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TXBRONC
08-14-2009, 08:47 AM
While a lot of this well known I think bears repeating that more than likely we'll not see Denver whole lot from the defense. I mean in terms of blitzes heck we might not see them rush more than the three up front.

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13062175

sports - broncos briefs
Aggressive style top priority for retooled defense
The Denver Post
Posted: 08/14/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

Maybe not tonight, but it's coming. Broncos nose tackle Ronald Fields, who played four seasons for current Broncos defensive coordinator Mike Nolan with the 49ers, says people can expect the Broncos' new-look 3-4 defense to be aggressive.

But they may not pull the lid off all the way until the regular season.

"I think people are going to see a whole new deal," Fields said. "We're pushing the line of scrimmage. We want to change it, push it back."

While most teams keep things under wraps in the preseason, the Broncos are in a position to experiment with a first-year staff and 47 new players on the roster. And they did show some attacking rush schemes briefly last week in their scrimmage at Invesco Field at Mile High.

"Everybody knew coming in here what the problems on defense were," Fields said. "You can't sit back."
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels agrees.

"We want to be aggressive. (Nolan) calls a game aggressively, he wants his players to play aggressively, and that's how I want to play," he said.

The Broncos allowed 448 points last season, finishing 27th in run defense, 26th in pass defense and 29th overall.

Another way.

Tonight will be the first chance for the Broncos to try to work without a longtime football staple — the wedge on a kickoff return.

Teams have grouped three, four, or even five players in front of the kickoff returner for decades to make a gap in the coverage unit. Sometimes the players even interlocked hands to close the space between the blockers.

But NFL rules this year prohibit the formation. No more than two players can be grouped, and no other player can be within 2 yards of the pair of blockers in front of the returner.

Broncos special-teams coach Mike Priefer has spent plenty of time adjusting.

"(Teams may) send a double team here, send a double team somewhere else, really trying to get the movement you would get with a wedge with a couple double teams," McDaniels said. "It puts a little bit more pressure on some of the blocking schemes. You can't really send a returner behind a wall of four or five players."

Footnotes.

Safety Brian Dawkins (hand) and wide receiver Brandon Marshall (hip) will not play tonight. . . . Running back LaMont Jordan, who missed practice time this week with an unspecified leg injury, is not expected to play much, if at all. . . . Running back Marcus Thomas, signed shortly before Wednesday's practice, is expected to get some carries. . . . McDaniels said he would not use a blanket policy toward playing time in the preseason — in which the starters would get a certain number of series or plays before leaving — but that he would play individual players more or less depending on what he believed they needed. "We have a lot of young guys who need to be out there," he said.

Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post

SoCalImport
08-14-2009, 10:02 AM
"But NFL rules this year prohibit the formation. No more than two players can be grouped, and no other player can be within 2 yards of the pair of blockers in front of the returner." [/QUOTE]

Had not heard this. I wonder what the reasoning was to make this rule? I can't see it having to do with any increased chance of injury, so is it just to make the return game more difficult?

broncohead
08-14-2009, 11:27 AM
"But NFL rules this year prohibit the formation. No more than two players can be grouped, and no other player can be within 2 yards of the pair of blockers in front of the returner."

Had not heard this. I wonder what the reasoning was to make this rule? I can't see it having to do with any increased chance of injury, so is it just to make the return game more difficult?[/QUOTE]

They said it was for player safety. They said it's not safe for a player to run into 4+ players at the same time.

TXBRONC
08-14-2009, 12:07 PM
Had not heard this. I wonder what the reasoning was to make this rule? I can't see it having to do with any increased chance of injury, so is it just to make the return game more difficult?

They said it was for player safety. They said it's not safe for a player to run into 4+ players at the same time.[/QUOTE]

I'm sure teams will figure out ways around the rule.

Ravage!!!
08-14-2009, 01:03 PM
a player doesn't run into more than 2 at a time.... if thats the excuse they are giving they are really searching. The wedge has been a staple.... how ridiculous are these "for the protection of the player" rules getting?

Lonestar
08-14-2009, 01:31 PM
"But NFL rules this year prohibit the formation. No more than two players can be grouped, and no other player can be within 2 yards of the pair of blockers in front of the returner."

Had not heard this. I wonder what the reasoning was to make this rule? I can't see it having to do with any increased chance of injury, so is it just to make the return game more difficult?


if you watch the Houcki video on t Brooncos TV it explains it real well..

the surveys they have done so that the "wedge of more than 2 players causes injuries.. and therefore have change the rule for this year.. and he diagrams it real well on what is legal and what is not..

Greatspirits
08-14-2009, 01:46 PM
Havent' we heard that "aggressive" word from every D-coordinator we've had?

Ravage!!!
08-14-2009, 01:48 PM
Havent' we heard that "aggressive" word from every D-coordinator we've had?

yeah.. pretty much. ITs one of those "I'm from Missouri" statements when I read/hear them now.

Day1BroncoFan
08-14-2009, 05:34 PM
Hope they do it. Hope it works.

LoyalSoldier
08-14-2009, 05:36 PM
If they even give us 20 turnovers and not 13 I'll be happy.

Requiem / The Dagda
08-14-2009, 05:38 PM
I'm excited to see what Nolan can do here in his first-season with a complete revamp all over the board. Besides a few turnovers, almost every other position/player is something or someone new. After getting to interview one of Nolan's players about his scheme in the past and how excited he and his fellow players were to get into it -- I have a really good feeling that things will be solid here in Denver. Even if we went from 30th to 15th, that's a hell of a turn around. GO NOLAN. GO BRONCOZ.

TXBRONC
08-14-2009, 05:39 PM
When Nolan has been a defensive coordinator did have reputation of being very aggressive? I thinking at his m.o. from when he was defensive coordinator should give us some idea of what we can expect. That being said even if his nature is to have his defense be very aggressive I don't expect to be so much so in the preseason.

dogfish
08-14-2009, 06:31 PM
Havent' we heard that "aggressive" word from every D-coordinator we've had?


yep. . . . talk's cheap, let me see you back it up!

Dean
08-15-2009, 11:24 AM
Well, based upon last night, we will be aggressive on D. There were both more sacks and pressures than we have seen since Coyer but we telegraphed several of them. This helped the Niners completion percentage. It isn't the whole answer to last years woes but it is a beginning. 4.5 yards per rush and 14 for 18 passing still scares me.

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=54731&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2009&week=PRE1&override=true

Broncospsycho77
08-15-2009, 11:30 AM
Larry Coyer.

Dean
08-15-2009, 11:53 AM
Larry Coyer. . . what?:confused:

roomemp
08-15-2009, 12:10 PM
I don't care what anyone says.....Our D impressed me last night. They tackled and attacked. They will only get better. Last night was proof that we will be at least be respectable.

The only person I was not impressed with was Ron Fields.......Baker looked much better.

NightTrainLayne
08-15-2009, 12:16 PM
I don't care what anyone says.....Our D impressed me last night. They tackled and attacked. They will only get better. Last night was proof that we will be at least be respectable.

The only person I was not impressed with was Ron Fields.......Baker looked much better.

I actually thought Fields did a pretty good job. I saw him out of position on a stunt once, but otherwise thought he held the point of attack pretty well.

roomemp
08-15-2009, 12:18 PM
I actually thought Fields did a pretty good job. I saw him out of position on a stunt once, but otherwise thought he held the point of attack pretty well.

It might be that stunt that threw me. They kept playing the replay of it.

Lonestar
08-15-2009, 12:21 PM
I liked the blitzes by who ever was sent.. got to be flexible and confuse the hell out of the OLINE..

Baker just absolutely ran though/over his guy on that later play.. this kid may be a keeper.. I know it was probably a second teamer but that was impressive..

not knowing each of the players by number was hard to keep score.. I also think I saw Thomas harassing the QB ..

I watched NFLN so the announcing was less than desirable..


also wanted to commnet on Woodyard he made an open field text book tackle that would have gotten a hell of a lot of yards had he not nailed it.. also thought larsen lloked like he was all over the field..

Broncospsycho77
08-15-2009, 12:23 PM
Larry Coyer. . . what?:confused:

That's just the first thing that I thought of when I saw "aggressive style" and "defense." I know the literal styles aren't close to each other from our current scheme, but reading that prompted some strange flashbacks. The good ol' days, if you will.

broncohead
08-15-2009, 12:28 PM
I was happy with the defense. I thought some of the defensive calls where a little too agressive but it's a big change from last season. I didn't like Haggan at OLB. Dume will be a beast off the edge. Hill is a good tackler. McBath needs to get more physical, Coffee ran him over. I think I saw Bruton in there a few times but did he make any plays? Fields was ok. Baker got pushed back a few times off the LOS. Just random thoughts

TXBRONC
08-15-2009, 06:27 PM
Well, based upon last night, we will be aggressive on D. There were both more sacks and pressures than we have seen since Coyer but we telegraphed several of them. This helped the Niners completion percentage. It isn't the whole answer to last years woes but it is a beginning. 4.5 yards per rush and 14 for 18 passing still scares me.

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=54731&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2009&week=PRE1&override=true

It's still a work in progress but I feel a little better about how the defense is coming along as compared to other areas of the team.