Another Monday, another happy press conference for Mike Shanahan. Here is what the coach had to say when he addressed the media today --
"You look at why, and the first thing you look at when you look at film is why you didn't put up more points. It's pretty easy. We had a few opportunities down there when we had the two touchdowns called back, one we overcame, the other one we didn't. We missed a field goal. We had some opportunities, when you move the football like we did, eventually the points are going to come, we've just got to keep working. "
On gaining yards rather than scoring points --
"I'd say if you're averaging 400 some yards a game, with the normal being about 375-380 you should feel pretty good but you've still got to score points, that's the nature of the game. I'd much rather be number one in points than number one in total offense those usually come pretty close to hand-in-hand We've got some work to do, but the positive side is that we've done some good things."
On common threads among possessions with no points --
"Yeah. We had one on the goal line, we had a fade route that was just a little bit overthrown. We had some penalties and we had two touchdowns called back, that one we had a little push off. We just can't make those mistakes. The encouraging thing is that we're driving the ball and we're moving the ball. If you do that, good things will happen because you're doing a lot of things very positively."
On RB Travis Henry exceeding expectations --
"Well he hasn't really exceeded my expectations because we saw him play last year with Tennessee and he's done that pretty consistently throughout the years. We've seen him break tackles. We've seen him make plays that a lot of people can't make. We're just hoping that he can hold onto the football and as the game goes on, he wants the ball more and he can stay halfway fresh. We put Selvin Young in there on third downs. We thought that would help him [Henry] a little bit. [Young] wasn't' out there the whole game, there were a lot of pass routes that we had him protect so that helped us. For a young player to come in and make some plays and be smart enough with pass protection that we can trust him so that's good for us and I think good for him."
On WR Brandon Marshall --
"As you could see last year, he's got a lot of ability. Overcoming the injury he had, he had a good offseason program. He did push himself through that one injury and it did take him a few weeks to get back in football shape. When we played in Dallas and he played a very incomplete game he wasn't in football shape. When you take a look at those preseason games and you take a look at those preseason practices you could see him coming but he wasn't' there. He's a competitor. He did a great job blocking in the game [vs. Oakland], I think everyone could see his reception, but the thing that went unnoticed was how he dominated in the running game, so not only is he doing a good job catching the football but he helps in the run support and that gives you a good chance to have a good running game. "
On young receivers `buying into' the blocking --
"Either you have it or you don't. Some guys shy away from blocking and that's just their nature and then you have some guys who love contact. [Marshall] was a free safety for a year when their free safety got hurt at Central Florida. So he's a hitter and he doesn't shy away from contact. I think you saw a week ago against Buffalo with Jay [Cutler] scrambling to the left he knocked down a couple guys. You can see he really enjoys and it really helps the running back get some big yards."
On this offense compared to past offenses --
"Considering there are a lot of new players at a lot of different positions, we're pretty good. For guys to come in this quickly and adjust to your system, we've got a new tight end, a new fullback, a new tailback, one new wide receiver, a new left guard, a new right guard, and a new right tackle. That's a lot of guys in different positions so sometimes it takes a while for them to get going. The good thing is that we're playing hard and we're playing together and we're doing some good things."
On WR Javon Walker's improvements --
"I see him playing with a lot more confidence. Any time you're coming of surgery you're not really sure about that ACL. I think its human nature. It's going to take some time before you feel comfortable with yourself, hoping you don't have to go through the rehab process one more year."
On Broncos WR willing to go over the middle --
"If you're not willing to go over the middle, you're usually not a receiver in the National Football League very long. We sure don't want them on our team. You've got to have guys that are fearless and that can concentrate on the ball and hopefully all receivers are like that. The unsung hero in this game was Daniel Graham. He dominated the line of scrimmage and gave us 60 minutes of unbelievable football. That was one of the best tight end demonstrations I've seen in a long time. Even though he only had one catch, you talk about a guy that is very impressive."
On TE Graham in motion --
"I think we did try to set a record. There are obviously strategies that go behind that that we won't go into, but there was a reason for it. He did a heck of a job considering he does have some asthma and for him to play a complete game and to be in motion as much as he was kind of gives you an idea of how important this is to him."
On RB Young as an offensive option --
"He's got great hands. He's extremely bright, I just think he's got a big upside. He's very mature; I'd say he looks like a third or fourth-year guy. When he comes off the field and you ask him a question, he answers. It's kind of unusual for a young guy coming into the National Football League with all the different defensive fronts and blitzes you see, he doesn't make very many mistakes.
On RB Young as a starter --
"Yeah, I could see him as a starter, yeah. He is a starter in this league. He's got that type of ability."
On 32 teams passing on RB Young --
"I really don't know to be honest with you. How did we get him as a free agent, that's a better question. Oh, it was because we didn't have a fifth, sixth or seventh (round draft choice). I'm glad we didn't."
On deciding to ice the kicker --
"Just the rhythm, they got on the field real quick and I just had a gut. When you have a guys like that [Janikowski], I just felt like, I watched him kick before the game started and he was making them from 70 yards."
On CB Dré Bly helping on the missed kick --
"It could have been. I thought it was going to be way left and then it started to come back in."
On RB Travis Henry's ankle --
"I think he's ok, I think it was worse this week than last week. He wasn't in here for treatment today though. He should be alright."
On G Ben Hamilton --
"I know he's going to talk to the doctor today, I should get some input later on, but I have no news yet."
On the win over the Raiders --
"It's always nice to win games like that, especially at home. I feel very fortunate that we won that football game, especially the way we did. It showed a lot of character to overcome the adversity that we had. Hopefully we can put a full game together and put teams away."
On putting away teams --
"The bottom line is that you've got to find a way to win. We had our opportunities but didn't. We had a couple touchdowns scored and all of a sudden we had a missed field goal and a touchdown called back and it's a dogfight. They're a really good defense, people forget that there aren't going to be a lot of points scored against them."
On forcing the kicker to make the field goal twice by calling the timeout --
"I would have the player on the sideline going out do the same thing. Regardless of if I or a player call it, I would have been organized enough, which we would have been if I had the opportunity of calling the timeout. In the past, we have had someone doing it on the field in those situations. You work through it, and with the current rules, it's easy for me to talk with the official beforehand and say `Hey, I want to call a timeout'. Then there is no question of doing it before the play or after."
On feeling of taking advantage of the rules regarding the end-of-game timeout --
"Well, you always do what the current rules are. We've done it before the same way. When the players call timeout, they look at the umpire, and he will call it right then. If you are communicating with guys on the field with guys on the sidelines, it shouldn't matter."
On making big coaching decisions at the end of the past two games --
"I said after the game, `I think they are trying to kill me'. For games like that you put so much time in for it to come down to the last second, we feel pretty fortunate to be able to stick it out. You screw it up so many times; you eventually have to get it right. I think as a head coach, the more you're in it, the more comfortable you are in those situations, and it comes more natural. You still screw up enough that you second-guess yourself, so it doesn't always work out."
On if the win gave the team a lot of confidence --
"Oh yeah, a lot of confidence, but we have got to get a lot better at stopping the run. Anytime you play a new defense, you have to know your responsibilities. We can get better, and that's the thing that is encouraging. When you put your scheme together, you just have to be on top of things and the top of your game."
On watching the New England Patriots/San Diego Chargers game last night --
"No, I watched just about five minutes of it. I saw the score. Their offensive line (of New England) looked pretty strong. At their place the crowd noise obviously helps too."
On bringing TE Stephen Alexander back --
"Yeah, he's back already. We let (T) Chad (Mustard) go. We bring him in for one day, for game day. He's doing ok, and he is a great guy. Hopefully nobody signs him for our sake."
On T Ryan Harris getting healthy --
"Yeah, he is. Probably next week he will be ready to practice."
On getting off blocks from the run defense --
"Obviously we have got to get off blocks. The defense has got to be coordinated. Whether you are playing an eight man or seven-man front, we use a lot of different motions. But that's what we are going to work on and we will get better."
On the team's defense --
"It happened with the defense. But let's not get carried away. How many points did they give up? It's just like the offense. You rack up all the yards, but you want to score more points. We feel very fortunate to win. We had a couple of turnovers, an onside kick, and we still won. Same thing on defense; the bottom line is to find a way to win. When you give up seven points one week and 13 points the other week you feel pretty good."
On the mindset of the defense --
"I was happy with the team. You have to deal with special teams, the offense and the defense. It's nice to be able to take a look back at the game after you win and see the mistakes. It's a very positive mindset compared to losing the game."
On knowing whether Raiders' QB Josh McCown would play --
"You know I really didn't. I knew the player had a fractured finger because I could see him wince when he threw it. So he has got to be a pretty tough guy."