Denver Native (Carol)
11-23-2009, 01:19 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9599
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The biggest game is always the next game.
With four straight losses now in the past, the Broncos will waste no time in returning to INVESCO Field at Mile High for that next game.
Thursday night marks the first Thanksgiving home game in Denver since the 1963 season. It also marks a quick turnaround toward the Broncos' next goal -- picking up a victory over the Giants.
"It's probably the best thing about this," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "Anytime you lose a game, you'd love to play the next one the next day, just to try to get the taste out of your mouth. None of us feel good, none of us are happy about what is going on right now, but we'll look forward to playing on Thursday."
In the thick of the second-half crunch, Renaldo Hill sees the Thanksgiving schedule as offering a beneficial twist. Along with being afforded the chance to quickly return to work, the Broncos will prepare during the shortest week of the season to date.
Regardless of the change in routine, Hill said it's all about defending home ground and earning win No. 7.
"If we still want to move in the right direction, we have to get ready for this next opponent," he said. "They're not going to have any mercy on us and we'll have to be prepared and ready to go as a team and expect them to want to come in here and win."
MORE MILEAGE FROM MORENO, BUCKHALTER
From the moment the Broncos offense took the field, a commitment to running the football was apparent.
Denver's first seven plays from scrimmage came via the backfield tandem -- Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. The duo combined for 42 yards in that sequence, with Moreno earning 28 of those yards on his four carries.
"Whatever was working," Moreno said. "At that time, that was working and we were able to get some good yardage."
The eighth play of that opening drive put a stop to the progress. Facing pressure from multiple angles, Chris Simms was stripped of the ball by Shaun Phillips. The Chargers recovered the fumble, squelching the Broncos' early success.
Mistakes of that nature prohibited Denver from using the run as frequently as desired. The Broncos recorded only 10 running plays over the final 55 minutes of the game.
"We've gotten in situations where we make mistakes early in the game that maybe predicated that we throw the ball more as the game goes on," McDaniels said. "Obviously that's not the formula we want to implement to try to win based on the success we've had this year. We've got to do better earlier in the game so that we can stay balanced, run the ball effectively and throw the ball effectively at the same time without giving away what we have to do."
ONSIDE OPPORTUNITY
With a field goal on the board and some momentum in their possession, the Broncos did anything but tip their hand. Trailing 13-3 midway through the third quarter, Matt Prater placed the ball on his kicking tee at its normal 30-yard line position.
As San Diego prepped for a normal deep kickoff, Prater executed a sound onside kick to the right side. The pooch attempt crossed over the 40-yard line before it landed in the hands of Chargers receiver Legedu Naanee at the 41-yard line.
The closest Bronco to having a chance to recover it was Josh Barrett.
"I love the call, love the aggressiveness," Barrett said. "But it just came down to me not getting it done, so that's disappointing."
San Diego capitalized on the strong field position, marching 41 yards downfield on six plays. LaDainian Tomlinson's one-yard touchdown run put the visitors ahead 20-3 -- a three-score deficit that the Broncos were unable to recover from.
McDaniels said the call was motivated by a combination of familiarity with the play in practice and a couple of previous game situations where the trickery could have worked. He also knew the risk-reward scenarios on the table.
"I believe we touched the ball first or had a chance to get it," McDaniels said. "But again those are situations where you take a risk and there is a great reward at the end of it, and if you don't get it it can turn around and hurt you."
ROYAL TANDEM RISING TO NEW HEIGHTS
After posting rookie records with 91 receptions and 980 receiving yards in 2008, Eddie Royal is quickly approaching two new franchise bests.
Royal needs one reception and 373 receiving yards to hold the most catches and receiving yards through a player's first two professional seasons with the team. Both of those marks are currently held by Brandon Marshall, who had 122 catches and 1,634 receiving yards with the Broncos from 2006-2007.
Marshall had three catches for 26 yards in Sunday's 32-3 loss to the Chargers, and is 372 receiving yards away from his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. To help the offense revive its early-season success, Marshall plans on studying his own play for the greater team cause.
"I think everybody needs to look at themselves first," Marshall said. "I'm going to go back and watch film of myself and see what I'm doing wrong, what I changed from last year and how I can help move the ball down the field."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The biggest game is always the next game.
With four straight losses now in the past, the Broncos will waste no time in returning to INVESCO Field at Mile High for that next game.
Thursday night marks the first Thanksgiving home game in Denver since the 1963 season. It also marks a quick turnaround toward the Broncos' next goal -- picking up a victory over the Giants.
"It's probably the best thing about this," Head Coach Josh McDaniels said. "Anytime you lose a game, you'd love to play the next one the next day, just to try to get the taste out of your mouth. None of us feel good, none of us are happy about what is going on right now, but we'll look forward to playing on Thursday."
In the thick of the second-half crunch, Renaldo Hill sees the Thanksgiving schedule as offering a beneficial twist. Along with being afforded the chance to quickly return to work, the Broncos will prepare during the shortest week of the season to date.
Regardless of the change in routine, Hill said it's all about defending home ground and earning win No. 7.
"If we still want to move in the right direction, we have to get ready for this next opponent," he said. "They're not going to have any mercy on us and we'll have to be prepared and ready to go as a team and expect them to want to come in here and win."
MORE MILEAGE FROM MORENO, BUCKHALTER
From the moment the Broncos offense took the field, a commitment to running the football was apparent.
Denver's first seven plays from scrimmage came via the backfield tandem -- Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter. The duo combined for 42 yards in that sequence, with Moreno earning 28 of those yards on his four carries.
"Whatever was working," Moreno said. "At that time, that was working and we were able to get some good yardage."
The eighth play of that opening drive put a stop to the progress. Facing pressure from multiple angles, Chris Simms was stripped of the ball by Shaun Phillips. The Chargers recovered the fumble, squelching the Broncos' early success.
Mistakes of that nature prohibited Denver from using the run as frequently as desired. The Broncos recorded only 10 running plays over the final 55 minutes of the game.
"We've gotten in situations where we make mistakes early in the game that maybe predicated that we throw the ball more as the game goes on," McDaniels said. "Obviously that's not the formula we want to implement to try to win based on the success we've had this year. We've got to do better earlier in the game so that we can stay balanced, run the ball effectively and throw the ball effectively at the same time without giving away what we have to do."
ONSIDE OPPORTUNITY
With a field goal on the board and some momentum in their possession, the Broncos did anything but tip their hand. Trailing 13-3 midway through the third quarter, Matt Prater placed the ball on his kicking tee at its normal 30-yard line position.
As San Diego prepped for a normal deep kickoff, Prater executed a sound onside kick to the right side. The pooch attempt crossed over the 40-yard line before it landed in the hands of Chargers receiver Legedu Naanee at the 41-yard line.
The closest Bronco to having a chance to recover it was Josh Barrett.
"I love the call, love the aggressiveness," Barrett said. "But it just came down to me not getting it done, so that's disappointing."
San Diego capitalized on the strong field position, marching 41 yards downfield on six plays. LaDainian Tomlinson's one-yard touchdown run put the visitors ahead 20-3 -- a three-score deficit that the Broncos were unable to recover from.
McDaniels said the call was motivated by a combination of familiarity with the play in practice and a couple of previous game situations where the trickery could have worked. He also knew the risk-reward scenarios on the table.
"I believe we touched the ball first or had a chance to get it," McDaniels said. "But again those are situations where you take a risk and there is a great reward at the end of it, and if you don't get it it can turn around and hurt you."
ROYAL TANDEM RISING TO NEW HEIGHTS
After posting rookie records with 91 receptions and 980 receiving yards in 2008, Eddie Royal is quickly approaching two new franchise bests.
Royal needs one reception and 373 receiving yards to hold the most catches and receiving yards through a player's first two professional seasons with the team. Both of those marks are currently held by Brandon Marshall, who had 122 catches and 1,634 receiving yards with the Broncos from 2006-2007.
Marshall had three catches for 26 yards in Sunday's 32-3 loss to the Chargers, and is 372 receiving yards away from his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. To help the offense revive its early-season success, Marshall plans on studying his own play for the greater team cause.
"I think everybody needs to look at themselves first," Marshall said. "I'm going to go back and watch film of myself and see what I'm doing wrong, what I changed from last year and how I can help move the ball down the field."