Turnovers are the key to making turnaround
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News
December 14, 2006
ENGLEWOOD - The Broncos say they just need to let their fingers do the walking.
Or their shoulders. Their helmets, arms, legs, whatever. Really, right now, the Broncos defense would even take a lucky bounce or three, just something that will create a sorely needed turnover or two.
"The plays are there," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "But we haven't come up with those plays, it's that simple. It's little things, it really is. But turnovers come in bunches, so it'd be nice to start with one and then get a bunch.
"And then see where we go."
A lot of things happened to the Broncos defense as the 7-2 start, fueled by optimism and swagger, has turned into a 7-6 swirl of football soul searching and unanswered questions. One of those, though, is the ball has quit leaving the offense's hands as often as it previously did.
On their way to 7-2, the Broncos had 18 takeaways, a total that included 10 recovered fumbles and eight interceptions.
During their past five games, the Broncos are 1-4 with seven takeaways that include three recovered fumbles and only two fumble recoveries by a member of the front seven - defensive ends John Engelberger and Elvis Dumervil against the Raiders.
The Broncos, even in the current losing streak, still see it as a confidence game, though.
If they continue to play with emotion, they believe they will recover some of that swagger they had early in the season.
"It's like I was saying," Broncos defensive end Kenard Lang said. "You can be on a losing streak and people can say you're sorry and all that. They can say I'm sorry, that I'm awful or whatever and I'll say this again - whoop-de-dang-do.
"Everybody just has to keep doing their jobs, keep believing. All that matters is what we think. Big plays will come, but we have to keep putting ourselves in that position and don't let people tell us how sorry we are."
It all puts the Broncos at even keel in turnovers this season, with 23 takeaways on defense overall and 23 turnovers on offense.
Those numbers are in stark contrast to the totals last year. After 13 games in 2005, the Broncos had 33 takeaways, with 14 recovered fumbles and 19 interceptions for a plus- 14.
Last season, the Broncos had six games with at least three takeaways en route to a 13-3 finish. This season, they have just three games with at least three takeaways and none since the six-turnover binge in their Nov. 5 win in Pittsburgh.
"The big thing is, we've shown it," Lang said. "It would be a big difference if we hadn't shown it at all. But we've shown it the first part of the year and against some good teams also. That why you kind look at it and say, 'OK, what is really happening?' "
Some personnel executives around the league believe fumbles can be a good gauge of how a defense pursues the ball and a product of getting several players to the tackle at the same time.
Some offenses certainly take care of the ball better than some others, but in general, scouts long have believed a good tackling team will force more turnovers, and many Broncos defenders have said for the past month they need to tackle better on defense.
"There's nothing magic; it's everybody, coaches, players, everybody, doing better," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "Just day by day, practice by practice. Good things don't just happen on game day; you work for it during the week."
For their part, the Cardinals are a plus-2 in turnovers this season, with 11 lost fumbles to go with their quarterbacks' 15 interceptions.
Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart, after throwing six interceptions in his first five starts combined, has thrown three in his past four starts combined.
"If I look at film, I still see a great defense . . . " Leinart said. "You've got guys who go."
"Just be fundamentally sound," Lang said. "If you try to do more than your job and get involved in somebody else's, that's when (bad) plays happen. . . . So do your job and that's it."
Turnover log
In their four-game losing streak, the Broncos defense has forced five turnovers. The rundown: Fumbles Date Opponent recovered Int.
Nov. 19 San Diego 0 2
Nov. 23 at Kansas City 0 1
Dec. 3 Seattle 0 1
Dec. 10 at San Diego 1 0
