Mile High Report: FanPosts

First Upset of the week!

2009-11-21T02:13:12Z

Final: Miami 24 Carolina 17

Only 3 out of 8 ESPN experts picked Carolina to win

All the NFL insiders(beattheinsiders.com) picked Carolina to win

5 out of6 experts from Fox sports picked the Panters to win

Yahoo experts(3), all of them picked Carolina this week

Bleacher Report predicted Carolina to win

The NFL Network, 2 of 3 experts picked Carolina

Guys, I can go on and on, but my point is: get ready for another Upset Special this Sunday, and no, I am not talking about the Ravens over the Colts or the Raiders over the Bengals. I'm talking about our Denver Broncos,the Broncos will upset the Chargers, trust me.

Should Orton Start If Healthy?

2009-11-21T01:54:55Z

Hi guys!

Let me start by saying that this is my first fanpost here at MHR. I’ve been an avid reader for almost three years now and finally got an account around draft-time this year. I feel that my knowledge and understanding of the game of football and what is happening both on the field and off has increased exponentially in the past couple of years, and I credit the fantastic writing in posts and the generally incredibly high level of discourse even in the comments sections here at MHR as the reason. I want to thank the whole community here for that. Also, as a student at a music conservatory, it can be kind of difficult to get my football-talk-fix, so you guys really save me on that one. So, now that I finally feel like I’ve learned and retained enough to make a relevant positive contribution, here I go…

As someone who just two weeks ago finally finished rehabbing an ankle injury that has been a nagging problem since a year ago July, I think that I’m justified in saying that ankle injuries are tricky. My injury was actually a mild sprain (much like Kyle Orton’s) that I tried to come back from too quickly, which as a result never fully healed. Using the ankle too soon caused a constant tearing and re-tearing of the ligaments that would flare up every so often over the course of the year. It got progressively worse (and more frequent) until it began bothering me every day at the end of the day and so I began a second attempt to rehab it in late July of this year. That seems to have fixed the problem for now, but this was a long and arduous process.

Details of the second course of rehab included cortisone injections and 3-4 weeks of ankle immobilization. After those 4 weeks came time in a walking boot and then a switch to motion-control sneakers, while attending physical therapy 3 times weekly for 2 hour sessions for the duration. For the entire length of the rehab I have been under a doctor-recommended ban on cutting sports. Think about that length of time -- from the end of July until two weeks ago. That’s a little more than THREE MONTHS! Needless to say, I think we would all hate to see anything like this happen to Kyle Orton.

Knowing this about the past few months of my life, you would think that I would not advocate playing Kyle Orton until he’s back at 100%. And you’d be right. Except for Chargers week, and here’s why…

The Chargers come into the game tied with the broncos at 6-3 for the divisional lead. If they win this game, then they will be 7-3 and the Broncos will sit at 6-4. The broncos will no longer have the head to head tiebreak. The tie break will be very significant for the Broncos, especially if Orton is out or any length of time. Without Orton, our tough but manageable end-of-season schedule looks a whole lot more difficult.

Let’s go down the list of how divisional tiebreaks work in the NFL. They can be found in this post by go4broncos, which was made on Monday and first got me thinking about the issue of whether or not to play Orton. After overall win-loss records and head-to-head records are tied, divisional records are examined. I worry about playing in Arrowhead in December, but I have faith in McD and company (and the Chiefs are terrible this year). Let’s predict that both teams win all their games against jokeland and KC. Both teams would then be 5-1 within the division.

The next tiebreaker is record in common games:

Both teams lost to Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

The Chargers have beaten the Eagles and Giants.

This puts them at 2-2 having yet to play Cincinnati, Cleveland, Washington and Dallas.

I would predict wins against Cleveland and Washington, a loss against the Bengals and the Dallas game going either way.

By these predictions, their end of season record would then be either 5-3 or 4-4, depending on the Dallas game.

The Broncos have beaten Dallas, Cincinnati, and Cleveland.

They have also lost to Washington.

This puts the broncos at 3-3 having yet to play New York and Philadelphia.

I predict a loss to New York without Orton, but I believe we could win it if he’s healthy enough.

I predict a win against the Eagles. (B-Dawk sees possible retribution upon the team that forsook him and decides to TAAAAAAKKKKEEEEE IIIITTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.)

These predictions would leave the Broncos with an end of season record at -- you guessed it -- either 5-3 or 4-4, depending on the Giants game.

Man, that Washington loss really hurts us here.

The next tiebreaker is Conference winning percentage:

The broncos are currently 5-2 within the conference (and would be 5-3 after this hypothetical loss)– still to play Indy and the 3 divisional games. My guess for these games is a 3-1 finish with the loss coming to the Colts. Leaving the Broncos with a 8-4 conference record.

The Chargers are 4-3 and would be 5-3 after this hypothetical win – still to play Cleveland, Cincinnati, and the Chiefs and Raiders, once each. By my previous predictions, this would be a 3-1 finish leaving SD with a -- again, you guessed it – 8-4 conference record. (Uncanny, isn’t it?!)

Next in the tiebreak line is Strength of Victory, which is the winning percentage of teams we’ve beaten:

Assuming my predictions are correct, both teams will have beaten OAK and KC twice, CLE, PHI, and each other once

We would also beat CIN, NE and DAL (which could end up being a common victory as well)

They would also beat WAS, TEN, MIA, NYG (which also could be a common victory… and let’s say they lose to Dallas)

What we now notice is that unless SD loses games they should win, a win on Sunday, by my predictions, gives them an 11-5 record (12-4 if they beat DAL) to our 10-6 (11-5 if Kyle’s healthy and we beat NY). However, we also see that we likely win the divisional tiebreak if they drop a game they shouldn’t and/or the Dallas and New York games shake out in our favor. That’s the mixed blessing of having NE and IND instead of MIA and TEN. Their win vs. Tennessee against our loss to Indy is discrepancy, but with a tie the fact that NE is better than MIA all but assures us the win.

A Bronco win Sunday likely locks up the division for us as both teams would be 11-5 (without the NY and DAL games) and the Broncos will hold the head-to-head tiebreak. This game is likely be the most important of the regular season this year, which brings me back to the Orton debate…

Because this game is so important, I would say that if Kyle can play at even 70% on Sunday, he will give us the best chance to win and should play. However, as I’ve been saying in a couple of comments to other posts, He should be shut down immediately after the SD game until he is 100%. We don’t want to mess with lingering ankle trouble, but this game is too important to the outcome of the season.

What does everyone think?

Momentum: The Potential for Potential

2009-11-20T22:10:40Z

The Rider blinks his eyes, and tries to reopen them without the blur of moisture that is ever-present when he moves at this speed. The flats are brisk today and reflection of the sun off in the distant dry lake bed is blinding. This, with the blurriness on account of the ripping wind under the tightly wrapped goggles, is making vision tenuous for the Rider.

Just as the he grasps a glint of focus he sees in the fast approaching distance an anomoly, a... holy shit!!! A CLEFT in the otherwise smooth surface! At this pace what is he to do? ...There's no stopping, that would be impossible. The Rider again blinks, the possible outcomes are bleak- do -or- die...

He views nothing past the crevice, not that there's nothing there, he just can't see anything but the depths or heights of destiny before his eyes. If he can't launch this thing into the right trajectory, he will DIE. It is that simple, miss the right crack of the throttle at the exact right instant, or the front wheel of his sled will drop ever so slightly and into the destiny that ends with a piling, bloody, thump into the far wall of the gap. However, if he twists the handle and opens the carb in precisely the right dose, the motor will scream to life, lifting the front end up and the momentum will have been secured to clear the obstacle.

What will happen?????

Friends, we are the Rider, the Broncos are the motorcycle and our cheers and sentiments are the fuel that must bring everything into divine right order. The machine has all the necessary parts in place to successfully pull this off. We must pull together the emotions of the fanbase into the defining moment of our team's season. Show up on Sunday and make some damn NOISE. Fuel this team with your cheers, make them proud to put every last drop of effort on the field.

Our team is approaching the edge of its fate in '09. The potential for potential is there. Get a win on Sunday and use that momentum to go to new heights; lose, and the season ends on Janaury 3rd. It really is that simple. Get a win on Sunday and suddenly confidence is restored, the ball is rolling just in time to smack down the G-men at home on Thursday and we are looking at 8-3 and first place. It truly must be a team effort considering all the strikes against us on Sunday. We are likely going to see Simms start. But maybe he can do just enough to get us where we want to be.

Be the Rider,

Go Broncos! TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE IT!!

How short the leash?

2009-11-20T21:13:03Z

Kyle Orton hasn't hit the practice field yet and, while he still has a shot to play, that is looking less and less likely.

I hate the idea of Chris Simms starting. Hate it. But I'd hate it even more if we pushed Kyle Orton with 5 of our last 6 games (NYG, KC^2, PHI, and OAK) still being very winnable. I want Kyle in. Deep down - I think he'll be active Sunday. If not, how much wiggle-room do we give Chris Simms. San Diego is very good, but not good enough that we can't beat them with average play at QB (so long as Moreno/Buckhalter take the load). I say if Chris Simms isn't either A. Completing 50% for decent yardage or B. At least keeping the defense honest with the threat of the long ball, we bring in Tommy B. There's no reason not to. I don't want you guys to think I see Tom Brandstater as some sort of prodigy, but what I do know is that he's at least more athletic with a stronger arm than Simms. If Simm's isn't keeping San Diego honest by the 2nd quarter. I'd pull the leash. How about you guys?

P.S

Please God, let Orton be healthy.

Il Duca

2009-11-20T18:52:15Z

Continued from...

Several years of languish and frustration behind the imperial walls, the man Randy and The Crush grew impatient, restless.

Resolve filled the hearts of these old warriors; revolt imminent.

Alas, it was not to be. The old King took his last breath; the throne assumed by a regal man of supreme boldness and strength of character.

The new King's garments flowed from his broad shoulders, glistened by the coated fir of the finest mammalian carcass.

The most high King, along with an ole cowboy General, set to the task of imperial expansion and glory. The man Randy and his aging Crush were in need of new blood - a hero to forge ahead to the ultimate prize.

So the King, in all his glory, brought into the empire a fair haired, bow-legged Duke.

This Duke, so noble and pure, flashed his brilliance and intelligence on the battlefield; hope filled the hearts of many.

For many moons, the Duke beguiled his enemies, yet ultimate victory remained beyond the grasps of the great Empire and to the detriment of the kingdom, the man Randy and his Crush could fight no more - the Duke left to his own charges.

Meanwhile, a new imperial rival arose from a far off land, unleashing the Dawgs of war. The barbarian leaders, called Mar-tee and Ber-nee, would Pound the Dawgs of war upon the Duke and his ragtag army of peasants.

The battlefield, littered with the calcified remains of canines, turned against the Duke - the dogged enemy drove the armies of orange to the precipice of annihilation.

With defeat imminent and the line crumbing before him, the Duke stood as a statue, resolute and strong; he heaved the armies of orange upon his back and marched to drive the enemy to a disparaging, humiliating route.

While the armies of Mar-tee were in full retreat, tail between their legs, a giant among men descended upon the lands. Led by a great General whom they called Tuna, the giant men suffocated the armies of orange and the great Duke, decimating the entire population of the empire before withdrawing victoriously.

Thy wounds healed, the Duke would surge forth the following year to meet Mar-tee and his Dawg's once again in battle. The epic struggle turned into a pitched battle of wits and guile.

Mar-tee, on the verge of laying waste on the Duke, saw victory slip away. The Duke, like a fox.

The bowlegged one marched upon the native lands of the red skinned peoples and was met with an angry swarm of natives whose fearlessness struck doubt into the Duke's peasant army. The red skinned natives destroyed the orangemen's lines and forced a humiliating retreat. The Duke, shamed.

Suffering in confidence, there would be no campaign the following year.

Hungry for revenge, Mar-tee came pounding upon the gates many moons later. Arrogant and misguided, Mar-tee would suffer once again at the hands of the great Duke. The route bred confidence for the armies of orange; it was time to invade.

There was but one empire above all others; the grand prize if conquered. The empire was infatuated with the number forty-nine and their man Joe. The Duke would discover that his confidence was misplaced, for the peasant army was not enough in the face of the most elite army of the known world.

Defeat was certain from the outset, the Duke - a court jester - tried valiantly and in vain to win the day. The defeat, so massive and complete, would spell the end of the orange empire as a major power. The great King sulked in despair, while the Duke lamented against his ole cowboy General.

Revolution again filled the air.

To be continued...

Orton missies 3rd practice - game time decision

2009-11-20T18:51:48Z

Time to rally the troops...whether it's Orton or Simms doesn't matter at this point. This game will be won or lost as a team. Let's see who wants it more.

GO BRONCOS!

Orton misses 3rd practice with ankle injury  The Associated Press  Posted: 11/20/2009 10:28:18 AM PST  Updated: 11/20/2009 10:28:18 AM PST

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Kyle Orton missed a third consecutive practice Friday with a sprained left ankle.

Coach Josh McDaniels says the Denver Broncos quarterback's availability for Sunday's pivotal contest with San Diego will come down to a game-time decision.

Backup Chris Simms again took first-team practice repetitions, as he has all week in the absence of Orton, who was injured during last week's 27-17 loss at Washington.

Simms is in line to make his first start since September 2006, when he suffered a life-threatening spleen injury while with Tampa Bay.

McDaniels says Orton would be put through a workout before Sunday's game and how he performs will determine whether he plays.

Broncos Tickets

2009-11-20T18:37:23Z

Hello everyone! I have 5 tickets for the Chargers game this weekend and unfortunately I am unable to go - I was unable to get out of work. I would love to make sure that they go to fellow Broncos fans, as has been discussed on various threads recently, so if anyone is interested, please let me know as soon as possible so we can make arrangements to get the tickets to you. I will sell them for face value. They are great seats in section 109.

Orton or Simms against San Diego?

2009-11-20T17:53:10Z

The status of Kyle Orton's sprained ankle is still up in the air for the Broncos Chargers game.

Obviously, the Broncos are going to be better with Orton starting the game if he is mobile. McDaniels can put Orton into the Shotgun more than usual, but Orton still has to have some mobility to play effectively against the Chargers.

Orton's ankle injury is apparently not as bad as the one he had last year against the Bears. Orton also had originally injured the ankle against the Ravens a couple of weeks ago.

Simms did not look good against the Redskins, but all the additional practice he has had this week should help him to improve. Simms was playing well in preseason, and Simms led the Bucs into the playoffs in 2002.

If Simms cannot complete more passes then the Broncos have to bring in Brandstater.

The only way the Broncos win this game is if LT is held below 100 yards, and the pass rush improves. Rivers cannot be allowed to just sit back in the pocket and pick the secondary apart.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW - The Chargers Part 2

2009-11-20T16:40:08Z

Note: Upon Further Review is brought to you by Boydy, Bshrout, Broncofan91, and KaptainKirk. It is a Scouting report on the 4 most recent games of the upcoming Broncos opponents. Four sets of eyeballs will give you a focused idea as to the happenings of the weekly enemy team. Enjoy!

Once again the Broncos meet the Chargers, this time at home. Things have changed, the world has turned, and last years mediocrity has turned into this years promise. Don’t look now, but after another slow start the Bolts have won 4 in a row and stand tied with the Broncos for the Division lead. the Broncos have lost their last 3 games and know this game is the key matchup of the season. The winner will be sitting pretty to claim a playoff berth. It's kind of amazing that the Chargers are 6-3 and surging with the league's worst running game. Scouting the Chargers Weeks 1-4 can be found here.

Week 7 San Diego @ Kansas City --BOYDY

Due to technical difficulties (computer), Boydy was listed as Inactive for this game.

Week 8 Oakland @ San Diego -- Bshrout

Let me start this review of the game by saying that our game against San Diego will be a tough one. It will also be a pivotal game, not so much in regards to the standings (though that's important) but in regards to whether or not our guys can regain their confidence and their swagger.
   There are several things to consider about the way that the Chargers played the Raiders. Using the "Stats That Don't Lie" model we can see two teams that split the four categories. Oakland won the Turnover and Starting Field Position battles, while San Diego won the Time of Possession (by a very narrow margin) and the 3rd Down Efficiency battles. Penalties were evenly split (Oakland 6-31, San Diego 5-40). The biggest area of difference was in Yards Per Play.

                            Oakland       San Diego
Total Yards           180               346
Yards Per Play       3.3               6.2
Yards Per Rush   3.7               3.3
Yards Per Pass   3.0               9.5

In terms of scoring, San Diego scored early and often, and was pretty much shut down in the 2nd half. Of course, they also shut Oakland down for most of the game. There were a number of critical plays which typified the flow of the game; they are detailed below.

Oakland Ball, 1-10-50 Russell had good protection on a pass play. Two receivers were running deep routes, the receiver on the left side of the offense was in single coverage, the one on the right drew double coverage. As Russell launched the ball, the receiver in single coverage slipped and fell. The pass sailed over both receivers and the three defenders to drop into the hands of the safety who was charging the play from 5 yards deeper than the receivers.

San Diego Ball, 1-10-SD 41 San Diego lined up in a 3 WR set, 1 RB in the backfield. The TE was in a 2-point stance. TE went in motion. Rivers made, what looked like, a half-hearted attempt at a fake hand off. Rivers rolled to his right, then made a throw of around 50 yards in the air. The WR was able to jump up and wrestle the ball away from a defender.

San Diego Ball, 1-6-Oak 6 Wildcat formation, direct snap to Tomlinson. Two offensive linemen sealed off the LDE, the rest of the defensive line was pushed to the left side of the offensive line. The FB came forward and sealed off the LB in the gap, forcing him to the left. Tomlinson was able to burst through the hole before any other defender could get there and was tackled just as he reached the goal line for a touchdown.

San Diego Ball 1-10-SD 49 2 WR set to the left, single back formation. TE went in motion to the right. Rivers took a three yard drop as the slot receiver cut to the middle. The ball was thrown slightly behind the WR. It bounced off his hands and into the air & was picked off by the DB covering the receiver underneath.

Oakland Ball 1-3-SD 3 2 WR/Single back formation. 3 down defensive linemen, 2 LBs on either end of the line. Slot receiver went in motion, reversed field and set up as though to block on a running play. Russell handed off to the RB 4 yards deep. The offensive line was able to get a good push, forcing the defenders to the outside and opening up a hole between the right guard and right tackle. Defense could not get off their blocks before the RB was close enough to fall into the endzone.

San Diego Ball 3-4-Oak 8 Shotgun formation, single back, 1 WR left, 2 WR right, TE on right side of O-line. O-line in 2-point stance. Man coverage on the 3 WRs. RB goes in motion lining up as an outside receiver on the left. LB shifts to follow RB. At the snap, the RB remains at LOS, freezing his defender. Left slot receiver sprints for the end zone. TE charges straight up the field at a LB. Right outside receiver sprints for the end zone. Right slot receiver slides into the middle of the field. Defender covering the right slot receiver blitzes. Safety in the middle of the field fails to come over to cover the left slot receiver, allowing Rivers to hit a wide open receiver in the middle of the end zone.

San Diego Ball 3-4-SD 26 Shotgun formation, 3 receivers on the left, TE on the right, single back. Defense shows 4 man rush, and man-to-man coverage on the receivers. At the snap, the TE runs parallel to the LOS 1 yard past it. The left slot receiver runs parallel to the LOS, 2 yards past it. The other two receivers head straight up the field. The left slot receiver draws double coverage as he sprints past the TE. Both safeties slide to the right side of the offensive line. No-one picks up the TE crossing to the left. Rivers hits the wide open TE about 2 yards past the LOS. With the defense moving strongly to the opposite side of the field, the TE is able to pick up another 28 yards down the field before being forced out of bounds.

Oakland Kick Return The returner bobbled the ball for a moment, then started up the middle of the field. 3 defenders overran the play on the returners left side. The blockers did a good job of pushing 6 defenders to the returners right. The returner cut left then outran the initial coverage. The kicker was finally able to catch him at the last moment and drag him down and out of bounds after a 60 yard return.

What I saw in this game was a San Diego team that made very few mistakes. They played well on both sides of the ball. In this particular game, their only weaknesses appeared to be how well they ran the ball (3.3 YPR is not particularly good), and how well they defended the run. Other than that, the Chargers didn't show much in the way of weakness. --Bshrout

Week 9 Chargers @ Giants --broncofan91

Defense
The Chargers' defense has greatly improved since the last time we saw them. Their D-line is getting a lot more push and penetration. They had Manning running for his life throughout the game. Nwagbuo, the nose tackle, has gotten much better at rushing the passer but still isn't much help in the run-game. He usually got pushed away from the runner pretty easily. I wouldn't call him a liability like was against Pittsburgh, but he is still pretty average. Before the draft, I remember that a lot of us at MHR liked OLB Larry English. I was very disappointed to see him get picked by the chargers. It took him a while but he's starting to "get it". It doesn't look like it on the stats sheet but he had pretty good game against the Giants. English only had two tackles but he pressured Manning multiple times. I don't think that we need to worry about him on running downs, but we should definitely account for him when he's on the field. Merriman, however, was the complete opposite. He had two sacks and two tackles but one of the sacks came in garbage time. He was pretty well-blocked for most of the game. Something is not right with him because not only lacks the explosion that he once had, he also lacks the passion. I actually saw him walk into blockers on some run-plays. Even his "lights out" dance seemed lazy. I guess that's what happens when the league forces you to stop taking steroids. The Chargers' defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera, got very creative with his blitzes for this game. Line shifts, drop-backs, delays, you name it, he did it. They blitzed 5 for most of the first quarter but the Giants were still able to consistently move the chains with quick, short passes. Their safeties got owned on the short passes all day. The defense also struggled with inside runs. The linebackers didn't keep to their gaps and the line was pushed around with ease.
Offense The offense played exactly like they did when we played them. Their running game was virtually non-existent. LDT goes down on first contact almost every time. He lost his balance quite a few times during this game. The O-line didn't help much either. Their run-blocking throughout the game was horrible. The line had a very tough time blocking against a bull-rush. The giants were able to consistently collapse the pocket. The Chargers seem use long passes in order to set-up the screens.

Week 10 Eagles @ Chargers --KaptainKirk

Offense
The running game that was practically nonexistent against the Giants had a resurgence against the Eagles, even though they are ranked dead last with 75.1 yards per game. LaDainian Tomlinson is responding to the news of becoming a first-time father. He had 24 carries for 96 yards and 2 TD's against the Eagles, and looks to be regaining his form.

Tomlinson scored on a 3-yard run to give the Chargers a 14-0 lead four minutes into the 2nd quarter. Midway through the third quarter he chugged 20 yards through the right side of the Eagles' defense to make it 21-6.

Vincent Jackson, who entered Sunday’s game ranked 3rd in the NFL in receiving yards, had just one catch against the Eagles. His one catch was a big one though. It came on a 4th-quarter drive and gave the Chargers a 1st down when they were clinging to a five-point lead and trying to get out of the shadow of their own end zone. Later in the drive, Antonio Gates and Naanee had clutch 3rd-down catches as well.

Rivers threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to wide-open fullback Mike Tolbert in the first quarter and 20 yards to Legedu Naanee in the third quarter. Rivers was 20 of 25 for 231 yards and no interceptions, with a rating of 131.8.

WR Legadu Naanee's 1st career TD catch in the 3rd quarter put San Diego ahead 28-9

Chargers pass protection is beatable. They have allowed 20 sacks, which is about middle of the road. But when the Chargers absolutely have to pass protect, their blocking is sensational. Jeromey Clary (hurt ankle) has been getting some help at RT, with a TE often helping in key moments. C Nick Hardwick(ankle) is a key loss for the Chargers in this game. He calls the blocking assignments on the line, and with him, the chances of keeping Rivers upright and throwing downfield are better. LT Marcus McNeill, C Scott Mruczkowski and RT Jeromey Clary will have their hands full with Elvis Dumervil and his 12 sacks. Mruczkowski, a backup, has at least one more start in him as Pro Bowler Nick Hardwick continues to mend. Clary won't be at 100 percent, so the Chargers will use the double team to slow Elvis. In the previous matchup in San Diego, Dumervil collected two sacks.

Philip Rivers will use Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson to try and test CBs Andre' Goodman and Champ Bailey. Jackson has 43 receptions for 732 yards and 7 TD's. Floyd has 16 catches and a 20.3 avg. They are both formidable sized receivers. The Broncos do rank No. 5 against the pass, but could have their hands full tracking these giants.

Legedu Naanee is a versatile player who bears watching. He has been utilized when the Chargers go to the Wildcat offense. They used this formation twice against the Eagles. A direct snap to Naanee for 10 yards, and then another to Tomlinson for 5.

The Stats that don't Lie:

Time of Possession - SD 29:37 Philly 30:23

3rd Down Efficiency - SD 5/13 - 38% Philly 3/8 - 37%

SD won the Turnover battle, Intercepting McNabb 1 time.

Starting Field Position SD 26.1 Philly 22.2

Penalties SD 9 - 70 Philly 3 - 31

Defense
Philadelphia racked up big yardage numbers in the 1st half, but really stunk in the Red Zone. They made 5 red-zone appearances, and had to settle for FG's of 18, 25 and 25 yards on their first 3 trips after driving inside the Chargers' 10-yard line. The Eagles had a 1st-and-goal at the 1 in the 2nd quarter, but coming away with a David Akers field goal set the tone for the entire game.

Eagles RB Brian Westbrook left in the 3rd quarter after sustaining a 2nd concussion in a three-week span. Already limited much of this season with knee and ankle injuries, he suffered his initial concussion when he took a knee to the head in the Eagles’ Oct. 26 win over the Redskins. This affected the Eagles running plans significantly, since Philly chose to rely more on QB Donovan McNabb (35 of 55 for 450 yards, two TD's and one INT) than Rookie RB LeSean McCoy. The Chargers run defense limited them to 29 yards and 2.2 yards per carry. WR Jason Avant, who had 198 receiving yards entering the game, finished with career highs of 8 catches and 156 yards. McNabb threw a 5-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin early in the 4th quarter and 6 yards to TE Brent Celek with 7:12 left to pull the Eagles to 28-23. Then San Diego's Antonio Cromartie intercepted a pass from McNabb on the final play of the game to stave off a Philadelphia comeback.

Philly was in the Shotgun for 54 out of 77 plays (70%) and went with an empty backfield often, to spread the defense. It worked, as there were no sacks for either team in the game. The Chargers were content last week to let Philly's Donovan McNabb sit back and pick apart the secondary. They thought by the time the outside guys got there, the mobile McNabb would step away from the rush.

That won't the case this week as that outside pass rush could feast on a gimpy Orton or Simms and his happy feet.This might force Orton/Simms into hot routes and not the down field stuff where Marshall or Royal can do their damage.

In Kevin Burnett's and Tim Dobbins' absence, 3rd-string ILB Brandon Siler has done a good job. Look for Burnett and Siler to rotate to keep both of them fresh. Burnett is to moving better after missing 3 games with an ankle injury. He returned last week and led the team with 10 tackles.

S Kevin Ellison's move into the starting lineup is paying off. He had 10 tackles, a QB hit and 2 passes defensed in his best game of the season.

The Chargers pass rush is led by LBs Shawne Merriman (foot) and Shaun Phillips (ankle). Neither one had a sack against the Eagles and have nagging injuries.

Special Teams
Mike Scifres had 4 Punts averaging 53.3 yards, including a 72 yarder that Jeremy Maclin had to fair catch at the 5 yard line. The Punt Coverage unit gave up one return of 6 yards and the other 2 were negated by penalties.

Darren Sproles had 4 Punt chances in the game. One went Out of bounds, one was negated by penalty, and the other two were returned 6 and 8 yards respectively.He also returned 6 kickoffs an average of 24.3 yards.

Nate Kaeding made all 4 extra point conversions. His KO's averaged landing at the 11 yard line, and the Kick coverage team allowed Jeremy Maclin an average of 17.25 yards on 4 returns and Macho Harris returned a short Kick 26 yards.

To put these into perspective, the League average for PR's is 8.5 yards, and for KR's is 22.8 yards.

Injuries
OLB Jyles Tucker has been placed on IR and will be replaced on the roster by OT Corey Clark. Clark has been on the practice squad all season.

Center Nick Hardwick will not play as he rests his surgically repaired ankle in hopes of returning Nov. 29 against Kansas City.

The Chargers promoted Corey Clark from the practice squad. He is an insurance policy as RT Jeromey Clary is nursing a sore ankle that forced him from Sunday's game. All indications are Clary could play Sunday, but he also could have a setback when he returns to practice this week.

2nd string ILB Tim Dobbins is likely down one more week from a knee injury.

What This Means for Denver.

1)We have to play almost perfect football.
2)We need to put serious pressure on Phillip Rivers. When he had time he was able to pick apart the Raiders defense.
3)We have to be wary of over-blitzing. Rivers quite often got rid of the ball very quickly.
4)We cannot afford to turn the ball over.
5)We have to have our offense sustain drives to keep Rivers & the offense off the field. 3 & outs will kill us very quickly.
6)We have to score early, score often, and keep on scoring as though we were being forced to come from behind.
7)Their offense has had a tendency to go dormant in the 2nd half, something the Broncos showed in the last 3 weeks as well.
8)Stopping the big play hasn't been a problem for the Chargers defense this year, but stopping 3rd down conversions is another story.

Broncos lead series 54-44-1. The Broncos used to dominate the Chargers at home, but since Philip Rivers became the Chargers' starting QB in 2006, the visiting Chargers have won two of three games.

Chargers coach Norv Turner is familiar with the defensive coordinator he will match wits with Sunday. Mike Nolan of Denver was the head coach of the Niners when Turner was the offensive coordinator in 2006.

Denver defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely spent 12 seasons in that role with the Chargers before this season.

Like they have in all 3 years of coach Norv Turner's tenure, the Chargers start slow from the gate they build momentum. It seems like the Chargers never do it the easy way, but the Chargers have started another winning streak, which is becoming a San Diego tradition. Each year the Chargers don't get serious until they don't have any choice.

The Broncos aren't out of the woods, not by a long shot, and it would be foolish to count the Chargers out on Sunday.

GO BRONCOS!!

w 11 odds

2009-11-20T03:42:47Z

mia@ car - CAR 58
INDY @ BALT = INDY 81 WASH @ DAL = DAL 67 CLE @ DET = DET 51 SF @ GB = = SF 52 BUF @ JACK = JACK= 64 PITT @ KC = PITT 89 SEA @ MINN = MINN 84 ATL @ NYG = NYG 66 NO @ TB = NO 84 ZONA @ STL = ZONA 65 SD @ DEN = SD 53 IF ORTON plays IF NOT SD 78 NYJ @ NE = NE 85 CINY @ OAK = i like oak ciny 82 PHILLY @ CHI = PHILLY 61 but i like the bears TENN @ HOU = HOU 65

Quick Poem, need brutal honesty.

2009-11-20T02:06:14Z

I was coming home from the university and being in New York City you have to walk just about everywhere so I decided to make up a poem as I make my way back. I need brutal honesty for this since I have no sense of poem composition or anything like that. P.S. Let's go Simms, hopefully he won't be as amateurish as my poem!

I sit alone in the dark

While watching the dogs of Hades bark

The first one calls to me

Soon your soul will be naught

The second yells

Is it not god who made your soul so swart

The third one whispers

Your heart is black as if Hades himself brought it about

And so I sit alone in the dark

This will be me if we loose to the Chargers on Sunday. SO PLEASE McD DON'T MAKE ME SIT IN THE DARK!!!!

Broncos Offense Carries The Day: Broncos 34 - Chargettes 13

2009-11-20T00:57:54Z

The sleeping lion (or horse in our case) wakes up this Sunday. Orton will play, Marshall will excel, Moreno will have a great game, Eddie Royal breaks another TD but this one is through the air not on ST's AND I predict that Hillis gets his second rushing TD of the year. Now that the Chargers are (allegedly) our number one rival; the stage is set. This Sunday we avenge the 2008 year end slide once and for all and do it at home where Buffalo beat us less than a year ago.

Orton was on the sideline with his helmet on at the start of the 3rd Q last week. I think he would have played then and I think he'll be ready Sunday. It's just a hunch, but I think JM took advantage of what he thought would be an easier half of football in DC to rest Orton and the outcome got away from him.

Marshall is ready for a break out day and the O line is overdue for a solid day of pass protection. Our receiving corps in general have been too quiet and the gameplanning will feature a lot of spreads with 3 and 4 WR's giving a lot of room on the inside for Moreno (who has 4.1 YPC at home) and plenty of underneath stuff for Scheffler and Graham.

It will be 17-7 late in the 2nd Q and Denver will have the ball in the Red Zone with less than 2:00 left. Hillis will get the ball out of the "Wild Horse" and throw incomplete to a slanting Royal. On 3rd and goal he will get the same call and run it in opposite of the 2 Wideouts; 24-7 at the half.

San Diego has been defensive scheming all week against a pocket target (Orton or Simms) so I expect to see a fair amount of plays designed to confuse the pocket blitz packages especially around the middle of the field (between the 40's). Look for Denver to have at least one non-quarterback throw in the first half.

The schemes will be different than any San Diego has seen and at least once during the afternoon you will hear "The Charger secondary is not in synch".

We win the T.O.P. by 36 to 24 minutes. And...the defense finds its stride again getting fired up by the offense scoring 24 points in the first half.

This is an offense with loads of talent and we've been very quiet...too quiet all year. It's time to head down the home stretch with all 3 units firing. We will be well coached and we will execute this Sunday.

San Diego adds two field goals in the 3rd Q and Denver gets 10 in the 4th...final 34-13.

Watch and see.

A Journalist's Responsiblity

2009-11-19T22:38:26Z

This is a topic I have every right to speak at length upon as I am a professional journalist, Southern Utah University graduate, class of 2006, in case you were wondering. Although we did not have the pedigree of the University of Missouri's or Northwestern University's journalism schools, I was taught well. For instance, my copy editing teacher threatened to flunk me, despite a semester's worth of work that scored well into the 80s, should I leave a major factual error on the final project, an article from the Provo (Utah) Daily Herald.

This, of course, instilled within me, a meticulous and solid work ethic which caused me to ascertain that all that I wrote (or copy edited) was accurate, precise and bereft of any deception. When looking upon this latest report that Kyle Orton has torn ligaments in his ankle, I think accuracy, precision and trustworthiness have all been violated by the tool who wrote of his injury.

Now that the Broncos have dropped three straight games, the MSM is swift to beat their chests and proclaim to the world that they were right about our alleged fraudulence. This, once again, depicts another flaw in the national press. They hate the Broncos.

Now, to be fair, I hate the Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers with all the vitriol that any other Broncos fan does (not to mention the Cowboys and Patriots), but in the event that I should ever become a national NFL reporter, I promise to cast aside all my previous suppositions, for my paycheck comes from the league and therefore, I must be fair to all its teams.

How then, is it permissible for buffoons like John Clayton and Jamie Pukes to have such hatred for the Broncos? Did Mr. Bowlen tell them to "go to hell?" Not likely. Thus, we see a great and obnoxious conundrum in place.

The only clue concerning Orton's status is Coach McDaniels says he felt better than Wednesday. Hmmm, so Orton feels better than he did earlier in the week, but his prognosis worsens. In the words of Metallica: the MSM lies so much it believes itself, at least pertaining to the Broncos.

In closing, the time has come for the Broncos to lay the wood against the Dolts and much to the chagrin of the MSM (and Woody Paige), assert themselves as the class of the AFC West.

Thanks again for reading and of course, GO BRONCOS!!!

Brad's NFL Picks - Week Eleven - 2009

2009-11-19T20:01:22Z

Brad's Picks was 11-4 last week. Here's the good, bad and ugly from that:

the good:

San Francsico 10, Bears 6 (TNF) - Bears had a chance to win the game at the end, but Jay Cutler threw an interception in the end zone.

Tennessee 41, Bills 17 - Ralph Wilson gave up on HC Dick Jauron after this one, and fired him. Betcha Ralph regrets the three year extension he gave Jauron last summer.

Miami 25, Buccaneers 23 - Bucs rookie QB Josh Freeman led his team to a TD with a minute left to take the lead 23-22, but second year QB Chad Henne led the Fins on a 77 yard drive that ended with a 25 yard FG to win the game.

Bengals 18, Pittsburgh 12 - Ouch. Brutal game. Eight field goals plus one TD on a kickoff return.

Saints 28, St. Louis 23 - Saints turned it over 3 times but managed a win.

Carolina 28, Falcons 19 - Jake Delhomme didn't turn the ball over; Matt Ryan did twice.

Minnesota 27, Lions 10 - Vikings turned it over on fumbles twice, Lions once.

Chiefs 16, Oakland 10 - Chiefs are 3-0 at Oakland lately.

San Diego 30, Eagles 23 - Eagles marched up and down the field between the 20's for 462 yards.

Arizona 31, Seahawks 20 - Cardinals got their second home win in their last five home games.

Ravens 16, Cleveland 0 (MNF) - Cleveland's no-huddle offense helped keep the game scoreless in the first half, but the Ravens scored 16 in the third quarter.

the bad:

Undeeplis 35, Patriots 34 (SNF) - Colts trailed by 17 early in the 4th.

Jaguars 24, New York Jets 22 - Maurice Jones Drew had 123 on 24 carries against a Jets D that was pretty good until they lost DT Kris Jenkins a month ago.

the ugly:

Washington 27, Broncos 17 - Broncos looked good in the first half, but then Kyle Orton left the game with an ankle sprain. Backup Chris Simms was worse than awful (a 7.5 QB rating).

Green Bay 17, Cowboys 7 - Cowboys got their points in garbage time. Tony Romo was sacked 5 times, while Aaron Rodgers was only sacked 4 times.

Brad's Picks is 103-41 on the season. AFC won two and the NFC won one last week. On the season, it's AFC 21, NFC17. Home teams were 10-5 last week. On the season, it's Homers 82, Visitors 62.

Giants and Texans had a bye last week, and that's the last of the byes for this season.

144 games have been played, 112 to go.

This week: the Thursday night game:

Miami (4-5) at Carolina (4-5) - If you like the run game, this is for you. Last week, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 184 on 30 carries against the Falcons. For Miami, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for 184 on 32 against the Bucs. Panthers QB Jake Delhomme has now gone three straight games without a turnover, and was 15-24-0-195 last week with a TD pass. Dolphins QB Chad Henne was 17-31-1-175 and a TD pass. Henne also directed a 77 yard drive that resulted in a game winning FG with just 10 seconds left in the game. Here's the problem for the Dolphins - Ronnie Brown is out with an ankle injury, but Ricky Williams can carry the rush load. But there goes the Wildcat thing for the Fins, cause Brown was the one that ran it. Problem for the Panthers - their left tackle Jordan Gross is out for the year. If Jake Delhomme can avoid turnovers for a fourth week, without his left tackle, the Panthers can win this game because their secondary might be too good for young Chad Henne. Take Carolina.

the 11:00 MST Sunday games:

Cleveland (1-8) at Detroit (1-8) - Browns' defense played pretty good against the Ravens' Joe Flacco and Ray Rice last week, even though the Browns' O was a no show. Lions played okay at Minnesota last week, losing by 17. Browns D is not as good as the Vikes D, and the Browns have no offense and the Lions should win this at home.

Atlanta (5-4) at New York Giants (5-4) - Giants are off off a bye, and are also off a four game losing streak. Atlanta lost a close one in New Orleans three weeks ago, then won in Washington, then lost at Carolina last Sunday. Eli Manning's heel should be better, and that should make a difference. Look for the Giants to stop their skid.

Washington (3-6) at Dallas (6-3) - Division game. Gotta go with Dallas at home.

San Francisco (4-5) at Green Bay (5-4) - Weather should be decent at Lambeau. Niners have had a couple extra days to get ready after a sloppy win over the Bears last Thursday night. But the Packers put out some effort to beat a Cowboys team that came in red hot. I gotta take the Packers here. They gave up 38 to the Vikings, then 38 to Tampa, but just 7 in garbage time to the Cowboys.

Undeeanapolis (9-0) at Baltimore (5-4) - I'd like to watch this game. Ravens are going to have to hope for a wild card spot to get to the playoffs, while the Colts could lose this game and feel good about it. Colts went 13-0 in 05 before losing at home to the Chargers (then lost to the Steelers in the first playoff game), and they went 9-0 in 06 before losing at Dallas (then won the Super Bowl). Anyway, it's hard to pick against Peyton Manning, and I ain't gonna do it. Taking the Colts to win another.

Pittsburgh (6-3) at Kansas City (1-7) - Chiefs off a huge win at Oakland last week. That's enough fun for the time being. Take the Steelers, who lost at home to the Bengals last week, and will take it out on the hapless Chiefs. HC Todd Haley will get plenty of chances to scream at his players.

New Orleans (9-0) at Tampa Bay (1-8) - Saints turned it over three times in St. Louis and let the Rams gain over 400 yards last week, but came home with a win. Bucs played tough in Miami and almost won. I think this will be a good game, especially because the Saints are banged up on D, but I won't bet against them. Weather should be okay - maybe a few thunderstorms.

Buffalo (3-6) at Jacksonville (5-4) - Jags have won 4 of their last 5. Bills just fired their Head Coach, Dick Jauron. Take the Jaguars at home.

Seattle (3-6) at Minnesota (8-1) - Just when they don't need it, Vikings get all-pro CB Antoine Winfield back after missing four weeks with a foot sprain.

the 2:05 MST game:

Arizona (6-3) at St. Louis (1-8) - Division game. Cards are 4-0 on the road this year. Rams played tough at home last week against the Saints. Cardinals will have to work for this one, and may not get it.

the 2:15 MST games:

San Diego (6-3) at Denver (6-3) - Division game. Broncos haven't won a game since beating San Diego on MNF on October 19 (34-23). Chargers are 4-0 since then. Kyle Orton left the game last week just before the half, and Chris Simms was terrible. Orton says he wants to play despite the sprained ankle, but Simms and rookie Tom Brandstater are getting all the practice reps. Gotta take the Chargers.

New York Jets (4-5) at New England (6-3) - Division game. Patriots lost a tough one last week at the Undee place, and will take it out on the Jets.

Cincinnati (7-2) at Oakland (2-7) - Could be a trap game for the Bengals. They won a huge game last week at Pittsburgh. That was a tough, physical game against the Champs. Bengals are now 5-0 in their division and only need a win next week at home against the Browns to sweep the division. That will happen, but what about this week? Will the Bengals come down enough to win at the Black Hole? This is a really tough call. I mean, the Eagles lost here in Week Six. But, you must know I'm just kidding. Raiders couldn't even beat the Chiefs at home last week, and physical teams like the Bengals aren't so prone to let downs.

But here's another problem - Bengals RB Cedric Benson might miss the game with an injury. But the Bengals just signed RB Larry Johnson, who was cut from the Chiefs for bad behavor. Johnson hasn't been great this year, but he's been running behind a poor O line. He may get to play some this week, and he's used to the Raiders.

Meanwhile, Raiders Coach Cable has apparently benched QB Russell in favor of QB Gradkowski. But who really cares. This game might be strange, but if you don't pick the Bengals, you'll be the only picker out there to pick the Raiders.

the SNF game:

Philadelphia (5-4) at Chicago (4-5) - Bears last played on Thursday, so they've had a couple extra days to get ready. And to get over the hangover of Jay Cutler's INT in the end zone at the end of the game that would have won the game if Cutler hadn't thrown it to a Niner. Eagles lost at San Diego last week, despite gaining over 400 yards. This is a tough call. If Cutler can hold his INT's (5 last week, 17 on the year) to a reasonable amount, the Bears could win the game. Eagles will be without Brian Westbrook again, who suffered another concussion last week. Lorenzo Booker is a good backup RB, but he's not as good as Westbrook in blocking against the blitz. Anyway, the Eagles are the better team, but the Bears could make it tough.

the MNF game:

Tennessee (3-6) at Houston (5-4) - Division game. Houston is off a bye after a tough loss at the Undee place. Houston could easily be 7-2 but for some bad breaks. Tennessee could maybe be 6-3 or so if they had played like they have the last three weeks, with Vince Young at QB instead of the very elderly Kerry Collins. Titans' RB Chris Johnson leads the league with 1,091 yards On pace for 1,940) and a 6.1 average, so the Texans need to watch out for him. Titans have beaten the Jags, San Francisco, and the Bills since Young took over. This is a tough call, but I guess I'll go with Houston. They are at home, and they beat the Titans in Tennessee in Week Two 34-31.

Berger...or...Bean?

2009-11-19T20:00:47Z

just an observation...

I say we give the Berger man a chance. Like Lebowski said, he's got a good personality. He's also probably house-broken, so he won't pee on your rug Dude!

Don't you just want to put your arm around his neck and give him a noogy? He's like your second cousin from West Virginia who wears overalls and always plays the banjo when he visits. You can't help but smile and sigh when you think of him...

It's good to have guys like that around isn't it?

I have two tix to Giants game. Who wants 'em?

2009-11-19T19:22:40Z

I'm a season ticket holder and am not going to be able to attend this game. I would like to see if anyone on MHR is interested in purchasing my tickets. They are club level seats on about the 15 yard line. These will only go to real Bronco fans! I will accept face value for these tickets. I'm not trying to make money here. Please email me if you are interested and live in the Denver metro area.

Thanks!

nsirpo@hotmail.com

Advice Please For this UK Fan

2009-11-19T14:05:59Z

Hi All

I have been an avid reader of this site since discovering it before the draft this year. All of your posts have greatly increased my knowledge of America's game and in particular the Denver Broncos. I have been an avid fan since NFL games were first broadcast in the UK in 1984. I chose the Broncos as my team because the uniforms were cool and because of number 7. My fickle friends chose Dan Marino or the Fridge, but i would not be swayed. I also came to think that the Broncos would always lose in Superbowls, but that agony was ended in 1998.

This site has helped to reignite my love of the game, and my knowledge now astounds my friends. Thank you to all of the contributors and posters.

In the last 3 years I have been to every Wembley game. I know what the fans think about the loss of a home game, especially when there are only 8 every year, but I have enjoyed every game, even though my beloved Broncos were not involved. The atmosphere is unique and I have proudly worn my number 24 Broncos jersey to every game. It is a festival of football with fans from all the NFL teams, although not as many Broncoheads as I would like. But I still don't think that attending these games is the real NFL.

I am lucky enough to have a friend who also likes the NFL almost as much as me, even if he is a Bears fan. We will be coming to America this Sunday to watch 3 NFL games; Eagles @ Bears, Giants @ Broncos and finally Bears @ Vikings. I do understand how lucky I am to be able to see one game, let alone 3, but I would like some advice on the following:

1) Can I wear my blue Broncos jersey to all 3 games or will this cause problems with fans in Chicago and Minneapolis?

2) I don't have any orange clothing, so is it obligatory for Mile High or can I wear my number 24 Blue jersey?

3) My friend likes to drink warm (locally brewed) beer rather than the corporate stuff. Can anyone recommend places to find this in Denver/Chicago/Minneapolis?

4) What are the rules on tailgating and how can we get involved/invited?

5) After the trouble that some Broncos fans had at the Ravens, is there any stadium protocols that we need to be aware of?

I know that this post is long winded and does not bring anything to the Broncos debate, but I do appreciate the hard work put into this site and would ask that you all keep up the good work.

Also don't depair over the 3 game losing streak. We should have beaten the Redskins and would have if Kyle had not been injured. Keep the faith and we will make the play offs!

The Dude Abides...It's Charger Limerick Time...Again

2009-11-19T03:24:16Z

Divisional opponents inspire hate. And mockery. So let round two of the Charger Limericks begin!. The first attack on the Chargers can be found here.

Here are five that I created. Please feel free to make up your own. And Chargers' fans, please participate if you have the inclination (or the intelligence). With the beach and the surfing, one wonders if Chargers' fans can count syllables.

At the end of the season, I'll do a post with the top 10 limericks of the season for everyone to vote on.

The Reality of Phil Rivers

Phil, you're not seein' JC no more.

So sit and cry and look at the score.

Doom's lickin' his chops

to knock off some blocks

And crush your face to the Mile High Roar.

LT, Let's Party

LT, there's a ticket here for you

To join the party in orange and blue

You're the featured guest

In a bone crush fest

Thanks for bringing a fumble or two.

BDawk, Meet Gates

Gates don't be runnin' that dawg gone route

up the seam, untouched, with your hand out.

Man, don't you come this way

Or you are gonna pay

with a freight train through your chest, no doubt.

Darren Sproles, Leprechaun

He's the scat-back on kick off return

A powder-blue leprechaun with burn.

You don't kick to his side

Or he can turn the tide,

But face it, the dude fits in an urn.

Norv Turner, Super Genius

Here, he's calling another screen pass.

The defensive isn't a horse's ass.

They saw that silly play.

At least a mile away,

Norv, go back to your Looney Tunes class.

Terror Alert in Chicago

2009-11-18T21:22:20Z

Just received this in an email from a buddy living in Chicago:

The Chicago Bears football practice was delayed nearly two hours today after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Lovie Smith immediately suspended practice and called the police and federal investigators.

After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to players was the GOAL LINE.

Practice resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again this season.

Understanding the NFL Running Game

2009-11-18T18:44:47Z

Running Concepts

Just like with the passing concepts in the NFL the running concepts themselves are fairly limited in number. That is not to say that all the running plays in the NFL are the same, instead just a few concepts are hidden throughout a wide amount of formations and personnel groupings.

To understand my descriptions of the running concepts it is first necessary to understanding the gap lettering along the offensive line. The gaps are lettered as follows: the gaps between the center and the guards are the A gaps, the gaps between the guards and the tackles are the B gaps, and the gaps between the tackles and the tight ends are the C gaps. Below is a diagram:

via 2.bp.blogspot.com

I will begin with the basic Inside and Outside Zone runs, and then cover the Power run play, the counter run play, and the draw. In a separate and shorter post I will cover the Wildcat (this post should come sometime before Friday afternoon.

Inside and Outside Zone Runs:

Perhaps the two most common running plays in the NFL right now are the Inside and Outside Zone runs. To understand how these plays work it is necessary to first understand how zone blocking works. The fundamentals of zone blocking are not very complex, however since these two plays (inside and outside zone runs) are used so commonly there are literally books dedicated to how to properly zone block. I will give a simple explanation of zone blocking and leave any further research up to you.

Zone blocking can most simply be described by saying that an offensive line is responsible for a specific zone instead of a specific man (as he would be in a man blocking scheme). The offensive lineman is told that he must read covered or uncovered. This means is there a defender directly over him (covered) or is there no one directly in front of him(uncovered).

If the offensive lineman is covered than there is no zone blocking. Instead the offensive lineman simply blocks the man directly over him with one simple difference; the covered offensive lineman takes a short and quick step sideways. This quick sidestep allows the offensive lineman to block the defender from any angle and puts the defender in a position where he can be blocked out of the play due to the advantage in leverage the offensive lineman has.

When the offensive lineman reads uncovered then zone blocking is implemented. The uncovered offensive lineman will first block "playside" and help the covered offensive lineman withn his blocking assignment. The uncovered offensive lineman will drive toward the defender’s inside leg initially is(this is the defender who is covering the "playside" offensive lineman). Once the offensive lineman has reached where the defender’s inside leg initially was he will then either continue his double team of the defender or, in most cases, head up field to block a linebacker. This should take only two steps, one to reach the back leg and one to continue the double team or head up field. The offensive lineman will help with the double team as long as possible before attempting to head up field to block a linebacker. Below is a video of this being run to perfection by the Detroit Lions.

While the majority of the time in a zone blocking scheme the tailback will follow the design of the play occasionally the tailback will perform a cutback and change the direction of his run. The cutback made by the tailback exaggerates the advantages of the zone blocking scheme. The tailback makes a cutback when he changes direction and runs away from where the linebackers are flowing (the tailback can only do this once and must not hesitate). The defenders are forced to change the direction of their pursuit which allows the offensive lineman to block them out of the play. The offensive linemen will not be standing between the defenders and the tailback; this creates a seal or a hole for the tailback to run through. Further, once the cutback is made inside the tackle opposite of the cutback knows that he can leave his defender and head up field and instead block an outside linebacker. The tackle can safely leave the defensive lineman because the defensive lineman whom he was blocking previously is now facing the opposite direction of the play and therefore would have to turn completely around and chase down a much faster tailback to make a play on the run.

The cutback run is particularly effective once the linebackers begin to over pursue the outside run. Once the linebackers begin to spring towards the sideline they are running away from the direction of the play. This makes them particularly easy for the offensive linemen to block. However, essential to making the cutback work is that the tailback aims for where the hole will be and does not hesitate. The cutback hole does not exist as soon at the tailback makes his cut because the offensive linemen still nee to head up field to block and turn the linebackers. This is particularly hard for tailbacks new to a zone blocking scheme because they must see the hole before it exists in have complete trust in their offensive linemen.

Here are some clips of USC running the outside zone run with a great example of a cutback at 1:10.

Now that we have described zone blocking for runs we can cover the two basic zone runs, the inside and outside zone runs. As mentioned above most teams will seek to first establish the outside zone, so that the cutback is more readily available. Therefore I will first explain the outside zone run (watch the video of USC above to see some outside zone runs in action).

The outside zone run, as its name suggests, is a run play where the tailback aims at just outside the tightend or the D gap. The offensive linemen will attempt to get themselves positioned between the defenders and the sideline, by doing this they are hoping to seal off a lane to the outside for the tailback. The offensive linemen attempting to get themselves outside of the defenders will in some cases allow the offensive linemen to actually do the opposite of what they intended, which is to block the defenders to the sideline opening up a cutback lane for the tailback. Below is what the outside zone run looks like drawn up on the chalkboard.

via smartfootball.com

After the defense begins to over pursue the outside zone the coach will typically call the inside zone run. The tailback will often aim straight for the B gap between the guard and the tackle. The same covered and uncovered rules apply, with the same fundamental idea of the uncovered offensive lineman aiming for the defender’s back foot and then heading upfield. The offensive linemen really don’t block any differently. The offensive linemen will all take their initial sidestep to get a better angle on the defender and then they will all block "playside". The blocking "playside" is even more important during an inside zone run than outside zone run. On an inside zone run the uncovered offensive linemen blocking the linebackers will have a large effect on the play even when there is not a cutback by the tailback. Here is how the inside zone run looks diagramed on the chalkboard.

via smartfootball.com

Here is the Inside Zone run shown again and again in a high school film room:

inside zone @ Yahoo! Video

The tailback also still has the option for the cutback during an inside zone run. If the linebackers all crash down towards the center and the guard then the tailback can decide to cut outside. In this case the tightend will block the outside linebacker inside and the tackle will block the defensive lineman inside (this is assuming a typical 4-3 alignment from the defense). The video below shows USC running the inside zone and there is a good cutback at 1:40.

Power and Counter Runs:

This is my favorite running concept, admittedly mainly for its name. The power run play is not very complicated, but is probably the most used running play in the NFL right now. Here is a diagram of the play as the San Diego Chargers occasionally run it.

via smartfootball.com

The blocking of this play is pretty simple. The "playside" offensive linemen will block "down" meaning they will block the defender to their inside. This means the "playside" guard and center will block the outside shoulder of the defenders over them and the "playside" tackle will block the defender to his inside. Often the "playside" tackle while blocking the inside defender will used the technique of aiming for the back foot that was described above for zone blocking runs, this will allow the tackle to head up field and block a linebacker after double teaming the defender over the guard. However, keep in mind that by blocking down the "playside" tackle is letting his man, the outside defender, run free.

Just like the advantage gained by offensive linemen who take a sidestep in zone running plays blocking "down" allows offensive linemen to get great leverage on their assigned defender. The advantage the offensive linemen have in leverage should allow them to literally block their defenders out of the play. The "down" blocking done by the offensive linemen also allows double teams right at the point of attack (where the tailback is running). The "down" blocking effectively seals off the backside of the Power run.

The only reason that the tackle can allow his defender to go free is that he has help, often from a fullback or an h-back. This fullback or h-back uses a "kick out block" meaning that he blocks the defender while facing towards the sideline. This "kick out block" just creates yet another seal, the fullback or h-back is blocking the defender so that the fullback or h-backs body is between the defender and the tailback. The tailback is therefore presented with a very clear running lane. When done properly it should appear as a tunnel or railroad tracks with blockers lining either side.

The last part of the blocking involved in the Power run is done by the pulling guard (or a very athletic pulling tackle). This player will lead the tailback through the gap and block the first defender he sees; often this defender is a linebacker. The tailback following the guard ensures that there is no way (short of whiffing his block) that the guard can make the wrong block. The tailback will adjust his running angle in such a way that the guard will be blocking the defender away from him. Below is film of the San Diego Chargers running the Power run play with LaDanian Tomlinson.

The perfect complement to the Power run is the Counter run. Just like the Power run the Counter run has a pretty self explanatory name. In a Counter play the tailback will take a quick step to the opposite side of the field from where he plans to run. This will hopefully cause the linebackers to flow to the wrong side of the field making the blocking even simpler for the offensive linemen. Below is a diagram out of the old Nebraska playbook of the Counter play being run in a singleback set.

via i109.photobucket.com

As I implied above, the blocking of a Counter play is fundamentally the same as a Power play. The linemen will block "down" gaining the same advantages as mentioned above. The offensive linemen will have good leverage against the defenders allowing the offensive linemen to seal the defenders out of the play and the "playside" tackle will be able to initially double a defender and then go up field and block a linebacker because he is letting the "playside" outside defender run free. However, in most traditional two back sets the benefit of the pulling guard is amplified even further in the counter play. The fullback will block the outside defender on the side that the tailback makes his initial (and misleading) step towards. This allows not only the guard, but also the tackle to pull "playside" (the defender the tackle was responsible for is being blocked by the full-back). Below is a diagram from an old Nebraska playbook of the Counter play out of a two back set.

via i109.photobucket.com

Lastly, here is some low quality video (my apologies) of the Counter play being run out of many different formations.

The Draw:

The draw is to running what the play action pass is to passing. The offense will fake the pass to let the linebackers and safeties drop up field and then will hand off the ball to the tailback. Here is the play diagramed below:

via 3.bp.blogspot.com

This play is very simple in how it must be executed. Every player has a very simple job, but if they do not do their job the play will be stopped for a loss.

The quarterback must complete a five step drop just as he would for a typical pass play before he hands the ball off to the tailback. The receivers also must react as if they were running routes for a passing play. This is essential as it pulls the defenders further away from the play giving the tailback more space to run. If the quarterback and the receivers properly deceiver the defense most defenders will be ten to fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is given to the tailback. The offensive lineman (and sometimes the tightend and fullback) must also first take a step back as if they were pass blocking. As soon as the defenders begin to rush the quarterback the offensive linemen then begin their run blocking. The tackles attempt to turn the outside defenders even further to the outside. By doing this the tackles cause the defenders to run right past the tailback right as the tailback receives the handoff. The interior offensive linemen (the guards and center) will block just as they would in a zone play. They read covered or uncovered. Typically one of the guards and the center will be covered, the other guard will aim for the back leg of the defender over the center and then head up field to block a linebacker. If the draw is run out a two back set the fullback can also head up field to block a linebacker. The tailback will then either run into the hole left by the defender who rushed off the outside (who was turned outside by the offensive tackle) or will follow the fullback. If the tailback runs into the hole left by the outside rusher there should be no defenders except for a single outside linebacker between the tailback and the defensive backfield. This linebacker can be blocked by the fullback or if there is a tightend the tightend can take the outside rusher further outside while the tackle blocks the linebacker. If the tailback follows the fullback he can ensure that the fullbacks block is correct, this is the same theory as with the pulling guard in the power play. The tailback takes an angle with his run that ensures the fullback is between him and the defender.

Here is some video of Michigan running the draw.

Thanks again for reading. A post on the Wilcat is coming shortly.