Not one bootleg vs. San Diego

[LetsGoBroncos]

Does anyone realize we did not run one bootleg against the Chargers? My friend is friend's with Heimerdinger's daughter, and is a huge Jets fan. He hated Heimerdinger when he was with the Jets, and I am beginning to see why.

[Man-Goblin]

Does anyone realize we did not run one bootleg against the Chargers? My friend is friend's with Heimerdinger's daughter, and is a huge Jets fan. He hated Heimerdinger when he was with the Jets, and I am beginning to see why.

Dude, they barely ran the bootleg at all against the Chargers because it was taken away by their game planning. Smart move by them, I guess. But if you do that it opens things up in the middle. Hopefully, next time the Broncos will be able to take more advantage of that and eat up some more time.

[LetsGoBroncos]

You don't know if it was taken away by the Chargers unless you try and run it a couple times.

[boltaneer]

I thought it was incredibly stupid not to try it with two backups at OLB for most of the first half.

[Popps]

It's painful to watch the tape again, but I'm doing it... and so far, I don't think I've seen any.

This team misses Kubiak. I'd say you'd have to be blind not to see that, but that's an insult to blind people.

[Al Wilson]

You don't know if it was taken away by the Chargers unless you try and run it a couple times.
LMAO, it was taken out by their OLBs. They had 2 LBs on the outside both sides the entire ****ing game.

[400HZ]

LMAO, it was taken out by their OLBs. They had 2 LBs on the outside both sides the entire ****ing game.

Never seen a 3-4 defense before? The boot has worked pretty well against us in the past.

[Guessed]

Kubiak>Heimerdinger

[ludo21]

Jake has never been a consistent pocket guy, i was baffled at why we didnt move him around much. That is his thing!!

IMO, it could be that Shanny is trying to force Jake to play his way or the highway (Cutler)

[LGM]

I believe the main reason was the gameplan.

IMO, I think Shanny is setting up his players for Cutler to come in soon, getting them used to max protect situation (TE and RB blocking), and strictly pocket passing.

This is supposedly a strength of Jays and an obvious weakness of Jakes, so Shanny is almost forcing the issue with the game planning and play calling.

Smart move, if his intent is to prepare the team for life after Plummer, but it's rough on Jake.

I know Mort from ESPN mentioned a similar theory, but my guess is Jay will be in for the Seattle game barring a good/great game by Jake.

[Man-Goblin]

It's painful to watch the tape again, but I'm doing it... and so far, I don't think I've seen any.

This team misses Kubiak. I'd say you'd have to be blind not to see that, but that's an insult to blind people.

They didn't run the bootleg because it was obvious that Jake would have had a guy in his face as soon as he turned around. The Chargers made themselves vuleralble to other facets of the offense to take that aspect away. To run it would have been suicide and the Broncos' coaching staff would have been stupid to do so. Now, if you want to criticize the Broncos for not taking advantage of the other vulerable areas go ahead. But to run any play when it is clearly not going to be there would be downright ridiculous.

[SportinOne]

We didn't need the bootleg. We proved that with the running game. I would have liked to see some more PA, but not necessarily bootlegs. Don't worry, though. As usual, we will boot the crap out of KC and the fact that we didn't run it at all last week only helps the cause. Maybe that's why we didn't run it, to show KC we could get the yards without it... Trust the plan, trust the plan, trust the plan, trust the plan......

[boltaneer]

Never seen a 3-4 defense before? The boot has worked pretty well against us in the past.

Actually, I disagree. That was always Foley's main assignment and he stopped the bootleg pretty well in the past.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Jake has never been a consistent pocket guy, i was baffled at why we didnt move him around much. That is his thing!!

IMO, it could be that Shanny is trying to force Jake to play his way or the highway (Cutler)

Or, you know, teams can be doing everything they can to try to prevent Jake from being able to roll out since he's not that effective in the pocket. Don't know why a team would actually gameplan to stop a strength of an opposing offense, that's just stupid.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I believe the main reason was the gameplan.

IMO, I think Shanny is setting up his players for Cutler to come in soon, getting them used to max protect situation (TE and RB blocking), and strictly pocket passing.

This is supposedly a strength of Jays and an obvious weakness of Jakes, so Shanny is almost forcing the issue with the game planning and play calling.

Smart move, if his intent is to prepare the team for life after Plummer, but it's rough on Jake.

I know Mort from ESPN mentioned a similar theory, but my guess is Jay will be in for the Seattle game barring a good/great game by Jake.

Yeah, Shanny is purposely going to gameplan in a way to decrease the effectiveness of his QB who led him to a 13-3 record the previous season only to force the issue to bring in his rookie QB. I'm not even a Jake-supporter and I find that asinine.

[Kaylore]

They pretty much played contain the whole game. Shanahan challenged the perimeter with different setups but their plan was to hold the edges and let us have the middle. A few good passes from the pocket would have forced an adjustment but they counted on us not being able to do that and it worked.

[Taco John]

I believe the main reason was the gameplan.

IMO, I think Shanny is setting up his players for Cutler to come in soon, getting them used to max protect situation (TE and RB blocking), and strictly pocket passing.

This is supposedly a strength of Jays and an obvious weakness of Jakes, so Shanny is almost forcing the issue with the game planning and play calling.

Smart move, if his intent is to prepare the team for life after Plummer, but it's rough on Jake.

I know Mort from ESPN mentioned a similar theory, but my guess is Jay will be in for the Seattle game barring a good/great game by Jake.



I've kind of thought the same thing for a few weeks but held my tongue on it knowing the reaction it would draw. It just doesn't make sense to me otherwise, that we'd completely throw away the bootleg like that, except if perhaps Shanahan wants to see if Jake can stand and deliver in the pocket.

One thing is for sure. Jake doesn't look comfortable out there at all. I haven't seen so much happy feet since Bubby Brister was chucking for us.

I probably still buy the theory that it's only because of the Chargers sealing off the ends... that's true, and it's affected our running game a great deal. But it's like we're not even trying to boot much anymore at all, so it raises suspicion.

[Taco John]

Yeah, Shanny is purposely going to gameplan in a way to decrease the effectiveness of his QB who led him to a 13-3 record the previous season only to force the issue to bring in his rookie QB. I'm not even a Jake-supporter and I find that asinine.


It's crazy, for sure. But I can't understand why we're not seeing any creativity at all to get Jake on the run. The moving pockets have disappeared. And we've started doing bizzare things like asking Jake to throw across his body to complete passes on the other side of the field. The last time I remember seeing that was 2003.

I think you're probably right. I'm just a little suspicious. Maybe Mike's been tapped by The Agenda.

[SureShot]

Don't speak of THE AGENDA!

[bronco militia]

In other words, a month from his 32nd birthday, Jake has gone backward in a big way. Why?

Two reasons: Opponents have adjusted. Jake has not.

By and large, opponents now take away the quarterback keeper. On defense, that requires people staying home on the edges to play the bootleg. In turn, that leaves them vulnerable in the middle.

This is why the Chargers gave up so many big chunks of yardage up the middle to the Broncos' ever-changing cast of running backs Sunday night. It was a war of attrition. The Broncos thought if they got enough big gainers up the middle, the Chargers would have to adjust, bringing help inside and opening up the quarterback keeper, which is Jake's strength.

The Chargers decided to take these punches up the gut and try to outscore the Broncos and ultimately force them out of their ground game. The Chargers won this game within the game. It's hard to get 35 points on the ground.

Jake can make defenses pay for this adjustment by dropping back in the traditional way and hitting targets down the middle of the field. Whether it is focus or confidence or nerves, his accuracy hasn't been adequate to the task.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/sports_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_83_5159586,00.html

[2KBack]

I've kind of thought the same thing for a few weeks but held my tongue on it knowing the reaction it would draw. It just doesn't make sense to me otherwise, that we'd completely throw away the bootleg like that, except if perhaps Shanahan wants to see if Jake can stand and deliver in the pocket.

One thing is for sure. Jake doesn't look comfortable out there at all. I haven't seen so much happy feet since Bubby Brister was chucking for us.

I probably still buy the theory that it's only because of the Chargers sealing off the ends... that's true, and it's affected our running game a great deal. But it's like we're not even trying to boot much anymore at all, so it raises suspicion.

It wouldn't surprise me at all that Shanny is doing that, and that Jake is well aware.

[labronx]

I believe the main reason was the gameplan.

IMO, I think Shanny is setting up his players for Cutler to come in soon, getting them used to max protect situation (TE and RB blocking), and strictly pocket passing.

This is supposedly a strength of Jays and an obvious weakness of Jakes, so Shanny is almost forcing the issue with the game planning and play calling.

Smart move, if his intent is to prepare the team for life after Plummer, but it's rough on Jake.

I know Mort from ESPN mentioned a similar theory, but my guess is Jay will be in for the Seattle game barring a good/great game by Jake.

WOW, perhaps the most insightfull post I've seen in a long time. This makes perfect ****in sense, this goes all the way back to the Cleveland game.

So all along the plan has been preperation for The Comming and now I see the light.
:sunshine:

[Taco John]

It wouldn't surprise me at all that Shanny is doing that, and that Jake is well aware.



I don't believe that Shanahan would do that to "screw" Jake. I do believe that he might do it to push him to the next level, and is hoping to see Jake make progress as a pocket passer. He's long talked about how Jake needs to add that dimension to his game.

[yavoon]

Don't speak of THE AGENDA!

rule #1 you do not talk about the agenda

[broncocalijohn]

Does anyone remember when we faked the handoff and flipped it to Nash? An outside LB was waiting for Nash for a huge loss. It wasnt because he knew the play but because he was containing the bootleg. Why he didnt check it off and audible is another thing. Slant passes and running between the line would have kept them back in their regualr defense of scheme. They game planned for this and wanted to keep Jake in the pocket. It worked.

[2KBack]

I don't believe that Shanahan would do that to "screw" Jake. I do believe that he might do it to push him to the next level, and is hoping to see Jake make progress as a pocket passer. He's long talked about how Jake needs to add that dimension to his game.

Certainly not to screw him, but in an effort to open the offense up. Defenses had the Jake offense pretty well figured out by seasons end last year. I'm sure the current offense is being used with the hope that Jake could prove himself to be dangerous when the run and bootleg are covered (which they are most of the time now). Too bad Jake is just too set in his habits, and I guess you can't teach accuracy.

[Atlas]

Does anyone realize we did not run one bootleg against the Chargers? My friend is friend's with Heimerdinger's daughter, and is a huge Jets fan. He hated Heimerdinger when he was with the Jets, and I am beginning to see why.

Obvious you weren't watching the game very closely. The Chargers kept their outside LB back watching the bootleg. That is part of the reason why Denver ran so well. The Chugger's outside LB couldn't go crashing down the line he had to respect the bootleg.

Coaches have learned that letting Denver get rushing yards is better then letting them have the bootleg.

[youcandoit1687]

i dont know if someone has come with this yet but it was very visible that they had their OLBs sitting home onthe outside. evidenced by the pitch to nash or bell that was stopped for a loss of 7 yards. i saw them campin there about every play that i looked. hence the success running up the middle(once we got past big jamal, their ILBs had to be more spread out to compensate for the OLBs. we basically stretched the defense across the field which is another reason that our zone runs and stretch runs were successful.

people, please, this is shanahan, he is not part of "the agenda" against plummer. he is not going to challenge plummer for the whole game just to prove a point or something. he saw how the OLBs were camping and knew that it would have to be a game of running inside and finding passing lanes from a straight drop, one was successful, the other not so much.

[fontaine]

They didn't run the bootleg because it was obvious that Jake would have had a guy in his face as soon as he turned around. The Chargers made themselves vuleralble to other facets of the offense to take that aspect away. To run it would have been suicide and the Broncos' coaching staff would have been stupid to do so. Now, if you want to criticize the Broncos for not taking advantage of the other vulerable areas go ahead. But to run any play when it is clearly not going to be there would be downright ridiculous.


Exactly.

Plummer has been prone to fumbling the ball a lot compared to the few times he's been sacked. Plus Jake hasn't been setting the world on fire even when he does roll out.

Do the math. Do you want to put your fumble prone QB in a position where he's one on one against a 260 LB with empty field between them and a SD fumble return for a TD?

Shanahan went with the higher percentages. Run the ball on 1st and 2nd most of the time because it gave us 3rd and 4, 3rd and short situations (like Socal and I said in the pregame analysis thread).

But who knew Jake would even choke on those 3rd and short passes.

[elsid13]

The threat of the bootleg did what it was supposed up the middle for rushing yards and slant pass. We succeed on the running plays but the slants weren't there all game. Phillips has his players playing very disciple ball right now. This is the first game I remember that was very successfully running up the middle against them.

[Barry Ramey]

Having a TE that can get down the field on a seam route would have helped, but haven't seen much of that since Sharpe retired.

[elsid13]

Having a TE that can get down the field on a seam route would have helped, but haven't seen much of that since Sharpe retired.

We had decent production the last couple of years, but you're right that the TEs have completely disappeared this year. I cannot figure if because Dinger prefers running 3 WR set and keeping the TE to block or that if the team was counting on Duke to be that threat, until Scheffer developed, or if the pass blocking has force them (TE) to stay in to protect.

The most disappoint part of this offense all year.

[fontaine]

Jake's intermediate passing stats (11 to 30 yards Pass thrown):

Pass Thrown: 11-20 yds. 25 cmp 57attempts 43.9% 2Tds 4 ints
Pass Thrown: 21-30 yds. 4 cmp 17attempts 23.5% 1Tds 1int

Even if we had a good pass catching TE who could get open up the middle/seam, I'm sure Jake would be underthrowing ints his way as well.

Jake's problems don't come from having a lack of Wideouts. They come from how he sucks as a drop back QB when the D is countering the rollout.

Shanahan himself said: "We're off a little bit, especially in our drop-back passing."

[riiiiick]

against the faid, he rolled deep and hit TE or fullback almost immediately off a fake block, we could of at least tried that, or pull a guard to block? do we even have that play?

[Mile High Shack]

chargers had someone on the edge all game long, it wasn't available

the wrs were open for jake to hit in the pocket

he couldn't do it

[azbroncfan]

You don't know if it was taken away by the Chargers unless you try and run it a couple times.

Ya you do, that's why you have guys upstairs watching to see if it is open. If it was there they would of ran it, infact they ran the fake dive pitch and it lost 7 yards because the D was playing the bootleg.

[SportinOne]

I disagree with your sig Shack. Alot of the reason for us giving up points lately has been because of horrible field position given to them by the offense and the special teams..

[Play2win]

I am actually surprised, after Pitsburgh in the playoffs, that every team this year has not been playing a defense, in some fashion, like this.

[Smiling Assassin27]

actually, there were chances in the 2nd half but our coaches didn't adjust to what hte chargers were doing. after we gashed them early and often on that cutback run in the first half, they had their linebacker crashing the back side to prevent that. a good ball fake would enable jake to get to the outside once the lb bit the fake and went to crash the cut back. trouble is we didn't try but once and got stuffed.

[bloodsunday]

It's painful to watch the tape again, but I'm doing it... and so far, I don't think I've seen any.

This team misses Kubiak. I'd say you'd have to be blind not to see that, but that's an insult to blind people.

I am really starting to believe it. Any chance Houston fires him (not that I would root for such a thing)?

[LGM]

Yeah, Shanny is purposely going to gameplan in a way to decrease the effectiveness of his QB who led him to a 13-3 record the previous season only to force the issue to bring in his rookie QB. I'm not even a Jake-supporter and I find that asinine.

Still finding it asinine? :D

I'm not saying the main intent is to destroy Jake, I'm saying it's to prepare the team for a pocket passer - whether Jake steps into that role or not.

The roll out has been unreliable at best, and getting Jake in space is almost impossible when teams game plan for it. The worst part is they know Jake sucks at pocket passing.

Realistically, with Jake making rookie mistakes and not being able to open up the game planning because of his happy feet, fumbling, or otherwise bad decisions, it forces the move to Jay. Jay can stand in the pocket, has a stronger arm, better control and is more efficient (according to those who watch him.)

I think a lot of prognosticators will be backing off the statement that Mike is "throwing the season away" once Jay starts playing. I'm thinking 10-6, or 11-5 with a wildcard birth.

Imagine Cutler in the playoffs - what better exposure for a young qb is there?

And longer drives keeps our D fresh, rested, and EVERY defense who sits on the sideline for extended periods of time is better, by definition.

I think if Jay performs well (big if, but the flip side is more of the same) we could see a decent end of season run.

[Circle Orange]

Dude, they barely ran the bootleg at all against the Chargers because it was taken away by their game planning. Smart move by them, I guess. But if you do that it opens things up in the middle. Hopefully, next time the Broncos will be able to take more advantage of that and eat up some more time.

True. The Chargers were willing to give up running plays up the middle (where they got gashed) to protect the edges and force Jake to stay in place. Their deal was, "we'll live with giving up rushing yardage, we'll just outscore you." It worked because they have the personnel.

Shanny must be in a state of panic...the bronco fans have been sold a bill of goods that this is a superbowl team when in truth they might be third best in the division. And the 'mastermind' label takes another hit. http://scosoft.com/s/x/47446df9.gif

[LGM]

Shanny must be in a state of panic...the bronco fans have been sold a bill of goods that this is a superbowl team when in truth they might be third best in the division. And the 'mastermind' label takes another hit. http://scosoft.com/s/x/47446df9.gif

I disagree. If anything, this shows how smart Shanny is. Explain how you lose what was one of the top OC's and QB coaches in the league, a below average DC, and a piece-meal (sp?) defensive line, offensive line, and running back situation.

Yet we are 7-4, with a defense in the top 5 in scoring allowed.

Not to mention getting all these wins in spite of poor offensive output, primarily by Jake.

I'd say this more cements his status as a mastermind than anything else - especially if my theory on why we are playing more from the pocket proves true.