Oct 14, 2008 5:03 am US/Mountain
Marshall Vows To Change Style In Light Of Fumbles
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By Arnie Stapleton, AP Sports Writer
DENVER (AP) ―
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Brandon Marshall No. 15 of the Denver Broncos celebrates his 35-yard first quarter touchdown reception against the New Orleans Saints during NFL action at Invesco Field at Mile High on Sept. 21, 2008, in Denver.
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Brandon Marshall suggested the cure to his fumblitis was to quit fighting for extra yards. Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has a better prescription: hold onto the ball.
Marshall, the league's leading receiver, said his costly fumble as he was fighting his way toward the end zone in Denver's 24-17 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday had forced him to reconsider his trademark style.
"I guess I kind of still live in the past. Last year, it worked for me running around a little bit, and this year it's costing me," Marshall said. "So, I guess I've got to go back to the basics and just getting upfield and getting what I can and stop trying to get extra yards. It's definitely costing me and the team this year."
Running after the catch is what makes Marshall, well, Marshall. The nimble 6-foot-4, 230-pound pass-catcher awes audiences with his electrifying assortment of deceptive moves, fakes, twists and turns to deke defenders.
He leads the NFL with 43 receptions for 521 yards and has three TDs despite missing the opener while on suspension for a series off off-the-field misdeeds.
But he's also committed three fumbles, including a game-changer in Denver's 33-19 loss at Kansas City and his big cough-up on Sunday when cornerback Drayton Florence stripped him at about the 5-yard line and picked up the loose ball.
Later in the game, Marshall broke four tackles on a spectacular sideline-to-sideline run after the catch, but Marshall suggested those kinds of plays aren't going to be in his repertoire anymore.
"You've got to do what's best for the team," Marshall said. "And right now, that's my third fumble. And I lost two this year. Can't no one correct it but me."
His coach cringed at the thought of his third-year superstar wanting to curtail his brand of jukes, dodges and Houdini-like escapes.
"Well, you've just got to tuck the ball away," Shanahan said. "Brandon understands the National Football League and people are going to be stripping the ball and you can't carry it to the outside."
It's a lesson quarterback Jay Cutler learned himself Sunday, Shanahan added.
Cutler was stripped at midfield on a scramble in which he held the ball by the laces in his right hand even after crossing the line of scrimmage, inexplicably failing to cover it up.
"It's an example for Brandon, it's an example for Jay," Shanahan said. "When he turned up inside, he's got to have two hands on that ball as well. We let a couple opportunities pass by, had a couple of turnovers. As we talked about in Kansas City, it's hard to win when you stop yourself."
Shanahan had no problem, however, with the team's third turnover, when Cutler overthrew Marshall on a deep jump-ball that safety Gerald Sensabaugh intercepted at the Jaguars 6.
"To me, it was a very smart play," Shanahan said. "It was third down-and-8, he threw it up in the air. It was better than a punt. ... Those are the kinds of things that a smart quarterback is going to take a shot at: not caring about his stats, trying to make a play."
Marshall agreed: "Shoot, it was a great punt."
A better throw, however, and it might have been a great catch, and Denver might have pulled out the win.
The Broncos (4-2) averaged 38 points in their first three games but haven't topped 19 in their last three, and turnovers are a big reason.
So are injuries: Cutler didn't have tight end Tony Scheffler, tailback Selvin Young and rookie receiver Eddie Royal on Sunday and he lost slot receiver Brandon Stokley to a concussion in the first half.
Stokley said he hopes to play Monday night at New England, but this is his 10th concussion and he'll have to pass a series of mental acuity tests before he's even allowed back onto the practice field.
Royal said he's feeling better and hopes to return to action against the Patriots.
It's unclear if Scheffler or Young, neither of whom were in the locker room Monday, will even practice this week. Even if Young does, it's likely that 11th-year pro Michael Pittman will keep the starting job after rushing for 109 yards on 20 carries Sunday.
"You play like that, you get an opportunity to get more playing time," Shanahan said. "He sure didn't hurt himself in this game."
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