They call it preseason for a reason. The games don’t count and in the big picture, it really doesn’t matter what the final score is.
I realize the Broncos have not played particularly well in the first two preseason games against San Francisco and Dallas.
And I realize there are issues on defense. I know the Broncos have more than their share of injuries, especially on offense.
But it isn’t September 9th yet. It’s the PREseason. This is what the preseason is for: To be able to evaluate players and make adjustments in games that don’t count.
For the record, I’m usually optimistic and I usually think the Broncos will at least be pretty good. When I look at their talent level, the quality of their coaches and their tradition of excellence, I have no reason to think they won’t be at least pretty good again this year.
At the same time, we can all acknowledge that if, for instance, the defense doesn’t improve on its preseason performance once the regular season rolls around, then there is a good chance the Broncos will be less than pretty good.
But let’s wait and see. It’s not yet time to play games that count. There is still time to get better. I think the Broncos will do just that in the weeks leading up to the Buffalo game.
How about you? How concerned are you about the team’s play the first two preseason games? Has it changed your outlook on the season? Feel free to offer your thoughts.
Thanks for reading,
Mike
Tags: Preseason
While agree that the end results of the games don’t count, I am certainly looking for small things like effort, progress, etc. to show me that the defense is picking up what Jim Bates is putting down. A 54% 3rd down conversion rate coupled with 344 rushing yards allowed in 2 games may not be reason to panic, but I have definitely broke the glass case surrounding the button and I am ready to punch it…..
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
TSG,
I agree. The defense needs to play better and show progress. One could say that there are storm clouds on the horizon. But, in my opinion, they are not overhead.
There are concerns. As coach Shanahan said, they have to get better. If they don’t, at least you’ll have easy access to the button!
Mike
My concern is with the linebackers. At least last year we could stop the run. What happened to the speed at the position? They look 2 steps slower than the running back to the hole. Come on guys plug the gaps and knock some heads. On a couple of plays they seemed to side down the line and not step up. Whats going on?
I agree with AZbroncos20. The linebackers are looking a step slow, with the exception of Nate Webster! And what happened to the press coverage and man to man on the outside. The corners are giving more cushion than I would expect from 2 pro bowlers. I know the scheme is watered down in the preseason, but this is the time to work on a scheme that is brand new to everyone but Eddie Moore (currently on IR). The ends do not look like they are lining up wider than they did last year, and the DT’s push appears non existent. I hope it does get better, Rice!
AZbroonco20,
As you know, the Broncos are without Al Wilson. He was terrific when healthy. And he was a first round draft pick who made five Pro Bowls. It’s not easy to replace a guy like that at the drop of a hat.
I’m not sure I think the LB’s are a step slow–after all, D.J. Williams and Ian Gold are still starters–but I do think that the defense is still learning Jim Bates’ system. Add to that some new faces (most notably Nate Webster, Louis Green and D.D. Lewis in the linebacking corps) and it could be that guys are still thinking about what they need to be doing as opposed to reacting within the system.
Good thoughts, AZ. Thanks for posting them.
Mike
i agree
dr_broncos22,
Thanks for your thoughts, too.
I completely agree with you when you say you hope the defense gets better. As Coach Shanahan said affter the Dallas game, they have to get better.
I guess I’m not that worried about seeing the Broncos play man-to-man on the outside right now. I’m confident that Champ Bailey and Dre Bly can and will do that plenty in the regular season.
The other factor is the pass rush. A good pass rush can hide deficiences in a secondary. On the other hand, a pass rush that’s struggling can make things more difficult for the best of defensive backs. Right now, the Broncos’ pass rush is not where they want it or need it to be.
I can’t argue with you and AZ that I’d like to see this defense be more intimidating and aggressive. I do believe that is the style of a Jim Bates defense and I think we’ll see that more and more as they learn his system.
That’s why I’m taking a “it’s only the pre-season approach.” Do they have work to do? Without question. Do I think they’ll get it done? Yes. To what degree is the big question to me right now.
Thanks again, dr_b!
Mike
P.S.–Sorry for the extra “o” AZbronco20!
Thanks for responding! I’m going to support your thoughts on this one, and chalk it up to this just being preseason. The Colts did go 0-4 last year in the preseason, and we all know how that turned out. Thanks again!
Well, I have a reason for wanting the Broncos to succeed soon and win the Super Bowl. I will not be around for another 48 years, and I would like to see the Broncos win again before I die. Go Broncos, win one for the old guys, who suffered for the first 48 years, and never gave up! I know they will be great, no matter what, just hope to see more Super Bowl wins before I fade off into history with the Broncos of old. If you do have to wait for 48 years for a championship season like we did, remember Broncos, win or lose, they are the best. GO BRONCOS!
I SAY THAT WELL BE A GREAT TEAM COME 9-16-07 BUT BUY WEEK OF 10-7-07 U WELL START TOO SEE A SUPERBOWL TEAM
STARTING 2 JELL WE ARE GOING 2 BE JUST FIND ON OF @DF IT’S TIME TO STEP IT UP BOY!
D.J. Williams is horrible. When the coaching staff wakes up and realizes we need better linebackers maybe things will get better.
When a team is unable to stop the run they can be beat by any team in the league. Just look at the COLTS last year(they lost to the TEXANS). Why in the world you would trade Gerrard Warren, when he did such a great job while he was here is beyond me. Sam Adams was great at one time holding up the line so linebackers can make plays but, he’s not that good anymore and we don’t have linebackers like the RAVENS. The truth is the BRONCOS have had some really good defensive linemen in recent years(Trevor Pryce, Reggie Haywerd, Bertrand Berry to name a few) and let them go.
Interesting reading, but with the pre-season performance of the First Teams in the pre-season, with special regard to the defense. I would not expect a whole lot from the Broncos this year. None of the players are really stepping up.
The biggest issue I have seen over the past 5 or 6 seasons is the inability of the Denver defense to rush the passer. So far in pre-season it appears that the Broncos still haven’t made any progress in this area. I also don’t understand why the Broncos are so passive on defense. Good QB’s pick appart our secondary all the time. I understand the “bend don’t break” concept and that you don’t want to give up the big play, but most of the time it’s Bend Bend Bend Bend Bend score.
I have been a Broncos fan for many, many years and lately I see a problem. The first problem I see is with Shanahan, I think he has become too powerful and needs to go. At this point, I am sure there will be hundreds of Broncos fans thinking I am crazy, give me a bunch of stats about how wrong I am and tell me that I don’t know what the hell I am talking about. And maybe so, but if you look at the way Shanahan went after Plummer, the way he waxed poetic about him and the lucrative contract he received only to trade him because he was really not that good.
Shanahan now has Cutler and he is very high on him, paid him a huge contract and is the leader of the Broncos. The only problem is that Cutler is not that great of a Quarterback. He is a small team player that does very well in that type of system. Unfortunately, the Broncos are not a small NFL team and both the organizations as well as the fans expect greatness. Just wait and see Cutler will prove to be as bad as Plummer maybe, worse.
The only positive or BRIGHT spot that I see in terms of quarterback is Darrell Hackney. He is still a little ruff around the edges and I know he is not tall enough for the NFL scouts, but I think if given the chance to play this year and hopefully a little this season, knowledgeable fans will begin to realize that Hackney is a far better quarterback. Why doesn’t or didn’t Shanahan take the millions paid for Cutler to improve the defense. Moss sucks just watch, (also why in the hell did we trade up to pick him earlier) Thomas & Crowder are better and will prove their worth later, but there could have been more done.
Also, nice job with picking up the steroid brigade Kenny Peterson & Todd Sauerbrun.
I smell a curmudgeon.
I’m not as concerned with the LBs as I am with the DTs. The DT’s are taking this “Not penetration DTs” too literally. Why wouldn’t they though? Warren got sent off because of it. I watched the film and these guys had numerous oppurtunities to rip and get to the QB. Every time one of them was in position to run and either get a holding flag called on the o-lineman or to get to the QB they would stop and then work their way to the other side of the O-linemen.
Not to mention that O-linemen are not going to double team a guy if all he does is stands straight up. They’re doing all the work for them! It’s been giving the Gaurds and Tackles a great oppurtunity to come up and block the back. Of course our backs are having a rough time! They have to keep shedding blocks! This is the DT’s responsibility to take up two blocks. If they don’t start hustling and establishing themselves as a threat then teams are gonna run to the strong side between the tackle and gaurd all day long.
A team may consider double teaming you if your a big guy but if they see your standing up and planting your feet not trying to chop them to get penetration then they are just going to laugh and stick one guy on you! We need these guys to hustle. I’m not sure if Bates is telling them to just sit there but if he is, it is not going to work!
I say give D.J. williams a chance. He is the fastest linebacker and looking at Jim bates style of defense it is starting to have the makings of the ravens defense. super big tackles clogging up the middle a super fast mike linebacker running side line to side line from a gap to a gap exct…. D.J. played at De la salle high school in concord ca. they have the greatest winning streak not only in high school but in football period. they won about 156-160 games in a row? i can’t remember the exact number. he played running back and linebacker and scored 42 touchdowns in one year and then played linebacker on defense after he would score. John madden attended his high school graduation class dinner and regularly praises d.j. as the only high school football player he has ever seen that he thought could go straight to the pros? Coming from john madden is high praise. Especially a super bowl winning raiders head coach to praise a bronco in the broadcast booth during broncos games. Once d.j. gets used to mike linebacker responsibilities and the d-line clogs stuff up we may see the next ray lewis minus the dancing. I know a guy named julani who used to play with d.j. in elementary school in hercules california and he said the guy was a monster as a kid and it’s just a matter of time before d.j. unleashes his inner beast and stops being so quiet and worrying about stepping on eggshells and realizes he is the man and starts getting mad along with lynch and knocks some helmets off someones noggin.
I think the players have told us at least a few times they are “not showing anything” on defense and just running basic defensive formations. With new players on defense and a new coach with a new defensive playbook, its way too early to judge the team. The guys have to get used to playing with each other first and then, even when the defensive play calling starts, they will still have to learn their way through it. I wouldn’t worry. This is a team that will be improving as the year goes on. These are still the Broncos.
Some of you fans must really be in denial. I promise you, no matter how plain or vanilla a team plays in the preseason it’s not going to make them look ten times worse then they really are. We play the CHARGERS, CHIEFS and RAIDERS who all have very good running backs and that’s just in our division. If the BRONCOS can’t stop the run we can forget about the playoffs. If things keep going this way we probably will not win 6 games.
Pat Williams, all-pro NT playing with the Vikes, may be unsigned for next year. Vikings could lose him with no return. Maybe Ted and Mike could make a deal with the vikings to get him. Here’s what the Twin Cities paper had to say:
Unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension with Pat Williams, the Vikings appear to be exploring their options in case the veteran nose tackle signs elsewhere following the season.
Being that I live near Dallas I was able to go to the game. I saw Sam Adams get pushed all over the field, it was apthetic. They replaced him in the second quarter with Gordon and that dude really held his own I was impressed with him.
Gosh! Such Negativity! So, let us not Question the “man” on his decision on trading Warren, Suprised me too. Warren was great! I was upset when Shanahan traded Portis for “THE CHAMP”!! We got a deal! Raiders got a deal, but let’s see what Mike has in store for the team! I was looking to get close to the “BIG GAME”, but too many downers! Fan wise. I am sure Shanahan is going to iron out all wrinkles! OH YE CHILDREN OF LITTLE FAITH! Shanahan is the father of the BRONCO’S!!
Wow, the faithless, clueless masses abound! Trust that coach wouldn’t give the Raiders anything valuable… Don’t trust Pre-season events to translate beyond pre-season… Do miss Al Wilson, what a loss… Love Bly & hopefully Henry… Love the Broncos & enjoy the realistic hope that we’ll be contenders… Most teams out there have much less!
I think Shanahan out wits himself, thinks to hard , second guesses way to many times, thinks he’s some sort of football guru or something. He is the worst time managing head coach in the league. In a nut shell, against a formidible foe, Mike ussually finds his squad down 2 with 2:49 left on the clock AND NO TIME OUTS LEFT, they were spent early in the third quarter on second and 3 on the opponents 47 yard line with 12:34 left in the quater. Think about it, always a bad time manager when it counts, oh and by the way, I don’t care who we have in the secondary, I never see them, they play at least 17 yards off the reciever, every long yard situation, and the opponent gets its 6-8 yard gain every time. Bend bend bend bend and get fired!
SUPERBOWL OR BUST! Isnt that what everyone has been saying to rally these guys? I am starting to believe it. Too many injuries already. Shanahan has already passed up on several good free agents and seems to still be passing up on three right now. Rice, Trotter, and Winstrom. If nothing else sign Brown back one more time to a one year contract and see if he can remain healthy. I understand these younger guys need to get some experience in but I do believe if the Broncs dont have a good defense this year they will end up being one of the worst teams in the NFL. Their offense is way too injury prone and not enough experience. In other words….. IM PANICING
I agree with mr. clean:I don’t understand why Denver does nothing to fill their needs at the DEFENSIVE LINE! The run D in recent years has been decent, so I wouldn’t start panicing cockboy. Its the pass D that lets us down yearly; the moves they have made in recent seasons to address this are a joke and elite QB’s will continue to have field days againts us, even with Bailey and Bly. You just CANNOT give guys like Manning/Brady/ Palmer all day back there. Its okay to be optimistic about the new guys/system, I just dont’t see it and until we start getting impact players on the DL, we’ll be a playoff team at best. For me that will never be enough.
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