Afc west reports regular season

BRONCOS

Some pills are tough to swallow. Losing the first game is never a good thing, but sometimes you learn more from losing than getting lucky, and hopefully that's the way the Broncos approach practice this week as they try and correct the multitude of mistakes that were made in Jacksonville on Sunday.

It is often forgotten that Jacksonville's quarterback David Garrard is a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback, regardless of what alternate he is, and he showed today why. I was one who vastly underrated Garrard, and the Broncos might have as well.

The goal for the game was undoubtedly to stop Maurice Jones-Drew on the ground, and the Broncos seemed to do that pretty well today. But it wasn't quite enough.

The theme for the Broncos today was sloppy. As the game would suggest, when it rains it really pours, and it poured on the Broncos today in embarrassing fashion.

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Despite how badly the Broncos played in their 24-17 loss, they still had a chance to tie the game near the end with a good two minute drill, and it just was not in the cards today.

Some things are for sure though--the Denver Broncos are not like the 2009 team. I'm not going to go so far as to say this team is going to start really slow and finish red hot, but they are most definitely going to get better as the season goes along. They made a ton of mistakes today: "timely" penalties, which can be tied along with mental errors, poor special teams play, and ineffective offensive line play.

I can't say I am happy with the Broncos' performance today, though I think I took a lot of good from it.



My predicted score for the game was Broncos 31, Jaguars 17. Here's why that score did not happen.

The Broncos didn't score 31 points because...

This one is pretty easy. The Broncos theoretically could have had 31 points if two plays do not happen. One, Correll Buckhalter's fumble in scoring position. That was a long drive by the Broncos that included a tough fourth down conversion, and it was cut short because of bad ball security. Inexcusable, and it was a much needed score for the Broncos, obviously.

If that touchdown happens, this one might have been a game-winner. Kyle Orton trying to hook up with Eddie Royal turned out to be a major failure, as he foolishly threw it into triple coverage and lost the Broncos an opportunity to tie the game. One of the very few poor throws he made on the game today.



The Jaguars didn't score 17 points because...

Simply because of the field position battle, specifically in the kicking game where the Jaguars were down not one, not two, but three return men, and Denver could still not stop Tiquan Underwood. Not to slight Underwood or the Jacksonville special teams, but it is simply not excusable.

However, this award goes to Ryan McBean, who gave up 30 yards of penalties on two straight plays, essentially giving the Jaguars prime field position. The first one, Maurice Jones-Drew was tackled for a short gain, perhaps even a loss. The second one was on the back end of a longer run, but still shouldn't have happened.



What I didn't like

Penalties.

I don't know if more even needs to be said here. Seven penalties for 70 yards, 30 late in the game with McBean's facemasks. I also count a pass interference by Brian Dawkins, a hands to the face by Andre' Goodman, holding by Zane Beadles, and two delay of game penalties by Kyle Orton. Simply terrible, but not something that cannot be fixed. Penalties will absolutely kill you if you commit them this often.

I'm also not ecstatic about our offensive line, though they should improve over time by becoming more cohesive as a unit. Beadles is playing out of position right now, and Ryan Harris is sorely missed. I am not sure what to make of Stanley Daniels, and J.D. Walton did a decent job. Ryan Clady is obviously rusty. Aaron Kampman was in the backfield far too often for my liking, and he had two sacks and broke up a running play before it got back to the line by my count.

The defense was also unable to cover the two giants in the Jaguars' offense. Marcedes Lewis and Kassim Osgood combined for a ripe three catches, all of which went for touchdowns. It wasn't that the Jaguars' tight ends were an absolute hinderance to the Broncos in this game, but they made plays when they needed to most, and they were a clear mismatch because of their size and athleticism.

Our running game needs to grow some teeth. I saw some nice runs from Knowshon Moreno today, but some isn't enough. Obviously there is rust there with he and Buckhalter playing little to nothing of the pre-season, so that should also improve over the course of the next few weeks.

Richard Quinn didn't show me anything today. He got in huge trouble with McDaniels, and might not be picking up the NFL as quickly as our coaching staff thought he could. He needs some serious refining, and might not be an NFL caliber player in terms of his mentality. I didn't pay much attention to his blocking, so we will have to see next week. I know it's only week one, but you are as good as your last play. That was the last time I saw him on the field.

I also really dislike the call to go for a fade on 4th and 3 inside the 15. It's a stupid call. You need to gain three yards in a critical time. I would have preferred a halfback toss, perhaps a screen, anything simply to gain three yards rather than going for it all when you would have had plenty more chances. That was a stupid call that nearly was turned in the right direction, one foot away in fact. I still don't like it. Bad play call by Josh McDaniels, who had an otherwise solid day calling offensive plays.

Finally, the pass rush. It was atrocious. We got some pressure on a couple of plays, and there weren't a ton of opportunities, but I fully expect this unit to be able to get pressure when they blitz seven guys. There was at least one instance when we rushed seven players, and didn't get any pressure whatsoever.

Robert Ayers had a sack, and was a lone bright spot in this area. If this does not improve, quarterbacks will have field days against us all year long. We need to be in Hasselbeck's face all day long next week.



What I liked

Our passing game is better without Brandon Marshall. Eddie Royal is already looking far better than he did last season. He looked like the 2008 version today. Eight catches for 98 yards is exactly what I expect from Royal. He is a slot receiver, and his work in the weight room will now combine with his fantastic speed and make him a very effective weapon.

Brandon Lloyd proved to me that he is not simply a roster stop-gap until Demaryius Thomas is healthy with his 117 yards on five catches. He also had two catches that were out of bounds (so, NOT catches) that were acrobatic and equally as fantastic as the others. He proved to me today that he is for real, and is going to be a favorite target of Kyle Orton all year long.

It's hard to imagine the passing game getting better, but it's going to when Demaryius Thomas gets back.

Daniel Graham is still very effective in both the run and the pass. He had two catches for 36 yards on the day. Nothing flashy, but he knows how to get open and he's reliable. A very, very underrated player in this league.

Obviously, the passing game includes Kyle Orton, who looked very sharp outside of a couple throws. He didn't quite continue off of his pre-season dominance, but he had another good game with 296 yards, a touchdown, and a desperation pick.

The only downside to Orton's game were the passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. I'm not sure if that was just a case of good pressure from the Jags, or if it was simply the fact that he was throwing the ball too low.

As ineffective as our running game was, I think Knowshon Moreno proved something to me today. He had some good runs on the day, averaged four yards a carry, and had a goal-line touchdown. It was refreshing to see him play pretty well given the fact that he didn't play whatsoever in the pre-season.

Robert Ayers, D.J. Williams, and Jason Hunter played very well today. They are all very capable against the run, and I was extremely impressed at D.J. Williams' tackling specifically. He took good angles, and showed why he was elected as a captain. Still, the Broncos allowed 134 yards on the ground, but only 299 yards in total. It wasn't a failed day for the defense by any means.

Also, the Broncos' two minute offense is the best they have had since I can remember.



For week two, I'm looking for the Broncos to improve significantly in a few areas. I want to see a better pass rush against a weak Seattle offensive line. Denver should easily be able to get three or four sacks on Matt Hasselbeck next week.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how the Broncos respond to all the penalties. They need to be more disciplined, it's as simple as that. They will not have a fun film room meeting this week. Not a single one.

Lastly, if the Broncos' special teams can consistently pin the Seahawks back, this defense showed it is good enough (sans stupid penalties, of course) to dominate the game with a long field. The Jaguars' scoring drives were from 60, 53, and 83 yards respectively, the 83 yard drive aided by 30 yards in Ryan McBean penalties.

The coverage units need to be more disciplined. They all converged on the runner too early, and he was able to take the outside every time.

This was by no means an impressive output by the Broncos, especially with the penalties. I am confident, however, that there are plenty of signs of good things to come. The pass rush is the only area of this team that I see cannot be improved without coaching. The Broncos might just have to send more players on blitzes in order to get significant pressure, because David Garrard made zero mistakes on the afternoon.

All in all, I am disappointed that my team did not come away with a week one victory after over 7 months of waiting, but I don's see this team dwelling in the cellar by any means. The defense is better than they were given credit, and without a multitude of mental errors, this is a totally different game.

Seattle comes to Denver next week after a blowout 31-6 victory over a stunned 49ers team

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/12/1684689/denver-broncos-jacksonville

By now you have seen the game, or the highlights, and likely spanned the web, radio, TV or the comments in the various posts here to get a feel for what happened yesterday in Denver's 24-17 loss to Jacksonville. Of course, it didn't take long for the Kyle Orton bashing to start from those in the MSM. The goal here is not to bash them - they certainly are entitled to their opinion - but to give the WHOLE story. Shall we begin?

Lack Of Physical And Mental Discipline - I start here because it was, at the core, the root cause of the Broncos losing a winnable game yesterday. First, a little dictionary work. There are no fewer than nine different definitions for the word Discipline. Here is one that applies:

behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control



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Sure, the back-to-back 15-yard face-mask penalties on Ryan McBean is an example of poor discipline. The Broncos had the Jags pinned deep for one of the few times, with the ball starting at the 17 yard-line after the Broncos had tied the score at 17. Those two penalties allowed Jacksonville to travel just 53 yards - instead of 83 yards - to score the decisive touchdown. While not excusable, these things happen and Maurice Jones-Drew is tough to bring down due to his smaller stature. The first one was easily worse than the second, for the simple fact that McBean already had Jones tackled, yet still found MJD's facemask and gave it a bit of a tug. Not excusable, no, but these things happen and it's unfortunate that it happened on back-to-back pplays.

There are several other examples of a lack of discipline. There is something called 'Gap Discipline'. IT is especially key on defense and the coverage teams. In terms of the latter, the Broncos failed. I mentioned in the Cross-blogging thread over at Big Cat Country that I thought Special Teams would be key. In fact, here was my response to the question of which Jaguars 'Scared' the Broncos:

Scare? Well, MJD is the key. He’s the one guy you CANNOT let beat you. I like the Broncos DBs, so I’ll take my chances with Garrard throwing the ball. Mike Sims-Walker is a solid WR so the Broncos will have to keep him in check. Something tells me this game will come down to Special Teams and Turnovers…

The two turnovers were huge - especially the Correll Buckhalter fumble - but the Broncos inability to cover kicks was especially troubling. Sure, Matt Prater didn't do a great job on kick-offs - at least in terms of touchbacks - but his last two kicks were solid. The first, with the score 14-14, was kicked 6-yards deep into the end-zone before being returned 53-yards to the Jacksonville 47. That drive lead to a field goal. The second, after the Broncos had once again tied the game, was a high-driving kick that landed at the Jags 1. The Broncos covered well, forcing the Jags to start from their 17-yard-line. The Jaguars scored, of course, with the help of the penalties above.

In reality, Josh Scobee only had one touch-back in the game. It was the coverage units that made him look better than Prater. In most cases, it was the lack of lane-discipline that hurt the Broncos. Guys over-pursued to one side or the other, allowing returners to have cut-back lanes. The Jags averaged nearly 35 yards per kick-off return. The Broncos, on the other hand, just 20 yards. That 15 yard difference is huge to say the least. The Jags three TD drives were 60 yards, 53 yards, and 83 yards(53 yards with the help of penalties). Their field goal drive started at their own 47 yard line. Not one of those possessions came from a turnover. In a game between two pretty-evenly matched teams, those are the little things that lose football games.

Rookies Being Rookies - The holding call on Zane Beadles that short-circuited the Broncos first drive was huge. It is also to be expected by a rookie, and the Broncos are going to have to live with it. There will likely be some issues with getting protections squared away before the play-clock runs out. To defend Beadles, he is not a NFL-tackle and is better suited to be a guard. To further defend him, Aaron Kampman is an elite pass-rusher. Green Bay made the mistake last season of making him the OLB opposite Clay Matthews Jr., meaning he was dropping in coverage, not attacking the QB. Back in a 4-3 defense, with his hand on the ground, Kampman is free to do what he does best.

The Jags took advantage of the Broncos young offensive line every time the Broncos needed a big play. They would stunt right up the middle, where the Broncos are starting another rookie - J.D. Walton - and a couple times Walton - and G Stanley Daniels - missed the stunt completely.

In other words, there are going to be some penalties, there are going to be some sacks. It is part of the growth process of an offensive line. What the Broncos need is their book-end Tackles back. Ryan Clady - other than getting a bit of a rest in the 2nd quarter - looked good and seems to be improving. What the Broncos need is Ryan Harris. Denver is now 2-9 without Harris the past two seasons, 6-0 with him. That stat is definitely a bit skewed, but it does show the Broncos really don't have an option behind him.

Kyle Orton Was More Than Good Enough To Win - Denver is still John Elway's town which means everything starts and stops with the quarterback. In terms of Kyle Orton, however, it is hard to point the finger at him. In taking a look at the game a 2nd time, I counted 4 passes that were off the mark. The interception, while a poor pass, was thrown under-pressure with the Jags knowing the Broncos had to throw - before you say it, Peyton Manning throws the same kind of INT's, think of the Super Bowl.

Orton's pass to Brandon Lloyd in the end-zone missed by 3-inches - the front of Lloyd's foot - and he made several good throw's into coverage. His five 25+ yard completions were the most of any quarterback that played yesterday. That's right. Only Kyle Orton had five completions of 25+ yards. If you think it was all YAC(yards after catch), think again - here's the breakdown: 98 yards in the air, 58 YAC (36-5, 27-0, 27-2, 4-23, 4-28). Orton was slingin' it, and his receivers were making plays.

Lloyd had 5 catches for 117 yards - 23.4 ypc. Eddie Royal, who so many of you wanted to see back as a weapon in the offense, was with 8 catches for 98 yards(12.2 ypc). In other words, the passing game was moving the ball.

That doesn't mean the performance was perfect. Orton was sacked a couple times - he held the ball way to long on each occasion - and he did fail to go to his 3rd or 4th option on a couple of throws, thus missing open receivers. That could be a product of playing behind a young offensive line and knowing he had less time than usual to throw but there were still some plays left on the field.

We have plenty of questions to get to, so without further ado....

Did you think the D and Wink seemed a little disorganized? - Dan S.

There were definitely a couple moments that the Broncos players and coaches would like to forget. 10-men on the field on a play deep in your territory can't happen. Would the Jags have scored a touchdown anyway? Maybe, but it points to either a lack of communication between the coaches and players on who was going to be on the field, or indecisiveness on the part of the coaches on what they wanted to do. It Wink's first game as a DC, and I expect he will improve in that area.

There were several things I did like from the defense, starting with the tackling. I thought, overall, the Broncos did a nice job of bringing ball-carriers down on first contact. Yes, MJD did gain some yards after contact, but he earned every one. If the Broncos can continue to play with that type of physicality they'll be ok.

Seems to me, Tim Tebow was played for no reason in this game. Almost like he was played to appease the fans who came to see him in person. He contributed nothing but empty downs for the Broncos. Now, he isn't the reason we lost, but his appearance was almost comically predictable given the location. So my question is, why DID we play him? What advantage did we gain in having him run twice up the middle for two yards? - Ryan H

There were several questions regarding Tim Tebow, so if you happened to ask one, let this answer be the answer to all of you.

Tebow's early entrance into the game was definitely not a surprise. My position on Tebow is well known and hasn't changed since I wrote my thoughts on the rumors that the Broncos might take him. Here is a bit:

If the Broncos were to take Tebow in the 2nd Round - at 43 or 45 - or worse, trade back into the late-1st Round to take him, they would do so with the intention of finding a way to get a tremendous athlete on the field. At least that has been the argument for the Broncos, a team with needs all over the roster, to take him so high in the Draft.

That is a relative term, by the way. I think Tebow could get drafted anywhere from 25-45. What is considered 'high' or a 'reach' for the Broncos is not for a team like, say, the Vikings or Patriots. They are contending football teams that can put a guy like Tebow on their roster and nurture him until he is ready - and still be in Super Bowl contention.

Back to the Broncos. Let's say they do use Tebow as many have mentioned - as a weapon in some gimmick offense. I've heard Tebow could be used as a 'Slash-type' player or even a H-Back. How about the Wild Horses/Wildcat/whatevertheycallitnext You name it, we've heard it - short-yardage, goalline, special-teams. That's all great, and it might work - a bit.

Here's the problem. If we already agree that Tebow needs work, and we all agree that it will take time, how is Tebow going to work on the things he needs to work on if he is focusing his attention on a gimmick offense or a position other than quarterback? It defeats the very purpose of drafting this guy - and goes against what Tebow himself wants, which is to be a quarterback in the NFL.

The premise was simple. By selecting Tebow, especially so high in the Draft as I thought they would need to do, they would be doing so because he was a weapon to utilize now, while at the same time prepare him for the future. A couple things happened, however; 1) Kyle Orton handled the whole situation - Brady Quinn and Tebow, his contract - better than anyone expected and played the best football of his career this off-season; 2)Brady Quinn did not and Tebow flat-out beat him out to become the legitimate #2 quarterback of the Broncos.

That makes me want to see Tebow even LESS in gimmick formations, simply because he is the 2nd best option at quarterback for the Broncos behind Kyle Orton. The Broncos NEED to focus on getting Tebow ready to play, should the need arise.

Back to yesterday. Did I like to fact that Tebow came in and essentially ran the ball up the middle twice? No. To play devil's advocate for a second, however, the following thoughts came to mind.

1. It was early in the game, so it allowed the Broncos coaches to see what - if anything - the Jaguars defense did when Tebow entered the game. The Broncos had him at QB and also lined him up at WR. That told me they wanted to see how the defense responded.
2. The ball was at midfield, so it was low risk. I always thought that any use of Tebow would be determined by down/distance/situation. That was the case yesterday.
3. The Tebow situation, or any package involving Tebow, is fluid. That means the game will dictate how/when/where Tebow will be used. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that the Broncos score on those two early drive and lead 10-0. The entire game is different, as is the Broncos' use of Tebow.
4. It allows Tebow to get his feet wet in the NFL game, something that IS important since I believe he would come into the game should something happen to Orton. I think it IS important for Tebow's first play as a Pro not come in a game-situation with Kyle Orton on the sidelines.

Still, I'm not a fan of it. The Broncos offense was put in bad down/distance situations on both Tebow runs. 2nd and 9 is not a place I want to spend the majority of the game. Since Tebow didn't see the field the rest of the game, it tells me the coaches didn'tlike what they saw from the Jags' defense either, meaning they weren't fooled. I'm sorry, but right now, there just aren't many times in a game that I want the ball out of Kyle Orton's hands.

How would you evaluate Robert Ayers game? What do we make of the pass coverage? It seemed the safeties were taken advantage off yesterday.- Carlos H.

Carlos gets the 2-for-1, but don't make it a habit! In regards to Ayers, I think we are starting to see why the Broncos made him the #18 overall pick last season. Don't forget, the Broncos moved Ayers from a DE in college to OLB in their 3-4 defense, then told him NOT to be the pass-rushing OLB(That is Doom's job) and focus on the running game and covering in space. After a brief holdout, Ayers struggled.

This summer, even with a short stay in the McDaniels doghouse, Ayers has come and has made the type of progress you expect from Year 1-to-2. He has added some moves to his aresenal, and his play against the run - shedding blocks and run/pass recognition - is vastly improved. He's not a finished product - not by any means - and there are going to be mistakes. Ayers is beginning to justify the pick, however, and that is good news for Broncos fans.

As for the safeties, there were certain times that both Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill were taken advantage of. Marcedes Lewis beat Hill on one touchdown, and Dawkins was beaten by Kassim Osgood on another. To be fair, both were on very good throws by David Garrard, but still. The problem lies at the fee of the pass-rush, however. Both plays were made because David Garrard had time to make them. That Broncos may have to generate pressue from elsewhere - something they didn't want to do.

I was wondering if you liked the call on 4th and 3 at the end? - Bronco Josh, Ohio

A fellow Buckeye Broncos fan. Love it! As for your question, I definitely lean on the side of Josh McDaniels. You can debate the play-call itself, but as I talked about above, the play missed being a touchdown by 3 inches - hard to say it was wrong. Now, if the debate is kicking a field goal or not, that is something different.

I like going for it in that situation simply because the way the game had unfolded. The Broncos coverage teams struggled all day. Matt Prater tried kicking it long, kicking it short, tried high, tried line-drive. Nothing really worked. That means the Broncos, needing a touchdown anyway, were gambling with a part of the game that had not performed well all day. That's what coaching adjustments are all about. McDaniels felt better about the Broncos tying the game right there, or at worst, giving the Jags the ball at the 13-yard line.

When things don't work out there is always time to second guess, but in this situation I think the Broncos got it right. Unfortunately, Brandon Lloyd's feet are just a little too big.

Is the o-line going to be this bad (penalties, not making holes, not keepin Orton clean) all season, or is this because they haven't played together/at these positions?-Scott D

The offensive line was my question heading into Training Camp, and nothing has changed. It sucks that, just as the Broncos were getting Ryan Clady back Ryan Harris goes down. That forces the Broncos to shuffle the line, with guys playing out of position.

All of the issues you talked about are correctable,and the experience a guy like Zane Beadles gets by going up against Aaron Kampman all day is priceless. The Broncos will be better in the future because of the struggles yesterday.

Perhaps you've heard the expression that an Offensive Line is like the five fingers of a hand. They need to work in unison to be effective. That kind of harmony comes with time - and the Broncos simply didn't have time in the preseason to get it synchronized due to injury.

The difference between a decent season for the Broncos, and a complete train-wreck, relies heavily on the O-Line's improvement each week.

The offense yesterday seemed improved even had a spark but failed at 3rd downs yet again! With all that seemed to go well with flashy drives the O looked like they were choking on 3rd down. This is a point you have emphasized a lot but just looking at yesterdays game what really went wrong on 3rd down? Is it the coach's plays or players?

Great question. The Broncos went 3-10 on 3rd down yesterday. A good offense needs to be up around 50%. I looked at the Broncos failed 3rd down attempts. What troubled me, more than anything, was the 3 separate times the Broncos failed to convert on 3rd and 3. Those failures hurt.

To me, while borderline, a good running team will pick a 3rd down and 3 up on a pretty regular basis. The one time the Broncos ran in this situation, they picked up 2 yards, allowing them to go for it on 4th Down. They converted. The other two were incomplete passes.

There were 3 missed-opportunities on 3rd and Long(3rd and 11, 3rd and 7, 3rd and 15). Both 3rd down situations involving double-digit yardage were caused by Broncos mistakes. The Zane Beadles-holding call in the first quarter and a Kyle Orton-Delay of Game penalty in the 4th. Costly mistakes.

the short of it is the Broncos need to improve their execution on 3rd down from an execution standpoint. An improved running game would help that along.


Seeing that Denver was 8-8 last year, is it unreasonable to expect them to be at least slightly better? Is 10-6 an unreasonable expectation? - Gristle M.

As fans we expect to win every year. While I won't tell people how they should be fans, I can say the kind of fan I am. I am pissed when the Broncos lose. I am pissed when they don't play well. It affects me - physically and emotionally - for some time. It makes me sick.

That said, I also look at the roster and know it is a work in progress. It is going to take time. It is a big jump to go from 8-8 to 10-6, simply because the teams that win 10 games usually make more plays in close games than they give up. Think of the Broncos in weeks 1-6 last year.

What has happened is teams have seen what the Broncos are trying to do, and they figured out how to attack the Broncos defense and they are doing it. The Broncos need to turn the tide and force teams out of attacking them right up the middle and passing off the run. Until then, it is going to be tough.

Right now the Broncos biggest enemy is the Broncos. They simply are not good enough to play sloppy football and win. A fumble and 3 penalties essentially cost the Broncos a shot at winning the game. Plays like those are the difference between 8-8 and 10-6.

As for what is reasonable? That is for each fan to determine on their own. I do believe, however, that Josh McDaniels is going to be given the time to fix this, so patience is also recommended.

Special teams have been a weak point for us for years. Add an inferior o-line, will we make .500 this year? - Craig S.

You hit the nail on the head, Craig. Good teams have solid ST units because the depth of their roster - 1-to-53 - is good. The Broncos, for years, had plenty of star-caliber talent, but the bottom of the roster, guys like Nate Jackson, Chad Mustard and David Kirkus were far below the talent on teams like the Steelers, Colts or Chargers. Missing in the Draft or Free Agency means that depth is going to suffer.

The Broncos are still suffering through that because they needed to address their starting units first. It doesn't help that their two-best special-teams players from 2009 - Darrell Reid and Darcel McBath are injured(Reid being released due to injury).

As for the O-Line, it HAS to get better. The Broncos schedule doesn't get any better the next 5 weeks with Seattle, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore and the Jets to come.

The long story short, the Broncos need to improve on 3rd down. On a day the defense also held the Jaguars to 3-10 on 3rd Down, the Broncos, with a better performance, could have really put the pressure on Jacksonville, and likely would scored more points.

I've been a supported of McD, but throwing screen plays on 3rd and 15 and long bombs on 3rd and 3 make me continue to question the play calling. Watching him chew out Richard Quinn and McBean's penalties can't help but make me think he is still having trouble evaluating personal. Are these accurate feelings? - Dustin G., Iowa

There is really two-parts to your question, so I will start with the play-calls.

On the first, a 3rd and 15, I know several people were befuddled that the Broncos threw a bubble-screen to Eddie Royal. While the play did pick up 9 yards, it really had no hope of getting the first down. That,my friends was the idea. I don't know the numbers, but the conversion rate on 3rd and 15 cannot be good. What the Broncos wanted to do, however, was to get into field goal range for Matt Prater. That worked, and Prater hit the 54-yard field goal, which at that time tied the score at 17. That 9-yard play call put the Broncos into a position to score points. Prater executed and the whole situation was successful.

Now, to your 3rd and 3 example, which I can only think is from the Jaguars 14 in the 4th quarter. That is an example of the players NOT executing. Orton's pass didn't give Brandon Lloyd much of chance to make a play, proved by the fact that he went right up to Lloyd after the play and tapped himself, as if to say, "My bad". That led to the 4th down play - better execution, but the Brandon Lloyd missed getting his second foot in bounds.

The moral of the story? The coach looks like a genius when the players execute, and looks like a fool when they don't.

When it comes to McDaniels undressing of Richard Quinn, it's part of the game. The Broncos were forced to use a timeout because Quinn wasn't in the right position. That usually leads back to a player not being mentally prepared through study during the week. Coaches like Josh McDaniels can't stand it.

~~~~~

A great first 'Aftermath'. Great questions and I look forward to next week! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to send your thoughts or ideas for this Feature to me at

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/13/1685850/the-aftermath-broncos-mistakes

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday acquired running back Laurence Maroney and an undisclosed pick in the 2011 NFL Draft from the New England Patriots in exchange for an undisclosed choice in the 2011 NFL Draft, it was announced.

The trade is pending Maroney passing a physical.

Maroney (5-foot-11, 220 pounds) is a fifth-year player who spent his first four NFL seasons with New England, which selected him in the first round (26th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft from the University of Minnesota.

He has played 45 career regular-season games (14 starts), totaling 582 rushes for 2,430 yards (4.2 avg) with 21 touchdowns along with 40 receptions for 409 yards (10.2 avg.) with one touchdown. He also has recorded 41 kickoff returns for 1,062 yards (25.9 avg).

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In seven career postseason contests (2 starts), he has registered 93 carries for 369 yards (4.0 avg.) with three touchdowns, six receptions for 67 yards (11.2 avg.) and 12 kickoff returns for 257 yards (21.4 avg.).

He has seven career 100-yard rushing games (regular season and postseason) to his credit and four contests with multiple rushing touchdowns.

Last season with the Patriots, Maroney scored a career-high nine rushing touchdowns while rushing 194 times for 757 yards (3.9 avg.) and adding 14 receptions for 99 yards (7.1 avg.).

He rushed for a career-high 835 yards on 185 carries (4.5 avg.) with six touchdowns during the 2007 season. He finished the year with 100 rushing yards or more in four of his final six games.

One of three players in Big Ten Conference history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of their first three seasons, he finished his career Minnesota ranked second on the Gophers' all-time career rushing list with 3,933 yards and 32 touchdowns on 660 attempts (6.0 avg.).

A four-time All-Conference selection at Normandy High School in St. Louis, he was born on Feb. 15, 1985.

The Broncos also made a couple moves to their practice squad on Tuesday when they signed linebacker Titus Brown and defensive lineman Jeff Stehle to their practice squad, it was announced.

The club waived linebacker Worrell Williams from its practice squad.

Brown (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) is a third-year player who spent the previous two years with Cleveland, playing five games (0 starts) after signing with the Browns as a college free agent from Mississippi State University in 2008.

A four-year letterman for the Bulldogs, he played 44 games (30 starts) and totaled 170 tackles, 18.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his collegiate career.

Brown attended Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and was born on March 27, 1986.

Jeff Stehle (6-foot-6, 310 pounds) is a rookie defensive lineman who was originally signed by the Broncos as a college free agent from the University of Wisconsin on April 26, before being waived on Sept. 4.

He played three games for Denver during the preseason and totaled seven tackles (4 solo) and a pass defensed.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/14/1689464/broncos-acquire-laurence-maroney

 

RAIDERS

The Oakland Raiders kicked off the season taking on the Tennessee Titans on the road. There's not a whole lot of pregame storylines other than offseason activity and the preseason with this being the season-opening game and with this being the first NFL Sunday of 17. There was plenty to talk about after this game, though, and it's not really good stuff. Hit the jump for the ugly details.

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Quarter Breakdowns

First Quarter: The season got off to a terrible start for the Raiders. Wide receiver Yamon Figurs, who won the starting return job in the preseason despite fumbling once, fumbled on his first return of the season. Fortunately for Oakland, the team covered. The first drive, however, was more bad stuff. After failing to pick up a first down, Shane Lechler booted the ball to Tennessee. The Titans moved into Oakland territory, but their initial drive was stopped when quarterback Vince Young fumbled thanks to linebacker Kamerion Wimbley and defensive lineman Richard Seymour recovered the football. On Oakland's second drive, it was more of the same ineptitude offensively although running back Darren McFadden broke off a decent run. Still, the team moved backwards with penalties and a bad snap. After Jason Campbell was sacked for a second time, the Titans' rookie defensive end Derrick Morgan was whistled for going below the knees and the drive lived. Sebastian Janikowski missed from 39 yards out, but an offsides penalty gave him another chance and he did not miss a second time. The Titans got the ball back and fed the best running back in football Chris Johnson a few times for only about a yard. On a big third down, cornerback Stanford Routt was torched and it wasn't on a first down. Young uncorked a deep ball and wide receiver Nate Washington hauled it in and took it the distance. Tennessee's offense wouldn't be on the sidelines for long, unfortunately. On the next series, left tackle Mario Henderson stood there like a statue and Campbell was hit in no time and lost the ball. The Titans fell on the football and kicked a field goal thanks to Rob Bironas to take a 10-3 lead as the Raiders continued to stuff Johnson. The quarter ends with the Raiders faced with a fourth down and needing one yard at their own 44 yard line.

Second Quarter: The second quarter began with Tennessee taking over after another nice Lechler boot. After moving into Oakland territory, the Titans were forced to punt it back to Oakland. The Raiders started their drive in side the 10 and did absolutely nothing with it as they gained four yards on a pair of rushes before another Lechler boot. The Titans converted on a few third downs on their drive which was capped off by a touchdown by backup running back Javon Ringer, the former Michigan State standout. After more ineptitude and a pathetic display of offense, Chris Johnson goes crazy for a 76-yard touchdown run after being quieted all day. The offense woke up a bit with the Titans playing a soft coverage. McFadden was the beneficiary and the only person who had done anything up to that point. The drive stalled and head coach Tom Cable refused to go for it so Janikowski trotted out there and hit the field from 30 yards out. That took us to halftime which couldn't have come at a better time with the Titans holding a 24-6 lead.

Third Quarter: The quarter began with Tennessee receiving the kickoff since they deferred after winning the coin toss. A face mask penalty gave the Titans even better field position. The Raiders held Johnson to -4 yards on that drive and forced a punt. Oakland began the drive just inside the 20 and the Raiders converted on their first third down of the day thanks to a Jason Campbell run. On the drive, the Raiders moved throughout the air a few times after that. Figurs' second catch made him the leading receiver up to that point and Campbell found tight end Zach Miller over the middle for a huge gain of 26 yards into Tennessee territory. That's all the drive had for the Raiders, sadly. Another yard wasn't gained and Janikowski couldn't connect from 53 yards out. Tennessee took over and marched into the end zone. On the next Oakland drive, an interception by Chris Hope set up the Titans inside the five and the quarter concluded a play later.

Fourth Quarter: The quarter opened with Vince Young hooking up with tight end Bo Scaife for a touchdown and, in case you haven't realized yet, the blowout was on. Down 38-6 and looking for a touchdown, the Raiders drove deep into Tennessee territory behind McFadden, running back Michael Bennett (who also drew a 15-yard facemask penalty) and Miller. Oakland moved in on a touchdown reception by McFadden and then The Titans went three-and-out to give the ball back to the Raiders with 8:26 remaining in the game. Once again, the Raiders drove deep into Tennessee territory; however, this time, Oakland couldn't get into the end zone as the Titans earned a stop on fourth down. Getting the ball back, the Raiders were stopped on fourth yet again. That did it as Tennessee ran out the rest of the clock.
Report Card

Pass Offense: "F" - It started out as a nightmare and that continued for basically the whole game. The offensive line was terrible and Jason Campbell didn't really demonstrate pocket presence even early on before getting rattled due to the pass rush. Later on, though, things looked better even though it didn't really matter. Simply put, it failed and it failed miserably.

Rush Offense: "A-" - The Raiders combined for a 5.4 yards per carry average led by McFadden's 95 yards on just 18 carries. The rush offense was great today, but it didn't matter considering the score and how things were going offensively through the air. Overall, though, they did a great job without Michael Bush out there.

Pass Defense: "D" - Vince Young picked apart the defense going 13-for-17 from the air. Stanford Routt was burned by Nate Washington for a long touchdown. Young threw it wherever he wanted to and had success all day even though he didn't even need to throw it all to get a win today.

Rush Defense: "B" - Chris Johnson had 142 yards, but he only had 66 yards on 26 carries if you take away that 76-yard touchdown run. Javon Ringer and Vince Young had their way when they wanted to, though, despite Johnson really being bottled up by an improved run defense.

Special Teams: "C" - Shane Lechler was awesome. Sebastian Janikowski wasn't good. Yamon Figurs fumbled. The return coverage was pretty solid. Overall, I saw it as an average performance. There's really not much else to add to the special teams today.
Some Additional Thoughts and Tidbits

Putting the obvious behind us, this is still only one game. It was a pathetic display, but still, it was only one game. I wasn't expecting a blowout loss, but I didn't predict a win here in Tennessee. We have to move forward and focus on the St. Louis Rams as they came to Oakland next week. We must incorporate Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey into the game next week. They're going to catch more passes by default next week, but they have to get at least 10 combined and not something like two or three apiece. Rookie center Jared Veldheer looked lost, particularly when it came to snapping the ball due to numerous plain bad snaps. Basically, his inexperience really showed. Left tackle Mario Henderson was also awful. On the play that resulted in Campbell fumbling, Henderson didn't even move when the ball was snapped. Offensive lineman Khalif Barnes played quite a bit lined up at tight end, but that proved ineffective against Tennessee's pass rush. Understandably so, Campbell was rattled all game and especially when the Titans had already gotten to him. Basically, to sum it up in one sentence, just please beat the Rams next week at home. Just please beat the Rams next week at home.

http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2010/9/12/1684205/game-recap-oakland-raiders-13

The direct aftermath of the Raiders game on Sunday found me feeling ways of horrible that I haven't felt since bread only came unsliced. While the Raiders started this season off like they have the previous seven, with a loss, this one was worse, because this team was supposed to be different.

It wasn't so much that they lost, but the way they lost it. It was Deja-Vu all over again.

But in the wise words of some dudes from the Bay Area, "I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend." Click the link and listen to the song. Take some deep breathes or go shoot Randy Moss pictures in the face. Do whatever it is you need to do to gain a little perspective.

After watching the game again and reminding myself why I told myself before the game, "If they get blown out, I'll be disappointed, but still be willing to wipe the slate clean for Week Two. This is a young team and I expect them to improve as the season goes."

Well, they certainly made the improving part easy on themselves.

Flushed with the adrenaline pumping action of a live game, it is hard to watch the action objectively. Hell, a game like Sunday's, it is hard to do much, but contain oneself from destroying things. Here is what I am using to help talk me off the ledge. There are a couple of things that are bothering me even more, so I'll throw those in in-between the some positive reminders in a compliment sandwich kind of way.

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The Rationalizations:

* The Titans played great. I honestly don't think there was a team in football they would have lost at home to yesterday. They and their fans were jacked and ready for that game. They have the best and most unique rushing attack in the league and a great D-line. They essentially returned their entire team and it was a team that ended last season as hot as any team.
* While we all want the Raiders competing with anyone and everyone, this was a tough task for a young team the very first week of the season.
* Jason Campbell had a rough game. He should have. He was under intense pressure and it was his first game with a new offense. I also saw some good things from Jason. Some crisply thrown and accurate passes. Instances of him using his feet to pick-up yards. His pick probably wasn't his fault and is the exact kind of thing you expect to change as chemistry builds. While there are certainly reasons to be concerned, there are reasons to be hopeful. The passing game is probably the biggest area in which I am willing revert to virgin judgment as I watch Week Two.
* Veld seemed late on the snap a few times. Mario was beat off the snap a few times--including Jason's fumble. Knowing when the ball is snapped is supposed to be the O-lineman's advantage. Mario has to play better, but the inconsistency at Center did him no favors.
* Seriously, Jason, learn how to slide. A Redskin fan told me that JC couldn't slide and he was right. It's not that hard and I have no understanding how a professional QB would struggle with it. Hell, every baseball player can do it and as Jon Kruk once said, "...I'm not an athlete. I'm a baseball player."

What is still pissing me off:

* The Coaching: This one needs sub bullet points:
* The use of Nnam: With the disappearance of Kenny Britt, the Titans only have one WR that can hurt you. Nate Washington helped set the tone early and none of his 3 catches were against Nnam. Why wasn't Nnam shadowing him? We were lead to believe this was going to be the case this season. Yet all game Nnam stayed on his right side.
* Jared Veldheer: It's not that I am blaming him and actually I think he did well blocking. What pisses me off is the coaches put him in this position. It became obvious that Veld could have benefited by getting some extra game work at Center in the last pre-season game. Second, they should have waited to start him until Week Two. This was as hostile an environment as a Raider Center is going to face. The crowd was loud and the D-line is awesome. A more veteran presence would have been nice. Welcome to the NFL Jared Veldheer.
* The play calling: It has been much discussed here. When you get beat like the Raiders did, it can always be better. One thing I'd like to add and one thing that pissed me off is the 4th down play near the end of the game. Campbell completed a pass to JLH who came up short of the line of gain. What gets me about this is, DHB had 1-on-1 coverage on the outside. This would have been a great time to throw him a fade and let him try and go up and beat an over-matched corner. It was the perfect time for it. Give him the experience, see what he has and if it works it builds his confidence. This should have been the first option on that play. Instead Campbell never even looked at him.
* Level of preparation: The team was not crisp. They looked out of sync, penalty riddled and generally just not ready to go. With the level of turnover, some of this was to be expected, but not that much.
* Injuries: Ouch! Robert Gallery (hamstring), Yamon Figurs (stinger), Hiram Eugene (lower leg), Michael Huff (knee) and Richard Seymour (hamstring). The most concerning to me from watching the game was Gallery. He was in pursuit of an INT return and dove/fell clutching his hammy. If a hammy hurts bad enough to clutch, this is not a good sign. My guess is, he is going to be out for 3 weeks. I hope I am wrong and I hope all the others are minor.

The Good

* The interior D-line. I was impressed. Seymour was dominant while he was in. Tommy Kelly and John Henderson were solid. Although they took turns getting pushed aside on successive plays that led to the CJ TD to go up 31-6. Other than that, they more than held their own. Alford even got some PT and didn't get exploited.
* Darren McFadden: We all noticed his running and catching and I have nothing else to add to that. I will say he looked solid blocking as well and had a nice blitz pick-up
* O-line run blocking: It was much better than I thought it would be.
* The starting LB's: While they certainly didn't play a perfect game. I saw enough that I am hopeful. Wimbley and Groves covered a lot of ground and they were all relentless. They weren't horrible in pass coverage. McClain got sealed off a couple of times, but he also made a couple of nice tackles near the line of scrimmage and was good in pursuit. Ricky Brown was in for Groves on the Ringer TD and over ran the play and got sealed off. Brown was generous to give a shining example of why it is good to have new LB's.
* Marcel Reece: He continues to improve his blocking. He had a nice blitz pick-up and a couple of instances of providing some good lead blocks for DMC. While he is not de-cleating guys, he is doing enough.

http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2010/9/13/1685406/theres-got-to-be-a-morning-after

 

CHIEFS

First, the pregame.
It was great. The video was great, and if there is a video of it, I'd love to see it. I recorded the whole thing, and hope to post the 10 minute video of the entire pregame online in the next couple of days, but I could only hear about 1/3 of what Riggle was saying, because it was so loud. Even at that, though, you could simply feel the power in the presentation. The lasers, the fireworks...the force of it all. It was a fantastic experience. Funny thing is, it HAD to take place after dark. So that 9:15 start time was essential to that experience.

To the game.
Offense:
Cassel is not good enough. It's been discussed ad nauseum on this board for a year and a half, so I won't go any further than to say that.
But the offensive line did a great job. Cassel had plenty of time to throw on most of his passes (or non-passes). but once it became clear that there was no threat through the air, San Diego focused on the run.
Brandon Albert was nails. I didnt watch him every play. But the 2/3rds of the time I watched him, he was kicking ***.
It was nice to see Moeaki play so well, too. To be honest, that's probably the most we'll ever see from the TE in a Haley/Weis coached offense. But he looked good.
McCluster, though he didn't put up offensive numbers, will be a weapon. If someone can get him the ball on time, and let him use his shiftiness, he's gonna break several of those quick passes into long gainers, especially on dry turf. Problem is, even on a quick hitter like that, Cassel seems to get him the ball a hair too late, and in the NFL, that hair is what is keeping him from having some fun on those plays.

Defense:
Wow.
It was FAR from perfect. And I believe if it was a dry field, we lose that game. There were plenty of drops, the big fumble (let's not forget it happened at the end of a big run), and poorly thrown balls. I think Norv absolutely choked away this game, getting the plays in slow, and not taking advantage of the huge holes in the middle of our zones.
That said, good teams take advantage of poor plays, and we did that. We should've taken more advantage. But you have to win those sloppy games.
Dorsey had, IMO, his best game as a Chief. He was tough on that right side.
Jackson has been playing very well all preseason, so last night's game didn't surprise me. I gave him an average grade after the first preseason game, and got ripped for it. So I paid extra attention to him through the rest of the games...not to prove anyone wrong (I'm not Hootie), but to see if I was crazy and the ripping was deserved. It wasn't. He had very good games against Tampa and Philly, and an average game against GB. There are still one or two plays every game where he gets his *** kicked. I don't know if he's taking those plays off, or what. But otherwise, he's directing his OL to the pile, getting double-teamed (yes...really), or gaming the OL to open holes for blitzers. He's not a "plan the game around him" type of player, but it was clear when he went out, the defense was markedly worse. But he's very solid, and if Dorsey continues to play as he did last night, we now have two bookends. Add to that...Gilberry as an every down player is a myth. He was awful in the GB game, and though he didnt embarrass himself in few snaps last night, just doesn't have the lead in his *** to play DE in a 3-4...especially at the LDE.
Smith did well last night in Jackson's absence, last night. Not great. But he wasn't a non-player. He's a good backup player to have, but if he's my starter, I'm worried. (and after Jackson was already out, and DOrsey started having trouble getting up, I started thinking implosion. A line of Gilberry on the wrong side, Edwards, and Smith is an invitation to run for 13 a pop.)
DJ was a beast. Not only was he a pretty solid tackler, but he played the most physical game I've ever seen him play, last night. Two games is an awful small sample size, but the past two games he's played have been pro bowl type games. At some point, if this continues, we have to give credit to Haley for doing the right thing with DJ last season. If BRC's stories are true, it sounds like we could even have a shot at retaining him after this season. But I'm just speculating on that.
Flowers was great, and when he went out, I thought the season was over. That's how good he was last night.

Hall had against the Broncos, when McCluster caught that punt inside the 10, I was dog-cussing him. It's always fun when a play so quickly turns from dog-cussing to jubilation.

The highlight for me from last night's game...


The Coaching.

I noticed a few things last night, and they all go to coaching.
#1) Adjustments. This was a game of constant adjustments on both sides of the ball. Some worked/ some didn't. But the fact of the matter is that both coordinators were changing things up as the game went along, something we haven't seen in a long time (if ever, really. Vermeil teams didn't adjust that much in-game, IIRC). It was obvious, especially after that final 3rd/4th down sequence of TOs and gamesmanship, that we have a special coaching staff.
#2) Communication. I haven't seen Chiefs players talk this much on the field since the vaunted mid-90s. Constant communication and adjustments to what they are seeing was going on, and in many cases, looked like it worked. We all poke fun at last year being the year to build the way the Haley version of the Chiefs was going to be, but I believe that foundation is in place, and the interactionamong the players was evident in a way I hadn't seen in a long time.
#3) Sideline discussions. So many times the last few years, as the O or D came trudging off the field, it seemed they would listen to what the coaches had to say, but I didn't see much real engagement (people who sit closer are free to correct me on that, if I'm wrong). Last night, though, it seemed the players were really into the adjustments. Really paying attention, and really wanting the next series to be better.


Anyhow...there it is.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=233491


Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson prides himself on being a playmaker. His only problem has been convincing head coach Todd Haley to let him on the field to make plays.

Johnson, who spent most of 2009 in Haley’s doghouse, won the starting weak-side linebacker spot this season in a mild surprise over Demorrio Williams, who had a team-leading three sacks in the preseason.

And Johnson justified Haley’s decision to start him on Monday night when he made a team-leading 12 tackles and came up with the first big play on defense in Monday night’s season-opening 21-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

With the score tied 7-7 midway through the second quarter, San Diego rookie Ryan Mathews burst through a hole for a 15-yard gain. But Johnson, coming from the back side, ripped the ball from Mathews’ grasp, and cornerback Brandon Carr scooped up the ball and returned it 23 yards to the Chargers’ 12.

That set up the Chiefs’ go-ahead touchdown, a 2-yard flip from quarterback Matt Cassel to rookie tight end Tony Moeaki with 5:55 to play in the first half.

Johnson also played a key role in the Chiefs’ goal-line stand when they kept the Chargers from tying the score after San Diego had first and goal from the 4 with 1 minute, 14 seconds left in the game.

“We had butterflies … everyone looking around,” Johnson said of the final four plays — three incomplete passes and a run for a loss of 2 yards. “We knew it was going to come down to the wire. We just didn’t know what play it was going to be.”

Johnson, a first-round draft choice in 2005 — when Dick Vermeil was still coach — had started 58 of 59 games during his first four seasons. But last season, he started just three of 15 games and was inactive for one.

His last start, however, was a memorable one, when he intercepted two passes by Denver quarterback Kyle Orton and returned them both for touchdowns in the regular-season ending victory at Denver.

That game boosted Johnson’s confidence coming into training camp and seemed to open Haley’s mind about returning him to the starting lineup instead of just using him in the nickel defense.

“That was my goal to start on this team, and knowing I could help us win,” Johnson said. “I’ve been working hard. Hard work pays off. My faith in God pays off, so everything worked out for the good for us.

“I try to pride myself on running and hitting because I’m a fast linebacker, but my hat is off to the defensive line. They really helped me out today.”

One of those defensive linemen, right end Glenn Dorsey, tackled Darren Sproles for the 2-yard loss during the goal-line stand.

“That defined everything we’ve been doing as a team,” Dorsey said of the final four plays. “The defense was called upon to do our job at the end, and as everybody has been seeing, we’ve been coming up close but falling short, but tonight we came through and finished when we needed to.”


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/13/2221990/derrick-makes-most-of-starting.html#ixzz0zZn4pher

With rain coming down in sheets and the wind whipping around Arrowhead Stadium for much of the game, Monday night’s conditions were hardly ideal for a struggling passing game to flourish.

Chiefs coach Todd Haley and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis decided to shift their focus elsewhere. After some early and unsuccessful attempts to throw down the field in the season opener against San Diego, the Chiefs largely gave up on their passing game.

The result was an anemic 62 passing yards, though the Chiefs survived to beat the Chargers 21-14 on the strength of some big plays from the running game, the return game and their defense.

Haley said Tuesday that the conservative game plan was not a sign he or Weis had lost confidence in quarterback Matt Cassel or the capability of the passing game. He warned not to expect a similar plan in Sunday’s game against the 0-1 Browns unless similar weather conditions prevail in Cleveland.

“I hope it’s not,” Haley said. “I was just real clear to everybody involved that we are not turning this ball over. I would rather punt than have something like that happen. Every time either quarterback dropped back to pass, you were taking a fairly significant risk, more than you would in normal conditions.

“The scenario we found ourselves in wasn’t necessarily one we spent a ton of time pondering, being up a couple of scores midway through the game and then the weather situation, which was a real issue. I felt between the wind and the rain, it was as difficult conditions that I’ve been in in a couple of years now as far as rain goes in a regular-season game.

“One of the things I did not want to do was put us in a situation where we were giving anything to (San Diego), especially looking at how we were playing on defense. Most specifically, offensively I chose to play probably as conservative as you’ll see me. I’m somebody who does like to take some educated gambles and be real aggressive.”

Only the Jets, with 60, had fewer passing yards than the Chiefs in the season’s first week. Not surprisingly, New York managed just three field goals in a 10-9 loss to Baltimore.

The Chiefs were one of just four teams in the bottom 10 in passing yardage to win over the weekend. Two of the other winners, Houston and Tennessee, each rushed for more than 200 yards in their respective victories.

The Chiefs received a 56-yard touchdown run from Jamaal Charles but otherwise didn’t have the consistent rushing production that the Texans or Titans did.

The message there is that the Chiefs will need much more from Cassel and the passing game if they are to beat the Browns.

The Chiefs hoped to get that against the Chargers, but like the preseason, it wasn’t there. Cassel completed 10 of his 22 throws, and none of the completions went for more than 16 yards.

Having a functioning passing game would have helped the Chiefs bury the Chargers earlier rather than having to sweat out a San Diego drive in the final moments. The Chiefs had three possessions of three plays and a punt in the second half when they were trying to expand their lead while chewing up as much of the remaining clock as possible.

“We didn’t turn the ball over,” Haley said. “We protected it. We did some good things. We forced the clock to run, so there were some positive effects. We wanted to end the game with the ball in our hands, which we ultimately did, but probably not really where we wanted it to be.

“I would not want to be satisfied with that, and I know the guys aren’t.”

Haley said the Chiefs at times adjusted their pass defense to the extreme conditions, taking away as many routes in the middle of the field as possible.

“We were doing some of the same things on defense, not being conservative but understanding what the difficulty was in throwing and where we wanted the ball to be thrown, which was outside the numbers,” Haley said. “You weren’t seeing a lot of balls being completed out there.”

But the Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers didn’t have the same issues with the conditions. Rivers threw for almost 300 yards and moved the Chargers downfield on their final drive, putting themselves in range for the tying touchdown, which they failed to get.


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/1...pen.html?storylink=omni_popular#ixzz0zZnOnjMU

 

CHARGERS

1. The Running Game has been Improved

Do you want proof of this? Okay, let's start off with the conditions. Running in the rain is always tough because the field gets slippery, but it's made even more difficult when the rain is so heavy that your team can't throw the ball and the defense can key in on the running back. Add in the fact that it's Ryan Mathews' first game and he's in probably the loudest stadium he's even been in, and the kid did pretty good. Here's his line:

vs KAN / 9.13.10 Rushing Receiving
Rush Yards Avg TD Rec Yards Avg TD
Ryan Mathews 19 75 3.9 0 1 2 2 0



Right now you're saying to yourself, "Not great, not terrible". The thing is, as I've always stressed in the past, expectations should be set by what was and progress should be applauded.

So...how many times did Tomlinson get 75 or more rushing yards in 2009? ONCE?!? Okay, well that's been matched. Maybe it was just cause we threw the ball too much. How many times did he rush for at least 3.9 yards per carry in 2009? Only twice?!? This can certainly be called progress and should certainly be applauded.

Star-divide



2. Legedu Naanee's Breakout Season?

Yes, he had a key drop late in the game and his long touchdown pass had more to do with Antonio Gates than it did with him, but Naanee had himself a heck of a football game last night. Although Brandon Carr was doing a fantastic job on Malcom Floyd, Naanee came out looking like Philip's most reliable receiver.

vs KAN / 9.13.10 Receiving
Rec Yards Avg TD
Legedu Naanee 5 110 22.0 1



Since he sortof fits the Vincent Jackson mold of strength, speed and hands better than Floyd does, perhaps this could eventually lead to Floyd going back down to #2. Either way, the more reliable receivers Philip has (and it appears they're all pretty good), the better off the offense will be.



3. The Defensive Secondary Was Good

All of the Chiefs WRs combined equaled up to 2 catches for 27 yards last night. That was it. Chris Chambers spent the game trying to fight off Antoine Cason, and Dwayne Bowe was blanketed on nearly every play by Quentin Jammer. Did it help that Matt Cassel was inaccurate with the football? Absolutely it did, but that doesn't mean that the secondary (that many people were worried about) wasn't terrific.

On a related note, Antonio Cromartie played like Antonio Cromartie and the Ravens picked on him all game long. He was a very big factor into why the Jets lost their game last night, and now we can look at similar situations (vs. Chambers, with Cassel as QB) for Cason and Cromartie and say "Hmm....maybe this was a good idea." Don't forget, Chambers abused Cromartie last season for 7 catches, 70 yards and a TD.



4. Kevin Burnett Played Well

Not that he played poorly when he was on the field in 2009, but he seemed to play better than that and walked away from the game healthy (as did Buster Davis!). His coverage skills were fantastic, and his run defense was very good as well. The high hopes I had for him last season have returned.

vs KAN / 9.13.10 Tackles Sacks Interceptions
Solo Ast Total Sacks Yds Int Yds IntTD
Kevin Burnett 5 1 6 0 0 0 0 0


5. Antonio Garay is a Monster

When people ask me "Who is this guy?" or "Where did this guy come from?" The honest answer is that I have no idea. Connections mean everything and we should be thankful that Ron Rivera knew this guy from years ago, because he has looked completely dominant in the preseason and last night. The same way Jamal Williams, and the double-teams he forced, was the key to the Chargers defense being good in the past, Antonio Garay and the double-teams he required was the key to San Diego's D looking good last night.

If this guy can stay healthy, and continue to require double-teams, and play like the beast he's been the last few games now, that could do wonders for the Chargers defense and therefore playoff chances.

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2010/9/14/1688121/5-good-things-chargers-at-chiefs

1. Stupid Chargers Fans

Sigh, I was worried that with the first loss this would come and here it is. If you've been following along on twitter or even in some of our comments here at BFTB, you'll notice lots of people are trying to peg this loss on "A.J. Smith's ego" and the team not having Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill and Kassim Osgood. Let's go over this one last time:

* Marcus McNeill - I already wrote this one out. Please read this
* Vincent Jackson - I'll try to make this as brief as possible. VJax wants to be paid as the league's top WR. In 2009, far and away his best season, he ranked 10th in touchdowns, 9th in receiving yards and 30th in receptions. Add in two DUIs and two separate occasions where he ended up in cuffs during the NFL playoffs, along with a 3 game suspension from the NFL, and you could see why the team might be hesitant to make him the highest paid WR in football. Also, it shouldn't be overlooked that in 3 seasons as a starting WR Jackson has caught 60 or more balls only once.
* Kassim Osgood - Kassim wasn't going to stay here. Plain and simple. He wanted to be at least a top 3 WR, and the Chargers knew he wasn't better than Legedu Naanee, Malcom Floyd or Buster Davis. Getting one catch in his first game as a WR doesn't erase the doubts about his acceleration, route-running or hands. Chargers fans have to accept the fact that keeping Osgood was not an option.

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2. Special Teams

Plain and simple, it was atrocious. Mike Tolbert, who was a special teams standout last season, was actually in great position to stop the Dexter McCluster run-back....but he slipped on the wet grass and fell over, leaving a big hole for McCluster to run through. Take away the rain and maybe it gets better, but that doesn't mean the Chargers shouldn't work on it. Kick coverage needs to get better. Mike Scifres needs to be sure to not out-kick his coverage. We haven't even gotten a chance to see Nate Kaeding kick, but there's that little bit of fear that it could be a disaster. If I had to put the blame of this game on one singular thing, it would be getting dominated on special teams all game.



3. Darren Sproles

This is part of the reason for #2. Sam mentioned in the open thread last night that Sproles probably got more "Dolts" than anybody else last season, and I think he might be right. For every big play Darren makes, there are about 7 or 8 that are just awful. He dances on punt returns, seems like he's looking for contact on kick returns and offers almost nothing as a runner out of the backfield.

vs KAN / 9.13.10 Rushing Receiving
Rush Yards Avg TD Rec Yards Avg TD
Darren Sproles 5 3 0.6 0 2 2 1 0





4. Run Defense

Say what you want about the run defense "besides Charles' 56 yard TD", we said many times last year that a RB's numbers were reflective upon him breaking one or two big plays a game. The biggest difference in the game is that Charles made that one big play, that one big run, and Ryan Mathews fumbled away his chance.

One thing the run defense was actually goo at last season was not giving up the big run, and they're going to need to get back to that. Giving up 8.4 yards per carry to one of the starters is not going to cut it.

vs SDC / 9.13.10 Rushing Receiving
Rush Yards Avg TD Rec Yards Avg TD
Jamaal Charles 11 92 8.4 1 1 8 8 0





5. Pass Rush

I know Shawne Merriman wasn't there and if we're all optimists we're hoping that he comes back and dominates. However, if he doesn't return and dominate the Chargers might have a real problem on their hands. Matt Cassel, who notoriously holds onto the ball too long and gets sacked regularly, was taken down behind the line of scrimmage only once. Larry English got close only once all game. There were no safety or nickel CB blitzes called. Cassel had all day to throw, and it's part of what led to his handful of good passes.

I know this may be a little too simplistic for our environment here, but Ron Rivera's defense seems very boring. There's no big hits, not a lot of turnovers, no scaring the crap out of the QB. Compared to other 3-4 defenses around the league (Steelers, Ravens, Jets, etc.), the Chargers' D is incredibly vanilla and the zones in coverage can be torn to shreds by an accurate passer that has time to throw. I want more man coverage, more blitzes, more creativity and a look of fear in the eyes of opposing QBs.

vs SDC / 9.13.10 Passing Rushing
Comp Att Pct Yds TD Rush Yds Avg TD
Matt Cassel 10 22 45.5 68 1 2 4 2.0 0

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2010/9/14/1688794/5-bad-things-chargers-at-chiefs



Quarterbacks: C

Philip Rivers normally owns the Chiefs. Not on this night. He mixed errant throws with uncharacteristically questionable decisions under pressure, an oddity for a player of Rivers' caliber. His passer rating was surprisingly high but, in the end, Rivers had three chances to complete a game-tying, 4-yard touchdown pass and couldn't get it done.

Running backs: D

Ryan Mathews' regular-season debut didn't go as planned. He struggled to gain the extra yards that he tallied without trouble in the preseason. His longest run, a 15-yard romp up the middle, ended with a fumble that set up a Kansas City touchdown. Darren Sproles was largely ineffective. Mike Tolbert provided a spark, but his two carries weren't enough to make a difference.

Receivers: D

Tight end Antonio Gates had a touchdown and a couple of big plays to keep the Chargers' hopes alive, but none of the receivers proved consistent. Malcom Floyd, the team's No. 1 wideout, didn't make a catch until the third quarter. Other than Gates, the receivers struggled to get open, leaving Rivers with limited options. Legedu Naanee had a 59-yard TD catch that came from blown coverage, not expert route-running. He also had a crucial fourth-down pass bounce off his hands in the fourth quarter.

Offensive line: C-minus

Center Nick Hardwick struggled mightily against Kansas City's interior defense. Left tackle Brandyn Dombrowski performed fairly well in his first start in place of holdout Marcus McNeill, but the right side of the line surrendered a sack and allowed a few promising plays to be blown up. The run blocking was average, although the pass protection improved throughout the game.

Defensive line: C-minus

Nose tackle Antonio Garay played well early, but the Chiefs opened running lanes at the point of attack. Kansas City backs frequently made it into the second and third levels of the defense, meaning the front line wasn't doing its job well enough.

Linebackers: D

At least outside linebacker Shaun Phillips showed up. Besides some quality pass coverage by Kevin Burnett, this group was largely invisible, especially against the run, as the Chiefs averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Too many tackles were made by defensive backs.

Secondary: B

The Chiefs were abysmal in the passing game, with only 62 yards. While much of the blame falls on Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, the secondary held up well, led by cornerbacks Antoine Cason and Quentin Jammer. The safeties were effective against the run.

Special teams: F

If there were a lower letter grade, it would have been given. How about a "W," for the worst special teams performance in recent memory? The Chargers gave up the longest punt return in franchise history (94 yards by Dexter McCluster) and two other returns of 24 yards or more. They lost the field position battle on punts and kickoffs. They couldn't cover kicks and couldn't pin K.C. deep. Darren Sproles called for fair catches on returnable punts. This unit was downright awful.

Coaching: F

Norv Turner's team wasn't ready for this game. There were too many dropped passes and too many careless penalties (three delays of game) to ignore. The quality practices that Turner claims his team had last week certainly didn't translate when it mattered most.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_c8d5ea46-77e6-5868-8582-c17be6c02774.html

 

CHARGERS

Bolts - Offense
Offensive Line
Team 5.2 YPC, 1 Sack Allowed

Is it possible that the San Diego Chargers, and Hal Hunter, have someone managed to find a better LT in Brandyn Dombrowski than they had in Marcus McNeill? He's certainly not far off, which is incredible when you remember that last year he was an undrafted free agent Guard. Kris Dielman is playing at a really high level, Nick Hardwick redeemed himself by looking dominant all game, Louis Vasquez can only be described as solid and even Jeromy Clary has been adequate at RT.

Barring injury, this line has a chance to be really, really good this year. They looked strong at all point in this game, and Jacob Hester and Mike Tolbert seemed to do a good job of understanding where they were going with their blocks and following the lane created by the line. I don't think the line could've played much better than it did.

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Mike Tolbert
16 rushes, 82 rush yards, 2 TDs. 1 catch, 13 rec yards.

I take back anything I ever said about Tolbert being too one-dimensional to be a good backup to Ryan Mathews. If Mathews goes down for a few weeks, I am now somewhat excited as to what we might see from Tolbert. I was a little upset during the preseason when it became obvious that he had lost his starting FB job to Jacob Hester, but now I see why he did. It would be almost impossible to be both the #2 HB and #1 FB, and obviously Tolbert is more of a weapon as the backup to Mathews and the goal-line back.

For 3 seasons I've been saying this, and I probably will for a bit longer, but the more I see of Tolbert the more I like him and get excited for his potential as a versatile athlete.


Philip Rivers
22/29, 334 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs

I hesitate to throw Rivers a Bolt because this is supposed to be "playing above expectations", and 2 interceptions certainly is below my expectations of Philip. However, neither of those were really his fault, and outside of those throws he had a fairly incredible game. What I liked most about this game for Rivers was how it matched the offensive philosophy that Norv Turner has been talking about all preseason.

Legedu Naanee, who got the most catches last week, got only one this week while Malcom Floyd got a few more. Why? Because Floyd got open more than Naanee did. Buster Davis was getting open all day, and because of that he tied Antonio Gates for the most catches on the team in the game. This has really turned into Philip dropping back and looking for the open guy, rather than trying to force it to Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates and hoping they could make a play.


Malcom Floyd
3 catches, 95 yards, 1 TD

This is exactly what I'm looking for from Floyd on a weekly basis. He provided a deep-threat (54 yard catch), a red zone threat and in general played like a #1 WR against a very good CB in Rashean Mathis. He was the cream to Gates' sugar. The peanut butter to Gates' jelly. The shake to Gates' bake.


Antonio Gates
5 catches, 57 yards, 2 TDs

YAWN. Another game where Gates looks completely unstoppable and uncoverable. Wake me when this changes so that I can look shocked.


Craig Buster Davis
5 catches, 48 yards

Did I get weird looks in a Las Vegas bar for yelling "CBD!" for each of these 5 catches? Of course I did. I don't care. All my theories, which I assumed were the Chargers theories, about giving him a year off to get healthy and grow into his (still very young) body seem to be paying off. CBD looks healthy, strong, fast, and is displaying all of the things that made him a first-round draft pick in the first place. You want to know why Patrick Crayton only has 1 catch through 2 games? This would be one big reason.


Bolts - Defense
Antoine Cason
6 tackles, 4 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

I loved Quentin Jammer after the game basically saying "I don't want to say I told you so, but...." We all lost faith in Cason after last season. "If he can't play nickel, how will he replace Antonio Cromartie?" Then the coaches explained it to us. Then we saw him playing physical defense, which looked out of place across the field from Jammer, and covering receivers as well (if not better) than Cro. "Hmm....maybe it's just preseason." Maybe not.

Is it possible that, while losing "stars" Marcus McNeill, Antonio Cromartie and LaDainian Tomlinson and replacing them with unproven guys that the team has improved at all three positions? It is definitely looking like a possibility. Cason was a beast and had an all-around game so good that Cromartie couldn't even dream of producing the same results. Not even in 2007. What a game.


Brandon Siler
6 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 interception

Sigh. I don't know what other way to say it, Brandon Siler is much better than Stephen Cooper at this point in their careers. Siler made the entire defense look stronger and better, and the team didn't seem to miss Cooper calling the plays and lining them up. Of course Cooper will be back on the field this week and Siler will be back on the sideline (probably), but every time he gets on the field Brandon shows that he is a force to be reckoned with both in the running game and as a pass defender (maybe the best zone coverage LB on the team).

If Siler goes back to being the backup and Stephen Cooper comes back on the field, it's a sign that the coaching staff believes in chemistry and leadership above performance. That's fine, that's their prerogative, but that's not mine and I will be slightly disappointed at the choice. The best defense the Chargers could field has Siler and Burnett as ILBs, and Merriman and Phillips as OLBs.


Defensive Line
6 tackles, 1 sack

The bulk of the attention should go to Jacques Cesaire, who had a career game, and Antonio Garay, who had Game #2 of his career season. Luis Castillo also played well, and the fill-ins (Travis Johnson, Ogemdi Nwagbuo, Alfonso Boone) all played good as well. Their strong play, and they owned the line of scrimmage on just about every play, helped the LBs (who all had great games) and stopped the Jacksonville running game from getting going (Maurice Jones-Drew: 2.6 YPC).




Dolts

The only Dolt this week is whoever let Rashad Jennings come through and block Mike Scifres' punt. However, I can't easily track down video to find out who got beaten and really....it's not like it happens all the time, so it's not that bad. Overall, no bad games from any of the Chargers players this week....and that's why they won by 25

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2010/9/21/1701876/bolts-dolts-jaguars-at-chargers

After a blowout win, it's sometimes hard to come up with 5 bad things about the game. Unfortunately, that was not the case this week. The 25 point win against the Jaguars was a good team beating a bad team, but the good team still showed off it's flaws and played a relatively sloppy game.



1. Ryan Mathews, not "Bam Bam"

I am retiring the "Bam Bam" nickname from my lexicon until this bout of bad luck turns itself around for Ryan J. Mathews. After the first fumble in his first game, many people said "Oh boy, I hope that doesn't become an issue." Not that he holds the ball wrong (he actually has excellent form), but everyone has seen those rookie RBs that get fumbling in their head (and in the head of the defenses they're facing) and suddenly are coughing the ball up every week or so. The hope was that he wouldn't become that, and now those whispers have turned to worries.

As far as his injury, it all depends on how much he practices this season. However, as soon as he went down my brain jumped to the one concern about Mathews college career: injuries. There are some legitimate concerns about his ability to stay healthy in the NFL. Weeks 3 and 4 (against the Seahawks and Cardinals) will go a long way towards determining Mathews' candidacy as Rookie of the Year, which may determine the beginning on his legacy as a Charger.

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2. Larry English, bust?

I was hesitant to call Larry English a bust heading into this year because I had hopes that everything he learned in year 1 would amount to him being an animal in year 2. However, in this season he looks like the same player he was last year. His speed, strength and moves all seem to be somewhere between average and below average. Antwan Applewhite, who I believe was at one time went undrafted, outperformed him on the field yesterday.

The most telling sign that Larry English is not the player the Chargers hoped he would be was the difference in the defense, and how the offense protected the QB, when Shawne Merriman came into the game. It was a clear statement: "We know we can keep Larry in check with one blocker."

Did English get half of a sack with Eric Weddle? Yes, he did. Was it an overly impressive play, or game, for English? No, it was not. He needs to show me more before I'm comfortable with him as the starter next season.



3. Mike Sims-Walker

I know he's a good WR, but any time you give up 10 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown you have to consider that a defensive failure. Sims-Walker was by no means dominant, but he took what the defense (Quentin Jammer) gave him and had himself a very nice game even though the guys throwing him the ball looked lost all day.



4. Blocked Punt

Not a huge deal, but it was a mistake by the Special Teams (again) in a game that didn't have many. Mike Scifres seems to miss the Pro Bowl each year by a hair, every punt is of the utmost importance if he's going to finally make it in 2010.



5. Blackout

We've been over this. I'm well aware of the legitimate reasons out there for this week's blackout. With that being said, I never want to see another San Diego blackout again. It was depressing. It was depressing to talk about, to be asked about, to have to defend this fanbase, to hear about people watching the game the next day. This is not how Chargers football should be appreciated.

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2010/9/20/1700591/5-bad-things-jaguars-at-chargers

I'm finally home, back in sunny San Diego, and I feel terrible for San Diego Chargers fans that weren't able to watch yesterday's game in it's entirety. So many players that get picked on by the fans had huge games (Darren Sproles, Jacques Cesaire, Buster Davis, Antoine Cason), and then some of the favorites did as well (Malcom Floyd, Mike Tolbert, the entire offensive line).

This was one of those games that, while things are being wrapped up in the fourth quarter, you overhear other Chargers fans saying "What a fun game!" and you realize that you've almost lost your voice from all the screaming along with good plays. It wasn't a perfect game, there will be some Dolts tomorrow, but it was a game that wiped away any memory or need for Marcus McNeill and/or Vincent Jackson. Unfortunately, since most people didn't see it (or only saw highlights), that idea probably still exists.

Anyways, onto 5 good things about the Jaguars/Chargers game.

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1. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers

I was just saying in the game-preview that this is a team that has struggled to get turnovers for two full seasons now, and then they explode for 6 in one game. WOW. Ron Rivera tapped into something (I have my own theory) and wound up putting a lot of pressure on David Garrard and the Jacksonville WRs. Simply put, the Chargers defense was bigger, stronger and in a better position than the Jaguars offense on almost every play.



2. Chargers catch a break (or a sprain)

Ryan Mathews' career is not off the start everyone was hoping for, with 2 fumbles in 2 games and both of them ending with him on the sideline. However, it's very obvious when you watch him with the ball (and you hear of his work ethic) that he has the talent and will probably turn into a very good RB. He is a big factor in the 2010 San Diego Chargers season, and I'd be willing to say that they need him to do anything of significance this year....so watching him get carted off the field was a little scary.

When he came back in the second half and looked ready to get in the game, I felt a lot better and started each play off by looking for him in the backfield. Supposedly, although his ankle was sprained, he felt like he could've came back but Norv Turner didn't see a reason to risk putting him in. I agree with that. It's week 2, the Chargers were up big. Find out if he's okay in practice, not during this game. If Mathews goes the whole week without missing any time and then starts next week at Seattle, the Chargers should consider themselves very, very lucky.



3. The Haitian Sensation!

It figures the Jacques Cesaire would explode for a career game the first time that San Diego wasn't able to watch him on their local tv. Cesaire, for the time that I can remember, was dominant all game. He shut down plays when the Jaguars ran the ball at him and got an excellent sack as well. Jacques looked big, strong, fast and smart. Actually, he looked like a second Antonio Garay (and Garay arguably had a better game than the one against the Chiefs). However, this may not have been entirely on Cesaire....



4. Shhhh...don't jinx it.

I can go on and on about how right I was about Brandon Siler playing instead of Stephen Cooper (and I probably will at some point), but the defense as a whole was a lot better and it wouldn't be a surprise to me if it had something to do with Shawne Merriman returning to the field (and looking really, really good). With Garay and Merriman demanding double-teams, guys like Luis Castillo, Cesaire, Kevin Burnett and Siler were more free to make plays and did.

It's really amazing what Merriman stepping on the field does to an offense and for the defense, and when Shawne started looking like a guy who couldn't be stopped by one guy (without drawing numerous holding penalties) it changed the complexion of the game. Hell, it changed the complexion of the season. I don't want to go too deep into this, but....let's just say while the league's Left Tackles are putting on this tape and thinking that Shawne Merirman is finished they might stop and say "Uh oh" after the first few plays.



5. Cautiously looking ahead

I know, I know....it's early and I'm going to get everyone down talking about "next offseason". The truth of the matter is that Eric Weddle, who is often thought of as the star of the defense, is playing on the last year of his rookie deal. We have been caught in this situation before and have said "Well, of course the Chargers will sign Marcus McNeill to a big deal." This may or may not be the case next year. I sincerely hope, and honestly believe, that negotiations will go off without a hitch and Weddle will get his deal. However, Steve Gregory might be arguing against that.

Gregory is playing at a ridiculous level right now, and has led the team in tackles each of the first 2 games of this season (and seemingly in every preseason game). It's almost like the Chargers have 2 Eric Weddles in the secondary, and it's a big reason why both Matt Cassel and David Garrard have looked downright foolish trying to throw the ball against this team. Not only has Gregory won the spot, but he has a deathgrip on it and is looking like a not-so-bad alternative to Weddle at FS next season, should it come to that.



5a. Stanky Leg

It has made it's 2010 debut, and it was glorious.

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2010/9/20/1700236/5-good-things-jaguars-at-chargers

 

CHIEFS

Chris Chambers isn’t the first wide receiver to talk about the difficulty of playing for Todd Haley, who formerly coached the position.

Chambers lost a jump ball for a Matt Cassel pass along the sideline in Sunday’s 16-14 win over the Browns in Cleveland to cornerback Sheldon Brown, who made the interception.

Chambers heard about his failure when he arrived back on the Chiefs bench.

“Todd got after me a little bit because I should have knocked the ball down,” Chambers said. “He told me it was my fault for not giving a better effort to do that.

“It’s tough because he has coached receivers, and the first thing he looks at is the receivers, how we block, how we run routes, how we get open. We have our own receivers coach with Richie (Anderson) and (offensive coordinator Charlie Weis) coached receivers back in the day, so it was a little tough on us.

“But it’s good in the end because we are learning and we are getting better.”

Perhaps, but not quickly enough to rescue the Chiefs’ faltering passing game. The Chiefs might be 2-0 for the first time in five years, but not because of anything they’ve achieved in the passing game.

The Chiefs have just one pass play of more than 20 yards and much of the attention has been focused on Cassel, who has an anemic passer rating of 55.8 and is completing just 52 percent of his passes.

But all too frequently Cassel hasn’t had anyone open to throw to.

“Being a former receiver coach and that being an area that I always find a way to pay attention to a little bit, I’m probably never going to be happy in that area,” Haley said. “I’m going to set the bar high.

“That will never be good enough. If you win on nine out of 10 routes, I’m going to say, ‘Win on 10.’ I’m not going to accept anything else.”

Chiefs receivers have improved in some areas. They are mostly catching the ball when it does find its way.

The Chiefs averaged more than three dropped passes per game last year but have just two drops so far this season.

They also found a way to make some things work on some crucial third-down plays in Cleveland. Tony Moeaki and Dwayne Bowe caught third down passes to extend a field goal drive early in the third quarter, and Moeaki came up with another big third-down catch that led to the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter.

Receivers are also having a hand in the Chiefs’ rushing success. Kansas City is fifth in the league in rushing yardage.

“Another component of being a good receiver in the league in my opinion is blocking,” Haley said. “I will speak individually about Dwayne Bowe in that area. That’s something he’s made such a big jump in, and that’s a real good sign. Last week he had a couple of real big blocks, one on a long run and (Sunday) he continued that, though it didn’t necessarily lead to big plays.”

The passing game is another story. The one catch of 20-plus yards went to a running back, Jamaal Charles. A tight end, Moeaki, is the leading receiver with eight catches, three more than Bowe.

Chambers caught 36 passes and scored four touchdowns in nine games for the Chiefs last year and averaged almost 17 yards per catch. This season he has four receptions, no touchdowns and an average of less than 12 yards.

“We’ve got to get better,” Chambers said. “We’ve got to be perfect on our routes and when the ball comes our way we’ve got to catch the ball. We’ve got to do everything we can to help our quarterback have confidence in us so he knows he can go to us and not worry about anything but the ball being caught.

“We’ve got to continue to work, continue to learn... We know the things we need to work on. We’re very critical of the mistakes we’ve made. It’s not all on the quarterback or the line or the receivers. We want to get separation (from defenders) and make plays for our quarterback.”

Haley hasn’t publicly loaded any of the blame for the state of the passing game on Cassel, though that could be a measure to relieve the pressure on the quarterback.

“The passing game is always an 11-man operation,” Haley said. “I would never put ... it all on receivers, tight ends, backs, quarterbacks or the line. There are so many factors that are critical, everybody doing the right thing and understanding what to do.”

WHY IT’S CASSEL ■■

•He forces throws to covered receivers, such as Dwayne Bowe (right photo).

•He’s completed just 52 percent of his passes.

WHY IT’S THE RECEIVERS ii

•They could do a better job of knocking down passes that end up being intercepted.

•Though they have improved in this area from last season, Chiefs receivers are still dropping passes


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/2...ing.html?storylink=omni_popular#ixzz10Drs8reA

CLEVELAND | Forget perfection. Forget pretty. And forget big statistics.

That’s not the Chiefs’ style. And so far, sloppy is sensational — because Kansas City is 2-0 for the first time in five years.

Coach Todd Haley said after the Chiefs’ 16-14 victory Sunday — an unsightly, occasionally nauseating kind of thing — that this is the way his team will have to win. With defense, with special teams, and with luck. And maybe in spite of quarterback Matt Cassel, who still hasn’t shown that he’s a better quarterback than he was last season.

But so far in 2010, he’s a winner.

“It’s hard to win ballgames in the NFL,” said Cassel, who had fewer passing yards and more interceptions than Seneca Wallace, the Browns’ backup who started Sunday. “ ‘Whatever it takes’ is our mentality. If it’s sloppy, it’s sloppy. But at the end of the day, if we have a ‘W’ on the board, that’s all that matters.”

Haley said he came to terms with it weeks ago, that the Chiefs aren’t likely to dominate teams and will have to be sharper than their opponents. Players are beginning to understand now. Kansas City’s offense is perhaps the weakest part of a young and improving team, and it will occasionally need help.

Maybe more than occasionally.

On Sunday, cornerback Brandon Flowers helped bail out the offense with an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Kicker Ryan Succop did it with three field goals and by playing keep-away with the Browns’ terrific kick returner, Josh Cribbs. Kansas City kept Cleveland from scoring in the second half.

“The defense came out and helped us a lot,” running back Jamaal Charles said. “We played like a family.”

If that’s true, then Charles is looking more like a stepchild. The Chiefs’ young and talented rusher had half as many carries as Thomas Jones, and Charles didn’t touch the ball until the team’s third possession.

In Kansas City’s locker room, Charles acknowledged for the first time that he is the Chiefs’ backup running back. That Jones is the starter and that Charles has come to terms with his role.

“I don’t have any complaints,” he said. “Hey, man, as long as we win games around here, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Charles is saying the right things, and he appears to mean it, too. But the Chiefs can’t keep this up forever. Can they? If sloppy wins are charming now, what happens when all that slop turns on Kansas City and the defense or special teams has a bad day?

Haley didn’t explain Sunday when he was asked why Charles, who broke a 56-yard touchdown run last Monday against San Diego, hasn’t played more. He indicated that it was about the game plan and the Chiefs’ strengths against Cleveland.

“We have a clear-cut plan for how we want to start the game, how we want to do things,” Haley said. “Today was a grind-it-out type of day.”

There are likely to be more days like this ahead. Cassel was again inconsistent, and he misfired on passes more often than he was sharp. But the Chiefs have to live with him, because there’s no suitable Plan B — now or in the immediate future — if Cassel doesn’t improve in his second season as Kansas City’s starter.

He was picked off twice Sunday, and Haley said the Chiefs cannot afford turnovers. Not with this team, not the way it will have to play — disciplined and mostly mistake-free — if it plans to keep this unlikely winning streak rolling.

“Our margin of error is not going to be great,” Haley said. “We are a team that hasn’t won a lot of games, and that doesn’t happen by accident.

“We’re going to have to score in some unconventional ways.”

A team with utmost confidence in its quarterback doesn’t often have to rely on the unconventional, but Haley reiterated that this is where Kansas City is in its process to someday be a team that doesn’t have to play in the dirt to win.

But for now, the Chiefs are undefeated, and that’s more than most of the preseason’s Super Bowl darlings can say. Who needs a clean win, or a steady quarterback, or a rising star as the starting running back?

Not this 2-0 team.

“There are teams that won Super Bowls that had ugly wins,” Jones said. “If one part of the team is struggling a little bit, the other part steps up. We’re not really concerned if it’s an ugly win or a pretty win. A win is a win.”

Kansas City will take it however it can


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/19/2235494/chiefs-grind-out-16-14-win-over.html#ixzz10Ds0V4sr

CLEVELAND | This should be a happy column. These should be optimistic thoughts about one of the NFL’s surprise teams, because that’s what happens when the local team wins on the road and stands 2-0.

There’s plenty to smile about, too — particularly a surprising defense that should keep the Chiefs in most games. Yeah. This should be a happy story.

The Chiefs are one of only eight undefeated teams, and there’s been so little to cheer about lately. How could we even dare miss an opportunity? So if that’s how you want to look at it, good for you. Don’t let these words ruin your day.

But this success is entirely unsustainable in the short or long term as long as Matt Cassel continues to play quarterback like this.

“Winning’s winning,” he says.

That’s fine for today, and nobody should ever apologize for winning in the NFL. But good teams can’t consistently overcome shoddy quarterbacking either.

The short-term joy of being 2-0 after a 16-14 win over the Browns on Sunday is clouded by the long-term reality check that all the progress being made under coach Todd Haley and general manager Scott Pioli will mean bupkis if Cassel doesn’t improve.

Two games into his second season with the Chiefs, we’re still waiting for him to be effective. He completed just 16 of 28 passes for 176 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. His passer rating is now 55.8. No quarterback has started at least 12 games with a passer rating that low since Browning Nagle for the Jets in 1992.

Haley wrote off Cassel’s miserable season opener by referencing brutal conditions and an ultraconservative game plan. There was none of that Sunday, and Cassel led no touchdown drives against a defense that finished 31st last year.

The Chiefs’ only touchdown came on defense, and one of their three field goals was gift-wrapped when linebacker Mike Vrabel forced a fumble and the offense took over at the Browns’ 22.

Here’s a depressing sentence: The Chiefs have scored 13 points on 20 possessions that started on their half of the field this season.

And here’s the depressing context: Today’s NFL emphasizes the quarterback more than ever before, and the Chiefs have no viable Plan B if Cassel’s production doesn’t match their hopes.

Quarterbacks have always made the most money, and huge contracts to cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha of the Raiders and Darrelle Revis of the Jets are nods to the NFL’s growing tilt toward the passing game.

Last year, the teams with the league’s top six passers went 72-24. Teams with the league’s top six rushers went 46-50. The references about Trent Dilfer being good enough for the Ravens in 2000 are as outdated as fears about the Y2K bug.

And if not Cassel, then who? What alternative would the Chiefs have? We’ve seen Brodie Croyle. Cassel wouldn’t bring much in a trade. He’s due a roster bonus of $7 million in March, which is before the draft or free-agency, so the options would be limited.

The Chiefs are like a lot of teams in need of a better quarterback. But with a few exceptions — most prominently the Jets — none of them is a serious Super Bowl contender.

Cassel’s teammates say nice things, of course. Thomas Jones talked about Cassel’s poise in the huddle, Chris Chambers complimented Cassel’s reads, and Haley said “I’m very proud of him.”

And it’s important to recognize that Cassel played significantly better in the second half on Sunday — eight for 12 for 116 yards. You can explain away his interceptions, too. One was deflected, and the other was a deep pass that Chambers says he should have kept away from the defensive back.

But nobody can think the Chiefs will continue to win with an offense that is essentially killing time between big plays by the defense and special teams.

Last year, Cassel’s struggles were justifiably excused by the lack of talent around him. His receivers could still do a better job than we’ve seen so far, but there are enough parts around Cassel to expect better production.

Charlie Weis says his No. 1 job is to “fix” Cassel, and however this goes, those words may define his time in Kansas City the way his “decided schematic advantage” line defined his years at Notre Dame.

The Chiefs’ first two games have given us more reasons to cheer than groan. They could be one of the league’s best rushing teams. Tony Moeaki looks like a budding star. The defense is vastly improved.

We know the Chiefs are making progress. They’re on their way to answering so many of the questions we had entering this season.

It’s just that they’re a long ways from answering the most important one.

To reach Sam Mellinger, send e-mail to smellinger@kcstar.com or follow twitter.com/mellinger. For previous columns, go to KansasCity.com.


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/19/2235508/chiefs-cant-keep-winning-if-cassel.html#ixzz10Ds8aSc0

BEREA, Ohio | Browns center Alex Mack accused Kansas City defensive lineman Shaun Smith of grabbing his private parts during Sunday's game.

Mack said Smith, who played two seasons for the Browns before he was released last year, committed the dirty play in the second quarter.

"I don't think he should be able to do that," Mack said Monday. "I'm still fired up about it."

Mack was so enraged by what Smith did during a running play that he started to chase him toward Kansas City's sideline before turning around because Cleveland's punt team was coming onto the field. Mack gestured to the officials and pointed at Smith, who denied any wrongdoing.

"I don't have no comment," Smith said. "I don't recall doing anything like that. I'm not known for being a dirty player or anything like that, so I don't know what that was all about."

The next time Cleveland had the ball, Mack committed an unnecessary roughness penalty when he hit linebacker Derrick Johnson after the whistle. The penalty proved costly because the Browns were backed up 15 yards and kicker Phil Dawson missed a 42-yard field goal just before halftime of Cleveland's 16-14 loss.

Mack was running downfield to block for teammate Jerome Harrison when he plowed into Johnson.

"I'm trying to rush there and get a block and do things, be fired up, play the game with passion and a little too much passion," Mack said. "It hurt my team and I feel bad for it. But I'm trying to play the game fast. It's my job to be protecting my running back, and that's what we're trying to do."


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/2...er-accuses-chiefs-defender.html#ixzz10DsFvd9c

 

RAIDERS

The St. Louis Rams came to town to greet the Oakland Raiders for their home opener. Last week, the Rams fell short of victory against the Arizona Cardinals while the Raiders looked to rebound from an embarrassing effort against the Tennessee Titans. Let's see how this contest went for the two former Los Angeles franchises each looking for the first victory of the season.

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Quarter Breakdowns

First Quarter: The St. Louis Rams won the coin toss, but deferred and elected to kick off to the start the game. Kamerion Wimbley and Tyvon Branch made huge impacts on the first drive for the Raiders with each getting a sack on rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. The Rams were forced to punt and Johnnie Lee Higgins made his presence felt for sure. A 53-yard return by the former UTEP wide receiver set up the Raiders with fabulous field position. After a Darren McFadden run, Darrius Heyward-Bey caught his first pass of the season for a first down. Three straight McFadden runs had the Raiders looking at a fourth down and inches to go. Instead of taking the three points, head coach Tom Cable pushed the envelope with a predictable run up the middle for no gain at the most. St. Louis took over at the six yard line. Running back Steven Jackson smashed through the Raiders on running plays and a screen and basically carried the Rams into Raiders territory all by himself. Then, through the air, Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt was flagged for an illegal contact penalty and then Bradford hooked up with Daniel Fells for a 36-yard gain. Fells made a beautiful catch with one handed, but was injured on the play. After Jackson was stuffed on back-to-back runs, rookie defensive lineman Lamarr Houston sacked Bradford forcing a field goal attempt by kicker Josh Brown. Kicking off the infield dirt from 36 yards out, Brown's kick had the distance but was not successful in getting between the uprights. Getting the ball back, McFadden gained 13 yards on a pitch to the right side. After an incomplete pass to Heyward-Bey, quarterback Jason Campbell hit wide receiver Louis Murphy on the right side who was wide open. That took Oakland into St. Louis territory. After another pass intended for Heyward-Bey fell incomplete, a third down run by McFadden was stopped short and kicker Sebastian Janikowski failed on a 46-yard kick from the dirt infield. Defensive lineman Jay Alford was whistled for encroachment and Steven Jackson found a big hole and ran it down to the Oakland 35 to end the first quarter.

Second Quarter: The quarter began for Jackson where he left off. On third down, Jackson picked up 23 yards on a swing pass from Bradford setting up a goal-to-go situation. Jackson had amassed 100 total yards in just a bit over a quarter. On second down, a play fake to Jackson set up a seven-yard strike from Bradford to a wide open receiver in Mark Clayton. St. Louis had drawn first blood (after first blood probably should've been drawn three times prior) with a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. Rookie wide receiver Jacoby Ford, who is now the kick returner after wide receiver Yamon Figurs was cut earlier in the week, returned it to the 22. On first down, Murphy drops a pass and then new left tackle Jared Veldheer was flagged for holding. McFadden was stuffed, but then Campbell dumped it off to Reece for a 19-yard gain and then picked up a first down on a pass over the middle to tight end Zach Miller. A few plays later, faced with a third down, Campbell scrambled right and ran for a nine-yard first down into St. Louis territory. Campbell dumped off to McFadden and then hit Reece on a screen pass, but Oakland needed five more yards for a first down; however, the yardage needed for a new set of chains doubled thanks to a false start penalty on right guard Cooper Carlisle. Before Campbell could even look to throw on third down, linebacker James Laurinaitis brought down Campbell. Punter Shane Lechler booted it to wide receiver Danny Amendola and Amendola just called for a fair catch at his own seven yard line. The Rams failed to pick up a first down as Jackson was stuffed twice and Bradford threw an incomplete pass. Punter Donnie Jones' boot wasn't a good one as it took a Raider bounce and the result was even worse for St. Louis than expected after a chop block penalty tacked on 15 yards for Oakland after that punt. The Raiders would begin their next drive at the Rams' 29 yard line. McFadden carried it for a healthy six-yard gain and then a pass intended for Murphy was incomplete although a personal foul penalty took the Raiders to just outside of the 11 yard line. Oakland only went backwards after that, however, as Campbell was sacked and lost the ball. Veldheer pounced on top of the football securing possession and Janikowski's field goal made it to a 7-3 game. Former University of Cincinnati standout Mardy Gilyard returned the kickoff back to his own 26. Amendola picked up a first down working on Routt following the two-minute warning and the Rams were searching for points before the half. On the ensuing play, though, Amendola committed an offensive pass interference and was flagged for it and it all started to go backwards. St. Louis ended up gaining only six total yards on that drive and punted it Oakland as the second quarter was just about done. Two plays later, Rams defensive end James Hall continued to wreak havoc and forced a fumble on Campbell who continues to get no time to throw. Campbell grabbed the ball, ran for a few yards and then hit Miller short of the first down before Miller ran over defenders for a first down. Just two plays later, Rams defensive back James Butler killed the drive as he intercepted an ill-advised pass intended for Murphy over the middle in St. Louis territory. A simple give to Jackson went nowhere and the half was over.

Third Quarter: Some people were clamoring for quarterback Bruce Gradkowski to take over for Campbell, and it was indeed Bruce out there under center as the Raiders' drive started at their own 18 yard line. Gradkowski hit Heyward-Bey for a quick throw resulting in a completion for six yards. On third down two players later following a McFadden run, another quick throw resulted in yet another Heyward-Bey first down. A five-yard McFadden run was aided by a personal foul on St. Louis defensive back Rod Bartell. At midfield out of a shot gun on first down, Gradkowski fired a beautiful pass to Murphy for a big first down over the middle putting Oakland in field goal range. A run for half a yard and an incomplete pass set up a third down. The blitz was too much again and Gradkowski lobbed it for Heyward-Bey in the end zone, but a fantastic play by Bradley Fletcher saw the ball hit the turf and another Janikowski field goal made it a 7-6 game. St. Louis had decent starting position after the bouncing kickoff found its way into Gilyard's arms, but a three-and-out gave Oakland the ball right back. A 40-yard punt by Jones was downed at Oakland's 17 yard line. Back-to-back first down completions from Gradkowski to Heyward-Bey and Miller set up Oakland at the 43 yard line of St. Louis. McFadden got back into the act with a nine-yard run on the left side and he wasn't done there. The next play was a run that went for 23 yards by McFadden on the left side once more. A delay of game penalty was followed up by a tough Gradkowski run an and incomplete pass, so the Raiders needed to convert on third down if they wanted a touchdown. Falling down on third down, Gradkowski fired and found Murphy in the end zone on the right side for a four-yard touchdown pass and the Raiders had their first touchdown of the game. The crowd was absolutely okay and the "Bruce" chants filled the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. On the kickoff, returner Mardy Gilyard was absolutely drilled by linebacker Quentin Groves and Gilyard was shaken up. Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly was flagged for a personal foul after the conclusion of the second play and killed some momentum for the men in silver and black. More good Raider defense continued despite the penalty. In an obvious passing situation, Wimbley drilled Bradford for what wasn't the first time and St. Louis was forced to punt. A nice punt by Jones forced Higgins to call for a fair catch at the 11 yard line. With exactly four minutes to go in the quarter, the Raiders offense was back out there and Gradkowski found Heyward-Bey once again on the right side for a huge gain as Darrius was able to break free for some yards after the grab. A two-yard run up the middle by McFadden was followed up with an incomplete pass on a screen that never developed setting up a crucial third down. Murphy was found over the middle, but couldn't stretch out an extra yard and so it was fourth down just into St. Louis territory. Lechler's punt sailed into the end zone and so the Rams would start at their own 20 yard line. Unfortunately for the Rams, for the second straight possession, a three-and-out was the result for St. Louis and the Rams had to punt it back. Jones came on and a short punt took a nice bounce for St. Louis and the end result was a 47-yard boot downed at Oakland's 29 yard line. On a toss to the right side, McFadden carried it for five yards to end the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter: The final quarter opened with more McFadden and he continued to run really well as the Raiders had a first down at their own 43 yard line. A few plays later, the pressure closed in on Gradkowski and a batted ball was to be had in the air. The ball ended up landing safely on the ground and a 15-yard roughing the quarterback penalty was called on safety Oshiomogho Atogwe resulting in a huge play for Oakland. The next play was another flag on the Rams as illegal contact was the penalty. Utilizing McFadden, the Raiders went to the air on a third down play and a great pass from Gradkowski to Murphy allowed for Oakland to move the chains. There's where the drive would stall, however, as another third down pass was intended for Murphy but this time it fell incomplete. A 22-yard field goal by Janikowski extended the lead to 16-7 for the Raiders. The Rams started at their own 23 and safety Michael Huff was flagged for pass interference in on the play against wide receiver Laurent Robinson. On the very next play, Routt picked off a pass intended for Robinson once again. The Raiders didn't move the ball, though, and punted the ball back to St. Louis. Rookie safety Stevie Brown, who was just activated off the practice squad yesterday, nailed Amendola on the return after Lechler's boot. St. Louis gave it right back for yet another three-and-out. After Jones' punt bounced an accidentally hit a Raider special teams player in the leg, Higgins pounced on it for possession. Oakland picked up a few first downs thanks to Heyward-Bey and McFadden and the Raiders kept moving in St. Louis territory with now less than five minutes to go. Some plays later on third down, a tipped pass was intercepted by Rams defensive back Jerome Murphy and the Rams still had a chance to close the gap and make things interesting. Rookie linebacker Rolando McClain was flagged for unncessary roughness after picking up and slamming down Amendola and that cost Oakland 15 yards. Amendola, on the next play, picked up a huge first down. An even bigger play followed that as, for the second time, Bradford hooked up with Clayton for a touchdown. All of a sudden, it was nervous time in Oakland as it was just a 16-14 lead for the Raiders now. All the momentum was gone. McFadden went up the middle for a yard and the second pass for Gradkowski was thrown away intentionally; however, after that pass, Rams defensive tackle Fred Robbins pushed Gradkowski down and was flagged for roughing the passer. Faced with a third down, Oakland knew the pressure was coming. Out of the gun, Gradkowski fired and found Murphy on the left side for a huge first down. On the ensuing play, McFadden rushed for a first down and had compiled 145 yards on the ground at that point. That took us the two-minute warning and the victory formation killed the clock. The Oakland Raiders had defeated the St. Louis Rams, 16-14.
Report Card

Pass Offense: "D+" -- Jason Campbell started the game and he was shaky. The offensive line, of course, was in flux. Everything changed in the second half, though, behind Bruce Gradkowski. The play calling was better, the offensive line looked better and the wide receivers (Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey) were a lot more involved in the passing attack. Campbell and Gradkowski combined to complete just 51 percent of their passes with an interception each.

Rush Offense: "A-" -- Darren McFadden anchored the ground attack today and was even more effective in the second half when the Raiders established a passing attack. The only thing that didn't materialize was a rushing touchdown, but that's okay when you get the win.

Pass Defense: "B+" -- Sam Bradford felt pressure and was sacked three times including getting intercepted once. He was moderately effective in terms of the completion percentage and did find Mark Clayton for a few touchdowns. Overall, though, the Raiders did a really good job with the pass defense.

Rush Defense: "A" -- Steven Jackson rushed for just eight yards in the second half and the Raiders really bottled up the St. Louis run game overall the same way they bottled up Titans running back Chris Johnson last week. The difference was that Jackson didn't break a 75-yard run for six points.

Special Teams: "B+" -- The tackling on special teams was really nice. As for the kicking game, Lechler only averaged 43 yards per punt and Janikowski's was 3-for-4. Higgins had a lovely 53-yard return off the first punt although it resulted in zero points. Overall, it was a pretty good performance all things considered.
Some Additional Thoughts and Tidbits

The biggest thing last week was the offensive line and head coach Tom Cable made some changes. Left guard Robert Gallery was injured, rookie Jared Veldheer was moved from center back to his more natural left tackle position, center Samson Satele slotted in there and offensive tackle Mario Henderson was on the bench. The Rams hurried Campbell several times in the first half and sacked him twice. In the second half, the protection was much better and some of that had to do with the plays called by offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. The Raiders went to the shot gun in non-obvious passing situations and Gradkowski made the throws and the plays. Last week, I pointed out that getting Louis Murphy and Darrius Heyward-Bey into the act was essential. The two combined for 12 receptions and really took off in the second half with Gradkowski. Defensively, the pressure was really nice and the Raiders need to continue to do that week in and week out. This was obviously a huge win because you cannot start 0-2 and Oakland now has a lot of momentum. Give head coach Tom Cable a lot of credit for making the quarterback switch at halftime. He deserves as much credit as anyone for the win.

http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2010/9/19/1698063/week-2-game-recap-st-louis-rams-14

Hey guys. Isn't today great? Just another wonderful Monday. Now that my weekend is over, I can't wait to see what life has in store for me this week. Hey, look at that, there's a bluebird on my shoulder.

Life is better after a Raiders victory. I look forward to watching the NFL Network and ESPN. I can't wait to look at various web sites that discuss football and of course, I went over to Turf Show Times to enjoy the lament of our victims and let me tell you--their tears taste like honey.

Before the game, I said if the Raiders didn't win by more than four, I would give up my hope for the season. Can I take that back? While the Raiders only won by two, they did everything else I wanted them to accomplish. In short, I wanted to see them beat up the Rams.

And the Raiders ended up landing hay-makers like Mike Tyson and I'm not talking Tyson vs. Holyfield, Tyson, I'm talking Tyson vs. Desiree Washington, Tyson. The defense swarmed to the ball. The D-line got great penetration. Special Teams were hitting and not missing tackles. The offensive line got a good push on running plays. The Raiders ball carriers took the hits to the defense. McFadden especially, but also the WR's and Zach Miller after catching the ball.

The stats reflect this more than the score. The Raiders won in virtually every statistical category:

25 first downs to 16, 41 percent to 20 on third down conversions, 173 yards rushing to 75, 231 yards passing to 135, 3 sacks to 2, 36:49 time of possesion to 23:11. Look at those yards! That's right 404 yards! That is the first time the Raiders have gone over 400 yards since October 23...2005!

It was far from a perfect performance, but it was more than enough to keep my hope rolling. After all, for me this season is as much about watching those seeds of hope start to blossom as it is wins and losses.

The Post Game Awards:

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The Snoopy Dancing Sticker Awards:

* Bruce Gradkowski: There'll be plenty more on this. From everyone, I imagine. I plan on doing a more in-depth look at the QB comparison a little later in the week. In the meantime, dancing snoopy for you!
* Cooper Carlisle: Carlisle's performance in itself probably wasn't worthy of this elite sticker, but given the fact that, I, you, him, her, that monkey and his flying fesces has bashed this guy--I think he deserves the highest honor. I am going to back off Coop. Most of the day he was lined up against Fred Robbins. Robbins is a beast and Cooper neutralized him. He got off to an auspicious start. On a 3rd and 1 play in the first quarter, Robbins blew him up and stuff McFadden. On the next play Seabass missed the field goal. After that though, Coop was a rock.
* Nnamdi Asomugha: I don't think a team has thrown at him yet. Well, the Rams did once and they completed it, but they had to cheat to do it and it got called back when Nnam was picked and he was still almost in position. All hail....
* Stanford Routt: I hereby nominate Routt for the Most Improved Player Ever Award. Bigger tests lay ahead for Routt, but he is exceeding expectations. He had an illegal contact early then gave up a short out for a first on 3rd down early, but after that he was a shutdown corner. His INT was huge and he played it well.
* Daniel Loper: For a guy most people thought wasn't even going to make the team, he did a hell of a job. He was no where near dominant, but he was servicable. I am glad to have him as a backup. Now let's hope he doesn't have to play next week, but I bet he does.
* The Defensive Tackles: They kicked *** and they did it without Richard Seymour. Henderson looked like everything we'd hope he'd be, Des Bryant was solid. Jay Alford adds incredible depth. Tommy Kelly...TK had a couple of penalties, the personal foul could have been a killer and I have no idea what it was for, but he was dominant. The Rams made no progress running his way. This was a Rams team whose interior offensive line is supposed to be a strength.
* Darren McFadden: He looked elite. In a world where most people had conceded McFadden was not an every down back, the most impressive thing to me was how he finished this game. 30 carries and he was laying the lumber in the fourth quarter.
* Shane Lechler: Typical day at the office for Shane. But Lechler's Awesomeness was highlighted by the Rams punter's suckiness. He sucks so bad that he was almost great, as his punts were landing laughably short they were almost bouncing off of Raiders blockers. In fact one did. Luckily JLH grabbed. We love you Shane!

Smiley Face Sticker Awards:

* The Defensive Ends: This group was led by LaMarr Houston. The guy is relentless chasing the QB. He is not getting pushed anywhere on run plays. Trevor Scott brought some good QB pressure. I would like to see more from Shaughnessy, but he gets a pass since he didn't get pancaked on any run plays.
* Thomas Howard: The guy has a limited role as the nickel backer. It is a role he seems perfectly suited for. What impresses me most with Howard though is his attitude. It would've been easy for him to pout and give up on this team, but he is playing with passion and intensity.
* The FB's: Marcel Reece hasn't had the big plays he did in the pre-season, but he is picking up his blocks. A rapid improvement for this converted WR. Rock Cartwright also saw some FB time and had a great block pick-up in the fourth quarter freeing Darren McFadden for a key first down run.
* Darrius Heyward-Bey: Welcome to the NFL DHB. Bey looked great after catching the ball. He is strong and hard to bring down. To become elite he needs to keep improving on catching the ball with his hands, but damn...he is light years ahead of last year
* Louis Murphy: Typical Murph. Good routes and great passion, intensity and clutchiness.
* Play Calling: I liked it on both sides of the ball. They rattled Sam Bradford early with some blitzes then allowed the D-line to get pressure. Offensively, the play calling looked a lot better with Grad in. But I thought it was a good mix of run/pass and short/long. I loved the little pitch outs to McFadden. We've wanted to see him running out wide and we finally got it.

Mr. Yuck Sticker Awards:

* Kickoff return blocking still is nonexistent.
* Sebastian Janikowski: I love Seabass. There is not another kicker I'd rather have. It is because of his high expectations that he is on this list. His missed field goal attempt was off the infield dirt, but he is too good to miss any kick inside 50.
* Screen Passes: The weapon that looked so effective in the pre-season has been horrible in the regular season.
* Redzone offense: Remember that Zach Miller guy? When you get close to the endzone, throw it to him.
* Nnam on the right side of the field: Move him around...please. Next week, maybe?

Items Worth Watching:

* Left Tackle Rotation: Interesting concept. Veldheer had a rough outing. He had a couple of penalities and got burned for a sack/fumble. Veld shows promise and he looks particularly strong on the move in run blocking. Not to be outdone, Mario Henderson got burned for a sack/fumble, although it was not quite as glaring as Veldheer's. Overall, Henderson was better, but I am all for Veld making this his position.
* One of the things that fascinates me about football is the chain of events. Things are connected and little miscues or breaks can turn into huge game changers. A good example of this: Zach Miller dropped a beautifully thrown ball by Gradkowski on a designed roll-out. Miller makes that catch 99 times out of 100. Had he caught it, it would've been a first down and the Raiders would be primed to go in for a TD and would've been in Seabass chip shot range for a game icing FG. Instead he dropped it. The next play, Veld jumps offsides. The next play, Grad throws a pick.
* Rolando McClain: Let's see, what did Death Ro do? I don't remember seeing him. Oh yeah, that's right, he was the guy doing the Hulk Hogan impression and body slamming people. I admit that got me out of my seat. I also admit that was a stupid play. I have seen the sentiment that he was making a statement, but Ro, if you want to make a statement, do it with a legal hit. He had Amendola lined up dead to rights, but Amendola kinda spun away from the big blow. Had the Raiders lost, that would be one of the things we were pointing too. Since they won, I'll say, that was pretty ****ing awesome. Just no more fourth quarter personal fouls please.
* Other than that, Rolando had an up and down day. He struggled on the Rams first TD drive. He took a bad angle on Steven Jackson's 23-yard catch and run and then missed with a weak arm tackle. Before that, he took missed filling the hole on a Jackson run that netted a first down. He then bit on the play action, which opened up the middle throwing lane for an easy TD pass. McClain seemed to get better as the game went and gave solid run support and pass coverage. He seems to be on track.
* Danny Amendola: I have to give this guy a shout out. On the same play he took a big hit and then a body slam from Ro. Not only did he just bounce right back up, but he made the catch on the very next play. Amendola, you can be my wingman anytime.
* Safety Play: It was much improved this game, but then again the Rams don't throw deep...ever. The Raiders spent much of the day with eight men in the box. Huff and Branch looked good tackling. Tyvon makes me nervous in coverage. While he was right there with Clayton on the second TD catch, he was a fraction of a second late. He makes me nervous going against teams with more of a deep passing attack.

http://www.silverandblackpride.com/2010/9/20/1699283/this-winning-thing-is-neat

 

BRONCOS

Opportunity + Preparation. To me, being successful in the NFL comes down to that equation. Whether it produces some fortuitous bounces, or creates turnovers, or, for lack of a better term, brings a team luck, P+O is the key, and for a team like the Broncos they have to use it to the fullest.

Blow out victories are a nice by-product of O+P*E. You need look no further than the Broncos win yesterday against Seattle. The Broncos hadn't scored that many points since Week 13 in 2009 when they dropped 44 on Kansas City. In fact, the Broncos scored 30+ points just twice last season, both on the road - they also did it against San Diego In Week 6. You have to go back to Week 3 in 2008 - a 34-32 win over New Orleans - to find the last time the Broncos scored 30+ points in a home game.

That's why my favorite football 'theory' is O+P*E=S, or, Opportunity + Preparation * Execution = Success.

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Last week against Jacksonville, the Broncos made the crucial mistake at the worst time. It cost them the football game. Yesterday they turned the tables and won easily. That is how razor-thin the line is in the NFL. Just ask the Seahawks. Their 31-6 win over San Francisco during Week 1 was eerily similar to the Broncos win yesterday.

Josh McDaniels talks often about 'complementary football'. Sure, he'd like all three phases of the football team - offense, defense and special teams - to be hitting on all cylinders. Rarely will that happen, but how the three phases compliment each other are key. Yesterday, the Broncos offense was clicking. They were moving the ball, controlling the clock, and kept the Seahawks on their heels. While not perfect, the defense complimented the offense by keeping Seattle off the scoreboard. The Special Teams got in on the act with a turnover of their own. All three phases, while not perfect, were able to impact the game.

Don't Make Every Play, Just The Big Play! - There are 5 plays in every game that usually determine the outcome. Yesterday's game saw 128 rushing/passing plays combined by the two teams. Less than 5% of plays in a game usually determine its outcome. Last week, the Broncos didn't make those plays. Yesterday they did. Here are the 5 I picked - you can choose your own in the comments as well - you only get 5. In no particular order:

1. Champ Bailey INT - Many of these plays are obvious, which is the point. Champ's INT, deep in Broncos' territory, was a huge momentum swing. The defense was on its heels, and the Seahawks were gaining confidence with every snap. But turning the Seahawks over, the Broncos regained momentum, and delivered a huge gut-punch to a team that is trying to build an identity of its own, much like the Broncos. At worst, the Seahawks are thinking 3 points. Instead, they get nothing.

2. Cassius Vaughn Fumble Recovery - Perhaps the play of the game. Really. The Broncos were able to flip field position by once again forcing a Seahawks fumble. If anyone has ever been the gunner on a punt team - at any level - you know the beating you take. Vaughn was the only Broncos cover guy near the returner, and when the ball bounced up to him,near the sidelines no less, Vaughn made a great athletic play to gain control and stay in-bounds. It won't get much love from the media, but us fans know how big of a play it was - and so does the locker room.

3. Knowshon Moreno 1-yard TD Run - The Broncos' struggles in short-yardage/goal line situations is well documented. I could almost sense the tension when the Broncos tried 2 straight runs from the 1-yard line only to get stuffed. Is it Tim Tebow time? Some kind of gimmick play? That's not what Kyle Orton wanted. He motioned over to Josh McDaniels, asking him to keep the same personnel in the game - meaning leave the extra receivers on the sidelines. The Broncos did run the same play - a run off the left side by Knowshon Moreno. It was tough, yes, but Moreno - and the offensive line - did just enough to get into the endzone. Not only did that make a statement in the game, but could pay dividends later in the season as well - for Moreno, the offensive line, and the coaching staff.

4. Brian Dawkins INT - Once again, the Seahwaks were driving only to see a drive stall with no points to show for it. This time, it was the other future Hall of Famer making the big play when the defense needed it the most. The Broncos have issues up front, we all know that. Elvis Dumervil was going to be a huge part of what they wanted to do this year and his loss will have an effect. That's why it is imperative for Bailey, Dawkins and the other veteran leadership on defense to make plays. This INT, when the Seahawks were still in the game, essentially ended it. Afterwards, Dawkins gave credit to DC Wink Martindale for going over that very play during film sessions - Opportunity + Preparation.

5. Orton - Knowshon - Orton - Royal Trickeration - This play was huge on a several fronts. Obviously, it set up the Broncos for a big score. It also converted a 3rd and long situation. Lastly, it gives me the opportunity to explain the difference between a 'Trick Play' and 'Gimmick Football". After the Broncos successfully executed the play, I got several tweets about it, asking my feeling on gimmick football. "The Same", I responded. There's a difference. The Pittsburgh Steelers - one of the most hard-nosed teams in the NFL for the last 40 years, have become notorious for the trick play. It's the reason they draft guys like Hines Ward and Antwan Randle El, even Kordell Stewart and Dennis Dixon. All 4 were college quarterbacks, and 3 of them - Ward, Randle El and Stewart - changed positions to become a weapon in the offense. That's not gimmick football - that's taking advantage of a defense that isn't expecting what is about to happen to them.

The key difference, in my opinion, is when you take the football out of your quarterback's hands, by either taking him off the field, or lining him up in a position he's not familiar with. It means, by rule, someone else is going to be tasked with making a good decision - someone other than the starting QB. A direct-snap to a running back, or using your backup QB as a fullback is not a trick play. It does not fool a defense. A well-timed misdirection play - set up by the effectiveness of the starting quarterback - is not a gimmick. I know the differences appear gray, but not to me. Trick Plays, when executed perfectly like the Broncos did yesterday, are great. Opportunity + Preparation.

Anyone Else Have Questions About Kyle Orton?? - Really. What else does this guy have to do to get respect? So his beards aren't the best. He doesn't have Tom Brady's good looks, and doesn't give an intriguing interview after the game. He's not going to say something controversial in a press conference, nor will he throw a teammate under the bus. He's the first to shoulder the blame after a loss and the first to spread the praise around after a win. Oh yea, 11-14 passing on 3rd down yesterday, what I call the 'Money Down' for a quarterback, is pretty awesome too. Orton is Top-7 in virtually every QB category - at least numbers-wise. Give me a Top-10 quarterback and I know I have a shot to win. I've said it ALL summer and I will say it again. Kyle Orton has complete control of the playbook and is the unquestioned leader of the Denver Broncos. I don't care who the Broncos traded for, who they drafted, Kyle Orton is the BEST OPTION for the Broncos to handle the football in every situation. He's earned it, he's proven it, and now the Broncos seemed content to let him run with it.

Kyle Orton's 1,033 passing yards in his last 3 games mark the highest 3-game passing total by a Broncos QB in 48 yrs (Frank Tripucka, 1,098, '62). He has more weapons, better weapons, than he ever has and he is showing he knows how to use them. I don't care who you wanted to be the quarterback before, but how can you not rally around, and give 100% support to #8 in Orange and Blue?

What's There To Say About Bay-Bay? The Broncos waited until the 2nd Quarter to unleash the New Beast, and Demaryius Thomas answered the bell. Just a few hours after Dez Bryant returned a punt for a touchdown for the Cowboys against the Bears - and I was getting the "Another McDaniels Bust' tweets - Thomas showed why the Broncos had him so high on draft boards. 8 catches, 97 yards and 1 TD. Thomas ran crisp routes, showed great hands, took contact, and most importantly made it out of the game healthy. His first play - a bubble screen on 3rd and 14 that gained 17 yards - showed just how fast and explosive he was. The Seahawks had no tape on Thomas and it showed. They were not ready for the speed. Dare I say the Broncos may finally have that true deep threat? Only time will tell, but Thomas looks like the real deal.

Sometimes The Effort Is More Important That The Results - The Broncos averaged 2 yards per carry yesterday. I'm not counting 3 plays from the victory-formation at the end of the game that go directly against a team's rushing totals. It was essentially 35 carries for 70 yards before those last three plays. Many will focus on the second number - 70. Me? I focus on the attempts. Think back to the preseason. The Broncos weren't even trying to run the ball. 15 attempts against Cincinnati, 20 attempts against Detroit. That's fine, in the preseason, but you have to stay committed to the run to win in the NFL.

The Broncos did that yesterday, and it allowed them to control the clock and forced the Seahawks to keep the thought of defending the run in the back of their minds. Of course, the score helps that along, which is why the Broncos have to play from in front. Something tells me the Broncos are usually going to win football games when they are hovering around the 35-40 rush attempts mark, even if the pure yardage is not there. What I'd like to see is this running game with the Broncos full allotment of offensive lineman.

Oh, speaking of the O-Line, how about J.D. Walton blasting two Seahawk defenders into the back of the end-zone on Correll Buckhalter's TD run. Buckhalter handed the ball to Walton, who seemed confused at first before slamming it into the turf. J.D. Walton is going to be a great player in this League for a long time. Stud.

Rockies V. Broncos is DUMB - I've seen many of you comment about Mark Kiszla's article about Denver becoming more of a Rockies town than a Broncos town. I don't live in Denver, and I will rely on those of you who do to chime in on this, but is this for real? I know Kiszla's job is to stir the pot, create controversy, and sell newspapers, but why pit one Denver fanbase against the other - especially when many people are fans of both?

All I can think about is 2007. That year, Cleveland, which by outsiders is described as an economic dead zone, had three teams that were in the midst of magical years. The Cavaliers went to the NBA Finals, the Indians were one game away from the World Series and the Browns went 10-6, just missing a playoff birth. All three were supported, all games sold out. To be honest, and I'm sure you all remember the Rockies run to the World Series in '07, there is nothing better for a city than to have all their sports teams having success at once. Was Denver more of a hockey-town when the Avs were winning Stanley Cups? What does it mean and why does it matter?

This is a garbage attempt to take a pot-shot at Josh McDaniels and the Broncos. With a Season-Ticket waiting list a half-mile long there are still plenty of Broncos fans waiting in line to get into Invesco Field on Sunday's. Why columnists feel the need to be divisive, to tear communities apart and create divides that DON'T EXIST make no sense to me. The Broncos won, the Rockies are in a Pennant Race, the Avs are filled with young talent, coming off an exciting playoff run of their own, and the Nuggets are surrounded by excitement, regardless of what happens with Carmelo Anthony. Can't the people the attempt to drive sports opinion in Denver just enjoy it instead of using it to gain attention or take shots at the team? I guess that doesn't sell papers, does it?

Let's get to the questions. After a win, the INBOX certainly quiets down a bit. You can send your questions for The Aftermath to milehighreport@gmail.com

What role do you see Maroney having when he officially suits up with the Broncos this season? Do you see the signing of Maroney as a signing only for this season or long term as well - Chad

Great question(s). I think Josh McDaniels wanted a 3rd running back he felt comfortable with - a veteran. IN New England, the Patriots like to use multiple running backs. They have Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris and the always-dependable Kevin Faulk. None of those players strike fear into a defense - by themselves - but with that passing attack, the Patriots get a lot of production out of their running backs. That is what Josh is trying to do. He has a young player in Moreno that he is going to give every chance to be 'the guy'. After that, however, Buckhalter and Maroney will be there to create mismatch issues and provide Kyle Orton more options. That is the goal - to have ans many weapons, as many options available every Sunday.

I know you don't like trickeration, but for me it is an effective weapon to change the pace of the game and keep the defense unbalanced. This said, how do you rate the well-executed flea-flicker by the Broncos considering the situation of the game (2nd quarter, 7-0 lead)? And do you think that such plays can give us the edge against the Colts?

I answered this above, but that said, I think trick plays against the Colts could be a mistake. There is one surefire way to be in the game with the Colts. The Broncos did it, in Indianapolis a few years ago with Quentin Griffin, and the Texans did it last week. You need to run, run and run some more. You need to keep Peyton Manning off the field. While I hate to say you have to make Manning beat you, what you can't do is what the Giants did last night - Joseph Addai and Donald Brown cannot be allowed to run up and down the field. By stopping the Colts running game, you hope to put them in 3rd and long situations. Then, maybe, you have a chance to force a punt.

Again, watch what the Texans did to the Colts last week. They ran the ball 42 times for 257 yards. That's 6.1 yards per play. That is the recipe. Unfortunately, as Miami found out last season, even having the ball for 45 minutes isn't enough.

I don't have this info, but wondering... when was the last time all four teams in AFC West won? @NoLeafClover on Twitter

Great question. I had to dig a little bit, and the answer surprised even me. The last time the Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs and Chargers all WON on the same weekend? Week 11 of the 2005 Season! That was November 20, 2005. The Broncos beat the Jets 27-0, the Raiders beat the Redskins 16-13, the Chiefs beat the Texans 45-17 and the Chargers beat the Bills 48-10. Almost 5 years.

Thanks again everyone! A great win yesterday for the Broncos. Enjoy it!!

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/20/1699829/the-aftermath-when-opportunity

The Denver Broncos are deeply saddened after being informed of the death of Kenny McKinley.

The organization has no additional information to share at this time other than the statements below by Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen and Head Coach Josh McDaniels.

Statement from Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen:

"Everyone with the Broncos is shocked and saddened by the loss of Kenny McKinley. He was part of the Broncos' family and will be greatly missed by our organization. My most heartfelt condolences go out to Kenny's family and friends."

Statement from Denver Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels:

"Kenny had a promising future on the football field, but more importantly, he was a great teammate whose smile and personality could light up the room. This is a tragic loss for our football team, and his family is in all of our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/20/1700941/denver-broncos-react-to-death-of

In any struggle we face, we may find two critical components: the immediate, concrete obstacles that must be surmounted, and the spaces in between them. The perils of our struggle, and the distance from our goals.

The perils themselves may be thousandfold. Their enumeration is their strength, they frighten us by bristling and showing their many fangs. In week one, the Broncos faced and fell to these perils. A failure to pressure the passer introduced an early deficit. A failure to contain on special teams eliminated any advantage. A failure to churn out yards on the ground ehanced vulnerability. A failure to stop the run endangered the Broncos hopes of a comeback.

But in week two, many of these same perils were overcome.

The distance from their goals, on the other hand, saw only slight improvement from week one to week two. Whereas the concrete obstacles intimidate by virtue of their unassailable rigidity and numbers, the distance works against us with a zero, an insurmountable vapidness with all the presence of a void. We scan the horizon and see nothing. The space seems vast, with no firm ground upon which a spirit may find footing.

On one side, Legion. On the other, the Abyss.

In the end, it is usually the distance that gets us. Because as enemies go, at least the obstacles can be met in battle.

Star-divide

It is the battle that saved the Broncos against the Seahawks. To be sure, the Broncos improved their play in may areas, most notably in the category of turnovers, going from -2 to +3 overall in one afternoon. That one of the turnovers was produced by a maligned special teams unit, and moreso that a young player on notice, Cassius Vaughn, was the player on top of it, is of particular significance. From one obstacle to the next there is chance for improvement. Incidentally, this is how you turn the void to your advantage, by putting the time to good use.

Converting 3rd downs was another critical weapon that Denver succeeded in turning upon the 'hawks. It led to four drives, each with double digit plays and over 80 yards.

But perhaps the most significant advantage that the Broncos gained came from the Seahawks themselves, and their many mistakes. Twice Matt Hasselbeck underestimated the Broncos secondary, and twice he paid the price with a turnover. On the critical special teams turnover, Seattle doomed themselves by muffing the punt. And when the score was in blowout-territory late in the third quarter, 24-7, Denver had racked up only one penalty to Seattle's seven.

When the opponent was opportunistic, capitalizing on Denver's mistakes, the Broncos showed they could hang with them in a close game. When Denver was the one who was opportunistic, they showed they can pull away and leave opponents in the dust.

Facing the obstacles and geting these results, enduring the peril and coming out scathed, but successful, on the other side, is the foundation of hope.

"Don't get your hopes up."

Some, no doubt, believe this mantra. The Broncos aren't guaranteed to come out ahead in any particular struggle, and two yards per carry against the Seahawks, long returns allowed to the 'hawks special teams units, and little tangible pressure on the quarterback, allowing 3rd down conversions, all speak loudly to this. These obstacles may indeed prove to be more insurmountable than the others.

But it is the distance that is really getting to them. They see the Broncos 3rd place in the AFC West. They see 13th overall in the AFC, where only six teams will be drawn for postseason play. On the edges of their vision they see an immediate gauntlet on the schedule, consisting of Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore and the Jets. This is the Abyss. So far to go and so very few are the ways to get there. Hope is a tenuous tightrope, and greater teams have fallen further than this.

But that is all we get. The only reward from a success is a strand of hope for the next struggle, and the next. If there is a reason why people tremble before the distance that must be travelled, it is because the promiscuity of their imagination demands that it be travelled all at once. Then it is indeed insurmountable. Kenny McKinley's tragic death barely a day after his teammates secured the victory seems like a somber symbol of this manifestation, a humbling moment where we look at the night around us and ask if Day is anything more than a brief period of proximity to a star.

At this point the distance seems far, and the math seems undeniably easy. 1-1 extrapolates to 8-8.

"But don't get your hopes up."

I don't know. Maybe it is time to take a few threadbare strands of hope and get on board the rollercoaster. Go all in. I'll admit, this old wooden thing with McDaniels at the controls isn't much to look at. Already I can sense the trepidation of many. "That thing is dangerous."

I don't think so.

We might be safer here than we are anywhere else in the world.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/21/1701275/denver-broncos-improve-to-1-1-but



Aaron Wilson(@RavensInsider), an NFL insider for National Football Post, tweeted that the Broncos have activated RB Andre Brown from the Practice Squad.

While we'll wait and see what roster move(s) will follow this, one has to wonder if the Broncos felt Brown could be plucked off the PS by another team looking for running back help(New Orleans comes to mind with the loss of Reggie Bush)

I spoke to an NFL Agent about such situations and he told me that it is up to the player and agent to decide whether or not they would notify the existing team. I'm not saying that is what happened here or not, though with the number of running backs injured the first two weeks of the season it would make sense for another team to have interest in Brown, especially if he is healthy.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/9/21/1701886/report-rb-andre-brown-activated

 

RAIDERS

Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey's inconsistent play during his rookie season made him a lightning rod for criticism. Three games into this season, he is gaining widespread attention for all the right reasons.

Quarterbacks Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski targeted Heyward-Bey 24 times the past two games in an attempt to take advantage of single coverage and Heyward-Bey's maturity into a reliable option.

"This time last year, Darrius would have his head down if something goes wrong," Gradkowski said. "Now he knows that this is the game. I am going to miss throws, receivers are going to drop balls, that's the name of the game. That stuff is going to happen, but it's what you do after that."

Plenty went wrong for Heyward-Bey last season, from the time he arrived as the No. 7 pick in the NFL draft.

He dropped passes at an alarming rate, went without a reception in four of his first six games, missed the final five games with a foot injury and was criticized at every turn.

The questions that dogged Heyward-Bey last season resurfaced in Oakland's regular-season opener Sept. 12. Campbell went almost three quarters before throwing a ball to Heyward-Bey, and the receiver finished with only one catch for 11 yards in the 38-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

But things changed in Oakland's second game, against the St. Louis Rams. Thirteen of the 37 passes by Campbell and Gradkowski went for Heyward-Bey in that game, and he
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responded with six receptions for 80 yards, career-highs. On Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Heyward-Bey saw 11 of Gradkowski's 34 passes come his way and caught three of them for 49 yards. He also drew two pass-interference penalties.

Already, Heyward-Bey's 10 catches for 140 yards exceed his totals -- nine catches, 124 yards -- in 11 games last season, a campaign in which he had only 40 passes thrown his way.

Raiders coach Tom Cable said Heyward-Bey's maturation is something he expected after seeing the strides he made during the offseason.

"His confidence is growing, and he's making some plays now," Cable said. "For us, it's probably sticking out more because it's happening like it should happen. I don't know that we're really forcing it to happen."

Heyward-Bey said he is encouraged by his heightened role in the offense, especially considering he was the target on a play that netted 33 yards and a first down on a pass-interference penalty against the Cardinals late in the game.

"It's good putting us in a situation to win, but we lost," Heyward-Bey said. "It erases all that when you don't win the game. You could look at all the good, (but) that's not the smart way to look at it."

Making Heyward-Bey a central part of the game plan has benefited fellow second-year receiver Louis Murphy and tight end Zach Miller, as well.

"The receivers are getting more attention now that they are catching more balls," Miller said. "They're doing a good job of pulling coverage off me."

As a result, Miller often gets single coverage, which is something he saw little of last season.

Heyward-Bey is the first to admit that he has a way to go before he develops into a top-flight receiver. To that end, he spends extra time catching balls after practice and working on his route-running.

Murphy caught five passes for 119 yards against the Cardinals. He, too, singled out the added attention given Heyward-Bey as a reason the Raiders passing game is more prolific this season.

"It takes pressure off me," Murphy said. "It helps both of us. They can't double either one of us. For both of us to be making plays, we're just growing. That's what we'll continue to do, to work hard and grow together as two young receivers in the NFL."

http://www.insidebayarea.com/raiders/ci_16211388

There’s still three full days of recovery to go, but one of the Raiders biggest concerns heading in to Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans will be if they’ll be healthy enough to keep running back Arian Foster and their cutback running system under control.

Although John Henderson suited up and went out to practice Wednesday, he spent the end of the warm-up and drill portion of practice being worked on by trainers and was officially listed as not having practiced.

Henderson didn’t practice at all last week, and foot injuries become more of an issue when supporting some 335-plus pounds.

Also not practicing was defensive tackle Richard Seymour, which was no surprise given his admission Monday that he was affected by his hamstring pull against Arizona and was lacking explosion and power.

Seymour talked openly of trying to determine the best course of action _ weighing the help he can give against the risk of making it worse and having a condition which could limit him for the entire season.

It appears the best-case scenario would be to have Henderson and Seymour play at less than 100 percent against a team which desperately needs defensive tackles to both hold their ground and break through a zone blocking chain which will look to get Foster free on the backside.

Or perhaps one or the other doesn’t play, meaning more work for Tommy Kelly, Desmond Bryant and Jay Alford.

At worst, both Henderson and Seymour are unavailable or can’t finish the game against an offensive system which tends to be at its best late in the game with the lead when the defense is tiring.

More news, notes and quotes following coach Tom Cable’s post-practice briefing:

– Cable has coached zone blocking teams since working at Atlanta with Alex Gibbs, and talked about the best way for a defense to deal with it.

“They’re able to distort it. If they let it get moving, think of pulling on one end of the rope, and it all moves in the same direction,’’ Cable said. “If we allow that to happen it gets going on you, and they’ve done that a few times this year already. What you have to do is disrupt or distort that rope, make it uneven, if you will, and if you can do that, you take away those seams and those run lanes.’’

– A long injury list which Cable said for the most part was not overly serious.

Those who did not practice were WR Chaz Schilens (knee), LG Robert Gallery (hamstring), LB Travis Goethel (lower back), Henderson (foot), Seymour (hamstring), S Hiram Eugene (hamstring), CB Chris Johnson (ankle), CB Walter McFadden (hamstring) and WR Louis Murphy (clavicle).

Players listed as limited were G Cooper Carlisle (undisclosed), RG Langston Walker (elbow), CB Jeremy Ware (undisclosed) and TE Zach Miller (undisclosed).

Cable said Schilens “is making good progress. I’d say in the last five or six days, it’s been very positive.’’

– Alex Joseph, a first-year linebacker out of Temple, was added to the practice squad. He takes the place of Stevie Brown, who was promoted to the 53-man roster for the second time in two weeks prior to the Arizona game and may actually stay there awhile this time.

– Cable doesn’t seem overly concerned about a Raiders red zone defense which has given up touchdowns seven times in eight possessions.

Arizona did very little offensively against the Raiders but was 2-for-2 in close, making it look easy both times.

“We’ve been very productive and for three years we’ve been one of the very best red-zone defenses in football,’’ Cable said.“The other day, it was the simple fact of looking up a receiver in zone at a linebacker spot. Just a very fundamental thing down there.’’

– Cable was predictably (and wisely) tight-lipped when asked if more duty for Michael Bush would mean more use of Darren McFadden as a receiver.

Bush has 73 rushes and 10 receptions through three games, with Bush playing only a small role in Week 3.

“You never know,’’ Cable said.

– Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson said by conference call he expected to play against the Raiders (he has a high ankle sprain) and is aware Nnamdi Asomugha shadowed and shut down Larry Fitzgerald against Arizona.

“He’s a great player, arguably the best cornerback in the game,’’ Johnson said. “He doesn’t really have many balls thrown his way. It’s not shocking to see that.’’

Johnson said Asomugha hasn’t shadowed him in the past.

When the Raiders beat the Texas 27-16 in Week 16, Johnson came in with 103 receptions for 1,408 yards and didn’t catch a pass until well into the second half.

Johnson got some coverage from Asomugha that day, and quite a bit from Chris Johnson, who missed last week’s game with an ankle injury and is now the nickel back when healthy instead of the starter.

http://www.ibabuzz.com/oaklandraiders/2010/09/29/health-of-raiders-dts-a-concern/

Nnamdi Asomugha actually broke a sweat Sunday, as someone threw at the Raiders' cornerback for the first time this season. Asomugha was targeted five times, and he gave up only one catch while shadowing all-world receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

"To me, it wasn't good enough because he did get the catch," Asomugha said. "That's what upset me. (But) then against a guy like Larry, that can happen. A guy like that comes around once a decade."

Fitzgerald had an 18-yard catch against Asomugha, but also sat down and caught an 8-yard touchdown pass between safety Michael Huff and linebacker Quentin Groves. That put Arizona up 24-20 with 1:01 left in the third quarter and proved to be the game-winner.

"We were in a zone and (Fitzgerald) went inside," Asomugha said. "I think they recognized it and knew that they could squeeze it in."


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/27/SP3G1FK4N4.DTL#ixzz110Nf7jwg

Offense

ALERT VIEWER Thirteen points in five trips inside the Cardinals' 20-yard line is not going to cut it. The offense had its moments - Darren McFadden topped 100 yards rushing; Bruce Gradkowski found tight end Zach Miller early and attacked deep with passes to Darrius Heyward-Bey all game long. Heyward-Bey was targeted 11 times and had only three catches, but remember this was Gradkowski's first start this season. Louis Murphy showed his big-play ability with a 70-yard catch-and-run. The offensive line was solid, if you take away all the penalties. Which you can't.
Defense

POLITE APPLAUSE Nnamdi Asomugha took receiver Larry Fitzgerald out of the game for the most part. (The Cardinals pounced on one of the four times the Raiders zoned up Fitzgerald and he caught a touchdown.) The defense gave up only 17 points, and for the second straight week, made good adjustments at halftime and got better as the game progressed. Linebacker Rolando McClain had a huge tip of an incomplete pass late in the fourth quarter that Steve Breaston might've taken to the house if the ball had gotten to him quickly.

Special Teams

EMPTY CHAIR The Raiders gave up a game-opening 102-yard kickoff return, and their prized kicker, the highest paid in the league, missed 3 of 6 field-goal tries. Not to mention punt returner Johnnie Lee Higgins (three for 8 yards) was literally running in circles. Once, he made a defender miss, ran sideways and then ran right back to the defender.
Coaching

SNOOZING VIEWER Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson obviously wanted to attack the Cardinals deep, but he could have run the ball more. McFadden probably had another five carries in him, and Michael Bush averaged 4.3 yards on his three carries. The red-zone efficiency and penalties are ongoing problems, and coach Tom Cable says they're fixable. So fix them.
OVERALL

ALERT VIEWER It was a very winnable game, especially considering how ineffective Arizona quarterback Derek Anderson was and how generous the Cardinals were with those fumbles on punt returns - but Gradkowski was inconsistent and the offense stubbed its toe repeatedly at the wrong time. And Janikowski has to make that kick.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic.../SP8L1FJIQL.DTL&feed=rss.sports#ixzz110NnBFoo

 

CHARGERS



SAN DIEGO ---- Changes are being made on special teams. The Chargers are trying to fix their greatest weakness on the fly heading into Sunday's home game against Arizona, using personnel swaps and a return to fundamentals to shore up problems in kick coverage.

While Chargers coach Norv Turner wouldn't name names, defensive backs Quentin Jammer and Eric Weddle, among others, have volunteered for special teams duty.

Players recently focused on offense or defense ---- Mike Tolbert and Brandon Siler, for example ---- will be more heavily involved in coverage after the Chargers gave up three return touchdowns in as many weeks. The breaking point came days ago against Seattle, when Leon Washington returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

"We're real confident with what we do here," said outside linebacker Antwan Applewhite, also a special teams standout. "Sometimes bad things happen, and Sunday served as a wake-up call for the whole unit. We're starting over on special teams and working on little things needed to get better in that aspect of the game."

Turner believes coverage problems can be quickly fixed and that adding more starters to the coverage teams won't hurt the team as a whole.

"I've been around some Pro Bowl players who covered every kick," Turner said.

We've gotten great contributions from starters and it's not an exception here.

We've been spread thin with some injuries, which is why some young guys were covering kicks. We'll be a veteran group on Sunday, whether they're starters or guys who have been covering kicks since I've been here."

Mathews back

Running back Ryan Mathews was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and believes he'll play against Arizona. He said he wasn't bothered by the right ankle sprain that kept him out against Seattle and is encouraged by his progress.

"I'm feeling good," Mathews said. "I did everything I usually do."

Mathews hated missing a game his team lost, and was frustrated that he couldn't help out.

"The thing I took from the experience is to not get hurt," Mathews said.

English operation goes well

Outside linebacker Larry English had a screw surgically inserted into his foot that he believes will repair a problem that plagued him throughout training camp.

"It got to a point where I just couldn't move around like I should," English said. "It's been frustrating the whole time because it hasn't been right, but I'm encouraged because the procedure went well. It's actually a relief to find a solution to the problem and to know that it's going to be better when I get back."

Injury update

Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman missed practice with a calf strain suffered Sunday against the Seahawks.

His playing status is uncertain, another setback for a player who fought through Achilles' tendinitis for most of the preseason.

"He wasn't able to practice (Wednesday), so that completely changed our thought process" Turner said. "We'll have to see how the week goes. It's always a concern with any player that has injury problems. It's not major, but it is painful. That said, I'm confident he'll be able to get back fairly quickly."

Right guard Louis Vasquez (knee) is expected to miss a few weeks, and Tyronne Green is preparing to take his place. Left guard Kris Dielman (illness) did not practice but will do so later in the week. Inside linebacker Brandon Siler (foot) and safety Darrell Stuckey (hamstring) were limited in practice. Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper (knee) returned to action after missing his second consecutive game.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_85dc5171-8af6-5009-a61c-faed2acdb50d.html

Larry English cruised around the Chargers locker room on an apparatus equal parts crutch and scooter. A modified mode of transport was necessary because his foot couldn't do the job after being surgically repaired Tuesday morning.

The outside linebacker will be riding around for four to six weeks, an unwelcome turn for a position group already beset by injury. Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman strained a calf on Sunday ---- after missing significant time with Achilles' tendinitis ---- did not practice on Wednesday and has uncertain playing status for this week's game against Arizona. Reserve linebacker James Holt was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper has missed two weeks with a knee injury, although he's expected to return this week.

While able-bodied replacements remain, the Chargers are thin at a critical position and would be ill-equipped to absorb another injury to an impact player.

"Our linebackers are going to be tested," Chargers coach Norv Turner said.

"Getting Cooper back is going to be big on the inside. The thing I'll say about our outside guys is that even our reserves have started multiple games. It's not like we're throwing a new guy into a tough spot."

Antwan Applewhite and Jyles Tucker have experience at the position and will see significant snaps, even if Merriman plays against the Cardinals. The team has been easing Merriman back into the rotation, and he was only slated to get 30 or so snaps against Seattle. With his injury trouble, that number won't increase in the event he can play.

Even with Cooper back, the Chargers only have three inside linebackers on the roster.

That means Applewhite must be ready for anything Sunday. The San Diego State alum is an outside linebacker by trade, but worked out inside during the offseason and says he's comfortable in any position. He'll likely play on the outside against the Cardinals.

"They were getting me acclimated on the inside in the offseason, and I felt pretty comfortable with it," Applewhite said. "When it comes down to defense, there's only so many gaps and there's only one person with the ball. It doesn't get me out of my comfort zone at all."

Linebacker depth is being tested in a big way. Brandon Siler performed well with Cooper out, and Applewhite has fared extremely well ---- seven tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble in 65 snaps ---- in limited action.

"No matter how many snaps I'm supposed to get, I go into a game with the same mindset," Applewhite said. "That hunger and motivation is always there, so when you do get in, you have to show why they've kept you around.

"While my snaps may increase when guys go down and guys get hurt, it's no difference to me. I'm going to play the same way whether I'm in on five snaps or 50."

While not as dire, the linebackers are going through something similar to what the defensive line experienced last year. The defensive line lost several members for extended periods and others for an entire season, but bonded through the trial and have emerged as a deeper position group for the experience.

"The defensive line is a great model for the rest of us," Applewhite said.

"That's a group that has jelled together has become more confident in each other and is playing at a high level. The linebackers want that same thing to be sure."

Injury is never welcome in the uber-competitive NFL, but the timing could've been worse.

"It's unfortunate, but it's better that it got us early than late," English said. "We'll get guys back healthy and re-situated before long. We're going to be fine."

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_a4e02b16-6213-5fac-af08-6854c2ff088e.html



Quarterbacks: B+

This should be higher after Philip Rivers collected a career-high 455 yards with two touchdown passes. But he also tossed two interceptions -- although one was on a deflection and the other on the last-gasp pass. Rivers stood tall after taking some thunderous hits. It was simply a great performance by a great player.



Running backs: C

Mike Tolbert replaced Ryan Mathews in more ways than one -- yep, he fumbled. It was a killer, and trumped his 4.3-yard average on 17 carries. Darren Sproles produced a 16-yard run and never ran the ball again. It might be time to retire that reverse to Legedu Naanee.



Receivers: C

A few drops, but when the quarterback is flinging it 53 times, it happens. Antonio Gates sped past 100 yards and a snatched a score on a game-high seven catches; he was phenomenal. Malcom Floyd stretched the field, and his 97 yards came on six catches. Didn't see Sasquatch here, but there was a Buster Davis sighting: three catches 82 yards. Naanee had a devastating fumble.



Offensive line: D

Tough to keep the quarterback clean on 50-plus passes; we get that. But not only was Rivers sacked four times, he also took some big-time wallops. There were false starts, delays of game, a critical hold -- just too many mistakes, albeit they came in the madness that is Qwest Field. Marcus McNeill, come on down, because Brandyn Dombrowski had a tough afternoon.

Defensive line: C

The starting defensive ends, Jacques Cesaire and Luis Castillo, combined for two tackles -- no, really. Antonio Garay, the starting tackle, had three. And that was the tackle total from the defensive line -- no, really. To put it in perspective, LG Kris Dielman had two tackles -- no, really.



Linebackers: A

Brandon Siler continues to prove that he should be starting -- somewhere for somebody. Of his five tackles, three were for losses, and he had a sack for a safety; he added two quarterback hits. Shaun Phillips contributed a sack; ditto for Antwan Applewhite.



Secondary: B

Matt Hasselbeck threw for only 7 yards in the second half, with this unit doing its share. Quentin Jammer made a big interception, and Eric Weddle and Steve Gregory provided good run support with the Seahawks knocking on the door. Paul Oliver was alert in forcing a fumble to save a touchdown.



Special teams: Expelled

What is lower than an F? A once-proud unit has disintegrated quickly -- Leon Washington returned two kickoffs for TDs, and the Seahawks had more yardage on special teams than on offense. Bad tackling, bad lane assignments, badly done all the way around.



Coaching: F

Hard to pin it on the head coach when the team can't hold the ball -- tough, welcome to the NFL. Norv Turner was hoping to take advantage of Seattle's shaky secondary, and he did. Defensively, Ron Rivera's charges played well enough to win. The eyes in Chargers Park need to find special teams coach Steve Crosby. It's his faulty coaching, the team's overmatched personnel, or -- more than likely -- both.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_f99bc8f7-6fa4-5cec-8e8b-be181114ea27.html

 

CHIEFS

Upon the conclusion of the 2010 NFL draft many annalists were touting Eric Berry as that one flexible piece in a 3-4 scheme that would allow Kansas City to be much more versatile. Eric, they said, would end up being that one cog that would help the KC defensive machine be much more versatile.

But who was going to be that cog for the offensive machine?

It wouldn't take much of an argument to assert that Jamaal Charles is a vital component in the KC offense. It also goes without saying that without Thomas Jones, Dwayne Bowe, Dexter McCluster, and Chris Chambers the Chiefs might have stumbled in one of their first three wins.

But none of the Chief's players are affecting the play calling habits of Weis more than Tony Moeaki. Moeaki is the cog that is helping this 2010 Chiefs offensive machine run.

To be labeled a "cog" a player must not only be successful in his own right, not only contribute toward his fellow teammates success by his presence, but alter the very schemes around him. Cogs are pieces that are utilized as tactical tools, strategic weapons that actually allow tacticians the ability to formulate creative attack plans.

Tony Moeaki has become that cog for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Star-divide

Charlie Weis appears to be using Tony Moeaki in a similar way that Joe Gibbs used the H-back in the 90's. In the Washington Redskins offensive system, the H-back was asked to line up on the line, in the backfield, or put into various motions. The H-back was a receiver, a blocking tight end, a fullback, and a general jack of all trades from multiple formations.

That description fits Tony Moeaki to a tee.

Apbewsafacetrey_medium

Take the Ace Trey formation (illustration to right ) that Charlie Weis seemed so found of for the past two games. Generally, in the Ace Trey formation there is one running back, one tight end, and three receivers. But Charlie Weis has frequently tweaked that formation and inserted his versatile new cog in place of one of the wide receivers.

A dilemma for many defensive units becomes just how to classify this package. Is it a run package or a passing package? Well... the answer is, both. And that's the beauty of it.

Against the San Francisco 49ers the Chiefs ran the ball 4 times and passed it 3 out of this formation. Moeaki's versatility allows the Chiefs to do many different things out of the Ace Trey formation. He stays in the trips formation and goes into his route like a receiver, he goes into motion and becomes a fullback for a lead block, he goes in motion as a fullback and goes out for a pass.

The problem that many teams will come to find out is that Tony Moeaki is not only a pretty good receiver but he is a pretty good lead blocker as well. That in a nutshell is an offensive coordinators dream.

Apbewsafacedoubles_medium

When most teams come out in the Ace Doubles formation (illustration to right) they think passing threat with some running ability. They don't think run heavy formation.

Insert the new KC cog into one of the receiver positions and put him in motion and you get...well...a run heavy formation: The Pro Strong set (illustration below).

Apbewsafprostrong_medium

Tony Moeaki is giving Charlie Weis the opportunity to take advantage of defensive schemes by using his cog to create advantages with formations. Some of the fortunate recipients of this creativity are versatile players in their own right: Charles, Jones, McCluster, Bowe, and Chambers.

Fans are noticing Tony Moeaki for his great pass catching abilities and seeing his contribution in the run game...but that is only scratching the surface as to how much this KC cog is contributing to his team.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/...t-is-helping-the-chiefs-offensive-machine-run

Tamba Hali doesn’t say much, but when he does speak, he tends to mean it.

“You know,” he said after the Chiefs’ win Sunday against San Francisco, “Romeo Crennel has come in here and really changed our identity.”

Hali is Kansas City’s best pass rusher, and he took a vow of silence — or mostly silence — during last year’s training camp. He has said privately that he preferred to focus on his job, rather than speak his mind. He renewed that vow this year, and that became one part of Hali’s identity that hasn’t changed.

What Crennel, the team’s first-year defensive coordinator, has done is take Hali and turn him into the Chiefs’ most effective pass-rusher since Jared Allen was traded in 2008. It didn’t take that long, either.

And Crennel did it by changing the defense around Hali. Kansas City’s top priority now is stopping the run, and when that happens, Hali can chase quarterbacks. That’s how he spent Sunday, when he sacked Alex Smith three times. The Chiefs finished with five sacks in their 31-10 win at Arrowhead Stadium. The defense looked like an elite pass-rushing unit, and Hali had one of his best games since becoming an outside linebacker last season.

“All the things we were asking him to do within the scheme of our defense,” coach Todd Haley said, “he did.”

As big as Hali’s sacks were, it was the little things that stuck in his coach’s mind. Haley and Crennel have said that there are many factors that signal a disruptive pass rush, and only the most extreme of those is a sack. If a quarterback is hurried or rattled, or if an offense has to make adjustments that could compromise its objectives, then a defense has done its job.

Haley said Hali was part of a unit that did that Sunday, and Kansas City’s defense kept San Francisco out of the end zone for four full quarters; 49ers wide receiver Josh Morgan scored his team’s only touchdown after time expired.

Haley said that was, defensively, “the most complete game” to date, and it would be hard to argue that it wasn’t the best game Kansas City has played since Haley was hired in 2009. It was shortly after then that Hali was among several defensive players who had to shift to another position to accommodate the 3-4 defensive scheme that Haley hoped to run. Hali could still rush the passer, but he was raw as a linebacker, and few knew whether it would work out.

It took him six weeks to get as many sacks as he had Sunday, and he finished the season with 8 1/2 .

The Chiefs hired Crennel in the offseason, and he puts emphasis on stopping the run. If that happens, then quarterbacks are at an immediate disadvantage.

Sometimes things just go according to plan.

After the San Francisco game, Hali praised the Chiefs’ defensive line for holding the 49ers to 43 rushing yards, and Kansas City’s offense for scoring enough points to force Smith to pass more often — and Crennel for designing a scenario that Hali could succeed in.

That gave Hali his chances, and he delivered.

“Credit those guys for allowing me to rush this week,” he said.

So modest.

Haley has said that Hali, in his fifth year, has a chance to become one of the league’s best pass rushers, and he showed Sunday that he’s capable. Hali had three sacks in a game against Denver last year, and before that, the Chiefs had gone without a three-sack performance since Allen did it against Washington in 2005.

Hali might not say much, but that doesn’t mean he’ll go unnoticed the rest of this season. If Crennel’s scheme keeps working, you can be certain of that. That much showed in one afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

“That is a really good day,” Haley said, “and that is good for the Chiefs.”


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/28/2259535/chiefs-hali-is-quietly-racking.html#ixzz110T9tphM

Cornerback Brandon Flowers had barely pulled off his shoulder pads Sunday when he began talking about the Chiefs’ next opponent.

Flowers stood in the locker room, shortly after his team’s 31-10 win against San Francisco, and smiled. He said he was ready for Indianapolis and ready for quarterback Peyton Manning.

“I’m excited,” Flowers said, “to go against Peyton.”

For the second consecutive week, Flowers had a game-changing interception. He might be the team’s best defensive player, and he’s also the centerpiece of a secondary that, coach Todd Haley has said, has the skills to be someday considered among the league’s best.

It has youth and skill, and when things happen the way they did Sunday, Flowers said it makes him think the Chiefs can keep any offense in check.

“All the competing, all the hard work in practice, you can see it paying off right now,” said Flowers, in his third year. “We’re definitely showing people we’re not the same team as last year. We’ve got a whole new coaching staff, new players. We’ve just got to keep it going.”

On Sunday, it started with preparation. Flowers said he noticed a pattern when he watched film last week on the 49ers’ offense. Quarterback Alex Smith did some of the same things, and Flowers didn’t forget. Then came instincts. When Smith threw toward Michael Crabtree, Flowers recognized the pattern and broke on the ball. Finally, there was luck. Flowers broke up the pass, and the ball floated upward. Flowers fell on his back, and sure enough, the ball fell right into his hands.

Things like that didn’t happen last season, when the Chiefs went 4-12. Players might have done some of the right things, but they didn’t get those kinds of breaks. Flowers said that things are different now.

“Last year, we would drop interceptions right in our hands,” said Flowers, who is tied with 11 others for second in the league in interceptions, behind only Carolina’s Charles Godfrey. “We’re just making these plays this year.”

Haley, of course, believes that teams and players make their own luck. He said that Flowers helped himself Sunday by being in the right place at the right time. And Haley added that, if Flowers continues to be in those situations, he’ll have many more interceptions and could establish himself as one of the league’s better defensive backs.

“Brandon had a couple different chances to catch that ball,” Haley said, “and it looked like potentially it might be a lucky break. But one that Brandon created through his hard work, preparation, film study, having a good feel of what they were going to do defensively.

“He took advantage of that.”

Haley said Monday that he’d like to put up a sign soon that shares one of his favorite sayings: Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. He said that Flowers’ play encapsulated that, and that it’s a good sign for the team when players take advantage of those chances.

“Making plays is definitely a sign that we’re making progress,” Haley said.

Haley said he was impressed, too, that Flowers — and several others — were already looking forward to the Chiefs’ next game, even shortly after completing a defensive dismantling of San Francisco. The 49ers’ only touchdown came as time expired, and the Chiefs were playing many of their backups.

So Flowers had a few minutes to think about what lay ahead. And it won’t be easy. The Colts are 2-1, and Manning was chosen MVP last year while leading Indianapolis to an appearance in the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs now have two more weeks to think about their next task and arguably their most difficult challenge yet. Kansas City has an open date this week before visiting the Colts. Haley said another signal of progress was that players have their sights set on the current task — even if they have to wait.

Flowers said Sunday in the locker room that he was ready.

“We’ve got to keep on staying focused and keep on making these plays,” he said. “It’s looking good for us right now.


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/27/2256956/brandon-flowers-helping-chiefs.html#ixzz110TJUo2J

FIRST QUARTER
Key play: Jamaal Charles ran for 24 yards on third and 20 to get the Chiefs out of a field-position hole.

Key stat: Each team’s punter dropped two kicks inside the 20 and left both teams with lousy field position.

SECOND QUARTER
Key play: Brandon Flowers beat Michael Crabtree to an Alex Smith pass, and the interception gave the Chiefs the ball at the San Francisco 31. Dexter McCluster scored the half’s only touchdown on the next snap.

Key stat: The Chiefs held San Francisco’s Frank Gore to 16 yards in eight carries in the half.

THIRD QUARTER
Key play: The 45-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Dwayne Bowe was anything but ordinary. The Chiefs were in the Wildcat formation, and Thomas Jones took the direct snap. He handed to McCluster, who in turn flipped the ball back to Cassel, who had plenty of time to hit an open Bowe in the end zone.

Key stat: The Chiefs scored two offensive touchdowns in the period, matching their season total to that point.

FOURTH QUARTER
Key play: The Chiefs stretched their lead to 31-3 on Jones’ 3-yard scoring run.

Key stat: Jackie Battle, the human equivalent of a victory cigar, got four carries on Kansas City’s final possession.

Player of the game: There are plenty of candidates, but none more deserving than linebacker Tamba Hali. He had one of his best games with the Chiefs with three sacks, two other tackles for losses and a forced fumble.

Reason to hope: The Chiefs no longer have to win ugly or play with little margin of error. When this team puts everything together, it’s formidable.

Reason to mope: OK, we’re being petty here, but Cassel got off to a slow start, completing just four of his first 10 passes. That allowed the 49ers to hang around until he began to heat up.

Looking ahead: The 3-0 Chiefs have a bye next weekend before beginning what probably is their most difficult two-game stretch of the season: at Indianapolis and at Houston.

 REPORT CARD


A Rushing offense Not even Jamaal Charles’ biggest fans could complain about Thomas Jones in this one.
A- Passing offense The big play reappears in the Chiefs’ offense — and not a moment too soon.
A Rushing defense A big day for linebacker Jovan Belcher, who was constantly disruptive to Frank Gore, one of the league’s top runners.
A- Passing defense Five sacks once represented half a season’s worth; Brandon Flowers is playing like a Pro Bowler.
A Special teams Another solid performance could get easily lost. Dustin Colquitt pinned the 49ers inside their 20 three times.
A Coaching For game management, this might have been Todd Haley’s finest hour. Both coordinators dialed up the right calls at the right time.


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/26/2252909/chiefs-49ers-game-report.html#ixzz110UMcVg0

The Chiefs achieved near-perfect balance in their running game by achieving that balance in their offense as a whole.

They rushed for 207 yards, most of it split almost equally by Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, in their 31-10 win Sunday over San Francisco at Arrowhead Stadium.

Guard Brian Waters said many of those yards were made possible because of a suddenly vibrant passing attack.

“Being able to throw the ball and being balanced was the key,” Waters said. “We made some plays throughout the game. We didn’t have that many three-and-outs. Even though we didn’t score early as often as we (wanted), we still moved the ball and kept field position for our defense.

“We definitely did some things better than we did the last couple of weeks.”

Charles rushed for 97 yards and Jones had 95, giving the Chiefs their first pair of 90-plus-yard rushers since a 2005 game against Miami, when the tandem consisted of Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.

The Chiefs declined the chance to get one player — or both — to 100 yards. Neither player was in the game on Kansas City’s final possession, when the Chiefs gave the ball instead to third-stringer Jackie Battle.

Neither Jones nor Charles has rushed for 100 yards or more in any of the Chiefs’ three games this season. But as a team, the Chiefs are averaging 160 rushing yards per game.

“We want to take what the defense gives us, but we also want to make sure we try to keep them off-balance whatever we do,” Waters said.

“We knew (the 49ers) were coming off a short week, so we knew they probably didn’t have as long to prepare for us as we did for them. We tried to take as much advantage of that as possible.”

The Chiefs threw a lot of different looks at the 49ers and frequently snapped the ball to a runner in the Wildcat formation.

“We had a lot of things that we felt might catch them off guard,” Jones said. “We had a couple of different formations like the Wildcat and some other different things.”

The 49ers entered the game allowing a stingy 2.7 yards per carry, but the Chiefs almost doubled that average Sunday.

“It means we’re getting better,” Jones said. “We have a lot of new guys here, and sometimes it takes a little bit of time for guys to get comfortable and get that chemistry.

“We definitely had a good chemistry out there. Matt (Cassel) did a good job in the huddle, managing the game. Guys were vocal, encouraging each other


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/26/2252897/chiefs-find-right-balance-in-running.html#ixzz110V696Bn

Long before it was over, the Chiefs looked brilliant. Polished, prepared and brilliant.

Who knew Kansas City was capable of such a victory? Who knew a team that lacked top-to-bottom talent could be this aggressive?

Players did. Coaches did, too.

And they were aggressive during Sunday’s 31-10 win against San Francisco. When coach Todd Haley faced a tough decision, his default setting was full steam ahead. Fourth and 1? Go for it. After the team’s first touchdown? Try an onside kick. When the Chiefs needed a big play? Call a play as successful as it was complicated, and regardless of the intricacy that happened before quarterback Matt Cassel threw the ball, it ended simply as a touchdown.

“I haven’t changed,” Haley said.

Maybe not, but the Chiefs have. Haley wasn’t shy last season about going for high-risk plays. He’s a gambler, and he’s proud of it. Maybe no one in the organization likes Las Vegas as much as Haley, and on Sunday, Arrowhead might as well have been the Vegas Strip.

Remember this part of the song? “A fortune won and lost on every deal. All you need is a strong heart and nerves of steel.”

Viva Kansas City.

A year after most of Haley’s gambles fell flat, now the Chiefs seem to be cashing in. Everything seemed to work Sunday, and no risk was too gutsy, no idea too ridiculous.

“You can see it in the linemen’s eyes and the running backs and everybody,” Cassel said “They get energized, they get excited about being aggressive, about going for certain plays, making big plays downfield.

“It’s great. And when it works, it’s awesome.”

Maybe it’s as simple as one game, but perhaps there was a deeper meaning Sunday. Haley believed in his offense — a unit that struggled in its first two contests — and went all out. The Chiefs went for it, like good teams do.

Left guard Brian Waters said that it means that the coaching staff is learning to believe in players. That the ideas aren’t so crazy if the plays are doable.

“It’s a trust factor,” Waters said. “Our coaching staff continues to grow that trust in us, and we continue to trust them.”

When the faith is there, players are chess pieces a part of a complex strategy. The Chiefs went for that fourth-and-1 play in the second quarter, and they converted it by first lining up in the Wildcat formation. Running back Thomas Jones took the direct snap and handed off to Dexter McCluster, who ran for the first down. Kansas City’s next play came in the Wildcat, too. Another run, this time Jones up the middle.

In the third quarter, the Chiefs lined up in Wildcat again. Only this time, Jones took the snap with Cassel lined up as a wide receiver. Jones handed off to McCluster, who pitched the ball to Cassel, who threw a perfect pass of 45 yards to Dwayne Bowe in the end zone.

Checkmate.

“We know what we have,” McCluster said. “A lot of people don’t know, but in this circle, we know.”

Waters said there might be another hidden meaning in the aggressive nature of Sunday’s win: That the Chiefs have gotten better and deserve to be in the discussion of the NFL’s better teams.

Bad teams don’t win like the Chiefs won Sunday. Bad teams don’t convert that many high-risk plays. Bad teams don’t make it look this easy.

“It’s not by luck,” Waters said, “and it definitely ain’t something that you just pull out of your hat.”


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/26/2253046/chiefs-aggressive-game-plan-pays.html#ixzz110VVZDL2

 

BRONCOS

The title of this week's Aftermath should be read aloud in your best Darth Vader voice. It seems fitting since it seems there are tremors in The Force that are keeping the Broncos from getting out of their own way. Yesterday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts was frustrating. It will cause your hair to gray, or fall out entirely, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The interesting challenge is to try and find a way for the Broncos to fix The Force, and begin executing at a CONSISTENT LEVEL that will help them win ballgames. Their margin for error is simply too small for the team to overcome the amount of mistakes the team is making - in all three phases. Complimentary Football. Right now, the Broncos aren't doing it and they are paying the price.

Last week I talked about O+P*E=Success. There were plenty of examples against the Seahawks that illustrated that principle. This Sunday, the Broncos proved my theory even more - by doing the opposite.

Drive For Show, Putt For Dough - The numbers look awfully impressive, don't they? 519 yards of total offense. 472 yards passing. An offensive-fan's dream. Unfortunately it means, well, nothing, and the numbers are so lopsided that the Broncos gave themselves little chance of being successful, especially in the Red Zone. Remember last week? The Broncos ran the ball 38 times in their win against Seattle. Yesterday, they ran the ball just 18 times. This was a game that was close for a large majority of the 2nd Half. The Broncos didn't have to abandon the run. Right now the Broncos offense reminds me of a golfer that can hit the ball right down the fairway, 275 yards,only to need 6 shots to get up and down. The Broncos can do just about anything they want from 20-20 but can't get the ball into the endzone using their short game.

Star-divide

We all know what's wrong. The question is, how to fix it. Easier said than done. A good running game is born from a stability along the offensive line. When the Broncos were a dominant running team, they had an offensive line that, for the most part, played together every week for years. Sure, pieces changed, but Tom Nalen was the mainstay. He made all the calls, he set all the blocking schemes. Guys like Matt Lepsis and Ben Hamilton learned from GREAT players like Gary Zimmerman and Mark Schlereth. Where is that now? You look at this unit - even when they are all healthy - and it is a young group:

LT - Ryan Clady - 3rd Season
LG - Stanley Daniels - 2nd Season
C - J.D. Walton - Rookie
RG - Chris Kuper - 5th Season
RT - Ryan Harris - 4th Season

Where is all the veteran leadership? Oh, and these guys have started ONE GAME together. I know Josh McDaniels got criticized for starting Ryan Harris against the Vikings, but he wanted to get a few plays in with his starting O-Line in-tact. It's hard to blame him, and you can't coach scared. It's unlucky and unfortunate that Harris got hurt, but this group needs to play together. That has yet to happen this season, but the hope is it could, perhaps starting this Sunday against the Titans.

The Crucial Possession - For all the mistakes, the Broncos were in a great position to take control of the game - or at least take the lead.

It happened in the 3rd Quarter. 4 Plays that could just as easily cost the Broncos the game as any of the 'obvious choices. The Broncos had just scored a touchdown on a 48-yard rope from Kyle Orton to Brandon Lloyd. The score was 13-10 Colts, and the Broncos seemed to have the momentum. The defense then did it's part, holding the Colts to a 3-and-out. The Broncos would get the ball back in decent field position.

PLAY #1 - The Penalty on The Punt - Eddie Royal returns the Colts punt 38-yards, giving the Broncos a 1st and 10 at their own 48-yard line. Hold on, there's a flag, and a holding penalty on Matthew Willis brings the ball back to the Broncos 28, costing Denver 20-yards in field position. That's two first downs. Instead of being on the cusp of field goal range, the Broncos are pushed back.

PLAY #2 - 1-10-DEN 28 (9:59) 8-K.Orton pass incomplete short left to 84-B.Lloyd.
PLAY #3 - 2-10-DEN 28 (9:53) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass incomplete short left to 82-D.Gronkowski
PLAY #4 - 3-10-DEN 28 (9:47) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass incomplete short right to 84-B.Lloyd

The Broncos go 3-and-out, holding on to the ball for exactly 12 seconds. TWELVE SECONDS. If there was ever a situation that I'd like to see the Broncos go back to the running game, just to try and establish something, this was the time. Instead, a penalty and three in-completions gave the ball RIGHT BACK to Peyton Manning. The Result? 10-plays, 79 yards, 4:40, Touchdown. The Broncos trail 20-10.

The Wisdom Of Crowds - The 4th Down decisions the Broncos have made are getting a ton of attention, as they should. I guess you can't say Josh McDaniels isn't consistent. Against Jacksonville and again against the Colts, the Broncos had 4th and 3 situations, inside the 15-yard line, down 7 points, in the 4th Quarter, and decided to go for it. Both times, the Broncos went to Brandon Lloyd. I agreed 100% with the call in Jacksonville. The Broncos special teams had not played well, and the Broncos would need a touchdown anyway if they kick a field goal to cut the lead to 4. In that situation, the Broncos missed by about 3 inches as Lloyd couldn't get his 2nd foot down.

Some might say the situation was a bit different yesterday, but was it? The Broncos would still have needed a touchdown had they kicked a FG, and it is still Peyton Manning they were playing against. In other words, if you don't want to give the ball to David Garrard in good field position, why would you decide to give it to Manning. I guess it is an easy decision to criticize. I won't debate you on that. I agree with any team that tries to be aggressive, especially when you are the underdog. The key, however, is getting the players to execute. On the 4th Down call yesterday, the Colts blitzed from Kyle Orton's right. Orton made the right call to throw the 'HOT' Route into the blitz. Brandon Lloyd had 1-on-1 coverage to that side, but didn't run the hot route. That's a lack of execution, a mental mistake.

How about the 4th and Goal situation. Again, I have no problem with going for it. Four shots from inside the 2 yard line has to be a touchdown, especially when playing the Colts. I would have done some things a bit differently, however.

1. Where was Correll Buckhalter? The Broncos scored their first goal-line' touchdown last week with C-Buck running right behind J.D. Walton. C-Buck is the one back the Broncos have right now that will actually attack the interior of the line. Being a veteran, he know that sometimes there are holes when you can't see holes, and he knows that sometimes you just have to run it up inside trusting that the big uglies will get it done. Even Knowshon, when he dove over the top last week, finally seemed to be getting how to run in tight.

Yesterday, the Broncos chose to give the ball to Laurence Maroney at the goal line. The only problem is Maroney isn't a very good runner inside the tackles. The reason a team has two-backs is they provide different strengths to an offense. At Minnesota, Maroney split time with Marion Barber. It was Barber that got the tough, physical yards, while Maroney was more finesse. Maroney's first instinct is to bounce a play outside. Instead of taking the shortest path - yet most contact - Maroney tries to go around the pile. Do that against the Colts and you're done.

2. Why not spread the defense out a bit? Now, I'm not saying to go shotgun, 4-wides from the 2 yard line. Not at all. How many times, though, did we see John Elway in the shotgun hand the ball off to Terrell Davis on a draw play, or fake the hand-off and run the bootleg? You know, some mis-direction. By going with a jumbo-package, the Broncos are essentially trying to score in a 9-on-11 situation. The QB isn't going to block, and the running back has the ball. If the Broncos are going to try and play POWER FOOTBALL, they need a traditional FB. That's not a jab at Spencer Larsen - he was out of the game anyway - but a call to get a guy in that specializes in blowing up linebackers. With an inexperienced offensive line, why not at least try, instead of three shots running right at the teeth of the defense, using a running back that kicks everything outside.

3. If you are going to go for it on 4th Down - and the Broncos had already made that decision when they threw the fade route on 3rd Down, I would much rather try the pass on 2nd Down. The play? Not a fade route - something that is not one of Kyle Orton's strong suits. I would have tried a play similar to what the Broncos ran against the Chargers from the SAME SPOT during the 'Hochuli' game. Eddie Royal ran the same play and scored twice -first the touchdown, then the two-point conversion. A little double move, then sit down right at the goal-line. It could be Royal, Lloyd, Graham, Thomas - take your pick.

Play-calling, Formations, Execution, Personnel - all played a hand in the Broncos failures on 4th Down situations.

If The Defense Plays Like This, We'll Win 10-Games - Yea, I said it. If we get this type of defensive effort we'll win 10 games this season. The Broncos won't face a quarterback as good as Peyton Manning the rest of the season. Truth be told, the Broncos defense made things tough on Manning for a large chunk of the football game. There are no moral victories, and Peyton still found a way to adjust and overcome, but the seeds were there.

The goal of the defense was two-fold - stop the Colts running game and stop the Colts' big weapons. They were successful on both accounts. The Colts averaged less than two-yards a carry yesterday, against a Broncos defense that had struggled against the run coming in. Secondly, Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne were non-factors for much of the game. They forced the Colts to go another direction. Eventually, the Colts did -Austin Collie had a huge day - and Manning did what he does best - attack the youth and inexperience of a defense. If Andre Goodman was healthy, maybe it would have been different, but overall I liked the way the Broncos played defense yesterday.

How about the tackling? This is the best I've seen a Broncos team tackle in years. While there has been criticism of the Broncos tough Training Camp regimen, you can't perfect a skill without practicing it, and the Broncos have worked extensively on tackling and it has shown. D.J. Williams is playing at a high-level and opposing offenses are not getting much in the way of YAC.

If the Broncos can play defense like that against the Titans, Ravens and Jets they'll win 2-of-3.

On to the Questions! You can send your Questions in for The Aftermath to MILEHIGHREPORT@GMAIL.COM

Not sure how to phrase this - is McDaniels trying to teach our linemen too many things to begin their careers? Simms made a comment about how rookie linemen usually come into the league only being good at run blocking. Obviously, our team has 3 first time starters and we can't run worth a bleep. He is trying to have them pass block for his pretty complicated passing offense, run block in a power scheme, run block in a zone blocking scheme... when does he just say "ok let's focus on running". Be decent at one type instead of poor at two types. - Todd

Good Question. Simms' statement is an accurate one - in most cases. I actually think, with this group, the OPPOSITE is true. I wrote after the Broncos ran the ball just 15 times against the Cincinnati Bengals during the pre-season that the Broncos were actually running an offense that helped their young offensive linemen - especially J.D Walton and Zane Beadles:

It is true the Broncos really didn't try to run the ball, but that too was to get Orton and his young O-Line into a groove. Ryan Harris is a better pass blocker than run blocker. Same with Russ Hochstein. What about the rookies? That's easy - Zane Beadles, who played at Utah, played on an offense that was a better passing group than running group. In 2009, Utah ranked 40th in the country in Passing Offense. They were 46th in Rush Offense.

The disparity is even bigger for J.D. Walton, a rookie trying to make the transition to be a starting center in the NFL. At Baylor, Walton anchored a line that was much better at throwing the ball(46th in the Country) than running the ball(110th). Add in the fact that the Broncos are decimated at running back, and you see why the Broncos were throwing the ball all over Paul Brown Stadium.

Ryan Harris played under Charlie Weis at Notre Dame when Brady Quinn was there. They threw the ball all over the field. Boise State was a pass-happy team when Clady was there as well. This is definitely no excuse for the putrid YPC for the Broncos running game, but it does go against Simms' generalization.

As for your second point - should the Broncos focus on one-style of running - it is well taken. I think at the NFL-level, however, guys have to be flexible. The assertion that a team is going to be a certain style of running team or passing team is old-fashioned. Teams do it all, depending on the matchup. The key to any O-Line, however, is trust, stability, and 5-guys working as one. That comes with time and the Broncos are trying to get there.

Where are we going to get a pass rush from? We are not blitzing and we certainly are not getting much pressure from our LB corp. - Todd

I think that is going to vary week-to-week. Each opponent is different, especially when it comes to the blitz. If you blitz Peyton Manning, for instance, he will kill you. The Broncos did a decent job in the first half getting people in Manning face. The Colts adjusted in the 2nd half, going with quicker routes, three-step drops, which allowed Manning to attack downfield later in the game.

This week, the Broncos face the Titans. That means Vince Young. While the reasons are different, you probably don't want to blitz Young either. With the threat he poses as a runner, the Broncos would be wise to lay back and force Young to make good decisions and good throws to mediocre talent. The Broncos also need to make sure Chris Johnson is bottled up.

What will the decision be when Harris returns? Does Beadles go back to the bench or does he replace Daniels in the LG spot? - Matt D.

Unless Josh McDaniels changes his mind, and after a strong showing by Beadles yesterday he might, Beadles will go to the bench and Daniels will stay at LG. Daniels hasn't played poorly either, and the Broncos have something going, especially in the passing game.

We once again saw the thermometer on CBS show a temperature well above 100 F, and Colts players getting shielded from the sun on the sideline. Would it not make more sense to wear our white away jerseys in such situations, or does it really not have any effect on players? - Bert Jan, Netherlands

Strictly my opinion, but I think that is more mental than anything else. Is it hot? Yes. These guys are world-class athletes, however, and the color of the jersey should have little effect. The shade also creeps across the Broncos bench around halftime, so many of the guys get plenty of shade as the game wears on.

Does it seem like Orton has trouble under pressure? - Yi Zhang

It is something that Orton needs to work on, no doubt. At 27, however, he's also NOT a finished product. You can see the difference from 2009 to 2010 and I feel his feel for the pocket is only going to get better as his understanding of the offense improves. As we've talked about, you don't have to run, or be Michael Vick, but you have to be able to step up away from the pressure and deliver the football. Sure, the offensive line played well yesterday, but Orton is also a big reason why he was sacked/hit just one time in the 57 times he dropped back.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/...ts-27-broncos-13-i-find-the-lack-of-execution

You would think a team as good at passing as the Denver Broncos have been this year would be able to at least generate some respect and open up a few holes for the running game.

So far, that has not been the case, and the Broncos currently rank 30th in the NFL at 67 rushing yards per game. There are many things you could attribute this lack of success to. A young, inexperienced offensive line, indecisive runners, poor coaching, motivated defenses--whatever the excuse is, the running game for the Broncos has been unacceptable thus far, and everyone realizes it.

Even without the running game, the Broncos have been able to move up and down the field this season, averaging 417 yards of offense in three games so far. Those numbers are due large in part to Kyle Orton and the passing game, but a larger problem looms, and the problem really goes without saying, but we'll say it anyway.

Star-divide

The Broncos have been atrocious in the red zone in two of their first three games, and they have lost both of those games. No surprises there. When the Broncos failed in the red zone in week one, it was clearly an emphasis the next week, and they took it to Seattle, scoring 31 points in week two.

It was also an emphasis in week three preparation, and is obviously one of the top keys to beating the Indianapolis Colts. The resut? How about a big epic fail for the Broncos' offense, which failed to score a touchdown on five red zone attempts? How about seven trips into enemy territory that resulted in zero points?

That is the difference right now in this team being a 3-0 squad and a 1-2 squad. Red zone efficiency. The numbers do not add up, though. You would look at the Broncos' offense and remember back to 2008 when Jay Cutler was orchestrating a beautiful offense right up until the team entered the red area. Then the screws came loose. Fast forward back to present time, and the numbers are eerily similar. The 2nd ranked offense in the NFL, and the 15th ranked scoring offense.

That simply will not do.


This is a pass first league. Josh McDaniels knows that, and he has built his team to be one of the most potent passing attacks in all of the NFL. However, this team is not currently built to run the ball, something that I still maintain will improve as the season progresses, but right now, it seems as though even though we realize it is a pass first league, we have forgotten that the running game cannot be non-existant.

Our backfield features two first round picks, a well respected veteran, and a young guy who has loads of talent. That has translated to the 30th rushing offense in the league through three games, a number that makes Mike Shanahan fans cringe with disgust.

Let's call a spade a spade--this is simply not a running offense. Even at the end of the season, we will be a passing team. That does not excuse the running game though, and it is an area that should be much better than it is.

One would have to think at the very least, with the Broncos passing all over opponents so far this year, that they would be able to at least utilize the run on key short yardage situations because of the fact that teams have to respect the pass. That has not been the case.

Even if you expect the Broncos to rank near the bottom in run offense, which we all should because of the focus on the passing game, nobody in their right mind should expect 2.5 yards per carry from the running game as a whole, which is what the Broncos are currently putting out. The Broncos struggle to get anything going on the ground, and it puts the passing game in a bind, especially in the red zone.

In order to be successful in the red zone, you cannot be a predictable offense. Because the Broncos cannot run the ball adequately, the Colts knew pass was coming in the red area. Despite the fact that the Broncos threw up and down the field on Sunday, the Colts tightened up where it mattered, and with their speed, you absolutely must force them to respect the running game if you have any plans of success in the passing game.

The Broncos might have more yards than two other teams in the NFL on the ground, but they have the worst yards per carry average in the entire league, right behind reigning champion New Orleans. Obviously, the Saints have hardly any running game to speak of, but you did see timely running in their week one matchup against Minnesota, and they closed out the game with a steady dose of Pierre Thomas. Can the Broncos do that in a close game? I'm not so sure.

Another frightening aspect to this running game disaster is the fact that the Broncos are only getting a first down from the running game 16 percent of the time.

You could attribute the lack of success on the ground to poor goal line offense. It seems the Broncos have struggled to get the ball into the end zone on first and goal to go. It has been a struggle literally every time we have been near the goal line, and you saw that on exhibit on Sunday as Laurence Maroney could not punch it in from a yard out on three out of four attempts.

Is that completely Maroney's fault? I blame some of it on his being a little rusty from missing the offseason and pre-season with injuries, but look at the guy's season last year. He had a career high nine touchdowns, and eight of them came from five yards or less. He is a goal line specialist, and we could not punch it in on three tries from less than a yard out.

That is the definition of pathetic.

In all honesty though, none of us would care about any of this if we'd had red zone success yesterday. It's not like the Indianapolis Colts were running the ball well. In fact, their running game was arguably just as bad as ours yesterday, but they were efficient in the red area where Peyton Manning threw touchdowns from five, nine, and 23 yards out. Technically, the last one wasn't in the red zone, but you get the picture.

The Colts had four red zone opportunities, and they scored touchdowns on two of them. Had the Broncos converted on two red zone attempts, the game would have been different all together.

Like I said in the post game, the Broncos left 42 points off the board. At worst, they left 18 points off the board, which would have won them the game in theory.

It is amazing how many points the Broncos are leaving on the field. Dare I use the runners left on base analogy again? It's the difference between bad teams and great teams, to be honest. If the Colts couldn't be efficient in the red zone, they would be an average team. Unfortunately, right now the Broncos are an average team. Guilty until proven innocent in the NFL.

But, this can all change. Here are our reasons as Broncos fans to be confident in this offense. Kyle Orton's NFL rankings through three games:

Yards: 1,078--2nd
Completion Percentage: 66.4--8th
Completions: 83--4th
Average: 8.6--3rd
Yards/Game: 359.3--2nd
Touchdowns: 4--11th
Interceptions: 2--T3rd
1st downs: 50--2nd
20+ yard plays: 18--T1st
40+yard plays: 4--T2nd
Rating: 97.4--7th

This is undoubtedly the most talented group of skill players the Broncos have had in a long time. Even more talented than the group we had in 2008. Our top four receivers right now are Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Eddie Royal, and Demaryius Thomas. Lloyd and Gaffney are both on pace for over 1,000 yards receiving, Royal at 992, and Thomas at around 750. These guys are making plays left and right--just not in the red zone. Not consistently anyway.

The Broncos currently rank 24th in the NFL in red zone efficiency, something they have tried to improve drastically in the two years Josh McDaniels has been here. If that number continues throughout the season, the Broncos will be in a world of hurt and picking in the top ten of the draft. You simply cannot win games with a conversion rate that low.

Perhaps even more sickening is that the Broncos are currently tied for the NFL lead with 4.3 red zone attempts per game. It's also interesting that San Diego and Oakland (also 1-2) are the teams tied with the Broncos in that particular area.

In their first two home games, the Broncos have had nine red zone attempts. By my count, they have scored three touchdowns on those nine attempts. Two one yard scores from Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, and a touchdown pass to Eddie Royal. Obviously, none of those plays came last week. Three out of nine red zone appearances, at home, the Broncos are getting a touchdown.

The numbers do not lie. Even without any semblance of a rushing attack, the Broncos are getting themselves into the red zone more than any team in the NFL. They have been able to bend the opposing defenses, but with the exception of Seattle, have not been able to break through.

I think that will change this week. I think if the Broncos can get to the red zone four times against the Titans, they will make them pay. Teams that do not execute in the red zone do not win games, especially against quality opponents like Indianapolis.

We can only hope that as the season goes on, the Broncos will figure out whatever it is that's ailing them when they reach the red area, and hopefully they figure it out sooner rather than later.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/...o-translate-to-improved-running-game-red-zone

 

BRONCOS

Kyle Orton has four consecutive 300-yard passing games. He's on pace to shatter the NFL record for passing yards in a season. And the Broncos have the No. 2-ranked passing offense in the NFL.

But they're in dire straights offensively. Almost every team that throws the ball as often as the Broncos are throwing it is in dire straights offensively. It's the age-old style vs. substance debate.

Folks love to see the ball in the air. They love to see it thrown down the field. The NFL loves it too, which is why the rule book is so heavily weighted toward wide receivers and against defensive backs.

There is almost full-scale panic league-wide when scoring takes a dip.

But like Halloween candy, there is such a thing as too much of anything. There already have been seven 400-yard passing games in the NFL this season. Orton has one (476 yards against Indianapolis). Teams with the quarterbacks who threw for at least 400 yards are 1-6 in those games. The only win is because one 400-yard passer beat another 400-yard passer when Houston's Matt Schaub outlasted Washington's Donovan McNabb in a head-to-head meeting Sept. 19.

Philip Rivers has two of the 400-yard games, and the Chargers lost both. That's why the Broncos, despite having the NFL's worst rushing attack and little blue sky on the horizon in terms of immediate help, have to at least make a token effort to hand the ball off from time to time.

"The best way to help the pass protection is to run the ball," Orton said Sunday after the Ravens beat the Broncos 31-17 in Baltimore.

Denver's running game doesn't necessarily need to put a defense on its heels, control the clock or set the tone offensively. But even as bad as Denver's running game is, it still serves a purpose. Now it's simply a collection of plays in which Orton doesn't get hit, tackled or pushed to the ground. That's pretty important at the moment.


Read more: Analysis: Broncos can't afford to abandon their league-worst running game - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16311889#ixzz12NtpmZP6

Josh McDaniels freely admits that his team got pushed around by the Baltimore Ravens in last week's 31-17 loss. So the challenge McDaniels posed to the Broncos this week is this: Will you let it happen again?

The Broncos on Sunday host the New York Jets, a team known for its nasty, physical defense and its No. 1-ranked running game.

"I'm not calling our team a team that went in there and laid down or anything like that, but when you give up a certain number or rushing yards and don't rush the football very well, there's reason to say they were the tougher team," McDaniels said Thursday. "That was the case last Sunday, and we'll see if that's the case this Sunday or not."

McDaniels said his team practiced well on Wednesday, their first session since Sunday's loss.

While preparing for the Jets, the Broncos are also trying out plans for replacing several injured players on defense and special teams. The Broncos will play Sunday without safety Brian Dawkins, cornerback Andre Goodman and outside linebacker Robert Ayers, as well as two of their top special teamers, Wesley Woodyard and Darcel McBath.

McDaniels said there is a possibility the team could make roster moves late in the week to add depth to the defense and add players to the coverage units. Likely candidates would be practice squad players like safety Kyle McCarthy or linebackers Kevin Alexander or Diyral Briggs.

"We're looking at a few different concoctions of alignments," McDaniels said, smiling. "So there are holes in more than just the defensive side of the ball. We're looking at who can contribute in the kicking game and guys that can help us in the short term. Everyone's an option."

McDaniels said the team is also continuing to test our various options on the offensive line. Rookie Zane Beadles has taken some first-team reps at right tackle (where Ryan Harris is the starter) and Stanley Daniels and Russ Hochstein continue to compete for the starting job at left guard.


Read more: McDaniels seeks a tougher Broncos squad vs. Jets - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16338538#ixzz12NuFa8pz



Rewind back to day one of training camp. I'm standing in a shaded area on the far field, watching defensive backs. All of a sudden, I see a cart whiz by with Knowshon Moreno sitting on the back of it. Moments later, Correll Buckhalter limped into the locker room.

My point is, since day one of training camp, it seems like the Broncos have been having problems with injuries, and this week was no different. Following a brutal beatdown courtesty of the Baltimore Ravens, Josh McDaniels informed the media that five key defensive players will not play in the Broncos' week six matchup against the New York Jets.

Robert Ayers played and finished the Baltimore game with a broken foot, and will miss six weeks or more. Brian Dawkins will likely miss three weeks, and the extent of injuries to Andre' Goodman, Wesley Woodyard, and Darcel McBath is unknown at this point. Combine that with the uncertain status of wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and running back Knowshon Moreno, and the Broncos cannot be feeling good about their chances against the New York Jets, who are one of the best teams in the NFL.

Who will step up for the Broncos if these guys cannot play? Right now, Broncos fans are in a state of panic, which is somewhat warranted. I mean, it's not often a coach, much less McDaniels, would rule out five key players nearly a week before a game unless their injuries were serious.

Luckily (if you want to call it that) the Broncos experienced a similar barrage of injuries in the pre-season. Though some players are merely held out of pre-season action because of experience and minor bumps and bruises, the depth of Denver's roster was seriously tested. Perhaps it wasn't this severe, but there seems to be a theme in the league right now of guys having to fill huge roles unexpectedly.

The Broncos are no exception.

Star-divide

The biggest injury in my mind is the one suffered by Robert Ayers. The Broncos were already ailing at the outside linebacker position with Elvis Dumervil having torn his pectoral muscle in the early part of training camp. The last thing this team needed was for an emerging second year player to go down for an extended period of time, especially from the outside linebacker spot.



It did.

Ayers will miss a significant portion of the season, and the Broncos will be lucky to have him back for the final five or six games. Jason Hunter, who was acquired this offseason from Detroit, has been a pleasant surprise thus far, and had a sack against the Ravens. As solid as he has been, the Broncos cannot solely rely on him. When you look at it though, the Broncos are left with a few different options:

1. Move Mario Haggan back to the outside, start Joe Mays on the inside

This is not an ideal scenario for the Broncos. This move leaves them unusually thin at the inside linebacker position. They literally have no depth behind Williams and Mays in this case, so you would have to move Haggan around from outside back inside all game long. That is a headache.



2. Start Jarvis Moss

If there's any dude on this team who has had more window for opportunity, it's Jarvis Moss. Elvis Dumervil went down, so who did the Broncos expect to answer the call? Jarvis Moss, who then shortly there after broke his hand. Moss has been a complete non-factor this season, so who knows what might happen if he is thrust into a starting role? Teams will then know they can run right at him, but he is the Broncos' only option at this point.



3. Promote from within

The Broncos have two outside linebackers on the practice squad right now in rookie Kevin Alexander and second year pro Diyral Briggs. Briggs was being talked up as a great acquisition by the 49ers, and Alexander has an intriguing combination of size and athleticism. It's hard for a Broncos fan to get on board with either of these moves, because these guys have no NFL experience and are very much unknown commodities.



4. Sign from the outside

On Monday, I suggested before I heard of the Ayers injury that the Broncos sign Antwan Barnes. Barnes is a pass rushing specialist and has proven in this league that he can be productive with limited snaps. He is a guy I like. Another option is bringing back Baraka Atkins or Jammie Kirlew, two guys we cut this year. I think Adailius Thomas is still a free agent, but if he was good for anything, he would have been signed by now. They could also look at signing some inside linebacker depth and going with option one. If Darrell Reid is healthy, you can bet his phone will be ringing. In fact, it wouldn't shock me to see the Broncos bring back Reid as well as add another pass rushing option off the edge.



This is a tough position for the Broncos to be in, and their depth is certainly being tested. My best guess is that they will promote from within. Signing Darrell Reid has to be an option as well. He was recovering from sugery at last word, and was released by the Broncos this offseason.



The injuries to Dawkins and McBath hurt on multiple levels. McBath is a key special teams player and has been seing action on the defensive side of the ball as well. Dawkins is the emotional leader of this defense, and has been playing quite well this season. The replacement at safety will likely be David Bruton, though you could also see Nate Jones in on certain packages as well.

Personally, I want to see what Bruton can do. He was a fourth round pick in 2009, so as a fan, I'm hoping they drafted him for mroe than his special teams prowess. Bruton has great speed and is tough as nails, but his coverage skills have been questioned. With the depth of the Jets' wide receiver corps, we will need all the help we can get.

Dating back to the draft, I was a huge fan of Myron Rolle, who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans. The Titans are very deep on the backend of the secondary, so he was waived and placed on their practice squad. Now is not the time to play Mr. Nice Guy. The Broncos need to sweep this kid away from Tennessee and develop him on their own.

Rolle was the top high school player in the country five years ago, and was a Rhodes scholar. He's a smart kid with an outstanding combination of size and speed. With safety being a need of the future for this team anyway, I see no reason not to pluck Rolle off the Titans' practice squad.

We also have Kyle McCarthy, who proved to be a solid special teams player but not much more in the pre-season. He could definitely be promoted. You could also try using Syd'Quan Thompson in certain packages as a safety.

The Broncos have been coping with Andre' Goodman's injuries for weeks, and it's been good experience for Perrish Cox who has had an up-and-down season, but has looked good for a rookie.

It's time for these young players to step up for the Broncos. They were drafted to be developed, but much like our 2008 season, we have a lot of young guys who are being forced into roles. Whether or not they are ready remains to be seen, but their first test will be a tough one against the New York Jets, who are the Baltimore Ravens wearing green uniforms. They are a tough, physical team that will smack you in the mouth.

With a game's worth of film where the Broncos are getting smacked in the mouth and knocked out, they should be able to make some necessary corrections.

http://www.milehighreport.com/2010/...ts-can-broncos-overcome-a-barrage-of-injuries

 

CHARGERS



SAN DIEGO -- With many offensive and defensive players performing at a high level, the Chargers believe that their record could easily be 5-0 instead of 2-3.

Frustration and disappointment over mistakes that have caused the team to lose three winnable games is mounting among players and coaches.

But one day after the Chargers made four more critical special teams miscues in a 35-27 loss to the Oakland Raiders, coach Norv Turner said he's not willing to make a scapegoat out of his special teams assistant, Steve Crosby. Turner instead blamed a lack of execution -- a problem he believes is correctable.

"I know what everyone wants to make it out to be," Turner said Monday. "It turns out to be a blame game. You guys have been around me. You know what I'm about. It ain't gonna turn out to be that with me. We're going to address the things. I look forward. I always look forward. We've got to fix the problems we've had and then we've got to go get better, and that's what we're going to do."

The Chargers have a lot of ground to cover. Two weeks after they were done in by two Leon Washington kickoff returns for touchdowns in a loss at Seattle, and four weeks after they were burned by Kansas City Chiefs return men Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas, more holes were discovered in the Chargers' special teams unit.

Oakland's Nick Miller returned a punt for 46 yards. But the real problem was in the breakdown of a reshuffled punt team that allowed the Raiders to block two Mike Scifres punts, which led to 12 Oakland points.

Through five games, Scifres has had three punts blocked. Before this season, Scifres had one punt blocked in 393 career attempts.

Scifres made another mistake when his free kick soared out of bounds after the first blocked punt led to an Oakland safety. That gave the Raiders possession at the 50-yard line to start a drive that ended with a 50-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski.

Turner said he was pleased with the team's kickoff coverage. He believes that those problems have been addressed and are unrelated to the punt team.

"They're different guys involved in the deal," Turner said. "Some of the guys that were involved in the ones in the first game obviously are no longer here. We've made some changes, and we're going to continue to look at what we need to do to help ourselves be better."

Could that include starters joining special teams to help out?

Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper is willing to do his part. Cooper said he spoke with Crosby on what he described as a "quiet" flight home on Sunday and informed him that he would help if asked. Cooper added that Chargers players don't think the coaches are the problem.

"(Crosby) keeps coaching the same way he has in the past, but players aren't getting the job done on the field," Cooper said. "I talked to him on the plane. I told him, 'I'm ready to go on punt, kickoff, whatever you need, even if I have to take a play off for defense.' "

Turner said he thinks the Chargers can correct their mistakes and take advantage of the outstanding play by the offense and defense. He said it's the accountability within the locker room that convinces him that the team can rebound.

"I think everyone steps up and understands their responsibility," Turner said. "When they don't get it done, they understand they're going to be coached that way. They understand there's going to be repercussions. Obviously, we've made changes, and that's why we've always responded. Because we always have doesn't mean we're going to this time, but I know where I'd bet. I'd bet on this group and I've got a lot of confidence in them."

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_1a54b16f-eddb-5bfb-bf62-7af046515e31.html



Quarterbacks: B

Philip Rivers continues to post gaudy numbers, but his ball security has gone from ho-hum to uh-oh. He threw for 431 yards and two touchdowns -- can't argue with that sparkling 114.3 rating. But his second lost fumble, which was returned for a score, was the difference in the game.



Running backs: D

Didn't the Bolts pay a bundle in cash and draft picks for Ryan Mathews? Why doesn't he play? If he is hurt, say so and move on. But he looked pretty good, averaging 6.6 yards on a puny nine carries. Starter Mike Tolbert had a team-high 12 rushes for 11 yards, a score and yet another fumble.



Receivers: B

Malcom Floyd was so good Sunday that he would have caught the second "L" that should be in his name. It was a phenomenal performance by Floyd, with a career-high 213 yards and a TD on eight receptions. TE Antonio Gates keeps collecting yards with 92 and a score; Darren Sproles had a long of 23 yards. There were drops by Sproles and Buster Davis, but nothing overshadows Floyd.



Offensive line: B

Rivers had time to throw for the most part; that's not to say there weren't breakdowns, but he heaved it 42 times. The run-blocking was OK, with the Chargers nearly reaching the century mark in rushing.



Defensive line: C

Michael Bush carved up the middle in the second half; NT Antonio Garay had played well, but seemed to taper off. Ogemdi Nwagubo committed a critical penalty at the Chargers' 6-yard line. The starting ends combined for three tackles.



Linebackers: C-

The pass rush is tougher to find than a Raiders fan with a clean record. Kudos to Kevin Burnett (two sacks) and Stephen Cooper (one), but there is no consistent pressure from the edges. Until that changes, this up-and-down ride continue.



Secondary: C

Played well at first, but as the game matured, the defensive backs kept allowing big plays to backup Jason Campbell. To be fair, the Chargers' pass rush is tepid -- at best. That makes it tough on the guys in the back end. CB Antoine Cason's penalty on the Raiders' go-ahead drive didn't help.



Special teams: F

It's the Kansas City-Seattle-Oakland trifecta: The special teams stink on the road! Two blocked punts for scores had never happened in Chargers' history. Did you like that 46-yard punt return they allowed? Asked if special teams coach Steve Crosby's job was in jeopardy, head coach Norv Turner said, "Don't be silly.'' Funny, we've seen "silly" on the road, and it answers to Chargers' special teams. Yikes -- five away games remain.



Coaching: F

Giddy-up and catch a ride on the Turner Classic Station, where they show repeats of years past. The Raiders are terrible -- don't let anyone spin it differently -- and the Chargers played to their level. Turner's cachet is offense, and we can't argue with that -- but as the head coach, the entire cookie is his and this one continues to crumble. The defense was on its heels late -- scared, I guess. And the special teams have become a regular punch line. Horrible job by the coaches -- the players can't absorb all the blame.

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_78766d00-19d0-5ee9-af7e-ba914b6000b9.html

OAKLAND -- Praise has been heaped on Antonio Gates this season. The Chargers' tight end has received credit for producing despite the lack of a legitimate No. 1 receiver to diffuse opposing coverage.

That logic didn't hold on Sunday afternoon, not with Malcom Floyd playing the role of elite wide out. Floyd had eight receptions for 213 yards and a touchdown in a 35-27 loss to the Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.

Floyd's yardage total is tied for fourth in this pass-happy franchise's history and stands as the best receiving day since Wes Chandler tallied 243 yards on 13 catches in 1985. Floyd averaged a whopping 26.6 yards per catch, made several tough grabs and simply couldn't be contained.

"At times, that's how it felt," Floyd said. "You get into a rhythm and you feel like you're on top of the world, but that doesn't mean anything when you're not adding to the win column."

Floyd was targeted 10 times, had eight catches and pair of pass interference penalties were called on the defensive back assigned to him.

"Malcom has had the ability to be a No. 1 guy, but he needed a chance to showcase his talent," Gates said. "This was steppingstone for him, and he proved just how good he can be. His play gave us a chance in this game."

Goodell on stadium

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell attended the game -- he spent part of the first half sitting in the Black Hole -- and spoke briefly to reporters at halftime.

Regarding the San Diego stadium situation, Goodell said the recent news that more money could be available through a downtown redevelopment agency is good.

"Anything that can help us get this done is a positive thing for us,'' he said.

"These are complex, they are more challenging in today's environment, so anything that will make it easier to get done is a positive thing for us.''

And is the downtown proposal the Chargers' last shot to find a San Diego home?

"I don't know the answer to that,'' Goodell said. "I know they have been working for several years and haven't gotten a solution. We need to find a solution. I think it is important to the community; important to the team and the NFL.''

Costly turnovers

The Chargers lost seven fumbles all of last season. Through four games in 2010, they have nine. That's a disturbing trend for this 2-3 team, which has coughed the ball up in costly situations. The Raiders returned a Philip Rivers fumble 64 yards for the game-sealing touchdown and pried a ball from fullback Mike Tolbert just inches from the goal line, creating a 14-point swing that had a huge impact on the outcome.

"We have to focus a little bit better and be more aware of ball security," Floyd said. "Mistakes happen to the best of us. It's just something we have to fix, because turnovers are killing us right now."

Nowhere to run

A week after recording the Chargers' first 100-yard rushing game since 2008, Tolbert did more harm than good.

He had just 11 yards on 12 carries, an average of 0.9 yards per carry. He did have a touchdown, but lost a fumble on the Oakland 1-yard line in the first quarter that likely took points off the scoreboard.

Ryan Mathews had 59 yards on nine carries, including a 7-yard run in which he appeared to cross the goal line. He was ruled down at the 1 and the Chargers didn't challenge it, setting up Tolbert's fumble.

"We could not get a good look on Mathews' touchdown," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "We thought we'd score eventually, but that didn't happen. ... I did not get a clean look until after the next play."

Penalty problems

The Chargers had seven penalties for 53 yards, but Gates was kicking himself for one flag in particular.

He was called for a holding penalty during a fourth-quarter drive with the Chargers down 28-27. It pushed the Chargers into the far-reaches of Nate Kaeding's field-goal range, forced the Chargers to pass and eventually set up a Rivers fumble returned for a touchdown that sealed the outcome.

"I had a holding penalty late in the game that cost us," Gates said. "Those are the little things that will kill you in this league. It certainly did today."

Outside opinions

NBC analyst and former NFL head coach Tony Dungy was not impressed by the Chargers' play and Turner's ability to prepare his team for Sunday's game.

"His players had made a ton of mistakes on the road in big situations," Dungy said on air. "(Antonio) Gates today, as great a player as he is, you're in field goal range to kick the winning field goal. You cannot hold in that situation. You can't get punts blocked. You can't fumble the ball at the 1-yard line going in. ... San Diego is way too talented to have this happen."

Gates pointed the finger inward in regard to his play, but understands that the head coach will get blamed when things go sour.

"When your team doesn't win, the head coach gets blamed," Gates said. "The coaches can't go out and play the game for us. We have to take care of business on the road."

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/footb...cle_d0e2165a-866b-5e06-92f8-80a3f6051e49.html

 

RAIDERS

(10-10) 20:22 PDT -- Jason Campbell wasn't exactly ready when quarterback Bruce Gradkowski got knocked out at the end of the first quarter with a shoulder injury. Campbell's back was tight and his legs were tight, not to mention what must have being going through his head.

After all, he was acquired from Washington to be the Raiders' starting quarterback and was benched at halftime in the second game of the season. Campbell didn't complain then and didn't gloat Sunday after leading a 35-27 win over the Chargers.

"The one thing about playing this game the last six years is that I have been through a lot," said Campbell, who never totally won over the Redskins' front office in his years starting for Washington. "A lot of the stuff I have gone through helped prepare me for what's already happened to me earlier this season. You always have to stay positive. It's easy to get into the tank and say that's it.

"Stay positive and keep grinding, keep the faith, and good things will happen. It will turn around for you."

Gradkowski actually tried to come back into the game at the start of the third quarter, but offensive coordinator Hue Jackson put an end to that after an ineffective three plays.

Campbell was better the second time around, with patient 97- and 73-yard drives in the second half. Campbell finished 13-for-18 for 159 yards, a touchdown and a nifty passer rating of 117.6.

It was methodical, but it must have been maddening to the Chargers. Campbell said he took what the defense gave him, and felt like he did back in training camp - and not like those first two games.

"It's my first time with this team, so it's different in practice and in the game," he said. "Playing with the guys, you've got to get a feel for the guys. Everything's new to me. You sit back, you see guys' strengths, and then try and fit yourself in."

He was good enough Sunday that when Gradkowski is back from his shoulder injury, the Raiders will have a good ol' quarterback controversy.

"I just thought (Campbell's) overall feel for it was tremendous," coach Tom Cable said. "He played just like you would hope he would."


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/11/SPA51FQUAP.DTL#ixzz12Nwal9iF

Raiders report card

Passing offense: Jason Campbell played well in relief of injured starter Bruce Gradkowski. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 118 yards and one score during back-to-back touchdown drives that rallied the Raiders from a 24-15 deficit. Grade: A

Running offense: Michael Bush rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown in his first start of the season. His solid showing helped lessen the sting of the Raiders playing without lead back Darren McFadden. Grade: A-

Passing defense: Almost nonexistent. The Raiders' third-ranked pass defense allowed 431 yards and two touchdowns in a performance that was forgettable other than a late sack that caused a fumble and game-clinching return for a touchdown. Grade: F

Running defense: The Raiders did a commendable job neutralizing the Chargers' ground game, save for a 4-yard touchdown run by Mike Tolbert. The Chargers averaged only 3.5 yards on 26 carries. Grade: A-

Special teams: Rock Cartwright and Brandon Myers blocked punts. Hiram Eugene returned the second one for a touchdown. Sebastian Janikowski converted both his field goal attempts. Punter Shane Lechler averaged 52.8 yards. Jacoby Ford fumbled two kickoffs, though the Raiders recovered both. Grade: A-

Coaching: Tom Cable pushed all the right buttons and kept his team focused after it squandered a 12-point lead. Special teams coach John Fassel's troops made several game-altering plays. Grade: A

http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_16305996?source=rss&nclick_check=1

OAKLAND (AP) — Jason Campbell's (FSY) first shot at being the quarterback who helped turn around the Oakland Raiders lasted all of six quarters as he struggled to get the offense moving.

His second chance could be even briefer even though he led two long touchdown drives to help the Raiders rally to beat the San Diego Chargers.

Coach Tom Cable said Monday that Bruce Gradkowski (FSY) would remain the starter for the Raiders (2-3) if his injured right shoulder is healthy enough to play Sunday at San Francisco.

Gradkowski left the 35-27 victory over the Chargers late in the first quarter after being hit hard on the shoulder by Shaun Phillips (FSY). He made a brief return in the second half but wasn't nearly strong enough to go so Campbell got the chance to lead the comeback.

Cable said Gradkowski has a sprained shoulder and was undergoing an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of it.

Campbell made the most of his second opportunity with a well-played second half that won over the fans that booed him from almost the start of his Oakland career because they preferred Gradkowski over the player brought in from Washington to replace draft bust JaMarcus Russell (FSY).

"It's been a long year already for me," Campbell said. "It started back from the time I was traded. Starting the season off, I was putting too much pressure on myself to make all the plays because of the high hopes for me this season instead of just relaxing and playing the game and let the game come to you. I tried to force the game. That's one of the things I learned over the weeks when I was sitting out and doing the self evaluation on myself and getting to learn the offense a little better."

Campbell spent his two weeks on the bench doing a "self evaluation" of his early season play. He went 30-for-52 for 267 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before being benched. He took six sacks and led the Raiders to only 16 points.

He didn't get off to a much better start in his return to the field. The Raiders punted without getting a first down on the first two series Campbell played, before driving for a field goal at the end of the first half.

After a brief drive by Gradkowski at the start of the third quarter, Campbell went back out and was unable to generate a first down on his initial drive of the second half. Then he finally showed why the Raiders traded for him in the offseason to replace Russell as the quarterback the Raiders looked to build around.

Campbell put together a 12-play, 97-yard drive capped by a 1-yard TD pass to Zach Miller (FSY) to get the Raiders back in the game. He converted a third-and-1 sneak and threw a 58-yard pass to Louis Murphy (FSY) on the drive.

Then on his next drive, Campbell drove the Raiders 73 yards in 14 plays for the go-ahead score on Michael Bush's (FSY) 3-yard run with 3:43 to play. Campbell converted a key third-and-11 with a 13-yard pass to Miller and hit Brandon Myers (FSY) with a 12-yard pass on fourth-and-1 to set up the go-ahead score.

"When you can get that kind of production from a guy who's been standing for a couple weeks now and then comes out and gets into rhythm like that, that's what you're hoping for," Cable said. "A job well done by him but by everybody on offense during those two drives."

Campbell needed to take only one more snap, a kneel-down that capped Oakland's first victory over its AFC West rival since 2003.

This marked the third straight win for the Raiders where the winning score was generated by the backup quarterback, including Russell's comeback in Denver last season after Charlie Frye (FSY) was injured.

Cable said he'd prefer not to make in-game changes but pointed out the Raiders have had success in the past with it when George Blanda led comebacks in relief of Daryle Lamonica.

"There is some history there," Cable said. "So it's not like it hasn't been done here before. You'd like your quarterback to be able and go out and consistently do it. We've had two situations now where it worked in our favor, but again I just think it's a good problem to have two quality players."

Notes: Cable said the injury to RB Darren McFadden (FSY) (hamstring) is improving and he would have a better idea Wednesday if he would be able to return this week. ... Cable said there's a "great chance" OL Robert Gallery (FSY) could return for the first time since injuring his hamstring in the season opener. ... WR Chaz Schilens (FSY) is not close to returning from a knee injury that was supposed to have healed by now.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/foot...omNfl-TopStories+(Sports+-+NFL+-+Top+Stories)

 

CHIEFS

A few days ago, I spoke about why Matt Cassel has thusfar proven to be a disappointment. Aiken_drum had an interesting rebuttal in suggesting that Cassel's season is comparable to Tom Brady's initial Super Bowl season, but as I commented in his thread, Cassel is not in nearly the same league as Tom Brady then. Brady had a lot less experience, still would have had 600 yards on him (projecting a 16-game season) and has shown enormous improvement since he's been a pro. There's no doubting by now that we can win with Cassel, but getting to the next step and winning the games that matter most is going to be significantly harder if we don't see significant improvement in Quarterback play. Cassel in year 3 is below Brady's level as a rookie, and Cassel in year 3 is a mile away from the improvement Brady saw in year 2 and 3.

Here's a critical point I need to make before going any further: in the NFL, you absolutely, positively cannot screw up the Quarterback decision. Nine times out of ten a good Quarterback will be instrumental to your football team's success. In some cases, you ask a Quarterback to completely set the tone and tempo for the team, as Drew Brees does for New Orleans. In other cases, you ask a Quarterback to effectively manage games, as Ben Roethlisberger does for Pittsburgh. In all cases, you expect your Quarterback to be a guy who can march your team down the field in the most critical stages of the game. If you don't have that guy, you better have a dominant defense (ala the 2001 Ravens) and you better hope that the team can get some favorable bounces, because when we're talking about playoff football, you have to avoid mistakes and a Quarterback is easily the position that will help you do/not do that.

Ask yourself this simple question: if the Chiefs face a team that can put up 20+ points against them in the playoffs, do they have a fighting shot of winning? That's all it takes. Either one or two slip-ups on special teams/defense or a few lucky bounces. What makes Pittsburgh so special and what made New England special is the ability of the offense to score as many points as the defense gave them. When the defense struggled, they could put up 30, even if in most games, they were hovering below 20.

Which brings us back to the Quarterback decision. Let me put it this way: if this were the most important Poker game in his life, then Pioli gambled everything he had on his first hand, even though it was anything but a sure bet. If this were a game of golf, then Pioli is "Tin Cup." I don't care about Cassel's $63M contract or however you want to slice that up. What I care about is how that gamble may have set this franchise back several years.

Star-divide

As expected, finding the right guy for a position of that much importance and responsibility is difficult work. Teams are not usually willing to get rid of their franchise Quarterbacks and are willing to pay the moon, the sun, and the stars to keep that Quarterback. The draft is still the best place to find a great Quarterback and even that is extremely difficult work. So think about how screwing up the Quarterback decision sets the franchise backward. If the season were to end today, Pioli can't possibly justify moving forward with Cassel as his Quarterback. Given that the Chiefs should play themselves out of picking the cream of the Quarterback crop in the 2011 draft, do you go with a second-tier option and hope he becomes Josh Freeman or Joe Flacco? Because I don't see a top-notch prospect like Andrew Luck or Ryan Mallet falling that low. Do you trade the moon to land a surefire NFL starter like Andrew Luck? In the meantime, do you bring in a veteran Quarterback who is probably flawed like Shaun Hill? If you do go with the draft pick, which I feel like you almost have to do unless you very luckily land a star veteran (as when the Saints acquired Drew Brees), how long will it take before you can open up the entire playbook? If Sanchez's career is any indication and arguably even Matt Ryan's and Joe Flacco's, it will take more than a season. And here's the worst scenario... what if you rest the franchise on a rookie and he isn't the answer? How many years does that set you back?

Here's the moral of that long story: the Chiefs could have been almost two years into having potential answers. Instead, we threw all our eggs into one basket. Which is why I find the Chiefs' front office's arrogance to revolve their entire franchise around one guy so confusing. Scott Pioli saw Matt Cassel in practice for umpteen years as an Exec for the Patriots. His current shortcomings should not come as a surprise and there should have been more than enough of them to question whether he was absolutely, positively the guy. And if there is even a shred of doubt that you've got the wrong guy, you do not hesitate to make some moves that put you in a better position to find the right guy. I don't mind that the Chiefs traded for Matt Cassel. I just cannot understand why the Chiefs refused to get insurance.

In 2009, the Chiefs were in a position to draft Mark Sanchez. It took me a while to warm up to him, but the contrast between Cassel and Sanchez is like night and day. What's so frustrating about Sanchez's success is that he is seeing success playing in a similar type of offense making the kinds of plays that Cassel is not. Like Cassel, Sanchez has not been asked to take over games the way Brees has. He's not even been asked to be perfect in the game manager role. All he's been asked to do is make enough of the easy throws to give the running game and defense a chance to do their thing. In that role, Sanchez has been spectacular in 2010; Cassel has been been lackluster. So when I hear that Cassel doesn't have the experience or hasn't had the time, I immediately point to Mark Sanchez.

In 2010, the Chiefs were in a position to do several different things. Much as I love the Dexter McCluster pick and do not fault the organization for picking him up, drafting McCluster took away the Chiefs' opportunity to make two moves: 1) retroactively, that pick could have been used to trade for a player like Donovan McNabb, who could give the Chiefs a few years of terrific veteran play so that they don't have to panic about the Quarterback decision in 2010; 2) draft Jimmy Clausen who may not be the greatest Quarterback in the world, but he absolutely provides at least an insurance option. Retroactively, if you want to keep the Dexter McCluster pick, the Chiefs still had an option to bring in a QB prospect like John Skelton.

Right now, the Chiefs are stuck with Matt Cassel as their starting Quarterback. There are no Quarterbacks in the stable behind him worth taking a chance on. Brodie Croyle simply can't stay healthy enough to be relied on as their guy. I would love to have stuck a young QB like Sanchez or Clausen in a situation that Cassel is in right now. Okay, Mark (or Jimmy), here's the key to the offense. All we want you to do is throw for 180-200 yards, don't make any stupid mistakes, and make all the easy throws."

If we end the season knowing that Matt Cassel is anything short of a franchise Quarterback or an outstanding game manager, the Chiefs need to move on. And barring some very lucky break, they almost certainly have to do it through the draft. And so, the Chiefs' insistence on putting all their eggs into one basket puts them in a quandary: settle for mediocre Quarterback play on an otherwise outstanding team in Matt Cassel, or roll the dice for a young Quarterback who could bust just as easily as he could succeed. I would opt for the latter, but it's a decision I wish we would have made a long time ago.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/...mage-scott-piolis-otherwise-impressive-chiefs

Arrowhead Pride contributor Jon Yoon is taking a look at Matt Cassel and whether he is the future of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Today I'm going to take a look at a couple of Matt Cassel stats that I like. Sitting at 3-1, it's not all bad with Cassel.

Poor throws

Stats LLC has a really neat statistic called poor throws. The definition is what you think it is: A poor throw by the quarterback.

Currently Matt Cassel is tied for 22nd in the NFL with 16 poor throws.

Here's the top five in poor throws: Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco and Philip Rivers.

The next question would be: What percentage of Cassel's throws are considered poor? It's a good question because Cassel isn't throwing it as much as some of those other guys.

That would be 15.1 percent of them which is about the middle of the league. Those five quarterbacks listed above? Yeah, all of them have a higher percentage of poor throws than Cassel.

This stat really surprised me because it kind of blows away the notion that a lot of the drops by the Chiefs receivers have been bad balls by Cassel. That's doesn't appear to be the case.

Star-divide

Intentional throwaways

Cassel is second in the NFL in intentional throwaway passes. Is that a good thing? Well, it depends on how you look at it.

The Chiefs are last in the NFL in sacks allowed this year. Where do you think those sacks went? Yeah, to the sidelines with Cassel's throwaways.

This is part of an overall push by the Chiefs to eliminate negative plays. Cassel has said on several occasions that the Chiefs have been working on throwing the ball away if nothing is there. Clearly, that's been effective.

I know intentionally thrown away balls shouldn't be a good stat but in this particular case I think it is. The Chiefs defense is good enough to the point where they need the offense to protect the ball and they're going to win a lot of games.

Passes defensed

Cassel isn't having a lot of balls batted away by the defender. He's had 10 passes defensed which is about 9.4 percent of his throws. Again, that's in the middle of the league.

This falls in line with the idea that the Chiefs want to protect the football and not make risky throws.

***

These stats I think help illustrate what the Chiefs are asking Cassel to do and that's, first of all, protect the football. Look at how the Chiefs are built: Strong running game and a strong defense. It's not designed around a quarterback who can fling it 50 yards down field.

Would that be nice? Sure. But it's not critical for the Chiefs at this point.

I do think Matt Cassel has to be better. I really do. This isn't meant to be a list of excuses for the guy. But I think this helps show what the Chiefs philosophy is with the quarterback.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/...i-like-from-kansas-city-chiefs-qb-matt-cassel

If you've been a Kansas City Chiefs fans, then you know what the pass rush has been like the last two years. Terrible. Awful. Gross.

All acceptable descriptive terms.

This year, however, they're average at No. 18 in the NFL, which is a big jump from the group that set an NFL record in 2008 with just 10 sacks.

What's interesting, though, is how they're doing it.

The Chiefs have nine sacks this season. Eight of those have come with four or fewer pass rushers.That's a pretty good number -- only six teams have sacked the quarterback more with four or fewer pass rushers.

That's huge because it means they can leave the secondary in place and still get to the quarterback. It helps show why the defense has been so sound this year.

The Chiefs leader is Tamba Hali who's been getting some pub lately, and for good reason. The last Chief to have this many sacks through four games? DT.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/...iefs-pass-rush-has-gone-from-awful-to-average

The Kansas City Chiefs know they have a special player in CB Brandon Flowers. When given the chance, head coach Todd haley and other Chiefs players don't have anything bad to say about him.

I was reading the stats-based site Pro Football Focus the other day and two of their writers had Flowers in the running for MVP through the first quarter of the season. One comment in particular stood out to me.

This is the same sort of stuff that Revis did last year but no one seems interested.

Star-divide

My first thought: I mean we all think Flowers is good but New York Jets CB Darrelle Revis had one of the all-time great seasons in 2009.

We've got some numbers to put behind these Revis comparisons, courtesy KC Joyner of ESPN.com.

His 2010 coverage numbers have been simply phenomenal thus far. Flowers has been targeted 31 times and has allowed only 81 yards on those throws. That equals a ridiculously low 2.6 YPA, a number that is a full yard less than the eye-popping 3.6 YPA Revis posted last year. If he maintains anything close to this pace for the rest of the season, he should be a front-runner for both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro awards.

Uh...wow. Keep in mind Flowers has faced San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers and Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. Those are two of the top five quarterbacks in the game.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2010/...of-chiefs-cb-brandon-flowers-into-perspective