HEAV
09-14-2006, 06:24 AM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4334122
No cause for block party
As the normally elusive Jake Plummer was getting trapped by charging behemoths, the point was made.
Problems in the passing game do not lie with the quarterback alone.
Plummer has committed eight turnovers in his past two games - the AFC championship game loss to Pittsburgh last season and the 2006 season-opening defeat to St. Louis. In those two games, the Broncos were dealing with pass-protection breakdowns, and Plummer was sacked seven times. Compare that to 2004, when the Broncos allowed a mere 15 sacks in 16 games.
And among Plummer's eight turnovers, three were fumbles that occurred while under pass-rush duress.
Against the Rams, sacks ended three of the Broncos' first five possessions. The other two were stopped by a fumble and interception.
"The theory is, if they bring 11, you have to block at least 10," Broncos fullback Kyle Johnson said. "The quarterback is throwing, so he can't get the other. They got us. Sometimes they had good plays called."
It became apparent early on that the Broncos' vaunted offensive line needed reinforcements. Right tackle George Foster, struggling to hear the cadence amid the din inside St. Louis' dome, was getting beaten off the jump by Rams defensive end Leonard Little.
"It was pretty loud," Foster said.
Lining up with a second tight end most of the game, the Broncos added the fullback Johnson pretty much from the second quarter on. The adjustments
No cause for block party
As the normally elusive Jake Plummer was getting trapped by charging behemoths, the point was made.
Problems in the passing game do not lie with the quarterback alone.
Plummer has committed eight turnovers in his past two games - the AFC championship game loss to Pittsburgh last season and the 2006 season-opening defeat to St. Louis. In those two games, the Broncos were dealing with pass-protection breakdowns, and Plummer was sacked seven times. Compare that to 2004, when the Broncos allowed a mere 15 sacks in 16 games.
And among Plummer's eight turnovers, three were fumbles that occurred while under pass-rush duress.
Against the Rams, sacks ended three of the Broncos' first five possessions. The other two were stopped by a fumble and interception.
"The theory is, if they bring 11, you have to block at least 10," Broncos fullback Kyle Johnson said. "The quarterback is throwing, so he can't get the other. They got us. Sometimes they had good plays called."
It became apparent early on that the Broncos' vaunted offensive line needed reinforcements. Right tackle George Foster, struggling to hear the cadence amid the din inside St. Louis' dome, was getting beaten off the jump by Rams defensive end Leonard Little.
"It was pretty loud," Foster said.
Lining up with a second tight end most of the game, the Broncos added the fullback Johnson pretty much from the second quarter on. The adjustments