TXBRONC
12-11-2007, 07:42 PM
I think you all will find this an interesting read.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/11/tuesdays-broncos-report-mckinley-mentors-youthful-/
Tuesday’s Broncos report: McKinley mentors youthful D-line
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 03:35 p.m., December 11, 2007
Updated 03:35 p.m., December 11, 2007
Denver’s front four has turned into a kiddie corps as the season’s progressed.
The scenario’s left defensive tackle Alvin McKinley as one of the rare veterans remaining to dole out advice to the group of youngsters, which now includes rookies Stephen Harris, Marcus Thomas and Tim Crowder, second-year pro Elvis Dumervil and third-year player Josh Mallard in the regular rotation.
“If you look at it, technically, (John) Engelberger is older than me. I’m 29. Engelberger’s 30,” McKinley said Tuesday. “But just the fact I’m still here and able to do what I can do at this age, I’m being a mentor to these young guys.”
McKinley, in his eighth NFL season, has offered tips on how to watch film properly and given insight into opponents’ skills.
All the while, he’s nearly the last man standing in the regular lineup in the middle of the defensive front. McKinley’s seven starts are currently the most by anyone on Denver’s ever-changing roster, particularly at tackle.
Sam Adams and Amon Gordon, who opened the season No. 1 on the depth chart, both have been released.
“The thing about it is if I’m not consistent, I wouldn’t be able to eat,” McKinley said. “So it’s either me or them. That’s my approach to everything. There’s always room for improvement. But I feel for the most part I’ve done all right.”
Hot Mustard
The Broncos have three Travis Henry rushing touchdowns from the 4-yard-line and closer the last two games after getting just seven total scores on the ground the previous 11 contests.
The spike in the success rate has come with the insertion of tight end Chad Mustard in an H-back role in conjunction with fullback Cecil Sapp.
“I don’t get on the field all that often and to get on the field in the red zone when we’re scoring touchdowns is fun,” Mustard said.
Last Sunday, Mustard went in motion across the formation and back, then took on the linebacker for Henry’s 1-yard dive.
It isn’t the first time Denver’s featured this power look.
Denver had some success with it last season against the Raiders, so when they played in Oakland two weeks ago, they unveiled a similar personnel grouping. Two Henry scores prompted the Broncos to stay the course against Kansas City last weekend.
“It’s a great scheme we’ve been able to execute,” Mustard added.
Staying focused
With three sacks Sunday, Elvis Dumervil padded his total to 11 and moved within striking distance of the league leaders.
Seattle’s Patrick Kerney is No.1 with 13.5, followed by the New York Giants’ Osi Umenyiora (12) and four others at 11.5
But Dumervil, who predicted for himself in the preseason a 12-15 sack performance and may hit those totals with three games left, maintained Tuesday that becoming the tops in sacks isn’t high on his agenda.
“You can’t look at those things. You start looking at those things that’s when you get left behind,” he said. “You need to take it game by game. And I’ll go out Thursday and try to get a couple more and see what happens.”
The eyes have it
The four touchdowns and zero interceptions Jay Cutler threw against Kansas City on Sunday resulted in his best statistics to date.
But coach Mike Shanahan was perhaps more impressed with the way his young quarterback used his eyes to avert locking on his targets, freezing defenders just before throwing to an intended receiver the other way.
Cutler responded that it’s a skill-set that’s been developing as he’s gone through his first full year as starter.
“When you first get into the league you’re just trying to figure out where your guy is going first and you’re not worried about the defense. You have a good idea of what they’re going to do but you’re not really concentrating on them,” he said. “As you get more experience and confidence, you can start concentrating on the linebackers and safeties and moving them a little bit.”
Injury report
-- While WR Brandon Stokley won’t yet rule himself out Thursday, he hasn’t backed off his weekend assessment that his troublesome left knee may affect his availability for the Texans. He didn’t practice Tuesday and could benefit from a few extra days to heal following the Houston trip.
“I don’t look at it that way. If there’s any chance I can play, I’ll play then rest over the long weekend,” said Stokley, who could return for Wednesday’s hour-long practice prior to the team flight but likely will be a game-time decision.
-- WR Javon Walker (right knee) went through Tuesday’s practice and should be available Thursday.
-- S Nick Ferguson went through individual drills but will miss the game with a medial collateral ligament sprain.
Etc.
-- A hearing in Denver County court regarding wide receiver Brandon Marshall’s pending drunken-driving case originally scheduled for Thursday has been pushed back to Dec. 18. Marshall was cited for driving “erratically” in the early morning hours of Oct. 22 and is expected to enter a plea when he goes before the judge next week.
-- The cold and snow forced the Broncos inside to the South Suburban Sports Dome for Tuesday’s lone full-scale preparations for Houston. The workout lasted about two hours.
A children’s lacrosse team had been scheduled to use the bubble but it coincided with the Broncos’ morning walk-through. The team gave the youths complementary hats and allowed them to use Denver’s smaller indoor complex at its training facility instead.
He said it
“He's got a long way to go, but I know one thing: He's a lot further ahead than I was when I got in the NFL at 31. Just being around the game as a kid and studying it at the collegiate level and pro level, from an X and O standpoint, it's not even close.”
Shanahan, on the future head-coaching prospects of his son, Texans quarterback coach Kyle Shanahan
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/11/tuesdays-broncos-report-mckinley-mentors-youthful-/
Tuesday’s Broncos report: McKinley mentors youthful D-line
By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 03:35 p.m., December 11, 2007
Updated 03:35 p.m., December 11, 2007
Denver’s front four has turned into a kiddie corps as the season’s progressed.
The scenario’s left defensive tackle Alvin McKinley as one of the rare veterans remaining to dole out advice to the group of youngsters, which now includes rookies Stephen Harris, Marcus Thomas and Tim Crowder, second-year pro Elvis Dumervil and third-year player Josh Mallard in the regular rotation.
“If you look at it, technically, (John) Engelberger is older than me. I’m 29. Engelberger’s 30,” McKinley said Tuesday. “But just the fact I’m still here and able to do what I can do at this age, I’m being a mentor to these young guys.”
McKinley, in his eighth NFL season, has offered tips on how to watch film properly and given insight into opponents’ skills.
All the while, he’s nearly the last man standing in the regular lineup in the middle of the defensive front. McKinley’s seven starts are currently the most by anyone on Denver’s ever-changing roster, particularly at tackle.
Sam Adams and Amon Gordon, who opened the season No. 1 on the depth chart, both have been released.
“The thing about it is if I’m not consistent, I wouldn’t be able to eat,” McKinley said. “So it’s either me or them. That’s my approach to everything. There’s always room for improvement. But I feel for the most part I’ve done all right.”
Hot Mustard
The Broncos have three Travis Henry rushing touchdowns from the 4-yard-line and closer the last two games after getting just seven total scores on the ground the previous 11 contests.
The spike in the success rate has come with the insertion of tight end Chad Mustard in an H-back role in conjunction with fullback Cecil Sapp.
“I don’t get on the field all that often and to get on the field in the red zone when we’re scoring touchdowns is fun,” Mustard said.
Last Sunday, Mustard went in motion across the formation and back, then took on the linebacker for Henry’s 1-yard dive.
It isn’t the first time Denver’s featured this power look.
Denver had some success with it last season against the Raiders, so when they played in Oakland two weeks ago, they unveiled a similar personnel grouping. Two Henry scores prompted the Broncos to stay the course against Kansas City last weekend.
“It’s a great scheme we’ve been able to execute,” Mustard added.
Staying focused
With three sacks Sunday, Elvis Dumervil padded his total to 11 and moved within striking distance of the league leaders.
Seattle’s Patrick Kerney is No.1 with 13.5, followed by the New York Giants’ Osi Umenyiora (12) and four others at 11.5
But Dumervil, who predicted for himself in the preseason a 12-15 sack performance and may hit those totals with three games left, maintained Tuesday that becoming the tops in sacks isn’t high on his agenda.
“You can’t look at those things. You start looking at those things that’s when you get left behind,” he said. “You need to take it game by game. And I’ll go out Thursday and try to get a couple more and see what happens.”
The eyes have it
The four touchdowns and zero interceptions Jay Cutler threw against Kansas City on Sunday resulted in his best statistics to date.
But coach Mike Shanahan was perhaps more impressed with the way his young quarterback used his eyes to avert locking on his targets, freezing defenders just before throwing to an intended receiver the other way.
Cutler responded that it’s a skill-set that’s been developing as he’s gone through his first full year as starter.
“When you first get into the league you’re just trying to figure out where your guy is going first and you’re not worried about the defense. You have a good idea of what they’re going to do but you’re not really concentrating on them,” he said. “As you get more experience and confidence, you can start concentrating on the linebackers and safeties and moving them a little bit.”
Injury report
-- While WR Brandon Stokley won’t yet rule himself out Thursday, he hasn’t backed off his weekend assessment that his troublesome left knee may affect his availability for the Texans. He didn’t practice Tuesday and could benefit from a few extra days to heal following the Houston trip.
“I don’t look at it that way. If there’s any chance I can play, I’ll play then rest over the long weekend,” said Stokley, who could return for Wednesday’s hour-long practice prior to the team flight but likely will be a game-time decision.
-- WR Javon Walker (right knee) went through Tuesday’s practice and should be available Thursday.
-- S Nick Ferguson went through individual drills but will miss the game with a medial collateral ligament sprain.
Etc.
-- A hearing in Denver County court regarding wide receiver Brandon Marshall’s pending drunken-driving case originally scheduled for Thursday has been pushed back to Dec. 18. Marshall was cited for driving “erratically” in the early morning hours of Oct. 22 and is expected to enter a plea when he goes before the judge next week.
-- The cold and snow forced the Broncos inside to the South Suburban Sports Dome for Tuesday’s lone full-scale preparations for Houston. The workout lasted about two hours.
A children’s lacrosse team had been scheduled to use the bubble but it coincided with the Broncos’ morning walk-through. The team gave the youths complementary hats and allowed them to use Denver’s smaller indoor complex at its training facility instead.
He said it
“He's got a long way to go, but I know one thing: He's a lot further ahead than I was when I got in the NFL at 31. Just being around the game as a kid and studying it at the collegiate level and pro level, from an X and O standpoint, it's not even close.”
Shanahan, on the future head-coaching prospects of his son, Texans quarterback coach Kyle Shanahan