TXBRONC
10-24-2007, 09:25 PM
This article states what I have been saying all along. A lot of our red zone dysfuction has been caused by poor mistakes not being over powered by defenses.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5729610,00.html
Red-zone TDs mark turnaround for Broncos
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
October 23, 2007
They’ve been dirty words for much of the season around Dove Valley: red zone.
Though the yards piled up for the Broncos offense, drives then stalled inside the 20, sending kicker Jason Elam out to earn his paycheck.
The end result: The Broncos, with a 15-point scoring average, possessed one of the league’s top-rated offenses in terms of moving the ball but also one of the least efficient at punching it in.
That all changed Sunday night, when the Broncos (3-3) cashed in on all three of their in-close opportunities, capping each of those possessions with Jay Cutler touchdown passes and posting a season-best 31 points.
For some, a weight was lifted after Denver had converted only 7- of-16 previous trips into TDs during its first five games.
"That’s awesome," said receiver Brandon Stokley, who got Denver’s scoring started Sunday with a 15-yard catch in the first quarter. "We really worked hard the last couple weeks. And we knew against a team like the Steelers we couldn’t settle for field goals. To do what we did, I think it shows the character we have in the locker room and the work we’ve put in."
Perhaps equally important was a modification in mind-set.
The Broncos, who previously had been hamstrung by two holding calls and an illegal-formation penalty in the red zone, have had success throwing the ball in tight quarters but often have taken the check-down option rather than attacking in the end zone.
Denver still is only 4-for-14 on third- and fourth-down plays inside the 20-yard line.
The coaches at times have appeared hesitant to cut Cutler loose in tight for fear the young starter will make mistakes that potentially could take points off the board.
Some cases in point:
• A third-and-7 run by Selvin Young in the Oakland game Sept. 16.
• Back-to-back runs on third and fourth down the next week against Jacksonville’s stout front, ending with Cutler getting stuffed on a sneak.
• Young getting the call again on third-and-9 from the Indianapolis 11 on Sept. 30.
Against Pittsburgh, though, Cutler’s scoring throws all came on third-down plays — that includes twice while perched at the 1-yard-line — to fullback Cecil Sapp and tight end Tony Scheffler.
"Early in the season, you’re probably right," said assistant head coach/offense Mike Heimerdinger, who calls the plays in conjunction with Mike Shanahan. "In the back of your mind you’re thinking, ‘We got down here, we need points,'But it’s time to let Jay go and do what he does."
Cutler is now 12-for-21 with seven touchdowns when throwing inside the opponents’ 20. On their other 29 red-zone plays, the Broncos have run the ball. Lately, they actually have had more difficulty powering the ball than airing it out, gaining 10 yards on eight running plays the past two games.
"The last couple weeks we changed what we were doing because of what other teams were doing in the red zone, and we weren’t afraid to throw it down there," Heimerdinger said. "Travis (Henry) gave us a good run (Sunday). But on the goal line we had the two passes and the big play to Brandon. We had passes in there and weren’t afraid to do that. We just said, ‘Hey, let’s play it the way it’s got to be played.’"
Receiver Brandon Marshall maintained that it wasn’t necessarily a case of conservatism but mistakes that had dogged Denver’s offense in the red zone.
"It’s been fumbling, dropped balls, fumbled snaps. That’s what’s been killing us," he said. "We had to cut that to a minimum."
Denver ranks only in a tie for 15th in red-zone TD scoring percentage. The Arizona Cardinals (12-for-17, 70.6 percent), New England Patriots (21-for-32, 65.6), Cincinnati Bengals (11-for-17, 64.7), Cleveland Browns (11-for-17, 64.7) and New Orleans Saints (9-for-14, 64.3) make up the NFL’s top five in that category.
But some of the Broncos believe the Steelers game provided the necessary confidence boost to get them moving — literally.
"The demeanor of the team was different," Scheffler said. "I think we were kind of feeding off the Rockies. We see their success and we’re like, ‘We need to step up.’ The city’s so excited about the Rockies, and we don’t want to let the city down."
Seeing red
The Broncos struggled scoring TDs inside the 20-yard line this year before breaking through against Pittsburgh:
Date Opponent Red-zone efficiency
Sept. 9 at Buffalo 1-for-2, 50 percent
Sept. 16 Oakland 2-for-5, 40 percent
Sept. 23 Jacksonville 2-for-3, 66.7 percent
Sept. 30 at Indianapolis 2-for-4, 50.0 percent
Oct. 7 San Diego 0-for-2, 0 percent
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh 3-for-3, 100 percent
Overall Six games 10-for-19, 52.6 percent
rasizerl@RockyMountainNews.com
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nfl/article/0,2777,DRMN_23918_5729610,00.html
Red-zone TDs mark turnaround for Broncos
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News
October 23, 2007
They’ve been dirty words for much of the season around Dove Valley: red zone.
Though the yards piled up for the Broncos offense, drives then stalled inside the 20, sending kicker Jason Elam out to earn his paycheck.
The end result: The Broncos, with a 15-point scoring average, possessed one of the league’s top-rated offenses in terms of moving the ball but also one of the least efficient at punching it in.
That all changed Sunday night, when the Broncos (3-3) cashed in on all three of their in-close opportunities, capping each of those possessions with Jay Cutler touchdown passes and posting a season-best 31 points.
For some, a weight was lifted after Denver had converted only 7- of-16 previous trips into TDs during its first five games.
"That’s awesome," said receiver Brandon Stokley, who got Denver’s scoring started Sunday with a 15-yard catch in the first quarter. "We really worked hard the last couple weeks. And we knew against a team like the Steelers we couldn’t settle for field goals. To do what we did, I think it shows the character we have in the locker room and the work we’ve put in."
Perhaps equally important was a modification in mind-set.
The Broncos, who previously had been hamstrung by two holding calls and an illegal-formation penalty in the red zone, have had success throwing the ball in tight quarters but often have taken the check-down option rather than attacking in the end zone.
Denver still is only 4-for-14 on third- and fourth-down plays inside the 20-yard line.
The coaches at times have appeared hesitant to cut Cutler loose in tight for fear the young starter will make mistakes that potentially could take points off the board.
Some cases in point:
• A third-and-7 run by Selvin Young in the Oakland game Sept. 16.
• Back-to-back runs on third and fourth down the next week against Jacksonville’s stout front, ending with Cutler getting stuffed on a sneak.
• Young getting the call again on third-and-9 from the Indianapolis 11 on Sept. 30.
Against Pittsburgh, though, Cutler’s scoring throws all came on third-down plays — that includes twice while perched at the 1-yard-line — to fullback Cecil Sapp and tight end Tony Scheffler.
"Early in the season, you’re probably right," said assistant head coach/offense Mike Heimerdinger, who calls the plays in conjunction with Mike Shanahan. "In the back of your mind you’re thinking, ‘We got down here, we need points,'But it’s time to let Jay go and do what he does."
Cutler is now 12-for-21 with seven touchdowns when throwing inside the opponents’ 20. On their other 29 red-zone plays, the Broncos have run the ball. Lately, they actually have had more difficulty powering the ball than airing it out, gaining 10 yards on eight running plays the past two games.
"The last couple weeks we changed what we were doing because of what other teams were doing in the red zone, and we weren’t afraid to throw it down there," Heimerdinger said. "Travis (Henry) gave us a good run (Sunday). But on the goal line we had the two passes and the big play to Brandon. We had passes in there and weren’t afraid to do that. We just said, ‘Hey, let’s play it the way it’s got to be played.’"
Receiver Brandon Marshall maintained that it wasn’t necessarily a case of conservatism but mistakes that had dogged Denver’s offense in the red zone.
"It’s been fumbling, dropped balls, fumbled snaps. That’s what’s been killing us," he said. "We had to cut that to a minimum."
Denver ranks only in a tie for 15th in red-zone TD scoring percentage. The Arizona Cardinals (12-for-17, 70.6 percent), New England Patriots (21-for-32, 65.6), Cincinnati Bengals (11-for-17, 64.7), Cleveland Browns (11-for-17, 64.7) and New Orleans Saints (9-for-14, 64.3) make up the NFL’s top five in that category.
But some of the Broncos believe the Steelers game provided the necessary confidence boost to get them moving — literally.
"The demeanor of the team was different," Scheffler said. "I think we were kind of feeding off the Rockies. We see their success and we’re like, ‘We need to step up.’ The city’s so excited about the Rockies, and we don’t want to let the city down."
Seeing red
The Broncos struggled scoring TDs inside the 20-yard line this year before breaking through against Pittsburgh:
Date Opponent Red-zone efficiency
Sept. 9 at Buffalo 1-for-2, 50 percent
Sept. 16 Oakland 2-for-5, 40 percent
Sept. 23 Jacksonville 2-for-3, 66.7 percent
Sept. 30 at Indianapolis 2-for-4, 50.0 percent
Oct. 7 San Diego 0-for-2, 0 percent
Oct. 21 Pittsburgh 3-for-3, 100 percent
Overall Six games 10-for-19, 52.6 percent
rasizerl@RockyMountainNews.com