Congratulations to Little, however, for all of his football accomplishments. Floyd Little played for the Broncos for nine season, making the Pro Bowl five times, winning an NFL rushing title, and two consecutive AFC rushing titles all in a time when the Broncos offensive line was a mess and there wasn’t a solid QB under center.

Without Little leading the Broncos, the team could’ve been located to another city. When Little retired in 1975, he was the 7th all time leading rusher in the history of the NFL. All I can say is it’s about time Little got into the Hall.

The NFL season winds down this evening as the final game of the ’09 season is played. We couldn’t have asked for a better matchup with the two top teams battling it out for the coveted title of Super Bowl Champion. I hope this is an offensive showcase, one of the highest scoring games in NFL history, and all arrows point in the direction of that happening. Peyton Manning is always good at figuring defenses out at the start, and barring a Drew Brees freeze, Brees can easily heave the ball for a few TDs.

For the sake of the city of New Orleans, I want the Saints to win. The city deserves the ultimate football party, Brees deserves it, and Peyton already has a ring.

Enjoy the game!

The Broncos put on one helluva performance last night. Everyone from the offense to the defense to the coaching staff brought their “A” game into Oakland and they now stand atop the AFC West after week 1. They even surprised me by beating Oakland by 27 points. I predicted a 28-13 win.

I’m kicking myself for not keeping Jay Cutler on my fantasy roster. I had him at first, but I did not have enough confidence in him to let him start my season. I did keep rookie Eddie Royal on my roster and as we know, he came up big (9 catches for 146yds, 1 TD) in his debut. He even showed more poise at QB than JaMarcus Russell, throwing the ball away rather than getting tackled or running out of bounds seven yards behind the line of scrimmage.

I was also impressed by the Broncos offensive line. On some plays, Cutler was sitting in the pocket so long that he could have baked a cake in there. Even more exciting was when he had to scramble a bit to find the open man way down field. He’s at his best when he scrambles.

Brandon Marshall will return to action next week against the San Diego Chargers. As far as the offense is concerned, I hope that the coaching staff uses Marshall and Royal in the most effective way. It would be a shame to see Royal take a back seat just because Marshall is back. I’m sure they could make the duo work like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne or Jerry Rice and T.O. back in the day. As evident from last night, Royal has got so much talent, not to mention speed, that he could cause great defenses a lot of problems if he lines up with Marshall. Factor in the three tight ends, and the Cutler has got more options than a $3.99 Las Vegas buffet.

Every good story inevitabilty has some drama, and unfortunately it came in the tune of the death of Andre Hall’s mother. Hall lead the Broncos running attack with 10 carries for 61 yards after learning about the death of his chronically ill mother just hours before the game. Best wishes to Hall and his family. 

Moving on to defense, the Broncos have improved in this area. They held the Raiders scoreless through three quarters and allowed them to convert on third down just two out of twelve times. It was a little hard to tell if the Raiders offense was just that bad or if it was the Broncos defense that was stifling their drives down field. JaMarcus Russell had the game from hell so all the Broncos had to do was stop Darren McFadden on the run. With Javon Walker out, that took away a deep threat on offense, so the Broncos could cheat towards the run.

The Broncos’ special teams is still a question mark in my book. Yes, Matt Prater went 2 for 2 on field goal attempts, but there really wasn’t any pressure on him during the game. That’s okay though. I’d rather see a blowout than have to see Prater step in Jason Elam’s shadow to win an important game for the team. Also of concern on special teams is the kickoff coverage. They gave up a 58 yard run on the first kickoff. Everyone has slip-ups, but I hope that this doesn’t become a trend.

Next week is the true test. San Diego may have lost their first game, but don’t take them lightly. We’ll get to see if Cutler can out-throw Philip Rivers and rookie Ryan Clady take on an injured Shawn Merriman.

I can’t wait!

What was it like being drafted?

ER: It was a dream come true, really. Once I saw the Broncos drafted me, it was the best feeling in the world. 

Now that you’re a professional, how will you be spending your money?

ER: I really don’t need anything special. I’ll use it to take care of my family. My mom, especially.  She was the one that raised me.

What do you do with your free time?

ER: I don’t have much free time. When I get it, basketball, bowling. I’m starting to learn how to play golf. I played basketball in high school, but being 5’10”, I wasn’t going to make a career out of it. But I still like to get out there and play.

How do you prepare for the NFL game coming straight from college?

ER: By hitting the weight room, studying my playbook, knowing coverages. Studying the game will separate you from the rest and highlight athletic ability even more.

Who were your football and non-football heroes growing up?

ER: Jerry Rice because he knows how to carry himself on and off the field. Then, my mom because she was a single parent, and raised me right.

What NFL players do you compare yourself to at your position?

ER: Steve Smith and Marvin Harrison because we’re similar in size and speed. 

How did you get that strong? (At 5’10”, 184 lbs he benches 390 lbs)

ER: I always got picked on for being smaller. I have four older brothers, and had to stand up for myself constantly. That’s why I got started in the weight room at an early age.

What was it like being at Virginia Tech during the shooting?

ER: I was in my apartment getting ready for class when it happened. No one knew who was shot. We just kept watching the death toll go up on T.V.  I was calling all my friends to make sure they were okay. It made the football team closer, and people looked at the team for strength and school unity.

Who was your favorite team growing up?

ER: I grew up in the D.C. area, so the Redskins.

Which players are you looking forward to playing against?

ER: For me, I’m already playing against them. I work against Champ (Bailey) and Dre Bly everyday in practice. Going against them…Sunday’s should come easy.

As a rookie, what’s it like playing for coach Shanahan?

ER: I have all the respect in the world for him. He’s a funny guy off the field, but all business when it’s time to work.

What’s your main goal in the NFL?

ER: Easy. Win a championship. I want to win one for the team and the city. Denver’s got the best fans in the NFL. The stats don’t matter unless you’ve got a ring in the end.

Here are some college highlights of Royal: