Denver Native (Carol)
01-06-2010, 09:12 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9750
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When a player's season is cut short by an injury, it is often hard for him to look at the year in a good light.
Not so for Darcel McBath.
The safety, who was placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm after Week 14, described his rookie season as "fun," and appreciated the position he was put in to learn from veterans like Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill and Ty Law.
"It was everything I thought it would be and more," McBath said. "Having an opportunity to play with the people I played with, to start 6-0 and just play against people and have success in different areas, I think it has been a good rookie year and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
It was a season that saw McBath make an impact as soon as he hit the field. In his NFL debut, the rookie made two special teams stops against the Bengals in the team's Week 1 win.
That was a theme for the rookie throughout his inaugural campaign -- he excelled on special teams, making sure to capitalize on any opportunities he got to see the field. In the end there were plenty, as the rookie played in every game until his injury.
"He's been a big part of our special teams unit," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said in Week 14. "He's the personal protector on the punt team, which is no small chore. He handles all the communication there. He's our leading tackler (on special teams). (He is) very unselfish (and) plays on all the (special) teams (units), obviously. He's been a great addition in that regard."
But the special-teams standout who had multiple stops in three games and downed a punt inside the 5-yard line didn't limit his contributions to kickoffs and punts.
On the defensive side of the ball, he showed a proclivity for big plays. He made his first career interception in the closing seconds against Cleveland in just his second NFL game, and intercepted his second pass of the season -- from Peyton Manning, no less -- in the last game he would play in 2009.
"I thought the opportunities were coming late in the season," McBath said. "I was getting to get out there, having a chance to play. Just taking advantage of my opportunities, that's all I wanted to do."
He was placed on injured reserve after the loss to the Colts, but he had already earned the respect of his coaches and peers. McBath started the season quickly, and ended it having shown improvement virtually every week.
When Dawkins left the team's Week 6 win against the Chargers with an injury, McBath stepped into his safety position, notching three defensive tackles along with two special-teams stops.
"McBath stepped in right away against the Chargers and played some pretty good ball, I thought," Dawkins said.
The rookie finished his season with three passes defensed, two interceptions and 15 tackles, including a career-high seven in the team's second matchup with the Chargers. He was leading the team in special teams tackles at 11 when he was placed in injured reserve.
McBath has spent the time since then rehabbing from his injury, and he expects to split time this offseason between rehabbing in Denver and visiting family and friends back home in Texas.
Then when preparation for the 2010 season comes around, he'll be ready.
"Anytime you suffer an injury, it's a chip on your shoulder to come back and let everybody know that you can still do it and do it even better," he said. "Even if I didn't get hurt, I'd still put a chip on my shoulder to improve in the offseason and come back and be more of a contributor on this team."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When a player's season is cut short by an injury, it is often hard for him to look at the year in a good light.
Not so for Darcel McBath.
The safety, who was placed on injured reserve with a broken forearm after Week 14, described his rookie season as "fun," and appreciated the position he was put in to learn from veterans like Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill and Ty Law.
"It was everything I thought it would be and more," McBath said. "Having an opportunity to play with the people I played with, to start 6-0 and just play against people and have success in different areas, I think it has been a good rookie year and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
It was a season that saw McBath make an impact as soon as he hit the field. In his NFL debut, the rookie made two special teams stops against the Bengals in the team's Week 1 win.
That was a theme for the rookie throughout his inaugural campaign -- he excelled on special teams, making sure to capitalize on any opportunities he got to see the field. In the end there were plenty, as the rookie played in every game until his injury.
"He's been a big part of our special teams unit," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said in Week 14. "He's the personal protector on the punt team, which is no small chore. He handles all the communication there. He's our leading tackler (on special teams). (He is) very unselfish (and) plays on all the (special) teams (units), obviously. He's been a great addition in that regard."
But the special-teams standout who had multiple stops in three games and downed a punt inside the 5-yard line didn't limit his contributions to kickoffs and punts.
On the defensive side of the ball, he showed a proclivity for big plays. He made his first career interception in the closing seconds against Cleveland in just his second NFL game, and intercepted his second pass of the season -- from Peyton Manning, no less -- in the last game he would play in 2009.
"I thought the opportunities were coming late in the season," McBath said. "I was getting to get out there, having a chance to play. Just taking advantage of my opportunities, that's all I wanted to do."
He was placed on injured reserve after the loss to the Colts, but he had already earned the respect of his coaches and peers. McBath started the season quickly, and ended it having shown improvement virtually every week.
When Dawkins left the team's Week 6 win against the Chargers with an injury, McBath stepped into his safety position, notching three defensive tackles along with two special-teams stops.
"McBath stepped in right away against the Chargers and played some pretty good ball, I thought," Dawkins said.
The rookie finished his season with three passes defensed, two interceptions and 15 tackles, including a career-high seven in the team's second matchup with the Chargers. He was leading the team in special teams tackles at 11 when he was placed in injured reserve.
McBath has spent the time since then rehabbing from his injury, and he expects to split time this offseason between rehabbing in Denver and visiting family and friends back home in Texas.
Then when preparation for the 2010 season comes around, he'll be ready.
"Anytime you suffer an injury, it's a chip on your shoulder to come back and let everybody know that you can still do it and do it even better," he said. "Even if I didn't get hurt, I'd still put a chip on my shoulder to improve in the offseason and come back and be more of a contributor on this team."