The second episode of the weekly Elway Access podcast is now on DenverBroncos.com, less than 24 hours after the Broncos’ 27-21 Week 2 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons. With Broncos TV’s Chris Hall hosting, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway gave his thoughts on Monday night’s game and answered fan questions submitted via Twitter.
After falling behind 20-0 in the first half on the road against a strong team like the Atlanta Falcons, the Broncos fought back to make it a six-point game with less than four minutes to play.
“Number one, any time you turn the ball over like that on the road, even at home, your chances of winning are very slim,” Elway said. “To be able to do that and come back is difficult. Especially going into a place that’s hard to play, and do it in the first quarter.”
Despite a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs by running back Willis McGahee, the Falcons were able to run out the clock to deny Denver a chance at a game-winning drive in the final minutes. Elway was pleased with the heart his team showed in defeat.
“We always try to pull the positives out of it — the fact that we kept playing hard,” Elway said. “We really still had a chance. If we could have got one more stop there at the end of the game, we would have had a chance to win it. That’s where I was impressed, is they never gave up, they kept battling back. We realized that when we go into football games and play well, then we can win. It really comes down to not what the other team does, but how well we play. And we didn’t play well enough yesterday to win.”
One of the highlights of the evening for the Broncos was the play of McGahee, who gained 113 yards rushing on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns.
“Willis has not lost a step,” Elway said. “So many times, these running backs get close to 30 and all of a sudden you can see them dropping off. Willis has just continued to be tremendous. He’s got great feet inside the tackles and is always going north and south. And plus when he’s running that well, we’re doing some good things on the offensive line, which we really did. They did a good job up front taking the pressure off. For us to continue to be successful, we’re going to have to have that running game, and that’s why it was good to see Willis run for that many yards.”
While McGahee enjoyed a big night thanks to solid offensive line play, Denver’s counterparts on the defensive side of the ball limited Atlanta running back Michael Turner to just 42 yards on 17 carries.
“Any time you turn the ball over and to be able to still be in the football game, your credit goes to the defense because they have to pick it up and make some stops,” Elway said. “They did that last night and they did a tremendous job against the running game, really bottled up (Atlanta running back Michael) Turner.”
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Broncos this week, as Houston will come into the Mile High City as one of six teams undefeated through two weeks. The Texans have given up a total of just 17 points in their season-opening victories over the Dolphins and Jaguars.
“Number one is to put this game behind us, try to learn as much as we can from this, but it put behind us and start looking forward again,” Elway said. “Number two is learn from the mistakes, look forward. Houston’s a very good football team. We’re going to have to be ready to go and bounce back in a hurry. Guys are ready for the challenge.”
The next episode of Elway Access will air Tuesday after the Broncos’ home game this Sunday against the Texans.
Tags: Atlanta Falcons, BroncosTV, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, Houston Texans, Week 2, Week 3
UGH!!! You people are driving me crazy! Stop criticizing our ass rush. Atlanta exposed one of our biggest weaknesses, short quick pass coverage. On short quick passes it’s almost impossible to pressure the QB! TRUTH!!!! that’s what we need to fix. And I’m sticking to it. I had the best day today and my students were like literally blown away that I wasn’t upset about losing. There is TOO MUCH GOOD in this game that I’m not going to focus on the bad. The media is bipolar and I DON’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ANY OF IT!!! I am dang proud of our boys for fighting til the end and if that makes me a fool, I’m a fool. But I’m a fool for my Broncos and I love it. Love every minute of it!!!!
tlcat06 says:
September 18, 2012 at 5:14 pm
*pass rush! LOL I do have a flair for the dramatics and a total knack for saying the wrong thing! LOL
alaskanbronco06 says:
September 18, 2012 at 5:14 pm
LMAO Cat!!!!!! I think you meant pass…..lmao
Oh wait… PITTSBURGH exposed us and Atlanta kicked out butts with it!!! And we STILL had the chance to win that game. TRUTH!
That’s from the last blog because I’m not gonna not have my say!!!!!!!
I love John Elway. Took the words out of my mouth!!! Oh wait though, I’m not a hater! BOOOOOOOOO to all the haters!
Hang in there cat, it’s a long season.
I’m extremely pleased with how our team played. Barely let turner get in the endzone on three plays from 1 yard out. And only 10 points allowed off of four turnovers. And the 7 was because atlanta was lucky they were that close. I don’t care what anybody says we are the better team and just beat ourselves
TRUTH WESTSLOPEBRONCO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like you. Stick around! LOL
I think I need to stop with all the PMS here, sorry guys. I know Peyton messed up and he knows it too. He has been saying for weeks but no one is listening to him… Oh wait, I did. I expected a game like this and I’m glad it was against a team like the Falcns and not the Raiders! GO BRONCOS!!!!!
That was only my second post. New to the blog. Thanks cat. I’ve seen you’re comments on previous blogs and think you add a lot to the discussion and enjoy your input
*he has been saying for weeks that he is not where he wants to be (forgot a while sentence)
Well, I’m just a girl with waaay too much time on her hands who loves this team!
LOL Cat. I thought you wouldve fixed that to Pass. lol
No, I thought it was waaaaaaay too funny!
I freakin LOVE that they were gonna put Brock in for a Hail Mary. I love our team. Peyton has never done that long ball well
We will be fine, we have a good shot as long as our guys do not give up like they did’nt last night…Go Broncos !!!
@Ledhed: I beg to differ. our boys never gave up, they fought to the end… 4v.0 turnovers and we were only 6 points behind at the finish? i’ll take that loss anytime..
That was our game!! they are good team, and they just capitalized on our few turnovers and that was about it….everything else we were practically better than them.
i expect a super @$$kicking on the Texans.
Me too, Broncos20!!!!!!!!!!! Texas toast!
Imready, your message got lost and I missed it… I know it’s a long season and that’s why I’m so excited I think we can only get better.
@Ledhed: my baad ,, rushing through the posts and didnt read yours well.. my brain just skipped “didn’t” in your last post and I appologize,,
lol Cat, more like Texas BBQ!! ,, no wait,, we’ll roast em good!!! ahah
Hmmmmm I think it all sounds tasty. All I know is that Peyton doesn’t lose in Denver and he is mad as h3ll and a mad Manninf should be a blast to watch!! LOL
Denver is a Class Act from Top to Bottom, they have respect from the rest of the League and especially this Falcons Fan. I did not register for the site to “Troll” the Broncos Blog and trash talk like the Fans of Atlanta’s opposition’s fans have done and continue to do. No I come here to comment on what a great team the Broncos are. I am a Fan of Football although a Diehard Falcons Fan. I think the Broncos played an exceptional game last night. The Officiating was terrible and though things did not go Payton’s way early, he along with a dynamic team on both sides of the ball kept chipping away at the lead Atlanta managed to put up and had there been a stop on Atlanta on that last drive, I feel sure that Payton would have done as he had done so many times in Indy, he would have manufactured a win in his usual exciting fashion Denver has lots to look forward to with this team and I honestly see the Broncos late in the Playoffs fighting to get to the big game. The Broncos are Great and so are their Fans. Good Luck the rest of the way.
Captain_B_BOB
Hey John, dont put so much on Payton. Run the ball more, (more screens and running draws play)
I don’t normally post very much but after reading the post from Captain_B_BOB I had to post a reply. It is great to read a post like this. Usually if the post is from an opponent’s fanbase it is to plunge the knife in and twist it around until the maximum amount of pain has been inflicted and then the other person flames the other person and so on………. It gets really tiresome quickly. I don’t live in Denver anymore but the Broncos are still my team and have been since 1972. I have paid a lot of money over the years just so I could follow my team and I am with them when they win and I am with them when they lose. In the grand scheme of things I love the game of football and I love me some Broncos, but it is still just a game so I try to keep it in the proper perspective. Captain-I was very impressed with Atlanta last night-they played a great game last night and I don’t mind saying that. If the Broncs had had a little more time things might have turned out differently, but props to your team-they did what they needed to do to come out on top. Thanks for the kind words-it was like a breath of fresh air-I think the Falcons will do well this year-I just don’t want them to do well against my Broncos!
Broncos Country:
It will take time and hard work for the whole team to get on the same page!! We are close to this! We almost came back to having a chance to win the game after a bad start! Our D is great and showed it! All we have to do is say—ILMSDB!!!
Peace out!
FTR
Captain_B_BOB–Mile High Salute to you. What a classy thing for you to do. We lost to a solid team last night and I appreciate the fact that you took time out of your day to sign onto our blog and say what you said. It means the world to me… especially because the Falcons are my favorite team in your division. Keep working hard and beat those Chargers for us on Sunday!! Wow… You are awesome! Stick around and talk football with us.
Previous teams in the last three to four seasons, when faced with that kind of horrid start to the game would not recover and it rolled into a blowout. I was watching it at a sportsbar and made that comment and the guy sitting next to me( not a Bronco fan) said I think you are right because they damn near overcame that and the dreadful officials to win tonight. So yes if you have to lose, that is as good a loss as you can have. And Peyton will never have that kind of start to the game ever again. He will use it to motivate himself against the Texans and for the whole season! And if we can shore up the short pass game on defense we will have a hell of defense too!
And kudos to you Captain. And another Mile-High Salute to you. Didnt see your.post until after I posted, but you are a great fresh breath compared to the riffraff haters I saw at a network sports site earlier today. Hope Atlanta has great success starting with San Diego next week and if we meet again this season, it’ll be the Super Bowl and we wont dig a big hole to almost climb out again, I guarantee that!
John Fox is not a bully and not working the system. I believe he was so confused… and the refs just kept making a bad situation worse. The missed calls in that game are horrendous and the made calls, most were bogus. Fox is a comeptative guy and we turned the ball over four times. I’m glad he took his anger out on the officials and not on the team. This ref situation is a joke and when they fine Fox this week I’m going ti be furious at the commish… and I usually stand up for him.
They’re saying that the ref situation isn’t moving at all and we should prepare to hunker down with these clowns deep into the season……..maybe even the entire season.
For me, it’s not just the blown calls, it’s the speed of the game. These guys are dragging the game out……..and in some instances, killing a teams momentum. It was like they regressed this past week, instead of progressing. Let’s hope for a better week this weekend.
But, regardless, it’s now on the players to just play through it all and not give them opportunity to make a bad call. Easier said than done I know, but there’s no other choice really.
What running game?
Captain Bob, thanks for those encouraging words. And kudos to your Falcons, they played flawless football Monday night. Good luck the rest of the season.
Broncos vs. Falcons in the SuperBowl would be epic!
Thanks for the kind words. All the more reason as I had mentioned earlier that Denver Fans and the Team are a “Class Act” You are a solid Fanbase that cultivates an environment in which a Top Tier Team can & will thrive. Denver has been to the Super Bowl and Won, Atlanta has made a brief appearance but left without the prize so it would be my hope that Atlanta Fans will in time gel into a solid Fanbase like the Denver Fans. I honestly believe that under the direction of Owner Arthur Blank, GM Thomas D., Coach Mike Smith and staff, that the Falcons will continue to grow into a Denver Caliber Team. We have been headed in the right direction over the last few years with Matty Ryan at the helm and Coach Smith has tweaked things each season, game by game so I feel that we will get there and then Atlanta Fans will can truly have a Top Tier Team of our own with a Super Bowl Win. Good Luck, I wish you only the Best !
i just want to tell yall good luck on sunday. i know yall are a good team so im looking forward to a good match. this will be a challenge for yall but hope is all you can do. i wish the best of luck to denver this year. but my and others prediction denver will not win texans will over power them sorry for the news flash i had to do it. so dont get pissed when we blow you out by 20 like we been doing i am warning you so start getting mad now lmao cause yall will be getting killed by our D MANNING WILL NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE RUSH LMAO cant wait to laugh at this game its going to be funny. even more funny when yall loose to the raiders the next week lmao.