Mile High Monday: Tensions are running high in Broncos Country

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season. Watching the Broncos was not enjoyable. They were shellacked by the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 51-14. In a battle of two 4-10 teams, the Broncos looked worse than ever before.

I like spending time with my family during the holiday season. The NFL schedule makes things cramped during the week, but on days like Christmas I like to slow down and enjoy those close to me by just being there and being present in the moment.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Tensions Running High

When a team drops a 50 burger on you, tensions are going to run high. When a quarterback is sacked six times and hit a dozen times, tensions are going to run high. When a backup comes to the defense of a starter on the sideline, tensions are going to run high. Guess what happened against the Rams on Sunday? Tensions were running high.
At one point late in the game, backup quarterback Brett Rypien and left guard Dalton Risner were exchanging some pleasantries. The speculation during the broadcast had Rypien sticking up for starting QB Russell Wilson, and Risner must have taken issue with what was said about the offensive line’s performance.

I’m not surprised something like this happened. The Broncos players have gone through one of the worst seasons in franchise history. They are looking bad on the field, and some of them won’t be here next season – either by their choice or by the choice of the front office. NFL players are hyper competitive and losing sucks for them. In a year like this, I’m surprised we haven’t seen more of this on a weekly basis.

Whatever just happened on the Broncos sideline was weird … per @tracywolfson, Brett Rypien went to the linemen to get Russell Wilson’s back after a sack and the linemen weren’t having it. pic.twitter.com/jwc7zk02zb

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 25, 2022

Players like Risner care – a lot. The emotion of the situation can get a bit out of hand in a game like this, and that’s what happened. I don’t see this as a bad thing, I see it as being natural when a team is getting waxed the way the Broncos did in Week 16.

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Remembering Ronnie

We lost former Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman last week due to a rare form of liver cancer. He passes from this world at just 31 years old, and the news of his passing rippled throughout Broncos Country over the last several days. It’s just so hard to believe that a young man who was a big part of the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 team is now gone.

I remember Hillman coming out of college. I have a soft spot for San Diego State running backs (blame Marshall Faulk), and I thought Hillman was a special talent who could shine at the pro level. In two years with the Aztecs, Hillman rushed for over 3,200 yards with 38 total touchdowns. He was a blur on the screen due to his elite speed (see his 99-yard touchdown against Wyoming his sophomore season), and Hillman’s speed is what allowed him to create space as a runner. Simply put, Hillman could outrun defenders with ease – but he could outrun angles for opponents properly playing the ball. Needless to say, I was elated when the Broncos added him in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

I immediately created a friendship with Hillman because I was telling anyone who would listen (back in my ESPN Denver days) that Hillman was a playmaker who needed the rock. I remember his smile, his kindness, and our secret handshake we would do every day I’d see him after practice in training camp. Hillman was a kind person, and he was an unselfish player. He never really got the chance to be the full-time back in Denver, but he created a great combination with C.J. Anderson during the 2015 season. Hillman started most of the games in the regular season that year (10), but it was Anderson who then started in the postseason. Hillman and Anderson gave the Broncos a great 1-2 punch on their way to a championship, and it was Hillman who led the team in touchdowns that season (7).

A bright soul gone far too soon.

We extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time.

Remembering Ronnie Hillman: pic.twitter.com/3NGi5WJvZP

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 22, 2022

I still can’t believe that Hillman is gone. He was so kind, and his smile projected the positive energy that was inside him. I certainly won’t forget him, and I’ll cherish his friendship forever, and I know Broncos Country is appreciative of him as a player and a person as well. Rest in peace, Ronnie, and we’ll see you on the other side.

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Russell Wilson 2.0?

The Broncos should be looking for a better backup quarterback. The Broncos should also be looking for a potential replacement for Russell Wilson. I think they can do both with one player in the 2023 NFL draft – BYU’s Jaren Hall. I’ve talked about Hall briefly on the air with DMac earlier this month, and I will be writing him up for DenverFan.com as we get into the draft season.

I just wanted to alert Broncos Country to a player the team should be looking at for several reasons. Brett Rypien is average as a backup, perhaps even below average, and the team could easily find an upgrade. Wilson has struggled as the starter this year, and the team can’t have all their eggs in his basket past the 2023 season if those struggles continue. By drafting a player like Hall in the third or fourth round, the Broncos upgrade the backup spot, and they don’t threaten Wilson’s starting job for next season – but they also let a young talent like Hall develop in their pro system behind Wilson.

Hall and Wilson have similar playing styles and physical builds, which makes the fit for the Broncos even better in my opinion. Like Wilson, Hall is a short quarterback who uses mobility to keep plays alive. I like the way Hall can gash a defense with his legs, like a young Wilson used to do, but I also appreciate how he’s not immediately abandoning the pass play under pressure. Hall does a good job of extending plays, looking for open receivers, and only taking off to run when all other options are exhausted. Last week, it was revealed that Hall is going to go pro. His draft stock could rise as we lead up to the draft, but right now most in the scouting community consider him a mid-round pick.

BYU QB Jaren Hall declares for 2023 NFL draft https://t.co/RX0i3vY7ZF<;/a> via @thedraftwire

— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) December 24, 2022

I’ve only just begun digging into the 2023 NFL draft. I really like my early swipe of Hall. He’s not a perfect prospect, but I think he could be available in the mid rounds of the draft and could develop similarly to the way guys like Wilson, Dak Prescott, and Kirk Cousins have done in the pro game.

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Excited for 2023… and 2099!

I am a lifelong Spider-man fan. Ever since I was a kid, the adventures of Peter Parker have always been some of my favorites. While other superheroes were adults with wealth and fame, Parker was a teenager who had regular problems and a secret identity that he tried to protect from the general public. Over the years, we’ve seen great stories about Parker as he’s aged, went through college, got married, and fathered a child. There have been several reboots, but there have also been other Spider-man characters created in the multiverse that have captured the imaginations of fans everywhere.

Miles Morales is one of those Spider-men. While Parker is grown in his universe, Morales is that young man who is just trying to figure out life while fighting crime. His start in crimefighting was brilliantly brought to the screen in 2018’s “Into the Spider-Verse” which was an animated film and one of the best superhero movies in the genre. That movie introduced the general public to what comic book fans such as myself have known for years – there’s more than one Spider-man – and it’s fun to watch their stories unfold.

Next year, the sequel to that movie is set to hit theaters in the summer. “Across the Spider-Verse” is going to feature Morales and several – I’m talking about a lot – different iterations of the Spider-man character from other multiverses. One character, teased at the end of the first movie, is Spider-man 2099. Miguel O’Hara is Spider-man 2099, from the future (obviously), and much more powerful than we’re used to from Parker. Since his debut back in Amazing Spider-man no.365 in 1992, his design and powers have captured my attention. Outside of Parker, Spider-man 2099 might be my second favorite version of the character. It looks like he may be the main antagonist in this movie, and I want to see how things work out in this collision of all Spider-man versions on the big screen.

It's how you wear the mask that matters. Miles Morales returns in the next Spider-Man movie. 🕷 Spider-Man: Across the #SpiderVerse is exclusively in theaters June 2023. pic.twitter.com/tr5wWXf2f7

— Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) December 20, 2022

Are you excited for “Across the Spider-Verse” in theaters next year? Hit me up on social networking and let me know!

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