In Rides Flacco
I'm ancient enough to remember the glory days.
The days of old Mile High, where the boot stomping on those creaky metal stands would make a rumble that literally rattled opposing teams on the field below.
And the fear was probably because of the way the stadium moved at times, it looked like it could fall over. Ah, but the noise level was incredible. I probably have some as of yet undetected hearing damage from attending some of those classic games.
In that era, quarterbacks would rotate in from afar with the occasional hopeful draft pick and the Broncos would compete the best they could.
Charlie Johnson was the first of the old guys I remember, guys with a strong arm throwing from an invisible wheel chair. The barely mobile types like Steve DeBerg or Craig Morton, but they had some wisdom and a little zip on the ball.
Old man Morton and a strong defense took the Broncos to their first Super Bowl.
That first appearance on the big stage didn't go well, but the Broncos were done being the worst of the old AFL teams. Instead, they flourished in the Pat Bowlen era, helped in part by a quarterback they didn't draft in the form of John Elway.
Now, Elway in a seemingly desperate move to improve the offense is going for Joe Flacco, another aging gun slinger. Flacco was a Super Bowl MVP who beat Peyton Manning and the Broncos here in Denver in the playoffs on his way to his title.
That good Flacco stuff was way back in 2012.
Quarterbacks get old fast.
Of course the move isn't official until March 13. We're in the weird dead zone of the NFL calendar and any trades made can't be announced until that time. I trust the source. When the source is Adam Shefter, I tend to buy it. In the age of one source journalism, he's as reliable as they come.
Speaking of reliable, how much can Broncos Country rely on the new, old Joe?
No one really knows.
From injury possibilities to a complete revival, the future is always murky at best.
However, if Flacco shows up with a chip on his shoulder, aiming to prove to the world he can still chuck the pigskin for glory, he's a clear upgrade to Case Keenum. No offense to our original bridge quarterback, but Case looked overmatched much of last year. He looked uncomfortable.
If Flacco is only good for one or two more wins a year, that's an upgrade. You have a guy who isn't afraid of the big stage and has played some of his best when the pressure is at the highest level.
A couple more wins and Broncos compete for a wild card. That's an upgrade.
I don't think the trade for a fourth or fifth round draft changes the long term need for a young quarterback. The Broncos may yet draft another signal caller. Or two.
The collective draft wisdom from the world of football talking heads is that this is not a great draft class for quarterbacks. Most of the self proclaimed draft experts had only one QB grade out as first round talent, but they're all moving up now because so many teams are as desperate as the Broncos to get one.
As to grading this move, I'm going with a solid B+.
I'll also give some extra credit to Gary Kubiak. I'm guessing this move was his idea before he shuffled off to Minnesota. He coached Flacco and they both have glowing reviews of the other person. It certainly makes more sense if Kubes was still here, but Elway is going ahead anyway.
Elway still loves a drop back guy with some guts to go long.
That deep threat element has been missing from the Broncos offense since the retirement of Peyton Manning.
A little desperate?
Sure.
Elway despises the rebuild, and it could be to his detriment if this doesn't work out.
His three Super Bowl titles and his Broncos legacy are cemented, but I'm as certain he wants to leave the franchise in better shape than when he arrived -- strictly based on the promise he made his good friend Pat Bowlen. If Elway left tomorrow, his promise of another title is complete, but the overall franchise is adrift and pretty much the same way he found it.
I think his goal is being competitive now, with a foundation to win for the next GM or the next owner. Last year's draft with Kubiak's help was a step in the right direction. The Broncos need a several more steps to keep it going.
Here's to one more aging gunslinger donning the orange and blue. May it be as fun as it was to watch old man Craig Morton and the original Orange Crush defense.
The days of old Mile High, where the boot stomping on those creaky metal stands would make a rumble that literally rattled opposing teams on the field below.
And the fear was probably because of the way the stadium moved at times, it looked like it could fall over. Ah, but the noise level was incredible. I probably have some as of yet undetected hearing damage from attending some of those classic games.
In that era, quarterbacks would rotate in from afar with the occasional hopeful draft pick and the Broncos would compete the best they could.
Charlie Johnson was the first of the old guys I remember, guys with a strong arm throwing from an invisible wheel chair. The barely mobile types like Steve DeBerg or Craig Morton, but they had some wisdom and a little zip on the ball.
Old man Morton and a strong defense took the Broncos to their first Super Bowl.
That first appearance on the big stage didn't go well, but the Broncos were done being the worst of the old AFL teams. Instead, they flourished in the Pat Bowlen era, helped in part by a quarterback they didn't draft in the form of John Elway.
Now, Elway in a seemingly desperate move to improve the offense is going for Joe Flacco, another aging gun slinger. Flacco was a Super Bowl MVP who beat Peyton Manning and the Broncos here in Denver in the playoffs on his way to his title.
That good Flacco stuff was way back in 2012.
Quarterbacks get old fast.
Of course the move isn't official until March 13. We're in the weird dead zone of the NFL calendar and any trades made can't be announced until that time. I trust the source. When the source is Adam Shefter, I tend to buy it. In the age of one source journalism, he's as reliable as they come.
Speaking of reliable, how much can Broncos Country rely on the new, old Joe?
No one really knows.
From injury possibilities to a complete revival, the future is always murky at best.
However, if Flacco shows up with a chip on his shoulder, aiming to prove to the world he can still chuck the pigskin for glory, he's a clear upgrade to Case Keenum. No offense to our original bridge quarterback, but Case looked overmatched much of last year. He looked uncomfortable.
If Flacco is only good for one or two more wins a year, that's an upgrade. You have a guy who isn't afraid of the big stage and has played some of his best when the pressure is at the highest level.
A couple more wins and Broncos compete for a wild card. That's an upgrade.
I don't think the trade for a fourth or fifth round draft changes the long term need for a young quarterback. The Broncos may yet draft another signal caller. Or two.
The collective draft wisdom from the world of football talking heads is that this is not a great draft class for quarterbacks. Most of the self proclaimed draft experts had only one QB grade out as first round talent, but they're all moving up now because so many teams are as desperate as the Broncos to get one.
As to grading this move, I'm going with a solid B+.
I'll also give some extra credit to Gary Kubiak. I'm guessing this move was his idea before he shuffled off to Minnesota. He coached Flacco and they both have glowing reviews of the other person. It certainly makes more sense if Kubes was still here, but Elway is going ahead anyway.
Elway still loves a drop back guy with some guts to go long.
That deep threat element has been missing from the Broncos offense since the retirement of Peyton Manning.
A little desperate?
Sure.
Elway despises the rebuild, and it could be to his detriment if this doesn't work out.
His three Super Bowl titles and his Broncos legacy are cemented, but I'm as certain he wants to leave the franchise in better shape than when he arrived -- strictly based on the promise he made his good friend Pat Bowlen. If Elway left tomorrow, his promise of another title is complete, but the overall franchise is adrift and pretty much the same way he found it.
I think his goal is being competitive now, with a foundation to win for the next GM or the next owner. Last year's draft with Kubiak's help was a step in the right direction. The Broncos need a several more steps to keep it going.
Here's to one more aging gunslinger donning the orange and blue. May it be as fun as it was to watch old man Craig Morton and the original Orange Crush defense.
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