Right move by McDaniels pays dividends
The heart and soul of their respective defenses square off Sunday in a big-time AFC matchup.
We all know how big Brian Dawkins has been for this defense. When the Broncos made that acquisition, we could have seen the signs that maybe something was up. This franchise that looked to be a huge mess on a downhill slide into perennial mediocrity landed a major free-agent signing. Not just any signing, but the kind of signing that usually only happens to a franchise on the uptick. Dawkins is no spring chicken. The guy is looking for the last couple chances he’ll have to get to, and win, a championship. That Dawkins looked at his career, looked at his legacy, and chose to spend what could be the final years of that career in Denver under Josh McDaniels and Mike Nolan, signifies that B-Dawk saw something we didn’t. Hindsight being what it is, we now see what he saw.
The part of the story that we often forget, but the part that is very interesting, is that the Broncos were in widely publicized talks with Ray Lewis to join this defensive unit as well. Can you imagine the toughness of this D with 52 standing next to Dumervil? But it makes you wonder – why didn’t Ray Lewis see what Dawkins saw? Maybe to fair it has nothing to do with Denver and everything to do with being optimistic about his own team’s future, whereas Dawkins was all but kicked to the curb in Philadelphia.
But my point is this – and it casts and interesting light on this weekend’s game in Baltimore. The Broncos opened talks with both of these guys, and for all we can tell, they were far more aggressive with Dawkins than with Lewis. And so far, I think that move is proving to be the correct one. Champ will always be Champ, Dumervil is becoming a star, but Dawkins has brought an attitude and toughness to this unit that hasn’t been seen since Al Wilson and Ian Gold anchored the linebackers, and Atwater and Braxton roamed the secondary.
This Sunday poses what looks to be Denver’s most difficult test yet. That’s what they said about Dallas. And New England. And San Diego, in primetime, on the road. And it’s what they’ll say about Pittsburgh. And New York. And Indianapolis. And they may be right. But looking at this weekend, and this weekend alone, I think the key matchup is not Denver’s D against Flacco – if Rivers and Brady couldn’t score, I’m confident that Flacco will fall short as well – it will be Denver’s offense, which has been electric at times, and anemic at others, against the Baltimore defense, which is a far stingier unit than any Denver has seen until now. No one doubts the defense – but the Orton doubters are still a vocal bunch in Denver, and will continue to be (probably forever). Look for McDaniels to find the Ravens weakness, and exploit it. I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure he’ll find it. My guess – go after the secondary. Kyle Orton might have to open it up, which is the least comforting thing for a Denver fan, and honestly, what might make this game Denver’s first loss. I’m loathe to pick against the Broncos, but playing the odds says they won’t go undefeated, and on the road this is a tough game. The bye week advantage is eliminated because Baltimore has the same advantage.
(Incidentally – what’s up with this – the Broncos got 3 opponents this year off their bye week. Chargers – already won; Ravens; Steelers)
Although we won’t get to see them square off face to face, this game signifies the move Denver made and the move they could have made. Dawkins, who symbolizes everything this defense is about, against Lewis, who symbolizes everything the Ravens defense is about. Here’s to hoping the move was the right one. Even if Denver loses this game, you’d be hard pressed to argue it wasn’t.
You were right-on with your assessment of this game, and I couldn’t agree more that Dawkins was still the right choice considering the gaping holes in our secondary that we called safeties last season.