Broncos facing a critical week of work

Loss to Texans helped create to-do list for hosting Cowboys

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 11, 2008 at 6:36 p.m.

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Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler throws a pass during Broncos practice on Monday.

Video: Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, linebacker Boss Bailey and running back Andre Hall talk about injuries in the Broncos camp. Watch »

It is a common August refrain - right there with "Hot enough for ya?" - but after the fumbles, the penalties and any ill-timed stumbles in the games that don't add up in the standings, it all usually gets shoved into the same pile.

"It's preseason, man," said Broncos running back Andre Hall. "We'll find it. It's the preseason."

Indeed it is, at least for three more weeks for the Broncos and the rest of the league.

But the Broncos' last-tick-on-the-scoreboard loss in Houston started the clock ticking in earnest - one game down, just three to go before the roster goes to 53 players. And two days' worth of combined workouts with the Cowboys this week will only drive that point home all the more.

So, as two-a-days draw to a close by the end of the week, the team's to-do list still includes:

The comfort zone

Defensive coordinator Bob Slowik has continually said the team is, in many ways, still in the infancy of its work in a new defensive scheme.

Slowik flashed some uncharacteristic aggressiveness in a preseason game with a couple of blitzes against the Texans - cornerback Christian Morton forced a fumble on a sack on one of those.

Slowik's group will crowd the line of scrimmage when things get cranked up in the regular season, but until Dewayne Robertson plays at defensive tackle in a game, the Broncos will not have shown their hoped-for alignment along the starting defensive line.

The Broncos had two sacks in 25 pass attempts by the Texans, neither by a defensive lineman. The Cowboys' physical offensive front will provide a gauge on progress as well.

"We've got two more preseason games to touch things up," said safety Marlon McCree.

That number is key as well. With virtually all of the team's starters expected to sit out the preseason finale in Phoenix, the Broncos really have only two games to smooth out some of the rough edges in the pass rush, especially off the edge.

Serve and protect

The Broncos have spent a lot of time in the offseason working on quarterback Jay Cutler finding his underneath receivers - the backs and tight ends - in hopes that will loosen things up down the field for the plays when he can impose his arm on a defense.

Last season, many teams simply dropped as many defenders into coverage as possible, believing Cutler would spend much of his available time to throw looking beyond the intermediate routes.

The dial-down tactic may also serve Cutler well, as the Broncos work through things on the offensive line. Saturday night, they started rookie Ryan Clady at left tackle and second-year tackle Ryan Harris - he missed most of camp in '07 and was inactive for five games because of back surgery - on the right side.

So Harris, in a developmental sense, is closer to a rookie than he is to a second-year player, as his four penalties would attest Saturday. Guard Chris Kuper is playing with a cast on his right hand, center Tom Nalen will likely miss much, or all, of the preseason with pain in his left knee and guard Montrae Holland will go through his first week of practice only this week after reporting overweight.

"We've got a whole new offensive line out there right now," Cutler said. "Two young guys at tackle, we're going to have to go with them and they're going to have to learn game by game, making mistakes rookies make. . . . I couldn't be happier with the protections and the pockets we've had so far."

"I thought they played very well in the game, I'm really pleased with the effort," coach Mike Shanahan said. "Obviously, we had seven penalties by rookies, and that usually goes hand in hand with young players. But I liked their effort, I like the way they played . . . and I loved the way they pass-protected in the majority of the game."

Kick it

Matt Prater missed his first field-goal attempt - from a rather pedestrian 30 yards - before making his last three in Houston. The three makes are good for his confidence, but with the AFC postseason race expected to be a tight one, leaving out those who leave too many wins on the table, missed kicks will hurt plenty.

Prater's leg strength has clearly been evident in camp, but controlling that strength to maintain his accuracy will be what keeps him in the job.

"You stay level-headed and don't get too full of yourself or arrogant," Prater said. "I know I have nothing to lose. I just want to be here and keep kicking well."

The Broncos punted just twice Saturday night, so the competition continues for Brett Kern - he's been the No. 1 holder on place-kicks so far - and Sam Paulescu.

Conservation

With the 80-man roster limit, this Broncos training camp has been about the preservation of players as much as the installation of what's in the playbooks.

Shanahan has made no secret he wants to get to the Sept. 8 opener in Oakland as healthy as possible. With the usual allotment of day-to-day camp injuries, a team's working roster can quickly go to 65 or 70 players, at times.

That isn't conducive to the slug-it-out, pad-them-up practices in the days of yore - days that are now long gone leaguewide - because most coaches believe starters lost in August could mean games lost in October.

"This is the first year we've dealt with this," Shanahan said. "I like what we've done with the schedule, and this is how we'll do it in the future. You're trying to get ready to play and, in a few weeks, we'll see if we're ready to play."

• August 11, 2008

  7:24 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  The Broncos defense got RUN OVER, run through, and were easily scored on, EARLY and OFTEN, and the players rolled their eyes when questioned about it; "It's pre-season" they said. They then went on to field one of the WORST defenses in Broncos history. 400+ pts. allowed. 30th (almost dead last) at stopping the run. Pre-season DOES matter. It is a good indication of what is to come.

  The Broncos drafted 3 defensive linemen last season. Draft pick #1, and Draft pick # 2, Moss, and Crowder, are officially a BUST. They are in-adequate. 3rd String players on a D-Line riddled with mediocre players ahead of them

• August 11, 2008

  8:11 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  rc writes:

  LMAO, RH. I don't think you'd know what a BUST is if it bit you.
  So how, exactly, do you get a label after 1 partial year? Please tell all of us. Moss was hurt for the better part of the year, and Crowder was in the top of the rookies for sacks, in limited play.
  I'm still waiting for any semblance of sense from your many posts.
  So keep trying....you might get one right, someday.

  As for the team, with the large number of noobs on the field, I expect the entire preseason to be used....and can only hope that from wk 1 to wk 1 of the regular season, there's alot of improvement by the players, as well as the coaches.

  Lets get it on!!!!!

• August 11, 2008

  8:48 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  The more I think about it; it was a decent showing by the OL, every player "starting" was either different or playing a new position. Holland gets in than we will have a player from last year at RG.
  Prater? It didn't surprise me that he missed his first attempt with the Broncos; he will be fine (fingers crossed).
  Defense had some of their best players out, they better improve!

  Shanahan may be putting too much emphasis on injuries; funny thing about worrying too much about getting injured you don't play well and usually get injured.

• August 11, 2008

  8:49 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  R8R_H8R, as we told you in earlier posts, WRONG. One preseason game in, and you have it ALL figured out, huh? That is soooo laughable. Your opinion of Moss and Crowder are a joke as well. Keep writing. We need a Lincicome wanna-be.

• August 11, 2008

  9:09 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Hey Brain, agreed. I thought we looked good. We came out slow at the gate. Later, Cutler and the offense started to get a rythm. D had many players out, as you stated so I'm not sweating it. We will just get better.

• August 11, 2008

  9:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Meant "rhythm".

• August 11, 2008

  9:47 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Broncody writes:

  RH I appreciate your hatred of raiders but your pessimistic attitude isn't very accurate. If our defense "RUN OVER, run through, and were easily scored on, EARLY and OFTEN" and the Texans only got 19 points then does that mean the Broncos offense was also dominant as the teams were tied until the final clicks of the clock?

• August 12, 2008

  7:10 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  LingLingfor_prez writes:

  I agree with Dynamicdave. You probably won't figure out how good the team is until after week 3 for the most part. I still hate preseason because of the number of injuries that occur. Go Chargers!

• August 12, 2008

  7:20 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  hdfresh writes:

  I was concerned when out offense when 3 and out on their 1st drive. But on the second series, Cutler seemed to do well getting different recievers involved.

• August 12, 2008

  10:07 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  JohnnyBallgame writes:

  R8R Lover, move to Oakland you are not a Bronco fan and the Preseason does not matter, hence the colts are 2-15 in the last 3 years and are awesome in the regular seasopn. And I did not see the D get scored on early and often, it was all field goals against the first string other than the interception and TD against the 2nd strings.

  Thanks R8R Lover we are all dumber now!!!

• August 12, 2008

  11:37 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  dougcfoster writes:

  In last year's first pre-season game, the woeful 9ers ran over, around and through the defense, signaling that it was going to be a long year. This time, the D looks to be improved vs. the run. If that area of our game improves, it will make a difference in the final record.

  Once again, the question defensively is going to be whether we can put pressure on the QB with our front four. The jury is still out.

  On offense, the question is going to be whether we can put the ball in the end zone. First team offense looked good on the second series. O-line will need to come together in a hurry though.

• August 12, 2008

  12:16 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Reality_check_please writes:

  I am compelled to comment here, and agree with RH. As much as I would like it to be otherwise, Jarvis Moss has that fresh, earthy scent of a draft bust. Here in Denver, we are very familiar with that fertilizer like smell of first-round draft busts. Here is my reasoning.

  - Watching a recent practice, I observed that he has little power at the point of attack. He has difficulty putting any kind of weight on (he admitted himself), and is easily pushed around on running plays.

  - He was yelled at three times that I observed because he made Polumbus look like HOF material. Specifically, there is no technique there. He simply tries to anticipate the snap and use his quickness to get up field. But when a tackle gets a hand on him, he's through.

  Hope I'm wrong

• August 12, 2008

  2:19 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  sbhchawk writes:

  Moss does not look good. Hearing the Royal can bench more then him and he's a slot like WR is scary. I remember reading he has increased his strength alot which seems to indicate he is working hard. But next year might be his make or break season (doesn't everyone get 3 years before there a potential "Bust").

  Crowder, simply looked good as a rookie and is surrounded by alot more talent on the line this year which will only make him better with less pressure.

  Raider Hater you rode the short bus to school didn't you

• August 12, 2008

  2:44 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Bmac writes:

  Does anybody know what happened to the other rookies such as the middle linebacker from Arizona St (I believe), and a fullback who was suppose to be a good blocker as well as pass catcher? I didn't see the last game, but I hope Shanahan gives them a real chance as the players we had last year didn't look all that great to me.

• August 12, 2008

  3:16 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  jlstaud writes:

  Reality Check,

  It's a wee bit early to call Jarvis Moss a bust. If I remember correctly he broke his shin sometime in November last year. It hasn't even been a full year of recovery and I'm sure there was a substantial amout of time where he couldn't do much of anything. Recovering from a broken bone takes some time. If he doesn't play well this year and next, then maybe we can talk bust, but right now he's esentially still a rookie.

• August 12, 2008

  3:37 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  denfanincali writes:

  Reality_Check-

  Although I think its way early to call ANYBODY a draft bust I am getting concerned with the lack of positive press concerning MOSS. Usually, if a player, especially a young player, is having a stellar camp the writers can't stop talking about them. So, I am getting concerned. However, they aren't writing bad things either. Its mixed. I've read online that he is having a poor camp. Yet, the other day I read he was having an AWESOME camp. So, who to believe? Add to that, sometimes a player can have a great camp and stink during the regular year. Its so hard to tell. I guess as Bronco fans we are all thirsty for some hope, some good news, and some signs of major progress.

• August 12, 2008

  4:44 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  sbhchawk writes:

  Bmac, the LB is Spencer Larson I think your refering too. He's playing FB and LB and also his wife just had a child. He was in the game Saturday but didn't do much. Most reports are that he looked a bit overwhelmed.

  The Full Back we drafted out of Arkansa has a pulled groin going on 2 weeks and so no reports on him period.

• August 13, 2008

  9 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Bmac writes:

  Thanks for the info sbhchawk.

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