Stop L.T.
Master villain Ernesto Blofeld used to say to his bootlickers: “Stop James Bond, and we will rule the world.”
Master coach Mike Shanahan must say to his players: “Stop L.T., and we will win the game.”
A Rivers does not run through it. A LaDainian Tomlinson does.
When L.T. is not stopped, the Broncos lose. When he is stopped, the Broncos win.
Here are the facts:
Tomlinson, the hard-charging running back in his eighth season with the soft-charging Chargers, today will confront the Broncos for the 15th time — the most games he’s played against an NFL opponent.
In those 14 games, L.T. has rushed for 1,222 yards (an average of 87.3 per game) and 15 touchdowns and has 369 yards receiving and one touchdown.
In those 14 games, the Broncos and the Chargers are 7-7.
The six games in which Tomlinson has accumulated more than 100 yards (rushing and receiving), the Chargers are 6-0.
The only time the Chargers beat the Broncos with Tomlinson producing fewer than 100 yards combined (58 rushing, 11 receiving) was L.T.’s first game against Denver as a rookie in ’01.
The most memorable for Tomlinson, and the least memorable for the Broncos, was the second of the teams’ two games in 2002, when he ran for 220 yards on 37 carries, caught 11 passes for 51 yards and scored three touchdowns. The Broncos fell 30-27 in San Diego. The Broncos took the first game in Denver 26-9 by stopping Tomlinson, who finished with 14 rushing attempts for 48 yards and zero receptions.
The Broncos were thrashed by the Chargers all four games of 2006-07. Tomlinson ran for 105 yards and three TDs in a 35-27 victory, ran for 103 yards and three TDs in a 48-20 victory, ran for 67 yards and caught passes for 73 yards in a 41-3 victory and ran for 107 yards and a TD — ’twas the night before Christmas in a 23-3 victory.
In summation, stop L.T.
How do the Broncos stop L.T.?
Madden ’09 geeks have offered this suggestion: “Stack the line. Bring up the cornerbacks to protect the outside and force L.T. to run in the middle. 34 OLB Stud Spy. Pinch and crash D- line, shift them to the side of the field you think he is running to. Control safety and bring him alongside the MLB. Use him and dive tackle or hitstick low on L.T.” OK. Got all that, defensive coordinator Bob Slowik? Whatever it means?
But this is not some Game Boy. This is The Game, man.
Win, and the Broncos are in the chase with the Chargers for the division championship. Lose, and the Broncos are a nice little team that could compete for a wild-card spot or end up wallowing like last season.
Stop L.T., and Philip Rivers can’t beat the Broncos. Let L.T. run wild, and Rivers can throw and taunt and tease and torment the Broncos again.
How do the Broncos stop L.T. in real life?
Eight men in the box, which Jim Bates didn’t seem to get, cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Dre Bly in single coverage on the wide receivers, one safety on the tight end, other safety the eighth man, middle linebacker Nate Webster spying on Tomlinson on all plays, four alternating down linemen with discipline in their one-gap defense, weakside and strongside ‘backers D.J. Williams and Boss Bailey protecting the outside first against the run, then retreating second against the pass.
Frustrate Tomlinson early. Tackle him low, not high. Get a second and third defender on him quick. Study the tapes from 2003 when he was held to 29 yards on eight rushes in the Broncos’ 37-8 victory. Don’t let him loose for a 50-yard run. Hold him to 3, 4, even 15 yards.
Score two touchdowns in the first quarter to keep him off the field. Don’t turn the ball or give San Diego field position after a punt or kickoff. Exploit Shawne Merriman’s absence. Study the tapes of Carolina last week. (L.T. was stopped shy of 100 yards rushing.) Run effectively on offense.
Sure, stopping superstar L.T. sounds simple. But he is coming off a sprained knee injury from last season and big toe soreness from last week. He can’t be at 100 percent after not running the ball once in the preseason and practicing just once in the past week.
Bond stopped Blofeld. The Broncos will stop L.T.
Broncos 30, Chargers 20.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
