Joe Flacco banners to promote Ravens- Broncos game irk some Denverites

Transcription

Joe Flacco banners to promote RavensBroncos game irk some Denverites
A shot of sports commentary each weekday near quittin' time
By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
The devil wears purple.
Ed Rydberg was strolling down 16th Street Mall on Tuesday, one of those sunsplashed Denver-y days the Downtown Denver Partnership would love to promote,
when he suddenly said: "What the ..."
There was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, featured on a banner on a light post.
"It's really weird," Rydberg said. "I don't understand it. I think it's kind of stupid. I
think it should have just been Broncos. It's our town."
The NFL is trying to promote its big first game of the season, the rematch of the
Ravens-Broncos playoff loss, when Rahim Moore ... yeah, yeah, you know what
happened.
But Flacco's plastered all over 16th Street like Stalin in St. Petersburg. Yes, there
are also Peyton Manning banners, but Flacco? That Bert-from-Sesame-Street guy
who beat the Broncos in their own home? Flacco? That Sam The Eagle guy who
went on to win the Super Bowl MVP like Peyton was supposed to do?
And then, to top it all off, Flacco's face is also on the actual stadium, the scene of
the crime. Flacco and Peyton next to each other on the south side of Sports
Authority Field at Mile High.
"It was like insult to injury, man," said Marquis Benjamin of northeast Denver,
inside a sneaker shop on 16th Street. "After what transpired in the playoffs, with
Joe Flacco of all people to now be in the center of the city? ... At first I was like,
they're just promoting the whole football season, but when it started to create and
issue, I was like — this is disrespectful."
I didn't see any major vandalism of the signs, but one Flacco banner had a big wad
of gum on it.
The banners are sponsored by the NFL and Pepsi, and I was told that the Downtown
Denver Partnership is responsible for putting the banners up on the street. A
message left for their communications director wasn't returned.
Matt Rolland of Arvada was in front of a store called Only in Colorado when, only in
Colorado, he saw a banner of the hated rival.
"It's funny because it's a Pepsi poster, sponsored, so they don't really care," he
said. "But it's kind of interesting they would do that, I don't understand it. I do
have some colleagues who would be royally ticked off. I don't know why they'd do
this. If you're going to show Flacco, at least have some sort of slogan that says,
'It's payback time!' "
As for me, someone who normally spends his days at sports practices and games, it
was a refreshing change of pace to take in the beauty of our city while on 16th
Street. Along with the Flacco banners, some of the sights included a homeless man
spitting out of a Mall Ride door, another man screaming wildly in front of Dress
Barn, numerous people having conversations with themselves and a person
stumbling to his left with a cigarette angling out of his mouth to his right.
Also, as I tried to get people to stop for an interview, I soon realized that I was
what I hate most about 16th Street — the people trying to stop you mid-stride. And
I was completely turned down by every female, which brought back memories of
prom week, '98.
Ronnie Hillman returns to Broncos' firstteam reps at running back
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
John Fox tried to warn everybody.
Don't read anything into Montee Ball taking the first-team tailback reps Monday,
the Broncos' coach said.
Naturally, with an estimated 19 million people setting their Fantasy League rosters
this week, Fox's heed was ignored.
So who was the Broncos' primary first-team running back during practice Tuesday?
Ronnie Hillman.
"I don't even know yet, so I don't know how you all know," Fox said about who the
Broncos' starting running back will be this season. "They'll both carry a big load for
us this season, knock on wood. Whether it's '1A' and '1' or however you want to list
it, they're both very capable and we're very pleased with both."
Ball's place with the first-string offense Monday was significant for two reasons.
One, Hillman had been the No. 1 back every day since the start of offseason
practices in May. He had hoped to carry that streak at least until Sept. 5 when the
Broncos open the season at home against the Baltimore Ravens.
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," Hillman said Tuesday. "I'm still working towards that
right now. We've got one more week."
And two, Ball was inserted in with the starters Monday as Hillman was coming off
back-to-back preseason games when he fumbled and his fumbles were returned for
touchdowns.
As a teaching tool, the Broncos had Hillman carrying a football in-between reps
Monday and Tuesday.
"I'm going to do what they want me to do," Hillman said. "I've never had fumbling
problems before. I just can't let it get in my head and handicap me. I have to go
out there and continue to play."
A big deal was made of the rookie Ball — the most prolific running back in NCAA
history after he was finished playing for the Wisconsin Badgers — taking the firstteam reps Monday. Ball occasionally mixed in with the first team again Tuesday,
but Hillman took more.
"I don't listen to what you all talk about," Hillman said, laughing. "You all might tick
me off. So I don't listen."
Broncos' Brock Osweiler gets one more
chance to impress in preseason
By Terry Frei
The Denver Post
August 28, 2013
Brock Osweiler knows it's nothing personal. When the season begins Sept. 5
against the Baltimore Ravens, it's the hope of all Broncos fans — and the
organization — that he never has to take a snap when a game is undecided. His
summons to put on his helmet for significant playing time likely will have followed a
Peyton Manning injury, a region-wide gasp, and a chorus of "Oh, no!" Or worse.
Osweiler is ticketed to start and play much of the Broncos' fourth and final
exhibition game, Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals at Sports Authority
Field at Mile High. In theory, and ideally for Denver, it will be his final chance to
make a major impression before he goes into the baseball hat mode.
"I just take my job day by day," Osweiler said after Tuesday's practice. "Right now,
I'm listed as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart and so I'm going to prepare
like I'm the starter. You never know when that guy could potentially go down. If he
goes down, somebody needs to step in and the offense can't skip a beat. I'm going
to prepare each day to get ready to go, and if my number gets called, I'll be there.
If it doesn't, shoot, you can see me on the sideline."
"That guy," of course, is Peyton Manning. He's 37, but many of the questions being
asked a year ago after his inactive season and multiple neck surgeries have
become, if not moot, at least less pertinent. Meanwhile, the education of the
second-year, 22-year-old backup continues, and Osweiler will be working with the
second unit against the Cardinals on Thursday. The starters will rest.
Through three exhibitions, Osweiler is 31-for-47 for 260 yards, with no touchdowns
and two interceptions. One of those interceptions came early in the fourth quarter
against the St. Louis Rams on Saturday, when he and Trindon Holliday didn't
connect. His late fumble on an aborted snap was recovered by the Rams at the
Denver 9 with 2:35 remaining, and led to the touchdown that got St. Louis to
within 27-26.
"The interception, we can put that on both of those guys, but fumbles, that cannot
happen in those situations," offensive coordinator Adam Gase said. "It was a fourminute situation and a backed-up situation. We basically almost gave the game up
right there. If they made the two-point conversion, we have a different feel. He has
to protect the ball."
Those are short-term issues, tied to a fourth exhibition game in which players on
the fringe of the roster are playing. For Osweiler, the 57th pick in the 2012 draft,
it's one more chance to make an argument that he's not just Manning's backup,
he's legitimately his heir apparent.
"I'm happy with things," Osweiler said of his progress. "There's still a lot of room to
grow. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. I only started one year (at Arizona State),
and I could technically still be a redshirt senior, so each and every day I'm growing
and I'm learning. As long as I continue to come out, practice hard, learn from my
mistakes and make sure that they don't happen again, I think I'll be OK.
"The one thing I can tell you is I have gotten better since last year. I've gotten
better since the spring. I've gotten better since three weeks ago. Shoot, I've gotten
better than a week ago."
Ravens banners in Denver firing up some
Broncos fans
By Kieran Nicholson and Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
As Dave Simmons walked down the 16th Street Mall in Denver on Tuesday during
the lunch hour, he paused to take a photo of a banner featuring Joe Flacco,
quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens.
Simmons, a self-described "huge" Denver Broncos fan, said the banners of Flacco
promoting the National Football League's "Kickoff Game" don't bother him too
much. But the gigantic image of the out-of-town quarterback hanging outside
Sports Authority Field at Mile High is an entirely different matter.
"It's the stadium one that is hacking me off," Simmons said.
Simmons isn't the only one hacked off over the image of the player who drove a
spike into the Broncos' Super Bowl dreams last season.
Kevin Hayes, of Aurora, has been a Broncos fan all his life.
Hayes said his sensible side computes the marketing ploy being used by the NFL to
sell the upcoming big game. But his Broncos fan psyche doesn't buy it.
"I don't like it," Hayes said of the Flacco banners.
The NFL promotes both teams for its annual Kickoff Game, and the league has put
up signage of both the Ravens and Broncos around Sports Authority Field at Mile
High and downtown Denver. The Broncos' first regular-season game is against the
Baltimore Ravens in Denver on Thursday Sept. 5.
Chris Kelly, a downtown worker, said he noticed the banners "and didn't think much
of it."
"I don't see the big deal," Kelly said.
Florian Walicki, of Denver, smiled when asked about the apparent banner
controversy.
"It's a good competition and it (banners) will enliven people about it," Walicki said.
"It's a good way to start the competition again."
At the Sports Fan store, an apparel shop on the 16th Street Mall, it was business as
usual Tuesday, said Jeremy Harold, the shop's manager.
Both Broncos and Ravens fans are dropping in to buy gear at a normal pace, Harold
said, and the banners don't seem to be driving up sales of Flacco jerseys.
"It seems kind of bad they would post the guy who beat us last year in the
playoffs," Harold said.
The Broncos issued the following statement Monday on Twitter :
"Because the NFL promotes both teams playing in its annual Kickoff Game, fans will
notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town that features the
Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this will always be
#BroncosCountry and we can't wait to see all the orange in the stands a week from
Thursday!"
Quinton Carter, J.D. Walton moved by
Broncos off active roster
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
The Broncos made their final two roster moves before the 2 p.m. Tuesday deadline
by placing strong safety Quinton Carter on season-ending injured reserve and
center J.D. Walton on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Walton must sit out the first six weeks of the season. There is an additional threeweek window before the team has to make its next move of either activating him or
placing him on season-ending injured reserve.
The move essentially means the Broncos are holding out hope Walton can return by
their Week 10 game Nov. 10 at San Diego
A third-round draft pick in 2010, Walton was the Broncos' starting center the first
38 games (including playoffs) of his career before he suffered a dislocated left ankle
last season in Game 4 against the Oakland Raiders.
His comeback was hindered by an infection that sidelined him through the
offseason, training camp and preseason. Dan Koppen replaced him at center last
year, but when Koppen suffered a season-ending knee injury last month, Manny
Ramirez became the starting snapper for Peyton Manning.
Carter was a fourth-round pick of the Broncos in the 2011 draft and started 12
games (including playoffs) as a rookie. But he suffered a knee injury that was
aggravated during a 2012 training-camp practice in the team's indoor facility.
Carter played sparingly in three games last season, then went on injured reserve.
His knee was repaired by a microfracture procedure that is known to work but has a
longer healing period.
Carter participated in a week or so of training-camp practices before his knee acted
up.
Broncos' Champ Bailey's ankle is "feeling
better"; Derek Wolfe returns
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 28, 2013
Nine days before the Broncos open their season against the Baltimore Ravens,
Champ Bailey was hobbled by wearing a boot on his injured left foot Tuesday.
The left cornerback is trying to hurry along his recovery so he can play in the
opener Sept. 5. The boot, though, might as well be shaped in a question mark.
"It's feeling better," Bailey said. "Give me a couple days."
More encouraging was that defensive tackle Derek Wolfe returned to practice
Tuesday, 10 days after he was taken by stretcher and ambulance off the Seattle
playing field with a cervical spine injury.
"I thought I was going to be out a little bit longer," Wolfe said. "But every day it
was getting better."
Broncos trainer Steve "Greek" Antonopulos pushed Wolfe through treatment and
rehab several hours a day in the trainer's room.
"When you are stuck in that room, it makes you want to get out faster," Wolfe said.
Hope for J.D. Walton. Not all injury-related roster transactions are bad for the
player involved. But it was for Quinton Carter, who is out for the season after the
safety was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.
But the Broncos' decision to place J.D. Walton not on IR but the reserve/physically
unable to perform list means there's hope the center can return by the seventh to
10th game of the season.
Those two moves trimmed the Broncos' roster to 75 players. They will begin
making their final cuts to 53 players Friday morning.
Walton started the first 36 games of his Broncos career before he suffered a
dislocated left ankle last season against the Oakland Raiders. His comeback was
thwarted in June by an infection in the surgically repaired ankle area.
He must sit out the season's first six weeks, and there is an additional three-week
window before the team has to make its next move of activating him or placing him
on season-ending injured reserve.
Carter was a fourth-round pick of the Broncos in the 2011 draft and started 12
games as a rookie. But he suffered a knee injury that was aggravated during a
2012 training camp practice in the team's indoor facility.
Carter played sparingly in three games last season, then went on injured reserve.
His knee was repaired by a microfracture procedure that is known to work, but has
a longer healing period.
Carter participated in a week or so of training-camp practices this summer before
he started experiencing discomfort in the knee.
Footnotes. Defensive end Robert Ayers (foot) and cornerback Omar Bolden (ankle)
returned to practice. ... Director of player personnel Matt Russell was in a Summit
County courtroom, where his drunken driving case was continued so attorney
Harvey Steinberg could further his investigation. Russell is accused of hitting two
cars in separate incidents while driving drunk July 6. The Broncos placed him on
indefinite suspension July 15.
Broncos backup QB Brock Osweiler: A
look ahead
By Terry Frei
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
My latest effort from the Broncos coverage bullpen — four-seam fastball, change-up
and slider — will be a story about Brock Osweiler in the morning. He’s going to start
and play much of the fourth exhibition game Thursday against the Arizona
Cardinals, and we talked about that and the progress he felt he has made since
joining the Broncos as a second-round draft choice last season.
Here are additional comments I didn’t have room for in the story:
On his relationship with Peyton Manning: “He’s just been an unbelievable mentor
and a leader for me to watch on a daily basis. I’ve learned so much from him and
he’s been great to me.”
On his relationship with John Elway: “He stays out of the daily Xs and Os and
coaching points, but just to have a guy like that around to grab you and ask you
how your day is going and how learning the playbook is going, you can’t really find
a better guy around.”
On what will be his role during the season as Manning plays: “I’m a student of the
game every second of the day, every day. During the game, I’m doing anything I
can to help the offense. I’m trying to see what coverages the defense is playing,
what blitzes they’re bringing, anything I can relay to Peyton or many a subtle
reminder. As quarterbacks, we’re all in a fraternity, we’re all for each other, we’re
all pushing to make that guy better and to make sure we win football games.”
And, finally, on the issue of whether he at any second is starting to become
impatient about getting a chance to play at Denver or anywhere else: “No, no, no. I
was thinking about this a little bit earlier. For me to be able to learn from Peyton on
a daily basis and to see how he’s been successful for so many years, I’m not
rushing the process. I want to learn as much as I can.”
Joe Flacco poster on Sports Authority
Field at Mile High goads Denver fans
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 27, 2013
Get this. Because the NFL promotes both teams for its annual Kickoff Game, the
league is putting up signage of both the Ravens and Broncos around Sports
Authority Field at Mile High and downtown Denver. So if you see large posters of
not only Peyton Manning, but also Joe Flacco, blame the league. If Ravens signage
creates a graffiti disturbance around downtown Denver, blame the league.
Who in Denver wants to drive to work in the morning and see a reminder of Joe
Flacco? I know it’s a unique situation where the defending Super Bowl champ opens
on the road. But no circumstance will change the fact Denver belongs to the
Broncos.
The Broncos issued the following statement Monday on Twitter about signage:
Denver Broncos
✔ @DenverBroncos
Because the NFL promotes both teams playing in its annual Kickoff Game, fans will
notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town...
5:56 PM - 26 Aug 2013
41 Retweets 5 favorites
Denver Broncos
✔ @DenverBroncos
...that features the Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this
will always be #BroncosCountry...
5:56 PM - 26 Aug 2013
Denver Broncos
✔ @DenverBroncos
...and we can’t wait to see all the orange in the stands a week from Thursday!
5:56 PM - 26 Aug 2013
Broncos Mailbag: Can Peyton Manning &
Co. again sweep AFC West?
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
August 28, 2013
Felippe from Rio de Janeiro curious about divisional play
Denver Post sports writer Mike Klis posts his Broncos Mailbag on Wednesdays
during the regular season.
Pose a Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag.
Do you see the Broncos sweeping the division again this year or do you think the
other AFC West teams made enough progress this offseason to give Peyton
Manning & Co. some hard time?
-- Felippe Esteves, Rio de Janeiro
Felippe - I would never predict a sweep in the AFC West. But I didn't last year
either, and the Broncos did go 6-0.
I don't think this makes me a cynic. I would be surprised if the Broncos go worse
than 5-1 in the division this year. But I would expect one game where the Broncos
come out flat, and either the Chiefs or Chargers get some early breaks and hang
on. It's the NFL. Any Given Sunday and all that.
But I would warn, Felippe, that I'm like every financial advisor out there: much
better at analyzing what happened than predicting what's going to happen.
Hey, Mike. How do you see the final secondary shaking down? I can't see any
obvious cut-worthy player among our top six at cornerback, but that's a lot to keep,
especially because John Fox likes to keep five safeties. With injury issues here
(Champ Bailey) and elsewhere (OL, LB), can they keep 11 DBs? Could Zac Dysert
lose his spot to make room?
-- David, Vail
David - When training camp started, the Broncos were thinking about trying to slide
Dysert, a rookie drafted in the seventh round, to the practice squad. They still
might, but entering the fourth preseason game Thursday against Arizona, Dysert
has done all he could to make it a difficult decision. He has played well in camp and
in his limited preseason duty.
Secondary. Let's count it up and see who makes it: Safeties certain to make it are
Rahim Moore, Duke Ihenacho, Mike Adams and David Bruton.
That's four. Cornerbacks certain to make it are Champ Bailey, Dominique RodgersCromartie, Chris Harris, Kayvon Webster and Tony Carter. That's five.
It makes sense to keep Quentin Jammer because he can swing between left
cornerback — with Bailey gimpy — and safety, where he played throughout training
camp. But keeping Jammer would probably come at the expense of cutting Omar
Bolden, who was the Broncos' fourth-round draft pick last year. The Broncos don't
want to give up on Bolden.
The Broncos placed strong safety Quinton Carter on season-ending injured reserve
Tuesday.
One salient issue in the Slaughter in Seattle that I haven't heard addressed was the
Broncos' miserable special-teams play, Trindon Holliday's late-game punt return
notwithstanding. Have they even worked on special teams much in training camp?
It sure didn't look like it.
-- Bill O'Connor, Larkspur
Bill - You're right; special teams had a tough time in Seattle. They gave up a 107yard kickoff return to Jermaine Kearse, which I remember mentioning, and a 33yard punt return to Golden Tate, which got buried in the carnage.
That created 10, first-half points which would have been significant in a regularseason game. Special teams had a tough time Saturday night against St. Louis,
too, as Tavon Austin had an 81-yard punt return and the Rams also blocked a field
goal.
But you're assumption is wrong, Bill, about the work the Broncos put into special
teams. I've watched their practices since the first day of training camp, and the
Broncos go through those boring special-teams sessions plenty.
I was able to watch the Denver-Seattle game and wondered why the second hit on
Derek Wolfe wasn't a penalty for a helmet-to-helmet hit. Wolfe was going down,
and there was no need for the second hit on him, especially since it appeared to be
an illegal hit.
-- Mick Stilley, Mesquite, Nev.
Mick - There was no penalty on the field. And after review, the league did not fine
Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson for his high block. It was a clean play in that it
was a legal block to the thigh area that caused Wolfe to drop his torso as Robinson
was running through the hole for a block. Sometimes, car wrecks are accidents.
How does Quanterus Smith look in camp? Is there any chance he can replace Elvis
Dumervil's production playing opposite Von Miller, or replacing Miller if he is
suspended?
-- Christian Cox, Fort Worth, Texas
Christian - Almost all rookies take a while before they're ready to contribute.
Rookies coming off major knee surgery to repair a torn ACL almost always use their
first year to develop.
Smith is coming along fine but I'd be surprised if he contributes much this season.
Maybe a little in the second half of the season.
How has Brock Osweiler looked? Odds are with a diminished O-line, Peyton Manning
will not make every snap this year. Is there enough trust and faith in Brock to hold
the ship if need be?
-- Jesse, New York
Jesse - Through three preseason games, Osweiler has completed 31-of-47 (66.0
percent) for 260 yards, 0 TDs, 2 picks and a 62.4 passer rating.
I think there's a lot there with Osweiler. On any particular play, he's impressive to
watch. But his stats outside his completion percentage show he has a long way to
go.
If Manning sprains an ankle and has to miss the second half, I do think Osweiler
can come in and win the game. He looked good while directing the No. 1 offense on
an 11-play, 79-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter against St. Louis. He
hummed that 17-yarder to Demaryius Thomas.
Hello, Mike. I know that, per NFL rules, teams are allowed to use their alternate (or
third) jerseys up to twice per season. I AM SO GLAD that orange has been
established as the Broncos' standard home jersey color, after a decade and a half in
navy blue. However, I'm wondering if the team has determined if and when it will
wear the alternate blue-on-blue uniforms during the upcoming 2013 season?
-- David, Albuquerque
David - The team is planning on wearing its alternative blue jerseys once this
season, in Week 5 at Dallas. The Cowboys have traditionally worn whites as their
home color.
I was thinking it would be nice if it could be arranged so the Broncos wore their all
blues against the black-clad Raiders. That way, the Sports Authority Field at Mile
High music man could play "Blue on Black" by the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band.
I like the future at running back with Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman. But this year
is about winning the Super Bowl. What is going to happen when these two young
guys are worn out physically after 10 games? We saw the result of not being able
to run in the playoffs in our last game. Manning in the AFC West assures us of a
playoff spot. Team should be built strictly for playoff victories. Are we?
-- Danny T., Phoenix
This is the Broncos' No. 1 offensive issue. The Broncos' running-back position is
foremost about youth. Hillman was a third-round pick in 2012 and played little as a
rookie. Ball is a rookie, drafted in the second round in April.
Any time there is youth there will be question marks because they haven't done it,
yet. But running back is also the one position — perhaps more than any other
position — where youth can produce.
I believe the way it will shake out is Ball will be the starter and get 12 to 15 carries
a game. Hillman will get his bursts and carry it 5 to 8 times. And Knowshon
Moreno, who is still coming back from knee surgery, will be large in passing
situations. I still believe this trio has a chance to work well by season's end — even
if it's currently a work in progress.
Got to patient with youth. Doug Martin through his first three games for Tampa Bay
last season had 214 yards on 63 carries — a 3.4 yard average. The rookie finished
fifth in the NFL with 1,454 yards.
It's August, Danny. No one knows whether the Broncos' running game will be Super
Bowl-caliber level in the first week of February. Sometimes, the best coaching move
is doing nothing. Patiently waiting.
You are an NFL beat writer, one of the "ink-stained wretches" who cover this
country's most popular sport. I'm curious as to the status/non-status that covering
the Broncos gives you among your fellow NFL reporters. Is covering the Broncos
considered a good gig?
-- David Brown, Lenexa, Kan.
David - I was once a sports writer for the one and only weekly newspaper in
Woodland Park called the Ute Pass Courier. It was a sports staff of one. Woodland
Park High School once had a sports banquet and I was invited. At the banquet, the
school's athletic director, Gary Karner, presented me with a major award — Ute
Pass Sports Writer of the Year!
Everybody laughed. And so to your question, David, I would say that I am, without
question, the lead Broncos beat writer for The Denver Post. No, no, please. Hold the
applause.
Wolfe returns to practice 10 days after
scary hit
By Arnie Stapleton
Associated Press
August 27, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — There weren't any pads at this practice. No clouds,
either. And Derek Wolfe couldn't have been happier.
"It's funny how much you really don't like to practice until you can't do it anymore.
And then you're just dying to get out there again," Wolfe said Tuesday following his
first practice with the Denver Broncos since his arms and legs went numb following
a frightening hit in a preseason game at Seattle on Aug. 17.
"That whole time you're just thinking I could have been done for good but now that
I'm not, I want to get out there bad," he said. "Once you're playing football you
don't think about getting hurt and if you do you're going to get hurt."
Showing his neck was fine, Wolfe swiveled his head from side to side on the
podium, a far cry from the night he was strapped to a backboard and taken off the
field in an ambulance amid fears he had a cervical spine injury that would keep him
off the football field and maybe off his feet forever.
"Oh yeah, I have pretty good movement," he said. "It feels fine; my neck wasn't
getting tired carrying a helmet around or anything. It's feeling pretty good. We'll
see how it feels when we get some pads on, though."
Coach John Fox smiled when talking about Wolfe's return.
"Looking back a couple of weeks that was a pretty scary proposition for him, and
really for anybody in that stadium, especially anybody on our sideline. So it's a
blessing. We're happy for him and it's good to have him back here," Fox said.
The second-year defensive end said he won't play in the Broncos' preseason finale
Thursday night.
However barring any setbacks, he plans to be in the lineup when Denver opens the
regular season Sept. 5 at home against Baltimore.
Wolfe, who's expected to shore up Denver's defense while All-Pro linebacker Von
Miller serves his six-game suspension to start the season, said he thought he'd miss
more time, but with the pain gone and no weakness, he underwent another MRI
and received clearance to return to action.
He credited head athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos for "making sure I was in there
every day just for hours and hours. When you are stuck in that room it makes you
want to get out faster so that helped to."
The altitude and layoff quickly winded Wolfe but he powered through it.
"I'm just trying to get my lungs used to running around and playing football again,"
he said. "A week doesn't seem like very much, but in the football world it is."
Also returning to practice Tuesday were defensive end Robert Ayers (foot) and
cornerback Omar Bolden, who showed no ill effects from his sprained ankle when
he capped practice with a pick-6 of Brock Osweiler.
Notes: Offensive coordinator Adam Gase said nobody should expect to see Peyton
Manning, who had 34 passes in the first half Saturday, throwing 70 times a game
during the season. "That was a little extreme," Gase said, noting that many of the
throws were of the dink-and-dunk variety and "we were trying to work on a certain
element of what we have in our offensive package." ... The Broncos reached the
75-player roster limit by putting S Quinton Carter (knee) on IR for the second
straight year and placing C J.D. Walton (knee) on reserve/PUP. Walton might be
able to play midway through the season.
Broncos ready for 'Three Amigos' sequel
By Arnie Stapleton
Associated Press
August 27, 2013
DENVER (AP) — John Elway envies Peyton Manning.
The Three Amigos back in Elway's playing days were Vance Johnson, Mark Jackson,
and Ricky Nattiel.
Denver has the makings of a spectacular sequel in Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker
and Wes Welker, whom Elway, now the Broncos' executive vice president, pried
away from Tom Brady and New England in free agency this offseason.
Thomas and Decker combined for 23 TD catches last season, and Welker caught
118 passes last year.
"I have to admit I'm truly jealous of the weapons that Peyton gets to throw to,"
Elway said. "I'm not saying that I didn't have great weapons. But when you look at
the weapons that Peyton has: Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, and a
young kid that we drafted a couple of years ago in the fourth round named Julius
Thomas ... there's four weapons right there."
Manning surely would never say it, but he'd probably be envious of Elway's running
back, Terrell Davis, an established starter when he helped the Hall of Fame
quarterback win back-to-back championships in the late 1990s.
Manning's backfield consists of second-year pro Ronnie Hillman — who had zero
starts last season — and rookie Montee Ball, two young players whose growing
pains resulted in too many fumbles and quarterback knockdowns in the preseason.
If they can clean up things, Manning could put up historic numbers in 2013.
Manning is stronger and healthier in Year 2 in Denver after a successful comeback
last season, albeit one that ended early with a double-overtime loss to Baltimore in
the playoffs.
Davis, now an analyst for the NFL Network, thinks the Broncos were too good for
their own good last year, rolling into the playoffs like they did on an 11-game
winning streak.
"Last year just felt like they were winning games too easily and I always felt that
there's something to be said about a quality loss," Davis said. "People
underestimate that loss late in November or December, not to say that you go out
there and try to lose a game, but it's a chance for the team to refocus, recalibrate,
look at the things that you've been sweeping under the rug because you've been
winning."
While the Broncos went 5-0 in December, including a 34-17 win at Baltimore, the
Ravens stumbled down the stretch, yet they were the ones celebrating in a rain of
confetti when it was all over.
The Ravens return to Sports Authority Field on Sept. 5 to kick off the 2013 season
against the team many consider this year's favorite — despite losing Elvis Dumervil
to free agency after a fax foul-up prevented his new contract from getting filed in
time, and Von Miller's six-game suspension.
Five things to watch as the Broncos try to bounce back and win it all in 2013:
MILLER'S TIME: The Broncos know nobody can fill the shoes of their All-Pro
linebacker who had 18½ sacks, forced six fumbles and posted 28 tackles for loss
last year. Jack Del Rio will have to get creative during Miller's six-game suspension
for violating the NFL's drug-abuse policy. Shaun Phillips, who signed a one-year
deal in Denver after a decade in San Diego, promises to do his part to fill the void:
"I didn't come here to be a cheerleader."
CENTER OF ATTENTION: Manny Ramirez's next snap in the regular season will be
his first, but he has taken countless snaps this offseason, fending off nose tackles
and challengers alike as centers J.D. Walton, Dan Koppen and Ryan Lilja all got
hurt. Free agent Louis Vasquez takes over for Ramirez at right guard, and Pro Bowl
left tackle Ryan Clady is back after offseason shoulder surgery.
GREENHORNS IN THE BACKFIELD: The Broncos needed beefier running backs after
being unable to run out the clock against Baltimore in the playoffs. Hillman, who
had slipped to the 180-pound range, took heed, adding about 20 pounds of muscle.
The Broncos also drafted Ball, the 215-pound bruiser who scored an NCAA record
83 touchdowns at Wisconsin.
EMERGING TIGHT END: Julius Thomas capitalized on injuries this summer to tight
ends Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen, who combined for 93 receptions last year, to
build a budding rapport with Manning. At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, the former
college basketball player presents matchup problems for defenses, especially in the
red zone, where he can take advantage of the attention heaped upon the trio of
wide receivers.
EMBRACING EXPECTATIONS: Unlike Mike Holmgren, who put the kibosh on Super
Bowl talk with his Green Bay teams in the 1990s, John Fox isn't shying away from
all the chatter about the Broncos being the trendy pick to win it all. "I've always
believed people live up or down to expectations: if you expect a lot, you get a lot. If
you don't expect much, you ain't getting much," he said. "Nobody expects more
than we do."
NFL to study hits to knees; rule change
possible
By Barry Wilner
Associated Press
August 27, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL will keep a close eye on hits to the knees of defenseless
players this season, with the possibility of extending the rules protecting such
players.
If the league's competition committee finds enough evidence this season that hits
to the knees are "becoming a problem," it could take action, chief of football
operations Ray Anderson told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The committee could make a recommendation to the owners next March to prohibit
direct hits to the knees of defenseless players. The owners would then vote on such
a change.
"We are always looking at plays that may elevate themselves and we do include in
that category hits on defenseless players," Anderson said. "And certainly the hits to
knees to players who have not had the opportunity to protect themselves or are not
looking in the direction of where the hit comes from — we have had a couple hits
whereby a player was hit below (or at) the knees."
Currently, hits to the head and neck of defenseless players are outlawed. But two
direct hits to the knee in preseason games that injured Miami tight end Dustin
Keller and Minnesota defensive tackle Kevin Williams have drawn complaints from
some players.
Keller is out for the season with several torn knee ligaments. Williams has a
hyperextended knee.
Anderson said the league will monitor plays during the year, study the data when
the competition committee begins meeting after the season and see whether such
hits to the knees are an "aberration or becoming a problem."
"This issue has not directly come up," Anderson added. "But when we have had
discussions when making the head and neck area completely off-limits to players,
there was some concern players might lower their targets and might include knees
and below. We will look at that going forward."
Broncos put Carter on IR, Walton on PUP
list
Associated Press
August 27, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver safety Quinton Carter has landed on seasonending injured reserve for the second straight year.
Carter started 10 games as a rookie in 2011 and had interceptions in consecutive
playoff games that year. But a torn right hamstring at an indoor practice the
following summer led doctors to discover he needed surgery on his left knee. He
played in just three games in 2012 before aggravating his surgically repaired knee
and going on IR.
The Broncos also placed center J.D. Walton on reserve/PUP to reach the 75-player
roster limit Tuesday.
Walton had complications in his comeback from left ankle surgery and needed
another operation in June. He won't be able to practice until Oct. 15 at the earliest
but might not return until November.
Broncos exec Matt Russell appears in
court on DUI case
The Associated Press
August 27, 2013
BRECKENRIDGE — A Broncos executive accused of crashing into two cars in the
high country while driving drunk has made his first appearance in court.
Director of player personnel Matt Russell is accused of DUI after a vehicle ran in to
the back of a police car in Summit County over the 4th of July holiday.
According to KCNC-TV ( http://tinyurl.com/kntuhrm), an attorney representing
Russell said more investigation is needed.
Russell was suspended indefinitely from the team and is being provided with
treatment, rehabilitation and counseling. The Broncos organization said he must
comply with these programs before he will be allowed to return to work.
Broncos RBs have formed a committee
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
August 28, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Look, folks can’t say they weren’t warned.
But the Broncos' depth chart at running back will be a fluid affair this season, until
it’s not. It’s going to be a tough thing to pin down, that whole who’s-going-to-getthe-carries thing, and, truth be told, the Broncos kind of like it that way. This is a
team which, after all, has had nine different running backs lead it in carries for at
least one season since 1999.
“We don’t have a guy that’s going to be a 30-carry guy and we pretty much said,
'Hey, this is going to be a committee-type backfield’,’’ said offensive coordinator
Adam Gase. “And we’ve never shied away from that.’’
Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball have gone back and forth, splitting reps with the
starters on offense throughout training camp and the preseason. While Hillman had
the upper hand, albeit slightly, through offseason workouts and three preseason
games, two fumbles in the past two games combined -- both of which were
returned for touchdowns -- have now jumbled the order a bit. Ball got some
additional work with the starters this week, but neither is expected to play much, if
at all, in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
Then there is the matter of Knowshon Moreno. Because he is more proficient in
pass protection than the other two, Moreno has gotten some premium snaps with
the starters of late, including in the two-minute drill to close out the first half
against the Rams on Saturday night. And that's no small item, given that Ball
missed a block in Seattle that resulted in quarterback Peyton Manning taking one of
the hardest hits in his time with the Broncos, a play Ball called the "worst feeling,
seeing a future Hall of Famer get hit like that.''
All of which only makes the committee a little bigger. Toss in the fact that Jacob
Hester can play fullback -- he's the only fullback on the roster at the moment -- and
is a quality receiver out of the backfield, and things get even a little muddier.
Asked about the speculation about who will start and be the main guy, Broncos
coach John Fox said, “Well, I don’t even know yet, so I don’t know how you all
know. … We have good feelings about both (Ball and Hillman). As I mentioned …
they’ll both carry a big load for us this season … they’re both very capable and
we’re pleased with both of them.’’
Asked about Moreno, Fox added, "He’s high up there, too. If you look over my last
two years, or my tenure here, we’ve leaned on a lot of different guys … whoever we
keep we feel good about.’’
In terms of skill sets, you could make the argument that Ball, with a bigger frame,
is the best first-down back in traditional run-game situations; that Hillman’s
versatility and speed as a runner and receiver make him a good pick on those
second-down plays of mid-range down and distance; and that Moreno, because he
consistently makes the right choices in pass protection as well as when to release
from the backfield and go into the pass pattern, makes the most sense on third
down.
And in this age of specialization in the NFL, the Broncos runners could potentially
take it one step further.
Broncos report: Derek Wolfe set for
opener
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
August 27, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Broncos saw what they were looking for in Derek Wolfe
Tuesday.
As in the versatile defensive lineman was back in practice and on track to play in
the regular-season opener Sept. 5 against the Ravens. Wolfe was sidelined since
Aug. 17 after being taken from the field by ambulance after a helmet-to-helmet
collision with Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson during a preseason game in
Seattle.
But the Broncos have been hopeful he would be ready for the opener.
“I was just waiting for the pain to go away,’’ Wolfe said following the workout.
“Zero pain, zero weakness, so that’s all good.’’
Wolfe may not be the first name off people's tongues when they talk about the
Broncos elsewhere, but he is a key piece of the defensive game plan for defensive
coordinator Jack Del Rio. That's because Wolfe is strong enough to play on the
interior in the defensive line and athletic enough to play at end, as well. The
Broncos list him as an end, but Del Rio has estimated that he asks Wolfe to do
things defensive tackles do about “80 percent of the time.’’
And while Del Rio is constantly using different sets of players for a variety of
situations in games, Wolfe is one of the innings eaters as it were. He plays in them
all and if he isn’t in the lineup against the Ravens, it would affect how the Broncos
do things.
Wolfe played 903 defensive snaps last season as a rookie -- 84.4 percent of the
defensive plays -- and the only defensive lineman who played more in 2012 was
Elvis Dumervil with 922. Wolfe is expected to play even a little higher percentage of
snaps this time around if things go the way the Broncos hope they will.
Coming into the 2012 draft, Wolfe was a rarity among the defensive line prospects
that year in that he won matchups all across the defensive front, including at nose
tackle and at rush end. Del Rio has been quick to ask him to do many things
including as a stand-up rusher when the Broncos go to a sort of whirlpool look with
one player in a three-point stance and the other defenders moving around the
formation.
“He can do a lot of things, so we’re going to ask him to do a lot of things,’’ Del Rio
said.
In other Broncos news:
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When the Broncos make the bulk of their roster cuts Friday to get to the
league-mandated 53 players by Saturday afternoon’s deadline, some of their
most difficult decisions will come with players who aren’t quite healthy
enough to practice yet but may not be injured enough for injured reserve.
The Broncos can only designate one player for return from injured reserve
when those final decisions are made. But they also can’t afford to take up
three, four or even five roster spots with players who may, or may not, be
available any time soon. Guard Chris Kuper isn’t full speed after almost two
years of dealing with multiple ankle surgeries and an infection, linebacker
Stewart Bradley has not returned to practice because of wrist surgery
following the preseason game in Seattle, tight end Joel Dreessen is still
coming back from an offseason with two arthroscopic surgeries on his knee
and guard/center Ryan Lilja had offseason knee and toe surgeries and was
recently held out of several practices because of knee pain/swelling. The
Broncos still hope Dreessen will be ready by the opener. That’s all in addition
to cornerback Champ Bailey (foot), who is still a question mark for the
opener. Bailey is not yet practicing, and he needs a roster spot as well.
Suddenly the Broncos are poised to use almost 10 percent of their roster
space on players who may or may not be at full speed if they keep all of
those players. It’s a calculated risk and could cost the team a young,
developmental player along the way.
Safety Quinton Carter, who started 10 games as a rookie in 2011, was placed
on injured reserve Tuesday because of knee troubles, ending his season.
Carter played in just three games last season, having spent the remainder of
2012 on injured reserve as well. He’s had multiple surgeries on his left knee,
including a microfracture procedure in the days following his third of three
games he played last season. The Broncos still believe the former fourthround pick can get back on the field or they wouldn’t have kept him on
injured reserve again. Carter last played Sept. 23 last season against
Houston, but did not have a tackle. “It’s an unfortunate injury,’’ Broncos
coach John Fox said. “It’s really nobody’s fault. … We think with time he can
come back completely.’’
The Broncos are expected to start QB Brock Osweiler in Thursday night’s
preseason finale, but Osweiler is expected to start behind the second-team
offensive line. He has been sacked eight times this preseason behind that
group.
Center J.D. Walton, who battled an infection in his surgically-repaired ankle
this offseason and had another procedure to repair the joint as well before
training camp opened, was moved to reserve/PUP. It means Walton can
return to practice in Week 6 and the Broncos would then have three weeks to
watch him work in practice before having to make a decision to add him to
the active roster or place him on injured reserve for the remainder of the
season. If he moved to the roster, it would be for Week 10 -- Nov. 10 at San
Diego.
Votes are in for Broncos -- sort of
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
August 27, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The results of ESPN’s player ranking project have run on the
website for a little over a week now -- top 100 players in the league on offense, top
100 on defense.
And until Tuesday, when players No. 50-41 on both sides of the ball were revealed,
wide receiver Eric Decker had been the only Broncos player on the list -- at No. 82 - until his fellow wideout Demaryius Thomas popped in at No. 35. Which is to say
when the requisite arguments arrive with any lists, many will say the Broncos are a
little light on representation. OK, for a 13-3 team that won 11 in a row to close out
the regular season in 2012, it’s likely a lot light. Von Miller figures to show up in the
coming days as do Peyton Manning, Wes Welker or perhaps Champ Bailey.
But it will be curious to see where Ryan Clady drops in, if at all, given the Broncos
made their feelings known when they made him one of the highest paid left tackles
in the league with a five-year, $52.5 million deal just before training camp opened.
Or Wesley Woodyard, who simply piles up the tackles and impact plays, and still
can’t even get vocational love from his peers. Players and coaches should have to
surrender their complain-about-the-Pro Bowl privileges for not even making
Woodyard an alternate last year. Because that’s just not paying attention when he
was only the 12th player since the sack became an official statistic to put up at least
100 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions in the same season.
And given Brian Urlacher was the last guy to do it, it would seem that is a pretty
difficult season to put together.
But with 200 players selected in all, the math says on average 6.25 players from
each team should make it, more for playoff teams or less for others. But the
Broncos are at two and the lists are down to No. 41.
So, without having seen who's on the rest of the lists, it looks like they won’t hit
six.
Not a banner day for Broncos
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
August 27, 2013
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The NFL may market the regular-season opener like a standalone playoff game, one for the whole nation to see, but somebody in the league's
marketing department forgot to tell folks in Denver.
An enormous banner of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco hangs next to one of Peyton
Manning on Sports Authority Field at Mile High as part of promoting the Sept. 5
"Kickoff'' game between the Broncos and Ravens. It has been the target of plenty of
honked horns and a shout or two from the cars cruising by on I-25 right outside the
stadium. The banners, with Flacco's picture on them, are scattered in several
downtown locations as well.
Here's the report from the local CBS affiliate.
As Super Bowl champions the Ravens were slated to host the regular-season
opener, but the team had a conflict with the Baltimore Orioles, who have a game
that night, and the teams could not reach a resolution. So the NFL
eventually moved the regular-season opener for the league to Denver.
Asked following practice about the banners, Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe
said, "We'll take care of that, you guys come to the game.''
The space for the banners was purchased by the NFL from the Downtown Denver
Partnership.
My 12 foundational NFL players
Insider's GM picks the players he would start an NFL franchise with
By Bill Polian
August 27, 2013
ESPN.com
Twelve blue-chip players. When we'd do research as a front office and try to
determine what level of talent you needed to build a true Super Bowl contender,
we'd end up at that number. There can be a debate about what a "blue chip" talent
looks like, but to me, there's no debate about how much of it you need. And if you
had the ability to pick any 12 current players to build the ultimate NFL roster, a
team built to win for a while, which players would you choose? That's precisely
what I've done below, identifying the 12 players I believe would provide the
strongest foundation for both immediate and future success.
In a month dedicated to fantasy football drafts, you could consider this a "fantasy"
draft for a real NFL GM.
In making these evaluations, I didn't simply select the best players in the NFL
today. I wanted players who have much of their careers ahead of them so we could
maximize the production we receive from them over the long term. To that end, I
avoided players over age 26 in most cases, simply because we want to enjoy the
most productive seasons of their careers. I also avoided players with any significant
injury issues. If you're going to rely on a player to be a pillar of your organization,
he needs to be available to carry the load.
As you'll see from these personnel decisions, I crafted this roster with the intent of
building:
1. Dynamic offense that create matchup problems
2. Scheme-versatile defense that can be mobilized in an array of different
packages.
Looking at these dozen selections -- six on offense and six on defense -- our
coaching staff is going to have a lot of options.
With only 12 players, I obviously don't have enough to make a full lineup, so you'll
get a sense of how much I value not only these players, but also the positions they
fill. Of course, there's no disputing that the most important of all these roles is the
quarterback, and that is the first slot filled.
Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
I could have gone with Robert Griffin III here -- during their draft season, I actually
had them graded the same -- but the injury history is enough of a red flag that I
leaned to Luck. When all is said and done, RG III might be the single greatest
mobile quarterback we've ever seen in the NFL. But the history of the league
suggests that Griffin's career, or ability to utilize his running skills, could be shorter.
So you're left with a quandary: Do you want a guy who will likely give you 10 good
seasons working under center, or do you want an electrifying performer who can be
dazzling but -- based on the odds -- will likely have a shorter career? Picking
between these two talented quarterbacks was one of the hardest decisions I had to
make for this roster. On this team, I'm playing the percentages, though, and we
will get all we need from Luck. The numbers he put up as a rookie -- 4,374 yards
and 23 TDs on a 54.1 percent completion rate -- are only going to improve.
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With an eye towards future success, I couldn't pick Adrian Peterson here. There's
too much risk and he's already had a lot of carries. Even though he's a little bit
older (26), part of me wanted to pick Ray Rice. He just provides so much to the
Ravens offense with a versatile skill set out of the backfield. In the end, I settled on
Martin (just ahead of C.J. Spiller). Like Rice, Martin is capable of carrying the heavy
workload of a featured back and doesn't need to come off the field on passing
downs since he's an effective pass-catcher and decent blocker. I leaned toward
Martin over Spiller because Martin's got a little bit bigger frame at 215 pounds, so
he might be more durable.
Some might be surprised I included a running back at all, but consider the truly
great Super Bowl teams -- the Steelers, the Niners, the Cowboys, the Bills -- and
you'll almost always see a successful running game led by a featured back. To be
successful in the NFL, even today, I believe you need a running back who can carry
a heavy load and provide versatility. We'll have one with Martin. And his best
seasons are still ahead of him.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
It's not hard to make this choice, even though it required an exception to my age26 rule. But at 27, Johnson is the best receiver in the game, and his size and speed
make him a nearly impossible assignment to contain. He's topped 1,600 yards each
of the past two seasons despite defenses knowing exactly where the Lions want to
go with the ball when Matthew Stafford drops back. That's a testament to just how
effective a receiver Johnson is. And he'll improve matchups better for my other
receivers.
Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Megatron is a potent weapon, but adding a second dynamic receiver like Jones will
prevent defenses from committing too much help to one target. Jones is a terrific
deep threat, and I like his frame -- 6-foot-3, 220 pounds -- which gives him the
edge in my mind over A.J. Green, another excellent young receiver. With Jones and
Johnson, we'll be able to take the top off any defense.
Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints
Graham is one of the toughest covers in the NFL. His size (6-foot-7) and leaping
ability make him a terrific target in the red zone and a nightmare for defensive
backs. And there aren't many linebackers who are going to have any success
keeping up with him.
Ryan Clady, OT, Denver Broncos
With all of these terrific options in the passing game, we're going to need to buy
Luck some time to work through his progressions and his targets to get downfield.
Clady will help keep him upright. I really like his size, strength and maneuverability.
He moves his feet well, is balanced and gets back to the intersection point. He's a
natural left tackle because of his speed and length. Matt Kalil is in Clady's class, but
he doesn't have the same strength just yet. I believe you need a top-notch center
in constructing a championship contender, but there isn't a young one out there
that I'd hang my hat on. With these six players serving as the cornerstones of my
offense, I'd probably wait a year and target a center in the next draft.
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions
Tony Dungy always used to say that defensive tackles have the biggest impact of
any player on the defense because they're closest to the ball. Suh will certainly
provide a big impact. He will be hard to run against, and he's also good at creating
pressure up the middle. I love his motor and how hard he plays. That's not always
the case with big guys. And I'm not concerned with his past penalty issues.He's still
a young player, is an intimidating presence on the football field, and he will let you
know he's out there.
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
Watt is so valuable not only because of his talent, but because of his position. Watt
can play end or tackle, but he'll play tackle in our nickel package and be a
sensational every-down player. The pressure he generates on the interior of the
pocket forces the quarterback to move and prevents him from stepping up into his
throws. Watt's ability to get separation from linemen and bat down passes is just a
bonus.
Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions
Surprised? I think Ansah is going to be ready for NFL stardom sooner than people
think. His build and athleticism make him such a unique player and give him the
tools he will need to dominate. He can play either as a 7- or a 9-technique, and
he's big enough to just run you over. Once he's able to learn the game a little more
and apply some of those lessons, look out. With Watt and Suh driving on the
interior, Ansah will provide the pressure off the edge. I was tempted to pick Von
Miller here, but his off-field issues give me pause. I'm concerned about his recent
suspension.
Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay Packers
Detecting a theme yet? We are going to get after the quarterback and give him
zero time to operate. More on this a little later. Matthews will give us 5-6 seasons
of elite production as an edge rusher. Some believed he declined after just six
sacks in 2011, but I saw that as a misdiagnosis, and his 13 sacks in 12 games
proved it last season. He's really had little help on that defense and no one to take
the pressure off him and see fewer double-teams.
Luke Kuechly, MLB, Carolina Panthers
I believe that Kuechly is already the best middle linebacker in the NFL, and I want
him on my roster even if people feel this is an easier position to fill. He can play
weakside linebacker in the 3-4 and weakside or middle in a 4-3, so he's versatile.
More importantly, though, he is smart, resourceful and the best see-and-diagnose
linebacker in football. He can run exceptionally well, has great hands and everyone
looks up to him in the locker room. What more could you want in a foundational
player? He's also still just 22.
Darrelle Revis, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'm taking a risk here -- and breaking my rule -- by taking Revis. I'm assuming that
smarts, savvy, toughness and instincts are going to make up for any lost steps
from what was a serious injury. Even if he's not what he was before, he's still a
pretty darn good corner. If I'm going to take a chance, I'll take it on him. When
healthy, he can play in any type of coverage scheme -- man, press, off coverage -and he's still young enough (28) that we could get five or six good seasons out of
him. There are other talented corners out there, but none of them can do what
Revis can do. Charles Tillman is coming to the end of his career, and he's really
more of a Cover 2 guy, while Joe Haden hasn't shown me quite enough yet. Richard
Sherman can play bump-and-run press coverage but isn't quite fast enough to play
the multiple-style defense we're aiming for. Patrick Peterson is a candidate -- and
he'd give us the benefit of being a great return man -- but I still kept coming back
to Revis.
As you can see, the focus is going to be on the pass rush rather than the
secondary. If you look at some of the truly historic teams, they were built around
great front rushers. The Fearsome Foursome, the Purple People Eaters, the Steel
Curtain, the Patriots from 2001 to 2003 with Willie McGinest, Mike Vrabel and
Richard Seymour. Third down is where the game is decided, and if you're going to
win, you need great inside rushers and great outside rushers to limit the
quarterback's time on that all-important down. This roster certainly has them.
'13 Player Rankings, Offense: 40-31
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is ranking NFL players -- and counting them down on Twitter
(@ESPNNFL NFL on ESPN), from No. 100 to No. 1 on offense and on defense, 10
per day for 10 days. The top 10 on both sides of the ball are revealed on Friday,
Aug. 30.
As the rankings are announced, you can also find them here on the pages of
ESPN.com.
What is #NFLRank?
#NFLrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion
or just follow along.
You can also follow along here: @ESPNNFL (NFL on ESPN) and on Facebook.
How did we rank the players?
We polled 63 experts to rate each player on a 0-to-10 scale, with 10 being the best
regardless of position in the NFL. Ties, as denoted by an asterisk, were broken by
determining which player had more ballots with the highest number. (If players
were tied, the player with three 10s was ranked higher than the player with two
10s. If the tied players had the same amount of the highest number -- each with
two 10s -- we moved to the next number; three 9s beat two 9s).
Here is the full list of voters from ESPN.com, ESPN TV, ESPN Radio, ESPN The
Magazine, ESPN Insider (including Football Outsiders and Pro Football Focus), ESPN
Fantasy, ESPN Boston, ESPN Chicago, ESPN Dallas, ESPN New York and ESPN Stats
& Information.
Rank
31
Player
Nick Mangold | @NickMangold
New York Jets | C | Age: 29 | NFL experience: 8th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Jets' projections
Mangold has started all but two games in seven NFL seasons.
Since 2008, the Jets have more rushing yards up the middle than
any other team, while their 51 rushing touchdowns up the middle
are 10 more than any other team and more than twice as many
as 16 other teams.
-- ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo)
Score
7.94
Rank
32
Player
Score
Mike Iupati | Team Twitter: @49ers
San Francisco 49ers | G | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 4th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: 49ers' projections
7.89
Iupati has started every game for the 49ers in his three NFL
seasons and was a first-team All-Pro selection last season. The
49ers averaged 5.5 yards per rush up the middle last season, the
best by any team over the past five seasons.
33
Duane Brown | @DuaneBrown76
Houston Texans | OT | Age: 27 | NFL experience: 6th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Texans' projections
7.84*
A first-team All-Pro in 2012, Brown anchored an offensive line
which allowed 28 sacks, tied for seventh fewest in the NFL. The
Texans allowed seven sacks by right defensive ends and right
outside linebackers, tied for fifth fewest in the NFL.
34
Victor Cruz | @TeamVic
New York Giants | WR | Age: 26 | NFL experience: 4th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: WR13
2012 Stats
GM
REC
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
16
86
1,092
12.7
80
10
An undrafted free agent out of college, Cruz's 2,628 yards are the
most by any undrafted free agent since the merger in 1970
(despite no receiving yards his first season). Cruz has 15
receiving touchdowns out of the slot over the past two seasons,
the most in the NFL.
7.84*
Rank
35
Player
Score
7.79
Demaryius Thomas | @DemaryiusT
Denver Broncos | WR | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 4th year
2012 Stats
GM
REC
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
16
94
1,434
15.3
71
10
Thomas had an NFL-best 12 receptions last season on which he
gained at least 30 yards. Among players with at least 20 targets
on throws outside the numbers and 15-plus yards downfield,
Thomas caught 63 percent of balls thrown his way, the best in
the NFL.
36
Reggie Wayne | Team Twitter: @Colts
Indianapolis Colts | WR | Age: 34 | NFL experience: 13th year
7.73
2012 Stats
GM
REC
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
16
106
1,355
12.8
33
5
In 2012, a 34-year-old Wayne became the oldest player in NFL
history with 100 receptions and 1,300 receiving yards in a single
season. His four seasons with at least 100 catches and 1,200
receiving yards are tied with Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison for
the most in NFL history.
37
Frank Gore | Team Twitter: @49ers
San Francisco 49ers | RB | Age: 30 | NFL experience: 9th year
7.70
Rank
Player
Score
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB14
2012 Stats
GM
ATT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
16
258
1,214
4.7
37
8
Over the past five seasons, Gore has 2,796 rushing yards up the
middle, which ranks second in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson
(2,797). Gore, Arian Foster and Marshawn Lynch are the only
players to rush for at least 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns in
each of the past two seasons.
38
LeSean McCoy | @CutonDime25
Philadelphia Eagles | RB | Age: 25 | NFL experience: 5th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: RB10
7.67
2012 Stats
GM
ATT
YDS
AVG
LNG
TD
12
200
840
4.2
34
2
McCoy has rushed for 908 yards outside the tackles over the past
two seasons, best in the NFL. Over that same span, his 13 rushes
outside the tackle for at least 20 yards are the most in the NFL.
39
Logan Mankins | Team Twitter: @Patriots
New England Patriots | G | Age: 31 | NFL experience: 9th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: Patriots' projections
Mankins has made the Pro Bowl in each of his past four seasons.
He has missed 14 games over the past three seasons after not
7.65*
Rank
Player
Score
missing a single game in his first five. From 2008-09, Mankins
played more offensive snaps (2,163) than any other player in the
NFL.
40
Joe Flacco | @TeamFlacco
Baltimore Ravens | QB | Age: 28 | NFL experience: 6th year
ESPN Fantasy rank: QB15
2012 Stats
GM
COM
ATT
CMP%
YDS
TD
INT
QBR
RAT
16
317
531
59.7
3,817
22
10
46.8
87.7
Flacco tied Joe Montana's record for most touchdowns without an
interception in a single postseason (11). Since 2008, Flacco has
won 63 games, including the regular season and playoffs. That is
six more than anyone else over that same span.
7.65*
Broncos fans are furious about Joe
Flacco posters around Denver
By Lindsay Jones
USA TODAY
August 27, 2013
Posters of Flacco hung by NFL drawing ire of Broncos faithful.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – As the NFL plastered giant posters of Baltimore Ravens
quarterback Joe Flacco on the side of Sports Authority Field at Mile High and on
lamp posts throughout downtown Denver this week, this much was clear: Broncos
fans are clearly not over their team’s playoff loss to the Ravens.
Hey @nflcommish take that flacco garbage off of our stadium please
pic.twitter.com/HjTJfCfENn
— James Martinez (@JamesTIAmarcos) August 27, 2013
The Flacco posters have incited a fan revolt unseen around here since the cries for
Tim Tebow in 2011, as sports talk radio stations, social media and Internet
message boards have been flooded with angry response to any mention of the
Ravens. The lead anchor from Denver’s CBS affiliate even organized an impromptu
protest Tuesday, encouraging his Twitter followers to join him in defacing Flacco
posters along the 16th Street Mall.
Broncos players and coaches hadn’t seemed to have heard much about the posters
yet, though they won’t be able to miss Flacco when they arrive at the stadium for
their final preseason game Thursday. The Flacco poster, as well as a huge picture
of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, hang above the south end of the stadium,
above the players’ entrance.
Do Denver players agree with the fans’ outrage or attempts at vandalism?
“We’ll take care of that,” defensive end Derek Wolfe said, prompted by a news
reporter who asked about players sacking Flacco on Sept. 5. “You guys just come to
the game.”
The Broncos, for their part, have gone out of their way to point out that it is the
NFL, and not the team, that has erected the signage, as part of the league’s formal
kickoff game Sept. 5. Unlike other opening-weekend games, the Thursday night
contest between the Broncos and Ravens, the defending Super Bowl champions, is
treated like a special league event.
Hence the pictures of Flacco, the reigning Super Bowl MVP – and the quarterback
who threw a dagger of a touchdown pass to help the Ravens upset the Broncos in
the divisional playoffs in January.
The kickoff game is traditionally held at the home stadium of the Super Bowl
champions, but the Baltimore Orioles wouldn’t move an evening game scheduled
for Sept. 5 at Camden Yards, which shares parking space with the Ravens’ M&T
Bank Stadium. That left the NFL searching for a new location for its first big game
of the season, and Denver was viewed as a worthy substitute.
Baltimore will host other kickoff activities, including a free concert by country
musician Keith Urban.
Klee: NFL deserves a penalty flag for Joe
Flacco flags at Mile High
By Paul Klee
Colorado Springs Gazette
August 28, 2013
DENVER - Hey, remember that time Colorado suffered through the most painful loss
in Broncos history?
In January, the Ravens delivered a roundhouse kick to our gut.
This week, the NFL slapped us across the face and told us to like it.
Have you seen this nonsense flapping in the breeze on the south side of Sports
Authority Field at Mile High?
There's a banner of the Ravens quarterback hanging from the Broncos' stadium.
"I haven't seen it," John Fox said Tuesday.
You will, coach. Joe Flacco's head is the size of old McNichols. His image stretches
from the second concourse all the way to the top, just below the white Bronco
above the scoreboard.
Even the white Bronco is bucking mad.
What, a Tim Brown statue wasn't available?
At the entrance gates on game night, stadium security will distribute clear bags to
enforce the NFL's new bag policy.
Here's a better idea: Barf bags.
I walked to the base of the banner Tuesday. After the initial shock, I put in calls to
the NFL, then to my psychiatrist.
Tell me again why there's a Raven on the Broncos' stadium?
"This is something, really, representing the two teams in the Kickoff Game. It's
something we do each year," NFL vice president of marketing Peter O'Reilly told
me.
"This is that special game that starts the year - similar to how we treat a Super
Bowl at the end of the year, representing those two teams. This year with the
Super Bowl champs against the Broncos, we represent those two teams."
One problem: this isn't a Super Bowl on a neutral field. Last time I checked, this is
a Broncos home game. And this banner stinks like rotten crab cakes.
What's next? Philip Rivers in the Ring of Fame? Season tickets for Mark Brunell?
The Black Hole in the South Stands?
Too soon, NFL. We know next Thursday is your big night, the annual Kickoff Game
that opens the season with a pageant of bright lights, bright stars and questionable
pop music.
This time it's Broncos-Ravens. The game is being played in Denver, instead of the
deserving home of the Super Bowl champs, since the Orioles have a home game
across the street. The Ravens and Orioles share the same dumpy neighborhood,
and parking.
All four entities - the NFL, MLB, Orioles and Ravens - were involved in discussions
to reach a compromise with the scheduling conflict, O'Reilly said.
Baseball wouldn't budge.
So the Ravens are on the road, the first time in a decade the defending champ
won't host the Kickoff Game. Defending champs are 8-1 in that stretch.
The obvious question: If this game were being played in Baltimore, would we see a
banner of Peyton Manning on the side of M&T Bank Stadium?
"We definitely would have it across the city," O'Reilly said.
But not on the Ravens' stadium.
Flacco flags are across the city of Denver, too. They're hanging on light poles up
and down 16th Street Mall.
And on the Broncos' stadium.
Sorry, not sorry. The city of Baltimore's poor planning shouldn't be Denver's
problem.
Trespassing? This Flacco flag is a football felony.
"The banner's on Mile High?" running back Knowshon Moreno said Tuesday when I
asked him for a player's opinion.
Yes, on Mile High. Now imagine the NCAA hanging a "Roll Tide!" poster at the
football home of your beloved Georgia Bulldogs.
"That would be weird," Moreno said. "I mean . yeah, that would be weird."
If this were any other opponent, another time, eight months after any other loss,
perhaps Colorado might stomach another team's quarterback on its stadium.
Shoot, Colorado is cool with anything. We've welcomed half of California into our
state. Denver has streets named after Wyoming, Utah, even Kentucky.
Up in Greeley, Broncos sack king Simon Fletcher serves barbecue, Texas-style.
We have a California Pizza Kitchen like everybody else.
Our Super Bowl quarterback, John Elway, married a former Raiders cheerleader.
Grudges? We're too chilled out to hold a grudge, man.
But a Raven draped over the Broncos' stadium? Too much, too soon. The scab was
just beginning to harden when the NFL ripped off the Band-Aid.
"I heard about it," Charlie Miller said. "Is it as bad as it sounds?"
Charlie has owned Broncos season tickets for 20 years. He wears a tool belt to
work. He sits in the South Stands. He was there for the Mile High Mistake on Jan.
12.
"I understand they're trying to market all of the NFL and make everybody happy. I
get that," Charlie said. "But just leave the Broncos stuff on our own stadium, for
God's sake."
Say it ain't so, Joe.
But don't blame Flacco. For a 28-year-old who just signed a $120-million contract,
the Ravens quarterback seems pleasant and normal and utterly boring.
I would buy him a beer, but he might order a glass of milk.
If we were Facebook friends, I would tag him as Joe Cool.
Now with all due respect, Joe, allow me to speak for all of Broncos Country:
I'd rather welcome the other half of California than see your mug on the side of Mile
High.
Bring on the NFL season.
Bring down the banner.
Hey, Colorado: Where are we again?
By Paul Klee
Colorado Springs Gazette
August 27, 2013
So there’s this.
Just more than a week from the Broncos opener against the Ravens, there’s this.
As if eight months of over-analysis and upset stomachs — not to mention the Mile
High Mistake broadcast on an endless loop on ESPN — the NFL delivers this kick to
the gut.
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco…. plastered a mile high on the Broncos’ stadium. It’s
true. I stopped by Sports Authority Field this morning to A) see if this was for real
B) barf.
Big deal?
No deal?
Deal with it?
I’ll leave that opinion up to you.
Then I’ll write a column about it for Wednesday’s Gazette. We’ll get to the bottom
of why an opposing quarterback is at the top (of Mile High). I have calls into the
NFL, Sports Authority Field… and my psychiatrist.
Peyton Manning: Joe Flacco banner in
Denver doesn't make much sense
By John Breech
CBSSports.com
August 27, 2013 9:03 pm ET
The first game of the 2013 NFL season is on Sept. 5 in Denver and to celebrate, the
league decided it would be a good idea to hang up Joe Flacco banners all over the
city. Denver is now covered in Flacco banners and as you can imagine, nobody in
Denver is too happy about it and that includes Broncos quarterback Peyton
Manning.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Manning was asked about the giant Flacco banner
that currently hangs outside Sports Authority Field in Denver, "It doesn't seem to
make much sense that the Denver Broncos have to have an opposing player on
their stadium," Manning said, via KOA-AM 850 in Denver.
Every Broncos fan in Denver seems to agree with Manning and an all-out assault
against Flacco banners has started. One fan started a petition on Change.org asking
the league to removed the Flacco posters.
From the petition:
How dare the NFL put a giant, 40 foot poster of Joe Flacco on our Mile High
Stadium. How dare they! I will not stand for this grave injustice! We must join
forces as Broncos fans, nay, as *Broncos Country* to put an end to this most
audacious and detestable act. Send a message to the NFL by signing this most
sacred change.org petition.
Denver doesn't just do petitions either, it's a city of action. One local television
reporter decided to put tape over Flacco's movie-star face -- yes, movie star face.
Remember, he got cast for that Johnny Unitas movie.
Not in my city! http://t.co/QFBqVUz9x4
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) August 27, 2013
Other fans have jumped on the 'tape Flacco's face' bandwagon, although Flacco's
giant Sports Authority Field face is still unscathed.
Finally, if you see a giant ball of fire coming from the city of Denver at about 9:30
p.m. MT on Sept. 5, this is why:
When the #BRONCOS beat the ravens the @nfl should let the Denver fans rip down
that flacco poster and use it to start a bonfire
— Gabriel Ott (@gabrielott) August 27, 2013
Although to be fair, some people in Denver are actually enjoying the lovely, free,
decorative additions to the city:
Commemorating the best moment of the 2012 #NFL season #Ravens Joe Flacco
banners all over #Denver pic.twitter.com/wuJzSrv1Qo
— Rich (@richksu) August 28, 2013
NFL hangs Joe Flacco banner at Broncos
stadium
By Will Brinson
CBSSports.com
August 27, 2013
Because the Baltimore Orioles are selfish, insecure jerks, the Ravens are forced to
open up defense of their 2012 Super Bowl title on the road in Denver against the
Broncos. It's a stinger for Ravens fans.
So at least the NFL's jabbing the Broncos a bit by posting giant pictures of Joe
Flacco on Sports Authority Field.
OK, the NFL isn't taking any shots at the Broncos -- or Broncos fans -- though they
might feel that way when they see the giant sign above, via the Denver Post.
Instead, it's the league promoting the matchup in a way that's designed to get fans
of both teams interested in the game, as the Broncos explained on Twitter Tuesday.
notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town...
— Denver Broncos (@DenverBroncos) August 26, 2013
...that features the Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this
will always be #BroncosCountry...
...and we can't wait to see all the orange in the stands a week from Thursday!
I honestly can't remember if last year's opener in New York pictured a gigantic Tony
Romo face, but I kind of feel like it didn't. Maybe I'm wrong and the Cowboys and
Giants were repped equally.
Not like Broncos fans needed another reason to be revved up for this rematch of a
brutal playoff loss to the Ravens last year. But in case they needed something to
put them over the top, they just got it.
Fan petitions league to remove Joe
Flacco banner from Mile High
By Chris Burke
SI.com
August 27, 2013
The last time the Broncos faithful saw Joe Flacco in person, the Baltimore Ravens
QB was rallying his team to a dramatic double-overtime playoff win over Denver on
Jan. 12. They’ll get another shot at Flacco next Thursday, in the NFL’s season
opener … and apparently, they would prefer not to have to set eyes on the Super
Bowl MVP a moment sooner.
A Denver fan going by the handle “Broncos Nation” launched a petition on
Change.org, requesting that the NFL remove from outside Denver’s Sports
Authority Field a banner of Joe Flacco, which is being used to promote the league’s
annual Kickoff Game.
The petition reads:
To:
Roger Goodell, @nflcommish, National Football League
Take the Joe Flacco signage off my Mile High Stadium! Broncos Nation will not
endure this detestable and audacious act. Who in their right mind thought that we
would just let this fly?! We stand united against your unbearable Joe Flacco
signage.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Denver fans have been up in arms over the oversized Flacco photo (and other
Ravens promotional pieces) — so much so that the Broncos’ official Twitter account
tried to ease their concerns:
notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town…
…that features the Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this
will always be #BroncosCountry…
Local sports radio host Peter Burns further riled up the population Tuesday
morning, tweeting: “Broncos fans are you really outraged about a Joe Flacco
poster? You have to be smarter than that right?”
The responses to that tweet, predictably, have been less than friendly:
I usually like @PeterBurnsRadio. But I hope he gets killed on Twitter today for
insulting a fan base today. #beenherefortwentyminutes
— Andy Mac (@TheAndyMac15) August 27, 2013
.@PeterBurnsRadio you may find the Flacco controversy to be ridiculous, but
pretending to not understand why fans are mad is disingenuous.
— John Reidy (@JohnReidyDenver) August 27, 2013
@PeterBurnsRadio last time I checked they aren’t hanging pictures of Pavel Datsuk,
Kobe Bryant, and Buster Posey around town.
— Billy Stupansky (@BillyStup) August 27, 2013
Of course, plenty of pro-Broncos promotional material is on display at and around
Mile High, including a large image of Peyton Manning opposite the one of Flacco.
The NFL plays up this Kickoff Game like a mini-Super Bowl, complete with a
pregame concert.
It also may be worth pointing out that the league tried to open the year with a
game in Baltimore, as has been done for every defending Super Bowl champion
since 2004. A conflict with the Orioles, who will be in the midst of a homestand next
week, forced the league to move the opener.
Denver fans are no doubt happy to play hosts in Baltimore’s stead. They just would
prefer to be a little less cordial to the visitors.
Update: Vic Lombardi of CBS4 in Denver used Twitter to organize some backlash
against the Flacco ads, several more of which popped up near Mile High:
We started a revolution!!! Flacco banners getting punished all over town. News at
5. #westSide
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) August 27, 2013
He posted several videos of himself drawing on, taping over or otherwise defacing
several Flacco banners:
Sean Payton will lead Drew Brees to
MVP; more bold predictions
By Michael Silver
NFL.com
August 27, 2013
As a man coming off a season-long banishment that sent his franchise into an
extended patch of turbulence, Sean Payton wouldn't seem to be a likely candidate
for a Wanna Get Away? experience.
Trust him, or anyone else in The Crescent City: He was away far too long.
Yet there was Payton on Sunday afternoon in Houston, in his third preseason game
since resuming his role as the New Orleans Saints' head coach, wishing he could
cut a hole through the Reliant Stadium turf and disappear after an uncharacteristic
time-management gaffe.
Upon misinterpreting a hand signal from rookie quarterback Ryan Griffin, Payton
burned the Saints' final timeout with eight seconds left on the play clock -- and two
seconds remaining in the third quarter of a 31-23 victory over the Houston Texans.
"That's one of those 'senior moments,' I guess," Payton said Monday evening,
shortly before completing a trade with the San Francisco 49ers for linebacker Parys
Haralson. "Shoot, I had the play clock down pat with the Liberty Christian sixth
graders last year, when the ref would give you 30 seconds that you'd count in your
head."
That was a reference to the Dallas-area team on which his son, Connor, played last
fall. Payton, suspended by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for his role in the
Saints' pay-for-injure scandal, served as an "offensive assistant" for the Liberty
Christian Warriors while New Orleans fell from the ranks of the NFL's elite and
staggered to a 7-9 season. It was a collapse I saw coming, largely because of my
estimation of Payton's prodigious presence, or lack thereof.
Now Payton is back in the cockpit, and many expect to see a return to the
audacious aerial attack that helped the Saints soar to unprecedented heights from
2009 through 2011, a run that included a 41-13 record, three playoff appearances
and a Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
I could easily play devil's advocate and bring up the team's historically bad
defense in 2012, its rash of significant training-camp injuries and the Atlanta
Falcons' emergence as an NFC South power.
However, as Payton prepares for the team's preseason finale against the Miami
Dolphins on Thursday -- and I prepare to set myself up for ridicule by kicking off
"Prediction Week" at NFL.com with a bunch of educated guesses about the 2013
campaign, right up there with last September's declaration that "Aaron Hernandez
will have a better year than Rob Gronkowski" (oops) -- I'm forecasting a robust
revival in the Big Easy.
Yes, coaching matters, particularly to an organization whose fortunes were
transformed largely by one man's vision and tone-setting direction. To say the
Saints missed Payton last season is like proclaiming that The Office missed Steve
Carell.
For all of Payton's obvious brilliance as a game planner and play caller, it was the
absence of his attitude and leadership style which left an even bigger void. As
several players told me last season, without Payton, the Saints' edge was gone -and that manifest itself in sloppy play and poor attention to detail. If you think I'm
overstating the scope of Payton's involvement, consider one example of "being on
top of all aspects of the program" that he shared with me Monday.
"On Saturday, we had our (45th annual Meet the Saints Luncheon) downtown, and
then we got on a bus and went straight to the airport to fly to Houston," Payton
said. "As the speeches went on and on and I realized we'd been sitting there for
two hours, I thought, 'We've never been here this long.' "
Here's one fairly safe prediction: At the 46th annual luncheon, Payton's (and the
Saints') appearance will be short and sweet.
And a year from now, I expect the Saints to march into that luncheon with their
swagger restored. I believe that new coordinator Rob Ryan will help stabilize a
defensive unit that floundered under predecessor Steve Spagnuolo, and I think
Payton will crank up his offensive approach to excel in an era that now includes a
slew of read-option-based innovation.
For one thing, look for Payton to experiment with the use of a no-huddle attack and
to try to control the tempo by varying the length of snap counts, much the way
Tom Brady did for the New England Patriots in 2012. Similarly, look for the Saints
to have more balance -- at the very least, an ability to run the ball effectively when
protecting a lead. Look for football's best tight end, Jimmy Graham, to shake off a
subpar season and become an absolute monster in a contract year.
And look for Payton's alter ego, Drew Brees, to be a huge beneficiary of these
changes.
Though Brees piled up 43 touchdown passes and 5,117 yards (the third-highest
total in NFL history, and only 299 fewer than in his record-setting season of 2011),
he also served up 19 interceptions, and his completion percentage plummeted from
71.2 in '11 to 63.0 during Payton's absence.
This year, even with some untested receivers in the mix, I think Brees will blow it
up. I'm picking him to lead the Saints back to the playoffs, and in the process, earn
his first regular-season MVP award -- the first of eight timely predictions for the
2013 campaign.
In a nod to the post-traumatic stress Payton and his players might still be
experiencing in the wake of their lengthy luncheon, I'll try to keep the other seven
relatively brief:
Rex Ryan won't make it through the season
A year ago, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson objected to media depictions of
the team's training camp as a "circus." As Johnson's team heads into the 2013
season looking like more of a mess than Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music
Awards, I wonder if train wreck is a more appropriate description, and if Johnson
even sees it coming.
With rookie Geno Smith struggling and incumbent Mark Sanchez adding a sore
shoulder to a severe confidence deficit, the Jets' summer-long quarterback
competition is a fiasco. The team's only proven receiving threat, Santonio Holmes,
may or may not return to action anytime soon, while last year's first-round draft
pick, outside linebacker Quinton Coples, is out indefinitely with an ankle injury,
depleting an already suspect defense.
Throw in the fact that there seems to be a massive disconnect between first-year
general manager John Idzik and Ryan, the team's bombastic fifth-year coach, and
you have all the makings of a midseason coaching change.
Ryan's brash personality, which seemed admirable as he led Gang Green to a pair
of AFC championship games in his first two seasons, won't help him in this regard.
Disturbingly, he's already starting to crack. On Saturday, after his decision to play
Sanchez late in a preseason victory over the New York Giants (and the
quarterback's subsequent injury) provoked a charged postgame press conference,
Ryan went all Troy Polamalu-at-the-line-of-scrimmage and turned his back to his
questioners.
This won't end well.
The Raiders will pick first next May ... without GM Reggie McKenzie
While the Jets' struggles promise to be more spectacular, the Oakland Raiders look
to me like the worst team in football. And if Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville's dynamic
young quarterback, and/or Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina's ferocious defensive
end, decide to declare for the 2014 NFL Draft, I see one of them standing onstage
next May in a silver-and-black cap.
What I don't envision is McKenzie making the selection. Though the current
general manager seems to be behaving as though he's all but guaranteed a third
year of rebuilding by owner Mark Davis, I think he's on shakier ground than he
realizes, and that coach Dennis Allen likely wouldn't be the only casualty of
another atrocious campaign, let alone one that yields the No. 1 overall pick.
Though offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a vast improvement from last year's
Greg Knapp-directed debacle, right now the Raiders' best offensive strategy seems
to be shaping up thusly: Snap the ball to Terrelle Pryor and hope he can run around
and make something happen.
Good times.
The fact that I predicted all of this in the wake of Davis' decision to fire coach Hue
Jackson following the 2011 season has not endeared me to Raiders fans, but they
might want to stop writing me off as a "hater" and start regarding me as a "realist."
Michael Vick will rise again
For all the melodrama surrounding Tebowmania in 2011, I thought Vick's stunning
rebirth the previous season was one of the most exceptional storylines I've
experienced in nearly a quarter century of covering pro football.
And because memories tend to be short in this 140-character-or-fewer era, let me
remind you how ridiculously good Vick was after replacing Kevin Kolb as the
Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback midway through the 2010 season opener: He was
MVP good (though Brady won the award after an equally stellar regular season). He
was transcendent. Among other things, he played a space-age game (against the
Redskins on Monday Night Football) that blew people's minds and led a crazy
comeback (against the Giants) that turned the NFC East the Eagles' way.
Given that it's possible no professional athlete has ever lost more than Vick did
following his involvement in a dog-fighting scandal, and that he seemed to be a
genuinely changed man on and off the field, this was a captivating plot twist. And
then, just as the excitement began to peak ... pfffffft. You know the story: The
Dream Team tanked amid heightened expectations, and Vick struggled with injuries
and ineffectiveness. He finally was benched during the Eagles' miserable 2012
campaign and seemed to be finished in Philly, but the hiring of Chip Kelly gave him
another chance.
Now, having beaten out Nick Foles in a surprisingly protracted quarterback
competition, Vick has a chance to reinvent himself again, this time as the director
of Kelly's fast-paced, user-friendly offense. Certainly, it could be boom or bust. I'm
going with the former. I see Vick getting rid of the ball quickly, making plays with
his feet and giving us yet another cool comeback story.
The Cowboys will win the NFC East
The Eagles entice me because of Kelly's presence, and I obviously think his offense
will function at a high level. The Redskins, as defending division champs, should be
poised for success -- assuming Robert Griffin III and his surgically repaired knee
hold up. And the Giants, who won a Super Bowl 18 months ago, are surely capable
of summoning another magical playoff run (if they are fortunate enough to qualify).
So why am I picking the Dallas Cowboys, a team that sent out some Jets-like
signals over an offseason in which head coach Jason Garrett was stripped of his
play-calling duties (but didn't seem inclined to admit it) and quarterback Tony
Romo was paid Peyton Manning money (and told by owner Jerry Jones to start
preparing like Peyton Manning)?
Call it a hunch. The Cowboys have been close during the Romo era -- two seasons
ago, they were a Miles Austin lost ball in the lights from taking out the eventual
Super Bowl champion Giants and cruising into the playoffs -- and I don't think
they're that far from putting it all together. Also, Romo is a better quarterback, and
less of a liability in the clutch, than the common perception dictates.
I just have a feeling that it's the Cowboys' turn.
Wes Welker will have a bigger year than Danny Amendola
You know the story: Last March, Patriots coach Bill Belichick chose Amendola, a
Welker clone who'd been quietly slicing up defenses with the St. Louis Rams the
past few seasons, over Welker, who responded by running his best Brady-toManning route and signing with the Denver Broncos.
Hilarity ensued.
Though the 32-year-old Welker is nominally Denver's No. 3 wideout, I see him
catching plenty of balls from Manning, especially on third down. While Demaryius
Thomas and Eric Decker challenge cornerbacks on the outside, Welker should be
sublime in the slot.
Knowing Brady, he'll find a way to make a relatively seamless transition from
Welker, his close friend, to Amendola. There's a big difference between the two
receivers, however: Welker, who takes more direct shots than most NFL players, is
an exceptionally tough dude who bounces back with the best of them. Amendola,
though nearly five years younger, isn't as durable: He has played in just 12 games
combined over the past two seasons.
The real question is this: If these two teams meet in the playoffs, which wideout
will still be standing at game's end? I'm going with the original, rather than Welker
2.0. If that happens, Belichick will surely speak graciously of his former player in
his postgame press conference.
Yeah, right.
Jay Cutler will be this year's Joe Flacco (minus the ring)
As with Flacco last season, and Eli Manning the year before, Cutler knows there's an
easy way to convince people that he's elite: Lead his team to a Super Bowl
championship.
I'm not saying that will happen -- though I do have Cutler guiding the Chicago
Bears to an NFC North title -- but I do believe he'll have a tremendous season and,
like Flacco in 2012, set himself up to command a massive new contract after being
franchised by his team.
Why am I so high on Cutler? Well, I've long been an admirer of his ability and
toughness, and I believe the biggest reason he hasn't had more success in Chicago
is dubious offensive line play. Though the Bears' line might not be stellar in 2013,
the man running the offense -- newly hired head coach Marc Trestman -- has the
tools to overcome that potential deficiency.
An inspired, out-of-the-box hire, Trestman has had great success coaching the likes
of Steve Young and Rich Gannon. His play calling is smart, innovative and full of
purpose. He'll protect Cutler by installing a high-percentage passing attack that
features a preponderance of short drops and quick reads.
If Cutler buys in -- and I fully expect him to -- his powerful right arm will do the
rest, and he'll make those folks who have him on their fantasy teams very, very
happy. With a plethora of enticing weapons (Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall,
intriguing second-year man Alshon Jeffery and talented offseason addition Martellus
Bennett), the Bears' offense could be downright scary.
The Bengals will win the AFC in spite of Andy Dalton
Last week, when I picked the Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl XLVIII, I made a
passing reference to the Cincinnati Bengals as my projected AFC champions.
Many of you reacted thusly: Seriously? You think Andy Dalton's a Super Bowl
quarterback? Was it really a good idea to drink and write?
Those sentiments didn't bother me, largely because I believe the questions are
valid ones. (Well, maybe not the one about drinking and writing ... unless we're
talking about Peet's iced tea abuse. But I digress ...) In the two seasons since the
Bengals drafted him in the second round, Dalton has displayed some very nice
qualities, but unlike so many of his peers (Russell Wilson, RGIII, Colin Kaepernick,
Andrew Luck, Cam Newton), he has yet to convince anyone that he's special.
So yes, I realize that I'm asking many of you to take a leap of faith when I size up
the ultra-talented Bengals as championship contenders, despite my lack of
conviction that they have a championship quarterback. And to be fair, most of the
people I've talked to inside the Bengals organization have no quarrel with that
assessment, though they absolutely hope Dalton can prove all of us wrong.
The weird thing is, the best approach Dalton can employ is a minimalist one. If he
takes care of the ball, doesn't try to do too much and is willing not to be the star,
he may well cement his status as the team's quarterback of the present and future.
He has one of the league's top receivers in third-year star A.J. Green, and the
injection of a pair of high 2013 draft picks (versatile tight end Tyler Eifert and
elusive halfback Gio Bernard) into the offense should make the Bengals' attack far
more formidable than in 2012.
Defensively, Cincy is flat-out stacked, with former Pittsburgh Steelers star James
Harrison joining an underrated unit that includes one of the best players in football
at any position: fourth-year defensive tackle Geno Atkins.
Realistically, if Dalton's teammates play to their potential, all the quarterback has
to do is not screw it up. If so, he might not be regarded as special a year from now,
but I still think he'll be Super come February.
Broncos fan petitions NFL to remove Joe
Flacco banner
By Dan Hanzus
NFL.com
August 27, 2013
The NFL will pull back the curtain on the 2013 season next Thursday in Denver,
debuting with all the pomp and circumstance you've come to expect from the
league's annual "Kickoff" event.
In a polarizing bit of set dressing, huge banners have been hung from Sports
Authority Field at Mile High featuring impact players from both the Denver Broncos
and the Baltimore Ravens, the two AFC juggernauts who will play that night.
And if you think Broncos fans in Denver would take issue with a giant likeness of
Joe Flacco adorning the south entrance of their home stadium, well, you'd be right.
Over on Change.org, a fan using the handle "Broncos Nation" has posted a petition
calling for the NFL to remove the Flacco banner. The petition, in full:
To:
Roger Goodell, @nflcommish, National Football League
Take the Joe Flacco signage off my Mile High Stadium! Broncos Nation will not
endure this detestable and audacious act. Who in their right mind thought that we
would just let this fly?! We stand united against your unbearable Joe Flacco
signage.
Sincerely,
(Your name)
The Broncos used their Twitter feed to appease the angry masses -- or at least the
"Broncos Nation" guy.
"Because the NFL promotes both teams playing in its annual Kickoff Game, fans
will notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town that features the
Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this will always be
#BroncosCountry and we can't wait to see all the orange in the stands a week
from Thursday!"
We understand why some Broncos fans would be sour about a 50-foot Flacco. The
last time Mr. Charisma was in the building, he ended the Broncos' Super Bowl
dreams. Still ... it's a stupid banner.
There have to be more detestable and audacious acts to fight.
Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman to share
Broncos' backfield
By Gregg Rosenthal
NFL.com
August 27, 2013
Fantasy football fans might as well accept the painful reality: The Denver Broncos
are going to have a running back by committee approach this season.
One day after rookie Montee Ball got first-team reps for the first time in training
camp, normal No. 1 running back Ronnie Hillman was running with the starters
once again on Tuesday.
“This is going to be a by-committee backfield. We've never shied away from that,"
offensive coordinator Adam Gase said Tuesday via the team's official website.
Coach John Fox echoed the sentiments, indicating that Ball and Hillman would both
carry a big load for the team. (No matter how well Knowshon Moreno plays in the
preseason, he seems to be No. 3 in line.)
The Broncos are only nine days away from their season opener. Hillman should be
the favorite to start since he's been the starter all camp, but all three backs are
going to touch the ball.
Joe Flacco signs, banner at Broncos
stadium infuriate Denver fans
By Cindy Boren
The Washington Post
August 27, 2013
The Super Bowl champions will open the NFL season on the road in just over a
week, a wrinkle in the usual practice that isn’t sitting well with fans in the city
whose team lost in the playoffs to the champs.
All around Denver, there are banners and posters. Worst of all, a giant picture of
quarterback Joe Flacco, whose Baltimore Ravens beat the Denver Broncos 38-35 in
double-overtime in the playoffs last January, adorns Sports Authority Field at Mile
High.
Hey @nflcommish take that flacco garbage off of our stadium please
pic.twitter.com/HjTJfCfENn
— James Martinez (@JamesTIAmarcos) August 27, 2013
Fans are taking this so personally that there’s even a petition to remove the
signage, but the problem is that the season opener is a prime-time extravaganza,
one that’s bigger than the teams involved and that usually evolves into a post-postSuper Bowl party for the champions. The Ravens weren’t able to play the game in
Baltimore because of a scheduling conflict with the Orioles, so the game was moved
West.
The NFL’s idea of decorating the town left the Broncos with some explaining to do
to fans.
notice signage outside @SportsAuthField and around town…
…that features the Broncos and Ravens. But regardless of league guidelines, this
will always be #BroncosCountry…
Maybe this will die down, but it’s another off-key note for the NFL, which has been
hitting an unaccustomed share of them lately, with the ESPN-”Frontline” issue to
the clear-bags manifesto to, now, this.
Flacco banner on 16th Street Mall. “Not in Our House” pic.twitter.com/nJCvk6A9wG
— Brian Ferguson (@BFerguson7News) August 27, 2013
Sept. 5 can’t get here quickly enough.
NFL-Funded Program Aims To Cut Down
On High School Concussions
CBS4 Denver
August 27, 2013 8:05 PM
BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) – High school football players are learning how to
protect themselves on the field. They are trying to reduce the risk of head and neck
injuries.
The Legacy High Lightning have been hard at it, preparing for the football season.
But this year they are tackling safety more seriously than ever. It’s the new mantra
for the men in blue and gold.
Coaches want the Legacy Lightning to strike but they don’t want the players to see
stars. This season the football team is getting used to a new technique — use the
head to learn the plays, not to pummel the opponent.
“Just keep our heads up so less concussions,” a player said.
USA Football, the leading authority on amateur football, developed the training with
funding from the NFL. Legacy High School coach Wayne Voorhees tackled it gladly.
“Our game needs to be saved. It’s been under attack the past three or four years
with concussions and we got to make it the safest possible game we can make it,”
Voorhees said.
Voorhees is a master trainer for the “Heads Up Football” program. Legacy is the
pilot in Colorado.
“Last year by this time we had multiple injuries from concussions,” another player
said. “Now this year we don’t have any concussions.”
Heads Up is for the future — for the health and well-being of the players — and the
game.
The Heads Up program is now in 34 high schools in 10 states. The ultimate goal is
to get football players of all ages to keep their heads up.
Broncos' fans irked by Joe Flacco
banners in downtown Denver
By Aaron Wilson
The Baltimore Sun
August 27, 2013
NFL has posters up to promote season kickoff game
In an effort to promote its kickoff to the regular season next week between the
defending Super Bowl champion Ravens and the Denver Broncos, the NFL has put
up banners of quarterback Joe Flacco posted throughout downtown Denver.
The promotional efforts have been met with predictable reactions from Denver
residents and Broncos fans.
Via Twitter, Vanessa Park wrote: "The fact that there are Joe Flacco posters on the
16th Street Mall is just unbelievable. Marketing fail by the NFL. Way to make people
angry."
There was that double-overtime victory in the AFC divisional-round playoffs where
Flacco threw a touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones at the end of regulation behind
flailing Broncos safety Rahim Moore.
That said, it's the NFL and its marketing arm sponsored by the league and Pepsi
that put up the banners.
As NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy noted on Twitter via this photo, there are huge
banners of both Flacco and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning up at Sports
Authority Field at Mile High
And there are more signs promoting the rematch at Times Square in New York, via
this photo.
It's not as if the Ravens or Flacco have invaded the Broncos' turf and posted these
banners independently. It's part of the NFL's marketing plan.
The Ravens were supposed to host the NFL opener, the tradition for defending
Super Bowl champions.
However, a scheduling conflict between the Ravens and the Orioles prevented the
NFL from scheduling the season-opener in Baltimore.
Instead, Baltimore is the venue of a free kickoff concert by country musician Keith
Urban.
Broncos coach John Fox was asked about the banners today.
“I haven’t seen it," Fox told Denver reporters via a transcript provided by the
Broncos. "There was a billboard here a couple of years ago I never saw either
(laughing). At the end of the day, we don’t pay that too much mind. I think
somebody may have showed me a picture, but I never saw it in person.”
Arizona Cardinals’ Bruce Arians has a
style all his own
By Bob McManaman
AZCentral.com
August 28, 2013
Star quarterbacks heap praise on Arians, their former coach
They are three of the bigger names in the NFL, three quarterbacks from three
different starting points in their careers who quickly came to transcend their own
eras.
Peyton Manning. Ben Roethlisberger. Andrew Luck.
Among them, they’ve made the Pro Bowl 15 times, been to five Super Bowls and
won three of them, and got their teams to the playoffs 18 times in their combined
23 years of NFL playing experience.
They also happen to have at least one thing in common — the same NFL coach was
there in the very beginning to greet and help develop them: Bruce Arians.
azcentral sports reached out to Manning, Roethlisberger and Luck to get their take
on what makes Arians tick and how he shaped their paths with his personality and
coaching style.
They were more than happy to oblige. Here are some of their thoughts and
memories about Arians, the first-year head coach of the Cardinals:
Peyton Manning
The first overall pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 1998, Manning passed for 3,739
yards and 26 touchdowns his first year in the league, setting five NFL rookie
records, including most touchdown passes in a season.
The owner of a record four NFL Most Valuable Player Awards, Manning remembers
spending a great deal of time with Arians in that formative first year.
“He was my quarterbacks coach when I was drafted by the Colts, and I can still
remember getting drafted, flying to Indianapolis on draft day and sitting down with
Bruce,” said Manning, who ranks second all time in touchdown passes (436) and
third in passing yards (59,487).
“He handed me a playbook. I’d say a rookie quarterback probably spends the most
time with his quarterbacks coach, so Bruce and I spent a lot of time together. They
had some different rules back then that the rookies weren’t allowed to spend as
much time at the practice facility, yet the quarterback coach could come to you,
and so I remember Bruce came to Knoxville for a film session. He came to New
Orleans for a film session.
“I remember he always wanted to know if there was a decent golf course in the
area; we might be able to double up on some film session and some good golf.
Bruce Arians loves his golf. He just taught me a lot about pro football. It’s a huge
adjustment going from college ball to pro ball and he really helped me get
acclimated to the speed of the game.”
Arians spent three seasons with Manning and the Colts before moving on to become
offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. In those three years, though,
Manning said he learned so much from Arians that he still relies on that information
today as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, whom the Cardinals meet
on Thursday in the final preseason game for both teams.
“He really helped me a lot with my play-action,” said Manning, now in his 16th NFL
season. “He had been in Kansas City and Steve DeBerg was the quarterback. I
always thought Steve DeBerg was one of the great play-action quarterbacks, and
Bruce had good knowledge of him from being with the Chiefs. He really helped me
out a lot with different types of fakes, and I really attribute some of the good playaction fakes that I’ve been a part of to Bruce Arians.”
Every player who’s been around Arians seems to have a favorite story to tell about
the 60-year-old coach from Paterson, N.J. For Manning, a 12-time Pro Bowl
selection, it had to do with another one of those film sessions.
“I could remember sitting in a meeting with him one time, and he said, ‘Why didn’t
you throw that pass?’ ” Manning recalled. “I said, ‘Well, nobody was open.’ He said,
‘No, not that,’ kind of pointing his hands together closely —‘That, that is open.
That’s considered open in the NFL.’
“Bruce was really good that way for me.”
We asked all three quarterbacks what they would say to Arians if they were to
leave a message on his voicemail. Manning left this impression of his old
quarterbacks coach:
“He was a fun guy to play for yet disciplined as a coach. He expects you to do the
right things and Bruce had a big impact on my NFL career, no question about it.”
Ben Roethlisberger
Arians was the wide-receivers coach for the Steelers when Pittsburgh selected
Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft. Three games into that
first season, Roethlisberger found himself as the starting quarterback, and he and
Arians quickly struck up a close relationship.
It was Roethlisberger, who went 13-0 in the regular season and won Offensive
Rookie of the Year honors and successfully lobbied for Arians to become the team’s
new offensive coordinator after Ken Whisenhunt left to become head coach of the
Cardinals following the 2006 season.
Now, Arians has replaced Whisenhunt in that role, too.
“You could just tell right from the get-go how much he knew about the game of
football and his passion for the game of football and his players,” said
Roethlisberger, who was the winning quarterback in Super Bowls XL and XLIII, the
latter over the Cardinals.
Arians has two Super Bowl rings from their time together, and Roethlisberger was
disenchanted when the Steelers did not renew Arians’ contract following the 2011
season.
“He coaches the way players want to be coached,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s a
player’s coach, and he just knows how to relate to the guys — the way he talks to
them, the way he acts, all the fun things that he does.
“He knows how to do that with the guys. And then he knows how to be strict and
get on guys when he needs to.”
When it comes to any tips or tools Arians taught him, Roethlisberger said he still
uses all of it to this day.
“I take so much from all of our time together,” he said. “In every part of my game I
take the things that he has taught me and helped me with. I’ll use them for the rest
of my career.”
Roethlisberger can’t pick any one story about Arians; there are too many.
“I’ve got lots of stories about B.A.,” he said. “I just cherish the time we got to
spend together, even the time that we’ll get to spend together in the future. We
both have houses down South and we golf together a lot. To me, some of the best
times were just on the golf course with him.”
As for what he’d leave on Arians’ voicemail, Roethlisberger said it would be short
and sweet.
“I would probably say, ‘B.A., how’s it going? How’s your golf game?’ ” he said. “And
then I’d tell him, ‘Good luck.’ ”
Andrew Luck
The Arians connection among Manning, Roethlisberger and Luck came full circle last
season in Indianapolis.
Manning had left the Colts to join the Broncos as a free agent, Arians rejoined the
team as offensive coordinator, and Luck was Indy’s prized pick in a great
quarterback class.
With Arians teaching him the same things Manning and Roethlisberger learned
before him, Luck set an NFL rookie record for passing yards (4,374), including a
single-game-record 433 in a Week 9 win against the Dolphins.
After a 1-2 start, head coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and had
to take a leave of absence. Arians took over on an interim basis, and the Colts won
nine of their next 12 games until Pagano returned for the season finale against
Houston.
The Colts went from 2-14 to an 11-5 playoff team with Arians earning Coach of the
Year honors and, ultimately, his first NFL head-coaching gig in Arizona.
“I feel very fortunate to have played under him,” Luck said. “To see how he led us
last year through that tough time without Chuck was very inspiring.
“He made players comfortable around him and let everybody have their own
personality. He didn’t force anybody to be someone they weren’t. It may sound a
little corny or cheesy, but there’s merit to that. I felt comfortable being myself, and
I felt he had my back. If I was doing something bad or wrong he’d let me know, but
I felt I could go out there and give it everything I’ve got.”
Luck laughs as he recalls Arians’ infamous “accountability list” and his trademark
fashion statements like the Kangol hats and the knee-high socks.
“He just really has an infectious personality,” the quarterback said. “But again, the
strongest impression I got from him is he lets you play. He didn’t hinder you or hold
you back. He didn’t coach you with kid gloves.
“He gave you the bicycle and let you ride it. There were no training wheels. He just
said, ‘Here you go, bud, let’s go make it happen.’ And I appreciated that as a young
player. It made me feel comfortable to play football. I didn’t have to hold anything
back.”
Luck said what he probably will remember and use most from his one season with
Arians was what the coach taught him about situational football, particularly the
two-minute drill and other end-of-game tactics.
“I loved the way he relates to players,” Luck added. “Bruce could be tough on you
as a coach, but the minute you walk off the field, he’d put his arms around your
shoulder and invite you to have dinner with him.
“It was over. You’d get yelled at worse than you’ve ever been yelled at before but
the next play, it’s dead and gone, which I think is one of his greatest attributes as
well.”
Luck’s favorite Arians story?
“Football-wise, it was when we beat the Chiefs last year to clinch a playoff spot and
he did this little jig on the sideline,” Luck said, starting to laugh. “It was terrible but
awesome at the same time. I’m sure it’s on YouTube if you look for it. That was
funny.”
If Luck were to leave a voicemail for Arians, this is the message he said he would
leave:
“Good luck with the season — except against the Colts. And I appreciate everything
you did for me.”
Notes
The Cardinals signed tight end Richard Quinn, who was released by the Bengals
Sunday.
The Cardinals also released rookie safety Javon Harris and tight end Mickey Shuler.
The three moves put the Cardinals at the roster maximum of 75, which teams had
to reach by 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Quinn is in his fifth season and has played in 30 games with four starts. He has one
catch for nine yards.
He was drafted by Denver in the second round in 2009 and played two seasons
there. He played in one game with the Redskins in 2011 and was inactive for 15
games last season for the Bengals
Derek Wolfe returns to practice, plans to
play next week
By Mike Florio
ProFootballTalk.com
August 27, 2013
The Broncos have nine days to get ready for their Week One game against the
Ravens. One of their defensive starters who has been injured says he’ll be ready to
go.
On Tuesday, defensive end Derek Wolfe returned to practice, less than two weeks
after suffering a neck injury that caused him to leave a preseason game by
ambulance.
“It feels really good,” Wolfe told reporters, via quotes distributed by the team. ”I
thought I was going to be out a little bit longer but I started better and every day it
was getting better.”
Wolfe says that, barring re-injury, he’ll play on opening night.
“Absolutely, there is no question that I’ll [play], as long as nothing happens in
practice, knock on wood,” said Wolfe, a second-round pick in 2012. ”Don’t want to
get hurt in practice but as long as I don’t re-injure it I should be fine.”
Wolfe said that, when he play, he won’t play any differently.
“Not me,” Wolfe said. ”I think if anything when you have to sit out, it’s funny how
much you really don’t like to practice until you can’t do it anymore. And then
you’re just dying to get out there again. That whole time you’re just thinking I
could have been done for good but now that I’m not I want to get out there
bad. Once you’re playing football you don’t think about getting hurt and if you do
you’re going to get hurt.”
Wolfe did get hurt, but not nearly as badly as initially feared. And that’s great news
for a team that won’t have defensive end Elvis Dumervil or linebacker Von Miller or,
quite possibly, cornerback Champ Bailey when the real games begin.
Broncos place J.D. Walton on reserve
PUP list, Quinton Carter on
injured reserve
By Josh Alper
ProFootballTalk.com
August 27, 2013, 1:20 PM EDT
The Broncos are at 75 players after a pair of housekeeping moves involving injured
players.
Center J.D. Walton will go from the active PUP list to the reserve PUP list, which
takes him off the roster and bars him from returning to action for the first six weeks
of the regular season. That shouldn’t be a problem as Walton isn’t expected to be
ready before that point after offseason ankle surgery. Walton also missed most of
the 2012 season with a fractured ankle, so the recurrent problems in that area
could make it difficult for him to be a factor this year. Manny Ramirez will start at
center for the Broncos.
The Broncos also placed safety Quinton Carter on injured reserve, ending his
season before it even started. Carter originally injured his knee last September, had
surgery that ended his season and then had a setback in camp. The 2011 fourthround pick was in the mix to start at safety, but Duke Ihenacho will likely line up
with Rahim Moore next Thursday night.
Analyzing Walton, Carter Transactions
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
August 27, 2013
Independent analyst Andrew Mason gives his thoughts on the club placing J.D.
Walton on Reserve/PUP and Quinton Carter on IR.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Going into training camp, it was clear that center J.D.
Walton was headed for the physically-unable-to-perform list. His June surgery
meant he wouldn't practice until at least October; there was no reason for the
Broncos to push his rehabilitation, and the PUP designation buys him needed time
to heal, while saving the Broncos a spot on the 53-man roster.
But a season without Quinton Carter on the field wasn't what the third-year safety
or the Broncos hoped. Heading into training camp, there was more buzz about his
potential return to the safety corps being the element that shook up the depth chart
at the position. But as he struggled to find his form in his first work since his knee
surgery last September, Duke Ihenacho stepped into the void, and has now started
the last three games.
The Broncos know what Carter can do when he's healthy; he has good instincts for
the position, is aggressive and beat out Rahim Moore for a starting job as a rookie.
He punctuated that season with interceptions in both of Denver's playoff games in
January 2012. That glimpse provided enough promise to justify more time to wait
and see whether Carter's knee will allow him to display the form he demonstrated
in spurts as a rookie.
Placing Carter on injured reserve also appears to crystallize the depth chart at
safety, especially withQuentin Jammer getting the bulk of his repetitions at
cornerback on Saturday against the Rams. Jammer can still be an option at safety
and provide some flexibility, but likely would be nothing more at safety than the
fifth option behind Moore, Ihenacho and backup tandem Mike Adams and David
Bruton.
Walton could come in handy if the injuries that have battered the team in recent
weeks persist into the regular season.
The Broncos could face a roster crunch and a difficult decision if and when Walton
comes off the physically-unable-to-perform list, but if there's a season-threatening
injury to one of the interior offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, that logjam
would resolve itself naturally.
And Walton has longer than October to heal. Players on the PUP list can begin
practicing at any point following Week 6 and up to Week 11; there is then a 21-day
period where a PUP player does not count against the 53-man roster while he
practices. So conceivably, the Broncos could hold off on adding Walton to the 53man roster until Week 15.
Should Walton heal well enough to return, he would bring experience; no matter
who starts at center in the next three months, Walton will still have the most
starting experience at the position, thanks to his 38 regular-season and playoff
starts from 2010-12. If he's healthy, he can provide a nice boost; if he plays, he
can enhance his value for the 2014 offseason, which is a crucial juncture for him
given that his rookie contract expires after this year.
Broncos Roster Reaches NFL's 75-Player
Limit
By Gray Caldwell
DenverBroncos.com
August 27, 2013
•
On Tuesday, the Broncos placed S Quinton Carter on injured reserve and put C J.D.
Walton on the reserve/PUP list.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With two more transactions Tuesday -- making a total of 13
since Sunday -- the Broncos reached the NFL-mandated, 75-player roster.
Third-year safety Quinton Carter was placed on injured reserve, while fourth-year
center J.D. Walton has been placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
list.
The Broncos knew since mid-June that Walton would be out until mid-October
after undergoing an additional procedure on the injured ankle that sent him to
injured reserve after the first four games in 2012.
The reserve/PUP designation means that Walton may not practice with the club
through the first six weeks of the regular season. Beginning Oct. 15, the center is
eligible to practice for up to a 21-day period between then and Nov. 19.
At any point during that practice window, Walton -- who started 36 consecutive
games to begin his career before suffering the ankle injury -- can return to the
active roster.
Meanwhile, Carter will not play in the 2013 season. He was placed on injured
reserve and was not given the designation to return.
Carter was also placed on injured reserve with a knee injury last season after
playing just three games on defense and special teams. As a rookie in 2011, Carter
played in all 16 games -- starting 10 -- and even snared an interception in each of
the club's two postseason games that year as a starter. He became just the ninth
rookie in the Super Bowl era to post an interception in consecutive playoff contests.
The club plays its preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals at Sports Authority
Field at Mile High on Thursday. Two days later, the roster must be trimmed to the
final, 53-man squad.
"It's always tough," wide receiver Eric Decker said of roster cutdowns. "I'm going
into my fourth year. You build a relationship with everybody in this locker room. To
see a guy go, whether it's moving to a different team or getting cut in general, it's
always tough."
Breaking Down the 75-Man Roster
By Gray Caldwell
DenverBroncos.com
August 27, 2013
A position-by-position look at how the current roster shapes up, with an eye on how
many players at each position made the final 53 in 2011 and 2012.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The 75-man roster has been set.
That means that one preseason game and 22 more transactions lie between today
and the Broncos' final, 53-man squad and the regular-season opener against
Baltimore on Sept. 5.
With that in mind, let's take a look at how the roster is shaping up with just four
days remaining until the roster deadline arrives.
Below is a look at how many players at each position made the opening-day roster
in each of Head Coach John Fox's first two seasons and how many currently remain
on the 75-man team.
QUARTERBACK
• 2011 WEEK 1: Three
• 2012 WEEK 1: Two
• CURRENT ROSTER: Three
The Rundown:
Peyton Manning -- The starter's 12 Pro Bowls are the most by a
QB in league history. The 2012 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
set Broncos single-season records in nearly every major passing
category. 2012 Pro Bowler.
Brock Osweiler -- 260 passing yards this preseason with a 66
percent completion rate.
Zac Dysert -- Completed all three of his passes so far in the
preseason.
RUNNING BACK
• 2011 WEEK 1: Four
• 2012 WEEK 1: Five
• CURRENT ROSTER: Seven
The Rundown:
Ronnie Hillman -- Second-year pro was third on the team in
rushing yards as NFL's youngest player in 2012.
Montee Ball -- The second-round draft pick leads the club in
rushing this preseason, adding one touchdown.
Knowshon Moreno -- The longest-tenured back on the roster
started the last six weeks of the 2012 season.
Jacob Hester -- Provides versatility, lining up as a running back
or fullback. Scored two TDs in three games last season.
Jeremiah Johnson -- Recently returned to practice from a toe
injury. Spent 2012 on practice squad.
C.J. Anderson -- Picked up 69 yards in his only preseason
appearance. Suffered a knee sprain on the last day of training
camp. Then, timeline was "up to six weeks."
Lance Ball -- Contributor on offense and special teams in each of
the past three seasons. Had career-high 402 yards in 2011.
WIDE RECEIVER
• CURRENT ROSTER: Eight
The Rundown:
Demaryius Thomas -- Owns the third-most receiving yards in
Broncos history through a player's first three seasons. 2012 Pro
Bowler.
Eric Decker -- His 22 receiving TDs are the most in Broncos
history through a player's first three seasons.
Wes Welker -- First-year Bronco has caught at least 100 passes
for at least 1,100 yards in five of the last six seasons. 2012 Pro
Bowler.
Andre Caldwell -- Fourth on the team with four catches for 53
yards in the preseason.
Tavarres King -- Fifth-round pick has three preseason catches.
Gerell Robinson -- Osweiler's college teammate has four
preseason catches.
Trindon Holliday -- Most production comes as a returner -- four
total scores in 2012 including postseason. Caught two passes last
season.
Lamaar Thomas -- College free agent has two catches this
preseason.
TIGHT END
• CURRENT ROSTER: Five
The Rundown:
Joel Dreessen -- Ranks fifth among NFL tight ends in percentage
of catches resulting in TDs since 2010. Caught five scores last
year.
Jacob Tamme -- Ranked third on the team in catches and
receiving yards last season, his first as a Bronco.
Julius Thomas -- Leads team with 12 catches and tied for team
lead with 123 yards through three preseason games.
Virgil Green -- Saw 176 snaps on offense and 202 more on
special teams in 2012.
Jake O'Connell -- Joined the Broncos on July 27. Played eight
games with Kansas City last season.
OFFENSIVE LINE
• 2011 WEEK 1: Nine
• CURRENT ROSTER: 15
The Rundown:
Ryan Clady -- Signed a five-year deal in July. Just the fourth
offensive lineman in NFL history to start every game and make at
least three Pro Bowls during his first five seasons. 2012 Pro
Bowler.
Zane Beadles -- The only Bronco to participate in every offensive
or defensive snap last season, allowing just one sack. 2012 Pro
Bowler.
Manny Ramirez -- Started 11 games in 2012 at right guard. Now
the starter at center.
Louis Vasquez -- Free agent signee has started all 54 games he
has played and has committed zero offensive penalties.
Orlando Franklin -- Allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL among
16-game starting right tackles in 2012.
Chris Clark -- Played in all 16 games in each of the past two
seasons for Denver. Has filled in with Clady recovering from a
shoulder injury this offseason.
Chris Kuper -- Has allowed just 12 sacks in 78 career starts in his
first seven seasons. 2012 Ed Block Courage Award recipient was
taken off PUP list on Aug. 13.
Ryan Lilja -- Manning's former teammate in Indianapolis started
all 15 games he played with Kansas City in 2012. Has never
allowed more than three sacks in a season.
John Moffitt -- Acquired in a trade with Seattle, the third-year
lineman has started 15 games in his career, including the first
nine of his rookie campaign before an injury sent him to injured
reserve.
Vinston Painter -- Sixth-round draft pick's first year as a starter
came in his senior season at Virginia Tech. He was named
honorable mention All-ACC.
Paul Cornick -- Originally joined the Broncos as as practice squad
signee on Dec. 10, 2012.
C.J. Davis -- Has played in 14 games for Head Coach John Fox -seven each in Carolina and Denver.
Steve Vallos -- Sixth-year player as played in 44 regular-season
games, starting nine. Has allowed just 1.25 sacks, according to
STATS Inc.
Philip Blake -- Fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Made
active roster as a rookie before being placed on injured reserve
after two games.
Ben Garland -- Also has experience at defensive tackle. Spent
2012 on Broncos' practice squad.
DEFENSIVE LINE
• 2011 WEEK 1: 10
The Rundown:
Derek Wolfe -- Returned to practice Tuesday from a neck injury.
The second Broncos D-lineman in team history to start every
game as a rookie, he notched six sacks in 2012.
Kevin Vickerson -- Set career highs with 16 games played and 14
starts in 2012, helping anchor a run defense that allowed the
second-fewest yards per game in the NFL.
Terrance Knighton -- Free-agent signee has 57 QB pressures
during the last three seasons, which ranked second on the
Jacksonville Jaguars.
Robert Ayers -- 2009 first-round pick has 6.5 career sacks and a
defensive touchdown.
Malik Jackson -- Played in 14 games as a rookie in 2012.
Notched a sack in the 2013 preseason.
Mitch Unrein -- Third-year player has seen action in 33 games
during the last two seasons. Contributed 20 tackles, a fumble
recovery and even a TD catch in 2012.
Sylvester Williams -- Denver's 2013 first-round pick, the
defensive tackle was named first-team All-American and All-ACC
at North Carolina in 2012.
Jeremy Beal -- Notched two sacks in 2012 preseason before
being placed on injured reserve. Has a tackle for loss this
preseason.
Quanterus Smith -- 2013 fifth-round pick totaled 24 sacks and
41 tackles for loss in his Western Kentucky University career.
Romney Fuga -- College free agent from BYU has a quarterback
hit in the preseason.
John Youboty -- College free agent from Temple, where he
earned second-team All-Big East honors as a senior.
LINEBACKER
• 2011 WEEK 1: Seven
• 2012 WEEK 1: Seven
The Rundown:
Von Miller -- Runner up for 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the
Year will be suspended the first six games of the regular season.
2012 Pro Bowler.
Wesley Woodyard -- A captain in all five of his NFL seasons,
Woodyard was the only player in the league in 2012 to record at
least 100 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions.
Nate Irving -- 2011 third-round pick has played in 31 of a
possible 32 games in his first two seasons. Currently tied for
second on the team in tackles this preseason.
Danny Trevathan -- Second-year linebacker played in all 16
regular-season games as a rookie. Tied with Irving for second on
the team in tackles this preseason.
Shaun Phillips -- Listed as a backup at outside linebacker and
defensive end, Phillips totaled at least seven sacks in seven of his
first nine NFL seasons with San Diego, including 9.5 last season.
Stewart Bradley -- Currently sidelined with a wrist injury, the
seventh-year veteran has 30 career starts in the NFL.
Lerentee McCray -- College free agent from the University of
Florida has a sack this preseason.
Steven Johnson -- Originally a college free agent, Johnson played
11 regular-season games and tied for the team lead with 10
special-teams tackles during his rookie campaign.
Paris Lenon -- 12th-year veteran has started at least 10 games
in every season since 2005, including all 16 in six of the past
seven.
Damien Holmes -- College free agent from UCLA totaled eight
sacks and 20 tackles for loss in his collegiate career.
CORNERBACK
• CURRENT ROSTER: Seven
The Rundown:
Champ Bailey -- The longest-tenured Bronco's 12 Pro Bowls are
the most by a defensive back in NFL history. 2012 Pro Bowler.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie -- Sixth-year corner owns 19
career interceptions. His teams are 15-1 when he records at least
one pick.
Chris Harris -- Started the final 12 games of the 2012 regular
season, allowing the fifth-fewest receiving yards and tying for the
eighth-fewest completions allowed in the league.
Tony Carter -- Like Harris, recorded two defensive touchdowns in
2012. He was one of three players in the league with a fumble
recovery and interception for touchdowns.
Kayvon Webster -- 2013 third-round pick was named first-team
All-Big East as a senior for the University of South Florida.
Omar Bolden --2012 fourth-round pick saw action in every game
as a rookie and ranked third on the team with nine special-teams
stops.
Aaron Hester -- College free agent from UCLA accumulated 131
tackles, five interceptions and 23 passes defensed in his
collegiate career.
SAFETY
• 2011 WEEK 1: Four
• CURRENT ROSTER: Six
The Rundown:
Rahim Moore -- Third-year safety ranked third on the club with
71 tackles in 2012 to go along with an interception, a fumble
recovery and seven passes defensed.
Mike Adams -- The starter opposite Moore last season, Adams
set career highs in tackles and passes defensed.
Duke Ihenacho -- A college free agent in 2012, Ihenacho has
played his way into starter's reps throughout the preseason,
notching 10 tackles and a forced fumble.
David Bruton -- Fifth-year safety ranks second on the team with
32 special-teams tackles since he was drafted in 2009. Was a
third alternate for last season's Pro Bowl as a special-teamer.
Quentin Jammer -- 12th-year defensive back played cornerback
in his first 11 seasons with San Diego, ranking sixth among CBs
with 710 tackles from 2002-12 according to press box totals.
Ross Rasner -- College free agent from Arkansas totaled 184
tackles, 6.5 sacks and three interceptions in his collegiate career.
Switched to safety from linebacker his senior season.
SPECIALISTS
• CURRENT ROSTER: Three
The Rundown:
Matt Prater -- The kicker ranks second in franchise history in
field-goal accuracy. Signed a four-year contract in 2012.
Britton Colquitt -- The punter broke his own franchise record with
a 42.1 net punting average in 2012. Signed a three-year
extension earlier this month.
Aaron Brewer -- The long snapper has played in every possible
game during his professional and collegiate career. Made the club
as a college free agent last season.
Wolfe Returns to Practice
By Brandon Moree
DenverBroncos.com
August 27, 2013
DE Derek Wolfe was back at practice Tuesday after having suffered an injury in the
second preseason game.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – In Seattle on Aug. 17 – 10 days ago – defensive end Derek
Wolfe was taken off the field in an ambulance with little sensation in his
extremities.
Monday at Dove Valley he was watching from the sidelines and Tuesday he was
suited up and participating in defensive line drills and full 11-on-11 action.
“It feels really good,” Wolfe said Tuesday after practice. “I thought I was going to
be out a little bit longer but I started better and everyday it was getting better.
‘Greek’ (Steve Antonopulos) did a great job staying on top of me, making sure I
was in there every day just hours and hours.
“When you are stuck in that room it makes you want to get out faster so that
helped to.”
Wolfe wasn’t exactly full speed during Tuesday’s practice. The team was wearing
shells and shorts instead of full pads and he noted that the altitude made him a
little winded.
“I’m just trying to get my lungs used to running around and playing football again,”
Wolfe said. “A week doesn’t seem like very much but in the football world it is.”
His return to the field was depended upon the disappearance of pain and he said
today that he didn’t have any pain or soreness and that his range of motion in his
neck was back to normal.
He said last Thursday that he had hoped to be ready for action by the season
opener Sept. 5 with the Ravens. Wolfe reaffirmed that goal, barring injury during
the remainder of the preseason.
While Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio said that he’s glad that Wolfe was able to
return to practice, he tried to make the most of Wolfe’s time away from the practice
field.
“I think it also gave us a great opportunity to evaluate some other guys and got
them some more time and reps,” Del Rio said. “So a little better evaluation there.
All in all, we made it a positive. Never like to see anybody down, it’s certainly a big
relief that he is back and ready to roll. He’ll be back at full speed in no time.”
The time off also kindled a fire in Wolfe, increasing his desire to get back on the
field and get back to playing football.
“It’s funny how much you really don’t like to practice until you can’t do it anymore.
And then you’re just dying to get out there again,” he said. “That whole time you’re
just thinking I could have been done for good but now that I’m not I want to get
out there bad.”
Manning Asks For Fans' Help on Offense
By Stuart Zaas
DenverBroncos.com
August 27, 2013
Peyton Manning wants your help when the Broncos are on offense at Sports
Authority Field.
DENVER -- When teams play at home, they expect to be able to use that crowd as
a competitive advantage.
Peyton Manning is asking for help from Broncos Country to maximize that edge.
A loud crowd makes things difficult for offenses that rely on a lot of pre-snap
communication. That’s why it’s common to see defensive players gesturing to the
fans to make noise.
But you’ll never see an offensive player doing that at home as life is a lot easier for
the quarterback and his receivers to communicate if they can hear each other
before the snap.
During Saturday’s preseason win vs. St. Louis, the crowd got excited when it was
apparent that Manning and the offense would go for it on fourth-and-1 from the St.
Louis 6-yard line in the first quarter.
Manning quickly tried to quiet the crowd down so he and the offense could get on
the same page for the important snap. It worked, as he and Demaryius Thomas
connected for the 6-yard touchdown.
Talking with Broncos play-by-play broadcaster Dave Logan on AM 850 KOA Tuesday
afternoon, Manning reached out to Broncos fans for their assistance.
“When we’re on the field on offense – I love our fans’ excitement – but if we can
just find that controlled noise level,” he said with a laugh on the show. “I believe we
are going to go for it on some fourth downs this year and maybe not cheering when
we’re going for it on fourth down – wait and see and if we get it, cheer then. To me,
it’s a hard thing. These fans have so much enthusiasm, but for a receivers'
standpoint, you’d love to have that homefield advantage where you wouldn’t have
to signal at home.”
The quarterback even offered a suggestion on how to solve the issue on gamedays.
“I don’t know, maybe there’s a leader in each section in the stands, we’ll take some
voting polls, have a campaign,” Manning said. “But that’s what you want, a guy to
say, fourth-and-1, they’re going for it – I don’t know if that’s possible, I don’t know
how to get that message relayed, but any help we can get out there from Broncos
fans, we’ll take.”

Joe Flacco banners to promote Ravens- Broncos game irk some Denverites

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