Thinking outside the box and beyond the herd.

by BroncoCUbuffs on Feb 6, 2012 4:00 PM MST

An old and heavy wagon still looks good behind the Budwiser Clydesdales. Much like a great pass rush can make an average secondary look great a great run blocking O line can make an average running back look all-pro.

I think Tebow is the catalyst behind some innovative thinking going on with EFX in that we're going to run to set the pass in an exclusive type of focus. My money says we are VERY likely to draft the top FB in this year's draft and pick up some road grader type offensive linemen through FA and/or draft. Scotty Payne's recent post about trading out of the first round NEARLY hit the nail on the head in terms of moving this direction. See the comparison that follows.

Scotty went with a RB with the 1st of two second round picks that fits the run dominant culture mentioned above and the 2nd of two 2nd round picks to a pocket collapsing DT (Kendall Reyes) goes down like a Bud Lite on a hot summer day, so I'm okay with that. Picking up the best FB (a 257 pounder) in the draft in the 5th would make my whole summer. It's after this that Scotty and I differ somewhat. The remaining picks, a 3rd, a 4th, and a 5th should include another run mauling offensive lineman. The "best player available" mind set may well hold an elite run blocking lineman among these picks and I wouldn't mind it at all if it were our 3rd rounder as long as he hold elite potential.

The NFL is becoming a game of mismatches, much like the NBA (see the Patriots use of their TE's this year as the standard). The picture of our "Big" package, meaning Clark and two TE's coupled with a bone crushing FB and two more road graders in the O line (replacing Badles and Walton) brings visions of the ultimate mismatch to mind. The resultant effects would be to run over people even when they know what's coming, much like the old GB Packers of the Fuzzy Thurston era. You throw in Tebow's running ability and the opposing D would be forced to stack against the run, which opens up the field for even Tebow's present passing skills.

Any other direction in building an offense will result in a "cookie cutter" mentality requiring the same personnel everyone else is looking for, including that elusive franchise QB, which could easily take another 4-5 years IF we're lucky enough to find a QB of that caliber.

By the way, I do realize replacing Walton with an elite center is extraordinarily difficult. I'm curious as to whether this year's FA class or the draft has any centers that would qualify?

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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Comments

I don't think that building a dominant run game is thinking outside the box.

I disagree with your thinking somewhat though. I think we can find a good FB in FA or get an UDFA. There will be plenty of FB that don’t get drafted. There always are.

I think a dominant run game is great. We had one last year and led the league in rushing. We still dropped out last 3 games and got blown out by pass heavy teams like the Pats and the Lions. I think we play a couple more of those teams next year too. Are the Saints on the schedule?

I think in order for us to better compete we need to draft a run stuffing DT, a pass rushing DT (like Keyes above) or the FA Jason Jones. We need to find a fast aggressive MLB who can help cover the TE and (who can lead our defense – so not Burfict).

On offense I think we also need to figure out whether or not our two TEs that we just drafted have what it takes to form a tandem like Gronk and Hernandez. If they don’t then we missed the mark.

We do need to run to set up the pass but I don’t think passing will do much good if we don’t have a good game plan or a good stable to weapons for Tim. We had a good chance to do this against the Pats and they shut us down. I’m sorry but replacing Beadles and Walton wouldn’t have changed that and neither would a drafted FB IMO.

Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.

by BroncoMath101 on Feb 6, 2012 4:09 PM MST reply actions

Do you remember the FB the Broncos had in our SB wins and what round he was drafted in?

"Peace, a journey without distance to a place we have never left."

by BroncoCUbuffs on Feb 6, 2012 4:18 PM MST up reply actions

#236

Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Theodore Roosevelt

by Digger24 on Feb 6, 2012 5:07 PM MST up reply actions

Or the 9th Round, if you are so inclined

It todays NFL, he would have gone undrafted. You gotta love the Human Plow though!

"You’re only great if you win something. I mean, Alexander wasn’t Alexander the Mediocre or Alexander the Average. He was Alexander the Great, and there’s a reason for it."-Shannon Sharpe

by CH74 on Feb 6, 2012 5:45 PM MST up reply actions

You must be talking about Howard Griffith? 11 years, 351 yards, 2.9 ypc and 12 TDs...

"You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people's lack of understanding" -Julian Bond
Follow @bfree2bronc

by bfree2bronc on Feb 6, 2012 7:40 PM MST up reply actions

hmm

So if our 2nd yr tight ends are not gronk/hernandez we cut bait? And its hard to find a mlb rookie to “lead a defense” haha but ok…

by TRUTH_HURTS on Feb 6, 2012 10:52 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

I never said cut bait. I said we missed the mark since we obviously drafted them to catch passes.

We need to see what we have there before we try again first off. And yes it may be hard to find a MLB rookie to lead the defense but if they did it in college they’ll have a better chance at doing it in the NFL, but if they didn’t then they won’t (Burfict.)

I don’t know how you got that I would cut Virgil or Julius from that. I guess you just assumed.

Tim Tebow wears 3WM and drinks Tuscan whole milk.

by BroncoMath101 on Feb 7, 2012 8:32 AM MST up reply actions

One thing I disagree with BroncoMath.

I think picking up a couple of big time power interior O-linemen would make a huge difference in games like the Pats games this year. They were able to shut us down largely because our interior O-line has trouble getting any push against good defensive tackles. If we can address that, things could open up for us a bit more. That being said, I am still placing a higher priority on D-line and offensive playmakers this offseason. While the interior O-line may be an area of need, there are other areas that need to be addressed first.

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

by the_prodigal_fan on Feb 6, 2012 11:48 PM MST up reply actions

Howard Griffith out of Illinois

by BroncosRock! on Feb 6, 2012 4:34 PM MST reply actions

Matt Suhey's son.

Joe Suhey FB Penn State Sr 6-1 222 4.76

Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Theodore Roosevelt

by Digger24 on Feb 6, 2012 5:13 PM MST reply actions

I don't think I can get onboard with

“The grass is greener on the other side approach”. It seems to me that there are better ways to build an offense than to turn over nearly a third of the roster. The Broncos are a young team. The thing this team has lacked in recent history has been direction. John Fox has given this team that and then some in his first season. Now, they need to continue to go in that direction. The main thing right now is to fill the holes that are on the roster. I do not consider the Center, Guard, or FB positions to be holes at this time. These players were part of a foundation for a team that led the NFL in rushing yards. Their potential has not even been seen up to this point. I think the Broncos can build on that sucess by adding some speed on the outside and a true home run threat in the backfield. I think the priority for this coming draft will be defense once again. The Broncos have a chance to field a top ten defense if they play this off season right.

"You’re only great if you win something. I mean, Alexander wasn’t Alexander the Mediocre or Alexander the Average. He was Alexander the Great, and there’s a reason for it."-Shannon Sharpe

by CH74 on Feb 6, 2012 6:10 PM MST reply actions

Thanks, looked it up...he was drafted in the 9th round.

"Peace, a journey without distance to a place we have never left."

by BroncoCUbuffs on Feb 6, 2012 6:37 PM MST reply actions

We already told you that.

Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Theodore Roosevelt

by Digger24 on Feb 6, 2012 7:01 PM MST up reply actions

You would notice;O) Yes, my post was right on the heels of the boards answers...either that or I'm losing my sight.

Digger, I just had a picture of the Patriot TE’s both blocking and carrying the ball from what appeared to be a backfield formation. It seemed like this type of play worked for them against the Broncos and Giants, albeit one more effectively than the other.

"Peace, a journey without distance to a place we have never left."

by BroncoCUbuffs on Feb 6, 2012 9:03 PM MST up reply actions

FEX have been looking for that too I think.

I don’t know if it was McD’s influence on McCoy when he was here or what but I believe McCoy is still chasing a lot of the same players for plays he has in mind to run. Maybe it just because it’s a copycat league and that is what is working lately. BB may be vastly hated because of Spygate and his success but he is also very innovative. I see there being a huge push toward TEs much to the same as we took two in last years draft. There are more of the TE/FB as opposed to the FB/RB. I think our TE could fill the role of FB but I would rather play a FB on the downs we coose to. That’s why Larsen is such a good FB. He is a STs ace. He could go back to LB if we were in a bind too. Bottom line, no team uses a FB in enough of it’s plays to want to use a roster spot on a fulltime FB.

Believe you can and you're halfway there.
Theodore Roosevelt

by Digger24 on Feb 7, 2012 8:40 AM MST up reply actions

Thanks for connecting some dots.

I don’t know if it was McD’s influence on McCoy
McDaniels ended up being a flamer and flamed out but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t borderline brilliant. His personnel versatility and mismatch concepts seem to be emerging now e.g. Patriot TE’s.
Bottom line, no team uses a FB in enough of it’s plays to want to use a roster spot on a full-time FB.

The fact that “no team” uses a FB in enough of its plays speaks to the “out of the box” thinking being promoted here. Why not be the first to use a full-time FB with the “big package” mentioned in the post? Then, dare the whole league to stop it with the type of personnel that almost “every” team is trying to put on the field (cookie cutter). Let them adjust to us. It puts them on the defensive in more ways than one.

Time will tell but my sense is the type of “big” formations I’m promoting will see more and more of with our very own Broncos.

"Peace, a journey without distance to a place we have never left."

by BroncoCUbuffs on Feb 7, 2012 9:58 PM MST reply actions

You know the teams looking at McCoy this year

and my “feeling” that McD could have accomplished a lot in Denver had he used these “versatility and mismatch concepts” you refer to makes me think that it’s possible we could really have a dominating offense and not even be aware of it yet. However, neither McD or McCoy have shown any signs of putting any of this to fruition and in fact McD is gone now (thank you very much). If McCoy could use a “big” formation to innovate our offense into a juggernaut I would wet myself. I highly doubt it will happen.

"I am not better than anyone else just because I play football."
Tim Tebow

by Digger24 on Feb 8, 2012 1:21 PM MST up reply actions