Here we are at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla., and the 2010 Pro Bowl is just a few hours away. It has been a fun week of practice leading up to the actual game, and now the five Broncos participating in the all-star contest will look to lead the AFC to a W.
This blog will be a mix of the pregame blogs you’re used to seeing on gamedays on DenverBroncos.com and our typical live game blogs. The plan is to run down to the field to snap a few pregame photos before the contest, then as the game progresses, give you updates after big plays, scores and any contributions from the five Broncos.
Rather than use the typical live blog format, I’m just going to use the regular blog so I can include photos. In other words, just refresh every now and then for any updates to the post.
Right now, at 4:54 EST, there are no players on the field, and the gates haven’t opened yet, so there aren’t any fans in the stands, either. From where I sit, the left end zone is painted red for the AFC, and the right is blue for the NFC. I’m going to go get a feel for the best way to get down to the field, so I’ll be back in a while with some pregame snapshots. Stay tuned.
7:00 p.m. EST: Just got back up from the field — it’s a little different schedule for the Pro Bowl, and guys don’t come out of the tunnel until later. But I’ll crop some photos and put them up as soon as possible. At the moment, some band I’ve never heard of is playing. To be honest, they didn’t even announce the name of the band, so I have no clue who it is. But they keep singing “Here comes trouble again.” If anybody knows who sings that…let me know in the comments.
7:27 p.m. EST: Turns out the name of the band is “Honor Society,” and they are singing the National Anthem. Here are a few pictures of the Broncos in their all-star garb, minutes away from kickoff.
7:31 p.m. EST: It’s time for the coin toss — and Brian Dawkins was one of the captains who trotted out to midfield for the AFC. The AFC will receive — and Joshua Cribbs is back deep to field the kickoff to begin the game. From here on out I’ll keep you up to date with any big plays, and of course any contributions made by the five Broncos in the game — Champ Bailey, Ryan Clady, Dawkins, Elvis Dumervil and Brandon Marshall. Just refresh your brower occasionally for updates.
AFC 7, NFC 0: The AFC strikes first on a play with Marshall in at wide receiver on the left side of the field. Matt Schaub looked to his right, however, connecting with his Texans teammate Andre Johnson for a 33-yard touchdown with 11:53 remaining in the first quarter.
AFC 14, NFC 3: After an NFC field goal, Brandon Marshall gets involved, hauling in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Schaub. He hauled in the pass at about the 4-yard line, pulling his defender into the end zone. He’s being congratulated by Chad Ochocinco on the sideline right now.
Now the kickoff unit is on the field, and it includes both Bailey and Dawkins. Dawkins is dancing as Miami’s Dan Carpenter prepares to kick.
1st Quarter, 6:59: This crowd wants action — Carpenter’s kick went five yards deep into the end zone and was downed for a touchback, which was met with boos from the Sun Life Stadium crowd.
1st Quarter, 5:38: Aaron Rodgers bought all the time in the world in the backfield, but when he let loose a pass intended for Adrian Peterson, Dumervil was right there with him to break up the pass.
AFC 14, NFC 10 The Pro Bowl is supposed to be all about offense, as evidenced by Mario Williams letting up with a sack of Aaron Rodgers in his reach early in the game. And it isn’t disappointing thus far — Steve Smith just caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers with Bailey in coverage.
2nd Quarter, 13:25: For the past couple drives, there haven’t been any Broncos in the game as players rotate in and out. Now Bailey is in as the NFC is threatening at the 6-yard line. He made a tackle earlier in the drive to force a third down. And on a 3rd-and-3 at the 7-yard line, Dumervil has entered the lineup.
NFC 17, AFC 14 The NFC convered that third down for a score on a screen pass to DeSean Jackson. Now the AFC kickoff return unit is on the field, and Dumervil is in to help block for Cribbs — not a sight you’d typically see on Sundays throughout the season.
2nd Quarter, 9:37: The crowd is doing “The Wave” as the AFC is driving down the field. Jets center Nick Mangold, who is on the sideline next to Clady, is doing his part when the cheer gets to his section.
AFC 17, NFC 17 We’re all knotted up after a 30-yard Dan Carpenter field goal.
All-Decade Update: Just saw that Ty Law has also been named to the All-Decade Team alongside Bailey and Dawkins. Congratulations to him.
2nd Quarter, 4:41: All three Broncos defenders are in the game — Bailey, Dawkins and Dumervil — with the NFC at its own 42-yard line. It’s third-and-10 after a near-interception by Yeremiah Bell and an incompletion by Donovan McNabb. On the ensuing play, Dawkins makes the tackle on a scrambling McNabb — but it’s good for a first down.
2nd Quarter, 3:32: An exciting turn of events: LaMarr Woodley just returned an interception for a touchdown, but a 12-men-on-the-field penalty on the defense brought it back. A facemask by Vernon Davis right before the touchdown nullified the defense’s penalty, meaning the down would be repeated.
BRONCOS QUOTES: Just got some quotes in the press box from two of the Denver Pro Bowlers, Marshall and Dawkins.
First, Marshall on his first Pro Bowl touchdown catch:
“That was my first touchdown catch because last year I dropped Peyton Manning’s touchdown and he gave me a hard stare. It feels good to get my first touchdown. My aunt is here, she’s probably my biggest fan and every time I score a touchdown she asks for the ball. I’m going to get that ball to her.”
Marshall, on playing back in his home state:
“It feels great. We’ve got a lot of people down here celebrating this wonderful event with me, and we are going to enjoy it and enjoy this game.”
Dawkins, on his first Pro Bowl as a member of the AFC:
“Well, obviously it’s a whole bunch of new faces fo rme. It’s guys I haven’t played with over the years, so I’m building some new acquaintances over here on the AFC side. It was a little strange at first during our initial meeting, but there are great guys on this side also.”
Dawkins, on the game being an offensive battle:
“We’ve got to make sure when they do have drives down the field that we keep them kicking field goals. We can’t give up the big balls and we’ll see if we can pull this thing out.”
2nd Quarter, 1:52: After a few drives on the sidelines, Clady is back in the game at right tackle. If you missed that development, here’s a story on why he’s manning the right side. Let’s see if the AFC decides to try to drive down the field before halftime. My guess? Absolutely.
2nd Quarter, 0:54: David Garrard nearly connected with Vincent Jackson for a touchdown on first down, but the pass fell incomplete. After an incompletion on second down and a short scramble by Garrard on third down, the AFC went for it on fourth down — but Garrard’s pass fell incomplete. Now the NFC take over at its own 42-yard line, and we’ll see if they in turn decide to shoot for a score before the half.
HALFTIME: The first half comes to a close after a 65-yard Cribbs punt return lead to a missed Dan Carpenter field goal attempt. The score remains tied at 17. In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the first half of action, courtesy of AP Images.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY: Two plays into the second half, Donovan McNabb connected with his Philadelphia teammate, DeSean Jackson, for a 58-yard touchdown. But two plays into the AFC’s ensuing drive, Garrard connected with Vincent ackson for a 48-yard touchdown. Quite the offensive shootout, as the score is tied at 24 just 1:41 into the second half.
3rd Quarter, 13:13: One of the most interesting chains of events in the game was started by a Bronco. Dawkins intercepted a pass from his former teammate, Donovan McNabb, and looked as if he would be tackled. But he lateraled the ball to Bailey, who sprinted down the sideline. Just as Bailey was about to get stopped, he lateraled the ball to Darrelle Revis. Then when Revis fell to the ground, he tossed the ball over the back of his head — technically a fumble — and it was finally recovered by Dawkins.
AFC 31, NFC 24 The interception/fumble recovery on the same play by Dawkins eventually resulted in a Maurice Jones-Drew touchdown to put the AFC ahead by a touchdown.
AFC 34, NFC 24 Dan Carpenter knocks home a 26-yard field goal to extend the AFC lead after a drive that saw Clady in at right tackle. And on the ensuing kickoff, Marshall is back in the game, acting as a gunner on the near sideline. He doesn’t get the chance to make a special teams tackle, however, as the kick is downed in the end zone for a touchback.
AFC 31, NFC 31 A 7-yard touchdown run by Carolina’s DeAngelo Williams cuts into the AFC lead. Now the kickoff return unit is in, and it once again includes Dumervil as a blocker.
4th Quarter, 13:54: Vince Young just threw an interception to Asante Samuel, who caught it inside the 5-yard line. He returned it 35 yards, but went down at the feet of Clady, who was waiting to make sure the cornerback didn’t get any farther.
4th Quarter, 12:43: Bailey just sniffed out a bubble screen to Roddy White and brought him down in the backfield for a loss of three, forcing a third-and-13. On the next play, Tony Romo was sacked by Houston’s Mario Williams, and the NFC had to settle for a David Akers field goal — good from 39 yards out to tie the game at 34.
UPDATE: I’ve just been alerted that with seven minutes left in the game, we’re allowed to head down to the field so that we’re ready to snag postgame interviews. That’s what I’ll be doing, so the blog will be cut a little short before the final result is decided. I apologize for that, but it will hopefully be worth it when we get GOLDEN quotes from our guys on the field. Thanks for sticking with the blog tonight — it’s been an entertaining night from South Florida so far. As I’m finishing up this update, the AFC is about to go for it on fourth-and-2 — and Schaub, who is back in the game, connects with his Texans teammate Andre Johnson once again to keep the drive alive at the NFC 44.
Well, I’m headed down to the field with the AFC driving in the NFC red zone. We will post a story and Broncos TV coverage later this evening from South Florida.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
UPDATE: Sorry for the delay in posts. We made it back to the hotel to finish up our stories after snagging interviews on the field and in the locker room. As you probably know by now, the AFC came away with a 41-34 victory after a defensive stand — an interception, to be exact — helped seal the game.
You can check out our top story from the Pro Bowl here.
Tags: Brandon Marshall, Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Pro Bowl, Ryan Clady
Ayers is bigger than Woodley and just as disruptive as he was at Michigan, he could be our the breakout player this upcoming season. which could only mean a realease of Reid or Haggans..i dont know.
I remebered that intersting description on woodley at Michigan: “guns dont kill people, woodley kills people”..lol..its time Ayers gets involved..having play constantly with the starters and he could get on fire….IMO
Dan Williams, DT, 6’3′, 327lbs.
Yeah he’s got a LB #
this time BFE92 beats me to it, LMAO.
What happened to Jarvas Moss,they said he was going to evolve into a prototype OLB,I guess DOOM beat him to it.LOL
Time to eat guys, good blogging today, later.
Oh ok…I like the numbers on Dan Williams (6’3 327)
I really think ayers can be our break our player next year as well…didnt have much opportunity his rookie year…I say no matter what we start him over haggan…gotta start prepping young blood with game exp after 1 year of watching and learning
All i know is we better keep Jarvis Moss cuz i need him in madden…lmao.
He is such a waste of a first rounder….
Ayers will be good next year,time to start him,I agree.
So long Baylin
I believe Dan Williams could come in and be a impact player right away.
Did you see the way they double teamed him every play?
In the Senior Bowl
Yea…he is less of a risk than that other dude everyone sees going first….i forget his name (sandumukah or something lol). But he played well and I believe he can make an instant impact as well (only saw like 20mins of game)
Maybe we should all ask for a Kicker…so that McD will actually get what we need.. Dan Williams/McClain lol
If we had both our 1st round picks like we should (water under the bridge) we coulda gotten both McClain and Dan Williams…Darn it lol
Yeah or we could ask for a RB.LOL
That would’ve been the best draft we had in years.IMO
I for one liked the pick (Phonzy) at the time last year,but he didn’t perform like I thought he would.
I think Ayers would’ve played better if he had started last year,Cushing,Orakpo,and Mattews all started.
BMarsh apperaed to be geniuine when he said he wanted to finish his career in Denver last night in his interview on the sidelines, do you guys buy it?
I do, but I am a Brandon Marshall fanatic so my opinion holds little weight lol
I believe that Brandon Marshall wishes he could stay in Denver and get paid top two or three type of money. I just don’t think the Broncos are going to pay that much for one player. Nobody has gotten a big contract since Josh got here. Have they?
True but we will only know that come March. I dont think Bowlen minds paying. Never been one to withhold his checkbook. I think they just want people to play out their contracts…this offseason is the first in a while that people who have outplayed their contracts are up for promotions cuz their contracts have run out. And i believe they get payed. And sicne u say no one has gotten payed since McD got here…maybe its because McD is sucking up all the money…how much does he make anyway? lol
4yr 8million dollar contract…Getting payed 2 mil a year to destroy a franchise…lmao
apparently not the first time Marshall said he wanted to be a career bronco…I think the Shanahan and cutler replacements affected him more than was let on…Thats why he acted out until he learned its just business…
“This is where I want to end my career. I want to play for Coach (Mike) Shanahan and the Denver Broncos throughout my career. I’m happy where I’m at.”
Maybe Marshall realizes guys like Roy Williams switching teams get out of the system that they were successful in and struggle to perform at the same level. If he gets sent to St. Louis or half of these atrociously bad offenses, he will not put up the same numbers. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. He’s a star on the Broncos and always will be if he stays. Leaving is a risk to the rest of his career…
But like TRB, I’m a huge Marshall fan and my opinion doesn’t hold much weight ha
Bowlen doesn’t mind opening his checkbook. He had to pay Shanny something like $7 million last season to sit at home.
Yeah, I guess he cracked it wide open for Moreno and Ayers last year.
Here’s a story about how Joey Porter of the Dolphins wants to be traded. Mabye he could be a guy to accomidate Doom?
http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/02/01/dolphins-lb-porter-requests-trade-on-tv/
It’s partially Marshalls agent thats the problem. His “Jerry McGuire” wants to say “show me the money” to MrB but Marsh is a 4th round pick that has either been injured, at court, on suspension, worried about TD celebrations or held himself out of the most important game of the year because he felt sore in his hammy when the MRI doesn’t show zilch! All the while other players like B-Dawk are out there with way worse injuries, playing hard and playing to WIN!
Marshall is an amazing athlete and can smile for the cameras and be nice to kids just like he can make fingertip catches and break tackles, when he wants to…. But when he gets his attitude then he can fake injuries, kick footballs in practices and in games and purposly drop passes in practice and in games. One game I saw him fake a slip and fall, the other team got the interception and Marsh just stood there and watch the guy run away. It was blantant wide open mutiny. imo
Yeah, he’s just lovely…..
I wonder if we could get Brady Quinn and Rogers for Marsh and Scheff?
He’ll be 33 in March, our D has enough age on its side, I think we need to balance that out with younger blood, can’t go all age and experience, we have to think long term also. And he would be too much money for what he can offer, we were already talking all day yesterday about how hard it will be to come up with the money to keep everybody here plus he doesn’t want to be a role player in Miami, he has to big an ego to fit McD’s team concept so no I don’t see him coming here at all.
OC, well said about Marshall. TRB, atwater4HOF and many others may have Marshall’s back regardless of how many times he screws up, but you and I and a few others know better than to get enamored by the production that he is feeding us whenever it benefits him, and rather we see right through his plots. No blind follower here. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, and we are at like fool me for the twelfth time….. I am not buying the he has put all his crap behind him type of thing, it will always linger thoughout his career, and who ever gets him will have to baby him throughout, no thanks.
That been said, as I stated many times I really don’t care if he stays or not, but if I had a say, I would rather trade him for decent picks and help our team in multiple areas with it, as having Marshall here has never gotten us to the playoffs, that’s a fact, Marshall doesn’t have a single reception in post season, so obviously he can’t be the difference maker for us as so many say he is. We need less chiefs and more indians.
I don’t know what to think about Marshall’s “I want to end my career as a Bronco” statement. If he really does, why doesn’t he go talk to Mr. B and McD face to face, instead of saying it on camera when the nation is watching. I’m not saying he hasn’t but saying those words to Pat and Josh are worth a lot more than just throwing them out when the cameras are rolling.
I just wonder if he gets the big contract, will he buckle down and go for it all the time with no sideshow drama? Or will the off field issues start to creep in again?
Im not a Marsh hater at all. I guess I just feel disapointed in him because he is such a tallented guy with a lot of potential but something is always getting in the way. I’m used to guys like Rod and Eddy Mac, workhorse, no guts no glory, team first kind of WR’s.
-Uh Oh! Somebody made grandpa mad. I guess us kids can only look at the good candy in the store. No super sour rope(#15) or Chocolate covered gummy bears(#92). Definitely no Everlasting Jawbreaker(#78) or Chocolate Truffles (#20 and #24) either. I guess we will have to settle for 5cent dum dums (McD), penny tootsie rolls (FA’s) and pixie stix (draft picks). I guess cheap candy is better than no candy. And is certainly better than grandpas prune juice!-
The NFL is at an all time poupular high. A multi-billion dollar industry. Earning upwards of 20 Billion a year. And that is just the revenue from broadcasts. Average team worth is 733 million. “Clearing a profit in the NFL is as easy as falling forward.”- Forbes Magazine
Im no business owner by any means, but I believe paying your 5 best players is smart business sense. I guarantee people are buying the jerseys of these guys and not the Orton or KM or LeKevin Smith or Vonnie Holliday or Alphonso Smith ones. I just wnat to know how its ok to not pay your best players and it is ok to have a list of 13 guys who could help our team. I was always under the impression, you build your team around the great players. And, again not a business owner, but dont you secure those players first!?! I do know this, if we dont pay them, someone else will. And with the uncappped year, there should be no reason not to pay the men.
I haven’t read anything official that we weren’t going to pay our best players?
Bowlen will pay as he sees fit, he knows business, I’ll let him handle it, he has done pretty good over the last 3 decades.
SNDVL says
nobodys going to buy orton’s jersey idid, somebodys got to like him!
I don’t pay attention to what he says, not worth my time.
I like Orton as well. I really do. But I don’t know about buying his jersey. McD will end up trading him or cutting him or bringing in his own guy!
Who in the hell are you calling grandpa?..boy! I’m sure I’m a lot older than you but there’s no need to show your age. I’m changing your handle to charlie wonka…lol
It was addressed to me.
Oh, I see… Sorry Charlie! lol
bay,
Just curious, what buisness are you in?
I don’t wanna get into the specifics of it here, but I have always been in the recreation (sports) business.
This is what Mike Preston, a columnist with the Baltimore Sun had to say today in an article in that newspaper about a possible trade for Marshall as the Ravens need a WR bad:
Marshall? Uh, oh. Here we go again. After a Pro Bowl season in 2009 in which he caught 101 passes for 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns, the disgruntled Bronco wants to be traded. Again. The Broncos want to oblige him, but at what cost?
If Denver wants a first-round draft pick, then the Ravens should make the deal. If the Broncos want a first- and second-rounder or a first- and third-rounder, then the Ravens should tell them to take a hike. No use mortgaging the franchise’s future for a head case.
I believe it was Sportscenter they were discussing the Marshall trade talks. They said that he isn’t worth as much as one would think. Taking into question, his off field issues, vertical speed, and hands. They pretty much said a lot of teams view him as a “possesion receiver.” I don’t know if I’d refer to him as a “possesion receiver”, while he does lack the vertical speed, he makes up for with sheer physicality. He also has pretty decent agility for big WR.
hate McD? hate KO? you think shanny and cutler were better? right!
lets see, together they go 17 and 20, forget about how high the O was rated because it don’t matter how you get to the dance, the W/L record is what counts. (and the #2 thing is only in yards, not points, witch count the most) Did KO do bad with the bears? look at his w/l record. then cutlers. shanny could not win games without gary kubiak. 9-7, 7-9, and 8-8. this means to me kubiak ment alot. McD took an 8-8 team and went 8-8. no better no worse. but yet some people think he has turned the BRONCOS into a team that will never win again. I see the future as looking better with McD and Orton than if we still had shanny and cutler. you are forgetting all the int. and the same problem we have had the past few years, no red zone scoring. with McD we can hope he will learn from the mistakes. but with shanny we were going down hill. or to say the least stagment. ya, it is fun to watch a QB run all around and then hit a 30 yard pass but that ment someone did not do their job. but scoring more points then the other TEAM is the only thing that counts.
2007 points scored 320, points allowed 409, record 7-9
2008 points scored 319, points allowes 305, record 8-8
2009 points scored 326, points allowed 324, record 8-8
new system, new coaches, you made your choice to hate them so stick with it. I’ll see you in the funnies next year.
What I found interesting is this columnist said, and I don’t know where he got that source or if it’s even true, that Marshall wants to be traded, again.
Sounds like the media stirring up something…