Things I'll be looking for against Cleveland

by MTBroncoFan on Sep 17, 2009 11:21 AM MDT

I personally thought the Broncos looked like a well below average team against Cincinnati, but saw many positives, particularly on defense. These are the things that stuck out to me.

Positive:

team seemed well prepared and ready to play, particularly on defense
special teams seemed much improved in coverage
the defense wasn't predictable and looked very good at times.
tackling was much better than last year.
Andre Davis didn't look slow, he played well.
Alphonso Smith played well and looks like a keeper.

Negative:

the offense couldn't really get in sync (good defense?)
seemed like the running game was supposed to be set up by a passing game (75 yds rushing)
passing game wasn't productive (243 yds passing, 165 without final play)
the offensive line didn't look like a 12 sack a year line in pass protection.
Dawkins didn't look as fast as I remember him a couple years ago, but still tackled well.

So, for the things I'll be looking for against Cleveland:

Can the offensive line protect the passer more effectively. Is this a team strength? Shorter passing game should lead to less sacks, not more. Hard to beat last years sack totals, but I'd think it should have been similar. Will this years scheme fit our offensive line personnel?
Will the Broncos continue to look like a pass-first team, or will they change towards run-first?
Will the defense be more or less effective once an opponent has a week's film to scout them? Cincinnati really couldn't scout/prepare too effectively, it will be interesting to see if Mangini and Co. discover some weaknesses and how they attack.
Amoeba offense week #2: Will it be similar to last weeks game-plan or radically different for a different defense.

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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Re: BDawk

I don’t know how fast you think he should be, but he makes every single safety we had on the roster last year look like senior citizens trying to dodge a slow moving turtle…

And the dude makes the opposing players PAY for every mistake our D makes. I love it…the intensity more than makes up for whatever “slowness” some may perceive. ;-)

Great post, thanks!

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

by Tim Lynch on Sep 17, 2009 11:43 AM MDT reply actions

TAKE IT!

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
- Thomas Alva Edison

"Success is not a place at which one arrives, but rather... the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey."
- Alex Noble

by DenBronx on Sep 17, 2009 11:44 AM MDT up reply actions

LOL

love the image:

senior citizens trying to dodge a slow moving turtle

"The best defense is a good offense. Or is it the other way around." Wolverine
Pray for the best, prepare for the worst, and know you will come down somewhere between the two.
Livin' in La La Land and Lovin' It

by Brian Shrout on Sep 17, 2009 1:11 PM MDT up reply actions

+1

by papasteven on Sep 18, 2009 7:47 AM MDT up reply actions

No disagreement

He’s definitely a better safety than the Broncos had last year.

Maybe its just memories of him in his prime. His experience and understanding certainly get him to the right spots.

by MTBroncoFan on Sep 17, 2009 3:26 PM MDT up reply actions

Amoeba

This is my biggest curiosity. Will it live up to the hype?

by Leukadian on Sep 17, 2009 12:39 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

I've got to go with Zappa on BDawk.

Playing with a broke hand he amazed me to say the least. Remember that was game one where all played 4 qtrs together for the first time. As the season ages they should improve with every game. Carson was victimized by his receiving corp’s dropsies. Both teams on offense struggled through out the game with defenses that seemed to be making pplays when they had to. This week there should be more scoring and hopefully we can break out with a win. I hope there are more long passes to BMarsh and Royal. They need to establish those two to get the running game in high gear. The edges as Styg stated were vulnerable against Minnesota’s running offense especially AP and if we can get Hillis, Moreno and Buckhalter going it should be an interesting game.

by bfree2bronc on Sep 17, 2009 12:43 PM MDT reply actions

And Dawkins and Champ haven't synergized!

Just wait until Champ starts feeling where Dawkins is so that he knows he can take chances.

At sea level, but I'll always be a mile high.

by DaytonaBronco on Sep 17, 2009 8:10 PM MDT up reply actions

It's gonna be super fun for us.

Fun for the quarterbacks……….. not so much.

Bringing Bronco love from 1,112 miles away

by Troy Hufford on Sep 18, 2009 7:01 AM MDT up reply actions

Honestly

If this is the “slow” Dawkins then man…he really is a HOFer.

When you can do the common things in life in a uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.
- George Washington Carver

by Kfustud on Sep 17, 2009 1:03 PM MDT reply actions

Game one

My concern was that McD did not stay with Buck (only 8 carries) a little more since he was effective. Knowshon needs more time so 8 carries a game here early will be about right. I must say it again, LaMont looked slooow. I do understand, a little, about the lack of use of Payton due to Spencer’s injury but only two carries is not right. McD USE YOUR WEAPONS.
Two game day changes that confuse me. Chris Baker, the 4th DL coming out of camp, as an ‘inactive’ STRANGE. The second was to start Russ Hochstein instead of Seth Olsen who replaced Chris Kuper through the pre-season. VERY STRANGE.
My analysis on why McD did different thing on day one. He WAS under pressure and did not want mistakes. Baker is a rookie even though Thomas has a bad shoulder. Olsen is a rookie and McD knows Hochstein (he did struggle). Game plan was very simple, limit mistakes. Not using Hillis because of Larsen showed uncertainty.
RELAX MCD AND LET YOUR PLAYERS PLAY

by DLMyers on Sep 17, 2009 1:20 PM MDT reply actions

Question for the experts

Was the Hamilton/Wiegmann gap the weakest portion of the O-line? It appeared to me it was. What is the status of Kuper? What is the chance Kuper comes in in place of Hamilton? He has played LT and LG before. The relevancy of these questions to this post is that with a slightly more effective O Line we suddenly do become that zone block one cut running team that sets up the little dink passes and screens with a dominant running game.

It all starts in the trenches - HT 11/11/08
Leave the hateful vitriol to the uninformed - HT 3/16/09

by firstfan on Sep 17, 2009 4:39 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs