Entering last Monday’s contest with the Steelers, the Broncos were aware of the potent run defense on the Pittsburgh sideline.
That awareness did not translate into results on the field, as Denver finished with a season-low 27 yards on the ground. Pittsburgh’s front seven maintained its No. 1 tag, squelching any chance for a balanced attack from the home team.
“We’d love to get balance,” Kyle Orton said. “It’s tough when you have 20 yards rushing or whatever we had. It’s tough. Saying that, there’s games where it’s going to happen and you’ve got to rely on the passing game.”
The Broncos got their passing game into gear early, leaving the first quarter of the contest with a 3-0 lead. Orton and the offense ran 15 plays, completing 9-of-11 passes for 89 yards and racking up five first downs.
None of those first downs came out of the backfield, as Denver’s ground game mustered four first-quarter carries for one yard. The struggles persisted into the second half, as the Broncos were held to one total rushing yard over the game’s final 30 minutes.
Rookie Knowshon Moreno said corrections for the Washington game will start with better cohesion from both sides of the offense.
“We’ve got to work together,” Moreno said. “The running game has to help the passing game, the passing game has to help the running game. I think we weren’t really able to get the running game established and that hurt us – definitely.”
Correll Buckhalter had the best flashes of fluidity against Pittsburgh, finishing with 24 yards on nine carries. To establish that togetherness, the nine-year veteran said all members of the offense have a part in the process.
From the offensive line playing penalty-free, to the running backs hitting holes quickly, every player has their job in turning the running game into a juggernaut.
“That is all that it boils down to,” Buckhalter said. “There is no finger-pointing at anybody. We are all in this together as an offense. It takes all 11 guys to get the running game going.”
MOULTON ADDED TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The Broncos announced the signing of cornerback Rashod Moulton on Wednesday to their practice squad.
That roster spot became available once the New York Giants signed cornerback D.J. Johnson off the Broncos’ practice squad and onto their active roster on Wednesday.
Moulton is a first-year player who spent the latter half of last season on Denver’s practice squad. He competed in Broncos training camp earlier this summer, before being waived on Sept. 4.
Here are some more photos from the start of Wednesday’s practice.
– Chris Gentilviso, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Correll Buckhalter, Knowshon Moreno, Kyle Orton, Washington Redskins, Week 10
I just read that article at the denver post in which woody-whatever-his-name-is says we need to start Simms. I don’t think we’re there, personally. Kyle Orton has really surprised me this season. Although he’s kinda flattened out the past 2 weeks, it’s not all on him. We played 2 great teams and had no run game to help ouot, among other things. But I’m still confident that Orton can get it done. The one thing that does scare me is his arm strength. He made some bad throws vs. Pittsburgh, across his body, sailing passes, etc. I’m sure the coaches will get it straightened out, but it’s pretty apparent we don’t have many deep pass plays in the arsenal with Orton back there. What do you folks think?
Yeah,TRB,They are#1 in pass defense,and #6 in total defense.We can’t wait to play them,but on the other side they are probably lickin’ their chops too.
Allsportsguru,
Living in Colorado should be illegal if a hyperbaric chamber is? I’m sorry but that makes no sense. The air in Denver is thinner which means there is LESS oxygen in it. Hyperbaric chambers INCREASE the amount of oxygen in your system, so how should living in Colorado be illegal when considering this? Hyperbaric chambers are meant to be used to heal certain medical conditions not to “prepare” athletes for sporting events. If that is what it is used for then yes I will not change my opinion that it is cheating. This is the reason that in horse racing the hyperbaric chamber is not allowed to be used on the horses for seven days prior to any race. Granted I don’t think that this is the only reason that we lost this game. I agree with you that the Steelers are just stronger and more physical and you are probably right, some of them are probably on steriods.
Although the Deadskins are #1 on defense and #6 total defense,they are 25th against the rush.How can they be #6 on total defense if they are 25th against the rush???Anyway I believe we can run against them and tat will maybe open up our passing attack.
#1 against the pass.
eeerockski – I don’t think the Broncos have any long plays in their offensive arsenal, and if they fail to make the playoffs, I think the lack of downfield plays will be a big part of that.
dunno BFE….their pas defense must be THAT damn good for them to be 6 overall even tho they are 25 against the run
but then again the first 6 teams they played this year were all winless at the time they played the skins…so the skins have played alot of bums and lost….thats why their pass defense is so good….but their run defense sucks cuz it sucks lol
What happened to Ben Hamilton he has been a great Olineman for us for years?NFL.com says they put in Hochstein to ignite a stagnant offense,he came from where else?you guessed it the Patriots.He has played every game since 2002(except for the 2007 season he was injured).I think since he’s trying to change our blocking schemes,Hamilton wasn’t blocking the way he wants him to.Hamilton is a great blocking olineman when he’s zone blocking(that’s what our o-line is used to doing for years).Hell, don’t start pulling our lineman off the field we have the best in the NFL,just need to go back to zone blocking.McD is set in his ways(not trying to make anybody mad,just stating the obvious)wants it his way and dosen’t want to change.If it ain’t broke DON’T fix it.He’s hard headed too.
Music1812 and all i guess,
They do have some in their arsenal…and according to them, they called the plays but the line didnt hold up for long or it wasnt open so they wouldnt force it….
but in my book they prolly only called 2 and even if someone was open Orton is too scared to offend mcd and lose his job if he takes a shot and its incomplete or worse…..nothing is a hundred percent in football….sh*t nothing is a hundred percent in life…even those short high percentage passes resulted in 3 interceptions because its pretty easy to know where the ball is if we never throw it more than 20 yards and they sit on their zones and blanket the 20 yards…its like constantly playing in the redzone WHERE MOST OFFENSE STRUGGLE!!!!
I’ve not said anything about Hillis for a while now,figured he’d be playing by now for sure.I say “UNLEASH THE FU??ING BEAST” If McD don’t want him to run the ball or run block,Hell let him punt the damn thing,gotta be better than Berger.LMAO
At least we see him on the field.
It’s hard to believe they have them in their game plan, but if the team is saying they do, well, I guess I stand corrected on that point. But I still think the lack of stretching the field has the potential to really hurt them in the long run.
Maybe if we can’t get Colquitt back,maybe he’s got another brother,or sister,or cousin,or someone that can punt.LMAO
Guys, I was glad to read the Woody Paige article in the DP where he says we should start Simms, not because that’s what I want, but just because if anybody jumps at someone’s throat today for being too tough on Orton, they’ll have some serious back up. Instead of arguing, I recommend they copy and post the article, it should carry more weight, the guy has been writing about the Broncos since way back then and he is not exactly stupid. LOL.
u guy r fogetting the way eddie royal did d hall i mean i know orton is qb but eddie royal will kill d hall any day lol
Baylin,put me down for 23-6,We get our running game going this week and take some pressure off Orton.He does very well when playaction passes actually work.LOL
Gotta get Sheffler involved in offense,he’s been way to quite,he’s probably the best TE in the league at getting down the field and getting open.He’s wicked fast too.
Getting back to Hochstein,didn’t he start at TE against the Steelers,but now he’s a better blocker than Hamilton???I think not.When I referred to starting every game since 02,I was reffering to Hamilton not Hochstein.
yea, don’t you think that it’s time that the broncs ride the redskins for a while. LOL Let’s go Broncos and ride the redskins to the goal line like 5 or 6 times.
Message for the coach. Put Hillis in quite a bit. Please!!!!
Hamilton might have some health issues holding him back, he was out an entire year with a concussion, was it? Because he hasn’t exactly played well. Before the half, when we had the 4th and 5 at about their 40 and we went for it and Stockley caught it for the first down, well it was Hamilton that killed that drive with a penalty. I thought that was a huge momentum changer in the game, and it really made me mad at Ben. Guess what, somebody else got mad at him also, McD.
im with you guys. we MUST be able to stretch the field, or at least make opposing defenses think we can other wise imo we just become too one dimensional! i also agree that we really need to get the ground game going this week. i would be happy to see us run the ball 6 out of our first 10 plays! and please put hillis in on our short yardage situations! he runs tough and with authority!! not sure what the deal is with him and mcd but i hope they get over it already! i was a bit surprised to see hamilton benched, but reading these blogs earlier this week there were a lot of folks who made mention that he was getting blown up a lot! i am also of the opinion that mcd should really re evaluate his blocking scheme! take a page out of shanny’s book. he may have had it rough the last few years but everyone always knew that we were going to have a good running game! i never will understand why some coaches/people are so adverse to learning new things. imagine what we could do with shanny’s run/blocking scheme and mcd’d qb mind. super scary!!
my 2 cents…
Go Broncos
“DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS”
He had a concussion tat kept him out for the ’07 season,but you can’t replace a starter for a stupid penalty,if so we’d have no team.I might not know all the facts though,just replying to what I read on NFL.com.They said replacing him because of a stagnant offense?who knows.
I hear you Rayjr26,I don’t believe in fixin’ the things that aren’t broke either.
Anyone heard the scoop on Ryan Harris?
LOL @ BeastFromEast92 – I’d bet a million bucks (that I don’t have) that Hillis would be a better punter than Berger. Too funny. However, we all know Hillis is too talented to settle for punting. I really hope McD gets him involved on Sunday. We need him. He’s too good to just be sitting on the sidelines.
Keep the faith Bronco Country…
GO BRONCOS!!!!
07elway I’ve said time & time again “UNLEASH THE BEAST” LOL
Hillis should tell McD, Hey u give me ball I run like Hell…simple enough for me.(that’s to all you fans that say that Hillis is too dumb to read the playbook.LOL
For all of the Broncos fans who are calling for a change in QB…..shame on you. Look around the league. Tom Brady’s team is 6-2. Ben Rothlesburger or however you spell his goofy name…6-2. Carson Palmer- 6-2. Jay Cutler…oh wait…4-4. Anyway…point being…Orton is fine…I do agree that we need to see if he can stretch the field a bit more…but that starts with our offensive line giving him time to do so…and also for our running game to get going. Face the facts- Unless he gets injured…Orton is our guy for the rest of the season whether some of you like it or not. I believe that we will get to the playoffs this year, I dont know how far we will get….but even getting there would be an encouraging step in the right direction considering we have not even made it in the last couple of years.
The broncos should win this week by a comfortable margin. The real test for our season will come in 11 days against San Diego. If we win that game…we will win the division.
I hope all of you have cooled down from Monday Night. Lets hope for 9-2, considering I will be at the Giants game on Thanksgiving.
Go Broncos!
I’ve noticed that BFE92 and I couldn’t agree more. Hillis would do so well in this system, punting probably included! lol
does anyone know if harrison(the punk) is getting any disiplin from the nfl for his helmet to helmet hit on Buck. he lead with the head on a helpless, looking the other way, receiver. Ladies and gentlemen, the Deffencive Cheater of the Year.
I was really surprised to see Hamilton benched, he has been a solid blocker for years, but recently like some of you said I’ve noticed him losing his edge a little. and all you who said that it’s dumb to replace him and “if it’s not broken don’t fix it” Hello the last 2 games we have a combined like 75yds I’d say that our line has broken a little recently and I have faith that the changes are for the better. All we can do is wait and see. I have faith the coaching staff knows what they’re doing…..
VIC TRAVEL…
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