The Run

[ShaneFalco]

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4308053/cjanderson.0.gif

[DenBronx]

That was beauuuuutiful!

[D1g1tal j1m]

Great execution. Anderson was running like he did last year and that will bring a smile to Kube's face!

[Nomad]

That was awesome!

[wayninja]

Someone needs to edit the gif so green grass with no snow follows in his wake. That's how he was running.

[Joel]

A healthy CJ Anderson is a wonder to behold, and a terror for opponents.

[Edmonton Bronco Fan]

Guess who's back? CJ was an absolute stud tonight. That jump cut he made earlier almost made me blow my load. When he plays like this, he is so much fun to watch.

Hope he's here to stay. We could sure use him the rest of the season.

[Simple Jaded]

Bad replay, doesn't show the blocking, dude was nearly untouched.

[Joel]

Bad replay, doesn't show the blocking, dude was nearly untouched.
1) It shows most of the blocking: Davis locked up his guy outside and pushed him back a bit, while Harris and Paradis threw classic cuts that left CJ nothing but a safety to beat.

2) Nearly, but not wholly, because Garcia couldn't get to the hole Paradis left quickly enough, so the guy who came through dove at Andersons legs (play might've ended right there for Hillman.) Paradis' guy did manage to get a hand in front of CJs shin for a second (play probably DOES end right there for Hillman.) The safety just barely managed to touch him and no more, but that was all CJ putting a move on him, not blocking (though blocking got him that far.)

Here's NBCs live feed and replay (https://twitter.com/NFL/status/671193893761757184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) if you want the whole thing. This one (https://twitter.com/nfl/status/671178557310152704)'s still a prettier RUN in my book, though shorter, because it was almost all CJ. It's not even that the blocking was BAD (though Harris and Schofields certainly was, and our WRs little better, but: They're WRs,) just that the Cheats lined up with almost their whole defensive backfield RIGHT where the play was called, yet Oz didn't audible out of it. So CJ had to break one tackle and run around two more just to reach the LoS.

If we want him to keep having 100 yd games and busting 50 yd walkoff TDs, that MUST remain the exception rather than reverting to the rule, else we'll be back to "hesistant," "dancing" and "fragile" CJ while people angrily demand "what happened to the CJ who ran through arm-tackles instead of collapsing?" That's mainly a reminder more than anything; for the most part, the run blocking was great yesterday, and even the pass blocking wasn't bad in the 4th.

[sneakers]

that's a lot of white jerseys on the ground

[Joel]

that's a lot of white jerseys on the ground
Nah, it's just snow. :tongue: Lotta cut blocks; I'm probably gonna hear about those later from my Packers friend whose memory's as long as (and probably better than) mine.

[Davii]

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4308053/cjanderson.0.gif

This is, hands down, your best post to date. :D

[VonDoom]

It brings a tear to my eye

[tripp]

CJ's performance reminded me a lot of Knowshon Moreno's performance against New England in 2013. Couldn't be stopped and decimated the Patriot's defense.

[NightTerror218]

IMO that was great blocking on that play.

That designed play was run twice, both went for TDs.

[tripp]

IMO that was great blocking on that play.

That designed play was run twice, both went for TDs.

Read on twitter post game, the O-line was calling for a run in the huddle, and Brock switched it to a run, and boom.

[VonDoom]

Read on twitter post game, the O-line was calling for a run in the huddle, and Brock switched it to a run, and boom.

It was always going to be a run, but he checked into the sweep toss.

[tripp]

It was always going to be a run, but he checked into the sweep toss.

Ahhh gotcha. Great call either way

[tripp]

Lindsay Jones ‏@bylindsayhjones 10h10 hours ago
Brock Osweiler checked into the run play on third down before CJ Anderson's touchdown. I was told the OL was pushing for a run call there.


Ah that's the tweet I read last night.

[VonDoom]

Lindsay Jones ‏@bylindsayhjones 10h10 hours ago
Brock Osweiler checked into the run play on third down before CJ Anderson's touchdown. I was told the OL was pushing for a run call there.


Ah that's the tweet I read last night.

I saw that as well. There might have been some confusion in how it was worded, but I believe Os is quoted as saying they wanted to run to the weak side, saw a look that they didn't want to run against, so he checked to this play. Peter King's column (posted in the game thread) said that he was given two plays by Kubiak (presumably these two?) and was told to pick the best one.

[Simple Jaded]

IMO that was great blocking on that play.

That designed play was run twice, both went for TDs.

Absolutely, much maligned, the OL showed what the Broncos Way is supposed to be on those plays.

[Locnar]

At the 40 yard line is where I flipped over the coffee table out of excitement

[Joel]

Does anyone doubt, even for a moment, that if Anderson had run for 113 yds and a 2 TDs on 15 carries (7.5 yd avg) AND Hillman run for 59 more and a TD on 14 (4.2 yd avg) a healthy Manning would've smoked the Cheats, even at 39? That if we'd run even HALF that well in SB XLVIII we'd have another Lombardi in the Dove Valley Trophy case now?

I'm not trying to take anything away from Oz, who played well, especially for a QB in his 2nd career start (without DT having the worst game of any WR with 10+ targets since 2000, Oz completed ~70%, and the Int only happened because Schofield got pushed back YET AGAIN and the defender swiped the ball as Oz threw it.) But THIS is what we lacked (or half) and it actually had NOTHING TO DO WITH MANNING except as principal victim. Don't give me any of that "Peyton hates to run" stuff either:

Peyton Manning is to football what Civil War reenactors are to America, so knows well the time-tested truth of the maxim "run to establish the pass" (or, as it's sometimes phrased now, "run 'em out of Cover 2" and, conversely, John Lynchs "you have to earn the right to rush the passer.") Anyone who thinks PFM doesn't know play action passing is only credible and thus EFFECTIVE with credible effective running should ask Edgerrin James, or even Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes.

Manning gets it well enough he admitted audibling to RUNS on our final regulation series against Baltimore in the playoffs: Not his fault a rookie Hillman behind a one-legged Kuper and embarrassing Man-Ram and overrated Beadles only managed 2 yds in 3 downs.

The OTHER half of what was missing (i.e. pass protection) remains crap, btw, especially at OT, where it's most important. Schofield at least used to hold his ground, even if only as a toreador, but last night he couldn't even do that on the Int, and was the SOLE reason it happened; Harris wasn't much better: There were way too many imploding pockets. It was infinitely better in the 4th, which tells me they CAN do it against an elite rush, but if it HADN'T, forget about getting closer than 21-14 (on a muffed punt.) 28-10 is the likely final.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Joel, the only rebuttal might be that teams crowd the box against Manning and dare him to throw deep and outside the numbers. They can't do that against Brock. Additionally, does it help the ZBS to run from under center, which Manning can't seem to do with any effectiveness.

[gregbroncs]

Joel, the only rebuttal might be that teams crowd the box against Manning and dare him to throw deep and outside the numbers. They can't do that against Brock. Additionally, does it help the ZBS to run from under center, which Manning can't seem to do with any effectiveness.This is the answer. Teams don't defend Brock like they do Manning because Manning can't make they pay any more.

It was the major point of my concern regarding Manning. His ineffectiveness negatively effected the entire offense more than our below average Oline.

Simply put Manning can't run the offense we ran against the Patriots. He's not capable of it. Without being under center the 2 biggest run plays don't happen and he doesn't play under center. Hell you could say none of our run plays would be nearly as effective out of that pistol crap they were forced to use with Manning.

[gregbroncs]

Does anyone doubt, even for a moment, that if Anderson had run for 113 yds and a 2 TDs on 15 carries (7.5 yd avg) AND Hillman run for 59 more and a TD on 14 (4.2 yd avg) a healthy Manning would've smoked the Cheats, even at 39? That if we'd run even HALF that well in SB XLVIII we'd have another Lombardi in the Dove Valley Trophy case now?

I'm not trying to take anything away from Oz, who played well, especially for a QB in his 2nd career start (without DT having the worst game of any WR with 10+ targets since 2000, Oz completed ~70%, and the Int only happened because Schofield got pushed back YET AGAIN and the defender swiped the ball as Oz threw it.) But THIS is what we lacked (or half) and it actually had NOTHING TO DO WITH MANNING except as principal victim. Don't give me any of that "Peyton hates to run" stuff either:

Peyton Manning is to football what Civil War reenactors are to America, so knows well the time-tested truth of the maxim "run to establish the pass" (or, as it's sometimes phrased now, "run 'em out of Cover 2" and, conversely, John Lynchs "you have to earn the right to rush the passer.") Anyone who thinks PFM doesn't know play action passing is only credible and thus EFFECTIVE with credible effective running should ask Edgerrin James, or even Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes.

Manning gets it well enough he admitted audibling to RUNS on our final regulation series against Baltimore in the playoffs: Not his fault a rookie Hillman behind a one-legged Kuper and embarrassing Man-Ram and overrated Beadles only managed 2 yds in 3 downs.

The OTHER half of what was missing (i.e. pass protection) remains crap, btw, especially at OT, where it's most important. Schofield at least used to hold his ground, even if only as a toreador, but last night he couldn't even do that on the Int, and was the SOLE reason it happened; Harris wasn't much better: There were way too many imploding pockets. It was infinitely better in the 4th, which tells me they CAN do it against an elite rush, but if it HADN'T, forget about getting closer than 21-14 (on a muffed punt.) 28-10 is the likely final.The O line gave Brock time on a lot of plays. He held the ball to long on a few plays and the O-line screwed up on a few plays but they are not nearly as bad as you are trying to say.
.
Secondarily Manning may know that running is important he is just unable to run out of the best formation to run out of. Almost none of last nights or last weeks running game came out of Pistol or Shotgun. So yes Manning is at fault for the lack of running game for the majority of this season.

[Dapper Dan]

Didn't CJ run fine last year when Manning wasn't under center?

[gregbroncs]

Didn't CJ run fine last year when Manning wasn't under center?Different offense, different line, and different plays.

This offensive line was assembled to play ZBS run from under center. And it's had some key injuries. That line was put together to run a power set and pass block. Also not many teams saw CJ coming last year, kind of came out of nowhere and teams were geared to stop Manning alone. This time around they put in a defense that could readily stop both.

[NightTerror218]

Joel, I do not read your rambling, just glance over.

The offense is different with oz. He takes most snaps from under center.

Under center helps the RB, let's them get ball at just about full head of steam. Changes the timing of when the RB gets to the OL to hit holes. OL does not need to hold a block as long since they are suppose to block and then move to next level.

[DenBronx]

Spotted some salty Pats fans after CJs beast mode run in OT.

[Dapper Dan]

Spotted some salty Pats fans after CJs beast mode run in OT.

Losing an away game sucks. The Monday Night game in Cincy last year was probably the worst for me. Luckily, I've found out what the problem was. Going to games with the wife we are 0-3. Going to games without her, 4-0. Also, since we got a divorce it's looking pretty good.

[ShaneFalco]

Spotted some salty Pats fans after CJs beast mode run in OT.

jeez you watch the games in SD or something?

[tomjonesrocks]

Losing an away game sucks. The Monday Night game in Cincy last year was probably the worst for me. Luckily, I've found out what the problem was. Going to games with the wife we are 0-3. Going to games without her, 4-0. Also, since we got a divorce it's looking pretty good.

I'll be at the game next week - my record isn't so good and it has sucked watching quite a few asskickings at the hands of the Bolts. The insane MNF comeback win was the most noteworthy win I've seen live.

Certainly not expecting a loss but there haven't been too many games that haven't been won on razor-thin margins, so...

[I Eat Staples]

Bad replay, doesn't show the blocking, dude was nearly untouched.


1) It shows most of the blocking: Davis locked up his guy outside and pushed him back a bit, while Harris and Paradis threw classic cuts that left CJ nothing but a safety to beat.

2) Nearly, but not wholly, because Garcia couldn't get to the hole Paradis left quickly enough, so the guy who came through dove at Andersons legs (play might've ended right there for Hillman.) Paradis' guy did manage to get a hand in front of CJs shin for a second (play probably DOES end right there for Hillman.) The safety just barely managed to touch him and no more, but that was all CJ putting a move on him, not blocking (though blocking got him that far.)

Here's NBCs live feed and replay (https://twitter.com/NFL/status/671193893761757184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) if you want the whole thing. This one (https://twitter.com/nfl/status/671178557310152704)'s still a prettier RUN in my book, though shorter, because it was almost all CJ. It's not even that the blocking was BAD (though Harris and Schofields certainly was, and our WRs little better, but: They're WRs,) just that the Cheats lined up with almost their whole defensive backfield RIGHT where the play was called, yet Oz didn't audible out of it. So CJ had to break one tackle and run around two more just to reach the LoS.

If we want him to keep having 100 yd games and busting 50 yd walkoff TDs, that MUST remain the exception rather than reverting to the rule, else we'll be back to "hesistant," "dancing" and "fragile" CJ while people angrily demand "what happened to the CJ who ran through arm-tackles instead of collapsing?" That's mainly a reminder more than anything; for the most part, the run blocking was great yesterday, and even the pass blocking wasn't bad in the 4th.

You did that on purpose Jaded.

[Simple Jaded]

You did that on purpose Jaded.

I just wanted a better replay, how could I have known?

[Joel]

Joel, the only rebuttal might be that teams crowd the box against Manning and dare him to throw deep and outside the numbers. They can't do that against Brock.
Why not? Oz has played well, but hardly proven himself a sniper. After the last game, we'll probably see defenses FINALLY concentrate far more on stopping the run first and forcing us to beat them through the air (rather than the opposite pattern with a HoF QB and NO run game.) Then we'll see just how consistently Oz can hit deep targets all over the field even when blitzed.


Additionally, does it help the ZBS to run from under center, which Manning can't seem to do with any effectiveness.
I appreciate that in principle, but the pistol does negate many of the problems with shotgun runs. Further, I was surprised as anyone to see it, but NFL stats do show shotgun runs produce more yards more often than running from under center, not just on draws in obvious passing situations like 3rd and long, but in EVERY situtation. I don't really understand that, and do find it illogically counterintuitive, but I can't dispute the factual physical record.

Regardless, I agree those are better arguments than "we run better because our QB can scramble;" no one made that argument for Mannings Broncos predecessor. ;)

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Why not? Oz has played well, but hardly proven himself a sniper. After the last game, we'll probably see defenses FINALLY concentrate far more on stopping the run first and forcing us to beat them through the air (rather than the opposite pattern with a HoF QB and NO run game.) Then we'll see just how consistently Oz can hit deep targets all over the field even when blitzed.


I appreciate that in principle, but the pistol does negate many of the problems with shotgun runs. Further, I was surprised as anyone to see it, but NFL stats do show shotgun runs produce more yards more often than running from under center, not just on draws in obvious passing situations like 3rd and long, but in EVERY situtation. I don't really understand that, and do find it illogically counterintuitive, but I can't dispute the factual physical record.

Regardless, I agree those are better arguments than "we run better because our QB can scramble;" no one made that argument for Mannings Broncos predecessor. ;)

Hillman and Anderson both said they believe the ZBS works better from under center because they can better see the LOS.

[Joel]

Hillman and Anderson both said they believe the ZBS works better from under center because they can better see the LOS.
Fair enough; it makes sense, so I agree in principle, it's just that it's not what the record of physical events shows.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Fair enough; it makes sense, so I agree in principle, it's just that it's not what the record of physical events shows.

How can you suggest a lack of physical evidence exists? Our best rushing so far this year has happened in the last two weeks with a new qb under center, no less.

[wayninja]

How can you suggest a lack of physical evidence exists? Our best rushing so far this year has happened in the last two weeks with a new qb under center, no less.

He's talking about the statistics in general of running out of shutgun vs running from under center. Not just these specific games.

Personally I think it is a cart before the horse argument. Brock is simply more dangerous than Manning is passing or scrambling, and that is opening things up. I think we'd be nearly as successful with Brock in shotgun.

[Joel]

How can you suggest a lack of physical evidence exists? Our best rushing so far this year has happened in the last two weeks with a new qb under center, no less.
I don't suggest there's lack of evidence, I note there's ample counterevidence, for the reason wayninja stated.

Though I could've done without the dig at Manning obligatory even when discussing largely unrelated topics. ;) This whole "pass to establish the run" thing is without a doubt the most ridiculous football theory I've ever heard. Defenses have done to Manning what they ALWAYS do to ANY team that can't run, whether because it lacks talent or simply finds itself down two scores in the 4th. That's less a reflection on him than on the line that can neither create a running threat nor protect him.

[LawDog]

Losing an away game sucks. The Monday Night game in Cincy last year was probably the worst for me. Luckily, I've found out what the problem was. Going to games with the wife we are 0-3. Going to games without her, 4-0. Also, since we got a divorce it's looking pretty good.

This is a completely gratuitous Appalachia dig, but I have to ask; once the divorce was final is she still your cousin?

[I Eat Staples]

I don't think it has anything to do with being under center, and everything to do with Brock being able to run stretches, bootlegs, and make the defense respect the deep ball.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I don't suggest there's lack of evidence, I note there's ample counterevidence, for the reason wayninja stated.

Though I could've done without the dig at Manning obligatory even when discussing largely unrelated topics. ;) This whole "pass to establish the run" thing is without a doubt the most ridiculous football theory I've ever heard. Defenses have done to Manning what they ALWAYS do to ANY team that can't run, whether because it lacks talent or simply finds itself down two scores in the 4th. That's less a reflection on him than on the line that can neither create a running threat nor protect him.
It wasn't my intent to make a dig at Manning. I'm just stating what I think I know.

[Joel]

It wasn't my intent to make a dig at Manning. I'm just stating what I think I know.
No, I meant the dig at Manning wayninja threw in when correctly clarifying my other comment. Football conversations that all boil down to QBs and pass rushers get SO old.

[Northman]

After the last game, we'll probably see defenses FINALLY concentrate far more on stopping the run first and forcing us to beat them through the air

Hope so, Oz is going to torch them if they do that.

[NightTerror218]

Hell of a job blocked my OL and TE on that run. Exactly as designed, CJ was untouched past the front 7 and all he had to do was beat the safety. He owned that safety and showed his burst and speed. Man he has some serious jump cuts.

[Davii]

Hell of a job blocked my OL and TE on that run. Exactly as designed, CJ was untouched past the front 7 and all he had to do was beat the safety. He owned that safety and showed his burst and speed. Man he has some serious jump cuts.

Like a crab apparently!

[Joel]

Hope so, Oz is going to torch them if they do that.
I hope THAT'S true, because that's how football's SUPPOSED to work: Force them to abandon 6 and 7 man coverage that leaves your receivers heavily outnumbered, then burn them for big gains and quick scores. I just HOPE Oz can quickly but accurately read the remaining coverage and go through his progressions without getting fooled by subtly disguised and similar coverages. It's been all of TWO games; Oz has looked good, despite some hallmarks of youth, but it's way too soon to anoint him.

I also hope our pass blockers quit getting schooled by every single stunt and delay blitz they face, else it won't matter and we may be starting Seimian or Ponder soon.

[Simple Jaded]

I don't think it has anything to do with being under center, and everything to do with Brock being able to run stretches, bootlegs, and make the defense respect the deep ball.

You should call Stink and Jake Plummer and Big Al when they (and literally everyone else) are saying how much running from under center helps the running game, the running game as a whole and not just the draws.

All these uneducated just keep propagating that myth, smh.