As the Broncos continue their preparation for their rematch against the Patriots Saturday, one theme has been consistent throughout the defensive circles in the locker room; they need to limit the Patriots’ yards-after-catch.
In the last game, on multiple instances, the Patriots were able to pick up big chunks of yards after short completions. The Broncos know they can’t let that happen this game.
“It’s very critical,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “You see a lot of short throws, and then here you go — a missed tackle here, a missed tackle there; a guy will make you miss. They’ve got a lot of good players that can run after the catch, and if we don’t limit that, we can see what can happen, because that’s what happened in the first game.”
All week, the Broncos have emphasized tackling. With the size and athleticism of the Patriots two tight ends — Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski — bringing them down will be tough, but necessary at first try.
“One busted coverage and tackling played a huge part of it,” safety Quinton Carter said. “The catch wasn’t that many yards, it’s the run after. So we have to tackle better.”
The last game against the Patriots in Week 15 was the Broncos’ first game this season without veteran safety Brian Dawkins, who was out with a neck injury. With the exception of a small part of the next game against Buffalo, he hasn’t played since then.
The Broncos defense has improved since that game as they get more comfortable playing without one of their captains. The three games the Broncos have played since these two teams last met have given them a chance to cut down on their mistakes.
“(The mistakes) will be (cleaned up),” Bailey said. “I know that for a fact. We’re not going to make all the mistakes we made the first game. The thing is, now you’ve got to go stop them. Whether you’re in position or not, they still have good players, so you’ve got to find a way to stop them.”
With one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, led by three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots are tough to stop. But if the Broncos defense can play like it has in the last two weeks, the group likes its chances.
“They’ve got a lot of weapons,” defensive end Elvis Dumervil said. “We also feel confident with our guys. We’ve just got to play sound, play smart and I think no blown assignments. Everybody does their job and executes, and it will give us a good chance.”
BAILEY VISITS PRACTICE
On Sunday, quarterback Tim Tebow hosted Bailey Knaub, a 16-year-old girl who’s had more than 70 surgeries due to a rare vascular disorder, at the Broncos-Steelers game. He met with her and her family before and after the match.
Thursday, they were back with Tebow at Dove Valley. They watched practice, got a tour of the facility, ate lunch and met with the Broncos quarterback after the team’s training session.
“Football is amazing,” Tebow said after Sunday’s dramatic victory. “We love it and we’re so passionate about it—you can see right there (in the dramatic finish), but the real win, at least that I would take today, is being able to comfort a girl who’s gone through 73 surgeries before the game and get a chance to go hang out with her now. So that’s the biggest win of the day. They are both exciting, but that’s what I’m even more proud of.”
INJURY REPORT
Here is Thursday’s injury report.
For the Broncos:
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: S Brian Dawkins (neck), WR Eric Decker (knee), LS Lonie Paxton (non-injury).
LIMITED: S David Bruton (Achilles), TE Daniel Fells (ankle), DE Elvis Dumervil (ankle).
FULL: LB Von Miller (thumb).
For the Patriots:
LIMITED: CB Kyle Arrington (foot), OT Marcus Cannon (ankle), C Dan Connolly (groin), LB Dane Fletcher (thumb), S James Ihedigbo (shoulder), G Logan Mankins (knee), LB Rob Ninkovich (hip), WR Matthew Slater (shoulder), LB Brandon Spikes (knee), OT Sebastian Vollmer (back/foot), WR Wes Welker (knee) and LB Tracy White (abdomen).
Below are some photos from Thursday’s practice.
-Kenny Legan
Slow blog day!!!
Anybody have any help for how to get the Blocks or whatever cleared up?
Great read. Just a little insight to what we truly have in our QB.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/story/2012-01-11/tebow-exclusive/52518122/1
Did you try to email the blog administrator like Bay suggested?
The only email I could find was for Zaas and he hasn’t responded.
I thought the problem would just go away.
Great post BTW Shaz – I enjoyed that.
earlier today I picked up a copy of NFL magazine with Timmy on the front cover. Thats a keeper.
Thanks i did too.
Thank you for the article Shaztah. It stands to confirm what we Bronco fans have known about the man all along. He is genuine.
Shaztah,
Thanks for the post! I know this is so heavily debated but I just really don’t get why people have to hate! Really!
If people want to blast him from a mechanics/football standpoint, fine….it’s open season. He’s a professional football player and should be critized as such….
But when I hear sports radio talk shows calling him a dope, a weirded out human being (as the score670 in chicago said today) or mock the way he delivers a press conference…it angers to me to no end!
Shaztah, you and I are both die hard broncos fans! We’ll cheer him and anyone they put behind center so we’re biased! But had he been part of another team and read that same article, wouldn’t you at least say something to the effect of : “Wow, this kid really does devote himself to more than just football.” or “I really do think he believes within himself that it’s better to be a good human being than a good football player” Something like that?
What a world it is that when someone comes along that is “good” and provides hope to others, people still find a way to blast that individual!
….I hear things like that and simply think….”Tim run this whole train to the super bowl!”
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
dad13,
Just wondering what it was that you said that got your normal handle kicked off? I once got kicked out for saying a Mc(insult) comment.
Have you tried testing out your old handle. Also, try using your old handle to ask the blog admin why your banned in the comment. Thats what I did and then they sent me an email saying why, and I had to apologise and promise never to say such terrible things again… lol
What an amazing read. Thanks for sharing Shaztah.
haters talk crap but i bet there are a lot of fans out there that would love if tim was there qb.
Iron sharpens iron, and men sharpen men.
i love the way john fox sounds when he talks to the media he has a sort of funny aproach but also is straight forward and a cleverness about him.
I was anticipating the Broncos to draft Tim Tebow as our QB and when it went down, my mouth hit the floor. Thats why I take it so personal when idiots bash Timmy for their selfish and shameful agendas. Their jealous and don`t know what to think of when they hear Tim Tebows name. It makes them not want to think about their sinful nature when Tim is just being his Godly humble self.
true strand
true strand i was hoping we drafted tebow myself and i got my wish. and now he is killin it. lol
stupid computer it made me say the same crap twice lol
I do feel bad for him sometimes because he is basically a prisoner in his own home. He really has to watch what he does and says because the media can turn things around quick. Also, it is the media who has blown everything way out of proportion and not Tim, all is he is doing is trying to live his dream and if he can help people he will. I know Eddie, Dawk and Champ do a lot of things too. i was looking at Eddies facebook pics and he also has sick kids that visit him. He needs some kudos too.
When I read the front page of the Denver Post about Baily Knaub and getting to meet her hero and what she`s had to endure. The whole Tebow family hung out woth her and the Knaub family. Talk about a special time. The Tebows are the real thing, Tim was taught at a young age about the true meaning of being selfless by his parents. True, True, rightousness and A LIGHT TO OTHERS!
What’s up Bronco brothers & sisters!!! Just got home for a rainy day here in NY… Reading about the CA & FL weather has me wanting to move! Lol
Anyway, had the radio on the car, and one guy here had the balls to say if Denver wins this week in NE, it would be the biggest playoff upset in recent history…. I think that’s a bit much, but I like our odds when everyone is against us! Us against the world baby!!!
Thats neat to know. Kudos to Eddie Royal.
We wouldn`t want it any other way. LOL
I really hope the players and coaches read these blogs so that they know how much we appreciate them. After all they are doing everything for us.
We Broncos fans are the best fans in the world.
WOW Jason Laconfora actually picked the Bronco’s to win. He was the only one LOL.
Agreed Strand!
i would be willing to go out on a limb and say tebow has made each one of us better people and better fans. i know he has helped me
How neat it would be to sit and talk with Tim Tebow while have coffee. It would be awesome to spend an hour with him.
Me too Miller.
i actually had a dream a while back i did hang with him i cant remember what we did though.lol
Dreams can come true.
Shaz, hows your hubby doing?
Good strand he just hasn’t gotten the hang of the blog and too impatient to keep up with it. He hates to read a lot but that is okay this is MY escape lol.
He is used to an ongoing blog (live) so this one confuses him a little. I enjoy reading so I don’t mind.
Oh really. Whats his handle? And this blog is a good escape. HaHa!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-qodBTlMtA&feature=player_detailpage
i want this kinda fire and passion from tebow and our broncos this sat.
Thought this was funny.. Perfect fit IMO.. Lol
http://tracking.si.com/2012/01/12/report-todd-haley-will-interview-for-assistant-coaching-position-with-jets/?sct=nfl_t2_a11
im gonna watch the brady 6 tonight on nfl network and after that the denver pats game is being replayed.
focused on yards after catch……how about focusing on stoping the catch…just saying
well i have never seen a game were not one reciever had a catch so with that said tackling will be important after they catch it.
That should be an interesting show.It’s crazy in all the previews all the naysayers.Noodle arm,will never make it.Terrible motion.
he did look kinda shrimpy and unathletic lol
just goes to show what the EXPERTS really know. squat if a player believes he can be great and puts in the work anything is possible even a 6th rounder being one of the best ever.
Right!
?
miller..i dident mean literally lol……although that would be great….
Orange Crusher – I don’t think I did something to get banned. Bay told me that usually if you get banned no one can use your handle. The Daddybronc handle has never been prevented from posting.
I did mention the zebra crew and possible links to Las Vegas a couple of posts is the worst thing I have done. They might have also gotten upset maybe about extended personal conversations – who knows.
But I have never received any communication from the administrators at all.