DENVER BRONCOS HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

Opening statement

“So I think we had a chance to take control of the football game early after the first drive and the turnover and we didn’t take advantage of it.  Unfortunately we had three turnovers which gave them ten points and that got us behind the eight-ball.  In the second half, give credit to them, they made plays and had a couple long drives and they did what they needed to do to win the football game and we couldn’t respond.”

On injuries at the wide receiver position

“Hopefully we’ll have them back.  [WR Brandon] Stokely had a concussion and we’ll see how serious that is.  Hopefully [WR] Eddie [Royal] can come back next week.  He’s got a bone bruise, and hopefully that will clear up.”

“I thought [WR Glenn] Martinez made plays in there.  For the first time, [WR] Darrell Jackson was back.  We had those guys play a lot of plays in the second half.  We lost a couple guys and a couple guys stepped up and unfortunately we didn’t get it done.”

On the defensive performance

“I think we wore down a little bit.  We got a little tired.  At the end we were trying to strip the ball when they were pushing.  They made the big plays.  They had a big run for a touchdown and a pass.  We responded to one of those but couldn’t take advantage of our opportunities.”

On RB Michael Pittman

“I have a lot of confidence in Mike.  He does a great job.  He better be able to step up because we only have two guys left.”

On the interference call on the Broncos in the fourth quarter

“I didn’t think it was interference.  I was right there, right on the spot.  I’m not sure what it was like on the replay, but I didn’t think it was.  In fact, being right there, I’d better a dollar to doughnuts that it wasn’t [pass interference].  It doesn’t really matter.  We had a lot of opportunities to do things throughout the game.”

On Jacksonville QB David Garrard

“He makes plays.  The one quarterback draw at the end versus a blitz…I give credit to him for showing what type of athlete he is.  He got away from a few sacks and he’s a heck of an athlete.  [He is] very strong.”

On the defense

 “We had a chance to control the football game but we turned [the ball] over three times, and it’s hard to win those kind of games.  But we did get two turnovers on defense and a couple of sacks, but we just couldn’t keep it going.  We had improvement on both sides of the football and special teams.  We just have to keep on working, we know what our record is, and get ready for New England.”

On going for it on fourth down in the second quarter

“It was not a bad choice on my part.  I would have went for it again.  I wish I could have chosen a different play.  You second guess yourself on that, but I take total credit for the mistake.  Sometimes you’re going to make it and sometimes your not.  I thought we could get the fourth-and-one.  I’d probably go for it most of the time, and probably make it some of the time.”

Continue reading this post »

Final Game Stats

HOME WINNING STREAK SNAPPED

* - The Broncos, who entered Sunday’s games vs. Jacksonville with an NFL-best six-game home winning streak, lost at in Denver for the first time since a 19-13 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers on 10/29/07. With the loss, the Broncos fall to 3-4 (.429) all-time against the Jaguars in the regular season, including a 2-2 (.500) mark at home.

RB MICHAEL PITTMAN

* - Broncos RB Michael Pittman, who made his first start as a Bronco and the 80^th of his career against Jacksonville, finished with 20 rushes for 109 yards (5.5 avg.), becoming the first Bronco to rush for 100 yards in a game since RB Selvin Young had 156 yards vs. Kansas City (12/9/08). His 109 yards marked his highest rushing total since he had 127 rushing yards as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005 (15-127, vs. Mia., 10/16/05).

Continue reading this post »

Start of 3rd Quarter

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

Start of 2nd Quarter

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

2008 OFFENSE

2008 DEFENSE

After a 1 week hiatus, THE EDGE returns with a battle between the Broncos(4-1) and the Jacksonville Jaguars(2-3).  These teams met in Denver in Week 3 of last season, with the Jags "man-handling" the Broncos, winning 23-14.   This year's Jags team isn't nearly as physical and is missing some key components, especially on the offensive line.  Can the Broncos take advantage and keep up with their winning ways?

It's Broncos/Jags. Who has "The Edge"?

Continue reading this post »

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE VERY BEST

IN DENVER BRONCO PRE-GAME ANALYSIS

MILEHIGHREPORT.COM

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

What a difference a few weeks makes!  Teams that looked tough going into the season have suffered injuries (Brady in NE) or declined (SD and INDY) while other teams have shot ahead (TENN and DEN).  If you had asked me before the season what my thoughts were on JAX, I would have told you that the only thing holding them back was INDY.  But their offensive line was decimated by injuries, and the team has never bounced back.

As for Denver, I expected them to sweep KC this year, but to win two of four games against SD and OAK.  I also thought that either TB or NO could sneek up on DEN.  But KC managed to beat Denver, while Denver beat the other four teams.  Denver's offense is playing at a SuperBowl level, and while the defense has looked weak, it showed a lot of talent in week five.

Let's take a look at the Denver / Jacksonville match-up this week, and discuss some if the issues surrounding the game.

Read on...

Continue reading this post »

For Everything Jags Related, Check Out BigCatCountry

The Denver Broncos (4-1), who hold a two-game lead atop the AFC West, aim for their 400th overall victory on Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3). Kickoff at INVESCO Field at Mile High is set for 2:05p.m. MDT, and the game will be broadcast on CBS with Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf calling the action.

Denver is coming off a 16-13 win at home against Tampa Bay last week. The Broncos posted three sacks against a Buccaneers squad that had not allowed a sack in its last two games while Denver kicker Matt Prater made all three field goal attempts, including a 55- yarder that marked his fourth 50+yard conversion this year.

The Broncos face a Jaguars team that lost 26-21 against Pittsburgh on Sunday night. All five of Jacksonville's games this season have been decided by seven points or fewer, and its defeat to the Steelers snapped the club's two-game winning streak.

Having won their last six home games in the regular season, the Broncos enter Sunday's game with the NFL's longest home winning streak. Quarterback Jay Cutler has sparked Denver's recent home success, throwing 15 touchdown passes and two interceptions in addition to completing 70 percent of his passes in that six-game period.

Named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, Cutler has directed a Broncos offense that ranks second in the NFL in both yards per game (415.0) and first downs (117) while placing third in the league in points per game (29.8). Brandon Marshall has been a key part of Denver's offensive success, leading all NFL wide receivers in receptions (34) and posting the second-best receiving yards per game average (105.8) in the league.

Denver's defense has helped the club build early leads with the Broncos one of just five teams in the NFL to not allow a touchdown in the first quarter.

Continue reading this post »

HEAD COACH MIKE SHANAHAN

On the Broncos’ defense

“They played well. We did a lot of good things on defense. Any time you have six series with three plays and out, it is a good start. I was pleased with their effort throughout the game. We are starting to build and starting to make some strides forward. Hopefully, we can keep it going.”

On the defenses having more enthusiasm against Tampa Bay compared to previous weeks

“I wouldn’t go through that. I think people have a short memory sometimes. We played three quarters against the Raiders that we allowed 128 yards in total offense, 27 zip. They are a pretty good rushing football team. We did some good things against San Diego. We have had some opportunities where we have played a good three quarters or a good quarter, but in this game we played a good four quarters.”

On how WR Brandon Marshall is handling being double covered

“That is football in the National Football League. You have to understand what it takes to win and the quarterback, I thought, managed the game very well. In that situation, most people don’t look at the fact that we had three third-and-2’s, two third-and-3’s and a third-and-4 that we missed. We were 6-of-14. The ones we missed were ones that keep drives going. Instead of having 16 points, you end up having 30 points. We have been much better in our third down area. When you miss three those and you are still 6-of-14 against an excellent defense, you are doing some good things. We just have to work on that third down area to keep the ball and get some more plays. We completed 68 percent of our passes for 227 yards and that is good. You can’t turn the football over and you can’t get second and long and third and long, and for the most part we didn’t. That is what you have to do to win the football game. Especially some of the young guys, they want to contribute but they don’t understand what it takes to win sometimes. You have to make those third downs.”

On the contributions of DT Dewayne Robertson

“He is doing what we ask him to do. It is always a change going from a 3-4 to a four-man front. You have to be pretty unselfish in the four-man front because a lot of times the linebackers are going to get the tackles. I think it was obvious after you saw the stats following the game that the defensive line did a good job occupying the offensive lineman and giving the linebackers an opportunity to make some plays.”

Continue reading this post »

FINAL GAME NOTES

WIN NO. 150 FOR SHANAHAN

* - With the win, Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan earned his 150^th overall career victory (150-96-0, .610) and became the 17th coach in NFL history to reach that win total. His overall record with the Broncos improves to 142-84-0 (.628).

SIXTH IN A ROW AT HOME

* - The Broncos extended their home winning streak to six games with their victory against Tampa Bay. It is their longest such streak since posting 13 consecutive home wins in the regular season from Dec. 12, 2004, through Oct. 15, 2006.

CUTLER MILESTONES

* - Broncos QB Jay Cutler completed 23-of-34 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 96.1 passer rating.

* - His 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley in the third quarter moved him ahead of QB Steve Tensi for sole possession of seventh in Broncos history in career touchdown passes (39). 

* - Cutler also became the eighth player in Broncos history to reach 6,000 career passing yards, finishing the game with an even 6,000 for his career.

* - The victory improved Cutler’s career record as a starting quarterback to 13-13.

Continue reading this post »