Royally Smart
by Darin H on Sep 9, 2008 11:35 AM MDT
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PrintI'm still on Cloud 9 this morning with our pasting of the raiders last night. Any time we can beat them down and make them give up is a great game (with respect to Justin Fargas as the only one to fight for 60 mins). There is one thing that I wanted to point out about the coming out party Eddie Royal last night. Not only is he a great route-runner and has awesome hands, he's football smart.
Before I get to Royal (with Cheese!), let me go back a couple of years ago to the Chargers/Patriots playoff game where the Chargers defense needed to stop the Patriots offense and Brady's 4th down pass was picked off by Marlon Mcree. Mcree, instead of taking a knee and ending the game, tried to run the interception back he was then stripped by Troy Brown to extend the New England tying drive. New England won the game and Marty Shottenheimer was done in San Diego. A great play by Mcree was wiped out because he didn't know where in the game he was.
Forward to last night's first game. Minnesota was trying to drive for the game winning score, Minnesota was out of timeouts and with 54 seconds left Tavaris Jackson threw an interception to Atari Bigby. Bigby was on the ground, but he got up and tried to run back the interception. Luckily for Green Bay, he wasn't stripped and the game was over with a couple of kneel downs.
These are players with several years worth of experience, but they put their own fortune over that of their team (not intentionally).
Let us now turn to rookie Eddie Royal, starting his first game in the NFL, on the road on Monday Night with the #1 WR out. Royal had zero mental mistakes. His routes were precise, his hands were solid. 9 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, rookies starting their first game aren't supposed to do that. Alone that would be amazing, but wait, there's more! On a reverse option play (where Royal was looking to either throw a pass or run) neither was open and he didn't try to force a ball into a receiver who was covered, but then also had the awareness to throw the ball away when his running lane wasn't open. It was a small play, but it was the difference between losing 5 yards or not. Not huge in a blowout game, but a lot of games are won and lost by a couple of yards.
The second heads up play by Royal was the final kickoff return. With just over a minute and a half left, the game was over. Royal took the kickoff, ran up until the first defender and sat down. There was no need to pad his stats, no need to show off and try for a score, no need to risk injury when the game was out of hand. Smart.
Eddie Royal showed me that he isn't just a wide receiver, but a football player. And already has shown the smarts of a veteran. What a great start, let's hope it continues!
This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR
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We Lost Rod Smith...
But gained somebody who might end up bringing back everything he brought to the table for 12 years. I am so excited and I know everyone else is too!
Great points.
Royal is not only physicaly gifted, he’s smarter than many pros.
Ditka pointed out that Royal did what Russell should have done earlier; throw the ball away.
Solid points Darren!
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
I was ROFLMAO on that reverse pass
so much so that I was chastised by the wife because my 12 year old son was already in bed trying to sleep.
And the fact that he was a smarter QB that the great JaMarcus Russell was just the icing on the cake!
"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game
"I love your analysis of our team. Its kinda like watching a spider monkey trying to figure out a jar of peanuts.. you know whats going on.. you know whats in there, but to actually figure it out, is just a bit beyond your mental skills..."
- Bronco Dano
by DesertBroncoFan on Sep 9, 2008 12:05 PM MDT reply actions
Nice post, Darin. I couldn't agree more...
Another thing I loved seeing was how cool he was fielding punts. Lechler was hitting them high enough that his coverage team was already on top of Royal before he caught the ball, yet there was no jittery hesitation or seeming thought of a fair catch. Eddie caught the ball and was moving upfield before the guys closest to him on the coverage team could react. We haven’t had someone with that kind of natural punt fielding ability in a loooong time (Upchurch?). I can see why it’s hard for Shanny to pull him off STs. Another testament to his football smarts is the fake fair catch signal he was throwing up on the balls heading for the end zone. Though that may not work for long once the league learns that Eddie’s not a fair catch kind of guy.
You are right about the punts too
he looked cool and collected at all times on the field, including fielding those (good) punts. The raiders can take solace that their best player is their punter. HAHAHAHAHAHAH
Owning the Patriots since September 9, 1960
Don't forget Darrien Gordon
you know, the same guy who returned two punts for a touchdown in the same quarter in a pasting of the Panthers back in what…1998?
by A.J. Haefele on Sep 12, 2008 8:40 AM MDT up reply actions
A very good addition to that very special team.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Sep 12, 2008 9:42 AM MDT up reply actions
Also!
When DeAngelo Fall tackled him out of bounds, Royal (with cheese) Made a point to look the other way and pretend it didn’t even happen. Many other pro’s would have gotten in Fall’s face. Good post DH.
"I am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are all together." - The Beatles
Good point
I’ve seen a lot of players lose their temper in the heat of the moment on that exact play.
Owning the Patriots since September 9, 1960
I think we should call him...
MeAngelo. lol
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
MeAngelo Fall sounds good to me!
"I am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are all together." - The Beatles
All Hail!
MeAngelo Fall! King of the Chokeland Faders!!!
To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. - William Penn
Tom Arnold, of Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period, said this about Warren Sapp: "Hey, Warren, the Raiders signed you to a seven-year deal. I guess Bill Callahan was right --- they are the dumbest team in America."
Thanks for the good post Darin. Rocommended!
On the other hand, moldy faders stink….styg50 Sept.1, 2008
Me too.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Sep 9, 2008 3:59 PM MDT up reply actions
Another thing....
After the personal foul on “MeAngelo Fall” (lol), not only did Eddie Royal act like a pure professional about it and walk away, but i LOVE how basically all of the defense got in Hall’s face and tried to protect their rookie without doing something stupid. Gotta have your teammates’ back especially on the road.
This team has good players, but more importantly great character. Keep it up Broncos!!
MELO!!!
Check list
Get Younger- check
Improve QB – check
Find a top notch receiver (Marshall) – check
Re-new ground game – not yet ready to check that just yet
find a no. 2 receiever like Eddie Royal – BIg Check
Beat Raiders and make it look easy – Priceless Check
typing w/ new born in arms i would type more,,,,,
Way To Go Rookie!
by AllinWithMyCards on Sep 9, 2008 4:42 PM MDT reply actions
New born!
Congrats!
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Sep 10, 2008 6:08 PM MDT up reply actions
Amen.
Being a Daddy is the best thing I’ve ever done, by far.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Sep 12, 2008 9:43 AM MDT up reply actions
I CaN’t wait untill MHR Radio !!
Way To Go Rookie!
by AllinWithMyCards on Sep 9, 2008 4:43 PM MDT reply actions
We have a new Eddie Mac....
In Brandon Stokely. The Veteran reciever brought in via free agency.
To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. - William Penn
Tom Arnold, of Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period, said this about Warren Sapp: "Hey, Warren, the Raiders signed you to a seven-year deal. I guess Bill Callahan was right --- they are the dumbest team in America."
Except for one thing . . .
You could never call Eddie Mac “Fast Eddie” like you can our present guy . . .
Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut. - my daddy
Loving these quotes from Asomugha
from an article just posted on Yahoo:
"I’m surprised they did this much without Marshall, being their guy," Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. "I’d be scared to see what they can do with him now."
"We knew he was a quick guy because of the tapes, but we didn’t know exactly how they were going to use him," Asomugha said. "In the preseason they didn’t do that much with him. They ran a couple double moves, some short routes, a deep one here and there.
"But with (Denver coach Mike) Shanahan, you never know what you’re preparing for, you never know what he might do. And he came out with this guy, and he was their trick-play guy. He was doing routes with him that we really hadn’t seen before."
by Broncs Cheer on Sep 9, 2008 5:52 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Trick - play guy?
Hey, that was football. Anyway, high praise from a really good corner.
while yet unspoken, you are master of the word. After it is spoken, the word is master of you.
i agree
i really only have respect for 2 players on the faders fargas and Nnamdi Asomugha(what a sick name)
I have tons of respect for Fargas as well.
When it seemed like the entire Faders team had given up he played with intensity. Fargas is being wasted on a team that not only loses consistently, but refuses to see him as the feature back that he has the ability to be.
Agreed.
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Sep 10, 2008 6:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Take that NFL!
The announcers seemed so surprised that Shanahan started with some trickery, it got me thinking?? When D coordinators ( SD? ) try to game plan for us, they’re going to have a whole lot of stuff to prepare for. HT, Guru, or whoever?, Did he do that just for the faiders or was he setting up our opponents for weeks to come??? I really enjoyed the play calling last nite & hope it keeps everyone else off guard! I may have to join y’all in La-La Land after the aints game!!!!! GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
In my mind
there is no doubt that Coach Shanahan was settting things up for weeks to come.
On to Syphilis and his merry men...... rynoz71 on Sep 9, 2008
Denver will be EXTREMELY hard to game plan against for a few weeks.
New defensive coordinator, and he hasn’t really shown any system so far (MNF game was nothing more than 1 gap on the line, man elsewhere [mostly]). Very little to go on.
Offense showed a lot, but nothing about how Royal and Marshall will be used (routed) when put together.
I don’t think teams start getting a good read until week 3 or 4.
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Sep 10, 2008 6:13 PM MDT up reply actions
Correct me if I'm wrong...
…but earlier in Shanahan’s career with Denver, he got out to a lot of fast starts as the season began. I think this was because his play calling was so innovative that it took opposing DC’s time to figure things out and catch up.
I get the same feeling here though, honestly, it is still very early, that Shanahan is really having a good time with all the toys he has to play with.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Sep 12, 2008 9:49 AM MDT up reply actions
It's Shanahan's way.
Whether with the 49ers or the Broncos, Mike belives that he can ensure a win if only the team is leading early in the game. He hasn’t had the QBs to run things that way, but with Cutler (and a stable of WRs and TEs to support him), Mike can return to doing what he does best. Pass to set up the run, run to kill the clock and wear down the defense.
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Sep 12, 2008 12:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Eddie's interview
after the game said a lot about his character as well. He was humble and simply said that “we” needed to start looking towards next week. We talked all offseason about building our team with smart character players and it looks like we found an absolute gem! Thanks for the post Darin.
Eddies post game comments
He also said several times that the Coaches put together a great game plan and that the team worked together and executed the plan as expected. Eddie gave a lot of praise to the Coaches. I love it when a player is asked about him and answers as if it was a question aimed at the team.
"If Denver beats us, I'll walk back to Detroit" - Alex Karras
by Denver Diehard on Sep 11, 2008 9:49 AM MDT up reply actions
During the reloading season I wanted a Steve Smith type of a WR/Returner
So I was ecstatic that Royal was picked, even though I knew very little about him. I was also adamant about “wasting” a high draft pick on another WR (Marcus Nash, Lelie, Watts, etc.), so I am glad that the front office didn’t read my posts.
Royal seems like a steal at #42, he played like a top 10 draft pick last night. I wonder how all the teams that passed on him feel now?
Arm strength
A bit off topic, but when he wisely threw the ball away on the reverse option, he had some decent zip on a nice spiral. I can’t wait to see him air it out again.
I did notice that
looks like we have our emergency QB like Rod was all those years.
I don't believe we can win every game, just the next one. - Lou Holtz
Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.-Bill Gates
by orangeblood on Sep 10, 2008 10:21 AM MDT up reply actions
Too bad that play
was wasted on the faders. It would be great to pull that one out against the bolts this week.
Or, maybe we’ll see something even more creative from the Mastermind!
"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game
"I love your analysis of our team. Its kinda like watching a spider monkey trying to figure out a jar of peanuts.. you know whats going on.. you know whats in there, but to actually figure it out, is just a bit beyond your mental skills..."
- Bronco Dano
by DesertBroncoFan on Sep 10, 2008 10:43 AM MDT up reply actions
It will give SD on more thing to think about.
How about this? TD pass from Royal to Marshall would be sick.
"It doesn't dissipate" ~ Mike Shanahan
I do not want Cutler running downfield.
He is too valuable. I agree that it would be a hard play to defend against, but I cringe every time Jay gets hit.
He won't get hit
If he’s in the end zone. If I remember correctly, we usually ran that play in the red zone, and Elway was always all by himself with nobody near him.
But I hear you… I never want to see him in the option again, and we is he going to learn how to slide for the 1st down?
You're right
I think I might be a bit more comfortable with Royal coming in if Jay has to go out for a few plays.
Owning the Patriots since September 9, 1960
he showed more poise
and smarts than some starting QB;s in the NFL by seeing there was no play and threw it away
by broncfanstuckinsd on Sep 10, 2008 12:34 PM MDT up reply actions
Even Ditka...
…said Royal showed more poise than Russell, because Russell didn’t throw it away earlier like he should have.
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe
by Steve Nichols on Sep 10, 2008 6:15 PM MDT up reply actions
I think
Royal is a better QB than russell (j/k)
I think Russell hurt himself so tremendously by holding out last year. I honestly dont think he will ever be a good QB, now they did do well with McFadden. But a few months ago a fader fan was saying that only a few times in NFL history where a team has drafted a QB and a RB in the top 5 in back to back drafts where one or both of the players were a bust. I think Russell is that one for the faders. It may not help he has no WR’s or OL. But from what I saw he needs a lot of work
by broncfanstuckinsd on Sep 10, 2008 6:37 PM MDT up reply actions
Not to be the party pooper...
Clearly Royal was AWESOME!!!!
However, he was the one lined up off the los that caused his own TD catch to be called back and, after Scheffler dropped another TD opportunity, forced us to settle for a field goal.
Also, he did fumble on a punt return which he quickly recovered.
Other than those two mistakes…Royal with Cheese was incredible.
by UnarmingMermaid on Sep 10, 2008 12:53 PM MDT reply actions
I agree...
I was just responding to Darin H’s statement in the post that “Royal had zero mental mistakes”.
Again, I think he was incredible.
by UnarmingMermaid on Sep 10, 2008 5:14 PM MDT up reply actions
Ditka on Royal and Hall
Just watching the tape of the game (talk about Nirvana). After Royal had burned Hall a bunch, and for two penalties, Ditka said: (more or less) “I’ll tell you, Hall doesn’t want anything to do with Royal right now. Doesn’t want to even get near him. Course, he can’t get near him, but that’s another thing.”
I like a man who fights with a grin on his face. Winston Churchill.
That was my favorite quote of the game
"In the empty spaces - lacunae, vacuums, pauses, voids, black holes - new things begin. We are born anew from the unexplored space, the badlands, the outlaw territory." - Sam Keen
I am extremely happy with Royal.
Most players with his level of talent are so confident in there skills that they think they can turn any play into a big one, even one that is busted from the beginning. The fact that Royal had the presence of mind not only to not throw to a covered reciever but also to realize that the run was not there and throw it away, shows a maturity beyond his years. I am normally not a proponent of trick plays, but why not run them with a weapon of his intelligence? A player like Royal lowers the risk factor involved in trick plays enough to justify running them consistently. That will go a long way to keeping the opponents defense on thier heels, thereby opening up every other facet of our offense. This prospect excites me so much I feel like a kid the night before christmas.
Nice point, Papamag!
That’s exactly right… that young players with that kind of talent AND that level of reliability and maturity (even humility) are rare indeed. Shanahan would never have gone to him so often in that first (presumably scripted) series if he didn’t share that opinion. Royal is an incredible weapon to have, and I totally share your excitement about the places Shanahan might take the playbook having such an option. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens if Eddie’s matched up against Cromartie next week (though Antonio might draw B-Marsh instead). Should be fun either way!
by Broncs Cheer on Sep 10, 2008 11:36 PM MDT up reply actions
was i seeing things...
or did hall and gibril wilson switch positions to try and stop royal? their numbers are close (#23 and 28) , but i could have sworn that wilson was up on royal and hall was back at safety after being toasted a bunch of times. i couldn’t tape the game, but if anybody else can confirm/refute this, let me know. i believe royal made hall a safety in this game
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