Rick’s Royal Interview: My Future Chat With the Bronco WR

As I maneuver my way up the Bleacher Report rankings, I assume that when the time comes to conduct an interview, I will get to talk to the person I have questions for.  That is for Journalism 101 tough, let’s call this Journalism 100.

Questions now, answers later.

Eddie Royal had a stellar rookie campaign for the Broncos in 2008. The second round pick from Virginia Tech caught 91 balls for 980 yards and five touchdowns. A lot has changed in Denver since last season, and I caught up with the WR to discuss the upheaval in the Mile High city.

You entered into what had been one of the most stable franchises in the NFL. A lot has changed in Denver, what are your thoughts on the overall roller coaster that has been the Bronco offseason?

Mike Shanahan was there for 14 years, he drafted you, and you only got to play for him for one season. What did you learn from the time you spent with him?

Josh McDaniels is taking over as coach, give me your impression of him so far, and what he’s told you about your role in his offense.

Are there any key differences in this system opposed to the West Coast offense you were a part of last year under Shanahan?

How about being coached by someone, well, a lot closer to your age than your first coach, what is that like?

Along with the change at coach, comes a change at QB. Jay Cutler is now a Chicago Bear, did you reach out to him while everything was going on? What’s your view on the whole situation that led to his being traded?

As a player with just one year under his belt, at any time did you feel compelled to speak with your new coach or even your owner to give your opinions on the matter?

It appears you’ll be catching passes from either Kyle Orton or Chris Simms this season, how are you getting along on and off the field with the two new QB’s?

You and Brandon Marshall were an outstanding duo at WR last year. Marshall is facing possible league sanction due to another offseason incident. How important is his presence to what your offense is trying to accomplish, and what adjustments would you have to make should he miss significant time?

Overall, did anything in particular stand out in the adjustment from the college game to the pros?  Do you think there’s room for improvement in your game, even with the numbers you put up?

Even without the changes at coach and QB, it shaped up to be a long offseason for the Broncos, especially with the way last year ended. How anxious are you to put that behind you and get going in ’09?  What are your expectations for the club this season?

Well, that’s half the battle.  Now I wait for the chance to meet Eddie Royal to get the answers and that is part of Patience 101.

The Denver Broncos: How the Grinch Stole the 2009 NFL Playoffs

Change. 

Barack Obama ran an entire presidential campaign on the idea of change. When life becomes stagnant or the status quo just isn’t good enough anymore, change is the cure-all. 

After 14 seasons as the Denver Broncos head coach, Mike Shanahan (146-95-0 in the regular and post season, including back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1997 and 1998) was released from the team. 

It was time for a change. 

That change came in the form of Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels is a graduate of the Bill Belichick (102-42 in the regular season and three Super Bowl Championships as the head coach of the New England Patriots, 2000 to present) school of football. 

Fellow graduates include Charlie Weis (29-21 as the head coach at Notre Dame, 2005 to present), Romeo Crennel  (24-40 as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, 2005-2008), and Eric Mangini (23-25 as the head coach of the New York Jets, 2006-2008). 

In some cases, it would appear the apple falls quite far from the tree.

Please don’t get me wrong. McDaniels is his own man and the Broncos are nowhere near the shambles that Notre Dame and the NFL’s Browns and Jets were in when these men took over. 

However, aside from the hiring of Mike Nolan as the Broncos’ defensive coordinator, McDaniels’ infancy in the head coaching arena has been mired by bad decision after questionable decision. In fact, many of his more recent moves have looked awfully “Shanahanish.”

If Mike Shanahan had made these moves (the botched Cutler fiasco or the No. 12 draft pick used to pick up Knowshon Moreno instead of addressing the defensive front seven), we’d say it was just Mike Shanahan being Mike Shanahan. Unfortunately, Pat Bowlen and the Broncos fans called for “change” and McDaniels has only given them “more of the same” (thank you, Democratic National Convention).

Some of the biggest changes came in the cuts/signing department

The Broncos not only bobbled the situation with Jay Cutler, but Patrick Ramsey was released. That means Kyle Orton and Chris Simms are their likely one and two quarterbacks.

Cornerback Dre Bly, 5’10” and 31 years old, was cut and his likely replacement is 5’9″ Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest. Did I mention the Broncos gave up a first round draft pick for Smith?

Thirty-five year old Brian Dawkins becomes the new safety for the Broncos.  They’re going to need him to play in 30-year-old form.

Although Knowshon Moreno may be a game-changer some day, was it necessary to pick him up with the No. 12 when the Broncos already had Buckhalter, Arrington, and Jordan? And just recently, Denver added Darius Walker. The smart money would have guessed that pick was being applied to the OL or DL.

With a 2009 schedule that pits the Broncos up against six teams that qualified for the 2008 NFL playoffs (Baltimore and Pittsburgh back-to-back following the Week Seven bye) and five of those games are against eight of the past nine Super Bowl champions, an 8-8 finish looks like a highwater mark for this team.  A 6-10 season may be a little closer to how this year plays out. 

Change has come to Denver…and it may not be for the best.

 

Sources:

Retrieved May 12, 2009, from NFL.com

Retrieved May 12, 2009, from denverpost.com

Retrieved May 12, 2009, from Denver Broncos team page

Retrieved May 12 2009, from ESPN.com

Denver Broncos work to patch holes in defense

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The Denver Broncos may not have made a huge splash in the 2009 NFL Draft, but they have drawn from the free agency pool to address some glaring weaknesses.

After an 8-3 start where a win in any of the final five games would have given them a playoff berth, the Broncos pulled on the emergency brake and changed course.

The obvious problems with the 2008 roster were quality at defensive line (particularly nose guard) and safety on the defensive side of the ball. Quarterback (the loss of Cutler was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg) and running back proved to be the trouble spots on offense.

Early in free agency, the Broncos added running backs J.J. Arrington (Cardinals), Correll Buckhalter (Eagles), LaMont Jordan (Patriots), and Darius Walker.

After acquiring Kyle Orton (Bears) in an attempt to have something to show for blowing it with the Pro Bowl selection Jay Cutler, the Broncos moved on Chris Simms (Titans).

Mike Nolan’s 3-4 defense added a few free agents as well. Linebackers Andra Davis (Browns) and Nick Greisen (released by the Ravens) were snatched up with defensive tackles Ronald Fields (49ers) and Darrell Reid (Colts) and defensive backs Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman, and Renaldo Hill. Finally, defensive end Kenny Peterson was re-signed.

On a team lacking a star to headline its 3-4 defense, the Broncos had hoped to land a defensive lineman in the draft.

Well, with pick No. 18 the Broncos nabbed Robert Ayers. 

The 6’3”, 270-pound Ayers was a run-stopping defensive end for the Tennessee Volunteers who will likely see some outside linebacker duty for Denver as well.

The Broncos addressed their hole at safety with pick No. 48, Darcel McBath and pick No. 114, David Bruton.

Running back Knowshon Moreno was taken with the first of Denver’s two first-round picks (No. 12 overall) and with the first pick in round six, Tom Brandstater was selected (No. 174). 

Moreno will have a real opportunity to make an impact on the Broncos squad.  Brandstater is lucky there are only two other quarterbacks on the team (for now).

Following the draft, the Broncos took a look at the undrafted collegiate free agents.  In all, Denver would sign 15 of these free agents (four WRs, one RB, one TE, two OTs, two CBs, one P, two DEs, one DT, and a LB).

Let’s liken this to pickup football games we played as children. Remember the short, chubby, uncoordinated, asthmatic kid whom always got picked last? He was important for one reason … he was No. 8.

Without him, you had a four on three or an all-time quarterback situation on your hands. You let him play strictly because you needed an extra body.

Among the free agent acquisitions was wide receiver David Grimes, who played for head coach Charlie Weis at Notre Dame.

Weis was the offensive coordinator who preceded Josh McDaniels in the Patriots organization. It would be fair to predict the two systems will be comparable.

If we look at the projected depth chart objectively, six of the 11 defensive starters did not play in Denver last year. The offense is a bit more recognizable (aside from Orton and the running backs). 

Most people would agree that the Broncos’ offense was mostly fine before Cutler was run out of town, so there wasn’t much to improve on that end. 

The defense was 30^th in scoring and 29^th overall. Nothing short of an overhaul was going to help.

I believe the Broncos did a fair job addressing their weaknesses efficiently.

Are the holes filled? Yes.

Will it be enough to take the division? I say probably not, but only time will tell.

Broncos 2009: New Coach, New Playbook, New Quarterback: No Worries?

After finishing the regular season 8-8 and missing the playoffs, Pat Bowlen decided it was time for a change. 

Well, here it comes.

Mike Shanahan was fired on December 30, 2008. His replacement, Josh McDaniels, was hired on January 12, 2009.

Shortly after taking over the new job, McDaniels shook up both sides of the ball. He brought in Mike Nolan to run the Broncos defense, and the scheme was changed from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

The Denver D was ranked 30th in points, 19th in yards, 26th in defending the pass, and 27th against the run.

There is plenty of room for improvement there. The problem comes when addressing the personnel. Six of the 11 defensive starters have changed and aside from Brian Dawkins, none of those changes scream improvement.

Ronald Fields, Darrell Reid, and Kenny Peterson will be the starters on the defensive line.  Dumervil, Boss Bailey, DJ Williams, and Andra Davis will be the backing corps, while Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill will team up with Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman in the backfield.

Before the offensive playbook could be addressed, there was a meltdown at the quarterback position and Jay Cutler fled the scene.

McDaniels added Kyle Orton to run his offense, which is not Mike Shanahan’s offense.  No, we have not seen the end of the west coast offesne, or the running back-by-committee. McDaniels will implement some variation of the offense he was running in Foxboro.

In fact, it’s not easy to narrow down the Patriots offense. With the receivers constantly moving around and playing off each other, the offensive system is like water. It constantly shifts and moves to better adjust to defenses around the league. Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall should shine in this offense; think Welker and Moss.

You will not be shown the same offense two weeks in a row and for a team that just drafted University of Georgia standout Knowshon Moreno, it should be noted that the Patriots were sixth n the NFL in rushing last year.  Buckhalter will likely get the bulk of the load in carries this year.

Jeremy Bates was released to make room for the Broncos’ new QB coach, Mike McCoy.  McCoy worked with Steve Beuerlein and Jake Delhomme in the Carolina organization and will now be an asset to Orton and the Denver O.

It’s unfortunate to see a Pro Bowler run out of town, but points on the board and a stack of ‘W’s can make that bitterness disappear.  One thing’s for sure, if the Denver Broncos don’t succeed, it won’t be because they didn’t make moves.

20 Questions for Ben Hamilton

If given the opportunity to engage one of the Denver Broncos players in a sit down interview, I believe these would be the 20 questions I would ask Broncos guard Ben Hamilton.

No. 50 has been a Denver Bronco for nine seasons, longer than any other player on the squad.  The 6’4” center/guard was drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 draft.

1)  You anchored the offensive line in 2003 when the Broncos set a franchise record for yards from scrimmage.  Clinton Portis, Mike Andersen, Reuben Droughns, and Quentin Griffin (as well as Cecil Sapp for 1 game) amassed 2629 total yards that season.  Who gets the credit for that, Mike Shanahan, the RBs, or the big uglies?

2)  You’ve spent your entire professional career with the Broncos, and more notably, Mike Shanahan.  How did you feel about the organization releasing your head coach?

3)  What are your expectations for your new head coach, Josh McDaniels?

4)  From 2002 to 2006, you started every game of the season.  You missed all of 2007 with symptoms due to concussions.  Then in 2008, you started all 16 games again.  That’s 96 starts in 96 games.  How important is it to be on that field when the game starts?

5)  You’ve had four different starting quarterbacks since joining the Broncos: Brian Griese, Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, and now Kyle Orton.  Who has been your favorite field general and why?

6)  Let’s fast-forward to 2013.  You’ve started all 176 games you’ve played in.  Do you make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

7)  Who’s better, John Elway (48 years old) now or Kyle Orton (26 years old) now?

8)  If you were going to be traded to another team in your division, where would you want to go?

9)  Who was your favorite player when you were growing up?

10) This will be your last football question.  Next we’ll get to know Ben the person.  What do you enjoy more, pass blocking for that long strike or run blocking for the big gain?

11) Okay, now it’s time for some fun.  If you weren’t in football (in any capacity), what would Ben Hamilton’s dream job be?

12) What songs are getting heavy rotation on your ipod right now?

13) Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, (NFL favorite) Jessica Simpson, or Jessica Rabbit?

14) You’re on a desert island with only your carry-on bag.  What did you bring along?

15) They’re making a movie about your life… “The Gopher Who Became a Bronco”, who plays you?

16) Who plays the female love interest?

17) What do you like best about Germany (former Berlin Thunder)?

18) Orange Crush or Bronco Blue?

19) If you could have dinner and a conversation with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?

20) Heads or tails?

 

Sources

Retrieved May 14, 2009, from the Denver Broncos team site.

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=498&contentID=720.

 

Profiling the Denver Broncos’ Journeyman Coaches

The 2009 Denver Broncos will look quite different from the 2008 squad.

And though a lot of attention will be paid to the new QB, the new running backs, and the new 3-4 defense, success starts with the coaches…who are also mostly new.

Let’s take a look at some of the key personnel who will be sharing the sideline this year.

 

Josh McDaniels, head coach

How many times have you heard that old cliché “It’s in his blood”? Well, that phrase couldn’t fit anyone better than Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels father, Thom, is a coaching legend in the Ohio high school football world. In fact, Thom coached his son (as the team quarterback) at Canton McKinley.

After high school, McDaniels was able to benefit from his father’s friendship with Nick Saban. Josh landed a graduate assistant role at Michigan State then joined the Patriots’ organization.

He spent 2001 as a personnel assistant with the Patriots before taking on a defensive coaching position in 2002. In 2004, he traded defense for offense as he became the team’s quarterbacks coach.

Two years later, he parlayed that role into the offensive coordinator’s position (following the exit of Charlie Weis to Notre Dame in 2004).

In 2007, under McDaniels’ guidance, the Patriots’ offense set NFL records for touchdowns and points scored.

Now McDaniels has the opportunity to showcase his style of offense in Denver.

 

The assistants

Though Mike Shanahan had hoped his staff would be retained, McDaniels thought it best to bring in some new minds.

The newcomers include special teams coach Mike Priefer, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, wide receivers coach Adam Gase, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely, and secondary coach Ed Donatell, who is back for a second term (1995-99).

Mike Priefer has been in the coaching ranks since 1994, when he coached at his alma mater, Navy.With four college coaching positions under his belt, Priefer made the jump to the NFL in 2002 when he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars. Before coming to Denver, he spent time in the Giants’ organization and, most recently, with division rival Kansas City as the Chiefs’ special-teams coach.

Mike McCoy spent time as quarterback at Long Beach State and Utah before making a jump to the pros (Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe and the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League).

His short-lived pro career segued into a coaching career when he became an offensive assistant for the Carolina Panthers in 1999. McCoy made his way to quarterbacks coach in Carolina before making the transition to offensive coordinator for the Broncos.

Speaking of noted pedigrees, Mike Nolan‘s father, Dick, was a revered coach for the 49ers, and Mike has worked with Brian Billick, Al Groh, and Norv Turner, as well as Dan Reeves in Denver.

Nolan lettered three years at safety for Oregon and then took a graduate assistant position with the Ducks. From there, he moved on to Pac-10 rival Stanford to be  linebackers coach. Nolan also coached at Rice (defensive line) and LSU (linebackers) before joining the Broncos’ staff in 1987. 

He coached the linebackers in Denver until 1992 then worked for the Giants, Redskins, Jets, and Ravens before getting his own head coaching position in San Francisco in 2005.

Nolan, who will run a 3-4 (last year, the Broncos worked from a 4-3), inherits a defense that has given up over 400 points in each of the last two seasons and last year ranked 29th in the league.

Josh McDaniels has assembled a fine staff of coaches to help the Broncos add another Lombardy Trophy to their collection. After several disappointing seasons, they may have the pieces in place to begin their ascension back to the top.

These journeymen coaches hope they have finally found a home.

Sources

Retrieved May 14, 2009, from the Denver Broncos team site.

http://www.nfl.com/teams/coaches?coaType=head&team=DEN.

Retrieved May 15, 2009, from NFL.com.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=false&conference=null&role=OPP&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=GAME_STATS&season=2008&seasonType=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=true&Submit=Go.

 

Orangins: Becoming a Bronco Fan in New York

It happens at an early age.

Your first words, your first steps, your first day of school.  Childhood milestones to be sure.

But come on, we’re talking about something more important than speaking, walking, and early education (after all, I’m typing this on a laptop while sitting down—and I am pretty sure I didn’t learn Microsoft Word in kindergarten.)

What I am referring to is becoming a fan of your favorite team.  In my case, it’s being a Denver Bronco fan while growing up in New York.

How does that happen, you may ask?  I should be a Jets or Giants fan, right? Or in the very least, a fan of one of those ‘national following’ teams: Cowboys, Steelers…

In a New York word: No. (expletives deleted)

Since 1977, I have bled orange and blue.  It’s more blue than orange these days, but the Bronco blood continues to flow through me, and always will.  And it all started in a place so not Denver, so not the Mountain time zone—the beach.

As a child, my family would spend a lot of summers at Jones Beach on Long Island.  I couldn’t swim yet, so I built sand castles and basically complained it was too hot. 

“I’m thirsty,” was my catchphrase.  Still is, spoken more to my bartender than my mother these days.

My grandfather would take me to the snack bar.  Quite a walk from his cabana, and my feet still bear the scars of scorching sand and being stuck with every sharp object ever imagined sticking up from it. 

The reward for this trek would turn out to be a refreshing drink, and lifelong loyalty.

Orange Crush.

Bright orange, served in bright orange cups.  A stark contrast from brown colas in plain styrofoam.  It was different than the norm, and that’s what I wanted to drink.

Fast forward to football season.  In the pre-Sunday Ticket/ESPN/Internet days, it was Jets and Giants games on Sundays in New York.  The thrill of Richard Todd throwing picks at Shea Stadium.  Joe Pisarcik fumbling away a win in the Meadowlands.

Are you kidding me?

Like those days at the snack bar, I would soon be in for an orange-tinged treat.  During halftime highlights, I saw them. Bright, alive, appealing to a three-year-old. 

The jerseys worn by the Broncos.  Not blue, green, or black.  Orange—different than the norm.

“Wow, who are they?” I asked.  I was told about the ‘D’ on the helmet standing for Denver.  The Broncos having their first successful season.  And the Orange Crush.

Wait a minute, I drank that at the beach, I said.  They call their defense, “Orange Crush,” was the reply.  I didn’t know what a defense was (apparently, neither did Mike Shanahan the last few years), or where Denver was.  All I knew was I loved Orange Crush, and now I loved the Broncos.  The connection was made.

Oh sure, starting almost immediately, there were attempts to dissuade me.  My dad taking me to Jets games.  My mom buying me a Cowboys shirt.  And my elementary classmates had a few choice words for me, suffice to say.

No matter, I was hooked.  Hooked for life.

It has been an orange-addled addiction with highs and lows, from stealing John Elway from Baltimore, to Super Bowl humiliations in the 80’s.  But I’ve persevered.  And it all started that day at the Jones Beach snack bar.

It took another 20 years before the Broncos won a Super Bowl.  They did so after ditching their orange jerseys for blue.  No longer different than the norm, but we were world champions.

And they still make Orange Crush.

Seattle Seahawks: The Zone Blocking Scheme

The Seahawks have been anything but spectacular in the blocking spectrum since the 2005 Super Bowl season. They lost G Steve “Poison Pill” Hutchinson to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2005 offseason.

This was followed by the subsequent retirement of Pro Bowl C Robbie Tobeck in 2006. Former starting G Chris Gray has not officially retired, but age and injuries have taken their toll and retirement seems inevitable.

The Seahawks are making the switch to the Zone Blocking Scheme. The Denver Broncos are considered the gold standard of Zone Blocking. That offense literally runs anyone (Selvin Young, Peyton Hillis?) behind their OL and produces consistently successful results. Since 1995, the Broncos have not finished below 12th in the league in rushing.

Last season, the Broncos attained that 12th ranked rushing status while they had seven total RB’s placed on IR.

The Seahawks can relate to that type of injury plague (3 WR, 5 OL on IR in 2008, 7 total WR injuries).

With the absence of a feature RB like the great Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks are wise to be pulling some pages from the Broncos’ fountain of knowledge. The Zone Blocking scheme does not require a feature back, but something more of a RB by committee approach.

The Seahawks appear to be doing that with RB Julius Jones, RB TJ Duckett, and RB Justin Forsett. Jones is expected to be the main RB, but Duckett’s role will be expanded with the arrival of his former Atlanta OC.

Duckett enjoyed tremendous success under Knapp. In the three seasons the Falcons led the league in rushing from 2003-2005, Duckett tallied 28 TD’s and had a 4.0 TPC average as a role player.

The new Zone Blocking scheme being implemented by Knapp and OL Coach Mike Solari will be critical to rebuilding the underwhelming Seahawks ground game. Since the 2006 season, the Seahawk’s have finished on average a mediocre 17th in the league in rushing.

The Zone Blocking scheme replaces the strategy of blocking a certain player or gap all day long. The idea is to block a certain area on any given play, and utilize double teams to push players back into the second level. The TE’s and T’s work together, the T’s and G’s work together, and the G’s and C’s work together.

As a former OL, I loved this strategy because in laymen terms it allows you to blow people off the ball at the line of scrimmage, and get to the second level extremely fast.

By clearing the line of scrimmage away you allow your RB to run downhill and make his one quick cut, rather then force him to dance around looking for an open running lane. It is a much more decisive approach and a better fit for the Seahawks quick, athletic OL.

CAUTION: You are about to enter the X’s and O’s zone.

A technical explanation of this scheme could be described as such:

WOLB   MLB     SOLB (Weak Outside LB) (Middle LB) (Strong Outside LB)

DE     DT   DT   DE

LT LG C RG RT TE

The strong side is set to the right because the TE has lined up there. The defense will counter with putting their SOLB on that side. For the sake of example lets say this is a toss play going off of the TE.

I know the blocking could go one of two ways at the line of scrimmage. The calls made at the line are naturally subject to the defenses personal and scheme. They could change on any given play based on the defenses alignment.

Since the play is a toss, this is the likely blocking scenario:

TE and RT double the Strongside DE.

C and RG would double the Strongside DT,

LG and LT would double the Weakside DT

The Weakside DE would be left unblocked.

 

Now let’s say an audible is called, and the play is a dive up the middle:

TE blocks the DE straight up,

RT and RG double Strongside DT

C and LG double the Weakside DT,

LT blocks the Weakside DE straight up.

 

After the play begins the OL have to adjust according to the variables the defense presents.

Typically after the initial double team of the Strongside DE one of the blockers will break off and seal the SOLB. Either the T or TE  will be the one to do this. 

Sealing off the outside allows the RB to bounce outside if the offense fails to cover the MLB.

On the inside, after the RG/C block the Strongside DT, one will break off and seal off the MLB.

This is critical because the MLB is the one keeping his eye on the RB. An NFL LB is more then capable of reading a play. If the C/G fails to reach him quickly,  The MLB could stop the play before it breaks into the secondary.

On the backside, after doubling the Weakside DT, either the LG or LT will break off and seal the WOLB. If the C/RG fail to block the MLB, they could attempt to go after him because he has a better chance of blowing up the play.

All of the scenarios would largely depend on what gap the DL is shading. An example of this would be:

The C, RG are doubling the Strongside DT,

DT is lined head up on the G, or shading the outside (right side) of the G,

C will be the likely candidate to go after the MLB.

The scheme, and the way it is run, largely depends on what skill set the OL bring to the table. All of the OL in a Zone Scheme should be quick and athletic.

The Seahawks would appear to run a more interior driven Broncos-esque scheme. In this scheme the T’s emphasis is taking care of the initial double teams and staying with them because of their larger size. The G’s are smaller in this variation, and are typically the ones who will break off to cover the LB’s because they are quicker.

The Broncos have relied on small, athletic OL to make their system thrive over the years. The Seahawks have a little more size across the line then the Broncos line does.

They have a future HOF in LT Walter Jones. He is designed to play in any scheme and will easily neutralize anyone the defense sticks in front of him. He has a massive frame (6’5″ 325 lbs) and is incredibly quick for his size. He is considered the NFL’s top LT (Ryan Clady, Jason Peters are getting there)

Mike Wahle is a savvy veteran G who possesses the necessary technique to adjust to the changes this system brings.

Chris Spencer is extremely athletic and would offset Wahle’s lack of speed (compared to the rest of the Seahawks line). Wahle could stay with the initial double team while Spencer uses his speed to break off to the second level.

RG Rob Sims is a very similar player to Spencer, smaller, and very athletic. He fits this scheme very well.

RT Sean Locklear has been a good starter so far in his career and has a lot left in the tank. He would be the best of the Seahawks right side OL and would most likely be the one to stay with the initial double team. Either Sims, or the TE, would be the one to break off to cover the LB.

From the RB perspective, you are supposed to adjust to what is opened up. You then make a decisive cut into the given hole, and explode into the second level.

Seahawks RB Julius Jones has been described as a one cut RB even before the transition to the Zone Blocking scheme was discussed. He seems to be the perfect RB to thrive in this system as the feature RB. He averaged 4.4 YPC last season, a solid stat-line.

In the example given above, Jones would be looking for the hole that develops either between the T, and the TE. He would then break into that hole, and make his cut based on what LB’s were effectively blocked.

If the defense blitzes up the middle, and become clogged by the interior double teams, you can gash the opposition all day long. If the call is a run up the middle and the same thing ensues, the clogged interior allows the RB to make a quick cut to the outside.

The Zone Blocking strategy does not always deliver the big play though. What it does do is nullify losses in the backfield because the DL is more focused with keeping up with the OL, rather then penetrating and attacking.

By grinding away at the defense with effective three-, four-, five-yard gains, it eventually sets up the deep play action pass over the top.

As is with almost everything in life, there is a flaw to this scheme.

You rely on double teams to open up holes and push the DL back and get to the LB quickly. Sometimes you even end up pushing the DL into the LB’s.

Because of this there is generally one DL, typically the backside DE, left largely unblocked. (If the play is run to the Strongside). If he is an absolute stud (like a Patrick Kerney) he could potentially blow up the play in the backfield if he reaches it in time.

With an effective scheme though, typically the T on the backside will release on his double team and will go to block said DE, if he sees this problem occur. The backside  T’s job normally it to break off on his given double team and pursue the LB’s. This would be the adjustment needed to be made to account for a game changing DE.

After a 4-12 season, the Seahawks are doing the necessary task of overhauling their thought process. A fresh breeze is blowing through the Emerald City. Here’s to hoping that breeze does not turn into a stifling Seattle downpour.

Denver Broncos Primed for a Playoff Run: A Look at the AFC West (Part One)

The Denver Broncos may be in a “semi-rebuilding state”, but they have as good a chance as any other team in the AFC West to win the division. The Broncos almost won the division last year with a paltry 8-8 record.

No other team has been as active in the free agency as the Denver Broncos, releasing 80 percent of last years defensive starters, signing four new free agent defensive starters and a boat load of undrafted free agents to compete for starting positions.

In this three-part review, I will analyze each of the opposing AFC west teams by using the following criteria: perceived strengths and weaknesses from last season, free agent signing, draft selections, and schedule difficulty.

 

Oakland Raiders

On offense, the Raiders’ rushing attack showcased a talented combination of Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden.  The two runners combined for 1352 yards, giving Oakland a team rushing average per game of 124.2, which ranked 10th overall in the NFL.

The Raiders look to continue their rushing success this year, with Darren McFadden poised to build upon his rookie success. 

Unfortunately, the Raiders’ passing attack was quite dismal, netting an average of 148.1 yards a game and an overall rank of 32 in the NFL. The failure of the passing game was the result of a slow progression of their now third year quarterback JaMarcus Russell and the inability of the offensive line to give him good pass protection. 

Russell, showed some improvement during last season, but will be considered a bust, if he doesn’t start showing elite talent.  Oakland addressed their offensive line needs by signing veteran tackles, Khalif Barnes, Erik pears, and center Samson Satele.

The players should create a better base for their zone blocking scheme and give Russell more time in the pocket. 

The passing game will receive a jump start this year, with the addition of newly acquired No. 7 draft choice Darrius Heyward-Bey.  Heyward-Bey was the fastest receiver in the draft and should give Russell a deep threat to spread out opposing defenses.

Considering that the Raiders’ top receiver last year was tight end Zach Miller, the Raiders will welcome a blue chip prospect like Heyward-Bey to their lineup. The current No. 1 wide receiver, Javon Walker, has season ending ankle surgery last year, which kept him out of the lineup for half the season.

When healthy, Walker is a premier receiver in the NFL. Look for him to bounce back this year and give the Raiders another top receiving threat.

On defense the Raiders still have a lot of concerns. Contrary to popular opinion, the Broncos run defense wasn’t the worst in the AFC West. The Raiders ranked 31 overall in stopping the run, allowing an average of 159.7 rushing yards a game. 

The Raiders partially addressed their rushing woes, with the drafting of Safety Mike Mitchell, in the second round. He should replace Michael Huff at Strong safety and add a stronger backfield presence to the running game. 

In my opinion, the Raiders should move Huff to the free-safety position and see if he is a better fit there. As a previous first-round choice, the Raiders should try to keep him and get some value out of their pick, much like they did for Robert Gallery.

They Raiders ranked 10th overall in the NFL in passing defense. The drafting of Matt Shaughnessy should add to the pass rush attack. Nnamdi Asomugha is a premier cornerback in the NFL and should be as good as usual.

With the addition of Safety Mike Mitchell the Raiders should considered a stout pass defense threat. 

The Raiders have some what of a tough schedule this year. They have away games in Pittsburgh, Dallas, and New York (Giants). The also host Baltimore, Washington, and Philadelphia. Based on last years standings, these teams could already represent 5-6 losses. 

If the Raiders split their wins and losses in their conference games, they are already looking at 8-9 losses on paper.  This would be an improvement on last year’s 5-11 standing as Raiders look to have as 7-9, or 8-8 season. 

A record of 8-8 won the AFC west conference title last year, so the Raiders would just be happy to be contenders. If the Broncos, didn’t address their inability to stop the run, they will have a lot of problems with the Raiders.  This is also the same for the Raiders run defense. 

The Broncos have obviously upgraded with the addition of No. 12 draft choice Knowshon Moreno.

Denver Broncos: Five Stages of a Trade

While it appears that some Denver Broncos fans are gratified that Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears for a 2.5 drafts picks and bearded quarterback to be graded later, this is just a chimera, as temporary as training camp, or the first quarter of a preseason game.

So as a public service I will now explain to football fans about the several stages of a trade and how those stages might later affect the judgment of fans.

Experts agree that the first stage of any trade is the “denial” stage.

This stage is characterized by irrational, inconsistent arguments that deny a trade is in the offing. At this stage a team might first deny trade rumors involving a player only to admit later that trade talks did indeed happen.

“Well, he’s our quarterback, until he’s not our quarterback, ha, ha,” a Coach McDaniels could say with a wink, wink and elbow, cough, hack, laugh. 

“I don’t exactly remember,” the team’s owner might say during the denial stage. “I may have spoken with the star quarterback who I am personally contracted to pay close $50 million to over the life of his contract. Or I may not have. I’m old. I can’t even remember what I ate yesterday. But, just YOU remember: I’m in charge of the team.”

This stage inevitably leads to the next stage of a trade, the “anger” stage.

The anger stage is characterized by the verbal volleys of insult and innuendo between a team and a player which goes back and forth in the press, aided and abetted by fans and sportswriters and it might read something like this:

‘They lied to me.”

“Oh yeah? We’ll he’s a drunk.”

“I can’t trust them.”

“He’s 17-20 as a starter.”

“They lied to me again!”

“He’s a remote, petulant jerk!”

“They lied to me though text messages!!”

“He hasn’t even gotten us to the playoffs!!”

For obvious reasons, the anger stage is the longest and most difficult stage of any trade and it generally lasts a bit longer than it did in the Cutler-Bronco trade drama.

But in one way or another the anger stage gives way to the next stage of a trade, “bargaining,” which also happens to the stage Broncos fans are stuck in now, at least until the exhibition games start .

The bargaining stage of a trade is most dangerous for fans, because all things are possible during this stage.

The fans’ chat boards light up during the bargaining stage with the wild and improbable trade scenarios and play scenarios developed by guys sitting in their underwear that go by the handle “ElwayGuy732”:

“The Broncos trade Cutler to Detroit for the first pick in the draft and a 50 percent share in the federal bailout in GM. Then the Broncos trade their GM share to genetic researchers who clone Brett Favre. Then the genetically altered Favre and Barrack Obama will storm the G20 conference saving it from Russian and Chinese capitalists. Go Broncos!”

Or “The Broncos’ new players are a race of genetically altered super-people, who were created by the federal government to bring the Super Bowl back to the Mile High City! Go Broncos!”

The bargaining stage generally last until after the draft or until the season starts when hopes and dreams and draft choices are telescoped into real-life wins and losses and thus fans enter the next stage of a trade, depression. 

Their depression might be severe or only transient depending on whether the beloved Broncos make it into the playoffs or not. 

You’ll know however when we enter the final stage of a trade, (the stage of “acceptance”) when “ElwayGuy732” enters the chat board and types:

“Ok, the Broncos had a good year and now all they need is a franchise quarterback…”

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