A Mile High Salute

Ned Macey assures Bronco fans not to worry about the season opener…

The Denver Broncos are a perennial playoff team poised to make a run at the Super Bowl. Most analysts expect them to win the AFC West. The St. Louis Rams are a team whose day has passed. Most analysts project them to finish third in their division.

That conventional wisdom was tossed aside as the Broncos offense faltered Sunday, and they fell to the Rams 18-10 in St. Louis. Broncos Nation is soothing itself by recalling last year’s Week 1 whipping at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. The Rams are convinced they have a new, powerful defense capable of leading them back into the playoffs. Is it possible they are both right?

Research in Pro Football Prospectus 2006 showed that Week 1 results were no more surprising than any other week. Results that seem surprising, such as perhaps Tampa Bay’s shutout loss to Baltimore, prove to be no more than an early sign of the two teams’ true qualities.

Read full article here.

Broncos’ opening-day loss mirrors last year’s start that ended with an AFC West crown.

By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

The Denver Broncos have overcome this kind of disappointment before.

A season-opening loss. On the road. Against a team with a new, first-year head coach.

It happened last season when the Broncos were ambushed 34-10 at Miami by an inspired Dolphins team playing its first game under Nick Saban.

And it happened again Sunday when the Broncos were stunned 18-10 at St. Louis by a revved-up team playing its first game under rookie head coach Scott Linehan.

A year ago, the Broncos responded to that season-opening loss by winning 13 of 15 games for a 13-3 record and an AFC West championship.

So the Broncos believe they know what it takes to rebound from a season-opening defeat going into this Sunday’s game against the Chiefs at Denver.

Read the entire article here.

The Denver post reports that Bradlee Van Pelt is currently residing in Northern Michigan attempting to sign on with an NFL team. Seattle and Buffalo have reportedly expressed an interest in him. We found it interesting that he said he didn’t watch the game and doesn’t root for or against the Broncos. I guess when he was cut earlier this month he had no love loss for the team.

Read the entire article here.

From the Rocky Mountain News…

Running back Mike Bell said he will practice this week and be ready to play Sunday despite suffering a fracture to his right middle finger.

Bell was wearing a splint on the finger, but he said he planned to just tape the finger to one of his other fingers against the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s how he finished the game in St. Louis as well after suffering the injury during the first quarter.

“It was a fracture, the bone came out, the fingernail came out, but (the finger) looked like it went back in place,” Shanahan said. “He should be able to go.”

“It’s fine now; it was pretty bad during the game,” Bell said. “It will be all right. I can play. . . . Just tape my fingers together and just play.”

Bell said he suffered the injury on the first-quarter fumble by Plummer. Bell tried to block Rams defensive end Leonard Little up high and was pushed aside by Little.

“I don’t know exactly when during that play,” Bell said. “I don’t know if it was the hit, if he stepped on me or when I was trying to recover the fumble.”

Bell finished with 58 yards on 10 carries. The Broncos gave Bell the ball on their only touchdown play of the game.

He scored on a 1-yard leap just before halftime.

“It felt good that (Shanahan) had enough confidence to give it to me on a goal-line situation with my finger and stuff,” Bell said. “It just felt good, helping the team.”

Taken from ebay’s original list for the barrel, it appears the barrel didn’t sell. Starting price was $40,000.00…

“This auction is for a one of a kind barrel worn by the Denver Broncos Barrel Man, Tim McKernan, during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, including Super Bowl XXXII and the Super Bowl Victory Parade. This is the 18th of 22 barrels worn by the Barrel Man - the Broncos #1 fan. Two of his barrels are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

The auction also includes an autographed double Bobble Head doll of the Barrel Man. Both the Barrel Man and the barrel bobble! (say that fast three times)

The barrel is autographed by over 50 Bronco players including quarterback John Elway, Terrell Davis, Steve Atwater, Jason Elam, Bubby Brister, Keith Traylor, and more!!!

The barrel has an indentation on its side received when the Barrel Man was being hoisted up onto a Hummer during the celebration following SuperBowl XXXII

This rare item has been appraised between $40,000 and $75,000+ by various collectors.

The Barrel Man is donating 10% of the proceeds from this auction to the Jubilee House in Gunnison, Colorado. The Jubilee House is a domestic violence and sexual assault emergency shelter serving a large rural area in Colorado.”

View the sale on ebay here.