Nov 14, 2009 12:39 pm US/Mountain
Broncos Trying To Avoid Following 'Skins Pattern
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JOSEPH WHITE - AP Sports Writer
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) ―
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Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos talks to head coach Josh McDaniels at Invesco Field at Mile High on November 09, 2009 in Denver.
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
A fresh, new NFL head coach has his team off to a 6-2 start. Sure, there have been some bumps along the way, but most everyone is pleasantly surprised with a record that's better than anyone would have predicted.
Sound familiar, Jim Zorn?
"We were 6-2 last year at our start, and yet it's very difficult," Zorn said. "It's hard to win in the NFL."
It's been hard to win for a full year for the Washington Redskins, who are 4-12 since Zorn's "Hip, Hip, Hooray!" run that had him looking like a coach of the year candidate in his rookie season on the job. Since then, of course, all the flaws that were easy to overlook during eight weeks of success have been exposed for all the league to see, and Zorn isn't expected to make it to a third season.
Which takes us to Josh McDaniels, this year's new kid on the block who could do no wrong. He has the Denver Broncos at 6-2, but the two losses have come in the last two games. Has the league started to figure him out? Are the Broncos' flaws greater than they appeared at 6-0? Will he meet the same fate as Zorn?
Or is this just a blip on the radar screen of a promising coaching career?
"It's a little bit of who we played," Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said, "and a little bit of what we didn't do in the games."
Indeed, it's no embarrassment to lose on the road to Baltimore or at home to Pittsburgh, but the offense didn't do much either week and the losses allowed San Diego to move within a game of first place in the AFC West. The truest test yet as to whether the Broncos are trending downward comes Sunday when they visit the Redskins (2-6), a team that has dropped four straight and practically owns the downward arrow.
"You're happy to start with wins, and we were, but certainly not content," McDaniels said. "We haven't accomplished anything, and we're certainly not satisfied with the way we've played the last two weeks."
Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell didn't throw a single interception during the Redskins' 6-2 start last year, so it's an interesting parallel that Kyle Orton had only one during Denver's 6-0 binge. The luck ran out last week against the Steelers, when Orton was picked three times.
Big plays have also noticeably missing from the close-to-the-vest Denver attack. Orton's longest completion the last two weeks has been 23 yards. Rookie Knowshon Moreno leads the team with 423 yards rushing, but his longest run on the season is a mere 17 yards. The offense accounted for only one touchdown in the two losses.
A popular topic in Denver this week was whether Orton needs to take more shots downfield, or at least hit a home run once in a while to get a confidence boost.
McDaniels' response: "If you need that and if you're looking for that, you're in trouble."
Regardless, the big downfield throw might not be the best strategy against the Redskins, ranked No. 1 in the league in pass defense. That statistic is somewhat misleading, however, because a run defense ranked No. 25 gives offenses less reason to pass. Also, teams usually have a lead against Washington, so the fourth quarter is spent running the ball to use up the clock.
The Broncos are also coming off a short week of practice, having played Monday night, but Atlanta faced the same hurdle last week before dismantling the Redskins 31-17.
That 17 number has been a barrier for Washington all season -- the team has yet to score more -- and the odds don't look good this week. Zorn's offense will be using its fifth different starting offensive line because of injuries and lack of performance. Campbell has been sacked 11 times in the last two weeks.
Denver's defense is stout, and it has extra motivation. Mike Nolan, who is among the many players and coaches who have had a less-than-harmonious departure from the Redskins during a decade of Dan Snyder's ownership, is now Broncos defensive coordinator. Bailey is also on that list, having left Washington in a 2004 trade after Snyder balked at the Pro Bowl player's asking price for a new contract.
This is Bailey's first game in Washington since the trade for running back Clinton Portis, so he wants to have a good game. But he'll settle for putting his young coach back in the win column.
"We need to win. Get this bad taste of our mouth," Bailey said. "It's tough losing two in a row after winning six."
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