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Denver Native (Carol)
09-28-2009, 10:09 AM
Red Miller on Broncos' defense

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13435189

OAKLAND, Calif. — Denver's rookie head coach had come to Oakland and put a silver-and-black, bone-crushing vise on the humbled-and-humiliated Raiders, and the Broncos remained unbeaten and unscathed.

As he walked from the emptied Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday afternoon, the coach said: "This is a pretty darn good defense. Reminds me of the other one."

The old Red Head knows of what he speaks.

On the same field in 1977, in his first year as Broncos coach, Robert Miller, and the Orange Crush, thwacked the Raiders. Few had believed in the Broncos before then, a 30-7 victory — and before now, a 23-3 victory.

Miller's point of view is entirely different. He hasn't been on the Broncos' sideline as coach in 29 seasons, and he was in the upper regions Sunday as host of a small Denver faction at the enemy's camp.

"Very impressed," Miller of the Broncos. "But that's the worst Raiders team I've seen since 1960."

He does remember. Miller, who turns 82 next month, joined the American Football League in its inaugural season as an assistant with the Patriots, the same team that produced the new Broncos coach, Josh McDaniels.

From M to M. Miller hated, and still loathes, the Raiders. McDaniels is learning.

Back in '77 here, Broncos quarterback Craig Morton (rhymes with "Orton") threw for a couple of touchdowns, and the Broncos even scored on a fake field-goal toss from the holder (Norris Weese) to the kicker (Jim Turner).

But the Broncos' defense shocked the world, the Raiders' coach John Madden and Al Davis with seven, yes, seven interceptions and five sacks and held Oakland to one touchdown. It was the Raiders' worst regular-season loss.

The current defense was equally as capable against the Raiders, allowing no touchdowns (one field goal) and finishing with a fumble recovery, two interceptions and three sacks, while limiting Oakland to 137 net yards, only 42 net passing yards, just nine first downs and one (unsuccessful) journey inside the 20-yard line.

The Broncos resembled their fathers' defense.

"They got after it," said Miller in his postgame chat (attended by one) next to a hot dog stand.

The Broncos' defense has gotten after it — and them — this season in three consecutive daunting performances that resulted in the other side scoring a single touchdown (by the Bengals with 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter) and three field goals. The Broncos have five interceptions, three fumbles and nine sacks in a 3-4 similar to the defense the Broncos had perfected by the 1977 season.

The Broncos have trailed for four minutes, 46 seconds out of 180 minutes this year.

Linebacker Tom Jackson went over to Madden and said, "It's over, fat man."

Linebacker Elvis Dumervil could have made the same declaration to Raiders corpulent coach Tom Cable at the conclusion of the third quarter.

Except that Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell is no Kenny Stabler, and the '09 Raiders may play in the same Coliseum, but don't belong in the same universe as the '77 Raiders.

The Raiders are in The Black Hole of Despair. The game was blacked out on local TV. People in Oakland should be grateful. The 45,602 in the Coliseum booed Russell as if he were a pathetic gladiator in the original Colosseum.

"These fans deserved a better football team than we showed today," said Cable, who might agree with Miller's assessment.

But the Broncos' defense is The Blue Wall, D.B.D. Blue — with Elvis, Fields of Dream, Champ, Dawk, D.J., Goodman and the Blue Men Group.

Five of the Raiders' possessions did not produce a first down. There were four punts, three turnovers, a field goal and the end of the half, and the Raiders gave up the ball on downs late in the fourth quarter.

On their first possession of the final quarter, the Raiders started at their 20 and ended at their 4. JaMarcus was JaHorrendous. He won't get a bust in the Hall of Fame. He's just a big (6-foot-6) bust. The Broncos' "D" was delightful, delicious, de-lovely.

The defense, McDaniels said, is "playing terrifically. We are playing fundamental football, and we are trying to do it for four quarters. . . . Just a total team effort, and the defense certainly played a big part of it."

The Broncos confront at least seven stern challenges in their next eight games, but they have proven the defense can be crushing; the offense can be conservative, yet score in the 20s; the quarterback, Kyle Orton (rhymes with Morton) can be efficient and not throw interceptions; the running game can be very effective (401 net yards in the past two games); and the Broncos can be lucky at times.

If that description sounds familiar, it should. In 1977 those Broncos began the season by scoring 7, 26 and 24 points and permitting only 19. These 2009 Broncos have scored 12, 27 and 23 and allowed only 16 points.

Red Miller understands.

In his rookie head coaching season, the Broncos won their first six.

The Broncos are halfway there.

CrazyHorse
09-28-2009, 11:06 AM
But we lost to Dallas. Hope that doesn't happen again.

Bronco Warrior
09-28-2009, 11:22 AM
As a fan old enough to have been one when Red Took over...I didn't know alot about football at 1 yet but I remember that Morton and Orton kinda had the same rep. and the Defense was simular! Great insight to have pointed it out!

Denver Native (Carol)
09-28-2009, 11:28 AM
As a fan old enough to have been one when Red Took over...I didn't know alot about football at 1 yet but I remember that Morton and Orton kinda had the same rep. and the Defense was simular! Great insight to have pointed it out!

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