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WARHORSE
11-18-2008, 12:13 PM
Lets hope that Larsen and Woodyard continue to develop, and improve. That will go a long ways towards helping our team become a real winner cause we can then focus on improving other areas. Most notably Dline, Safety and RB.

Larsen has started one game, but has supplanted Niko. His ability to diagnose and keep Olinemen off himself make up for his lack of speed. Rest assured he will be schemed by Offensive Coordinators on first and second down for pass plays. Lets hope he holds up in coverage.

Woodyard has played admirably. This experience hes getting is really helping the team. But what happens when DJ gets back? You want to keep your best players on the field. DJ will not be moved back to SLBer. Its a waste anyways to have a 250 lb LBer chase the TE all day. He never pressured the QB from that side........EVER. My thought is Larsen in the middle, DJ at weak, and Winborn or Nate at SLB. But I think Woodyard should come in at SS on first and second down like we used Lynch before. Hes younger and faster, and not only will we stuff the run, but we can blitz the man. Lynch was ALWAYS one step slow in hitting the QB. Woodyard will erase that gap.

This brings us to another topic........what happens next year? If Larsen and Woodyard prove to be able to make the cut, do we still look for a LBer in the draft? I think its safety all the way. TWO of them as a matter of fact. RB will be looked at as well, but two good safeties will take us to the next level along with some more meat on the Dline.

NightTrainLayne
11-18-2008, 01:02 PM
Lets hope that Larsen and Woodyard continue to develop, and improve. That will go a long ways towards helping our team become a real winner cause we can then focus on improving other areas. Most notably Dline, Safety and RB.

Larsen has started one game, but has supplanted Niko. His ability to diagnose and keep Olinemen off himself make up for his lack of speed. Rest assured he will be schemed by Offensive Coordinators on first and second down for pass plays. Lets hope he holds up in coverage.

Woodyard has played admirably. This experience hes getting is really helping the team. But what happens when DJ gets back? You want to keep your best players on the field. DJ will not be moved back to SLBer. Its a waste anyways to have a 250 lb LBer chase the TE all day. He never pressured the QB from that side........EVER. My thought is Larsen in the middle, DJ at weak, and Winborn or Nate at SLB. But I think Woodyard should come in at SS on first and second down like we used Lynch before. Hes younger and faster, and not only will we stuff the run, but we can blitz the man. Lynch was ALWAYS one step slow in hitting the QB. Woodyard will erase that gap.

This brings us to another topic........what happens next year? If Larsen and Woodyard prove to be able to make the cut, do we still look for a LBer in the draft? I think its safety all the way. TWO of them as a matter of fact. RB will be looked at as well, but two good safeties will take us to the next level along with some more meat on the Dline.

We could go with a 4-4 stack defense like the Jets used to run. . .

Don't even bother calling him a safety, just run in 4 line-backers. .. can't be worse than the 3-4 we ran right?

LRtagger
11-18-2008, 01:04 PM
I really hope Larsen works out in the middle and moving WW to SS would be great as well. If those two guys work out, that really opens up what we can accomplish in the draft.

broncofaninfla
11-18-2008, 01:14 PM
When DJ comes back I'd still like to see Woodyard on the field for us. Either over the show boating and trash talking Winborn or in the box at SS on obvious running plays

Lonestar
11-18-2008, 01:34 PM
I have not seen this else where but it does some good insight..

Broncos Stay Afloat Thanks To Reinforcements

By Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) ― Some deft draft-day decisions are helping the Denver Broncos win games even as they keep losing players.

The Broncos (6-4) have forged a two-game lead over San Diego in the AFC West thanks to rookies and reinforcements who aren't wasting any time making their mark in the NFL.

John Lynch, who made his retirement official Monday after four Pro Bowl seasons in Denver, said he was glad to see the battered Broncos doing so well.

"To be 6-4 with all the injuries that they've had, it's pretty phenomenal," Lynch said.

And they're doing it with kids.

Denver's top draft pick, left tackle Ryan Clady, is having the kind of season Joe Thomas had in Cleveland last season, when he was runner-up for Rookie of the Year. Only, Clady's so quiet that hardly anybody has noticed -- except for quarterback Jay Cutler, whose jersey is staying clean thanks to the 325-pound Boise State behemoth who was hailed as having fast feet but who's proven a very quick study.

Eddie Royal leads the league's rookie receivers with 56 catches for 659 yards and four touchdowns. His 93-yard TD sparked Denver's win at Cleveland two weeks ago and followed a 95-yard kickoff return against Miami.

"It's hard to do for a young guy coming straight out of college," veteran receiver Brandon Stokley said. "Sixteen games and usually they're winding down and we're just getting cranked up. So it's hard, but that's the business that we're in. They have to grow up quickly."

That, they have.

Other baby-faced players who have found themselves on the fast track are cornerback Josh Bell and running back Peyton Hillis, who posted the first 100-yard receiving day by a Broncos running back in 34 years three weeks ago and rushed for his first two touchdowns Sunday in Denver's 24-20 win at Atlanta.

Punter Brett Kern and linebacker Wesley Woodyard are among the undrafted free agents who have made big impacts.

Then, of course, there's Spencer Larsen, the first NFL player to start on offense and defense in five seasons and the first Broncos player to do so.

A sixth-round draft pick from Arizona, Larsen worked at linebacker and fullback in training camp before becoming a full-time fullback behind Hillis. Injuries at linebacker and running back -- where the Broncos have lost five tailbacks, four of them for the year, forced coach Mike Shanahan to devise the plan for Larsen's two-way duty Sunday against the Falcons.

Hillis moved from fullback to start at running back as Selvin Young was held out with a groin injury. That created the opening for Larsen at fullback. He also started on special teams.

"They're football players," Cutler said. "I think he and Spencer are kind of in the same mold. They can do anything out there, special teams, offense or defense."

Larsen was needed on defense as starting linebackers Nate Webster and D.J. Williams were held out with knee injuries, joining cornerback Champ Bailey and safety Marlon McCree on the sideline. Boss Bailey, the team's other starter, went on IR two weeks ago with a knee injury.

Larsen is just the latest example of hard work paying immediate dividends in Denver.

"These guys aren't only excellent athletes, but they are very sharp football players," Shanahan said. "Some guys got their opportunity because of injuries and some guys got their opportunity because they proved in practice that they can make plays."

And they represent the Broncos' deepest draft class of this decade and one that rivals the 2005 class that included Cutler, Tony Scheffler, Elvis Dumervil and Brandon Marshall.

Larsen didn't expect to be a major contributor right away himself, but he's certainly not surprised that this rookie class hasn't wasted any time making a name for itself.

"We've always known that we had a real solid rookie class that consisted of a lot of mature kids that came in and had tremendous confidence in themselves," Larsen said. "We had opportunities. This team has been plagued with injuries all year. With the injuries, we rookies have been able to step up and help out."

http://cbs4denver.com/broncos/broncos.royal.clady.2.867316.html

slim
11-18-2008, 01:36 PM
I am glad we have been playing our best MLB at FB for half the year. That was brilliant.

honz
11-18-2008, 01:47 PM
Niko has been moved to the weakside, according to Shanny in his press conference yesterday. It will be interesting to see what the coaches do as DJ and Nate come back. Larsen should definitely stay in the middle though, if he can keep playing like he did on Sunday.

drewloc
11-18-2008, 02:25 PM
I am real impressed with the way our young ones did this last week. That said, I would like to see them put up another solid effort against the faiders. My only concern with is I definitely feel better with Larsen in there, but if Webster comes back, do you think Shanny will give him is Mike spot back if Larsen is playing well?

WARHORSE
11-18-2008, 02:33 PM
We outrushed the second ranked rushing offense in the league this past sunday, and it was due to the run defense.

Id say leave it the way it is until DJ gets back.



Woodyard has enough speed to play safety. But its all about him adjusting. If DJ gets back, we just HAVE to keep Woodyard on the field, and get LOWRY OFF. Woodyard CANT be worse in coverage, and hes DEFINITELY a better baller, tackler, woodbringer, blitzer Im sure.

Hes earned it.

horsepig
11-18-2008, 04:44 PM
I am real impressed with the way our young ones did this last week. That said, I would like to see them put up another solid effort against the faiders. My only concern with is I definitely feel better with Larsen in there, but if Webster comes back, do you think Shanny will give him is Mike spot back if Larsen is playing well?

Good Lord, I hope not. Let Nate use that helmet to sit on.

Dreadnought
11-18-2008, 04:58 PM
Woodyard has enough speed to play safety. But its all about him adjusting. If DJ gets back, we just HAVE to keep Woodyard on the field, and get LOWRY OFF. Woodyard CANT be worse in coverage, and hes DEFINITELY a better baller, tackler, woodbringer, blitzer Im sure.

Repeated for emphasis. It can't be said enough, Lowry is a 100% complete stiff.

BeefStew25
11-18-2008, 05:05 PM
Dread, who was worse at their position:

Lowry
Walls

Skinny
11-18-2008, 06:09 PM
Woodyard has played admirably. This experience hes getting is really helping the team. But what happens when DJ gets back? You want to keep your best players on the field. DJ will not be moved back to SLBer. Its a waste anyways to have a 250 lb LBer chase the TE all day. He never pressured the QB from that side........EVER. My thought is Larsen in the middle, DJ at weak, and Winborn or Nate at SLB. But I think Woodyard should come in at SS on first and second down like we used Lynch before. Hes younger and faster, and not only will we stuff the run, but we can blitz the man. Lynch was ALWAYS one step slow in hitting the QB. Woodyard will erase that gap.Won't happen and prolly disagreed on by the thousands but Woodyard (WLB), DJ (MLB), and Winborne (SLB) would put our 3 best LBs on the feild IMO. Even as bad as our S play has been, i don't want to play Woodyard there just to get him on the feild. He's done what he's done and the coaches and fans have recognized his impact playing LB. Keep it that way. There's no gaurantee he'll have the same kind of success or impact playing another position so keep bringing him along where his is. I like having him closer to the LOS every down personally.

I know alot of fans are'nt to keen on seeing DJ in the middle again, and i think he plays his best at WLB, but i can't help and wonder what kind of success or impact DJ would have there with the unit we have this year on the feild now.


This brings us to another topic........what happens next year? If Larsen and Woodyard prove to be able to make the cut, do we still look for a LBer in the draft? I think its safety all the way. TWO of them as a matter of fact. RB will be looked at as well, but two good safeties will take us to the next level along with some more meat on the Dline.Right now, i'm all for any defensive position in round 1, even CB. Favoring MLB followed by S. But I would'nt be dissapointed with going RB this year in the 1st either.

Hobe
11-18-2008, 09:20 PM
We talk about moving players around like its nothing to pick up a new position. I would like to see an off season project to really teach Woodyard the SS spot.

Superchop 7
11-18-2008, 09:52 PM
My thought is Larsen in the middle, DJ at weak, and Winborn or Nate at SLB. But I think Woodyard should come in at SS on first and second down like we used Lynch before. Hes younger and faster, and not only will we stuff the run, but we can blitz the man. Lynch was ALWAYS one step slow in hitting the QB. Woodyard will erase that gap.

I think its safety all the way. TWO of them as a matter of fact. RB will be looked at as well, but two good safeties will take us to the next level along with some more meat on the Dline.

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Great Post......couldn't agree more.

Niko is now weak side, he should play much better.

The value for safeties (if you want 2 studs) is in the 2nd round. (We really need to trade for an extra pick, the draft is ripe for picking safety this year, first round value in any other draft)

Larsen is valuable on both sides of the ball, but, if this year has proven anything, we need a "stud" MLB, (round 1) we simply have no depth.

Woodyard at SS is a great idea (in the mold of Lynch) and definately worth a look.

I disagree with a high pick on RB, the roster has injuries, not a lack of talent.

I would love to see alot of picks on d-linemen from rd 3 on.

I also think that the next time a John Abraham type is available we spend the $$.