In Denver, the run sets up the entire offense.
Without a steady and capable running game, the Broncos’ offense looks lethargic and stalls.
The Broncos couldn’t ignite an effective running attack for most of the first two games this season.
Monday night, the Broncos’ running game was alive and vibrant. Not surprisingly, so was the entire offense.
Building on the stifling defensive attack Denver mounted in the second half of last week’s game, the Broncos ran into a first-place AFC West tie with a 30-10 victory over Kansas City.
Denver’s offense – which scored only 10 points in a season-opening loss at Miami and 13 in a victory over San Diego last week – was at a high level against the Chiefs, who apparently still have work to do on defense. Leading Denver’s offensive renewal was the run game, as always.
Things came alive in a big way when starting tailback Mike Anderson, who is healthy now after nursing a rib injury the past two weeks, burst 44 yards for a touchdown run to give Denver a 10-0 lead with 3:29 remaining in the first quarter. Anderson finished with 98 yards on 20 carries.
On a Kansas City blitz, Anderson – with a fantastic lead block by fullback Kyle Johnson – broke through a huge hole, then bolted in for the touchdown.
“We’ve been working on it,” Anderson said of the running game. “It takes time, but it came.”
While Anderson did the damage in the first half, second-year player Tatum Bell did well in the second half. Overcoming a sprained left ankle last week, Bell broke a 24-yard run in the third quarter, setting up a touchdown to make the score 27-3. Bell finished with five carries for 47 yards.
“We gave them different looks,” Bell said. “I want to do my part to be part of the system.”
Monday night the entire Denver offense was involved. Led by a nearly flawless Jake Plummer, Denver was surgical in its attack. Plummer completed 13-of-18 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Because the running game was threatening and the offensive line was opening more holes than it had in the first two games, Plummer had the luxury of using play-action and ran several bootlegs successfully – including a 1-yard TD run on fourth-and-goal in the third quarter to make the score 27-3.
“This is the offense we can be,” tight end Stephen Alexander said. “The running game was clicking and that meant the whole offense was clicking.”
It was clear the Broncos’ game plan was to run first to test the Chiefs’ new ballyhooed defense and keep Kansas City’s powerful offense off the field.
Denver’s ground resurgence began on the final drive of Denver’s come- from-behind 20-17 victory over San Diego. Using the power running of Ron Dayne, Denver methodically cruised down the field as Dayne gained 39 yards on seven carries. Denver ate up more than five minutes on the clock in that game, culminating with a field goal by Jason Elam to win.
It was the type of run game Denver used to win games in the heyday of Terrell Davis, eating up the clock.
That Dayne-led drive was really the first time Denver’s offense looked good finishing a drive all season. Monday night, there were few drives when Denver didn’t look good.
“The running game set up the bootlegs,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. “We were able to do some good things.”
Turnaround
The Broncos were outscored by their opponents 48-13 in the first six quarters of the season, and outscored their opponents 47-13 in the last six quarters of the season.
First six quarters || Last six quarters
Rushing 108 281
Passing 366 246
Total yards 474 598
Points 13 47
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
