How Gary Kubiak and Wade Philips got it done vs the Patriots - good read

[chad72]

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14642395/gary-kubiak-wade-phillips-dialed-gem-get-bill-belichick-tom-brady-nfl

 

I thought it was one of the best defensive game plans against Brady in a while, reminiscent of the Giants' game plan in SB 42 and this article alludes to it as well. 

[dgambill]

You have to have the horses to pull it off....credit to John Elway for putting together that defense. That offense is still really underwhelming though. Peyton made enough plays in the first half but that running game is killing them...putting them behind the sticks all game long. Recipe for disaster...but they trusted Peyton to take care of the ball and not make mistakes and he did just that. Those that think Peyton's ego was to big to listen to people need to look at his two playoff performances this year. He has put aside his game to do what the team is asking..and doing it well.

[chad72]

29 minutes ago, dgambill said:

You have to have the horses to pull it off....credit to John Elway for putting together that defense.

 

Yeah, I am looking at the guys Elway brought in:

 

He won the Manning sweepstakes... and got rid of Tebow! As a result, in Elway's 5 years their record is 58-22, 5 divsision titles, 5 playoff wins, and haven't had to play a road playoff game since Elway signed Manning.

 

The 2011 and 2012 drafts are impressive:

 

Von (elite)

Moore (left for Texans)

Franklin (very good but left for Chargers)

Irving (good but left for Colts)

Julius Thomas (very good but left for Jaguars)

Virgil Green (good)

Wolfe (impressive)

Oz (lots of potential)

Hillman (middle of road)

Bolden (good)

Malik (impressive)

Trevathan (very good)

 

Also, his last 3 1st round picks (Sly, Roby, Ray) are all at minimum, above-average NFL starters.

 

Then there's Elway's FA record that includes Manning, TJ, Welker, Vasquez, Talib, and Ware. Heck, Peyton wished Polian was like that when he was GM.

[Superman]

Good example of free agency gone right. He brought in high demand guys, and almost all of them have done a good job.

[bababooey]

Good article but if it was Manning on the losing end it would have been a Manning choke article. But because it's Brady it's a "the defense did this" article. The "choker" is now 3-1 against the "greatest postseason QB of all time" in championship games.

[dgambill]

4 minutes ago, Superman said:

Good example of free agency gone right. He brought in high demand guys, and almost all of them have done a good job.

Indeed. He has identified guys that play the style (skill set) and with the intensity he desired. Not only that but guys that were elite but also still hungry. Guys like Ware and Sanders and Daniels can't be overlooked for their importance to this team. Don't forget he brought in Fox the father figure to mentor this team along earlier and then promptly changed course for Gary and Wade who changed the identity of this defense and offense. Elway's finger prints are all over the team. For better or worse he has given his fans something to cheer for year in and year out. Can't ask much more from a GM. They may not win it all but he has constantly idenitified what he has wanted to do and gone after it.

[Superman]

3 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Indeed. He has identified guys that play the style (skill set) and with the intensity he desired. Not only that but guys that were elite but also still hungry. Guys like Ware and Sanders and Daniels can't be overlooked for their importance to this team. Don't forget he brought in Fox the father figure to mentor this team along earlier and then promptly changed course for Gary and Wade who changed the identity of this defense and offense. Elway's finger prints are all over the team. For better or worse he has given his fans something to cheer for year in and year out. Can't ask much more from a GM. They may not win it all but he has constantly idenitified what he has wanted to do and gone after it.

 

Sanders is one of the best free agent signings in recent history. Got him for next to nothing, and he's been one of the most productive receivers in the league, outproducing Decker for less money. Pretty much just what Denver needed.

[Surge89]

3 minutes ago, bababooey said:

Good article but if it was Manning on the losing end it would have been a Manning choke article. But because it's Brady it's a "the defense did this" article. The "choker" is now 3-1 against the "greatest postseason QB of all time" in championship games.

 

Don't you know? Brady is a gift to football and when he loses to Manning (which is 75% of the time) it is because Manning has an unstoppable team and would choke it away if he didnt.  Oh but that doesn't apply to Brady because he never has a good team and does it anyways, you know except against Manning who always had great... (so on and so forth)

 

Such is the cycle of Bradytardation.

[bababooey]

4 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Sanders is one of the best free agent signings in recent history. Got him for next to nothing, and he's been one of the most productive receivers in the league, outproducing Decker for less money. Pretty much just what Denver needed.

That and Brandon Marshall for a 5th. Decker did have a year of Geno and being the only WR on a bad team to bring his stats down last year before Fitzmagic and Marshall joined.

[Restored]

12 minutes ago, bababooey said:

Good article but if it was Manning on the losing end it would have been a Manning choke article. But because it's Brady it's a "the defense did this" article. The "choker" is now 3-1 against the "greatest postseason QB of all time" in championship games.

 

Funny thing is, Barnwell still didn't point out Brady's horrendous play (the two picks) despite pointing out Manning's missed throws. He wrote for Mr. Boston Fan Boy (Bill Simmons) himself for awhile before it incredibly got shot down by ESPN.

[bababooey]

Just now, Restored said:

 

Funny thing is, Barnwell still didn't point out Brady's horrendous play (the two picks) despite pointing out Manning's missed throws. He wrote for Mr. Boston Fan Boy (Bill Simmons) himself for awhile before it incredibly got shot down by ESPN.

I'm trying very hard to find on Grantland his article going into our divisional game against Denver last year. Barnwell wrote 18 paragraphs on Peyton Manning's arm strength what-if's. Last paragraph was on what the Colts can do to win the game.

 

Hate Simmons because he's a massive homer on a high horse living on the opposite side of the country as his homeland, happy Barnwell lost the weight but he's too stat based for me. I wish the website was still around though.

 

I'm not interested in reading Boston writers or Pats fans try to spin this. Brady was awful. What a great day.

[dgambill]

17 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Sanders is one of the best free agent signings in recent history. Got him for next to nothing, and he's been one of the most productive receivers in the league, outproducing Decker for less money. Pretty much just what Denver needed.

Yep. He was a great signing. I think he was intended to bridge the gap on the outside for Lattimer until he would get moved inside to take Welker's place but he was better than anyone could imagine. Just think if the Colts would have signed him instead of bringing in Nicks....we may never had went down the Johnson signing or felt compelled to draft Dorsett. Don't get me wrong I was on board with both signings but it could have changed things significantly if we would have went after him. Anyways...good point...without Sanders that offense would be BAD. He has made so many big plays...as many if not more than DT who is getting paid like a mega star.

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, chad72 said:

 

Yeah, I am looking at the guys Elway brought in:

 

He won the Manning sweepstakes... and got rid of Tebow! As a result, in Elway's 5 years their record is 58-22, 5 divsision titles, 5 playoff wins, and haven't had to play a road playoff game since Elway signed Manning.

 

The 2011 and 2012 drafts are impressive:

 

Von (elite)

Moore (left for Texans)

Franklin (very good but left for Chargers)

Irving (good but left for Colts)

Julius Thomas (very good but left for Jaguars)

Virgil Green (good)

Wolfe (impressive)

Oz (lots of potential)

Hillman (middle of road)

Bolden (good)

Malik (impressive)

Trevathan (very good)

 

Also, his last 3 1st round picks (Sly, Roby, Ray) are all at minimum, above-average NFL starters.

 

Then there's Elway's FA record that includes Manning, TJ, Welker, Vasquez, Talib, and Ware. Heck, Peyton wished Polian was like that when he was GM.

The one spot however Denver has struggled with is the same as ours though...OL is their biggest Achilles so its not like we've been the only one to go through such things. There are no perfect teams...everyone has flaws...its how you come together to make up for them.

[bayone]

all true and thow in what Pete Prisco said

 

You can cut his neck in surgery and he can be limited by a foot injury, but that Manning brain remains the best weapon in all of football.

[bababooey]

46 minutes ago, bayone said:

all true and thow in what Pete Prisco said

 

You can cut his neck in surgery and he can be limited by a foot injury, but that Manning brain remains the best weapon in all of football.

People tried to take away Manning's impact in week 17. Saying "it was the 2 win Chargers", "he only completed 5 of 9 passes" (despite a couple of his own teammates drops), "they ran the ball most of the time".

 

In addition to being a morale booster, he's on the line dissecting the defense, calls the right play and his OL is able to execute that play because he calls something that will most likely beat the play they have lined up, then he gets San Diego to jump offsides twice, extending his drives where he went 3 for 3 in coming away with points to secure the number 1 seed. He was great last week too, was just closer than it should have been because of all those horrible drive killing drops.

[oldunclemark]

2 hours ago, dgambill said:

The one spot however Denver has struggled with is the same as ours though...OL is their biggest Achilles so its not like we've been the only one to go through such things. There are no perfect teams...everyone has flaws...its how you come together to make up for them.

Very good point...Elway has made far more good moves than bad but the O-line has been a puzle...

They have some rookies now who may pan out but the uniit is the teams' weak spot..

 

I think Elway's secret hasnt been any special knowledge but simply a sense of urgency brpiught on by Peyton's age

[21isSuperman]

I remember when the Broncos hired Wade Philips, I said it was one of the most underrated moves in the league.  Wade's defenses are almost always near the top of the league and the Broncos have a lot of talent on defense for him to work with.  Great hire by Kubiak.

[dgambill]

5 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

I remember when the Broncos hired Wade Philips, I said it was one of the most underrated moves in the league.  Wade's defenses are almost always near the top of the league and the Broncos have a lot of talent on defense for him to work with.  Great hire by Kubiak.

Wade's defenses typically fade a bit...whether its late in the season or the 2nd and 3rd years. I think a lot of it is because of the pressure blitz blitz man on man pedal to the medal play calling that leaves teams to get beat up etc....but that said he has never had the personnel I don't think he has had in Denver....DEEP DL....DEEP secondary....must be nice. I think after the game someone said Bill went over to him and told him he called one hell of a game...indeed he did....I didn't think he could cover those underneath throws and crossers (because what we saw against Pittsburgh)...well they brilliantly passed off the receivers and played a ton of zone...kudos to Wade!

[chad72]

3 hours ago, dgambill said:

Wade's defenses typically fade a bit...whether its late in the season or the 2nd and 3rd years. I think a lot of it is because of the pressure blitz blitz man on man pedal to the medal play calling that leaves teams to get beat up etc....but that said he has never had the personnel I don't think he has had in Denver....DEEP DL....DEEP secondary....must be nice. I think after the game someone said Bill went over to him and told him he called one hell of a game...indeed he did....I didn't think he could cover those underneath throws and crossers (because what we saw against Pittsburgh)...well they brilliantly passed off the receivers and played a ton of zone...kudos to Wade!

 

He did, as DC for Chargers - he always played Brady tough. Jamaal Williams as NT, Merriman and Philips in their prime as OLBs, Wilhelm and Cooper for ILBs, Jammer and Cromartie in their prime for CBs and Drayton Florence for nickel, it was one heck of a group defensively that gave both Peyton and Brady fits. 

 

However, the Patriots could scheme well against the Chargers offense while the Colts could not to beat them. In 2 games as a Charger DC vs Brady, he won a game in Gillette Stadium 41-17 with Brees as QB in 2005 (also gave us the loss from 13-0 to 13-1 in Indy in 2005 season) and lost 21-24 to Brady in the divisional round that helped Indy host the 2006 season AFCCG thanks to dumb mistakes by the Chargers (thank goodness, otherwise the Chargers would have creamed us on the road, IMO).

 

That is why when the average Pats fan said "Brady owns Wade's defenses", I came back with the rebuttal that when he coached the Ds of the Cowboys and Texans, what kind of secondary did he have and what kind of pressure did he have? When he had the Chargers' D in its prime, Brady DID NOT own Wade Philips. He now has even slightly better personnel than he did with that Chargers D, so 2-0 vs Brady this year, go figure.  People are just too lazy sometimes and run with narratives that fit their argument without depth.

[oldunclemark]

5 hours ago, dgambill said:

Wade's defenses typically fade a bit...whether its late in the season or the 2nd and 3rd years. I think a lot of it is because of the pressure blitz blitz man on man pedal to the medal play calling that leaves teams to get beat up etc....but that said he has never had the personnel I don't think he has had in Denver....DEEP DL....DEEP secondary....must be nice. I think after the game someone said Bill went over to him and told him he called one hell of a game...indeed he did....I didn't think he could cover those underneath throws and crossers (because what we saw against Pittsburgh)...well they brilliantly passed off the receivers and played a ton of zone...kudos to Wade!

 

 I think 'speed' defense tend to wear down as the season goes on because the defensive players beat themselves us with high speed collisions.

  TJ Ward knocks himself out every game...Some of Denver's players (Seattle does this too) throw themselves around so much that they cant survive long stretches without a bye..

 

..I think the bye week helps defense more than offense anyway but the Denver defense that played Seattle 2 weeks ago had big, old Pot Roast in the middle, just old Champ Bailey on the outside  (they did not have Von Miller, Derek Wolfe and Chris Harris, who were hurt) ...

...That's why I think Wade can dial up pressures that will bother Carolina a lot.....given 2 weeks

  

[BullsColtsFan1]

Pass rush.  I would love to have the Broncos pass rush.  They hit Brady 23 times which was double the amount of times he had been hit in any other game.  They scored just enough points and held New England to 18 which is amazing.  They are usually guaranteed over 20 for the most part.