Can McGahee catch the ball?

by Virgin Mobile #15 on Jan 16, 2012 8:41 PM MST

Did anyone else notice that McGahee only caught one ball with Tebow at QB? He had 11 receptions for 49 yards and 1 touchdown through the first four games with Orton at QB and he only had one reception for 2 yards (against Chicago) over the next 14 games. This has me wondering if a running back that can catch the ball out of the backfield should be a top priority for the Broncos this offseason. Did Fox/McCoy not trust McGahee to catch balls out of the backfield?

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I thinks it's more Tebow not checking down...

I was never sure why he hardly checked down.

Anyone else notice this?

The glass is usually twice as big as it needs to be.

by BaldMatt on Jan 16, 2012 8:46 PM MST via mobile reply actions

Yes, I noticed.

It was like Tebow would see his check down and then run around and try and find someone open downfield.
It felt to me that Tebow thought the play had failed if he checked down. I also would like to know what happened to our screen plays.

by Downunder Thunder on Jan 16, 2012 9:04 PM MST up reply actions

I noticed, and it was probably the single most frustrating issue I have with Tebow.

Anyone who has been on this site much knows I am a big time Tebow fan and supporter, but even I can admit that he has plenty of areas that he absolutely HAS to show improvement in. This is the one that bugged me the most. I would see Tebow on a second down and say 10, looking down field for what seemed like days trying to get a long pass. And all the while there is a running back three to five yards deep, sitting wide open. Take the short yardage and set yourself up for a third and short. This is something that if Tebow can improve on in the offseason, is going to force defenses to adjust how they defend us again. This would be a very good thing. As long as the defense is reacting to what we are doing and not the other way around, we have the advantage. So yeah, I want to see big improvement in this area from Tim in 2012.

Never let them see you bleed.
My shit always works sometimes.

by the_prodigal_fan on Jan 16, 2012 9:09 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs

Its likely inexperience

. He used C. Buck beautifully in the Texans game, but it seems with the coaches trying to limit his scrambling, he’s really forcing himself to look downfield and forgetting about the checkdown Just my opinion

"It's all over fat man!"
-Tom Jackson
"When John Elway is standing in lava with a football, he will stay there and sink until you're open"
-Seanbaby

by Calikula on Jan 16, 2012 9:34 PM MST up reply actions

I agree, it is probably a lack of experience.

Which is why I want and expect to see major improvement with this for the next season. I think fixing this one little thing will show dramatic improvement on the offense as a whole. How many drives this season did we end up three and out because we didn’t get any yards on first or second down and had no chance on third? If we can get him to consistently throw the check down, those third and forever’s are suddenly much more manageable, and our drives get longer and we score more points.

Never let them see you bleed.
My shit always works sometimes.

by the_prodigal_fan on Jan 16, 2012 9:46 PM MST up reply actions

I agree, Tebow needs a lot of work in the off season. Hopefully it has already begun.

I also think it is funny that we have come down to having to preface any criticism of Tebow with a proclamation of our devotion to said player. I catch myself doing it all of the time. Even as I type this the urge to add something like “I am a big Tebow fan and supporter, however…” is weighing on my mind. Sorry to highjack your post, just thought it was funny how many of us do it.

"Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself."
W. C. Doane

by MTBroncosFan on Jan 17, 2012 6:35 AM MST up reply actions

I disagree

If it was just “Tebow not checking down” how’d you explain Lance Ball being targeted several times?

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by Fabio Broncos on Jan 16, 2012 9:44 PM MST up reply actions

No one is saying that he never checks down.

But he does not do it consistently and the opposing defenses know that. I don’t even know how many times they let our guys have a free release out of the backfield and didn’t even cover them because they knew that nine times out of ten, Tebow was going to look deep or try to run.

Never let them see you bleed.
My shit always works sometimes.

by the_prodigal_fan on Jan 16, 2012 9:48 PM MST up reply actions

Here, I agree TPF...

Tebow tends to look deep or run. I hope he can work on that during this offseason and improve his short/mid passes and checkdowns.

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I bleed Orange & Blue. GB².

by Fabio Broncos on Jan 16, 2012 10:29 PM MST up reply actions

Most of the times that I see him target Ball

Were on designed screens, not the check down. Just from what I can remember. I remember him hitting his checkdown more in one game from last season (Vs Hou) than this entire year

"It's all over fat man!"
-Tom Jackson
"When John Elway is standing in lava with a football, he will stay there and sink until you're open"
-Seanbaby

by Calikula on Jan 16, 2012 10:01 PM MST up reply actions

Then this is not a miss-checkdown by Tebow

But a “coincidence” in McCoy’s playcalling. He called some screen passes when Ball was there and didn’t when it was McGahee out there….

And if all the respect, I can remember a few RB routes (and drops, unfortunately) Ball did and was targeted. I just don’t know why McGahee wasn’t used anymore catching some passes after Kyle was gone, but I’m sure it’s not a problem of checkdown.

This signature was sacked by Von Miller.
I bleed Orange & Blue. GB².

by Fabio Broncos on Jan 16, 2012 10:28 PM MST up reply actions

I think too that it's an issue of chemistry in the passing game as well.

The screen game basically went away as soon as Moreno went down, and he was our premier pass catching RB. I don’t know if maybe Tebow just wasn’t comfortable throwing the ball to anyone else in checkdowns or screens. But as with all things, this should improve with repetitions. I hope and believe that we are going to see massive improvement from Tebow next season. With a full offseason to work, and with the knowledge that he is the starter moving forward for next year, I think we will start to see the QB that we all envisioned he would become when he was drafted. A guy that can kill you with the pass but that is a legitimate threat to run as well.

Never let them see you bleed.
My shit always works sometimes.

by the_prodigal_fan on Jan 16, 2012 10:59 PM MST up reply actions

I dont think it is that

They are not part of the plan other than the swing pass to the FB and a wheel route now and then. They are just to block on pass plays and if you watch, they seldom are in a position to even be a dump off.

by kimbertr on Jan 17, 2012 7:38 AM MST up reply actions

There was many an occasion that Tebow had an open receiver over the middle 5-10 yards and looked over them for a deeper route.

I don’t know why, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

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by bfree2bronc on Jan 16, 2012 9:32 PM MST reply actions

Until we find out, I'd like to blame it on the coaching staff and Elway.

Victory is sweet, even deep in the cheap seats.

by KoloradoKaos on Jan 17, 2012 11:08 AM MST up reply actions

Some it may also be due to the use of the play-fake

McGahee was often the “ball carrier” on play fakes and was running a dive into the line.

We live in an age when instant gratification isn't fast enough

by Brian Shrout on Jan 16, 2012 11:29 PM MST reply actions

Yeah, I was always pissed

The Broncos never utilized the Screen play…..

By the way, your name is funny as hell.

"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

Vince Lombardi

by Denver_Native on Jan 17, 2012 12:05 AM MST reply actions

McGahee wasnt targeted because he was never in plays where he would be targeted.

If Tebow didnt hand the ball off to McGahee, he was most likely going to throw downfield on play-action, or run it himself.

The only other time he threw short passes were screens, dives in the option, and little designed dumps to Lance Ball. McGahee is a big power back, who can catch Im sure. But he’s just not our best receiving/open space back. Simple as that.

2011 was just the tip
They say the cool is all over me..

by Teboner on Jan 17, 2012 8:22 AM MST reply actions

You answered your own question with the stats that you provided.

Victory is sweet, even deep in the cheap seats.

by KoloradoKaos on Jan 17, 2012 11:22 AM MST reply actions

McGahee caught a few passes out of the backfield before arriving in Denver

his 12 catches this season are a career low for him. He averaged 24 catches per year with his best year coming in 2007 with BAL at 43 catches for 231 yards. Even when he was no longer the main ball carrier in BAL he was used as a receiver out of the backfield getting about 1 catch for every 6 carries.

Win the individual battles at the LOS - all else flows from that.

by DE_BroncoFan on Jan 17, 2012 12:07 PM MST reply actions