My 10 Keys to Beating Denver

[BossChief]

1) Dontari Poe pushing that pocket. If he is able to make Manning move left to right consistently, that's gonna give Hali and Houston opportunities to strip that ball and hit the 5head.

2) No drops. We are gonna need every yard. Every first down. Alex needs to be able to get in a rhythm and keep the offense moving and putting points on the board. Dropped passes kill drives and we can't afford to have that happen against a team like Denver. We need to play a near perfect game to win.

3) Hitting Manning. Over and over. He needs to get hit almost every drop back. Force them to get the ball out before they want to and let our guys make plays on the ball. Hitting that egghead early and often without sending blitzers is imperative in winning this one. It's gonna
be cold and he isn't gonna want to move too much to get the ball out. If we can consistently hit him and make his injury really bother him, we can take over the game in the third and fourth quarter. We just need to keep it close until then. IMO of course.

4) Keep Dunta Robinson off the field. Nuff said.

5) Replace Jeff Allen with Schwartz. Allen just gets beat way too much to keep that starting spot.

6) Move Hussein Abdullah into the starting free safety spot. Manning will be targeting Lewi over and over if he is out there. Same goes for Dunta Robinson. From what I've seen since day one, Hussein is the second best safety on this team in almost every measurable way. Faster, more physical, better instincts, better ball skills. Just a better player.

7) Take the ball away without giving up the big play. All 3 of our corners, DJ and Berry all have good ball skills and we need to take advantage of the fact that Manning will be looking to get the ball out early by jumping some of the short routes. It's gonna be COLD and there will be opportunities for big plays in the secondary...we need to take advantage of those chances. 1 dropped pick could be the difference in the games momentum.

8) Eric Fisher will need to show why we picked him first overall and he has his work cut out for him. Von Miller is about as good a player as he will face all year and he needs to have a solid game against him. If Miller is able to run wild and we need to keep a tight end in to block, that's gonna hurt Alex Smiths chances of moving the chains through the air. Which leads me to...

9) Alex Smith needs to bleed that defense for every inch Sunday night. He needs to be pinpoint accurate all night and take advantage of the defense compensating to stop Charles. We need 300 yards from Alex and no turnovers to have a chance. 260 passing 2tds and 50 rushing would be perfect. A rushing td would be an added bonus that is probably needed to beat a team like Denver.

10) Shutting down their running game without giving up too much bad info for play action passing because Peyton will be watching. Their running game is better than in years past and we need to atop it at the point of attack and not force ourselves to committ too much safety help to doing so. If we can do that we should be in good shape on third downs.



If we take care of those things, I think we have a good chance at beating Denver in their place and being a possible superbowl favorite come Monday morning.

[BossChief]

We take the ball whenever we can because we are at our best playing with a lead.

If we have a chance to possibly score the first points against Denver, we better take that chance.

[BigRock]

- Press the **** out of the receivers. To say nothing of Indy, Washington held the Donks to 7 points in the first half playing press man. And their defense is a walking abortion.

- Hit the **** out of Manning. The Chargers held them to 7 points in the second half because Peyton's a broken shell of a man who never shook that strip fumble early in the 3rd quarter. And that was before the hit near the end that left him gimpy.

- Tackle the **** out of the ball carriers. Limiting YAC may be the biggest key to the game.

- Convert the **** out of turnovers. They're averaging almost 3 turnovers a game over the last month, and against defenses nowhere near as opportunistic as ours. These need to turn into points.

If those 4 things happen and the offense can hold up their end, Peyton will be crying himself to sleep on his huge pillow.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by BossChief

We take the ball whenever we can because we are at our best playing with a lead.

If we have a chance to possibly score the first points against Denver, we better take that chance.

I'd kick the ball to start the game every single time regardless of opponent.

[keg in kc]

I love how a "300-yard day" for Alex Smith includes rushing. I don't think any QB that's ever played in the NFL has been graded on that sliding scale, not McNair, not Young, not Cunningham, not Vick.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I'd kick the ball to start the game every single time regardless of opponent.

Against most teams, I'd have to agree.

But I'd rather have a chance at an early lead against Manning than possibly having to play from behind because we gave them the ball first.

Especially with their defense giving up points and yards like they do.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Against most teams, I'd have to agree.

But I'd rather have a chance at an early lead against Manning than possibly having to play from behind because we gave them the ball first.

Especially with their defense giving up points and yards like they do.

I know what you mean but I think Denver is the last team you want to risk allowing to get those back-to-back possessions to end and start the halves.

I like our defenses chances at forcing a Denver punt on the first possession of the game.

[Redcoats58]

Have we lost a coin toss this year? I like kicking to start also.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

I love how a "300-yard day" for Alex Smith includes rushing. I don't think any QB that's ever played in the NFL has been graded on that sliding scale, not McNair, not Young, not Cunningham, not Vick.

Smith's legs have arguably been more important to our success than his arm.
He has been very opportunistic in converting first downs in critical situations with his legs. Dude's got some pretty good wheels and knows when to use them.

[Mile High Mania]

Contain Charles and Protect Manning - those are the 2 main keys to victory for Denver, conversely they're the 2 things that KC should try to focus on early.

If Denver does these two things, it's a double digit win and it's over early in the 4th. If they can't do one or the other, it's a nail biter.

[dannybcaitlyn]

Originally Posted by Redcoats58

Have we lost a coin toss this year? I like kicking to start also.

Don't recall, but it seems like we haven't.

[BlackHelicopters]

Sure thing. Maybe we can get the fillings from Manning's teeth too.

[dannybcaitlyn]

Bring tissue for Decker. The whiny bitch always throws his arms up after a incompletion his way, trying to draw a flag.

[UK_Chief]

Alex Smith is going to have to run a bunch I think. I think they will drop into coverage knowing that Smith won't throw to covered receivers. With our shakey O-line they probably can get some push and collapse the pocket. Someone is going to have to run the thing, Smith or Charles. If we have them fearing the run early on that might open up the coverage in the backfield.

On D, I agree with the OP, collapse the pocket and get Manning moving and hit him on every damn play.

[Dayze]

`the few biggest ones I can think of that would change our game plan dramatically;

No turnovers on offense
Do not give up 20-30 yard pass plays with any regularity
Stay on down and distance schedule
limit dumbass penalties that take you off schedule or end drives
don't give up dumbass defensive penalties that extend Denver's drives.

[mr. tegu]

We will move the ball but we must be better in the red zone. If we turn those FGs from previous weeks into TDs we win.