The Broncos offense went 69 yards in six plays for a touchdown on the opening drive of last night’s 35-14 loss in San Diego. During its final 11 possessions, Denver picked up 169 yards total and just seven more points.
On Tuesday morning, Head Coach Josh McDaniels gave the Chargers credit for making defensive adjustments that his team never solved.
The head coach said the Chargers, who blitz on about 40 percent of plays, backed off the pressure significantly after the first drive and focused on taking away Kyle Orton’s sideline passing lanes.
“That took some adjusting on their part because they had to leave some of their comfort zone I am sure and go to some different things, but that was something they tried to do and we tried to combat it,” McDaniels said. “We didn’t do it very well, and the game ended up becoming more of a catch up game for us.”
Part of the reason for that success was outside linebacker Shaun Phillips’ success getting pressure on Orton without his team having to send blitzes. Orton’s former college teammate finished with a game-high two sacks and two quarterback hurries.
As the team rapidly fell behind, Denver focused almost exclusively on the pass trying to comeback. The situation created a perfect storm for San Diego’s defensive scheme to thrive.
The Broncos mustered a season-low 235 yards of total offense and converted just 1-of-12 third-down opportunities.
After the game-opening score, the visitors never sustained a drive longer than 39 yards, allowing the Chargers to score 35 unanswered points during one stretch and ensuring Denver headed home with its seventh loss of the season.
“There are things we can do better, no doubt about it in the game that we didn’t do last night very well,” McDaniels said. “But, again, they made some adjustments and they worked because of the guys they had and made them go.”
INJURY UPDATE
McDaniels ruled Andre’ Goodman, Demaryius Thomas and Darcel McBath out for Sunday’s game against St. Louis at INVESCO Field at Mile High.
Goodman has missed six of the past eight games due to injury. Thomas and McBath were injured in yesterday’s loss to the Chargers.
McDaniels also discussed the choice not to play Robert Ayers in San Diego, calling it “a tough decision.”
McDaniels said he was worried Ayers would not have been able to make it through the entire game, which could have compromised the team’s defensive gameplan and even had an impact on special teams personnel.
Ayers, who practiced on a limited basis last week and came into the game questionable, has missed five games with a foot injury. McDaniels said Ayers is eager to get back onto the field, and the head coach looks forward to getting back his starting outside linebacker soon.
“(Ayers is) a competitive person,” McDaniels said. “He’s missed playing for a number of weeks now and wants to get back out there and help his team. It isn’t an easy decision to decide that the best thing is to not play him for a number of different reasons. But, I’ll give him credit — he went out there and worked hard in the pregame warm-ups and then wanted to play. But I just don’t think that was the best thing for us last night.”
- Eric Detweiler, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: 2010, Denver Broncos, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, Kyle Orton, Robert Ayers
Broncosfolife88,
But isn’t that exactly why Brian Dawkins was brought in? He hasn’t shown quite the same effort the past few weeks. And when something like that starts happening with the team’s leader, that reeks of players quitting on their coach if you ask me.
As a business owner I am even more shocked at your perceptions now than I was before I knew you owned a business lol. As a business owner you have to recognize that developing any investment takes time, and you dont just jump in head first full steam ahead. you have to develop you investments not throw them into the fire and hope they do not burn. Hence bringing in the younger guys mixed with the older vets. The new investments developing from the old investments. As you should know any investment takes time to mature to grow to operate how it should McDaniel is an investment one that has to develop to grow to create an ROI it doesnt happen over time thats the business of business it takes time and throwing it to the fire really can hurt that investment easing it in and building it and around it thats what makes any investment create ROI of course I am a little bit younger lol maybe I just have a different approach.
Dawkins is older and he wants a ring and he wants it now unfortunately that is not realistic (told you guys I am a realist) and so he is giving up I love Dawk think he is one of the best but him and sad to say Champ both gave up A leader a true Leader does not quit when it gets rough. If there is one part of this team I am upset about it is the defense but like I said they are older so it is what it is.
There has been major regression of this team under the leadership of McDaniels.
We are in complete dissaray and the future is bleak.
We waisted this entire year on Orton and will continue to do so next year.
All of this chaos and drama created by one guy, and he has nothing positve to show for all of it…. Why?
Why not start over right away. Why not get Rick
Dennison or Rob Ryan in here to try for a year or two. It deffinetely can’t get any worse than it is now. We have nothing left to lose.
This team is not even rebuilding yet. We are still in the demolition stage of this coaches aimless plan.. He is in WAY over his head and it is a GLARING reality.
There is no hope under this current leadership. Next year will just be more of the same as this year if we don’t make some drastic changes in this coaching staff ASAP.
WE NEED TO GO IN A NEW DIRECTION!!!!!!
I concur OC.
FIRE McD!
Out of respect, I was gonna wait til we were ‘mathematically’ eliminated- but Herm Edwards is out there. At least he “Plays to win the GAME”!
life88, it looks like you have been out numbered, enough discussion for me on this matter and yes life long experience has a lot to do with even being able to attempt understanding what I said, live and learn as I always say, there is no better teacher.
haha that was so funny SNDVL lol
The comments on this blog quantify the low morale that this type of performance brings. It is amazing to me that the team can be so bad, then pretty good, then back to being appalling.
What is going on? It is as though the players just do not believe in the coaches anymore.
I have been MCD’s biggest supporter so far but please send him packing. Why we continue starting a QB with a career losing record freakin kills me. Watching him laughing after the game after getting destroyed against by the bolts made me sick. Other teams are starting rookies and winning but no not us. Didnt a rookie QB beat us this year?This team is a joke and he keeps doing the same thing over and over. We will end the season with 5 wins and finish in the cellar of the AFC. Has that what Bronco football turned into?
westcoast, FYI Orton is now 32-25 in his career, so he has a career winning record but it is erroding fast. Consider this: He came here from the Bears with a 21-12 winning record and has since then amassed a 11-13 losing record under McD. No problem with dishing it out on the team, but having correct facts to back it up is always a plus.