the Chris Cole Era began. By Monday afternoon in Dove Valley, things were
so messed up that the Matt Domniguez Era was about to begin.
Strangely enough, the possibility popped up that the Eddie Kennison Era
may actually re-start.
With all the shuffling, Terrell Davis became sentinmental
on Monday, and decide to undergo another surgery. Taking a page from Mark Schlereth's
book, TD is now attempting to inspire his teammates by consistently
going under the knife. Only difference, is that Schlereth would actually
PLAY the next week, after scoping out his knees. In what was apparently
an undocumented surgery, TD had his stones removed sometime in
1999.
Without a doubt, things are just a bit discombobulated around YOUR
Denver Broncos. Sunday's game against the Chargers was a peculiar
contest. Doug Flutie has only thrown one pass in his entire career
in Denver. - a last minute desperation pass in the brawl that was
the 1988 season ender- In other words, the last time Doug Flutie
was in town, Tony Dorsett was the Broncos' runningback.
Flutie was never on his game as the Broncos ran up a 20-0
score by halftime. Flutie wasn't to blame, however. Chargers coach
Mike Riley foolishly decided to throw downfield with 37 seconds
left in the first half. The Broncos
had just scored, and it was 13-0. Conventional wisdom says you simply down the ball,
go into the locker and take your chances in the second half.
With the ball at about their own 25, the Chargers tried to pass
over the middle. John Mobley intercepted the ball, and the ensuing play saw
the Broncos score their second TD in a 30 second span- Griese
threw a 3 yard pass to Dwayne Carswell for the 20-0 clip.
The second half opened, and it looked like the Broncos would roll.
Terrell Davis suffered a knee injury in the second half, but kept
getting touches. The offense slowed down a bit, as Mike Shanahan seemed
intent on getting Terrell to the 100 yard mark. TD ended up carrying
the thing 33 times...for a mammoth 2.5 average, falling short of 100.
Griese continued with short passes to the new receving crew.
It seemed possible that, perhaps, Eddie Kennison was the crap nugget clogging the drain,
as his three replacements would appear open at times. In case, you
were not paying attention, CBS' Dick Enberg punctuated every pass by
yelling "WIDE open!", repetitively. The specific receiver would then be tackled by
two or three Chargers. "WIDE open" means nobody within
10 or 15 yards of you, and you have running room..or, it's
used to describe your mom on a Saturday night. It does not mean "catching the pass and
then being forced out of bounds, or hit". There is a difference.
The Chargers made it respectable- Doug Flutie hit a fluke
72 yard touchdown lob to Curtis Conway. Ironically,
Dick Enberg did NOT proclaim that Conway was "WIDE open" as
he went unmolested into the endzone. It was enough to tighten the score, but
didn't seem to be of much concern. Next series, however,
Brian Griese again scored highly on the Moron Aptitude Test (MAT), and
brought the Chargers back into the game.
Griese was being rushed, a concept he has failed to grasp, and
did his best Dave Krieg impersonation. Instead of taking the sack,
he tossed the ball over his shoulder, and allowed
Chargers lineman Raylee "Ya can call me Ray, ya can call me Lee, but ya dusn't have to
call me Mister" Johnson to waddle in for a defensive TD. I usually enjoy
seeing fatguys get into the endzone, but this was sick.
Griese was trying to convince the refs that he was
throwing the ball. He threw it to his right shoulder. If he was trying to
throw to anyone, it was himself. Pathetic. The very next series,
he fumbled, but luckily, the ball rolled out of bounds. Griese was showing a little stubble
on his chin this weekend. He needs to shave, so that there will be no mistaking
him for what he is- a pussy.
With the Chargers closing to within 10, it fell to the defense to
save the day.
Mike Shanahan mentioned this week that he' now tkaing a more proactive role
in the Ray Rhodes' defense. Whatever the philosophy, whoever
was calling the plays in the fourth quarter performed up to snuff.
Flutie was intercepted three times in the fourth. George Coghill,
Jimmy Spencer and Deltha O'Neal all received commemorative souveneirs
from the 3' 8" QB wonder. The Broncos held on to win and
bump their record to 5-4. Flutie finished 12 out of 31, for 165 yds, 1
TD and 4 INTS. What's was his rating? You should KNOW this, campers....we
covered this in WEEK TWO!
With Mike Anderson replacing the injured Davis in the lineup for the next few weeks,
the Broncos' offensive personnel continues to fluctuate.
Olandis Gary
was inactive the past two weeks, but will be
strapping up the ol' Riddell for the next two. Tony Carter looks to be entrenched
as the starting fullback, as he made his second straight start. Patrick Hape
has been moved back to TE, and Matt Domniguez has been shuffled to WR.
Washington and Dallas are up next. Neither team has looked scary, or even
mildly offensive. The mediocre Broncos could find themselves at 7-4, and back in
the AFC playoff hunt by month's end.
Finally, in all fairness to Eddie Kennison, I can understand what he's going through.
His mom's in the hospital and his pregnant wife's also having troubles.
I always maintain that football is a mental game, and if your concentration is
off, then you're putitng yourself and your teammates in a compromising position.
Bronco fans have been bashing the guy's unproductive play for weeks, now.
But, in the long-run, which is more important? Taking care of your family, or
playing football halfway across the country? For all I know, Kennison
could be a complete flake, but if he is quitting to be with his family,
then he should receive more respect than any All-Pro or Player or the Week
BS could ever grant.
FINAL CUTS
Special mention to Shaun Alexander for racking up 266 yards and
embarassing the Rayduh Nation Baybee. He only needed 10 more to
bump Corey Dillon off the record books. Freaking Seattle, they
try to set a record, and do a half-assed job of it.
...||...
Eric Dickerson interviewed Ray Lewis after Monday Night's game.
Mushmouth has a cousin.
...||...
Just a thought, but with all the fines the Broncos' offensive linemen have
received this season, do they still have their self-inflicted Kangaroo
Court fines?
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