Sept. 4th, 2022.

On a sunny and warm 85 Degree day at Denver Stadium a parse crowed of only 52,198 showed up for the Opening Day of the MFN 2022 Season. When less than 70% of a Capacity show up, it can only be for one reason. Fans will travel through rain, snow, sleet and hail... but they won't travel through year after year of continued losing.

The impact is evident as over 30% of the Stadium is empty. Yet on this sunny day, something feels... different.

As Chicago drove for an Opening Drive Field Goal you could hear the crowd groan. "Here we go again." "Already?" And "Same ol', same ol'". Another loss coming, for sure, to bury our hopes and dreams for yet another season, as we questioned the Staff, the Owner, the Players and their commitment to bringing a Winner to Denver.

But it's not how you start, so I'm told... but how you finish.

Even as our Offense sputtered out of the gate, our Defense suddenly took hold shutting down everything. Then, on our 3rd Drive... from the mouth of Gabe Glenn, Announcer for Denver, "Benny rolling right, buying time... a lot of attention being paid to 1st Round Pick Leon Arana, despite not even having a catch... but wait, on the outside a double move, and coming clean is #81! Benny sees, Benny throws, deep and outside as Donald Richmond adjusts, all the Defenders to the inside and it's a footrace! To the 10, 5, and the End Zone is found! There it is, boys! There it is, boys! There it is!"

Suddenly up 7-3, but Chicago mounting a move. 40 Yards on 4 Plays, just to see the FG fail. Carlos Humphry proves why he earned the #1 Jersey, connecting from 30 to make it 10-3 then from 22 making it 13-3. But the game was still in reach late in the 4th Quarter when RB sensation Louis Havens broke a run for 16 Yards finding the End Zone to make it 20-3 and practically a done deal.

We can talk about Benny Worrell and his 94.94 Rating, but Benny has been here before and played well before.

We can talk about Louis Havens and his dominating day of 131 Yards at 5.24 a Carry and a TD, and how McMaster is a bang-up change of pace adding 5.25 YPC on his 8 Touches. But they've been here, and they've played well.

We can talk about Donald Richmond making the play early, stealing back the momentum.

We can talk about the Defense standing firm, guys like Jacob Earnest picking off a pass. Guys like Emmett Daniels and Gabriel Sexton securing sacks. Guys like Crowell, Fletcher and Jones flying all over the field.

But what we should really talk about is the new Owner, Bradley Kell, and the infusion he has given this team.

Donald Richmond told me "He believes in us, and it's easier to believe in yourself when others believe in you."

Benny Worrell said "He simply doesn't accept excuses. Failures happen, but you find out WHY they happen, and you fix it. We've been fixing things all Pre-Season, things we've been doing wrong here for years. It's time to stop finding excuses to lose, and start finding ways to win. That all started with Mr. Kell."

Head Coach Martin Futrell told me "Every where I've went, I've been an outsider. A place hold. Every where has told me I'm not the guy, I'm not the man, and I'm only here until they can get the 'right guy'. I've never been the 'right guy', at least in the eyes of other teams. Mr. Kell didn't say that. He said he expects one thing and one thing only. Today, our best. Tomorrow, better. He said as long as I can get that out of the Staff and the Players, it's MY Team. I'm the guy. Today, our best. Tomorrow, better. Every single day. We do that, the only possible outcomes is us becoming Champions. One day at a time. It's completely different here this year, than it was in 2021."

Maybe the Kool-Aid is just more refreshing when it's 85 and Sunny... or maybe there really is a change coming. It doesn't stay Summer forever, but for today we can at least hold on to our hope and rejoice. At least for today Denver Fans can believe they are Winners!

Nice post. Good read. Keep'm coming.

Yes - great read, however ...

My dear sir,

the Denver Mountain Post is fair.

We have an Editorial Page, if you'd like your view in print in our outstanding paper.

Of course, the Chicago Tribune might find a more favorable reader-base for you.

LOL

September 11, 2022.

The sun refused to shine, and a brisk coolness covered Denver Stadium as 56,251 souls came together to pay their respect in memory of those taken from us in 9/11, and to honor them by remember the ideal that united us together. That if we refuse to live life because we choose to be crippled by terror, then the terrorist have already won.

The memorial was amazing, a great tribute with an outpouring of gratitude for all those that serve the people... policemen, firemen, EMTs among others. The vigil after the game, held by candlelight, was awe-inspiring as both Teams and their Fans chose to stay and continue to celebrate an enduring spirit that can only be called 'American'.

The event was so vivid, so full of impact and understanding, that it almost softened the blow of losing a silly little game. Almost.

Still, a game was played. Still, a game was lost. Still, reporters did what reporters do. We filed into the Media Room to await the Press Conference, expecting to see some of the Star Players and the Head Coach with his Coordinator. Instead, we saw one man.

Mr. Kell. Who gave one statement and fielded no questions.

"I would like to begin by saying there will be no Media contact with my Players and Staff today, as today of all days is a day that should be spent with loved ones as much as possible. However, there is a duty to be performed here... thus I will perform that duty, and will attempt to keep it close to brief so we may all be on our way to those we love."

"Today, the fans question our commitment to Win. Today, you come here to literally question our choices, decisions, and most certainly our execution. I will not make excuses... these are all valid questions. Which is why I feel no questions need to be asked, as they are painfully obvious. So instead, I will make a statement."

"This loss is my responsibility. Obviously, this responsibility is shared... but I am no absentee owner. I am the Captain of this Ship. We've been slowly implementing a new offense to try to focus more on our talented Tight Ends, but as we only had Sergio ready we wanted to wait until Leon Arana caught up. We had felt Arana had done just that... and indeed, he had a solid game, as did Sergio. The problem is, the system is very different from what everyone else has been working on with the scheme, such as blocking assignments and schemes. Because of this, we lacked execution. We feel strongly that this Offense will be far greater than what we've produced, so much to the point we wanted to install it this Season to reap the rewards sooner. It cost us today."

"We simply failed to execute, though credit must be given to a tenacious KC Defense. One can not simply allow 6 Sacks, give away 2 Fumbles, Throw 1 Interception and expect Points to magically accrue on the Score Board."

"We simply expect more out of Benny Worrell, and felt his talent would be enough to overcome a lack of experience with this system. That was to much to ask, and that fault belongs to myself and my Staff. While his game was over all rather decent, putting him in position with a new system directly lead to a crucial Interception."

"But there were a couple of Fumbles as well, which had nothing to do with the system. Simply a failure to execute on an individual level. And a combination of system miscues and individual failings that lead to Benny being blitzed all day long."

"We failed. There is no way around it, no other way to put it. I also will not ask for you to blindly believe. We are not here for your blind faith, we are here to earn your respect and loyalty. The only way for us to do that, is to do better. Because you, the Fans, DESERVE better."

"This WILL NOT BE the same old 'Down and Out Denver' you may have grown accustomed to. We WILL become stronger, faster, better. Because we will give... 'Today, our Best. Tomorrow, Better'."

"Thank you."

There is not much more this beat writer can add. I mean, I could try to sway you one way or the other... but who am I to do such? Your views are yours. But I will share mine. Even if this fails, and I'm not saying it will but many are thinking just that, I can honestly say I do believe in Mr. Kell's intent. I believe he honestly wants to improve this team, that he honestly feels our Fans do deserve better, and that he honestly believes we already have the makings of a Champion on our Roster now. That, at least, is refreshing.

Bravo!!

September 18th, 2022.

70 Degrees in Minnesota, as 39,980 souls filled the Minnesota Stadium.

In a losing effort, some progress was had. A major Offensive Goal was completed. Our Denver scored in every Quarter of the Game. Except, perhaps that should be edited to "A major Special Teams Goal", as Carlos Humphrey cashed in 4 Field Goals, but not a single XP. It wasn't for lack of effort either... we simply never found the End Zone.

Despite a huge 3 Interceptions from our Defense (Jones, Powell, Earnest) we still came up short. Blame is squarely on the Offense, where despite being regarded as one of the best QBs in the League, Benny Worrell continues to under perform and throw Interceptions with an inability to find the End Zone. When you hold a Team to 19, you have a legitimate chance to Win. And a chance we did have, one the Offense never fully capitalized on.

With Louis Havens cashing in 90 Yards at 6 per Carry, with Donald Richmond and Timothy Shelton stretching the field at over 20 Yards per Reception, with Sergio Phillips, Norman Johnson and Leona Arana catching ***** underneath to move the chains, one would feel that perhaps Denver has an Offense. But they lack one crucial component, a QB that can stick the ball in the End Zone.

Well a new system was implement last Week, so we were told. So maybe things get on track and Worrell to Arana in the Red Zone becomes a thing... as we are still waiting for a break out from our Rookie TE. He looks like Tarzan, but his Stats scream Jane.

As it stands, we are now 1-2 and heading to the close of the 1st Quarter of the Season. Week 3 of the Season is over, and so too seems the honeymoon.

September 25th, 2022.

55,632 souls fill Denver Stadium.

I should probably begin by telling you this game was far uglier, for both teams, than the 21-3 Oakland victory would suggest. You would think today was about one team, Oakland, finding a way to continuously defeat a Defense, while the other Team, Denver, found innovative ways to not score.

Instead, it was a contest of two teams desperately looking to lose.

As bad as our Rushing Offense was... and it WAS very bad (Havens 2.82 YPC, McMaster 2.40 YPC) it was light years ahead of Oakland's abysmal performance (Mercer 0.59 YPC).

And despite forcing Craig Patterson and Mercer to both Fumble once each and forcing Burnette into 1 Interception and 5 Sacks... we found a way to top that with Benny Worrell giving up 7 Sacks and 4 Interceptions.

As Humphrey, Sexton, Powell, Klinger and Machaud all found ways to bring down Burnette for Sacks, as Haynes and Powell recovered Fumbles, as Haynes grabbed an Interception... we were finding ways to throw these advantages to the side.

We opened with our usually sure-footed Kicker, Carlos Humphrey, missing a Kick. While he did cash one in later, his counter-part in Oakland went 5 of 5, only missing the XP on the game's only Touch Down.

Then we let Burnette get to our 1 Yard Line, where he found Fischel for the TD. And that was the end of the Offense. The rest was just trying to get to the 40 to see if 3 could be had.

This game was a shamble, a mess, by both teams. The greater shamble was ours, losing at Home in a game that with just decent Offensive Play would have been gift wrapped for us.

Welcome to 1-3, Mr. Kell. Also known as, 'Welcome to Denver'.

October 2nd, 2022.

54 degrees at Green Bay Stadium where 56,886 souls attended today's game.

2-1 Green Bay hosts 1-3 Denver, and despite the weather and the slow start it seems our Denver Fans have traveled well. And they were rewarded for the effort.

Not some impressive game of greatly improved quality, but at least it was a Win they travelled for. The Offense threw for under 130 Yards and still managed 2 Interceptions. But this time, Louis Havens was back to his regular self shredding for 108 Yards at 5.14 YPC and 1 TD. With McMasters backing him up to the tune of 49 Yards at 4.08 YPC and FB adding 5 Rushes for 15 Yards at 3.00 YPC it was an unrelenting assault of the Green Bay Front Seven.

Havens even added another 106 Return Yards (19 Punt Return, 87 Kick Return), for a total of 214 Total Yards.

Carlos Humprhey's made his return to his usually solid play as well, nailing both his attempts to go 2 for 2.

It was a simple case of 1st Drive Dominance, then holding on for dear life the rest of the way. We nabbed an Interception on Green Bay's opening Drive, putting us on their 22 Yard Line from which 4 plays later RB Louis Havens found pay dirt!

Green Bay responded with a FG to make it 7-3, Denver. But Denver came right back with a FG of their own for a 10-3 Denver Lead. Near the close of the 1st came yet another Green Bay FG, to make it a 10-6 game full of intrigue and interest. It was looking like a real Barn Burner was going to happen, to heat up the cold Wisconsin night.

Enter the 2nd Quarter and Green Bay Punts, but Benny Worrell throws it right back to them... so Green Bay decides WR Keith Robertson might want a 20 Yard TD Reception from Roger Dempsey. It was a good decision for Green Bay, going up 12-10 due to botching the Extra Point. Remember that miss, it's going to be very important.

Green Bay would Punt, Fumble, Interception and Punt on their next Drives... through which Denver was only a FG better putting us up 13-12, despite us Punting and tossing a Pick ourselves.

Which lead us to the game deciding play in the 4th Quarter, when from the 21 Yard Line Green Bay Kicker Donald Krieger, who was 2 for 2 from 53 and 25 earlier, went Wide to miss. Green Bay never got another chance as Denver's Offense kept the ball for the remaining 4:52 to walk away 13-12 Winners.

A missed XP and a missed FG... and a Team finally deciding to stand up and not fold.

It's only 2-3, and the Honeymoon is indeed over... but I can't think of another Denver Team that was 2-3 (and we've had them) that I've been this proud of.

But I say this with reservations, as we lost 3 after our first Win. Going 1-3 again would put us to far behind to contend. We need to get this Team going in the right direction, sooner rather than later.