Broncos report: After 'scary' experience, Russell glad to be walking
By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published September 29, 2008 at 5:27 p.m.
The Broncos' Clifford Russell was examined at a Kansas City, Mo.-area hospital and was diagnosed with a sprained neck.
The defensive numbers are kind at the moment to the AFC West. Only one team is ranked above 28th overall in yards allowed per game.
| Pass | Run | ||
| Team | def. | def. | Overall |
| Raiders | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| Chargers | 32 | 13 | 28 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 30 | 29 |
| Broncos | 31 | 24 | 30 |
"If we don't hold on to the ball better than we did, we'll be running a lot more."
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, on if he likes the team's offensive breakdown with 157 pass attempts compared with 104 running plays.
7 turnovers for Tampa Bay - six interceptions and one lost fumble - in the past two games. They won both games.
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Broncos receiver Clifford Russell, after a visit to a neurosurgeon, was back at work Monday attending meetings in the team's Dove Valley complex less than 24 hours after being taken off the field on a backboard Sunday.
"I'm just glad to be up and walking," Russell said. "It was a scary, scary situation for a little while there."
Playing on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter of the 33-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, Russell was tripped up and suffered what was diagnosed as a sprained neck. After the game, linebacker Jamie Winborn said Russell told him after the play he couldn't "feel his arm."
The team's medical personnel immobilized him, strapping him to a backboard before he was taken to a Kansas City, Mo.-area hospital.
Russell said it was the right side that was affected, that immediately after the play he couldn't feel his fingers on his right hand and had just slight feeling in his right foot.
Russell gave a thumbs-up with his left hand as he was being wheeled on a gurney to a waiting ambulance.
After being examined at the hospital, Russell was released and returned to Denver on Sunday night.
"The feeling was starting to come back when they took me off the field," Russell said. "It started getting better and better as we waited a little while and they did some tests to make sure everything was OK. I was happy to take the flight home.
"All the tests (Monday) were just a precaution and everything. I feel like everything's normal in my arms and legs now, but I don't think I'll be doing any hitting this week."
Russell spent training camp with the Broncos but was among the team's final cuts as the roster was trimmed to 53 players. But he was re-signed Sept. 17 after the Broncos traded Keary Colbert to the Seattle Seahawks.
He played sparingly in the offense against the Saints and Chiefs. He had two kickoff returns, including a 31-yarder, Sunday after running back Andre Hall left the game with an injured wrist.
"I'm just really happy to be back here and moving around," Russell said.
Different take
The Broncos defense was taking plenty of heat for the loss after running back Larry Johnson rushed for 198 yards and a struggling Kansas City offense put up 33 points.
But coach Mike Shanahan said the offense had to take much of the blame because of four turnovers and a one-touchdown day after a 1-for-4 performance inside the Chiefs 20-yard line.
"People will point to the defense and that's so far from the truth," Shanahan said. "You turn the ball over four times, you go 1-for-4 in the red zone, you're not going to win football games."
Shanahan added that after Johnson's 65-yard run on the second play, the Broncos held the Chiefs to a field goal. The Chiefs' remaining drives in the first, second and third quarters went 23, 27, 23, 2, 4, minus 1, 38, minus 2 and 7 yards.
"People forget after that first drive, which we held them to three points, we had nine possessions in a row where we held them where the longest drive was 38 yards and the rest were - I think there were two in the 20s - the rest were less than that."
But things did get away from the Broncos in the fourth quarter when they surrendered 17 points, gave up two long kickoff returns and surrendered 66 rushing yards to Johnson.
Still Shanahan maintained: "Everybody wants to throw it at the defense . . . but any offense that does that to their defense, there's no chance."
Ex-Broncos coach Jack Faulkner, 82, dies
Jack Faulkner, the second coach in Broncos history, died Sunday night in Newport Beach, Calif., the St. Louis Rams said. He was 82.
Faulkner had a 53-year career in the NFL, including coaching the Broncos in 1962 and 1963, when the team went 7-7 and 2-11-1.
He was chosen AFL Coach of the Year after leading the financially strapped Broncos to the 7-7 record in 1962. He also served as the team's general manager that first season.
He joined the Rams in 1955 as an assistant coach under first-year coach Sid Gillman. He was associated with the Rams for 43 years.
Faulkner also spent time with the Chargers, Vikings and Saints before re-joining the Rams in 1971 as a college and pro scout.
Faulkner is survived by his wife, Debbie, three sons and a daughter.
Etc.
* Shanahan said he believed defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, who was held out of Sunday's game because he missed practice time during the week with knee pain, could practice Wednesday. Defensive tackle Josh Shaw, who was out with a groin injury, is not expected to return this week.
* Shanahan said Hall, who left Sunday's game with a wrist injury, should be fine and that guard Chris Kuper and safety Marlon McCree, who left Sunday's game and both returned, should play this week as well.
* Matt Prater made a 56-yard field goal Sunday - he earlier had missed from 28 yards - and Shanahan said he was prepared to let Prater try from 60 yards.
"I had a mind-set I was going to go 60 yards with him, but he's kicked 70-, 75-yarders here before," Shanahan said. "He's got the same swing. I was just hoping he could come back after missing that short one, and he did."
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September 29, 2008
6:34 p.m.
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incognitoboy writes:
turnovers. yeah, ok coach. we get it.....turnovers caused larry johnson to bust thru the d-line for 198 yds.
and here i thought it was poor defensive play.
silly me.
i do love my broncos, but that was hard to watch. i just wanna see our d-guys try to strip the ball, like other teams do (kc), and jump in the air playing the ball, not the WR, while defending a pass, like other teams do (kc).
here in minnesota, i just don't get to see very many denver games. i'd like the ones i do get to see, to be more lopsided in OUR favor. call me selfish and greedy......
September 29, 2008
7:16 p.m.
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areyoukidding writes:
incognitoboy- it is a good thing the broncos don't do everything kc does, if they did they would be in last place just like kc. Last I checked denver 3-1 kc 1-3.
September 29, 2008
7:19 p.m.
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golazo13 writes:
is sad to see denver not playing with heart
i had a feeling we were going lose
since the days with shanahan when we have a good record we play terribly vs the bad teams , expect the worst ,is a fact
but defense is weak
wish we could have al wilson, the karl mecklenburgs trevor pryce guys that gave 100%all the time
can not depend all in champ bailey
September 29, 2008
9:35 p.m.
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headsup5 writes:
Coach admit it, the defense is bad. So is the special teams.
September 30, 2008
7:07 a.m.
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BroncoRick69 writes:
C'mon Shanahan. Take off your orange colored shades and look at the numbers. The Broncos defense is ranked number 30 overall. That means the defense is better than only 2, count em' 2 other teams in the NFL. They s u c k. I watched 2 great defensive performances last night in Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, and this weekend with Chicago and Philadelphia. Now those are teams with defenses worth watching. I watch our defense, and my blood pressure skyrockets. For those of you here that want to call me a non-fan for making these observations, nothing could be further from the truth. I want the Broncos to be successful, and I want it to be a complete success, not a hollow success.
September 30, 2008
8:04 a.m.
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blindrid writes:
areyoukidding:
The Chief's aren't the team the Broncos are and without a few breaks, their record would be the same as the Chief's so I think you're being a bit of a Denver cheerleader instead of admitting there were certainly some letdowns on the Bronco's behalf on both sides of the ball.
If the Chief's would play like they did last week, every week, I would think their record would be a tad better. From the Chief's perspective, it's almost like they threw one game away starting an inexperienced QB while playing him almost 3/4 of the other game in another. My take is both teams are'nt going anywhere this season so it's a mute point.
Anyway, it's time to watch the game for what it is - entertainment and try not to go overboard one way or another.
September 30, 2008
8:28 a.m.
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areyoukidding writes:
I will take 3-1 any day of the week. This team was predicted to go anywhere for 6-10 to 8-8 by most "experts". The 3-1 start is solid. The Broncos traditionally perform poorly at KC. KC looses virtually every game in Denver; regardless of records.
The Chiefs throwing away a game sounds like mismanagement to me. Maybe they should look in a different direction as far as their team management goes. The Broncos will go much farther than KC this year. The Chiefs will struggle to match last seasons win total.
September 30, 2008
7:12 p.m.
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6_is_the_new_7 writes:
Aside from a few plays, where I agree the tackling was pathetic, the D did not play that bad. We gave them a short feild all day. The Denver defense was not near as inspired as K.C.'s. They played above their heads. Especially Derrick Johnson, who looked alot like another Derrick who played for the Cheifs. Great game by them. We lost, but they flat out beat us. Soundly.