It is an enviable position for an NFL team to be in: Win while not playing its best. That’s where the Broncos find themselves after two games of the 2007 season.
Sunday’s overtime win over the Raiders was the Broncos’ second consecutive nail-biter. The bottom line is that the Broncos are 2-0 and they are not playing nearly to the level at which they are capable of playing.
The Broncos have plenty on which to work after beating the Raiders. A few of the items:
- They surrendered 200 net yards rushing. The Raiders couldn’t throw the football, finishing with 53 net yards passing. But the Broncos could hardly stop Oakland’s running game. It was just too easy.
- For the second straight week, the Broncos’ offense marched up and down the field. But for the second straight week, they struggled to score points. The Broncos racked up 441 yards but they still had to rally to win.
- The Broncos’ special teams has to tighten things up. The onside kick the Raiders recovered seemed to give them new life. Even though Oakland didn’t score on the ensuing possession, the Raiders seemed to be energized by taking the Broncos by surprise.
While the Broncos have areas on which to work, there were many more positive signs from this game, including the Broncos’ ability to move the ball consistently, Travis Henry’s 128 rushing yards, the Broncos’ converting 9-of-17 (53%) third down opportunities, the ability Jay Cutler is showing to come up with clutch drives, the Broncos’ terrific receiving corps led by Javon Walker, Brandon Marshall and Brandon Stokley and so on.
Of course, the Broncos have things to shore up. I think they will.
The first two games haven’t been perfect and they haven’t been pretty. But they’ve been wins. In the past, the Broncos have had their share of seasons in which they start out playing really well, only to fade down the stretch.
This year, the Broncos have played just well enough to win. That works for me.
Not good enough for you? I seem to remember there’s an NFL owner well-known for saying something along the lines of, “Just win, baby.”
Thanks for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts about what the Broncos are doing well or the areas you think they need the most work. I always enjoy hearing from you.
Mike
Tags: Brandon Marshall, Brandon Stokley, Javon Walker, Jay Cutler, Oakland Raiders, Travis Henry
I think the most important thing we can take away from this is we now know, for sure, that Jay Cutler is the answer at quarterback, and like that guy who wore #7(won’t even let you infer I am comparing him to the E-word) plays at his best when it matters most.
Doesn’t matter what road we took to get here, we are 2-0, and only 9 teams on the planet can say that.
24 hour rule…then it’s on to Jacksonville!!!
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
For what it’s worth, Pittsburgh had to settle for 4 field goals before they finally made a touchdown on the 5th try against Buffalo.
Well, They have one more week to fritter away at a game and still “possibly” come out on top. Starting week 4, they better get their game-faces on because it doesn’t get easier going into the Colts.
As a Colorado Springs transplant stuck in Jacksonville, this is gonna be a great weekend with the in-laws. 8-D
GO BRONCOS!!!
The great thing about being 2-0 is the fact that the team is still coming together. We can’t forget that the team experienced alot of injuries in the preseason and guys missed time for various things, so the offence and defense still have some work to do. On any given sunday, you will see a team rack up more rushing yards when then can’t throw the ball at all, but I do agree that we need to tighten up the run defense. The new scheme and new leader of the front 7, has a lot to do with that! It isn’t anything that can’t be shored up as the season goes on. It will come with time and experience. Six out of the 7 front seven guys are new starters or in a new position. So as they always do…back to film study, and bring on the Jaguars!!!
I feel somewhat responsbile for jinxing this week by jokingly calling the raiders a “bye-week”. But I’m glad we pulled it out. I got to go to the game (courtesy of AZ Snake fan, thanks) and take my wife who until yesterday wasn’t a big football fan. But with the atmosphere in Invesco yesterday I think she’s hooked.
So . . . there are a few problems and small adjustments needed on Offense and Special teams, but the only major problem I saw was the run defense. I would like your take on my theory.
If I understand the new scheme right, it is the DT’s job to plug the middle and occupy blockers. I think they have done that fairly well because most of the rushing yardage for both oakland and Buffalo has come off-tackle. SO either the DE’s or the Lb’s have to plug those gaps. I assume, the DE’s are there more for outside contain, and presurring the QB, so that must mean it’s the Line Backers that aren’t stopping those runs.
I can understand this because this role is so much different than in the past when they’ve been in coverage, or helping contain the end. I think they’re still adjusting. Either that, or the fact they are so fast, they just over persue and allow a cutback lane. In either case, with some more time and practice, I hope we’ll get the run shut down, and make QB’s test our secondary.
As far as scoring, I think that’s mostly a matter of Shannahan holding back, waiting for Indy and SD to reveal all the good stuff. The evidence of this is shown by the play calling when we’re in the Red Zone. It’s always either a run, or a floater to Marshall or Walker in the corner of the End Zone. I haven’t seen any of the traditional suprise plays. Very few play actions, no bootlegs, no full back catches. None of the tradtitional red zone offense. But I think it will come in week 4 and 5, so I’m not worried.
In the meantime, it would be nice to run up the score on Jacksonville without haveing to use the more flashy plays. So here’s to a quietly confident “Go Broncos”, in order to avoid another jinx.
I feel somewhat responsible for this nail-biter because of last week’s joking comment calling the raiders a “bye-week”. Thankfully we pulled it out. I was able to be at the game (courtesy of AZ Snake fan, Thanks!) and take my wife. She’s never been a big fan, but after the atmosphere at Invesco, I think she’s hooked!
So . . . we have some small problems and adjustments to be made on offense and special teams, but the only major issue I am concerned about is the run defense. I’d like your take on my theory.
As I understand it, this system requires tackles to plug the middle and occupy blockers. I think they’ve done a decent job at that because nearly all of the rushing from oakland and buffalo came off-tackle, not up the middle. So either the DE’s or the LB’s are responsible for plugging those outside gaps.
If that’s the case, by instinct would be for the DE’s to be pressuring the QB and containing the ends, leaving the LB’s to deal with the off-tackle runs. It may be that this is very different than the old defense (where they covered the flats and helped contain because of their speed) so it could just be they are still adjusting. The other explanation is that they are so fast, they simply over-pursue and leave “cut back” lanes for the runner.
In either case, it seems to me that this problem shouldn’t be all that difficult to fix. I’m confident that Bates knows what he’s doing, and that the D will show consistant improvement.
As far as scoring . . . I really have to believe that Shannahan is simply holding back. I mean, we move the ball so easily up and down the field until we get to the Red Zone. Traditionally, the red zone requires a different variety of plays because the Defense tightens down. All I have seen so far is either a run, or a floater to Marshall or Walker in the corner. There has been no variety, and none of the standard flash plays (I keep thinking of Carswell’s 2 TD’s last year). I haven’t seen any bootlegs, very few play actions, no fullback catches (except in pre-season). The staples of redzone play are missing, and I think they’re being held back until weeks 4 and 5.
Seriously if you were a coach, and the first 3 games were buffalo, oakland, and jacksonville, would you really see a need to reveal all your stuff?? I don’t think so. So I think the bigger scores are on the way.
In the meantime, it would be nice to take down Jacksonville with a little more breathing room, and some Henry rushing TD’s. Here’s to a more quietly confident “Go Broncos” in an effort to avoid another jinx!
Sorry about the double post, my slow connection fooled me. FYI, the second one is worded better.
Couldn’t agree more with Vidar 710, the Broncos need to play to their full potential no matter what but even more so against Jacksonville, b/c they’re going have to play beyond their potential & talent against the Colts. The Colts arent’ going to go easy & we all know that… we need to waltz right into Indianapolis & show ‘em who’s boss. We need to walk in there & OWN that football field every second of that game.
We have the next best thing at quarterback right now & as 1 of 5 captains he can help bring us home a HUGE victory at Colts. But for now Jacksonville is the focal point & we need to play smart yet tough to get the job done. We are so very capable of it & I know it’s in them to play their hearts out but they not only need to say it to keep their spirits up but more than anything they need to prove it. Show the other team you are playing at your very best & nothing short of it. GO BRONCOS!!!!!
All i have to say is that in the past these close games haven’t gone our way, so i am glad to finally be on the receiving side of these close games. Thats what a real contender does, WIN THE CLOSE GAMES, cuz not all of them are gonna be blow outs like we want them to. That being said its time to go to work and start putting some points on the board.
We’re winning, and eventually things will even out. What I mean by this is, as long as the Broncos can outgain their opponents by about 175-200 yards per game, and the defense continues in its dominance, this will be one of the more dominant teams in the league. The defense is just responsible for 17 of the 34 points scored on the Broncos in the first two weeks, so it truly is asserting itself as an elite unit. I wouldn’t be shocked if we hang 40 on the Jags this upcoming weekend, as the Broncs remain below the radar. Let the media adulate the Pats, we’ll beat them just like we always do in head-to-head matchups. The game at Indianapolis Sept.30 is huge, but if we leave the RCA Dome with a 4-0 record, who knows what can happen?
“Things are getting better”. Go Broncos!
It seems obvious to me what is wrong…the fix is going to be tough. We went from one of the best LB crews to the worst…get a MLB and allow DJ to play the position he should play.