Broncos looking to be ruthless finishers

[Denver Native (Carol)]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --After the Broncos went up 24-0 on the Colts on Sunday, a choppy second half that saw the lead cut to seven by game's end wasn't the most encouraging finish.

But as a whole, the victory over Indy, who is coming off back-to-back 11-5 seasons and two playoff appearances, wasn't something to frown about.

"I don’t think it was disappointment," Head Coach John Fox said on Monday. "Like I told the team, you never make excuses for Ws in this league."

rest - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-looking-to-be-ruthless-finishers/0a109c14-9c54-4624-be2c-d1e86114912a

[Ziggy]

A lot of it was coaching, especially on the defensive side of the ball. On Indy's last drive, Denver went into a full blown prevent defense, allowing the touchdown and giving them confidence going into the half. I'm still trying to understand why Denver paid 10 million to Talib, and JDR plays him 10 yards off of the receiver half of the game. We have the talent on this team to dominate. When you watch Seattle's D, they play the same way regardless of the score. It's a mindset from both the coaches and players. We should see this week if Denver really wants to play to win, or if they are going to keep playing not to lose.

[Joel]

The team must still EXECUTE though, and giving up 80 yds and a TD in 1:30 isn't executing Prevent. No more than letting Baltimore go the length of the field in <2:00 for a TD before halftime, then letting them go 77 yds in 3 plays and <0:40 at the end of regulation. For a team coached by a former DB, we SUCK at Prevent. Actually, no: We suck at Prevent PERIOD. I've been vainly seeking a ruthless finish at least that long, but teams finish ruthlessly by knocking people on their butts and running over them for conversions; if we could do that, Baltimore would never had a CHANCE for that last drive.

[TXBRONC]

A lot of it was coaching, especially on the defensive side of the ball. On Indy's last drive, Denver went into a full blown prevent defense, allowing the touchdown and giving them confidence going into the half. I'm still trying to understand why Denver paid 10 million to Talib, and JDR plays him 10 yards off of the receiver half of the game. We have the talent on this team to dominate. When you watch Seattle's D, they play the same way regardless of the score. It's a mindset from both the coaches and players. We should see this week if Denver really wants to play to win, or if they are going to keep playing not to lose.

I disagree Ziggy. I don't think Denver was playing not to lose. I think Andrew Luck is just one of best young quarterbacks in the League.

[Hawgdriver]

I disagree Ziggy. I don't think Denver was playing not to lose. I think Andrew Luck is just one of best young quarterbacks in the League.

That's my take, too. Plus the D was gassed.

[Northman]

I disagree Ziggy. I don't think Denver was playing not to lose. I think Andrew Luck is just one of best young quarterbacks in the League.

Luck is good but by saying that you are essentially saying that Denver's defense really hasnt improved. Peyton Manning is one of the best ever yet Seattle's defense shut him and the offense down in the SB the entire game. That's how a championship team performs from start to finish. Again, not too totally take anything away from Luck but the proof is even great QB's can get shut down if you have the team to do it. If what we saw on Sunday is going to be the norm defensively, play calling, offensively in the 2nd halfs than we should be prepared not to make it back to the dance. I know its selfish to say, i know its a bit spoiled to say but i want to win like Hawks did. I dont care if people get mad that we run up the score or blow teams out. I want to ******* dominate every team we play.

[BroncoWave]

I'll believe it when I see it. If the pats game last season wasn't a wakeup call, no game ever will be imo.

[Joel]

I'll believe it when I see it. If the pats game last season wasn't a wakeup call, no game ever will be imo.
I love how Fox brushed it off yet again with his standard "correctable" excuse. It's been THREE YEARS since this "correctable" problem first became undeniable; if Fox STILL hasn't corrected something lethal and correctable, that's no longer an excuse: It's FURTHER indictment. It's like a drunk saying, "I don't have a problem; I can quit anytime:" Even if it's true, the fact he DOESN'T is STILL a problem.

[Ziggy]

The team must still EXECUTE though, and giving up 80 yds and a TD in 1:30 isn't executing Prevent. No more than letting Baltimore go the length of the field in <2:00 for a TD before halftime, then letting them go 77 yds in 3 plays and <0:40 at the end of regulation. For a team coached by a former DB, we SUCK at Prevent. Actually, no: We suck at Prevent PERIOD. I've been vainly seeking a ruthless finish at least that long, but teams finish ruthlessly by knocking people on their butts and running over them for conversions; if we could do that, Baltimore would never had a CHANCE for that last drive.

If you coach up the players to send 11 men to the ball every play, that doesn't happen. The Broncos D was not swarming Joel. I was sitting on the 50 yard line with a view of the entire field. There were only a couple of plays in the game where all 11 were going after the ball. Again...coaching. The talent is there. The scheme isn't.

[Joel]

If you coach up the players to send 11 men to the ball every play, that doesn't happen. The Broncos D was not swarming Joel. I was sitting on the 50 yard line with a view of the entire field. There were only a couple of plays in the game where all 11 were going after the ball. Again...coaching. The talent is there. The scheme isn't.
No argument there, but I don't want them swarming with a 3 TD lead, I want them keeping plays in front of them so we don't have another Hail Moorey. To his credit, Moore was ON in that game, letting no balls behind him and few below him. Here's hoping all our players can self-coach themselves as well: They'll need to, as always.

But as far as swarming, being aggressive increases risks, and we saw some of that in the second half when DBs went for picks instead of knocking down balls; when they did neither, several of those catches turned into big gains. One of them was a respectable pass where the defender JUST missed the ball—but it only turned into a 41 yd TD because the receiver tightroped the sideline, got hit by Broncos TWICE and NEITHER managed to nudge him even a little out of bounds.

That flat pass was trivial; up 24 pts in the second half, I'll trade 10 yd outs for half a minute of clock all the way to the final gun and a double digit win. The 30 yds AFTER the catch to our end zone though; that's a problem—a COACHING problem. Giving beaten teams the sidelines and end zone with time running out is the exact OPPOSITE of Prevent, as any coach who's a former DB ought to know.

[OB]

All i know is it needs to be fixed - we need to play the game for 60 minutes

[DenBronx]

Joel I have a question for you.

Is there ANYTHING about the Broncos you actually like?

Just curious...

[Joel]

Joel I have a question for you.

Is there ANYTHING about the Broncos you actually like?

Just curious...
Many of the players, including Chris Harris playing the run and pass with equal alertness, agility and force, and the Thomases. Welker's about my size, which is why he plays WR the way I always did in sandlots, which is why he has so many concussions. I like how Juwan Thompsons preseason comment about wanting to make tacklers fear HIM echoed a famous Jim Brown quote.

I usually like the offensive playcalling, though it alternatly amuses/annoys me how fans call Manning a genius field general every time a play works and Gase an incompetent every time it doesn't. Even though they're on record that Gase sends in two plays, then Manning picks one—and audible to a third about half the time anyway.

I like Clady, the only offensive lineman we have who excels at everything. I like Miller, a LB who excels as a blitzer, run-stuffer and in coverage, though I'll not take that any further lest it turn into that annoying pointless debate. I like Steven Johnson getting a pick this preseason and stuffing Jamaal Charles on 3rd and G in last years first KC game, though if Irving's outplaying him, even better.

I love the first true SOLID defensive line we've had since as far back as I can remember (admittedly that's only till the mid-nineties.) All our BACKUPS could START for many teams; a guy we CUT probably WILL vs. us Sunday. In a league where many LDEs are weak vs. the pass and many RDEs are weak vs. the run, Wolfe and Jackson play well vs. BOTH, hence they can move inside to an UT role in nickel.

Sanders looks nice so far, and a faster upgrade over Deckers dropsy, though I still like Caldwell, too. I like how Ball consistently breaks tackles; I just wish our line would let him do it on the OTHER side of the LoS. I like Del Rio, and suspect I'd like him far more if he had Foxs job. I like the blue alternate jerseys. I like Ware, though I liked last years team sack leader, who's paid far less. I like how Roby covered a Pro Bowlers passes to a first ballot HoFer, and liked Webster last year, even before the BSN claimed he'd made a quantum leap this preseason.

I like Elway, both as arguably historys best all around QUARTERBACK and first (until Brady, only) QB to start 5 SBs, and as a GM who's dramatically improved the team, even if I question a few choices.

I just don't like all the things preventing an overtalented team I love from winning a championship. Especially when it means those 'roided-out thugs get instead and humiliate us in the process.

So can I keep my fan card, or does it need to be revoked for caring too much? I know my wife would be thrilled.

[TXBRONC]

Luck is good but by saying that you are essentially saying that Denver's defense really hasnt improved. Peyton Manning is one of the best ever yet Seattle's defense shut him and the offense down in the SB the entire game. That's how a championship team performs from start to finish. Again, not too totally take anything away from Luck but the proof is even great QB's can get shut down if you have the team to do it. If what we saw on Sunday is going to be the norm defensively, play calling, offensively in the 2nd halfs than we should be prepared not to make it back to the dance. I know its selfish to say, i know its a bit spoiled to say but i want to win like Hawks did. I dont care if people get mad that we run up the score or blow teams out. I want to ******* dominate every team we play.

Again I disagree. They have improved but it still going to be incremental. I don't expect this to go from zero to where the Seahawk in just about six quarters worth of play. The core of Seattle's defense has been playing together for 3 or 4 years. I'm optimistic that Denver is going to get to where they need to be it just isn't happen after just one meaningful game.

[Northman]

Again I disagree. They have improved but it still going to be incremental. I don't expect this to go from zero to where the Seahawk in just about six quarters worth of play. The core of Seattle's defense has been playing together for 3 or 4 years. I'm optimistic that Denver is going to get to where they need to be it just isn't happen after just one meaningful game.

I didnt say Denver was already there or should be there. Only that i want my team to be like that. But its kind of depressing that the Colts defense which i believe to worse than ours shut us down in the second half when i think we also have a better offense.

[Nomad]

Luck is good but by saying that you are essentially saying that Denver's defense really hasnt improved. Peyton Manning is one of the best ever yet Seattle's defense shut him and the offense down in the SB the entire game. That's how a championship team performs from start to finish. Again, not too totally take anything away from Luck but the proof is even great QB's can get shut down if you have the team to do it. If what we saw on Sunday is going to be the norm defensively, play calling, offensively in the 2nd halfs than we should be prepared not to make it back to the dance. I know its selfish to say, i know its a bit spoiled to say but i want to win like Hawks did. I dont care if people get mad that we run up the score or blow teams out. I want to ******* dominate every team we play.


Yep!

[Nomad]

Then again, 'Just win the game, BRONCOS'. :lol:

[Ravage!!!]

I love how Fox brushed it off yet again with his standard "correctable" excuse. It's been THREE YEARS since this "correctable" problem first became undeniable; if Fox STILL hasn't corrected something lethal and correctable, that's no longer an excuse: It's FURTHER indictment. It's like a drunk saying, "I don't have a problem; I can quit anytime:" Even if it's true, the fact he DOESN'T is STILL a problem.

I'm so confused with this bashing of Fox. He is able to take Tim Tebow, one of the worst passing QBs in NFL history to a victory in the playoffs...and in his first year with Manning, leads Denver to the AFC Championship, only to follow that up with a Super Bowl appearance. This ridiculous "I know more than Jon Fox" crap is just absurd, especially coming from someone that has never touched a football.

[BroncoJoe]

I'm so confused with this bashing of Fox. He is able to take Tim Tebow, one of the worst passing QBs in NFL history to a victory in the playoffs...and in his first year with Manning, leads Denver to the AFC Championship, only to follow that up with a Super Bowl appearance. This ridiculous "I know more than Jon Fox" crap is just absurd, especially coming from someone that has never touched a football.

It's Joel, Rav.

[GEM]

Quit talking about it, Broncos. Be about it.

And can we please, for the love of God, please not bring up Rahim...its been 2 seasons and he's off to an amazing start. It was one play and hasn't happened since.

[dogfish]

I'm so confused with this bashing of Fox. He is able to take Tim Tebow, one of the worst passing QBs in NFL history to a victory in the playoffs...and in his first year with Manning, leads Denver to the AFC Championship, only to follow that up with a Super Bowl appearance. This ridiculous "I know more than Jon Fox" crap is just absurd, especially coming from someone that has never touched a football.

psst, rav! we lost to baltimore in the divisional round our first year with PFM. . . :listen:

agreed otherwise, though. . .