dragondawg
09-29-2009, 07:55 PM
By Brian Howell
© 2009 Longmont Times-Call
When Josh McDaniels was hired in January as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, he came advertised as a great football coach — someone who knows how to do his job well on the field.
McDaniels certainly took his share of heat for off-the-field moves during the offseason. Three games into his coaching tenure, however, he’s been as advertised. He’s done a great job on the field.
Although it has been just three games, the Broncos (3-0) have already been consistent in how they’ve approached each game. They have found weaknesses in each opponent and attacked those weaknesses.
Because of their preparation, the Broncos have been ready to play each Sunday. That’s saying a lot, considering there were plenty of games in recent years in which the Broncos hardly showed up.
The fact that they’ve been prepared each week is a tribute to McDaniels and his coaching staff.
There’s a long way to go this season, and the schedule gets a heck of a lot tougher starting this week, but if the Broncos come into each game as prepared as they’ve been for the first three, they’ll have a good chance to win a lot of games.
SWEET 16: Through three games, the Broncos have allowed just 16 points.
Not even the famous Orange Crush defense of the 1970s ever did that. In fact, prior to this season, the fewest amount of points allowed by the Broncos through three games was 19 — by that Crush defense of 1977.
Perhaps even more impressive, only two NFL teams this decade have had a better start defensively. The 2001 Green Bay Packers and 2004 Seattle Seahawks each gave up 13 points through three games. Like the Broncos, the 2005 Indianapolis Colts gave up 16 through three contests.
A GOOD OMEN? This is the Broncos’ 11th 3-0 start. Five times, they’ve turned a 3-0 start into a trip to the Super Bowl.
However, twice in recent years the Broncos have started 3-0 and failed to make the playoffs (2002 and 2008). Only once have the Broncos started 3-0 and finished with a losing record (going 5-8-1 in 1970).
BETTER WATCH OUT: Peyton Hillis showed flashes of being a dynamic player last year because of his ability to run the ball hard and catch the ball out of the backfield.
Hillis, who has touched the ball just six times on offense, may have a hard time staying on the roster if he’s not careful, though.
Against Cleveland a week ago, he fumbled the opening kickoff, and he hasn’t lined up to return a kick since.
Sunday, the Broncos had first-and-goal at the 1 when he was called for false start, pushing the Broncos back 5 yards. He then failed to get into the end zone on back-to-back short-yardage runs.
http://www.timescall.com/sports_story.asp?id=18349
© 2009 Longmont Times-Call
When Josh McDaniels was hired in January as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, he came advertised as a great football coach — someone who knows how to do his job well on the field.
McDaniels certainly took his share of heat for off-the-field moves during the offseason. Three games into his coaching tenure, however, he’s been as advertised. He’s done a great job on the field.
Although it has been just three games, the Broncos (3-0) have already been consistent in how they’ve approached each game. They have found weaknesses in each opponent and attacked those weaknesses.
Because of their preparation, the Broncos have been ready to play each Sunday. That’s saying a lot, considering there were plenty of games in recent years in which the Broncos hardly showed up.
The fact that they’ve been prepared each week is a tribute to McDaniels and his coaching staff.
There’s a long way to go this season, and the schedule gets a heck of a lot tougher starting this week, but if the Broncos come into each game as prepared as they’ve been for the first three, they’ll have a good chance to win a lot of games.
SWEET 16: Through three games, the Broncos have allowed just 16 points.
Not even the famous Orange Crush defense of the 1970s ever did that. In fact, prior to this season, the fewest amount of points allowed by the Broncos through three games was 19 — by that Crush defense of 1977.
Perhaps even more impressive, only two NFL teams this decade have had a better start defensively. The 2001 Green Bay Packers and 2004 Seattle Seahawks each gave up 13 points through three games. Like the Broncos, the 2005 Indianapolis Colts gave up 16 through three contests.
A GOOD OMEN? This is the Broncos’ 11th 3-0 start. Five times, they’ve turned a 3-0 start into a trip to the Super Bowl.
However, twice in recent years the Broncos have started 3-0 and failed to make the playoffs (2002 and 2008). Only once have the Broncos started 3-0 and finished with a losing record (going 5-8-1 in 1970).
BETTER WATCH OUT: Peyton Hillis showed flashes of being a dynamic player last year because of his ability to run the ball hard and catch the ball out of the backfield.
Hillis, who has touched the ball just six times on offense, may have a hard time staying on the roster if he’s not careful, though.
Against Cleveland a week ago, he fumbled the opening kickoff, and he hasn’t lined up to return a kick since.
Sunday, the Broncos had first-and-goal at the 1 when he was called for false start, pushing the Broncos back 5 yards. He then failed to get into the end zone on back-to-back short-yardage runs.
http://www.timescall.com/sports_story.asp?id=18349