Better blocking, at least some of the time.
Better running, at least some of the time.
And more Tim Tebow.
All have been given as reasons the Broncos rushed for a season-high 145 yards on a season-high 37 carries Sunday against the New York Jets.
The Broncos had better performances up front. They called a wider variety of plays, including some involving Tebow. And their running backs made better cuts once they were handed the ball.
But one thing may have been overlooked: The Broncos tried to be less predictable in their pass-first offense, especially when trying to run the ball out of the shotgun formation.
Much of the time in their first five games, if the Broncos lined up in the shotgun, the defense didn’t have to give much thought to the possibility they might run the ball out of what usually is a passing formation.
And while any team is going to throw the ball out of the shotgun most of the time, the numbers were brutally lopsided for the Broncos in their first five games:
But against the Jets in Week 6, the Broncos threw 28 times out of the shotgun and ran the ball 13 times, including all six of Tebow’s carries and Orton’s two scrambles.
Some defensive coordinators believe teams that play out of the shotgun so much on offense, like the Broncos do, move the ball well between the 20-yard lines but have trouble scoring.
Running the ball more out of the shotgun gives the defense something more to think about, especially in the red zone when the offense doesn’t have as much room to get its receivers open.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
