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TXBRONC
11-11-2009, 10:31 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13759258

Broncos coach McDaniels: "No shortcuts" to improving running game
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/11/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

Too bad Forrest Gump has retired to the old-movie display of a video store near you.

The Broncos could use him.

Run, somebody, run!

In the past two games, Broncos tailbacks Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno have combined for 84 yards rushing on 32 carries for a 2.6-yard average.

Moreno started against the Baltimore Ravens. Buckhalter started against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After their 6-0 start, the Broncos ranked seventh in rushing. Two games later, they rank 18th.

"There's no shortcut to it," Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said late Monday night after his team's 28-10 loss to Pittsburgh. "We have to work hard at getting ourselves to run the ball better and be more effective running the football and staying out of third-and-long. That alone will allow us to stay balanced. We've got to get the running game going. We've got a lot of things to do better though; it's not just the running game."

Harris update.

Right tackle Ryan Harris is expected to miss his second consecutive game Sunday when the Broncos play at Washington. Harris suffered a dislocated right big toe — not two small toes as previously reported — Nov. 1 at Baltimore.

There is a chance he could return by Nov. 22 for the game against AFC West rival San Diego. But because the game against the Chargers will be followed four days later by a Thanksgiving game against the New York Giants, there is also a chance Harris might not return until Dec. 6 against Kansas City.

He has been replaced by Tyler Polumbus, a second-year player from the University of Colorado who continues to receive positive reviews.

"I thought Tyler hung in there pretty good," McDaniels said of Polumbus' first NFL start Monday against the Steelers.

Busy Berger.

Given Mitch Berger was unemployed the first seven weeks of this season, it might have helped had the Broncos broke him in slowly as their new punter.

He was not afforded such luxury. In the Broncos' first six wins, Brett Kern punted 27 times, or 4 1/2 boots a game. In the Broncos' last two losses, Berger has already made 15 punts, 7 1/2 per game.

After Berger had punts of 26 and 24 yards against the Steelers, McDaniels was asked if he was rethinking his decision to switch punters.

"We'll take a look at the film and see if there is anything," McDaniels said. "I know there were a couple of short punts there. I know he did good things too. Punted some directionally that we wanted directional punted. We'll take a look at everything."

Defense slips.

The Broncos no longer have the NFL's best defense. They now rank third in total defense (280.3 yards per game) and third in scoring (15.5 points).

A couple of bad halves will do this to a team's ranking. The Larry Coyer-coordinated Indianapolis Colts have the top scoring defense at 13.5 points per game.

"We have to get back to getting off the field on third down in the second half, which we did a good job of in the first six games," Broncos cornerback Andre Goodman said.

Defense rises.

Then again, in the all-important takeaway and sack categories, the Broncos are at least two times better than their 2008 defense. By forcing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into a fumble and interception Monday, the Broncos have 14 takeaways in eight games. They had 13 takeaways in 16 games last year.

The Broncos also reached the halfway point with 26 sacks. They had 26 sacks all of last season.

Footnotes.

Brandon Marshall personifies the Broncos' short passing game. He has moved up to a tie for 11th in the league with 44 catches. Yet, his 468 receiving yards rank 29th. . . . Almost overlooked Monday were the seven catches by Steelers receiver Hines Ward, giving him 849 for his career, tied with ex-Bronco Rod Smith for 15th on the all-time list.

Mike Klis, The Denver Post

SmilinAssasSin27
11-11-2009, 11:06 AM
Ummm...we played probably the 2 toughest run Ds of the past decade. The short cut will be flying to DC this weekend. Somehow, I think it will miraculously become fixed.

IMHO, we are not elite, but we have been truly battle tested. The team must respond, but the hardest part of the schedule is out of the way. We still play very good teams, but noone applies pressure or plays harder than Bmore and Pitt.

TXBRONC
11-11-2009, 11:10 AM
Ummm...we played probably the 2 toughest run Ds of the past decade. The short cut will be flying to DC this weekend. Somehow, I think it will miraculously become fixed.

IMHO, we are not elite, but we have been truly battle tested. The team must respond, but the hardest part of the schedule is out of the way. We still play very good teams, but noone applies pressure or plays harder than Bmore and Pitt.

I hope you're right but I think that oppossing defenses are smothering the our short passing game which also having an effect on the running attack.

SmilinAssasSin27
11-11-2009, 11:15 AM
I'm sure they will try to do that and I agree we need to take more shots downfield. But I still believe only a few teams have the scheme/personnel to be effective at it.

jrelway
11-11-2009, 11:15 AM
dear coach McD. take some shots down the field so it opens up the run game a little.

SOCALORADO.
11-11-2009, 11:29 AM
Then again, in the all-important takeaway and sack categories, the Broncos are at least two times better than their 2008 defense. By forcing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into a fumble and interception Monday, the Broncos have 14 takeaways in eight games. They had 13 takeaways in 16 games last year.

The Broncos also reached the halfway point with 26 sacks. They had 26 sacks all of last season.

Just this part of the article alone is so great.

underrated29
11-11-2009, 11:29 AM
Dear coach mcdaniels.


Call more than 3 RUNNIG PLAYS!!!


not number of times we run. NUMBER OF DIFFERENT RUN PLAYS WE RUN! WE ONLY RUN 3 DIFFERENT PLAYS!

dogfish
11-11-2009, 11:30 AM
Broncos coach McDaniels: "No shortcuts" to improving running game

well then, i hope he's committed to doing what's necessary, including either/or retooling the interior offensive line over the offseason, making some schematic alterations to suit the strengths of our personnel, trying variations in his playcalling, and giving hillis a chance to carry the ball. . . because we need to try something to get this corrected, and just saying "we need to execute better" isn't always enough. . . .

CrazyHorse
11-11-2009, 12:23 PM
That Larry Coyer is a pretty good defensive coordinator.

jhildebrand
11-11-2009, 12:36 PM
Well when two of your RB's aren't getting the job done against a big, strong defense, you can always try someone else. Maybe a big, powerful between the tackles back like Hillis.

After all, if he fails it would be 2nd and 8 or 3rd and 8 as opposed to 2 and 10 or 3 and 10. Cant be that bad. Maybe you run one the first half and switch it up to the other in the second.

That would seem like a short cut to me or at least an option. The whole Hillis thing is really baffling at this point. It is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

HORSEPOWER 56
11-11-2009, 12:39 PM
That Larry Coyer is a pretty good defensive coordinator.

When you have Freeney and Mathis already in place at DE it makes it a lot easier to get pressure. That was our biggest problem in the Coyer years as DC, no pass rushing DEs that we were willing to pay (Berry and Hayward - gone). It really helps the defense having an offense that can score and eat up clock like Indy can. The defense is well rested and can go 100% on every defensive snap.

Our defense looks awesome when they can go 100%. The last two weeks haven't been the case.

Ravage!!!
11-11-2009, 12:48 PM
When you have Freeney and Mathis already in place at DE it makes it a lot easier to get pressure. That was our biggest problem in the Coyer years as DC, no pass rushing DEs that we were willing to pay (Berry and Hayward - gone). It really helps the defense having an offense that can score and eat up clock like Indy can. The defense is well rested and can go 100% on every defensive snap.

Our defense looks awesome when they can go 100%. The last two weeks haven't been the case.

Not to mention, an offense that scores helps the defense out because it helps them see the other team trying to catch up. Helps the defensive calls when you know a team is trying to score WITH you.

broncofaninfla
11-11-2009, 01:20 PM
Our offense puts too much pressure on the defense. Orton's passes sail when he throws anything over 15 yards so as long as he is under center defenses won't fear anything deep by us. That in turn shuts down our "very poorly schemed to our current players" running game. McD is too stubborn about "his guys" running the ball the way he wants us to run and looks as though he is willing to lose in doing so. Our Oline is built for the ZBS and proven in the past that we can excel in that running scheme. Yet insists on a power running game yet hasn't used our most powerful runner nor addressed Hamilton's inability to play in this system. Our running scheme sucks, our roster isn't staffed for it, Mcd is being stubborn instead of smart and we will continue to stink on offense until he swallows his pride and adjusts his scheme to the talent we do have.

TXBRONC
11-11-2009, 01:49 PM
I'm sure they will try to do that and I agree we need to take more shots downfield. But I still believe only a few teams have the scheme/personnel to be effective at it.

I'm not advocating a bombs away attack but taking some shots down field would probably keep opposing secondaries honest.

Northman
11-11-2009, 05:08 PM
In the past two games, Broncos tailbacks Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno have combined for 84 yards rushing on 32 carries for a 2.6-yard average.

Moreno started against the Baltimore Ravens. Buckhalter started against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After their 6-0 start, the Broncos ranked seventh in rushing. Two games later, they rank 18th.

Been pointing this out all week. In order for us to get back to winning ballgames we have to be able to run the ball.

dogfish
11-11-2009, 05:09 PM
Been pointing this out all week. In order for us to get back to winning ballgames we have to be able to run the ball.

yea, 27 stinkin' yards isn't going to get it done against anyone. . . i don't care if that's the '85 bears on the other side of the ball, you gotta be able to do better than that. . . .

broncohead
11-11-2009, 08:17 PM
I think we should also put a FB infront of the HB. Tired of running from single back and shotgun

Overtime
11-11-2009, 08:29 PM
Ryan Harris is out because he dislocated a big toe??? are you serious? whatever happened to taping it up, injecting it with some pain killer, and playing through it?

my god some of these players are little babies.

Mark Schlereth used to play through blinding/searing pain, and this wuss can't play because of a dislocated big toe? Holy mother of God.