Rulon Velvet Jones
12-10-2008, 01:41 PM
Insider Preview: Broncos at Panthers
Scouts Inc.
Denver at Carolina
When: Sunday, 7:15 PM EST
Watch: CBS
Preview
More scouting reports: Week 15
Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB: DENVER
RB: CAROLINA
WR: DENVER
OL: CAROLINA
DL: CAROLINA
LB: CAROLINA
DB: DENVER
ST: CAROLINA
Coach : DENVER
This is a battle of division leaders who want to improve on their chances of a home-field postseason run. The Panthers currently hold the second seed in the NFC but only a one-game lead over second place Tampa Bay in the NFC South. The Broncos pretty much have the AFC wrapped up but want to head into the playoffs on a roll. Carolina does not want to allow Tampa Bay or Atlanta to catch up and take over the division title so they will be playing with a lot at stake. Denver's passing offense can be one of the most explosive units in the NFL while Carolina gave up over 300 yards to Tampa Jeff Garcia with WR Antonio Bryant gaining 200 of those on his own.
When Denver has the ball
While Denver has one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL, the Broncos also consistently have one of the most effective ground games in the league. Unfortunately, they have had to put five running backs on injured reserve this season and a sixth, Selvin Young, has missed most of the season. Street free agent Tatum Bell finished the game last week after rookie RB Peyton Hillis was lost for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, but Denver will still attempt to run the ball well enough to force the Panthers to respect the possibility of the run. The Broncos will also use their talented receiving corps to move the chains. Their offensive line does a great job of protecting QB Jay Cutler, who has been sacked just seven times on the year, and they appear to have found a gem in rookie LOT Ryan Clady, who protects Cutler's back side. Wide receivers Brandon Marshall (83 receptions) and Eddie Royal (69) both rank in the top 10 in the league in receptions while backup WR Brandon Stokley (40) and TEs Tony Scheffler (33) and Daniel Graham (24) also give Cutler quality targets. Carolina's defense ranks in the middle of the league when it comes to stopping the run and the pass, although the panthers did do a relatively good job of containing Tampa Bay's running backs this past Monday. The Panthers have one of the better pass-rush groups in the NFL and got to Garcia five times, but their secondary has not done a great job of making plays on the ball.
When Carolina has the ball
Carolina is currently ranked fourth in the NFL at 146.0 yards per game on the ground, while their 4.8 yards-per-rush average ranks second. The Panthers two-headed monster or a running game is based on a powerful zone blocking scheme and a pair of backs -- DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart -- who hit the hole hard and have enough speed to turn what looks like a short gain into a long touchdown. Quarterback Jake Delhomme is an effective manager when it comes to throwing the ball, but there is no doubt that WR Steve Smith is Delhomme's favorite target. Smith has 61 receptions despite missing the first two games of the season due to suspension. However, before converting on 80 percent of their third down chances against the Buccaneers the Panthers were 25th in the league on third down largely because Delhomme is rather predictable and looks to Smith in those situations. He needs to do a better job of spreading the wealth around to his other receivers. Denver has struggled defensively, this year and is ranked in the bottom third of the league against both the run and the pass. Expect the Panthers to attack the edges the Broncos' defensive ends are undersized and built more for pass rushing than setting the edge against the run.Matchup to watch
Panthers RDE Julius Peppers VS. Broncos LOT Ryan Clady
Clady has been one of the best rookies in the league this season and has done an excellent job of protecting Cutler's blind side. Peppers has returned to his 2007 Pro Bowl form this season with 12.5 sacks and needs to find a way to force Cutler to throw the ball before he wants to. This should end up being a great matchup as both players are excellent athletes. Denver does not like to slide help to Clady's side so it will generally be up to him to handle Peppers on his own.
Keys to
Success
1.Roll coverage toward Steve Smith: The Panthers are pretty predictable in the passing game. Delhomme likes to look to Smith when trying to make plays down the field and for important third-down conversions. If the Broncos can contain Smith and force Delhomme to look elsewhere they have a chance to force him to hold on to the ball too long and make some ill-advised throws. There Broncos need to get coverage sacks because their defensive ends do not pressure the pocket on a consistent basis.
2. Strike quickly: Other than on big plays to Smith, Carolina is not a quick-strike team. If the Broncos can utilize their explosive weapons and establish an early lead they will force the Panthers to play catch-up ball and throw the ball more than they want. That would give Denver a better chance of forcing turnovers. The Broncos must not allow Carolina to control the clock and move the ball on extended drives that feature a lot of four- and five-yard runs.
3. Protect the ball: Denver is next-to-last in the NFL with a minus-14 turnover margin, thanks mostly to an inability to force the opponents to turn the ball over. That means the Broncos can't afford to give the Panthers a short field to work with. The more they can force Carolina to sustain long drives the better their chances of keeping the game close.
Keys to
Success
1.Run off-tackle: Carolina dominated Tampa Bay with a strong ground game and hopes to follow the same script against the Broncos at home. Denver's defensive line is undersized on the edges and gives up turf in large chunks when teams run at the defensive ends. If they can control the line of scrimmage and move the chains the Panthers will not only sustain drives but also keep the ball out of the hands of Denver's explosive playmakers.
2.Bend but don’t break: Denver wants to strike quickly with its explosive receiving corps. Carolina has not been doing a great job of tackling on first contact and simply can't afford to let Marshall and Royal break a tackle or hit a seam for a long touchdown catch. The Panthers went with a lot of nickel coverage against the Buccaneers and we expect more of the same this week.
3.Win the kicking game: Denver has been giving up a lot of yardage on punt and kickoff returns, and Panthers return man Mark Jones has done an excellent job in averaging 11.8 and 24.9 yards, respectively, in those phases of the game. The shorter the field Carolina has to work the better chance they have of ending up putting points on the board.
Scouts Edge
Carolina will be coming off a short week but will be playing at home and came out of the Tampa Bay game relatively healthy. Having a pass-happy team at home always helps a defense and we can expect the home crowd to make it difficult for the Broncos to audible at the line of scrimmage in the passing game. The Panthers ground game will end up being too powerful for Denver's front seven to control, especially on the edges, and while Denver should be able to score some points through the air the inability to stop Carolina will prove the difference.Prediction
Denver 24
Carolina 30
Scouts Inc.
Denver at Carolina
When: Sunday, 7:15 PM EST
Watch: CBS
Preview
More scouting reports: Week 15
Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB: DENVER
RB: CAROLINA
WR: DENVER
OL: CAROLINA
DL: CAROLINA
LB: CAROLINA
DB: DENVER
ST: CAROLINA
Coach : DENVER
This is a battle of division leaders who want to improve on their chances of a home-field postseason run. The Panthers currently hold the second seed in the NFC but only a one-game lead over second place Tampa Bay in the NFC South. The Broncos pretty much have the AFC wrapped up but want to head into the playoffs on a roll. Carolina does not want to allow Tampa Bay or Atlanta to catch up and take over the division title so they will be playing with a lot at stake. Denver's passing offense can be one of the most explosive units in the NFL while Carolina gave up over 300 yards to Tampa Jeff Garcia with WR Antonio Bryant gaining 200 of those on his own.
When Denver has the ball
While Denver has one of the most explosive passing games in the NFL, the Broncos also consistently have one of the most effective ground games in the league. Unfortunately, they have had to put five running backs on injured reserve this season and a sixth, Selvin Young, has missed most of the season. Street free agent Tatum Bell finished the game last week after rookie RB Peyton Hillis was lost for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury, but Denver will still attempt to run the ball well enough to force the Panthers to respect the possibility of the run. The Broncos will also use their talented receiving corps to move the chains. Their offensive line does a great job of protecting QB Jay Cutler, who has been sacked just seven times on the year, and they appear to have found a gem in rookie LOT Ryan Clady, who protects Cutler's back side. Wide receivers Brandon Marshall (83 receptions) and Eddie Royal (69) both rank in the top 10 in the league in receptions while backup WR Brandon Stokley (40) and TEs Tony Scheffler (33) and Daniel Graham (24) also give Cutler quality targets. Carolina's defense ranks in the middle of the league when it comes to stopping the run and the pass, although the panthers did do a relatively good job of containing Tampa Bay's running backs this past Monday. The Panthers have one of the better pass-rush groups in the NFL and got to Garcia five times, but their secondary has not done a great job of making plays on the ball.
When Carolina has the ball
Carolina is currently ranked fourth in the NFL at 146.0 yards per game on the ground, while their 4.8 yards-per-rush average ranks second. The Panthers two-headed monster or a running game is based on a powerful zone blocking scheme and a pair of backs -- DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart -- who hit the hole hard and have enough speed to turn what looks like a short gain into a long touchdown. Quarterback Jake Delhomme is an effective manager when it comes to throwing the ball, but there is no doubt that WR Steve Smith is Delhomme's favorite target. Smith has 61 receptions despite missing the first two games of the season due to suspension. However, before converting on 80 percent of their third down chances against the Buccaneers the Panthers were 25th in the league on third down largely because Delhomme is rather predictable and looks to Smith in those situations. He needs to do a better job of spreading the wealth around to his other receivers. Denver has struggled defensively, this year and is ranked in the bottom third of the league against both the run and the pass. Expect the Panthers to attack the edges the Broncos' defensive ends are undersized and built more for pass rushing than setting the edge against the run.Matchup to watch
Panthers RDE Julius Peppers VS. Broncos LOT Ryan Clady
Clady has been one of the best rookies in the league this season and has done an excellent job of protecting Cutler's blind side. Peppers has returned to his 2007 Pro Bowl form this season with 12.5 sacks and needs to find a way to force Cutler to throw the ball before he wants to. This should end up being a great matchup as both players are excellent athletes. Denver does not like to slide help to Clady's side so it will generally be up to him to handle Peppers on his own.
Keys to
Success
1.Roll coverage toward Steve Smith: The Panthers are pretty predictable in the passing game. Delhomme likes to look to Smith when trying to make plays down the field and for important third-down conversions. If the Broncos can contain Smith and force Delhomme to look elsewhere they have a chance to force him to hold on to the ball too long and make some ill-advised throws. There Broncos need to get coverage sacks because their defensive ends do not pressure the pocket on a consistent basis.
2. Strike quickly: Other than on big plays to Smith, Carolina is not a quick-strike team. If the Broncos can utilize their explosive weapons and establish an early lead they will force the Panthers to play catch-up ball and throw the ball more than they want. That would give Denver a better chance of forcing turnovers. The Broncos must not allow Carolina to control the clock and move the ball on extended drives that feature a lot of four- and five-yard runs.
3. Protect the ball: Denver is next-to-last in the NFL with a minus-14 turnover margin, thanks mostly to an inability to force the opponents to turn the ball over. That means the Broncos can't afford to give the Panthers a short field to work with. The more they can force Carolina to sustain long drives the better their chances of keeping the game close.
Keys to
Success
1.Run off-tackle: Carolina dominated Tampa Bay with a strong ground game and hopes to follow the same script against the Broncos at home. Denver's defensive line is undersized on the edges and gives up turf in large chunks when teams run at the defensive ends. If they can control the line of scrimmage and move the chains the Panthers will not only sustain drives but also keep the ball out of the hands of Denver's explosive playmakers.
2.Bend but don’t break: Denver wants to strike quickly with its explosive receiving corps. Carolina has not been doing a great job of tackling on first contact and simply can't afford to let Marshall and Royal break a tackle or hit a seam for a long touchdown catch. The Panthers went with a lot of nickel coverage against the Buccaneers and we expect more of the same this week.
3.Win the kicking game: Denver has been giving up a lot of yardage on punt and kickoff returns, and Panthers return man Mark Jones has done an excellent job in averaging 11.8 and 24.9 yards, respectively, in those phases of the game. The shorter the field Carolina has to work the better chance they have of ending up putting points on the board.
Scouts Edge
Carolina will be coming off a short week but will be playing at home and came out of the Tampa Bay game relatively healthy. Having a pass-happy team at home always helps a defense and we can expect the home crowd to make it difficult for the Broncos to audible at the line of scrimmage in the passing game. The Panthers ground game will end up being too powerful for Denver's front seven to control, especially on the edges, and while Denver should be able to score some points through the air the inability to stop Carolina will prove the difference.Prediction
Denver 24
Carolina 30