This can’t be a coincidence.
The NFL’s top running teams are the Atlanta Falcons (188.1 yards per game) and the Broncos (158.7).
What else do they have in common? Both are products of the zone-blocking scheme that Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and offensive line coach Alex Gibbs instituted, with enormous success, beginning in the 1996 season.
And both teams get considerable yardage from a second rusher. The Falcons are getting about 105 yards per game from running back Warrick Dunn and 50 a game from quarterback Michael Vick.
The Broncos are getting roughly 68 yards from Mike Anderson and 65 from Tatum Bell entering their game Sunday against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles at Invesco Field at Mile High.
The more this rushing dominance goes on, though, the more opponents credit the blocking philosophy. Gibbs was the Broncos’ offensive line coach from 1995 until 2000, then became a part-time consultant through 2003. Rick Dennison has been the Broncos’ line coach since 2001, while Gibbs became the Falcons’ offensive line coach in 2004 before again scaling back to consultant this year.
“The tough thing about the Broncos’ running game is the way they block,” Giants linebacker Carlos Emmons said after the game Sunday at the Meadowlands. “The way they block as a unit, if one defensive guy misses a gap, you’re dead.”
Shanahan debates the notion the running success of the Broncos and Falcons is all about the system because it diminishes the blocking prowess of linemen such as Broncos center Tom Nalen and the running talents of Anderson, Bell and Dunn.
Still, the zone-blocking system can’t get much stronger confirmation than having two teams using it rank 1-2 in rushing.
“It is an excellent system,” Shanahan said. “Obviously it’s a proven system. We’ve proven over a length of time it can work. A lot of teams have tried to adapt to it. But no matter what system you have, you need great players to execute the system.”
Air McNabb
This has to be the team stat of the year: The Eagles rank first in the 32-team NFL in passing, and 32nd in rushing.
“You can’t look at the 32,” Shanahan said. “You’ve got to look at the 1. They’re No. 1 at what their philosophy dictates. When a team doesn’t choose to run, you can’t consider them 32.”
Footnotes
Backup cornerback Lenny Walls (groin) was the only Broncos player listed Wednesday as questionable for the game against the Eagles. Quarterback Jake Plummer is probable with an achy left shoulder. … Fullback Kyle Johnson has his bucking bronco dance. And there was the team-wide Mile High Salute in the Super Bowl years. But the Broncos’ end-zone celebrations have been mild compared to the exhibitions Eagles receiver Terrell Owens puts on with each touchdown. “I believe in acting like you’ve been there before, but everyone doesn’t agree with me,” Shanahan said.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
