broncofaninfla
09-29-2010, 09:24 AM
Broncos' offense a mix of good, bad
Passing game ranks No. 1 in the NFL while running game is last
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 09/29/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
There are no glasses half full on Mondays after losses. The week starts at Dove Valley with coaches figuring out why the glass is half empty.
After their team meeting Monday, several Broncos players were asked about some starkly contrasting numbers relating to their offense.
Three games and two losses into their 16-game season, the Broncos rank No. 1 in passing offense with 350 yards per game.
The passing game has been so prolific, the 2010 Broncos are the first team in NFL history to have four receivers (Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Eddie Royal and Demaryius Thomas) with at least 10 catches, 140 receiving yards and one touchdown through the first three games.
Yet, they also rank No. 32, or last, with 2.5 rushing yards per carry.
Mixed feelings? Historically good, but some bad? Half full, half empty?
"It's bad," said Correll Buckhalter, a Broncos running back.
And by bad, Buckhalter didn't mean good.
"You have to run the ball better than we have been," he said. "It's something we have to fix and fix it quickly."
The offensive line was given the same option: Pride for the way it has protected quarterback Kyle Orton? Or depressed about how the holes haven't been big enough for Knowshon Moreno, Laurence Maroney or Buckhalter?
"Bottom line, we have to do better in the running game," right guard Chris Kuper said. "It's everybody. I take a lot of ownership on this. We take pride on running the ball."
Playing with a chip on shoulder
The rushing woes become intensified this week as the Broncos prepare to take on incomparable running back Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans.
To date, the Broncos as a team have 201 yards rushing. Johnson by himself has 301. And Johnson is having a down year. Even while averaging 100.3 yards a game, Johnson is off his pace from last season, when he rushed for 2,006 yards.
"I feel like I can do the same thing," Johnsonsaid at the Pro Bowl earlier this year. "Keeping working out hard and keep the chip on my shoulder."
Is that shoulder chip there because Johnson was only the fifth running back selected — after Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones and Rashard Mendenhall — and No. 24 overall in the 2008 NFL draft?
"That, and I feel like after the season, there shouldn't have been any space between me and the best running back," Johnson said then. "It should be automatic. As long as there's debate, then I'll have a chip on my shoulder."
No need for the Broncos to get in the middle of the Johnson-Adrian Peterson rivalry, not when the team has too many of its own problems.
Starting with the players at the core of their running attack. Up front, the Broncos have three blockers — left guard Stanley Daniels, center J.D. Walton and right tackle Zane Beadles — who three weeks ago had combined for zero NFL snaps. At left tackle, all-pro Ryan Clady is only five months away from major knee surgery. And at right guard, Kuper has been in and out of training camp, the preseason and the early part of the regular season with ankle and knee injuries.
"As far as us up front, we've got the guys to do it," Kuper said. "We've got a good group. There's no excuses here."
Injuries plague running backs
How can the Broncos expect to run when each of their running backs has spent more time in the trainer's room than on thefield?
Moreno strained one hamstring that sidelined him for five weeks, returned for two games, then pulled the other hamstring. He is not expected to play Sunday at Tennessee.
Maroney went down with a thigh injury this summer while with New England, and still was down when he was traded to the Broncos. He returned last week and gained 24 yards on 12 carries against the Colts' defense that came in ranked No. 32 against the run.
"I can't use excuses about not having played in three weeks or I was rusty," Maroney said. "I was prepared, but some of my reads weren't up to par."
Buckhalter missed most of training camp and the preseason with a back/neck injury, and fourth-string back Andre Brown is just coming back from turf toe.
With the Broncos so battered in their backfield, and so inexperienced and battered up front, what can they do about their running game? They can always change their outlook and go forward with their No. 1-ranked passing attack.
Read more: Broncos' offense a mix of good, bad - The Denver Post (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75)http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75 (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75)
Passing game ranks No. 1 in the NFL while running game is last
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 09/29/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
There are no glasses half full on Mondays after losses. The week starts at Dove Valley with coaches figuring out why the glass is half empty.
After their team meeting Monday, several Broncos players were asked about some starkly contrasting numbers relating to their offense.
Three games and two losses into their 16-game season, the Broncos rank No. 1 in passing offense with 350 yards per game.
The passing game has been so prolific, the 2010 Broncos are the first team in NFL history to have four receivers (Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Eddie Royal and Demaryius Thomas) with at least 10 catches, 140 receiving yards and one touchdown through the first three games.
Yet, they also rank No. 32, or last, with 2.5 rushing yards per carry.
Mixed feelings? Historically good, but some bad? Half full, half empty?
"It's bad," said Correll Buckhalter, a Broncos running back.
And by bad, Buckhalter didn't mean good.
"You have to run the ball better than we have been," he said. "It's something we have to fix and fix it quickly."
The offensive line was given the same option: Pride for the way it has protected quarterback Kyle Orton? Or depressed about how the holes haven't been big enough for Knowshon Moreno, Laurence Maroney or Buckhalter?
"Bottom line, we have to do better in the running game," right guard Chris Kuper said. "It's everybody. I take a lot of ownership on this. We take pride on running the ball."
Playing with a chip on shoulder
The rushing woes become intensified this week as the Broncos prepare to take on incomparable running back Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans.
To date, the Broncos as a team have 201 yards rushing. Johnson by himself has 301. And Johnson is having a down year. Even while averaging 100.3 yards a game, Johnson is off his pace from last season, when he rushed for 2,006 yards.
"I feel like I can do the same thing," Johnsonsaid at the Pro Bowl earlier this year. "Keeping working out hard and keep the chip on my shoulder."
Is that shoulder chip there because Johnson was only the fifth running back selected — after Darren McFadden, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones and Rashard Mendenhall — and No. 24 overall in the 2008 NFL draft?
"That, and I feel like after the season, there shouldn't have been any space between me and the best running back," Johnson said then. "It should be automatic. As long as there's debate, then I'll have a chip on my shoulder."
No need for the Broncos to get in the middle of the Johnson-Adrian Peterson rivalry, not when the team has too many of its own problems.
Starting with the players at the core of their running attack. Up front, the Broncos have three blockers — left guard Stanley Daniels, center J.D. Walton and right tackle Zane Beadles — who three weeks ago had combined for zero NFL snaps. At left tackle, all-pro Ryan Clady is only five months away from major knee surgery. And at right guard, Kuper has been in and out of training camp, the preseason and the early part of the regular season with ankle and knee injuries.
"As far as us up front, we've got the guys to do it," Kuper said. "We've got a good group. There's no excuses here."
Injuries plague running backs
How can the Broncos expect to run when each of their running backs has spent more time in the trainer's room than on thefield?
Moreno strained one hamstring that sidelined him for five weeks, returned for two games, then pulled the other hamstring. He is not expected to play Sunday at Tennessee.
Maroney went down with a thigh injury this summer while with New England, and still was down when he was traded to the Broncos. He returned last week and gained 24 yards on 12 carries against the Colts' defense that came in ranked No. 32 against the run.
"I can't use excuses about not having played in three weeks or I was rusty," Maroney said. "I was prepared, but some of my reads weren't up to par."
Buckhalter missed most of training camp and the preseason with a back/neck injury, and fourth-string back Andre Brown is just coming back from turf toe.
With the Broncos so battered in their backfield, and so inexperienced and battered up front, what can they do about their running game? They can always change their outlook and go forward with their No. 1-ranked passing attack.
Read more: Broncos' offense a mix of good, bad - The Denver Post (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75)http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75 (http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16200536?_requestid=1120490#ixzz10vbpzZ75)