Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl proving yet again that regular season records mean little in predicting the playoffs. By translating a 10-6 record in to a 4-0 playoff run, the Ravens have made history by becoming the first team in history to win a Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

When NFC West football coaches, players, and fans look back on this season, the biggest lesson might be, “Make sure to show up to play in the first half of playoff games.” While both the Seahawks and 49ers looked as talented as any team in football this year, their habit of digging themselves in to a hole and relying on perfect execution late in games backfired. Instead of the NFC West holding a Lombardi Trophy, the 49ers finish the season more closely resembling the team that couldn’t beat the Rams than the team that was predicted by many to win it all.

In my last article I predicted that the Ravens would pass to set up the run. As it would turn out, the Ravens rushing attack was never a factor at all. Luckily for them, they scored their three offensive touchdowns on pass plays. They ended the game with only 93 rushing yards, and averaged a measly 2.7 yards per carry. On a normal day, that would not be enough to move the chains.

However, especially for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, this was not a normal day. His three first half touchdowns were enough to bury the 49ers in a deep hole. They were also enough to set a new NFL record with 11 touchdown passes in a single post season without an interception.

Flacco’s first pass was thrown to the middle of the end zone to Anquan Boldin who found a pocket between two defenders. The next touchdown was a 1-yard pass to Dennis Pitta who calmly spiked the ball. The body language of the Ravens squad exuded confidence. The third touchdown made people stop and look. It was a 56-yard completion to Jacoby Jones, who caught the ball in the air, fell down, and got up in time to elude San Francisco defenders on his way to the end zone.

With the possession of the ball to start the second half, the Ravens were in good position with a 21-6 lead at halftime. By the time Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, things were looking great.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Power out in half of the dome in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

It looked like a good old fashioned Super Bowl blowout, until, of all things, the power went out in the Super Dome. While the power outage delayed the game for 34 minutes, it is impossible to judge what effect it had on the two teams. Some say that the 49ers benefited by being allowed to regroup and kill Baltimore’s momentum.

It could be just as easily presumed that Baltimore benefited from the blackout, by being allowed to regain some energy that allowed them to withstand the onslaught that was soon to come. In the end, the real beneficiary of the power out was probably the bar owners across the world who kept their patrons drinking for an extra half hour. At the end of the unexpected intermission, the game really started to get competitive, and turned in to what many called an instant classic.

Colin Kaepernick, who was flustered and ineffective early, suddenly was able to connect with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Both receivers topped one hundred yards, and Crabtree hauled in a touchdown. The other two 49er touchdowns were run in by Frank Gore who ran for a game best 110 yards, and Kaepernick who celebrated his touchdown run with a highly predictable kiss of his tattoo.

While the touchdown brought the 49ers to within a field goal of the Ravens, perhaps Kaepernick’s celebration was a bit premature if not entirely unnecessary. The Ravens would go on to build their lead to 5 on a Justin Tucker field goal giving the 49ers time to take the lead.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) reaches for the ball on fourth down in the fourth quarter against Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

However, Baltimore’s defense held tight on a four-down goal line stand that included one controversial non-call in the end zone on a ball thrown to Michael Crabtree. While Jimmy Smith clearly had a handful of jersey, Crabtree was also engaged in contact. Being that it’s a Super Bowl, I’m a big believer in letting the players play, and saving the flags for obvious penalties, like the illegal formation that stalled a promising opening drive by San Francisco.

After turning the ball over on downs, San Francisco’s defense was able to hold the Ravens to a three and out. The Ravens, who had faked a field goal earlier in the game, pulled another unorthodox special teams move. With twelve seconds left, the punter, Sam Koch, scrambled around in the end zone for eight seconds before running out of bounds giving the 49ers a safety and two points.

The score tightened to 3 points, but with four seconds left on the clock, a field goal was not a possibility. Instead of punting from the end zone with 12 seconds left, the Ravens were able to kick off with four seconds left. There were no repeats of the music city miracle as Baltimore’s kickoff team found the ball quickly, and made the winning tackle as time expired.

It was a fitting end to an exciting season of NFL football. The Ravens have some questions surrounding an aging defense, and a free agent quarterback, but have been consistently competitive over the years. The 49ers also look like they’re built to compete for years to come.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) celebrates with the cheerleaders after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos all exited the playoffs with unfulfilled expectations. Expect them to be in the thick of the hunt next season. But, until then, The Baltimore Ravens deserve to hold their well-earned title of NFL Champions.

August 18 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Tyrell Sutton (30) is congratulated for his performance by offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell following the preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. The Seahawks defeated the Broncos 30-10. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

After finally getting to watch Seattle’s second preseason game (it didn’t air in Los Angeles until last night), I figured I’d throw my two cents out there.  I think Seattle looked a lot better as an entire team this game and the defense held Denver in check while our offense failed to score touchdowns.  The “death by a million field goals” offensive reality makes me incredibly uneasy, though.  I focused in on Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson’s play this week and tried to put them both in context since stats can get distorted in preseason.  All the Wilson advocates should look at his numbers and cut them back a little considering what he is generally playing against – third and fourth stringers.  That being said, Wilson is showing in every game why Pete Carroll and John Schneider picked him and I couldn’t be happier.

First up is Matt Flynn.  I thought he did a very good job against Denver’s defense.  For the most part he took the plays that were available to him and did not turn the ball over or make costly mistakes.  He even cranked it up a couple of times and threw some nice deep throws, one of which should have been caught by Terrel Owens for a touchdown.  We did fail to score a touchdown in the first half which left me with a queasy feeling.  Granted we didn’t have Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, or Michael Robinson, but I would really like to see more touchdowns.

Tyrell Sutton made a strong case for himself with several good runs.  Kregg Lumpkin also looked good.  Seattle certainly appears to have solid depth at the running back position which is nice to see.  It will be interesting to see who gets cut over the next two weeks.  Tai Vaua also looked good at fullback.  However, Vuau has the unfortunate circumstance of competing against Seattle’s only offensive Pro Bowler from last season for a roster spot he is most likely not going to get.

Our defense kept the game manageable but our offense needs to provide more support.  In general, I was once again not overly impressed with our receivers and tight ends.  There were some good moments, but in general, it seemed pretty lackluster.  Leon Washington and Robert Turbin both looked good, however.   When Lynch takes a rest, the defenses won’t get one as Turbin will come in and continue to pound.

Russell Wilson once again looked very good.  His poise and decision making were very impressive.  The camera missed one play (I was getting the Denver broadcast) where Wilson somehow found an open receiver in a broken play and tossed it to him for an easy reception in a very ugly scenario.  Wilson shows a lot of potential and I can see why he has such strong advocates.  To me, though, he runs out of the pocket too much for me to feel comfortable.  He can make something out of nothing but I don’t want that to be the de facto game plan.  I also don’t want him to get hurt.  I would like to see him to be able to read defenses better, as well.  This all comes with experience which I have no doubt he is going to gain.

The best metaphor I have for thinking about Wilson is a high fastball.  For those of you that have never played baseball (those that have will get this), the high fastball is one of the sexiest looking pitches a batter can see.  It comes in at eye-level and your brain automatically thinks you’re going to crush it out of the park.  Most of the time when the pitch is swung at the batter misses underneath.  Once in a while, it may get crushed.  The experienced players know this and force themselves to lie off and take the ball, which it almost certainly will be.  Wilson is that sexy pitch.  The brain sees it and thinks he’s going to crush opposing defenses, and there is a small chance he might, but the downside is a lot greater.  If he starts and misses, it could set him back for years or permanently.  I’d rather have him “over-ready” to start instead taking an unnecessary chance.

Lastly, our defense once again was very imposing.  Three turnovers on a Peyton Manning offense, preseason or not, is always impressive.  You could tell Manning was frustrated because he played the whole first half which wasn’t likely Denver’s plan going in.  The Seahawks did not get to Manning as much as I would have liked (Irvin did blast him once) but Seattle’s defense did make it hard for Denver’s offense to be effective.  In the second half, Bruce Irvin made a very impressive rundown of Brock Osweiler that I replayed many times.  A guy that fast and that tenacious is going to be a force.  Chris Clemons also was a solid anchor that couldn’t be moved by Denver’s offensive line.  With speed to the outside and a massive interior, it’s going to hard to get much going against Seattle’s defense.

That’s my quick and dirty breakdown of thoughts and reactions I had during the game. I’m sure there are many that will disagree with me on the quarterback issue, but I keep telling myself “lay off the high fastball.”  “Play the odds.”  Over time, I have no doubt Wilson will move himself into the waist-high strike zone, in which case Seattle might have an offense as fast, dynamic, and potent as it’s defense.

Also, a quick update on a previous post I had written regarding Tarvaris Jackson being traded.  That is now official and Jackson has also said that he is willing to restructure his contract in order to facilitate a trade.  I’ve also heard rumors that Green Bay could be an interested party considering their backup situation is horrible for a Super Bowl caliber team (since the Seahawks now have their former backup) and a generally good relationship between the two franchises.  Seattle is requesting  a fifth round pick but could receive less.

It’s still preseason, and the questions asked reflect that. We’ll get more in depth when the teams actually take shape and the games actually matter.

I’d like to thank Kim Constantinesco from Predominantly Orange for graciously agreeing to participate.

Aug 9, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) signals against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

1) How has Manning looked in camp? Any signs of lingering effects of the injury that kept him out of all of the 2011 season?

Manning has looked like the Manning of old in camp. People have been questioning his arm strength coming off of the injury. The funny thing is if you look back to the ’09-’10 season when he threw for 4,500 yards, he had a 30% completion rate for passes over 21 yards. What that tells us is that he can still be very effective even if only in the short game.

Manning’s passes have had good zip on them all over the field. The only question remains is how he will bounce back after taking his first NFL hit in over a year.

2) Which Bronco defense should we expect to see in this game, the one that gave up all those points early in 2011, or the one that was oh-so-dominant down the stretch, or perhaps something completely different?

This Broncos defense has improved greatly because of the changes made to the secondary. Now that the team has the pass rush up front and the great coverage in back, look for a defense that won’t give up many points. The starters are expected to play into the second quarter, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they held the Seahawks to zero points in the first half. After that, who knows.

3) Are there any young players that have really surprised so far in camp and the first preseason game that we should be watching for?

Keep an eye on our first draft selection in 2012, defensive tackle Derek Wolfe. Wolfe’s success this early on has come as a bit of a surprise considering he missed most of the team’s off season program. He stepped up big in the team’s first preseason game with 2 sacks against the Bears. With an season-ending injury to starting DE Jason Hunter, Wolfe is the top candidate to take over his job.

4) The Seahawks have played the Broncos more than any other team throughout their history. Do you have a favorite memory you’d like to share of the rivalry before the Seahawks were exiled to the NFC?

I have to go with the December 19 game at Mile High Stadium. The Broncos had been leading the entire game up until the final minutes of the fourth quarter when Seahawks kicker Todd Peterson nailed a 45-yard field goal to tie the game 30-30 and force overtime. It was then that Ray Crockett sacked Jon Kitna, forcing him to fumble. Glen Cadrez returned the fumble 37 yards for the touchdown. A 36-30 score in overtime against the longtime rival Seahawks doesn’t get much better for a Bronco fan, especially when the team was 4-9 at that point in the season.

1) The Matt Flynn / Russell Wilson Show – Take 2
- After a solid showing against Tennessee at home (23-29 for 195 and 2 picks combined. 59 rushing yards and 1 TD for Wilson) both QB’s showed efficiency and poise in their first snaps as Seahawks. While the interceptions are concerning, overall play for both men showed pocket presence and a knack for finding open receivers. Flynn and Wilson look to share a similar work load on the road in Denver. A strong Broncos pass rush will answer further if either one is ready to take the reins for the ‘Hawks. Flynn will again start, and play the first half, while Wilson will take the 2nd. If there’s a repeat of the success shown against the Titans by either player, the trade rumors surrounding Tarvaris Jackson could be validated. Bottom line, the Seahawks could answer the biggest question surrounding the team coming out of this game. Stay tuned…

Aug 11, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; NFL: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn (15) passes against the Tennessee Titans at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

2) ‘The Sheriff’ vs. The ‘Hawks Pass D
- It can be argued that the Seahawks have the best collective Defensive Backfield in the NFC, if not the NFL. How will the new Denver offense and a healthy Manning operate against such a solid group? While he wasn’t stellar in limited action against the Bears (4-7- 44 yds-1 Int) he did show great zip and his trademark accuracy at times. With extended playing time, and another week to gel with his new Receivers, this will be agreat litmus test for the ‘Hawks Pass D as well as for Denver’s newly built high-octane O.

3) ‘It All Starts Up-Front…’
- No surprise that it’s paramount the Seahawks can solidify an Offensive Line depleted by a couple key injuries to its starters. James Carpenter is looking at a Week 6 return, and that may be a generous outlook, while John Moffitt is out with an elbow injury until at least Week 1. Paul McQuistan, and Deuce Lutui are sturdy replacements and the surprise rookie J.R. Sweezy is ascending nicely. Whether the Seahawks are left with as many questions as answers, against the likes of Elvis Dumervil, Von Miller, Ty Warren, and D.J. Williams, will reveal itself Saturday.

4) Will the Real Bruce Irvin Please Stand Up?
- Since Day 1 in mini-camp, and into Training Camp, fellow writers, teammates, and coaches have raved about the speed, and explosiveness Bruce Irvin had shown. Against Tennessee he kind of disappeared. Mindful that the Titans do possess one of the games tougher Offensive Lines, it still begs the question for Game 2. Can Bruce Irvin unleash that disruptive, lightning quick force he’s shown us flashes of? Against Denver’s up-tempo pass attack he will get his chance.

5) Looking for Clarity at the Wide Receiver Position
- With the recent additions of Terrell Owens and Braylon Edwards, the Seahawks find themselves with a bit of a log-jam at Wideout. Add in Kellen Winslow, and that football seems to be getting stretched mighty thin. Ben Obomanu and Golden Tate are set to start the game, but let’s see how quickly T.O. and Braylon can get involved. A large question looms as to whether the ‘Hawks keep both of the vets.

Am I the only one who wants to see Manning run Tebow's read-option just once for the comedy factor? Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

Over the next month, I’m going to be previewing all of the NFL teams in preparation for the 2012 season. I’ve decided to start things off with the Seahawk’s old rivals from the AFC West. From the emails I receive, it seems that very few of still you share the feelings of rivalry for the these teams like I still do, but that’s ok. Seattle’s been in the NFC for some time now. But for me, the Broncos will always be team I enjoy watching beat the most, even if they only get the opportunity to do so every few season.

Helping me out with this is Kim Constantinesco, the awesome editor of Predominantly Orange.

Key Free Agents Retained: Britton Colquitt, Lance Ball, Joe Mays

Key Player Additions: Peyton Manning, Jacob Tamme, Tracy Porter

Key Players Leaving: Brian Dawkins, Tim Tebow

Quick Thoughts on Draft: The Broncos got arguably one of the meanest and toughest defensive tackles in the draft in Derek Wolfe. It was the team’s biggest need. The team went all out in the second round when they picked QB Brock Osweiler to develop under Manning. Good move, but he will be holding the clipboard for a long time.

Quick Thoughts on 2012 schedule: The Broncos have the second most difficult schedule in the league. A season opener at home against the Steelers on Sunday night kicks things off the right way. It will be exciting to see Manning in the AFC West.

Most Interesting Roster Battle: Knowshon Moreno vs. rookie Ronnie Hillman. Willis Mcgahee is undoubtedly the team’s go to guy, but the battle for the complimentary back is down to Moreno and Hillman.

Biggest Strength Heading Into 2012: Look no further than a more composed offense under Peyton Manning Having him man the ship will in turn aide the defense.

Biggest Weakness Heading Into 2012: With Brian Dawkins gone, the safety position is the team’s biggest question mark. The Broncos acquired Mike Adams in the offseason to bring in some experience, but there’s still a lot of youth there.

Biggest Question Still To Be Answered: Can Manning stay healthy? That’s everyone’s biggest question and the issue that has the most impact obviously. The funny thing is everyone is talking about his arm strength. In ’09-’10, when Manning attempted a throw from beyond 21 yards, he had a 30.5% completion percentage. What that means is if Manning never regains his arm strength, he can still be effective.

2012 Prediction: 11-5. AFC Division Champs.

How are the fans reacting to the Tim Tebow-Peyton Manning exchange? I know that getting Manning is a dream come true for some fans, but aren’t other heartbroken that Tebow is gone?

The true fans are excited about Peyton Manning’s arrival. We haven’t had an elite QB since John Elway and the team has won just two playoff games in the last 13 years. It was time to bring greatness back to the Mile High.

As for Tim Tebow, it was difficult to see him go. The team caught lightning in a bottle last season with him at the helm. In a perfect world, he would have stayed and developed under Manning’s eye. However, that’s not how the business side of things work. Many Broncos fans will become secondary Jets fans.

The Broncos play in what is probably the easiest division in the NFL. As long as Norv Turner is wasting the talent that they have in San Diego, the Broncos should control this division. Kim’s 11-5 prediction seems about right to me.

Their defense was real reason that they won the division last season (not Tebow and his 46% completion percentage). Combine that great defense with a Peyton Manning offense and the Broncos are legitimate superbowl contenders. All that remains to be seen is whether or not Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning.

Winner: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings were able to move down just 1 spot, getting 3 additional picks, and they still got the player they really wanted.

Loser: Cleveland Browns

The Bowns gave up 3 picks just to move up 1 spot in the draft to pick a player the Vikings were never going to take. I get that they wanted to make sure someone else wouldn’t jump up to #3 to take Richardson but if that had happened they would still have been able to get Kalil to anchor their offensive line.

The Browns then picked an old and very average QB with their 2nd pick in round 1. He’s an upgrade over McCoy, but at 29 he’s not the QB of the future that a round 1 QB should be.

Winner: New England Patriots

The Patriots were a Super Bowl team in 2011, and then filled 2 of their biggest weaknesses on their defense. They still need a receiver, but there are plenty available still in today’s rounds.

Loser: Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning needs some weapons, and some offensive line help, but Denver decided to pass on some good players and moved completely out of round 1.

Winner: Bruce Irvin 

Lots of people had him going late in round 1 or early in round 2. Instead he gets picked in the middle of round 1 and is now in the middle the NFL spotlight. If he can step in and make an impact right away and keep that spotlight on him, then he can keep his name in the conversation for defensive rookie of the year.

Loser: Colt McCoy

McCoy finally got a legitimate weapon in Trent Richardson earlier in round 1, only for the team to select Brandon Wheeden later in the round. The Colt McCoy era in Cleveland is over, and he may never be given another chance to start in the NFL.

Jan. 08, 2011; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (18) passes the ball against the New York Jets during the 2011 AFC wild card playoff at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

The final teams with a chance including San Francisco and  Tennessee. All along Manning talked about wanting to stay in the AFC, so I’m not surprised that he avoided the Niners. The Titans are also a team in transition, so while there’s talent there and I can see that it would be a fit, I’m also not surprised that he decided to pass on the chance to join them at this stage.

This moves makes for both the Broncos and Manning. Denver has an elite defense that’s built around rushing the passer. Giving them a QB like Manning gives them a chance to make a run at the Super Bowl. I’m a little skeptical of their offensive weapons, but they still have the draft to address that and give Manning some more tools to work with.

As an added bonus, Manning is good enough, and a big enough name, to allow the Broncos to get out from underneath all the stupidity of the Tim Tebow hype. Tebow is not an NFL caliber QB, and his presence as the team’s starting QB was going to waste that elite defense and ruin any chance the team would have had to make a Super Bowl run. Manning is one of the few players that will allow the Broncos to remove themselves from the Tebow story without angering their fanbase.

Instead of resentment, however, Tate responded. He wasn’t critical of the coaching staff or didn’t rip the decision through the media. Tate waited for his opportunity and made the most of it.

“For me it was kind of a lesson learned. Don’t ever relax,” Tate told the media last week.

Tate’s debut on Sunday was a statement. Following a demonstration of big-play potential, it will be hard for the coaching staff to keep him off the field.

Despite only two targets and one catch, Tate led the Seahawks in receiving yards. He displayed amazing athleticism and ball skills on his lone 52-yard grab, almost single-handedly bringing Seattle back into the game. The Seahawks eventually turned the ball over on downs that drive, but it would have only been a two-score game had they put points on the board.

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Outside of the opening drive, the Seahawks were never within shouting distance and the Broncos had several opportunities to make the matchup laughable. After an opening victory against the San Francisco 49ers at home, the Seahawks regressed in week two and Pete Carroll suffered his first loss as Seattle’s head coach.

You don’t win football games with a turnover ratio of negative four. Matt Hasselbeck threw three interceptions – at Denver’s 4-yard line, 9-yard line, and a third in garbage time late in the game – and Walter Thurmond muffed a punt that gave the Broncos the ball at Seattle’s 13-yard line. Three out of four turnovers occurred while the outcome was still uncertain and were inside the red zone.

You can’t score points if your offense never gets on the field. Denver converted on 14/20 third-down attempts; at one point, the Broncos were 13/16 on third-down efficiency. When the game counted, the Broncos were converting third downs over eighty percent of the time. Kyle Orton led Denver down the field and extended countless drives, regardless of down or distance.

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12. Coach Carroll put a stash of maple bars in the end zone and Golden Tate only gets them if he scores. Luckily, this same deal does not apply for Mike Williams.

11. Last team to have LenDale White on their roster loses. Seahawks fan toast the win with shots of Patron at the Hawknest. Do they have a drink game-day drink special for that yet?

10. John Schneider picked up 11 love-starved Tim Tebow fans to put on the roster. When the Broncos put in Tim Tebow, nothing will keep these girls from their man, and the result will be horrifying.

9. Elvis has left the building. Elvis Dumervil would have been a nightmare sack-machine doling out punishment on Matt Hasselbeck, but he’s out with a torn pectoral muscle. Advantage Seattle.

8. The Broncos face the injury bug much as the Seahawks did last year. With health care costs rising, the Broncos are teetering on financial collapse.

7. The ghost of Mike Shanahan still haunts the hallways, switching Josh McDaniel’s X’s to O’s and sneaking in more plays for Tim Tebow.

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Polumbus started eight games at right tackle for the Denver Broncos last season and was a hot commodity on the waiver wire last week. The Broncos waived him following Ryan Clady’s return from injury.

The Seahawks, Lions, and Texans all put in waiver claims for Polumbus last week. The Detroit Lions, who had the worst record of the bunch in 2009, were awarded the rights.

Polumbus does have starting experience, but he was noticeably worse than Ryan Harris, who started the first eight games of 2009 for Denver. Polumbus stepped in for Harris following an injury that kept him out for the second half of the season.

The Broncos obviously considered Polumbus expendable, so I wouldn’t get too excited about the acquisition. He does, however, offer Seattle something they don’t currently have: depth on the offensive line.

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Hamilton, who signed with Seattle this offseason after spending nine seasons in Denver, was touted by coaches for his knowledge of the zone-blocking scheme. Especially with a rookie at left tackle, part of Hamilton’s duties would be to act as a mentor for the players around him. If he could still play, it seemed like a perfect fit.

Hamilton’s ability to play, however, may be in question.

After Josh McDaniels took over in Denver, the Broncos switched from their traditional zone-blocking scheme to more of a power-blocking scheme. Hamilton, as a smaller, more agile player, is much better suited in a zone-blocking scheme.

In fact, Hamilton was actually bumped from Denver’s starting lineup last season.

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The Seattle Seahawks traded for LenDale White in last April’s draft, but released the veteran less than a month later. Apparently, a combination of flaws led to White’s release.

White, who played for Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll while at the University of Southern California, was obviously disappointed he wasn’t given an opportunity in Seattle. On his way out, White openly criticized Pete Carroll and was noticeably upset.

LenDale White has compiled over 2,000 rushing yards during a four-year career and should be able to contribute some on the field this season with the Broncos.

Seattle plays Denver in the second week of the regular season, but White will not be available due to a four-game suspension administered by the league.

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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Derrick Morgan, 16: Morgan was considered by many to be the best pass-rushing defensive end available in this year’s draft. Unfortunately for Morgan, he is best suited for a four-man front and teams who could have selected him passed for more pressing needs. Morgan is another player whose stock took a late hit; early in the draft process, he was considered a top ten pick and probably would be any other year.

Bryan Bulaga, 23: Bulaga has question marks, but he was definitely worth a top-15 selection. The Green Bay Packers desperately needed to address their offensive line issues and were probably prepared to select the best available lineman at 23rd overall. Fortunately for them, a good one slipped through the cracks and fell right into their hands.

Dez Bryant, 24: No doubt, Bryant is one of the best playmakers in the 2010 class. If he didn’t have character issues, he would have easily been selected in the top ten. Even with concerns, some mock drafts had him going as high as sixth overall to Seattle (I’m sure some were higher). In a few years, there are going to be a handful of teams scratching their heads and wondering why they passed on him – see Randy Moss.

Dan Williams, 26: Many mock drafts had Williams being selected somewhere in the top 15, and most considered him the best defensive tackle after Suh and McCoy. With a big, stout frame, Williams is capable of providing bulk in the trenches and offers very good value near the end of the first round. I think he would fare better in a four-man front, but the Cardinals got a steal after several teams opted for other players.

Kyle Wilson, 29: I thought Wilson had a chance to be the first cornerback selected in the 2010 draft, especially after Joe Haden, the consensus top cornerback entering the offseason, failed to impress during pre-draft workouts. Wilson has excellent natural ability and is a great pick at 29th overall. Michael Smith of ESPN.com said Eric Mangini told him that Wilson was the closest thing to Darrelle Revis in this year’s draft.

Reaches
Joe Haden, 7: Haden was slotted here early and many considered him the best cornerback in this year’s class. After unimpressive pre-draft workouts, however, it is possible the Browns could’ve dropped down a few spots and he would’ve still been available. Finding a trading partner isn’t always possible though, and it looks like the Browns got who they wanted.

Tyson Alualu, 10: I’m not sure what happened here. It almost seems as if the Jaguars were focused entirely on drafting C.J. Spiller and were caught completely off-guard when the Bills selected him. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, they were unable to trade down and were forced to select Alualu, who barely cracked the first round in most mock drafts. This franchise needed to make a big splash that would excite fans, not leave them scratching their heads.

Demaryius Thomas, 22: Not only did Denver unnecessarily jump around and move ahead of Green Bay, they selected Demaryius Thomas ahead of Dez Bryant. Thomas is worthy of a first-round selection, but I’ll bet the Broncos will regret passing on Bryant in a few years. Then again, Thomas is a pretty good player himself.

Tim Tebow, 25: Hate it or love it, Tebow was selected in the first round; everyone seemed to know it was going to happen. Whoever drafted him was going to receive criticism no matter what pick. Tebow might be a good investment, but 25th overall is probably too high for a quarterback whose NFL-skills are highly questionable. The Broncos are taking a huge risk, especially considering both Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy were available.

Surprises
Thomas before Bryant: I thought the Broncos were skillfully maneuvering around the first round of the draft, stockpiling picks and still selecting the player they could’ve easily taken at 11th overall. And then they drafted Demaryius Thomas. Thomas is good, but over Bryant?

Tebow before Clausen: Someone was going to trade up and draft Tebow, we just didn’t know it was going to be in the first round. And we didn’t know Jimmy Clausen would still be available when it happened.

Clausen not selected: At one point, Clausen was considered a top-five talent at quarterback. In fact, some analysts rated him better than Sam Bradford, who was selected first overall by the St. Louis Rams. Now he’ll be an early selection … on the second day of the draft.

Still wondering …
Why did the 49ers move ahead of the Dolphins to select Anthony Davis? Understandable if Davis was high on their board, but wouldn’t he have been available at 13th overall?

After trading down and acquiring additional picks, why did the Broncos feel it was necessary to leapfrog the Packers to select Demaryius Thomas? And why Thomas instead of Dez Bryant?

Is Jimmy Clausen that overrated? Apparently Mike Holmgren was right on with his analysis. Will someone trade up in the second round to select him?

Shaun Dolence: dolencesm@gmail.com
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