TMQ: Broncos Haven't Painted Pretty Picture
Brent Wiescamp
>>>>>>
In what just might be the 1,000-word picture of the Broncos season thus far,
there was Wade Phillips on Sunday evening, a smile cascading across his
face, index finger raised in the air as he slowly jogged into the tunnel
toward the Chargers locker room.
"We're No. 1, baby,'' Phillips shouted. "We're No. 1.''
Phillips, who was sent on his way by Broncos owner Pat Bowlen after the 1994
season and replaced by Mike Shanahan, is the Chargers defensive coordinator.
And Phillips, after being replaced as interim coach of the Atlanta Falcons
after last season, has hit the ground running with the NFL's latest
glass-slipper outfit.
With the 20-17 victory against the Broncos on Sunday, the Chargers have a
two-game lead in the AFC West race with four games left to play.
And that is the story of 2004 for the Broncos.
Because few folks, no matter what Marty Schottenheimer says now, honestly
expected the Chargers to be pulling away as the calendar flipped to
December.
But few things have gone as expected for these Broncos.
The Broncos expected to be battling the Chiefs for the division title.
They're not.
Since the Broncos defeated the Chargers at Denver on Sept. 26, it has been
the Chargers rolling down the stretch having won eight of their past nine
games - including Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium - with the Chiefs tied with the
Oakland Raiders at the bottom of the division.
The Broncos believed they had filled the locker room with enough veterans,
who had enough character and ability that it would get them through any
rough spots this season.
And while they still are the only team that is ranked in the top 10 in the
league's 'Big Six' statistics - total offense, rushing offense, passing
offense, total defense, run defense and pass defense - they are 7-5, having
lost two consecutive games and four of their past six.
They expected to be better than that. But the cold, hard type of the
standings shows that hasn't happened yet.
And the clock is ticking.
BREAK IT DOWN
Broncos eliminate receiver threat, but Tomlinson's numbers make the
difference
The Broncos defense, though it largely is lost in the haze of another close
defeat, turned in one of its best efforts of the season Sunday.
The Broncos took away the downfield threat of San Diego receiver Eric
Parker - three catches, 37 yards, no touchdowns - by slapping Champ Bailey
on him.
Parker had 30 of those yards on San Diego's first play.
The Broncos also took away tight end Antonio Gates - three catches, 31
yards, no touchdowns - with a combination of defensive backs, including
Willie Middlebrooks for much of the second half.
It was the first time in five games Gates did not have a touchdown
reception.
And the Broncos harassed Chargers quarterback Drew Brees into his worst
passing day (106 yards) of the season.
But in the end, the Chargers just keep leaning on running back LaDainian
Tomlinson.
And Tomlinson, who has been bothered by a groin injury since an Oct. 10
victory against the Tennessee Titans, did just enough to get the Chargers
over the top.
His four second-half receptions led the Chargers and four of his 14 carries
in the second half resulted in first downs.
The numbers certainly will not jump off Tomlinson's career marquee - 30
carries, 113 yards to go with five receptions for 17 yards.
But several of the Chargers said after the game if someone else had been in
the San Diego backfield Sunday, the Chargers would not have won.
Tomlinson was just shifty enough and ran with just enough power to make that
exactly right.
GET IT DONE
Denver's mission is to harass Miami offense
The Miami Dolphins are 2-10 and have struggled so mightily on offense that
three offensive linemen have been benched since the start of the regular
season.
Veteran left tackle Wade Smith was replaced by Damion McIntosh. Right guard
Greg Jerman was demoted, replaced by Taylor Whitley, who was then replaced
by rookie Rex Hadnot on Sunday.
Left guard Jeno James missed two games because of a knee injury earlier in
the season and until former coach Dave Wannstedt resigned under pressure,
the Dolphins couldn't even decide on a quarterback.
Jay Fiedler or A.J. Feeley?
That's the Broncos' deal - to put the heat on Miami's struggling offense.
The first thing interim Dolphins coach Jim Bates did when moving into the
big chair was say Feeley would be the quarterback. He is coming off
single-game mosts of 30 completions, 51 attempts and 301 yards in Sunday's
loss to the Buffalo Bills.
But Feeley also threw a career-most five interceptions.
The Broncos need to force the issue up front on an offense and a quarterback
that are struggling.
HOT SPOT
Dolphins' pass rush could cause problems
Coming off a game when the Chargers put some pressure on the middle of the
Broncos' offensive line, especially with 348-pound nose tackle Jamal
Williams, the Dolphins have the potential to do the same.
About all the Dolphins have going for them these days are some flashes on
defense. They are No. 2 in the league against the pass, in part because
teams have not always had to throw because Miami has struggled to
consistently stop the run but also in part because the Dolphins can muster a
pass rush when they have to.
Against the Bills, that pass rush was at its best inside. Of their three
sacks, the Dolphins got one each from a defensive end (David Bowens), from a
defensive tackle (Jeff Zgonina) and a linebacker (Derrick Pope).
Defensive end Jason Taylor (71/2 sacks) gets most of the attention from
opposing offenses and Bates, the Dolphins defensive coordinator before he
became the interim coach, will push the pocket from the inside because of
that.
MATCH GAME
Dolphins TE Randy McMichael vs. Broncos LB D.J. Williams
This season, Randy McMichael is closing in on team records for catches and
receiving yards in a season for a tight end.
McMichael has 53 receptions for 636 yards and needs only seven more
receptions and 38 yards to set the team bests.
However, since Bates moved Feeley into the starting spot full time, receiver
Chris Chambers has been the primary target - much to McMichael's
consternation at times.
McMichael had two receptions for 14 yards Sunday and those catches came on
consecutive plays in the second quarter.
D.J. Williams won't be locked in on McMichael all the time, but the rookie
linebacker has the speed and quickness to do the job when he is. The
Dolphins have pushed McMichael down the field deep in past games because
most linebackers can't maintain their top-end speed to stay with him.
NUMBERS GAME
Dolphins' offensive woes
The minute Miami running back Ricky Williams "retired" suddenly before
training camp, the Dolphins offense was thrown into neutral.
The team has failed to gain at least 300 yards nine times in 11 games.
Date Team Yards
Sept. 11 Titans 263
Sept. 19 Bengals 226
Sept. 26 Steelers 169
Oct. 3 Jets 293
Oct. 10 Patriots 295
Oct. 17 Bills 212
Nov. 1 Jets 259
Nov. 21 Seahawks 288
Nov. 28 49ers 200
<<<<<<
Fred Waiss, Sr.
"Brent Wiescamp" <wies...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:10rb9gp...@corp.supernews.com...
> http://tinyurl.com/5hxow
>
>>>>>>>
> In what just might be the 1,000-word picture of the Broncos season thus far,
> there was Wade Phillips on Sunday evening, a smile cascading across his
> face, index finger raised in the air as he slowly jogged into the tunnel
> toward the Chargers locker room.
>
> "We're No. 1, baby,'' Phillips shouted. "We're No. 1.''
>
> Phillips, who was sent on his way by Broncos owner Pat Bowlen after the 1994
> season and replaced by Mike Shanahan, is the Chargers defensive coordinator.
>
seriously criticized Phillips as a DC. But as a head coach, he just isn't that
good. It would have been great to keep him as the DC under Shanny, but that kind
of thing does not happen.
Brent Wiescamp
"Fred Waiss, Sr." <geo...@alpinecom.net> wrote in message
news:cp5k13$6q3$1...@news.netins.net...
>
> "Brent Wiescamp" <wies...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:10rb9gp...@corp.supernews.com...
> > http://tinyurl.com/5hxow
> >
> >>>>>>>
> > In what just might be the 1,000-word picture of the Broncos season thus
far,
> > there was Wade Phillips on Sunday evening, a smile cascading across his
> > face, index finger raised in the air as he slowly jogged into the tunnel
> > toward the Chargers locker room.
> >
> > "We're No. 1, baby,'' Phillips shouted. "We're No. 1.''
> >
> > Phillips, who was sent on his way by Broncos owner Pat Bowlen after the
1994
> > season and replaced by Mike Shanahan, is the Chargers defensive
coordinator.
> >
> This is sort of misleading if you don't know the history. No one
ever
> seriously criticized Phillips as a DC. But as a head coach, he just isn't
that
> good. It would have been great to keep him as the DC under Shanny, but
that kind
> of thing does not happen.
>
Yup. Everyone pretty much knew a couple of games into Wade's second season
as HC that he was just too nice. He got booed in Mile High one time when he
came back with Buffalo, I think. People will do that, I guess.