Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag every Tuesday during the 2008 NFL season on DenverPost.com.
To drop a Broncos- or NFL-related question into the Broncos Mailbag or visit DenverPost.com’s .
What is Mike Shanahan’s take on this defense? It’s pretty hard to find anything positive happening on that side of the ball.
— Keith Sylvain, New York
Keith – At his press conference Monday, Shanahan found two positives in his defense. The Saints only gained 88 yards rushing on 25 carries, or 3.5 yards per carry. And in the previous week against the Chargers, the Broncos only allowed 10 yards rushing on seven carries in the first half. Shanahan also praised the effort of his defense, if not entirely its results.
“We’ve got to get better on third downs,” Shanahan said Monday. “We were 8-for-14 on third downs. Third down-and-12, third down-and-7, and it’s 21-3 — the game’s almost over. It’s something we can work on especially with that type of effort. That’s as hard as we’ve played in a long time.”
The concerted effort to stop the run, however, is one reason why the Broncos are vulnerable against the pass. And they might get picked apart by good quarterbacks all year. The key for the defense is coming up with red-zone stops while their offense, led by Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, produces touchdowns.
Hi, Mike. Why did the Broncos keep using that horrid three-man pass rush against the Saints? Any idea what ‘ QB rating/stats were against the Broncos’ three-man rush?
— Steve Leavitt, Colorado Springs
Steve – You’re very observant, although technically you’re half-correct. The Broncos used a three-man front in the first half against the Saints, but they usually rushed four defenders. The fourth was a linebacker. For all the time Brees had in the second quarter, though, it didn’t look like the Broncos were rushing anybody.
The 3-4 defense is a novel concept for the modern-day Broncos but not for the Broncos. Former Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier is widely credited with introducing the 3-4 to the NFL in the 1970s. Some coach named Bill Belichick was the Broncos’ assistant to the defensive coordinator in 1978.
I keep hearing about Ryan Torain coming back and the impact it may/may not have on our team. Was he the best back in camp before he got hurt?
— Broncosteviep, Tampa, Fla.
I saw Torain pass through the locker room Monday and did a double take — it was noticeable how much smaller his heavily braced left arm was compared to his right arm. “It definitely has gotten skinny,” he said.
Once Torain gets the brace off his dislocated left elbow, he will have to get pumping on his atrophied left arm. It’s been almost two months since he suffered the injury in training camp, and recovery time for such damage is three months. The goal is to have Torain back during the late-October bye week, and have him playing in Game 8, Nov. 2 against Miami.
Was he the best back in training camp? No, but he was getting there. The feeling was he would have been the Broncos’ No. 1 tailback early in the season, but I’m not sure he would have started ahead of Selvin Young in the opener at Oakland. We’ll never know.
Quick and strong at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, Torain has the potential to be a 20- to 25-carry-a-game back. But as former Rockies star Dante Bichette once said, potential means you haven’t done it yet.
I know we’re . But when will the Broncos lose their first game? I don’t see a loss until maybe the Monday night game at New England in Week 7. Maybe.
— Ken, Denver
Ken – Let’s back up, then follow your train of thought. You’re not the only one who figures this week’s game at Kansas City is a gimme. That’s 4-0.
Tampa Bay in Week 5 will be tough, but that game will be played at Invesco Field. All right, 5-0.
Then the Jacksonville Jaguars, who no longer have Marcus Stroud anchoring their defensive line or two starting offensive linemen. What, the Broncos are going to lose back-to-back home games to Jacksonville? 6-0.
After they beat the Tom Brady-less Patriots in New England — Shanahan has won five of his last six against Belichick — the Broncos figure to whip Miami coming off the bye week in Game 8, right?
Then the Broncos play a Thursday night game at Cleveland, where the Browns are falling apart. 9-0. Then a game at Atlanta, which by then figures to crash back to earth. 10-0.
Then home against the Raiders, who guaranteed will be coached by someone other than Lane Kiffin. Unless, not. 11-0.
OK, I’ll stop goofing before the Broncos get to Brett Favre and the New York Jets in the Meadowlands for Game 12. Ken, you may well be right. But because, as you alluded to, there’s a fine line between 3-0 and 1-2, it’s best if the Broncos stay in the here and now. Please check back in with this mailbag after Week 6.
Are there certain teams that are known for fans who travel? I saw a lot of Saints fans in Denver all week.
— Michelle, Denver
Michelle – Two teams whose fans travel better than others: The Steelers and Packers. Bears fans get around, too. It’s my belief that beer is at the core of such fandom. Pittsburgh and Chicago are beer cities. Wisconsin is one big beer-and-cheese crowd. Any fan will tell you the best part of the NFL experience isn’t necessarily the game, but the pre-game tailgate party. The official beverage of America’s tailgaters? You guessed it. Beer.
This theory would also explain the large migration of Saints fans to Denver last week. New Orleans may well be the party capital of the world. NFL tailgating just provides another option.
Hey, Mike. Why don’t the Broncos make Selvin Young a true feature back? I know Shanahan likes his committees, but why do so when you have a RB who is better than the backups? Andre Hall and Michael Pittman are fine, but look at Young’s YPC.
— Paul, Milwaukee
Hey, Paul from Milwaukee. What did you think of my traveling-tailgate theory? Huh? Huh?
Anyway, the question you pose on behalf of Young is identical to the ones I got in 2005 regarding Tatum Bell. Same question, just sub out the name of the Broncos’ running back with the high yards-per-carry average.
And I have the same answer: Young is the type of back who is more productive with 8 to 10 carries a game than he would be with 15 to 20 carries. Young is a speed back. He’s tougher than most people think, but still speed is his game. Speed backs are better when they have fresh legs. It’s a case of less is more.
Young also had an injury history while playing at the University of Texas, and he was banged up again last year as a rookie. If I didn’t know better, Paul, I’d say you have Selvin Young on your fantasy team.
In regards to parking for Broncos games — I’ve found the best way is to pay $10 for a garage spot in LoDo, and then take the light rail into Invesco. This is the way we go, and then it’s an easy ride back into LoDo to celebrate (hopefully).
— Steve, Greeley
Steve – Thanks for responding to a question posed in . Us mailbaggers stick together. We are a team. On three, ready? One, two, three: Break!
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 .
