Broncos Urged to Make Drastic Changes on Offensive Line
You didn’t have to be an NFL head coach to see what the biggest problem for the Denver Broncos offense was in a 13-11 win over the New York Jets
Against the Jets, the Broncos looked like their offensive line was totally out of sync, thanks in large part to the play of Matt Peart
Peart was about as bad as an NFL offensive lineman could be against the Jets, where he was called for 3 penalties. Peart is currently ranked 108th out of 109 eligible NFL offensive guards with a
Peart, 6-foot-7 and 318 pounds, was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury after he returned from London and underwent an MRI.
“For second straight week, Broncos are placing their starting left guard on IR after he just played every offensive snap in game,” Denver 9 News reporter Mike Klis wrote on his official X account on October 14. “This time Matt Peart going on IR with knee injury per source. He played all 60 snaps vs
While it’s not totally clear what the Broncos might do with their lineup after they’ve lost both Powers and his replacement, there’s one unique idea that might actually work really well.
One Broncos Starter Could Shift Positions
Peart’s struggles probably necessitated a shift in plans to something that didn’t include Peart, which Locked on Broncos podcast host Cody Roark had at the ready.
“The Broncos need to figure out how to maybe make the best overall adjustment, which in my opinion is sliding Luke Wattenberg over from center to left guard,” Roark said on October 14. “I understand Luke has had his struggles of his own this year, but I actually think that he might be better suited at guard in this situation. Then you start
Peart signed a 1-year, $1.292 million contract with the Broncos in March 2024 and played in all 17 games for the first time in his career while making 2 starts.
He re-upped with the
Peart’s Play Became Talking Point Online
Peart was an easy scapegoat for the Broncos’ overall struggles as an offense against the
With every Denver fan in the world already hoping quarterback
“So it turns out the only reason why Matt Peart was so horrible last week was because he was playing injured for 95% of the game,”
Two Big Reasons For Cubs Fans To Stay Optimistic For 2026
It is easy to focus on the negatives of the Chicago Cubs' season, especially after the bitter taste of losing a game five in the playoffs, pointing the finger at every mistake that led to going home instead of playing for the National League Pennant.
However, it's important to remember that the team had a great season even though it didn't end where they wanted it to.
The Cubs made the playoffs after missing the previous four. This was also their first trip to the NL Divisional Series round since '17 and their first 90+ win season since '18. Good things happened this year that the team can build on for 2026, hopefully avoiding the same spot when October rolls back around.
Young Talent All Over the Place
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Cade Horton easily takes the cake for the up-and-coming talent that is on this Cubs' roster. It was so disheartening that he didn't get to take the mound in these playoffs after his breakout rookie season, but he will be back next year.
The way he improved throughout the year is something to truly get excited about. Horton finished the season 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA and nearly 100 strikeouts.
Even though Pete Crow-Armstrong had been ridiculed lately, it is crucial to remember a couple of things. 1) PCA is only 23 years old, and this was only his second full year in the majors. 2) He had 35 stolen bases (by far the most on the team), complemented by 31 homers and 95 RBI. 3) PCA is a deadly defender.
Crow-Armstrong and Horton aren't the only young guns on this team, however. There is also Matt Shaw. This was Shaw's rookie season as well at 23 years old. He was a nightmare for opposing bats with his ability to make plays at third base, and even though he started slow swinging a bat, he found his groove towards the end of the season with a .429 slugging percentage in his last 30 games.
Owen Caissie might not have finished the year on the roster, but everyone remembers him. He made his debut this year as well as the best guy in the Cubs' farming system. Even though he didn't last long with the Cubs before being sent back to Triple-A, he showed signs of brilliance. A stacked outfield has kept him down in the minors for far too long, and surely his time is coming.
A Very Strong Bullpen
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Craig Counsell called his relievers "out getters" because that is what they did. Four pitchers were used in more than 50 games this season, who all had an ERA under 3.00 — Brad Keller, Daniel Palencia, Drew Pomeranz, and Caleb Theilbar.
These four came through in a big way for the Cubs in the playoffs. Thielbar didn't allow a single run in five games, with only two hits and five strikeouts by the end of it. And Pomeranz and Keller both had a 1.5 ERA in over 11 combined innings with 11 strikeouts.
It is easy to focus on the negative when things didn't turn out as the organization had hoped, but there were many positive developments this year. They easily had plenty of time where they looked like they could potentially make it to the World Series. Heck, the team stretched the NLDS to a five-game series without an ace in the starting rotation.
This team could look similar next season and, with a few tweaks, could be playing late in October.
