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View Full Version : Broncos still mixing in zone blocking



Lonestar
11-24-2009, 10:33 PM
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 11/23/2009 03:21:27 PM MST
Updated: 11/23/2009 04:22:57 PM MST


The Chargers' Shaun Phillips puts a hit on Broncos quarterback Chris Simms that forces a fumble in the first quarter. The Broncos had driven to the San Diego 17-yard line. The Chargers got the ball at their 31 and drove 69 yards for the game's first score, a lead they would not relinquish. ( Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post )Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold analyzes the team's effort to run the ball in its 32-3 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday:

Before Sunday's game went completely south for the Broncos - roughly about the second quarter or so - they showed early that they have not left their familiar zone blocking totally behind with the changes in the offensive playbook.

In the first quarter, when the Broncos rushed for 42 of their 115 rushing yards, the offense flashed some of its familiar look in the running game. On their first five running plays of the game, the linemen all fired out in unison, either left or right, limiting the gaps and washing the defenders out of the play.

Those five running plays went for nine, eight, eight, four and three yards as the Broncos moved quickly into Chargers' territory. They ran, again, on the sixth and seventh plays of the drive, for eight and two yards, with more of a head-up approach as they attacked specific defenders.

The eighth play of the drive was going to be a pass attempt, but Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips knocked the ball away from quarterback Chris Simms with a blind-side swat.

Things got away from the Broncos for much of the game after that and Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said they couldn't settle into a routine running the ball much after that. But the first drive showed they are using a hybrid approach, with what they did under Mike Shanahan and what they have added with McDaniels' playbook.

"I think we can do both," said Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter. "When we get it going, we can run the ball."

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_13851889

BCJ
11-25-2009, 12:53 AM
I wondered why we got away from the run when it was so productive and it gave Simms almost zero chance of screwing up.

Dean
11-25-2009, 07:49 AM
I wonder why we got away from the effective zone blocking scheme when running the ball?

P.S. In fact I wonder why the offense is where it is at.

Last year down to our sixth RB the offense was second in the NFL with 395 yards per game. The knock was that they only scored 23.1 points per game. This year with a first round and a free agent RB, the same line, and purportedly better receivers; we manage 322 yards per game and a terrible 17 points per game.

rcsodak
11-25-2009, 09:52 PM
I wonder why we got away from the effective zone blocking scheme when running the ball?

P.S. In fact I wonder why the offense is where it is at.

Last year down to our sixth RB the offense was second in the NFL with 395 yards per game. The knock was that they only scored 23.1 points per game. This year with a first round and a free agent RB, the same line, and purportedly better receivers; we manage 322 yards per game and a terrible 17 points per game.

This ain't daddy's team no mo.

rcsodak
11-25-2009, 09:54 PM
I wondered why we got away from the run when it was so productive and it gave Simms almost zero chance of screwing up.

He wanted to be a hero. :lol:

I'd say, since that was the 1st pass attempt, SD KNEW it was coming. That doesn't bode well for 'keeping the D guessing'.

Frickin' OT game kept me from seeing the first drive. Prolly a good thing. I'd have prolly tore out some stitches. :coffee: