Mediator12
08-15-2006, 08:45 AM
The "official camp story of day 15".
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=5843
Day 15 Report: Coyer Wants More
Larry Coyer wants to see one thing from his defense in the next few days -- better tackling.
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The shoulder pads were on, the tempo of practice was brisk, and what defensive coordinator Larry Coyer wanted to see more than anything else Monday morning was better tackling from his defense than he saw Friday night at Detroit.
That night's effort -- which saw the Broncos permit the Lions to convert four of their first five third-down attempts en route to 10 early points -- still rankled Coyer three days later.
"It's embarrassing," Coyer said. "We had a quarterback scramble against max coverage twice. We would have been 70 percent on third down (but) we let the quarterback run. We would have gave them 50 yards rushing if we had tackled. We didn't tackle, so it's not good. It's the basic fundamentals of football. You've got to tackle."
The third-down issues were especially frustrating given the offseason emphasis placed on that area in the wake of the AFC Championship loss, when the Steelers converted 86 percent of their third-down tries before intermission to take a 24-3 lead.
"You've got to get off the field," safety John Lynch said. "We had opportunities to get off (the field) on third down and that's something we really emphasized and we didn't get that done."
"We had a thirteen-play drive on us once for one reason: we refused to tackle," Coyer said. "They didn't do anything. We just didn't tackle. We've got to get this thing right. I think it comes from all of us. We've got to refocus and get our butt to where we are going to be and that's one place -- physical, tough, getting after that ball on every down. We don't do that; we're not going to win."
He wanted to see improvement in tackling. His eyes weren't pleased with what they witnessed.
"It was just a little discouraging that we didn't tackle in the game, and we came out here for practice today and I don't think we responded the way we needed to," Coyer said.
"We had to holler too much, 'Hit him! Hit him!'" he added. "You've got the pads on, let's go get him. I hope we grow and I hope we respond. We've got great guys. We have great pride. But that's a major deal to me."
It's just as important to his players, as well. After Friday's 20-13, linebacker Al Wilson lamented the defense's performance, grading it as a C-minus.
"We should be one of the best tackling teams in the league, then that didn't happen," Lynch said. "That's why you have training camp."
But training camp ends this week. The regular season is 27 days away, and the first cutdown is barely two weeks off. Coyer wants his charges to improve -- now.
"I don't think there's any panic, but it's just a realization that there's a point in time where (you say), 'Hey, we're getting ready here,'" he said. "We're starting into a quick, three-game preseason finish and you're getting ready to go now, you've got to -- sometime you've got to get into game mode -- you know what I'm talking about -- and be ready to play."
He believes his defense will be.
"We've just got to keep after it, and I know we have the character to do it," Coyer said. "So let 'er go and let's get after it."
"Now we've just got to get it done," added Lynch, "and you get it done by starting right here in practice."
More coverage use the Link above
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=5843
Day 15 Report: Coyer Wants More
Larry Coyer wants to see one thing from his defense in the next few days -- better tackling.
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The shoulder pads were on, the tempo of practice was brisk, and what defensive coordinator Larry Coyer wanted to see more than anything else Monday morning was better tackling from his defense than he saw Friday night at Detroit.
That night's effort -- which saw the Broncos permit the Lions to convert four of their first five third-down attempts en route to 10 early points -- still rankled Coyer three days later.
"It's embarrassing," Coyer said. "We had a quarterback scramble against max coverage twice. We would have been 70 percent on third down (but) we let the quarterback run. We would have gave them 50 yards rushing if we had tackled. We didn't tackle, so it's not good. It's the basic fundamentals of football. You've got to tackle."
The third-down issues were especially frustrating given the offseason emphasis placed on that area in the wake of the AFC Championship loss, when the Steelers converted 86 percent of their third-down tries before intermission to take a 24-3 lead.
"You've got to get off the field," safety John Lynch said. "We had opportunities to get off (the field) on third down and that's something we really emphasized and we didn't get that done."
"We had a thirteen-play drive on us once for one reason: we refused to tackle," Coyer said. "They didn't do anything. We just didn't tackle. We've got to get this thing right. I think it comes from all of us. We've got to refocus and get our butt to where we are going to be and that's one place -- physical, tough, getting after that ball on every down. We don't do that; we're not going to win."
He wanted to see improvement in tackling. His eyes weren't pleased with what they witnessed.
"It was just a little discouraging that we didn't tackle in the game, and we came out here for practice today and I don't think we responded the way we needed to," Coyer said.
"We had to holler too much, 'Hit him! Hit him!'" he added. "You've got the pads on, let's go get him. I hope we grow and I hope we respond. We've got great guys. We have great pride. But that's a major deal to me."
It's just as important to his players, as well. After Friday's 20-13, linebacker Al Wilson lamented the defense's performance, grading it as a C-minus.
"We should be one of the best tackling teams in the league, then that didn't happen," Lynch said. "That's why you have training camp."
But training camp ends this week. The regular season is 27 days away, and the first cutdown is barely two weeks off. Coyer wants his charges to improve -- now.
"I don't think there's any panic, but it's just a realization that there's a point in time where (you say), 'Hey, we're getting ready here,'" he said. "We're starting into a quick, three-game preseason finish and you're getting ready to go now, you've got to -- sometime you've got to get into game mode -- you know what I'm talking about -- and be ready to play."
He believes his defense will be.
"We've just got to keep after it, and I know we have the character to do it," Coyer said. "So let 'er go and let's get after it."
"Now we've just got to get it done," added Lynch, "and you get it done by starting right here in practice."
More coverage use the Link above