Angel
06-23-2006, 07:17 AM
Broncos: Running into trouble?
June 22, 2006
Questions, questions: All 32 NFL teams have them heading into the 2006 season. Today, we're addressing the Broncos' burning question:
Should they be concerned about their running game?
Um, no. Quick, name all the 1,000-yard rushers the Broncos have had in the past decade. OK, I'll just give you the answers here: Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis and Reuben Droughns.
Here's a guarantee -- two guarantees, actually. The first one's easy -- not one of those guys will rush for 1,000-plus yards for the Broncos in '06. Duh. They're all former Broncos.
The second guarantee is that either Ron Dayne or Tatum Bell -- or both -- will join that club. Keep in mind Bell finished 79 yards short of joining Anderson in the 1K column last season.
Running back has become an interestingly deep -- and for many teams, cheap -- position. You don't need a great one to have a strong, consistent running game. Two good ones will do, behind a sound blocking system, which is the Broncos' trademark.
Dayne was in a committee early in his career, as the disappointing "Thunder" to Tiki Barber's "Lightning". While Barber is storming through defenses now as a full-time all-purpose back, Dayne has needed to take on another complementary role to resurrect his career.
Really, Dayne never has been a true power back. Unlike Anderson, he couldn't play fullback -- of the past Broncos, he most resembles Droughns, with a little more weight.
Bell's pure speed allowed him to reel off a few monster games last season, on the strength of big runs. He has improved significantly as an instinctive runner, and because of his explosiveness, he figures to tote the ball more than Dayne.
Don't assume, however, that Dayne would just be the complementary red zone back. He's got some burst of his own: recall Thanksgiving, when he feasted on the Cowboys for a 16-yard go-ahead TD in regulation and a 55-yard backbreaker in overtime.
In effect, both backs work nicely all over the field, and who would be better near the goal line would be determined simply by whoever's fresher at the end of a particular series.
The line figures to thrive blocking straight up to the left and pulling to the right with the strengths of guard Ben Hamilton and center Tom Nalen, two prototypical athletic Broncos linemen.
The running game must work for the Broncos to open up the rest of offense. When it works, quarterback Jake Plummer can use play-action to get the ball to new deep threat Javon Walker. Then there are Plummer's bootlegs, which create misdirection and set up overaggressive defenders to flail against the run later.
And the running game will work, like it has always done under Mike Shanahan, no matter how big or small the names involved.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=102513
June 22, 2006
Questions, questions: All 32 NFL teams have them heading into the 2006 season. Today, we're addressing the Broncos' burning question:
Should they be concerned about their running game?
Um, no. Quick, name all the 1,000-yard rushers the Broncos have had in the past decade. OK, I'll just give you the answers here: Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis and Reuben Droughns.
Here's a guarantee -- two guarantees, actually. The first one's easy -- not one of those guys will rush for 1,000-plus yards for the Broncos in '06. Duh. They're all former Broncos.
The second guarantee is that either Ron Dayne or Tatum Bell -- or both -- will join that club. Keep in mind Bell finished 79 yards short of joining Anderson in the 1K column last season.
Running back has become an interestingly deep -- and for many teams, cheap -- position. You don't need a great one to have a strong, consistent running game. Two good ones will do, behind a sound blocking system, which is the Broncos' trademark.
Dayne was in a committee early in his career, as the disappointing "Thunder" to Tiki Barber's "Lightning". While Barber is storming through defenses now as a full-time all-purpose back, Dayne has needed to take on another complementary role to resurrect his career.
Really, Dayne never has been a true power back. Unlike Anderson, he couldn't play fullback -- of the past Broncos, he most resembles Droughns, with a little more weight.
Bell's pure speed allowed him to reel off a few monster games last season, on the strength of big runs. He has improved significantly as an instinctive runner, and because of his explosiveness, he figures to tote the ball more than Dayne.
Don't assume, however, that Dayne would just be the complementary red zone back. He's got some burst of his own: recall Thanksgiving, when he feasted on the Cowboys for a 16-yard go-ahead TD in regulation and a 55-yard backbreaker in overtime.
In effect, both backs work nicely all over the field, and who would be better near the goal line would be determined simply by whoever's fresher at the end of a particular series.
The line figures to thrive blocking straight up to the left and pulling to the right with the strengths of guard Ben Hamilton and center Tom Nalen, two prototypical athletic Broncos linemen.
The running game must work for the Broncos to open up the rest of offense. When it works, quarterback Jake Plummer can use play-action to get the ball to new deep threat Javon Walker. Then there are Plummer's bootlegs, which create misdirection and set up overaggressive defenders to flail against the run later.
And the running game will work, like it has always done under Mike Shanahan, no matter how big or small the names involved.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=102513