Head Coach Josh McDaniels announced on Monday that rookie Darcel McBath will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a broken forearm against the Indianapolis Colts.
With McBath headed to IR, McDaniels also announced the team has signed safety Vernon Fox, who spent the 2008 season and 2009 training camp with the Broncos.
McBath was tied for the club lead in special teams tackles entering the Indianapolis game. He snared two interceptions in his rookie campaign.
McDaniels said Fox, who saw time in 10 games for the Broncos last season, will have an opportunity to fill in for McBath “right away” on special teams because of his familiarity with special teams coordinator Mike Priefer’s system during the preseason.
“If Vernon can do that right away, which I have confidence in him – he’s a very bright person and understands that role very well – if he can do that for us, that would help us not have to juggle a bunch of balls in the air and move everybody around to try to get that accommodated,” McDaniels said. “We’ll see how fast we can get that done, but that’s part of Vernon’s versatility that we’ll look forward to.”
Fox, who totaled 20 tackles and one fumble recovery for a touchdown in 2008, said he believes he can contribute to the team down the stretch. Since being waived by the club on Sept. 5, Fox said has been staying in football shape just in case a situation like this one arose.
“Even when leaving here I was hoping that at some point I could have an opportunity to come back here,” Fox said. “It was looking like along the way that I would end up somewhere else, but for one reason or another that didn’t happen and obviously it was meant for me to spend at least the rest of the season here. I look forward to trying to do whatever I can to help the team push forward.”
– Gray Caldwell and Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Darcel McBath, Vernon Fox
1st comment!!! o wow! Darcel was pretty good!
Did he break his arm on his interception play?
WTF??? What happened
Well, I find myself wondering if we are going to be watching a Super Bowl this year that has two undefeated teams in it? I’d still like to see the Broncos in the playoffs, but I don’t see them in the Super Bowl. They should win against the Raiders and the Chiefs, but I’m just not sure about the Eagles. I sure hope they can beat the Eagles though and finish 11-5.
Go Broncos and crush the Raiders!!!!!
damnit! and i loved that interception though!! HOpefully he’ll be back next year and yes, 11-5 does sound SWEET!! GO BRONCOS!!!
I have one question: Who thinks Alphonso Smith is worth the 1st round pick McDaniels traded to draft him? I don’t. And I just wanted to mention again how much I hope we can draft Suh. We need a big, dominant DT like him.
Darcel, let me thank you for great contributions to this team both in the secondary & on special teams coverage. I hope for quick & full recovery from your injury and we the Bronco faithfull look forward to your return.
footballMANIAC,
I think Smith has talent and potential but with any draft pick you take the chance of a bust or boom. Fortunately, we traded our 1st round pick and NOT the Bears (which every week is looking better and better for us). I wish we could draft Suh as well but unless we trade up to get him, I do not see it happening. I would not mind drafting Eric Berry if he is available. He is a beast on the defensive side of the ball and with Dawkins as a mentor could learn great things. I wish we could get Eddie back to 08 form either that or get a better #2 option opposite of Marshall. It’s a shame to see McBath go down as he was a great special teamer. I know it is early for predictions but here we go:
Broncos 37
Raiders 10
If Gradkowski were playing I would say it would be closer but he has a knee injury so I dont think he will be playing. Good News for us!!! Russell for Broncos MVP this game!
Smith is still a good CB in my opinion…
give him time…he was probably the best defensive playmaker in college last year….he and Darcel’s teachers are a fantasy for any rookie DB/CB to have…Champ,Goody,Law,Dawk,andRonaldo….
you think we have trouble, look at the other defensive players pick way ahead of him and how they fare this season: Tyson Jackson, Aaron Curry, B.J Raji.etc..
being a DB/CB is the hardest role to play IMO, just as Champ explained, you gotta learn on fly, make split-decisions while on the go,, you have to predict the receivers next move..pretty soon Alphonso will be a household name….cant wait!
I like the Suh pick, but he is likely to go way ahead, just hope and pray that the Bears fail miserably….I like Eric Berry and Taylor Mays too..but they’ll likely be going OL and DL first
enough about the coming off-season on to now.lol
i think the Fox pick up was pretty smart, he knows this defense having been here until preseason…
McBath, get well for next season
Have to add my thanks for your contributions to the team We love, Darcel.
I wish you a restful recovery. Hopefully you can recover comfortably and on your own terms (mainly meaning that money doesn’t become an issue) and hope to see you back Orange Crushin’ ASAP!
Meanwhile, tear it up Vernon – hope you can learn to be an integral part of this AWESOME defense!
Thank you Darcel can’t to see you next year.Time to sign the beast!
Please don’t over look the raiders like LY. We need to win agaist Oakland and KC more than Philly(afc teams)
This is a huge game. If we lose we would be tied w/ alot of teams. The Ravens have a tiebreaker over us so we would be 6th seed at best or not even make it cuz of conference record. WIN AT HOME IN DECEMBER!
Realistically speaking the Chargers could possibly lose to the Bengals, but that wouldn’t be enough for us to win the AFC West. I would rather the Bengals take back the 2nd seed and Chargers take the 3rd. We need to maintain the 5th seed, that would have us playing NE(rather play MIA though but I doubt they’ll win the AFC East over the Pats) Then playing the Bengals. While Jags, Dolphins, or Jets play the Chargers and the winner of that game would play Indy.
What your guy’s thoughts of the current play off picture?
I think we could beat NE. They are not playing good right now.I don’t want SD to get the 2 seed No rest for the cry babies.
If SD loses to both Cincy and Tenn and we win out we get the west. I think Tenn run game vs SD run D is a win for Tenn. So this weekend is HUGE for both us and SD.
Would the Chargers still win the West if its tied 11-5 because they have a better conference record?
Well, here is the thing…is SD is playing Cincy in Cincy than the Bolts will lose. If in SD, Cincy will lose. SD will beat Tennn in my opinion, but I hope not lol. Denver needs momentum goin in to the playoffs. So I think that we will come in econd in the West…HOWEVER that is almost a good thing. We would play NE, and We know we can beat them. SOOOO it might work out.
Anyone watch the press conference this afternoon? I want to make sure I understood something. Did McDaniels really say the reason why Hillis didnt get more tries as a RB( he had one run) was because he was the only FB? Hello make a LB a FB or just use Reid like they did that one time. To me that was just a lame excuse that is to say if I understood it correctly.
Darcel: Broncos Country wishes you a speedy recovery and thanks for your SP play and the INT excitement vs. the Colts! I hope Fox can take your place as the protector in the punting formation calling assignments out as well as you have done all season! Its raider week and we will miss you!
FTR
If SD loses to Cincy and Tenn and we win and we are tied we win the west cuz of a better converence record.
tnalen66, you keep bringing on the conference record as the tie breaker that will decide our faith, but it’s only the 4th tie breaker and it probably won’t come to that as the 3rd tie breaker (common games) will probably decide it, I enclose for your benefit the list of the 4 tie breakers for two teams that are tied within the division:
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
And this is not some wild guess, it’s straight from the NFL. We probably all need to do better research before we post.
We are tied in the first tie breaker, go to 2nd tie breaker, if we win against Oakland and KC, we are tied in that tied breaker also, go to third tie breaker, we need to win at Philly and have SD lose against Washington and Cinci, we win the tie breaker. If SD wins either the Washington game or the Cinci game and loses the Tennessee game, we are tied and it goes to the 4th tie breaker, the conference record one, we got a ways to go obviously…
I’m dizzy now, but it was worth looking into, because it’s never as easy as it seems. The best way to get in or win the division is on your own merit, we have most likely failed already at the division title, but we are in control of the wild card, let’s keep it that way.
Actually, the third tie breaker is even more complicated than that. If we win out and SD loses the Washington game and the Tennesse game, we win the third tie breaker even if they beat Cinci. I believe that’s correct.
And if they lose to both Tennessee and Cinci and beat Washington, we also win the third tie breaker as long as we win out. Those are better odds than I previously thought. Still a real long shot to have SD lose 2 out of 3 in December.
I think its too early to be judging picks at this point. Give it a couple of years then we will see if smith is worth it. Same for moreno. I think its good moreno is on the field getting experience. He needs to adjust to the nfl speed.
Baylino yeah once the Chargers beat the Cowboys I thought that was the end of use winning the West but now that I’ve thought about it we could still win it, but as you said its a long shot for them to lose 2/3 but weirder things have happened. The Broncs just need to concentrate on maintaining the 5th seed and gearing up for the play offs even if its just a wild card but it would be nice to have that bye week.
Actually, my original scenario in my 7: 42 pm posts is correct, disregard the corrections I made in the 8:10 and 8:24 pm posts.
Divisional tiebreakers
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games (games played against the same opponents).
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory (the combined won-lost-tied percentage of all the teams that a club has defeated).
6. Strength of schedule (the combined won-lost-tied percentage of all the teams that a club has played against).
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss
Conference tiebreakers
1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.
This should clear things up.
FTR
Deify, I know what you mean, anything can happen, but the biggest problem is I believe SD hasn’t lost a single game in December since 2005 !!!!! No wonder they have won the division ever since… Over four years without losing in December, what’s up with that?
FTR, thanks for making it worse! I was trying to simplify things a bit in just posting the top 4 tie breakers. LOL.
Too funny….
Baylin:
Just stating the facts. Everyone now can do their homework and see what they come up with. Go ahead and drive yourself crazy with the scenarios. You did a good job! Sorry if I simplifyed things! It comes down to wining the last three games and let it all play out. I think we will end up 10 and 6. But only then can you start to pan out the AFC seeds. One of those years like the past with 3 games remaining.
Ohh yeah it’s raider week like anybody cares!
GO BRONCOS
FTR
Time to school the younger Bronco Fans here. Lets see what they come up with!LOL
FTR
Yeah, Raider week is not what it used to be anymore, I miss that, now it seems more of a SD thing, probably as long as Al Davis runs the show over there. I’m glad we’re catching them without that new QB, this should be a comfortable win after the loss our players endured yesterday, they’ll be rearing to go, no doubt in my mind, not even worried about this one, in all honesty.
Yup. You got that right about it now being a SD thing. But I still get pumped on raider week. Can not help myself.
FTR
Hey no team leading their division by 3 has ever lost 3 straight w/3 games left. No team has ever had sole possetion of their division from week 1 through the last week and lost. BOTH HAPPENED LAST YEAR. So you never know. Long shot.We will know by the end of this week end. I want to go to the playoffs wether it’s a wild card or Divison winner. Wild cards have had alot of success over the years. Balt twice, NYG,Pitt, PHilly, Indy, Tenn,Raiders etc and the 1997 BRONCOS! Sorry guys I thought conference record was the 3rd tie breaker.
When I lived in Colorado in the 70′s and 80′s, the Raiders game was the one game I was trying to attend at least every other year, the snow ball game comes to mind. Man that was fun, snow everywhere, and a snow ball flying from the North stand flies right onto the foot of the kicker as he is kicking the FG, misses it, we win the game, man, the Raider fans who were there were fuming. The cold, the snow, Mile High, sounds like Heaven, and I’m in Austin now! LOL.
tnalen66, about everyone I know makes the same mistake, no big deal, plus you were so darn near perfect with your pick, what do you expect, perfection? LOL.
FTR, if it comes down to the 12th tie breaker, can we get that referee who can’t read tails from heads on the coin toss, they probably should have a 13th tie breaker, just in case…/ LOL.
And the Niners beat up on the Cardinals, yeah, anything can happen…
Monday night in November of 2000. It was cold and snowing. We had a RB by the name of Olandis Gary, who ran us to a victory over those Raiders we all despise! After losing at home to them last year I hope we put 45 up. To their 7. I can’t stand those hot dogs from southern cal, but I hate that Oakland team.I am a 100% RaiderHater. They will always be our Archrivals.
Tough game yesterday. Oh, we sooo had our chances! Congrats to SpiderMarsh(lol). Sorry to hear about McBath. He is a beast as well. Hope he has a full, speedy recovery.
Just read that game time got pushed back in Philly. Good thing cause I don’t like those 11am starts. Wild Card is in our hands for the taking. And the hot dogs can feel the heat. They may not lose 2 but they won’t win when it counts! GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!
The game went into overtime. My brother and cousin were there as well. And it was cold. They were not happy. I can still hear their obscenities like it was yesterday! OG ran us to victory in short fashion tho, and we all cheered throughout the night!!!
November of 1999 actually. I was mistaken. After thinking about some more. Oops!!!lol
Jamarcus Russell is going to get gashed like a Quinceanera pinata and then ask for Brian Dawkins’ autograph after the game. What a tool. Oh well, Faiders that’s not our problem GO BRONCOS!!!
baylinorcrush: The snowball game was not against the Raiders, it was a Moinday night game against the 49ers. I was there. Refs really blew that one. The 49ers FG kicker blew a chip shot because he was almost hit by a snowball. Broncos won by less than FG.
let them get the bye you know what happen when we had a bye i hope they lose first round
Yeah I remember the Snowball incident. Then we have the little snow blower clearing a spot for Elam all the while the commentators are arguing if it was legal. Ha. But the snow bowl game that I was at was the Broncos Vs Greenbay on a Monday night Blizzard. Broncos scored 14 points in less then 60 seconds off two Greenbay fumbles in a row. Steve Foley got one a Louis Wright the other. Froze my butt off at that game. Greenbay almost came back to win it. It took us
All this talk about playoffs and winning the division is great, but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t win our remaining games. Sure if we lose one we can maybe make it up if some other team loses, but is that how we really want to get into the playoffs…I think not. I’d rather get in by winning the remaining game having some crazy good momentum. SD is playin’ well right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if they won their remaining games, thus clinching the AFC West. Us, we just need to win our remaining games and we’ll make it in as the wild card no problem. While the playoffs are getting ever so closer we still need to remain focused on the task at hand….Raiders. Last year we thought since we beat them so badly the first time we’ll cake walk over them the second time. Well I sure as heck hope we don’t have that attitude. They did beat CIN and PIT and that’s sayin’ a lot especially for the Raiders. Lets get ready for the Raiders and let the rest of the league worry about where they want to be for the playoffs. We just need to win baby win.
Go Broncos!!!!