Lonestar
12-19-2009, 06:55 PM
The offense has been crippled by failures on third-and-3 or less or fourth-and-2 or less.
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/19/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/19/2009 03:42:28 AM MST
In one of the Broncos' relatively few short-yardage successes this season, rookie Knowshon Moreno runs for a 2-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 44-13 win on Dec. 6. ( John Leyba, The Denver Post )For the Broncos, it has been the longest yard. In fact, it's been their longest, most excruciating, teeth-grinding yard.
Or 2 or even 3, but in short yardage, the Broncos have been longshots much of the time this season.
"It's a mixture of a lot of different things, blocking, running, play-calling, I don't know," Broncos center Casey Wiegmann said. "I wish we could get it figured out. We've stressed it, and it just seems not to be taken care of.
"We're trying to do everything the right way. We're studying the film, doing the right stuff, but you've got to take it to the field."
So far, it has been equal parts frustration and failure. The Broncos are just 28-of-51 (55 percent) converting third- down plays of 3 yards or shorter, and they are 2-of-7 on fourth-down plays of either 2 yards or 1 yard.
And for a playoff hopeful, it is a disturbing trend because it constitutes drives that were not kept alive, touchdowns that were not scored and more opportunities for opposing offenses with Pro Bowl quarterbacks and wide receivers to put points on the scoreboard.
"We need to make them," Broncos offensive line coach Rick Dennison said. "I think the issues are — it's everybody, you can't say it's one person, it's the whole group, it's me coaching it, we're just not getting it done. We'll get it done. We're all part of (the problem) and we're all part of the solution."
The Broncos have stuck to the it's-on-everybody explanations, but poll some personnel executives throughout the league and the biggest reasons cited are the Broncos' change in offensive schemes this season, that several teams believe rookie running back Knowshon Moreno is either slightly injured or simply fatigued — he missed time with a knee injury in the preseason and missed a day of practice with a sore ankle this week — or that the Broncos throw more passes in short yardage than some teams do.
Because the Broncos played a zone running scheme for so many years under Mike Shanahan, the O-line was built for a system that favored quickness over power at the point of attack.
In a zone scheme, the blockers all fire out in the same direction, moving laterally. Usually a defensive tackle is double-teamed before one of the blockers leaves to block a linebacker, as the plays are designed to wash the defenders out of the play and leave three running lanes for the back to choose from.
In a more power-oriented scheme, usually a block is made to seal off pursuit from the outside, a double-team block takes place at the point of attack and a guard will then pull to lead the back through the hole.
The Broncos have used both styles this season — they have used more of a zone look in recent weeks than they did earlier — and sometimes scouts say they appear to be caught in between the two with their personnel. Coach Josh McDaniels has made no secret he wants the team to be bigger in both the offensive and defensive lines, often saying "bigger is better."
"We feel like if you get the opportunity to make one of those plays, we have to make it," Moreno said. "You have to get that yard or 2."
For his part, Moreno has said he feels fine, that any aches or pains "are just football." He did not carry the ball more than 250 times in either of his seasons at Georgia and already has 205 with three games remaining in his first pro regular season.
The Broncos have chosen to use Moreno as their short-yardage back of choice for the most part this season, with Correll Buckhalter getting the bulk of the remaining carries. The 240-pound Peyton Hillis, who led the team in rushing last season, has not been used as a short-yardage option beyond two carries.
"I play in whatever role they want me to," Hillis said. "When they call my number, I'll be ready."
The Broncos also have thrown more passes in short-yardage situations than some teams. They have thrown the ball on 10 of their 13 third-and-2 plays this season and on 13 of their 18 third-and-3 plays.
They have converted on just 11 of those 23 pass plays, a total that does include three of Kyle Orton's 16 touchdown passes this season.
Overall, it has hurt an offense trying to find a way to score more points — the Broncos are 20th in the league in scoring at 19.7 points per game. This past Sunday alone, the Broncos failed to convert on a third-and-2 and a fourth-and-1 in separate first-quarter possessions as well as a third-and-1 and a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Colts scored on three of their first four possessions.
"That's part of being frustrated, but the most frustrating part is knowing if we convert, we can actually beat a lot of teams," Wiegmann said. "We had three against Indy, and if we convert two out of the three, we're in a lot better position than we were.
"And that stuff just adds up so fast in this game, those little third-and-1s. Those are a big deal, especially against high-powered offenses. Whatever it takes to get a yard, it doesn't matter — we have to get it."
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14029749
By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post
Posted: 12/19/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Updated: 12/19/2009 03:42:28 AM MST
In one of the Broncos' relatively few short-yardage successes this season, rookie Knowshon Moreno runs for a 2-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 44-13 win on Dec. 6. ( John Leyba, The Denver Post )For the Broncos, it has been the longest yard. In fact, it's been their longest, most excruciating, teeth-grinding yard.
Or 2 or even 3, but in short yardage, the Broncos have been longshots much of the time this season.
"It's a mixture of a lot of different things, blocking, running, play-calling, I don't know," Broncos center Casey Wiegmann said. "I wish we could get it figured out. We've stressed it, and it just seems not to be taken care of.
"We're trying to do everything the right way. We're studying the film, doing the right stuff, but you've got to take it to the field."
So far, it has been equal parts frustration and failure. The Broncos are just 28-of-51 (55 percent) converting third- down plays of 3 yards or shorter, and they are 2-of-7 on fourth-down plays of either 2 yards or 1 yard.
And for a playoff hopeful, it is a disturbing trend because it constitutes drives that were not kept alive, touchdowns that were not scored and more opportunities for opposing offenses with Pro Bowl quarterbacks and wide receivers to put points on the scoreboard.
"We need to make them," Broncos offensive line coach Rick Dennison said. "I think the issues are — it's everybody, you can't say it's one person, it's the whole group, it's me coaching it, we're just not getting it done. We'll get it done. We're all part of (the problem) and we're all part of the solution."
The Broncos have stuck to the it's-on-everybody explanations, but poll some personnel executives throughout the league and the biggest reasons cited are the Broncos' change in offensive schemes this season, that several teams believe rookie running back Knowshon Moreno is either slightly injured or simply fatigued — he missed time with a knee injury in the preseason and missed a day of practice with a sore ankle this week — or that the Broncos throw more passes in short yardage than some teams do.
Because the Broncos played a zone running scheme for so many years under Mike Shanahan, the O-line was built for a system that favored quickness over power at the point of attack.
In a zone scheme, the blockers all fire out in the same direction, moving laterally. Usually a defensive tackle is double-teamed before one of the blockers leaves to block a linebacker, as the plays are designed to wash the defenders out of the play and leave three running lanes for the back to choose from.
In a more power-oriented scheme, usually a block is made to seal off pursuit from the outside, a double-team block takes place at the point of attack and a guard will then pull to lead the back through the hole.
The Broncos have used both styles this season — they have used more of a zone look in recent weeks than they did earlier — and sometimes scouts say they appear to be caught in between the two with their personnel. Coach Josh McDaniels has made no secret he wants the team to be bigger in both the offensive and defensive lines, often saying "bigger is better."
"We feel like if you get the opportunity to make one of those plays, we have to make it," Moreno said. "You have to get that yard or 2."
For his part, Moreno has said he feels fine, that any aches or pains "are just football." He did not carry the ball more than 250 times in either of his seasons at Georgia and already has 205 with three games remaining in his first pro regular season.
The Broncos have chosen to use Moreno as their short-yardage back of choice for the most part this season, with Correll Buckhalter getting the bulk of the remaining carries. The 240-pound Peyton Hillis, who led the team in rushing last season, has not been used as a short-yardage option beyond two carries.
"I play in whatever role they want me to," Hillis said. "When they call my number, I'll be ready."
The Broncos also have thrown more passes in short-yardage situations than some teams. They have thrown the ball on 10 of their 13 third-and-2 plays this season and on 13 of their 18 third-and-3 plays.
They have converted on just 11 of those 23 pass plays, a total that does include three of Kyle Orton's 16 touchdown passes this season.
Overall, it has hurt an offense trying to find a way to score more points — the Broncos are 20th in the league in scoring at 19.7 points per game. This past Sunday alone, the Broncos failed to convert on a third-and-2 and a fourth-and-1 in separate first-quarter possessions as well as a third-and-1 and a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Colts scored on three of their first four possessions.
"That's part of being frustrated, but the most frustrating part is knowing if we convert, we can actually beat a lot of teams," Wiegmann said. "We had three against Indy, and if we convert two out of the three, we're in a lot better position than we were.
"And that stuff just adds up so fast in this game, those little third-and-1s. Those are a big deal, especially against high-powered offenses. Whatever it takes to get a yard, it doesn't matter — we have to get it."
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14029749