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Sam Adams' Open Mic: Broncos swing, miss at Jaguars

The Rocky

Published October 13, 2008 at 1:14 p.m.

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Michael Pittman was one of the lone bright spots for the Broncos, having recorded their first 100-yard performance since Week 15 of last season.

Photo by Darin McGregor © The Rocky

Michael Pittman was one of the lone bright spots for the Broncos, having recorded their first 100-yard performance since Week 15 of last season.

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Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was a reminder that the Broncos are stick-and-move boxers, not toe-to-toe sluggers. They had better avoid the ropes and corners, or they'll be knocked out of first place in the AFC West real soon.

Influenced perhaps by whiffs of the Mile High altitude, Jacksonville decided to pass on the running game ahead by 14 points early in the fourth quarter. Two incomplete passes and a sack allowed Denver to inhale a breath of hope.

But the Broncos' high-powered offense, inconsistent all game long, wasn't up to the task of completing a comeback. Three costly first-half offensive turnovers added to another case of poor tackling, big play-itis against the defense and you get loss No. 2 on the season for Denver.

Add questionable officiating on the list too - but only if you remember the friendly whistle that aided Denver in Week 2 against San Diego.

Michael Pittman got the Broncos' first 100-yard performance since Week 15 of last season. Denver's passing game, already hindered by injured Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler on the inactive list, suffered another blow when Brandon Stokley suffered a concussion.

With three of the team's leading receivers on the sideline, quarterback Jay Cutler found himself hooked on Brandon Marshall, with ocassional looks to Daniel Graham, Glenn Martinez and Darrell Jackson.

Marshall's fumble at Jacksonville's 7-yard line rudely stiff-armed one Denver drive that the Jaguars converted into a touchdown. Cutler fumbled at Denver's 42, leading to a Jacksonville field goal. Ten points, gift-wrapped.

While Denver's defense fluctuated between uses of the 3-4 and 4-3 alignments, the Jaguars bided time finding a hole. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew spotted one and ran 46 yards for touchdown - the eighth play totaling 40 or more yards allowed in six games by Denver's defense.

A Denver offense that wracked up big points -- 40, 39 and 34 in the first three games -- has been held under 20 points going against three of the league's top defensive coordinators -- Gunther Cunningham, Monte Kiffin and Gregg Williams -- the past three games.

Game 7 of the Broncos season comes on Oct. 20 against another defensive guru, New England's Bill Belichick. A national television audience will find out if the Broncos are pretenders or contenders . . .

Pittman's 109-yard performance ended a string of eight consecutive regular season games without a 100-yard rusher for Denver. Eight games matches the longest streak of games without a 100-yard rusher during Mike Shanahan's tenure as head coach. The Broncos went the first eight games of Shanahan's first season (1995) before Terrell Davis got the first 100-yard game of his NFL career (135 yards) against the Arizona Cardinals . . .

Speaking of the Cardinals, they beat Dallas in overtime -- one of nine correct picks I made (Denver wasn't one of them) going into Sunday's Patriots-Chargers game in prime time . . .

The Broncos' starting safeties, Marlon McCree and Marquand Manuel combined for 18 tackles, but aren't doing much to discourage or intimidate opposing offenses. Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis bounced off and away from McCree and Manuel to complete a 30-yard touchdown play. And both safeties were in the vicinity when the Jaguars benefited from a questionable pass interference call late in the fourth quarter.

Note: Denver hasn't had an interception from a starting safety since Nick Ferguson during the 2006 season . . .

Denver's offensive point totals are decreasing along with the lack of big plays. The Broncos had only two plays accounting for 20 yards or more against Jacksonville -- a 20-yard run by Pittman and 21-yard catch by Marshall . . .

In his past two games against his former team, Jaguars Reggie Hayward has played inspired football. He forced Cutler's fumble in the first quarter and swatted away a pass attempt . . .

Numbers crunch: The Broncos have lost six fumbles in six games. Cutler has been sacked only two times in 228 pass attempts. Denver's defense has just two interceptions in 205 pass attempts.

Comments

  • October 13, 2008

    2:47 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SE7EN writes:

    A Recap:

    Shanahan gets torched in the air in 2003 by Manning in the playoffs. Manning is never touched all game. He then Trades Portis for Bailey.

    Shanahan gets torched in the air in 2004 by Manning, even with Bailey as Manning just threw away from Harrison (Baileys assignment) and lit up the Defense with Wayne, Stokely, Clark.
    Mannings uniform never got wrinkled..D-line becomes the Browncos.

    Shanahan goes crazy in the draft with DB's picking up D-Will, D. Foxworth, Karl Paymah...Denver's secondary gets torched by the Steelers in the AFC Championship game. Big Ben is never touched all game. D-will is tragically lost and we go after Dre Bly.

    See a trend here? Shanahan seems to believe that the fix for all of the defensive problems is to invest draft picks and money into high priced Defensive backs. We get pro-bowlers in the secondary but that kind of money isn't spent for pro-bowlers on the D-line. Without pressure, Bly and Bailey are a wasted commodity.

    Remember the Super Bowl years? our Defense wasn't extraordinary, but they could pressure the QB. We had pro-bowl players on the D-line and at LB. We had average defensive backs who could cover long enough for the D-line to get pressure. That's all we needed.

    Bailey & Bly will be past their prime before this D-line will improve to where they're a useful duo.

    While Bailey and Bly are still in their prime, maybe the Broncos should trade them away for Pro Bowl Defensive Linemen/Line Backers who can put the QB on the ground consistently. Average Corners can do the job if the D-line is a force.

    Don't get me wrong...Champ is my favorite player on the Broncos right now...maybe one of my favorite players of all time. He's a pro in every aspect and probably the best tackler on the team. However, his talents are being wasted in Denver, because we can't get a solid pass rush.

    When was the last time we sent a Lineman or a Linebacker to the Pro Bowl? Al Wilson?...Trevor Pryce?

    Every year we get torched in the secondary, what does Shanahan do?? He gets more Defensive backs...HELLOOOOO that's not the problem dude! We need a pro-bowl quality defensive line. If you have that, then your DBs don't need to be pro-bowlers.

  • October 13, 2008

    11:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    deezBroncs1127 writes:

    Welcome to the 2009 NFL Draft...

    With the 21st pick in the 1st round, the Denver Broncos select D-Lineman.

    With the 37th pick in the 2nd round, The Denver Broncos select D-Lineman.

    With the 55th pick in the 3rd round, The Denver Broncos select D-Lineman.

    With the 72nd pick in the 4th round, The Denver Broncos select D-Lineman

    1 or maybe 2 out of 4 picks, maybe we can find a defensive lineman that has a knack of getting to the QB, because the guys we have now are not getting the job done. PLAIN & SIMPLE !

    Champ Bailey & Dre Bly are a waste if they don't have a D-Line putting pressure on the QB.

  • October 14, 2008

    9:04 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SE7EN writes:

    deezBroncs... "Champ Bailey & Dre Bly are a waste if they don't have a D-Line putting pressure on the QB."

    You said it right my friend. Each year, fans complain about the DB on the opposite side of the field of Champ. Bly keeps getting beat because QBs fear Champ and there is never enough pressure to disrupt the QB's timing.

    Might as well trade Champ and Dre while their value is high and get a defensive line that can get the job done..Without a line, Champ and Bly are a waste of money.