Broncos report: Marshall putting Raiders' Asomugha in cross hairs

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 20, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.

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Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, left, will face a tough cornerback Sunday in the Raiders' Nnamdi Asomugha, who is starting to gain respect throughout the NFL.

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Wearing a faux fur aviator hat up to the podium, Brandon Marshall appeared to be loaded for bear.

"I'm hunting DBs," he joked.

In his sights frequently this week: Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, whom the Broncos' Mike Shanahan this week labeled the most underrated player he has seen in his entire NFL coaching career.

Because of a suspension, Marshall missed the Sept. 8 opener at Oakland, a game in which since departed Raiders cornerback DeAngelo Hall was attempting to defend the brunt of Broncos passes, mainly to Eddie Royal.

Asomugha plays on the right side of the field nearly exclusively, but he has shadowed some receivers at least for part of games this season, including the New York Jets' Brad Smith, Carolina's Steve Smith and Buffalo's Lee Evans.

Marshall could get similar treatment Sunday.

"He's only been thrown at once per game. That's his average," Marshall said. "And we threw on his side probably three times in the first game.

"He does a good job of shutting down one side of the field. But as a receiver, you've got to love this type of challenge. This is where you can say, 'I'm good,' when you do it against a good corner, a great corner. So I'm excited."

Marshall believes there are some parallels between teammate Champ Bailey, widely recognized in recent years as the NFL's top shutdown cover player, and Asomugha, who remarkably has been a Pro Bowl alternate only once but is starting to get recognition for his talent.

"They're great students of the game," Marshall said. "You can tell by how (Asomugha) plays. I'm not there with him, so I really don't know what he's doing, but it seems like he's always in the right place and knows what he's doing. It's definitely going to be a chess match out there."

Marshall remains among the league leaders in catches (63) and yards (803), but he also has scored only one touchdown in his past six games.

But the Broncos still boast the NFL's third-rated pass offense, with five receivers/tight ends scoring at least two touchdowns.

"I think we're maturing," Marshall said, adding at times the offense has played that way. "We're more experienced and we're on right now. We're definitely a tough unit when we protect the ball and play together."

Roster shuffle

Chad Mustard is a human yo-yo - on the Broncos roster, off it, then back on again. Mustard was re-signed Thursday for the second time this season and sixth occasion since January 2006.

The latest move was necessitated by a season-ending right hamstring injury suffered by fellow tight end Nate Jackson at practice Wednesday.

Jackson, who had started three games and had five receptions for 68 yards in the past two games, apparently was injured when he was running an out-route on the sideline.

The injury - two of the tendons tore off the bone - is expected to keep him out for about eight weeks.

"It was really disappointing because Nate was playing very well," Shanahan said. "You just hate to have it happen with a guy working so hard."

Mustard previously played against Jacksonville, New England and Miami before getting waived Nov. 4. By coming back, Mustard had to skip his job search for his side gig: substitute teaching.

"I had three meetings set up back in Omaha to get it set up to start," Mustard said.

The NFL pay scale was too rich to pass up.

"Omaha is one of the top areas in the country at $140 a day, so for substitute teachingwise, it's pretty good," Mustard said. "It doesn't quite cut it compared to playing football. But someday it will be all right."

Champing at the bit

Two straight wins have made Bailey feel somewhat better about the nagging groin injury that has sidelined him since Oct. 20.

But he also quickly is losing patience with rehabilitation and is pushing to return this week, though that might not be possible.

"I'm out there running around, trying to get ready for this game," he said. "If somehow I can't go, then it will be next week. But I'm pushing for his one."

Stout up front

Since the start of the regular season, the Broncos have lost 49 games to injury among their key players. The list has been replete with linebackers, cornerbacks, receivers and running backs. But oddly, both lines have remained relatively unscathed.

A groin injury kept defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban out of the Oct. 12 Jacksonville game. Defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson sat out the Kansas City game Sept. 28 because of a sore knee. And backup Josh Shaw suffered a groin injury that kept him out of two games.

Those are two of only three injury- related absences through 11 weeks on the front four and the offensive line combined.

Center Tom Nalen counts toward that total among the latter group, but he was missing nearly the entire training camp and never appeared in a game. That allowed Casey Wiegmann to move in seamlessly.

"It's huge," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "I think that's why we are still able to do a lot of the things we do offensively. . . . It's why we are able to stick running backs in there at will and still kind of make it happen, still do what we want to do in the passing game because those guys have been right in the mix since Day 1."

Etc.

* The Broncos had running back Andrew Pinnock in for a visit Tuesday, but he did not work out. Pinnock played fullback for San Diego for five seasons beginning in 2003 but was released Sept. 1.

* Sunday's game might not be such a hot date for the Broncos. The team is 1-7 all time on Nov. 23, with the victory in 1980.

* Running back Selvin Young (groin) was limited in practice.

Wire to wire?

The Broncos have been in sole possession of first place in the AFC West through 10 games. In seven other seasons, the Broncos have been tied or in first place in the division for at least 10 consecutive games. How those teams finished:

• November 21, 2008

  1:12 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  1978malibu writes:

  Maybe Brandon Marshall should just concentrate on catching the ball....

• November 21, 2008

  5:47 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  7Dave7 writes:

  He should also concentrate on running the right route. He and Cutler are not on the same page half the time it seems. At least he was man enought to admit it though in Cleveland. I bet he has a good game this week. Shannahan always has a special game plan for Al.

• November 21, 2008

  7:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Brandon will be fine. He is one of the top WR's in the league. 63 catches and 803 yards is pretty darn good. You guys are being too spoiled, thinking he should be perfect. He does enough to get the job done. Yeah, he ran a wrong route. I've seen it happen to the best. Brandon always comes through at the last. He and Royal will have a great afternoon and watch out for our TE's. Stokley will make at least 2 clutch, 3rd down plays. Our RB's will explode this weekend. Come on guys, It's the RAIDERS! Get positive and stop throwing in the "negative snipes".

• November 22, 2008

  10:34 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  dano writes:

  Marshall is a punk and a dumbfu.k. He needs to keep his mouth shut. He's barely in the league and acting like a Chump.. Put up some numbers, assho.

• November 22, 2008

  2:27 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  dano, take your ridiculous statement back with you to your Oakland blog, where you belong. You can't even write without having to cuss. It isn't impressing anyone but I suppose as a Raiders fan, you must feel it makes you sound tough? Well, it's not working....

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