Denver Post staff writer Bill Williamson posts his Broncos Mailbag each Tuesday during the 2006 NFL season on DenverPost.com, which earned distinction for its online-exclusive series of Mailbags at this year’s Colorado AP Reporters and Editors Awards.
To drop a question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
I know the defense has been playing well, but it doesn’t seem like it is getting much pressure on the quarterback. Do you think the defense is really better off going away from blitzing as much as it did last year?
— David, Centerville, Utah
David – Against New England, the defense attacked Tom Brady by using a four-man rush. In the playoffs last season, Denver came hard with a blitz. The defense didn’t get any sacks Sunday, but it had a good pressure. Overall, it does seem like the pass rush has been better this season.
How do you explain the Broncos not getting even one penalty flag in an overtime game with Kansas City? That has never been done in the NFL before. Did you see the picture in The Kansas City Star that shows Larry Johnson being dragged down by his facemask?
— KCBH, Kansas City, Mo.
KCBH – It was only the third time in team history that Denver hadn’t been called for a penalty. It was probably a combination of excellent discipline and a little luck. Did not see that photo. But there you go. You always need a little luck.
I’m a huge, huge Broncos fan in Mexico, but there’s something I don’t understand. Why is Terrell Davis’ No. 30 not in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame? I was at Invesco Field at Mile High the past two years, and I did not see his number.
— Luis Aguirre, Guadalajara, Mexico
Luis – Davis will be eligible for induction in the Ring next year. It will be a slam dunk.
Bill: ESPN’s Tom Jackson picked New England over Denver on Sunday night. I guess it shows what he knows! I’m disappointed. I thought he was a homer!
— Travis Hemiller, St. Cloud, Minn.
Travis – He wasn’t the only one who was wrong. I had the Pats, 24-16. So there are two dummies.
After watching , it appears evident that Tatum Bell is the feature back, with Mike Bell only in to spell him. However, Tatum touched the ball 27 times and his average was significantly lower than it is when he only touches roughly 10 times. Can we expect 5-foot-11, 210-pound Tatum Bell to carry the load all season?
— Jesse, New York
Jesse – I think Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has shown he’s willing to change if he has to. But Bell has worked hard. If he gets tired, Mike Bell will get plenty of carries. But right now, Shanahan wants to go with the veteran, and Tatum Bell responded well.
What happens – money-wise – when guys like Bradlee Van Pelt get waived? Do they lose their entire contracts, or is there severance-package money?
— Gayle J. Nelson, North Liberty, Iowa
Gayle – There are few guaranteed contracts in the NFL. When a player is cut prior to the season, there is no pay. NFL pay schedules are during the season, so everything the Broncos paid Van Pelt for 2006 were based on workout clauses, if he had any, and training-camp pay. That’s why it’s so important for players to make the team.
Is it me, or does Jake Plummer appear to be playing scared? Do you think if he started to play like the gunslinger he was in Arizona, he might do better? Perhaps a more effective running game would get some of the pressure off as well.
— Bill Slade, Neosho, Mo.
Bill – There’s one thing that Plummer isn’t – and it’s scared. If anything, Plummer’s problem is that he thinks he can do too much. Plummer is a confident guy.
How much of the woes on offense can be attributed to the loss of Gary Kubiak?
— Joe Busch, Inman, Kan.
I don’t buy that one, Joe. All due respect to Kubiak, but Shanahan has been here for 12 years, and, of course, he was here all of Kubiak’s time here. Shanahan runs the show. It’s his offense and he’s still there. The offense started slow the past couple of seasons. I think the early-season woes are an extension of that more than anything else.
I’ve read articles about how players love to play for Mike Shanahan, but how is he regarded around the league by other coaches and media?
— Rob, Chicago
Rob – Shanahan is often praised by other coaches. Patriots coach Bill Belichick can’t get enough of praising Shanahan. He is well respected. I believe the media, as a whole, also respect him for being one of the most competitive, successful coaches in the NFL.
Paul Ernster is doing a decent job of punting and kicking off. He can also kick field goals. Do you think the Broncos will waste a spot to bring back Todd Sauerbrun, or has Ernster won the job?
— Mort, Albuquerque
Well, Mort, I don’t know if bringing back a Pro Bowl player would be a “waste,” but the Broncos are going to have an interesting situation on their hands if Ernster plays well Oct. 9 against Baltimore. Sauerbrun will come off the suspension list then, and Denver will decide to keep Ernster and cut Sauerbrun or vice versa or keep both.
In the case that both are kept, Sauerbrun would punt; Ernster would be kept to kick off. But that is the least likely scenario.
It won’t be a surprise if Ernster is kept, especially if he kicks off well against the Ravens. Sauerbrun is a talent, but the Broncos weren’t pleased with Sauerbrun when he was suspended. Plus, Ernster is cheaper. It could happen.
What do you think it is going to take to get the formerly successful offense to reappear?
— DT, Billings, Mont.
Big plays, DT, like Javon Walker’s touchdowns against New England and 100-yard-plus rushing performances like Tatum Bell had against the Patriots. That’ll work, right?
It appears that Houston made a mistake in not drafting Reggie Bush or a quarterback. How much of the blame is on the owner or GM or Gary Kubiak? We think the world of Kubiak and hope this doesn’t end up totally on his doorstep. Thanks.
— Joe, Chicago
Well, Joe, new general manager Rick Smith, who (like Kubiak) came from the Broncos, is in the clear on this one. He wasn’t hired until June. The draft was in April. It was the previous general manager, Charley Casserly, and Kubiak who drafted No. 1 overall 2006 NFL draft pick DE Mario Williams.
The Texans took Williams partly because they thought that Bush was going to be too expensive. But right now – and its early – it seems like the Texans should have gone deeper into their pocketbooks and taken Bush. Right now, the Texans have nothing.
Have the Broncos expressed any interest in acquiring Raiders receiver Jerry Porter? Any chance that these two division rivals would even consider dealing?
— Robert Jordan, Vancouver, British Columbia
Robert – You know, there were rumors of that but it won’t happen. The Raiders would like to trade him inside the division, which is unusual. But they are the Raiders. But the Broncos, like most teams, aren’t interested.
When are the Broncos going to wear their orange jerseys again? It’s been a while.
— Jim, Staten Island, N.Y.
No set plans, Jim, but they like to bring the orange jerseys out on special occasions. So you’ll likely see it again.
Bill Williamson is in his third season as a Denver Post NFL beat reporter. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, which runs each Tuesday of the 2006 NFL season, .
