Bigger, better QBs ahead for Broncos "D"

[TXBRONC]

http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13645867

Analysis: Bigger, better QBs ahead for Broncos "D"
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 10/27/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT

It's always intriguing to ask football people what they believe the most important attribute for a quarterback is.

Some will say arm strength, some will say demeanor and leadership and some will say smarts. All of those are certainly parts of the riddle that has vexed scouts for as long as they have evaluated quarterbacks.

But much of the time, when pushed, many of them will say it comes down to accuracy. That the windows to complete a pass against NFL defenses are so small and happen so fast the quarterbacks who can routinely put the ball in position for the receivers to make a play.

Those who get it to the correct shoulder, catch the receiver in stride or even routinely put the ball where only the offensive player can make the catch are the ones who will flourish.

And it may be why a guy like Baltimore's Joe Flacco, who the Broncos will see this Sunday, advanced so quickly from his rookie season in 2008 to his standing this year among the league's top 10 in several passing categories, including yards and touchdowns.

Tossed into the lineup last season, Flacco, who once had a stretch of 212 consecutive passes at Delaware without an interception, made enough good decisions to finish with a 60 percent completion rate. This season, he has improved that to just over 64 percent despite the fact he's throwing the ball far more often.

Thus far, the Broncos' defense has faced just one of the nine quarterbacks currently ranked among the league's top 13 in both yards passing and completion percentage

That was the Patriots' Tom Brady.

But now they will face two of those quarterbacks in the next two games — Flacco and the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger.

It will make their pass rush all the more important. Both of the quarterbacks are big as well, so it will take more than a glancing blow or a well-placed arm tackle to bring either of them down.

The Broncos are tied for second in the league in sacks overall and Elvis Dumervil is the league's individual leader with 10. They'll need him and more because the next two quarterbacks will find the right receiver if the Broncos let them stand there too long to look.

Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com

[Dirk]

Umm...even though his stats aren't up there, Rivers should be considered a big time passing QB.

However, I think the Broncos D will come to play!!!

[Dreadnought]

Umm...even though his stats aren't up there, Rivers should be considered a big time passing QB.

However, I think the Broncos D will come to play!!!

Carson Palmer and Tony Romo have their moments as well. Its not like we got to play JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn 6 times so far.

[Dirk]

Carson Palmer and Tony Romo have their moments as well. Its not like we got to play JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn 6 times so far.


haha....for sure!

[TXBRONC]

Umm...even though his stats aren't up there, Rivers should be considered a big time passing QB.

However, I think the Broncos D will come to play!!!

I don't like him but I agree that he is a big time passing quarterback.

He's on pace to the throw for over 4700 yards, 27 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 96%. Plus he has 59% percentage which isn't bad for a team through the deep ball on pretty consistent basis.

[Northman]

Hmmm,

So Palmer, Homo, Brady, and Rivers arent at the top of the lists eh? According to this we've already played 2 QB's in the top 5 and the other 2 are at least top 15.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=PASSING&conference=null&season=2009&seasonType=REG&d-447263-s=PASSING_YARDS&d-447263-o=2&d-447263-n=1

Seriously, what more does this team have to do just to get ANY credit this year? lol

Its ok though, i love the fact that everyone thinks we are just lucky or whatever. Keep underestimating us and we will just keep winning. Fine by me. The "legendary" Bears defense just gave up 45 points to the team we held to 7. I guess we arent sexy enough because our Qb isnt throwing 3 INT's every game.

[TXBRONC]

Carson Palmer and Tony Romo have their moments as well. Its not like we got to play JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn 6 times so far.

No kidding. By my count Denver this year will have faced 9 of the best quarterback in the League. Two which are considered the top quarterbacks in all of the NFL. Three of them have one a Super Bowl within the last four years.

[SoCalImport]

Selective statistic referencing at it's finest.
Rivers and Palmer are hardly scrubs. Flacco is good, but c'mon, be serious.
The broncos D has faced a good mix of some of the best QBs in the NFL already. That makes this attempt by Legwold just a bad article. IMHO.

[Shazam!]

Articles like this are such bullshit. The Broncos faced top QBs already, and I'm sorry but Flacco is mediocre compared to the competition they already had and some of the ones who are coming.

[Northman]

Flacco is not on Elite level yet but he is the real deal. He's done all that you could really ask for when it comes to a young QB. He is pretty good at taking care of the ball and has done all that he can to put the Ravens in a position to win ballgames. The 3 losses are a dropped 4th down pass, defensive penalties, and a missed FG. Denver shouldnt take him or the Ravens lightly come sunday. But i fully expect McD to have them ready.

[Dirk]

I agree with you on Flacco being the real deal. And McD will have them ready, I think he knows the Ravens are tougher than their record shows.

[TXBRONC]

So far this season Denver has only two teams that were below when they met.

[frenchfan]

I'm scared... I guess it's time to throw the white flag... Let's go :behindsofa:

:laugh:

Ok... more seriously... We met Palmer, Romo, Brady & Rivers... Who can say they are not very good QB????

Excuses & answers :
Palmer : Oh yeah... he wasn't at his top when we met... But he seems to have found his rythm quickly though
Romo : he was in a bad day... But he also has some good days
Brady : Oh well... He is not at his top... he's coming back after his injury... Let's ask to the Titans...
Rivers : he doesn't have an OL and any running game... Still, he can perform very well...

So, what's the common point of this???? :listen: Broncos :defense:
:shocked:
When will people realize we shut them down... No excuses... May be they didn't play well (I think Brady & Rivers did a good job in the 1st half) but we somehow helped them to play badly...
So give at least some credit to our D

Of course we'll meet very good QB and top teams according to our schedule... It's OBVIOUS...
But why should we be scared? We don't have last year's D anymore !
Bring'em all and play football... That's all that I want !

May be guys like Peyton will crush us... I don't know... But I'm pretty sure none of the great QB we'll meet soon is laughing anymore to play us ;)

Go Broncos !

:defense:

[Northman]

If anything, forget Brady and Romo. We went into a team's house that had previously owned our asses for the last 3-4 years and beat them soundly. That too me was a bigger statement than any other game this year.

[Lonestar]

Hey folks. When we went to CIN palmer was hardly the QB he is today. It was the first game of the year and neither him nor brady (coming off an injury)were firing on all cylinders. Brady was certainly not the same guy we saw that won 59_0.

While we have had a damned fine 6-0 run a lot of that was due to us being brand new from the ground up.

Unless we keep throwing changeups each week the OC will figure out our defenses weaknesses. And the same is true for our offense the DC will find away to slow us down.

This next few games will indeed expose us or those other teams weaknesses.

While I have loved every moment so far, I remain realistic that we just may lose a few this year yet.

Sent via Blackberry by altell.

[Northman]

Well, the 59-0 pasting was against a club that has already given up on the season. As for Palmer, not buying into that he wasnt on all cylinders. Like Brady both had been having great offseasons and preseasons so they were able to work out their kinks pretty well before the season even started. Like you, i dont think we will run the table but im not selling this team short either.

[frenchfan]

JR... I agree Brady badly missed 2 passes to opened receivers (one should have been a sure TD)... But, he didn't play really bad in the 1st half...
During the 2nd, we adjusted and things were more difficult for him then...

Will we be 16-0?
I really don't think so...
But I guess we've already met enough good teams to say that we are on the good way ;)
We won't let a QB like Russel looking like a HOF anymore...
We won't be an easy place for opponents' QB anymore...
We'll certainly lose some games... That's football...

But 1 thing great about our schedule : we'd met almost every great NFL QB (except Brees)... Our D would have been tested in all ways... We'll know very well what we can do and how we have to play ;)

This year, I'm not scared playing a team and praying our O to score 60+ pts ! :D

Go Broncos :defense:

[underrated29]

our base defense is a 5-2. Teams like pits will expose us for that easily if we dont swithc things around.

And yes flacco is legit, by a mile!


Still the ravens Cbs Suck Balls, our wr should have their way with them. I look for our offense to win this game for us.

[jhildebrand]

Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Tony Romo are definitely second rate QB's in this league :rolleyes:

[Lonestar]

Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Tony Romo are definitely second rate QB's in this league :rolleyes:


If you took that from my post then let me clarify it..

we have a good team that is brand new and because of that there was no real film on us and those last couple of teams saw a different team each week.. at least on Offense they did..

just like almost no one figured out the 2005 season, PIT did and put a beat down on in us in the AFCCG, someone will "get it" and write the book for everyone else to follow..

as for Brady he was still getting his sea legs so to speak he did not have total confidence in his knee that was hurt the year before..

palmer has always been a great QB and we just kept him off balance all day with a NEW defense no one had seen before..


I now think we have a decent chance to win the AFCW if we can win a couple more games and beat SAN in DEN. but then they will be loaded for bear IF they do not fold up by then..

[topscribe]

I wish the Broncos were playing the Bears this year in regular season.

I would love for Cutler to be taking his chances against Champ, Goodman, and Dawk, while running from Doom & co. . . .

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[T.K.O.]

this article is obviously B.S. from the title on...... how can we face a BIGGER qb than russell?:confused:

[TXBRONC]

this article is obviously B.S. from the title on...... how can we face a BIGGER qb than russell?:confused:

They mean mental stature.

[topscribe]

They mean mental stature.

He was kidding.

-----

[TXBRONC]

He was kidding.

-----

I know what he meant.

[shank]

I know what he meant.

Uh earth to Brint, I'm not so sure you did cuz you were all 'well I'm sure he's heard of styling gel' like you didn’t know it was a joke!

[TXBRONC]

Uh earth to Brint, I'm not so sure you did cuz you were all 'well I'm sure he's heard of styling gel' like you didn’t know it was a joke!


Yes Shaw I knew he was kidding.

[shank]

They'll need him and more because the next two quarterbacks will find the right receiver if the Broncos let them stand there too long to look.


oh... so THAT'S how football works. i was way off!


good thing it's only these 2 quarterbacks with that ability, or we'd be in trouble.

[T.K.O.]

oh... so THAT'S how football works. i was way off!


good thing it's only these 2 quarterbacks with that ability, or we'd be in trouble.

we better fire off a speedy email and let mcD know we cant let either of these qb's "stand there long enough".....
wait i'll call nolan on the "hotline":shocked:

[jhildebrand]

just like almost no one figured out the 2005 season, PIT did and put a beat down on in us in the AFCCG, someone will "get it" and write the book for everyone else to follow..

The problem with that idea is this: the 2005 team employed the same offensive philosophy week in and week out. This team has shown a different offensive philosophy each week. To make it harder to game plan, a different set of players has been 'showcased' (for lack of a better word) each week.



as for Brady he was still getting his sea legs so to speak he did not have total confidence in his knee that was hurt the year before..

Come on...you have to give Denver a little more credit here especially Nolan. I was anti everything with the way the offseason went but you have to give credit.

The one thing this team has done is make the other team look not so great. A week later they turn it back on i.e. 59 points or Cedric Benson and company going off. They look bad because Nolan and crew knew what it would take to make them look that bad.



palmer has always been a great QB and we just kept him off balance all day with a NEW defense no one had seen before..

You don't think this Nolan defense wasn't employed when he was in baltimore? :confused:



I now think we have a decent chance to win the AFCW if we can win a couple more games and beat SAN in DEN. but then they will be loaded for bear IF they do not fold up by then..

Well we still have two against KC, one against Oak, one against Washington. That should be 4 more. Philli is beatable (just ask Oakland). NYG at home can be winnable and Pitt at home without Kampman should be winnable.

[Lonestar]

The problem with that idea is this: the 2005 team employed the same offensive philosophy week in and week out. This team has shown a different offensive philosophy each week. To make it harder to game plan, a different set of players has been 'showcased' (for lack of a better word) each week.



Come on...you have to give Denver a little more credit here especially Nolan. I was anti everything with the way the offseason went but you have to give credit.

The one thing this team has done is make the other team look not so great. A week later they turn it back on i.e. 59 points or Cedric Benson and company going off. They look bad because Nolan and crew knew what it would take to make them look that bad.



You don't think this Nolan defense wasn't employed when he was in baltimore? :confused:



Well we still have two against KC, one against Oak, one against Washington. That should be 4 more. Philli is beatable (just ask Oakland). NYG at home can be winnable and Pitt at home without Kampman should be winnable.

yes Nolan used this defense before but it was with totally different players and frankly NO ONE thought this would work without the name players he had before..

I still think we caught NE at a good time before Brady had the full confidence of his repaired knee.. But I also give credit to Nolan and Josh for great game plans..

yes everyone on our schedule is beatable.. but sooner or later this team is going to crash emotionally from being high as the moon each week.. the season is flat to long not to..

now that said each week they are getting better with the scheme and getting to know each other and what to expect in timing and how the guy next to you is going to react to something.. I expect much better things now than I did in August..