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Arguably the best Thursday Night Football game of the season, the Week 8 slate kicked off with the reigning Most Valuable Player in Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, versus one of this year’s contenders for the MVP award in Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers.

If you read my article about the Chargers having a shot at the AFC West crown this season, you obviously knew that I’ve not been bashful of my support for Philip Rivers and belief that he’s a legitimate top five quarterback. Unfortunately, the Broncos are laying claim to being the best team in football this season.

From the start of the contest, Denver was the more physical team on the defensive trenches. San Diego are a possession based team (ranked 5th in the league at 32 minutes per game) that thrives on mixing in a power running game with a downfield offense predicated on crossing routes and “shot-plays” to the likes of Malcolm Floyd. That did not happen as the Chargers struggled mightily to run the football.

Emmanuel Sanders, who has revived his career in Denver had three touchdowns in the game, burning the Chargers corners.  San Diego had some success early in the game by disguising their coverages; showing blitz then dropping back, or showing a conservative look and sending multiple rushers. It didn’t work. Peyton Manning and Adam Gase called the right plays and the reigning MVP was his usual accurate self, complete 25 of 35 passes for 286 yards and the three scores to Sanders.

Shareece Wright and Richard Marshall, who both played the majority of the snaps with Brandon Carr injured, were both victimized badly by Sanders, who was simply too quick to cover one on one. Speaking of Sanders, I wrote at the start of free agency about his inconsistent hands and how much he disappeared last year with the Steelers. I personally felt Decker was going to be missed and it was a mistake to replace him with the former Steeler. Boy, was I wrong. Sanders is proving to be a plus route runner and he’s looked as quick as I have ever seen him. His arsenal of routes is quite impressive and he’s already above the 600 yard receiving mark. Yeah, I messed that one up quite a bit.

Rivers started the game 15 of 17, but was completing mostly short passes as the pressure he was facing from Von Miller and the interior rush from Terrance Knighton, Sylvester Williams and Marvin Austin, prevented Rivers from stepping up in the pocket; one of his best assets as a quarterback, which he uses to launch deep passes downfield. Rivers finished the contest still completing nearly 70% of his passes (30 of 41) for 252 yards and 3 touchdowns, but the two interceptions, especially the first one on a slip by his receiver Keenan Allen, proved costly as they were throws he should have avoided.

Before the game, Rivers was sacked 11 times all season, which is 8th fewest in the league. On Thursday, he was sacked twice, hurried and knocked down 8 times as well. Something has to give with their offensive tackles. Fluker was no match for Von Miller and struggled in the run game as well. King Dunlap is simply not athletic enough to combat speed rushers with his enormous frame.  Rivers was lucky to only be sacked twice.

Miller is leading the league in sacks and with nine, while not even being used as a true every down pass rusher. Miller’s dip and rip, where he bends his body at a 45 degree angle, is back and he makes life hell while using his leverage on taller offensive linemen like Fluker and Dunlap.

Rivers was finally able to get successful drives going and by halftime, the score was 14-7, but the Broncos were dominating most of the play and were frustrating Rivers and the Chargers offense. In the second half, the offense went into overdrive, with Sanders scoring his third touchdown of the game on a beautiful three-yard catch over Shareece Wright. Denver then punched it in with Juwan Thompson on a two-yard run. By the time it was 28-7, the game was all but a formality.

San Diego was able to cut the lead to 28-14, but the Broncos continued to exploit a weak Chargers secondary and Ronnie Hillman was getting chunk yardage on the ground and help the Broncos march down the field.

Denver was eight of 13 on third downs (61 percent), a solid increase of the 44 percent they convert on prior to their matchup against the Chargers. Conversely, San Diego, who entered the game second in the league in third down conversion percentage, converted only 40 percent of on third down. It’s a very simple formula against Denver. Get off the field on third down and you have a chance. Stay on the field on third down and you keep Peyton Manning on the bench. Fail to deliver and you can pencil in a loss right away.

Needless to say, if there was ever a chance that the Chargers could vye for the AFC West title, the Broncos absolutely shut that down on Thursday Night Football.

Here are five things we learned during the Chargers and Broncos game:

1. Denver’s run defense is absolutely dominating

The Chargers came into the game with with a struggling run offense, ranking 29th in rushing yards per game (89.0) and last in yards per rush (3.0). But with the insertion of Brenden Oliver at running back, their ground game saw a significant increase in productivity with games of 162 and 117 yards in two of their last three games. The Broncos, have been absolutely stout and rank second in the league in rushing yards allowed. They owned the trenches and made the Chargers massive offensive line look rather small. The aforementioned Knighton, Williams, Austin and Derek Wolfe were routinely getting the necessary push for the speedy Broncos linebackers to clean up Oliver, who finished with 13 carries for 36 yards. By the second quarter, the Chargers already had 7 plays that gained negative yardage.

Not all the credit should go to the defensive tackles, as linebacker Brandon Marshall, was the defensive player of the game. Most of his eight total tackles came against Oliver, as did his two tackles for loss and pass deflection as well. He even shadowed Oliver in pass coverage and beat him consistently. Philip Rivers was pressured enough to throw a couple of ‘dump’ passes to Oliver and Marshall was up to the task, not allowing the speedy and elusive Oliver to get past him. Marshall is one of the most underrated players in the league, a sure tackler and will be a defensive stalwart for the Broncos this season.

2. Antonio Gates is still an absolute load to defend against.

My goodness, it makes no sense how good Gates is, still at his age. Healthy for the first time in years with no lingering foot issues, Gates does look more svelte than his usual pudgy self, but still, when I see him, It’s hard to not think he can clear a 5.2 40-yard dash. Does that matter? Absolutely not. More so than ever before, Gates is using his massive frame and literally boxing out defenders and he did that not once, but twice to one of the better and more physical safeties in the league, in T.J. Ward. Gates runs his routes with the goal to create slight contact, suck in the defender and use his big butt to seal the defender. When that happens? Game freaking over.

Gates also caught a beautiful pass for 31 yards while in man coverage against a quicker defender in Bradley Roby. Cover Gates with a linebacker, and he still has just enough quickness with his feet to beat his man. Cover Gates with a rookie and you are essentially asking to be beaten. Cover Gates with a defensive back and watch him box the crap out of that player. Gates is the ultimate damned if you do, damned if you don’t player and in my mind, will go down as a sure fire hall of fame player.

3. Ronnie Hillman has officially relegated Montee Ball to the bench

If you thought Hillman was going to be on the bench for long, regardless of a groin injury to Ball, you would’ve been sadly mistaken. Hillman, who’s been prone to fumbles for his entire career to the point where he’d been demoted to being a fourth-string running back, has been extremely careful with his ball protection this season. Entering Week 8, Hillman, had the same amount of carries as Montee Ball, with 55, and was averaging 4.4 yards per carry, compared to Ball's paltry 3.1. Ball, is not necessarily a plodder, but he’s far less explosive than Hillman. His steady but safe style of running will mean that chains will always be moving in a positive direction, but no one fears him ripping a 70-yard run like defenses do with Hillman.

Phil Simms said it best; Hillman makes unblocked defenders miss with relative ease, whereas Ball needs perfect blocking. The Broncos have a very good offensive line, and Orlando Franklin has quickly become one of the best run blocking guards, as he showed on Thursday against the Chargers with an array of seal and pull blocks to spring Hillman, who finished with 20 carries and 109 yards, narrowly breaking a huge run.

And about that fumbling problem that Hillman had, Ball has not been better with three lost fumbles in his first two seasons. Last year, Ball, who played well and was averaging 4.7 yards per carry, still conceded many of his carries to Knowshon Moreno and in certain stretches, C.J. Anderson, when he was struggling with ball security. With Ball not offering much in terms of ball security, let alone explosiveness and even pass protection, a factor in Hillman’s game that has greatly improved (and one that most third year running backs begin to improve in), Hillman becomes the obvious choice and I don’t see him letting go of that starting spot, barring injury.

4. You won’t beat the Broncos unless you beat up their receivers.

It’s easier said than done to try and physically match up with the Broncos receivers. Demaryius Thomas is too good at everything. Sanders is too fast. Wes Welker is too quick and Julius Thomas is too all of the above and he has the Gates factor with the basketball background. And if you don’t have the advent of Seattle Seahawks type freakishly athletic corners and safeties, it’s hard to deploy a game-plan which resolves around physically playing the Broncos receivers.

But on Thursday, the Chargers did no such thing. One example was the 31-yard touchdown catch from Sanders where he beat Marshall clean. Marshall was lining up in an odd inside technique coverage where he was playing Sanders to defend the slant or “in” route. Not only was it poor defending since he basically gave Sanders a free path to the endzone, he did not even attempt to get physical and re-route him.

The Broncos ran many quick slants, as they are accustomed to doing and benefitted from free releases at the line of scrimmage. Team’s simply cannot give them that much room to operate, or else the game will be virtually over.

5. Eric Weddle is awesome

Weddle nearly kept the Chargers in the game with a gorgeous one-handed interception, in the third quarter, on his own goal line that was called back due to a defensive holding penalty by Marcus Gilchrist.

On the next Denver offensive possession, Weddle chased after Sanders, who caught a 17-yard pass from Peyton Manning. Weddle punched the ball out of his hands, but even with four Chargers players surrounding the ball, they could not recover the ball.

Weddle had nine tackles and he really should’ve been able to add two takeaways to his totals as well. Regardless, I’m hard-pressed to find a more complete safety in the league than Weddle, who is playing at a near circa 2009 Troy Polamalu level.

Arguably the best Thursday Night Football game of the season, the Week 8 slate kicked off with the reigning Most Valuable Player in Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, versus one of this year’s contenders for the MVP award in Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers.

If you read my article about the Chargers having a shot at the AFC West crown this season, you obviously knew that I’ve not been bashful of my support for Philip Rivers and belief that he’s a legitimate top five quarterback. Unfortunately, the Broncos are laying claim to being the best team in football this season.

From the start of the contest, Denver was the more physical team on the defensive trenches. San Diego are a possession based team (ranked 5th in the league at 32 minutes per game) that thrives on mixing in a power running game with a downfield offense predicated on crossing routes and “shot-plays” to the likes of Malcolm Floyd. That did not happen as the Chargers struggled mightily to run the football.

Emmanuel Sanders, who has revived his career in Denver had three touchdowns in the game, burning the Chargers corners.  San Diego had some success early in the game by disguising their coverages; showing blitz then dropping back, or showing a conservative look and sending multiple rushers. It didn’t work. Peyton Manning and Adam Gase called the right plays and the reigning MVP was his usual accurate self, complete 25 of 35 passes for 286 yards and the three scores to Sanders.

Shareece Wright and Richard Marshall, who both played the majority of the snaps with Brandon Carr injured, were both victimized badly by Sanders, who was simply too quick to cover one on one. Speaking of Sanders, I wrote at the start of free agency about his inconsistent hands and how much he disappeared last year with the Steelers. I personally felt Decker was going to be missed and it was a mistake to replace him with the former Steeler. Boy, was I wrong. Sanders is proving to be a plus route runner and he’s looked as quick as I have ever seen him. His arsenal of routes is quite impressive and he’s already above the 600 yard receiving mark. Yeah, I messed that one up quite a bit.

Rivers started the game 15 of 17, but was completing mostly short passes as the pressure he was facing from Von Miller and the interior rush from Terrance Knighton, Sylvester Williams and Marvin Austin, prevented Rivers from stepping up in the pocket; one of his best assets as a quarterback, which he uses to launch deep passes downfield. Rivers finished the contest still completing nearly 70% of his passes (30 of 41) for 252 yards and 3 touchdowns, but the two interceptions, especially the first one on a slip by his receiver Keenan Allen, proved costly as they were throws he should have avoided.

Before the game, Rivers was sacked 11 times all season, which is 8th fewest in the league. On Thursday, he was sacked twice, hurried and knocked down 8 times as well. Something has to give with their offensive tackles. Fluker was no match for Von Miller and struggled in the run game as well. King Dunlap is simply not athletic enough to combat speed rushers with his enormous frame.  Rivers was lucky to only be sacked twice.

Miller is leading the league in sacks and with nine, while not even being used as a true every down pass rusher. Miller’s dip and rip, where he bends his body at a 45 degree angle, is back and he makes life hell while using his leverage on taller offensive linemen like Fluker and Dunlap.

Rivers was finally able to get successful drives going and by halftime, the score was 14-7, but the Broncos were dominating most of the play and were frustrating Rivers and the Chargers offense. In the second half, the offense went into overdrive, with Sanders scoring his third touchdown of the game on a beautiful three-yard catch over Shareece Wright. Denver then punched it in with Juwan Thompson on a two-yard run. By the time it was 28-7, the game was all but a formality.

San Diego was able to cut the lead to 28-14, but the Broncos continued to exploit a weak Chargers secondary and Ronnie Hillman was getting chunk yardage on the ground and help the Broncos march down the field.

Denver was eight of 13 on third downs (61 percent), a solid increase of the 44 percent they convert on prior to their matchup against the Chargers. Conversely, San Diego, who entered the game second in the league in third down conversion percentage, converted only 40 percent of on third down. It’s a very simple formula against Denver. Get off the field on third down and you have a chance. Stay on the field on third down and you keep Peyton Manning on the bench. Fail to deliver and you can pencil in a loss right away.

Needless to say, if there was ever a chance that the Chargers could vye for the AFC West title, the Broncos absolutely shut that down on Thursday Night Football.

Here are five things we learned during the Chargers and Broncos game:

1. Denver’s run defense is absolutely dominating

The Chargers came into the game with with a struggling run offense, ranking 29th in rushing yards per game (89.0) and last in yards per rush (3.0). But with the insertion of Brenden Oliver at running back, their ground game saw a significant increase in productivity with games of 162 and 117 yards in two of their last three games. The Broncos, have been absolutely stout and rank second in the league in rushing yards allowed. They owned the trenches and made the Chargers massive offensive line look rather small. The aforementioned Knighton, Williams, Austin and Derek Wolfe were routinely getting the necessary push for the speedy Broncos linebackers to clean up Oliver, who finished with 13 carries for 36 yards. By the second quarter, the Chargers already had 7 plays that gained negative yardage.

Not all the credit should go to the defensive tackles, as linebacker Brandon Marshall, was the defensive player of the game. Most of his eight total tackles came against Oliver, as did his two tackles for loss and pass deflection as well. He even shadowed Oliver in pass coverage and beat him consistently. Philip Rivers was pressured enough to throw a couple of ‘dump’ passes to Oliver and Marshall was up to the task, not allowing the speedy and elusive Oliver to get past him. Marshall is one of the most underrated players in the league, a sure tackler and will be a defensive stalwart for the Broncos this season.

2. Antonio Gates is still an absolute load to defend against.

My goodness, it makes no sense how good Gates is, still at his age. Healthy for the first time in years with no lingering foot issues, Gates does look more svelte than his usual pudgy self, but still, when I see him, It’s hard to not think he can clear a 5.2 40-yard dash. Does that matter? Absolutely not. More so than ever before, Gates is using his massive frame and literally boxing out defenders and he did that not once, but twice to one of the better and more physical safeties in the league, in T.J. Ward. Gates runs his routes with the goal to create slight contact, suck in the defender and use his big butt to seal the defender. When that happens? Game freaking over.

Gates also caught a beautiful pass for 31 yards while in man coverage against a quicker defender in Bradley Roby. Cover Gates with a linebacker, and he still has just enough quickness with his feet to beat his man. Cover Gates with a rookie and you are essentially asking to be beaten. Cover Gates with a defensive back and watch him box the crap out of that player. Gates is the ultimate damned if you do, damned if you don’t player and in my mind, will go down as a sure fire hall of fame player.

3. Ronnie Hillman has officially relegated Montee Ball to the bench

If you thought Hillman was going to be on the bench for long, regardless of a groin injury to Ball, you would’ve been sadly mistaken. Hillman, who’s been prone to fumbles for his entire career to the point where he’d been demoted to being a fourth-string running back, has been extremely careful with his ball protection this season. Entering Week 8, Hillman, had the same amount of carries as Montee Ball, with 55, and was averaging 4.4 yards per carry, compared to Ball's paltry 3.1. Ball, is not necessarily a plodder, but he’s far less explosive than Hillman. His steady but safe style of running will mean that chains will always be moving in a positive direction, but no one fears him ripping a 70-yard run like defenses do with Hillman.

Phil Simms said it best; Hillman makes unblocked defenders miss with relative ease, whereas Ball needs perfect blocking. The Broncos have a very good offensive line, and Orlando Franklin has quickly become one of the best run blocking guards, as he showed on Thursday against the Chargers with an array of seal and pull blocks to spring Hillman, who finished with 20 carries and 109 yards, narrowly breaking a huge run.

And about that fumbling problem that Hillman had, Ball has not been better with three lost fumbles in his first two seasons. Last year, Ball, who played well and was averaging 4.7 yards per carry, still conceded many of his carries to Knowshon Moreno and in certain stretches, C.J. Anderson, when he was struggling with ball security. With Ball not offering much in terms of ball security, let alone explosiveness and even pass protection, a factor in Hillman’s game that has greatly improved (and one that most third year running backs begin to improve in), Hillman becomes the obvious choice and I don’t see him letting go of that starting spot, barring injury.

4. You won’t beat the Broncos unless you beat up their receivers.

It’s easier said than done to try and physically match up with the Broncos receivers. Demaryius Thomas is too good at everything. Sanders is too fast. Wes Welker is too quick and Julius Thomas is too all of the above and he has the Gates factor with the basketball background. And if you don’t have the advent of Seattle Seahawks type freakishly athletic corners and safeties, it’s hard to deploy a game-plan which resolves around physically playing the Broncos receivers.

But on Thursday, the Chargers did no such thing. One example was the 31-yard touchdown catch from Sanders where he beat Marshall clean. Marshall was lining up in an odd inside technique coverage where he was playing Sanders to defend the slant or “in” route. Not only was it poor defending since he basically gave Sanders a free path to the endzone, he did not even attempt to get physical and re-route him.

The Broncos ran many quick slants, as they are accustomed to doing and benefitted from free releases at the line of scrimmage. Team’s simply cannot give them that much room to operate, or else the game will be virtually over.

5. Eric Weddle is awesome

Weddle nearly kept the Chargers in the game with a gorgeous one-handed interception, in the third quarter, on his own goal line that was called back due to a defensive holding penalty by Marcus Gilchrist.

On the next Denver offensive possession, Weddle chased after Sanders, who caught a 17-yard pass from Peyton Manning. Weddle punched the ball out of his hands, but even with four Chargers players surrounding the ball, they could not recover the ball.

Weddle had nine tackles and he really should’ve been able to add two takeaways to his totals as well. Regardless, I’m hard-pressed to find a more complete safety in the league than Weddle, who is playing at a near circa 2009 Troy Polamalu level.

The 2014 NFL season nears its midway point and week by week we continue to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In a league where each week is a mystery, we have finally began to recognize who some of the true contenders appear to be.

As we enter week seven of the NFL season, we look back to the previous six weeks to look at some of the teams that have separated themselves from the pack. In this list we find some of the league’s biggest name teams and a couple of surprises.

The most impressive team so far this year has to be the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers are off to a 5-1 start and are in first place in the AFC West. Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers could possibly be the leading candidate for league MVP.

The most surprising team so far this season has to be the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off an impressive victory against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo has had tons of pressure taken off him this year thanks to the running game.

The Cowboys’ defense has had one of the best turnarounds in all of the NFL this season. The Cowboys are yet to play a divisional game, which is odd considering we have completed six weeks. Dallas finally plays their first game against an NFC East team this weekend when they face the New York Giants.

Finally, the biggest bounce back team this year has to be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had one of the worst showings in Super Bowl history last year when they lost 43-8 to Seattle. Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning had a record setting year last year, but it was all for nothing in the end.

This year the Broncos are once again one of the top teams in the NFL and are second in the AFC West just behind the Chargers. Denver appears to be one of the favorites again this year in the AFC, but may have a better all around team this season.

So, I mention all of this for one reason and that is to imagine what could possibly be the dream Super Bowl matchup this season. It is an obvious answer if you think about it and it would send ratings through the roof if it was to happen.

That matchup I speak of is the Denver Broncos vs. the Dallas Cowboys. This game would have everything you could ask for in a Super Bowl. It would have the most popular team not only in the NFL, but all of sports going against one of the most popular quarterbacks ever in Peyton Manning.

The Broncos were recently voted as America’s favorite team breaking a six year run of the Cowboys being voted America’s favorite team. A battle between Dallas and Denver would be must watch television for football, and not football fans, nationwide because of the appeal factors both of these franchises currently have.

The Broncos would be looking to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last year, plus Manning would be looking to win his second Super Bowl title. A win would likely send Manning into retirement and win the Broncos their first Super Bowl since the days of John Elway.

The Cowboys would be looking to break a two decade stretch of not winning a Super Bowl, which dates back to the days of Troy Aikman. A Super Bowl appearance would be remarkable for the Cowboys because of the turnaround their defense had to do and more importantly the fact Tony Romo would actually be playing in a Super Bowl.

This is obviously a very long ways down the road as even being a possibility, but if you are looking for drama, a great storyline, intrigue and a great game to watch this matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos would be the game for you.

It would be an incredible sight to see and as a fan of the NFL watching from a neutral and nonbiased sports writer position, I would love to see this take place. I believe, unlike last year, this game would actually live up to the hype that would be placed upon it and a classic would unfold.

If you recall, these two teams met in the regular season last year and it was a classic. It was a shootout that went down to the last drive of the game.

Denver came out on top 51-48 in what was one of the best games of the entire 2013 NFL season. Romo threw for over 500 yards in the game, but had a costly last minute interception that sealed the deal in the end.

So, as we think about possible Super Bowl matchups this season the one that has to be at the top of the list is Dallas vs. Denver. The storylines are there and a classic could be in store once again just as it was last season. It is a long ways before we get to that point, but it is something very interesting to think and dream about as fans of the NFL.

The 2014 NFL season nears its midway point and week by week we continue to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In a league where each week is a mystery, we have finally began to recognize who some of the true contenders appear to be.

As we enter week seven of the NFL season, we look back to the previous six weeks to look at some of the teams that have separated themselves from the pack. In this list we find some of the league’s biggest name teams and a couple of surprises.

The most impressive team so far this year has to be the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers are off to a 5-1 start and are in first place in the AFC West. Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers could possibly be the leading candidate for league MVP.

The most surprising team so far this season has to be the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off an impressive victory against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo has had tons of pressure taken off him this year thanks to the running game.

The Cowboys’ defense has had one of the best turnarounds in all of the NFL this season. The Cowboys are yet to play a divisional game, which is odd considering we have completed six weeks. Dallas finally plays their first game against an NFC East team this weekend when they face the New York Giants.

Finally, the biggest bounce back team this year has to be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had one of the worst showings in Super Bowl history last year when they lost 43-8 to Seattle. Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning had a record setting year last year, but it was all for nothing in the end.

This year the Broncos are once again one of the top teams in the NFL and are second in the AFC West just behind the Chargers. Denver appears to be one of the favorites again this year in the AFC, but may have a better all around team this season.

So, I mention all of this for one reason and that is to imagine what could possibly be the dream Super Bowl matchup this season. It is an obvious answer if you think about it and it would send ratings through the roof if it was to happen.

That matchup I speak of is the Denver Broncos vs. the Dallas Cowboys. This game would have everything you could ask for in a Super Bowl. It would have the most popular team not only in the NFL, but all of sports going against one of the most popular quarterbacks ever in Peyton Manning.

The Broncos were recently voted as America’s favorite team breaking a six year run of the Cowboys being voted America’s favorite team. A battle between Dallas and Denver would be must watch television for football, and not football fans, nationwide because of the appeal factors both of these franchises currently have.

The Broncos would be looking to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last year, plus Manning would be looking to win his second Super Bowl title. A win would likely send Manning into retirement and win the Broncos their first Super Bowl since the days of John Elway.

The Cowboys would be looking to break a two decade stretch of not winning a Super Bowl, which dates back to the days of Troy Aikman. A Super Bowl appearance would be remarkable for the Cowboys because of the turnaround their defense had to do and more importantly the fact Tony Romo would actually be playing in a Super Bowl.

This is obviously a very long ways down the road as even being a possibility, but if you are looking for drama, a great storyline, intrigue and a great game to watch this matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos would be the game for you.

It would be an incredible sight to see and as a fan of the NFL watching from a neutral and nonbiased sports writer position, I would love to see this take place. I believe, unlike last year, this game would actually live up to the hype that would be placed upon it and a classic would unfold.

If you recall, these two teams met in the regular season last year and it was a classic. It was a shootout that went down to the last drive of the game.

Denver came out on top 51-48 in what was one of the best games of the entire 2013 NFL season. Romo threw for over 500 yards in the game, but had a costly last minute interception that sealed the deal in the end.

So, as we think about possible Super Bowl matchups this season the one that has to be at the top of the list is Dallas vs. Denver. The storylines are there and a classic could be in store once again just as it was last season. It is a long ways before we get to that point, but it is something very interesting to think and dream about as fans of the NFL.

The 2014 NFL season nears its midway point and week by week we continue to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In a league where each week is a mystery, we have finally began to recognize who some of the true contenders appear to be.

As we enter week seven of the NFL season, we look back to the previous six weeks to look at some of the teams that have separated themselves from the pack. In this list we find some of the league’s biggest name teams and a couple of surprises.

The most impressive team so far this year has to be the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers are off to a 5-1 start and are in first place in the AFC West. Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers could possibly be the leading candidate for league MVP.

The most surprising team so far this season has to be the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off an impressive victory against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo has had tons of pressure taken off him this year thanks to the running game.

The Cowboys’ defense has had one of the best turnarounds in all of the NFL this season. The Cowboys are yet to play a divisional game, which is odd considering we have completed six weeks. Dallas finally plays their first game against an NFC East team this weekend when they face the New York Giants.

Finally, the biggest bounce back team this year has to be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had one of the worst showings in Super Bowl history last year when they lost 43-8 to Seattle. Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning had a record setting year last year, but it was all for nothing in the end.

This year the Broncos are once again one of the top teams in the NFL and are second in the AFC West just behind the Chargers. Denver appears to be one of the favorites again this year in the AFC, but may have a better all around team this season.

So, I mention all of this for one reason and that is to imagine what could possibly be the dream Super Bowl matchup this season. It is an obvious answer if you think about it and it would send ratings through the roof if it was to happen.

That matchup I speak of is the Denver Broncos vs. the Dallas Cowboys. This game would have everything you could ask for in a Super Bowl. It would have the most popular team not only in the NFL, but all of sports going against one of the most popular quarterbacks ever in Peyton Manning.

The Broncos were recently voted as America’s favorite team breaking a six year run of the Cowboys being voted America’s favorite team. A battle between Dallas and Denver would be must watch television for football, and not football fans, nationwide because of the appeal factors both of these franchises currently have.

The Broncos would be looking to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last year, plus Manning would be looking to win his second Super Bowl title. A win would likely send Manning into retirement and win the Broncos their first Super Bowl since the days of John Elway.

The Cowboys would be looking to break a two decade stretch of not winning a Super Bowl, which dates back to the days of Troy Aikman. A Super Bowl appearance would be remarkable for the Cowboys because of the turnaround their defense had to do and more importantly the fact Tony Romo would actually be playing in a Super Bowl.

This is obviously a very long ways down the road as even being a possibility, but if you are looking for drama, a great storyline, intrigue and a great game to watch this matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos would be the game for you.

It would be an incredible sight to see and as a fan of the NFL watching from a neutral and nonbiased sports writer position, I would love to see this take place. I believe, unlike last year, this game would actually live up to the hype that would be placed upon it and a classic would unfold.

If you recall, these two teams met in the regular season last year and it was a classic. It was a shootout that went down to the last drive of the game.

Denver came out on top 51-48 in what was one of the best games of the entire 2013 NFL season. Romo threw for over 500 yards in the game, but had a costly last minute interception that sealed the deal in the end.

So, as we think about possible Super Bowl matchups this season the one that has to be at the top of the list is Dallas vs. Denver. The storylines are there and a classic could be in store once again just as it was last season. It is a long ways before we get to that point, but it is something very interesting to think and dream about as fans of the NFL.

The 2014 NFL season nears its midway point and week by week we continue to separate the contenders from the pretenders. In a league where each week is a mystery, we have finally began to recognize who some of the true contenders appear to be.

As we enter week seven of the NFL season, we look back to the previous six weeks to look at some of the teams that have separated themselves from the pack. In this list we find some of the league’s biggest name teams and a couple of surprises.

The most impressive team so far this year has to be the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers are off to a 5-1 start and are in first place in the AFC West. Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers could possibly be the leading candidate for league MVP.

The most surprising team so far this season has to be the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are coming off an impressive victory against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo has had tons of pressure taken off him this year thanks to the running game.

The Cowboys’ defense has had one of the best turnarounds in all of the NFL this season. The Cowboys are yet to play a divisional game, which is odd considering we have completed six weeks. Dallas finally plays their first game against an NFC East team this weekend when they face the New York Giants.

Finally, the biggest bounce back team this year has to be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos had one of the worst showings in Super Bowl history last year when they lost 43-8 to Seattle. Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning had a record setting year last year, but it was all for nothing in the end.

This year the Broncos are once again one of the top teams in the NFL and are second in the AFC West just behind the Chargers. Denver appears to be one of the favorites again this year in the AFC, but may have a better all around team this season.

So, I mention all of this for one reason and that is to imagine what could possibly be the dream Super Bowl matchup this season. It is an obvious answer if you think about it and it would send ratings through the roof if it was to happen.

That matchup I speak of is the Denver Broncos vs. the Dallas Cowboys. This game would have everything you could ask for in a Super Bowl. It would have the most popular team not only in the NFL, but all of sports going against one of the most popular quarterbacks ever in Peyton Manning.

The Broncos were recently voted as America’s favorite team breaking a six year run of the Cowboys being voted America’s favorite team. A battle between Dallas and Denver would be must watch television for football, and not football fans, nationwide because of the appeal factors both of these franchises currently have.

The Broncos would be looking to bounce back from the embarrassing loss to the Seahawks last year, plus Manning would be looking to win his second Super Bowl title. A win would likely send Manning into retirement and win the Broncos their first Super Bowl since the days of John Elway.

The Cowboys would be looking to break a two decade stretch of not winning a Super Bowl, which dates back to the days of Troy Aikman. A Super Bowl appearance would be remarkable for the Cowboys because of the turnaround their defense had to do and more importantly the fact Tony Romo would actually be playing in a Super Bowl.

This is obviously a very long ways down the road as even being a possibility, but if you are looking for drama, a great storyline, intrigue and a great game to watch this matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos would be the game for you.

It would be an incredible sight to see and as a fan of the NFL watching from a neutral and nonbiased sports writer position, I would love to see this take place. I believe, unlike last year, this game would actually live up to the hype that would be placed upon it and a classic would unfold.

If you recall, these two teams met in the regular season last year and it was a classic. It was a shootout that went down to the last drive of the game.

Denver came out on top 51-48 in what was one of the best games of the entire 2013 NFL season. Romo threw for over 500 yards in the game, but had a costly last minute interception that sealed the deal in the end.

So, as we think about possible Super Bowl matchups this season the one that has to be at the top of the list is Dallas vs. Denver. The storylines are there and a classic could be in store once again just as it was last season. It is a long ways before we get to that point, but it is something very interesting to think and dream about as fans of the NFL.

The Denver Broncos traveled east to meet the chaos that defines the New York Jets.  It was a win for the Broncos, but it somehow seemed empty. 

Here are three things we learned from the game. 

Is it the stadium?

For the first half it seemed as if the ghosts of games past was haunting the Broncos.  Quarterback Peyton Manning had a missnap, again.  Manning was harrassed and harangued.  And the front seven of the New York Jets' defense looked eerily reminiscent of a certain team that sports neon green not named the Jets.  Maybe it is just the beginning of Halloween season?

Whatever the reason the wrongs were eventually righted.  The expected happened.  Peyton Manning and the Broncos managed to exit the stadium with a 31-17 victory. 

But did we learn that Met Life stadium and green is Manning's kryptonite?  If it is true he managed like our Super hero to find a way to overcome it.  But it was slow and for a few minutes the outcome was in doubt.

Ground and Pound is Not as Advertised

For a team that is leary of its quarterback and wide receiving options, the acquisition of Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory was supposed to be the salve that cured all that ills.  The Jets rushed for 31 yards, total. 

Chris Johnson who can no longer be referred to as CJ2k rushed three times for nine yards.  Chris Ivory rushed eight times for seven yards.  Bilal Powell rushed two times for four yards.  And the leading rusher, quarterback Geno Smith rushed two times for 11 yards. 

Yes, that is a total of 31 total rushing yards for the Jets' offense. 

We learned what a top five rushing defense is supposed to do. 

Geno Smith may not be as bad as advertised

Oh he has his issues.  But playing against what is arguably one of the most potent offenses in the NFL he wasn't horrible in comparison.  And right now that's a plus.  Yes, his lone interception came as the Jets were on the march to tie the game.  It was bad. 

But for three quarters he looked respectable.  Smith was hurried and sacked four times.  That was not all on him. 

He finished the game with 190 yards and two passing touchdowns.  He threw the ball away when he could have passed for an interception.  He marched his team down the field.  With the help of a stellar defensive line he kept the game close, at least he didn't make it out of reach. 

He didn't win the game.  But for once you can't say his play lost the game either. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

The Denver Broncos traveled east to meet the chaos that defines the New York Jets.  It was a win for the Broncos, but it somehow seemed empty. 

Here are three things we learned from the game. 

Is it the stadium?

For the first half it seemed as if the ghosts of games past was haunting the Broncos.  Quarterback Peyton Manning had a missnap, again.  Manning was harrassed and harangued.  And the front seven of the New York Jets' defense looked eerily reminiscent of a certain team that sports neon green not named the Jets.  Maybe it is just the beginning of Halloween season?

Whatever the reason the wrongs were eventually righted.  The expected happened.  Peyton Manning and the Broncos managed to exit the stadium with a 31-17 victory. 

But did we learn that Met Life stadium and green is Manning's kryptonite?  If it is true he managed like our Super hero to find a way to overcome it.  But it was slow and for a few minutes the outcome was in doubt.

Ground and Pound is Not as Advertised

For a team that is leary of its quarterback and wide receiving options, the acquisition of Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory was supposed to be the salve that cured all that ills.  The Jets rushed for 31 yards, total. 

Chris Johnson who can no longer be referred to as CJ2k rushed three times for nine yards.  Chris Ivory rushed eight times for seven yards.  Bilal Powell rushed two times for four yards.  And the leading rusher, quarterback Geno Smith rushed two times for 11 yards. 

Yes, that is a total of 31 total rushing yards for the Jets' offense. 

We learned what a top five rushing defense is supposed to do. 

Geno Smith may not be as bad as advertised

Oh he has his issues.  But playing against what is arguably one of the most potent offenses in the NFL he wasn't horrible in comparison.  And right now that's a plus.  Yes, his lone interception came as the Jets were on the march to tie the game.  It was bad. 

But for three quarters he looked respectable.  Smith was hurried and sacked four times.  That was not all on him. 

He finished the game with 190 yards and two passing touchdowns.  He threw the ball away when he could have passed for an interception.  He marched his team down the field.  With the help of a stellar defensive line he kept the game close, at least he didn't make it out of reach. 

He didn't win the game.  But for once you can't say his play lost the game either. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

The Denver Broncos traveled east to meet the chaos that defines the New York Jets.  It was a win for the Broncos, but it somehow seemed empty. 

Here are three things we learned from the game. 

Is it the stadium?

For the first half it seemed as if the ghosts of games past was haunting the Broncos.  Quarterback Peyton Manning had a missnap, again.  Manning was harrassed and harangued.  And the front seven of the New York Jets' defense looked eerily reminiscent of a certain team that sports neon green not named the Jets.  Maybe it is just the beginning of Halloween season?

Whatever the reason the wrongs were eventually righted.  The expected happened.  Peyton Manning and the Broncos managed to exit the stadium with a 31-17 victory. 

But did we learn that Met Life stadium and green is Manning's kryptonite?  If it is true he managed like our Super hero to find a way to overcome it.  But it was slow and for a few minutes the outcome was in doubt.

Ground and Pound is Not as Advertised

For a team that is leary of its quarterback and wide receiving options, the acquisition of Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory was supposed to be the salve that cured all that ills.  The Jets rushed for 31 yards, total. 

Chris Johnson who can no longer be referred to as CJ2k rushed three times for nine yards.  Chris Ivory rushed eight times for seven yards.  Bilal Powell rushed two times for four yards.  And the leading rusher, quarterback Geno Smith rushed two times for 11 yards. 

Yes, that is a total of 31 total rushing yards for the Jets' offense. 

We learned what a top five rushing defense is supposed to do. 

Geno Smith may not be as bad as advertised

Oh he has his issues.  But playing against what is arguably one of the most potent offenses in the NFL he wasn't horrible in comparison.  And right now that's a plus.  Yes, his lone interception came as the Jets were on the march to tie the game.  It was bad. 

But for three quarters he looked respectable.  Smith was hurried and sacked four times.  That was not all on him. 

He finished the game with 190 yards and two passing touchdowns.  He threw the ball away when he could have passed for an interception.  He marched his team down the field.  With the help of a stellar defensive line he kept the game close, at least he didn't make it out of reach. 

He didn't win the game.  But for once you can't say his play lost the game either. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

The Denver Broncos traveled east to meet the chaos that defines the New York Jets.  It was a win for the Broncos, but it somehow seemed empty. 

Here are three things we learned from the game. 

Is it the stadium?

For the first half it seemed as if the ghosts of games past was haunting the Broncos.  Quarterback Peyton Manning had a missnap, again.  Manning was harrassed and harangued.  And the front seven of the New York Jets' defense looked eerily reminiscent of a certain team that sports neon green not named the Jets.  Maybe it is just the beginning of Halloween season?

Whatever the reason the wrongs were eventually righted.  The expected happened.  Peyton Manning and the Broncos managed to exit the stadium with a 31-17 victory. 

But did we learn that Met Life stadium and green is Manning's kryptonite?  If it is true he managed like our Super hero to find a way to overcome it.  But it was slow and for a few minutes the outcome was in doubt.

Ground and Pound is Not as Advertised

For a team that is leary of its quarterback and wide receiving options, the acquisition of Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory was supposed to be the salve that cured all that ills.  The Jets rushed for 31 yards, total. 

Chris Johnson who can no longer be referred to as CJ2k rushed three times for nine yards.  Chris Ivory rushed eight times for seven yards.  Bilal Powell rushed two times for four yards.  And the leading rusher, quarterback Geno Smith rushed two times for 11 yards. 

Yes, that is a total of 31 total rushing yards for the Jets' offense. 

We learned what a top five rushing defense is supposed to do. 

Geno Smith may not be as bad as advertised

Oh he has his issues.  But playing against what is arguably one of the most potent offenses in the NFL he wasn't horrible in comparison.  And right now that's a plus.  Yes, his lone interception came as the Jets were on the march to tie the game.  It was bad. 

But for three quarters he looked respectable.  Smith was hurried and sacked four times.  That was not all on him. 

He finished the game with 190 yards and two passing touchdowns.  He threw the ball away when he could have passed for an interception.  He marched his team down the field.  With the help of a stellar defensive line he kept the game close, at least he didn't make it out of reach. 

He didn't win the game.  But for once you can't say his play lost the game either. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

Sunday the Denver Broncos travel east to meet the New York Jets.  The game will not be without its storylines.  Unfortunately, for the Jets most of those storylines deal with a team that appears to be imploding.  On the other hand, for the Broncos the storylines involve, football stuff.  You know injuries that will impact the game, a quarterback looking to break another record, and speculations regarding another Super Bowl run. 

Nevertheless, the game is played on the field.  So here are five things you need to know:

Quarterback Comparison

Let's face it, there really is no comparison.  One quarterback missed a team meeting the day before a game because he didn't understand time changed when he flew west?  While it is unimaginable the other quarterback would not be the first person in the team meeting. 

On the field it is no different.  Peyton Manning will enter the game with a 109 quarterback rating.  He has passed for 1293 yards.  He is totaling 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Geno Smith will enter the game with a 69.3 quarterback rating. He has thrown for four touchdowns and six interceptions. 

We are not asking Smith to be Manning.  Just asking him to be serviceable. 

Jets Secondary Defense v Peyton Manning

The Jets defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks 12 touchdown passes in four games. 

Last Sunday Manning became the second NFL quarterback to throw 500 touchdown passes.  He finished the game with 479 yards and five touchdowns for the day giving the Arizona Cardinals their first loss of the season. 

There are simply too many weapons on Manning's side versus too little weapons in the Jets secondary.  

Running Back Comparison

The Broncos' number one option at running back, Montee Ball, will be absent from the game.  He is recovering from a groin strain.  Next man up for the Broncos will be Ronnie Hillman.  For the season Hillman has 17 carries for 66 yards.  He has no touchdowns. 

He will be compared to what could be a dynamic duo.  Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson were supposed to be the two-headed moster that steered the ground and pound.  Unfortunately, Johnson has not held up his end. 

To stand a chance against the Broncos both running backs will need to show up. 

Broncos Rushing Defense v Jets Running Game

The Broncos defense is ranked third allowing a stingy 88.3 yards per game.  It is just a statistic.  Ask the Jets.  Last week the Jets were a top five rushing defense.  San Diego Chargers running back Branden Oliver came in a relief role and torched the top five rushing defense for 114 yards and one touchdown. 

The Jets need to pull in Oliver, its a thing. 

The Game Depends On

For the Jets to have a fighting chance the defensive line needs to step up.  Statistically, the Jets defense is formidable.  They are tied for the most sacks in the league with 17.  They are sixth in the league in total defense allowing 320.8 yards per game. 

The Jets defense will have to prove their statistics on the field. 

Chaos meets precision. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

Sunday the Denver Broncos travel east to meet the New York Jets.  The game will not be without its storylines.  Unfortunately, for the Jets most of those storylines deal with a team that appears to be imploding.  On the other hand, for the Broncos the storylines involve, football stuff.  You know injuries that will impact the game, a quarterback looking to break another record, and speculations regarding another Super Bowl run. 

Nevertheless, the game is played on the field.  So here are five things you need to know:

Quarterback Comparison

Let's face it, there really is no comparison.  One quarterback missed a team meeting the day before a game because he didn't understand time changed when he flew west?  While it is unimaginable the other quarterback would not be the first person in the team meeting. 

On the field it is no different.  Peyton Manning will enter the game with a 109 quarterback rating.  He has passed for 1293 yards.  He is totaling 12 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Geno Smith will enter the game with a 69.3 quarterback rating. He has thrown for four touchdowns and six interceptions. 

We are not asking Smith to be Manning.  Just asking him to be serviceable. 

Jets Secondary Defense v Peyton Manning

The Jets defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks 12 touchdown passes in four games. 

Last Sunday Manning became the second NFL quarterback to throw 500 touchdown passes.  He finished the game with 479 yards and five touchdowns for the day giving the Arizona Cardinals their first loss of the season. 

There are simply too many weapons on Manning's side versus too little weapons in the Jets secondary.  

Running Back Comparison

The Broncos' number one option at running back, Montee Ball, will be absent from the game.  He is recovering from a groin strain.  Next man up for the Broncos will be Ronnie Hillman.  For the season Hillman has 17 carries for 66 yards.  He has no touchdowns. 

He will be compared to what could be a dynamic duo.  Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson were supposed to be the two-headed moster that steered the ground and pound.  Unfortunately, Johnson has not held up his end. 

To stand a chance against the Broncos both running backs will need to show up. 

Broncos Rushing Defense v Jets Running Game

The Broncos defense is ranked third allowing a stingy 88.3 yards per game.  It is just a statistic.  Ask the Jets.  Last week the Jets were a top five rushing defense.  San Diego Chargers running back Branden Oliver came in a relief role and torched the top five rushing defense for 114 yards and one touchdown. 

The Jets need to pull in Oliver, its a thing. 

The Game Depends On

For the Jets to have a fighting chance the defensive line needs to step up.  Statistically, the Jets defense is formidable.  They are tied for the most sacks in the league with 17.  They are sixth in the league in total defense allowing 320.8 yards per game. 

The Jets defense will have to prove their statistics on the field. 

Chaos meets precision. 

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

The Denver Broncos were hoping to rebound from a big loss in week 3 to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, where they used their defense to hold close to the Hawks until they broke through in overtime.  After having a bye in week 4 that gave them a chance to get healthy and evaluate several players for their health, the Broncos wanted to get off to a huge start with several huge games forthcoming.  Facing them at home was the Arizona Cardinals, a 10 win team from 2013 that had been very solid to start 2014 but they were searching for consistency on both sides of the ball. With regular starting quarterback Carson Palmer out with an injury, the Cardinals were hoping that backup Drew Stanton would be able to provide some leadership and fireworks for the visitors.  Unfortunately, the only explosives for the Cardinals came from converting two drives off Denver turnovers and a long pass play from third string quarterback Logan Thomas to running back Andre Ellington, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cardinals to stay in this one. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning ended the day with 479 yards passing and four touchdowns to go over the 500 career touchdown pass mark as the Broncos clipped the Cardinals 41 to 20 in a game that ended up being closer than the final score might indicate. Here are three things we learned after watching this one from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium on a warm, sunny day from the Mile High City.

It seemed like every player on the Denver Broncos’ offense broke out last year, but there’s another guy about to do the same this year.

If you’ve read my articles in the past, you’ll know I hate rookie wide receivers. Considering there have literally been hundreds of them in the past and only eight have ever gone over 1,000 yards, I’m typically not a fan. But the Broncos have a guy that should fit in nicely and become a valuable weapon for the team down the stretch.

I’m talking, of course, about Cody Latimer. The wide receiver out of Indiana was a basketball stud in high school and didn’t focus on football until he became a Hoosier (odd that he fell in love with football at a basketball school). He played as a receiver, a kick returner and even a defensive back in high school as a junior and senior, improving every year. But he will be playing solely as a receiver in the Broncos’ high-octane passing attack.

The kid is a physical specimen. He stands 6’2” and 215 pounds, which is more than big enough to play on the outside in the NFL. The closest physical comparison might be Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears, who stands at 6’3” and 216 pounds. The difference is that Latimer is actually much faster than Jeffery, who ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at his combine.

Latimer’s true athleticism was a bit of a mystery for a while. After breaking his foot in January, some people were worried that he’d lost some of his burst that made his so good in college. He wasn’t able to participate in any drills at the 2014 NFL Combine other than the bench press (although he impressed in that aspect, leading all receivers with 23 reps). Instead, teams had to focus on his performance at Indiana’s pro day on March 26. And he blew everyone away.

Despite still recovering from his broken foot, Latimer ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That’s almost a tenth of a second faster than Jeffery and just as fast as burner Julio Jones. Mike Klis of The Denver Post documented Latimer’s impressive pro day:

“Latimer had surgery to repair the break Jan. 19 and missed all but the bench press at the NFL scouting combine in late February. But at Indiana\'s pro-day session March 26, he was timed at 4.39 and 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also had an impressive 39-inch vertical jump during his workout.”

Between his incredible size, strength and speed, Latimer has the potential to be a star receiver. But he’s still a raw talent, which is why he was projected to go in the fourth round by NFL.com. However, the Broncos saw his potential and took him in the second round at No. 56 overall.

Latimer’s biggest weaknesses as a prospect were his unpolished game (which is to be expected, since he’s only played a few years) and questions about his burst, route running and ability to run with the ball in his hands. But his game might be more polished than people realize.

One of the questions about Latimer is his burst. Critics claim he isn’t explosive off the line and fails to separate from defenders. That’s pretty hard to believe considering he was a basketball standout. We’ve seen plenty of basketball stars use the quickness they used on the basketball court to get off the line and make sharp cuts. Those are simply natural parts of basketball and can be used well on the field. His leaping ability translated and people are raving about it, so what makes people think his route running and explosiveness should suffer despite having the skills from his basketball days?

Another question about his game is when he has the ball in his hands. NFL.com called him “straightlinish after the catch,” but that’s another qualm that doesn’t make sense. He showed that he has a few moves with the ball in his hands as a kick returner in high school, when he took four of his 13 kick returns back for a touchdown as well as a punt return.

While Latimer undoubtedly has some flaws, he will be learning from a great coaching staff, three veteran receivers and one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. He should fix his minor flaws quickly, and he should be ready to make an impact after a few weeks.

Despite playing on a team with Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders in front of him on the depth chart and Julius Thomas at tight end, Latimer will still have an opportunity to get on the field.

Welker and Sanders are both slot receivers. While the season may start with Sanders on the outside, he’s naturally-suited for the slot. Combine that with Welker’s injury history (one hit to the head could knock him out for six weeks), and there’s a pretty decent chance the Broncos need another big wide receiver to play opposite Thomas.

That’s exactly what Eric Decker did last year. At 6’3” and 215 pounds, Decker had the size to play wideout. That’s very similar to Latimer’s size, and with Latimer’s huge catch radius and incredible leaping ability, you can bet he can make up for the inch he’s missing on Decker. Latimer is also much faster, as his 4.39 40-yard dash time is significantly faster than Decker’s 4.54, making him more of a deep threat as well.

Physically, Latimer should be the guy on the outside for the Broncos in four-wide sets. And if Welker or Sanders go down at any point this season, that leaves Latimer to play in the team’s many three-wide sets. Just getting on the field and playing on the outside will give Latimer the chance to prove that he deserves a big role.

Sure, that opportunity might be limited until he refines his game a bit and gets on the field more, but that should happen around the halfway point in the season. That will give the Broncos another valuable weapon in the league’s best passing game. Having a big, fast guy like Latimer creates matchup problems for defenses and opens up the field more for Manning.

Latimer can take the top off a defense. And if both he and Demaryius Thomas go deep, that leaves the safeties in a position where they have to provide help downfield. That, in turn, leaves Welker, Sanders and Julius Thomas in man coverage in the middle of the field where they can create separation and make life even easier for Peyton Manning.

While Latimer’s stats at the end of the season might not be pretty, you can bet that adding him into Denver’s stable of pass-catchers will make this passing attack just as dangerous as it was last year with Decker on the outside.