Color Red
10-30-2005, 10:52 PM
We know that Willie and Will, Roaf and Shields talked about retirement or being near the end of their careers in the off season. Today's game in microcosm showed what life looks like when future hall of famers like those two are coming near the end of the line.
I can't remember the last time I saw Trent Green butt helmets with Roaf after a touchdown pass play, celebrating because Willie formed a wall of defense that protected Green as he made the play.
Seeing the new blood on the Charger defensive line, Castillo and Merriman, especially Merriman thrashing our Willie was a real omen about where we are as a team and why.
Trent is being chased around more now than in previous years. His Houdini routine is decent. Remember that "escape" he played on the Eagles a few weeks ago, escaping no fewer than four sackers on a single play?
But we're doing all these short slant plays, and swing out passes that are short and quicker to develop. That's why there are less and less--very few down the field, vertical pass plays happening for us. And we have to keep tight ends in to block more...
Smart teams have observed that the best (only?) way to get more competitive on defense is with their line. New rules make it virtually impossible to effectively cover a receiver unless you are a shadow.
The answer: throttle up the defensive line, because you can't stop an offense with defensive backs. Only with defensive lineman that create issues for quarterbacks.
So the Broncos went out and got the Brown-cos, and what an incredible draft the Chargers had pulling in Castillo and Merriman (Merriman is an animal!). Oddly enough, one of the very few highlight players we have this year is "the wild man from the hills," Jared Allen, and why? Because he has created issues, mostly for opposing quarterbacks. Mark Brunnell has been highly productive this year, other than in games like he had against the Chiefs.
I hope I'm wrong. I hope there is another reason for why our offense is underproducing as it is. But I'm afraid we are seeing the lights go out on a couple of great NFL careers.
I can't remember the last time I saw Trent Green butt helmets with Roaf after a touchdown pass play, celebrating because Willie formed a wall of defense that protected Green as he made the play.
Seeing the new blood on the Charger defensive line, Castillo and Merriman, especially Merriman thrashing our Willie was a real omen about where we are as a team and why.
Trent is being chased around more now than in previous years. His Houdini routine is decent. Remember that "escape" he played on the Eagles a few weeks ago, escaping no fewer than four sackers on a single play?
But we're doing all these short slant plays, and swing out passes that are short and quicker to develop. That's why there are less and less--very few down the field, vertical pass plays happening for us. And we have to keep tight ends in to block more...
Smart teams have observed that the best (only?) way to get more competitive on defense is with their line. New rules make it virtually impossible to effectively cover a receiver unless you are a shadow.
The answer: throttle up the defensive line, because you can't stop an offense with defensive backs. Only with defensive lineman that create issues for quarterbacks.
So the Broncos went out and got the Brown-cos, and what an incredible draft the Chargers had pulling in Castillo and Merriman (Merriman is an animal!). Oddly enough, one of the very few highlight players we have this year is "the wild man from the hills," Jared Allen, and why? Because he has created issues, mostly for opposing quarterbacks. Mark Brunnell has been highly productive this year, other than in games like he had against the Chiefs.
I hope I'm wrong. I hope there is another reason for why our offense is underproducing as it is. But I'm afraid we are seeing the lights go out on a couple of great NFL careers.