Ron Chenoy USA TODAY Sports
The brainstorming has taken place all offseason and the verdict is in. The Denver Broncos have decided to run their offense of 2013 at a break-neck speed. New offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who was the Broncos quarterbacks coach a year ago, has implemented a new wrinkle in this year’s offensive game-plan. That wrinkle? “To run as many plays in a game as possible,” said the giddy Gase during the team’s offseason workouts.
It was yet another beating administered by the hands of the New England Patriots a season ago where this brainchild was born. During the Week 5 loss, New England ran an astonishing 89-plays on offense, a number that not only is mind-numbing, but is almost impossible for most teams to accomplish — EVER!
First thing is first. The Patriots have the personnel both on and off the field to accomplish such a feat. Second, although this feat is possible on the road, it is much more likely at home where your home crowd usually cooperates with what your offense is trying to do. Third, you must have a quarterback that is capable of pulling such a thing off. Bill Belichick, check. Gillette Field, check. Tom Brady, Wes Welker and company, check.
The Broncos know all too well what an offensive performance like that can do to an opponent’s psyche. Although the score was respectable in the end, (31-21) the Patriots had built a 24-point lead before taking their foot off the gas pedal. Several times during the onslaught the Broncos were caught out of position and could not sub-in defensive replacements. These are the things that have given Gase and the Broncos a new idea heading into the season.
Peyton Manning certainly is on board. “Adam has some great ideas that will help this football team,” said a coy Manning who doesn’t want to give too much away too soon. Gase’s theory is this: The Broncos’ personnel on offense is better than what the Patriots have, or at least had a year ago, especially with Welker crossing over to the Blue-and-Orange. Manning certainly has the football IQ to run such a complex offense, and the Broncos boast one of the best receiving corps in football. More importantly, they have an offensive line that has the ability to excel at both pass-protecting and run-blocking, and they can switch gears quickly while doing so. That’s just one of the perks from blocking for Kyle Orton, Tim Tebow and Manning in such a short period of time.
Denver also has something that New England or any other team will never have: Altitude. The Broncos play their home games 5683-feet above sea level and get the thinner air that comes with it. Denver easily acclimates to it, but opposing teams have struggled with it in the past. With Gase’s new brainchild in tow, the Broncos will look to run teams out of….. breath.
Mike De Marco is a columnist for www.rantsports.com Follow him on Twitter @mikedemarco77 “like” Mike on Facebook and add him to your Google Network.
