The Postseason still comes down to defense

[CEH]

Originally Posted by bpc

I think we played a $hitty game along w/ refs giving us the screw job and cleanly won that game if not for Moore's stupidity in coverage. With that being said and critically looking at ourselves... the coaches absolutely $hit the pot and one can say that Manning choked as well. JDR/Fox/McCoy all got out of our comfort zones. You could tell on bunch plays by Baltimore that the defensive coverage did not know what they were doing. It burned us too. The play calls in that game displayed folks that were nervous. When compared to close games in the regular season, we played loose and called plays to win the game, like throws on 3rd and short. We didn't run on obvious running downs, and we didn't kneel on the ball.

I like where we are going but as Elway needed help in his later years by a great running game, we REALLY need to find a dependable back that can alter what defenses do against our pass game if we are going to take the next step. McGahee and Moreno were not dependable when the games were on the line. Hillman has some potential but limited upside IMO based on what he did last year. Lots of areas to improve but it was a good year overall. We let an amazing opportunity slip away. We had Baltimore down for the count and let them back into it.

Thinking out loud wonder if MJD would be available this offseason
This move alone would propel Denver to the top the NFL. Throw to win run to close out the games.

A guy can dream

[broncosteven]

Originally Posted by SonOfLe-loLang

Regardless of the rest, Torrey Smith is pretty fast. Timed in low 4.4's, rumored 4.3 before that.

Anyway, i do think the cold probably played apart in everyones game too.

Torry Smith is turning into a very good WR, he has speed and hands, he is going to beat a lot of good CB's in this league, not adjusting the safeties or coaching Champ to get in his grill at the LOS was more Milus's fault.

I would love to see Champ move to FS, he would upgrade the position immensely but I am confident he can still play CB for a couple more years if he wants.

[razorwire77]

I think you strongly consider trying to sign a guy like Glenn Dorsey as a FA and give him a shot as a 4-3 DT, or maybe an Alan Branch (who was highly productive as a Seahawk this year.) Then maybe you hedge your bets by taking a guy like Sharrif Floyd at the bottom of the first round. Our interior d-line got next to no push against Bmore. Then you draft a guy like Minter at the bottom of the 2nd round.

[bpc]

I agree. DT's have a learning curve where as HB's can come and contribute from year 1. I'd be more a fan of Denver resigning Clady and adding some defense in FA and then spending draft picks on offense to give Manning some more weapons.

[2KBack]

Originally Posted by razorwire77

I think you strongly consider trying to sign a guy like Glenn Dorsey as a FA and give him a shot as a 4-3 DT, or maybe an Alan Branch (who was highly productive as a Seahawk this year.) Then maybe you hedge your bets by taking a guy like Sharrif Floyd at the bottom of the first round. Our interior d-line got next to no push against Bmore. Then you draft a guy like Minter at the bottom of the 2nd round.

Minter won't last that long....you'd have to go 2nd tier like Mauti or Skov or somthing

[TheReverend]

Originally Posted by 2KBack

Minter won't last that long....you'd have to go 2nd tier like Mauti or Skov or somthing

How dare you call Mauti 2nd tier, you sonofab****.

[Popps]

Originally Posted by Mediator12

Both Winners of yesterdays games shut out the home team in the second half. Yes, that is right, the visiting teams shut out the HOME teams in the second half yesterday.

I was very happy with what happened defensively this year, but absolutely not happy with the defensive performance in the playoff game. I have rewatched the game several times and the defense played almost as bad as the infamous 2006 AFCCG implosion after playing fantastic for most of the year.

This concerns me, because our personnel was beaten 1 on 1 way too often against BAL. The Scheme, halftime adjustments, and playcalling were great all year but were terrible in the playoff game. I really believe this is why Ron Milus was let go, but lets hope the new guy gets the message.

I really want to see a better gameplan and adjustments on Defense in the playoffs next year. DEN got abused against an AVERAGE BAL offense. They gave up 5 explosive plays in that game when they gave up only 5 the second half of the season. They were situationally poorly prepared and executed like a team that was wildly inconsistent, not a top 5 defense.

I like DEN's chances next year, I really do. However, that kind of coaching performance can not be repeated.

This is a yearly argument around here. Every year, the usual "it's an offensive league now" chant is thrown around, and every year the team that can step up defensively in the playoffs seems to be the one that makes it to the dance.
(Holding the Pats to 13 points is a stellar playoff performance.)

Like in 2005 when our defense laid down against the Steelers, our defense gave up 28 points against a Ravens offense that had not been particularly explosive as of late. But, like in 2005... the conversation around here after we lost was about what the quarterback did wrong.

The bottom line is that no QB should be expected to overcome 35 point deficits in a playoff game. If that's how you're planning to win a SB, you're going to be very disappointed. Ask Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers about this fact. Or, just ask Peyton Manning.

I've been critical of our offensive play-calling in the game. No question we made mistakes. I also would point out that the big, mauler-type WR played a huge rule in the games this year. Boldin, Gonzales, Hernandez, etc. While I think our TEs played well, I wouldn't mind seeing us go after one of these big, Gronkowski-style apes that can get open and abuse LBs. I also would advocate actually using a Pro Bowl WR like Thomas when he's healthy and on the field in a playoff game.

But, it comes down to defense. We lost to the Ravens because of defensive lapses and a generally poor performance, the same reason we lost our last important playoff game. You have to have a defense that can keep you in a low scoring game, or a game where your QB makes mistakes like Manning did. If you don't have that defense, you're not going to a Superbowl 95% of the time.

[chrisp]

Its not offense or defense but both. All teams have an emphasis on one or the other but can make winning plays on both sides when they need to. However I agree that the key plays that cost us the game were those lapses on defense. It may be unpopular to say this round here, but I think those lapses were uncharacteristic and those same two players (Moore and Bailey) will be back in next year's playoffs atonig for their errors.

Those plays were horrific but they should not define a player's career.....

[Drunken.Broncoholic]

I agree it could be both. Niners could've shut out Atlanta in the 2nd half and still lose. An offense wins a game when they are down 17-0. Just like ravens offense beat us. Against the broncos That ravens defense gave up a 10 play 88 yard drive in the 4th losing the lead. Their offense bailed them out.

Offense wins.

[Lestat]

Originally Posted by 2KBack

Minter won't last that long....you'd have to go 2nd tier like Mauti or Skov or somthing

not a skov fan. Minter,Jackson or Bostic(even with his idiot issues in the BCS bowl vs Louisville)are the top ILB's i like. Ogletree fits the fox mold though. normally draft an athletic freak who's smaller and can get sideline to sideline and make big plays.
Shariff Floyd is the DT i want in this draft. so flexible and would fit well next to Wolfe.

[orinjkrush]

dennis smith....first round
steve atwater...first round
ed reed......first round
troy polawhachacmacallit...first round
laron landry...first round
eric berry...first round

time to put some more emphasis on what's killing us: stopping TE's and CB help.

[Drunken.Broncoholic]

Originally Posted by orinjkrush

dennis smith....first round
steve atwater...first round
ed reed......first round
troy polawhachacmacallit...first round
laron landry...first round
eric berry...first round

time to put some more emphasis on what's killing us: stopping TE's and CB help.

I think RB killed us. A stable of injury prone backs getting hurt at the wrong times.

[winstoncup bronco]

Originally Posted by Drunken.Broncoholic

I agree it could be both. Niners could've shut out Atlanta in the 2nd half and still lose. An offense wins a game when they are down 17-0. Just like ravens offense beat us. Against the broncos That ravens defense gave up a 10 play 88 yard drive in the 4th losing the lead. Their offense bailed them out.

Offense wins.

This.

This entire postseason, only one team has won a game where their offense scored less than the 21 points our offense put up against Baltimore.

It's very catchy to use the 'defense wins' cliches, but you have to remember that the offenses you are facing in the playoffs aren't pushovers. San Francisco gave up 31 points to GB, and they still won easily. Unless you have the '85 Bears defense, it's a good idea to have an offense that can score 30 points or more if needed.

Our defense let us down big time, but you cannot ignore 7 points by the offense over the last 3 quarters of the game. It's foolish to think that wasn't a factor.

[CEH]

Originally Posted by winstoncup bronco

This.

This entire postseason, only one team has won a game where their offense scored less than the 21 points our offense put up against Baltimore.

It's very catchy to use the 'defense wins' cliches, but you have to remember that the offenses you are facing in the playoffs aren't pushovers. San Francisco gave up 31 points to GB, and they still won easily. Unless you have the '85 Bears defense, it's a good idea to have an offense that can score 30 points or more if needed.

Our defense let us down big time, but you cannot ignore 7 points by the offense over the last 3 quarters of the game. It's foolish to think that wasn't a factor.

Somehow SF managed to give up 24 points in the first half yesterday and 280 yards of offense. Not really dominate . Ryan decided to give SF two turnovers to help their cause in the 2nd half

[maher_tyler]

Originally Posted by winstoncup bronco

This.

This entire postseason, only one team has won a game where their offense scored less than the 21 points our offense put up against Baltimore.

It's very catchy to use the 'defense wins' cliches, but you have to remember that the offenses you are facing in the playoffs aren't pushovers. San Francisco gave up 31 points to GB, and they still won easily. Unless you have the '85 Bears defense, it's a good idea to have an offense that can score 30 points or more if needed.

Our defense let us down big time, but you cannot ignore 7 points by the offense over the last 3 quarters of the game. It's foolish to think that wasn't a factor.

Not to mention we took zero shots down the field. I wonder what the reasoning was? Maybe they just weren't open. All I know is that RB, MLB and DT were positions that stood out as severly lacked playmaking ability. Those positions and the interior of the OL need upgrading!

[Rascal]

Originally Posted by elsid13

Make you wonder if Doom is really worth the money that Denver pays him.

NO.

[Rohirrim]

Love Skov. He's a playmaker and a leader. But he's out of the picture. He's going back to Stanford as a fifth year senior.