Broncos report: McCree OK with end of 58-game starts streak

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 29, 2008 at 7:07 p.m.

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Marlon McCree has kept a positive attitude after his starts streak ended.

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On 58 consecutive NFL weekends, if Marlon McCree was healthy and ready to play, he was in somebody's starting lineup.

That's a streak that included an NFC Championship Game with Carolina, an AFC Championship Game last season with San Diego and Denver's first six games this season. And then the Broncos made a change.

They went to New England in their outing before their bye and it was Calvin Lowry at free safety instead of McCree.

"It was tough standing there, I can't lie," McCree said. "But you can't just quit doing what you need to do. I just tried to keep a positive attitude, embrace my role on special teams and tried to be there if they needed me."

The Broncos surrendered 257 rushing yards to the Patriots and Sammy Morris, the team's third-string back, finished with 138 yards on 16 carries, all in the first half of what was a 41-7 Patriots victory.

The Broncos, mired near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories, continue to look for a combination that works and they have moved people around in their defensive front as well. Defensive end John Engelberger, who also had started the first six games, was a game-day inactive against the Patriots and wasn't in uniform.

"I understand it wasn't personal," McCree said. "It was something they wanted to look at as a team. We looked at it and saw what we saw and, hopefully, I'm back out there when the time comes."

McCree, who has started 97 regular-season and postseason games in his eight-year career, said he believes he can do what's necessary to get back in the starting lineup Sunday against the Dolphins and beyond.

Before making the change at safety, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan had talked in the wake of a loss to Jacksonville about the need for the team's safeties to keep midrange runs from becoming longer runs.

Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaguars had a 46-yard run for a touchdown.

Overall, opponents have had 30 runs of at least 10 yards this season and six runs of at least 30 yards.

"When things don't go like you expect, sometimes there are some changes," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "You have to keep playing, keep working, no matter what happens."

"It's a long season," McCree said. "And guys who've played in this league for a long time, for 10, 11 years, have all had those ebb and flows. One minute you're up, the next minute you're down, and one minute you're down, the next minute you're up. This was part of my ebb and flow. I want to make sure I'm out there and that I'm doing the right things."

The Dolphins have run well at times this season - their high is a 216-yard effort against the Patriots - and Ronnie Brown has two 100-yard rushing games.

They also have lined Brown up at quarterback, in their "Wildcat" formation, where he has run after taking direct snaps.

In a win Sunday against Buffalo, though, Miami ran for only 52 yards on 27 carries.

"They can make some plays, we know that," McCree said. "I want to be in there to do my part. Whatever they need, you know, I'll do."

Head game

Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork will be fined as a result of video the Broncos directed officials at the league office to view.

Wilfork, who was fined $35,000 last season in four on-field episodes combined, hit Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler in the helmet with a forearm during the first quarter of the Patriots' win.

Cutler said it came in the scrum as the teams battled for an Andre Hall fumble, Hall's second of the game.

"I think I got rolled up by (Patriots safety (Rodney) Harrison, and on my way back up, I think (Wilfork) gave me a forearm to the head," Cutler said. "You know, a little dizzy afterward. I guess they called it in on him."

Asked if he thought the hit was intentional, Cutler said, "I don't know, I haven't even really watched it that much."

Harrison also was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play, a 15-yard penalty.

Wilfork, who met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell earlier this week, and the Patriots are believed to have contended to the league the forearm was unintentional and that Wilfork had helped Cutler up after the play.

Ready for action

Broncos cornerback Karl Paymah said he's ready for whatever comes in the wake of Champ Bailey's injury.

Bailey will be out at least a month because of a groin injury, leaving the Broncos without an eight-time Pro Bowl selection at the left cornerback spot. Paymah has replaced Bailey in the lineup in the past.

"It's happened in the past, I've played, this is my fourth year now . . . ," Paymah said. "I'm definitely ready; I just want to get out there and have fun, make plays."

Paymah said Bailey, who has attended practice, has been there for advice or help in scouting the Dolphins if Paymah feels he needs it.

"He's always there, just go talk to him about what he looks at when he's studying film, what he does when he's studying a receiver," Paymah said.

"He's always a guy who is going to help me out."

Etc.

* Hall (ankle), receiver Brandon Stokley (concussion), running back Selvin Young (groin) and tight end Tony Scheffler (groin) were limited some in practice Wednesday. Running back Michael Pittman, who suffered rib and neck injuries in the loss at New England, practiced fully, as did rookie running back Ryan Torain.

* The Dolphins are one of the healthiest teams in the league, listing only one player on their injury report, fullback Casey Cramer (ankle), who practiced fully.

* The Broncos haven't officially promoted quarterback Darrell Hackney from the practice squad, so Cutler is the only quarterback on the 53-man roster. The Broncos will have to make a roster move when Hackney is moved up for the game Sunday.

• October 30, 2008

  7:14 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  CoLoradoCitizen writes:

  TRYING TO RUN AGAINST THE BRONCOS DEFENSE IS LIKE TRYING TO RUN THROUGH AIR. MUCH LIKE TRYING TO PASS AGAINST IT.

  WWW.NFL.COM/STATS

• October 30, 2008

  8:41 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  AngelontheSidelines writes:

  Lowery?

  Sorry, but my main memory of his game is him missing tackles, and getting run over by blockers and ball carriers.

  Jarvis Moss could do better as a safety, he's get smoked like Lowery and McCree, but at least he can tackle the runner.

• October 30, 2008

  11:53 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  leeroy writes:

  Uh oh uh oh throw hi throw low, but throw on Karrrrl PAYmah maaaan. He went to the stadium Sunday and got jacked in a really bad way, it's the torch Karrrl PAYmah plaaan. Sung to the tune of Karma Payment Plan by Modest Mouse.
  Sorry Karl, it seems like you are a pretty decent dude, but this is a business and you just aren't good enought to be on an NFL roster. How this guy or Engelberger or Webster are even seeing the field is beyond my understanding. Speaking of Webster, I think huge strides on defense would be made by putting Niko,Larson, or anyone else that understands the responsibilities of the MLB position in instead of Webster. While the D-line and safeties aren't great, the secondary is constantly being forced to cover up for missed assignments at other levels. If everyone on this team could just worry about their own responsiblities, huge strides could be made.
  I'm begging you Mike,one small change, NO MORE WEBSTER. Wasn't that a show about a little kid in the 80's? Oh yeah, that show got canceled after no one wanted to watch him run around like a chicken with his head cut off either. It seems like the coaching staff has realized that Engelberger has been hurting the team. I'm still hoping that Paymah and Webster find their way from the penthouse to the doghouse.

• October 30, 2008

  12:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  myerda00 writes:

  Leeroy, I can not agree more about Webster. Starting last year, I have been talking about how out of control Webster plays. Who is the LB coach, Jim Ryan right? This group needs to change. Niko MIKE, DJ WILL, and the coaches (lost so far) like Winborn as SAM.
  HEY Slowik and Shanahan, try something different, you may find a player. Look what happen at NE, you found out that Lowrey is NOT a safety. And that Engelberger was not missed. Why do you coaches fall in love with a player and do not replace him until injury or someone shows promise on ST.
  NOTE to Bronco defense coaches, there are practice players then there are gameday players. LOOK FOR GAMEDAY PLAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• October 30, 2008

  4:22 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  TIMMAH writes:

  I can understand making a change at safety but Calvin looked TERRIBLE. Everytime the Patriots had any sort of a mid-range or big play, all I saw was # 37 getting bounced or flailing around trying to make arm tackles. I know Lynch wasn't the fastest, but at least he put guys on their wallets when he hit. We need the return of a Steve Atwater/Mike Harden type safety who brings the funk!!!!

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