Broncos win Hoodie Bowl I

The Protege bests the Master in their first meeting as opposing head coaches.

ALERT: In case you were wondering, the Broncos schedule has started. Before the Cowboys game last week, the warnings were falling down all over the Front Range like an October snowfall – the Broncos haven’t played anyone yet. Their competition was weak, and they should have won those games. Wait until the real games start. Then after a solid effort against a floundering Cowboys team, the excuses continued. We were just kidding, they said. The Cowboys aren’t any good – the Patriots. That’s when the real schedule starts. So my question is this:

Has it started yet?

In what I am now calling the “Hoodie Bowl”, Josh McDaniels came out firing, with a new variation on the Wildcat offense called “Wild Horses”. Rather than a simple direct snap to a tailback, Wild Horses puts the QB in the slot, allows him to read the defense, and if the read calls for it, the QB simply goes in motion and returns to center to run an alternate play. It’s brilliant, and even though it only fooled the Pats once, it kept them guessing for the rest of the game.

Well played, Mr. McDaniels.

The Broncos offense, coupled with a solid recovery by a defense that started shaky, won a game that not even some critical special teams mistakes could ruin. In fact, that’s what is impressing me about this team right now. It is not a team that has reached its full potential. It will get better – and when it does, watch out. I can’t believe I’m saying this, especially after the off-season shenanigans – this is a team on full-steam march to the playoffs. The “gauntlet” portion of the schedule, suddenly doesn’t look so scary. Will they come out undefeated against Indy, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Diego (twice)? Probably not. But every game is winnable, and this is a team that has a chance to surprise us at every turn.

At what point should we quit being surprised?

Articles similar to this:

• September 11, 2009 -- Orange and Blue Forced to Wait in Line (1)
  So how do things look at Dove Valley, from where I stan...
• January 12, 2012 -- Living Large in Broncos Country (1)
  Don’t count these Broncos out. Whatever it is, they’ve...
• January 11, 2012 -- First test of new overtime rules no test at all (2)
  It was the first time the NFL's new overtime rules for ...