Denver Broncos mid-season recap/analysis

Adamo Marinelli

November 20, 2021

What a strange year for Broncos Country. In a year where the players and staff on the team and all of the fans had playoff aspirations - and perhaps even more - most of the fanbase is shocked and quite frankly stunned heading into their bye week, which starts tomorrow. 

     The Denver Broncos started out 3-0, with wins over the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets. After week 3, they were the number one ranked team in the AFC West and the entire AFC. They outscored their opponents 76-26 in those games and had the best defense in the league in multiple categories, including the fewest points allowed. 

      Their quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater looked good, everybody was accepting Head Coach Vic Fangio’s decision to start him over Drew Lock at QB in 2021. Their running back core of Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams looked great, and their wide receiver core, despite losing Jerry Jeudy was performing admirably. Also, Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam had played extremely well at the tight end spot through the first three games.

     Not to mention, their entire defense was playing at a high level. Their defensive line was winning the battle in the trenches against the opposing offensive lines, stopping the run and their linebackers were getting constant pressure on opposing QBs. Their secondary played very well, including rookie cornerback Pat Surtain, who emerged as one of Denver’s best corners.

     Despite the 3-0 start, a lot of people criticized the Broncos as a result of playing weak teams and therefore having an inflated record. And they were right… sort of.

     In a league like the NFL, it is hard to win a game. So, a win is a win, regardless of who is put in front of you. Also, with all the upsets we’ve seen so far this season, none of those three games were ‘freebies’. But did the Broncos deserve to be 3-4 after week 7? The answer is yes.

     However, then the Broncos went on a four-game losing streak, thanks in part to starting games very slowly on offense, poor offensive play and lack of an ability to convert in the red zone, poor coaching on both sides of the ball, defensive struggles against the pass one week, and against the run in the next week, and of course, they were hit very hard by the injury bug. 

     In week four, after taking a 7-0 lead, they gave up 23 unanswered points to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The Broncos virtually took away the run from Baltimore, which was their biggest strength, however, Jackson proved he can win games with his arm, gashing the Broncos’ supposedly string secondary for 316 passing yards and a TD.

     In week five, they started out slow, scoring only six points in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers. They played poorly defensively, could not stop the run, and gave up deep touchdowns to Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. Their offense didn’t show up until the fourth quarter, where they scored 13 points. However, it proved to be too little too late as Bridgewater threw his first interception of the season on the game’s last play while trying to tie up the game.

     In week six, the Broncos were set to play a Los Vegas Raiders team that just dismissed head coach John Gruden. This is a game that the Broncos should have capitalized on to improve to 4-2, but exactly the opposite of that happened. The Broncos had another very slow start, only scoring seven points in the first half and only 10 through three quarters. Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake contributed in both the run and pass game and Derek Carr lit up Denver’s secondary. Denver’s offense didn’t show up until the fourth quarter, where they scored 14 points in garbage time. Denver fell to 3-3.

     In week seven, they were set to play against the Cleveland Browns - who were without Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and Baker Mayfield - and Broncos Country looked to have a pretty good chance of winning to improve to 4-3. However, the Broncos started slow again, a common theme, and were shut out in the first half. They allowed Cleveland led by Case Keenum at QB to score on their first drive, but the Browns only scored three more points to end the half up 10-0. The Broncos outscored the Browns 14-7 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. The Browns’ third-string running back D’Ernest Johnson tore up the Broncos’ normally stout run defense on the ground, gaining 146 yards, a touchdown, and the game-sealing first down. The Broncos didn’t run the ball as much as they should’ve which led to numerous 3&outs.

      So after starting the season 3-0 atop the AFC West and AFC, they found themselves at 3-4 in the basement of the AFC West after losing four consecutive games. Were the critics correct?

      In week eight, they played the Washington Football Team who has a pretty special defense and an underrated offense led by Taylor Heinecke. In a game where it seemed that the 30-yard line cursed both offenses and where both teams tried their best to give the win to the other team, the Broncos finally came out on top. The Broncos took a 10-3 lead into halftime, their first halftime lead since their 26-0 week three win against the Jets. The Broncos shut down the run and generated constant pressure against Heinecke, without Von Miller, who was out with an injury. They recorded five sacks and two interceptions and did just enough on offense despite struggling in the red zone to give them a win and improve to 4-4. Melvin Gordon had a rushing and receiving touchdown for the Broncos, he led their offense. However, that final offensive drive was the worst I’ve ever seen and almost cost them the game. Just kneel the ball, Shurmur.

     In week nine, the Broncos would face their biggest test yet. Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys, who were entering this matchup 6-1. Even without Prescott, the Cowboys dominated the Vikings in week eight with Cooper Rush starting at QB. But Prescott would play against Denver. In their first game after trading franchise defensive cornerstone in Von Miller, the Broncos’ defense absolutely dominated the Cowboys. They held Ezekiel Elliott to 51 yards and their entire rush attack to 78 yards and shut down their secondary shut down the Cowboys’ elite passing attack, limiting Prescott to roughly 75 yards passing through just over three quarters. The Broncos recorded a handful of sacks against Dallas’ top-tier offensive line, rookie safety Caden Sterns recorded an interception and the Broncos stopped the Cowboys four times on fourth down. The Broncos’ offense also clicked extremely well. Teddy Bridgewater played very well recording 249 passing yards, a beautiful 44-yard TD pass to Tim Patrick, and a rushing TD. Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams combined for 191 yards rushing and a touchdown, tearing up the Cowboys’ rushing defense. The Broncos shut out the Cowboys for 55 minutes on the road and even held a 30-0 lead with 4:30 minutes left in the game before the Cowboys scored two garbage-time touchdowns to make the score look respectable. Denver’s game against the Cowboys was their best game of the season and one of their best games in the last few years.

     In week 10, the Broncos hosted the Philadelphia Eagles at home with a chance to record their second three-game win streak of the season to improve to 6-4 heading into the bye week and complete the sweep of the NFC East, their first sweep of a division since 2015. The Eagles entered the game 3-6, but they had dominated teams on the ground in their last few games. Hurts made a handful of nice, timely throws including a beautiful 36 yard TD pass to rookie Devonta Smith, but the Eagles beat the Broncos using their defense and run game, as they like to do, recording 216 yards on the ground. The Broncos kept it close until about the middle of the third quarter. Then several mistakes killed the Broncos. They got inside the Eagles’ 10-yard line twice and had to settle for field goals both times. One was blocked. The Broncos have to finish drives inside the red zone better. The Broncos struggled in the red-zone scoring a TD on only one trip out of five. Then, after a Justin Simmons pick, down 20-13, Gordon fumbled on what would have been a fourth-down conversion which would have given the Broncos a fresh set of downs to try to tie the game, Darius Slay picked up a fumble and took it 82 yards to the house, which essentially sealed the game. The Broncos are now 2-3 at home.

     So far this season, the Broncos win games when they stick to running the ball, when their defenses generates pressure on opposing QBs, when they limit their own mistakes, penalties, and turnovers, when their defense forces opponents to turn the ball over, and when they get leads in games. They lose games when they turn the ball over, abandon the run game, fail to convert for touchdowns in the red zone, when they start slowly on offense, make mistakes, and when Fangio/Shurmur coach poorly. 

     So, entering the bye week, the Broncos find themselves 5-5 and last in the AFC West. They are only one game back of the Kansas City Chiefs, who lead the division at 6-4. This season is not over yet for the Broncos. They have five of their remaining seven games against AFC West opponents and therefore still control their own destiny. Those games are all winnable if they play as they did against Dallas, limit mistakes, and trade field goals for touchdowns. Their other two games are against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions, both of which are winnable. 

    Head coach Vic Fangio, and the entire coaching staff - who are facing a lot of criticism for inconsistency - still have a lot to prove to save their jobs and potentially earn the Broncos a playoff spot, which they are still in the hunt for. In addition, they have a roster full of players who are hungry to make the playoffs for the first time in their career and end the Broncos five year playoff drought. The only player on the team from their Super Bowl 50 win in 2016 - the last time they made the playoffs - is kicker Brandon McManus.

     With a lot of motivation to make the playoffs, and save jobs in Denver, I predict that the Denver Broncos will pull it together and go 5-2 in their final seven games, finishing 10-7, clinching the seventh seed. They will beat the Lions and the Bengals and split with the Chargers, Raiders, and Chiefs. However, this is a best-case scenario. I can see this team going 3-4 or worse in the final seven games if the coaching and play calling doesn’t improve.

Men’s Canadian Soccer is back and better than ever

Adamo Marinelli

November 19, 2021

     The Canadian Men’s National Team got even closer to qualifying for their second World Cup berth in their history and their first since 1986 with a dominant 2-1 win over Mexico on November 16. 

     This win was their first win against Mexico since a wild Gold Cup quarterfinal win in 2000.

     Forward Cyle Larin scored both goals for Canada against Mexico and the Canadians were stout defensively all night long against a potent Mexican attack. 

     With the huge win over Mexico on a chilly, fall evening in Edmonton, Canada leaped to first place in the CONCACAF table with a record of 4-4-0, good enough for 16 points. They are the only undefeated team left in the group and are ahead of the United States (15 points) and Mexico (14 points).

     In their first eight qualifying matches, they’ve scored 13 goals and conceded only five. This has come against numerous quality teams, which makes it even more impressive. Canada has scored the most goals among any country at the international in 2021 with 53 in 18 games.

     With six matches left to be played, many Canadians all over the country are extremely optimistic about their chances to qualify for Qatar 2022. 

     Their remaining strength of schedule is quite favourable. They play Honduras, El Salvador, and Jamaica who rank eighth, seventh, and sixth respectively in the CONCACAF standings. With the talent on the Canadian roster, they should win all of those games with relative ease. 

     They have winnable games over Panama and Costa Rica who rank fourth and fifth. 

     The only extremely tough game they have remaining is a matchup with the second-place United States on January 30, 2022. 

     The United States has been playing just as well as the Canadians as of late. The last time these two teams met was a 1-1 draw on September 5th, a match where the Americans outshot the Canadians and won the possession battle. The Canadians have improved a lot since then. 

     The Canadians have played their toughest three or four games already and with a favorable schedule to come, end 2021 sitting pretty in first place atop the CONCACAF table.

     Personally, I believe the winner of that matchup will likely win the group. Mexico’s reign atop the CONCACAF table is over after falling 2-0 to the US and 2-1 to Canada.

     Canada has been very solid defensively, they play physically, do not give their opponents the chance to get set up, and often control the possession time.

     On offense, they get production from everyone - starters and reserves - and there is a lot of talent on this roster behind Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David. If any team takes them for granted, anyone on the roster can be the difference-maker in a crucial match.

     In 2018, when John Herdman took over as manager, the team was in a bad place, dysfunctional to say the least. 

     There was internal conflict between players of different ethnicities in the locker room and players felt that their facility was not a safe environment where the players felt like they can play at their best and hone their skills. 

     Almost four years later, the narrative changed. The leaders of the team knew that if they could improve the culture and team spirit, with the talent they have on their roster, they’d be in a prime position to compete with the best of the best. They did just that.

     The culture has improved drastically, the team spirit and mutual respect everyone has for each other in the locker room has never been higher and they have talent and depth at nearly every position. This is a team that looks like it has been playing at an elite level for decades. The dysfunctionality before and right after Herdman took over is gone and it feels like that happened 30 years ago, not four.

     On defense, Canada has a lot of talent with guys like Alphonso Davies, Doneil Henry, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston, and Kamal Miller among several others. However, Sam Adekugbe, a former Vancouver Whitecaps fullback has emerged as one of Canada’s better defenders in the last few World Cup qualifier matches with several elite performances, including playing the full 90 minutes in Canada’s last two games, both of which were super important. He has the skill set that makes him a natural fullback and he has gained the trust of Herdman. 

     With his defensive prowess, physical play, and ability to push the ball upfield, this gives Canada additional depth at the position, which allows Herdman to push Davies up the pitch into a more prominent attacking role. Despite being a natural fullback, Davies possesses the skills to set up his teammates and take quality shots on target.

     On offense, they have a plethora of talent and depth at every position including guys like Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchannon, Atiba Hutchinson, Cyle Larin, Stephen Eustáquio, and Jonathan Osorio among many others. They can get offensive production from any of these guys. 

     All of those guys can score goals and set up their teammates with crisp passes, but their offense is set up in a way that allows some guys to advance the ball up the field and juke past defenders, some guys to make the passes to open teammates, and some guys who are responsible for scoring and who can score from anywhere.

     Not to mention, Canada’s keeper Milan Borjan has been tremendous as of late, making many key saves against Mexico towards the end of the match against Mexico to preserve Canada’s lead and who makes excellent saves on a consistent basis to keep Canada in games and to keep Canada from falling behind in games. 

     Canada’s national team looks incredibly good right now and they are in a prime position to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Originally, Canada wasn’t supposed to qualify for their second-ever World Cup until 2026, when they would co-host the illustrious tournament with the United States and Mexico; however, with the way they’ve been playing, they look to be four years ahead of schedule. 

     With the Canadian women’s team winning the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, there are even more expectations to qualify for Qatar 2022.  

     Do you believe now, Canada? I sure do.

What do the Redblacks do after a very difficult season?

Adamo Marinelli

November 9, 2021

     The Ottawa Redblacks currently sit at 2-11, with one game remaining in their season. The Redblacks had moderate expectations to make the playoffs entering this season but could not execute on either side of the ball for the majority of the year and got behind big in many games.

     They started the season with an electric win in a close defensive game against the Edmonton Elks, where the Redblacks’ defense dominated. They recorded multiple interceptions and held the Elks in check all game long.

      After the first game, the Redblacks would proceed to lose 10 of their next 11 games. Their only other win would come against the Elks in a game where the offense clicked in QB Caleb Evans’ first start, scoring 34 points, their highest output of the season. Their defense also dominated with multiple sacks and interceptions. As a result, the Elks will have the first pick of the 2022 CFL draft and the Redblacks will have the second pick.

     The Redblacks faced a lot of injuries throughout their entire roster and they struggled at the QB position at the beginning of the year with Matt Nichols playing with a hurt shoulder.

     However, the main reason for the Redblacks’ struggles this year is their poor offensive line play. The Redblacks lost both Alex Mateas and Nolan MacMillan - two critical pieces of their offensive line - to retirement before the season. The Redblacks also dealt with numerous injuries on the offensive line. The Redblacks could not overcome those challenges and their offensive line was unable to succeed this season. 

     The offensive line struggled all season long. They gave up 49 sacks, 15 more than both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Saskatchewan Roughriders who each gave up 34 sacks, the second most sacks allowed in the league. The offensive line could not block long enough to give any of the Redblacks’ QB’s enough time to get set up - whether it was Matt Nichols, Dominique Davis, Caleb Evans or Devlin Hodges - and the offensive line could not block long enough to give the receivers enough time to develop their routes and get open. 

     As a result of their offensive line struggles, the quarterbacks struggled and did not have time to get the ball to their receivers. That led to a lot of two and outs - the Redblacks had the most two and outs in the entire CFL this season by a wide margin - which means the defense spent a lot of time on the field. Their defense was the worst-ranked unit against the pass but the sixth-best unit against the run. Their defense has several talented pieces and they had some dynamic plays: the Redblacks defense ranked fifth in the CFL in sacks with 27 and sixth in the league in interceptions with 12. However, it’s difficult to excel on defense when you’re on the field almost the entire game like the Redblacks’ defense was.

     This caused the Redblacks to find themselves in big deficits numerous times this season, which has led to many losses. Nine of their 11 losses were by more than 10 points. 

     The Redblacks have a decent defense and an offensive unit with numerous skill players like R.J Harris, Devonte Dedmon, Anthony Coombs, and Timothy Flanders. Their quarterbacks aren’t great but Caleb Evans, Devlin Hodges, and Matt Nichols are all reliable with a good offensive line. 

     So, the number one priority this offseason for the Redblacks - aside from finding a new general manager to replace Marc Desjardins; who has been the only general manager of the Redblacks since their inaugural season in 2014 - is to fix the offensive line. 

     Whether it is from the CFL draft or from free agency, the Redblacks need to add several pieces to their offensive line. By training camp next May, they should have plenty of competition at every position on the line, to ensure they can put together the best offensive line next season. 

     The Redblacks have a number of draft picks in 2022, the offensive line should be how they allocate the majority of their picks. Look for them to target the best offensive line prospect with the second overall pick. The 2022 draft is rich with offensive linemen, as the 2020 and 2021 class of linebackers is eligible for this draft. There are also a decent amount of free agents on the offensive line in 2022 the Redblacks should target.

     With a good offensive line, the quarterback has time to set up, the receivers have time to run their routes and the offense stays on the field for longer which helps out their defense. All of their quarterbacks struggled under the offensive line this season, understandably so, therefore, with a strong offensive line and a few other key pieces, they should be able to compete for a playoff spot.

     Despite going 5-26 over the last two seasons, I don’t think it’s time to blow it up completely. Like I said before, if the Redblacks can get a good offensive line, with the talent they have on the rest of their roster, they can compete for a playoff spot. Also, Redblacks’ Head Coach Paul LaPolice - despite not showing us a lot of positives this season - will be in his second season with the team next year and should be able to get more production from this team, particularly the offense. 

     The Redblacks did not improve very much on either offense or defense throughout the season. They stayed quite stagnant all year. Their offensive line, quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs, and secondary all struggled constantly this season, the Redblacks’ offense could never quite find their rhythm and their defense kept giving up a large number of points each game as a result of being on the field too long. However, improving their offensive line and getting more consistent production out of their quarterbacks will fix all this season’s errors.

     It will be another long offseason for fans in R-Nation, but with some help on the o-line, they know their team can compete for a playoff spot.

     Expect the Redblacks to play all of their young guys for the entire game, if not most of it, when they travel to Montreal for their season finale. It will be the start of the reloading process where they will see what prospects they have, especially on the offensive line and at quarterback, where they need the most help.

Ottawa Senators Season Preview and Expectations

Adamo Marinelli

November 2, 2021 

     The Ottawa Senators’ season has barely gotten underway but there is already so much to be happy about if you are a Sens fan.

     The bad news is the Senators are currently sitting at 3-5 on the young season, seventh place in the Atlantic Division. The good news is the Senators are right in the thick of the Atlantic Division playoff race and with almost the whole season ahead, there is a lot more room for success and improvement. The better news is that the Senators will be competing for a playoff spot with pretty much their entire roster. The only significant piece that is missing is Colin White who is on the injured reserve. His absence will hurt the Senators as he can do a lot of things for the team, including taking faceoffs, playing on special teams, scoring goals, etc. 

     The Senators finally signed Brady Tkachuk on October 14 to a seven-year, $57.5 million deal, which is something all Sens fans have been anticipating since the last offseason began. 

     Alongside him on the first line are Josh Norris and Drake Batherson, two budding stars in the NHL. This line has been deadly so far this season combining for 17 points (10 goals, 7 assists) and if their production continues, it could be one of the better two-way lines in the league.

     The Senators have acquired many young prospects on both sides of the puck and are currently in the phase where the rebuild is reaching its end and their time to compete for a playoff spot is approaching rapidly.

     The Senators have many talented young players on offense such as Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Connor Brown, and Chris Tierney among others. In addition, they have reliable veterans in Tyler Ennis, Zach Sanford, Logan Shaw, and Colin White - who is currently on the injured reserve but is a factor on this team when healthy - that can contribute every night on the scoresheet and be a mentor to the young guys in the locker room and on the ice. Their top six is extremely talented and their bottom six is a decent unit that ranks around the middle of the league. 

     Also, the Senators have a pretty underrated defensive core with a lot of talent all over the blue line, particularly with guys like Thomas Chabot, Victor Mete, Artem Zub, Nikita Zaitsev, Michael Del Zotto, and Josh Brown among others. They are by no means the best defense in the league and have a lot of room to improve even further. But, they have a lot of skill on both the left and right side of the defense, and with some more development and playing time for the youngsters, they can outperform expectations. 

     This is a defensive unit that will not necessarily be a top-five team in fewest shots allowed or fewest goals against, as they are still a pretty young group. However, this is a defense that can control possession time, make it tough for opponents to get quality chances and they are a defensive unit that likes to get involved offensively. Thomas Chabot in particular is a premier offensive defenseman considering his shot, ability to set teammates up, and the fact that he plays a lot of minutes every night. He’s one of the NHL leaders in time on ice and makes an impact on both sides of the puck. Zub and Del Zotto are the veterans in this group that will mentor the young core. They’re just as tough as they are on offense as they are on defense. 

    The Senators still have quite a few talented prospects that will be in the team’s future anywhere from 2-4 years down the line like Jake Sanderson and Jakob Bernard-Docker on defense; Shane Pinto and Ridley Grieg at center, and Roby Jarventie on the left-wing among others. Lassi Thompson and Tyler Kleven are also potential future studs at the blue line.

     Finally, the goaltending position is one of, if not the most important position for the success of the hockey team.

     Last year, the Senators had a plethora of goalies with guys like Matt Murray, Joey Daccord, Anton Forsberg, and Filip Gustavsson. This season, with Murray out and Daccord gone, the Senators will rely a lot on Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson, two guys that really came into form last season and look to have an even better season this year. They don’t have the best goalies in the league, but both are reliable and if they get hot, the Senators can make a run.

      The Senators have a pretty good roster with depth and talent on both sides of the puck and have a pretty good coaching staff led by DJ Smith. They also have a pretty wide prospect pool. 

     They have the talent, but now they have to execute on both sides of the puck to succeed. That starts with their special teams unit.

     Last year, the Senators struggled mightily on the powerplay, finishing with the fifth-worst powerplay percentage in the league at 15.52 percent.

     This year, the Senators’ powerplay unit should perform much better. They’ve all had more time to work together, D.J Smith has made the special teams a priority during training camp and during practices - as special teams win games. Their first powerplay unit is Tkachuk, Norris, and Batherson as forwards and Chabot as defensemen with Stutzle also on the back end as the one-timer specialist. Their second unit is good too, consisting of Zach Sanford, Chris Tierney, Connor Brown on offense, and Artem Zub and Tyler Ennis on offense. 

     Last year, the Senators had the 11th worst penalty kill percentage at 78.95 percent. For a group of young guys, reaching almost 80 percent is an achievement. This year, their first unit of penalty killers is Nick Paul, Connor Brown, Nick Holden, and Josh Brown. Their second line is Dylan Gambrell, Zach Sanford, Nikita Zaitsev, and Artem Zub. Their first PK line provides speed and the ability to create short-handed chances in transition - something the Senators excelled at last season. They had seven shorthanded goals last year which was top 10 in the league and it should improve this year. Their second PK line has some defensive veterans to slow down the opponents’ offensive attack and limit shots on goal and zone time by clearing the zone and using their transition offense. This penalty kill should be around 85 percent success this year.

     The Senators in all likelihood will not be competing for the Atlantic Division crown and the Stanley Cup this season. However, if everything goes according to plan and the Senators get great goaltending in front of a solid defensive core and a talented young offense, this team could compete for a wild card spot. 

     If they don’t make the playoffs this season, they will be able to compete for a playoff spot and potentially even the division title 2-3 years down the road when more of their top prospects like Jake Sanderson, Shane Pinto, Jakob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto, and Ridley Grieg among others get permanent spots on the roster. 

     For this season, I am predicting a 35-36-11 record for 81 points, which should be enough for fifth place in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers, Lightning, Bruins, and Maple Leafs will all finish above Ottawa. At the very best, Ottawa can finish fourth above Boston but that is a tough task. This means they will miss the playoffs this season, but next year, the Senators can start competing for a playoff spot, a division title, and even more.