Which scheme will Shannahanagans use?

[SKINSFAN87]

I think that shanahan can groom campbell into a good qb. Zorn couldn't get the respect from his players to be able to teach them anything, but shanahan on the other hand will have the respect and discipline required of these players, especially jason. I believe that if shanahan can't get the most out of Jason, than nobody will. This is jason's best chance of succeeding in his short nfl tenure, barring that he doesn't get cut or traded.

[4skins23]

ran the WCO, which the Texans led the league in passing. I'm sure the offense will target Campbells strengths, which Zorn never did. The Texans threw the ball downfield, took advantage of Schaubs arm.

Zorn didn't throw the ball down the field, and the opposing defenses never respected the offense.

Noone could address J.C.'s strengths because he never had enough time to make a decision. It takes him too long.

I think it'll be more running than passing. That's how it was in Denver. He does use the WCO, but he uses the run to set up the pass.

With JC, I can see more runs but with a capable QB I see more passing. More confidence in the QB to complete the plays. Keep in mind the receivers need to get open too. which they haven't for numerous reasons. (insert your reason here.)

ditto....

texans offense was 1st in passing YPG w/ 290.9 4th in total offense YPG w/ 383.1 and 30th in rushing YPG w/ 92.2

I believe MS will change the rushing stats segnificantly w/ his attitude of any back can fit in this system and get over 1000 yards in a season

ONLY time will tell.......its an anxies time in skins nation!!! I cant wait to see what moves are made in the approaching months after the playoffs!

here is the link to above stats...http://www.nfl.com/stats/team

I don't agree with "any back at all". I could go on record now and say Portis will be on IR and miss around a half of season. I bet I'd be right. - if he stays with the team.

+1 I don't mean to play devil's advocate for Zorn's offense, but he was obviously limited by pass protection after the halfway point of the 1st season and he never found a way to have a more dynamic passing game even if it was 3 step drop based, he resorted to basically throwing a bunch of hitches and other short stuff that defenses eventually sat on.

The biggest mystery Zorn and the team identified OL as an area of need after the season then do nothing but chase QBs?

I think Zorn's biggest mistake was not forcing Vinny/Dan to address the OL via draft and FA/trade.

So i guess he made his own bed.

But back on topic.

I've watched a few Texan's games and here's my take on Kyle's offense:

(alot of these have already been mentioned)

o its a pass 1st offense but i can't tell if its by design or because of Slaton's sophmore slump

o 5 step drop based passing attack with alot of intermediate routes lots of deep slants, deep ins, deep crossing routes and some out routes; they use far less 3 step drop then we do and they also sprinkle in some 7 step drop they go deep often

o they're very multiple and use more formations then we did

o motion is a key element in their offense, they have some motion/shifting on almost every play, they move Daniels and Johnson around alot

o they make good use of action passes- play action, rollouts/bootlegs; especially in the redzone

o they do a good job of attacking coverages and usually get receivers more open then what i typically see from Zorn's offense (one of my major knocks against Zorn was i thought his schemes were great against man-to-man when JC had time but i thought his schemes struggled against zones), Kyle seems to know how to get people open against zone schemes

o they do good job of using the TE downfield

o they of course use a ZBS scheme with a focus on 1 cut and go and zone reads

o oh and Andre Johnson is a beast

If that is all true then JC is not our man. And Zorn couldn't force the owner to do anything or he'd be fired. Zorn was not in charge of new talent, Cerrato and Snyder were. Zorn may of had input but thats it. It's funny how if you have a certain last name then you can receive special treatment.

I think that shanahan can groom campbell into a good qb. Zorn couldn't get the respect from his players to be able to teach them anything, but shanahan on the other hand will have the respect and discipline required of these players, especially jason. I believe that if shanahan can't get the most out of Jason, than nobody will. This is jason's best chance of succeeding in his short nfl tenure, barring that he doesn't get cut or traded.

And you are wrong. If ZORN couldn't make a QB of JC then MS definitely can't. Zorn is a QB coach and good at it. MS is a HC and pretty good at that. Thats it. I imagine MS will hire a QB coach so it won't be MS developing JC anyway.

[instinct21]

Shanahan has been advising Synder at least for the last 2 years. Hence our attempt to trade for Cutler. JC is gone. I heard Shanahan was studying Florida's spread offense during his time away (There was an article about it). We draft Bradford. Shanahan will transform the spread offense to fit into the NFL.

That's my guess. /shrug

[ibarramedia]

He may add a few elements of the spread to the west coast offense. Interestingly, there is no mention of Dan Reeves' offense as something he learned, though he was the offensive coordinator in the first 2 superbowl Losses by Elway/Reeves. One thing is for sure, he was forced to learn the entire Walshian west coast offense when he became a offensive coordinator under George Siefert. He was tutored by Walsh himself and he also learned how to install the plays, not just learn the offense. I don't know if it is still a practice of teams using the 'West Coast offense' but back in the day, all the teams that used it installed it the same exact way Walsh did. They all had films of the install from the 49ers and they filmed themselves intalling it.

[cphil006]

Zorn didn't throw the ball down the field,

neither did Campbell...

[darrelgreenie]

If that is all true then JC is not our man.

You mean you think JC is not our man.

And why praytell do think JC isn't out man?

You don't think he fits the offense as i described it?

When JC is on his A game he's a very good fit for this type of offense.

Kyle Shanahan's offense is much closer to the style of WCO that JC excelled in at Auburn then Zorn's offense.

And Mike Shanahan has already stated that he's plans to tailor the offense to suit Campbell.

And Zorn couldn't force the owner to do anything or he'd be fired. Zorn was not in charge of new talent, Cerrato and Snyder were. Zorn may of had input but thats it. It's funny how if you have a certain last name then you can receive special treatment.

Maybe, but i think any coach worth their salt would have made it clear to Vinny and Danny that fixing the OL was priority No.1,2 and 3.

And you are wrong. If ZORN couldn't make a QB of JC then MS definitely can't. Zorn is a QB coach and good at it. MS is a HC and pretty good at that. Thats it. I imagine MS will hire a QB coach so it won't be MS developing JC anyway.

You must mean you disagree or you think he is wrong.

Saying that he is wrong is stating your opinion as fact.

Which is bad form.

Both Shanahan's are QB gurus and the senior Shanahan's ability to develop QBs is unquestioned and both will have a hand in developing JC.

MS wasn't Cutler's OC or QB coach either but he clearly played a pivotal role in Cutler's development.

If you actually think that Zorn would be better at developing a QB then Shanahan you need to do your homework.

Mike Shanahan has forgotten more about the WCO then Zorn knows.

And Kyle Shanahan was just as good if not a better OC candidate then Zorn.

Look OP why don't we discuss what the actual offense might look like instead of trying to turn this thread into another debate over Campbell?

Unless you really didn't want to discuss the offense at all?

[ibarramedia]

Here is a snapshot at what will be happening as Mike and Kyle Shanahan develop the game plan for upcoming opponents. It's one of the things I saved in my files:

The grand scheme

Broncos staff, coaches and players devote incredible hours and resources into providing a winning game plan

By Adam Schefter

Denver Post Sports Writer

Two Denver coaches, offensive assistant Pat McPherson and defensive assistant Steve Watson, spend weeks breaking down every formation and personnel grouping from every situation of every play of the past six games every opponent has played.

For each play, the two assistant coaches detail an astounding 30 categories, to better understand the opponent's tendencies. Assistant coaches secretary Dixie Greer enters the information into Denver's computer database and gets results only a true mastermind could spit out.

A look at 284 of San Francisco's defensive plays shows that, on second downs between 1 and 6 yards, the 49ers play zone defense 52 percent of the time and man-to-man 48 percent of the time. On third downs between 5 and 7 yards, the 49ers play zone 66 percent of the time and man 34 percent.

On and on it goes. Every situation San Francisco's defense has been in is spelled out over 100 pages. Shanahan is told how mind-boggling this is.

"Oh," he said matter of factly, holding open his playbook, "I haven't gotten started yet."

Not a simple plan

Within each game plan is a look at the advance work done, the video produced and the brain power Shanahan, offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes and their army of assistants expend.

It is hardly a simple plan. Denver quarterback Brian Griese said the game plan the Broncos prepared for their season opener against the St. Louis Rams was the most complex he ever witnessed.

Tight end Shannon Sharpe said he did not remember the Broncos' game plans being this complicated when he left Denver after the 1999 season.

Anyone looking at a Broncos game plan could be easily overwhelmed.

"You wouldn't understand one thing," Broncos wide receiver Scottie Montgomery said, laughing. "You could give someone 10 minutes to look it over and tell them to go out on the field and line up in the right spot, and they could never do it. Never. They'd have no clue. But that's how it is."

Section II - Runs (45 pages)Developing the plan

A Denver Broncos game plan is the product of many hours, resources and information:

Video games: Video department produces 750 30-minute tapes - 350 hours of coverage - of Denver's upcoming opponent's past six games.

Tendencies: Every formation and personnel grouping for an opponent's past six games is fed into a computer to determine tendencies.

The plays: Computer database provides diagrams of Denver's chosen plays. It has about 1,000 running plays and 5,000 passing plays on file. For any given game, the quarterbacks must know more than 200 pass possibilities.

The book: A blue binder, divided into 10 detailed sections including 264 pages.

Paper chase: 50,000 sheets of paper per week, 800,000 sheets of per season.

Itinerary: Road games include a minute-by-minute itinerary of the trip, including seat assignments and team bed check.

Cliff's notes: Broncos coach Mike Shanahan transfers the most pertinent information to an oversized color-coded flipcard he carries on the sideline.

Denver's attack kicks off with its running game, an amalgamation of each coach's ideas. The largest say, of course, belongs to Shanahan and Kubiak, who study film all day Monday, into Tuesday and begin conjuring up concepts they unveil Sunday.

"When I leave the office Monday night," Kubiak said, "I have a pretty good idea in my mind of what I think we should do. I go home, get a night's sleep, come in Tuesday morning and go over my notes so I know I wasn't just tired in what I was seeing the night before. Then by about noon on Tuesday, I'll take a draft of things that I feel good about to (Shanahan)."

The Broncos' head coach has been through the same process as Kubiak. Together they compile a list of about 25 running plays with more than 100 ways to implement them.

Broncos offensive line coach Rick Dennison enters the rushing plays into the team's computer database, which has about 1,000 running plays on file. It spits out computerized drawings of each play against six defenses San Francisco could run against it.

Each becomes a part of the game plan for Denver's players to learn.

For the San Francisco game, Denver listed 44 running plays: 21 with two backs, 13 with one back, five in the nickel package, seven in short yardage, three in the goal-line set. Forty of the plays were run out of a specific formation, and four could be run with two formations.

It must have worked. Against the 49ers, Denver rushed for a season-high 201 yards.

The publishing house

The Broncos' headquarters is as much a publishing house as a training facility.

The Broncos go through 10 cases of copying paper per week - 50,000 sheets of paper - to make up 18 game plans for the coaches and 53 for the players. With each coach and player given a new game plan for every Sunday, the Broncos go through 800,000 sheets of paper per season.

The two hardest workers at the Broncos' training complex might be the copying machines, which are forced to retire from the team every two seasons. The machines work overtime, running into the night on Monday and Tuesday, and as early as 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, when Greer starts copying game plans for each player to have when he reports to the 9 a.m. team meeting.

Section III - Passes (22 pages)

Whereas Dennison prints out drawings of running plays, tight ends coach Brian Pariani does it for passing plays. The Broncos' database has about 5,000 passing plays on file.

For the San Francisco game, Denver listed 64 passing plays, which could be used out of four or five formations depending on how the defense adjusted. For any given game, Griese has to know more than 200 pass possibilities.

Denver Broncos video assistants Mike Mascenik, left, and Steve Boxer prepare a huge amount to tape for each game. At left are the tapes for the Broncos game against Buffalo on Sept. 22.

"The game is so meticulous now," said Kubiak, a backup quarterback in Denver from 1983-91. "When I was a player and (Shanahan) was my offensive coordinator, the plays came to us and they were hand drawn. They were good, but different. Nowadays, there are computerized drawings. Every detail, every note. It's just amazing how the game is studied on a daily basis compared to when I played."

Evidence comes from the Broncos' video department, which produces 750 30-minute tapes - 375 hours of coverage - of Denver's upcoming opponent each week. Want to see every third-and-2 play San Francisco's offense has run its past six games? Want to see every second-and-9 defense San Francisco has run its past six games?

Denver's video department has it all on file. And after each game, the 750 tapes are returned to the department before a new batch of 750 is made up.

"Until she passed away a couple of years ago, my grandmother (Theo Judd) would write one form letter every Christmas to send out to the family," said Denver's director of football technology, Kent Erickson. "And each year, she would write in the letter, "Kent's still recording the Broncos' games.'

"My family would laugh about it and say to me, "Oh, so when are you going to get a real job?' "

Erickson's department produces the video that is the genesis of every play call. Two weeks ago, on the top bookshelf in Shanahan's office were 75 tapes of every offensive and defensive play San Francisco likely would run. It was no different for games against Buffalo, Baltimore or San Diego.

"Coaches," Erickson said, "are tape-watching machines."

Bit by bit

"There are a lot of things that complicate a game plan, but the key is not to make it complicated," Shanahan said. "We've got a lot of different things to put in, but we've got guys that are smart enough to handle it."

Sections IV and V - Nickel runs and nickel passes (five pages, four pages) - Detailed, diagrammed first-, second-, and third-down plays.

Section VI - Short-yardage/Goal-line (13 pages) - Detailed, diagrammed third-and-1, third-and-2 and inside-the-5-yard-line plays.

Section VII - Red zone (14 pages) - Detailed, diagrammed plays the Broncos would run inside their 25-, 20-, 15-, 10-, and 5-yard lines.

Section VIII - Two-minute (one page) - A description of what is expected out of the no-huddle offense.

Section IX - Third-down situations (four pages) - Detailed, diagrammed descriptions of third-down scenarios, as well as plays versus zone blitz, base blitz and nickel blitz.

Like any house, a game plan is constructed in increments, coaches always a day ahead of the players.

By Tuesday night, after intensive video review, the Broncos decide on the base game plan that is presented to players at Wednesday morning's team meeting and practiced that afternoon.

By Wednesday night, coaches decide upon the nickel, short-yardage, goal-line and two-minute offense packages that are presented to players at Thursday morning's team meeting and practiced that afternoon.

By Thursday night, coaches decide upon the red-zone plays that are presented to players at Friday morning's team meeting and practiced that afternoon.

"You never want them to gather too much on any one day," Kubiak said.

"True," Shanahan agreed. "It's a daily process, and you want them to isolate on one part of the game plan each day and Friday, even though the emphasis is red zone, we use it to review all aspects of the game plan."

Saturday is used to implement the first 15 plays of the game, as well as go through all audible situations and review Friday's practice.

Sunday morning the players drop their game plans into an oversized bin inside the locker room. Sunday afternoon, the plan is put into action.

The condensed version

Positioned where they are, it would seem as if the Broncos' special teams are an afterthought. Though they are placed in the back of Denver's game plan, they hardly are treated in such a manner, even if they played that way Monday night in Baltimore.

Denver devotes one more page of coverage to its special teams than its running game.

Section X - Special teams (46 pages)

With more finely tuned computerized drawings, the game plan includes diagrams of kickoff coverages, kickoff returns, punt protection, punt return and rush, field-goal and extra-point protection and field-goal and extra-point rush.

By the time each week's game plan is complete, there is one slight complication. It is way too bulky for Shanahan to use on the sideline.

So each week, after the game plan is installed, Shanahan sits in his office and transfers the most pertinent information from the Broncos' Bible onto an oversized color-coded flipcard he carries on the sideline. This is his version of Cliff's Notes.

Under such categories as "Mike's Reminders," "Must Calls" and "Last Six Plays," the flipcard contains every imaginable situation that could arise Sunday. What to do on third-and-1, what to do on first-and-20, what to do versus max blitzes, what to do versus zone blitzes. What to do versus anything.

If the defense abandons its customary look - as opposing defenses did four times during Shanahan's last season as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator in 1994 - no problem. Shanahan looks down at his sheet and finds out what offensive plays would work against the new defense.

The flipcard is as word-intensive as it is time-consuming. It takes Shanahan 15 laborious hours to fill it out. Its words are smaller than those found on an eye-exam chart. But its importance is bigger than almost any player.

The flipcard is a condensed form of 264 pages of pure football science.

-------------

Tucked inside a thick blue binder, divided into 10 detailed sections, are 264 pages of pure football science.

It is written in a language some would think English, but most would mistake for foreign.

"13 strong - 1 Lt Slot 'U' (HB) LT/Double Wing Lt (Motion)."

"Fox 300 Solid Omaha (Nebraska)/Thunder (Train) - I Lt."

"Key Cross/Spread 'Z' Dig ZEB - Empty SG."

These are passages from the Broncos' Bible.

Different Sunday verses are read each week when the Bible is revamped, but plenty more have been saved for today's game versus San Diego.

How Denver formulates its game plan, such as the one it will use today, represents a foray into an ordinarily roped-off area.

For the first time, outsiders are invited in. Private spots are made public. They are allowed to see a detailed account of X's, O's and why all this is needed for Sunday.

Straight from the blue binder with a white sticker plastered to the front reading "Coach Shanahan, S.F. 9/15/02," comes a sneak peek inside a typical Broncos game plan.

Section I - Scouting report (110 pages)

The game plan's first pages include travel instructions the Broncos could not leave home without.

Included is a minute-to-minute itinerary of the Broncos' trip to San Francisco - from the 9 a.m. treatments at Broncos headquarters in Englewood to the 11:15 p.m. bed check at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco.

Following the itinerary are United flight 9011's seat assignments. In Row 1 are Shanahan, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and wife Annabel Bowlen. In Row 16 - not the extra leg-room section, sadly - are defensive linemen Chester McGlockton and Trevor Pryce, and offensive linemen Matt Lepsis and Tom Nalen.

Each coach, player and team official is assigned a seat. As Shanahan prefers, little is left to chance.

But if the travel plans are thorough, they pale in comparison to the advance scouting work done on the 49ers. Coaches insist they like to take them one game at a time? Nonsense.

[ibarramedia]

Here is an inside look on how the Script works:

It is last Saturday, 18 hours before kickoff against the Chiefs,

and the Broncos gather for a meeting in a suburban Denver

hotel, where they will spend the night. For the offense, the

next 30 minutes will be particularly significant. For the final

time this group will be reviewing "The Script," that

mysterious, ever-changing list of 15 plays the Broncos use to

orchestrate the opening part of every game.

If each contest is, in reality, a weekly term paper for the

Denver offense, then The Script serves as a thesis. It helps to

energize both players and coaches and forces the team to

focus on what plays should work best against this next

opponent. This is the feel-good part of the game plan; if The

Script is effective, usually the plan winds up working well,

too.

On this night, the theme is two-edged: Be patient, and protect

the ball. The Broncos know their division rival intimately. The

Chiefs' defense is physical and resourceful. It rarely

surrenders big plays, so Shanahan and Gary Kubiak, his

offensive coordinator, emphasize the need for long drives. And

they also know, because they will be starting reserve

quarterback Gus Frerotte instead of the injured Brian Griese,

the team must guard even more than usual against turnovers.

"We've got some long calls for Gus (in the huddle), and you

guys must listen and help him out and get out of that huddle

efficiently," Kubiak tells them.

"We've got to stay on schedule. We want to stay out of

third-and-12 or -14. We need lots of third-and-5 or -6s. And

it's crucial we protect the ball. They are one of the best

ball-stripping teams we play. No early mistakes."

This is the first year that Kubiak has called the Bronco plays.

Shanahan, one of the game's elite offensive minds, gave up

those duties, hoping it would enable his longtime assistant to

emerge from his boss' shadow and help him get a head

coaching job. But this has been an especially tough week for

Kubiak, who doubles as quarterbacks coach. Griese had been

outstanding in the first three games, the highest-rated passer in

the league, but he hurt a shoulder the week before against

Oakland and can't throw. The veteran Frerotte joined the club

in the offseason as a free agent and still isn't deeply versed in

the Broncos' intricate offense.

Kubiak has confidence Frerotte can perform well enough to

win, but this is the first time they have been through The

Script together. The coaches have strived to make sure they

call plays that will allow him to excel. They want to make him

feel comfortable quickly, but they warn him constantly not to

force any passes. And most important, they don't want him to

feel he must carry the team by himself.

In the meeting room, Kubiak slowly works through The Script

play by play. Shanahan sits in an audio-visual booth located

between the offensive and defensive rooms. He runs a control

panel that allows him to listen to both rooms. He turns up the

volume as an assistant puts up individual diagrams of each

play on a screen and Kubiak uses a laser pointer to discuss the

intricate elements, emphasizing adjustments in routes, reads,

audibles and blocking schemes. Most of his reminders are

directed at Frerotte, who sits by himself in the middle of the

room, feet propped up on a chair. Frerotte nods his head

frequently. Teammates follow along in their playbook; some

take notes. None takes his gaze away from the screen.

The first two plays will be runs, giving Frerotte time to settle

down and disperse some of his adrenaline. But Kubiak also

doesn't want the players to think the coaches are afraid to let

Frerotte throw. So the next three calls will be passes. The

review is rapid, filled with the jargon of the Broncos' offensive

play-calling. The adjustments even on a simple running play

are mind-boggling. It is this attention to detail that necessitates

the hours of meetings every week, both for players and

coaches.

By the time the review is finished, Kubiak wants every player

stimulated by The Script. "We've got touches for everyone,

the receivers, the tight end, the fullback, the running back," he

says. "They can't sit there and say, 'I've got nothing to do for

the first five plays.' They get involved immediately." Kubiak

expects his players to leave the meeting and focus on those

first 15.

"Gus, it is your turn," Kubiak finally tells Frerotte. "This is

what you are here for, buddy."

By the time Frerotte and the offense touch the ball Sunday, the

Chiefs lead, 7-0. The Broncos begin as had been scripted,

calling two straight running plays for Mike Anderson, who

again is starting for Terrell Davis, who is just coming back

from an injury. The Script now calls for a pass, H 2 Smash 'Y'

China; Frerotte connects with wide receiver Rod Smith for 23

yards. Kubiak, sitting in an upstairs booth, is relieved. His new

quarterback has passed his first test.

For the next seven plays, Kubiak stays within the framework,

if not the order, of The Script. No reason to change. He

bypasses one run call that doesn't seem suited for the

defensive schemes being employed by the Chiefs. And once he

uses the fourth play on The Script, he bounces around a bit

among the listed plays, starting to respond to the feel of the

game.

Indeed, The Script works so well on this first possession that

by the 11th snap, the Broncos are in the red zone, with a

first-and-goal at the Kansas City 6 after a 15-yard completion

to tight end Dwayne Carswell. Now Kubiak leaves The Script

and turns to a prioritized list of plays Denver wants to call

inside the 20. Kansas City stuffs two runs, and Frerotte is

pressured on third down and throws away a pass toward

fullback Howard Griffith. The Chiefs are giving Denver some

new third-down blitzes; they are trying to unnerve Frerotte.

The Broncos have to settle for a 22-yard field goal despite a

14-play, 79-yard drive. At least they produced the long

possession Kubiak wanted.

Shanahan first became enamored of The Script when he was a

graduate assistant at Oklahoma. In 1975, he attended a football

coaches convention in Chicago. Bill Walsh was a guest

speaker; his topic was The Script. To the young Shanahan,

Walsh's lecture was mesmerizing. It all made perfect sense,

coming as it did from an acknowledged creative force. Here

was a way to introduce a theme to your players, to crystallize

and summarize your offensive thinking in 15 plays, to throw

both your best and your most reasoned plays at the defense.

"I can remember the moment to this day," says Shanahan,

sitting in his office, 48 hours before Sunday's kickoff. "I was

this young kid, just getting started. What Bill said really caught

my attention. It was so reasonable, so intelligent."

Shanahan eventually wound up working for the 49ers, where

he served as offensive coordinator for three years, perfecting

not only the nuances of Walsh's West Coast philosophies but

the intricacies of The Script. It has become the absolute of the

Denver game plan. The Broncos wouldn't dare leave the locker

room without it.

"We use it because it works," says Shanahan. "It's been

proven over time. It's not fail-safe, for sure. Sometimes, when

a team comes out and defenses you entirely different than you

expected, you have to acknowledge it and change. And out

goes The Script. But the vast majority of the time, you are able

to stay with it and use it."

The Broncos' Script always has 15 plays, all predetermined

and written down on their game-plan sheet that the offensive

coaches carry on the sideline. But as the first series against the

Chiefs demonstrated, that doesn't mean each of their first 15

offensive plays in every game is on The Script. The coaches

move off The Script according to the game situation. Inside

the opponents' 20, they will switch to their best red-zone calls.

On short yardage, particularly on third down, they will move

to another set of calls. If they are backed up inside their 10,

they have a specific list for that problem. Depending on

third-down yardage, they have yet another set of calls.

But as much as the contest allows, they will methodically push

through the 15 plays. They will start each series picking up

The Script from where they left off the previous possession,

occasionally skipping a play or two if their personnel on the

field has changed or if Shanahan and Kubiak feel a later play is

absolutely perfect for that particular occasion. Yet it is the

discipline that comes with The Script that encourages

Shanahan to remain with it if at all possible.

"If we follow it and don't get off of it at a moment's notice, it

serves to break our tendencies," he says.

So let's say the Broncos face a second-and-15. The next play

on The Script is a run. The defense likely would expect a

pass, but Denver will stick with the run. And if the defense

blitzes and the Broncos catch them right and their inside

blocks work, it could lead to a big play. And opponents who

break down the tape afterward have to wonder what Denver

will call the next time in the same circumstances.

In the opener this season against the Rams, the Broncos

decided not to risk a big mistake on the first series in the noisy

Trans World Dome. So The Script called for an initial three

running plays. On the third one, they needed 5 yards for a first

down. The Rams, with reason, anticipated pass. And blitzed.

Which the Broncos anticipated. Their scripted run, a sweep by

Davis, got outside the containment and gained 12 yards. And

the crowd quieted noticeably, allowing the Broncos to

successfully move to the next phase of The Script, which

included two straight Griese completions. They wound up

scoring, just as they scored on their first possessions in earlier

games against both the Falcons and the Raiders.

Besides this anti-tendency plus, The Script serves other major

functions for the Broncos:

It allows the coaches to gain insight into how the defense

will react to various formations and personnel packages. For

the Chiefs, Kubiak had tossed up 15 different alignments in

those 15 plays -- "every formation in the freaking book" --

hoping to see every check-off and change Kansas City has

planned for the Broncos. After each series, the offensive

coaches receive a packet of pictures showing two pictures of

each play that was just run. One picture shows the snap, the

second is a second after the snap. They study these pictures

and determine how the Chiefs reacted. Even if the particular

play on The Script didn't work, the coaches can make

adjustments with a particular formation that they can exploit

later in the game, either because of a weakness in the

defensive structure or because of a particular defender who

they believe is vulnerable.

"What we see in the first 15 goes a long way to helping us be

successful in the third and fourth quarters," says Kubiak. "We

go in thinking the defense will react in certain ways to what

we are doing. Then we, in turn, react to how they react. So

even if we don't get any scores because of The Script, or even

if we don't do much, it is still extremely valuable to us. That's

what people don't understand."

Secondly, it forces the coaches to sum up their

game-planning into a neat package. They had 60 passes in the

Kansas City game plan. The Script contained the eight very

best of those passes. Shanahan doesn't want to come out in a

grab-bag approach, where you have dozens of plays ready to

go and just pick and choose at random.

"It's a matter of specific organization," he says. "It makes you

wrap things up and focus your thinking. If you can't verbalize

what you want to do, it probably won't work." This is the

climax of intense study. And here are our results of all our

study; let's see how they work.

Most important, it forces the players to focus on the task at

hand. By telling them the first 15 plays ahead of time, they are

given time to study their assignments on each, including every

potential adjustment. So, surprises should be eliminated. And

that should eliminate mistakes.

"If you are right about the plays on The Script," says Kubiak,

"you should really reduce your mental problems. I have a

group of guys who are studying those 15 plays like there is no

end to them. We shouldn't have any mistakes in the first

quarter or in the first half. It makes the players very

accountable for those plays."

Indeed, The Script is intended to give the Broncos control

over the game. Since they also script the first eight plays of

the second half (that handiwork is done at intermission),

Shanahan and Kubiak are dictating a minimum of 23 plays out

of about 60 to 65 a game. Toss in those predetermined calls in

various specialty situations -- short yardage, red zone,

third-and-long -- and they could have orchestrated 50 percent

of their play selections before the opening kickoff.

That eliminates a huge chunk of guesswork, and it forces the

Broncos to stay with their elite play selections. That is one

reason the Broncos annually have one of the league's best

offenses.

Before their second possession, Kubiak reviews The Script.

Davis, who is coming off a bad ankle sprain, looked good

enough in practice Friday to get playing time in this game. It's

now his turn to come in. Kubiak also likes No. 8, a waggle

pass that should work.

The Broncos start the series at their own 38, still down by

four points. Kubiak calls for the waggle play, Waggle Right 'Z'

Out. Receiver Ed McCaffrey goes in motion to his right and

runs an out pattern. Smith, split wide left, runs an in pattern.

Frerotte rolls slightly to his right and fires back to Smith

downfield. The completion nets 14 yards.

Then Kubiak calls 19 HO Strong. Griffith is split to the left,

and Smith and McCaffrey are set right. Davis takes the

handoff and cuts to his left. The Broncos catch the Chiefs

in just the right defense -- "Those are the times," says

Griese, "when you get to the line and say, 'Golly gosh,

we've got them'" --and Davis moves untouched through the

secondary. He finally is stopped after a 24-yard gain. Two

plays later, Davis sprints for another nine and a first down

at the Chiefs' 10. But again, the Broncos' red-zone calls

don't work. Even with the aid of a 5-yard penalty, they

can't get into the end zone. They thought they could

overwhelm the Chiefs with runs inside the 5, but Kansas

City balks and stops three straight rushes. So, despite a

nine-play, 60-yard march, Denver again winds up with only

three points.

The Script is formalized on Friday. That morning, two days

before kickoff, Kubiak and Alex Gibbs, the line coach,

meet. Gibbs, the overseer of the NFL's most consistent

and dangerous running game, gives Kubiak his list of the

best running plays for the Chiefs' game. They talk about his

reasons, then Kubiak takes those eight plays along with the

eight passes he believes will be most effective, and he

works until 8:45 a.m. on a chronological order. He places

them according to how he wants to exploit the Chiefs, and

adds various formations from which they will be run. He

then gives The Script to Shanahan and heads for two hours

of meetings.

When he returns to his office, The Script is on his desk.

Kubiak wonders every week how his boss will grade his

handiwork. Sometimes, he has been 15-for-15, other times

not even 50 percent. On this day, Shanahan has made

three changes. He meets with Kubiak and Gibbs to

persuade them on his suggestions. They agree; after all, this

is Shanahan making the suggestions. Once practice is

finished, Frerotte receives the entire play-call sheet, which

includes The Script. The quarterback then takes home the

call sheet and begins even more intense study that began

with the introduction of the game plan on Wednesday.

Still, despite all this preparation, The Script sometimes just

doesn't work. During Shanahan's last season in San

Francisco, three opponents scrapped their normal defenses

and drastically changed their schemes for the 49ers.

Shanahan had to toss out The Script after a few plays and

regroup.

"The year we won our second Super Bowl," says Kubiak,

"we played San Diego and they came at us with stuff we

didn't expect. We went to the shotgun and almost had to

playground it. When that happens, you have to be honest

as a coach and tell your players what is going on. Then you

try to find a way for them to win. And that day we did."

But on this Sunday, The Script isn't enough. It has been

extremely effective against the Chiefs. Serving as the basis

of the first two possessions, and using all but three plays on

the list of 15, it set up two long drives, without any

turnovers, leading to two red-zone opportunities. But the

Broncos couldn't fully capitalize on either. The two field

goals gave them an empty feeling, and gave the Chiefs

confidence.

The Script gave Frerotte a chance to settle in. But he

seemed rusty and unsure of his decision-making as the

game wore on, and hesitated too much on his releases. His

two fourth-quarter turnovers -- a fumble off a sack at

midfield and an interception on his team's last possession --

coupled with a turnover by Smith allowed the Chiefs to

rally from a 22-14 third-period deficit to a 23-22 victory.

In their first three games, with Griese at quarterback,

Denver had just one turnover--and no interceptions.

"We did what we wanted to early except score

touchdowns," says Kubiak. "When you work that hard and

don't get touchdowns, it serves as a downer. It affected us

the rest of the game." The theme of the term paper had been successful; the

Broncos just failed to write a winning conclusion.

[darrelgreenie]

Here is an inside look on how the Script works:

Dude great article thanks for passing it along.

The article is very in depth and shows how handicapped Zorn's staff must have been. .

He turns up the volume as an assistant puts up individual diagrams of each play on a screen and Kubiak uses a laser pointer to discuss the intricate elements, emphasizing adjustments in routes, reads,

audibles and blocking schemes. Most of his reminders are

directed at Frerotte, who sits by himself in the middle of the

room, feet propped up on a chair. Frerotte nods his head

frequently.

This quote helps shine some late on how laughable it was that Sherman Lewis our playcaller didn't speak to Campbell during the week.

Its amazing that the offense did anything at all when the playcaller and QB didn't even go over the type of stuff mentioned above like intricate elements, emphasizing adjustments in routes, reads,

audibles and blocking schemes.

Most important, it forces the players to focus on the task at

hand. By telling them the first 15 plays ahead of time, they are

given time to study their assignments on each, including every

potential adjustment. So, surprises should be eliminated. And

that should eliminate mistakes...........If you are right about the plays on The Script," says Kubiak,

"you should really reduce your mental problems. I have a

group of guys who are studying those 15 plays like there is no

end to them. We shouldn't have any mistakes in the first

quarter or in the first half. It makes the players very

accountable for those plays."

Since they also script the first eight plays of

the second half (that handiwork is done at intermission)

Our opening script when Zorn was the playcaller was rarely effective.

We simply could not score in the 1st half of games.

I remember after the Tampa game Zorn said that at halftime Sherman Smith and Chris Meidt gave their input/suggestions at halftime and i noticed that the offense was better at the start of the second half; it was then i started to doubt Zorn's playcalling/gameplan.

[fansince62]

Isn't it KYLE Shanahan's offense that we should be asking about? What did he run in Houston?

I assume it will be a combination of what Kyle was running with some input from his father.

bingo!

[darrelgreenie]

Isn't it KYLE Shanahan's offense that we should be asking about? What did he run in Houston?

I assume it will be a combination of what Kyle was running with some input from his father.

bingo!

Well that's what were attempting to discuss:

I've watched a few Texan's games and here's my take on Kyle's offense:

(alot of these have already been mentioned)

o its a pass 1st offense but i can't tell if its by design or because of Slaton's sophmore slump

o 5 step drop based passing attack with alot of intermediate routes lots of deep slants, deep ins, deep crossing routes and some out routes; they use far less 3 step drop then we do and they also sprinkle in some 7 step drop they go deep often

o they're very multiple and use more formations then we did

o motion is a key element in their offense, they have some motion/shifting on almost every play, they move Daniels and Johnson around alot

o they make good use of action passes- play action, rollouts/bootlegs; especially in the redzone

o they do a good job of attacking coverages and usually get receivers more open then what i typically see from Zorn's offense (one of my major knocks against Zorn was i thought his schemes were great against man-to-man when JC had time but i thought his schemes struggled against zones), Kyle seems to know how to get people open against zone schemes

o they do good job of using the TE downfield

o they of course use a ZBS scheme with a focus on 1 cut and go and zone reads

o oh and Andre Johnson is a beast

[cphil006]

Well, Sherman Smith was the OC, that doesn't mean we were running HIS offense...

We'll be running Mike Shanahan's offense... not Kyle's... or we really don't know... it will probably be something like what you saw in Denver... along with something you saw in Houston, but probably a little different because different players are running it... but... something along those lines...

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

run first...2 TE sets....short passes to open up the field and no swinging gate

[illone]

He runs his own version of the WCO. What you will see is a team that tries to be balanced, not really a running or passing team.

Shanny will tell you he is looking for balance.

[cphil006]

run first...2 TE sets....short passes to open up the field and no swinging gate

Did we run the WR screen more than anyone in the NFL this season... maybe more than anyone in college as well...

One thing that will allow me to sleep well tonight is knowing that we'll be productive on offense... now I worry about our defense... I am thinking we could be wishing Blache were back.

[darrelgreenie]

run first...2 TE sets....short passes to open up the field and no swinging gate

From what i've seen from the Shanahan's:

Mike was run first until his last year in Denver when virtually every RB they had was hurt and they became pass first or pass only.

Kyle has been a more pass centered but its hard to say if its be design or by neccesity.

Although 2 TE sets are part of Kyle's and Mike's offenses they're not a staple of their offenses.

Short passes aren't a major part of either Kyle's nor Mike's offenses.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

From what i've seen from the Shanahan's:

Mike was run first until his last year in Denver when virtually every RB they had was hurt and they became pass first or pass only.

Kyle has been a more pass centered but its hard to say if its be design or by neccesity.

Although 2 TE sets are part of Kyle's and Mike's offenses they're not a staple of their offenses.

Short passes aren't a major part of either Kyle's nor Mike's offenses.

I agree totally, but we do not have Matt Schaub at QB....will either be JC or a rookie..thats why I think the short pass, 2 TE sets to help with blocking and a run oriented offense....

[Darth Tater]

No swinging gate? Nooooooooooooooo

[HigSkin]

http://www.examiner.com/x-450-Washin...locking-scheme

New head coach, Mike Shanahan’s “zone blocking scheme,” has produced multiple thousand yard rushers: Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Ruben Droughns, Tatum Bell and of course, Clinton Portis. So let’s take a look at exactly what the zone blocking scheme is.

Much like the term “West Coast Offense,” “zone blocking” has morphed into a catch all for different things. Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel implemented a form zone blocking this season to help his woeful unit.

However for our purposes here we will concentrate on Shanahan’s version. Lombardi’s explication of the Packers sweep this isn’t, but I hope it gives you some sense of the scheme.

Linemen in a zone blocking scheme block sectors of the field and not particular defenders as in a man scheme. If the zone they looking to block is unoccupied they move through a progression of zones. Once they control a zone they can either assist in a double team or move on to the second level to block a linebacker or the secondary.

Zone blocking was conceived to address the scarcity of linemen that are both large enough and quick enough to handle powerful, agile defenders. Zone blocking is a scheme whereby offenses utilize smaller, quicker lineman. Instead of the mano a mano contests in the trenches, zone blocking values footwork and leverage to out-scheme the defense.

According to Hooper at SBN’s Rocky Top Talk, from whose finely detailed tutorial I am borrowing heavily, the zone blocking system values linemen who are:

• Quick, even at the cost of size.

• Disciplined, even if the assignment seems pointless.

• Consistent, not giving visual cues to the defender as to their initial intention.

• Smart, able to keep up with defensive shifts before the snap.

A classic example of the zone block scheme is the stretch run play (I know not too popular with Redskins fans given Jim Zorn’s failures with it this past season). Offensive lineman at the line of scrimmage will either be covered or uncovered. The center and tackles are usually covered, the guards are uncovered. However, that can change with the defensive alignment shifts. Whether the lineman is covered determines their movement on the play. Covered linemen stretch and block, while uncovered linemen stretch and assist.

continue reading...

[4skins23]

You mean you think JC is not our man.

Correct. IMO, I don't think JC will be a good fit. I think it would be much easier to draft 1 QB than a whole Offense except for a QB.

And why praytell do think JC isn't out man? He obviously takes too long finding his receivers and doesn't know how to read defenses.-So it seems.

You don't think he fits the offense as i described it? Correct.

When JC is on his A game he's a very good fit for this type of offense.

Kyle Shanahan's offense is much closer to the style of WCO that JC excelled in at Auburn then Zorn's offense.

And Mike Shanahan has already stated that he's plans to tailor the offense to suit Campbell.

I read that too. He will eventually come to the conclusion that he needs to draft a QB. -My opinion.

Maybe, but i think any coach worth their salt would have made it clear to Vinny and Danny that fixing the OL was priority No.1,2 and 3.

Totally agree with you. But, we all know, what Danny wants to do is what Danny is going to do.

You must mean you disagree or you think he is wrong.

Saying that he is wrong is stating your opinion as fact.

Which is bad form.

Both Shanahan's are QB gurus and the senior Shanahan's ability to develop QBs is unquestioned and both will have a hand in developing JC.

MS wasn't Cutler's OC or QB coach either but he clearly played a pivotal role in Cutler's development.

If you actually think that Zorn would be better at developing a QB then Shanahan you need to do your homework.

Mike Shanahan has forgotten more about the WCO then Zorn knows.

And Kyle Shanahan was just as good if not a better OC candidate then Zorn.

I disagree. Zorn's job was QB coaching. MS job is head coach. I don't know for sure but I would guess he didn't spend much time "coaching" the QB position. -At least not as much as Zorn has. Now thats where MS knows more about WCO than Zorn ever has. MS should, he's a HC. He should know EVERY position.

Look OP why don't we discuss what the actual offense might look like instead of trying to turn this thread into another debate over Campbell?

Unless you really didn't want to discuss the offense at all?

Honestly, This isn't about JC. I really wanted to know what offensive scheme MS will use. Offense and Defense. Will it be 3-4,4-3, 6-2, Cover 2, etc... Offensively will it be WC, or run heavy? I just want to know that to see how it will pertain to drafting and free agent. Like JC I think is a great QB for teams like the Bears where its run heavy. And the Steelers. But teams like the Eagles he would never survive having to throw. He can't survive in a WCO. So far it is proven. Until he proves me wrong.

[darrelgreenie]

Honestly, This isn't about JC. I really wanted to know what offensive scheme MS will use. Offense and Defense. Will it be 3-4,4-3, 6-2, Cover 2, etc... Offensively will it be WC, or run heavy? I just want to know that to see how it will pertain to drafting and free agent. Like JC I think is a great QB for teams like the Bears where its run heavy. And the Steelers. But teams like the Eagles he would never survive having to throw. He can't survive in a WCO. So far it is proven. Until he proves me wrong.

Well you've spent as much time if not more writing about JC then you have about the actual offense.

Just like in this post above.

Hail.

Wether or not you think Carson Palmer is a good QB has nothing to do with the offense the Shanahan's have run in the past.

Some people in this thread have actually been discussing typical elements of either Mike Shanahan's or Kyle Shanahan's offenses, when will you?

BTW-

Neither the Bears nor the Steelers were run heavy teams this year.

[darrelgreenie]

I agree totally, but we do not have Matt Schaub at QB....will either be JC or a rookie..thats why I think the short pass, 2 TE sets to help with blocking and a run oriented offense....

Imo Schaub skill is very similiar to JC's (when JC is playing well) except that JC probably has better arm strength and mobility while Schaub likely has the advantage in accuracy.

I guess misunderstood your post and we esssentially agree.

I take it you were suggestion what you think the offense might / should look like and not solely basing it on the Shanahan's past tendencies.

You're right it would make sense to use more double TEs sets its been an element of successful WCOs before.

The Packers currently use alot of double TE sets and the Favre lead Packers rode Chumra and Keith Jackson to a SB.

I still can't picture their WCO featuring alot of short passes unless you consider a pass thrown from a 5 step drop a 'short pass'.

Neither Kyle nor Mike has really featured the short passing game as main part of their offense.

I imagine they wouldn't plan on it, unless of course the OL is incapable of holding up in pass protection again.

And you're right about the run 1st aspect of the offense it seems to be Mike design in Denver, he would gash teams with his ZBS one cut RBs then piggy back with intermediate and downfield play-action passes/rollouts.

He could carry that influence over to Kyle who appears to be a more pass centered OC, but again this could because of the Slaton's drop in production from his rookie season.

HTTR!

[darrelgreenie]

Bubba posted this link to a great article about Mike's offense.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/09/AR2010010902175_2.html

"He's going to run the football," said former coach Herman Edwards, who regularly competed against Shanahan during his stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. "He's always had that ability. His style of football is that you pass to score, but you run to win. He lives by that philosophy."..........

The other aspect of Shanahan's running attack that remained consistent, regardless of who served as the back, was his ability to set teams up early in a game for something he wanted to do later. Because the Broncos were so committed to the run, play-action passes worked splendidly. But early in games, as Edwards said, "He's taking a look at you."

[x96bryan10]

Bubba posted this link to a great article about Mike's offense.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/09/AR2010010902175_2.html

"He's going to run the football," said former coach Herman Edwards, who regularly competed against Shanahan during his stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets. "He's always had that ability. His style of football is that you pass to score, but you run to win. He lives by that philosophy."..........

The other aspect of Shanahan's running attack that remained consistent, regardless of who served as the back, was his ability to set teams up early in a game for something he wanted to do later. Because the Broncos were so committed to the run, play-action passes worked splendidly. But early in games, as Edwards said, "He's taking a look at you."

That article only further convinced me we made the right choice. About 2 pages of good information.

[mistertim]

And you're right about the run 1st aspect of the offense it seems to be Mike design in Denver, he would gash teams with his ZBS one cut RBs then piggy back with intermediate and downfield play-action passes/rollouts.HTTR!

The only problem here is that we don't really have an RB who is in the mold of a "one cut and go" guy. Portis was when he was there, but Gibbs got him and turned him into a power back. You need a guy with good cutting ability (duh) and a big burst of speed. Nobody on our roster is like that. Alridge certainly has the speed, but he is also probably too small to be much of a threat to do it between tackles reliably. Ganther sees holes well and has ok cuts but doesn't have much of a burst of speed to get to the next level. I'd think the ideal guy (as far as the draft) would be someone like Spiller or maybe Best. Not sure I would want to use a 1st rounder on Spiller (it would only be if we traded back: he is probably a mid to late 1st rounder). Best could be there in the 2nd. Both guys are about 5'10-5'11 and around 200 lbs.