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MHR 2008 Player Review--Eddie Royal

Your Highness 

The man with a thousand nicknames really needs no introduction, but I will try.

  • 7th in the NFL in receptions with 91, 1st among rookies
  • 1st among rookies with 980 receiving yards
  • 16th in the NFL with 65 receiving yards per game, 1st among rookies
  • 10.8 yards per reception
  • 47.3% of his receptions were for 1st downs or Touchdowns, and he had 5 touchdowns on the year
  • Set Broncos rookie records for receptions, yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions in a game (11).
  • Amassed 1,829 total yards, ranking 6th in the league and 1st among rookies
  • Named NFL Rookie of the Week twice, Week 1 at Oakland, Week 10 at Cleveland.


 Receiving Kickoff Returns Punt Returns
GRecYdsY/GAVGLngTDKRYDSAVGLngTDPRYdsAvgLngTD
15 91 980 65.3 10.8 93 5 23 600 26.1 95 0 0 140 10.0 36 0

In short, Royal may have been the most consistent, most electric, and most significant offensive weapon to step in as a rookie since 1985.

 

Star-divide

It all started with Monday Night Football in Oakland, where Royal was the first rookie WR to start since Vance Johnson.

It ended with Eddie tallying the most receiving yards (146) and the fourth-most receptions (9) of any NFL player in Week 1, achieving the highest number of receptions by a Broncos rookie debut and the 6th most receptions by any rookie's league-wide debut.  It also ended with a convincing and much needed road-opener win against a divisional foe, and the complete and utter dismantling of over-hyped Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall.  Hall would soon be cut by the Raiders, and he may have no one to thank more than Eddie Royal, #19.

What Eddie showed that night was more than flash, though.  He wasn't the recipient of a few mystery plays, or of a chance long bomb, or of poor defensive effort.  Eddie's routes were crisp, his jukes and fakes were veteran, and more than anything his head was in the game.  He was part of a long, sustained, relentless attack that came from anywhere on the field, including the return game, pressured the weak spots in the defense and put up points.  It wasn't all Eddie, but as a rookie starter who had most people saying "Who?", neither the game nor the moment were too big for him.

Fast-forward to the next week and with the game on the line, Royal matched his game smarts and consistency with the ultimate in clutch play, first by catching the game tying score with 24 seconds left to play, and secondly by catching the game-winning two-point conversion to salt the W away.

Eddie wouldn't look back.

By the end of the season Eddie was entrenched in the Broncos' record books.  Here was a player who was mature, confident, and productive, a star in the making and a proven human being.  He had caught the fans' imaginations as well, and hearing "Royal for Rookie for the Year" wasn't uncommon as the season wound down.

In the negativity that surrounded the end of the season, though, as Shanahan's team was dashed on the rocks of desperation, the penumbra that surrounded Eddie began to fade.  A forced fumble helped seal our fate in one loss.  He began to suffer from nicks and bruises, only able to score long TDs of 93 and 56 yds.  A 71-yard run was forgotten amongst the clamor that it should have come from a RB.  He even dropped a pass in the final, last-chance, critical must-win game against the Chargers.

And strangely, that is where the story left off.  The player to whom Cutler had a 71% completion percentage throughout the season, the player who had amazing agility to catch outside his frame, to catch high, to catch low,  the rookie who could track the over the shoulder ball or find the ball in the corner of the end-zone with a veteran's eye, was remembered for a drop.  Our final image is one of Cutler harshly chastising Royal, of opportunities lost, of plays not made.

But know that it is a myth, not a memory.  In a season full of frustration, the final moments, from RBs with no future to WRs who dropped too many passes, everything became symbols, symbols of a frustration too large to sum up in a day's worth of thoughts.  Almost all of those symbols are gone now:  fired, cut, released.  It hasn't been hard to let them go.

Forget the myth.

Enjoy the memories.

 *I think that is Xanders on the sideline at 1:09...  :)

6 recs  |  Comment 40 comments |

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Great Read

always good to remember solid contributions on a less than solid team. I do have a question, how can someone post 140 punt return yards on 0 punts returned? That’s all. I hope we get a good #2 in here this year via draft or signing Torry Holt somehow that will put Eddie in the slot and create some serious problems for defenses! I have to say, the boy would be killer in the slot and really push some things away from the running game. Imagine, Brandon at 1 Someone at 2 Eddie in the slot with a LB covering him! We can make it a 15-20 yard running play or exploit the LB in coverage! I am looking forward to the day those mismatches happen

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Mar 8, 2009 4:33 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Gotta love Fast Eddie Royal!

MELO!!!

MileHighReport.com
PickaxeAndRoll.com

by abaca15 on Mar 8, 2009 4:40 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

My question is....

How will he be featured in McD’s offense? Do you think he becomes Wes Welker 2.0 or something different?

by swg777 on Mar 8, 2009 4:45 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

totally.

they have similar size, attitudes, and speed. i think he might even be better.

"Hey Raiders fans!!! If you leave now you can beat traffic!"
-Rod Smith

by GarretBarnes on Mar 8, 2009 5:36 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

weve got...

 something special in royal. i had to watch another one of those youtube videos of of the tank hillis. we r going to be hearingthese two players names for a long time.
 its got me stoked for next year. ill be honest i was really sure what we were going to be getting outve our broncos next year, but after watching the highlights of royal and hillis, im pumped. good things r coming.
 thanks STYG50. i needed that.
 and for evetyonr that hasnt watched the hillis video. watch it. i had forgotten. wait for the edddie royal video to end and theres a bunch of bronco videos that pop up.

by s.west.railroader on Mar 8, 2009 4:45 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

MANNNN that pumps me up!

  Watching those highlites has me pumped up again!!!!!!!! BRONCOS!!!

Strength and honor

by kybroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 4:45 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Remember when Eddie was a reach....

To you media experts…BWAH HAHAHAHA!……wait, OK……BWAH HAHAHAHA!!!
He would have been good value on the 1st!
Noce job Shanny and Goodmans.

Those that cant coach, compete!
Failing to plan is planning to fail.

by boydy2669 on Mar 8, 2009 6:17 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

*hanging head in shame*

i was pissed when we took him—a little man kick returner in the second round? no thanks! shows what i know.

also, to scratch at a festering scab here, the dude throwing to him looks pretty freaking good as well. just sayin’…

by oxmouth on Mar 8, 2009 6:39 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

I agree...his talent has never been in question.

Those that cant coach, compete!
Failing to plan is planning to fail.

by boydy2669 on Mar 8, 2009 7:01 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

LOL

oops! i really wasn’t picking another fight with you, boydy. i meant that i was scratching at the general MHR scab that has become the whole mcD/cutler soap opera.

but yeah, no matter what one’s take on cutler is, you gotta drool when you see a guy who can burn it in there and then turn around and throw a feather-light touch pass.

as far as eddie, i remember shanny saying that they felt he ran better routes than anyone in the draft. i started to buy into that somewhere in the first half of the first game.

by oxmouth on Mar 8, 2009 7:31 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

No worries Ox, I am not offended at all. I like your posts.......

Yep, after no 19 made meangelo look like the rookie, I was jazzed. We have a great one in Eddie Royal!

Those that cant coach, compete!
Failing to plan is planning to fail.

by boydy2669 on Mar 8, 2009 7:33 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't think anyone questioned Cutler's talent...

The alleged trade was Cutler for the equivalent of Cassel and a 1st rounder and we turned it down. To me that sounds like the FO did value him.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Mar 8, 2009 8:59 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

that's probably true, SWG...

i thought i read it was cassel and one or two lower picks. but, yeah, i agree that most people see the talent. (except apparently mel kiper jr., but that’s another thing altogether).

i think i also tend to look at it differently though, in that even if the trade is value-for-value, for me it’s like trading my girlfriend in for someone who’s almost as hot PLUS a bag of money. fine on paper, but it makes my stomach hurt.

i’d be depressed not getting to see #6 make those plays no one else can, even if we got a very solid systems guy who always said the right thing during interviews and a linebacker better than nate webster in exchange. (i had to throw in webster because he’s been quiet around these parts lately :-) ).

by oxmouth on Mar 8, 2009 10:00 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

mel

cant see anything except his ego and his hair

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Mar 8, 2009 11:50 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

....

not necessarily in that order…

by oxmouth on Mar 9, 2009 1:38 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

+5

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Mar 9, 2009 1:04 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm sorry but I don't remember us getting a first in addition to Cassel

I might be mistaken but I thought the aborted deal was Cutler to Tampa Bay for the draft choice, then that draft choice to New England for Cassel. Or something like that.

"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

by spock on Mar 9, 2009 9:07 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I didn't say it WAS a 1st...

but it was equivalent to a first (a 2nd and 3rd I believe). That’s not the point. The point is, we didn’t do the trade.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Mar 9, 2009 4:39 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I totally agree

I was also bummed when they picked Eddie. What a steal. If Brandon had Eddies talent for actually catching the ball and running routes, and staying our of legal trouble, he would be unstoppable. I predict Eddie will have many more receptions in his carrer than BM ends up with.

I’m with you on Jay, too. Maybe coach McD should be managing a McDonald’s franchise rather than the Broncos franchise.

by littlejimmy on Mar 10, 2009 7:52 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

interesting...

He may have been one of the brighter spots on the *cough*failure*cough* of the 2008 season.

"Hey Raiders fans!!! If you leave now you can beat traffic!"
-Rod Smith

by GarretBarnes on Mar 8, 2009 6:48 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

On the punt return

you can’t help but to revert to the madden saying whoop, whoop

by FCbroncomaniac on Mar 8, 2009 7:27 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Think that berman does the whoop whoop

"We should have kept Seattle and dumped San Diego from the Division"

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

by Jon Tollerud on Mar 8, 2009 8:17 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

What an AWESOME pick he turned out to be

91 receptions…..WOW. Not bad for his first year. This should allow Marshall and others to really be open in ’09. I wonder what the record is for receptions by a rookie?

Nothing much else to say about Royal but……..Yeah baby and glad he is a Bronco.

2007-08 MVP: Kobe Bryant

Cutler's 4th qtr/OT game winning drives: 9

by weazel on Mar 8, 2009 7:51 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Source: http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/receiving

Most Pass Receptions, Rookie, Season (updated through 2007)
101 Anquan Boldin, Arizona, 2003
90 Terry Glenn, New England, 1996
88 Reggie Bush, New Orleans, 2006

Looks like Royal is now #2 on that list.

by c_style on Mar 8, 2009 11:16 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

Good stats, c_style

Great article, styg. Rec’d and buzzed!

Hillis in '09

by Emmett Smith on Mar 9, 2009 1:28 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Gave me chills

cant wait…just wish he had a more traditional number.

the internet? that thing is still around?
~Homer Simpson

by ktown on Mar 9, 2009 8:50 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

+50 zillion

Give this man #83. And BMarsh 85. And Stokley 86. And Gaffney…. well, give him whatever he used to wear in New England. Torry Holt can be 81.

I picked the wrong weekend to quit sniffing glue...

by papigrande on Mar 9, 2009 3:02 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

No

I like 19, i don’t want him in a #83.

by stedtfeld on Mar 9, 2009 5:34 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I remember him saying during preseason last year

that if 19 was good enough for Jerry Rice (during his short stay), it was good enough for him!

"Hey guy worm has turn...We need all kind of crazy fool on defence. Like ten new guy...Just solid guy not souper star break you bank. I turn guy." - Horvil Tiki

by broncosmontana on Mar 9, 2009 3:26 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I read somewhere that Jerry picked 19 because that’s what Montana picked when he became a Chief.

"Hey guy worm has turn...We need all kind of crazy fool on defence. Like ten new guy...Just solid guy not souper star break you bank. I turn guy." - Horvil Tiki

by broncosmontana on Mar 9, 2009 3:27 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I like how are recievers are all in the teens

I even think CJack Is in teens. Except stupid Darrel Jackson has to be in the 80’s(83 is he?)

bye bye DRE

by robbo650 on Mar 9, 2009 10:45 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

DJack was 82

But now he’s gone, so I’m counting on Gaffney and (fingers crossed) Holt to knock some sense into our WR’s. Teen #s are stupid looking!

I picked the wrong weekend to quit sniffing glue...

by papigrande on Mar 10, 2009 5:04 AM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm fine with 19

Otherwise what would i do with my jersey? Haha.

I love Eddie Royal – he is exceptional on the field, and he seems like a stand-up guy off of it. What more can you ask for?

by hai17 on Mar 9, 2009 11:04 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

thats my boy!

you know what they call Rookie of the Year in France?

by Royal With Cheese on Mar 9, 2009 1:05 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

I loved this bit
It also ended with a convincing and much needed road-opener win against a divisional foe, and the complete and utter dismantling of over-hyped Pro Bowl corner DeAngelo Hall. Hall would soon be cut by the Raiders, and he may have no one to thank more than Eddie Royal, #19.

So so true!! I would have LOVED to be in the guest owner’s box that night! I’ll bet Voldemort was losing what is left of his already insane mind!

"Hey guy worm has turn...We need all kind of crazy fool on defence. Like ten new guy...Just solid guy not souper star break you bank. I turn guy." - Horvil Tiki

by broncosmontana on Mar 9, 2009 3:23 PM MDT reply actions   0 recs

It was even better having a seat near the field....surrounded by dejected Raider fans...

It was great to see. ;-) Especially after having to endure listening to thousands of fans chant: “Broncos Suck, Broncos Suck” upon entering the stadium. As some famous Reverend somewhere once said…“No, No, No, not God Bless the Raider Nation…” ;-)

Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.

by Tim Lynch on Mar 9, 2009 6:20 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Who is that guy?

No no, that #6…who is that guy? Is he still with us? He’s pretty good. LOL

by TheMastermind on Mar 10, 2009 11:09 AM MDT reply actions   0 recs

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