Clady out for the Year

[Steve]

If nobody's open, Manning will throw the ball away and remain healthy for the next play. I would have rather had Rivers do that last season.

He won't have to attempt nearly as many either when they keep going 3 and out. You can only do so many 3 step drops and be productive.

[Lightningwill_420]

He won't have to attempt nearly as many either when they keep going 3 and out. You can only do so many 3 step drops and be productive.

If Manning does the Reich/Norv strategy, he might not make it to third down.

[Steve]

But don't you think if teams could just throw 3 step drops, every team that had bad pass protection would do that?

No matter how quickly they want to get rid of the ball, at some point they have to throw downfield or we can stack the line to stop the short passes and jam up their running game. At some point, they have to mix in some medium and longer passes and to some degree, we can force them to do that by what coverages we call.

Some teams have emphasized a ton of just short passes in the past, but they didn't score a ton of points.

When Denver plays us, I am pretty sure they will try and force us to cover their guys. Our coverage is actually pretty good these days, but the pass rush has yet to prove anything. If I was Denver, I would take my chances with our pass rushers. And no matter how good pass coverage is, at some point even the best coverage guys break down if they have to cover too long.

[Lightningwill_420]

But don't you think if teams could just throw 3 step drops, every team that had bad pass protection would do that?

No matter how quickly they want to get rid of the ball, at some point they have to throw downfield or we can stack the line to stop the short passes and jam up their running game. At some point, they have to mix in some medium and longer passes and to some degree, we can force them to do that by what coverages we call.

Some teams have emphasized a ton of just short passes in the past, but they didn't score a ton of points.

When Denver plays us, I am pretty sure they will try and force us to cover their guys. Our coverage is actually pretty good these days, but the pass rush has yet to prove anything. If I was Denver, I would take my chances with our pass rushers. And no matter how good pass coverage is, at some point even the best coverage guys break down if they have to cover too long.

Okay, you caught me. I don't know anything about Denver other than they cheat the salary cap. I was really just speaking about us. Hopefully we see more runs and quick pass plays this year.
Our O'line sucked two years ago (you'll disagree, I'm sure), yet we managed to cover it up with a good runningback and a quick passing game plan. I know, last year, our O'line was a lot worse than it was the previous year and we didn't have a good runningback for most of the year. But, still, although there were bigger issues, I think the playcalling contributed to the beating Rivers took last year. If we had given the ball more to Oliver and had Rivers get rid of the ball sooner, maybe we would have more 3-and-outs like you said, but we would have also, more-than-likely, had a healthy QB. This year, I hope we don't make the same mistakes as last year. I'm not ready to trust that O'line with blocking for long-developing pass plays.

[RTPbolt]

Our OL was ok two years ago for our scheme. Were they built for a Norv 7 step and go deep...nope. But we had guys that did well enough and run blocked pretty well down the stretch. Even last year we had an ok start to the year but losing a prowbowl center then our guards was too much plus our top rbs was too much to compensate for...teams could get after us more to get to Rivers snd they did.

I feel much better this year even though we have uncertainty at center and who starts at guard and RT. we have better talent and depth now with versatile lineman. Let them battle it out and i think our new line will gel. I think Gordon is going to really help as well plus Woodhead makes us a star studded skill position team again. I anticipate a well balanced offense that can dominate the TOP again but be even more explosive. I think the OL is going to take a big step forward this year to being a strength and that lets Rivers stay upright and able to lean on his RBs again.

RTPbolt

Okay, you caught me. I don't know anything about Denver other than they cheat the salary cap. I was really just speaking about us. Hopefully we see more runs and quick pass plays this year.
Our O'line sucked two years ago (you'll disagree, I'm sure), yet we managed to cover it up with a good runningback and a quick passing game plan. I know, last year, our O'line was a lot worse than it was the previous year and we didn't have a good runningback for most of the year. But, still, although there were bigger issues, I think the playcalling contributed to the beating Rivers took last year. If we had given the ball more to Oliver and had Rivers get rid of the ball sooner, maybe we would have more 3-and-outs like you said, but we would have also, more-than-likely, had a healthy QB. This year, I hope we don't make the same mistakes as last year. I'm not ready to trust that O'line with blocking for long-developing pass plays.

[Steve]

Any team that wants to be successful in the passing game needs to mix up the passes some. I agree, we need to get rid of the ball quickly. Rivers loves to hold the ball, but his strength as a player is to make presnap read, know if it is the right read at the snap and then get the ball out to the correct receiver. There are a lot of times he doesn't even go through his progressions, he knows (from all his pregame work) who will be open on a given coverage, so he just skips ahead and hits the open guy, be it the 3rd or 4th receiver.

And don't forget, no one is talking about making Rivers sit back on a ton of 7 step drops. Most 5 step drops the QB can get rid of the ball quickly. There are some 5 step combinations that are designed to hit more slowly, but now that we only have 1 long strider at WR, we don't have the whole offense designed like that. We mix in the short, 3 step, 5 step and some deep 5 step patterns. There are even those token 7 step drops off of play action. But defenses can get into a rhythmn just like offenses do, so if the offense mixes up the runs, the depth of the drops, the speed in which we hit the other team, it really messes with the D.

As far as Denver goes, they are back to the old Shanahan offense. Zone running game out of base personnel (2 Rb, or 2 TE). Deeper, slower hitting passing game off of some 10-15 yard outs to exploit the D in their 8 man fronts for run support. They usually ask the QB to run a lot of bootleg type of stuff to freeze the backside pursuit, to open up the zone runs. Obviously, Den is going to have to adjust. Partly for Manning and then partly depending on how the OL thing works out.

Denver allowed their pass catching TE to leave. They are thinner at WR then last year. They don't have a classic FB. So, something will have to give.

Their biggest thing they have going is with Wade at DC. He has never had personnel as good as this when he has taken over. Usually Wade makes huge improvements over some D that was completely crappy and has no personnel. Now he has the edge rushers to make the 34 go. He has some DL to work with. The secondary for Den has been rebuilt the last few years. And he has some LB who can run and cover. I would expect to see a lot of short passing from their O and for them to control the clock and set up their D. Then keep the game close, and turn Payton Manning lose late in games when the other team has their pass rushers worn down, and the Denver scrubs have a chance against the slowed pass rush.

[bonehead]

A lot can happen between now and Dec.6.

You mean things can get worse for the Broncos??

[Formula 21]

You mean things can get worse for the Broncos??

Yeah, Manning could meet Ingram.

[Gwynning_Spirit]

not until Dec. 6, assuming both are still in the line up.

[Gwynning_Spirit]

You mean things can get worse for the Broncos??

Or better.

By the time we face them, either they'll have figured out how to keep that old fucknut upright, or it'll be Osweiller out there killing the clock with handoffs on their lost season and top 10 pick in next year's draft.

[Heatmiser]

Manning has played without Clady before. And I think he lost his starting center that year too, if memory serves, due to injury? Broncos and Manning will adjust and Clady has not been the same Clady of late anyway. I really do hope that all the other line losses combined with Manning being a year older and Kubiak maybe, just maybe, wanting to do things his own way will all combine to a poor Bronco performance. But much as I don't like him, I have learned to respect and not bet against Peyton Manning (in the REGULUAR season)

TG

[Steve]

The thing is about Manning, he is getting older and they need a much stronger performance from their OL. And when they lost their C and LT, they had a pretty solid group around those spots. Now, they have a very old Peyton Manning with fewer weapons and only 1 spot that is solidified on the OL. Not exactly the same situation.