Yesterday on Twitter, I noticed an MHR member ask "Is a tackle on the runningback out the of the Wildcat formation considered a sack." Very good question and not just a simple answer... the answer is maybe!


I asked a friend mine, La'Roi Glover, a Defensive Tackle formerly of the Saints, Cowboys and Rams to explain to me whether it is a sack or not. This is what he told me.

If the Runningback's first move is forward and the ball is tucked then it's considered a rushing attempt and therefor not a sack. If the Runningback's first move is a "dropback" or a rollout with the intent to pass, then it is a sack. Intent is the key, if the Back's initial intent is to run, no sack - if his initial intent is to pass and is tackled in that process, it's a sack.

Against the Broncos, Jarvis Moss was credited with a sack against Ronnie Brown due to the fact that Brown had rolled out to his left and made an attempt to pass the ball, Moss dragged him down and was credited with the sack.

This past week, Knowshon Moreno, out of the "Wild Horses" formation was tackled for a short loss up the middle after the Patriots called a timeout to regroup. That was a tackle for a loss since Moreno made no attempt to pass the ball and his first initial step was forward.

That was a very good question and I hope this helps us understand the rules of the Wildcat! One thing is for sure, when you dedicate your time to this formation like the Dolphins have, it is very tough to stop!

Hey guys, I wrote this article for my website over at Skinnypost.com and I wanted to get some honest insight from Bucs fans about you feel about it. I would really appreciate any comments or suggestions you may have. Thanks so much.

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I know, I know, I know...but hear me out.

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 Hello Bronco Country,

The offseason of boardom is winding down and we are weeks away from Training Camp and some recent news has caught my attention.

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Scouting Knowshon Moreno by DawgPost.com (via DeanLegge)

The Denver Broncos Zone Blocking Scheme is designed for running backs to head or flow in one direction and make a decisive, one-cut , then head down hill to the second level. If those initial lanes are closed then the running back is taught to cut back to the backside of the play.

Knowshon has spectacular vision, patience, burst and cut back ability. What makes this marriage special is Knowshon has exceptional ellusiveness and in the ZB scheme, often the O-Line will get to the LB's, meaning that if Moreno can make one man miss, he will be off to the races.

Like Clinton Portis, Moreno is quick and ellusive and has the ability make a tackler miss. Like Terrell Davis, Knowshon has the patience and then the burst to run over bigger defenders. Like both of them,  his great lateral quickness will aid him when the original hole is clogged.

Some may question his long speed, but at the 2:00 minute mark of the video shows that even if the Corner or Safety catches him, he can't always tackle him.

Aside from the natural ability to run the ball is the fact Moreno is a 3 down back meaning his blocking and catching abilities are good and won't take him off the field.

It's clear to me that Moreno has landed in a great place and is my favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Some notables that have been making some positive noise in early camps are Percy Harvin in Minnesota and Bernard Scott in Cincinatti.

In the end, if one of the Quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez  has a 'Matt Ryan' kind of year than it will be pretty hard to not give the award to them but...

Out in the Rockies, there just might be fans who conjure images of two of the best running backs in recent memory, Clinton Portis and Terrell Davis blended into one dynamic back named Knowshon Moreno.

In 1983 Eric Dickerson put his mark on the NFL with 1808 yards in his rookie season. Dickerson was given the ball 390 times that season and was clearly the work horse that L.A. Rams needed. Dickerson finished that season with 18 Rushing TD's and 2 receiving TD's. Can Knowshon Moreno make his mark on the NFL in a similar way?

Today the NFL is a different game. The speed, size and strength of the defenses  makes it almost impossible to have one back carry the entire load. Teams are clearly taking more running backs and adding first rounders when they have selected a first rounder not too long ago. To wit, the Colts selected J. Addai then this year selected Donald Brown. The Panthers selected Johnathan Stewart after selecting DeAngelo Williams just a few years before. Indeed teams are realizing that in order to keep their running backs fresh they need to have more than one. Enter Hillis and Moreno.

One thing that I eagerly await to see is how a Running Back with Moreno's petigree and talent will fit into the Denver Broncos' Zone Blocking Scheme. In my post Tale of Two Systems, I show the differences in the Patriots version of the Erhardt - Perkins System and the Broncos version of the Bill Walsh West Coast Offense and some of the things that we might be able to expect.  The madness of Alex Gibbs is still strong in Mile High Country and I believe that Rick Dennison and Bobby Turner have to be salivating to work with a talent like Knowshon and masher like Hillis.

Rather than focus on yards, which the stat guys will tell you is a foolish measure of success, let's focus instead on Rushing Touchdowns.

In the tenure of Mike Shanahan the stats show that when the Broncos had the highest rushing TD's, they won the most games -

Shanahans top 5 seasons in Denver (Record - Year - Rushing TD's)

14-2    1998 - 26 td's
13-3     96',05' - 20,25
12-4    1997 - 18
11-5     2000 - 21

The worst 5

6-10   1999 - 13 td's
7-9     2007 - 10
8-8     '95,'01,'08 - 14,7,15

Here are the top single season Rushing Touchdown marks -

Here are the team records for that season -

2006 Chargers - 14-2

2005 Seahawks - 13-3

2003 Chiefs - 13-3

1995 Cowboys - 12-4 (Super Bowl Champs)

1983 Redskins - 14-2

If the Broncos are to reach lofty heights in 2010, I believe it will be sparked by the running game and better red zone efficiency.

It has been noted that Kyle Orton has a better Red Zone efficiency that Jay Cutler did. Couple this with the fact that Hillis and Moreno have the potential in Denver to become scoring machines that add a potent weapon around the goal line. While yards are great, the score is the only thing that matters.

Knowshon Moreno has an uncanny ability to make defenders miss in tight spaces, Peyton Hillis can make you miss with brute force and power. So I ask you, do the Broncos go over the 30 rushing TD mark this year?  If the answer is yes, than the Broncos are poised for a drastic improvement and should be in position to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Go Broncos!

Wow, McDaniels has gone crazy?! Not really, he just has a plan. Back in January, my post Draft a 1st Round Running Back with a terrible defense? You Betcha! had generated a great discussion. Before we had the extra pick from the big trade,  I started to see the value of Knowshon Moreno. It appears through this draft that McDaniels is getting Denver ready for some smashmouth football. Why? Well there is a reason he passed on better Tight Ends for the best blocking TE available. There is a reason why he brought in bigger backs via free agency in Jordan and Arrington - I wonder if Young and Hall are already cleaning out their lockers. There is a reason that we drafted a couple of interior lineman. This new Denver team is being built to run, and I couldn't be happier.

The new regime held that mini-camp before the draft to see if these young kids on defense were really that bad or just young. I think he felt the latter and that there was no need to replace them, just teach them differently. First Nolan brought in Ronnie Fields, so they obviously feel good about him. Second, they probably wanted to get a look at Carlton Powell, who had off the charts run stopping college stats. They must have felt good about him too and other players and how our current players will fit into their scheme. Enough so that they were able to address different needs in the draft. In my post Time of Transition, I find some interesting information on Jarvis Moss...

Reports out of college imply that Denver may have misused Moss all along. This information is from a scouting report done by the Pittsburgh Steelers who inquired about his ability to play standing up...

"I told them I’m up for whatever (position)," Moss said. "Whatever my need is called and whatever is going to help the team win, I’m ready for it."

Had he ever dropped into coverage as a Gator?

"My position was called ‘The Fox,’ where I would drop into coverage during our fire zones," he said. "I did some when I was working out in Orlando. We did some linebacker-specific drills. It’s something I enjoy. My body moves well and I can run well and I’m really athletic, so it’s something I really enjoy. I’m looking forward to it if it’s my calling."

A scouting report from FFtoolbox.com...

"Moss has a tremendous upside and playmaker potential as a pass rusher off the edge.. He displays a quick burst off the edge, which allows him to set up wide of the tackle and easily shed the block to disrupt the quarterback. His quickness and agility allows him to slide down the line of scrimmage in pursuit of the ball carrier. Moss has the ability to drop into coverage based in athleticism and natural instincts. He will clearly need to bulk up to compete as an every down defensive end at the next level. Moss also lacks the upper body strength of most defensive linemen, thus often has difficulty shedding offensive linemen once engaged. He needs to develop additional pass rushing moves and avoid his dependency to beat his opponents on sheer speed alone. Moss is probably better suited to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme to showcase his athleticism and play making abilities"

Multiple scouting reports from the 2007 NFL Combine implied that Moss showed fluid hips and great movement in coverage, he was labeled a "tweener". Perhaps this change to a 3-4 may be like adding a first round pick from 2007, it was just on lay away

Some fans have obvious questions for some of the draft day decisions that at the surface seem silly and foolish.

Why trade a 1st round pick for a 2nd round player?  That answer has already been discussed but I think it is two fold. One, money was a factor. They have scouts who analyzed the first round Cornerbacks next year and said, "are they going to be 10 million dollars better than Alphonso Smith?"  Why Smith you ask? - well he is a ball hawk and when you win the turnover battle and the time of possession battle, you have a great chance to win. Plus, if you value him as a first round pick, how could he not be better than the 2010 corner after working with Champ Bailey and NFL coaches for a year?

Smith + NFL Experience including Champ Bailey + the million dollar savings is > a high priced rookie Cornerback.  Well what about other players, like Mays or Spikes or whoever. Obviously when your entire secondary is over 30 you realize that you will be targeting a corner, so get a good one now, a proven ball hawk at a cheaper rate and allow to gain a year of NFL experience. Good move.

The second good move is the two DB's - The Safeties. One ball hawk and one "in the box guy". Learn from Dawkins and add youth to the secondary. Once it was determined that our front seven needed some tweaking not changing then the draft was destined to go in a direction that we didn't anticipate. We the fan just see the terrible results and automatically think our players stink. Imagine if we traded Jarvis Moss or Tim Crowder to a 3-4 team and they flourished would you be upset we didn't give them a chance in our system. After all they played under Slowik's system so how is it fair to judge their fit in our new system? This draft wasn't a neglect to team needs, it was an affirmation that we already have what we need, just need to use it differently.

Couple all this with the fact the new additions are all great character guys with great upside and I find it hard to say that this wasn't a great two days for the Denver Broncos.

Be excited Bronco fans, when the Broncos are on the road and the bus stops out in front of that stadium and Peyton Hillis and Knowshon Moreno are the first to walk off the bus - everybody in town is going to know "the Broncos are here"!

Go Broncos!

The Day is here! The day we have all been waiting some time for. As we get ready to cheer, scream and hopefully cry with happiness, I wanted to take a moment and truely thank the guys at MHR for everything they do.

Guru - The Creator! Thanks for creating a breeding ground for ideas and allowing us members a place to voice our opinion and discuss our ideas in a civil and enlighting manner. MHR is truly special and you started it all. Thank you!

Styg50 - I have never in my life, and I have been studying football for many, many years, but never I have seen such excellent work and attention to detail on every draft project. Between MHR and Mocking the Draft - you amaze me. Thanks for showing all these players to us and how they can help the Broncos!

HoosierTeacher - Coach, your teaching of the techniques and schemes has been so vital to understanding which players and direction fits best for our team. You have helped us learn the nuances of football and position responsibilities. Thank you for taking the time to educate!

NYCBroncofan - You keep the members current on a daily basis and your posts and research are incredible! You have the ability to bring the truth to light! I greatly appreciate all you do!  Horse Tracks alone is freakin awesome.

Ted Bartlett -   Everytime I hear Wildcat now I don't think of the Dolphins but ST&NO! Ted your perspective has kept many here grounded and focused.  Your input and ideas on subjects are usually spot on and oh yeah _ GO LANCERS!

Zappa -  You crack me up and I absolutely love those history posts! Besides anyone who clamors for Moreno deserves the spotlight for awhile!

and finally my buddy,

BroncoBear - You, my friend, are special. Your style, humor and intellegence paired with your writing ability makes for something special. The Tales from the Sunnyside, the constant message of a 360 degree perspective and of course - "laying bricks" - You're the man!

In the end, I am sorry if this comes across corny or whatever but I am very happy that MHR is here and there is a place for all of us to come and have great discussions about the one thing we all love - Knowshon Moreno - I mean the Denver Broncos!

Thanks everyone and good luck today in the draft! Now let's get fired up and get it started in here! Feel free to comment on whatever you want! Just get fired up, for our future is now!

Well the draft is now less than a day away and I am really curious to ask you guys and gals, the best fans in all of sports, who do you want? Just one guy - I don't want the realistic answer, I want to know what the heart wants. Who out there is going to make you jump off the couch excited?

If you feel like explaining why feel free, if you just want to drop the name, that's cool too.

Thanks everyone and hope we are all happy come tomorrow night!

Go Broncos!

I came across some good film study of a running back that caught my attention. Bernard Scott (5-10, 220)  attended the Division II school, Abiline Christian University.  Bernard was the 2008 Harlon Hill Trophy winner, given to the most outstanding Division II player.  After watching that video (posted below) I did a little research and found a couple of scouting reports all lumped together and thought I would share them with you.

This was found in footballguys.com....

Bernard Scott Scouting Report by Brandon Tripp

Pros: Scott is a RB who can pound you up the middle, burn you on the outside, or catch out of the back field. Defenses planned to stop Scott and he still averaged over 140 yds a game his senior season. He has dominated the RB position in DII for the past two years while at Abilene Christian. Deceptively fast for his size and deceptively strong for his size as well. Could have been a DI prospect if not for his past.

Cons: Not a great blocker or great at picking up blitzes. Level of competition is not great at the DII level. But in a game against West Texas A&M, home to draft prospect Brett Swain who is expected to be a top 4 round pick, he rushed for well almost 300 yds and had 350+ all purpose yards. His age raises alarms which leads you to his past which raises even more alarms. He has straightened out at ACU (his last college stop) and has remained out of trouble for around two years.

Overall: B+. If he can convince teams that he has overcome his past and has a good combine I could see him as a first day pick.

Bernard Scott Scouting Report by deforest matthews

Pros: This player has dominated at every level from pop warner to college. He has athletic abilities very seldom seen in a human being (freak). This player has broken most of the RB records in Div.II this year. Probably the most under rated RB in the draft. 2007 runner up for Harlon Hill, this year its his.

Cons: This player has played for four different colleges. So i expect his age will be a red flag for some teams

Overall: Outstanding player, he has Devon Hester break away and Barry Sanders stop and go.

Bernard Scott Scouting Report by Termayne Willie

Pros: Very elusive back with good power and adequate speed and great hands out of the backfeild. Great vision and the ability to set up his blocks and take it the distance at any moment.

Cons: Size may be a factor at the next level and will have to prove himself worthy at the top level coming from NCAA Div. II school.

Overall: Overall grade B+, with a impressive workout at the combine, he is

Josh Buchanan's Division II Scouting Notes:

RB Bernard Scott, Abilene Christian ~ 5'11, 197, 4.55 - Downhill runner that needs to work on his blocking; will turn 25 next February; former Blinn JC transfer ran for 2,165 yards and 35 TDs in '07.

ITL: Player report: You could argue that the hottest running back in college football is Darryl Richardson's son, Abilene Christian OH Bernard Scott. Of course, he's also one of the best-kept secrets in the game given his Division II pedigree, despite the fact he's leading an undefeated squad's high-flying offense while regularly rushing for 200 yards per game. Richardson talked about the agent selection process, why he's particular about where (geographically) his son will train, and why he's not worried about one man holding agent and financial adviser duties in today's

It's apparent  Scott has dealt with some legal troubles and played for four different colleges. Here is what he said when asked about that issue.

"Some people might hold it against me or whatever," he said. "But it made me a better person, because I've learned from my mistakes."

If Bernard Scott really has learned from his mistakes and works hard, he has the talent and skills to do well and might be worth a selection in the 2009 draft.

Before you go, take a look at film breakdown and scouting report, provided by draftguys.tv, via youtube (the clarity is better). Here is the link to draftguys.tv and their RB film breakdowns, they do a good job and is worth a look if you have never visited their site.

Go Broncos!

1. Lions - Jason Smith - I think they already gave him the pen

2. Rams - Eugene Monroe - The Rams are torn, Oher's a better run blocker, Monroe a better pass blocker? They go with the better feet.

3. KC Chiefs -Aaron Curry - Could be the next big thing at LB.

4. Seattle Seahawks - QB Mark Sanchez - Everybody loves Mark, apparently.

5. *TRADE*- Washington Redskins - Matt Stafford - That Snyder is one balls to the wall owner, another big gamble.

6. Bengals - BJ Raji - this should be a match made in heaven.

7. Oakland - M. Crabtree-  After all the failed receiver experiments, Crabtree goes to the Black Hole.

8. Jax Jaguars - Malcolm Jenkins - The Jags take the best defensive player on the board.

9. Green Bay - Brian Orakpo - Edge rusher who looks like a fine young player

10. San Fran - Aaron Maybin - major reach in my opinion, but goes to show that a good pro day can make you millions.

11. Buffalo - Michael Oher - Peters is an Eagle and the Bills will go defense later in the draft. Oher is too good to pass up here.

12. Denver Broncos - Knowshon Moreno - He will be an instant ray of sunshine for a team that has been under a little cloud with all the changes. Much like Floyd Little did many years ago, he will create a buzz, an excitement from the fans and will add an identity to the new regime of the Denver Broncos.

13. Cleveland Browns- Chris Wells - The Browns covet Wells and move back and still grab him. Good play.

14. New Orleans - Vontae Davis - The Saints need corner help and Davis is the best on the board at this point.

15. Houston Texans -Brian Cushing -  Houston is kind of stuck here, they want a RB but both were just snatched up, they want a Safety but none are worthy, they go with Cushing who will help out the defense.

16. San Diego - Tyson Jackson - SD is happy to get their man at 16. Tyson will replace Igor Olshansky, that sounds fun, replacing a guy a named Igor..."oh I heard you got Igor's job"....

17. NY Jets - Josh Freeman - The Jets made the calls but never traded up... they will be pleased with Freeman in the long run, maybe.

18. *TRADE* Carolina Panthers - Everette Brown - The Panthers acquire the 18th pick from Denver in exchange for Julius Peppers. Peppers needs to sign that tender then come on out to Denver!

19. Tampa Bay - Jeremy Maclin - The Bucs need some speed on the outside and Maclin is one of the difference makers in this draft. He adds value to the return game as well.

20. Detroit - Rey Maulaluga - The Lions need help everywhere, Rey will add some fire and spark where it is much needed

21. Eagles - Donald Brown - The Birds traded 28 away for Peters now they grab the best RB on the board.

22. Minnesota - Darius Butler - The Corner from UConn will try to give the Vikes some needed secondary help. Back to back Huskies in the first round and not a one Hurricane? What has the world come to?

23. NE Pats - Clay Matthews Jr. - match made in heaven.

24. Atlanta - Brandon Pettigrew - The Dirty Birds need an nice, down the middle option to fully open up what should be a good offense next year.

25. Miami Dolphins - Darrius Heyward-Bey - The Dolphins need a receiver and DHB can burn!

26. Baltimore Ravens - Kenny Britt - They take the WR from just up the road in New Jersey.

27. Colts - Robert Ayers - I am sure the ownership trusts Tennessee products at this point

28. Buffalo Bills - James Laurinitis - The Bills need help at the LB position, now they have a couple of Buckeyes!

29. NY Giants - Peria Jerry - The Giants know what won them a ring and they will keep it fully stocked.

30. Tennessee Titans - Asher Allen - Somehow he snuck into the first round. Thank Puffin' Percy Harvin for that one.

31. Arizona Cardinals - Victor Harris - The Cards wanted a running back but end up taking the best Corner left on the board.

32. Pittsburgh - Alex Mack - They need a Center and now they have one.

Denver's final Haul...

Round 1 - Knowshon Moreno - RB

Round 1 - TRADE to acquire Julius Peppers - DE/LB

Round 2 - Ron Brace DT

Round 3a - Jonathan Luigs - C

Round 3b - Rashad Johnson FS

Round 4 - Scott McKillop LB

Round 5 - Sammy Lee Hill DT

Round 6 - Quan Cosby WR

Round 7 - Nathan Brown QB

This post is intended to show some very basic differences between the Erhardt - Perkins offensive philosophy base that Josh McDaniels used in New England and compare it what we are familiar with in Denver.  It is important to note that the original Erhardt - Perkins scheme isn't quite the same as the variation that Bill Belichick currently uses. The Erhardt - Perkins system was named for Ron Erhardt and Ray Perkins. The Broncos meanwhile used their own variation of the West Coast offense originally created by Bill Walsh. In this post I am going to share some basic differences between the two philosophies.

The Denver Broncos used to run a variation of the West Coast offense, not exactly Bill Walsh's system but similar. Often times you hear players and coaches say "it takes time to learn the new terminology" when they change teams or systems. Well in the West Coast system started by Bill Walsh, formations are commonly named after colors. The basic premise of the passing game in the West Coast offense is to use short slanting pass routes while often using Running Backs as receivers. A QB with mobility is preferred with the belief that the smaller, receiving back may not be well suited for pass blocking. The West Coast system under Mike Shanahan utilized different offensive sets that often saw potential pass blockers sneak out for passing routes. A mobile QB for Shanahan's system was also important as the coach liked to run a lot of bootlegs where mobility and accuracy are needed. The West Coast also tends to prefer bigger receivers who run well after the catch. The short slants and quick routes mean big plays come after the catch. With a good QB, the Broncos were never afraid to throw downfield from a pocket. With a less talented QB at the helm the system would only throw downfield on a play action pass or bootleg trying to fool the defense to help the deficiencies of the QB.

As for the running game, the Broncos used the vaunted Zone Blocking scheme that was installed by Alex Gibbs. In the Denver scheme the offensive line works in unison off the snap to get the defense flowing in one direction. The key is for all the lineman to move together and use their mobility to slide down the line of scrimmage. The running back is responsible for finding the proper lane then making one cut and then head down hill. Meanwhile, the backside (away from the direction of the flow) of the offensive line "cuts" (meaning bring to the ground) the defensive linemen opening an opportunity if the original running lane is clogged. One of the many geniuses of this system is that often times the offensive line would get to the "second level", meaning a Center or Guard on a Linebacker or Safety.  If the Running Back hit the hole at the proper time he only had one or two guys left to beat. When the Wide Receivers blocked well the result was a big play. It is a running system that proved a one cut style runner who could hit the hole hard could do well. If the Running Back had great vision, cutting abilities and patience he could become elite.

The next system starts with Bill Parcells who worked with Ray Perkins in 1979 with the NY Giants. The following year Parcells was the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots under Ron Erhardt. The very next year, Bill returned to NY and became the Defensive coordinator again reunited with Perkins. When Perkins went on to the University of Alabama, Parcells was named Head Coach of the Giants.  This brings us to Charlie Weis. Weis worked with Parcells with the Giants in 1990. When Parcells left the Giants in 1991, Weis stayed with NY as the Running Backs coach for two seaons. Later in his career after stints with the Patriots, Jets and finally back to the Patriots where in 2000 was hired as Offensive Coordinator.  Weis installed the Erhardt-Perkins system with the Patriots that Josh McDaniels is familiar.

The first obvious difference when learning the new system is in the aforementioned terminology. The Erhardt - Perkins system uses terminology in a number system instead of colors. In Charlie Weis' book "No Excuses" he shares the first play he called in the Super Bowl, "Zero Flood Slot Hat, Seventy-eight Shout Tosser."  Zero is the base formation. Flood Slot Hat further modifies this formation to a set with one back in motion, two tight ends and two wide receivers (which is to say five potential receivers in total). Seventy-eight is the base play number, a three step drop play. Shout tells the three potential receivers on one side of the quarterback what routes they should run, while Tosser tells the other two potential receivers their patterns. (1)  In that play Tom Brady hit Troy Brown for a 21 yard pick up, 17 of it coming after the catch.

The Erhardt - Perkins system is historically known as "tradition smash mouth football".  As SlowWhiteGuy recently reminded me the Erhardt's adage is, "pass to score, run to win".  The run was often used to set up the passing game but the system in New England has now evolved into more of a passing system that uses many 5 WR packages.

The first theory was basically bigger running backs, pound the football and control the clock. These are things that were considered important to the bad weather conditions in the Northeast. The "run to set up the pass" theory in this system made play-action the main weapon to pass the ball downfield. Trying to create bad match ups for the defense by using the running game as a constant threat. The Patriots have taken the match up game to a new level. They create receivers from almost every position as evident in the play called by Weis in the Super Bowl. The Patriots also employ a "Gap" blocking system for running the ball that it isn't quite the same as Denver's Zone Blocking scheme. In a recent post by MHR member Super 7, he specifically asks what the differences are in the two schemes. SlowWhiteGuy had a great response...

"The short version...

Gap blocking assigns each blocker to block a specific gap; sort of the converse of a 1-gap defense. Zone blocking requires groups of blockers to team together to block a certain zone."

One arrow in the quiver of Coach McDaniels was the success the Patriots enjoyed in their 2007 season. The question becomes how did the historic 16-0 Patriots work their magic? Gary Horton from Scouts Inc. breaks down the Pats offense after the 2007 season:

Offensive scheme: QB Tom Brady's near-flawless execution has helped make a star out of young coordinator Josh McDaniels. The Patriots liberally (and effectively) throw deep, but they have the athletic receivers to also move the offense with the short passing game. Roughly 75 percent of the plays are run out of a spread formation, featuring screens, gadget plays and new wrinkles every week. The Pats force defenses to prepare for everything and expect anything. They run out of empty formations and slip in and out of no-huddle. They call unorthodox plays with odd personnel groupings from unusual alignments. The bad news for opponents: the run game may be a bigger part of New England's offense in 2008, providing better balance that could make the offense even more dangerous.

It seems as if the Patriots system is based off an Erhardt - Perkins but under McDaniels has now grown into a more diverse, complex scheme designed for the modern game. To gain some insight on how McDaniels will approach his new job, lets look at Belichick's philosophies that are evident in this interview. (2)

COACH: What are the keys to game planning and strategizing an opponent? In short, how do you break down an offense?

BELICHICK: Preparation consists of two things: No. 1, have a complete understanding of what your opponent does and is capable of doing and No. 2, realistically evaluate your team's strengths, weaknesses, and playing style. Game planning is the merger of these two factors.

Coach Belichick also preaches about situational football. On an episode of NFL Films, I recall seeing Belichick during a Pats practice, swinging his whistle and calling out different game situations. He was going through specific situations like 2nd and goal, 15 seconds left in the game ball is on the 7 yard line we're down by 4. In this interview he touches on that.

COACH: Since you began winning Super Bowls, coaches want to know how you do it. The consensus is that you are a marvel at organization, that you tackle each game situation as if it were a research project, dissecting every detail. Would you concur?

BELICHICK: We try to be as prepared as we possibly can. But in the NFL, there are a lot of smart, experienced, and organized people. Ultimately, success comes down to the players' ability to execute at the critical time in the most pressurized situations and games. The more you can practice and rehearse these situations, the better chance you have to execute them when it counts.

The Denver Broncos at this juncture are a question mark as to what exact system they will run. Josh McDaniels has admitted that it will be a mixture of running schemes and will likely be an eclectic gumbo of styles, constantly keeping opposing coaches on their toes. We may see a re-dedication to the run or perhaps a more "spread" offense.  MHR Staff member Broncobear also points out in the magic H back  post that Peyton Hillis opens up all kind of options for the new staff and reminds us that "versatility is indeed the name of the game". The 2009 Denver Broncos will have nice blend of the greatest minds in football from Gibbs to Weis to Belichick, opposing coaches will have a lot to think about.

1 - The information used in this post was found at http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/New_England_Patriots_strategy . The italics portion from the playcall was quoted verbatim from the website.

2 - Quotes from Belichick were in an article named "Super coach: not only is New England's Bill Belichick the preeminent defensive mind in football; he is the best coach in the game" by Kevin Newell

In 1999 something happened that hasn't happened again since. A team won the Super Bowl without running the ball better than their opponent. The St. Louis Rams passed the ball 46 times with 24 completions. Kurt Warner threw for 414 yards and was named the Super Bowl MVP. The Tennesse Titans were out matched against the Rams offense that was commonly known as "The Greatest Show on Turf". That Super Bowl came down to the final play where the Titans were stopped a yard or so short of victory. The Titans kept the game close and stayed with the MVP and his "Show" by sticking to the basics, running the football. Including a few scrambles by McNair, the Titans behind Eddie George ran the ball 36 times for 156 yards. Tennessee also controlled the time of possession 36:26 to 23:34 but came up a yard short against a high powered offense. The 1999 Titans ran the ball better than the Rams and still lost the Super Bowl but that is not the recent trend. In all of Super Bowl history, the team that finished the game with the most rushing attempts have won over 70% if the time.

Looking at the Super Bowls since 2000, let's see the trend of passing attempts and running stats.

Super Bowl Winner is in italics

Baltimore Ravens Vs. New York Giants: The Ravens passed the ball 25 times while the Giants threw it 39. Baltimore ran the ball 33 times for 110 yards while the Giants ran it 16 times for 65 yards. Time of Possession (T.O.P) - Ravens 34:06 - Giants 25:54

New England Patriots Vs. St. Louis Rams: The Patriots beat the high powered Rams and also won the running battle. Tom Brady threw it 27 times and former MVP Warner threw it 47. The Pats ran the ball 25 times for 133 yards and the Rams had 22 attempts for 92 yards. T.O.P - Patriots 26:30 - Rams 33:30*

*Rams won the T.O.P battle but lost the turnover battle giving up 3 while Brady and the Pats didn't turn it over at all.

Tampa Bay Bucs Vs. Oakland Raiders: Tampa Bay's Brad Johnson attempted 34 passes and the Raiders Rich Gannon attempted 44. The Bucs crushed the Raiders in the running battle with 41 attempts for 150 yards while the Raiders had a measly 11 tries for 19 yards. T.O.P - Bucs 37:14 - Raiders 22:46

New England Patriots Vs. Carolina Panthers:  The Pats are the first team on this list to pass more than their opponent.  Brady opened it up more in his second Super Bowl throwing it 47 times. Jake Delhomme had 32 pass attempts. The Pats ran the ball 35 times for 127 yards and the Panthers ran it 16 for 92. T.O.P - NE 38:58 - Panthers 21:02

New England Patriots Vs. Philadelphia Eagles:  Back to the trend for New England this time. Brady threw the ball 33 times while McNabb hoisted it up 51 times. New England ran the ball 28 times for 112 yards and Philly ran it 17 for 45. In every Patriots SB victory they ran the ball over 110 yards. They may be known as a passing team but they ran it well when they had to. T.O.P - 31:37 - 28:23

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Seattle Seahawks:  Big Ben Roethlisberger's first Super Bowl ended in a ring and a degree in ball control from Cowher University. Ben threw the ball 21 times completing only 9 passes. Matt Hasselbeck on the other hand put it up 49 times. The Steelers ran it down the Seahawks throats, rushing for 181 yards on 33 carries. Seattle put up a modest 25 for 137. T.O.P - Seattle 33:02 - Pittsburgh 26:58

Indianapolis Colts Vs. Chicago Bears:  Like Brady a few years back, an elite QB was able to "out throw" the opponent and win. Peyton Manning tossed it around 38 times while Rex Grossman threw it 28. The running battle once again goes to the victor. The Colts were able to rush the ball 42 times for 191 yards against the number 5 ranked defense. The Bears, with Thomas Jones were able to run for 111 yards on 19 carries. T.O.P - Colts 38:04 - Bears 21:56

New York Giants Vs. New England Patriots: The Josh McDaniels led offense put up historic numbers in 2007.  Tom Brady and Randy Moss led the charge and were  vital parts for the team that saw an undefeated regular season. The Super Bowl trend continues however as Brady put the ball 48 times while Peyton's little brother Eli tossed it 34 times and was named the SB MVP.  Everyone states that the Giants pass rush and their defense is what won this game. I somewhat disagree with that thinking. Yes, the defense had a massive role in pressuring Brady but the Pats couldn't run the ball. They carried it 16 times for 45 yards while New York rushed it 25 for 91 yards. Why did New England struggle, was it the Giants ability to stop the run?  Perhaps, they did rank 8th in the league in run defense that season but one thing to notice is that the record setting Pats were ranked #1 in the NFL in Passing but 13th in the league in Rushing. Maybe they forgot that every SB winner this decade won by out rushing the opponent and not out passing them. T.O.P - Giants 30:27 - Pats 29:33

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. Arizona Cardinals:  This was a very close Super Bowl that went down the wire. Roethlisberger threw the ball 30 times and Warner threw it 43. The Steelers won the rushing battle and won the ring. They had 26 carries for 58 yards while Arizona abandoned the running game rushing only 11 times for 33 yards. T.O.P - Steelers 33:01 - Cards 26:59

It's understandable to think that the losing teams probably threw the ball more because they were losing and it may be misleading to say that the reason they lost was due to them passing more. The same thinking can apply to the time of possession battle as teams that were behind had to pass more to catch up.  I can't say the same thing about running the ball. It is clear that every Super Bowl Champion in the last ten years won the rushing battle, aside from the aforementioned  '99 Rams. Two QB's, the two best in this generation in Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, were the only two to throw the ball more than their opponent and still win the game. Everyone else ran the ball, protected it from costly turnovers and controlled the eb and flow. Since 2000, 70% of the teams that won the rushing battle also won the time of possession battle and 90% of the time over the last decade the team that won the rushing battle also won the Super Bowl.

In my two other post's about the running game, Rushing To Win and Draft a 1st Round Running Back with a terrible defense , You Betcha!, I try to show that running the ball is very important to winning a football game. Good teams that control the ball, control the clock and control the game. In the latter of those two posts I show that 10 of the last 18 Super Bowl winners (save the most recent contest) had a 1st Round running back. Not to imply that the RB caused them to win but rather that all the Championship teams valued the RB position enough to draft a RB in the first round. MHR Staff member nycbroncosfan's post Running Backs, The NFL Draft and Value shows that 1st Round running backs produce better than running backs taken later and he proves "the notion that "excellent running backs are easy to find" isn't all that accurate, even for the Broncos".

When it comes to building an elite running back stable I often wonder what approach is best, the "Comittee" or the "Primary Runner". That comes down to what you value. The value argument against picking expensive running backs is one I understand but disagree with.  The Running Back by Committee approach is fine as long as it is effective. That is the bottom line. Can you sustain a rushing attack when facing a charged up, playoff caliber defense in the biggest stage in sports? I favor the Primary Back or Backs as is the case in Miami and Carolina. When it comes right down to that one final game when your facing a playoff tested defense, an ellusive, extremely talented RB paired with the right supporting cast is extremely hard to stop and gives you a distinct advantage.

To be certain, passing the ball well is a weapon and when done perfectly is hard to stop but it also leaves the team open for mistakes and most likely reduces the chances to win the time of possession battle. Interceptions, sacks, QB hurries and fumbles from pressure all come into play when you pass much more often than you run.  A team that can run the ball well and sustain the offense while avoiding mistakes is a method proven to win Championships.

What does this have to with Denver and their horrid defense? According to FootballOutsiders.com, Denver fans may have some hope.

"How do historically bad defenses rebound?

Denver may have hired a young offensive mastermind (Josh McDaniels) as its new head coach, but the problem in 2008 was clearly defense. Based on Football Outsiders' advanced DVOA ratings, Denver had the second-worst defense of any team since 1995. (The worst defense also played this year, in Detroit.)

The good news for Denver is that it would be almost impossible for the defense to be that bad for a second year. The natural tendency of all teams is for performance to trend towards the NFL average. For example, take the 25 worst defenses in DVOA prior to 2008. These 25 defenses improved the next year by an average of 11 percentage points worth of DVOA, or seven places in the NFL rankings."

The question then becomes how do we improve? Back to FootballOutsiders...

"Nearly every bad defense concentrated its top draft picks on defensive players, but a few of the really strong turnarounds came from teams that had highly-drafted linebackers entering their second seasons. For example, the Ravens went from 29th in DVOA in Ray Lewis' rookie year to 13th in his second season. The 49ers went from 28th in Julian Peterson's rookie year to 14th in his second season. The Broncos can't complain about last year's draft, not when Ryan Clady was such a force at left tackle, but they didn't select a linebacker until the sixth round."

What I suggest is that if Denver can not land an impact Linebacker then they should select the protypical Zone Blocking RB, Knowshon Moreno. The average year of experience for the Running Backs on the Super Bowl winners from 1980 - 2008 is 4.83 years, showing that a RB needs a few years to hit his stride. Obtaining a RB now would give the young offense time to jell and form a well oiled unit that would be hard to stop.

Heading into next year the Broncos have a bit of turmoil surrounding the team, they have a new coach off to a rocky start before ever playing a game. They have a young QB who appears to be a bit distraught and a fan base that is split between their team and their QB, wanting both to be right. Many years ago the Broncos team was close to relocating the franchise and the team was in trouble then along came Floyd Little. His abilities raised the franchise to a new level and he saved the Denver Broncos. Perhaps we can grab a gamebreaking RB and help save the franchise again.

Welcome Bronco fans to my first 2009 NFL Mock Draft. Now that Free Agency has given us a little direction I decided to put together a mock to give an idea of where players may fall. I look forward to your comments and reading what direction you hope the Broncos go.

1. Detroit Lions - Matthew Stafford QB Georgia - Detroit desperately tries to trade the pick but can't find any takers. In this economy the emphasis on value is hightened and other teams won't bite. The Lions also take a serious look at Aaron Curry but ultimately decide that the chance for a potential franchise QB is too good to pass up.

2. St. Louis Rams - Eugene Monroe OT Virginia - Monroe benefits from Andre Smith's fall from grace and now has moved to the top of the OLine list. St. Louis will also take a look at Curry but they decide they need to keep their QB upright and pull the trigger on Monroe. Michael Oher could be the call here as well but Monroe is a better pass blocker.

3. Kansas City Chiefs - Aaron Curry LB Wake Forest - The best player in the draft finally gets his name called and it's the worst possible place for Broncos fans. The Chiefs are slowy building a nice team. They could be good quicker than one might think.

4. Seattle Seahawks - B.J. Raji - DT Boston College - With the recent signing of TJ Houshmandzadeh the Seahawks will look for a staple in their Defensive Line. Raji is the best DT on the board.  Offensive Tackle may be a viable option as well.

5. Cleveland Browns - Brian Orakpo - DE/LB Texas - The Browns have issues on both sides of the ball so they go Best Player Available at a position of need. They will definitely look at Crabtree but decide on Orakpo who brings the total package on the edge. Orakpo is one of the better defensive players available regardless of position.

6. Cincinnati Bengals - Jason Smith - OT Baylor  - Smith had a fantastic combine and is shooting up draft boards. Some mocks I see show him being the first OT selected. Michael Oher can't believe it! Two Offensive Lineman taken ahead of him but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

7. Oakland Raiders - Michael Crabtree - WR Texas Tech - We all know that Al Davis loves speed and talent and he won't pass up on Crabtree. The Raiders have been looking for a true #1 receiver for awhile. After the failed Moss experiment, the failed Porter experiment, the failed Walker experiment, now it's Crabtree's turn to show and prove.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Vontae Davis - CB Illinois  - The Jags love defense and can't resist the versatility of Davis. His size and speed allow him to play Cornerback or Safety. Davis should excel in coverage and also is able to play in the box. His versatility and athleticism are what gets him selected before Malcolm Jenkins.

9. Green Bay Packers - Brian Cushing - LB USC - The Packers wanted Raji but with him being off the board, they take their next favorite player. Cushing will pair with A.J. Hawk and give the Packers fans reason to cheer. The blue collar Cushing is a hard worker that will be a fine addition to any defense.

10. San Francisco 49'ers - Rey Maualuga - LB USC - Rey follows his USC teammate as they go in precession. Rey fits the mentality and attitude that Head Coach Mike Singletary likes. The Niners have plenty of needs to fill, QB and OT just to name a few and Sanchez and Oher are available. The Niners just resigned Takeo Spikes to a reported two year deal so I am not a 100% that Rey goes to San Fran but paired with Patrick Willis the Niners will have one formidable Inside LB core.

11. Buffalo Bills - Michael Oher - OT Ole Miss - Buffalo has a good Left Tackle in Jason Peters but he doesn't exactly invoke comfort. With the recent release of LG Derrick Dockery it would be too difficult to pass up on Oher. He plays with a mean aggressiveness that Buffalo fans will embrace. His pass protection skills may not be that great but he will likely start off at Guard and be groomed for Left Tackle. Eventually he will supplant Peters.

12. THE DENVER BRONCOS Select... Tyson Jackson - DE LSU - I could argue 6 ways to Sunday on how Knowshon Moreno would instantly help this team. He is the prototypical Zone Blocking running back. The recent garbage between McDaniels and Cutler may open the door for an "I'm Sorry" pick and Moreno will do more for Cutler's career than anyone in the draft.  With that said, the Broncos have added 3 RB's to the team and now have enough RB's on the roster to run their own scrimmage. Sorry Moreno fans, but it seems a long shot at this point. McDaniels won't open himself up to any more criticism so look for Denver to go the safe conservative route. The Broncos have addressed many needs in FA but the Defensive front 7 needs more talent.  Adding players like Ron Fields, Darrell Reid & Andre Davis seems to imply that McDaniels is adding depth and insurance in Free Agency and looking for impact players in the draft.  Look for McDaniels to start planting some seeds in the trenches. Jackson is an NFL ready DE, he is stout against the run, strong at the point of attack and is a prototypical DE for the 3-4. His pass rushing skills will need to be developed but at 6-5 and 290 pounds, Jackson has the perfect build for the position.

13. Washington Redskins - Andre Smith - OT Alabama - The man who fell from grace after gaining too much weight, was out of shape and left the combine, hears his name selected when Daniel Snyder realizes he doesn't care!  Smith could still be the most gifted O lineman in the draft and all the fuss over the combine might be motivation for him to show and prove. Malcolm Jenkins is very attractive to Washington but ultimately the decide to bolster the line.

14. New Orleans Saints - Malcolm Jenkins - CB Ohio State - The Saints desperately need help in their secondary and are absolutely thrilled that Jenkins falls to them. He will likely be an immediate starter and will add a nice dimension to their defense. If Jenkins had a better combine he would probably go to Jacksonville but the Saints do their homework, watch film and realize that Jenkins is the real deal.

15. Houston Texans - Jeremy Maclin - WR Missouri- The Texans have a few options here that make sense. Jeremy Maclin is a good choice but with Nick Ferguson not getting any younger our friend Kubiak wants to go with William Moore but realizes he can get Safety help in Round 2. Maclin has all the skills to succeed at the next level and will be a threat opposite Andre Johnson.

16. San Diego Chargers - Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia -  !@#$^%(*^#%!!!!!

17. New York Jets - Mark Sanchez - QB USC - Well Brett has finally moved into retirement, we think, and the Jets need to start seriously thinking about their QB situation. They have been an active player in Free Agency and new coach Rex Ryan will bring his Baltimore defense mentality to the Jets.  Often in the NFL when a new coach comes to town it means a new QB is coming to town also. Sanchez may be a bit raw but he is a natural leader and should be a good NFL QB.

18. Chicago Bears - Aaron Maybin - DE/LB Penn St - Maybin had a great combine and is great value here for the Bears. They do need help on the OLine and could be tempted to reach out and grab an OT but Maybin is too good to pass up on. The Bears love defense and they improve the front seven on day one of draft day.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Freeman QB Kansas State - New Head Coach Raheem Morris will need to find a QB for the future of his team. Freeman has a big arm but his accuracy is suspect. Perhaps the Bucs grab a defensive player like Evander Hood or Larry English but for now Freeman is the call.

20. Detroit Lions - Peria Jerry - DT Ole Miss - The Lions need interior help after the failed Shaun Rogers experiment. Jerry is a good DT who can get into the backfield and be disruptive. It wouldn't suprise anyone to see the Lions grab an Offensive Lineman like Eben Britton or William Beatty to protect their first overall pick but Jerry is too good to pass up on.

21. Philadelphia Eagles - Eben Britton - OT Arizona - With two picks in the first round the Eagles address a need with the first one. They did obtain Stacey Andrews in Free Agency but still need help on the OLine. Britton gets the nod and Andy Reid continues his string of drafting a Lineman in the first round, much to the dismay of many Eagles fans.

22. Minnesota Vikings - Percy Harvin - WR Florida - The Vikes just added Sage Rosenfels and want to give him a weapon to throw to. Harvin is the type of receiver that can really do some damage on quick hitches and short slants. With Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin opposing defensive coordinators may lose sleep. WIth Bernard Berrian streching the field vertically, Harvin could terrorize the underneath routes.

23. New England Patriots - Clay Matthews - DE/LB USC - Clay Matthews is a Patriots kind of guy. He fits what Bill Belichick likes to do and he comes from a football family. Matthews was the fourth person in his family to play at USC so you know he is football savy. Matthews has a big upside due to his athleticism and work ethic.

24. Atlanta Falcons - Darius Butler - CB Connecticut - The Falcons have added some nice pieces on offense with Matt Ryan and Michael Turner. Their front seven could use some youth but Butler is climbing up draft boards and Atlanta has a need for a Cornerback. Look for the Falcons to address NT or LB in Round 2.

25. Miami Dolphins - James Laurinaitis - LB Ohio State - Laurinaitis has Parcells written all over him. James may not be the most physically gifted LB in the draft but he is a football player who has produced at a major football college all four years he was there. Laurinaitis will start next to Crowder and give the fish a couple of tackling machines.

26. Baltimore Ravens - Larry English - DE/LB Northern Illinois - The Ravens lost Bart Scott and will be looking to add a LB in the draft. English is from a small school but he is a talented edge rusher who will help the Ravens add pressure, a thing they love to do. It wouldn't suprise me to see them snag Hakeem Nicks or Darrius Heyward-Bey as they do need to get Flacco some more weapons at WR.

27. Indianapolis Colts - Darrius Heyward-Bey - WR Maryland -   Heyward-Bey's 40 time at the combine moved him into the first round. He is a blazer. The Colts said goodbye to longtime standout Marvin Harrison and need a true deep threat to go with Reggie Wayne. Heyward-Bey allows Peyton to air it out deep.

28. Philadelphia Eagles - Chris Wells - RB Ohio State - The new NFL trend is pairing two dynamic running backs together. The Eagles follow suit and pair Wells with Westbook. Word from 123Eagles at "Thewarnest.com"  is that the Eagles are very high on LeSean McCoy and they desperately want a running back with the loss of Buckhalter. The possibilty of trading up is also viable with all their available cap space.

29. New York Giants - Brandon Pettigrew - TE Oklahoma State - The only knock on Pettigrew is his speed, but he is an excellent blocker and a precise route runner. The Giants' Kevin Boss doesn't present the threat that Jeremy Shockey did and the Giants will look to upgrade the position.

30. Tennessee Titans - Evander Hood - DT Missouri - Hood will step in and try to replace Albert Haynesworth who went to really green pasturesin Washington. Evander will need a little time to reach Haynesworth's ability but he has the potential. Tennessee may also look at WR or CB but Hood is too good to pass up here.

31. Arizona Cardinals - Donald Brown - RB Connecticut - With Moreno and Wells off the board the Cardinals grab an all around good back and a great fit for them. Brown is a hard runner between the tackles, has the speed to get to the edge and has decent hands out of the backfield. With Edge likely on his way out, Arrington now a Bronco, the Cards add a speed back to compliment Tim Hightower.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Alex Mack - C California - Far too often for any Steeler's fan liking the Franchise QB is going down. The Super Bowl Champs look to bolster the interior of their OLine and Mack is the best interior OLineman available. It wouldn't shock me to see them grab a CB after losing McFadden to Free Agency but Mack is by far the best Center available and will be an upgrade over Justin Hartwig or Greg Warren.

Obviously there are many obsticles to forecasting draft picks. Some teams may find trade options,  the Eagles and Lions have multiple first round picks and may trade up or down depending on their strategies. I look forward to the draft more than I do Free Agency and can't wait for April. Till then all we can do is imagine the possibilities.

Please feel free to talk about the draft and tell me who you hope to see Denver select.  So many options and many of them good ones. Let the debate continue on...

This piece is dedicated to the defensive prospects for the upcoming 2009 draft. I want to make sure that everyone has a chance to see some of the guys that will be discussed frequently in the upcoming months. The clips are provided by "DraftParty" and show nice scouting footage and not just simple highlights. This post is focused on the defense talent available in the first and second rounds with a Knowshon Moreno cherry on top. I am sorry but the heart wants what the heart wants...I will not apologize! :)

The video clips were made by "DraftParty" and the scouting reports were found from a variety of writers at fftoolbox.com. To view the highlights simply click the player's name.

Defensive Tackles

First, lets start with the Defensive Tackles. As Bill Parcells loves to say, "If you find a big man who moves fast, you draft him."

B.J. Raji - So far this year Raji has generated a buzz. Many think he is overrated, others say he is exactly what we need. Here is what the scouts say...

"During the 2006 campaign, B.J. Raji tallied 8.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. Off that success, he could have been an early second day selection in the 2008 Draft. Since he was academically ineligible during the 2007 season, it was certainly an option. But Raji spent that season on the sidelines and came back strong in 2008. Early in the 2008 season, the 6-1, 323 pound defensive tackle has been a dominating run stopper and a tough match-up for any Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. Despite his size, Raji is deceptively quick. His first step is very impressive and then he will use his strength to simply run over the opposing lineman. Raji does just about everything well that one would hope from a defensive tackle. His positioning and instincts are solid and combined with his athleticism and strength, Raji pretty much has it all.

2/11 Update: Raji had a superb showing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. He often outworked, and was practically unblockable against, some of the best guard and center prospects in the draft. Raji has been doing that for about four years at Boston College, but showing his stuff at the Senior Bowl has made his draft stock sky rocket. Right now the worst case scenario for Raji looks like a top ten selection."

For the next DT we go across the nation...to USC. Fili Moala is a DT who plays with a non stop motor. Here is the scouting report on Moala.

"Fili Moala is yet another very good interior defensive line prospect from the University of Southern California. He has not been as productive this year as he was last year because he is seeing more double teams after Lawrence Jackson and Sedrick Ellis. Moala has played both the nose tackle and defensive tackle position while at Southern California. He is the second rated defensive tackle according to Mel Kiper Jr. He is a very active player with good quickness to beat offensive lineman off the snap. He lacks ideal lower body strength to anchor against the run, so he needs to add bulk and strength if he wants to be an every down lineman in the NFL. Moala needs to become stronger at the point of attack in order to help his run defense. Moala allows blockers to get inside too often and does not do a good enough job with his hands to keep them from pushing him around when they get into his pads. Moala is an ideal fit to play in an even front in the NFL. His quickness and upper body strength will allow him to excel if he is not facing constant double teams. If Moala can improve throughout the year he could be drafted in the middle of the first round, but will likely be an early second round pick"

Evander "Ziggy" Hood is an active DT who has made a quiet name for himself. He shouldn't make it past the second round.

"To many, Evander Hood came out of nowhere during Senior Week and emerged as a top defensive tackle prospect. His performance during the one-on-one drills quickly put him into the minds of NFL scouts and he is considered a possible first-round talent. Yet, his story started long ago for followers of Missouri and the Big 12 conference. Even as a freshman Hood was an impressive player who saw spot duty in 12 games. After struggling through much of the 2006 season with a broken foot, Hood emerged as a star in 2007 and 2008. During his senior campaign for the Tigers, Hood tallied 62 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks. Like the rest of the defense, he was overshadowed by Missouri's highflying, potent offense, but Hood has made a name for himself with his consistent play. If Hood impresses at the NFL Combine as much as he did during Senior Week, he could be a late first round selection. There are quite a few teams towards the bottom of the first round (like Atlanta, Indianapolis and Tennessee) that need some help at tackle and if Hood can separate himself from prospects like Fili Moala of USC and Sen'Derrick Marks of Auburn, he will sneak into the first round."

The final Defensive Tackle that I want to show you is Peria Jerry. Here is what the experts say.

"Jerry battled injuries (foot problem) throughout his freshman and sophomore campaigns, but he has remained healthy over the past one and a half seasons, and that has paid off. The defensive tackle was named Second-Team All-SEC by several media outlets as a junior in 2007, finishing sixth in the conference with 14 tackles for loss and second on the team in sacks and quarterback hurries. This season Jerry returned a fumble for a touchdown against Vanderbilt and he was credited with the crucial tackle when Mississippi stopped Tim Tebow on a critical fourth-and-one play that preserved an upset win over Florida. Jerry has made starts at defensive end, tackle, and nose guard during his collegiate career and NFL scouts will love such versatility. Durability, however, has to be at least a minor concern with him. He also has to get either bigger or faster (he is right around 4.9 in the 40-yard-dash on a great day) if he is interested in making a sizable impact at the next level. It would also help to establish himself as either a dominant pass-rusher or run-stuffer, whereas right now he is merely solid against both offensive sets. Jerry can cement himself as a second-rounder in April's draft if his stellar play continues."

Defensive Ends/Linebackers

Up next is the "hybrid" Defensive End/Linebackers. In the 3-4 defense an edge rusher is vital. I wouldn't be suprised for Denver to find a "hybrid" type of DE/LB with the 12th pick.

Brian Orakpo has some serious skills. It may be a stretch to hope he falls to the Broncos at 12. Here is the scouting report on Brian.

"Defensive end Brian Orakpo is a superb pass rusher. His numbers at Texas have been good so far, but are not that spectacular. He tallied four tackles-for-loss and a half a sack as a freshman and earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. The following year he managed 4.5 sacks and six tackles-for-loss. As an upperclassman last season Orakpo improved those numbers and ended up with 5.5 sacks and nine tackles-for-loss, although his playing time was limited due to a knee injury. His numbers for 2008 through just a couple games are already impressive. But even without great numbers in 2008, Orakpo is an NFL ready defensive end. He is 6-4 and 258 pounds and a great athlete who can power or finesse his way into the backfield. He bench presses 515 pounds and squats 600. Those are some pretty impressive numbers, especially for a player who arrived in Austin undersized. If his knee stays healthy, Orakpo has the talent to be a first day selection in April. A strong showing in 2008 and at the Combine could easily move him into the first round. His versatility to play on the end or at linebacker is also a big plus.

Everette Brown is a young man that is vaulting up draft boards. The Florida State Seminole has talent off the edge.

"Even when Everette Brown was a freshman and played a limited role on the defense, the defensive end was very productive. He only started three games as a freshman in 2006, but he managed to tally 13.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. As a sophomore Brown started nine games, mostly at left end. On top of his 37 tackles, Brown ended the year with 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles-for-loss. The 2008 season has gone pretty well for Florida State. The Seminoles have started the season 6-1 and the defense and Brown deserve a lot of credit. In those seven games, Brown (who has started every game so far in the 2008 season) is leading the team with 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. That production has warranted some looks from NFL scouts. Brown has good size at 6-4 and 252 pounds, but he could stand to add some more strength. His speed and quickness are great assets, but he can get pushed around on occasion. The good news is that Brown has room on his frame to add some more muscle and NFL teams should be willing to work with him since he has skills and instincts that cannot be taught. If Brown does declare early for the draft, and his junior year continues to go as well as it has so far, Brown could be a second round selection. "

Tyson Jackson from LSU is another Defensive End that could interest the Broncos.

"At one point during the 2007 season, Jackson was thought to become a first round pick in the NFL Draft if he declined to return to Baton Rouge for his senior year. A disappointing junior campaign, however, left Jackson with a diminished draft stock and convinced him to return to LSU. He recorded only 3.5 sacks (down from 8.5 in his sophomore season) and 4.5 tackles-for-loss. Jackson needs to pick up his numbers in his last go at it as a senior, but through three games it has been a struggle. The defensive end has just 0.5 sacks, but he does lead the team in quarterback hurries with five. The good news for Jackson is that the NFL will love his physical makeup regardless of his stats. He can carry his 6'5", 292-pound frame through a 40-yard-dash in about 4.8 seconds. Jackson seems even faster than that coming off the end. His long wing span also comes in handy for wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. Inconsistency is an issue for Jackson, but part of that is due to seeing double-teams from offensive lines. That won't happen to him in the NFL, at least not right away. A strong finish to the 2008 season will put Jackson in the first round come April."

The Outside linebacker position has some talent as well. One name popping up in the second round of recent mocks is Clint Sintim.

"After redshirting as freshman in 2004, Clint Sintim started every game as a freshman in 2005 and never looked back. During that freshman campaign he ranked fifth on the team in tackles, third in sacks and fourth in tackles-for-loss. His numbers steadily improved over his career and he tallied 45 tackles, 12.0 tackles-for-loss and four sacks in 2006. By his junior year Sintim was a leader of the defense and recorded 77 tackles, ranking third on the team. By his senior campaign he totaled 70 tackles, 11.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles-for-loss. His 0.92 sacks per game average in 2008 was the best among linebackers in the entire nation and he was rewarded with second-team All-ACC honors. Despite all the sacks, Sintim is a well balanced outside linebacker. He can deliver the big hit, get to the quarterback and drop back into coverage. At 6-3 and 254 pounds, he has the size to be a dominating linebacker in the NFL. To many pundits, Sintim is the second best outside linebacker after Wake Forest's Aaron Curry. That would put him ahead of players like Brian Cushing and Marcus Freeman. Senior week and the combine will be the difference maker, but Sintim could end up being a first round selection. He may not have gotten much recognition during the season due to the relatively poor performance of the Cavaliers, but that will change now. "

Another OLB that I like is Brian Cushing. Cushing is part of the dynamic USC defense. One knock on Cushing has been his injury issues.

"Cushing is an excellent outside linebacker whose injury history has really cut his production down during his collegiate career. He possesses a very good combination of height, bulk, and overall speed. He is very productive when he is on the field. Cushing is a very instinctual player and seems to play a step ahead of most defenders. He does not take very many wasted steps on the field. Cushing does a great job of play recognition and gets to the ball very quickly once he has diagnosed the play. Playing sideline to sideline with excellent speed, he does a good job of avoiding blockers. Cushing struggles to shed blockers once they have gotten into his pads. He is best suited to play the strong side in the NFL as he does a good job of covering the tight end. Cushing is a solid tackler, he does a good job of breaking down and making open field tackles against running backs and receivers. He is a good blitzer, but will not make a name for himself as a sacking outside linebacker in the NFL. Cushing has the size and ability to play outside in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme. Cushing is Southern California's second leading tackler from his outside linebacker position with 33 tackles through 5 games, including 5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. If Cushing can stay healthy and productive, he could rise quickly in a weak outside linebacker class."

The cream of the OLB crop in many people's opinion is Aaron Curry from Wake Forest.

"Aaron Curry's name may not be recognizable to those outside of ACC country, but he has been the best player on one of the conference's best teams over the last few years. It sure did not take the 6-3 linebacker much time before he made his mark. In just the second game of his redshirt freshman year, Curry was inserted into the starting lineup and he has remained there ever since. As a freshman in 2005 he tallied 45 tackles. That number shot up to 83 during his sophomore campaign and 99 in 2007. It was also in 2007 when Curry returned three interceptions for touchdowns (which is really impressive for a linebacker). Curry is a big play linebacker and can deliver the big hit and cover a lot of ground. He is also extremely versatile and does a good job against both the run and the pass. The only negative to find with Curry is his awareness. There are times when he is out of position and makes mistakes. The hype might be low right now, but NFL scouts will not let Curry slip under the radar for too long. He has the tools and experience to be a first-round draft pick and that will not change between now and April. "

Middle Linebacker

Rey Maualuga is a genuine thumper. Some people say he doesn't play disciplined enough and over runs his gaps. Here is what the scouts say...

"Maualuga reminds many of another former USC linebacker, Junior Seau. Maualuga has great size and power. He may lack sideline to sideline speed, but does have good short-area quickness. He is surprisingly smooth for such a big linebacker. Maualuga has improved his instincts as a blitzer. Maualuga is a great middle linebacker prospect and in the right system could emerge as an even better pro than college player. Maualuga finished the 2007 season as USC's leading tackler with 79 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for a loss and 6 sacks. Maualuga had a great game in the 2008 Rose Bowl, including 3 sacks and an interception. He was named the game's "Outstanding Defensive Player." Maualuga is the most instinctual linebacker college football has seen in the last 5 years. He has shown an incredible knack for finding the ball early in the 2008 season. Maualuga sprained his knee in the fourth quarter of Southern California's loss to Oregon State. If he recovers from the injury and can remain productive without losing a step, he will be a top five selection in the 2009 draft."

The other MLB that has been a steady performer throughout his collegiate career is James Laurinaitis. Often drawing comparisions to Barrett Ruud of the Tampa Bay Bucs, Laurinaitis has contributed since he walked on the field at Ohio State. Here is what the scouts think.

"James Laurinaitis is one of the best football players that will be available (regardless of position) in the 2009 NFL Draft. Laurinaitis is coming off back to back 100 plus tackle seasons, where he has won the Nagurski Award (2006), the Butkus Award (2007), and the Bedinark Trophy (2007). The senior inside linebacker is one of the most highly decorated defenders in the history of college football, and came back for his senior season to collect even more hardware. Laurinaitis is nothing short of a monster in the middle of the field. He possesses great sideline to sideline speed, so he always seems to be in on the tackle. Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote that he closes ground on tackles as well as any college linebacker you'll find. He played in 51 games during his career, and Laurinaitis has tallied 375 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. He registered a career high 19 tackles last season when the Buckeyes played Penn State. Laurinaitis is an excellent field general for his defense, equally adept against the run or the pass. He also intercepted 9 passes and broken up 7 in coverage, along with forcing 4 fumbles during his career, and added a fourth major award, the Lott Trophy, in 2008. The 6'3", 240 pound Laurinaitis' combination of size, speed, strength, and instincts will make him an ideal fit for any NFL defense. Teams looking for help on the outside may even consider Laurinaitis for the strong or weak side, to strengthen their team. He should be a top 15 to 20 pick depending on team needs, but will have stiff competition from USC's Rey Maualuga for the top linebacker spot in this draft."

Safties

Unfortunately for Denver, Taylor Mays decided to stay in school. Right now, Louis Delmas rates out as the top Safety. I don't think he is worth the 12 pick but he is a player to target perhaps in the second round. MHR member Donbok1 did a fantastic piece on Delmas. His video scouting tape can be seen here.

Another possible second round pick is Patrick Chung. He is a dynamic player who is plenty fast and is also a big hitter. Plus he can return punts, which is always nice!

Cornerbacks

The release of Dre Bly opens the door for the Broncos to look at cornerback. The best corner in the college game in 2008 was Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State. Jenkins is believed by many to be able to start immediately for an NFL team.

"For the second year in a row, Malcolm Jenkins begins the season as the top cornerback prospect for the NFL Draft. Entering his fourth year as a starter for the Buckeyes, Jenkins possesses a rare blend of size, speed, and instinct at the position. Many teams needing secondary help will even consider him at the free safety position because of his outstanding open field tackling. He is an excellent cover man, but has the size to help out in run support like a safety. He played in 52 games at Ohio State, and registered 196 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and forced 4 fumbles. In coverage, Jenkins has tallied an impressive 11 interceptions and 17 passes broken up - including two interceptions he has taken back for touchdowns. Jenkins showed another facet of his game this year that will likely be important as an NFL rookie, when he blocked 2 kicks playing special teams for the Buckeyes. Because teams try their best to throw away from him, he gets fewer chances to make big plays each year. Jenkins has excellent instincts and positioning in coverage. He's far less likely to get his hips out of position like other young corners, and makes fantastic breaks on the ball while it's in the air. According to the Ohio State Athletics website, Malcolm Jenkins runs a 4.3 in the 40 yard dash, a time that will have scouts drooling on their stop watches if he can do it. That type of speed at his size would vault him to the top of draft boards without his impressive resume. He also plays some of the best press coverage you'll ever see out of a college cornerback. Jenkins' physical tools, good technique, and big game experience should see him taken in the top 5 or at worst, the top 10 of the 2009 NFL Draft. "

Another cornerback that may be worth the 12th pick is Vontae Davis.  As you will see, freakish athleticism is a family affair.

"Vontae Davis is the younger brother of San Francisco tight end and former top ten pick, Vernon Davis. Athleticism obviously runs in this family, because both of the Davis brothers are freakishly strong and fast. Vontae is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign that saw him smother even the best receivers the Big Ten has to offer. Davis finished the season with 76 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions, 8 passes broken up, and he even blocked 2 kicks on special teams. Other than Malcolm Jenkins, Davis is the best defensive back available in this year's draft. Davis has the potential to put up an untouchable amount of reps on the bench press, and possibly run in the high 4.3 range in the 40. Davis had a down year by his standards, but Illinois' abysmal pass rush didn't make his job any easier. He recorded 78 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 10 passes broken up in coverage, and 3 forced fumbles during the 2008 campaign. During his time at Illinois, Davis has improved drastically. He has gotten to the point where opposing defenses have virtually stopped throwing in his direction; cutting the field in half for offenses. He would be a great fit for an aggressive team because he's an excellent blitzer. Davis is just as comfortable rushing the passer from the corner spot as he is in coverage. Davis is a sure fire first rounder this year, and shouldn't slide past the top 20 for any reason. "

Well, as you can see there are plenty of good options for adding some defensive talent in the draft. The Broncos new staff have their work cut out for them heading into this years draft. 

On top of the all defensive talent of course there is Knowshon Part 1 and don't forget Moreno Part 2.  I know how many of you feel about drafting a RB but after watching 15 mins of unforgettable footage, he is hard to ignore.

Whatever the Broncos decide to do in the NFL Draft, this year should be as exciting as ever, with a new direction, a new coach and a new attitude the Broncos are headed for exciting times.

Go Broncos!

One of the things that we often have talked about in Broncoland is the lack of an identity on defense. In particular, a lack of leadership. I understand that we will be bringing in some new faces to Dove Valley but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will be new to the NFL.

The Broncos have some young players who showed promise or potential in their first, second or third year with Denver. Players like, Spencer Larson, Wesley Woodyard, Josh Barrett, Josh Bell, Elvis Dumervil should get the oportunity to prove themselves further. Players like Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder may develop more under new tutelage and a new scheme.

The thing that could help Denver immediately would be to find a veteran player to be the vocal leader of the defense. This is sometimes found in the draft, ala Al Wilson. He was a natural vocal leader in college and it was easy for him to convert that over to the NFL.

This post is strictly focused on a list of guys off the Free Agent wire that could possibly step in and and help the younger cast of Broncos do their jobs better.  As a general rule, I have only picked players that I have heard of being an important leader to their team. Now some of these guys may be well past their prime but the knowledge they bring may be more valuable than the talent still left in the tank.

Linebackers

Ray Lewis - The ultimate leader from the MLB position. Lewis has been the QB of the fiery Ravens defense. Ray is a natural leader and would instantly ensure that everyone is in the right position

Zach Thomas - This MLB is getting a little long in the tooth but he is a pro's pro. He is always in the right position and brings stability to the defense. Thomas' most recent stint was in Dallas but everyone remembers he was the Dolphins heart and sole for many years. 

Keith Brooking - For some time in Atlanta, during the down years, there was talk that Atlanta lacked leadership...How did Brooking respond?  "It bothers me a little when people say we don't have leaders. I feel like I've been one for a long time. I've always tried to lead by example, and I don't mind being vocal."  

Willie McGinnest - This guy really intrigues me. He has vast knowledge of the 3-4, has played for years in New England and perhaps that gives him an edge on what we are trying to accompish. Plus, he is a Champion who nows how to carry himself like one. Jarvis Moss would benefit from his knowledge.

Others to mention....Mike Peterson, Takeo Spikes, Jonathan Vilma and Eric Barton

Safties

Brian Dawkins -  A second round pick in 1996, Dawkins has started 166 games for the Eagles and has consistantly been the vocal leader of the birds. Recently Dawkins said he wants to return and Andy Reid has made similar comments. Brian Dawkins is the kind of Centerfield QB for the defense that Denver has been missing since Atwater and Dennis Smith.

Lawyer Milloy - Milloy is a player known for his big hits and heady play. He has started 188 games with stops in New England, Buffalo and lastly Atlanta.  This is what the first line of his bio reads from the Atlantafalcons.com "Became an immediate leader on and off the field for the Falcons as he’s led the secondary in tackles for the past two seasons".  Milloy didn't play at all really in 2008 so this bio may be outdated.  Obtaining Milloy might be a stretch as I think his football days are about over.

Darren Sharper - Darren Sharper is a hard worker who takes great care of his body. He, like Bill Romanowski, has a hyperbaric chamber in his house that he uses to recover from injury.  With 54 career interceptions, Sharper brings a ballhawking presence to the SS position.

Rodney Harrison - Harrison would be an intriguing addition to the Broncos defense first however one major thing has to happen. One, we need to know if he is going to play. This is from KFFL "Karen Guregian, of the Boston Herald, reports New England Patriots SS Rodney Harrison (quadriceps), who is an impending free agent, said he is not sure if he will play next season or retire. "I can't honestly say if I'm going to play or not right now. I'm up in the air. It's just right now, I'm focusing on running up and down the bases with my son. So once that's established, then I'll decide if I want to play or not,"  Harrison said.   He is coming off a big injury and is long in the tooth but he definetly knows McDaniels and he could help translate to the players the coaches philosophy

Defensive Line

Grady Jackson - Jackson is an ideal line stuffer with his large frame and size. Most recently with the Falcons, Jackson uses his 6-2 345 pound frame to act as an immovable object in the 3-4 NT. He is also heading toward the end of his career but may be worth a look.

Julius Peppers - He may not exactly be the "raah raah type" but Peppers is a cornerstone talent that other guys may learn from. He has recently reiterated his case to move to outside LB in a 3-4 as he believes this is where is his best suited. I say give him a try at LB and pay him like a LB.  This SI Link on NFL Salaries by position showed that a couple years back DE was second to only Quarterbacks.

Others to mention...Darwin Walker, Orpheus Roye, La'Roi Glover (that's a stretch for many reasons)

As you can see, there are some older, seasoned players that could instill some leadership to the youth of the Broncos tattered defense. A few solid men, with wisdom, experience and maturity. It's an ingredient that has been sorely lacking in this defense since Al Wilson and John Lynch left.

As Faye Wattleton once said:

The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.

 Go Broncos!

Everyone in Broncoland now knows what time it is. Bowlen grabbed his team back, gone is Bronco football as we know it.  So by all accounts, we are rebuilding. We haven't admitted that in decades so excuse me if it makes me nervous.  Here are a few things that are making me a bit uneasy so please jump in with the comments and tell me what you think.

I don't believe that one all defensive draft is going to matter that much. Let's look at the Houston Texans. They have a great coach in Kubiak.  They had the 3rd ranked offense in the NFL in 2008. More important to note and the part that scares me is they have used 5 straight first round draft picks on defense from 2004 -2007. That isn't even metioning DeMeco Ryans and other 2nd and 3rd round defensive picks. And one of those picks was the #1 overall player available.

How long does it take to build a defense? This team should be in the playoffs with all the first round talent on defense. They finished the 2008 season ranked 22nd in the NFL and ranked 27th in total points allowed. The most important stat was the record, 8-8. The same as our no talent defense.

If the Texans, who have drafted defense with 5 out of their last 6 first round picks, don't have a dominating defense yet, how are we going to be saved by the 2009 draft, which by many experts account has better offensive talent high in this draft than it does defensive talent?

I am not saying it can't be done but the ability to find gems in the draft was trusted with the Goodman's and the ability to coach no names guys into good players was trusted with Shanahan and they were both fired. 

So what is a realistic outlook for the next 4 years?  Your thoughts are always welcome and appreciated.

The term "Shadowboxing" is used in combat training, especially boxing, as way to train your muscles to move and react in a certain way. Typically this exercise is done alone, hence the term "Shadow", which implies boxing with your own shadow.  The term was introduced to me in the GZA's album Liquid Swordz.  By doing this, the thinking is we can really see what options can immediately improve the Broncos. With future consideration factoring in as well. MHR member Donbok1 and Steve O' are putting on their GM hats to "shadowbox", Broncos style.

So without further ado, I present to you...Donbok1...

Continue reading this post »

A sincere thanks to Broncobear who edited this post and to HT, thank you both for your insight and knowledge.

20 years ago, the 1988 Denver Broncos defense was a much-maligned unit. The '88 team came off a bad season that saw them ranked 22nd out of only 28 NFL teams. The run defense wasn't very strong, yielding an average of 4.6 yards against opposing running backs. They also surrendered 22 points a game, ranking them 20th in the NFL in that category. The pass defense was solid, ranking 7th in total yards, while the run defense was ranked 27th. The Broncos needed some changes after finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs. So Pat Bowlen fired then Defensive Coordinator Joe Collier and hired Wade Phillips to run the unit. During that transition, Mike Nolan was retained to work with Wade Phillips as the Broncos Linebackers and Special Teams coach. The same Mike Nolan was recently hired to be Denver's new Defensive Coordinator. SlowWhiteGuy's post on Mike Nolan is an in depth look at his career in coaching.

Let's look into the offseason changes and break down the roster that Phillips and Nolan built. First the holdovers, starting with Nose Tackle. Greg Kragen, was the anchor of the unit. At 263 pounds, Kragen would be considered very "lite" for today's standards.  Andre Townsend was the Right Defense End (RDE). The two Interior Linebacker (ILB) were Karl Mecklenburg and Rick Dennison with Marc Munford rotating in. The Left Outside Linebacker (LOLB) position was manned by Simon Fletcher. The Strong Safety (SS) position was locked down by the hard hitting Dennis Smith.

The starting defensive unit had some new faces as well. Alphonso Carreker came over to the Broncos from the Green Bay Packers. He was drafted in 1984 in the first round, 12th overall. Carreker was listed at 6-6 and 268 pounds. Carreker played Left Defensive End (LDE) and took the spot of Walt Bowyer. At ROLB was second year player, Michael Brooks. Brooks was a rookie in 1988 after being drafted in the 3rd round out of LSU and he made quite an impact for the '89 Broncos.  Both Cornerbacks(CB) were replaced, out was Mark Haynes and Jeremiah Castille. They were replaced by Tyrone Braxton, who in 1988 was drafted by the Broncos in the 12th round, 334th overall. After being on the sidelines for most of '88, Braxton brought his hard nose mentality to the starting lineup. At the other CB position, Wymon Henderson came to Denver after spending two years in Minnesota. He was an undrafted player out of UNLV. The final piece to the puzzle was Steve Atwater. Atwater was drafted in the 1st Round of the 1989 NFL Draft from the University of Arkansas and quickly replaced Mike Harden on the depth chart.

The 1989 Broncos defense was much improved. They finished the season ranked 3rd in total defense (yards) but were the number 1 scoring unit in the NFL. The tie that binds is Mike Nolan. Nolan was with the Broncos for their Super Bowl year in 1987, he saw the downfall of the defense in 1988 and the successful rebuilding of the unit in '89. Nolan returns to the Denver Broncos and most likely will instill some form of 3-4 defense.

Let's look at  the '89 defensive production. Karl Mecklenburg led all Broncos in tackles that season with 143 and also added 7.5 sacks. Simon Fletcher was the team leader in sacks tallying 12 and finishing 5th on the team in tackles with 105. Steve Atwater, finished the 1989 season 2nd on the team in tackles with 129 and came in 2nd in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, losing out to Derrick Thomas from the Kansas City Chiefs. Michael Brooks, in his first year as a starter had 123 tackles. Factor in Tyrone Braxton's 111 tackles and the Denver Broncos had 5 players finish with over 100 tackles.

To garner information about what the change to a 3-4 defense means to the Broncos, I have decided to interview MileHighReport's, HoosierTeacher, for some expert coaching insight. His responses are in italics.

Does the change to a 3-4 mean an overhaul in the personnel?

Somewhat. With all of the holes on defense, we'll likely see a man coverage type of CB. We have enough of a challenge fixing the front seven, so it's impossible to imagine that we'll drop Bailey and Bly (man coverage guys) for a zone pass system.

With the current SAFs, we have the flexibility to run any type of system. (Even if one buys the argument that our SAFs aren't very good, we have a current mix of coverage and run stop / big hit guys.)

We have several LBs that are likely keepers (DJ and Woodyard look obvious, possibly Larsen [if not used at FB], possibly Bailey [fine if not injured]). The nice thing about a 3-4 is that regardless of the type of LB a team has, it is pretty easy to fit a scheme around the players that exist. With a 4-3, the coach is more locked in to what he must use.But the D-line will be a major effort. Clearly the NT is at the heart of the problem for a team that didn't have much going on at DT. The available DEs (including the possibility of converting a DT or two to DE) helps, and the coaches have a lot of options because they can look at different variations of DEs in coordination with corresponding OLBs. But because the NT is so critical (and hard to obtain), it makes the overall effort to change the defense very difficult. A major help for the coaching staff is the adage that a 3-4 can feature 4 "average" LBs if the DL is very good (unlike the 4-3, where the 3 LBs must feature at least two very good players). The added LB in the 3-4 adds a lot in flexibility, but also allows the LBs as a whole to be a little less talented (even though that isn't the goal).

What clearly sticks out is the need for a quality Nose Tackle. The 1989 team had already found their NT in Kragen. A young prospect that is gaining much traction is B.J. Raji from Boston College. Here is Raji's MHR Draftivus profile . Raji offers the size and strength needed to be an effective anchor in the 3-4 Nose Tackle position. One issue with targeting Raji is the other teams ahead of Denver in the draft may select him before we get a chance. A talented Nose Tackle doesn't stay on draft boards very long. Another option gaining a lot of attention is Raji's teammate, Ron Brace.  Look for Denver to try find the staple of their new defense.

What about Safety? We all remember Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith. They were both dominant hitters who made receivers pay for coming over the middle and running backs tumble for finding the hole. This clip of Steve Atwater blasting Christian "The Nigerian Nightmare" Okoye is proof of how Atwater used to sacrifice his body and simply crush his opponent.

Atwater crushes Okoye

Do we have the safeties we need for this change to a 3-4?

How does the current lack of a physical Safety affect the 3-4's run stopping ability? Specifically is a "Steve Atwater Type" safety more of a need in a 3-4 than any other style defense?

That really depends on a lot of factors.  If we run a 3-4 that is more geared towards stopping the run, we won't need to prioritize run stopping SAFs so much.  Also, regardless of system, if we just have a very good group of personnel at the front 7, we also diminish the need for run stopping SAFs.

The ideal that a defensive coordinator goes for (in most systems) is to have a front seven that is consistently able to shut down the run so that both SAFs can play coverage and prevent big pass plays.  Very few systems actually scheme for having a run stopping SAF.

Another variable to consider is whether our LBs are going to be zone or man oriented, and how aggressive the system will be.  If we blitz a lot, we may need a SAF that can pick up the run (since a RB can often get a lot of yards if the play is a run and the defense blitzes).  If we don't man the RB (because our ILBs are playing zones), we may also need a SAF that trades a little bit of coverage ability for the ability to bring down a big RB.

Ok, so very few systems scheme for a specific type of safety and ultimately a dominant front seven is ideal. One safety that would have been nice to land this year was Taylor Mays, who decided to return to the University of Southern California. Taylor Mays plays with the kind of tenacity and brings the same attitude that Steve Atwater brought to the Broncos defense. Another safety moving up on some draft boards is Louis Delmas. MHR member Donbok1 did a fantastic piece on Delmas. Out of Western Michigan scouting reports say that Delmas is all over the field and always near the action. The type of defender who can play well against the run and pass. Other options in the draft include Patrick Chung or Rashad Johnson. 

At Cornerback, the '89 Broncos added two new players, but the 2009 team should be set, for one more year at least. Champ Bailey is still great and Dre Bly, if used properly, is still one of the better CB's in the game.  Josh Bell looked impressive in his rookie campaign and may be a factor in the future as a Nickelback.

MHR member, FirstFan, reminds us during his in-season special, In The Trenches, the front seven is where it all starts. So what about our front seven, are the LB's and Defensive Lineman really that bad? The '89 Broncos had new additions in Alphonso Carreker at LDE and Michael Brooks cracked the starting lineup at ROLB in his second year with the Broncos, maybe along the same path as Wesley Woodward? Is there anything that can be salvaged? Back to HT...

Are there any current players that excite you, as a coach, with a focus on Carlton Powell playing NT, Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil, perhaps Spencer Larson or Wesley Woodyard?

I'm excited about seeing something new, and I'm excited because I expect some elements of the Broncos to improve for the better. But at this point, I'm not yet excited about certain prospects because it's still too early to tell what's going to happen.For one, for all of the speculation surrounding the defense, we aren't yet completely sure the defense will even go 3-4 (though I would concede it looks likely). The draft will give us players to get excited about, and we don't yet know what's coming there. We also don't know what will happen in the FA market.Here is what I'm predicting so far (and I'm not a good fortune teller, so bear with me). I see Woodyard as a good prospect for ROLB, with DJ next to him at RILB. Wodyard has the speed and energy to play ROLB in just about any 3-4, and DJ is athletic enough to blind side most right handed QBs, but powerful enough to play ILB (he did well at MLB in a 4-3). But Woodyard might just as easily line up at LOLB. It's very hard to guess.Powell is a mystery to me. He didn't play in his rookie year, so I have no idea what he brings to the table as a pro. He had a better chance of making the team in a 4-3. In a 3-4, he either has to be one heck of a player to make NT, or has to be explosive enough to play DE in a 3-4. He's also a year behind in development.Doom would fit a Phillips or Lebeau system nicely, but could struggle in a more physical Fairbanks Bullough. Moss is underrated (in my opinion) and might have surprised folks in his second year on the field in a 4-3, but in a 3-4 he faces a tougher challenge. Ekuban has the explosiveness (and the physical play) to be a good DE in any type of 3-4, but his time is limited with his age.Larson would be a good fit at an ILB position, but he's also a solid FB. Our running game would benefit with Larson at FB, and would improve the chances that Hillis moves from FB to RB. Larsen will contribute well in either position.I sound like a broken record, but my focus (and my hopes) are almost entirely based on what happens at NT. I really think a sound NT will improve our defense from the last few years. It will be hard to see solid play from the LBs (and by extension, the rest of the defense) if the NT position isn't filled with a superb talent. (For the record, I don't think that talent is, nor should it be, Haynesworth).

We also don't know who will stay or go (for instance, Boss might stay because he is fast and helps to ensure a good contract extension for Champ, but he might go because he is injury prone or doesn't fit our new coach's vision for the team).

A final point to ponder (making predictions harder) is the ability of the coaching staff to move a DE to OLB, or even and OLB to DE.I'm excited about the defense for '09, but not yet about any players. Let's see what happens in the draft and in FA to get a better picture.

The Linebacker position has many possibilities. Elvis Dumervil is an intriguing prospect in the 3-4 outside LB position due to his natural pass rushing skills. He will have to be used correctly however and as HT pointed out he could struggle in the wrong system. Dumervil has said before that he naturally likes to play with his hand on the ground as a Defensive End, so if he does move to LB where he will have to stand up, expect a learning curve at the bear minimum.

Another intriguing prospect for the 3-4 is Jarvis Moss, who is roughly the same height but is heavier than the '89 version of Simon Fletcher. Jarvis has been a bit of an underachiever thus far in his career. Reports out of college imply that Denver may have misused Moss all along. This information is from a scouting report done by the Pittsburgh Steelers who inquired about his ability to play standing up...

"I told them I’m up for whatever (position)," Moss said. "Whatever my need is called and whatever is going to help the team win, I’m ready for it."

Had he ever dropped into coverage as a Gator?

"My position was called ‘The Fox,’ where I would drop into coverage during our fire zones," he said. "I did some when I was working out in Orlando. We did some linebacker-specific drills. It’s something I enjoy. My body moves well and I can run well and I’m really athletic, so it’s something I really enjoy. I’m looking forward to it if it’s my calling."

A scouting report from FFtoolbox.com...

"Moss has a tremendous upside and playmaker potential as a pass rusher off the edge.. He displays a quick burst off the edge, which allows him to set up wide of the tackle and easily shed the block to disrupt the quarterback. His quickness and agility allows him to slide down the line of scrimmage in pursuit of the ball carrier. Moss has the ability to drop into coverage based in athleticism and natural instincts. He will clearly need to bulk up to compete as an every down defensive end at the next level. Moss also lacks the upper body strength of most defensive linemen, thus often has difficulty shedding offensive linemen once engaged. He needs to develop additional pass rushing moves and avoid his dependency to beat his opponents on sheer speed alone. Moss is probably better suited to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme to showcase his athleticism and play making abilities"

Multiple scouting reports from the 2007 NFL Combine implied that Moss showed fluid hips and great movement in coverage, he was labeled a "tweener". Perhaps this change to a 3-4 may be like adding a first round pick from 2007, it was just on lay away. HT clearly said in his response that he thought Moss was "underrated" but in a 3-4 defense "could face a tougher challenge". Clarity is needed...

HT would you please elaborate?

Here is my reasoning (and I'm glad that you asked). I think the jury is still out.

First, I made a point of saying he is underrated because I think a lot of MHR readers don't see the potential in Moss that I do. I think Moss will continue to improve and has the chance to be a top tier DE.

But the reason I think his chances decrease with Denver in a 3-4 go deeper than that. I agree with you that Moss is a 3-4 guy. But his track record so far isn't great, and in a 3-4 the DEs have even less chance to make a name for themselves. This is because much of their work is blocking for the LBs instead of making tackles and sacks on their own. A 3-4 DE is often an unappreciated position (even though it is important). Given Moss's injury last year, and his lack of "flash" this year, he may not get the chance he deserves. But in a 4-3 (and with another year of experience) I would expect him to show a lot more and to gain more notice.

Another point is that he's going to have to make some adjustments to how he plays his position. He's going to play DE a little differently than he played DE in a 4-3, and their may be an adjustment period. For a guy with only one year on the field, it may be asking a lot.

Between Dumervil, Moss, Jamie Winborn, Wesley Woodyard, D.J. Williams and Boss Bailey the OLB position looks stacked with capable athletes. Dumervil and Moss as the pass rushers while Woodyard, Williams and Bailey are good coverage guys. Boss Bailey's injury history does make him a question mark.  The ILB position is more in flux, we may have the answers currently in the versatile D.J. Williams and Spencer Larson. Both seem able to play anywhere on the field but the need for size may be too strong to pass up if a big ILB is available in the draft. If you add a young player like the 260 pound Rey Maualuga into the mix the Inside linebacking core is suddenly looking like a boon and not a burden. At the very least we should have good competition and great depth. To learn more about Rey Maualuga here is his MHR Draftivus profile.

Are these LB's interchangeable, do we have an excess at this point? To answer that I have to ask HT one more question...

In the 3-4 do the OLB interact with each other, are they interchangeable or do they each have their own responsibilities and therefor have an individual unique skill set.

For the most part, a LB will play his own position consistently.  Part of this is because of the complexity of pro-level playbooks, and part of it is the importance of specializing in what each position is responsible for. 

However, a fun aspect of the 3-4 is the ability to build plays around the existing personnel.  The 4-3 has the disadvantage of requiring certain rigid skill sets at each LB position, and those must fit a system.  But in the 3-4, a coach still has a system, but with the major difference that it easier to fiddle around with the system because the higher number of LBs allow the coach to be less rigid in play book development.

For instance, in a 4-3 my LBs may have certain responsibilities that are applicable to most situations I will face in a given game.  But in the 3-4, I can use a unique combination of coverage or run stoppers (or even gap fillers) to mix and match for my own special take on the overall system I always run.  For that reason, it is harder for an offensive coordinator (and the offense) to get a good hold on what I am going to do.  My team may run the same Fairbanks Bullough system that the team in New England does (for instance), but I do it with a different mix of player types at each LB position.

Using a unique combination of run stoppers and coverage guys shows that a variety of LB's may be very useful in improving the front seven. Also interesting is the aspect that the 3-4 defense has the ability to build plays around the existing personnel.  For more knowledge from HoosierTeacher see the MHR University piece on position responsibilities.

These are exciting times for Bronco Nation. The return of Mike Nolan to the Mile High City will perhaps open a window in history that may just help us see our future. We have some interesting prospects in Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss, versatile players like Spencer Larson and D.J. Williams and a variety of skill sets in the secondary. With a glaring need on the Defensive line at the NT position we still have our work cut out and need to add a few new pieces to the new puzzle. Rest assured Bronco Nation, this time of transition has been done before and has been proven to work.

Here is what SI had to say about the Senior bowl practices. It seems there is a collective agreement  that Raji was the biggest riser. It is looking more and more apparent that he may be too good for Cincy to pass up on with the 6th pick. If he has a dominant combine week he will be a top 10 pick  for sure.

Tonights game at 6pm should be very telling! I think a guy to keep an eye on for fun is Pat White. He may have received negative attention in the SI article but he is an athlete that can cause match up problems out of a wildcat formation...maybe a team like Miami could snatch him up and be very creative in their sets...