Denver Native (Carol)
10-06-2010, 08:45 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Finding-a-Balance/43b32812-b058-4f11-8b76-b6b25ae45dde
The Broncos sport the No. 1 passing attack in the NFL, yet the run game ranks last in the league. The team knows if it's going to continue to find success this season, there will have to be more of a balance.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos offense is simultaneously the best and worst in the league.
While Kyle Orton has captained the league's No. 1 passing attack, which puts up nearly 340 yards per game and powers an offense that averages more than 21 points on the scoreboard every week, the running game has added just 55 yards per contest -- good for last in the NFL.
Last week, the team rushed for 19 yards -- 11 of which were provided by the quarterback. Correll Buckhalter knows those numbers need to improve -- and fast.
"With the type of offense that we have right now, how successful we are throwing the ball, if we're able to run it, that will just help so much more," Buckhalter said. "It will be able to keep a lot of defenses off-balance."
The team understands that a balanced offense isn't just a luxury -- it's a necessity in the NFL.
Without an effective run game, an offense loses the big plays provided by play-action passes. The defensive line is able to focus all its energy on getting to the quarterback without respecting the run, and eventually teams will start gameplanning differently to try to take away the pass entirely.
"I think you can play some games and kind of lean more towards the passing game than the running game, but I think over the long haul if you play a season like that you're going to ask for trouble down the road," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said.
That doesn't mean the team will simply run the ball on a set number of plays just to "keep (defenses) honest," the head coach said. Rather, all 11 players on offense need to work together to make sure that when the team does call for a run, it picks up a good chunk of yards. In the end, that's what makes a bigger impact.
"We're complicating the issue right now in the running game," McDaniels said. "I think we have to start to trust that the play is going to be blocked properly and then the runner has to run and find green grass. We have to eliminate the penetration and start stringing together some plays that move the ball and keep the pressure off the passing game."
If the Broncos want to get the running game going this week, they'll have to do it against one of the stingiest defensive units in the league.
The team heads to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore this Sunday to take on the Ravens, who boast the league's No. 1 overall defense.
The front seven, led by two 2010 Pro Bowlers -- Ray Lewis at linebacker and Haloti Ngata on the line -- prides itself on stopping the run. So far this season, however, the Ravens have excelled at stopping the pass (No. 1 in the league), but have given up 116.8 rushing yards per game, good for 21st in the NFL.
That certainly doesn't mean the Broncos are taking them lightly.
"This is a team that kind of lines up and says, 'We are right here, you know where we are at and see if you can block us, see if you can stand in there and pass the ball on us, see if you can make some yards in the running game,'" McDaniels said. "This is not a smoke-and-mirrors team. They are kind of in-your-face, really, is what they are. That's why it is so difficult to have consistency against them, because they have a really solid scheme that doesn't really give you a lot of opportunities to make a bunch of big plays."
While it's a tough week to try to right the running game, Buckhalter said it's as good a time as any to get it going.
"It's something that we have to fix and something that we need to fix fast to balance out our offense," Buckhalter said. "What (better) challenge than to go against the Ravens and do it? They're a good team -- they have a good, solid defense. If we can get our run game going against them, that would be perfect."
The Broncos sport the No. 1 passing attack in the NFL, yet the run game ranks last in the league. The team knows if it's going to continue to find success this season, there will have to be more of a balance.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos offense is simultaneously the best and worst in the league.
While Kyle Orton has captained the league's No. 1 passing attack, which puts up nearly 340 yards per game and powers an offense that averages more than 21 points on the scoreboard every week, the running game has added just 55 yards per contest -- good for last in the NFL.
Last week, the team rushed for 19 yards -- 11 of which were provided by the quarterback. Correll Buckhalter knows those numbers need to improve -- and fast.
"With the type of offense that we have right now, how successful we are throwing the ball, if we're able to run it, that will just help so much more," Buckhalter said. "It will be able to keep a lot of defenses off-balance."
The team understands that a balanced offense isn't just a luxury -- it's a necessity in the NFL.
Without an effective run game, an offense loses the big plays provided by play-action passes. The defensive line is able to focus all its energy on getting to the quarterback without respecting the run, and eventually teams will start gameplanning differently to try to take away the pass entirely.
"I think you can play some games and kind of lean more towards the passing game than the running game, but I think over the long haul if you play a season like that you're going to ask for trouble down the road," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said.
That doesn't mean the team will simply run the ball on a set number of plays just to "keep (defenses) honest," the head coach said. Rather, all 11 players on offense need to work together to make sure that when the team does call for a run, it picks up a good chunk of yards. In the end, that's what makes a bigger impact.
"We're complicating the issue right now in the running game," McDaniels said. "I think we have to start to trust that the play is going to be blocked properly and then the runner has to run and find green grass. We have to eliminate the penetration and start stringing together some plays that move the ball and keep the pressure off the passing game."
If the Broncos want to get the running game going this week, they'll have to do it against one of the stingiest defensive units in the league.
The team heads to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore this Sunday to take on the Ravens, who boast the league's No. 1 overall defense.
The front seven, led by two 2010 Pro Bowlers -- Ray Lewis at linebacker and Haloti Ngata on the line -- prides itself on stopping the run. So far this season, however, the Ravens have excelled at stopping the pass (No. 1 in the league), but have given up 116.8 rushing yards per game, good for 21st in the NFL.
That certainly doesn't mean the Broncos are taking them lightly.
"This is a team that kind of lines up and says, 'We are right here, you know where we are at and see if you can block us, see if you can stand in there and pass the ball on us, see if you can make some yards in the running game,'" McDaniels said. "This is not a smoke-and-mirrors team. They are kind of in-your-face, really, is what they are. That's why it is so difficult to have consistency against them, because they have a really solid scheme that doesn't really give you a lot of opportunities to make a bunch of big plays."
While it's a tough week to try to right the running game, Buckhalter said it's as good a time as any to get it going.
"It's something that we have to fix and something that we need to fix fast to balance out our offense," Buckhalter said. "What (better) challenge than to go against the Ravens and do it? They're a good team -- they have a good, solid defense. If we can get our run game going against them, that would be perfect."