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 .
Hey, Mike. After the Tampa game, I think . What do you think? Thanks.
— Kevin, Denver
Kevin – Pittman said after the game he’d like the same shot. And Broncos coach Mike Shanahan did say Monday that Pittman had earned the right to be included in the five-play rotation, along with Selvin Young and Andre Hall.
A 20-carry, feature back, though, may be a stretch. A couple mailbags ago, I said Young is more productive with 10 carries than 20 because as a speed back, it’s better if he’s running with fresh legs. Same thing with Pittman as a power back. He runs hard short-yardage situations. He does a very good job with screen passes and he’s highly productive when he has six to eight touches a game. But I’m saying that at 33, Pittman would not be as productive with 20 touches a game.
It’s like the platoon system in baseball. A left-handed hitter can rake against right-handed pitchers and people wonder, why not let him hit against lefties? Because he can’t hit lefties, that’s why. Broncos running backs coach Bobby Turner is putting his players in situations where they can succeed. Why overextend them to situations where they would have less success?
Perhaps, we make a comprise, Kevin: Look for Pittman to get 12 to 15 touches Sunday against Jacksonville.
Now both Tim Crowder and Jarvis Moss are sitting? What gives? It’s not like we have a good defensive line, and these guys are not even suiting up. Can we look forward to seeing these guys play this season?
— Jeremey, Anchorage, Alaska
Jeremey – Let’s go back to that 2007 draft. The Broncos had a new defensive coordinator with proven NFL success in Jim Bates. He brought with him a unique defensive system that required specific-type players at each position. Moss, in the first round, and Crowder, in the second round, were selected in large part because Bates liked the way those players fit his system.
But after five games last season, head coach Mike Shanahan could no longer tolerate the Bates’ system because it was ineffective in stopping the run. The system was out, then Bates was out. Moss and Crowder are still here, but sitting because they have yet to develop into solid-enough run-stoppers. With Tampa Bay using a ton of power runs at the defensive end, this wasn’t Moss’ and Crowder’s kind of game, at least as viewed by the coaches.
Their playing days here aren’t finished. Shanahan said Monday that he thought Moss could be converted to an outside linebacker in the Broncos’ new 3-4 defensive system. It only makes sense. There will be matchups when Broncos defensive coordinator Bob Slowik will want some pass-rush heat. For those games, Moss and Crowder will get their turns.
Hey, Mike. Despite all the high-scoring and flashy wins earlier in the season, was the best Broncos win yet?
— Kyle, Pennsylvania
Kyle – Hmm. Best win? It was the best win for Slowik’s defense, to be sure. But I’ll stick with as the Broncos’ best win. The Chargers had clobbered the Broncos twice in 2007. The Broncos were home underdogs in that game. It was beating the Chargers that people realized the Las Vegas’ over/under line of 7 1/2 wins was set too low.
The problem with the 39-38 win against the Chargers is it got lumped in with . A bittersweet trend had developed: the Broncos were explosive on offense; soft on defense.
So in that sense, Tampa Bay was a nice win, a very important win because it was a different win. Tampa Bay is a physical team on both sides of the ball. I have to admit, I was surprised the Broncos were able to hang. Through four games, it didn’t appear the Broncos were built to win 16-13. The Broncos will get another physical game this Sunday against Jacksonville. Beating the Bucs at their own game should give the Broncos confidence against the Jaguars this week. So, Kyle, I see your point. The Tampa game was a big win. But it was the win in Week 2 that gave the Broncos a 2-0 record and left San Diego at 0-2.
I think we should send a thank you to Al Davis for nixing Lane Kiffin’s plan to bring Monte Kiffin to the Raiders. Hate to see such a great defensive mind in our division. What do you think?
— Danny, Albuquerque
Danny – The dysfunctional state of the Raiders and an ill-advised youth movement in Kansas City are two huge reasons why people were nuts for predicting a Broncos demise this season. The Broncos are virtually assured of finishing no worse than second in the AFC West. And second place means playoff contention. Even in their previous two disappointing seasons, the Broncos were postseason contenders late into their schedule.
Mike Shanahan may despise Davis, but guarantee the Broncos’ coach hopes the Raiders’ owner stays healthy and “wise” for many more years.
Hey, Mike. What ever happened to Chad Mustard?
— Herby, Hutchinson, Kan.
Herby – A clairvoyant is what you are, Herby. The Broncos re-signed Mustard on Monday. He did have a tryout last week with Houston. He had been keeping in shape in case the Broncos or another team called. But on Sunday, Mustard and his wife Kalli started packing up their Denver-area apartment, getting ready to move back to their home in Omaha. The Broncos called the next day. And in a related matter, my neighbor was out washing and waxing his vehicle Saturday. Sure enough, it poured Sunday.
Mike – I think there’s something to be said about the psychology of winning close games and believing you can — especially for a young team contending for the playoffs. Your thoughts?
— Tanner, Salina, Kan.
Tanner – Salina, Kansas. Home of silos and deep thinkers. Yes, it seems like when a team wins a close game or two, it has confidence it can win another. I’ve seen the psychology of the close game become more profound the other way — when a team repeatedly loses, it just knows that some how, some way, it will not come out of a close game triumphant.
The key for the Broncos in close games is their quarterback. Jay Cutler has already engineered his share of tying or go-ahead scores in the fourth quarter. So if the Broncos are down four with 2 minutes and 80 yards to go, Cutler would relish the predicament.
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 .
