Rob Long: Mile High Move
The Denver Broncos were feeling pretty good about themselves after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild-Card round.
Then, reality caught up with the team and revealed all of the things that would probably prohibit the team from going beyond what they were; A mediocre team in a bad division.
It was obvious that Hall Of Fame quarterback turned Vice President of Football Operations John Elway could not stomach what he was witnessing on the field from Tim Tebow. Elway was athletic and was knows as a mobile quarterback, but the majority of his damage was done with his arm. You could see the pain on his face, even as he watched his team win last minute games down the stretch during the 2011 season. Elway was looking for a quarterback who did it his way.
While John Elway was looking for a quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts were looking for to part ways with their future Hall of Fame great. The Colts bottomed out during 2011 with Peyton Manning on the shelf. That resulted in the team earning, for the lack of a better word, the number one pick in the draft. Insert Andrew Luck and exit Manning.
The Broncos were very aggressive in their pursuit of Manning once the Colts released him and on Tuesday, they officially got their guy.
What does this mean for the AFC? Bad news, that's what it means for the AFC. The Broncos are no longer a mediocre team in a bad division. They are a team that has a quarterback who can actually out dual Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. They are now a legit contender in the conference.
Look out Baltimore, Houston, Pittsburgh and New England. The Denver Broncos are officially on the scene. If Peyton Manning is healthy, they will make their mark during the 2012 season.
Rob Long
