Inside The Enemy Camp: Denver Broncos

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos this weekend so we are going inside the enemy camp to talk with Kim Constantinesco, the lead blogger over at Predominately Orange, FanSided’s Broncos site.

I talked with Kim for the second time this season and asked her about the recent troubles with Spygate II, the last Chiefs/Broncos game and what her prediction for Sunday’s contest is.

Let’s go inside the enemy camp with Predominately Orange.

AA:Well…so…um…you kicked our butts in Denver. I took a lot of heat for predicting a Denver victory way back then but even I didn’t think things would get that out of hand.

My question for you is, how did that happen? I mean, the Broncos have been terrible this season, only winning 3 games. What looked different to you about the way Denver played on that afternoon as opposed to the rest of their losses?

PO: They got off to a quick start and were able to maintain their momentum throughout the game. That has been the first and only game for the Broncos where that’s happened. They had things going on both sides of the ball. Defensively, they stopped the run and capitalized on a turnover. Offensively, they had both the passing game and the rushing game going. This offense is capable of putting up 40+ points on more than one occasion if they have both facets going. The key stat for the Broncos in week 10 was their ability to convert on third down. They went 6-10 that day, but in their last two weeks, they’ve gone 2-22. I’m convinced that the Broncos are their biggest opponent. You never know which team is going to show up.

AA: What are your thoughts on Spygate II? We KC fans think it is hilarious of course but what is the reaction in Denver?

PO: It’s an unfortunate situation that happened at an unfavorable time. Some people still blame McDaniels for not knowing what was going on within the organization and then not being responsible enough to report the incident in a timely manner. Some people want the situation to be a cause for firing, but that won’t be the case. If the Broncos were 8-3 right now, fans wouldn’t be down his throat about it.

AA: Is the Denver ownership embarrassed enough by McDaniels’ antics and record that they’ll be willing to can him and pay three coaches next season?

PO: A lot of it will depend on what happens with the five remaining games. If the Broncos win out, I think McDaniels will keep his job and owner Pat Bowlen will see things as going in the right direction. If a change is made, to hire someone like Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher would be a big hit on the Broncos’ wallet. They may hire internally considering they have to pay three coaches, they’ve lost money during Shanahan’s “bring them aboard for any amount” mentality and needing to continue to pay for the construction of Invesco. Bowlen’s heart would like to keep McD, but his head is spinning at this point.

AA: You guys have had a lot of injuries in your secondary and I read that you’ve had to insert a few rookies back there to hold things together. How have they been doing?

PO: Corner Perrish Cox has seen a lot of action playing opposite Champ Bailey. He’s filled in for Andre Goodman and has gained invaluable experience. Not many rookies have had to face Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Matt Cassel, Joe Flacco, and Mark Sanchez in one season. All of those guys have put Cox to the test and while I think he will be a very good corner in the league, he’s still got a lot of work to do.

Darcel McBath and David Bruton are two 2nd year players who have had to fill in at times for Brian Dawkins. Overall the secondary hasn’t made many big plays compared to other teams in the league. The Broncos have four original starters who are over the age of 30 so they have seen quite a few nagging injuries, but their 20th in pass defense ranking isn’t due to injuries in the secondary. It’s due to the lack of pressure up front.

AA:The Chiefs struggled mightily against the Denver passing attack. Since you’ve seen every game this season, what is the best way to slow down Orton and Lloyd?

PO: Not to give away too many secrets, but when people have been physical with Brandon Lloyd, that’s really slowed the passing attack down. Also, sometimes the best defense is a good rushing offense. The best way to stop them is to control the clock by running the ball well (which you guys do), and keeping them off the field. Despite not having a solid rushing attack, Orton has put up incredible numbers this season. The Broncos really get into a bind when defenses stop them on first and second down. If they face third-and-long, their drive is good as done.

AA: Lastly, your prediction for Sunday. Will we see a repeat of the Denver massacre? Or will the Chiefs get revenge?

PO: Chiefs – 36 Broncos – 21