ESPN Insider: Jaguars vs. Broncos

[dragondawg]

Why To Watch

The Denver Broncos found a way to win against Oakland while the Jacksonville Jaguars earned their first victory over the Falcons last week. Denver head coach Mike Shanahan will continue to rely on RB Travis Henry to set up QB Jay Cutler and the play-action attack. Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Smith will rely on his four-man rush while being physical on the backend to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Broncos passing attack. Look for the Jaguars to pound the rock against a Broncos run defense that continues to struggle, but the Broncos will load the box and force QB David Garrard to beat them through the air. Special teams could play a huge role in the outcome of this game.

When the Jaguars have the ball

Rushing: Simply put, the Jaguars game plan this week will be to run the ball at a Broncos front seven that is allowing 156 yards per game to set up the play-action pass. Even though the Jaguars running game has yet to get on track, it still has one of the best running back tandems in the NFL with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew and it still runs behind an offensive line that average 325 pounds. Taylor is capable of making big plays in the running game, while Jones-Drew has the ability to turn a short run into an explosive long gain. The Broncos continue to struggle against the run in assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates' defensive schemes. Bates is an aggressive play-caller that relies on his front-seven to attack gaps on the move to disrupt the opposing teams' blocking patterns. However, the Broncos have struggled with gap integrity, especially the proper run fits by their linebackers when attacking downhill. MLB D.J. Williams must do a better job this week of using his hands while separating off blocks within the box on heavy run-down tendencies. Look for Bates to incorporate more multiple eight-man fronts this week by playing either SS Nick Ferguson or FS John Lynch up near the box versus the Jaguars two-back personnel groupings with the emphasis on creating less run space in the box and forcing Garrard to attack the Broncos through the air.

Passing: If the Jaguars are going to have success running the football, Garrard needs to make plays in the passing game. Garrard was effective last week against the Falcons but could have his hands full this week against Broncos corners Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly. Look for offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to spread the field with multiple personnel groupings while trying to attack the deep vertical seams off play-action with either WR Matt Jones or TE Marcedes Lewis. Jones is not a real polished receiver but has the playing speed to get behind the Broncos secondary, while Lewis posses enough speed to make plays downfield. Also, look for the Jaguars to try and isolate Dennis Northcutt in the slot in sub to create mismatches against either Karl Paymah or Jeff Shoate. Expect Bates to stay aggressive on third-down and attack Garrard in the pocket. Garrard is a big, athletic QB that places a lot of pressure on opposing defenses with his mobility to get outside and attack the edges of the pocket. Look for Bates to also mix-in some coverage designs to try to confuse Garrard. The game plan for the Broncos will be to load up the box and force Garrard to make plays in the passing game.


When the Broncos have the ball

Rushing: The Broncos will continue to rely on Henry to take pressure off Cutler. Henry is a compact runner who runs with hard with a good, low center of gravity. He is a perfect fit in the Broncos' power running game as a one-cut runner. However, the Broncos must do a good job of controlling the interior of the Jaguars defense led by LDT John Henderson, RDT Marcus Stroud and MLB Mike Peterson. The Jaguars don't run a real complicated scheme with their four-man fronts and they simply take advantage of their size up front and speed on the backend. Stroud is big (6-foot-6, 306 pounds), powerful player that relies on technique, while Henderson has similar skill-sets but is bigger (6-7, 325). Peterson is a fiery leader who can make plays all over the field in both regular and sub defensive packages. The key for the Broncos will be the interior of their offensive line led by C Tom Nalen. Nalen is an experienced player that relies on technique when gaining position and walling off to create inside run lanes. The Broncos can't allow the Jaguars to create a new line-of-scrimmage with their two massive defensive tackles. Expect Shanahan to attack the edges while running behind LT Matt Lepsis and the left side of the O-line. The Jaguars defensive line must do a great job of using their hands to protect their legs while staying on their feet to maintain gap responsibilities within their front seven when playing laterally down the line-of-scrimmage.

Passing: Cutler is an above-average athlete that has the arm strength to attack all three levels in the passing game. However, the Broncos must find a way to make some explosive downfield plays to either Javon Walker or Brandon Marshall against a fast and aggressive Jaguars defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Smith runs a pretty conservative scheme by relying on his front-four to create pressure and staying physical on the outside in the Jaguars Cover 2 schemes on the backend in coverage. However, the Jaguars were pretty aggressive last week in attacking the pocket in critical third-and-long situations with an assortment of zone dogs and overload blitz pressures. Look for Smith to attack the interior of the Broncos offensive line with zone dogs to try and collapse the inside pocket to create more space in both Henderson's and Stroud's rush lanes, while also getting their hands-up and into throwing lanes. Also, look for the Jaguars to stay aggressive with their corners Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams to try and disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Broncos' passing attack. The key for Cutler will be to try and stay patient while attacking the weakness in the Jaguars' Cover 2 schemes. If the Jaguars play a lot of single safety in the hole, the Broncos will try attack deep off their vertical play-action.

Special Teams

The Broncos have a solid advantage over the Jaguars with PK Jason Elam and P Todd Sauerbrun. Elam had another game-winning kick last weekend and remains one of the league's most reliable kickers. However, the Broncos will have their hand full in containing Northcutt on punts and Jones-Drew on kickoffs. Both players have the ability to make explosive plays and the Broncos must do a good job of directionally kicking this week to help their inconsistent coverage units that need to play better this week against the Jaguars.

[Paladin]

Okay. So, who're they taking?

[ChampBailey24]

no score prediction?

[Paladin]

Wimps.

[Los Broncos]

They will most likely take Denver in this one

Denver -3.5

[Paladin]

Didn't sound like it to me. Sounded more like a love-in with the Jagwads' DTs.

[Odysseus]

Interesting read. I am glad they didn't "take" either team. What difference does it make if one or the other doesn't execute? Nobody ever gets the score right. Broncos were supposed to be beat the Raiders by 9 1/2 points. Broncos can put up another 900 yards of offense and still win by 3.

Henry needs to score this week. Get that guy in the end zone.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Paladin

Didn't sound like it to me. Sounded more like a love-in with the Jagwads' DTs.

I am looking forward to when the Broncos have a defenesive line. We have a lot of parts but nothing solid.

[maven]

Halo 3 is only 4 days away!!!

[broncofan2438]

I want to see a prediction so i can agrgue otherwise

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by broncofan2438

I want to see a prediction so i can agrgue otherwise

We don't need no stinkin facts!

[Rock Chalk]

Originally Posted by maven

Halo 3 is only 4 days away!!!

Woot!

[CHANGSTER]

Originally Posted by maven

Halo 3 is only 4 days away!!!

Thanks for that. I almost had a heart attack looking for my pre order receipt just now hah.

[Paladin]

So. If Denver wins by four, they cover the spread. Is that important?

[want2bAbronco2]

Halo 3 preordered ...check... LAN party Tue night....check....lots to drink/eat...check.... oh, how good it will feel to hear the covanent scream again!

[Malcontent]

Sterling Sharpe on NFL Playbook is taking the Donks! So is that other fathead that I don't remeber his name.

[Los Broncos]

Originally Posted by Paladin

So. If Denver wins by four, they cover the spread. Is that important?

Only to gamblers, we were favored by 10.5 over Oakland and barely won.

[Rulon Velvet Jones]

Are we allowed to post these? Eh...going to until told otherwise:

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Earlier this week, our scouts filed their advance scouting report on this week's matchup between the Jaguars and Broncos. Now they're back with a second look.

Matchup to watch
Jacksonville MLB Mike Peterson vs. Denver RB Travis Henry
The Broncos are one of the top rushing teams in the NFL but will have a difficult task this week controlling the interior of the Jaguars run defense. Peterson is the leader of that defense and a highly productive player who is hard to block on the second level due to the ability of DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson to take up space and occupy blockers. Peterson is fast, explosive and makes plays all over the field. He is a sure tackler who is always around the ball.

Henry is a perfect fit in Denver's power zone running schemes. He leads the league in rushing and is averaging almost 25 attempts per game over the first two game. He is a powerful back who runs with a low center of gravity and can break tackles on the second level and gain yards after contact. He also has the speed to bounce plays to the outside and turn the corner. If the Broncos are going to have success this weekend they must continue to rely on Henry, while on the other side Peterson must not allow Henry to get on top of the second level and make explosive plays.


Can the Jaguars rushing attack have success against a questionable Broncos run defense?
The Jacksonville running game ranked fourth in the league last season but has struggled in 2007. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter needs to establish the running game with the combination of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew to open up the vertical attack off play-action. However, the Jaguars offensive line has done a poor job of creating enough inside space when teams load up the box with multiple eight-man fronts. Look for the Jaguars to attack the edges of the Broncos defense, running at Denver RDE Elvis Dumervil behind LG Vince Manuwai and LT Khalif Barnes.

Under assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates the Denver defense is allowing 156 rushing yards per game. Bates relies heavily on his attacking, upfield schemes to disrupt blocking patterns and allow MLB DJ Williams and WLB Ian Gold to attack downhill freely from an inside/out position. However, the Broncos have struggled maintaining their gap control outside on the edges, along with the cutback lanes. Look for Bates to load up the box with multiple eight-man fronts this week by using either SS Nick Ferguson or FS John Lynch as the eight-defender, which will in turn place a lot of pressure on his secondary.

Can the Broncos find a way to attack a talented Jacksonville defense?
Simply put, Denver head coach Mike Shanahan is the best play caller in the NFL. The Broncos lead the NFL in total offense (455 ypg) thanks to Henry, WR Javon Walker and the somewhat improved decision making of QB Jay Cutler. The offensive line has also done a solid job of protecting Cutler in the pocket on heavy pass-down situations. However, the Jaguars can pose a lot of problems with their size up front and speed on the backend.

Jacksonville is very stout up the middle with Stroud, Henderson and Peterson, and expect defensive coordinator Mike Smith to continue to stem his fronts by attacking downhill gaps with linebacker blitzes, along with interior line stunts to disrupt the Broncos power zone blocking patterns. The key for the Jaguars will be not to over pursue on the backside and allow Henry to hit cutback lanes. The Jaguars have two solid corners in Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams to match up against Walker and Brandon Marshall on the perimeter, but they could get exposed at safety due to a season-ending injury to starter Gerald Sensabaugh. Look for Shanahan to spread the field with his multiple three-WR groupings to create mismatches and force the Jaguars to play either man or soft zone in sub situations while keeping either six or seven defenders in the box, something Denver will look to exploit with either Henry or the play-action pass.

Can QB David Garrard make enough plays in the passing game?
Bates is going to load up the box with multiple defenders and force Garrard to beat him through the air. Garrard and his receiving corps must find a way to push the ball vertically against Broncos CBs Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly to back the Denver defense off. Bates has a lot of faith in his secondary and their ability to match up in man coverage. Bailey is easily the best corner in the NFL, while Bly has tremendous ball skills down the field.

Outside of WR Dennis Northcutt and TE Marcedes Lewis, the Jacksonville receivers have been very inconsistent. Reggie Williams, Matt Jones and Ernest Wilford need to make more plays in the Jaguars multiple spread packages. Williams is a physical player who excels in the short and intermediate areas, while Jones has deceptive downfield speed but has struggled since switching to WR upon entering the NFL. However, look for Garrard to take some vertical chances downfield to Lewis off play-action. Lewis is a big target who creates matchup problems downfield due to his speed. The Broncos must play well on the perimeter and not allow any explosive downfield plays, while also staying in their rush lanes to negate the mobility of Garrard.Scouts' Edge

The Scouts Inc. Position Advantage
QB RB WR OL DL LB DB ST Coach
Den Jax Den Den Jax Jax Den Den Den


Both teams enter the game with a similar concern: they must find ways to finish drives and score touchdowns in the red zone. The Jaguars need to find a way to get back to their power running game against a Broncos defense that has struggled against the run. Expect the Broncos to load up the box and force QB David Garrard to attack through the air with his underachieving receiving corps. Shanahan will continue to use Henry and the Broncos power zone schemes to take pressure off Cutler and set up the play-action passing game. Look for Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith to continue to be aggressive with his front seven by attacking gaps with run blitzes and interior line stunts. However, the Broncos will find a way to win in a tough, physical game at home on Sunday.

Prediction: Broncos 20, Jaguars 17

[Vegas_Bronco]

Under assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates the Denver defense is allowing 156 rushing yards per game. Bates relies heavily on his attacking, upfield schemes to disrupt blocking patterns and allow MLB DJ Williams and WLB Ian Gold to attack downhill freely from an inside/out position.

WTH?

[Los Broncos]

Check out what they are saying over on the Jag boards

I see Kaylore over there

http://mb.jaguars.com/Topic354414-6-1.aspx

[Hulamau]

Those big Jag DTs are going to be sucking mile high wind before end of the second quarter.

[Vegas_Bronco]

Originally Posted by Lynchmob72

Check out what they are saying over on the Jag boards

I see Kaylore over there

http://mb.jaguars.com/Topic354414-6-1.aspx

Kaylore, how did you get 'posting abilities permissions' - I keep getting a message that the site administrator has not given me permission. I guess they don't like opposing fans ruining their swampmeet'n.

[brncs_fan]

Originally Posted by sjclem1

I don't think Denver is the Make or Break game. Because it is only week 3. We have a bye following the game and any problems seen in it should be able to be corrected in two weeks of practice. Week 5 is with Kansas City so the team can try to implement the changes against a weak team.

[Rulon Velvet Jones]

I don't get the Jags argument that "Denver can't stop the run" and "the Jags had trouble stopping the run in week one, but turned it around in week two". Well, you think you're the only team in the NFL that knows how to fix things?

[Rulon Velvet Jones]

And Kaylore, I feel for you man...that's one ignorant crowd you're up against.

Already to the cut/chop blocking BS? Gee, that's a new one. Good job shutting them up, though. If it weren't for football in Jacksonville, incestual pregnancy numbers on Sundays would be through the roof.