Rivers Runs Through It

First batter up well here's the pitch, it's a curve
Second batter up because the first got served...

DROPS: Jacob Hester, Malcolm Floyd, Mike Tolbert, Patrick Crayton, Randy McMichael, Kory Sperry. Not exactly the names of an offensive juggernaut there. Yet the woeful, and suddenly aging Donk defense made them look like the AFC Pro Bowl team. Some dap has to be given to Phillip Rivers (who's act on the field makes him more and more reviled and depised in Colorado with each game, and the 7-2 record doesn't hurt either) more orchestrating the offense with that bunch of castoffs, but missed tackles, no pass rush, and poorly played pass defense makes them look brillant.

PROPS: Rodney Stewart and the Buff offensive line continue to gel, this week to the tune of 195 yards and Big 12 player of the week honors. It really is a pretty simple concept: line up the ball and run behind your best OL. In this case it is a future NFL first rounder in OT Nate Solder. Rodney picks up those secondary yards after clearing the line of scrimmage with some shifty lateral moves. He is also one of those "groove" running backs, meaning the more carries he gets, the more productive he becomes.

DROPS: Have the Donks figured out a way to blockl Shaun Phillips yet? Or more pressing, have they figured out where he's lining up on the field? Phillips was on the left, on the right, up the middle, parachuting in from the blimp, riding on Ron Jaworski's mustache, seemingly everywhere before the snap.

DROPS: Kansas State came to the game with the Big 12's leading rusher in Daniel Thomas yet only ran him 15 times. And it wasn't like it was dictated by the Buffs defense, ol' man Synder simply chose to use other players including their plodding QB.

PROPS: Darren Sproles looks like a vacuum cleaner when he runs. Someone call the Chargers and ask if you can use him after the next keg party to clean up.

DROPS: Dan Hawkins was there on the field with the rest of the Buff player parents and their Seniors. Now that he is no longer a football coach, Hawk has gone into "Dad" mode with his too small jeans and white sneakers.

DROPS: Third and longs haunted the Broncos all night long (sans the first drive of the night, where they looked like a well oiled machine. That said, someone must've lost the oil after those six plays, or substituted stale Pepsi or sticky icky gizim.) And on those thrid and longs were some questionable calls (underneath throws to the tight end) and a few dropped passes.

PROPS: When Hawk was coach, he was involved in the offensive game planning and "suggested" palys to run. He also had "veto" power over any call that OC Eric Kieseau called. Interim coach Brian Cabral has admitted he knows nothing about offense and left the play calling completely to Kieseau. The past two games have been Kieseau's best in picking the right mix. No more WR end arounds, which had done nothing the last few years. A healthy dose of straight ahead running with efficient passes (Cody Hawkins' strength) and a few "trick" plays mixed in (witness Rodney Stewarts half back option pass which looked more like a shot put.)

DROPS: If there was a "turning point" on MNF it was the debacle the Donk special teams endured on the Chargers fake punt. The team looked helplessly lost, not knowing who to cover, what to do, or who to tackle. Charger punter Mike "Step Into The" Scifres could've ran for 20 yards for the first down. More alarming is who buys a pump fake from a punter?

PROPS: Buff defensive end Josh Hartigan had another stellar game, using his speed around the end to harass K-State QBs the entire game. Brian Cabral and the D coaches used a variety of blitzes and stunts to get Hartigan one on one on the edge.

PROPS: On a typical Big 8/12 day, the last Big 12 game in Boulder was met with little nostalgia and a few video highlights of great games gone by. Some fans celebrated saying goodbye to the flat landers in the conference by smoking a huge Pac 12 bong.

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