Nfl Blitz- Broncos Team Report Week 6

[TheReverend]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/teamReport?categoryId=67044&type=InsideSlant

Inside Slant

Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said his injured left hamstring didn't feel too bad on Monday, but he couldn't say for sure whether he would be ready for this week's game against the New York Giants.

Bailey insisted he wasn't starting over with his recovery from the hamstring injury. Bailey missed two games with his strained hamstring before playing Sunday against New England. Bailey came out of Sunday's game in the third quarter when his hamstring started to tighten up.
"It's just sore," Bailey said. "The whole thing is sore. In a couple days I'll know exactly how bad it is."

The Broncos were leading 28-3 at the time Bailey left the game, so it made Mike Shanahan's decision to pull Bailey pretty easy when his hamstring started getting tight.

Shanahan said he thinks Bailey will be ready for this week's game.

"I think Champ is fine," Shanahan said.

The Broncos have other problems in the secondary. Starting safety Nick Ferguson sprained his ankle in the first half against New England and was limping badly in the locker room after the game. Backup Sam Brandon has a tear in his pectoral muscle and Shanahan said he will miss three weeks.

If Ferguson and Brandon can't play, Marques Anderson will probably start alongside John Lynch.

"Guys (have) got to step up and fill that role," Shanahan said. "I'm sure we'll have a guy step up and fill that role, because we have a challenge this week."

[TheReverend]

Notes and Quotes

--Broncos coach Mike Shanahan once again said he didn't expect to make any changes in his running back rotation. Backup Tatum Bell (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/200267) has more rushing yards than starter Mike Anderson (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/69529), but Shanahan said he likes the combination of the two styles. Anderson is the power back and Bell's speed is a change of pace.


"We try to go with the best scenario that we think works for us," Shanahan said. "We try to go with what's working, and if it's not working, we change it."


--Broncos defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/69457) was hit below the belt by Patriots (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67054) lineman Logan Mankins (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/299913) at the end of a field-goal attempt in the first half of Sunday's game. Mankins was ejected from the game and Ekuban was upset at the cheap shot.

"In the NFL we have our own unwritten code, because we're all brothers at the end of the day," Ekuban said. "It was lovely when he got ejected. Hopefully, the NFL will fine him pretty hefty."

--Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has been impressed with punter Todd Sauerbrun (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70950), but most of all he has been pleased with Sauerbrun's performance in pressure situations.

"He loves situations where he's backed up and he goes out there with a smile on his face," Shanahan said. "Most of the guys I've been around, when you're backed up on the (Broncos' five-yard line), they're taking off hiding from me."

PLAYER PERSONNEL NOTES

--OT George Foster (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/140441) has a sprained MCL in his knee, but Shanahan said he thinks Foster will be able to practice this week. Foster is Denver's starting right tackle.

--CB Curome Cox (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/355035) could be the primary backup safety for the Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) if they don't add a veteran. Cox played some safety in training camp. Nick Ferguson (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70390) and Sam Brandon (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/102614) might miss this week's game with injuries.

--CB Darrent Williams (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/299961) made one of the biggest plays of Sunday's game on a cornerback blitz in the fourth quarter. Williams' pressure forced Tom Brady (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70173) to throw the ball away. The officials called him for intentional grounding and New England punted two plays later.

--S Sam Brandon (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/102614)'s three-week injury is harmful to the Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) because he had been a big part of their nickel package. Brandon matches up with opposing tight ends better than a third cornerback. --RB Tatum Bell (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/200267)'s success is linked to staying healthy. Bell said he feels as good as he has in his NFL career. Bell was hindered by injuries almost all of last season, and one of the reasons the Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) haven't made him a workhorse back is they want to keep him healthy

[TheReverend]

Strategy and Personnel

REPORT CARD VS. PATRIOTS


PASSING OFFENSE: B-plus -- Jake Plummer (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70473) hit some long throws and didn't throw any interceptions. Plummer, who threw 20 interceptions last year and has a reputation as a poor decision maker, hasn't thrown an interception since Week 2. He played another efficient game against the Patriots (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67054), completing 17-of-24 passes.


RUSHING OFFENSE: B -- Tatum Bell (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/200267) and Mike Anderson (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/69529) are each playing well, and the Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) rank third in the NFL in rushing offense. Bell is backing up Anderson, but he is on pace for 1,000 yards. He had a 68-yard run against New England and finished with 114 yards on 13 carries. Bell gives the Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) the threat of a big play anytime he touches the ball.

PASS DEFENSE: C-minus -- The Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) allowed New England to get back into Sunday's game because Tom Brady (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70173) had a lot of time in the second half, and he started picking apart Denver's secondary. The Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) also didn't get an interception against Brady. Denver got pressure on Brady for most of the first half, but Brady did a good job of getting rid of the ball in the second half.

RUSH DEFENSE: C-minus -- Denver was facing the unimpressive duo of Patrick Pass (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70198) and Amos Zereoue (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70546) because Corey Dillon (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/69297) was out. But Pass had 64 yards on 10 carries and the Patriots (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67054) averaged 4.7 yards per carry as a team. The Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) allowed a few long runs in the second half as the Patriots (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67054) got back in the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B -- The Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) got another strong performance from Todd Sauerbrun (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70950), who averaged 52.3 yards per punt. His net average was 46.9 yards. Denver didn't allow any long returns to Tim Dwight (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70600) on punts or Bethel Johnson (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/140491) on kickoffs. They didn't get any long returns either, and have only one long return in six weeks. COACHING: B -- The Broncos (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67044) took advantage of some of New England's injuries. They hit on a few long plays in the passing game, exploiting some of the inexperienced players and weaknesses in the Patriots (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/67054)' secondary. The only concern was that for the second straight week, Denver almost blew a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter.

[Ballhawk]

"In the NFL we have our own unwritten code, because we're all brothers at the end of the day," Ekuban said. "It was lovely when he got ejected. Hopefully, the NFL will fine him pretty hefty."



EE must not be recovere yet if he is using the adjective "lovely"

[Play2win]

The only concern was that for the second straight week, Denver almost blew a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter.
IMHO- Running Dayne in the 4th quarter will fix that.