Colorado Sports 2007

CB Foxworth a capable sub for Broncos

AP PHOTO/FILE
Denver Broncos defensive back Domonique Foxworth (22) breaks up a pass intended for New England's Troy Brown during their game earlier this season in Foxborough, Mass. Foxworth, a cornerback, will share time at safety against San Diego on Sunday.





By PAT GRAHAMTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER - Domonique Foxworth is gladly filling in at safety for the injury-riddled Denver Broncos.
But he still considers himself a cornerback.
With season-ending knee injuries to safeties Nick Ferguson and Sam Brandon, the Broncos decided to pair the second-year cornerback with veteran John Lynch.
‘‘It caught me off guard and I’m more flattered than anything,’’ Foxworth said. ‘‘But I’m a full-time cornerback, part-time safety.’’

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Foxworth will split time at safety with Curome Cox on Sunday against San Diego. And while he’d rather be on the field as a cornerback, Foxworth understands these are desperate times for the Broncos, who’ve lost three in a row.
‘‘If you get thin, somebody has to step up and do their job as good as the starters do,’’ Foxworth said. ‘‘That’s what I’m trying to do right now.’’
The Broncos feel Foxworth is their best option.
‘‘It’s a good thing for everybody,’’ defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said. ‘‘I think it’s been a very positive thing that he can move in and out of that position.’’
Denver defensive backs coach Bob Slowik made the call to slide Foxworth to safety. The team wanted to get their best combination of defensive backs on the field, regardless of position.
‘‘We didn’t have much of a discussion on it,’’ Foxworth said with a grin. ‘‘(Slowik) said, ‘You’re going to play safety this week.’ I said, ‘All right.’ ’’
Darrent Williams couldn’t be happier that Denver moved his fellow 2005 draft classmate back to safety.
Better Foxworth than him.
‘‘I like to make my hits off the corner,’’ Williams said. ‘‘Maybe nine or 10 years from now, they can move me back there.’’
Foxworth was thrown to the Seahawks on Sunday night, playing most of the game at strong safety. While he had six tackles, he felt like a cornerback playing safety.
Foxworth gave up a big pass play down the middle of the field to Seattle receiver Darrell Jackson in the fourth quarter that set up the Seahawks’ go-ahead touchdown.
‘‘He misplayed the ball,’’ Coyer said. ‘‘He had it dead, but he over ran it. That’s just learning angles. The skill is there, the intelligence is there and the ability to tackle is there.’’
The Broncos understand the transition will take some time. Denver even signed safety Steve Cargile to its active roster Thursday.
A visit to the equipment room was in order this week as Foxworth needed to switch out shoulder pads. He wore lighter pads against Seattle and paid the price.
‘‘I think he’ll get better and better at the position the more comfortable he feels,’’ coach Mike Shanahan said. ‘‘He’s got great ball skills, and he’s extremely bright.’’
Foxworth has some experience in covering San Diego Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates, which will come in handy on Sunday. Gates has 13 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns the last two games.
‘‘Gates has come on like gangbusters since that game (against Denver),’’ said Coyer, whose defense has never given up a touchdown to Gates. ‘‘He’s lit people up. It’s a challenge.’’
A visit to the equipment room was in order this week as Foxworth needed to switch out shoulder pads. He wore lighter pads against Seattle and paid the price.
‘‘He was sore and bruised up (from all the hitting),’’ Shanahan said.
The biggest adjustment to playing safety, in Foxworth’s estimation, is realizing it’s permissible to attack.
‘‘Corner is more of a passive position, you play the pass and don’t want to be too aggressive,’’ Foxworth said. ‘‘Safety is pretty much all aggression.’’
Ferguson has been mentoring Foxworth. Ferguson, who regularly comes in for rehab on his knee, will sit at a table in the locker room, eat lunch and talk to Foxworth, giving him little pointers. Ferguson was a cornerback at Georgia Tech, but was later converted to safety.
And while Foxworth isn’t big - he’s listed as 5-foot-11, 180 pounds - he makes up for it in smarts. Foxworth graduated from Maryland in 3 years.
‘‘The transition (to safety) is determined not by your athletic ability but by your mentality,’’ Ferguson said. ‘‘It’s the mentality. It’s saying, ‘I’m going to make this tackle.’ Foxy is that same type of guy. The young kid is fearless. If you asked him to play quarterback, he’d do it.’’
Lynch has confidence playing alongside Foxworth. He doesn’t worry about him being a novice at the position.
‘‘I think he’ll continue to grow there as long as ... like he told me, he’ll do it as long as he needs to,’’ Lynch said. ‘‘But then he’ll go back to corner.’’

posted by WestEnd @ 7:37 AM