NFL FanHouse

Broncos Sign Veteran CB Ty Law

Chris Burke — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST

In a move that came a bit out of the blue, the Broncos waived 24-year-old cornerback Jack Williams and signed 14-year vet Ty Law.

Denver rookie head coach Josh McDaniels didn't mess around after Baltimore shredded Denver 30-7 last week -- the Broncos' first loss of the year. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco went 20 of 25 through the air in that game, and as Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post points out, 12 of 15 against Denver's nickel defense.

McDaniels said Saturday that he hopes Law can play Monday night when Denver hosts Pittsburgh.

"They're trying to get me ready to play this week in a limited fashion," Law said. "I did it last year."

Law played the last seven games of the 2008 season with the Jets. He's no longer the shutdown cornerback he once was, but he figures to slide right into Denver's nickel and dime packages, where Williams and rookie Alphonso Smith have been seeing time.

Law also adds another former New England face to Denver's roster -- McDaniels spent eight seasons as a coach with the Patriots and opted to bring in someone he's familiar with, a strategy that's been frequently used by Bill Belichick proteges around the league.

"He gives us some depth at corner. He played obviously a long time in this league. He knows how to play inside, outside and he's in good shape and ready to go," McDaniels said. "We feel like hopefully it will take us take a step forward."

Denver might need Law's veteran savvy Monday. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has pressed all week to utilize the no-huddle offense more, meaning that Pittsburgh will try to spread things out and force the Broncos into pass defense situations. We'll have to wait and see how much Law can contribute after sitting on the sidelines all season.

Broncos Sign Veteran CB Ty Law originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Between the Lines: Which Tackles Are Starring and Which Are Struggling?

JJ Cooper — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, Packers, Panthers, Steelers, NFL Analysis

As we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

If you're a reasonably diligent football fan, it's pretty easy to follow which running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers are living up to their reputations -- you just check the stats. It's not as easy, but you can also get a pretty good sense of which pass rushers are having big years, by checking out the sacks.

But when it comes to evaluating offensive linemen, it's a lot tougher to know which blockers are starring and which ones are living off reputation.

After logging 401 sacks this season, it's time to start diving into the numbers to try to get a better sense of who has stood out this year.

Thanks the Sunday Ticket Shortcuts and the NFL's easily available gamebooks, I've watched and re-watched all but two of the 401 sacks that have taken place this season in the NFL (thanks to CBS' technical screw-up five minutes of last week's Redskins game was lost forever).

I've logged how many rushers were sent on the play, who gave up the sack, the down and distance, how long the quarterback held the ball before the sack and who was responsible for the sack. Thankfully on most sacks the culprit is pretty clear. Usually it's a sacker simply lining up and beating the man trying to block him. On other plays it can get more difficult, as a blitzer will come free or a stunt will lead to a missed hand-off from one offensive lineman to another. In those cases, I've assigned the block to the blocker most likely to have been responsible for the rusher. If two blockers were both responsible, I assigned them each half a sack. And if the quarterback ran his way into a sack or a play call left no blocker with a chance to block the sacker, that sack was logged as the responsibility of the quarterback or play call (roughly 80 of the 401 sacks fall into that category).

So lets take a look at which offensive tackles have given up the most sacks. Eventually we'll list every offensive linemen, but considering how many centers and guards are still without a sack allowed, that can wait a couple of weeks. But if you're an offensive tackle who has played every week without giving up a sack, you're putting together a pretty impressive season.

OFFENSIVE TACKLES SACKS ALLOWED
Allen Barbre	Green Bay	6
Levi Brown	Arizona	5
Jordan Gross	Carolina	5
Daryn Colledge	Green Bay	5
Jeff Backus	Detroit	4
Erik Pears	Oakland	4
Duane Brown	Houston	4
Demetrius Bell	Buffalo	4
Winston Justice	Philadelphia	3.5
Stephen Heyer	Washington	3.5
Jeromey Clary	San Diego	3.5
Max Starks	Pittsburgh	3.5
John St. Clair	Cleveland	3.5
Ray Willis	Seattle	3
Phil Loadholt	Minnesota	3
Michael Roos	Tennessee	3
Marcus McNeill	San Diego	3
Mike Gandy	Arizona	3
Kyle Williams	Seattle	3
Jake Long	Miami	3
Flozell Adams	Dallas	3
Eben Britton	Jacksonville	3
Donald Penn	Tampa Bay	3
Andrew Whitworth	Cincinnati	3
Anthony Collins	Cincinnati	3
Ryan Harris	Denver	2.5
Michael Oher	Baltimore	2.5
Chris Samuel	Washington	2.5
Brandon Albert	Kansas City	2.5
Vernon Carey	Miami	2
Ryan Clady	Denver	2
Jeremy Trueblood	Tampa Bay	2
Joe Thomas	Cleveland	2
Jeff Otah	Carolina	2
Jermon Bushrod	New Orleans	2
Chris Williams	Chicago	2
Chad Clifton	Green Bay	2
Bryant McKinnie	Minnesota	2
Brandon Frye	Seattle	2
Mario Henderson	Oakland	1.5
D'Brickshaw Ferguson	N.Y. Jets	1.5
Tra Thomas	Jacksonville	1
Sam Baker	Atlanta	1
Ryan O'Callaghan	Kansas City	1
Nick Kaczur	New England	1
Kareem McKenzie	N.Y. Giants	1
Jason Peters	Philadelphia	1
Jon Jansen	Detroit	1
Jared Gaither	Baltimore	1
Eric Winston	Houston	1
Damien Woody	N.Y. Jets	1
David Diehl	N.Y. Giants	1
Cornell Green	Oakland	1
Brad Butler	Buffalo	1
Adam Goldberg	St. Louis	1
Alex Barron	St. Louis	1
Orlando Pace	Chicago	0.5
Jonathan Scott	Buffalo	0.5
Willie Colon	Pittsburgh	0
Tyson Clabo	Atlanta	0
Sean Locklear	Seattle	0
Ryan Diem	Indianapolis	0
Matt Light	New England	0
Mark Colombo	Dallas	0
Jonathan Stinchcomb	New Orleans	0
Ichekuku Ndukwe	Kansas City	0
David Stewart	Tennessee	0
Charlie Johnson	Indianapolis	0

If you're a Packers fan, it probably won't surprise you to see a pair of Green Bay offensive linemen near the top of the list for sacks allowed by tackles.

But no one expected Packers right tackle Allen Barbre or fill-in tackle Daryn Colledge to be anything more than adequate. Barbre is truly the Packers' weakest link now that Chad Clifton is back at left tackle. And as we documented last year, Cardinals right tackle Levi Brown struggles with pass blocking, so seeing him near the top of the list is almost to be expected.

But seeing Panthers' franchise player Jordan Gross among the list of shame is pretty shocking. It seems Julius Peppers isn't the only Panthers star who has struggled at times this year. Gross had a disastrous three-sacks-allowed game against the Redskins as Andre Carter beat him a couple of times on simple speed rushes around the outside. One of those five sacks came when he appeared to miss his assignment on an overload blitz by the Eagles, but he's also been beaten multiple times one-on-one.

At the other end of the spectrum, Indianapolis has allowed only two sacks all season and neither has been allowed by an offensive tackle. The Falcons have also allowed only two sacks -- both in the season opener against the Dolphins. Part of that can be credited to Matt Ryan's quick release, but Tyson Clabo (0 sacks) and Sam Baker (1 sack) also deserve lots of praise.

It's also impressive to see Steelers right tackle Willie Colon among the unblemished. Colon has had pass protection problems in the past (6.5 sacks last year), but he's shown significant improvement this season.

Here are some other notes from watching the lines for Week Six.

-- There is a lot of legitimate criticism of Andy Reid's decision to forget the running game in the Eagles' shocking upset loss to the Raiders. But it's nearly as surprising that the Raiders' leaky offensive line was able to handle the Eagles' pass rush. Oakland's line has had lots of turnovers this year -- three diferent players have started at left guard, there have been two different centers and two different right tackles. Erik Pears, the fill-in left guard and right tackle, has been a weak link with four sacks and the Raiders need to work on their backs blitz pick-up -- the running backs are responsible for four sacks -- but left tackle Mario Henderson (1.5 sacks allowed) is giving the Raiders their first solid play at left tackle in years.

-- The Kansas City Chiefs may need to rethink some of their blocking schemes. Tight end Sean Ryan gave up his fifth sack of the season on Sunday against the Redskins. No other tight end in the league has given up more than two sacks this year.

It's hard to blame Ryan too much for this. He's given up sacks to Osi Umenyiora, Brian Orakpo and Juqua Parker. It's hard to ask a tight end to adequately block three of the better pass rushers in the NFC East. Ryan bounced round to three different teams last year, so he's fortunate to have a starting job, but the Chiefs are asking him to do things that he's not really capable of doing when they ask him to handle defensive ends one-on-one.

-- There's been a lot of explanations given for the Broncos' amazing defensive turnaround. And there are a lot of good reasons to explain why the Broncos have gone from 29th last year in yards allowed to second this year.

You can credit new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan first of all for giving the defense an identity. Last year the Broncos switched back and forth between the 3-4 and the 4-3 like they were changing socks. And even when they did go with the 3-4, they did it with undersized linebackers like Boss Bailey while asking undersized defensive ends like Elvis Dumervill to play up on the line.

This year Nolan has made them a 3-4 team with an identity, and he's done an excellent job of getting pass rushers like Dumervill into situations to create havoc.

But what stood out against the Chargers was Nolan's clever use of delayed blitzes. You don't often see delayed blitzes because they usually take too long to develop pressure against the fast-paced NFL offenses. You have to time it perfectly -- rush too soon and the offense can adjust to pick up the second blitzer, rush too late and it doesn't even matter.

But Nolan pulled out the delayed blitz in perfect situations against the Chargers. San Diego likes to throw deep to Vincent Jackson and the rest of their crew of tall receivers, so the delayed blitz has a little more time to reach Phillip Rivers.

It worked three different times against the Chargers. On the first sack, defensive back Andre Goodman waited until a linebacker had fully occupied the Chargers tailback serving as the quarterback's last line of defense. By delaying his rush, Goodman got a free rush at Rivers for an easy sack. The same approach worked later for a sack by linebacker D.J. Williams. It also worked to a degree on the Broncos' last sack of the night, although defensive linemen Darrell Reid simply beat Louis Vasquez for the sack.

Between the Lines: Which Tackles Are Starring and Which Are Struggling? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thriving Denver D Brings Back the Sack

Nancy Gay — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:05:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, AFC West, NFL Coaching, FanHouse Exclusive, NFL Analysis

SAN DIEGO -- Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil set aside any doubts that the 2009 Broncos' astonishing turnaround isn't legitimate on Monday night when he leveled Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers a second time in the contest, helping punctuate a 34-23 division victory that gave undefeated Denver a stranglehold on the AFC West.

With that, Dumervil had his NFL-leading 10th sack, putting him on pace to surpass Michael Strahan's single-season record of 22 1/2.

"It's hard to get to 10 [sacks]," said Dumervil, who was surrounded in the crowded visitors' locker room at Qualcomm Stadium by teammates hooting and calling him the next Strahan. "Every sack guy knows it's hard to get to double digits.

"But this ... it's a new team, a new regime, and everything is new. We're just trying to innovate. We're trying to build a brand of football here, what we want to be as the Denver Broncos."

It's not easy building a 6-0 record -- but it's a lot more feasible with plays like inside linebacker D.J. Williams' fourth-quarter, 11-yard sack of Rivers, and linebacker Darrel Reid's drilling Rivers in the game's final minutes for the team's fourth sack. Rivers lost the ball on both hits.

They've crafted a defensive masterpiece in Denver, and the art of the sack is on full display. The Broncos are tied with the Vikings for the NFL lead with 21 total; in 2008, Denver had 26 sacks the entire season.

It's quite a renaissance from the past few years, when Denver's defensive units were among the NFL's worst. In 2008, Denver's defense surrendered 28.0 points per game (30th overall). Now the Broncos are the league's stingiest team, allowing only 11.0 ppg.

"What you're seeing out there are a bunch of guys just playing for each other," said Williams, one of the three holdovers from last season [along with Dumervil and cornerback Champ Bailey] on a defense that features eight new starters in 2009. "The last few years we weren't successful, for whatever reason it was.

"This year, we changed a lot of things around, our philosophy, our scheme, changed a lot of players. It's working. It's productive. You can't really go against it, because it's working."

Is it as simple as making the head coaching switch from veteran Mike Shanahan to the fresh face and message of Josh McDaniels, 33, and the subsequent hiring of defensive specialist Mike Nolan as coordinator?

"That part of it, but it's so much more," said former NFL personnel executive Michael Lombardi, who spent the 2007 season with the Broncos as an advisor and is now an NFL Network analyst and columnist for National Football Post. "They also changed the scheme and stuck to the 3-4, rather than switching back and forth. They brought in a lot of new players -- smarter guys who understand how to play the game of football. They're just solid players who know what the game is all about and what it takes to be successful."

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Denver Broncos Photos

Denver Broncos linebacker Andra Davis points to the San Diego fans as walks off the field while the San Diego Chargers offensive line leaves the field during the fourth quarter quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

FR59680 AP

Denver Broncos Photos

Denver Broncos receiver Eddie Royal fails to make a third down catch near the San Diego Chargers' end zone during the second quarter, Monday, October 19, 2009, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.

Colorado Springs Gazette / MCT

Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley (14) pulls in a five yard touchdown pass in front of San Diego Chargers' Antonio Cromartie to seal the Broncos 34-23 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is wrapped up and sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams during the fourth quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. Rivers fumbled and Williams recovered the ball. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers losses the ball while being sacked during the fourth quarter of the Chargers 34-23 loss to the Denver Broncos in an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. The Broncos recovered. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Denver Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler dances through the end zone after his 19-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. Scheffler had six receptions for 101 yards. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

The San Diego Chargers players hang their head during the fourth quarter of their 34-23 loss to the Denver Broncos in the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers gets ready to walk on the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Philip rivers

Getty Images

SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Andra Davis #54 of the Denver Broncos walks of the field after defeating the San Diego Chargers 34-23 at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andra Davis

Getty Images

Newcomers such as veteran safety Brian Dawkins, cornerback Andre' Goodman, safety Renaldo Hill and nose tackle Ronald Fields epitomize these types of intelligent leaders.

When McDaniels was hired last Jan. 12 after spending the past eight seasons with the Patriots -- and rising to become Bill Belichick's trusted offensive coordinator -- he knew the Broncos' pitiful defense was only one of many areas in need of an overhaul.

"There were so many things we weren't doing well, in every phase -- offensively, defensively -- we were bad in a lot of areas," McDaniels said. "It just started with hiring a good staff. That was No. 1 on the list. Mike's [Nolan] obviously done a great job with his staff, and the coaches have done a nice job of getting their players ready and prepared.

"And we made the decision to go to the 3-4 system, which is really my background. Mike, of course, is versed in both or either. We could have gone in another direction, but we just felt like, with where we were at, we wanted to go ahead and make that transition quickly and try to get as far as we could by the time the season came around."

Monday night, the Broncos blitzed Rivers continuously, keeping one of the NFL's strongest and toughest quarterbacks under siege. But a lot of the straight pressure masquerades as blitzing, which keeps offenses off-balance. Denver's swarming attack neutralized the Cowboys' Tony Romo and New England's Tom Brady as well, so it's pretty darn effective.

"I don't know the exact percentage that we're blitzing," McDaniels said, "but we've actually created blitzing without blitzing ... I think that's a combination of good coverage and great effort up front. It isn't every time that we have a free run at the quarterback because we brought one more guy that they can block. That really hasn't happened much all year."

Dumervil, for example, often gets matched up against a blocking fullback or running back in Nolan's scheme and he typically wins that battle. Williams calls the signals for the group. The push up front has made the secondary effective again. And much of what Denver does defensively is just sound tackling and powerful hitting.

In the 17-10 Week 4 victory over the Cowboys, Williams made a crushing fourth-quarter tackle of Dallas receiver Roy Williams that looked like a full-body clothesline hit to the big receiver's midsection. Williams the receiver crumpled to the Invesco Field turf in obvious pain with three injured ribs and cartilage damage. He didn't return.

"Never in my life have I ever been hit like that, from Pop Warner through my six years in the league," said Roy Williams, describing the blow.

Said McDaniels, "D.J. is just a very good linebacker. The weak-side of a 3-4, some people think that the ball runs away most of the time ... but D.J. has some coverage responsibility and he's capable of doing that. We've done a decent job of mixing that up. We've blitzed some and created some problems in the backfield.

"And when he has a chance to run and get to the ball carrier where it's tough for somebody to get a body on him, he usually makes the tackle. And that's the sign of a good linebacker, when somebody is struggling to get onto you and because of that you're making a bunch of tackles, you're a dependable player and that's what he's shown the first four weeks."

A McDaniels/Nolan blitz is not a four-man break. "No, it's five. It's gotta be one more than a four-man rush," McDaniels said.

As they bask in the glow of a 6-0 record and enjoy their bye, the rest of the NFL has to wonder: Can the Broncos continue at this pace defensively?

"I had that same question after Week 1," Nolan, the former 49ers head coach, said with a laugh. "But it's pleasing that we're able to help the football team win, rather than hope the offense can overcome you. Our players take a lot of pride in it -- Elvis Dumervil is doing a good job, as well as many other players. Our secondary is experienced, very professional. Hopefully we just keep this going.

"If you ask me that question again in Week 16, then I'll give you a better answer."

Thriving Denver D Brings Back the Sack originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: A Good Ejection, Bad Reviews and Seeing the Whole Play

Matt Snyder — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Buccaneers, Chargers, Jaguars, Panthers, Rams, NFL Referees

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

I'll agree with the defenders of Dante Wesley on one front, but just one: he hasn't made a career out of being a dirty player. Sunday, though, he was. What Wesley did, whether intentional or not, was one of the most egregious things I've ever seen done on a football field. Honestly, I didn't even think I'd have to cover it for Zebra Report, but I've seen so many absolutely appalling arguments in defense of Wesley on comment boards across the internet, that I feel I have to. It's simply mind-boggling (and, as a football fan, a bit embarrassing) that some people seriously think his hit was, or should have been, legal.

The kick-catching interference call by the officials was a no-brainer. They'll never have to make an easier call. I want to give them kudos for ejecting him. That's a total judgment call and I believe it to be the right one. I don't care if he "didn't mean to" hit Clifton Smith before the ball arrived or not. That's like saying you didn't mean to punch someone in the face. He still did it.

Anyway, on to the rules. I can't believe I have to do this, but the fact that Smith didn't call a fair catch is irrelevant. I keep seeing Wesley defenders post some derivative of "he should have called fair catch" or "the referees called fair catch infraction" Um ... he has protection anyway and no they didn't. If that's what the official said, he misspoke. The penalty is called "kick-catching interference." Here:

Rule 10-1: Article 1 During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1: Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to his touching the ball.

As far as the ejection, you can use these two items:

Rule 12-2-8 (it is unnecessary roughness for ... ) (e) unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who (i) is out of the play or (ii) should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead; or throwing the runner to the ground after the ball is dead;

Rule 3-6 (players can be disqualified for ... ) (b) flagrant roughing of a kicker, passer, or any other opponent (12-2-6 and 12-2-12);

I know this is technically a judgment call and I've said I won't be making these statements this year, but this play was so flagrant I feel compelled to break my own rule and say it was the correct judgment.

Finally, the worst argument in the history of arguments is the whole "this is football, not soccer" one. Punt returners have always had protection against a hit like this. Go whine about how "real men" played football back in the 1970s if you want, but you need to ask punt returners from the '70s if they were protected against hits like this: because they were. This isn't an opinion, it is a fact. Thus, if you disagree, you are wrong. There are no two ways about it. Period. Are we clear?

There, now that I've got that off my chest, we can move on.

- Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch posted this paragraph on the Rams-Jags game's officiating in his post-game thoughts.

* The officiating was incoherent Sunday. They got it wrong on a couple of pass interference calls against the Rams. Even when referee Jeff Triplette had a chance to review an onfield mistake - the sideline catch by Holt - he still got it wrong and didn't reverse the ruling on the field. NFL officials, for the most part, are frontrunners. (I apologize to the many good officials out there, including my friend Joe Larrew, because I know it isn't true of all officials.) They know who is good, they know who is bad, and they know who the "name" players are. It may not be something that they're even aware of outwardly, but it's always been my belief that the zebras give the benefit of the doubt to good teams and name players. Look, the Rams didn't lose the game because of the officials. But it's hard to imagine a more poorly officiated game than the one I saw Sunday.

First of all, I'm not going to dispute or reinforce his opinion about officials subconsciously favoring the better teams. I know it doesn't happen for me in high school games, but those aren't famous players. Of the two NFL officials I've met, I don't know either one well enough to say if they do this -- especially if it is subconscious -- so we'll just leave that part alone.

I will dispute his argument on the pass interference calls -- at least the one I saw. First, remember the seven principles of pass interference, which were covered in the third incident in a past Zebra Report. The first one (a) says that it is interference when contact by a player "who is not playing the ball restricts the opponent's opportunity to catch the ball." In the fourth quarter, James Laurinaitis was called for interference. He was running toward the receiver. Without turning his head back around toward the ball, he held up his hands. The receiver tried to get back to the pass and ran into Laurinaitis. Like it or not, he restricted the receiver's ability to catch the football while he wasn't playing the ball. It's a simple call. This is the only interference call I saw, so I'll apologize in advance to good ol' Bernie (whose writing I really enjoy) if he wasn't disputing this particular call.

Of course, the replay review Miklasz mentions was egregious. It was very clear for anyone who had a television set that Torry Holt's second foot was out of bounds. It wasn't a toe, either, it was half of his foot. I'm not sure if the referee, Triplette, didn't see the same replay the fans did or what. If not, this was a mistake by the replay system as a whole. This wasn't even a judgment call, in my opinion. It was an absolute fact that half of Holt's foot was out of bounds. I'm usually a defender, of sorts, of the officials, but this is unacceptable. I would hope Triplette himself would agree with me after seeing further replays.

- Speaking of botched replays, I'm not sure how the officials could change the Brandon Stokley touchdown late Monday night and still give him a touchdown (watch it on youtube by clicking here). The initial call was clearly that Stokley didn't get into the end-zone until after he was on the ground and rolled in. That much was evident because the line judge waited to throw his hands in the air until after Stokley rolled in from the ground. If the call on the field was that he caught the ball in the end-zone, we would have seen an immediate signal.

The replay clearly showed Stokley was touched by Antonio Cromartie when on the ground and not in the end-zone. If you need conclusive evidence to overturn a call, they had it there. However, the officials then awarded the touchdown on the grounds that he caught the ball when it was breaking the plane of the end-zone. It seems as though they found conclusive evidence to call it a touchdown in a different manner than the on-field call awarded one. You can't find a single angle where the ball was conclusively breaking the plane of the end-zone on the catch, at least as far as I could tell. It seems to me the only conclusive part of the replay was the touch, thus, they should have placed the ball on the half yard line. That's my judgment, though, so I guess I shouldn't say it (damn these self-imposed rules).

- In that same game, the officials got together and got a tricky enforcement correct. There was a pass interference call in favor of Brandon Marshall, but Marshall -- being the lovable, level-headed guy he is -- went ballistic because he didn't see the flag. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Since one foul was during the play and the other was after, how could the penalties offset and mean the down should be replayed? Here you go:

Rule 14-9: If there has been a foul by either team during a down and there is a dead ball foul by the other team in the action immediately after the end of the down, it is a double foul, and all rules for enforcement of double fouls apply (see 14-3-1). Exception: If the scoring team commits a dead ball foul after a score, the score counts,
and the penalty is enforced on the kickoff.

And 14-3-1: If there is a double foul (3-11-2-c) without a change of possession, the penalties are offset and the down is replayed at the previous spot. If it was a scrimmage down, the number of the next down and the necessary line is the same as for the down for which the new one is substituted.

Say what you will about judgment calls, but it's pretty amazing how the officials rarely mis-enforce tricky stuff like this. With a 136-page rule book, that's good work to go from memory out there and always get it right.

- Finally, we don't usually cover college plays, but this was submitted to me and I thought it was a good time to talk about a general guideline for officials of all levels. In order to make a call, you have to see the entire act. You cannot get into assuming things.

For example, if you are behind a player and see his head turn to the side really fast, you cannot throw a flag for facemask. It might have happened, but it may not have. You can't just assume penalties. People in the crowd, by the way, do this with alarming frequency. It's actually a running joke among officials. If you see someone sprawling out like superman and landing on his stomach, he must have gotten blocked in the back, right? But what if he just tripped? Do you want to flag the offense for a clumsy defender?

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that it appears in a college game this past weekend, an official violated this premise. Watch this play:

I think it pretty well speaks for itself. No. 96 for Arkansas got blocked and got flagged for unnecessary roughness -- basically for shedding a block. It's obvious the official who made the call didn't see the entire play. Thanks to reader Robin for the submission. A final note: the SEC did admit the call was incorrect -- not that it helps the Razorbacks in coping with the egregious call.

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: A Good Ejection, Bad Reviews and Seeing the Whole Play originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Broncos Take Total Control of AFC West

Nancy Gay — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Chargers, NFL Analysis

SAN DIEGO -- Monday night featured perhaps the NFL's best quarterback battle this season, the duel between Philip Rivers and Kyle Orton, and it all but determined the balance of power in the AFC West, despite the fact that it's only mid-October.

Seriously -- who would have thought that Orton, once mistake-prone and reviled and probably still being burned in effigy by Bears fans, would now sit among the league's elite passers while guiding a 6-0 Denver Broncos team?

Make that the utterly dominant, AFC West-leading Broncos, who rode the franchise record-setting momentum of Eddie Royal returning both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the first half to preserve a 34-23 victory over the foundering San Diego Chargers (2-3).

Royal busted through San Diego's coverage teams for a 93-yard kickoff return in the first quarter -- "I think someone may have touched me on that one," he said -- and then went completely unmolested into the end zone on the 71-yard punt return with 5:53 remaining before halftime.

"This was just a total team effort. The guys just did a great job of blocking; I have to give them a lot of credit. They opened up the seams and it was a home run," Royal said. Twice. That made him the 11th player in NFL history -- and first in Broncos history -- to perform the dual-return touchdown feat, and the sixth since the merger.

But Royal said it best: This was a total team effort for Denver, which secured what amounts to an insurmountable 3 1/2 game lead over San Diego at a very angry Qualcomm Stadium.

"We were fortunate to have two big returns there by Eddie in the first half and that kind of kept us in it," said rookie coach Josh McDaniels, whose team still trailed 20-17 at halftime despite Royal's heroics. "Our guys fought and made a few adjustments in the second half and played better football."

Orton was unflappable and almost perfect behind his superb pass protection, completing 20 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns -- one, a 19-yard tiptoe catch in the corner of the end zone by tight end Tony Scheffler late in the third quarter; the other, a 5-yard scoring strike to receiver Brandon Stokley in the waning minutes.

The Chargers' once-feared pass rush led by Shawne Merriman no longer exists, and that's a big problem. Merriman played like someone who is still injured, and San Diego got no pressure on the quarterback. Orton had ample time to make his checkdowns and find open receivers.

"It's nice to go into the bye 6-0," said Orton, who concedes he's a better player in Denver than he was in Chicago. That offseason trade, which sent Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick to the Bears for Orton and first-round picks in 2009 and '10, along with an '09 third-round selection, seemed to guarantee a playoff berth for Chicago.

Instead, it's made Cutler mortal (10 touchdowns, seven interceptions) and completely transformed Orton (nine touchdowns, one interception) into a playmaker.

"It's a spread passing game that gets people into space," Orton said of McDaniels' scheme. "It puts a premium of being accurate and making the right decisions."

Orton got the ball to seven receivers. "He never throws that ball to me," said Stokley, who rolled into the end zone with 2:55 left for the final Broncos' score. "But that just shows you how great Kyle has been this season. He finds us, and he puts the ball in the right place for us to make the catch."

Defensively, the Broncos' fortified pass rush and blitz sacked Rivers five times, forcing a fumble that Denver converted into one of two Matt Prater field goals. NFL sacks leader Elvis Dumervil got to Rivers twice to push his season total to 10, on the second occasion using an overhand right to drop the powerful Rivers to the turf

The Chargers' quarterback and emotional leader avoided the pressure through much of the first half, but finally succumbed to the rush in the second.

"It occasionally had an impact," said Rivers, who completed 20 of 33 passes for 274 yards, including a 3-yard scoring pass to Vincent Jackson in the first quarter. "There were times when we held it really well and we were able to get good gains on them."

The Chargers also got a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown from Darren Sproles in the second quarter to give them their halftime lead. But there was an uneasy feeling throughout the stadium in San Diego, where people have come to expect the worst.

And seriously -- who would have thought the Chargers would disappoint again? The locals, apparently. It's becoming a national pastime, calling for coach Norv Turner's scalp wherever he runs the shop. In San Diego, boozed and bitter Chargers fans let the embattled Turner -- who's getting little support from his porous offensive and defensive lines -- have it with all their might as he ran into the locker room tunnel after the final gun.

"NORV'S GOTTA GO!" a group of angry customers screamed in unison from the concourse above the locker room entrance.

Said Turner, whose team was coming off a bye: "It's disappointing. We talked a lot with our football team and talked about it this week a great deal -- you can't take anything for granted."

The vitriol is swirling in a frustrated Chargers' locker room, directed toward Turner and general manager A.J. Smith for not addressing needs in the trenches during the offseason. Guys like Merriman are furious with Smith for saying the defense has been "soft and bewildered" at times.

There is outrage everywhere, and it's overshadowing the efforts of Rivers, who continues to play at a high level each week.

"Denver came out and played well," Chargers tight end Antonio Gates said, "but there are things we could have done to enhance our chance of winning. Obviously on offense, we have to score touchdowns. We got down there and kicked three field goals. That is just not who we are offensively."

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Denver Broncos Photos

SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 19: Quarterback Kyle Orton #8 and the rest of the offense of the Denver Broncos in huddle against the San Diego Chargers during Monday Night Football on October 19, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Orton

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The San Diego Chargers players hang their head during the fourth quarter of their 34-23 loss to the Denver Broncos in the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers congratulates Champ Bailey #24 of the Denver Broncos after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** philip Rivers;Champ Bailey

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Ronald Feilds #91 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a victory against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ronald Feilds

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Tony Scheffler #88 of the Denver Broncos runs the ball for a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Scheffler

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Broncos Take Total Control of AFC West originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday Night Football Live Chat: Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

Adam Gretz — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Chargers

Before the season started, the San Diego Chargers were a sexy pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, while the Denver Broncos were a sexy pick to have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The two teams meet on Monday night in San Diego, and the Broncos are 5-0 -- shocking everyone, except for Rod Smith -- while the Chargers are toiling along at a 2-2 pace.

Join us at 8:30 PM ET for our weekly Monday night football live chat as we discuss all of the action.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=a25d0bcf0a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Monday Night Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Monday Night Football Live Chat: Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Week 6 Preview Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Giants, Saints, Vikings, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

The battle of unbeatens in New Orleans will certainly get a lot of attention heading into Sunday's games.

Since the Giants and Saints don't look like they're going to fade away, there's a really good chance that they'll play a more important game in January, but this is a pretty big one.

It's not the only game being played Sunday. The NFL's two other unbeatens who are playing Sunday face real tests. Read the chat recap after the jump.

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NFL FanHouse Week 6 Preview Chat originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dirty Dozen: The Season From Top to Bottom, From Broncos to T.O.

Dave Goldberg — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, NFL Analysis

Conventional wisdom.

I've tried to avoid it in my 26 years of reporting on the NFL. Yet I find myself following the herd when I search for the NFL's most pleasant 2009 surprise. How can I not say it's Denver at 5-0 after the offseason chaos following Josh McDaniels' arrival?

Look at Brandon Marshall hugging McDaniels, who suspended him for the final two weeks of the preseason after Brandon acted like a child; Kyle Orton, the quarterback the Broncos got when Jay Cutler demanded to be traded, has a passer rating eight points higher than Cutler; and a defense that allowed 28 points per game in 2008, third worst in the league, is allowing just 8.6 in 2009.

So like everyone else, I have to go with the Broncos as the most pleasant surprise.

As for the rest ...

This week's Dirty Dozen includes what I consider the six most pleasant surprises and the six biggest disappointments of the season.

Top 6

1. The Broncos: They beat the Bengals on a fluke play. Then they beat Cleveland and Oakland, two Triple A sides. But they came from behind to beat overrated Dallas and then New England. So yes, they are legit. Give a lot of credit to Mike Nolan, whose level of competence clearly is as defensive coordinator -- he proved that in Denver 20 years ago, in New York with the Giants, and with Washington and Baltimore. McDaniels seems to be the Belichick clone who might come close to being as good as the mentor. Surviving the Cutler/Marshall fiascoes is tribute enough.

2. Kyle Orton: This goes beyond the Broncos as a team. Orton' was tabbed early as a career backup -- or, at best a caretaker, as he was last season with the Bears. Tags like that get applied unfairly all the time and even football people believe them. After all, he was a fourth-round pick who got forced into action as a rookie when Rex Grossman (who HAS become a career backup) got hurt and lost three of his first four starts. Guess what? Since then, he's 25-9 as a starter -- not flashy but he wins, as he did Sunday by driving the Broncos the length of the field to send their game with the Patriots into overtime. You want Jay Cutler and his athletic ability? I'll take Orton and his "game management" -- "GM" is considered a pejorative. It's not.

3. The Bengals: The most touching pictures of the season came from the Bengals locker room last Sunday after they went into Baltimore and upset the Ravens. It was a celebration around defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, whose wife had died unexpectedly three days before. More touching because this is a team known for its off-field troubles and the me-first attitude of some of its stars (we mean you, Chad). Cedric Benson, a high pick who washed out of Chicago, leads the league in rushing, six yards ahead of Adrian Peterson. Antwan Odom is tied for the league lead in sacks with Denver's Elvis Dumervil, and rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga has solidified a defense that was pretty good last season. And there's Roy Williams (the safety), who Zimmer had in Dallas and has re-energized into the solid run-stopper he's always been. .

4. The other Steve Smith: That's the third-year receiver with the Giants, not the ninth-year guy with the Panthers. Meadowlands Steve leads the NFL with 37 receptions and 481 yards and is tied at the top with four receiving TDs. That's 17 more catches and 226 more yards than Carolina Steve. The Giants' Smith was the No. 2 receiver at Southern Cal behind Dwayne Jarrett, who was taken six picks ahead of him by those same Panthers in the second round of the 2007 draft. In his third season, Jarrett has 18 career catches for 211 yards. Smith has 102 catches for 1,118 yards. He had another 14 catches in the Giants' run to Super Bowl XLII, including five in the big game.

5. The New Orleans defense: Thank you Gregg Williams, like Nolan a less-than-successful head coach but an outstanding coordinator. The Saints are giving up 16.5 points a game this season after allowing 24.6 in 2008, the reason they were 8-8 despite a near-record season by Drew Brees. Both Brees and the offense are still among the NFL's bests, but credit the defense for the 4-0 record. Also, give an assist to the court in Minneapolis that has been holding up the four-game suspension of the Vikings' Kevin and Pat Williams for nearly a year. The Saints' two defensive ends, Charles Grant and Will Smith, were suspended in the same case and commissioner Roger Goodell has also stayed their suspensions pending the final outcome. That probably won't come this year, a major plus for New Orleans.

6. Brett Favre: Everyone wanted him to go away. Was it five years or six that he waffled about retiring or unretiring? Whoops!. Now that he's joined the Vikings, his arm looks as strong as ever. He made the play of the year to beat the 49ers in the final seconds. He's 40 and playing like 30 for a 5-0 team, which means he'll probably put us through the same Hamlet act next summer.

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Latest NFL Photos

Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, center, pats defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer on the shoulder during visitation for Zimmer's wife, Vikki, in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. Adam Zimmer, son of Mike Zimmer, is shown in the greeting line to the left. Vikki Zimmer died last week. The Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, then gave the game ball to Zimmer in the locker room. (AP Photo/The Cincinnati Enquirer, Michael E. Keating) ** NO SALES **

The Cincinnati Enquirer

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Defensive player Junior Seau answers a reporter's question after the New England Patriots announced they re-signed the 40-year-old linebacker during a media availability at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

Defensive player Junior Seau stands in front of his new locker after the New England Patriots announced they re-signed the 40-year-old linebacker at the NFL football team's facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday morning, Oct. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

This photo provided by Rush Limbaugh shows Limbaugh in his Palm Beach, Fla. radio studio, the last week of Sept., 2009. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he would not tolerate "divisive" comments from an NFL owner like the ones the talk show host made about Donovan McNabb in 2003. And Colts owner Jim Irsay says he would vote to bar Limbaugh if he tries to buy the St. Louis Rams. (AP Photo/Photo courtesy of Rush Limbaugh)

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Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, accompanied by his wife Peggy, lead the delegation arriving by charter bus to attend the visitation for Vikki Zimmer, wife of the Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, in Cincinnati. Vikki Zimmer died last week. The Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, then gave the game ball to Zimmer in the locker room. (AP Photo/The Cincinnati Enquirer, Michael E. Keating) ** NO SALES **

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, left, consoles his daughter Marki outside Holy Cross Church of the Immaculate in Cincinnati, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009. Visitation was held at the church for Zimmer's wife, Vikki Zimmer, who died last week. The Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, then gave the game ball to Zimmer in the locker room. (AP Photo/The Cincinnati Enquirer, Michael E. Keating) ** NO SALES **

In this photo taken on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009, Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne (7) signals at the line of scrimmage as center Jake Grove and guard Justin Smiley (65) get set during an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Miami. With two wins in a row over division rivals, the Dolphins have climbed back into the AFC East race. And they're unbeaten since Henne became their starting quarterback. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards (17) walks off the field after the Jets lost to the Miami Dolphins 31-27 during an NFL football game in Miami Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Bottom 6

27. Cincinnati fans: The Bengals have won four straight and they still haven't bought enough tickets yet to avoid a blackout for Sunday's game against Houston. Even in a down economy ...

28. The Green Bay offensive line: Aaron Rodgers is one of the top 10 QBs in the league. He might be even better if his OL protected him. Rodgers has gone down 20 times in four games, a pace that would hit a record 80 for the season, worse than David Carr's 76 in his rookie season with expansion Houston. Left tackle Chad Clifton has been in and out of the lineup because of injuries and right tackle Alan Barbre has allowed 5 1/2 sacks in four games. That's worse than four TEAMS -- the Colts, Giants, Saints and Falcons. Now Mark Tauscher has been re-signed, 10 months removed from knee surgery. Desperation time.

29. The other Roy Williams: Roy Williams the wideout's biggest contribution to the Cowboys this season was sitting out last week with bruised ribs. That allowed Miles Austin to get his first start and grab 10 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. So maybe Austin is the No. 1 receiver the Cowboys need. Roy was dumped on Dallas after Martin Mayhew succeeded Matt Millen as the Lions' GM. He looks like a No.3 receiver, not the No. 1 the Cowboys thought they were getting. If his injury allowed the Cowboys to find their No. 1, it might be worth it.

30. Eric Mangini: He has to be a mole for the Jets, the team that fired him after last season. He got hired immediately by the Browns (why?) and immediately began to rebuild his old team. First, he traded them the draft pick they used to take Mark Sanchez. Last week he traded them Braylon Edwards for the equivalent of wilting lettuce. Cleveland is 1-4 and the one win was an ugly 6-3 game in which its QB was 2 of 17. But Derek Anderson remains Mangini's QB and Brady Quinn is persona non grata. Mangini is a Belichick clone who can't emulate the master. Or maybe he's doing it: BB was a dud in Cleveland, too.

31. Tennessee: Started 10-0 last season. Now 0-5. It may be less about losing Albert Haynesworth than losing Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator. The defense under Chuck Cecil is leaking everywhere; Kerry Collins looks like the Oakland Kerry -- when he's under pressure, he turns it over. Always has. Jeff Fisher says Collins starts in New England this week. But Vince Young has to get a shot soon.

32. Terrell Owens: Yes, he's behaved relatively well in Buffalo. But 12 catches for 202 yards and one TD is not what the Bills expected (the 1-4 Bills are not what the Bills expected, either, but that's another story.) Owens generated some excitement in camp but it went away quickly when he and the team both performed badly. Realize this: T.O .turns 36 on December 7. Almost all the wonderful wideouts in the class of '96 are either out of football or nearing the end. Out: Marvin Harrison, Keyshawn Johnson, Eddie Kennison, Terry Glenn, Eric Moulds, Amani Toomer. Still left: Owens, Muhsin Muhammad and Bobby Engram. Sorry, but you can't run away from the aging process.

Dirty Dozen: The Season From Top to Bottom, From Broncos to T.O. originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Broncos' Talented Eddie Royal Slowly Adjusting to New Role

Thomas George — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, NFL Analysis

DENVER -- Eddie Royal epitomizes the transition the surprising 5-0 Denver Broncos have made from what they were to what they have, thus far, become.

With the arrival of new head coach Josh McDaniels this season, plenty of Broncos players had to expect adjusted roles this season. But for the few facing a drastic, unexpected change -- a change that may have been hard to buy into initially -- they faced a choice: Sulk and be left behind.

Or accept it. Like McDaniels likes to say -- well, actually demand -- "Do your job."

So, Royal has.

In his second NFL season, Royal, a big-play receiver as a rookie, has morphed into a move-the-chains possession guy. It has not been an easy transition. But against the New England Patriots here on Sunday, it was certainly productive.

Royal made 10 catches for 90 yards against the Patriots -- Nine of them were on Broncos scoring drives, seven were for first downs (including three on third-down), and none was for more than 15 yards.

Eddie Royal out-Welkered the Patriots Wes Welker in Denver's thrilling 20-17 overtime victory.

Eddie Royal's Week 5 Performance
Brandon Marshall had two big TDs for Denver in Sunday's win over New England, but Eddie Royal helped set the table. A look at each of Royal's 10 catches:
Quarter	Down	Field Position	Yards Gained
1	1st-and-10	Denver 20	8
2	3rd-and-2	Denver 18	10
2	1st-and-10	Denver 28	13
2	1st-and-10	NE 33	15
3	2nd-and-8	NE 13	7
4	2nd-and-6	Denver 20	11
4	1st-and-10	NE 42	7
4	3rd-and-3	NE 35	6
OT	2nd-and-3	Denver 38	5
OT	3rd-and-1	NE 48	8

It was the culmination of a stunning, and somewhat stinging, role reversal for Royal.

A second-round pick out of Virginia Tech last year, Royal torched the league in his debut season -- he became the first player since the 1970 merger to provide his team's longest run (71 yards), longest reception (95), longest kickoff return (95) and longest punt return (36) in one season. He caught 91 balls and averaged 10.8 yards per catch as a rookie. Only Arizona's Anquan Boldin (101 in 2003) caught more passes as a rookie in NFL history.

But year two has been much different for Royal.

Enter McDaniels. Enter more short stuff. Do your job.

"It's been humbling," Royal said. "It's been hard. Last year, it was a lot of big plays, and this year it is underneath. I've had to become more physical, learn how to operate in tight spots, do my job and do what I can do to help us win. Take the good, the bad and the ugly. Learn to fight in the way I'm asked, like everyone else."

Former Broncos receiver Rod Smith has been in Royal's ear, much like he's done with Denver's controversial receiver Brandon Marshall. Smith has inspired Royal to think wider -- to accept that he can excel at the dink-and-dunk stuff, even if he feels he's a home-run threat.

"Eddie is a receiver with great speed and can run by anybody," Smith said. "You go from catching 90-plus balls and doing that to what his role is now? Man, that's tough for an NFL receiver. It's huge. But he is understanding now that this is a totally different scheme and a totally different building and franchise. It's like a worker who one day walked into Microsoft and the next day walked into Mac -- the whole building and attitude and philosophy and structure have changed with Josh.

"For a young player, you have one year one way, that is your NFL experience, and now you have a totally different role. I tell him, some games you might catch one or two balls and some days 10 or 12. It's about pride. Don't let it beat you. He is loved here by the fans and his teammates. He's a football player. He's a winning football player."

In Royal's first four games this season, he caught eight balls for 58 yards. His average yards per catch has dipped to 8.2 yards this season, and he's yet to catch a touchdown pass -- he caught five in 2008.

But Royal is not alone in needing to adjust, said Broncos sixth-year linebacker D.J. Williams.

"Everybody is starting to buy into the fact that it does not matter if your numbers are down or different if we are winning," Williams said. "We have fewer players worrying about making the Pro Bowl and getting individual honors and more guys putting the team first. I know on defense, that is a big part of what is transpiring. Everybody gets a turn to make a play. Just do your job and your time comes."

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Denver Broncos Photos

DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Wide reciever Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos makes a pass reception and is tackled by Leigh Bodden #23 of the New England Patriots during NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eddie Royal;Leigh Bodden

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Denver Broncos Photos

Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno takes a direct snap as the Broncos run the Wildcat offense in the first quarter against the New England Patriots in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. The Broncos won 20-17 in overtime. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels salutes the crowd after the Broncos defeated the New England Patriots 20-17 in overtime in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) breaks up a possible interception by New England Patriots' Shawn Springs (29) in overtime in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. The Broncos won 20-17. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider)

Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno breaks into the secondary as he carries the ball during overtime for an 11-yard gain against the New England Patriots during an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. The Broncos beat the New England Patriots 20-17. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton sets up to throw a pass during overtime against the New England Patriots in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. Denver beat New England 20-17. (AP Photo/ Chris Schneider )

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Denver Broncos' Jack Williams salutes the crowd after the Broncos beat the New England Patriots 20-17 in overtime during an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider )

DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Members of the Denver Broncos huddle against the New England Patriots during an NFL game at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Wes Welker #83 of the New England Patriots lies on the ground after missing a pass as Champ Bailey #24 and D.J. Williams #55 of the Denver Broncos look on during an NFL game at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wes Welker;Champ Bailey;D.J. Williams

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Wes Welker #83 of the New England Patriots can't catch a pass as Champ Bailey #24 of the Denver Broncos defends during an NFL game at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Wes Welker;Champ Bailey

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DENVER - OCTOBER 11: Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos passes against the New England Patriots during an NFL game at Invesco Field at Mile High on October 11, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Orton

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For Royal, that is a lesson that he still needs to master. At 23 years old, the 5-foot-10, 186-pound Royal has the potential to be explosive -- he's so quick, so elusive. He has all the makings of a big-play producer and a deep route runner, but has spent 2009 as a hook and curl guy.

But that is the beauty of the NFL, and the wonder of watching youth bloom.

As the Broncos move forward, Royal will likely get his chance to do some of what he loves. Some games will dictate that.

McDaniels said of Royal's effort against the Patriots: "It was just some of the scheme they were using. A lot of reads took us to Eddie on the weak side. That is kind of the way this offense goes. We don't force it to anybody, and they told us to throw it to Eddie Royal and he did a great job."

McDaniels specifically defines roles -- some of the Broncos are still swallowing that approach. Eddie Royal, for now, is a possession receiver.

And the Broncos are unbeaten heading to San Diego next week.

"We've got a lot of new, fresh ideas, new roles for a lot of people, and it's working," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "I think the key is for everyone to remain settled and calm and keep working their roles. We've been able to do that while winning, and that sure helps the process."

A humbled Royal is big for the Broncos.

"I've always been a big-play receiver," Royal said. "I'm something different right now. I didn't have a clue after last year that it was going to be like this.

"But we play a team game. And we play for each other."

Broncos' Talented Eddie Royal Slowly Adjusting to New Role originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Josh McDaniels, Underdog Broncos Land Major Blow With Upset of Patriots

Thomas George — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:55:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Patriots

DENVER -- After both teams had rerouted receivers enough, inserted personnel groupings aplenty, forced an underneath, long-haul offensive game and pushed the matchups gimmicks to the edge, only one team had one extra play in it. One extra kick.

And that was the Broncos.

It was a 20-17 overtime victory for Denver here against the mighty New England Patriots that legitimized the Broncos' now 5-0 season. After all, the Patriots were favored to dump the Broncos in their own yard at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.

"None of us liked being the underdog at home,'' Broncos receiver Jabar Gaffney said. "It was important to set the record straight on that.''

The Broncos had beaten the Bengals and Browns and Raiders and Cowboys. But the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick, the mentor of new Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, would serve as a different measuring stick.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen used the word "legitimize'' in the locker room afterward.

Anyone watching McDaniels after this victory -- pumping his fist in the air, milking the crowd, eagerly showing his enthusiasm and just what this victory meant -- knew that McDaniels gained something special from it, too.

You'd be a fool not to realize it meant a little more to him,'' Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. "It means a lot anytime you beat somebody who means a lot to you.''

Gaffney, who has played for both coaches, added: "(McDaniels) was hyped. It was big. He thinks the world of Belichick. And now he has beaten him.''

Even McDaniels later fessed up about how this game would prove a test to what he brought to Denver and how it would work against the man who taught him. McDaniels said about it being just another game: "I lied.''

We already knew.

So did Bowlen.

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NFL Throwback Uniforms

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American Football League (AFL), several teams have worn throwback uniforms this year. Tom Brady's New England Patriots were one of four teams in retro duds for Week 5. Click through to check out the rest.

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Image,

NFL Throwback Uniforms

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Image,

Denver Broncos or Wyoming Cowboys? The Broncos' AFL eyesores looked very similar to those currently worn by Wyoming of the Mountain West conference. Ugly or not, they worked -- Denver upset New England in overtime.

Barry Gutierrez, AP

At first glance, the Kansas City Chiefs' uniforms on Sunday, which they sported for an overtime loss to the Cowboys, didn't look that dissimilar from their current gear. But looks can be deceiving ...

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

... While the Chiefs got to keep their red and white on, they also wore the helmet of the Dallas Texans -- the AFL squad that moved to K.C. after 1962. It made for an odd scene with "Dallas" playing Dallas in Kansas City.

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

The Rams wore what may be the most recognizable of all the throwbacks, suiting up in their well-known yellow and blue jerseys with the ram-horn helmet. It's a look that St. Louis still has in the rotation as an alternate jersey.

Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

He saw his young coach's fist-pumping antics and leap into his players' arms after Matt Prater nailed a 41-yard field goal in a game that took 64 minutes and 51 seconds to finish. One that left the Patriots 3-2.

"It does legitimize us now,'' Bowlen said. "When I sat down with Josh, an hour into the interview, I saw that same enthusiasm and excitement. Give him five more years and maybe he will grow up.''

Dawkins countered, "Naw. We'll take him just as he is. I was convinced when he came here that he would do great. I remember the great chess matches we had with him when I was in Philadelphia with (then-Eagles defensive coordinator) Jim Johnson. It was back and forth, you counter this with that. A lot of that was going on out there today.''

Belichick said the Broncos, McDaniels' Broncos, gave the Patriots matchup issues.

"That's a good football team,'' Belichick said. "There were a lot of substitutions and a lot of tying to match up. They do a good job of moving people around and creating tough matchups.''

New England jumped to a 17-7 halftime lead.

But in the second half and overtime the Patriots were held scoreless. They were 0-for-7 on third-down conversions.
"You'd be a fool not to realize it meant a little more to him. It means a lot anytime you beat somebody who means a lot to you."
-- Champ Bailey
"While the Patriots' offense was melting, the Broncos' offense picked and plucked away. It produced a 12-play, 66-yard drive midway through the third quarter that resulted in a field goal and cut New England's lead to 17-10. It tied the game on a 12-play, 98-yard fourth-quarter drive that was capped by Brandon Marshall's 11-yard scoring catch. And its winning field-goal drive in overtime was 11 plays for 58 yards.

It was orchestrated by quarterback Kyle Orton, who threw some nice balls in some tight spots and kept reading the jumbled Patriots defense to find just the right matchup. On his two scores it was Marshall, this beast of a receiver in man coverage who he mangled his defender at the goal line both times. On several gains for first downs it was Orton to receiver Eddie Royal, who was masterful underneath in his 10-catch, 90-yard day.

"We have a good thing going right now,'' Orton said.

Royal outplayed the Patriots' Wes Welker, who usually stars in the underneath role.

Orton outplayed Tom Brady.

This is what McDaniels meant when he shipped Jay Cutler out and opted for Orton. This is what he wanted. A quarterback who will put the ball where McDaniels wants it, into the hands of the player he wants it, where the design calls exactly for that. Little of the freelancing, please. Do your job.

Orton did.

He was 35-of-48 for 330 passsing yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Brady threw for only 215 yards.

"The whole second half,'' said Bailey, "the defensive game plan became more about getting to Brady. I think that changed the game in our favor. We started making him move more and rush more throws.''

And that happened the last time the Patriots had the football with a meaningful chance to win it, with 1:37 left in regulation. They were at the Denver 49, a second-and-8 play. Defensive end Vonnie Holliday crashed through and sacked Brady for a 6-yard loss, Brady fumbled and the Broncos snatched it.

For overtime, the Patriots called tails.

It was heads.

Broncos ball.

Wham, bam, kick, game.

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"Huge, it's my first one,'' McDaniels said about winning the overtime coin flip. "We wanted to be aggressive. We weren't going to sit there and be careful in overtime. We wanted to throw the ball at them and try to move it down there and not let them have the ball. I think that's the best formula to use against Tom Brady and the Patriots.''

It also happens to be the best formula to use against Belichick.

Beat him to the punch. In this instance, the kick.

Legitimized. On all fronts.

What a mountain climbed by the Broncos. They beat New England despite losing the turnover battle 2-1. The Patriots were 53-0 in games where they had won the turnover battle. That string stretched back to 2002.

McDaniels knew this was extraordinary. He said he was fist-pumping, in particular, toward the upper tier box in the stadium where his family sits.

"It doesn't mean much if you can't share it with somebody,'' he said.

McDaniels and Belichick used to share these kinds of moments.

No more. They are opposites now. Surely, they will meet again. There will be more scores to settle.

But McDaniels can always remember he landed the first punch.

A knockout.

Josh McDaniels, Underdog Broncos Land Major Blow With Upset of Patriots originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Patriots at Broncos

R.J. White — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Patriots, FanHouse Previews

It's not very often you'll find a 4-0 team as a home underdog against a non-undefeated team, but that's exactly the scenario that has played out. New England's only road game this season was in New York, where the Jet defense completely stifled the New England offense as the team handed the Patriots their only loss of the season. No defense has played better than that of the Denver Broncos, and the team has given up just 26 points combined over the first four games of the season. Sure, a couple of those games were against Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell-led teams, but you can only beat the teams you play, and Denver has done a great job of that this year.

More Previews: Falcons-49ers | Texans-Cards | Jaguars-Seahawks

Three Key Questions:

1. With starter Correll Buckhalter out with an ankle injury, is Knowshon Moreno ready to be the man?

2. Can the New England offensive line slow down the aggressive, big-play Denver pass rush?

3. Is Wes Welker finally healthy enough to return to excelling in the New England offense?

Player in the Spotlight: Champ Bailey. The grizzled veteran looked like his old self in last week's win over the Cowboys, completely taking over in the fourth quarter and swatting balls away from Dallas receivers at will. There's a big leap in talent from Roy Williams and the Dallas receiving corps to Randy Moss. The last time these two teams met, Moss caught two touchdown passes en route to a 41-7 shellacking of the Broncos. If Moss catches two touchdowns again this week, Bailey and the Denver secondary have failed. The key will be Denver's ability to put pressure on the quarterback, and Bailey's ability to continue his renaissance.

New England's Path to Victory: With Fred Taylor likely out for the season, the multi-talented New England rushing committee has gotten a bit smaller. Taylor led the team with 201 rushing yards and a 4.5 yards-per-carry average, and no other Patriot back has even 100 yards on the season. The Patriots will have to exploit the Broncos' aggressiveness with quick passes to Welker, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk, the latter two veteran running backs. I wouldn't be surprised to see the two of them in the backfield together much of the day, as both are good blockers and great receivers. Once the linebackers and safeties have to turn their attention to stopping the short running game, that's when Moss will look to break one.

Denver's Path to Victory: New England is third in the league in time-of-possession, holding the ball for over 35 minutes on average in a game. For Denver to win, they'll have to keep the ball away from that methodical New England offense. The Patriot defense has only managed one interception through the first four games, despite facing young QBs Trent Edwards, Mark Sanchez, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. As long as Kyle Orton protects the football and doesn't try forcing bad passes, Denver should be able to win the ball-control game. From there, it's a matter of Moreno making would-be tacklers miss and the defense containing the short passing game of New England.

Prediction: In a Week 5 filled with uninteresting games, this battle stands head and shoulders above the rest. People proclaimed Dallas as the first real test for the Denver defense, and that test was passed with flying colors. Yet some remain unconvinced. I say that none know the intricacies of the New England offense better than Denver coach Josh McDaniels, and it will be up to New England coach Bill Belichick to stay one step ahead. Does he have the personnel to keep up, or will the student overtake the master? Snow is in the forecast, which favors the home team here. Denver 24, New England 14.

FanHouse Preview: Patriots at Broncos originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Between the Lines Notes: Seneca Wallace Needs to Throw It Away

JJ Cooper — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:47:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Broncos, Dolphins, Seahawks, NFL Analysis

Every week we're taking a look at sacks around the league. We looked at Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' sack problem in our main Between the Lines feature this week, but here are some other notes from Week Four.

o. If a Dan Marino-style quick release is an offensive lineman's best friend, Seneca Wallace is becoming a lineman's worst nightmare. Wallace stepped out of bounds for a sack on a play where he could have easily thrown the ball away for an incompletion for the second time in two games. In this case, Wallace rolled out of the pocket and had plenty of time to throw. Eventually linebacker Freddy Keiaho, who wasn't a rusher on the play, came up to force Wallace to make up his mind. Instead of simply tossing the ball out of bounds (he was out of the pocket so any pass beyond the line of scrimmage would have not drawn an intentional grounding penalty), Wallace stepped out of bounds five yards behind the line of scrimmage. It goes into the books as the easiest sack of Keiaho's career, and clearly angered the Seahawks' offensive line--center Chris Spencer is seen throwing up his arms in disbelief at the end of the play.
There are only two logical explanations I can think of for Wallace's ill-advised stepouts. There's the possibility that he has not been properly coached to throw the ball away, or there's the option that he's avoiding adding an incomplete pass to his stat line, even if it costs the Seahawks some yardage. Neither one is good for the Seahawks.

o. Joey Porter is 32 years old and Jason Taylor is 35 so the Dolphins need to start planning for their replacements. If Cameron Wake's first start is any indication, Miami should have one of those outside linebacker spots filled.

The former CFL star picked up three sacks in his first-ever start last Sunday. He had a favorable matchup, as he abused Bills fill-in tackle Kirk Chambers. Wake showed the speed to beat Chambers to the corner, but he also showed the power to drive Chambers back into quarterback Trent Edwards on one of his three sacks. It didn't hurt that Wake got to face Chambers in his first start of the season, but his speed and power gives Miami a third edge rusher to worry about.

o. Patrick Willis' 2 1/2 sack day was one of the more impressive pass-rushing performances of the season. On two of Willis' sacks, he timed the snap count perfectly to give Kyle Boller no chance to flee. On his first sack tailback Steven Jackson (who was supposed to pick up the blitz) had barely gotten out of his stance before Willis had wrapped up Boller only 1.4 seconds after the snap (that's the fourth quickest sack of the season).

The Broncos' improved defense is one of the stories of the first month of the season, and Elvis Dumervill's eight sacks are a big part of that newfound success. But the way Dumervill has gotten those sacks also explains why the Broncos' defense has improved.

In the past, the Broncos have shifted philosophies and schemes as frequently as Brett Favre changes his mind. But this year, new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has installed the 3-4 and has worked to get Denver's best players into favorable matchups.

Dumervill is clearly one of the Broncos best players, and Nolan has done a very good job of scheming to get him shots at the quarterback. Dumervill has two sacks when lined up against left tackles (Pro Bowler Joe Thomas and Flozell Adams), four against right tackles (three against John St. Clair and one against Cornell Green) and two against running backs (Deon Anderson and Michael Bush). By moving him around, Nolan has found tackles who can't handle Dumervill's speed (like St. Clair) and he's also managed to get him matched up against running backs.

Between the Lines Notes: Seneca Wallace Needs to Throw It Away originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brandon Marshall's TD Lifts Broncos to a 17-10 Win, Casts Aside His Discontent

Nancy Gay — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:20:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Cowboys

DENVER -- Wherever Brandon Marshall had been hiding throughout much of the Denver Broncos' 17-10 victory over the overhyped Dallas Cowboys at Invesco Field on Sunday, quarterback Kyle Orton was able to find him at the most opportune time.

With just under two minutes remaining and the score tied 10-10, Orton connected with Marshall along the right sideline on a stunning 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass with 1:46 remaining, a play that may help doubters understand how the once-overlooked Broncos are now among the NFL's elite teams at 4-0.

"Yes! Yes!" Marshall screamed as kicker Matt Prater's PAT sailed through to give the Broncos a 17-10 advantage that they would preserve when cornerback Champ Bailey smacked away a potential game-tying Tony Romo touchdown pass to Sam Hurd on 4th down at the Denver 2-yard line in the closing seconds.

So it seems the preseason of Marshall's discontent has now given way to an all-for-one attitude with everyone in the Broncos' organization.

The first guy to hug Marshall on the sideline was rookie coach Josh McDaniels -- the same guy Marshall seemed so intent on alienating throughout a preseason in which the tempestuous receiver made numerous trade demands.

"It was probably one of the most emotional plays ever since Little League, and I had a bunch of them," said Marshall, who did not have a catch until the 5:06 mark of the third quarter. "I'm just grateful that we were able to capitalize on that look."

He finished with four catches for 91 yards, but the fourth quarter touchdown will be talked about for a long time in Denver, where fans are rejoicing the Broncos' first 4-0 start since 2003.

Matched up man-to-man against Cowboys left cornerback Terence Newman along the right sideline, Marshall executed a textbook inside release to get open and snare Orton's slightly underthrown pass.

Marshall cut inside, escaped the clutches of Ken Hamlin and Newman at the 15-yard line and outran nose tackle Jay Ratliff into the end zone. Newman complained afterward that Marshall held his jersey on the initial release.

"I could have swore it was going to be a penalty at the start," Newman said.

Instead, it was Marshall carving his way through Dallas' defense and taking advantage of a great block by tight end Daniel Graham to make a play that -- by all appearances -- made all the training camp drama seem like a rumor.

"Again, hats off to coach [McDaniels]," Marshall said. "He does a great job of preparing us for situational football, and that was a situation where we knew what personnel was on the field and what they do with that personnel. Before we even came out of the huddle, me and Kyle were on the same page and we took advantage of it."

Is Marshall a McDaniels believer now?

"You never heard me say anything [bad] about him coaching, or what he brings to the organization," Marshall said.

"I never complained about not being a part of the offense. I think when you take a new coaching staff and new players -- it is almost a new team -- it takes time to get that chemistry. You are not going to get that overnight. We still have a lot of work to do. I didn't expect to come into the season and put up huge numbers. I just need to play my position and do my job, and everything will be all right."

Orton, who was maligned during the preseason for his lack of execution, has yet to turn over the ball in the regular season. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, including a 9-yard scoring pass to rookie Knowshon Moreno in the second quarter.

The Broncos' top-ranked defense did a superb job of surrounding Romo and forcing the Cowboys quarterback to throw from the pocket -- where he is least comfortable -- and dumping him for five sacks. Elvis Dumervil had two of them, giving him eight sacks for the season and tying him for the league lead with Antwan Odom of the Bengals.

The containment plan worked. Romo fumbled twice -- losing one, which the Broncos converted into the Moreno TD catch -- and he threw an interception. The more Denver's linebackers and defensive backs chipped at him, the less accurate Romo became.

Dallas' running game also stalled, with Marion Barber and Tashard Choice combining for just 74 yards on 25 carries, with 18 of those rushes coming in the first half. Barber had only one touch in the final two quarters, and Denver's offense was held to 315 total yards.

On the Cowboys' final drive with just over a minute remaining, Romo kept it interesting by hooking up with Hurd on a 53-yard catch-and-run reception that helped move Dallas to prime scoring position.

But the Cowboys challenged one of the NFL's top cover cornerbacks in Bailey with the game on the line -- and it cost them dearly.

"I welcome it! Please do!" Bailey exclaimed about Romo throwing his way so often. "That's the only way that I get a chance to make plays."

So is all well now in Denver? It seems that way, with a 4-0 record. A Week 5 home game against the 3-1 New England Patriots will be a another test of where the resurgent Broncos are.

But McDaniels said the early Broncos doubters have to realize his team has a special resilience that is tough to beat.

"What other people thought about our team, what other people who are less educated than the ones inside the building thought about our team, doesn't really provide us with any reason to feel anything," McDaniels said. "It doesn't really matter."

Brandon Marshall's TD Lifts Broncos to a 17-10 Win, Casts Aside His Discontent originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jerry Jones: Give 4-0 Broncos Credit, Rather Than Bash 2-2 Cowboys

Nancy Gay — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Cowboys

DENVER -- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones tried to drown his sorrows in orange slices Sunday, grabbing them for sustenance in a stunned Dallas locker room as he contemplated his team's 17-10 loss to the undefeated Denver Broncos.

The NFL's top-ranked defense had harassed quarterback Tony Romo all afternoon at Invesco Field, stuffed Dallas' rushing attack and openly challenged cover cornerback Champ Bailey time after time. That proved to be the Cowboys' biggest mistake in a game filled with them.

More: Discontent No More, Marshall Saves the Day | Check Box Score

With one second remaining, Bailey swatted down what might have been a game-tying Romo touchdown pass to Sam Hurd at fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, sending the crowd of 76,440 into a frenzy over their 4-0 team in Denver.

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And Jones -- who could not have imagined his franchise could be 2-2 at this point -- tried to deflect what will be a difficult week of scrutiny for Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Romo, who missed receivers badly, threw an interception, lost a fumble and was sacked five times.

"We're 2-2 and I'm not going to sit here and look like we've lost the Super Bowl," Jones said. "That's just not called for here. It's not in me. I'm going to give Denver a lot of credit. There is a reason they are 4-0. They hung in there. Stayed with it."

Dallas, despite rushing 25 times for only 74 yards and getting a 1-yard touchdown run from gimpy running back Marion Barber (11 attempts, 41 yards) maintained a 10-7 advantage until 5:58 of the fourth quarter.

The Broncos tied the game on a 28-yard Matt Prater field goal, then jumped ahead on Brandon Marshall's eye-popping 51-yard touchdown catch from Kyle Orton with 1:46 remaining.

"We could possibly have gotten up another score while we had that lead, and didn't. Give (the Broncos) some credit," a red-faced Jones said in a staggered Dallas locker room. "We knew before we played them that they were going to be tough to move the ball on. Whatever the reason, we didn't run the ball well - obviously I don't need to tell you that - in the second half."

Barber, who is nursing a thigh injury, had only one touch in the second half. Jones said he didn't know if anything was wrong with his top running back.

"Not that I'm aware of," said Jones, who conceded he was surprised by that because Barber had played well in the opening quarter. "I haven't had time to be surprised; I know of nothing (wrong with Barber) and I usually know. I didn't hear anything that I needed to know about Marion."

Jerry Jones: Give 4-0 Broncos Credit, Rather Than Bash 2-2 Cowboys originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Seymour Fined for Pulling Hair

Michael David Smith — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:20:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Raiders

Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour has been fined $7,500 for pulling the hair of Denver Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady on Sunday, a cheap shot that Seymour proudly described afterward as "no mistake."

The fine is surprisingly low, considering how dirty a play it was on Seymour's part -- it was a totally unnecessary and unsportsmanlike maneuver that came after a play on which Seymour also stuck his hand inside Clady's facemask and jumped on him on the ground. Seymour was called for a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the play.

Seymour showed no remorse afterward: When a reporter asked him whether he might have accidentally gotten his hand caught up in Clady's dreadlocks, Seymour said, "It was no mistake." When he was then pressed to explain, Seymour said, "It wasn't no mistake, brother. Next question."

During play on the field, a player's hair is considered the same as his jersey, so it's not a personal foul to pull an opponent's hair. But pulling hair after a play is against the rules -- and obviously against any concept of what constitutes good sportsmanship -- and Seymour is lucky to get off with such a relatively small fine.

Do you think a $7,500 fine is sufficient punishment? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Richard Seymour Fined for Pulling Hair originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A 3-0 Start? As Last Season Showed, That Means Very Little

Dave Goldberg — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Colts, Jets, Giants, Ravens, Saints, Vikings, NFL Analysis

The NFL loves parity. There's just not much of it so far this season.

There are currently seven unbeaten teams and seven winless ones -- including Carolina, 0-3 after losing Monday night's game in the Jerry Jones Pleasure Dome. There also were seven and seven in 2002. The most 3-0 teams to start a season? Eight in 1998, when the NFL had 30 franchises.

Still, even for those off to perfect starts, nothing is guaranteed.

Historically, about three-quarters of 3-0 teams make the playoffs. But last season, five teams won their first three games and only two, the Titans and Giants, made it. Dallas finished 9-7, Denver 8-8 and Buffalo 7-9.

It should get back to a more normal percentage this year.

Of the 3-0 teams, only the Jets and Broncos are a surprise -- Denver seemed in turmoil entering the season, and New York's expectations were the limited ones you expect with a rookie quarterback. The Ravens, Giants, Vikings and Colts were all considered at least contenders -- if not favorites -- in their divisions, and the Saints needed only to find a semblance of a defense to have a playoff season. .

One other note: The cliche about defense winning championships seems to be true. Although early stats often mean little because schedules vary, unbeaten teams are 1-2-3-4 in yards allowed: Broncos, Giants, Jets and Vikings in that order. And the Ravens' D may be better than all of them.

A look at the 3-0 teams:

o. BALTIMORE: Always an intimidating defense, even with Rex Ryan having gone to the Jets and taken Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard with him.

But look at the offense, a problem since the Ravens' first season in Baltimore 14 years ago. Joe Flacco might be the best second-year QB since Peyton Manning in 1999, and there are three premier running backs, including fullback Le'Ron McClain. A healthy Ray Rice has 192 yards rushing, and the competition has rejuvenated Willis McGahee, who has 190 yards and is averaging 5.9 per carry, a full two yards more than last season. McGahee also leads the league with six touchdowns, five on the ground.

PROGNOSIS: A game ahead of the Bengals and two over the Steelers, who remain the primary competition in the AFC North. It will be hard for the Ravens to miss the postseason.

o. NEW YORK GIANTS: The defense, without four injured starters, returned Sunday in Tampa, holding the Bucs to one first down and just 35 offensive yards in the first 50 minutes. A few garbage yards late gave Tampa Bay 86 total for the game. Problems running and stopping the run in Dallas? Not against the admittedly awful Bucs -- 226 yards rushing for New York, compared to 28 allowed.

Steve Smith and Mario Manningham (with injured rookie Hakeem Nicks in the wings) are answering the questions at wide receiver. Smith's 23 catches are second in the NFL.

PROGNOSIS: With two division wins already, and Tampa the beginning of the softest part of the schedule -- Kansas City and Oakland are next -- the Giants are in good shape in a division with at least two other tough teams, most notably Philadelphia.

o. MINNESOTA: If we didn't know why the Vikings were so anxious to have Brett Favre, we know now. Game manager? Does anyone think Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels could have executed the last-minute drive that beat the 49ers? That winning 32-yard TD pass to Greg Lewis was drilled almost 50 yards on a line -- 7-8 yards behind the line of scrimmage to the back line of the end zone. And kudos to Lewis for the catch -- given Tom Brady's lack of rapport with Joey Galloway and Sam Aiken, it might have been a rare mistake by Bill Belichick to let him go from New England.

The Favre-Lewis play overshadowed the work of Percy Harvin, whose 101-yard kickoff return was another highlight. Given the strength of the defense, adding another playmaker to Adrian Peterson makes Minnesota scary.

PROGNOSIS: The Vikings are simply better right now than Chicago and Green Bay, the competition in NFC North. But that can change if Favre, who will turn 40 on Oct. 10, goes down -- he's acknowledged that he might be good for only 10-11 games.

o. INDIANAPOLIS: Ho hum. So Manning lost Marvin Harrison and (temporarily) Anthony Gonzalez. Enter Austin Collie, Donald Brown and Pierre Garcon (and please, hold the increasingly trite French jokes -- he was born in Carmel, N.Y.and grew up in Florida.) The defense still gives up a lot of yards, but that Miami game is classic Colts -- a win with 14:53 time of possession

"He knew what plays to call at the right time and we couldn't stop him," Arizona's Darnell Dockett said after Manning torched the Cardinals 34-10 Sunday night.

We've heard that one before.

PROGNOSIS: As always, the Colts will finish 12-4 or better. With a questionable defense (as always), they're on their own in the playoffs.

o. NEW ORLEANS: Drew Brees threw nine TD passes in two games, then none in Buffalo. But the game against the Bills demonstrated more about the Saints' playoff potential than wins over Detroit and a hobbled Philly team. That's because Pierre Thomas' running, 14 carries for 126 yards and two TDs, carried them.

The defense also held up well, although the Bills are hardly the NFL's most potent offense. But it was still the kind of showing the Saints needed -- a nice win in outdoor weather against a physical opponent.

PROGNOSIS: Too many offensive weapons not to win the NFC South, where if Carolina's slide continues, Atlanta is the only other contender. The next two games will tell a lot: the Jets, then the Giants after a bye. Both are at home, which should help a lot.

o. NEW YORK JETS. For all the hype about Mark Sanchez, the first rookie quarterback to start 3-0 since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, the Jets are doing it with defense. They pressed a still rusty Tom Brady in Week 2. And on Sunday, they did to Kerry Collins what more teams should do -- pressured him endlessly, even at the end of a 24-17 win, when most teams would play soft on defense. Looking as immobile as ever, Collins missed on his last 13 passes.

If the Jets make the playoffs, Rex Ryan's aggressive defenses will be the reason. Sanchez has been solid so far, but all rookies make mistakes and the receiving corps is just ordinary.

PROGNOSIS: The Jets just might do what they might have done last season before Favre got hurt and faded -- win the AFC East. Their win over New England will help, although the Patriots figure to get better as Brady returns to form. But every win helps -- if there's no division title, there still could be a wild-card spot.

o. DENVER: Clearly the biggest surprise among this group. A 32-year-old coach, Josh McDaniels, arrives in town, gets into a tiff with his franchise QB and finally trades him. Then his franchise receiver plays ultra diva and is suspended for two exhibition games. The defense, one of the NFL's worst last season, is expected to remain vulnerable, and the new QB seems to be basically a placeholder.

So after three games, the defense, under deposed San Francisco coach Mike Nolan, has allowed just one touchdown and three field goals, best in the league and best in team history. It leads with league with only 214 yards allowed and has eight takeaways and a plus-six turnover differential.

PROGNOSIS: The Broncos won with a lucky bounce in Cincinnati and beat Cleveland and Oakland, two of the league's worst. They could be 3-3 after Dallas, New England and San Diego. If they come out of that with even one win -- especially if it's the Chargers -- they might be a legit contender in the AFC West.

COACHING CHANGES?

There will be NONE in the immediate future, although to monitor Twitter, you'd think everyone with a losing record is in danger. And there's a huge media circus going on at Redskins Park.

But nothing is likely to happen there despite an ugly Week 2 win over St. Louis followed by Sunday's 19-14 loss in Detroit that ended the Lions' 19-game winless streak..

Two people who have spoken directly with Daniel Snyder confirm he has no plans to fire Jim Zorn right now, at least in part because there's no replacement available.

Next year? Bill Cowher seems less likely a candidate than Mike Shanahan. But Cowher, Shanahan and everyone else out there know, as Tony Dungy pointed out on NBC Sunday night, that Snyder is running the team like a fantasy franchise. So whoever gets the job will want a new GM to replace Vinny Cerrato, who mostly does Snyder's bidding.

Nor is Randy Lerner going to fire Eric Mangini in Cleveland. Maybe Lerner shouldn't have hired him, but three games is hardly a fair sample.

As for Bucs fans ranting about Raheem Morris ...

Give the guy a chance. He had to tear down to rebuild the aging team he inherited from Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen. Yes, they were pathetic against the Giants on Sunday and they might be better off trying Josh Johnson at QB for Byron Leftwich. But even that's a question -- the mini-drive of about 50 yards that Johnson engineered came with the game way out of hand and New York backups in the game playing a soft defense.

A 3-0 Start? As Last Season Showed, That Means Very Little originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Updating the 'No Receivers' Argument

Matt Snyder — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Broncos, NFL Quarterbacks

When Jay Cutler was traded to Chicago, there was an instant line drawn in the proverbial sand. Everyone from professional sports writers to the most casual of fans had opinions. Those who wanted to argue it was a bad move for the Bears had several points. Some of them were valid, but one of them in particular always drove me bonkers.

"Who is he going to throw to?" "He's going to hate life without Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal." Etc.

We were treated to some derivative of this rendition at every turn from those in the anti-Jay camp. It's not that I believe a quarterback is the only reason receivers play well (see Calvin Johnson for evidence they can thrive without one), but I firmly believe quarterbacks make receivers more so than receivers make quarterbacks. You can't make Josh McCown into a superstar by providing him with Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson. On the other hand, you can make Brandon Stokley into a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown receiver with Peyton Manning.

After two weeks, we're seeing the beginning stages of my vindication. It's admittedly a small sample, but the numbers are taking shape and it's not pretty for Royal and Marshall.

Royal had 91 catches for 980 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. He got two bombs (59 and 93 yards, respectively). This year, with new quarterback Kyle Orton, Royal has just 5 catches for 38 yards in two games. His longest catch has gone for 11 yards.

Marshall had 206 catches and over 2,500 yards the previous two seasons with Cutler. In 2009, he's caught just 7 balls for 61 yards. His yards per reception average is down almost four yards. His yards per game average is down more than 50 yards. Granted, he's been in the doghouse, but he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire when in the game.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Bears have seen Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox post better stat-lines.

Entering the season, the Bears were maligned for having a "glorified punt returner" masquerading as their top receiver. Through two games, Hester has made 8 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. He's drastically improved his route running and made some solid catches underneath -- meaning he's not just a deep threat.

Bennett, a third round draft pick in 2008 who didn't make a single catch as a rookie, has already amassed 9 catches for 88 yards.

Knox was a fifth round pick by the Bears this season -- 139 players were chosen before Knox. He's already accrued 8 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown (which tied the game in the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh). He caught a 68-yard bomb in Week 1 which would have been the longest completed pass of Orton's Chicago career.

Sure, two weeks is an incredibly small sample, but it's easy to see that Cutler had a big hand in making Royal and Marshall and he's already having a similar effect in Chicago. Meanwhile, "Captain Checkdown" is killing Royal and Marshall's value while hammering the underneath routes of Stokley, Jabar Gaffney and Daniel Graham. That may cut it against the Browns, but it sure won't against most of the rest of the league.

We heard similar "who's he gonna throw to?" arguments about the New York Giants with Eli Manning losing Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress. Yet he seemed to handle the passing attack just fine Sunday night with Mario Manningham and Steve Smith.

As for the wins and losses argument -- which was another that drove me nuts -- give it a few more weeks. The Bears just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, the Broncos won one game on the flukiest play we've seen in years and another by taking down arguably the worst team in football at home. They are hardly world-beaters with Orton at the helm. After a trip to Oakland, where it won't be easy, the Broncos get the Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers, Ravens and Steelers. Thus, it would appear Denver should savor their early success while they still can. If the Broncos romp through those games with a winning record, I'll admit I was wrong about Orton. Until then, save it.

Meanwhile, Cutler and the Bears get the Seahawks (without Matt Hasselbeck) and Lions before heading to their bye. As long as they play the way they did Sunday and not how they did in Green Bay, the Cutler era will be off to a great start.

Updating the 'No Receivers' Argument originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Schaub, Texans Working on Trust

Thomas George — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:45:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Jets, Ravens, Texans, NFL Notebook

NASHVILLE -- Matt Schaub displayed something for one of his teammates Sunday that he has been seeking throughout his time with the Houston Texans. It's not something that comes easily in the NFL, but Schaub concluded he would give it in order to receive it -- trust.

After Texans safety Eugene Wilson picked off Kerry Collins and returned the ball 13 yards to the Tennessee 29, Schaub threw a pass deep left to third-year receiver Jacoby Jones. Jones, wide open, dropped it. It was early in the second quarter. Houston trailed 21-14.

"Jacoby is a guy who's got swagger, and you want him to keep that, because he plays his best with it,'' Schaub explained. "He had that look after he dropped it; he was getting down on himself. You can't shy away from a player you believe in. I went right back to him.''

Next play -- wham! A 29-yard touchdown pass to Jones. A rifle pass, an assertive catch. A tie game.

And later,with the game tied at 31-31 in the fourth quarter, Schaub found Jones for a 44-yard connection to the Titans 24 that set up Kris Brown's winning field goal. Houston 34, Tennessee 31.

Schaub kept coming back to the player he believed in, and it paid off. He wants that same level of trust from the franchise.

It is not easy for the Texans -- or their fans -- to give that. Given the bust by No. 1 pick David Carr seven years ago, and the futility and frustration that followed, the Texans have had their share of quarterback quandaries. Schaub arrived in 2007 with another high price tag: two second-round Texans draft picks and a swap of first-round draft spots in '07 with the Atlanta Falcons.

Schaub started 2-0 in his first season and looked like Houston's answer.

But injuries and blotchy play, a couple of 8-8 seasons and a scary-bad outing in the Texans' Week 1 loss to the Jets left Schaub wondering if the Texans would keep coming back to him, if he would continue to be a player they believe in.

On Sunday, Schaub embraced the chance he was given.

He was throwing deep on third-and-short. He was plunging without fear on fourth-down conversions. He completed passes of 21 or more yards to four different receivers. Three of his career-best four touchdown passes went to wide receivers, including a 72-yarder to Andre Johnson.

He crouched low and tight under center, almost Doug Flutie-like for his towering 6-foot-5, 239-pound frame, and he unleashed himself and his arm in a hold-nothing-back manner that was refreshing for all who care about the Texans. Schaub is 28 -- young enough to keep rising, yet old enough to expect rapid production.

"You can't play against the Titans defense hoping a play can work,'' Schaub said. "You'll wind up looking back and wondering what could have happened if you had done this or that. I didn't want to have to dwell on that no more than dwell on what happened against the Jets.

"I came to this franchise when it was sort of at a crossroads. There were a lot of first- and second-year players here and I was young, too. I think we're maturing as a group, as a team. I realize now is the time.''

What the Texans set loose in Schaub on Sunday, they cannot reel in during future weeks. What Schaub set free in his mind, in his own game, he must find consistently. Both must move forward together, giving this quarterback every chance to win games with his big arm and his big receivers.

And the Texans keep coming back to Schaub, the guy they believe in.

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In this Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, photo, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner calls to his teammates at the line of scrimmage during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. Warner tied Jake Plummer's franchise record by opening the game with 15 consecutive completions. By completing 92.3 percent of his passes, he broke the previous NFL record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1993. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 21: Sand castles were erected outside the stadium before the Indianapolis Colts take on the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on September 21, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 21: A veiw from outside the stadium before the Indianapolis Colts take on the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on September 21, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 21: Fans make their way around the Fan Zone before the Indianapolis Colts take on the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on September 21, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 21: Shannon McPherson,(L) and her son Devin, 7, stand in front of sand castles that were erected outside the stadium before the Indianapolis Colts take on the Miami Dolphins at Land Shark Stadium on September 21, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shannon McPherson;Devin McPherson

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In this Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, photo, New England Patriots' Stephen Gostkowski (3) kicks a field goal as Chris Hanson holds during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. On offense, the Patriots settled for three field goals in the first half when drives stalled. On special teams, they allowed a long kickoff return to start the second half. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

In this Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, photo, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Nate Hughes (16) misses a pass in the second half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars have released Hughes and tight Greg Estandia a day after the players made mistakes in a 31-17 loss to Arizona. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Philadelphia Eagles' Kevin Kolb (4) is shown during an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. Kolb will make his second straight start for the Philadelphia Eagles if Donovan McNabb can't play against Kansas City. Coach Andy Reid isn't sure whether Jeff Garcia or Michael Vick would be the backup quarterback in that scenario. Vick is eligible to play for the first time after serving a two-game suspension as the final league penalty for his role in running a dogfighting ring. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

In this Aug. 29, 2009, photo, Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini watches before a preseason NFL football game between the Browns and the Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland. Two games into Mangini's tenure, the offense has scored only one touchdown. The defense can't tackle and suffered its second straight second-half meltdown on Sunday in Denver. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

NOLAN ROLLING: Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen made it clear that he selected Josh McDaniels as his head coach with an understanding that Mike Nolan was going to be the Broncos defensive coordinator. Bowlen believed in Nolan -- his experience, his containment-concepts of defense.

Two games into the 2009 season, Nolan is rewarding that confidence.

He has pieced together a hodge-podge mix of defensive parts that helped the Broncos hold Cincinnati to seven points and Cleveland to six.

Nolan makes sure his defensive players know exactly what they are supposed to do. He emphasizes that the little things they do take away big things for an offense. "No big plays allowed" is Nolan's mantra.

This Broncos travel to Oakland next, and that is a test Denver's defense should pass. We will know plenty more about Nolan's group in the following weeks when Dallas and New England bring their big-play brands of offense to Denver.

FLACCO IS BACK FOR MORE: NFL general managers are impressed with Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco's 2-0 start, one year after helping the Ravens reach the AFC championship game as a rookie.

Here's analysis from one: "When you get a quarterback who can get the ball downfield, you've got a chance. Flacco can throw it. He's big and he's a better runner than people give him credit for. I saw some of our guys chase him when we played him that I thought should have caught him and he ran away from them.

"The Ravens are turning their team into something different. It used to be protect the defense with the offense. Now the offense is trying to score, first and foremost, and that is putting more pressure on that defense. You show me a No. 1 defense, and I'll show you most of the time that team has a near-No. 1 run offense or big advantage in possession time. Now with the Ravens doing more with that offense, that Ravens defense is going to allow more points because it is not as rested and sometimes may be put in some bad spots. But for the long haul, the Ravens can go further now because they have a quarterback and an offense that can win games late, especially playoff games, where that shows up most.''

REVIS PROVES HIS WORTH: New England receiver Randy Moss said that the Jets' Darrelle Revis is not a shutdown corner -- after Revis shut down Moss in New York's Week 2 win.

One of the reasons the Jets defense is off to a fast start is because of the shutdown play of Revis. There is no way a defense can blitz like the Jets do unless their corners can play press coverage and stick. Revis does that. He is a superior cornerback.

One NFL coach who saw the Jets upset the Patriots surmised: "Revis outplayed Moss. Moss is used to making plays and just being better than his coverage. Revis was up to the task. Moss has a penchant for being a little disinterested and lazy at times. Revis took total advantage of that.''

FREE KICKS: Though the Texans won with Schaub's arm, they kept the Titans defense honest with 29 rushes for 63 yards. The number of attempts kept the Titans creeping forward, so that the Texans could hammer them over the top. The Patriots must adopt a similar strategy with their attack. Tom Brady threw 47 passes Sunday, compared to just 20 New England runs. In the Patriots' opener, the ratio was 53 passes to 23 runs. The Patriots have to make the rushing attack a focal point, so that Brady can make the passing game the difference.

o. A few hours after Mario Manningham was drafted in the third round in the 2008 NFL draft, I spoke with him by telephone, reaching him at his Warren, Ohio, home. Thirteen receivers had been drafted ahead of him -- he was hot. He was determined to prove everyone wrong about his talent and his character. In Sunday's games, he led all NFL receivers with 150 yards and was a key factor in his team's victory at Dallas. The Giants coaches love his quickness. They remind him he is better than most of the cornerbacks and coverage he faces, something he knows. If he was two inches taller than his 5-foot-11 frame, he would be a prototype receiver. Just as he is, though, might be a huge Giants answer at receiver.

o. Consider that Bengals defensive tackle Antwan Odom made three sacks in 2008 -- he had five in Cincinnati's victory at Green Bay. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds with a motor and strength that the Packers' depleted offensive line could not handle, Odom pulled a rare feat for a defensive tackle. He currently leads the league with seven sacks. Think the Titans would love to have him back, let alone Albert Haynesworth? Tennessee failed to gain a sack against the Texans.

Matt Schaub, Texans Working on Trust originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't Look Now, but Broncos Are Coming Back With a Vengeance

Josh Alper — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:40:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Browns

It didn't take a miracle this week, but the Broncos won all the same.

The Broncos moved to 2-0 with a 27-6 victory against the hapless Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon, and they did it behind a defense that continues to bear no resemblance to the ones that made Mile High Stadium a fairly innocuous place to visit over the last two seasons. Elvis Dumervil's four sacks of Brady Quinn led the effort, and his strip of Quinn on the first Browns drive of the second half helped a 10-6 game become a rout.

The Browns converted just 3 of 14 third downs, gained only 200 yards overall and, generally, looked like they had no answer to the newly-frisky Broncos 3-4 scheme.

More: Check Box Score | Ravens Hold Off Chargers | Bills Bounce Back

The defense's strong game against the Bengals in the opener looks even better in light of the way the Bengals played in beating Green Bay Sunday afternoon. The strong performance of the Broncos' defense got lost because of the justifiable focus on the spectacular way the game ended, but after two straight good weeks, it's much harder to deny that there's been a resurgence under Mike Nolan's tutelage.

The Broncos looked good offensively this week, as well, but it's a little harder to get excited about that side of the ball right now. Kyle Orton completed only 19 of 37 passes, but did hit several big gainers to make for a better showing than last week. Whether that was because of improved relationships with his receivers or the generally abysmal Browns defense remains to be seen. More encouraging was the emergence of Knowshon Moreno, who had 75 yards on 17 carries in a sprightly performance that put to rest lingering concerns about his physical condition.

While you don't want to rush to any conclusions about the Broncos based on a performance against a team of Cleveland's caliber, there's a lot of reason to believe things are setting up well for a Bronco playoff run.

They've got four games with the Chiefs and Raiders in front of them, as well as a trip to D.C. to play the offensively challenged Redskins. The rest of the schedule is relatively difficult, but getting two wins under their belt gets things moving in the right direction. Confidence and chemistry has to be building across the rebuilt roster and having a defense that's actually capable of getting off the field without allowing points goes miles in the NFL.

Don't Look Now, but Broncos Are Coming Back With a Vengeance originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 19:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday Snippets: Delhomme Is Bad, Even in His Good Minute

Dave Goldberg — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Jets, Lions, Panthers, Saints, Vikings, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Notebook

It got so bad for Jake Delhomme Sunday that, even when he was good, he was bad.

Was he ever good in Carolina's 38-10 loss to the Eagles, in which he threw four interceptions and lost a fumble that was returned by a touchdown? Well, the Panthers took the opening kickoff and moved 70 yards for a score of their own to take a 7-0 lead on DeAngelo Williams' 11-yard run. But it was ugly -- two plays before the TD, the Panthers had a first down at the Eagles 1, but Ryan Kalil jumped on the first play and Jeff Otah on the second.

Williams took care of the rest, but those two penalties -- probably some sort of messed-up count by Delhomme, since it was that kind of day -- simply were a precursor of what was to come. Worse, the same thing happened in Delhomme's last game, when Carolina was upset at home by Arizona in its first playoff game last season.

OK, not quite as bad -- Delhomme had six turnovers in that one, five INTs and a fumble. In any case, he now has nine interceptions in his last 51 passes and 11 turnovers in his last two games.

And he got a five-year contract extension worth $42 million in the offseason. Actually, it's probably more like $25 million up front, but it means they're saddled with him until 2012, when he'll be 37. He'll probably play next week -- his backup, Josh McCown, left with knee and foot injuries."I hope so," Delhomme said when asked about it. "I'm not looking for the easy way out."

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CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 13: Chester Taylor #29 of the Minnesota Vikings rushes against the Cleveland Browns on September 13, 2009 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Vikings beat the Browns 34-20. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chester Taylor

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Runningback Tim Hightower #34 of the Arizona Cardinals walks with teammates to the lockerroom prior to the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Hightower

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Arizona Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill speaks before the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Bidwill

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals stands on the sidelines during the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Larry Fitzgerald

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Quarterback Shaun Hill #13 of the San Francisco 49ers is sacked by Darnell Dockett #90 of the Arizona Cardinals during the NFL game at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaun Hill;Darnell Dockett

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Runningback Tim Hightower #34 of the Arizona Cardinals leads teammates onto the field prior to the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Hightower

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears walks off the field following a loss to the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jay Cutler

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 13: Kevin Kolb #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles passes against Charles Johnson #95 of the Carolina Panthers at Bank Of America Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Kolb;Charles Johnson

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 13: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles heads off the field after being injured against the Carolina Panthers at Bank Of America Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Donovan McNabb

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Matt Forte #22 of the Chicago Bears runs against the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Forte

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Brian Urlacher #54 of the Chicago Bears awaits the start of play in the 1st half against the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brian Urlacher

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Delhomme got company in the Sunday night game from Jay Cutler, who threw four interceptions in his regular-season debut for Chicago. Three came in the first half, when both teams struggled. The fourth came on a play that started with 1:11 left after Green Bay had taken a 21-15 lead.

In the first half, Cutler was clearly uncomfortable with Dom Capers' 3-4 defensive schemes, which are more aggressive than most. Next Sunday, he gets to see another difficult 3-4 -- Pittsburgh's -- when the Steelers visit Soldier Field

QUARTERBACKS (a few of them): Delhomme was lucky in a way. Donovan McNabb broke his ribs in the same game, taking some attention away from his disastrous day and raising questions -- facetious ones -- about whether Roger Goodell might let Michael Vick come back a week early. No, of course Goodell won't, so Kevin Kolb will almost surely be the QB when the Eagles play host to the Saints next week.

Kolb may do OK -- the Saints don't play much defense. On the other hand, the Philly defense, which was handed all those gifts by Delhomme, will meet a very different guy -- New Orleans QB Drew Brees, who had six TD passes against Detroit. Of course, the Detroit and Philadelphia defenses are at opposite ends of the spectrum. (No pun intended, although the Spectrum parking lot is next to Lincoln Financial Field)

Brees was so good Sunday in a 45-28 win that Jeremy Shockey actually caught two TD passes, his first since November, 2007. Shockey says there are more to come. We sort of believe it, although the Saints don't get to play the Lions anymore.

Brett Favre played his first game for the Vikings, who beat the Browns 34-20. Brett was -- horrible phrase -- a "game manager.'' Stats: 14 of 21 for 110 yards while Adrian Peterson was rushing for 180. That's likely to be Minnesota's way all season.

Then there are the rookie QBs,

Mark Sanchez, the fifth-overall pick, threw for 272 yards and an a touchdown in New York's 24-7 win, but it was easy because Rex Ryan's defense held what was supposed to be a high-powered Houston offense to 183 yards. Houston had one shot at getting in the game, but Donald Strickland knocked the ball away from Steve Slaton on an 18-yard pass completion, the Jets recovered and that was it.

Matthew Stafford, No. 1 overall, demonstrated why he should be watching and letting Daunte Culpepper absorb the punishment. As Detroit lost its 18th straight, 45-27 in New Orleans, Stafford was a 16 of 37 for 205 yards and was intercepted three times. "Some of those balls I was throwing, I was just trying to get rid of it and not take a sack.,'' he said.

That's life with the Lions.

NEW PHILOSOPHY?: Jim Caldwell, who replaced Tony Dungy, as the Colts' coach, obviously trusts his defense (and his special teams).

With the Colts leading 14-12 with 7:42 left, they had a fourth-and-1 at the Jaguars 44. Caldwell elected to kick it away and rookie punter Pat McAfee dropped the ball on the 1.

The Jags never got out of the hole. A decision like Caldwell's wouldn't have always been the right one with a team that's depended so heavily on Peyton Manning and the offense, which lost receiver Anthony Gonzalez to a knee sprain that will probably cost him four-to-six weeks. Defensive coordinator Larry Coyer also showed some new wrinkles -- blitzing middle linebacker Gary Brackett a couple of times to disrupt David Garrard late in the game.

The Colts rarely blitzed when Dungy was the head coach and Ron Meeks the defensive coordinator and the bend-but-don't break Tampa Two was the defense of choice. On the final Jacksonville possession, Brackett broke through twice, forcing an incomplete pass and then letting Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney clean up.

Other notables: The play of the day, of course, was the game-winning TD for Denver in Cincinnati, when the Bengals' Leon Hall deflected a desperation pass with 28 seconds left into the air, only to see it come down to Brandon Stokley. Stokley completed an 87-yard TD play to give the Broncos a 12-7 win after the Bengals had scored with 38 seconds left to seemingly win it.

It was the first win for Josh McDaniels, who is a smart guy. Stokley is a smart guy too -- he wasted an extra five or six seconds running parallel to the goal line before stepping into the end zone.

"I've played football since I was 7 or 8 and I never saw anything like that,'' said Carson Palmer.

Actually, he's played for the Bengals since 2003, so he's seen a lot of odd things.

o. Kansas City, with Matt Cassel out with a knee injury, started Brodie Croyle at QB, replaced him with Tyler Thigpen and then brought back Croyle when Thigpen was hurt. The Chiefs went without a first down until just over two minutes was left in the half, but trailed just 10-7 at that point because they scored on a blocked punt.

For the game, the Chiefs were outgained 501-188, although they were tied at 24-all when the Ravens finally scored with 2:06 left.

Sunday Snippets: Delhomme Is Bad, Even in His Good Minute originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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