|
Post by coffers on Sept 6, 2006 21:58:48 GMT
Great stuff so no doubt at this stage the rumours are that Tatum Bell will be a starter when teh season starts and you will be somewhere down the peking order that will change about 5 times in the pre-season friendlies to end up who knows where?
KUTGW! :thumb:
|
|
|
Post by Narcizo on Sept 7, 2006 6:38:02 GMT
Careful though squt. If you wind up too far down the peking order you might be sent to a labour camp on the Yellow River.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 7, 2006 11:36:50 GMT
Great stuff so no doubt at this stage the rumours are that Tatum Bell will be a starter when teh season starts and you will be somewhere down the peking order that will change about 5 times in the pre-season friendlies to end up who knows where? KUTGW! That's pretty much how Shanahan works in real life, aye. Which is why despite the fact that you're almost guaranteed a ton of yardage out of Denver, no one picks any of his backs for flange leagues. As for Peking orders, I'll have the crispy duck in seet and sour sauce, with bamboo shoots please.
|
|
|
Post by coffers on Sept 7, 2006 11:49:18 GMT
Good choice but I think they are all out of seet and sour sauce. :thumb:
|
|
|
Post by Moo on Sept 7, 2006 11:55:27 GMT
*snigger*
So aye, when is the next enthralling installment of this "soon to be released as a feature film" thread then?
(Jake the) Snake's On The (grassy) Plain!
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 7, 2006 12:01:58 GMT
Week two in the pre-season and we're at home to the Tennessee Titans in a game that will, eventually, pitch two first round rookie Quarterbacks against each other, in the shape of Jay Cutler and Vince Young.
I'll have to wait my turn to get a run, as Shanahanahanahanahan has decided to put Tatum Bell out to start the game, which is ok, as I'll be running against the Titans second team defence, when I finally get out there. That's if I don't drown first, because it's bloody pouring.
Annoyingly, Tatum starts out well, slicing through the Titans defence and allowing Jake Plummer to work the play action and give us a 14-0 lead with two scoring passes. The Titans then bounce back with two mighty heaves from Billy Volek, including an 80-yarder to former Patriot David Givens.
After that, we're back on the field and there's something of a major coup for me, as Tatum takes his 14th carry of the day, goes off right tackle for three yards, but then stays down... he slowly climbs to his feet, but clearly has a shoulder injury and will have to come out.
Off I go into the rain and my big chance to really gain an advantage over Tatum. It's important I protect the ball in the rain. I mustn't fumble. Mustn't fumble. Must not fum... oh crap.
Keith Bulluck tracks me as I run the counter and as I break past the line on the right hand side, he dives into my legs, sending me flying and the ball free to be recovered by the Titans.
But.. hang on. Shanahan has his red flag down and the zebras gather in their posh new uniforms that make them look like refugees from an ancient boyband. The king zebra is taking his time under the replay hood, perhaps because it's the only place out of the rain.
We see three angles, all of which make it very clear it was a fumble. So it's no surprise really when the referee overrules the play and gives us back the ball.
What follows is both great for me and pretty laughable and neither team can defend the pass, but they make up for it by not defending the run either. The Titans lead 31-27 at the end of the third, but a 16 point fourth quarter gives us a 43-38 win, as Jay Cutler conjures a last-minute touchdown drive.
I spend the entire second half destroying the Titans defence, to the tune of 170 yards on 26 carries at 6.5 a pop. That's actually less than Bell, who notched up 96 yards on 14 carries for 6.8 yards per carry, but his shoulder is giving him a lot of pain and right now he's questionable for week three, which would give me the first shot against a Texan defence that doesn't really worry anyone too much.
Now I just have to have Ron Dayne run over and I'm a cert for week one.
|
|
|
Post by Moo on Sept 7, 2006 12:09:51 GMT
Nicely done. It looks very easy this game, I might just try it myself.
Like that'll happen.
|
|
|
Post by coffers on Sept 7, 2006 12:17:43 GMT
Aye well done S1ut.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 7, 2006 19:55:43 GMT
Week three and it's the Texans on their way into Denver. The game should be all fun and frolics, against a week defence, with Tatum Bell listed as questionable, but there are two major flaws with that happy vision. Firstly, Bell is suited up and looks ready to play. Secondly, Bell seems to have been installed as our temporary offensive co-ordinator, because I get a series of utterly shite plays to run and barely manage three yards a carry by half time.
In the second half, I get one play called for me in relief of Bell and it's a draw play, on 3rd and 13. I manage twelve yards, handily increasing the average, but lose influence points for failing to convert a third down. Thanks for that, you pantfish.
Meanwhile, Bell's having a roaring game, finishing with 135 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. I'm got a measley 48 on 14 carries. The only plus is that Bell fumbles three times, losing one, with one recovered and one kicked out of bounds in the melee.
One more pre-season game to settle this, or it'll be the terrifying group back system, where everyone gets a go and no one gets to be the star.
Oh, we won, 23-6.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 7, 2006 21:02:38 GMT
Well, it had to happen eventually and in Arizona's spanking new stadium, we finally fall to defeat. The Cardinals' passing attack is as potent as you'd expect, with Larry Fitzgerald virtually uncoverable, but the big difference now is that, with the Edge installed at halfback, they can run the clock too.
We do well to battle back from 23-10 down, to close to 23-20 going into the fourth, but Leinart finds Fitzgerald for a long score and although we get the field goal we need, we're never close to adding the touchdown too and the final score is 30-23 to the Birds.
Bell was probable for this game and played, as he should because he showed up when listed as questionable, but the fact that we're chasing the game limited his carries and he managed just 25 yards on seven rushes. This doesn't compare too well to the 80 yards I put up on 12 carries, but I did fumble the ball on one huge hit from Adrian Wilson - luckily Rod Smith recovered the ball.
NFL.com releases its first scouting notes on me, ahead of the regular season.
"Majewski is a good young back. He has below average field vision and instincts, but runs fast and with tremendous leverage and a body angle guaranteed to move the pile. Explosive hitting the gap and rarely fumbles, but doesn't break too many tackles either."
Expectations of me are low, because Bell is expected to be named the featured back, but the home crowd are starting to get behind me and want to see what I can do when given the chance. I suspect Bell is one slip or one injury away from spltting time with me and maybe losing his starting job.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 7, 2006 21:42:40 GMT
WEEK 1 2006 REGULAR SEASON @ Scouting ReportThe big news out of Denver this week is that the combination of Bell's injury and his fumbilitus in the pre-season rain, means that I have been listed as the starter for our first game. We face a bit of a mixed bag with the Rams, under new head coach and former Dolphins offensive co-ordinator Scott Linehan. The left side of the defense is in good hands, with Leonard Little at end and Jamie Sharper at the Sam backer position both bringing several years experience and a good deal of talent to the table. Moving inside, La'Roi Glover is a talented tackle, but Jimmy Kennedy isn't and middle linebacker will Witherspoon can be outmuscled. On the right, Tony Hargrove is poor at end and will have his hands full against our tackle, Matt Lepsis, while Will linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa looks good, but doesn't read the game too well and can be overpowered. OJ Atogwe isn't scaring anyone at Free safety and only corner Fakhir Brown offers anything in the way of run support out of the secondary.
|
|
|
Post by hornet on Sept 8, 2006 1:39:12 GMT
If you can't run against the Rams, you can't run against anyone.
And don't sweat it. If the last couple of seasons have taught us nothing else, they've taught us that Mike Shanahan will start ANYONE ahead of Tatum Bell. And when "anyone" includes Ron Dayne, you've got to fancy your chances. :humb:
|
|
|
Post by Narcizo on Sept 8, 2006 7:24:06 GMT
Can I just clear something up (Again I believe) - SAM is Strong and WIL is Weak right? And the Strong Linebacker lines up on the same side as the tight end and the Weak dude on the other side? So what's the difference in skill-set for the two positions?
Apart from that, Go Broncos!
|
|
|
Post by coffers on Sept 8, 2006 7:31:30 GMT
Well done S1ut, a starter for the first real game, can't be bad. Now don't fook it up. KUTGW! :thumb:
|
|
|
Post by Moo on Sept 8, 2006 8:09:17 GMT
What they both said.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 8, 2006 9:24:19 GMT
Can I just clear something up (Again I believe) - SAM is Strong and WIL is Weak right? And the Strong Linebacker lines up on the same side as the tight end and the Weak dude on the other side? So what's the difference in skill-set for the two positions? Aye, "Sam" is strong (S for Sam, S for strong... cunning!), "Will" is the weak linebacker and "Mike" (not Coffers), is the middlebacker. With the advent of offences that use multiple Tight Ends and Tight Ends of motion, the Sam-Will designation has been pretty much dropped in favour of just calling the backers LOLB and ROLB, because you don't your linebackers moving too much before the snap, just to make sure the Will stays on the weakside as the Tight End motions back and forth. These days Will, Mike and Sam are most often used to designate who's going to be blitzing; the Sam blitz rushing the strongside backer. The Mike backer is often the defensive Captain, calling out assignments and trying to read the play, although some teams use the Free Safety for the same thing. Conveniently Mike Singletary of the 80s Bears is probably the best known "Mike." Teams have different ideas about the best way to use them, some going for huge guys to fill the middle and others, like Miami, pick smaller players who have an excellent mind for the game and then park a massive roadblock in front of him at defensive tackle to allow him freedom to move to the ball without being blocked by offensive linemen. The Will backer is the one expected to pass rush most often. The most famous "Will" is Lawrence Taylor, who was almost a pure pass rusher and, from the current crop, maybe Junior Seau. You have to be fast, a good open field tackler and have good instincts. At the Sam position, you have to find the player with most versatility. They have to be able to diagnose between run and pass, quickly - no point biting on a fake handoff and allowing the Tight End to get in behind you for a pass - cover the Tight End on pass plays and, if it is a run, shed the Tight End's blocks and often a lead blocker and bring down the runner.
|
|
|
Post by Moo on Sept 8, 2006 9:41:13 GMT
Junior Seau? That's the guy that the pats dug up out of retirement, right?
Nice explanation, teh s1ut. :thumb:
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 8, 2006 9:51:29 GMT
Aye, he retired as a Dolphin and then four days later signed for the Pats.
He was less of a one-speed player than Taylor, but always relied on his instincts and film study to make plays. It's interesting ("interesting") that at the Dolphins, Sam Madison's reaction to getting older was to gamble less, (see his interceptions dropping off), while Seau's reaction was to gamble more. Always confident that he'd guessed right, that he knew what the offence was going to do.
This meant that Seau has remained an impact player, because he does get it right often, but also that when he's wrong, he's very wrong, which means big plays. People talked about Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas might struggle to find identity in Saban's defence, but it was probably Seau who least fit Big Shouty Nick's schemes, because he would, now and then, disregard his play and just go crash the backfield or something, because he thought he knew what was coming. Plus Taylor did make the transition from every-down lineman to the mix of DE and stand-up Will 'backer, so Seau was a bit short of opportunity anyway.
I'll be interested to see how Billy uses him. He'll probably have him play Tight End. He's only got five of those.
|
|
|
Post by Moo on Sept 8, 2006 10:18:52 GMT
Yeah, we need some cover.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 8, 2006 18:41:54 GMT
Off we go to St Louis then, to enjoy the fine mixture of humidity and, well, humidity that Misery offers, by playing in a big air-conditioned Turkish Delight Box.
It's important to get the injuries out of the way early, so we take the kick off and on the first play from scrimmage Rod Smith breaks his jaw and will miss 10 weeks, thereby promoting Ashley Lelie, (yes, I know), to the starting lineup.
On the other side of the field, the Rams are starting Marshall Faulk in place of the injured Steven Jackson, so on their first drive we hold Faulky down and back the medical cart over him a couple of times.
So the first drives, not so successful.
Our play calling early on is just junk, as I get given the ball on a series of stretch plays from four receiver formations in what is the very opposite of Bronco-football. As a result of this genius that often has us pitching five blockers against seven defenders, I get seven yards on my first six carries. I'm not exactly setting the world alight here.
The first quarter ends with a trade of field goals, including a nice 51 yarder for Jason Elam, and the score's 3-3.
The second is more of the same, as Jake Plummer is having one of those days, while Bulger is having trouble finding his receivers in the combination coverage we're throwing at him. Although if we keep giving him six seconds in the pocket, he's going to kill us eventually.
6-3 Rams after another Wilkins kick and that seems to be about it, because with 9 seconds left in the half and the Rams on their own 47, we're not going to give up a big reception and... oh crap. Ok, well, we might give up a big reception, but we definitely won't let Isaac Bruce break three tackles and run in for the score, that'd be lunacy.
:moop:
13-3 at the break and I have 14 yards on nine carries. And still Shanahan isn't sending in Tatum Bell. Heh.
And then it's 20-3 on the first drive after the break, as Rams coach Scott Linehan works out that our coverage looks pretty, but is generating zero pass rush, so he can afford to send five men into the patterns and let Bulger pick whichever one he likes. Which he does on a 41 yard heave to the back of the end zone to Tight End Justin Collins.
On the next drive I make the patented rookie mistake, fighting for yards for too long when I should protect the ball and the Rams recover my fumble. Thankfully they can't move the ball, as third string back Tony Fisher isn't doing much, surprisingly.
So a chance to redeem myself and a real chance at that, as we get first and goal at the eight and Shanahan has the confidence to give me the ball, three straight times, resulting in a four yard gain, a two yard gain and... bollocks. A two yard loss. We have to settle for three and it's 20-6 Rams.
And that's 27-6 Rams. A pass interference call on Darrint Williams giving the Rams the ball at the one, and Bulger standing in the pocket untouched for about half an hour before throwing his third touchdown of the day.
The Rams have a 21 point lead, but we have at least looked like the Denver Broncos this half, rather than some collection of halfwits from a comedy film about football. My first nine carries had gone for 14 yards, but my next five go for 31, Plummer is waking up and the Rams are tiring.
Our ball at the sixteen and our stunningly clever gameplan right now seems to be run me up the middle on first down, throw in the playaction on second and, if necessary, go five wide out of the shotgun on third down. The Rams are confused by this cleverness and confused to the tune of 51 yards as Plummer drills the ball to Javon Walker down the left sideline to the Ram 11.
Out we go in a plain I formation and it's first down, so it must be time for Uncle Ben. The snap, I take two steps right and then, ooh, it's the counter... I cut left and ummm... is there a meeting I wasn't told about? There's no one here.
I doubt anyone ever had an easier first touchdown in the NFL. I run into the corner from 11 yards, spin the ball on its tip while I get no round of applause whatsoever from the Ram crowd, then go back for the ball. It's my first touchdown, I'm keeping it.
11 Minutes left in the fourth and now we're just two scores down... 27-13.
I cross my fingers and hope the defence can pull this one out and Kenneth, the god of unlikely defensive performances, is listening, Fisher being stuffed on first down, Bulger sacked on second and then Tory Holt, of all people, dropping the ball on third.
Here we go.. Plummer. Plummer... Bit more Plummer. Plummer... 11 yard touchdown, Plummer to Walker. Well that was easy. 27-20, 2:55 left in the game.
Kenneth.. are you still there? Kenneth? Oh you are! Goody.
Deliciously, not only do we stop the Rams, but with 2:16 on the clock and Bulger intending to let it run to the two minute warning, a Ram lineman pops up from his position and draws a false start penalty. Good luck explaining that one in the meetings this week.
Our ball, 1:38 on the clock.
Off we go. I get my longest run of the day, going 16 yards on a draw out of the shotgun and then it's Plummer to Lelie, Walker and Tight End Chad Lewis and we're at the Ram 21.
Three plays later, we're at the Ram 26, facing 4th and 15, with the game on the line. Plummer drops back, eases right and I pick up the blitz beautifully, buying him time to... pass the ball two yards to Brandon Marshall, apparently. He's tackled, we turn the ball over on downs and that's that over.
Crap.
The second half totally saved both me and Jake Plummer, the Snake starting 7 of 18 and finishing 21 of 38 for 324 yards and a score. I start with nine carries for 14 yards and finish with 25 for 91 and a score. It's only 3.6 yards a carry, but after the difficult start I went 16 for 77, which is 4.8 a pop.
Tatum Bell carries the ball exactly zero times.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 8, 2006 18:48:56 GMT
Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT FINAL Broncos 3 0 3 14 0 20 Rams 3 10 14 0 0 27
RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LONG TD FUM Ben Majewski 25 91 3.6 16 1 1
RECEIVING REC YDS AVG LONG TD DROP YAC Ben Majewski 1 5 5.0 5 0 0 2
|
|
|
Post by DC on Sept 8, 2006 19:11:32 GMT
Well done Stu. I just got stuffed off the Buffalo Bills. In a game where everything went wrong exactly at the wrong time and Eric Moulds/Marc Bulger burned me for the better part of 250yards even when I tripled teamed him and manually controlled a bloke to stand on top of the twat.
|
|
|
Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Sept 8, 2006 19:27:55 GMT
WEEK 1 2006 REGULAR SEASON @ Scouting ReportOk, so everyone knows what the Chiefs are about. Larry Johson. So it'd be a shame if anything happened to him, eh? A real shame if, say, he suffered a partially torn ACL and would be out until the season's midpoint. Still, Priest Holmes is a very useful back up, he's no Tatum Bell. (In your face, Bell end!) The Chiefs are also without Eric Hicks at left end, meaning they'll start Jimmy wilkerson there and he's not scaring anyone. Jared Allen is solid at right end, but the very definition of solid is Defensive Tackle Grady Jackson, who somehow packs 350 pounds on a 6'2" frame and still manages to walk. Ryan Sims plays alongside Jackson and is another human obstacle, designed to be difficult to get around. At Outside linebacker, Derrick Johnson is a very impressive youngster and former Steeler Kendrell Bell is good. In the middle Kawika Mitchell looks nothing like you'd expect someone called Kawika to look like. He's solid. The secondary is decent in run support, but with Pat Surtain out, it will be much weaker in coverage.
|
|
|
Post by elth on Sept 9, 2006 1:09:16 GMT
I wonder if there's a line of code somewhere in Madden that says Shanahan will run anyone, including the Broncos punter, before he gives Bell a carry.
There should be.
Congrats on your first TD, s1ut.
|
|
Fuzzy
Spider Monkey
stop chewing!
Posts: 918
|
Post by Fuzzy on Sept 9, 2006 10:21:21 GMT
There's Madden for PC?
|
|