Cornerbacks with clout - The Orange Mane

dragondawg · 05-24-2007, 03:26 AM

Cornerbacks with clout
Broncos see terrific tandem in Bly, Bailey
By Mike Klis
Denver Post Staff Writer

Bailey and Bly. Bly and Bailey.

NFL quarterbacks can watch them on film, rewind every play and play it over and over again in hopes of finding a reason the Broncos don't have the league's best cornerback tandem in Champ Bailey and Dré Bly.

Not even eyes shaded in Raiders black and silver are likely to find one. For NFL quarterbacks, these may become the saddest of words: Bailey and Bly. Bly and Bailey.

"I definitely think above and beyond we are the best tandem," Bailey said. "We have to go play, but based on what we've done to this point ... "

Whether evaluating through the naked eye, a subjective scout's gut or substantive data, the biggest question may not be whether Bailey and Bly, Bly and Bailey make up the No. 1 set of cornerbacks in 2007, but could they be the best in the past decade or two?

"I would say I'm up on NFL history of the last 20 years," Bly said. "I know statistics are what we've done in the past, but one guy (Bailey) has 39 picks, the other guy has 33 picks. We came out the same year, and I don't think there's been any other tandem who intercepted that many balls in their first eight years."

In more ways than one, Bly is an excellent student of the game. A little more than 20 years ago, the Dallas Cowboys had the cornerback duo of Everson Walls and Dennis Thurman, who had 80 combined interceptions through their first eight years. Going back to the 1960s, the Detroit Lions had Hall of Famer Lem Barney and Dick LeBeau, who combined for 100 career interceptions, 78 after their first eight seasons.

The careers of those notable tandems, though, were staggered, with Thurman breaking in before Walls and LeBeau well before Barney.

Bailey and Bly broke in with the 1999 draft - Bailey in the first round to Washington, Bly in the second round to the St. Louis Rams.

Their connection grew the past three years, when Bly was a teammate in
Detroit of linebacker Boss Bailey, Champ's younger brother.
"Champ would come to Detroit during the offseason and I would be invited over for a picnic, cookouts," Bly said. "We went fishing a couple times."

Covering all bases

No active NFL cornerback tandem exceeded the combined eight-year total of 72 interceptions by Bailey and Bly, although Kansas City's Ty Law and Patrick Surtain matched it. Law broke in three years earlier than Surtain, though, and they will play the 2007 season at 33 and 31 years old, respectively.

Bly didn't turn 30 until Tuesday, and Bailey will play this season at 29.

"I don't see why they wouldn't be the league's best tandem," said Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been throwing against Bailey and Bly every day in mini-camp. "First of all, Champ's the best, period. And now you put a guy like Dré Bly over on the other side - I can't imagine any tandem we face that can match their caliber."

Was it really just three years ago that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning picked apart Denver's secondary for five touchdown passes, two of them to Brandon Stokley, in a 41-10 playoff rout of the Broncos?

"That's one of the reasons why we made some trades," said Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. "It gives you a chance to have a great defense if you have those corners. If you don't, normally you're going to struggle."

When the Broncos fell short of their stated goal of winning the Super Bowl last season by failing to even make the playoffs, Shanahan's first of many moves was to replace defensive coaching boss Larry Coyer with Jim Bates. Once Bates settled in, the consensus was the greatest needs on defense were a better pass rush and a bigger interior, and those issues were eventually addressed.

The first player move of the offseason, though, was to acquire Bly, who like most "cover" corners is a ballhawk first, tackler second.

Pass the pressure

With all apologies to Cutler and new running back Travis Henry, it might not be unfair to state the Broncos' quest for Super Bowl XLII begins with Bailey and Bly, and ends with Bly and Bailey.

"If you have the bookend corners, it frees us up to call more pressure," Bates said. "The biggest positive with these two corners is both Dré and Champ get their hands on a lot of balls. Some guys have the ability, but don't have the knack for getting their hands on the ball. These guys do."

With the flanks secure, Bates can bring linebackers Ian Gold and D.J. Williams and safety John Lynch in on blitzes and let the team's young pass-rushing specialists, Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil, sprint directly at the quarterback without worry of inside containment. Bailey and Bly also should prevent the Broncos' 30-something safeties, Lynch and Nick Ferguson, from worrying about wide receivers running fly routes.

In Bly and Bailey, the Broncos have a defense built from the outside in. In Bailey and Bly, the Broncos on paper may have the best set of cornerbacks in the NFL's free-agent era.

"I remember when I was kid, there was Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes," Lynch said of the Los Angeles Raiders' mid-1980s duo. "I was a young kid and I didn't know a whole lot about football, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see those guys were dominant. I tell you what, Champ and Dré, it's going to be fun to play with these guys."

Footnotes

Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall was a bystander in sweats during the workout Wednesday. He walked off with a noticeable limp but didn't reveal his injury. "There's nothing wrong. I'm fine," he said. ... Steve Cargile, a third-year safety who had four special-teams tackles in three games last year, has been working out at outside linebacker. "He has to put on a little weight, but he has the size," Bates said of Cargile, whom the team lists at 6-feet-2 and 210 pounds. "We feel looking at him at both positions gives him the best opportunity of making the ballclub."

Corner 2

The Broncos' Champ Bailey and Dré Bly could be among the NFL's best cornerback tandems since the teaming of the Raiders' Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes or the Cowboys' Everson Walls and Dennis Thurman during the mid-1980s. NFL reporter Mike Klis lists his top seven cornerback tandems for 2007, with their combined career interceptions:

Rk. Tandem Team Int.

1. Champ Bailey & Dré Bly Broncos 72

2. Chris McAlister & Samari Rolle Ravens 49

3. Charles Woodson & Al Harris Packers 42

4. Nate Clements & Walt Harris 49ers 51

5. Patrick Surtain & Ty Law Chiefs 84

6. Nathan Vasher & Charles Tillman Bears 30

7. N. Asomugha & F. Washington Raiders 12

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_5971510

watermock · 05-24-2007, 03:35 AM

I posted that before this about 72 picks. It's almost comical.

Bob's your Information Minister · 05-24-2007, 03:40 AM

The AFC West is quickly becoming corner rich. Damn.

OrangeShadow · 05-24-2007, 06:34 AM

killer Bs, b****!

Vladimir · 05-24-2007, 06:56 AM

thanks for all these stories. they made my night.

Kaylore · 05-24-2007, 11:19 PM

This needs bumping. Good stuff.

(Jae) · 05-24-2007, 11:26 PM

Great stuff, when's the season start............... Next month?

Bronco Billy · 05-25-2007, 12:23 AM

Good article ... thanks.

bronco610 · 05-25-2007, 02:03 AM

Awesome read!!!

theAPAOps5 · 05-25-2007, 02:59 AM

Great read, I love that we have Bly and Bailey now. Did anyone catch Nick Ferguson on the Fan today with Scott and Al? It was a pretty good interview. Something that really caught me was Nick mentioned Eric Allen calling the Denver Backfield 5th best. He said they were all sitting at breakfast and Champ brought it up. All of them were pissed they weren't number 1. He said its just that much more motivation to shut ESPN up.

I also heard him the day before with Irv, Joe, and Jim. Best part of that interview was what his nickname was. I guess Lynch got to calling him Barbaro in the training room and its gotten out. I thought that was funny.

ksBRONCOfan · 05-25-2007, 08:27 AM

This just makes the off season go slower...

I think I get more and more excited every year. I WANT MY BRONCOS FOOTBALL!

CoBear23 · 05-25-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksBRONCOfan

This just makes the off season go slower...

I think I get more and more excited every year. I WANT MY BRONCOS FOOTBALL!

I hear ya brother

kmartin575 · 05-25-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApaOps5

Great read, I love that we have Bly and Bailey now. Did anyone catch Nick Ferguson on the Fan today with Scott and Al? It was a pretty good interview. Something that really caught me was Nick mentioned Eric Allen calling the Denver Backfield 5th best. He said they were all sitting at breakfast and Champ brought it up. All of them were pissed they weren't number 1. He said its just that much more motivation to shut ESPN up.

I also heard him the day before with Irv, Joe, and Jim. Best part of that interview was what his nickname was. I guess Lynch got to calling him Barbaro in the training room and its gotten out. I thought that was funny.

That's because a backfield includes the safeties and the Broncos starting safeties are probably the slowest starting safety tandem in the league. Bly and Bailey better be good because they are not going to receive very good help over the top.

theAPAOps5 · 05-25-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmartin575

That's because a backfield includes the safeties and the Broncos starting safeties are probably the slowest starting safety tandem in the league. Bly and Bailey better be good because they are not going to receive very good help over the top.

Yeah we were talking about that in the ESPN thread about that story. The safeties are whats dragging them down. What I meant by this post is that they all took that personal and now are on a mission, Fergy said Champ took it particularly personally.

Kaylore · 05-25-2007, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApaOps5

Yeah we were talking about that in the ESPN thread about that story. The safeties are whats dragging them down. What I meant by this post is that they all took that personal and now are on a mission, Fergy said Champ took it particularly personally.

They're going to blitz Lynch a lot more this year. Champ can match up one on one with any receiver in the league and Bly can match up with any number two receiver in the league. This will allow the team to play the safeties near the line to stop the run more and blitz the quarterback. Cargile and Abdullah are being groomed as well as well as Sam Brandon who shuts tight ends down, so our safety position is not in as bad shape as people think.

Needa Pass Rush · 05-25-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeShadow

killer Bs, b****!

The opposing QB's dilemma: To B or not to B, that is the interception.

Needa Pass Rush · 05-25-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaylore

........ This will allow the team to play the safeties near the line to stop the run more and blitz the quarterback. Cargile and Abdullah are being groomed as well as well as Sam Brandon who shuts tight ends down, so our safety position is not in as bad shape as people think.

Cox has played some decent safety early in his career, as well.

It will be interesting to see if Quentin Harris and Roderick Rogers have any game. Rogers would seem to have a shot at the practice squad for sure.

kmartin575 · 05-25-2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaylore

They're going to blitz Lynch a lot more this year. Champ can match up one on one with any receiver in the league and Bly can match up with any number two receiver in the league. This will allow the team to play the safeties near the line to stop the run more and blitz the quarterback. Cargile and Abdullah are being groomed as well as well as Sam Brandon who shuts tight ends down, so our safety position is not in as bad shape as people think.

Any cornerback can get beat, including Champ.

orinjkrush · 05-25-2007, 06:36 PM

road to the SB still goes through Indianapolis. they don't look so scary anymore with the Killer B's.

brncs_fan · 05-25-2007, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmartin575

Any cornerback can get beat, including Champ.

OrangeShadow · 05-25-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Needa Pass Rush

The opposing QB's dilemma: To B or not to B, that is the interception.

Well done!

kmartin575 · 05-25-2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orinjkrush

road to the SB still goes through Indianapolis. they don't look so scary anymore with the Killer B's.

No, now it goes through New England.

Indianapolis may have lost some players on D but they have added some good players as well. Quinn Pitcock should help shore up their D line and it seems like they think Freddy Keihao can continue with the success they have had with late round linebackers like Cato June, Mike Peterson, and Marcus Washington. Also, they look to possibly be very deep at cornerback with Marlin Jackson, Daymeion Hughes, Michael Coe, Kelvin Hayden, and Tim Jennings. Their safety tandem of Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea could potentially be scary as well.

Regardless, New England is the team to beat this year.

dragondawg · 05-25-2007, 11:27 PM

new england had indy last year in the championship game, they were up 21-3, the guy was wide open for a touchdown and dropped it, new england at first and 10 and they send 12 men out on the field? so they gained the 10 yards that could of ate the clock and send them to their forth superbowl in 6 years i think but they need 15

dragondawg · 05-25-2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmartin575

Any cornerback can get beat, including Champ.

i hope bly can cover reggie wayne, he always seems to burn us

listopencil · 05-25-2007, 11:49 PM

"In Bly and Bailey, the Broncos have a defense built from the outside in..."

That's not really true. We had an opportunity to upgrade the CB position and we did it. As for the rest of the defense: 1) Who plays opposite Lynch? 2) Who's our third LB? 3) Who fleshes out our D-Line? If Bates can answer those three questions...well, we are surely going to kick huge amounts of ass.

05-24-2007, 03:26 AM	#1
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	Cornerbacks with clout Cornerbacks with clout Broncos see terrific tandem in Bly, Bailey By Mike Klis Denver Post Staff Writer Bailey and Bly. Bly and Bailey. NFL quarterbacks can watch them on film, rewind every play and play it over and over again in hopes of finding a reason the Broncos don't have the league's best cornerback tandem in Champ Bailey and Dré Bly. Not even eyes shaded in Raiders black and silver are likely to find one. For NFL quarterbacks, these may become the saddest of words: Bailey and Bly. Bly and Bailey. "I definitely think above and beyond we are the best tandem," Bailey said. "We have to go play, but based on what we've done to this point ... " Whether evaluating through the naked eye, a subjective scout's gut or substantive data, the biggest question may not be whether Bailey and Bly, Bly and Bailey make up the No. 1 set of cornerbacks in 2007, but could they be the best in the past decade or two? "I would say I'm up on NFL history of the last 20 years," Bly said. "I know statistics are what we've done in the past, but one guy (Bailey) has 39 picks, the other guy has 33 picks. We came out the same year, and I don't think there's been any other tandem who intercepted that many balls in their first eight years." In more ways than one, Bly is an excellent student of the game. A little more than 20 years ago, the Dallas Cowboys had the cornerback duo of Everson Walls and Dennis Thurman, who had 80 combined interceptions through their first eight years. Going back to the 1960s, the Detroit Lions had Hall of Famer Lem Barney and Dick LeBeau, who combined for 100 career interceptions, 78 after their first eight seasons. The careers of those notable tandems, though, were staggered, with Thurman breaking in before Walls and LeBeau well before Barney. Bailey and Bly broke in with the 1999 draft - Bailey in the first round to Washington, Bly in the second round to the St. Louis Rams. Their connection grew the past three years, when Bly was a teammate in Detroit of linebacker Boss Bailey, Champ's younger brother. "Champ would come to Detroit during the offseason and I would be invited over for a picnic, cookouts," Bly said. "We went fishing a couple times." Covering all bases No active NFL cornerback tandem exceeded the combined eight-year total of 72 interceptions by Bailey and Bly, although Kansas City's Ty Law and Patrick Surtain matched it. Law broke in three years earlier than Surtain, though, and they will play the 2007 season at 33 and 31 years old, respectively. Bly didn't turn 30 until Tuesday, and Bailey will play this season at 29. "I don't see why they wouldn't be the league's best tandem," said Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who has been throwing against Bailey and Bly every day in mini-camp. "First of all, Champ's the best, period. And now you put a guy like Dré Bly over on the other side - I can't imagine any tandem we face that can match their caliber." Was it really just three years ago that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning picked apart Denver's secondary for five touchdown passes, two of them to Brandon Stokley, in a 41-10 playoff rout of the Broncos? "That's one of the reasons why we made some trades," said Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. "It gives you a chance to have a great defense if you have those corners. If you don't, normally you're going to struggle." When the Broncos fell short of their stated goal of winning the Super Bowl last season by failing to even make the playoffs, Shanahan's first of many moves was to replace defensive coaching boss Larry Coyer with Jim Bates. Once Bates settled in, the consensus was the greatest needs on defense were a better pass rush and a bigger interior, and those issues were eventually addressed. The first player move of the offseason, though, was to acquire Bly, who like most "cover" corners is a ballhawk first, tackler second. Pass the pressure With all apologies to Cutler and new running back Travis Henry, it might not be unfair to state the Broncos' quest for Super Bowl XLII begins with Bailey and Bly, and ends with Bly and Bailey. "If you have the bookend corners, it frees us up to call more pressure," Bates said. "The biggest positive with these two corners is both Dré and Champ get their hands on a lot of balls. Some guys have the ability, but don't have the knack for getting their hands on the ball. These guys do." With the flanks secure, Bates can bring linebackers Ian Gold and D.J. Williams and safety John Lynch in on blitzes and let the team's young pass-rushing specialists, Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil, sprint directly at the quarterback without worry of inside containment. Bailey and Bly also should prevent the Broncos' 30-something safeties, Lynch and Nick Ferguson, from worrying about wide receivers running fly routes. In Bly and Bailey, the Broncos have a defense built from the outside in. In Bailey and Bly, the Broncos on paper may have the best set of cornerbacks in the NFL's free-agent era. "I remember when I was kid, there was Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes," Lynch said of the Los Angeles Raiders' mid-1980s duo. "I was a young kid and I didn't know a whole lot about football, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to see those guys were dominant. I tell you what, Champ and Dré, it's going to be fun to play with these guys." Footnotes Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall was a bystander in sweats during the workout Wednesday. He walked off with a noticeable limp but didn't reveal his injury. "There's nothing wrong. I'm fine," he said. ... Steve Cargile, a third-year safety who had four special-teams tackles in three games last year, has been working out at outside linebacker. "He has to put on a little weight, but he has the size," Bates said of Cargile, whom the team lists at 6-feet-2 and 210 pounds. "We feel looking at him at both positions gives him the best opportunity of making the ballclub." Corner 2 The Broncos' Champ Bailey and Dré Bly could be among the NFL's best cornerback tandems since the teaming of the Raiders' Lester Hayes and Mike Haynes or the Cowboys' Everson Walls and Dennis Thurman during the mid-1980s. NFL reporter Mike Klis lists his top seven cornerback tandems for 2007, with their combined career interceptions: Rk. Tandem Team Int. 1. Champ Bailey & Dré Bly Broncos 72 2. Chris McAlister & Samari Rolle Ravens 49 3. Charles Woodson & Al Harris Packers 42 4. Nate Clements & Walt Harris 49ers 51 5. Patrick Surtain & Ty Law Chiefs 84 6. Nathan Vasher & Charles Tillman Bears 30 7. N. Asomugha & F. Washington Raiders 12 http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_5971510 Last edited by dragondawg; 05-24-2007 at 03:33 AM..

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05-24-2007, 03:35 AM	#2
watermock "Hoodie Jr" "Hug me!" Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hot Springs, Ouachitah Posts: 77,090	I posted that before this about 72 picks. It's almost comical.

05-24-2007, 03:40 AM	#3
Bob's your Information Minister Chiefs > Broncos Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 25,915 Adopt-a-Bronco: CHRIS KUPER!!!	The AFC West is quickly becoming corner rich. Damn.

05-24-2007, 06:34 AM	#4
OrangeShadow armed and dangerous Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 6,771	killer Bs, b****!

05-24-2007, 06:56 AM	#5
Vladimir #1 Oregon Broncos fan Go Ducks! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Medford, Oregon Posts: 450 Adopt-a-Bronco: Champ Dawkins!!	thanks for all these stories. they made my night.

05-24-2007, 11:19 PM	#6
Kaylore 6-37, Raider fans. Yummy birds and snow! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ceti Alpha V Posts: 41,009 Adopt-a-Bronco: Wesley Duke	This needs bumping. Good stuff.

05-24-2007, 11:26 PM	#7
(Jae) Pro Bowler New to the Forum Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 625 Adopt-a-Bronco: None	Great stuff, when's the season start............... Next month?

05-25-2007, 12:23 AM	#8
Bronco Billy Ring of Famer Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,322	Good article ... thanks.

05-25-2007, 02:03 AM	#9
bronco610 OLD FART Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Keller, TX Posts: 2,025 Adopt-a-Bronco: Woodyard	Awesome read!!!

05-25-2007, 02:59 AM	#10
theAPAOps5 A new beginning! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Denver Posts: 26,057 Adopt-a-Bronco: Watermock - RIP	Great read, I love that we have Bly and Bailey now. Did anyone catch Nick Ferguson on the Fan today with Scott and Al? It was a pretty good interview. Something that really caught me was Nick mentioned Eric Allen calling the Denver Backfield 5th best. He said they were all sitting at breakfast and Champ brought it up. All of them were pissed they weren't number 1. He said its just that much more motivation to shut ESPN up. I also heard him the day before with Irv, Joe, and Jim. Best part of that interview was what his nickname was. I guess Lynch got to calling him Barbaro in the training room and its gotten out. I thought that was funny.

05-25-2007, 08:27 AM	#11
ksBRONCOfan I love beer and Broncos! YUM-O! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: McPherson, KS Posts: 1,024 Adopt-a-Bronco: Pat Bowlen	This just makes the off season go slower... I think I get more and more excited every year. I WANT MY BRONCOS FOOTBALL!

05-25-2007, 06:36 PM	#19
orinjkrush ... Prospects for the future... Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DistrictOfCorruption Posts: 4,913 Adopt-a-Bronco: Ben Garland	road to the SB still goes through Indianapolis. they don't look so scary anymore with the Killer B's.

05-25-2007, 11:27 PM	#23
dragondawg All Pro Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,009	new england had indy last year in the championship game, they were up 21-3, the guy was wide open for a touchdown and dropped it, new england at first and 10 and they send 12 men out on the field? so they gained the 10 yards that could of ate the clock and send them to their forth superbowl in 6 years i think but they need 15

05-25-2007, 11:49 PM	#25
listopencil [sarcasm]text[/sarcasm] BOOM! Winner. Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: The People's Republic Of California Posts: 8,580 Adopt-a-Bronco: Broncos FO	"In Bly and Bailey, the Broncos have a defense built from the outside in..." That's not really true. We had an opportunity to upgrade the CB position and we did it. As for the rest of the defense: 1) Who plays opposite Lynch? 2) Who's our third LB? 3) Who fleshes out our D-Line? If Bates can answer those three questions...well, we are surely going to kick huge amounts of ass.