September 24, 2007 1:01 PM

Jeff Legwold on the Broncos-Jacksonville game

Mark_Wolf(Q) From the Web: "Move DJ Williams to the weak side. Trade Ian Gold, put him in a reserve role, or move him to the strong side. Either trade for a MLB or move Nate Webster to that spot."
jeff_legwold(A) D.J. Williams is having a difficult transition to middle linebacker, but I've said before if people thought he was going to learn his third position in three seasons and it would go smoothly right away they were mistaken. Williams can play the middle, he just needs to relax and he isn't playing relaxed right now so people aren't seeing what he can do. Moving guys again at this point won't be a quick fix either, especially with the October schedule the way it is, but it's always an option if the run defense woes continue.

Mark_Wolf(Q) From the Web: "The Broncos are paying the price for not filling the big shoes of Al Wilson. Inside linebacker and Strong Safety is the foundation of all great defences. Denver will be in trouble against any team that has an average running game."
jeff_legwold(A) They have certainly been in trouble against the run already. But even if Wilson were still with the team he would be on the physically unable to perform list with a neck injury. He has yet to be cleared enough to play. But he was going to be a difficult player to replace, the Broncos knew that. They moved Williams into the middle because he was their best athlete at the position and smart enough to play there. The Broncos aren't getting the kind of play they expected in the middle of their defensive line either.

turftoe(Q) Just wanted to send warmest regards from Hooterville and wondering when hacks from Denver would learn to keep their mouths shut and be thought tools instead of opening them and confirming it.
jeff_legwold(A) It was a story in the newspaper that had little effect on the game. As i recall it was one of the Jaguars own players -- Khalif Barnes -- who called Jacksonville "a hick town'' our writer did not. Our writer quoted others, which is what writers do. I've always enjoyed my many trips to Jax and continue to have good friends who live there, some of whom work for the team.

Mark_Wolf(P) Think nice thoughts about us when we're digging out of the blizzard this year, OK turftoe?
turftoe(C) Of course thanks for manning up and answering me!

Oops(Q) Maybe it's me, but it seems the Broncos defense has a tough time stopping opposing offenses on long third down plays. I recall seeing the Jags convert a few 3rd and 7s and sometimes 3rd and 10s out there on Sunday. Thoughts?
jeff_legwold(A) Missed tackles were, in my first look back at the video, the biggest problem. The Broncos are turning short gains into bigger ones because for the most part they are surrendering to much yardage after contact. But you're right, the Jaguars had 11 first downs by running the ball, that's out of whack for a defense that wants to be in the postseason.

jags1(C) BRONCOS SUCKS JAGS ARE NUMBER 1

Mark_Wolf(P) So are you guys transplants to Denver or joining us from Jacksonville?
Duval(C) Live in Denver From Jacksonville

csurams7(Q) Jeff, it has been thrown out there that Bates has been given the power to make some personal decisions on defense (in particular letting Kennedy and Warren go) do you think that maybe this was a mistake in hindsight? Because I don't see Adams being that particullarly effective.
jeff_legwold(A) Adams says he feels great, but I think his knee is bothering him some -- he had arthroscopic surgery in the offseason -- and has impacted what he can do so far. I think decision to trade Warren and release Kennedy had more than Bates involved. Trading Warren in the division was odd, but I think the feeling was he was not going to be a starter and they were not certain how he would take to not being a starter here. Sometimes it's easier for a guy to go in a new locker room and not be a starter, but more difficult to be moved down the depth chart with the people he has seen every day for a few years.

CatAttack(Q) How does it feel to eat crow?
Mark_Wolf(A) A little salty, but properly seasoned and with a nice pinot grigo it makes a palatable meal.

Jaguar54(Q) Not many denver fans in here
Mark_Wolf(A) Bars open early here.

Arn(Q) When the helmet radio breaks down can't they use hand signals or just let the quarterback call a play without burning timeouts?
jeff_legwold(A) Tougher these days when most quarterbacks don't get to call many of their own plays at any point in their playing careers from high school on. Many get to call their own plays inside the two-minute drill, but that still comes off a script that's work on through the week. Hand signals, too, aren't worked on because for the most part, they aren't needed. A team might be able to make a scripts of plays for if the headsets go down, but then it becomes trying to pick things out that might work for whatever formation the defense is in at that point.

Mark_Wolf(Q) The Broncos defense had three sacks but David Garrard got loose too many times. Why couldn't they contain?
jeff_legwold(A) The short answer is he's a good athlete, who knows when to leave the pocket. The Jaguars also did a good job of pinning the Broncos linebackers in the middle of the field and turning the defensive tackles to give him some room to run.

Oops(Q) I did see some positives. Cutler seems to be getting more comfortable and Marshall is looking like he might be a No. 1 receiver on a team someday.
jeff_legwold(A) The Broncos felt like Marshall could be a No. 1 as long as he played and practiced with some maturity. He's a tough match-up for a defensive back and when he runs with the ball, he's intent on breaking tackles. He'll get some additional attention at some point, but right now he's facing No. 2 corners because teams are using their top guys on Javon Walker. If a defense changes that Walker will have huge numbers. It does give the Broncos some options if they can keep their run game productive.

Oops(Q) Mark, what are your thoughts on the game? You used to be a sports writer, right?
Mark_Wolf(A) I was shocked at the shoddy tackling. Scheme or no scheme, NFL players ought to be able to bring people down. The time of possession worked against the Broncos being able to establish a running game. Looked to me like they were always rushing. Foremost, I thought the Jags just pushed them around up front. And I like those short stubby running backs who hunt people down to smack them.

csurams7(Q) If the defense continues to struggle, how long before changes are made? And what kind of changes would you see fourthcoming?
jeff_legwold(A) Tough one to answer, coaches really don't like to spend months putting something together and then try to move a bunch of people around in the six days before another game. Certainly Shanahan has always shown he move people in and out of the lineup if there is continued troubles, but as far as changing too much in the scheme, some adjustments can be made, but it's very tough to change completely. Missed tackles, for one, are not scheme issues, that is simply players getting in the right position. These players can do it, they've done it before. Their footwork as they close on the ball isn't where it should be right now. Champ Bailey has been the only consistent tackler in the back seven and Elvis Dumervil has played the best up front.
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jpramuka(Q) Looks like more Jaguars fans than Broncos. I heard some boos from your fans and watched the stadium start to clear pretty early. Are the slopes open yet?
Mark_Wolf(A) Not till November. Right after the Rockies' World Series celebration starts to wind down.

Mark(Q) Is the AFC West as bad as it seems?
jeff_legwold(A) Might be, the jury is still out. And the opinion will be based largely on what the Broncos and Chargers do over the next three weeks. Have a hard time believing the Chargers can't pull it together some if they can keep from arguing their way to an 8-8 finish.
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Oops(C) (By the way, it seems the "questions" from Jags fans are just asinine comments rather than real questions. But I'm not expecting much from northern Florida folks...)
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Oops(Q) What is their confidence like right now, especially considering that they know they have to go to Indy next week?
jeff_legwold(A) I'm sure the confidence is a little shaken, but it's an older team so they tend to bounce back fairly well. Thing is, they can't afford not to. October schedule is brutal and then they have six of the last nine on the road. They feel sorry for themselves too long and they'll have little chance for the postseason.

Duval(Q) How come nobody gave the Jags a chance.I knew we were going to win
jeff_legwold(A) I didn't get that prediction before today....

Mark_Wolf(Q) Would a team confident in its defense and specail teams have gone for the fourth-and-five with four minutes to play?
jeff_legwold(A) No, it wouldn't have. Shanahan said after the game the way the Jaguars were moving the ball that he thought going for it was the "best chance to win.''

Oops(C) Duval... Yeah, and I knew the Eagles were going to score that much. That's why I am not at work right now b/c I won so much money in Vegas. Hindsight....

Oops(Q) What was the deal with the Jags and that third down spike at the goal line?
jeff_legwold(A) I didn't get over to their locker room, but that was puzzling, especially with a timeout available at the time. Seemed to me Garrard lost track of the down.

jeff_legwold(P) Thanks for the questions...

Jaguar54(Q) I think it could have been worse for the Broncos. I believe they did a good job of staying in the game and making plays with their backs against the wall. That said, did anybody in Denver even give us the slightest of chances to win?
Mark_Wolf(A) I don't think so. Even though the Broncos weren't impressive in their first two victories, it's hard to go against their home field record against a team that's still settling in at the quarterback position. That said, I was impressed with the Jags, who play it what's shaping up as a very tough division if Houston is for real.

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Mark_Wolf(P) Thanks to Jeff for his time. Thanks for all the good questions. And enjoy the bye week, Jags fans.

Jaguar54(Q) I think it could have been worse for the Broncos. I believe they did a good job of staying in the game and making plays with their backs against the wall. That said, did anybody in Denver even give us the slightest of chances to win?
Mark_Wolf(A) I don't think so. Even though the Broncos weren't impressive in their first two victories, it's hard to go against their home field record against a team that's still settling in at the quarterback position. That said, I was impressed with the Jags, who play it what's shaping up as a very tough division if Houston is for real.