Dolphins inactives: Cameron Wake out

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
7:28
PM ET
NEW ORLEANS – Here are the Miami Dolphins players you won’t see in Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
The Dolphins activated starting defensive tackle Paul Soliai. He was listed as questionable during the week with a knee injury. Coaches took a close look at Wake during warm-ups and determined he wasn't ready to play.
IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter was taken out of the lineup Sunday against the San Diego Chargers not just for poor play but also a slight foot injury.

“That’s something we heard about in the second half of the game,” coach Jason Garrett said.

But the coach was clearly displeased with Carter’s performance. He was beaten by Chargers running back Danny Woodhead for two touchdowns and had other struggles in coverage.

“There were some other things going on in our other coverage that he didn’t do quite enough good job on,” Garrett said. “We wanted to give Ernie Sims some chances to come play, particularly in that nickel package. ... We’ve just got to get better there. Bruce has been a good cover linebacker for us, and he’ll be a good cover linebacker for us again.”

Garrett did not commit to Carter in the nickel package.

“We’ll continue the evaluation and we’ll give them both chances as the week goes on and make those determinations by game time,” Garrett said.
IRVING, Texas -- The day after, Cowboys rookie wide receiver Terrance Williams was still dealing with his fourth-quarter fumble in Sunday's loss to the San Diego Chargers.

Williams
Williams
Williams caught a short pass over the middle and while trying to stretch out for more yards, he was stripped of the ball at the Chargers 2. The miscue came at a difficult time for the Cowboys. They trailed 30-21 and a touchdown would have made it a one-score game. Instead the Cowboys had to continue to play catch-up after the fumble with 2:42 to play in the game.

"I still feel the same," Williams said of his sour mood. "I should have gotten down. I felt like we were pressed for time, but I should have gotten down so we could have kicked the field goal."

Williams was escorted off the field by Bryan Wansley, the director of player development. And several of his teammates, Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, along with team owner Jerry Jones offered words of encouragement to Williams in the locker room.

Williams also dropped a sideline pass earlier in the game. Overall, Williams had career highs in catches (seven) and yards (71) in the loss to the Chargers and continues to show the Cowboys why he's got a bright future.

But some mental mistakes, including running the wrong route which led to an interception against the New York Giants in Week 1, have opened the door for critics.

"He made a number of plays for us," coach Jason Garrett said. "He obviously had the fumble going in -- we had a real good scoring chance with a few minutes to go in the game. It was an effort play he was making, there's no question about that. He catches it short of the goal line and he wants to get in and he extends the ball, and one of the things he's going to learn as a young player is when you're in those situations guys are fantastic at getting the ball out. It's a physical game and they're going to knock the ball out. So, he'll learn from that experience."

Redskins notes: Lots of work remains

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
7:15
PM ET
ASHBURN, Va. -- One win hasn’t changed the message Mike Shanahan has for the Washington Redskins as they enter the bye week. They have work to do.

“Our team is pretty realistic,” Shanahan said. “They know what type of effort we have to have to get to the next level, what type of play we have to do consistently to win the division.”

At 1-3, the Redskins aren’t in a position to relax even in a division having a down year. The players were upbeat after beating the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, but they also don’t want to assume it’ll be the start of a turnaround.

Shanahan
Shanahan
That’s why Shanahan said they’ll talk with the players about ways they could have clinched Sunday’s win earlier. Or how they can put together a complete game on both sides of the ball.

“Once you get too carried away, to me that’s when a team goes one way or another,” Shanahan said. “Sometimes if you don’t do all the little things the right way you lose a game and all of a sudden the sky is falling. The sky’s not falling. You have got to go back and do the little things the right way.

“If you’ve got that mindset and your players believe in the work, then you have a chance to overcome anything. Even though we won, we know we didn’t play one of our better games, especially offensively. When that happens, then you have a football team that has a chance to get better.”

In other Redskins news:
  • Shanahan isn't sure yet how tight end Logan Paulsen's knee is doing. Paulsen hurt his left knee Sunday and exited the stadium in a brace. Paulsen is expected to get an MRI, but he told Shanahan on Sunday that he felt good. Shanahan also said if there is a chance that Paulsen’s injury is serious, then the trainers likely would have shared that information with him after the game.
  • Shanahan on the NFC East: “Remember, this is a long season. Don’t get carried away with things that happen very early or very late. Just stay the course. ... A lot of those games can go either way and people get healthy or they get injured and there’s a lot that goes into it.”
  • Receiver Leonard Hankerson has caught 15 passes for 185 yards, adding four for 49 against the Raiders in his second start of the season. “Hank is really playing well,” Shanahan said. “When he gets the opportunity to set guys up one-on-one, he usually wins. He’s becoming comfortable not only with the system, but with himself.” Hankerson’s routes have continued to improve; time and again he creates separation off his cut, though he’s not as much a threat downfield or after the catch. Still, he’s getting open underneath. Shanahan credits some of it to Hankerson being healthy. Last offseason Hankerson spent his time rehabbing surgically-repaired hip. “It’s nice to have a guy that’s healthy,” Shanahan said. “You can see the progress.”
  • The Redskins have an early bye this week; last year they had one after nine games. Not that any of this matters to Shanahan. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of the season, toward the end of the season or in the beginning,” he said. “You can use excuses that it’s the perfect time for a bye week. We have a couple guys banged up which is a positive for us to get these guys healthy. ... We can come back healthy and we know where we’re at in the NFC East and start the season all over again.”
  • Suspended players, defensive end Jarvis Jenkins and linebacker Rob Jackson, will return to practice Tuesday. They haven’t been able to practice for the past four weeks while serving their four-game suspensions. Jackson at least could be at the facility because the nature of his suspension and sit in on meetings. He just couldn’t practice. The Redskins have a one-week exemption before they need to make a move to free up two roster spots.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Despite holding just a walk-through practice Monday evening, the Buffalo Bills were required to release a practice participation report in advance of their Thursday night game against the Cleveland Browns.

Running back C.J. Spiller (ankle) and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore (wrist) and Ron Brooks (foot) were listed as "did not practice." ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported earlier Monday that Spiller will play Thursday night.

Meanwhile, running back Fred Jackson, who sprained his MCL in Sunday's win over the Ravens, and cornerback Aaron Williams, who did not finish Sunday's game due to a lower back injury, were among eight players listed as "limited" in the walk-through session.

Here is the full walk-through participation report:

DID NOT PRACTICE
RB C.J. Spiller (ankle)
CB Stephon Gilmore (wrist)
CB Ron Brooks (foot)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION
S Jairus Byrd (foot)
WR Marquise Goodwin (hand)
K Dustin Hopkins (right groin)
RB Fred Jackson (knee)
WR Steve Johnson (hamstring)
CB Leodis McKelvin (hamstring)
G Kraig Urbik (knee)
CB Aaron Williams (low back)

MNF live blog: Dolphins at Saints

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
7:00
PM ET
Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the "Monday Night Football" match up of the undefeateds, the Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints.

Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.

Joe Theismann has harsh words on Giants

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
6:50
PM ET
Former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Theismann is not that surprised that the Giants are 0-4.

Appearing on "The Mike Lupica Show" on ESPN NY 98.7 FM on Monday, Theismann said the team hasn't been that good in recent years, despite winning two Super Bowls.

"To be honest with you Mike, if you look at this football team over the three years you’re talking about, really the three years, even though they’ve won championships, they’re not that good a football team," Theismann said. "They’ve been inconsistent at the wide receiver position, whether it be by play or injury. The running back position has been suspect for quite a while, now you got guys putting the ball on the ground. Their defensive line has been hurt at times, and there’s been a great change there. And we know that their linebacking corps has been in flux, and their secondary has been average."

"Truthfully, Eli Manning has basically taken this football team on his shoulders over the last couple of years, and the success that they’ve been able to enjoy is because of the incredible way that he has played," Theismann added. "All of a sudden we see Eli struggling -- now you have to ask yourself if you’re a Giants fan, is this the real Giants football team, and I think the answer to that question is probably yes. Unless Eli plays at an incredible level, and protects the ball, then I think you’re basically stuck with what you see."

Hardwick ready for Raiders' Week

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
6:48
PM ET
SAN DIEGO -- Nick Hardwick, a 10-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the San Diego Chargers, said there’s very little explaining to do in the locker room about the team’s next opponent: it’s Raiders week.

“Everybody knows it’s Raiders week,” Hardwick said. “This is a special week here. It gets a little extra special attention, so guys are ready. We’re going to build off this win moving forward, and just go in with a good, aggressive attitude, and a good fighting spirit, and be ready to win again.”

The Chargers travel to Oakland to take on the Raiders for the team’s first AFC West division matchup. Oakland holds a 58-47-2 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1960. However, the Chargers have won the last three games, including the last two in Oakland.

At 2-2 this season, San Diego players know how important it is to get off to a good start within the division.

“It’s going to be huge,” running back Danny Woodhead said. “It’s a divisional game, which those go even further because you have two against each team. They’re very important, and we just got to be ready. We’ve got to take every single day that we have, starting today, to prepare and watch film -- just know what they’re going to do so we’re ready on Sunday.”

With the Oakland Athletics hosting the first round of the American League division series against the Detroit Tigers this weekend, the Chargers will have to deal with the dirt infield at the Oakland Coliseum. But good footing is the least of Hardwick’s concerns.

“It doesn’t matter,” Hardwick said. “You just go out and fight, and that’s all you can do. I mean, who cares if it’s dirt, or gravel or grass. I mean you’re just there to punch the guy in front of you. There’s nothing special about it. If we player harder than them, we play tougher than them, we’re going to win.”

Along with San Diego’s first AFC West division contest, placing more importance on this game is the fact that five of the Chargers' final eight games of season are against division opponents. San Diego wants to get a division game in the win column during the first half of the season.

“The No. 1 goal in a division is you’ve always got to win your division,” San Diego coach Mike McCoy said. “The only way you’re guaranteed to get into the playoffs is to win your division. So anytime you play against a division opponent, there’s that kind of professional hatred that you have for a team. You’re going to play those three teams twice a year, and you’ve got to knock them off.

“So it’s a big opportunity for us. We’ve got to build off of what we’ve done the past, couple weeks and continue to get better. It’s going to be a tough test for us in Oakland.”
PHILADELPHIA -- DeSean Jackson had a frustrating day in Denver, from the pass that soared over his head on the Eagles’ first drive to the moment he blew off reporters in the postgame locker room.

Frustrate Jackson and you frustrate the Eagles’ entire passing game. That has quickly become the formula for stopping Chip Kelly’s offense.

With former teammate Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie running with him stride for stride, Jackson was targeted six times by quarterback Michael Vick. Jackson caught just two passes for 34 yards.

“I think we have seen just a little bit more man [coverage],” Kelly said Monday, “and I think that's overall with everybody. But I also think we've been productive moving the football. I still think we're stopping ourselves. We are not getting stopped by a scheme and we are not getting stopped by a look.”

[+] EnlargeDeSean Jackson
Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY SportsEagles star receiver DeSean Jackson has been stymied during the past two weeks.
When Jackson isn’t open, Vick has trouble getting the ball to his other wideouts. Either Riley Cooper (two catches, 25 yards) and Jason Avant (one catch, seven yards) aren’t getting open, or Vick just doesn’t trust them with tight throws.

“It depends on what play,” Kelly said. “There's maybe one play where, yeah, he should have let it rip, but there's other plays where we have to do a better job of getting open and other plays where we have to do a better job of protecting him. It's a combination of the whole thing.”

Early in the game, Kelly had rookie tight end Zach Ertz lined up in the slot with Brent Celek also on the field. That was a rare look at the kind of inventive use of the tight ends Kelly teased fans with in the preseason. Kelly liked the matchups created when the Eagles ran against opponents’ nickel schemes, and he also seemed to get seduced by Jackson’s quick-strike potential.

As a result, free-agent pickup James Casey has just one catch in four games. The screen game disappeared almost entirely until Vick found Bryce Brown and LeSean McCoy for a couple of big plays Sunday.

On Monday, Kelly talked about getting running back Chris Polk some more playing time. He continued to defend the play of Cooper, who is valued more for his blocking ability than his receiving at this point. And he shed some light on Ertz’s development.

“We've seen more and more from him on a weekly basis here as he starts to continue to grasp what we are doing here,” Kelly said. “I expect him to grow. He's four games into his professional football career. So to see him run around and line up all over the place like Jimmy Graham from the New Orleans Saints, I don't think anybody envisioned that as we put together an offense and start to figure out what he's good at, what he's not good at.

“There's a lot of details in doing it. It's not as easy as saying, ‘Hey, we drafted this guy and he has got the ability.’ Yeah, he does. But I also think we have to get him settled. It's not going to come with all of a sudden tomorrow we are going to come up with 17 different ways where we can deploy Zach and put him in different situations because it's not fair to him.”

Kelly had great success getting the ball to Jackson in the Eagles’ first two games. He caught 16 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns, and the Eagles scored a total of 63 points. The past two weeks, Jackson has five catches for 96 yards, and the Eagles scored a total of 33 points.

Defenses adjusted. Now Kelly has to find a way to counter. He isn’t getting Jeremy Maclin back this season, so he has to find production from Ertz, Celek and Casey at tight end, from the running backs and from the wideouts, including the underutilized Damaris Johnson.

If he does, who knows? Maybe defenses will have to back off and Jackson can break loose again.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh made two things clear in the aftermath of the 23-20 loss at the Buffalo Bills:

It was his decision to abandon the run, and he would do it again in the same situation. The Ravens' plodding running game was the hot topic at Harbaugh's news conference Monday -- eight of the 17 questions asked had something to do with the ground attack -- and he did not back down from the decision to run the ball a franchise-low nine times, including twice in the second half.

"That's my call all the way," Harbaugh said. "I just felt like we weren't running the ball well enough to win the game running the ball. Looking back on it, I feel the same way. After watching the tape, I feel we did exactly the right thing to try to win that game. No second-guessing myself on that. That was my decision. That's the way we went with it. If you feel like we should have run the ball more in the second half, I definitely respect that opinion. But it didn't look that way to me. So, that's what we did."

[+] EnlargeRay Rice
AP Photo/Bill WippertRay Rice has just 89 rushing yards so far this season.
I do not fault Harbaugh's decision because the run game was going nowhere (the team was averaging 2.6 yards per carry). The Ravens also were 15 yards away from kicking the potential game-tying field goal late in the fourth quarter, so the pass-heavy attack put Baltimore in position to pull off the comeback.

Where I differ with Harbaugh is the Ravens' ability to turn this ground game around. The Ravens are averaging 64 yards rushing per game, which ranks 28th in the NFL. There have been no signs of life from the Ravens' running game and that includes Sunday's game against the second-worst run defense in the NFL.

It's a strange turn of events for the Ravens because this is essentially the same offensive line that helped the Ravens average 134.8 yards rushing in the playoffs. The Ravens have not cracked 100 yards rushing as a team this season.

The only change on the offensive line has been second-year center Gino Gradkowski replacing 15-year veteran Matt Birk.

"He's done a good job physically," Harbaugh said of Gradkowski. "It hasn't been too often where Gino has been pushed around. He's done a good of job of holding the point. I talk to him all the time, I think he can come off the ball better. I think sometimes he's a little tentative with his footwork and wants to stay in front of people. Go ahead and come off the ball and move people a little bit. He's capable of doing that."

Harbaugh added, "It's a difference between Gino and Matt with the calls. I think we're feeling that in there right now. Gino is a really smart guy but Matt had been at it a lot of years. So, that's something that we're working through."

The other big change was adding Juan Castillo, the former offensive line coach and defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, to be the Ravens' run game coordinator. Harbaugh, though, said the Ravens aren't doing much different blocking-wise with Castillo.

"It's the same offense," Harbaugh said. "We still run the same plays. We still have the same philosophy. There's always a few wrinkles and that's why I brought Juan in because I was excited about things I knew he was going to bring to the table and bring into our program. And those things are part of what we're doing. We're not the same team we were two months ago, and we're going to be a different team two months from now. I'm most interested in what kind of team we are six days from now when we go down to Miami."

Harbaugh dismissed the notion that the health of running back Ray Rice, who returned after missing one game with a hip injury, was a factor in the Ravens struggling to run the ball against the Bills.

"The issue is what it always is. We just got to get better," he said. "We have to go to work and improve the things we can improve and make good decisions on what we choose to do and how we choose to scheme it. So, yes, we can game plan better and we can set formations up better to put our guys in position. I think our running backs can do a better job of running to the right sopt and trusting the offensive line."

Harbaugh added, "But the bottom line is it has nothing to do with style or technique. It's finding what our guys can do well with this group and doing it well. I'm very confident in every one of our coaches. We'll find a way to work it out. It's a process. It's going to be a year-long process."
Austin
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have some optimism that wide receiver Miles Austin might be able to play Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Austin missed the 30-21 loss to the San Diego Chargers with a hamstring injury suffered during the Sept. 22 win against the St. Louis Rams. Austin did not practice last week and did not do any running on the field during the portion of the sessions that were open to the media.

“He ran here the last couple of days and he’s made progress, so hopefully as this week goes on he’s able to practice and have a chance to play in this ballgame,” coach Jason Garrett said.

Last week Garrett said Austin’s hamstring strain was not as severe as the ones he suffered the previous two seasons. Austin did not miss a game in 2012, but he missed six in 2011 because of separate hamstring strains.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants safety Will Hill can return this week from his four-game suspension for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

Hill told reporters back in July that he was suspended for repeatedly failing drug tests for marijuana.

The Giants have depth issues at safety. Starter Stevie Brown was lost for the season to a torn ACL in the preseason. The only other safety on the roster besides current starters Antrel Rolle and Ryan Mundy is rookie Cooper Taylor.

"He’s lifted (weights), he’s conditioned, he’s done all of that, so I really expect him to just be ready to practice," head coach Tom Coughlin said, regarding Hill.

MORE FOR MOORE? You can probably expect to see more of rookie defensive end Damontre Moore next Sunday against the Eagles.

In his opening remarks to the media Monday, Coughlin specifically lauded Moore for his contributions on special teams. When asked how close Moore is to becoming part of the Giants' pass-rusher rotation on defense, Coughlin replied, "Close."

In four games this season, the Giants have just four sacks, tied for the fewest in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: The Giants' offense is ranked just 22nd in total yards this season (1,302), and third-to-last in points per game (15.3). But Coughlin expressed confidence in his coaching staff on Monday.

"I’m very confident in our offensive coaches. They’ve proven that over the years. We’re all going like this," Coughlin said, scratching his head. "'Why aren’t our results better than they are,' and we’ll spend a solid week trying to figure that out again, and as much as I can be involved, I will, but I do have some other issues as well."

Mike Goodson says he's ready to go

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
6:20
PM ET
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Running back Mike Goodson stepped onto a practice field for the first time in months as the active member of an NFL team. His four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy has ended, and he will be able to play on Monday night when the New York Jets head to Atlanta.

lastname
Goodson
“Words can’t even express how excited I am,” Goodson said. “Just to be able to be out there, we just had a walk-through to be back out there with my teammates, even just watching them go through a walk-through, being able to be out there is cool.”

Goodson, who was acquired in the offseason, was arrested in New Jersey soon after becoming a Jet. He was found stopped on the highway in a car that contained a gun and marijuana.

Goodson was absent through training camp for what the Jets would only describe as a personal matter. Goodson and Chris Ivory, who missed last Sunday’s loss in Tennessee with an injured hamstring, were big-ticket acquisitions, and Goodson hopes he can provide something for the Jets’ offense.

“Just a spark, hopefully a spark,” the six-foot, 210-pound Goodson said. “Wherever they choose to place me.”

In the meantime, Jets running back Bilal Powell is averaging 73 yards a game, which ties him with Arian Foster for second place in the AFC behind New England’s Shane Vereen.

“I just come in and work hard every day and try to let my abilities on the field speak for itself,” Powell said. “It’s good that the coaches notice my hard wok during the offseason and training camp, and give me the opportunities to get the carries.”

The fact is, the Jets' running game is the most reliable part of the offense, and Powell has been a steady and durable presence as the two shiny new running backs have been on the shelf.

With a rookie quarterback in Geno Smith who has eight interceptions in the first four games, some pundits have suggested the Jets would be better off letting the run game absorb more of the offensive pressure.

Having Goodson as a second healthy back might be a way to reduce the wear and tear on Powell.

“We look forward to seeing what he can do,” Powell said.

Goodson said he has been working out regularly at the facility and has spent the past four games focused on football and the playbook. He said he expects to be ready Monday, although he isn’t sure what the coaching staff has planned for him.

“I feel good,” Goodson said. “I’m healthy strong, fast, and ready to play.”

Injury update: Jenkins in walking boot

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
6:12
PM ET
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants starting defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins was wearing a protective walking boot on his lower right leg Monday in the Giants locker room, a day after the team's 31-7 loss to the Chiefs.

When asked to describe the injury, Jenkins said, "I think just a little tendon something, knee and Achilles. ... Hopefully like I said, just a couple days, get this thing treated, and get back going."

Head coach Tom Coughlin did not have further updates yet on the other players injured against the Chiefs. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (knee) and cornerbacks Aaron Ross (back) and Jayron Hosley (hamstring) all left the game early and did not return, plus linebacker Mark Herzlich was wearing a walking boot after the game due to a toe injury.

The same goes for starting center David Baas (neck) and right guard Chris Snee (hip), who sat out Sunday's game. "I’m waiting to hear on those kinds of things," Coughlin said. "The treatment is being conducted today as usual. We’ll see."

Jim Cordle and James Brewer started for Snee and Baas, respectively. Cordle was making his first NFL regular-season start, while Brewer was making his second.

"They played against a very good front and, for the most part, they did a good job," Coughlin said. "We did have a holding penalty up there and there were some occasions where we could have obviously done a better job or finished a block better than we did. They scrapped and I was pleased with what they accomplished. I wish obviously, it would have been perfect, but they did OK."
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- If it was Monday, it must have been time for Broncos coach John Fox to perform the football eclipse and just block out the sunshine.

And in working his way through a recap of Sunday’s 52-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles that pushed the Broncos to 4-0 and brought another round of historical benchmarks the team has surpassed on offense along the way, Fox delivered an off-handed missive that won’t be great news to the team’s upcoming opponents.

“We left points out on the field [Sunday]."

And with that Fox kept to his weekly ritual of trying to turn down the flame on the Broncos’ start in which the quarterback has thrown 16 touchdown passes without an interception, more touchdowns than every other team in the league has scored overall, and the Broncos lead the league in scoring by 52 points over No. 2 Chicago.

[+] EnlargeRonnie Hillman
Chris Humphreys/USA TODAY SportsWill Ronnie Hillman and the run game be reliable if Denver is in need of tough yards in a close game?
“We’ll just continue to get better," Fox said. “ … And I expect us to get better. People look at me funny when I say that. There’s still a lot of areas we need to improve at, we can improve at."

In reality, even with quarterback Peyton Manning on the current torrid pace, the Broncos will need, at some point, to run the ball with more authority, especially when in close-out mode. They rushed for just 37 yards on 12 carries in the fourth quarter Sunday. That’s 3.1 yards per carry against a defense that was both demoralized and visibly fatigued. While that looks like a BB off a battleship in a 32-point win, there will be a day when the Broncos need more to grind one out.

  • It will be intriguing to watch how the Broncos attack the Cowboys defense, with longtime NFL assistant Monte Kiffin in his first season calling the shots on that side of the ball in Dallas. Especially since the Broncos will have the video of how their offensive coordinator from 2012 -- current Chargers coach Mike McCoy -- handled it this past Sunday in the Chargers’ 30-21 victory. Kiffin has long played a 4-3 look, with the defensive linemen playing the run as they move up the field toward the quarterback with two deep safeties. He forces quarterbacks to play with patience with a combination of coverages designed to keep plays in front of the defensive backs. Fox knows it well from his time in Carolina and Kiffin’s long run as the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator, while Manning certainly knows it from his time in Indianapolis when Tony Dungy used the defense with the Colts (Kiffin was Dungy's defensive coordinator in Tampa). But that doesn’t always help, or as Fox put it: “Everybody in this league has either played for or coached with Monte.’’ One of the biggest challenges for the Broncos will come up front where Kiffin’s four-man front is often stunting and moving into the middle of the field as well, working the gaps between the center and guards. That will surely mean a test for Manny Ramirez, as well as Zane Beadles and Louis Vasquez.

  • Fox said he was sitting face-to-face with Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio Sunday night when the University of Houston tennis coach, Patrick Sullivan, posted on his Twitter account he had “spotted" Del Rio at Los Angeles International Airport. Fox and the Broncos coaches were at a local steakhouse at the time. “I was actually at Del Frisco’s when that came out," Fox said. Asked if he was checking his Twitter feed at the time, Fox said: “I don’t even know how to spell Twitter." Del Rio has already been linked to the vacant USC coaching job -- he played at USC -- but couldn't start a new job until the Broncos season is over, including any postseason games. Del Rio’s contract is up following the season. Following Sunday night’s game, Del Rio said: “There isn’t anything to say. It’s all speculation at this point, I’ve got a job to do here, my focus is right there." Monday, Fox said: “Like always there’s 8,000 candidates, when it gets serious potential, we’ll keep you posted."

  • The Broncos equipment staff saved linebacker Steven Johnson the football from his first career touchdown in Sunday’s win. Johnson blocked a punt early in the fourth quarter, scooped up the ball and returned it 17 yards for the score. Johnson got the ball Monday afternoon. “After I blocked it, I was shocked and I was like, ‘Oh shoot,’ you know? I slowed down, took a deep breath and just picked it up and scored and then celebrated with my teammates."

  • Following Sunday’s game, in which Trindon Holliday had his sixth return for a touchdown in his 16 games with the Broncos, Holliday said he believed he has become more reliable catching the ball. Fox hasn’t always allowed Holliday to catch punts deep in Denver territory and Holliday has had some nerve-wracking bobbles in his brief time with the Broncos. But Monday Fox agreed with Holliday’s assessment saying Holliday was “fielding the ball way more consistently.’’ It could mean Holliday gets a few more opportunities in games, particularly as a punt returner. On Holliday’s run with the team Fox said: “I joked with him that if he’d won the Baltimore game, he might have been the guy on Dancing with [the] Stars.’’ Holliday became the first player in league history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same playoff game last January. But the Broncos didn’t hang on and lost to the Ravens. And Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones was chosen to appear on "Dancing with the Stars."

  • Fox said Monday the Broncos suffered no major injuries in Sunday's game. Defensive tackle Mitch Unrein and linebacker Danny Trevathan each left the game, but returned.
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