Absurdity Grips Broncoland!

If the Existentialists were right and the world really is characterized by its absurdities, then the preseason football schedule might just be the epitome of the absurd. I recently perused both local and national coverage of the Broncos preseason victory over the Texans, and behind the myriad of stories and speculations there is a solid base of nothingness. Saturday’s game, which was exiting and fun, did not really show Bronco fans any hint of what might come this season. This is true, and feel free to repeat after me, because the first three preseason games mean nothing. The last preseason game has some value, but the first three are utterly useless. They are primarily a source of revenue for greedy stadium owners. They also let marginal players and draft picks get some face time before being shipped to the bench or practice squad for a year or two to learn the system. Honestly, other than the running back position which is a revolving door, when has Mike Shanahan ever started a draft pick over a veteran or free agent? He tried it once with Brian Griese and we all know what a debacle that was. Nope, preseason games are about revenue, hype and little else.

However, fans must root for something, sports writers must write about something, and Stephen A. Smith needs a foundation upon which to make ridiculous claims, however intriguing they might be. So let’s jump in head first and examine the absurd!

First, Bradlee Van Pelt, local college hero, played well enough to justify Shanahan’s crazy decision to bump him up to second on the depth chart. He’s an exciting player who showed both athleticism and intelligence while playing against other second-stringers in a meaningless game. I’m not trying to be hard on the guy – I think he’s great and I hope he sticks around for a while – but let’s not start a quarterback controversy just yet. Matt Mauck also played well and despite Danny Kanell’s apparent banishment to obscurity, or worse Phoenix, Kanell is a solid back-up who knows the Bronco offense better than the other two. Besides, if memory serves me Plummer didn’t miss a game last year. And barring a horrible injury, he probably won’t miss a game this year either since this season is equivalent to a contract year. Plummer will be gone unless the Broncos advance in the playoffs. Until then, Van Pelt’s success in the first preseason game against second-stringers and rookies doesn’t mean squat.

Second, and probably the biggest wad of nothing so far, is the running back situation. Mike Anderson didn’t do much, but like Ricky Williams he had an entire year off to recuperate and listen to the Doobie brothers. Not much of a story there. Tatum Bell wasn’t a shining star either, and unless someone spreads some stick-um to his gloves he won’t be challenging for starter anytime soon. Ron Dayne, a guy you’d hate to meet in an alley, pulled a Van Pelt and looked awesome against rookies and second-stringers. But, he’s definitely a guy to keep an eye on. He’s got a good year coming sometime, and Shanahan might just be the coach to get him to the ProBowl. As for Quentin Griffin – who knows? He’s short, quiet, and a man of mystery. Like Barry Sanders, the back whose running style he draws comparisons to, he doesn’t say much and might disappear to France at any given time. Playing running back for the Broncos is a tricky proposition – the better you run the more expendable you become.

Finally, there’s the great defensive transplant experiment. Can one man uproot a defensive line that was last in rushing, take them to a new city, and turn them into an elite unit? I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that question. But the point is that it’s a stupid question in the first place. The Broncos played well against the run last year, and with Trevor Pryce returning from injury they’ll probably rank in the top five again this year. Unless they’re either completely inept or completely brilliant, the Browns transplant won’t really help or hurt the Denver frontline. The real problem is the secondary. Despite the additions of Champ Bailey and John Lynch who both went to the ProBowl last year, the Broncos secondary continues to be the weak link. If he’s healthy, Lenny Walls might help a lot, but his health has always been the problem. The rookies might be good a year or two from now, but rookie cornerbacks always get burned their first year. It’s part of the adjustment from college to the NFL.

And so the question remains: can the Broncos secondary take them past a first round blowout in the playoffs? We’ll find out soon enough. With two games each against the Chiefs high-powered offense, the Raiders revamped offense featuring Randy Moss in a pass-happy system, and the Chargers offense featuring tight-end extraordinaire Antonio Gates, the Broncos secondary has their work cut out for them.

But you already knew this. Saturday’s game didn’t change a thing. It was a just a brief foray into the vast absurdity that is professional sports in America. Here’s to the regular season – may it arrive quickly and full of promise.

-email any questions or comments to Marc-Paul at marcpauljohnsen@gmail.com