The Broncos know they’re allowed to score touchdowns in the first half?
FIRST DOWN: Another game where the Broncos go from getting smacked around in the first half to putting together a big fourth quarter comeback. After getting only a first half Brandon McManus field goal, the Denver offense once again started to come out of hibernation in the second half at Atlanta. This time they came up short, but coming back from double digits deficits isn’t a recipe for success. Limited or no success on first down continues to be a major problem. Coach Vic Fangio says OC Pat Shurmur scripts the first 15 plays, but it’s been more like a bad script for a Hollywood horror movie. I still love the young talent and want to like the direction the Broncos are heading. It’s tough to believe in the process when you’re under .500 at the mid-way point.
SECOND DOWN: Two big rivalry football games won’t happen this weekend at Stocker. The battle for the Black n’ Blue Trophy between Fruita Monument and Grand Junction has been cancelled due to some of the Tigers players testing positive for COVID. The Wildcats have won the last five Black n’ Blue games and are now looking for a replacement. Colorado Mesa has circled their match-up with Western Colorado University as their most important game of this season. The Mountaineers had players that tested positive, so they cancelled Saturday’s game and the rest of their season. Mavs Coach Tremaine Jackson wanted this game to help establish a new identity for the program and that will now have to wait until 2021.
THIRD DOWN: More on high school football. If Palisade doesn’t make the playoffs, this will be the first year since 1983 (year I graduated) the Grand Valley won’t have a single team in the playoffs. For the Bulldogs, you have to go back to 1999 for the last time they didn’t go to the post-season. That was Todd Casebier’s second year at Palisade and they still went 7-3 when they played in 4A in the Southwestern League. 2020’s COVID impacted schedule gave teams very little wiggle room to work with. Montrose is on the outside looking, but Delta is still in good shape to make the 2A playoffs. If your wondering how long its been since the four Grand Valley schools along with Montrose and Delta all failed to make the playoffs, you have to go back to 1976. Just a few nuggets the TEAM’s crack research team has come up with. Let’s hope we slide a few into the playoffs.
FOURTH DOWN: Good week for CSU and CU. After the Rams got thumped at Fresno State, new coach Steve Addazio went back to quarterback Patrick O’Brian. O’Brian threw for two scores and ran for another in CSU’s Border War win over Wyoming. It also helped that Cowboys turned it over three times. Rams get the Bronze Boot for the first time since 2015. It was a shame for CSU to get such a big win and not do it in front of Rams fans and probably an even bigger group of Wyoming fans. For the Buffs, Sam Noyer hadn’t started a game at quarterback since high school in Oregon. He didn’t look like a guy with rust after throwing for 257 yards with a touchdown pass and a scoring run against UCLA. Story of the night was CU running back Jarrek Broussard, who rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns in his Buffs debut. Last freshman to have three touchdowns in his first start? Bobby Anderson in 1969. I like Coach Karl Dorrell and I hope the Buffs have their “Sonny Lubick”. Veteran coach that likes where he is and isn’t looking for the next big job. by the way, catch my old co-host Kurtis Biedelman and myself on our weekly podcast at theteam1340.com.
The Jim Davis Show, weekdays at 7 AM on The TEAM Sports Network…
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