Know Your Opponent: Houston Texans

Denver Broncos record vs. Houston Texans: Home 1-0 Away 0-1, overall 1-1.

Connections: Houston head coach Gary Kubiak played for Denver from the 1983 to 1991 seasons, serving predominantly as a backup quarterback to the legendary John Elway. As a quarterback for the Denver Broncos Gary Kubiak had a record of three wins and two loses as a starter in his eight seasons in the NFL. A little known fact about Gary Kubiak as a player is that he actually filled in as a punter for Denver in 1989, starting once and punting twice that year (averaging 21.5 yards per punt).

After retiring he began coaching for his former college team, Texas A&M serving as a running backs coach for two seasons (1992-1994). He soon joined Mike Shanahan in San Francisco as a quarterback coach, assisting quarterback Steve Young to his second NFL MVP award and first Super Bowl MVP award.

The next season Mike Shanahan took Pat Bowlen's offer to become the head coach in Denver and Gary Kubiak followed. Kubiak was named the offensive coordinator in Denver and worked together with Mike Shanahan and John Elway to lead Denver to winning two Super Bowl. Kubiak stayed beyond John Elway's retirement, following the 1999 season, despite numerous head coaching offers from elsewhere in the NFL.

In 2006 Kubiak replaced Dom Capers as the head coach in Houston, becoming the second head coach in Houston Texans history. Kubiak has been a part of five Super Bowls (as a coach and player) with the Denver Broncos and one with the San Francisco 49ers. He was also been a part of two of his players winning the NFL MVP award (Steve Young in 1994 and Terrell Davis in 1999). Want a real random fact about Gary Kubiak? He is rumored, on the internet, to appear as a reserve quarterback in Madden NFL 2004 for the Indianapolis Colts however that is in correct, it was actually Jim Kubiak.

Kyle Shanahan, as fans will remember is the son of Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan. The younger Shanahan has never coached for Denver, beginning his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under coach Jon Gruden, serving as the assistant coach for offensive quality control, from 2004-2005. In 2006 Kyle Shanahan joined Gary Kubiak in Houston, coaching first the wide receivers, then in 2007 he was named the quarterback coach and this season Shanahan became the youngest offensive coordinator in NFL history (at 28) in Houston. He is a full three years younger than New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Alex Gibbs, the assistant head coach/offense for Houston served as an offensive line coach in Denver from 1984-1987 and again from 1995-2003. Gibbs is perhaps most famous in Denver for installing the "Zone blocking scheme," and for insuring that his offensive linemen unite by not speaking to the media.

On Denver's side: Denver Broncos wide receiver's coach Jedd Fisch served as the Houston Texans defensive quality control assistant from 2003-2005. Denver college scout Eugene Armstrong served in Houston for the previous seven seasons. Quarterback Jay Cutler posted his personal best game, as far as pass attempts (39) and completions (27), against Houston last season. Denver strong safety Marlon McCree spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons with the Houston Texans. Denver wide receiver Edell Shepherd was the primary kick returner for Houston in 2006. The Denver Broncos are undefeated (4-0) against the Houston Texans in preseason play.

History: Houston is a relatively new franchise, entering the league in 2001, but Denver has played them four times in the preseason and two times in the regular season. Former Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has modeled the Houston Texans on the Denver Broncos (earning the Houston Texans the name 'Denver Jr.' around these parts). However, last season, Mike Shanahan's former protege, Gary Kubiak and son, Kyle Shanahan spanked Denver knocking them completely out of the playoff race and lending to Denver's final 7-9 record.

Key contributors: QB- Matt Schaub, WR- Andre Johnson, RB- Ahman Green, DE- Mario Williams, LB- DeMeco Ryans.

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Gary Zimmerman's in the Hall of Fame, more Broncos to follow?

Today Denver Broncos left tackle Gary Zimmerman was inducted into the Hall of Fame by none other than Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen.

“To make it here today, with some of the best whoever played the game in the gallery, I am more humbled and blessed than I’ve ever been in my life,” Zimmerman told the crowd. “…I stand before you today a proud and gracious man.”

The man, who at one point adopted former offensive line coach Alex Gibb's code of silence, said that he'd worked weeks on his speech. He even called upon the Dalai Lama at one point quoting, “Not getting what you want is sometimes a magical stroke of luck.” Zimmerman was referring to what his college coach had said when he switched him, without consultation from middle linebacker to offensive linemen his freshman year.

An additional note, more of humor than anything is that Pat Bowlen during his introduction to Gary Zimmerman stated that, Zimmerman was, “the John Elway of the offensive line and the second-best player to play for me.”

Bowlen said literally the same thing of Rod Smith just last week, upon the announcement of Rod Smith retiring.

So let's talk about it, because it's here... Rod Smith has retired, the one thing that will insure that he sees a place in Canton is if the media continues to reinforce the fact that he does in fact deserve to be there. Why then is The Denver Post's Mike Klis telling fans to get real? It is time to get real Denver Bronco fans, we have at least five other players who deserve a spot in Canton who have been qualified for years!

The list goes a bit like this (and I'm sure that I'll miss someone): running back Floyd Little, linebacker Randy Gradishar, linebacker Tom Jackson, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg and safety Steve Atwater.

I have another personal favorite that I would include as well, safety Dennis Smith. However, it's not about what I believe, it's about who deserves to be there. From the above list, only Randy Gradishar has even a shot, but most likely last year was his last opportunity. Steve Atwater may get an opportunity as well soon, Atwater was literally the definition of football- old school, he was a throwback to the 1970's the way he used to sledge hammer a ball carrier.

This year will be the first year that former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe is up for induction this year, and running back Terrell Davis will once again be on the minds of voters. There are great arguments to be made for Terrell Davis: two Super Bowl wins, 2,000 yard season (which only five players have done ever, three are in the Hall of Fame, one is still active), Super Bowl MVP, 8,000 yards in seven seasons, 100 yards in every playoff game (10) et cetera. However, given that he didn't play twelve years in the NFL, he may not get in. Which would be a shame. Shannon Sharpe is a shoo in though (maybe eventually). Both Sharpe and Davis have the opportunity to keep their names and faces fresh in the minds of voters, because of their current jobs. Though that never helped Tom Jackson.

Rod Smith will be up eligible in 2013, the only thing that will really keep him worthy is fans consistently calling for his enshrinement over the next five years. John Lynch will most definitely get in, however, I don't see him entering as a Bronco. Unless he chooses to make Denver his permanent home, which he has suggested.

On the current roster, Champ Bailey is a first ballot guy and Tom Nalen should be as well. To stretch that list just a little bit farther coach Mike Shanahan will most definitely get in when he chooses to retire. There's two pieces of good news in those last few paragraphs, those being; Over the next ten-fifteen years the number of Denver Broncos enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame will escalate from two to a definite six and a possible nine. You've just got to stay one them and keep cheering Denver.

Steve Young, "I decided to retire because I didn't want to go play for Denver."

Don't know if anyone caught that on NFL Live yesterday. I actually forgot that he had received permission from the 49ers to speak to the Broncos and was meeting with Mike Shanahan in Denver. Had Young joined Denver it would have been for the 2000 season, imagine... Steve Young in a Broncos #8 jersey, handing off to Terrell Davis, scrambling and tossing the ball to Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey.

Denver ended up going 11-5 that season, finishing 2nd in the AFC West (one game behind the 12-4 Oakland Raiders) and losing in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.

Ah, what if...

Is it Sunday yet?

Four down...

Well, you didn't hear it here first, but Denver signed three draft picks and also released contract information on a fourth. Defensive tackle Carlton Powell, (rookie of the year hopeful, just kidding) running back Ryan Torain and (former Bronco fullback, current Linebacker/badass) Spencer Larsen all signed four-year contracts last evening. In the words of a former employer, "They'll be sorry..." The Rocky Mountain News reports that seventh=round draft pick (safety) Josh Barret "got a four-year, $1.76 million deal that included a $56,300 signing bonus."

However, in the meantime, we've "added depth" in "positions of need" and we can now "look forward" to the "season ahead" and the "superbowl" or at least "Madden 2009".

It's interesting talking about Ryan Torain, here's a running back that the Broncos actually drafted, you would think that he'd be over hyped by now... Especially by fans and bloggers, hmm. I guess maybe during the season people will finally start to talk about him, considering he's the next Terrell Davis. Spencer Larsen as I've stated in this very blog and I think Sam will agree, is someone who was brought in to have an immediate impact on Special Teams. As fans are very well aware by now, a lot of the rookies and UDFA's were picked up because of their diversity and potential to provide a little more wow. Hoping that maybe next year our hardest hit on Special Teams won't come from our (former) kick returner (Dominik Hixon).

Now Carlton Powell, I don't know seemed like fans were screaming for a DT in the first, second and third-rounds this year, but in their short sightedness forgot that we drafted like that last season (and it worked out well right?). I for one am glad that we took care of everything else, prior to picking up Powell, was he the best "value" when we picked him up? Who knows, get back to me in three years and maybe I'll have an opinion.

Happy Fourth of July!

Everyone have a safe and fun day off. Seems like everyone's taking the day off, but there are a couple links:

• Former Bronco 1st Rd. pick Marcus Nash speaks on Shanahan, late news is that he also broke his neck.
• KCNC posted an interview with Terrell Davis, he speaks on Selvin Young, Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler. He also say that the days of a back carrying more than 25 times in a game are over.
• USA Today calls Champ Bailey the best cornerback in the NFL.
• PFT, who can be credited with the nicknames "Pacman Marshall" and "Coach Kevlar" (Shanahan) names John Elway the 2nd Best NFL Player of All Time (and Best QB).
• Speaking of Elway, with the rumors that Brett Favre may return, BroncoTalk wants to know, what if Elway came back...
• NBC Sports says that Denver's current approach to Free Agency/Drafting has, "burned them in the past."
• Denver Celeb News updates us on what Rod Smith & Ed McCaffrey are currently up to. (Hi Jennifer!)

Camp Fodder

Hope that you had the time to read Sam's latest post this morning. If not just keep reading it's below this one, you probably don't know this, but Sam's currently sitting impatiently on the Broncos Denver Broncos P.U.P. list. I can't wait to get to Training Camp and see what he can really do...

Speaking of Sam, he brought up an interesting point during a recent e-mail exchange. Sam brought up the dis respectfulness of a term thrown around by journalists, fans and message board enthusiasts alike. That term being "(training) camp fodder", seriously think about it, but that group of words into context. Then think about your favorite Broncos, then take a look in the mirror, you're filthy. I can think of a couple players who were camp fodder at one point: Rod Smith, he's one of them, Karl Mecklenburg, he's another, Terrell Davis,.. Can you name the teams Ed McCaffrey or Bill Romanowski played for before Denver? Remember a guy named Craig Morton? He led us to our first Superbowl, you know who he used to backup? A guy his team choked to in the Superbowl, Roger Staubach, sorry that was a bad point, KARL MECKLENBURG! There, I cleansed your pallets.

Camp fodder, high school students have died during two-a-days attempting to be camp fodder, boys and young men train their entire lives to be camp fodder. The reason they all push so hard is because they know, in that locker room the only difference between them and anyone who sits above them on the depth chart is one perfectly timed play; a block, a tackle, a step, a hand, instinct, training or natural ability and they are in and once they're in, they'll show everyone, they should have always been there.

It's the reason John Lynch isn't, "getting old," why Champ Bailey's a first ballot Hall of Famer, why Rod Smith's still out there, unrecoverable hip injury, helping out where he can, Tom Nalen could have retired, no one would have blamed him, the same could be said for Mike Shanahan, really what does he have to prove? He's got his place amongst Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Tom Landry and Chuck Knox... Literally a living breathing legend and has fans scream for his head. See these men, they are great men, gladiators, people who put their lives on the line, literally for what amounts at the end of the day as entertainment to us. And we as fans put just as much back into it, wives, sons, husbands, mothers, fathers and daughters take hours, days, weeks, months and years out of their lives to dedicate to something that may or may not be greater than them. Football.

Is it Sunday yet?