Much attention has been focused on the QB position during Denver's off-season.  If not the QB position, many folks are inclined to study the many changes made at the defensive line.  However, Denver's biggest surprise may come at the RB position.  Why?  There is more beef on the offensive line, a former first round RB entering his first year as a veteran, and a QB more capable of distracting teams with the passing game after a year's experience in the Denver system.  If the Denver run game can make a mark on the League this year, everything else can fall more easily into place.

I expect Denver will use a committee approach to the RB position, using two backs to carry the ball (with one of those backs getting the majority of carries) in each game.  I also expect Denver to use single back sets for virtually all of their offensive formations.  Further, Denver will expect their backs to play in some screen plays.  In such a scenario, those backs will need to be capable of catching the ball or blocking for whomever takes the pass.  However, I expect the majority of screen passes to go to receivers, not to backs and TEs.

Further, the transition away from the zone block system is completed this year.  This is not to say that there won't be occasional zone blocks (every team uses them).  But the zone block will not be dominant as in years past, or even divided as it was in 2009.  There are no true 1-cut specialists on the roster this year.  In the past, with the help of the OL and RB coaches, Denver could pick-up specialists from deep in the draft and ensure a quality runner.  Now the team will have success, but along very different lines.  On the OL, "beef" is the theme for the interior OL, and the Tackles will depend on their excellent pass blocking skills in a system that should see a final departure from the bootleg driven west coast offense of years past.

But the transition at RB is complete, and the coach has the player types he wants throughout the RB roster.

Let's take a look at each Denver running back, and see how he plugs into the Denver system and where he may end up on the depth chart.

Continue reading this post »

It is no small thing to make a substitution on the field of play.  At the pro level, offensives have been known to watch for slow, lumbering defensive tackles to head to the sideline, at which time the offensive to quickly races to scrimmage to catch the defense with an extra man on the field.

Offenses like to prey on defensive lines by hitting them with run blocks and calling no huddle plays to keep big defensemen worn down.  And even without an offense focused on wearing down the DL, those big guys on the defense are going to be hurting as the game goes on.

How do defenses counter these threats, and what goes into defensive substitutions?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  This week's University story is all about how defenses counter the offense's attempts to wear them down.  More after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

MHR University - Individual Roles on the Offensive Line

(and QB Adjustments)

Denver Broncos fans have a lot to chew on for this upcoming season.  In terms of the offensive line, there are many considerations to talk about.  Consider:

1. Denver drafted several OLmen in the 2010 draft.
2. Denver continues the move away from the zone block into the gap block (sometimes mistakenly called "man block").
3. A prominent first round pick (Tim Tebow) is left handed.
4. Denver will likely continue towards the singleback formations, eschewing the need for a FB on the roster.

Let's talk a little bit about the roles of individual OLmen, and how they change (or don't) under the expected program for 2010.  See you after the jump!

Continue reading this post »

At MHR, the staff will get together to discuss issues of the moment.  Today's discussion is the controversial decision to bring in Tim Tebow with a first round pick.  Was it a good decision?  How might it affect the locker room dynamics or morale?

Below, each staffer gives you his opinion.  The most important opinion is yours, so make sure to put it into the comments section.  Do you agree or disagree with a certain view, or have a new view altogether?  We'd love to hear from you!

This week's question, "What does the future hold for Orton and Tebow?  How will this impact the locker room morale of the team, and the team's future?"

Continue reading this post »

Before the start of the draft tonight, and before he enters the war room with his team of experts in tow, Josh will be spending a little time with the most important people in his life; his family.  Josh's birthday may have been on the 21st, but the word is that the family is getting together a little bit today.  

In the end, as with all jobs, family comes first.  MHR's family wishes Josh a very happy birthday, and best wishes to his family.  Tonight, all Bronco fans stand behind him as he fights against 31 other teams and the clock to build our team into a force for glory.

(I would have posted a birthday wish yesterday, but frankly, I was too wrapped up in the draft to remember.  I'm reasonably sure Josh will forgive the oversight).

Welcome to the first ever installment of MHR Roundtable, a collection of brief thoughts by several of MHR's experts on current events and issues.

This week, the Roundtable will opine on the decision to send Brandon Marshall to the Miami Dolphins for a second round pick in 2010, and a second round pick in 2011.  Those opinions follow after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

A weighted formation is an offensive formation that has two TEs on the same side, or two WRs on the same side.  Often, these formations are called "twins", such as "twin TEs" or "twin WRs".

These formations are designed to do several things, and we'll take a look at each.  Among the things that weighted formations do:

• They give the illusion to the defense that one side of the field is more likely to be the offensive target,
• They attempt to confuse the defense (since defenses are almost always symetricalin an attempt to cover both sides of the field),
• They can lead to motion shifts that can further confuse the defense,
• And they can exploit mis-matches against particular players.

Let's take a more in-depth look at these four points, as well as defensive counters.

Continue reading this post »

Defensive lineman great and actor Merlin Olsen has passed away. Many folks remember Olsen for his roles in "Little House on the Prarie", "Father Murphy", and "Aaron's Way". Others remember him for his dominance during the 1960s, where he was one of the "feasome foursome" for the Rams.

This gentle giant was a class act, a powerful player, and was loved well beyond the football community.

MHR's prayers go out to Merlin and his family. 

Defensive lineman great and actor Merlin Olsen has passed away. Many folks remember Olsen for his roles in "Little House on the Prarie", "Father Murphy", and "Aaron's Way". Others remember him for his dominance during the 1960s.

This gentle giant was a class act, a powerful player, and was loved well beyond the football community.

MHR's prayers go out to Merlin and his family.

So far, this is where the Broncos are in terms of Pick-up, re-signings, losses, and TBDs.  I'll include brief notes on my own opinions of each player.  See below the fold for the current situation as of noon, 3-6-10.

Picked Up

Bannan, Justin - DE    From BAL.  Has played at NT and DE.  Can play / rotate at any of the DL positions, good run stopper.  I give this move a "B".  Isn't a star player, but has the potential.  Solid player.

Jones, Nathan - CB    From MIA.  Another DB from MIA (we got two great ones last year).  Jones is not a ball hawk, so don't expect many exciting interceptions.  What Jones does well is keep plays in front of him, and tackles well.  Like Bannon, this is a solid signing.  "B"

Arrington,  JJ - RB    From no team.  DIdn't play last year, cut by Denver.  Is good at returns and receiving, making him a potent threat in screen plays.  Doesn't give Denver the runs up the middle needed.  If he can stay healthy, he's a good signing.  Will raise his value if he can pass-block out of single backs sets.  "C+" 

Re-Signed

Hochstein, Russ - OG    Being re-signed is a sign that the team has confidence in you.  Russ can compete for a spot at either OC or OG.  Don't be shocked if he starts.  "B"

Llyod, Brandon - WR    Nothing flashy, but dependable.  I like this re-signing for the depth it gives Denver.  Would do fine at slot, or could play at #2 in a pinch.  "B"

Continue reading this post »

  

As part of a speaker's bureau, I was once asked to give a presentation to a group of businessmen about coaching, and I was asked to discuss the ingredients required to make a good coach.  I came up with the following five traits required (in my opinion) to make a good coach.

Different coaches will have different traits in different quantities, and those differences will define the type of coach that a person is.  But it is my opinion that each of these traits are required at least in some small measure.

Read on...

Continue reading this post »

I get a lot of questions in my e-mail box each day.  Some of the questions I've received are pretty common, and come up quiet a bit.  I'd like to take a look at some of the questions that come up about "things we hear" that may or may not be true.

For example, we always hear that some running backs improve as the game goes on.  Is that true?  Do other player positions "get in a rhythm" as the game goes on?  (Some do, some don't; read on).  Are offensive linemen the "smartest" guys on the field?  Why, or why not?  Does the Denver altitude really affect opposing players?

There are a lot of myths that surround football, and there are even some "myths" that turn out to be accurate.  Today, we'll take a closer look at some of these issues, as well as others that members may want to bring up in the comments section.

Continue reading this post »

There was a time in football where FBs played on every team, but every team had single-back formations as well.  There was a division of formations on such teams.  Now however, the trend in football is to commit to FB or single-back formations to such a degree that teams are now overwhelmingly geared one way or the other.

The Broncos have signaled a hard move to the singleback forms, following in the footsteps of the Patriots.  (The Patriots, in fact, prefer to not use the term "FB", instead classifying all backs as RBs).  In the Super Bowl this Sunday, fans will see one of the more committed single-back teams going - the Indianapolis Colts.

What is the difference between the two approaches (besides the obvious), and is one better?  Let's take a deeper look after the jump below...

Continue reading this post »

I've been out of the loop for a couple of weeks with some work related matters, and have returned to answer a few questions from my e-mail box.  The questions I'm getting the most relate to our team's change in offensive line blocking.

It certainly looks like Denver will lose the identity it had as a zone blocking team.  While I'll miss it (and the advantages that go with it), I also realize that there are advantages to gap blocking as well.  (Gap blocking, as we'll see, is the standard form of blocking.  It is sometimes erroneously referred to as "man" blocking).

In today's University piece, we'll look at several issues.  We'll look at gap blocking, and how it differs with zone blocking.  We'll also go into some other areas as well, such as my thoughts on recent coaching changes, as well as needs going into the next season.

More below the fold...

Continue reading this post »

Not much good comes from missing the playoffs.  Well, okay.  There ARE some good things.  For one, we get higher draft picks.  And for another, we get back to MHR University (Yeah, I'd rather be in the playoffs, too).

Readers and trolls (and may it please the court): Comes now before the court a question of antitrust  and intellectual property law involving the National Football League.  This Wednesday a case will be heard before the Supreme Court of the United States (hereafter referred to by the common acronym SCOTUS) that may have some interesting ramifications for the pro football world (and even other leagues).  Here's a small tidbit on what to watch for.

Continue reading this post »

There are many angles to look at for the Sunday game against the KC Chiefs.  We could breakdown the Xs and Os, we could compare the teams, we could look at the players, or we could even evaluate our playoff chances.  There are many ways to approach this.

But I'm going to take a different tack.  I'm going to look at the locker room issues that have come up lately, and see if I can make some sense of what is going on for this team, now and going into the off season.  Keep in mind I scrapped my entire rough draft I prepared for this game due to the news of Marshall and Scheffler's de-activation for Sunday's game.

I hope that I can lend some credible and reasoned opinions about what is happening (or may be happening), and that the discussion generated is healthy and cordial.  Remember folks, this doesn't need to be "McDaniels haters" versus "Marshall haters".  This is about the Broncos, and what the team needs to do moving forward.  Let's keep the discussion respectful, and let me start it off today with my own take.

Continue reading this post »

Merry Christmas!  Read this breakdown of the upcoming Broncos / Eagles game, then get back to your family and the Christmas cheer!

The Denver Broncos control their own destiny.  If they can beat the Eagles at Philly and the Chiefs at home, they get into the playoffs.  In fact, Denver can get into the playoffs with just a win this week (with losses by MIA, JAX, PIT, and NYJ).  With a loss this week, they can still get in, but the odds would be real long and Denver would need a lot of help.

As I thought some time ago, the game against PHI will be huge for Denver.  I didn't expect a playoff spot this year, nor did I predict a record better than 8 wins (though I was confident the team would look much better).  Now the team looks SO much better that fans are getting upset that the team might not make the playoffs at all.  If anything, this shows how far we've come as a team.  But I knew deep down that the PHI game represented the last game on the schedule that looked to me like a tough match-up.  It seemed to me that if there was going to be any chance of a playoff spot, the Eagles game would be key.

What should we watch for in this game?

Continue reading this post »

I have a lot on my mind right now, and I want to touch on each issue that is rumbling around in my head.

1) The loss of Bengals receiver Chris Henry

2) The great effort by Denver in their loss in Indianapolis

3) The beating we are about to administer to the Raiders, and...

4) What is in store for the Broncos, this year and next.

Let's start with the big news of the week, the death of Chris Henry.  I don't know the circumstances surrounding the death of Chris.  I know there was a domestic dispute, and Chris fell out of the rear of a moving pickup truck.  But that's it.  I'm not interested in who was at fault, and what led up to this tragedy.  Here's what I do know:

Chris was a young father.  There are young children whose lives are going to be impacted by this death, and that is more crucial than anything having to do with football.  My prayers are with them.

Second (and not even on the scale of importance as the loss of a human life) is the question as to how the Bengals will choose to react to this tragedy.  This week the Bengals play the Chargers.  As we know, the Broncos would like to see the Chargers lose as many games as possible in the final three weeks.  CIN is the biggest threat left for the Chargers (the other two games are at TEN and home against WAS).  Will the Bengals take this death too hard to play four quarters of football, or will they play an inspired game?

I was against SD in this game, but now I'm for Cincy.  I'm sure much of the football world will be, too.  Let's keep Chris's children in our prayers.

Continue reading this post »

This is it; the big game.  Indianapolis and Denver are both likely to go to the playoffs, and this game is the toughest game on the Denver schedule.  IND is undefeated, has the best QB in the League, and a defense that hasn't missed a beat even when three of four starting defensive backs went down to injury earlier this season.  The Colts feature an amazing one-two punch with their pass-rushing ends.  They have an offensive line that protects their QB very well.  In short, the Colts are a team to be respected for their well-earned accomplishments.

So there is only one question on the minds of Denver fans this week - "Can the Broncos beat Indianapolis this week?"  My answer is "Yes".  Let's face it, IND is a great team and they are (in my opinion) Super Bowl-bound.  However, while a betting man ought to go with the Colts this weekend, the Broncos are better situated to hand the Colts an upset than most analysts might think.  Denver is built to win this match-up in terms of system match-ups, and we'll explore the possibilities below the fold...

Continue reading this post »

After getting off to a great 6-0 start, the Broncos lost their mojo and dropped 4 games, including a costly game to rival San Diego.  On Thanksgiving night, the Broncos did exactly what they needed to do; not only to beat the New York Giants, but to set the tone for how to play the season out.

I'd like to think the Broncos took a page from MHR Chalk Talk last week, and made a decision to play more physical ball while letting the precision wait a little longer.  I'm certain that Coach McDaniels has better things to do than to listen to advice from folks outside of his coaching circle, but he did place an emphaisis on more physical ball for the Giants game.  It not only worked, but it worked out better than our game plans for the first 6 victories.  Why?  Because we played a dominating style of football instead of a finesse style, and it worked to a tee.

There's nothing wrong with finesse.  But a team needs time to learn a new system before it can take the step to execute more complex plays.  Right now, Denver needs to execute the basics better than the bad guys, and punch other teams in the gut.  That is just what Denver did, and what they need to do moving forward.

Continue reading this post »

Football is important to me.  I love the game, and it took up a lot of my time when I was a younger man.  I loved teaching so much that I was one of the first faculty to arrive at our building each day and one of the last to leave.  When I started coaching, I arrived at work about an hour before the kids arrived and left about an hour after practice.

It was one of those jobs (teaching and coaching; I was paid to do both) that one loves enough to look forward to in the morning and to miss on the way home.  Then I got a family, and I had the best of both worlds (home and work).

But football isn't everything.  It isn't even close.  Here are the things I am thankful for today:  My God (for everything), our military men and women (who protect everything I hold dear), my country (which allows me to enjoy the fruits of my labor), my family (from where my happiness comes from), my friends (who are like my family, and I include my MHR friends and family here), and my employer (I'm grateful to have a job during these tough economic times, and I'm grateful for each of my co-workers).  I just wanted to get that out there.

But you aren't here to hear all of that.  You want to know what has happened to our Broncos, and what we have (if anything) to look forward to.  I'll give it a stab.

Continue reading this post »

Well, it turns out the Broncos are much better than many people thought, but not nearly as good as some had hoped for.  After beating a group of pretty good teams (NE, SD, DAL, CIN) and two not-so-good teams (CLE, OAK), Denver lost to two pretty good teams (BAL, PIT) and lost to a not-so-good team (WAS).

All in all, the team is still 6-3, tops the AFC West, and has the tie break over SD.  So far, so good.  Now comes the bad news.  SD is a team that is starting to surge, while Denver has dropped three straight.  QB Kyle Orton is hurt and may not play.  If Kyle can play, he may not be 100%.  While Denver has home field, we have to bear in mind that SD has the "advantage of first loss", which is the concept in coaching that a team learns more from losing to an opponent than winning.  In the NFL, it is hard to beat a team twice in one season.

Frankly, Denver has a tough battle in front of them this week, and I'm glad that the new format for the MHR staff picks won't force me to pick this game.

Still, I think the future overall looks bright.  Really.

Continue reading this post »

I'd like to breakdown the upcoming game against the Redskins, but I want to put in my two cents worth on the state of the team as well.

Let's start with the fan base.  That's right, let's start with the fans.  Home field has several reasons for being advantageous, including elevation (Denver), facilities, rest, and N-O-I-S-E.  I was disgusted at the number of Terrible Towels in the stands during the last game - a clear indication that many Denver fans had sold their tickets to the enemy.  With a 6-1 team, does that really make sense?  I won't buy the economy as an excuse, since the PIT fans buying the tickets are likely no better off than the Denver fans (and have to add in the cost of travel in many cases).

By the way, factoring in tie breaks, are you aware that the Denver Broncos are #2 in the AFC right now?  We are ahead of CIN and NE (we beat those 6-2 teams head-to-head) and are ahead of PIT (they aren't first in their division and we have the better conference record).  Before jumping off the bandwagon, realize that if the playoffs were today, we would have 2nd seed and a first-round bye.

Continue reading this post »

Folks, this is the game I've been waiting for all season.  There is an awful lot to look at between these two teams, and from a purely Xs and Os standpoint, this game should be a feast for football lovers.

The Steelers are the defending SB champions.  Their young coach had to start under the shadow of a big name.  This is a team that has excellent players in just about every facet of the game, and they are used very well by the coach.

The Broncos have emerged from a few years wandering the wilderness, and have a near perfect record.  Their young coach had to start out in the shadow of a big name.  Excellent players?  Check.  Great coaching?  Check.

And this game will be on Monday night.  Does it get any better?

Read on....

Continue reading this post »

How good are the Ravens?  Don't be fooled by the 3-3 record.  They've beat the teams they should have (KC and CLE), and won against a tough SD team.  Their losses came to teams that are pretty good (NE, CIN, and MIN).  Don't sell this team short.

On the other hand, many folks are more likely to sell Denver short.  Vegas has them down by 3 points at the time of this writing, despite a 6-0 record.  Denver beat two teams that beat BAL (NE and CIN), as well as CLE, SD, OAK, and DAL.  How good is Denver?

Special Teams - Sep and Oct players of the month (Kicker Matt Prater and Returner Eddie Royal).

Offense - Kyle Orton, who played the first four games with a protective glove has thrown only one INT (a bomb throw to end a half with no time left) and holds a 100+ QB rating.

Defense - Keeping opponents to an average 11 points a game.

But how do the teams match up?  Both teams come off of a bye week, and have had ample time to draw up superior game plans.  Who wins in each aspect of the game, and how should they plan the game?  Let's look at some possibilities....

Continue reading this post »

I get a lot of questions regarding three formations.  The first is the 5-2 variant of the 3-4 (such as employed by the Denver Broncos).  My last MHR-U was on this topic, and several members and staff have written on this issue.  Since Denver uses it, you can expect MHR to be on top of it.

I also get a lot of e-mails about the wildhorses formation.  I've told several members that I would write on this, but many members have stepped into the gap and written excellent posts about the formations and how they are used.  For my part, I am going to put together a reference guide so that the inquiring scholar may look up all of the information he or she needs in one, easy to find place (below).

The 4-4 is a common formation at many smaller HS programs, and a great number of middle school programs.  It isn't really seen at the pro level, but an understanding of this formation is a building block for anybody's knowledge of a good defense.  I'll discuss the two main variants of this formation, and how the formation was used at one middle school program that I was associated with.

Continue reading this post »

From the Associated Press -

SAN DIEGO - A member of the San Diego Chargers' game-day staff died 12 hours after falling out of the press box before the Denver Broncos played the San Diego Chargers on Monday night.

Walt Daniels, 66, died at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at Sharp Memorial Hospital, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Daniels appeared to sustain a head injury after falling about 25 to 30 feet out of a booth that was to be used by Broncos assistant coaches and landing on the loge level.

He was administered CPR before being taken to the hospital.

Workers later cleaned up a puddle of blood.

The accident happened about three hours before kickoff and delayed the opening of the gates by about 40 minutes.

"The San Diego Chargers' family is greatly saddened by the loss of Walt Daniels," the team said in a statement. "Walt loved the team and loved working in the press box on game days for more than 20 years. Our prayers are with his family and friends during this most difficult time."

Our thoughts and prayers from MHR go out to the family of Mr. Daniels, and to the Charger's community.

MHR announces the unmasking of the staff!

After hitting 3 million vistors, MHR Editor in Chief "TheSportsGuru" asked the staff to stop using "internet" type names and moved MHR further into the realm of professionalism.  The staff is no longer undercover, and will be using their own names.

MHR's staff is now part of an elite fraternity of famous unmaskings, such as "The Unknown Comic",  "The Masked Magician" and of course, "Kiss".  While we may be prettier that Kiss unmasked, and while we write better quality material than the Unknown Comic, we still can't get together and sing "Beth" very well.

Perhaps at the MHR Convention?

Anyway, thanks to all of the members of MHR for making MHR #1.  The staff is proud to serve you, and using our real names is just a fun way to top off our 6-0 Denver Broncos start and to celebrate the 3 million mark.

Here's to the next million!