Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2008 NFL season on
To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
Here’s your fan question for Monday morning: Was guts or nuts?
—John Koury, Colorado Springs
John – Given an hour or two to think about it, a luxury Shanahan didn’t have, the decision was a no-brainer. Why put everything on an overtime coin flip where the chances are 50-50? Lose the flip and the Broncos have to kick off to Darren Sproles? If Sproles doesn’t return another kick for a touchdown, then the Chargers’ offense gets the ball. The only time the Broncos defense stopped San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers was when the Broncos offense had the ball.
In the past three years, the two-point conversion rate was right at 50 percent. So now the decision comes down to 50-50 on the coin flip or 50-50 on the two-point conversion.
What’s the greater risk: Giving your juggernaut offense a one-play chance for 2 yards? Or risk putting your struggling defense back on the field?
Such a decision was successful two other times (team trailing by 1 point going for 2 with less than 2 minutes remaining) since the NFL adopted the two-point option in 1994. In those two games, the scores for both teams were also in the 30s. In other words, had the score been 14-13, Shanahan probably would have kicked the extra point.
Is there any reason to worry that Brandon Marshall will get cranky over the emergence of Eddie Royal as another possible receiving star? What if Brandon gets fewer balls?
—Eric, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Eric – It wasn’t fair of me to publish your letter as you sent it before the Chargers’ game. But I used it to make a point that in the Broncos’ high-powered passing offense, there’s plenty to go around. Royal had nine catches for an NFL-high 146 yards in Week 1. .
Marshall will be the Broncos’ primary receiver all year. He is the freak. But the Broncos’ passing attack is far too diverse to rely on one receiver. Jay Cutler threw 50 passes Sunday and that’s with the Broncos leading most of the game. The threat of Royal only aids Marshall, who otherwise would face more double coverage. Plus, Marshall’s punishing yards-after-contact style might take a toll if he averages 10 catches a game. By necessity, there will be a week or two when he’s not the “featured” receiver in the game plan.
“Patriots sign Jake Plummer” … is this a headline that we could see? I think it makes a ton of sense. The possibility for a ring and a chance to get back at Mike Shanahan in October on Monday night and possibly the playoffs!
—Steven O’Reilly, Naples, Fla.
Steven – It’s a nice idea, but I’m in disagreement about its logic. While Jake does share the Patriots’ team-before-self, win-over-stats attitude, he’s a little too much of a maverick for coach Bill Belichick. Besides, the Pats’ offense is built around throwing from the pocket, and Jake is best when throwing on the run. Plummer could still find work as a backup quarterback, but the thought of such a role is what sent him into retirement in the first place.
It seems like the biggest improvement on run defense is the amount of points that Jay Cutler and the impressive offense will put up. Also, the kick coverage seems suspect. Have you seen anything to relieve these fears?
—Sean, Chicago
Sean – Well, the Broncos are 2-0. And as the Jimmy the Greek character once said in a “Saturday Night Live” parody skit: That has to be a factor.
Your concern regarding the Broncos’ kick coverage is justified. They allowed a 58-yard kickoff return in the opener to Oakland’s Johnnie Lee Higgins, who would have scored had he not been chased down by Champ Bailey. The Broncos then allowed a 103-yard touchdown return Sunday to San Diego’s Darren Sproles. Part of the coverage problem will be alleviated once Matt Prater regains his touchback groove. He’s had three touchbacks in 12 kickoffs this year, but he would admit he’s capable of a couple more. And two of the Broncos’ best special teams cover players, Louis Green and Hamza Abdullah, have been hobbled by leg injuries.
As for the Broncos’ run defense, I think it’s improved dramatically this year. Statistically, the difference is a 27.6-yard per game improvement. They held LaDainian Tomlinson to 26 yards on 10 carries Sunday.
Granted, the Broncos are vulnerable against the pass but that’s partly because they’ve made run defense a priority. Proof is through Jarvis Moss. He is their second-best pass rusher, but because he’s not strong against the run, Moss has been inactive the first two weeks. You can’t take away everything in today’s NFL. The Broncos chose to stop the run because in theory this prevents opponents from controlling the clock. And the Broncos have too high-powered an offense to be watching from the sidelines. That was last year’s problem.
Mike – There are 53 men on a roster. How many are active for each game? And can another team sign a player off another’s practice squad, or are they protected?
—Randy, Sidney, Mont.
Randy – There are 45 players activated for the game. But players are not fully protected once they land on the practice squad. They must first pass through waivers, where they can be claimed by any team, before landing on the practice squad. But once there, practice-squad players are free to sign with another club, provided it’s not within six days of their team’s next opponent.
Not a peep about Denver’s kicking game. Why? Because we have an awesome duo, and when the kicking game goes well, so does the rest of the game! Your thoughts?
—Gary Lucas, Colorado Springs
Gary – You’re right. Prater has done a nice job silencing concerns about losing Jason Elam. The Broncos wouldn’t have been in position to go for the winning two-point conversion late, by the way, had Prater not nailed a 52-yard field goal in the first half.
Rookie punter Brett Kern is also showing plenty of leg, although he got away with a couple low, deep punts Sunday. It’s what they call outkicking his coverage. I’m sure the Broncos would like him to exchange a few more yards of depth for height. But he has performed beyond the usual expectations for rookie punters.
Where is the best parking for a Broncos game? I’m not talking about stepping out of your car and into your seats, but where is the best parking to get in and out of before and after the game?
—Kim Hetherington, Colorado Springs
Kim – I’m lucky enough to have a parking pass so I’m not the best authority. But from what I’ve seen during the drive in, there’s plenty of close-in parking if you want to pay $40-plus (providing the Broncos aren’t playing the Steelers or Packers, whose tail-gaiting fans have parking lots filled a good two hours before kickoff).
Back in my younger days, when I lived in Colorado Springs, a couple of us would meet at a hotel or fast food parking lot off I-25, and we’d all climb into one vehicle for the drive in, then we’d split up the parking fee.
As for low-cost parking lot options, give it a Google. A time or two during the Mile High Stadium days, I’d park a half-mile away on a side street, but the city has since frowned upon such resourcefulness as there is no legal parking in the surrounding neighborhood of Invesco Field.
Mike Klis is in his fourth season of covering the Broncos after previously covering the Colorado Rockies and Major League Baseball for 15 years. To drop a question into his Broncos Mailbag, or visit DenverPost.com’s .
