Javon Walker Grounded by Shanahan/Plummer? - The Orange Mane

fontaine · 11-03-2006, 04:42 AM

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4595367

Walker's air show grounded
By Mark Kiszla
Denver Post Staff Columnist
Article Last Updated:11/03/2006 12:44:55 AM MST

Please, somebody remind us again why the Broncos went to the trouble of trading for Javon Walker?

For as infrequently as Denver throws the football to Walker, maybe they should buy him a folding lawn chair, so he has a comfy place to sit on the field. Being paid a contract worth an estimated $40 million, he's one expensive spectator.

There is no criticism of Walker here. Only sympathy.

The Broncos have decided their twin Bells of different mothers will carry them to the Super Bowl. Or run this season into the ground. Whichever comes first.

"They're more committed to the run than they are the pass," Walker said Thursday, describing Denver's offensive philosophy.

Maybe it was telling that Walker referred to the Broncos as "they" rather than "we," as a hint he does not yet feel at home in this conservative offense. Or maybe it was my imagination. But I do know Walker described himself as on the outside looking in at the running game. He was not complaining. He was merely telling the truth.

Never in Mike Shanahan's tenure as head coach in Denver has this team been so reliant on the run.

Don't believe me? You could look it up. These statistics don't lie.

During his previous 11 seasons in Denver, Shanahan built the NFL's most proficient scoring machine by gaining 61 percent of his team's yardage by passing the football. The air show was often as spectacular as fireworks.

But the passing game has been grounded in Denver.

The Broncos have rushed for 1,087 yards this season and passed for 1,090 net yards, a mere 3 yards and a cloud of dust from a mundane 50-50 split.

Why is this ultraconservative plan so significant?

While the Broncos have long won respect by pounding the football between the tackles, we have forgotten how they struck fear in the league.

Passing has become such a no-no in game plans that when Jake Plummer throws for a modest 174 yards, as he did in a loss to Indianapolis, his most vocal supporters tried to boast he enjoyed a spectacular game, a ridiculous claim that had even the quarterback scratching his head in disbelief.

Anybody old enough to remember 1977 can attest it was a very good year in Denver, when the city grooved to the beat of Fleetwood Mac and buzzed about smash hits by the Orange Crush.

But times have changed, and so have the way the games are won in the NFL. No Broncos team has finished a season with more yards rushing than passing in 29 years.

What Shanahan is trying to do on offense is as old as Stevie Nicks.

"If you can run the football, you really establish a lot. And it opens up other avenues of the game," Broncos fullback Kyle Johnson said. "In all honesty, if you run, there's less chance of error. You have a higher probability of an interception or an incompletion than a fumble. If you can produce runs where you get 5 yards a carry, you're eating up the clock and moving down the field."

>> I can't believe KJ just said that!

Whoa. There for a second, I thought Johnson was channeling the ghost of Woody Hayes.

Now, as a child of the 1960s who earned no dessert until all the meat and potatoes were cleaned off my dinner plate, I was taught traditional Midwest values and raised on the belief that the forward pass was a sign of weakness. So nobody loves smashmouth football more than me.

But this is crazy. By setting the clock back three decades on offensive strategy, who do the Broncos think they are? The Dolphins of Don Shula? To be sure, Tatum and Mike Bell can make some noise by carrying the rock, but nobody's mistaking them for Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Mercury Morris.

Too often, Denver only relies on Walker when there's nowhere else to turn for a touchdown or critical first down. That seems like an incredible failure to maximize the benefits of a smart acquisition by Shanahan.

"Sometimes, you just got to let your playmakers just make plays," said Walker, who ranks 25th in the NFL with 33 receptions. He has the talent to do way more. But the Broncos keep asking him to stand around and wait.

If they want to score big on a consistent basis, the Broncos need to make a commitment to getting the football in the hands of their most dangerous offensive player.

He's a sky Walker. Don't ground him.

Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.

gunns · 11-03-2006, 05:06 AM

Just be patient Walker, the passing game will be revived in the future and I'm predicting you will be a big part of it. For now, feel a part of the team and be quiet.

-Slap- · 11-03-2006, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Passing has become such a no-no in game plans that when Jake Plummer throws for a modest 174 yards, as he did in a loss to Indianapolis, his most vocal supporters tried to boast he enjoyed a spectacular game, a ridiculous claim that had even the quarterback scratching his head in disbelief.

Oh, come on, nobody is that stupid.

Florida_Bronco · 11-03-2006, 05:27 AM

Isn't this the same writer that everyone around here thinks is a joke?

elsid13 · 11-03-2006, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Slap-

Oh, come on, nobody is that stupid.

BlaK-Argentina · 11-03-2006, 06:38 AM

I love Walker, but I don't like the way he's been talking to the media about not getting the ball a lot.
He should feel like part of the team... I mean, when we DO throw the ball, it's to him 70% of the time.

We could use him a lot better, but it's not like he has 10 catches for the season.
Just play, Javon! The balls will come your way.

fontaine · 11-03-2006, 06:49 AM

I guess, Walker is just frustrated that on any given pass play he's just as likely to try and catch a ball as he trying to prevent a poorly thrown pass from being intercepted!

bpc · 11-03-2006, 06:54 AM

I don't like the public speak, but I agree with the idea. Four balls last game... and another one that was wide open that Plummer barely missed for 75 yards and a TD. We went to him in the 1st half and could have used him to help close the Colts out in the 2nd. The guy is an elite player and a game breaker yet the best defenses Walker has seen have come from our own coaching staff taking the ball elsewhere.

If TO demands the ball 10 times a game, Walker should be getting that many looks as well.

Dedhed · 11-03-2006, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fontaine

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4595367

Passing has become such a no-no in game plans that when Jake Plummer throws for a modest 174 yards, as he did in a loss to Indianapolis, his most vocal supporters tried to boast he enjoyed a spectacular game, a ridiculous claim that had even the quarterback scratching his head in disbelief.

Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.

It really is laughable what has come to be considered "great" play from the quarterback by some folks. Just laughable.

Rascal · 11-03-2006, 07:44 AM

Kizla is an idiot. Why do you guys even bother reading his crap. Him and Burger Bill can jump off a building.

Mile High Shack · 11-03-2006, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rascal

Kizla is an idiot. Why do you guys even bother reading his crap. Him and Burger Bill can jump off a building.

b/c if it furthers their Plummer hate, then that is all that matters

azbroncfan · 11-03-2006, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fontaine

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4595367

"They're more committed to the run than they are the pass," Walker said Thursday, describing Denver's offensive philosophy.

Who knows how much of that sentence was blown out of wack. Did he really say They, what else did he say? I don't take too much of these reporters reports too serious.

Williams · 11-03-2006, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunns

Just be patient Walker, the passing game will be revived in the future and I'm predicting you will be a big part of it. For now, feel a part of the team and be quiet.

It would be one thing to complain about commitment to the run if we weren't succeeding doing so. But when we're #3 in Rush YPG in the league, and Tatum and Mike are getting 4.5 and 5.2 YPC respectively, why gripe? Not to mention, we are coming off a week where we finally put some points on the board.

If it's working, keep pounding the ball.

BroncoFanCam · 11-03-2006, 09:42 AM

Don't worry Javon....

There is a Quarterback not too far away, that can heave a deep ball without it looking like a Todd Sauerbrun punt, and with the accuracy of a hand-me-down scud missle.

You and he are a match made in Orange and Blue heaven... just be patient.

Popps · 11-03-2006, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florida_Bronco

Isn't this the same writer that everyone around here thinks is a joke?

Sportswriters are fat, stupid idiots, unless you agree with their particular point that week, in which case you post their article and treat them as royalty.

That's how it works here.

Mile High Shack · 11-03-2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroncoFanCam

Don't worry Javon....

There is a Quarterback not too far away, that can heave a deep ball without it looking like a Todd Sauerbrun punt, and with the accuracy of a hand-me-down scud missle.

You and he are a match made in Orange and Blue heaven... just be patient.

I hear he walks on water

and when the broncos are partyin' and they run out of beer, he simply opens up the faucet tap and out pours fresh brew

Pezman · 11-03-2006, 10:11 AM

<---------See my sig

Krapla is one of my favorite writers in sports. He is like the national enquirer of Broncos news. Wooo!

troya900 · 11-03-2006, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mile High Shack

I hear he walks on water

and when the broncos are partyin' and they run out of beer, he simply opens up the faucet tap and out pours fresh brew

Maybe it looks like fresh brew, when for four years you turn on the tap and fluid that looks like it came straight from the septic tank comes flowin out.

BMF Bronco · 11-03-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Florida_Bronco

Isn't this the same writer that everyone around here thinks is a joke?

Oh no bro, come on now, when he writes something they agree with, he's dead on, and the other 99.9995 percent of the times, he's just talking out of his ass. Didn't you go to the school of spinning **** to fit your needs?!

Crushaholic · 11-03-2006, 10:18 AM

Has he even studied the recent history of the Broncos? We RELY on the running game opening up the passing game. That's just the way they roll at Dove Valley...

Hercules Rockefeller · 11-03-2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crushaholic

Has he even studied the recent history of the Broncos? We RELY on the running game opening up the passing game. That's just the way they roll at Dove Valley...

The #30 passing attack really isn't rolling right now despite the #3 rushing attack.

Mile High Shack · 11-03-2006, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troya900

Maybe it looks like fresh brew, when for four years you turn on the tap and fluid that looks like it came straight from the septic tank comes flowin out.

oh c'mon, you are being a tad dramatic aren't you?

it was more like zima

Requiem · 11-03-2006, 10:43 AM

Eh, I don't know. We've thrown the ball to Javon 55 times so far this season, he's on pace for about 130 -- that's quite a few balls, considering Rod is getting his far shair, I believed 42 his way (I'd have to look again) as well. It's far more balanced then it was when comparing Rod to Lelie, but I think Javon is getting involved in the offense quite a bit. Would I like to see more? Yeah, but I think we're doing the best we can to get him involved.

Smiling Assassin27 · 11-03-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

"Everyone can see I'm back," Walker said. "The bonuses, that's up to the team. But I'm confident that either I get it here or I will get it someplace else. Hopefully, it's here."

Does this statement bother anyone else?

Crushaholic · 11-03-2006, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

Does this statement bother anyone else?

Yep...

11-03-2006, 04:42 AM	#1
fontaine Ring of Famer Go John Manning! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,429	Javon Walker Grounded by Shanahan/Plummer? http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_4595367 Walker's air show grounded By Mark Kiszla Denver Post Staff Columnist Article Last Updated:11/03/2006 12:44:55 AM MST Please, somebody remind us again why the Broncos went to the trouble of trading for Javon Walker? For as infrequently as Denver throws the football to Walker, maybe they should buy him a folding lawn chair, so he has a comfy place to sit on the field. Being paid a contract worth an estimated $40 million, he's one expensive spectator. There is no criticism of Walker here. Only sympathy. The Broncos have decided their twin Bells of different mothers will carry them to the Super Bowl. Or run this season into the ground. Whichever comes first. "They're more committed to the run than they are the pass," Walker said Thursday, describing Denver's offensive philosophy. Maybe it was telling that Walker referred to the Broncos as "they" rather than "we," as a hint he does not yet feel at home in this conservative offense. Or maybe it was my imagination. But I do know Walker described himself as on the outside looking in at the running game. He was not complaining. He was merely telling the truth. Never in Mike Shanahan's tenure as head coach in Denver has this team been so reliant on the run. Don't believe me? You could look it up. These statistics don't lie. During his previous 11 seasons in Denver, Shanahan built the NFL's most proficient scoring machine by gaining 61 percent of his team's yardage by passing the football. The air show was often as spectacular as fireworks. But the passing game has been grounded in Denver. The Broncos have rushed for 1,087 yards this season and passed for 1,090 net yards, a mere 3 yards and a cloud of dust from a mundane 50-50 split. Why is this ultraconservative plan so significant? While the Broncos have long won respect by pounding the football between the tackles, we have forgotten how they struck fear in the league. Passing has become such a no-no in game plans that when Jake Plummer throws for a modest 174 yards, as he did in a loss to Indianapolis, his most vocal supporters tried to boast he enjoyed a spectacular game, a ridiculous claim that had even the quarterback scratching his head in disbelief. Anybody old enough to remember 1977 can attest it was a very good year in Denver, when the city grooved to the beat of Fleetwood Mac and buzzed about smash hits by the Orange Crush. But times have changed, and so have the way the games are won in the NFL. No Broncos team has finished a season with more yards rushing than passing in 29 years. What Shanahan is trying to do on offense is as old as Stevie Nicks. "If you can run the football, you really establish a lot. And it opens up other avenues of the game," Broncos fullback Kyle Johnson said. "In all honesty, if you run, there's less chance of error. You have a higher probability of an interception or an incompletion than a fumble. If you can produce runs where you get 5 yards a carry, you're eating up the clock and moving down the field." >> I can't believe KJ just said that! Whoa. There for a second, I thought Johnson was channeling the ghost of Woody Hayes. Now, as a child of the 1960s who earned no dessert until all the meat and potatoes were cleaned off my dinner plate, I was taught traditional Midwest values and raised on the belief that the forward pass was a sign of weakness. So nobody loves smashmouth football more than me. But this is crazy. By setting the clock back three decades on offensive strategy, who do the Broncos think they are? The Dolphins of Don Shula? To be sure, Tatum and Mike Bell can make some noise by carrying the rock, but nobody's mistaking them for Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Mercury Morris. Too often, Denver only relies on Walker when there's nowhere else to turn for a touchdown or critical first down. That seems like an incredible failure to maximize the benefits of a smart acquisition by Shanahan. "Sometimes, you just got to let your playmakers just make plays," said Walker, who ranks 25th in the NFL with 33 receptions. He has the talent to do way more. But the Broncos keep asking him to stand around and wait. If they want to score big on a consistent basis, the Broncos need to make a commitment to getting the football in the hands of their most dangerous offensive player. He's a sky Walker. Don't ground him. Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.

11-03-2006, 10:11 AM	#17
Pezman Livin the dream Andy did you hear about this one? Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Smoggy SoCal Posts: 9,833 Adopt-a-Bronco: DJ Williams	<---------See my sig Krapla is one of my favorite writers in sports. He is like the national enquirer of Broncos news. Wooo! __________________ Sitting on a beach, earning 20%

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11-03-2006, 05:06 AM	#2
gunns I WANT DEFENSE! Defense, defense, defense Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Always Hoping Posts: 11,660 Adopt-a-Bronco: Defense	Just be patient Walker, the passing game will be revived in the future and I'm predicting you will be a big part of it. For now, feel a part of the team and be quiet.

11-03-2006, 05:27 AM	#4
Florida_Bronco Got trolls? Welcome to Mile High, Brady! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 13,810 Adopt-a-Bronco: Brady Quinn	Isn't this the same writer that everyone around here thinks is a joke?

11-03-2006, 06:38 AM	#6
BlaK-Argentina Pampita says... ... support your team! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mar del Plata, Argentina. Posts: 5,174 Adopt-a-Bronco: Eddie Royal	I love Walker, but I don't like the way he's been talking to the media about not getting the ball a lot. He should feel like part of the team... I mean, when we DO throw the ball, it's to him 70% of the time. We could use him a lot better, but it's not like he has 10 catches for the season. Just play, Javon! The balls will come your way.

11-03-2006, 06:49 AM	#7
fontaine Ring of Famer Go John Manning! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,429	I guess, Walker is just frustrated that on any given pass play he's just as likely to try and catch a ball as he trying to prevent a poorly thrown pass from being intercepted!

11-03-2006, 06:54 AM	#8
bpc "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" 1 sword keeps another in the sheath Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 12,570 Adopt-a-Bronco: Von Miller	I don't like the public speak, but I agree with the idea. Four balls last game... and another one that was wide open that Plummer barely missed for 75 yards and a TD. We went to him in the 1st half and could have used him to help close the Colts out in the 2nd. The guy is an elite player and a game breaker yet the best defenses Walker has seen have come from our own coaching staff taking the ball elsewhere. If TO demands the ball 10 times a game, Walker should be getting that many looks as well.

11-03-2006, 07:44 AM	#10
Rascal RIP Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 16,581 Adopt-a-Bronco: Turf	Kizla is an idiot. Why do you guys even bother reading his crap. Him and Burger Bill can jump off a building.

11-03-2006, 09:42 AM	#14
BroncoFanCam 110% Raider Hater RAIDERS SUCK! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: 27 29 S / 153 8 E Posts: 345 Adopt-a-Bronco: Cecil Sapp	Don't worry Javon.... There is a Quarterback not too far away, that can heave a deep ball without it looking like a Todd Sauerbrun punt, and with the accuracy of a hand-me-down scud missle. You and he are a match made in Orange and Blue heaven... just be patient.

11-03-2006, 10:18 AM	#20
Crushaholic Armchair Poster Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Topeka, KS Posts: 22,044	Has he even studied the recent history of the Broncos? We RELY on the running game opening up the passing game. That's just the way they roll at Dove Valley...

11-03-2006, 10:43 AM	#23
Requiem ~~~ ~ ~ ~ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Earth Division Posts: 19,572 Adopt-a-Bronco: Gilgamesh	Eh, I don't know. We've thrown the ball to Javon 55 times so far this season, he's on pace for about 130 -- that's quite a few balls, considering Rod is getting his far shair, I believed 42 his way (I'd have to look again) as well. It's far more balanced then it was when comparing Rod to Lelie, but I think Javon is getting involved in the offense quite a bit. Would I like to see more? Yeah, but I think we're doing the best we can to get him involved.