Angel
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2006
- Messages
- 2,264
- Reaction score
- 1
Poor air quality: Broncos secondary was shredded past two games
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
November 8, 2006
ENGLEWOOD - It's their touchdown story, and they're sticking to it.
The Broncos have seen the past two quarterbacks they've faced close in on reaching their pitch counts as they piled up a combined 778 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air.
The Broncos say they also see the bottom line through that haze of footballs.
"We didn't quite get it done against Indy, but I thought we had some big plays in Pittsburgh and we got some turnovers," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "And getting those turnovers, that's a sign of a team fighting for 60 minutes.
"Sure, we've got some things to clean up, but if you start at a point where you're fighting for 60 minutes out there, then you can do some things."
The Broncos certainly are in an odd statistical place. They own the league's top scoring defense, having surrendered 98 points in eight games - two fewer than the Chicago Bears - and yet the Broncos also have the league's 29th-ranked pass defense in net yards allowed a game (229.8).
And opponents have decided that's the way to go, with more of the same on deck. Much like last season, when teams threw an NFL-high 613 passes against them, the Broncos have reached the halfway point of the season having faced more pass attempts (298) than any team in the league.
Cornerback Darrent Williams knows what that means, too.
"It means teams can't always run the ball against us, and they are going to be looking at me with Champ (Bailey) on the other side," Williams said. "And playing on the other side from Champ, that puts some pressure out there. That's why I try hard to fly all over to make a play. I know everybody is always going to compare when you have Champ over there."
Also, with linebacker Ian Gold (right hamstring), defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban (thigh) and Williams (left shoulder) hurting, the Broncos have a starter at each level of their pass defense in question for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders.
Couple that with the fact defensive tackle Gerard Warren (left big toe) is not full speed, and the Broncos know they need more pass rush to make quarterbacks uncomfortable so they can't pick away at a secondary that will have some adjustments.
The Broncos blitzed more against the Steelers than previously this season and might be in that situation again.
Safety Sam Brandon, a regular in some of the defense's situational work, is out for the season because of a torn right knee ligament, and linebacker Al Wilson and safeties Nick Ferguson and John Lynch left the game Sunday for a time because of concussions.
"We adjust," Wilson said. "That's all we can do. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us, send us a card or anything like that. We have to play, and we have to get it done."
The Raiders have the league's 32nd-ranked offense and 32nd-ranked passing attack. Raiders quarterbacks also have been sacked more times - 44 - than any team in the league. The Raiders are the league's only offense to have allowed 30 sacks or more this season.
Bailey, with five interceptions, is expected to see Randy Moss plenty Sunday, and that would leave Williams - or Domonique Foxworth, if the injury keeps Williams out - matched up in some way against Alvis Whitted, Ronald Curry or Jerry Porter.
Porter didn't play in the teams' first meeting this season because of a simmering feud with coach Art Shell but has been in uniform for the past two games and could stay out of the doghouse long enough to get significant playing time.
Two weeks ago, with the Broncos spending much of the day in zone coverage, the Colts kept much of the passing action to Williams' side of the field.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a little less choosy, having completed at least four passes to each of seven receivers.
"I think sometimes you can't just pick on me," Williams said. "Indy, you know, they've got Peyton (Manning), he's zipping the ball all over. You don't play Peyton every week. I don't think I'm a bad corner at all. . . .
"It's just one those things. I'm still confident in what I can do, I still think I'm a pretty good corner. People can throw it over at me if they want; I just need to make them pay for it."
ETC.: Brandon was moved to injured reserve Tuesday, opening a roster spot the Broncos might be patient about filling given their injury situation. Brandon suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament in Pittsburgh and will miss the remainder of the season . . . Rookie receiver Domenik Hixon, who has been on the team's nonfootball injury list because he fractured a bone in his left foot during a pre-draft workout, will return to practice today. Hixon still remains on the reserve list, but the Broncos have three weeks to decide whether to add him to the 53-player roster. They have seven receivers on the current roster . . . The Broncos worked out three tight ends - Eric Edwards, Aaron Halterman and Paul Irons. Edwards started 10 games for the Arizona Cardinals during the previous two seasons before being released at the end of training camp. Halterman had been on the Miami Dolphins practice squad earlier this season and was in training camp with the Houston Texans. Irons was in training camp with the Cleveland Browns . . . The Broncos also had offensive tackle Jacob Rogers, a former 2004 second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, in for a visit, but he did not work out. Rogers had shoulder troubles during his collegiate career with Southern California and has seen his NFL career derailed by shoulder and knee injuries . . . Former Broncos receiver Darius Watts had a workout with the Dolphins . . . Because games on the NFL Network are exempt from the rule that teams can appear on national prime time five times during a season, the Broncos can have a sixth national television appearance this season. NBC has told Broncos officials they would like to move the Dec. 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks at Invesco Field at Mile High into the prime-time slot that night. The NFL on Monday moved the Nov. 19 home game against the San Diego Chargers from 2:15 p.m. into prime time on NBC. The Broncos play the Chiefs on Thanksgiving night in a game televised on the NFL Network, and that will be their fifth prime-time appearance . . . The Broncos-Steelers game will be rebroadcast at 8:30 p.m. today on the NFL Network.
Here they come
Opposing offenses have chosen to go top side against the Broncos this season, with Denver having faced more pass attempts than any defense in the league.
Defense Opp. passes Def. rank W-L
Broncos 298 15 6-2
N.Y. Giants 283 11 6-2
Atlanta 282 22T 5-3
Minnesota 282 6 4-4
Philadelphia 282 14 4-4
Green Bay 280 21 3-5
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5127177,00.html
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
November 8, 2006
ENGLEWOOD - It's their touchdown story, and they're sticking to it.
The Broncos have seen the past two quarterbacks they've faced close in on reaching their pitch counts as they piled up a combined 778 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air.
The Broncos say they also see the bottom line through that haze of footballs.
"We didn't quite get it done against Indy, but I thought we had some big plays in Pittsburgh and we got some turnovers," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "And getting those turnovers, that's a sign of a team fighting for 60 minutes.
"Sure, we've got some things to clean up, but if you start at a point where you're fighting for 60 minutes out there, then you can do some things."
The Broncos certainly are in an odd statistical place. They own the league's top scoring defense, having surrendered 98 points in eight games - two fewer than the Chicago Bears - and yet the Broncos also have the league's 29th-ranked pass defense in net yards allowed a game (229.8).
And opponents have decided that's the way to go, with more of the same on deck. Much like last season, when teams threw an NFL-high 613 passes against them, the Broncos have reached the halfway point of the season having faced more pass attempts (298) than any team in the league.
Cornerback Darrent Williams knows what that means, too.
"It means teams can't always run the ball against us, and they are going to be looking at me with Champ (Bailey) on the other side," Williams said. "And playing on the other side from Champ, that puts some pressure out there. That's why I try hard to fly all over to make a play. I know everybody is always going to compare when you have Champ over there."
Also, with linebacker Ian Gold (right hamstring), defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban (thigh) and Williams (left shoulder) hurting, the Broncos have a starter at each level of their pass defense in question for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders.
Couple that with the fact defensive tackle Gerard Warren (left big toe) is not full speed, and the Broncos know they need more pass rush to make quarterbacks uncomfortable so they can't pick away at a secondary that will have some adjustments.
The Broncos blitzed more against the Steelers than previously this season and might be in that situation again.
Safety Sam Brandon, a regular in some of the defense's situational work, is out for the season because of a torn right knee ligament, and linebacker Al Wilson and safeties Nick Ferguson and John Lynch left the game Sunday for a time because of concussions.
"We adjust," Wilson said. "That's all we can do. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us, send us a card or anything like that. We have to play, and we have to get it done."
The Raiders have the league's 32nd-ranked offense and 32nd-ranked passing attack. Raiders quarterbacks also have been sacked more times - 44 - than any team in the league. The Raiders are the league's only offense to have allowed 30 sacks or more this season.
Bailey, with five interceptions, is expected to see Randy Moss plenty Sunday, and that would leave Williams - or Domonique Foxworth, if the injury keeps Williams out - matched up in some way against Alvis Whitted, Ronald Curry or Jerry Porter.
Porter didn't play in the teams' first meeting this season because of a simmering feud with coach Art Shell but has been in uniform for the past two games and could stay out of the doghouse long enough to get significant playing time.
Two weeks ago, with the Broncos spending much of the day in zone coverage, the Colts kept much of the passing action to Williams' side of the field.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was a little less choosy, having completed at least four passes to each of seven receivers.
"I think sometimes you can't just pick on me," Williams said. "Indy, you know, they've got Peyton (Manning), he's zipping the ball all over. You don't play Peyton every week. I don't think I'm a bad corner at all. . . .
"It's just one those things. I'm still confident in what I can do, I still think I'm a pretty good corner. People can throw it over at me if they want; I just need to make them pay for it."
ETC.: Brandon was moved to injured reserve Tuesday, opening a roster spot the Broncos might be patient about filling given their injury situation. Brandon suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament in Pittsburgh and will miss the remainder of the season . . . Rookie receiver Domenik Hixon, who has been on the team's nonfootball injury list because he fractured a bone in his left foot during a pre-draft workout, will return to practice today. Hixon still remains on the reserve list, but the Broncos have three weeks to decide whether to add him to the 53-player roster. They have seven receivers on the current roster . . . The Broncos worked out three tight ends - Eric Edwards, Aaron Halterman and Paul Irons. Edwards started 10 games for the Arizona Cardinals during the previous two seasons before being released at the end of training camp. Halterman had been on the Miami Dolphins practice squad earlier this season and was in training camp with the Houston Texans. Irons was in training camp with the Cleveland Browns . . . The Broncos also had offensive tackle Jacob Rogers, a former 2004 second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, in for a visit, but he did not work out. Rogers had shoulder troubles during his collegiate career with Southern California and has seen his NFL career derailed by shoulder and knee injuries . . . Former Broncos receiver Darius Watts had a workout with the Dolphins . . . Because games on the NFL Network are exempt from the rule that teams can appear on national prime time five times during a season, the Broncos can have a sixth national television appearance this season. NBC has told Broncos officials they would like to move the Dec. 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks at Invesco Field at Mile High into the prime-time slot that night. The NFL on Monday moved the Nov. 19 home game against the San Diego Chargers from 2:15 p.m. into prime time on NBC. The Broncos play the Chiefs on Thanksgiving night in a game televised on the NFL Network, and that will be their fifth prime-time appearance . . . The Broncos-Steelers game will be rebroadcast at 8:30 p.m. today on the NFL Network.
Here they come
Opposing offenses have chosen to go top side against the Broncos this season, with Denver having faced more pass attempts than any defense in the league.
Defense Opp. passes Def. rank W-L
Broncos 298 15 6-2
N.Y. Giants 283 11 6-2
Atlanta 282 22T 5-3
Minnesota 282 6 4-4
Philadelphia 282 14 4-4
Green Bay 280 21 3-5
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5127177,00.html