The Denver Broncos are in a Super Bowl window, but they are not set for a run at the championship just yet. For the third time this year—and the second week in a row—the Broncos have started a game with a new configuration on the offensive line.
In their Week 10 contest, Denver moved right guard Louis Vasquez outside to right tackle. They then shifted center Manny Ramirez over to right guard. The spot vacated by Ramirez in the middle of the line was filled by veteran Will Montgomery.
Broncos head coach John Fox was complimentary of the new group’s performance against the Raiders in Week 10.
I think it’s really a tribute to those guys. We had three new guys out of five spots playing in different positions. From a mindset, attitude-wise, everybody’s going to be more comfortable in their comfort zone. We pushed that envelope a little bit moving [G] Louis [Vasquez] out to tackle, [C] Manny [Ramirez] to guard and throwing [C] Will Montgomery in at center...Other than some pre-snap stuff, I thought they did very, very well.
The snap count reveals the Broncos also got a couple of other linemen involved on Sunday.
Ben Garland was active and got some playing time for the first time in his NFL career. Fox liked what he saw.
I thought it was awesome. It wasn’t anything designed like that. We had an injury in practice to [T] Paul Cornick and it just turned out that [Garland] ended up being active. He’s a guy that’s been patient. He’s been in different positions. He’s grown a lot, and it was just fun to watch him be able to have a uniform and be out there...He did very well every time, even leaving and coming off the field was pretty impressive. He did a tremendous job.
Ramirez and Vasquez just changed positions on Sunday. Vasquez played one game at right tackle last year (versus the Indianapolis Colts), and he can excel at the spot even though he’s an All-Pro guard. Ramirez looks more natural as a guard than he does as a center, and guard is a more comfortable position for the veteran.
The new guy in the starting lineup was Will Montgomery. Let’s take a look at how he performed in his first start with the Broncos.
Will Montgomery
Earlier this offseason, the Broncos signed Montgomery in free agency to a one-year, $1.33 million deal. Montgomery was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers, then coached by John Fox.
He bounced around from Carolina to the New York Jets, but Montgomery eventually found a place for a few years with Washington, where he lined up at both center and guard.
When Washington released him earlier this year, Denver decided to make a move.
Montgomery was supposed to push Ramirez for the starting center job in training camp. However, Montgomery at times performed poorly in camp, and I wondered if he would even make the final roster. He did make the final roster, but he barely saw the field before Week 10.
The Broncos used Montgomery much like they had used Paul Cornick before he started at right tackle. They eased Montgomery onto the field when the team used one or two extra tackle-eligible players to get more power in their power-run blocking schemes.
On this play, we see the Broncos with an empty backfield. It looks like hat-on-a-hat blocking up front before the ball is snapped. Montgomery has an option to block the man in front of him if he charges, but he could also look to his right and help out Ramirez with his man.
As the ball is snapped, the defender over Montgomery backs away and delays his blitz. Montgomery wisely stays with his man—something that Ramirez didn’t do consistently when he was starting at center. When the defender delays on a A-gap blitz, Montgomery is ready and easily handles him.
Ramirez doesn’t expect a delayed blitz in the middle, and he lets his man spin free into a space where he thinks Montgomery is going to be.
As you can see, the defender has a clear path to Manning. Good thing the veteran quarterback quickly dumped this pass off for six yards to tight end Julius Thomas.
That plays showed a communication breakdown between Montgomery and Ramirez. Vasquez was easily handling his man on the outside, so Ramirez should have played with better anticipation of a A-gap blitz and stayed on his man.
After the Raiders game, Peyton Manning talked about getting used to the new lineup in front of him.
I don’t know. It wasn’t an adjustment for me. We had three procedural penalties. It’s hard to say if that was from new timing from a center, I don’t know. We’ll have to see and kind of analyze that tomorrow, but I thought Will (Montgomery) did a good job in his first significant playing time here as a Bronco...I thought Manny (Ramirez) did a good job at guard and Louis (Vasquez) at right tackle.
Manning continued, “It’s not easy playing a new position. I’m not sure I can really relate to it, so I give credit to all those guys for handling the adjustment on the road and playing well.”
Free-Agent Help?
The Broncos will leave no stone unturned when looking for additional help on the offensive line. That became crystal clear when The Denver Post's Mike Klis reported that the Broncos were working out veteran Richie Incognito at their Dove Valley facility.
Broncos had productive visit with OG Richie Incognito. Not signing him at this time. Team will continue to look to improve offensive line.
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) November 11, 2014 Incognito came into the league with the reputation as an overly emotional (some would call dirty) player. He bounced around from the Rams to the Bills to the Dolphins. In Miami, Incognito became infamous for the bullying scandal that rocked the NFL in 2013.
He’s been suspended by the NFL and hasn’t played football in over a year. That still didn’t stop the Broncos from kicking his tires to see what he had in the tank.
“It sends a message to everyone that they’re concerned about their offensive line.” Klis said when I interviewed him on my ESPN radio show on Tuesday.
Summary
The Broncos front office will look at every position with a critical eye; the offensive line is not exempt from such critiquing. In fact, the guys up front may be under the most powerful of microscopes.
After his breakout performance against the Raiders, running back C.J. Anderson praised the new combination up front.
“Oh, I love it. I mean, it doesn’t matter who’s up there. Coaches are going to dress 46, and coaches are going to put who they feel like will give us the best position to win. That’s who they went with, you know, as long as they keep doing their job then everything goes well.”
The saying goes that games (and championships) are won and lost in the trenches. Denver has done an outstanding job of putting incredible talent around Manning at the skill positions. The Broncos have even worked diligently to vastly improve the talent on the defensive side of the ball.
One could easily make the argument that this is the most talent Manning has ever been surrounded with during his illustrious pro career.
That doesn’t change the fact that Denver doesn’t seem to be satisfied with the play of its offensive line.
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via email from the Denver Broncos unless otherwise noted. Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac.com. Transaction history provided by ProSportsTransactions.com.
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