Once more, Champ Bailey will start in the Pro Bowl. Once more, he finished the year among the elite at his position, earning second-team All-Pro honors.
Yet the ninth season of Bailey’s exemplary career left him somewhat disheartened. He hadn’t been a part of a losing season since his final campaign with the Washington Redskins in 2003.
Individually, his streak of Pro Bowl bids continued to expand, and with eight in succession, Bailey is beginning to approach the territory at which Hall of Fame status becomes a legitimate possibility many years in the future.
“I appreciate the respect I get, but it’s a little bittersweet when you think about the team goals not being reached,” Bailey said. “It’s just one of those things. You’ve just got to live with it.”
He also had to live with the fact that his season closed with three interceptions, his lowest total since 2004. As in previous years, relatively few passes flew in his direction compared to the right side of the defense, manned by Dre’ Bly, but after he notched 18 interceptions over the 2005 and 2006 seasons — eight in ’05 and 10 in ’06 — procuring just three passes seemed uncharacteristic to some.
To Bailey, it was just one of the vagaries of his position.
“Every year is a little bit different,” he said. “When you look at numbers, every year is a little different. My numbers are going to be good some years and not good some years. That’s just the way people attack me and the plays I make.
“I think around the league when people look at the big picture, I get my job done. Plain and simple.”
Which is why he has one more game left in his season — a game that once again he’ll be starting, but not the one in which he wants to play in February.
“I’m never satisfied with where I finish the season,” Bailey said. “I think although Pro Bowls are great, I’m also striving to get to the Super Bowl. I’ve got to play well to get there, so I can’t go backwards any time.”
Tags: Champ Bailey, Cornerbacks, Defense
If Bailey didn’t have to spend so much time protecting the run he’d of had another 5 or 6 int’s I believe. I am so relieved that we’ll be switching back to the aggressive style of D I have grown to love in Denver. When you react to an offense instead of attacking it you get smoked, end of story. Shore up the D!
Champ can anticipate more action next season. If Shanahan does not shore up that run defense quickly… All Ready!
well said you two,well said,,,,,
Lets face it,,,opponents are affraid of Bailey. They’re strategizing against the guy. Now that they see Bailey can also play run-stop, they’ll probably think twice about making plays on him….Talk about a player who’s well-rounded on the field and gives 110% every game,, the defense should look up to Bailey and Dumervil and see why they will someday be HOFs….pls,,lets bring back that aggressive D mentality..
Next season, Bailey would definitely be hauling in 6+ Ints….
Still, I think Bailey had a good season. Congratulations on making the Pro-Bowl. Next time could be the Super Bowl..
May Bailey be a Bronco forever..
Bailey is awesome but if you can’t pressure the QB then it doesn’t matter whose in your secondary. A good front four can make average CB look good while our front four makes a great CB look average. We need a couple of guys either LBs or D lineman that teams have to game plan more. Just like our offense, our D needs more guys that can make big plays that change games.
One more thing, if we lose Walker and get nothing for him then prepare for another season with a average offense. Marshall is very good but you need another WR thats either a number 1 or 2; as much as I love Stokley he’s a number 3.
Go Broncos and P. Rivers sucks!
While i do think Cromartie and Samuels are excellent players, they still are not in 24s league. While both of their int numbers were better this season, it still remains fact that they both sit back in a 3-4 zone. Neither player plays man to man on a consistent basis, but even when denver is in a zone scheme 24 is locked up man to man. The other 2 sit back in a zone and can read the QB alot more because they arent concentrating on the man they are covering. Champ is still the best in the Biz!!! period!
Champ is awesome he is good but broncos have too many young people and need some good veterins like reggie wayne and manning i mean he is the best in the league and is my favorite player. but he is on a sucky team i am sorry he needs to be traded to the colts or chargers not patriots.
well if we bring wilson back then in fa bring in some great dl men we will be a hell of a lot better as for bailey he gets burned to much for me to like him just yet. also if lynch stays hopefully things will turn around
smithalltheway your an idiot champ got burnt once this season and it wasnt much more then that the season befor
First of all Wilson is not comming back to Bronco Land. Second, Champ is the best player we have. If we can get better play on both lines we will be very good next year. Mason I have a question for you. I am allready planning for a trip to Denver for Fan Fair. Do you know any hotels that are near the stadium that you would recommend? Do you have any idea on a date for the event? Take care…West Coast
bly on the other hand got burnt i think every game. champ is more of a chump than anything, how come when they throw the ball his way some how they get to the receiver. if he is so good, then he should be pickin off passes every time thew throw his way.
because its alot easier to juke a cb then it is to cover a wr the wr knows what hes gonna do the cb is guessing
If the defense consistently pressures the quarterback, watch Champ’s numbers rise again. Let’s get some good linebackers this April, Spencer Larsen of Arizona is underrated, but he’d be perfect for us.
Becuase Smith, You need too understand.. YOU OBVIOSLY DIDNT WATCH DRE AND BAILY THIS YEAR.
Go back and rewatch. seems to me you missed all the 10sec coverages. The WR will get open sooner or later. its up to the DL to get some pressure. If we had an average DL then maybe we would have done somthing, but ours was one of the worse in the leauge. If not the worst.
amen to that blanket24,,Baileys always playing man,,those others (samuel, cromartie) are in 3-4 schemes.they only look great because of their DL.
and denverbroncos6,,am I reading it right or not, are u crazy?trading away Bailey to the colts or chargers..gosh!!u sure ur a broncos fan??
and u smithalltheway, obviously u dont knw wud ur talkin about..u cant jst expect Bailey to snag all the passes thrown his way..the DL must give him the pressure to commit to an interception.
Bailey is THE BEST!
Lets hope we get some good draft picks this year….
Don’t worry folks, smithalltheway is on crack. That’s not a Denver fan, Champ a Chump. He’s definately an Idiot, a complete stuge, I’m sorry for blasphemy but hit had to be done. But someone earlier said something extremely true, we definitely need a hoss at DT. A true beast like Casey Hampton or Jamal Williams who may not get 10+ sacks every year but will draw the attention of the whole O-Line and suck up 2-3 blockers so guys like Moss, Thomas, and Dumervil can get man blocking. That guy should definately, as some genius said earlier, be our absolute #1 priority. I don’t care what you say about Philips, even though I like him, having a great secondary means absolutely nothing if you can’t get pressure. Once again like someone said earlier with 10 seconds to run around eventually WR’s will get open. Look at our great Bronco teams, even with Aldridge back there, with the pressure we get on the QB he would get toasted.
And hopefully we can get Adibi in the second, once that happens our starting lineup should be solidified for some time to come.
And please, pretty please, get a damn MLB that’s quality and been playing there for a long time so DJ can go back outside, where he belongs.
D.J. belongs inside, look at his stat differences. He got 140 tackles this year. Has he done that before? I don’t think so.
Any way, Champ is definitely the “best in the biz”. I agree with HRDNOKD, if people would throw Champ’s way he’d have plenty more INTs. Dre may need to step up a little. That is part of the reason our secondary went from 1st to about 10th. I hope you are 200% by season’s start Champ.
I know I’m late chiming in on smithalltheway’s statements, but I have to… Of course a cb is going to give up big plays, when he is the only player on the field who KNOWS HOW TO TACKLE. He had no choice but to focus more on the run, because opposing running backs were picking up so much yardage before getting to him. The guy is one of the most fundamentally sound tacklers in the league. Would you prefer someone like Deion, who always “locked down” a receiver, but never actually attempted to tackle anyone in his entire career?
I believe that Champ Bailey is one of the best Cbs of all time and no doubt the best at his position today. He is versatile and he loves the game. I can see why he is getting frustrated on the fact that he is having to be the run stopper. i believe that he will have a better season next season and mabe the broncos can make the playoffs. He is a surefire HOF and could end up being the best CB in history
The Broncos are going all the way this year!! I have respect for Bates but it was the wrong move for us. Champ you’re the man! Please talk Lynch into coming back at the Pro Bowl! I know you are close with Al Wilson, pls call to have him come back as well. I know I’m asking a lot but I have one more request. You deserve every dollar you make without question!!! But if there was a way to restructure your contract we could be more aggressive in Free Agency. I know it is a big request but I think it would guarantee playing in the other game in February. The first year we won the Super Bowl Elway restructured his contract to get DE Neil Smith. Brady has as well. Thanks for your time! Without question Broncos will be in the next super bowl. Lets get it started!!!
are you guys reading the same thing im reading from smithalltheway.. that is by far the stupidest comment i have ever seen left on any blog ever.. i watch every bronco game every season and this year i seen him get burnt once and it wasnt even qualitfied to be titled burnt, he turned his hips a little late and fell behind a little.. champ is a dying breed of cornerback, and he’s one of a kind theres guys like deion sanders who were great cover guy and play makers, al harris who can press cover nearly anyone (minus the giants game against plaxico) and ronde barber who can tackle great and be in nearly every play within 15 yards of the L.O.S… champ is all of those in one man.. and it didnt help this year that he was playing through a bummed quad or hammy whichever it was, anyone whos injured either knows what im talking about.. like the saying goes, two-thirds of the planet is covered by water, the rest is covered by champ bailey
I have no douBt in my mind that Champ Bailey will be in the pro bowl every year till he retires