From: MCMASTER@LSTC2VM.stortek.com (Jim McMaster)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro
Subject: Re: The Broncos have an offense again!  (or Who'da Thunk it!)
Date: 29 Sep 92 14:48:25 GMT
Organization: StorageTek SW Engineering

In article <1992Sep28.181422.3757@vexcel.com>
jic@vexcel.com (jic account for NAVY) writes:
 
>Well after the 30-0 drubbing the Eagles gave the Broncos last week
>one would have thought that the Denver offense only had 9 or 10 guys
>on the field.  In fact the Broncos Offense had been miserable until
>we went up against the Browns.
>
Don't get too excited yet...the Broncos have played one fairly good
game against a pretty bad tesm, with big problems on both sides of the
ball.  We will know more after the next two games against Kansas City
and Washington.
 
>Reeves and the coaches limited the offensive play scheme to eliminate
>some 20% of the plays.  It appears to have worked.  The Broncos running
>backs got more yardage yesterday than they did in the first 3 games!
>
This is encouraging.  I hope they can keep it up against a better
defense.
 
>This seemed to really help Elway out, who had a pretty damn good day.
>The one interception against him was really a case of the receiver not
>holding on to the ball and an alert defender snatching it out of the air.
>The pass was right on the money though.
>
Hmmm....10 for 17 with an interception and 157 yards is okay, but well
below Elway standards.  He was also sacked 5 times for 45 yards.  The
passing game still has big problems.  Elway has really only looked
great once this season....in that last drive agains the Raiders.
 
>As a result of not having to play most of the game, the Defense returned
>to its normal stature, (one that I felt they had against the Eagles in
>the first half).  It certainly helped to have poor old Tomszak in there
>after having practiced with the Browns for 1 week.  Must say he did a
>damn fine job considering that difficulty.
>
Agreed....I never have liked Tomszak as a QB, but he did pretty well
for having only two weeks of practice.  The Broncos defense certainly
had it easy, because of the Browns vastly simpler offense.
 
>I think that this week gave the Offensive line the boost of confidence
>that they desperately needed.  Although Elway has been very kind to his
>line when in the public spotlight, you can't possibly looked at his
>broken spirit at the end of the Eagles game and not blame the line.
>(he was taken to the turf on 17 of 24 times in the Eagles game).
>
Confidence is not what the offensive line needs.  What would do them a
lot more good is an infusion of talent.  The left side of the line is
really awful.  Russell Freeman might turn into a good left tackle some
day, but that day is not now.  Jeff Davidson does not impress me at
all.  Kartz, Widell and Lanier are adequate, but nowhere near Pro Bowl
caliber.  This is probably the weakest area on the whole team.  Against
a strong defense, they are incapable of opening holes for the RBs or
protecting Elway.
 
>Soon we'll have the Vance back, and Sammie Smith too.  ( I know he has
>a bad rep, but I really like the way he runs!  He's the only real
>power running back the Broncs have!)  Then Michael Young soon after
>that!
>
Vance Johnson and Michael Young are not major talent upgrades from the
receivers the Broncos have now.  They are okay, but again nothing
special.  Elway cannot throw because the offensive line does not give
him enough time.  He could have Jerry Rice out there, and not be able
to complete passes to him.  Now if he had a decent offensive line...
 
>Hats off to Reggie Rivers!  He looked really good yesterday.  If
>he keeps up like this Sewell may have some real competition next
>year.  Also hats off to David Treadwell.  I don't see how any kicker
>can feel comfortable when there's a specialist for kickoffs and one for
>field goals on the same team.  Especially when it's a Dan "I hate kickers"
>Reeves coached team.  But David went out there and showed Dan why it's
>worth it.  (Dalusio had a less than spectacular game letting many kickoffs
>fall short of the end-zone, but the special teams coverage kept that from
>haunting him.)
>
DaLuiso had only two kickoffs returned out of five.  He did *not* have
an off day.  Have you ever heard of wind coming off the Lake and into
the Mistake?  There was an article in the Denver Post last week in
which DaLuiso said wind was a big factor, especially in Cleveland.  He
also said he did not have a single touchback going in one direction in
Buffalo last season, because of the wind.  DaLuiso has a strong leg,
but he is not Superman.  As for your second point, the Browns got 62
yards on those two returns.  Denver's "special teams" are anything but
special.  The only reason the Broncos got DaLuiso is because the
kickoff coverage was so bad in preseason.  Special teams are a historic
weakness of Reeves' teams.  He simply does not care enough about them
to make them good.
 
>Loved that special teams muff by the Browns.  The scary/sad? thing about it
>was that if the kicker had looked to his right, there was a Browns player
>wide open in the end-zone.  That could have seriously changed the momentum
>of the game had he seen him, and completed the pass to him.
>
>So now the Broncs appear to be where they were at last year, (or at least
>close).  Able to get the ball to the red zone, but unable to punch it in
>once they are there.  Anybody have any ideas about how the Broncs should
>solve this one?  Will Sammie give that kind of power to us?
>
You are correct.  The Broncos are just about where they were a year
ago.  The difference is that last year they got to play a weak
schedule.  Looking ahead, I see them losing to Kansas City (maybe
twice), Washington, Houston, Dallas, Buffalo and maybe the Giants.
That would make them no better than 10-6, and maybe as low as 8-8.
They might make the playoffs, but I would not bet the house on it.
Given their talent level, 10-6 and a playoff spot would be major
accomplishments.
 
As for the "red zone" problem, that is directly related to the poor
offensive line play.  Reeves insists on trying to run it in, and they
get stuffed.  When they finally do try to pass, Elway is hurried.
No, Sammie Smith is not the solution.  Jim Brown would not be able to
gain much yardage for this team.
 
>Well, if the D can keep opponents from scoring, I guess that it
>really doesn't matter.  But Cleveland ain't no <insert your favorite
>offensive powerhouse here>, so I doubt that field goals are gonna
>win us very many games.
>
Right.  We saw what a good (not great, except for Cunningham) Eagles
offense could do against the Broncos defense.  That's why I think
Denver has no shot against the teams listed above.  The very good
defense cannot support an offense that does not score or keep them off
the field.
 
>That's the story, thanks for tolerating my rantings!
>
>Tom
>
>Broncos fan no matter what!
>
I am a Broncos fan, too, but I still see big problems.  Three wins
against weak teams and one obliteration by a very good team does not
lead me to see great things in store for the rest of the season.
 
Realism is a curse!
 
Jim McMaster