Speaking at his Monday press conference at Dove Valley, Head Coach Josh McDaniels talked in detail about the team’s erratic rush defense in Sunday’s 20-19 loss to AFC West rival Oakland.
The Raiders had eight runs for 150 yards — good for a 18.8 yards-per-carry average. The rest of the game, however, Denver’s defense was much stronger against the run — allowing a 3.5 yards-per-carry average on Oakland’s 26 other rushing attempts.
“It wasn’t all bad, but certainly on those (eight) plays, it was close to terrible,” McDaniels said. “Again, if you don’t make the plays in those critical situations this time of year, you’re going to be in close games, and ultimately, those are the plays that determine the outcome most of the time.”
McDaniels said Oakland’s drive late in the third quarter — in which the Broncos ended up making a goal-line stand on the first play of the fourth quarter — was symbolic of the team’s rush defense throughout the contest.
On that specific drive, the defense allowed the Raiders to amass 86 rushing yards on three-straight plays (18- and 40-yard runs by Michael Bush followed by a 28-yard run by Darren McFadden) to move the ball to the Denver 3-yard line. On the next four plays, the Broncos held Oakland on four consecutive runs at the goal line, forcing the Raiders to relinquish possession.
“You can break down statistics however much you want to,” McDaniels said. “The bottom line is we gave up way too many big runs, obviously.”
McDaniels said the Broncos inability to stop Oakland from making big plays in the run game mostly came on cutback runs, and defensive coordinator Mike Nolan echoed similar sentiments.
“There was a common thing from the standpoint of where it happened,” Nolan said. “It happened on cutbacks — all but two of them. And it really just has to do with the responsibility to stay home … We have to do a better job of maintaining our responsibility on the cutback. It was really just a case of us over-pursuing on the backside.”
After giving up a handful of big plays against the Raiders, Nolan and the defense are set to prepare for a Philadelphia team filled with big-play threats. At the forefront of those players is explosive wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who has given defenses headaches all season.
“He is certainly somebody we will take close notice to as we are game planning,” Nolan said. “DeSean has been a big part of the big plays. But they’ve always been explosive. It is my understanding that they will get the running back, (Brian) Westbrook, possibly back this week and if they do, he is an outstanding player. They’ve got playmakers.”
PRO BOWL VOTING
Remember that balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl will conclude tonight following the conclusion of Monday Night Football. The teams will be announced at 2 p.m. MST Tuesday, Dec. 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.
– Zach Eisendrath, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: DeSean Jackson, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Rush Defense, Week 16
Go Broncos!!!!!!!
Thats right I said it Go Broncos. Lets take a step back and look at what happened in this game as well as several others throughout the year, and not just for this team but others as well. But first let me say this to all the fairweather fans not just on this site but at my job and abroad the Broncos and the Raiders, the greatest and most hated rivalery of all time. One that reaches back to the the beginning, there have been highs there have been lows but, there has always been and always will be hard fought games. The message in this speil it doesnt matter what has been the raiders against other teams because when we meet them on the field it will always be a hard fought game.
This game was stolen from us in more ways than one. Bogos penalties and then no calls, all year Ive seen it and it ticks me off. Pass interferience where one of our recievers (Gafney) gets shoved to the sideline making it look like an under throw and it happend at least eight yards past the line of scrimmage no call. Numerous holdings penalties no call. Roughing the passer (Orton) gets his head knocked into the ground and more than once no call. Facemask (Moreno) no friggin G#D D@#* call. Unnecessary roughness (Sheffler) NO CALL WAT THE F? We will come back to the Shef call in a moment, please bear with me.
All year I have seen bogos calls and no calls against us like Dumerviel rouhing the passer (getting knocked into Tom CRY BABY Brady by an offensive line man. Or Dumerviel bumping into that faider’s mask not pulling it or knocking his head around. The rule says its a penalty only if he pulls the players head by the mask. Pass interferience on Goodman. He didnt impede the progress of the reciever, A defender is allowed to place his hands on a reciever as long as he doesnt impede his progress. These kinds of things have been going on all year. Make anyone else mad? If not it should period… Now back to that most maddening Shef NO CALL!!!
The last play of the game a 39 yard pass to Shef, when he tried to stand he was pulled back to the ground. We may not have had the time to spike the ball but that cannot be taken into account in the penalty, which is (oh yes I checked on this) unnecessary roughness. This equals a fifteen yard penalty and a free play. The penalty puts us in long field goal range and the game on praters shoulders. Would he have made it I dont know, I can live with a missed field goal or even another pass good or not. I cannot take anymore missed calls. The NFL puts so much into the rules yet for The Denver Broncos they are never called. Why, not sure but for me it falls into the same reason the NFL didnt want the Broncos to become a national team, the same reason we have so few players in the Hall of Fame, including one of five running backs to reach 2000 yards on the ground (2008 for Terrell Davis). We are never suspposed to do good and with no calls we wont.
Finally I leave with this McD welcome to the most hated rivalry in the NFL Welcome to the Broncos. Your a G and I cant wait to see how you take this team to ,Yes Fairweather fans and all other doubters, the promised land and another set of Super Bowls.
Beat the Eagles and finish with the Chiefs Lets go playoffs!!!! Should Be Great.
As Always and fo Life GO BRONCOS LETS GIVE EM HELL
Do you think the throwback pass to Clady kind of told the Raiders “hey look they aren’t taking us serious” and lit a fire under them? What was with that play call? That play has been successful most of the time this year but why on earth are we throwing that pass to our coveted Left Tackle? Clady is the glue to our O-line and the tackle that was made on him made me cringe. If he gets seriously hurt we are done. Please don’t ever try anything like that again!
I think the play calling has been spotty all season. The D is doing their absolute best but when we are trying to execute some questionable plays and going 3 and out on a regular basis you are putting our D in a bad position. On Sunday vs. the Raiders we had too many 3 and outs and a crucial 3 and out late in the game. We need to sustain more drives (someone on here said that) and need to be more successful in the red zone. 4 fg’s on Sunday is not going to beat many teams we turn one of those trips into 6 and we win and are 9-5. Now we are 8-6 and all everyone can talk about is us folding down the stretch like we did last year. After a 6-0 start we have gone 2-6 and on the verge of not making the playoffs again. I was so dissapointed with Sundays loss I immediately went outside and took my Broncos flag down, I was crushed but I put it back up this morning before I left for work! I told myself I’m a Broncos fan through thick and thin not some fair weather fan that only supports his team when they are successful which is what Charger fans are like.
Before this season began people were writing us off, saying we’d win only 5 games or less with the schedule we had and all the off season rubush. Now look at us, on the verge of getting a Wild Card spot and playing some playoff football. Have to remain positive people. I’m usually Super Bowl or bust and I had that attitude this year but right now I just want to see us make the playoffs and prove everyone wrong! If we can get in anything can happen. The Steelers 3 years ago played 3 playoff games on the road and won all 3 so anything can happen. This team deserves to be in the playoffs, they have over come alot and if we play like we did in the first 6 weeks of the season we could do some damage in the playoffs! First things first, statement game this weekend, let’s beat the Eagles and get rolling again! Let’s Go Broncos……Let’s Go Broncos!
I have to say that this was the worst playcalling that I have seen from the broncos all year, including the massacre at SD, and the should-have-won but lost due to more bad playcalling Colts. 3-2 on your own 20, and QB sneak??? Are you kidding me.
Or how about, run up the middle, pass backwards to the left, run up the middle again, punt… It didn’t work the first 3 times, try something else!
I have no doubt that Denver has the talent to win games but if there are only 5 plays that they will attempt, and they wont use their kicker who makes 65′s and 70′s in practice, then we were better off with Shannahan and Cutler. At least those games were exciting: 3-1, and go for a 50 yard pass, oh yeah…
We should have destroyed the raiders, but whoever’s calling the plays nailed the whole team to the floor. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!
Well, I’m glad to see some different folks speaking their mind at length today, it’s refreshing, it must be an important week…
Ohio Props man Fly that flag homie but I dont agree that the play calling is all bad. Granted we can run different plays on short yardage, and im all for hillis but if we cant convert a short run its the line not executing. Our line is used to zone blocking not gap blocking it a big difference. Coming from a lineman myself if we arent converting its in the trenches. Even if we tried to pass not sure our line would give us that time to complete. And I am not saying that we have a bad o line we dont, we have one of the best in the league but in the third down time they dont give us the chance needed, short yardage or not. Give it time we got this!!
The good news is that “Marty Ball” worked for Marty Schottenheimer…. in the regular season.
The bad news is that “McDarty Ball” doesn’t work at all. “Vanilla” game plans only work in the preseason. I know that you don’t want to put too much on film for the simple reason that we want to have NEW stuff come playoff time. The only problem with that is, we’re not winning any games with Peyton Hillis being “rested” for the playoffs, and “vanilla” game plans. And if we don’t win any more games, we won’t be in the playoffs!
So all this “resting” of good players like Hillis, and “vanilla” game planning is gonna get you sitting on the couch watching your plasma in January…. rather than on the sidelines with the fans being the ones watching their plasmas.
So are we ready for Philly time to kick some eagle a@$. Prediction (baylinor get out you pen) Denver, angry over a loss to a division rival, comes out firing on all cylinders and puts a stopper on the eagles. Dumerviel gets 3 sacks, Moreno 75 yards, Orton lights up the secondary for 300+ 3-4 tds, Marshall gets his 100+catch season, Hillis (yes hillis) gets in the endzone and gives Philly a taste of the Mile High Salute, Bailey or goodman get a pick. Final Score
Denver 35, Eagles 17
GO BRONCOS GIVE EM HELL!!!!!!
Broncosfolife. Are you kidding? How can you possibly think there is some kind of conspiracy against the Broncos and the City of Denver? You must be out of your mind to think the NFL would single out one team…over the entire life of the franchise. Ridiculous. I see just as many calls go Denver’s way as not. It’s all in the perspective from which you are watching. To think otherwise is a classic case of not taking responsibility for bad playcalling, uninspired play, failure to prepare, and lack of focus.
I also have to disagree with your take on short yardage plays and the O-line being the problem. The playcalling is the problem. When the entire defense knows what’s coming, it doesn’t matter if you have the 1991 “Hogs,” you will not get that yardage.
Let’s place the onus on where it belongs.
Sorry Bronco fans. The slide continues this week. Regrettably, here’s how I see it: Eagles 24 Broncos 20. It’s painful, but I cannot see how they can win this one. Again, I hope I’m wrong.
Am I the only person that’s become increasingly aggrevated with Orton’s inability to evade pressure and get rid of the ball before being “sacked”? Half the time he’s just bumped and seems to fall over. Yeah I get it, he doesn’t throw the ball to the other team. I just keep hearing people say he’s got everything you need. Sorry, but he looks like the 2009 version of Frank Gifford back there with his athletic “ability”. At least we don’t have Cutler I guess.
Lamont Jordan IS NOT PEYTON HILLIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep Moreno & Buck I don’t want a change! BUT…if you’re going to a second back WHY NOT HILLIS! JMac did you hear me?????
LET HILLIS PLAY FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY!
I’m not asking you to start him, but if Buck is out WHAT ARE YOU DOING???????
SPREAD OFFENSE IN SHORT YARDAGE!
SPREAD OFFENSE IN SHORT YARDAGE!
IF MARSHALL, STOKLEY, GRAHM, SCHEFFLER, ROYAL, GAFFNEY, AND ANYONE IN THE FREAKIN’ BACKFIELD CAN’T PICK UP 1 YARD WE GOT PROBLEMS!!!!!
WE HAVE WEAPONS OF EPTIC PROPORTION! IT PREVENTS MIS MATCHES MOST OF THE TIME! WHY NOT GIVE THE DEFENSE THAT SAME FREAKIN’ LOOK IN SHORT YARDAGE???????????????
MAKE THE OPPOSING DEFENSE WHAT’S COMING AND LET ORTON PICK THE POISON!!!!
IT’S 1 GOD FREAKIN’ YARD!
THE #1 PRBOLEM THIS TEAM HAS HAD IS SUSTAINING DRIVES! PERIOD!!! IT’S BECAUSE WE CAN’T CONVERT ON SHORT YARDAGE BUT WE ATTEMPT TO PUT 10 LBS OF CRAP IN A 5 POUND BAG AND RUN STRAIGHT INTO IT!
Sorry I’ll turn the caps lock off
But my gosh, give a different look on 3rd downs. when all 11 guys are within 5 yards of each other IT”S GOING TO BE A RUN!
come on JMac, you’re better than this! stop trying to play smash mouth football on offense and use your skilled players and let them do what they are good at!
When was the last time we saw Stokes make a 3rd and short play? I KNOW IT’S BEEN FOREVER! This guy is one of the best slot receivers to ever play the game!
let’s go broncos! keep playing football in January, you’re good enough to compete!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
You know when your using a hammer and you smash your thumb and you’re like damn that really hurts. Then you keep going then about 5 or 6 nails later you smash your thumb again, so now you’re a little hesitant so instead of taking 3-4 hits to drive the nail it you take 10. By the time you’re done your thumb is throbing and its all black and blue. Then you go into your shed and lay the hammer back in the toolbox and right beside the toolbox is an air nailer. This is how I feel that McDaniels is using some of our talent. By the time we start to use ‘em it will be too late.
Go Broncos!!!!
mad_orange_devil_27 says: , you’re for surely not the only one. I swear it looked like he pulled a “Jim Everett Phantom Sack” during the Raiders game. He is horrible when he gets pressure. He’s slow. He’s smart, yes. That’s all he’s got going for him I think.
Just to clarify. Im not saying theres a conspiracy, just saying if your not the patriats or colts or one of the”elites” you dont get the calls you dont get the respect. And ‘wait’ i must respectfully disagree about your take on the playcalling. Football is a team effort a team effort that starts in the trenches. The play calls are the right decision just a lack of team execution. Im not saying we played well but we were screwed on calls and we didnt exicute. Thats what it comes down to in my opinion but as it goes to each his own.
Whats the weather like next year? Is it looking fair? :-0 Well Il let you worry about that lol for now im seeing a break in the clouds and a W on Sunday!!
mad orange devil 27, you’re not reading enough of the post, plenty of people talk about Orton’s immobility, I just did yesterday in my 8:22 pm post right here, so you are not the only one, you just need to catch up with the blog when you join in.
I think McD needs to step back and look at the talent we have and utilize.If he would simply just do that and we lost it wouldn’t hurt so damn much,but to see us lose to a team like the Raiders with a LOT less talent,is a damn shame to our organization.The play calling is starting to suck,I blame this disgracing loss on the coaching staff.GO BRONCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HOW MUCH DAMN TALENT DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE ON OFFENSE TO SCORE AGAINST THE 30TH RANKED DEFENSE????????????
Broncosfolife88, I wouldn’t go to the extent of the conspiracy theory you are refering to about the officiating, however, I will say that ever since the Hochuli bad call against SD last year, there has been an effort officiating wise to make sure the Broncos are not helped again by officiating, but it’s grand time for the officials to look past that, they have made up for it plenty since that call with a pletora of non calls which we could of used as was clearly the case Sunday. When the Hochuli call happened, I immediately thought that it would eventually come back to haunt us, and it has, time to let it go officials.
BFE92, good to see you here, I thought you were gone in a hiatus with a bout of depression, LOL, haven’t seen you rant here about this loss yet, I’ve done mine and I feel much better. I agree that the play calling is not adequate and why some bloggers don’t see it that way is mind boggling. They can execute everything the way it’s been called so far this year to perfection on Sunday, it won’t matter, to beat the Eagles you need a heck of lot more explosive plays in your arsenal to make up for the points they will score. This will be some sort of high scoring affair in my opinion, and conservative play calling once again would probably mean the end of our season. If you have anything hidden in the tank, coach, this would be the time to bring it to the table, if you don’t obviously you don’t have that dimension in your game plan yet. We are playing our 15th game, plus 4 pre-season games, keeping a game simple offensively because the team is still young is not a valid excuse any longer. Hopefully you have something to show us, as usual I’ll be there hoping to see it.
A part of me thinks there is something hidden in the tank. McD learned a few tricks from Bill and may have something up his sleeve. Another part of me wonders why wait til now, wouldn’t you want to bust it out against SD and OAK even maybe WAS? Maybe this is all “growing pains” with the new coach, system, and players?
Go Broncos!!!!
About the throwback to Clady, yeah that was a classic comedy play, it all gave us a good laugh. Did you notice, when we tried a throwback play to the other side of the roll out once again, the Raiders were once again all over it. My theory is the Raiders knew Orton never moves out of the pocket, so both time he did they immediately knew it was a trick play, it’s that simple. If you want somebody to buy on it, you need to have your QB roll out once a while and throw it down field, then the deception would have a chance to succeed. This why this was good comedy, that’s all it was. Not so funny for us in the end, but it made me laugh when it happened none the less.
brian, you hit it right on the nail, no pun intended, LOL, you just listed the 3 games that I called must win games, SD at home, at Washington and Oakland at home, if we truly had something in the tank, something tells me we would of seen some of it, maybe not for all 3 games, but at least one of them. Anyhow, couldn’t agree more, hopefully there is more to our offensive play calling that we have seen all year, one can always hope, It’s almost Christmas, isn’t it a time for miracles? LOL. Seriously, I hope McD will baffle us and the Eagles in the process, SHOCK AND AWE is the only way we win this game, IMO.
Hillis and his skin color (i think i speak for a lot of us on this blog) have no bearing on our insistence to use him in the games. I hear McDaniels talk a lot about “situational” football. We are in 3rd and short and 4th n short quite often. So far we have been unable to solve this and sustain drives. Hillis is tough to tackle, hits the hole and keeps his legs moving. He is versatile. As he can play FB as well. He has great hands and decent vision. Give him a shot. That is all we are asking. If he can’t do it, then we can blame it on the o-line not getting the job done.
Many players in the league talk about getting their opportunity. Especially when an injury occurs. That was the case with Hillis. His draft position does not mean a thing. I remember a certain RB who was taken in the 6th round. Special teamer and got his shot due to injury. #30!!!! Maybe Hillis isn’t a starter, or an every down back. But a change of pace, definitely. Short yardage, no doubt. Goal line, hey good D is good D. But a bruiser like #22 should be given the opportunity. Only him and McD know why he is in the proverbial dog house. Something tells me we have a better chance at picking up those short tough yards in certain “situations” with Hillis. McD probably won’t give him his chance. But color has NOTHING to do with it! GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
our offensive play calling was awful sunday, we we’re all over the place. who we’re we? we’re we a passing team, a running team, a balanced team a screening team??? I couldn’t tell.
defensively the raiders just played to our aggressivness, they ran counter on us all day…I guess I’d rather lose because we’re too aggressive than lose becuase we played prevent…
we win week 16 Broncos 27 Eagles 21.
we win week 17 Broncos 32 Cheifs 10.
god the play calling is killing us, mcD needs to man up his play calling skills and prove he is this “offensive genius.” i dont know how many times i’ve seen us try to run up the middle on 3rd and 4th and 1′s… back to back! come on dude, and quit with these damn receiver screens all the time, they do nothing for us except once every 20 tries. and use hillis, for gods sake hes our mojo in the red zones. come on mcD we need you to step up.
i love the broncos with all my heart but i’ve said it earlier this season, i said it a couple weeks ago, and im saying it now. play calling is killing us, we’re not the patriots, we’re the broncos, so play like the broncos.