Denver Native (Carol)
09-14-2009, 02:52 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13334588?source=rss
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels had a great sideline view of the improbable late-game play that sent his team to a 12-7 victory over the Bengals at Cincinnati on Sunday. But today, after looking at multiple replay angles of Brandon Stokely's tipped 87-yard game-winning touchdown reception, McDaniels said the play will serve as an example of what to do — and what not to do — in that situation for years to come.
"Very interesting things to see and learn from that play on both sides of the ball," he said.
For starters, the Broncos avoided being whistled for a 15-yard penalty for players leaving the sideline to join the end-zone celebration with 11 seconds to go. Such a penalty would have forced Denver to kick off from its 15-yard line.
"We were very careful not to have anybody from the sideline run out there on the field," McDaniels said. "If you kick the ball off from the 15 and they have the ball at the 50, you're talking about a whole different ending of the game. (Bengals quarterback Carson) Palmer is probably throwing the ball in the end zone then."
Secondly, he praised Stokely for running horizontally at the along the endzone before going in after realizing he was not going to get tackled. But he also said Stokely — who previously said he thought about running out of bounds if he was threatened to get tackled — should have known the Broncos had one timeout remaining.
"I thought that was an incredibly smart play for a player to make at that point in time," McDaniels said of Stokely's time-killing jog. "Very heads-up on his part.
"(But it's also) a reminder to all our players, if that ever does happen, that they need to understand exactly how much time was left before that play started (and) if we had a timeout.
"He was thinking 'Do I need to run out of bounds?' He didn't need to because we did had one left."
Finally, McDaniels said his players should remember that Bengals cornerback Leon Hall should have batted the ball down, not tipped it airborne, and that a defense always needs to have a "guy deeper than (the offense's) deepest guy."
"Hall tips the ball up in the air. In any kind of a Hail Mary type situation, you always want to bat it to the ground," McDaniels said. "If you tip it up, you never know what can happen. So he kind of gave life to the play.
"At that point on the sideline, I didn't even remember if Hall got his hand on it or if there was like a big collision. Everything happened so fast."
McDaniels was having a good day today.
"Proud of the way the guys fought. We've put in so much hard work, every team does — the offseason, training camp, preseason, so many hours in terms of preparation — and then you go to that first week and all you want to do is win the first game," the rookie coach said.
"It wasn't perfect but everybody felt, obviously, much better about winning. I was very pleased we were able to make a big play at the end to win. It always makes Monday mornings feel a lot better when you have more points on the board as the other team on Sunday."
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels had a great sideline view of the improbable late-game play that sent his team to a 12-7 victory over the Bengals at Cincinnati on Sunday. But today, after looking at multiple replay angles of Brandon Stokely's tipped 87-yard game-winning touchdown reception, McDaniels said the play will serve as an example of what to do — and what not to do — in that situation for years to come.
"Very interesting things to see and learn from that play on both sides of the ball," he said.
For starters, the Broncos avoided being whistled for a 15-yard penalty for players leaving the sideline to join the end-zone celebration with 11 seconds to go. Such a penalty would have forced Denver to kick off from its 15-yard line.
"We were very careful not to have anybody from the sideline run out there on the field," McDaniels said. "If you kick the ball off from the 15 and they have the ball at the 50, you're talking about a whole different ending of the game. (Bengals quarterback Carson) Palmer is probably throwing the ball in the end zone then."
Secondly, he praised Stokely for running horizontally at the along the endzone before going in after realizing he was not going to get tackled. But he also said Stokely — who previously said he thought about running out of bounds if he was threatened to get tackled — should have known the Broncos had one timeout remaining.
"I thought that was an incredibly smart play for a player to make at that point in time," McDaniels said of Stokely's time-killing jog. "Very heads-up on his part.
"(But it's also) a reminder to all our players, if that ever does happen, that they need to understand exactly how much time was left before that play started (and) if we had a timeout.
"He was thinking 'Do I need to run out of bounds?' He didn't need to because we did had one left."
Finally, McDaniels said his players should remember that Bengals cornerback Leon Hall should have batted the ball down, not tipped it airborne, and that a defense always needs to have a "guy deeper than (the offense's) deepest guy."
"Hall tips the ball up in the air. In any kind of a Hail Mary type situation, you always want to bat it to the ground," McDaniels said. "If you tip it up, you never know what can happen. So he kind of gave life to the play.
"At that point on the sideline, I didn't even remember if Hall got his hand on it or if there was like a big collision. Everything happened so fast."
McDaniels was having a good day today.
"Proud of the way the guys fought. We've put in so much hard work, every team does — the offseason, training camp, preseason, so many hours in terms of preparation — and then you go to that first week and all you want to do is win the first game," the rookie coach said.
"It wasn't perfect but everybody felt, obviously, much better about winning. I was very pleased we were able to make a big play at the end to win. It always makes Monday mornings feel a lot better when you have more points on the board as the other team on Sunday."