As I cue up some Simple Minds somewhere on my ’80s-overloaded iPod, these thoughts …
To talk to Paul Ernster in the late hours Monday night following the Broncos’ 13-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens was to speak with a man uncertain of his professional future, but certain that his efforts had shown the best he could offer in his first extended work in the NFL.
He’d dropped three of four punts inside the Ravens’ 20-yard-line, effectively making Baltimore’s B.J. Sams a non-factor on punt returns. He’d gotten enough hang time under his kickoffs to limit the explosive Sams to just 18.7 yards per kickoff runback — some 14.4 yards below his average heading into the game.
“I’m going to sleep well tonight knowing that I gave it my best shot, that I did my best. If I didn’t have a good game, I probably wwould have been a little upset and bothered that I didn’t do my best. I did my best.
“I gave my all, everything I had and if it’s not in the cards, it’s not in the cards.”
He knew he’d sleep well. But after he awoke, well …
“I probably won’t answer my phone (Tuesday),” he said.
Of course, the call Ernster dreaded never came. He successfully made it through cutdown day as a rookie, came through a second final cut this year and then Tuesday emerged from what amounted to a third potential cutdown with his place on the roster intact — and, by all indications, a chance to establish a long-term grip on the Broncos’ punting and kickoff duties.
Since his arrival, Ernster has been one of my favorite players to talk to. Engaging. Intelligent. Level-headed. Dry-witted. Always has time for a question or two from an inquisitive wretch like myself. And he knows something about designing Web sites, which doesn’t hurt.
But on the field is what matters, and that’s what made his efforts Monday so promising for him and the Broncos — especially since they represented the continuation of an upward move since Week 2 against Kansas City.
That day, he had a career-best 52.0 yards per punt — but watched all five of his punts be returned for an average of 14.4 yards per runback. The gross average was promising, but the threat of game-breaking returns from Dante Hall was distressing.
All that would change.
In the next two games, only four of his 12 punts were returned. Seven of the eight others were downed, went out of bounds or were fair-caught inside the opposing 20-yard-line.
But one must consider something else with Ernster — his relative lack of experience at punting. He didn’t take it up full-time at NAU until his senior season, but did so well (47.8-yard gross average) that he earned I-AA All-America honors.
Factor that in with a rookie season that for all intents and purposes lasted for one kickoff of one game and later saw a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and you still have a punter who is what he is becoming.
“I’m still kind of a rookie at heart,” Ernster said. “I’ve never really gone out and played a lot of games like this, so I’m just winging it as I go, just doing my best.”
And now, he knows he’ll have the chance to do his best in Denver.
Great choice by Shanny and Co., and I have to give him credit, no matter the money invested, Shanny will keep the best player, and best fit for the team…
Which Simple Minds? A little Sanctify Yourself, maybe??
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
I’m glad Paul is gonna stay. He’s young and he gets the job done. He won’t have the taclking ability, but that’s because he’s not using any enhancements.
No iPod is complete without 80′s tune.
Great story!
I’ve been an avid Bronco fan for 23 years and this is the first time I’ve found myself actually rooting for our PUNTER!!! Every time he trotted on the field last Monday against the Ravens, I was thinking, “Come on Dude, don’t blow your shot”… and then to see it run across ‘the bottom line’ on ESPN yeaterday that the Broncos released Rouen, what a feeling for the kid! Nice move. Mike!
Oh, and I’m quite certain Mason was refering to “Don’t You Forget About Me’ when he mentioned the Simple Minds tune, am I right, Mason??
Hey I am written Paul several times
And you are right that he is indeed
Charming and warm as well as very smart
He graducated with honors from college
And was involved with charity work there
BTW, good things come to you if you wait!
Great work Paul!! You earned it!
sorry Sikotik … 23 yrs of Bronco-dom had you slippin and saying “Rouen” when ya meant “Sauerbrun”.
Been a good long time since we’ve had punter to go with out place kicker though. Hell, for that matter it’s been a long time since we’ve had a quarterback to go with our defense (and the jury is still out debating if that will ever happen again – anyone else find themselves voting Cutler – 07)
Cutler? I think Jake will play out his time in Denver and Cutler will get this chance in 2007. Unless Jake wins us a superbowl, I don’t think the broncs have any incentive to keep him (I think he is on his last year of his contract). Just food for thought.
Punter is doing well so far… lets hope he keeps it up.
Actually, the title was the Simple Minds reference … “Alive and Kicking” was their pop-chart follow-up to “Don’t You Forget About Me” back in 1985.
I was very glad we kept Ernster last year instead of cutting him and gave him a place kicking off until he got hurt, simply because of his age and potential. You could see that Sauerbrun was dropping off statistically the whole time he was here, while Ernster was going in the opposite direction, improving all the time, and is much cheaper.
Todd wasn’t the premium kicker we thought we were getting when we traded for him even if he was better than what we had that year and still better than average. Once Ernster came along that changed. I saw many games where I was waiting for Sauerbrun to break out but each time the opposiing punter had a better day, even in Denver. You would think that after a while kicking at altitude would have helped his average quite a bit but it never did. All the bad punters we have had were noticeably better in Denver than on the road and so at the end of the year looked much better than they really were, even when they still looked poor. If they had kicked at sea level the whole time they would have been cut in training camp probably. Not Ernster though, and not Sauerbrun the years before he got here.
Sauerbrun had the one great tackle in the playoff game to save our season so maybe we owe him better than to put him on the street in the middle of the year instead of waitinig until after the season when he would have his choice of teams to go to but as we keep getting told, that’s the way the business of football works nowadays.
Oh, and as long as Jake plays well, what is the reason to rush Cutler into action even in ’07? Shanahan says that you don’t really get his offense until the 3rd year, so that should mean keeping Cutler on the bench except for spot duty for game experience until ’08. He sounds okay with it in interviews, willing to wait his turn. Look at how Phillip Rivers is doing after sitting 2 years, and how Carson Palmer is doing after sitting too.
Jake is spooky in some of his decision making but he has won a higher percentage of games for the Broncos in his stay than Elway did and proved he can throw for as many TDs as John a couple of years ago when he tied Elways best year. Admittedly, evertime he puts the ball in the air you hold your breath hoping it doesn’t go to the oterh team instead of confidently looking for whoever he is making the completion to but he has done a lot better the last couple of years than previously even with that. If we are lucky, Jake will stay as a backup after Cutler takes over to give us a qwuality starter to come off the bench if the worst happens. Nowadays in the NFL you really need someone who can come in and win the season for you if you want to be competitive. Think of how the Colts will be if Manning gets hurt. if they were a .500 team with him down I would be amazed, yet the Chiefs are going along without missing a beat with Huard.
Its funny how a story about our kicker turns into a QB debate – LOL – Guru was right – I like the fact that Shanny keeps the best regardless of who they are or what they make – wish georgie s. would take a page or two from shannys notebook on this one
Not only is Paul Ernster a great athlete…he is a fabulous son. I may be predjudiced…but he has been a joy to me since the day he was born. Keep up the good work Paul! We all love you! Mom
Glad that he is a wonderful son! And that I emailed him several times. He is a great guy indeed! Keep up the good work Paul!