Denver Post staff writer Bill Williamson posts his Broncos Mailbag each Tuesday during the 2006 NFL season on DenverPost.com.
To drop a question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Am I the only fan who can see that Darrent Williams has been exposed? Isn’t it obvious that the team must upgrade at that position to compete with the league powers? Too many third-and-long plays are given up by Darrent.
— Gary Wright, Denver
Gary – The team loves Williams. He is a fighter and he never gives up. Yes, he’s been beat a few times. But any cornerback opposite of Champ Bailey will be tested more. Williams knows that. He constantly says he expects it. Overall, though, the team is very happy with him.
What is Denver’s playoff scenario? What happens if the Broncos lose to San Francisco? Can they still get in?
— Ted, Englewood
Ted – They can get in if the Chiefs lose at home to Jacksonville on Sunday, regardless of whether the Broncos beat the 49ers.
It’s hard to tell on television, but it seems to me that Tatum Bell missed a lot of holes . He’s just not running with any determination. We’ve got one game to go. Time to sit Tatum?
— Brad Casey, Longmont
Well, Brad, that led to touchdowns for the opponents. That is what will sit him down, not the missed holes. However, Bell helped his cause by running hard in the second half Sunday.
So I definitely agree that Rod Smith will be back again next year, even if it’s just as a No. 3 receiver. My friends and I think that he could easily pull a Gary Kubiak and become a Broncos receivers coach after he retires. With the signing of Jerry Rice, it’s apparent this organization values leadership, and I believe keeping Smith on staff would be a big boost for this organization. Thoughts?
— Brad, Denver
Maybe, Brad. I don’t know if he wants to live that life. Coaching is 100 weeks; maybe Smith doesn’t want that. However, that will be an issue down the road. Expect him back next season.
The only thing I can see lacking in the future is a running back. The Bells just seem to always cough up the ball when there is a critical situation. Will Denver finally draft a stud running back to go with Jay Cutler, Javon Walker, Tony Scheffler and Brandon Marshall?
— John, Brookhaven, Pa.
John – Don’t worry about a running back. A running back will always be found. Spend the time worrying about the stud pass rusher the team needs. Those guys are much more difficult to find that a Denver-type tailback.
With a few surprises being voted into , and a few surprises NOT being voted in, should the voting procedure be changed to accurately reward deserving players?
— Darrin, Spartanburg, S.C.
Darrin – Yeah, probably, as is the case with all all-star balloting. But at least in the NFL, players and coaches have an equal share of the voting with fans. Remember, it’s just a game in Hawaii in mid-February. Not a huge deal.
What three positions will the Broncos look at first in the offseason? There figures to be a lot of defensive ends and tackles in the first round this year. Good news for the Broncos?
— Eric, New York
Very goods news for the Broncos, Eric. Denver will look for an impact player on the defensive line, a safety and maybe a running back. But the D-line will be looked at very closely come April.
With the probability that Atlanta will have a new coaching staff next year combined with the problems Denver’s O-line is having – especially run blocking – what is the possibility of Alex Gibbs coming back?
— Kirby, Basalt
Kirby – Don’t expect Alex Gibbs back with the Broncos. Everyone has moved on.
I went to (don’t remind me). Something I noticed that I had never seen on any televised game was that a few players, especially David Kircus, would run out onto the field flapping their arms like birds. Is there a meaning to this? It looked odd, yet after seeing it a few times, it sort of began to stick in my mind. Your thoughts?
— Steve Cisneros, La Mirada, Calif.
Steve – Think it’s just a way to get himself, the team and the fans fired up. Just a goofy little pre-game deal.
Why are fans so hard on Broncos QBs?
— David, Vancouver, Washington
David – All NFL fans in every NFL city are hard on quarterbacks. But when your franchise face is still John Elway, the bar is very high. Jay Cutler will always be compared to John Elway as was Jake Plummer and Brian Griese. Just part of the job.
What is it that the fans at Invesco Field at Mile High say after the opposing team fails to make a third down – or something else happens that was bad for the opponent – and then they play that horn music that sounds like, “Ha, ha, ha”? Thanks.
— Pam Gearhart, Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
Pam – It comes when the opposing team fails on a pass attempt. “In-com-plete.”
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, .
