dragondawg
06-12-2007, 03:32 AM
Bits ’n’ pieces — and while you’re at it, make it a big piece.
Matter of fact, make it two pieces. I’m trying to gain weight so I can play on the Denver Broncos’ revamped defensive line.
Yes, it’s true. Mike Shanahan has seen the light and it’s glaring out of San Diego.
Last season, he and his Broncos couldn’t beat the Chargers because LaDainian Tomlinson ran over, around and through Denver’s undersized line on the way to winning the AFC West.
You might be saying, “Yeah, the Chargers ran over just about everybody.”
And that’s true, as Tomlinson set a National Football League record with 31 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,800 yards in leading the Chargers to a 14-2 regular-season record before their rather untimely exit from the playoffs in an upset loss to the Patriots at home.
But Tomlinson and the Chargers had not run over the Broncos in previous attempts, not in the five years Tomlinson had been in the NFL.
Prior to last season, Tomlinson had been held in check by Denver, especially in Denver, where he averaged only 53 yards per game rushing.
Something happened last season, however, that changed all that.
What happened was the addition of Marcus McNeil, a rookie left tackle — make that road grader — who combined with a huge young group to pave the way for Tomlinson.
Denver once could slow Tomlinson by swarming all over him with their quick front line and quicker linebackers.
Last season, Tomlinson simply ran behind McNeil and his buddies at will, especially down near the goal line.
In two games against Denver, Tomlinson scored seven touchdowns and piled up 300 all-purpose yards in helping the Chargers score 88 points.
Here are the bare facts:
McNeil goes 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 340 pounds at left tackle.
Left guard is 6-4, 310-pound Kris Dielman.
Center is the runt of the group in 295-pound Nick Hardwick.
Mike Goff is a 6-5, 311-pound right guard and Shane Olivea is a 6-4, 312-pound right tackle.
Add to that 260-pound tight end Anthony Gates, 290-pound second tight end and blocking specialist Brandon Manumaleuna and All-Pro blocking fullback Lorenzo Neil, who goes nearly 260 pounds, and you can see Shanahan’s realization that his defense had to get bigger.
And the Broncos have done that, in spades.
In the past week, Denver has added two tackles and nearly 700 pounds of beef.
First, they signed 350-pound Sam Adams. Then they added 335-pound Jimmy Kennedy to the mix.
You might scoff at the signing of either or both, but one thing can’t be dismissed: Both of these players started every game last season for their team, Adams with the Bengals, Kennedy with the Rams.
Both players also had more than 50 tackles last season. Not one Bronco defensive lineman last season had more than 50 tackles, with defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban the leader amongst the linemen with 47.
So, we can assume both Adams and Kennedy are going to be, quite literally, big additions to Denver’s defense.
Let’s also assume they’ll be rotated in some fashion by new defensive coordinator Jim Bates with Gerard Warren, a 325-pounder who has been Denver’s best run stopper in the past two seasons when healthy.
Also in this new brew will be Alvin McKinley, a 295-pounder who was signed from Cleveland (sound familiar?), Demetrin Veal, a 290-pound returning vet, and highly regarded rookie Marcus Thomas, a 300-pounder who was Denver’s fourth-round draft selection.
Any way you stir the pot, it’s a much porkier selection to choose from, one Shanahan and his staff is banking on to help stem the Charger tide.
If these guys can stuff the run, keep blockers off of Denver’s linebackers and double teams away from the outside rushers, Bates’ specialty when he was with the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos may well be back in the business of slowing Tomlinson.
That’s certainly not guaranteed at this point, but one thing is certain: Denver is a lot bigger and should be better on the defensive line than it was a year ago.
Second helpings, anyone?
A few more potatoes? More gravy?
How about some dessert?
http://www.gjsentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2007/06/12/6_12_rj_bits_WWW.html
Matter of fact, make it two pieces. I’m trying to gain weight so I can play on the Denver Broncos’ revamped defensive line.
Yes, it’s true. Mike Shanahan has seen the light and it’s glaring out of San Diego.
Last season, he and his Broncos couldn’t beat the Chargers because LaDainian Tomlinson ran over, around and through Denver’s undersized line on the way to winning the AFC West.
You might be saying, “Yeah, the Chargers ran over just about everybody.”
And that’s true, as Tomlinson set a National Football League record with 31 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,800 yards in leading the Chargers to a 14-2 regular-season record before their rather untimely exit from the playoffs in an upset loss to the Patriots at home.
But Tomlinson and the Chargers had not run over the Broncos in previous attempts, not in the five years Tomlinson had been in the NFL.
Prior to last season, Tomlinson had been held in check by Denver, especially in Denver, where he averaged only 53 yards per game rushing.
Something happened last season, however, that changed all that.
What happened was the addition of Marcus McNeil, a rookie left tackle — make that road grader — who combined with a huge young group to pave the way for Tomlinson.
Denver once could slow Tomlinson by swarming all over him with their quick front line and quicker linebackers.
Last season, Tomlinson simply ran behind McNeil and his buddies at will, especially down near the goal line.
In two games against Denver, Tomlinson scored seven touchdowns and piled up 300 all-purpose yards in helping the Chargers score 88 points.
Here are the bare facts:
McNeil goes 6-foot-7 and weighs in at 340 pounds at left tackle.
Left guard is 6-4, 310-pound Kris Dielman.
Center is the runt of the group in 295-pound Nick Hardwick.
Mike Goff is a 6-5, 311-pound right guard and Shane Olivea is a 6-4, 312-pound right tackle.
Add to that 260-pound tight end Anthony Gates, 290-pound second tight end and blocking specialist Brandon Manumaleuna and All-Pro blocking fullback Lorenzo Neil, who goes nearly 260 pounds, and you can see Shanahan’s realization that his defense had to get bigger.
And the Broncos have done that, in spades.
In the past week, Denver has added two tackles and nearly 700 pounds of beef.
First, they signed 350-pound Sam Adams. Then they added 335-pound Jimmy Kennedy to the mix.
You might scoff at the signing of either or both, but one thing can’t be dismissed: Both of these players started every game last season for their team, Adams with the Bengals, Kennedy with the Rams.
Both players also had more than 50 tackles last season. Not one Bronco defensive lineman last season had more than 50 tackles, with defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban the leader amongst the linemen with 47.
So, we can assume both Adams and Kennedy are going to be, quite literally, big additions to Denver’s defense.
Let’s also assume they’ll be rotated in some fashion by new defensive coordinator Jim Bates with Gerard Warren, a 325-pounder who has been Denver’s best run stopper in the past two seasons when healthy.
Also in this new brew will be Alvin McKinley, a 295-pounder who was signed from Cleveland (sound familiar?), Demetrin Veal, a 290-pound returning vet, and highly regarded rookie Marcus Thomas, a 300-pounder who was Denver’s fourth-round draft selection.
Any way you stir the pot, it’s a much porkier selection to choose from, one Shanahan and his staff is banking on to help stem the Charger tide.
If these guys can stuff the run, keep blockers off of Denver’s linebackers and double teams away from the outside rushers, Bates’ specialty when he was with the Miami Dolphins, the Broncos may well be back in the business of slowing Tomlinson.
That’s certainly not guaranteed at this point, but one thing is certain: Denver is a lot bigger and should be better on the defensive line than it was a year ago.
Second helpings, anyone?
A few more potatoes? More gravy?
How about some dessert?
http://www.gjsentinel.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2007/06/12/6_12_rj_bits_WWW.html