SB Nation - Glenn Martinez

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Win In Tennessee

Tim — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:10:07 -0000

How do you even begin to describe what we saw yesterday in Nashville? While I realize that some of the bolder among us might have called a win (not me, of course; I thought we were doomed), yesterday was a game that the Texans historically do not win. Going on the road against a playoff team/divisional rival is generally a recipe for disaster (see, e.g., the lifetime records at Indianapolis and Tennessee). Prior to the game, if someone had told me that Chris Johnson was going to rush for 197 yards and 2 TD while adding another 87 yards and a third TD through the air, I would've figured the Texans made it two eggs in a row. And I would've been wrong. Very, very wrong.

Your Houston Texans are far from a flawless team. The running game has been almost totally nonexistent, there are still far more questions than answers on defense, and every Jacoby Jones return is akin to playing Russian Roulette, except with three bullets in the chamber instead of one. In that respect, I'm in agreement with BFD that the 2009 version of the Texans has not looked much different than the 2008 Texans.

I would note, however, that the 2008 Houston Texans do not win the game the 2009 squad did yesterday. No way, no how. It just doesn't happen, chiefly because the 2008 Texans defense does not bow up in the second half like the 2009 version did yesterday. Whether that newfound resoluteness is the product of Frank Bush, Brian Cushing, or a defensive scheme that actually adjusts to what the offense is doing is not for me to say. What I will say is that there's an awful lot to like about what we saw yesterday, and that's infinitely more than what I could've said a week ago. Onto the specifics:

1. Matt. Freaking. Schaub. We can debate whether yesterday's performance or last year's beauty at Green Bay was more impressive, but we can all agree that Schaub was simply excellent. Remember--Schaub was missing his No. 2 WR (Kevin Walter) and No. 3 WR (Apostrophe Davis). No matter. Schaub stood tall, found Andre Johnson deep, and killed the Titans in the middle of the field via the TE. Something you might not have seen on TV...Schaub getting visibly pissed and yelling at the sideline after futile running plays. He wanted the ball in his hands, people. Just outstanding.

2. Schaub's success, of course, was due in large part to the offensive line's pass-blocking. After getting manhandled the week prior, Alex Gibbs' charges answered the bell in memorable fashion, giving up zero sacks and creating a pocket for Schaub to pick apart the opposition. As LZ astutely noted, Schaub isn't the type of QB who will reguarly make plays if the defense is in his kitchen. Give him time, though, and he can pick you apart. The OL gave him that time, and The Schaub did what The Schaub can do.

3. As good as the OL looked in pass protection, they still seemed unable to consistently create holes for Steve Slaton. They were better than the week prior, but it still looked nothing like what we saw last season. That running game needs to get fixed, and quick, or we'll soon see teams selling out to defend the pass. And if the Texans can't make them pay for that, the offense becomes completely one-dimensional and that much less effective.

4. Although the OL didn't do him any favors, Steve Slaton still looks off. I don't know if he's anticipating that first hit, or if the extra weight is slowing him down, or what it is. While Slaton looked considerably better blocking this week, he only looked like the Steve Slaton of old on one of his carries yesterday--the one that went for 12 yards. On a fantasy-related note, he should be brought up on charges for first-degree murder of his owners (of which I am one) the past two weeks.

5. I thought Kubes going to Chris Brown during the fourth quarter was pretty telling. Most important snaps of the game, and Slaton's standing on the sidelines. Seems to me that it was a thinly veiled reminder to Slaton that you have to hold onto the football to play RB for Gary Kubiak and Alex Gibbs. Unless you return kicks and punts, in which case you can cough up the ball whenever you want without fear of retribution. More on that momentarily.

6. Andre Johnson got all the attention (and deservedly so; he's a witch), but Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen quietly had monster contributions, particularly on third down. OD was virtually invisible in Week One; that definitely wasn't the case in Week Two. Nice to see Schaub re-discover the TE as a viable option when 'Dre is covered.

7. Jacoby Jones' touchdown catch was as good a grab as I've ever seen. I honestly could not have been more surprised. The potential and athleticism he showed there are the only reason he's still employed. Because...

8. He's a complete liability on special teams. There is not a Texans fan alive who feels good about seeing Jacoby back there on kick or punt returns. You're just constantly waiting for him to put the ball on the turf. Which he predictably did, only to be saved from himself by a ridiculous and archaic rule. If that fumble had stood, we're likely 0-2. For someone allegedly obsessed with protecting the football, there's a real double standard in the way that Kubes treats Jacoby as opposed to every other player. It's reached the point where it really is inexplicable for Jacoby to be fielding punts or kicks. Please, Kubes--put someone else back there. David Anderson, Glenn Martinez, J.J. Moses, your mother...anyone but Jacoby.

9. Glenn Martinez, Kevin Bentley, and James Casey were all difference-makers on special teams. Martinez in particular also threw a couple of great blocks while lined up at WR in the second half.

10. MAR-EE-O! MAR-EE-O! MAR-EE-O! In addition to the sack, he was a major reason for the repeated false starts by the Titans' OL. Which is fair, because visions of Super Mario should haunt the dreams of every offensive lineman in the NFL.

11. It's not showing up in the stat line, but Amobi Okoye has looked rather active and somewhat effective against two very good offensive lines. I think it may translate to big plays sooner rather than later.

12. Eugene Wilson is the Ed Reed of the Texans secondary. Which is to say he looks like Ed Reed compared to Dunta Robinson, Fred Bennett, Nick Ferguson, and the like. Wilson's pick was enormous, and he makes the secondary exponentially better. Curiously, that makes me both happy and very, very sad.

13. Didn't see much of Dunta Robinson yesterday, which could mean that Kerry Collins threw away from his side of the field most of the day. Why that would be, especially considering that Dunta seems to have foregone tackling like the Dunta of old in favor of diving at the shoelaces of wide receivers, I don't know.

14. What happened to Fred Bennett? At least Amobi's showing signs of fighting regression. Bennett appears to be embracing it.

15. Although the fight happened right in front of me, I have no idea what specifically brought it about. To their credit, I did see Dunta and Super Mario wade in to the scrum. Didn't see any punches thrown, but you can bet that the NFL's going to analyze the bejeezus out of the film. If hands were thrown, cross your fingers that the Texans involved are fined instead of suspended. A Mario-less defensive line is enough to give me night terrors. The Texans aren't deep enough to weather suspensions to any of their starters.

16. After he recovered Collins' fumble to ice the game, I briefly contemplated buying a Jeff Zgonina jersey. If such a creature existed, anyway.

17. Whose responsibility was it to cover Chris Johnson on the 69 yard TD reception? I've heard Dunta and Dominique Barber blamed for the gaffe. In the stadium, it was even worse. The crowd actually saw that Johnson was totally uncovered a few seconds before the snap, so there was a buzz that soon turned into a roar. Not coincidentally, I had my head in my hands at that moment.

18. The linebacker play yesterday was a study in feast or famine. They got absolutely abused by Chris Johnson, often on third down, and periodically for touchdowns. Again, I don't know who each of the prison breaks was actually on--DeMeco, Cushing, Diles, etc.--I just know they were nowhere to be found on those plays. On the 91 yard run, Eugene Wilson was the only Texan I saw anywhere in Johnson's vicinity, and he was blocked out of the play fairly easily.

19. That said, we saw a different Texans defense in the second half. The linebackers in particular took it to another level, began forcing three-and-outs (and even a stand on fourth down), and limited the Titans to only seven (7) second-half points. After giving up big play after big play and 24 points in the first half, the defense stood up and refused to back down. It even appeared like Frank Bush made adjustments at halftime, which is unheard of for the Texans.

20. I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong. If yesterday afternoon was an indication of what Brian Cushing is going to bring to the table week after week, I was very wrong about him. While he looked horrendous in coverage (troubling for a SLB who's going to have responsibility for the TE), Cushing was all over the place on run defense. Even better, he looked to be on the field most, if not every, third down. What's more, the dude has an attitude. Maybe it was just me, but I could've sworn I saw him talking after every tackle. For a team that hasn't had any kind of mean streak, a little 'tude could go a long way.

21. The coaching staff got a lot of heat last week for how unprepared the Texans looked in Week One. While one week does not a season make, the coaches ought to get some love for instilling a sense of urgency and fight in their charges yesterday. The Texans battled the whole day. It would've been awfully easy for them to roll over when they went down 21-7 early. Instead, they beared down, righted the ship, and made us all remember why we support this team even after games like the loss to the Jets. Great win.

22. Game Balls: Offense--Matt Schaub; Defense--Mario Williams; Special Teams--Kris Brown (for another perfect day and hitting what turned out to be the game-winner).

Bring on the Jags. Not to jinx it, but your Houston Texans have a chance to equal the number of AFC South wins they had in 2008 next week, in just the third game of the season. If that doesn't get you fired up, I don't know what will.

Decision Day: 53-Man Roster Speculation

bigfatdrunk — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:13:47 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

3 months ago: Houston Texans' David Anderson (89) congratulates James Casey (86) after Casey's 11-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Rex Grossman during the second quarter of a preseason NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Browse more photos »

With cuts due by 3pm CDT (I believe, please correct me if I'm wrong), I wanted to pontifibate one last time on the 53-man roster. It's not going to be much different than my first take.

As a refresher, here's the composition of the Texans original 53-man roster last year:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

Again, there's substantial reason to believe the roster will be similarly composed. So here goes:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Arian Foster (over Ryan Moats)
1 FB: Vonta Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis, Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Again, that leaves us with 52 of the 53 spots. I think it's going to come down to:

Rex Grossman: He'll be tough to cut after last night's performance.
Glenn Martinez: Was a fiend on special teams all preseason.
Joel Dreessen: Your basic, but very good, utility TE.

After Anthony Hill's performance last night, I believe Dreessen takes the last spot. While Casey needs some time to mature into the position, Hill is definitely not ready. Dreessen will be the steady hand.

As far as Grossman, I believe there's a chance he still makes the team over Jeff Zgonina. Kubiak hasn't shown any indication he's going to take three QBs, and after last night's game, he seemed pretty non-committal about keeping Rex. Personally, I don't believe Rex makes the team.

I'll be out of town when the cuts are made, but I'll be back this afternoon.

bfd's First Take at the 53-Man Roster

bigfatdrunk — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:31:53 -0000

Great discussion last week on the possible composition of the 53-man roster started by Texans-Brocos. Here's my take with a little bit of background.

Last year, the Texans' opening roster consisted of:

2 QBs
3 RBs
1 FB
5 WRs
3 TEs
5 OTs
5 Gs (1 C/G)
1 C
3 Special Teamers (P, K, LS)
6 DEs
5 DTs
6 LBs
4 CBs
5 Ss

I think it's reasonable to believe the 2009 roster will be similarly composed. After last night's game, here's my guess as to how the 53-man is shaping up:

2 QBs: Matt Schaub and Dan Orlovsky
3 RBs: Steve Slaton, Chris Brown, Ryan Moats (depending on his injury)
1 FB: Vonta "Human Coke Machine" Leach
5 WRs: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, David Anderson, Jacoby Jones (almost by default)
3 TEs: Owen Daniels, James Casey, Anthony Hill (no Joel Dreessen, which is our loss)
4 OTs: Duane Brown, Cliff Washburn, Eric Winston, Rashad Butler
5 OGs: Antoine Caldwell, Chester Pitts, Kasey Studdard, Mike Brisiel, Chris White. Last year, there were 5 OTs and 4 OGs.
1 C: Chris Myers (depending on his health, obviously)
3 Special Teamers: P - Matt Turk, K - Kris Brown, LS - Clark Harris
5 DEs: Antonio Smith, Mario Williams, Connor Barwin, Tim Bulman, Jesse Nading
5 DTs: Amobi Okoye, DelJuan Robinson, Frank Okam, Shaun Cody, Jeff Zgonina (no Travis Johnson)
6 LBs: Zac Diles, Xavier Adibi, DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing, Buster Davis (depending on Cato June's health), Kevin Bentley
5 CBs: Jacques Reeves, Fred Bennett, Brice McCain, Glover Quin, Antwaun Molden (no Dunta Robinson...just in case)
4 Ss: Dominique Barber, Eugene Wilson, Nick Ferguson, John Busing

Several differences from last year, though nothing crazy. Last year, we carried 6 DEs and 5 DTs, whereas I have us carrying 5 DEs this year. Sadly, I still have us carrying Jeff Zgonina as I just don't see anybody on the roster otherwise. There's the difference in OGs and OTs, and I have us keeping 5 CBs and 4 Ss, where that was swapped last year.

Also, and I doubt you noticed, but I have listed only 52 players for 2009. If Dunta signs, I do believe we'll keep 6 CBs on the roster as I believe the Texans, rightly so, would be afraid to release either McCain or Molden, who are the two I believe to be most on the bubble. I also believe that one of the CBs will be in line for a position change to S.

One guy who really intrigues me is Glenn Martinez, as he was the most "on" last night. He can return punts and kickoffs and looks like an excellent gunner on special teams. As I said in the game thread, he reminds me of Steve Tasker in the way he plays. There's a chance he overtakes Jones, but because we're carrying extra CBs, it'll make it tougher for Martinez to win a job.

What do y'all think?

Broncos bring back Tatum Bell, release Glenn Martinez

John Bena — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:16:01 -0000

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed free-agent running back Tatum Bell and waived wide receiver Glenn Martinez, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced.

Bell (5-foot-11, 213 pounds) is a fifth-year running back who begins his second stint with Denver, which selected him in the second round (41st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft from Oklahoma State University. He spent his first three seasons with the Broncos before he was traded to Detroit on March 2, 2007, and played for the Lions last year before he was released by the club on Sept. 2.

In 47 career games (19 starts), he has rushed 525 times for 2,524 yards (4.8 avg.) with 14 touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 362 yards (5.9 avg.). Among running backs with at least 500 carries since 2004, Bell's 4.8-yard rushing average ranks third in the NFL. His 4.9-yard rushing average (481-2,342) during three seasons in Denver also represents the second-best career mark in club history among players with at least 250 carries.

During his final year with the Broncos in 2006, Bell started all 13 games played and registered the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career with 1,025 yards on 233 carries (4.4 avg.) with two scores. He started all five games played with the Lions last year, rushing 44 times for 182 yards (4.1 avg.) with one touchdown and catching 14 passes for 63 yards (4.5 avg.).

Bell finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma State ranked sixth in the school history in career rushing yards (3,409). He attended DeSoto High School in DeSoto, Texas, and was born on March 2, 1981.

Jacksonville Jaguars 24 - Denver Broncos 17 - Making The Grade

John Bena — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:24:52 -0000

So much hope after the Broncos beat the Buccaneers. After a great start, the Broncos offense struggled and the defense gave up too many big plays in losing to the Jaguars. The Broncos now face a tough road trip to New England and a prime time match up with the Patriots. Before moving full steam ahead to the Pats, let's take one more painful look back at the loss to the Jags..

QUARTERBACK

C

Jay Cutler -- 21/37 - 192 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT

Yea, I know, this grade may be a bit higher than some of you think it should be. Cutler is completely at fault for the fumble, especially at a time in the game when the Broncos had all the momentum. The INT was a glorified punt that isn't that big a concern for me. Turnovers aside, Cutler did struggle, but I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt based on injuries to many of his targets. As was pointed out during the game, when the Broncos lost Brandon Stokley to his 10th concussion Cutler had lost the team's 2nd, 3rd and 4th leading receivers. Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler were already out of the lineup. That left Cutler the bottom of the barrel when it came to his receiving targets. Not good news for a quarterback that gets criticized for targeting Brandon Marshall when everyone is on the field. I did ding Cutler for missing a WIDE OPEN Nate Jackson for a sure touchdown. Cutler is still learning to throw a touch pass, and it should come as Jay gets more reps. The numbers weren't good, but I am putting my faith in Cutler. When everyone is healthy and on the field, Cutler's play, and production, will improve.

RUNNING BACK
B+	Michael Pittman - 20 carries, 120 yards The Broncos finally got a physical running performance, and it was the old man that provided it. Pittman ran hard all day and looked fresh at the end. If anything, I wish the Broncos had given him the ball more often. Questions about whether the Broncos lack of a consistent running game being about the line or the back was answered conclusively and Pittman will likely be more of the featured back moving forward. While Pittman is over the hill in football standards, he really hasn't put a lot of miles, or yards, on his body, being primarily a backup at every stop of his career. Pittman is also a threat in the passing game and is very physical as a pass blocker. This should also allow the Broncos to bring Ryan Torain back slowly from the elbow injury.
WIDE RECEIVER
C-	Brandon Marshall - 9 rec. / 98 yards / 10.9 avg This one is hard for me. As a coach, I have always preached that physical errors are better than mental errors. Physical errors are usually a sign of effort, while mental mistakes are a sign of a lack of preparation. I will take a player that gives 100% despite not being the most talented player over a highly talented player that doesn't prepare. What does all this mean? Brandon Marshall is obviously talented, and better yet, he gives maximum effort on every play. But, even though his fumble is a physical mistake, it simply can't happen. On the play, Marshall was on the sideline with three Jags in front of him. He was deep in Jags territory, and the Broncos were driving to take the lead. At that point, head out of bounds to avoid the wear and tear and see what you can do on 1st and 10. It is hard to ding Marshall for trying to make something happen, for trying to be a play maker. But part of being a playmaker is knowing when to push it and when to pull back a bit. The 2nd quarter is the time to pull back. Marshall is young, and he'll learn, but that was a huge play in the football game and cannot happen again..
TIGHT END
B	With Tony Scheffler sidelined, the Broncos used their tight end in a more traditional sense, as more of a run blocker. Daniel Graham did have a touchdown reception, and Nate Jackson should have had another. The group has been steady all season long Sunday was no exception.
OFFENSIVE LINE
A-	I thought the "Big Uglies" had a great football game despite playing against their toughest opponent so far this season. The Jags recorded no sacks, and the Broncos were able to run the ball rather effectively as well. It looked to the naked eye that Cutler couldn't get comfortable in the pocket, but I thought that had more to do with pass coverage by the Jags then it did the pass rush. Ryan Clady was flagged for his first holding penalty of the year, a phantom call, but goes to show just how good Clady has been as a roookie starting at Left Tackle. A solid game by a solid group.
DEFENSIVE LINE
D	I keep giving this group a low grade, but I am starting to just accept the fact that the Broncos just don't have a lot of talent up front. Marcus Thomas has been a bright spot and was reletively effective as was Kenny Peterson. DeWayne Robertson can still move, but the Broncos have to avoid using him too much, that is, if they want him around for every game. There is just nothing happening on the outside where Jarvis Moss had another disappointing game. Elvis Dumervil continues to improve, but with no one to bring pressure on the opposite side, teams can take Dumervil out of the game. I doubt there is much the Broncos will be able to do to "improve" the unit, these guys are going to have to look in the mirror and just want to do it.
LINEBACKER
C-	These guys continue to play hard, but sometimes that aggressiveness takes them right out of the play. We have talked about the big plays the defense has given up, and of those plays that were made on the ground you'll find the culprit was a linebacker that missed his gap assignment. When the Broncos are bringing 8 men into the box to stop the run, and one or more of the linebackers don't fill their gap responsibility, the result is a long run like the one MJD had last week, or Larry Johnson a few weeks ago. Nate Webster made a big play, getting the turnover and giving the Broncos offense solid field position, but as a unit they have been on again, off again. Until the linebacker play is consistent the Broncos will be a Jeckyll and Hyde on defense.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
C-	Dre Bly continues to be picked on, and teams continue to have success doing it. This week it was Matt Jones who had success against Bly and again this goes back to what Champ Bailey does on the other side. Jones is a big receiver, former quarterback big. Bly is a smallish corner. That is a bad combination. The safety play was mixed as well, with Marquand Manuel stuck in coverage way too often. All the struggles continue to go back to a lack of pressure on the quarterback. Until the Broncos generate a pass rush there will be let-downs in the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS
B	A solid game overall for the special teams group who had a tall task going up against the Jags return teams. Matt Prater had a solid game kicking the football and Brett Kern averaged 48 yards per punt. Glenn Martinez, returning punts for the injured Eddie Royal, was extremely good averaging 15 yards per return. He was a shirt-string away from tying the game on a punt return which could have changed the outcome. I thought the group had it's best game as a complete unit and actually feel pretty good about where the ST unit is at this popint in the season.
COACHING
D	I still have a problem at times with the schemes the team is employing. The play-calling seems scattered at times, which leads me to believe that there are times that Mike Shanahan over-rules Jeremy Bates and calles what he wants. An example was a 3rd and 1 play from the Jags 30. The Broncos had run the ball effectively all the way down the field and had a 3rd and short. Instead of running the ball, the Broncos try a pass play, which goes incomplete. Instead of kicking the field goal which would have tied the game, Shanny goes for it and the Broncos run the ball right into John Henderson. That's just sloppy play-calling and game management. Shanny said as much after the game. That needs to improve as well, becuase the Broncos just aren't good enough as a team to make up for coaching blunders.

Poll

What Grade Would You Give The Broncos For Their Performance Against The Jaguars

A

1 votes

B

4 votes

C

88 votes

D

124 votes

F

17 votes

234 votes | Poll has closed

MHR Chalk Talk -- Week 6 - Jacksonville at Denver

Steve Nichols — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:00:05 -0000

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

What a difference a few weeks makes! Teams that looked tough going into the season have suffered injuries (Brady in NE) or declined (SD and INDY) while other teams have shot ahead (TENN and DEN). If you had asked me before the season what my thoughts were on JAX, I would have told you that the only thing holding them back was INDY. But their offensive line was decimated by injuries, and the team has never bounced back.

As for Denver, I expected them to sweep KC this year, but to win two of four games against SD and OAK. I also thought that either TB or NO could sneek up on DEN. But KC managed to beat Denver, while Denver beat the other four teams. Denver's offense is playing at a SuperBowl level, and while the defense has looked weak, it showed a lot of talent in week five.

Let's take a look at the Denver / Jacksonville match-up this week, and discuss some if the issues surrounding the game.

Read on...

Denver's progression in the first five games have been instructive.

In game one, a Monday Night Football showdown in Oakland, the Broncos destroyed the Oakland secondary with a rookie receiver, while the number one receiver was under suspension. Denver fans enjoyed beating their arch-rivals, but they enjoyed the air show too.

In game two, Denver was treated to the return of Brandon Marshall. Denver not only repeated a masterful pass game, but beat a division rival that the media was crowning as SuperBowl contenders. But now Denver fans were becoming concerned. The defense declined towards the end of the Oakland game, and seemed absent during the SD game.

In game three, fans were thrilled to beat the Saints. The Saints have a terrific QB, big names on both sides of the ball, and a smart, young coach. But Denver fans began to see a disturbing pattern. The 3-4 was being used quite a bit, but with only three men rushing much of the time. Just as problematic, the CBs were playing zones, and the defensive line was being pushed around. Questions arose about the coverage teams. Some observant fans felt good about going 3-0, but worried that the team would have a hard time winning without a defense.

The KC game came along, and the house came crashing down. Despite a respectable 3-1 start to the season, most fans came together to express concerns about the state of the defense.

Week five (against TB) seems to have answered a lot of questions. Denver played one of the best practioners of the Tampa-2 defense, and did it the right way, by being patient with underneath throws and running the ball. More importantly, the defense looked much improved, and moved away from a vanilla zone scheme to a true zone blitz system (one of the two systems predicted for Denver right here at MileHighReport). Special teams also looked solid on coverage and with several touchbacks. A new hero was born, as Denver fans started to realize they have a star for a kicker.

Now, against Jacksonville, the prime thing to watch is whether or not the defense just had a good week against TB, or whether the defense is for real. This week can go far towards predicting how far Denver can go this year.

Jacksonville in Decline

The first thing you should know about Jacksonville is that they have two seperate identities, something like Jekyl and Hyde. On the one hand, Jacksonville worked hard to build a reputation for running the ball with two solid RBs, Taylor and Drew. But this year, Taylor ranks 31st among RBs and Drew ranks 38th. Jacksonville is also known for their fearsome defensive line and exotic blitz packages. This year Jacksonville is having problems stopping runs, is ranked 21st in the NFL for defense, and will likely be without a starting CB and a starting SAF for this game.

Denver on Offense

Denver can't take Jax lightly. While Jax isn't performing well, they still have the playmakers to turn around a suffering defense. Jax's defensive line remains very physical, as much or more so than TB's. While the OL of Den has demonstrated an ability to protect Cutler from anything, Jax (if playing at their best) will be perhaps the second best test of the year (with the NE defense being first). Denver has the QB and the receiving threats to rip apart the Jax secondary (even without the above mentioned injuries), but an effective pass rush or blitzing would be a new wrinkle for Denver. The line must protect Cutler.

Another consideration is the run game. WHich Jax DL will show up in this game? Is it the one that plugs gaps and wraps runners as they hit scrimmage, or the one Jax fans have been seeing lately? Denver's OL has a reputation this year for being 100% on pass protection, but only "improving" in run blocking. The answer? It may be Pittman.

Denver has a terrific opportunity to wear down the defense this game. The best way to beat a powerful DL is to run at it and wear it down, and with Coach Shanahan talking about mixing Pittman in the rotation instead of just playing short yardage, this may be the time.

Expect Graham to be used often in the pass game, but as a pass blocker. Expect him to be used even more often in the run blocking program. This is the kind of game where Graham earns his money. Many fans love the flash and fireworks of a Tony Scheffler (as I do), but this match-up begs for run and pass blocking skills more than a receiving TE. (Scheffler is likely out with an injury anyway). While Jackson is the likely TE for receiving, Mustard has just been activated, and may have even more value as a blocking TE.

In the passing game, there is some question as to whether Royal will play or not. Recent comments from the team look hopeful. However, with a banged up secondary for Jax, Denver should do well even if Stokely is forced up to #2.

If healthy, I would prefer for (WR) Jackson to play as the #2. In football depth charting, a "sandbag" refers to the clever practice of promoting one man up the chain, instead of bumping several people up. By playing Stokley at #2, we make him play a tougher CB and make Jackson play a tougher CB. By just jumping Jackson, Stokley remains a dangerous threat at slot. Keep in mind that Martinez has been recently activiated by the team, and could see time also.

I expect Denver to run very few 2-TE formations. Denver will keep a FB in (likely Larson over Hillis) to give added protection to Jay, and to hep the inside runs. Denver may also try to stretch the defense by running to the edges. Denver should also try to establish a lead they can protect. Jax will likely try to establish a run game to keep Cutler off of the field.

Denver on Defense

Here again, the trenches should determine the game. Denver has the secondary to stop Jax in that air, but as we have seen through the season, it must be paired with a pass rush. The strength of the Jax offense has been running, and the OL of Jax is built for that purpose. Denver must not get pushed around like last year's game. EIther the defensive line will have to stop the runs at the line, or the LBs will have to tackle effectively.

Jax is built to run, but hasn't been getting it done. Denver's defensive line has been questionable this season, and even in the improved TB game didn't prove that they are ready to stop runs outright.

Will Denver use the zone blitz to slow down the Jax pass game? It was used in the TB game with great effect, and the LBs have the speed to stop QB breaks from the pocket. A good indication of Denver's intentions is to watch formations this week. If Denver plays a 3-4, they will probably make this their base formation. I say this, because a 4-3 would likely be more effective against Jax. Using a 3-4 shows a strong commitment to the system we saw last week. Using a 4-3 may indicate the team is not yet finished establishing their identity.

Special Mention: Special Teams

I don't often include special teams in the break downs. This week I will, because Denver has slowly morphed into a special teams threat.

Kickoffs are becoming touchbacks. I believe I heard that Prater is practicing from 60 or 70 yards for FGs? And our coverage units are quickly improving too. Our kicker is perfect from over 50 yards (four times so far). This means several nice things.

We have an excellent opportunity to win the field position game.
Third and long can become 3 points on the board instead of punts from more places on the field.
Opposing teams may have less of a chance for good returns.
Good special teams coverage can be good for a few turnovers in a season.

Keys to the Game

Den

Protect Cutler.
Limit interceptions.
Stop the Jax running game.

Jax

Either get to Cutler or control the clock.
May have to double cover Marshall.
Must convert 3rd downs (currently the worst in the NFL).

Overview

I see this game as being won in the trenches. The biggest match up to watch is Denver's OL against Jacksonville's DL. The next area to watch is to see if Denver's defense is for real, or if last week was a flash in the mist instead of being part of an improvement in stages.

If Jax plays the way they have been, Denver should win in a blowout. If Jax plays to the potential of its current roster (particularly at HB and DL), this game could be very close. If the latter is the case, Denver's special teams may be the cavalry.

Jacksonville's incentive is to get to the .500 mark, and have a bye and three teams with losing records ahead. Denver's goal is to establish confidence in the defense and special teams, and to establish a record that can't be denied. Currently ranked as the third best team in the AFC (by tie-break), a 5-1 record would clearly establish Denver as a first tier team.

Poll

Prater (Kicker)

We don't have to miss Elam now.

268 votes

I'm still not sold.

37 votes

He's a kicker. Who cares?

19 votes

324 votes | Poll has closed

Denver Broncos 16 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 - Monday Presser

John Bena — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:35:06 -0000

HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the Broncos’ defense

“They played well. We did a lot of good things on defense. Any time you have six series with three plays and out, it is a good start. I was pleased with their effort throughout the game. We are starting to build and starting to make some strides forward. Hopefully, we can keep it going.”

On the defenses having more enthusiasm against Tampa Bay compared to previous weeks

“I wouldn’t go through that. I think people have a short memory sometimes. We played three quarters against the Raiders that we allowed 128 yards in total offense, 27 zip. They are a pretty good rushing football team. We did some good things against San Diego. We have had some opportunities where we have played a good three quarters or a good quarter, but in this game we played a good four quarters.”

On how WR Brandon Marshall is handling being double covered

“That is football in the National Football League. You have to understand what it takes to win and the quarterback, I thought, managed the game very well. In that situation, most people don’t look at the fact that we had three third-and-2’s, two third-and-3’s and a third-and-4 that we missed. We were 6-of-14. The ones we missed were ones that keep drives going. Instead of having 16 points, you end up having 30 points. We have been much better in our third down area. When you miss three those and you are still 6-of-14 against an excellent defense, you are doing some good things. We just have to work on that third down area to keep the ball and get some more plays. We completed 68 percent of our passes for 227 yards and that is good. You can’t turn the football over and you can’t get second and long and third and long, and for the most part we didn’t. That is what you have to do to win the football game. Especially some of the young guys, they want to contribute but they don’t understand what it takes to win sometimes. You have to make those third downs.”

On the contributions of DT Dewayne Robertson

“He is doing what we ask him to do. It is always a change going from a 3-4 to a four-man front. You have to be pretty unselfish in the four-man front because a lot of times the linebackers are going to get the tackles. I think it was obvious after you saw the stats following the game that the defensive line did a good job occupying the offensive lineman and giving the linebackers an opportunity to make some plays.”

On the idea to go with the 3-4 defense

“You can’t get real into theory, but we have some principles in the 3-4. I can’t really get into the responsibilities, but it is not quite as extreme as you would think. It is just different personnel grouping that keep the offense off balance. Using a three-man front or a four man front you use some of the same principles as a four man and it just keeps the offense off balance. It does us so obviously we are using it on different teams.”

On the linebackers making the tackles instead of the secondary

“The secondary is going to get a lot of tackles to depending on what types of coverage you are playing. If you are in two-deep coverage, your corners are going to make a lot of plays. Like when you take a look at Tampa Bay, their corners and safeties are going to make a lot of plays. It all depends on who is supporting which side and what their game plan is.”

On the linebackers as a unit

“It helps on special teams as well any time you have bodies that size in the 220 to 250 range that can help you. Having guys that can run down field help you in the special teams area as well. We need some depth. Any time you have four linebackers out there at one time and a guy does down and you only have two, one guy has to back up two positions. There is a little bit more depth there. You just have to hope to stay healthy. If you do lose somebody, you might have to play the rest of the game with a four man front or a three man front. You have to have the ability to have a pretty good game plan with both fronts. It does put a lot of responsibility on the players to really study and know what they are doing.”

On RB Michael Pittman

“He played very well. He is a tough, hard-nose runner who made some big plays. He ran over some safeties and ran over some corners. Obviously the better you play, the more time you are going to get.”

On the fullback position

“There is a reason why he (Peyton Hillis) didn’t dress (vs. T.B. 10/5)—We gave it to (Spencer) Larsen. Someone had asked me if it was because of the death (in his family) that he didn’t dress and I said no, we were going to go with Larsen. We want to give him the opportunity to show us what he can do. Anybody that hits like that on special teams can hit those linebackers. He did a good job. That doesn’t mean Peyton is not going to be up next week but we have some competition at that position.”

On Spencer Larsen at the fullback position

“You never know. You just get that gut feeling. You watch a guy on film and you see how he likes to hit. Even before we drafted him, I called him up and I wanted to see if he was willing to play fullback, if he would look at the fullback position. He is a very smart guy and a guy with that type of intelligence usually can play two positions if he has the right mindset. He was physical enough on defense where you could see that he wasn’t afraid to hit anybody. He is sharp and he has adjusted very quickly. He just keeps getting better and better.”

On QB Jay Cutler’s performance against Tampa Bay

“When you are 68 percent (passing) and there are a few drops in there, I wouldn’t be too harsh on Cutler going against a great defense. What Jay did was he managed the game the way you have to manage a game. You can’t get in the second-and-longs, you have to be patient and you have to be able to dump the ball off. Jay will spoil you after a while, but quarterbacks have to know how to manage the game. The thing I was disappointed in from our offense was we missed three third-and-twos, two third-and-threes and a third-and-four. That’s a difference between 16 points and maybe 30 points. He did a good job on first and second downs taking what the defense gave him. Against New Orleans and Chicago, they (Tampa Bay) played a lot more man coverage press which gave both teams an opportunity to come up with big plays. They didn’t give us those opportunities. They played a very stingy defense and you had to earn everything you got. We still feel like we should have scored some more points, but with the penalties and some of those third downs we won the game with field position.

“If you don’t learn then you’re not a starter for very long in the National Football League. You have to play the game with a sense of urgency, but at the same time you have to be smart.”

On signing WR Glenn Martinez last week (9/30)

“Glenn stayed in very good shape (after being waived on 8/30). You’re always hoping when a guy goes down somebody that has been in your system you can pick up and he can fit right in. He’s very sharp, he knows all three wide receiver positions and it was really good for us to have him out there to be able to call at the last second. He had a nice catch and he did a nice job on the punt returns.”

On whether the number of three-man defensive fronts being used limits the playing time of DE Jarvis Moss

“I think Jarvis has the ability to play both as a linebacker and a defensive end. He’s in the 240 range and he still has the speed, so you may see him some as a defensive end and some as an outside linebacker. We have the ability to do some things with Jarvis that we haven’t done in the past.”

On DE Tim Crowder

“I think he is growing. He is a guy who works extremely hard. Right now we have some competition. We have a few different game plans with four-man fronts and three-man fronts, so sometimes that alters who is up and who is down. I’m pleased with his effort thus far.”

On how close RB Ryan Torain (elbow) is to returning from injury

“There is a chance that he could start practicing next week, according to doctors. I would say that the earliest he would be available would be after the bye week. That’s my guess.”

On the Broncos’ defense

“We have been able to do some more things (defensively) as time has gone on. I think we will keep on getting better and better. The thing that you have to have is a lot of guys going in the same direction, a lot of guys working hard, guy staying positive—and we’ve had that. We have a lot of workers. We have guys doing everything they can to get better and it really doesn’t surprise me that they played at the level that they played. I would be surprised if you don’t see a lot more games like you saw on Sunday.”

Denver Broncos 16 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 - Post Game Notes and Quotes

John Bena — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:12:28 -0000

FINAL GAME NOTES

WIN NO. 150 FOR SHANAHAN

* - With the win, Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan earned his 150^th overall career victory (150-96-0, .610) and became the 17th coach in NFL history to reach that win total. His overall record with the Broncos improves to 142-84-0 (.628).

SIXTH IN A ROW AT HOME

* - The Broncos extended their home winning streak to six games with their victory against Tampa Bay. It is their longest such streak since posting 13 consecutive home wins in the regular season from Dec. 12, 2004, through Oct. 15, 2006.

CUTLER MILESTONES

* - Broncos QB Jay Cutler completed 23-of-34 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 96.1 passer rating.

* - His 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley in the third quarter moved him ahead of QB Steve Tensi for sole possession of seventh in Broncos history in career touchdown passes (39).

* - Cutler also became the eighth player in Broncos history to reach 6,000 career passing yards, finishing the game with an even 6,000 for his career.

* - The victory improved Cutler’s career record as a starting quarterback to 13-13.

SCHEFFLER MILESTONE

* - Broncos TE Tony Scheffler had a team-high 65 receiving yards on four catches (16.3 avg.) to move into fifth place in Broncos history in career receiving yards by a tight end (1,094). He moved ahead of TE Jeb Putzier (1,087) today.

SERIES STUFF

* - With the win, the Broncos improved to 5-2 all-time against Tampa Bay, including 3-1 at home. The Buccaneers entered the game as the only team in the NFL that had yet to visit INVESCO Field at Mile High, which opened in 2001.

DEFENSE IMPRESSIVE

* - Denver allowed season lows in points (13) and yards per play (5.0) while tying for its season low in total yards (307 – also allowed that total at Oakland, 9/8/08). In the first half, the Broncos gave up only 54 passing yards.

* - After holding Tampa Bay to a field goal in the first quarter, the Broncos remain one of six NFL teams that have not allowed a touchdown in the first quarter this season. The Broncos have outscored their opponents 28-15 in the opening quarter, allowing a total of five field goals through five games.

PRATER GOES FOR DISTANCE

* - With his 55-yard field goal in the second quarter, Broncos K Matt Prater tied for the fifth-longest field goal in franchise history. Prater is now 4-of-4 on field goals of 50-plus yards this season, becoming the first Bronco make four 50-plus yarders in a season since K Jason Elam made 4-of-6 50-yard attempts in 2002.

* - Prater leads all NFL kickers in 50-plus yard field goals (4) this season. He also connected on his remaining two field-goal attempts (40 and 27 yds.), making him 12-of-13 for the season on field goals and 15-of-15 on extra points for a club-best 51 points.

* - The second-year player recorded touchbacks on four of his five kickoffs. For the season, Prater has posted 11 touchbacks on 30 kickoffs.

MULTIPLE SACKS

* - With their three sacks (LB D.J. Williams, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, DE Elvis Dumervil), the Broncos recorded their second multiple-sack game of the year (3 at Oak., 9/8/08). Tampa Bay had not allowed a sack in its last two games entering today’s contest. The sacks marked the second of the season for both D.J. Williams and Ekuban.

* - Dumervil recorded his first sack of the season in the second quarter. His 22 sacks since the start of the 2006 season ties him for eighth in the NFL during that span.

ROYAL RETURNS

* - With his 20-yard punt return in the second quarter, Broncos WR Eddie Royal now has a punt return of at least 20 yards in each of his past three games. Royal, who ranked second in the NFL with a 16.6-yard punt return average entering today’s game, has averaged 14.3 yards on eight returns (114 yds.) this season.

STOKLEY TOUCHDOWN

* - With his third-quarter, 10-yard touchdown pass from Cutler, Broncos WR Brandon Stokley scored his first touchdown since Dec. 9, 2007, when he had a 21-yard touchdown pass vs. Kansas City. Stokley finished the game with a team-high six catches for 52 yards (8.7 avg.).

* - Stokley’s six receptions were his most in a game since posting six catches for 73 yards with one touchdown vs. Houston (11/13/05).

PITTMAN AGAINST OLD TEAM

* - Broncos RB Michael Pittman, who played for Tampa Bay for six years from 2002-07 and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Bucs in 2002, faced his former team for the first time. He finished the game with six rushes for 39 yards (6.5 avg.) with a 16-yard long and two receptions for 22 yards, including a 15-yard grab.

BRONCOS EXTEND SCORING STREAK

* - The Broncos have now scored in 250 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Denver’s streak, which began with a 16-13 overtime loss at Seattle on Nov. 30, 1992, is the fourth-longest such streak in NFL history. The Broncos have extended the streak by the by halftime 238 times, including in today’s contest.

LEADING TACKLERS

* - D.J. Williams led the Broncos with 11 defensive tackles (9 solo).

* - LB Niko Koutouvides led the Broncos with two stops on special teams.

MISCELLANEOUS GAME NOTES

* - For the third time this season, the Broncos forced their opponent to go three-and-out on its first offensive drive.

* - Broncos rookie P Brett Kern, who came into the league with a league-low nine punts on the season, had a career-high five punts for 248 yards (49.6 gross / 45.8 net) with a 63-yard long.

* - Broncos S Vernon Fox made his Broncos debut on special teams against Tampa Bay after being signed on 9/23/08. He was inactive for last week’s game at Kansas City.

* - Broncos WR Glenn Martinez saw his first action of the season after being signed on 9/30. He finished with a 12-yard reception and two punt returns for nine yards (4.5 avg.).

* - Denver DT Marcus Thomas posted his second career interception and the Broncos’ second of the season in the fourth quarter. His only other career interception came vs. Oakland on Sept. 16, 2007.

GOING FOR NO. 400 NEXT WEEK

* - With the win, the Broncos earned their 399^th victory as a franchise (regular season and postseason combined) and will look for No. 400 next week against Jacksonville. The Broncos’ all-time combined record stands at 399-352-10 (.524). Denver is No. 16 all-time in victories with 399, but second among original AFL teams (Oakland, 426).

DENVER BRONCOS COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

Opening statement

“Obviously that was a nice team win. We beat a good team in Tampa Bay, they’re a team that’ll be in the playoffs. Excellent defense, offense and special teams. Our guys fought hard for 60 minutes and that’s what I’m most proud of. We started out playing hard in the beginning, and we continued that throughout the game. We didn’t turn the ball over against a team like that. When we had to we came up with a few runs to end the game, and that’s the way you want to do it. We want to finish that way.”

On RB Michael Pittman

“When we signed him I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I watched him throughout his years at Tampa Bay and Arizona, but I knew we had a special guy, because I had talked to enough people to know that you want this guy in your locker room. He’s got everything you look for in a person and in an athlete and he’s demonstrated that both on and off the field. He made some big plays today and had good third downs that we needed, obviously I’m very happy to have him.”

On the defense

“The defense played extremely well. Obviously going up against a team that moved the football very well, we came up with some key plays and made some plays when we had to.”

On the passing game

“That was our game plan coming in, I’m very pleased with [QB] Jay [Cutler]. You can not go down field against this team and expect to win. That’s why they’ve had the turnovers and the touchdowns, as well as an excellent pass rush and disciplined secondary. You have to take what the defense gives you. We missed a couple third downs by a yard, but our defense stepped up and made some good plays. When we had to make the plays we made them and we stopped ourselves a couple times with penalties. We managed field goals instead of touchdowns, that’s the way you win a game like that, you have to be disciplined and not turn the ball over.”

On team effort

“The object is to win, that’s the bottom line. You find guys fighting hard in the locker room, like we did, then you feel good. There are a lot of key plays as you go through the game. People remember the plays at the end of the game, or close to it. You have to keep on fighting and our defense fought. We made a couple plays, backed up on our 11 yard line, with three time outs left for Tampa Bay. We threw the football and made the play and that shows the kind of confidence that we have, and we knew that they were going to have an eight or nine man front, so we threw the football there. [TE] Tony [Scheffler] made a nice catch. We made them use their timeouts and that’s how you win games. I’m very pleased with the total effort of the team.”

On the pass rush

“I knew it was going to come. I knew we were going to get better as time went on, because we have too many quality guys who are working extremely hard together. For a team that hasn’t had a sack in a while, it’s nice to come up with a few big plays. We will keep on getting better defensively. That’s what it’s all about – getting better every week. That’s what we did today.”

On K Matt Prater

“It starts in practice. Since he’s been here, he’s been very consistent. In practice on Wednesday’s we always end with a long field goal and he’s made it from 70 yards consistently. So, when he’s out there, you know it has nothing to do with the distance. You’re just hoping that he has the accuracy. He’s been very consistent in practice and that’s why he’s getting the opportunity in the games. The thing most people don’t notice is his kickoffs; it’s nice to have a weapon and an extra guy on special teams, with his ability to kick the ball off well. He’s done a good job for a young player. He’s handled a lot of pressure and we all know what a great player Jason Elam was to this organization and how many clutch field goals he’s hit through the years. It’s very hard to fill those shoes, but he has stepped up and done a great job, hopefully he can keep on doing that. I don’t want to take anything away from Jason, because there’s nothing better than Jason Elam, both on and off the field. When someone does go, you need a guy like this to step up and get the job done.”

On wide receivers

“That’s why you have to have depth. Any time you loose great players, it’s tough. Obviously with [WR] Brandon Stokley, we know what he can do and we don’t want to overplay him, because he’s such a pivotal part of our third down package. When [WR] Eddie [Royal] does go down, we have four wide receivers dressed and somebody’s got to step up and obviously, we did.”

DENVER BRONCOS PLAYERS

QB JAY CUTLER

On how Tampa Bay’s defense changed the Broncos offensive plans

“A lot and that’s not really my thing. We are used to throwing the ball down the field a lot and getting big chunks and we really couldn’t do it against this defense. There’re disciplined, really sound. They get to their jobs. You just have to be patient, take them apart and believe in the system and hopefully get a little momentum and hopefully get some big plays here and there.”

On RB Michael Pittman’s running game

“He was fired up about this one, there’s obvious reason’s. Pittman’s been there all year for us. Third down, goal line, shorter yardage, he’s very valuable for us.”

On the big picture

“We have been in some high scoring ball games, back and forth and the defense has caught a lot of heat. We had trouble stopping some people, but we knew they were a lot better than that. We have too much talent, too much character over there. It’s just good to see them lock it down this week.”

On his pass to TE Tony Scheffler

“It was pretty high and Tony is a big target. I put it high and outside, it was him or nobody. Tony gets in and out of breaks pretty quick. [LB] Derrick [Brooks] is a pro bowl player, he’s one of the best to play that position. You have to be careful when you deal with him.”

WR BRANDON MARSHALL

On Tampa Bay taking away the deep ball

“The win offset that. Once we got the lead, we knew we were going to hold it, so it didn’t matter. As long as we got the win, and we did that today.”

On winning both ways, offensively and defensively

“The guys just played together today and they were sound in their technique and within the scheme and it showed up out there today. Defense did a great job and they won a game for us.”

On whether the Denver Broncos are the best team in the AFC

“We’re a good one. It’s still early in the season. Five games in, there’s no telling, but we want to play our best football come November.”

On RB Michael Pittman

“The way he ran the ball today, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities, but when he did – he took advantage of his opportunity and he made them pay. He wouldn’t be human if he didn’t.”

On the defense double teaming him all day

“A little bit of what they were doing and myself, I dropped the ball out there and slipped on a route on a wide open pass; so it was a little bit of both me and what they were doing. But, we moved the ball well and we got the win.”

On two game lead over the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West

“This is just football, that’s all it is right now, and football season starts in November. It’s still early. Like I said, we want to play our best football come November. When we get to that part of the season, then we’ll start talking.”

WR BRANDON STOKLEY

On celebrating his touchdown

“It was a little premature but I thought I was in there. It had been a while so I was excited.”

General

“Good teams find a way to win these games. We didn’t play well last week but the whole team had a good game today.”

On Tampa Bay’s defense

“They are a very good defense. They have a good coach in (Defensive Coordinator) Monte Kiffin. We got into a little bit of a roll in the second half and that was big for us.”

LB JAMIE WINBORN

General

“The win feels great. There has been a lot of talk about the defense not stepping up to the plate but we came through today.

On bouncing back from last week’s loss to Kansas City

“There was a bitter taste in our mouths from last week (33-19 loss at K.C., 9/28/08). We knew we didn’t play our best ball but we came back this week and played a lot better.”

DT KENNY PETERSON

On the defense

“We played a pretty good game today especially in stopping the run. We gave up a couple of explosive plays but we were able to make adjustments.”

On criticism of the defense

“We have played against some pretty good offenses and we played another explosive offense today. We wanted to set our identity by stopping the run and making plays and we did that today.”

On the defensive line

“We turned up the pressure a little bit up front. When our pistons are all firing it looks like we are playing with 12 men instead of 11.”

TE DANIEL GRAHAM

General

“This win feels good. Our goal was to come out and play 60 minutes and all four quarters. We did that today and we got the victory.

“We can’t blow teams out or put up a lot of points every game. Our defense came to play and stopped them when they had to.”

On playing Jacksonville next week

“We have a tough game next week. We will enjoy this win, look at the film and get better.”

LB BOSS BAILEY

On the defense

“We still have work to do and we can still get better. We are only satisfied because we won the game.

“They had plays downfield but we had coverage for them. Everybody did their job today and it worked out for us.

“This proves that we are a good defense and we can do it week in and week out.”

DEFENSIVE END ELVIS DUMERVIL

On the defense

“Guys came out today and made plays. The crowd was into it the entire game and it really helped out. I think they had a few false start penalties. The defense made big plays and the offense did their part.”

More on the defenses

“We knew after the loss in Kansas City that we had a lot of work to do to get ready for today’s game. That is the character of this defense, we worked hard during the week and we played well today. We were excited to get the win and now we have to prepare for Jacksonville.”

On making plays

“This week we were able to make plays and that was the difference from the past few weeks. This is a good start but there are 16 games this season and we are only five games in and now, like I said, we have to prepare for next weeks game against Jacksonville.”

RUNNING BACK MICHAEL PITTMAN

On playing against his former team

“I am a very emotional player and I just wanted to come out here and win this game. It was a big win and I wanted to play hard. I just wanted to do everything I could to help my team get the win. I have all the respect in the world for their team and their coaching staff but I am a Bronco now and I did my part and I am excited to get the win.”

On the Tampa Bay defense

“I know their defense really well and I know their strengths and weaknesses. They have a great defense and I give their coaching staff including Monte Kiffin a lot of credit for what they do.”

WIDE RECEIVER GLENN MARTINEZ

On coming back after being off four weeks

“The coaching staff did a great job of getting me ready and into the game plan. After spending this week getting prepared and staying in shape while I was gone, I feel like I haven’t skipped a beat.”

On catching punts

“I have been catching punts for so long that it will take more than four weeks to loose that skill but It is only one week I have to take things one day at a time and prepare each week to come out and play well.”

Glenn Martinez Returns; Clifford Russell To I/R

John Bena — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:25:56 -0000

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday signed free-agent wide receiver Glenn Martinez, Head Coach Mike Shanahan announced. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Broncos also on Tuesday placed wide receiver Clifford Russell on their reserve/injured list. He suffered a sprained neck in the fourth quarter of Denver's game at Kansas City on Sunday.

Martinez (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) is a third-year wide receiver who spent the 2007 campaign with the Broncos before he was waived on Aug. 30. He played 12 games (1 start) for Denver last season, totaling 14 receptions for 175 yards (12.5 avg.) along with 14 punt returns for 157 yards (11.2 avg.) with one touchdown and 15 kickoff returns for 330 yards (22.0 avg.).

Martinez's 80-yard punt return for a touchdown in Denver's Monday Night Football win against Tennessee (11/19/07) was its first punt return score in four seasons and earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

In 17 career games (1 start) with Denver (2007) and Detroit (2005-06), Martinez has posted 15 receptions for 186 yards (12.4 avg.). He also owns 14 career punt returns for 157 yards (11.2 avg.) with one touchdown and 15 kickoff returns for 330 yards (22.0 avg.).

Martinez entered the NFL with Pittsburgh in 2004 as a college free agent from Saginaw Valley State University, where he finished his career ranked third in school history in career receiving yards (2,663).

Born on Nov. 30, 1981, Martinez attended Auburndale High School in Auburndale, Fla

SB Nation - Glenn Martinez

Post-Game Breakdown: Texans Win In Tennessee

Decision Day: 53-Man Roster Speculation

bfd's First Take at the 53-Man Roster

Broncos bring back Tatum Bell, release Glenn Martinez

Jacksonville Jaguars 24 - Denver Broncos 17 - Making The Grade

C

B+

C-

B

A-

D

C-

C-

B

D

What Grade Would You Give The Broncos For Their Performance Against The Jaguars

A

B

C

D

F

MHR Chalk Talk -- Week 6 - Jacksonville at Denver

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM

Jacksonville in Decline

Denver on Offense

Denver on Defense

Special Mention: Special Teams

Keys to the Game

Overview

Prater (Kicker)

We don't have to miss Elam now.

I'm still not sold.

He's a kicker. Who cares?

Denver Broncos 16 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 - Monday Presser

Denver Broncos 16 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13 - Post Game Notes and Quotes

Glenn Martinez Returns; Clifford Russell To I/R