New York Giants Official Website

Broncos Scouting Report
  By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

NOVEMBER 25, 2009

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - The Giants won their first five games, lost their next four and rebounded with an overtime victory last Sunday against Atlanta. Denver shot out to a 6-0 start, but has lost its last four games, including a 32-3 trouncing by San Diego in its most recent outing.

The Giants lead the regular season series with Denver, 5-4, and the postseason series, 1-0 (a 39-20 victory in Super Bowl XXI). The teams last met on Oct. 23, 2005, when Eli Manning's two-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer with five seconds remaining gave the Giants a 24-23 victory. The Giants last played in Denver on Sept. 10, 2001, when then Broncos earned a 31-20 season-opening Monday night victory.

This will be the Giants' first Thanksgiving Day game since Nov. 26, 1992, when they lost to the Cowboys in Dallas, 30-3. The Giants are 7-3-3 on Thanksgiving, but this will be just their third game on the holiday since 1938. They last won on Thanksgiving on Nov. 25, 1982, a 13-6 victory in Detroit. This is Denver's first home Thanksgiving game since 1963.

Offense

The Broncos, who have a first-year head coach in Josh McDaniels, are ranked 22nd in the NFL in yards per game (323.0). They are 16th in rushing yards (112.4) and 19th in passing (210.6). Denver is averaging 17 points a game, which is 25th in the league.

Quarterback Kyle Orton didn't start last week because of an ankle injury, but he relieved Chris Simms in the second quarter and played the rest of the way, completing 15 of 29 passes for 171 yards. Orton, who is 9-4 in his last 13 starts dating back to last season when he was with Chicago, is an accurate short and intermediate passer. He has a quick release and is outstanding in the play-action game. This season, Orton has completed 62 percent of his passes and thrown for 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Simms is the son of former Giants great Phil, who holds all of the franchise's significant career passing records. A lefthander, Chris Simms last Sunday started for the first time since undergoing emergency surgery to have his spleen removed in 2006.

Denver's featured runner is first-round draft choice Knowshon Moreno, who leads all NFL rookies in rushing yards (600) and total yards (677). Moreno has good initial quickness and balance. He's not a speed burner, but he is a strong runner between the tackles. Former Philadelphia Eagle Correll Buckhalter is a powerful, physical runner with good speed and vision. Either LaMont Jordan or Peyton Hillis will be the third back in uniform. Jordan has not practiced this week because of a back injury.

The Broncos' best receiver is Brandon Marshall, who had consecutive 100-yard games before being held to 26 yards on three catches by the Chargers. A Pro Bowler in 2008, when he had 104 catches, Marshall has excellent hands and jumping ability and unusual run skills for a big receiver. He leads the team with 52 receptions for 628 yards and six touchdowns. Second-year pro Eddie Royal is Denver's fastest receiver. He caught 10 passes in a victory over New England. Royal is an explosive wideout who runs excellent routes. Because the Broncos frequently use the shotgun, Jabar Gaffney has started six games this season. He has good awareness, both in running underneath routes and in knowing where the first-down marker is. Brandon Stokley lines up in the slot and is an instinctive, tough receiver who is very productive on short and intermediate routes.

Daniel Graham is the best blocker and best all-around player among the Broncos' three tight ends. He can neutralize pass rushers at the line of scrimmage and has strong hands as a receiver. Tony Scheffler leads the group with 23 catches. At 6-5 and 255, Scheffler lines up in the slot and creates mismatches against the linebackers and defensive backs who try to guard him. Richard Quinn contributes as a blocker but has no receptions this season. The Broncos often use lineman Brandon Gorin as an extra blocker in short yardage situations.

Denver's offensive line is a tough, competitive group that has long been known for zone blocking. The linemen do a lot of pulling. Right guard Chris Kuper, a powerful drive blocker, is the best of the group. Center Casey Wiegmann has started 137 consecutive games, the second-longest streak among NFL offensive linemen. Left tackle Ryan Clady was a first-round draft choice last year and has shown that he's going to be a very good player. Six-foot eight Tyler Polumbus supplanted Ryan Harris as the starter at right tackle three games ago. Russ Hochstein started the last two games at left guard.

Defense

The Broncos' 3-4 defense underwent extensive personnel changes in the offseason, when the team brought in new starters like nose tackle Ronald Fields, linebacker Andra Davis, cornerback Andre' Goodman and safeties Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill. Denver recently signed Ty Law to be the nickel back.

The defense is ranked seventh in the NFL in both yards allowed (297.8 a game) and scoring (18.3). They are 18th against the run (115.3) and third vs. the pass (182.5). But those numbers are deceptive. The Broncos were third in the league in run defense after their 6-0 start, allowing 80 yards a game. In their four-game losing streak, they have given up 169 yards a game on the ground, including 203 in last week's loss to the Chargers.

The defensive line was very difficult to run on early in the season. Fields is a sturdy anchor with good range in the middle of the front. Left end Ryan McBean missed two games with a right knee injury but returned against San Diego and had four tackles. He is a strong point of attack player. Versatile Kenny Peterson has started every game. Le Kevin Smith, acquired in a trade with New England, is smart and competitive. Savvy veteran Vonnie Holliday plays tackle in the sub packages, where he is an active pass rusher. Backup nose Marcus Thomas uses his power to chase the quarterback.

Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil leads the NFL with 12.0 sacks and has been one of the league's most productive defensive players this season. He is explosive off the edge and uses a variety of moves to get around and even under slower tackles. Dumervil has 10 career multi-sack games. On the other side is Mario Haggan, a first-year starter who is disciplined, instinctive and effective when blitzing. On the inside, D.J. Williams is the team's most complete linebacker. He leads the team with 79 tackles (61 solo), including 2.5 sacks and eight tackles for losses. Williams is an every-down backer who plays fast, furious and physically. Davis is strong on his feet and an aggressive tackler. Wesley Woodyard, who is skilled at covering backs out of the backfield, plays in sub packages. Former Indianapolis Colt Darrell Reid and first-round draft choice Robert Ayers also contribute.

The Giants will meet up with an old adversary in Dawkins, who joined the Broncos this season after 13 years in Philadelphia. The seven-time Pro Bowler is the same player he was with the Eagles - aggressive and a vocal team leader and tremendous competitor. Dawkins is also second on the team with 71 tackles (56 solo). Hill is solid in coverage and has good ball awareness and he's competitive in run support. Rookie Darcel McBath is the top reserve safety.

Left cornerback Champ Bailey is an eight-time Pro Bowler with 44 career interceptions. He still has outstanding speed and excellent man-to-man coverage ability. Goodman has broken up six passes this season. Law, a 15-year veteran, was signed on Nov. 7 and has six tackles in three games. He is a quick and instinctive player.

Special Teams

Kicker Matt Prater was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September. He has made 15 of 19 field goal attempts this season, including a 50-yarder, and has 10 touchbacks - six in Denver's light air. Prater has made six of seven attempts from 50 yards and longer in his career. Veteran punter Mitch Berger was signed on Oct. 26 and has a 40.8-yard gross average and a 37.8-yard net average in four games. Royal, one of the NFL's most dangerous returners, was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in October. On Oct. 19 at San Diego, he became the 11th player in history to return both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in a game. Royal is sixth in the NFL with an 11.6-yard average on 18 punts returns and is tied for 17th (with the Giants' Domenik Hixon, a former Bronco) with a 24.4-yard average on 21 kickoff returns.

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