Lonestar
08-18-2010, 04:17 PM
Broncos' special-teamers disappointed with preseason opener
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
POSTED: 08/18/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Woodyard: First preseason game brings a letdown.
Broncos rookie Perrish Cox lined up deep to catch a kickoff midway through practice Tuesday morning, and as soon as the ball was in his arms, Cox darted upfield, dashing between tacklers.
"Finish him, finish him, finish him!" assistant special-teams coach Keith Burns shouted to the players who were trying to converge on Cox.
The Broncos devoted a significant portion of Tuesday's practices to kickoff and punt coverage after a disappointing special-teams performance Sunday night in the preseason opener at Cincinnati.
The Broncos allowed the Bengals to average 21.8 yards per punt return (four for 109 yards while a fifth was downed), with individual returns for 43, 28 and 21 yards. Cincinnati averaged 15 yards per kickoff return. Denver's opponents averaged only 10.1 yards per punt return in 2009.
"We kind of learned a hard lesson," coach Josh McDaniels said. "When you overpursue or you don't break down in coverage in this league, the returners are too talented, too good, too fast, too quick, and we gave up way too many yards in the return game."
Linebacker Wesley Woodyard, one of the team's best special-teams players, said players were unhappy with their performance, in part because they felt their special-teams work had gone well in the weeks of practice leading up to the first preseason game.
"The biggest thing was we didn't do what we've been coached to do and what we've been practicing for however many weeks we've been in camp," Woodyard said. "We've seen the potential we have as a special-teams unit, and we can win games in it. If it had been a real game, a regular game, we would have lost that phase."
McDaniels said punt and kickoff coverage will remain a focus in practice over the next couple of days as the team prepares for its second preseason game, Saturday vs. Detroit.
"This is a big point of emphasis," McDaniels said.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
Diminishing returns?
The Broncos gave Eddie Royal a rest from return duties in Sunday's preseason opener. How his replacements fared:
Perrish Cox: One punt return downed, no return; three kickoff returns, 62 yards, 20.7 avg.
Cassius Vaughn: Three kickoff returns, 77 yards, 25.7 avg.
Matt Willis: Two kickoff returns, 46 yards, 23.0 avg.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15810676
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
POSTED: 08/18/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Woodyard: First preseason game brings a letdown.
Broncos rookie Perrish Cox lined up deep to catch a kickoff midway through practice Tuesday morning, and as soon as the ball was in his arms, Cox darted upfield, dashing between tacklers.
"Finish him, finish him, finish him!" assistant special-teams coach Keith Burns shouted to the players who were trying to converge on Cox.
The Broncos devoted a significant portion of Tuesday's practices to kickoff and punt coverage after a disappointing special-teams performance Sunday night in the preseason opener at Cincinnati.
The Broncos allowed the Bengals to average 21.8 yards per punt return (four for 109 yards while a fifth was downed), with individual returns for 43, 28 and 21 yards. Cincinnati averaged 15 yards per kickoff return. Denver's opponents averaged only 10.1 yards per punt return in 2009.
"We kind of learned a hard lesson," coach Josh McDaniels said. "When you overpursue or you don't break down in coverage in this league, the returners are too talented, too good, too fast, too quick, and we gave up way too many yards in the return game."
Linebacker Wesley Woodyard, one of the team's best special-teams players, said players were unhappy with their performance, in part because they felt their special-teams work had gone well in the weeks of practice leading up to the first preseason game.
"The biggest thing was we didn't do what we've been coached to do and what we've been practicing for however many weeks we've been in camp," Woodyard said. "We've seen the potential we have as a special-teams unit, and we can win games in it. If it had been a real game, a regular game, we would have lost that phase."
McDaniels said punt and kickoff coverage will remain a focus in practice over the next couple of days as the team prepares for its second preseason game, Saturday vs. Detroit.
"This is a big point of emphasis," McDaniels said.
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
Diminishing returns?
The Broncos gave Eddie Royal a rest from return duties in Sunday's preseason opener. How his replacements fared:
Perrish Cox: One punt return downed, no return; three kickoff returns, 62 yards, 20.7 avg.
Cassius Vaughn: Three kickoff returns, 77 yards, 25.7 avg.
Matt Willis: Two kickoff returns, 46 yards, 23.0 avg.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15810676