In the third weekly episode of Elway Access, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway and Broncos TV’s Chris Hall looked back on the team’s Week 3 loss to the Texans, and then moved forward to the Oakland Raiders.
The Broncos lost at home to the Texans on Sunday afternoon by a score of 31-25 after another comeback attempt fell short.
It was the second time in a row the Broncos fell behind early, and Elway will look for the team to stress consistency – in all quarters of the game – as they prepare for the Oakland Raiders in Week 4.
“The urgency has to be there from minute one like it is minute 55, 56, 57, 58, and (we have to) understand the urgency that it takes to be successful, especially against good football teams,” Elway said. “These last two games were good tests for us to see exactly where we are, and they’ve proven to us that we need to continue to work and get better.”
Houston’s first two touchdowns of the game came on deep pass completions. Discussing those plays, Elway first credited Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak and his personnel for creating opportunities off the run, in addition to Matt Schaub for throwing two perfect passes.
He also explained that a new, aggressive defense means that it takes a bit for players to become completely acclimated.
“It’s an aggressive defense,” Elway said. “The safeties are involved in the running game a lot of times. We do different things in coverage that it gets complicated at times. We just have to continue to get better at it and also be aware of not trying to give up these big plays.”
Elway also touched on the one-game suspension that linebacker Joe Mays was dealt on Tuesday in response to a hit on Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.
Mays was flagged for the hit, and after the game he apologized to Schaub.
Elway said that purposely injuring someone on the football field just isn’t the type of player Mays is.
“This is a guy that plays the game fast,” Elway said. “He’s a very physical, strong, tough football player. I admire Joe by the way that he plays the game. I also know that Joe isn’t a guy that intentionally goes out there to try and hurt somebody. He was just playing football hard, and unfortunately he caught a piece of Schaub’s helmet with his head.”
While Mays is out against Oakland, it’s a possibility that Denver will welcome back a team captain in guard Chris Kuper, who has been out since suffering a forearm injury on Aug. 14.
“He’ll be practicing and get back into the swing of things this week, so we’ll see how the week goes,” Elway said. “Any time you have a guy that’s a team leader like ‘Kup’ is, it’ll be nice to have him back out there in pads and back involved.”
Looking ahead to the Raiders, Elway called the upcoming game “huge” because it’s a home game for Denver and it’s a divisional contest. He also pointed out that the Broncos haven’t beaten Oakland at home since 2007.
The primary focus for the offense will be on running back Darren McFadden. The Raiders running back has had success against the Broncos in years past, and on Sunday showed that he has fully recovered from a 2011 knee injury with a 113-yard performance that included a touchdown.
“It’s always about stopping the run,” Elway said. “Darren McFadden, no question, is back. He had a 64-yarder last week and is a big-play back. We did a good job against Houston stopping the run later in the game. We’re going to have our hands full with Darren McFadden because he’s one of the top running backs in the league.”
Though the team is coming off two straight losses as it faces Oakland, the way in which the club lost and the quality of the opponents provides Elway with some optimism.
“If we continue to do what we do, and not make the mistakes we’re making, and go play with consistency, then we can beat anybody,” Elway said.
Tags: Broncos TV, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Week 3, Week 4
I’d like to see some better (more imaginative) play calling on Sunday..
We must not loose to da oakland raiders we must not be even be thinking of being a close game… It wil be unforgitible and wil not be right to a team dat dont even have 50% of our talent…. Broncos will rise one s again to victory..
Raiders suck! Broncos and Manning will win looking like they did in Week 1. GO BRONCOS!
Hey OT – the reason they are held to a higher standard is because they wear the label ‘professional’. They make millions and they are in a role that the majority of our society aspires to.
If a lawyer has one DUI he is disbarred.
If a doctor has a DUI he is subject to the medical review board – (I recognize that the Medical Review Board in many counties have failed the public. But… standard of ethics are clear that the Doctor is supposed to have his license revoked.)
Teachers and Police and Fire personnel all have ethics standards and review processes which demand that a DUI be a dismiss-able offense. Two DUI’s – never tolerated unless the review board has become compromised. Young people who have these offenses on their records need not apply. It will come out in the background check or the lie detector test.
I’m aware of exceptions. I don’t need to hear the anecdotes.
I also know that the reason that Mike Huccabee didn’t run again for the presidency is because a prisoner review board under him had become compromised and released a monster into society.
Just thoughts to think about.
BTW – contractors and professional drivers and mechanics can also have their licenses revoked for single DUI. We are not talking about something that is unique.
Hey Cat – what did we disagree about?
I’m as mad as you about Mays getting suspended. I think it totally wrong. I just think it is somewhat consistent with Goodell’s motifs operandi, and it could have been a lot worse.
*Official Prediction*
Broncos – 30
Raiders – 10
Imma hopin’ for a bigger whoopin’ than that!!! LOL
For what it’s worth I think DJ is an absolute worthless member on our team, have said that for going over two years now, glad to see bloggers like daddy and a few others catching on, get rid of the bum, no matter how talented!!!! What a waste of human talent!
BTW – I’m hoping that someone will do the research and find out who the controlling entities in the NFL are. Is Goodell put in office by the owners?
We need some email addresses and snail mail addresses and phone numbers etc. These folks need to begin hearing from the public. It needs to begin costing the NFL that this bunk is what we are being subjected to. I am already thinking about contacting NFL advertisers as well.
You???
Any updates on McGahee? is Knowshon ready to go?
Pat Bowlen and the other 31 NFL team owners are in charge of the NFL. And that’s it! Goodell is just the one they hire to speak out for them, so shame on the owners about the refs situation, that’s where the blame lies. Goodell is just an easy scapegoat for most of the fans who don’t understand how huge corporations work!
You guys have to see this video, “Call It Maybe”
Https://www.youtube.com/embed/AzPBcCF9yKc
LOL
https://www.youtube.com/embed/AzPBcCF9yKc
Elway, I’m with you! We can BEAT ANYBODY!!!
Wait… I’ve always been with you… Shoot. Not new news here. GO BRONCOS!
DB, 70,000 voice messages were left on Goodell’s cell phone last night. Clay Matthews tweeted his number. Don’t worry. They know. I don’t think it matters.
OT, if Fox doesn’t loosen Peyton’s reigns, I’m going to be soooooo frustrated.
McCoy needs to give Peyton total powers of the Offense!
We have to make it matter. The owners need to hear from us. I suggest posting contact info anywhere you can get by with it.
Even easier is contacting advertisers. Let them know why product purchases have been suspended and what it will take to begin purchasing again. Make the suggestion that the NFL owners be contacted. When it begins costing them – they will fix this.
Happy to hear that Goodell’s cell # is that public – I don’t have it. Guess I travel in the wrong circles….LOL
D you want it DB? hang on!!!
@MHR_Troy: 212-450-2720 for Roger Goodell’s line. 202-450-2000 for the main switchboard. Give it a ring, courtesy of Clay Matthews.
I am willing to give up other games, but I have to watch the Broncos, so I don’t know how I can make it cost them.
Thanks Cat!!! LOL
Imma gonna use that!
Write it down folks. That post is likely to be deleted.
Goodell has overstepped his bounds! If these owners are smart, they’ll can his ARSE!! Goodell is too much of a dictator, too much power and he’s one sided. Pride comes before a fall!!
We have all already purchased our jerseys and whatever access to games – but advertisers are the bread and butter of the game.
We have to be willing to boycott those who pour large quantities of duckets into the NFL. And then they have to know that is why they are experiencing immediate shortfalls in revenue.
Maybe we ought to start listing those who we see advertising.
Cat – the only reason they care if you watch games is so that you see their ads.
During the long stalemate between the owners and the players last off season none of the action by the fans mattered, what makes you guys think you can matter today?
The NFL is gobbled up ten fold by most every football fan out there, and the NFL knows it, hence they are guiding you by the nose, they have you hooked up and they know it and if they can pay the refs that much less and cut out on some of their pension, WHO CARES in their minds, as far as they are concerned you will be there to watch and pay for their product, so in reality bottom line is shame on today’s NFL fans! Tough bananas, sorry to the fans, but that’s pretty much how the NFL business works. Take a good look in the mirror!
Oh no. I’m probably going to be banned. Don’t ban me Gray! I’m just a Bronco fan who is hurting and extremely disappointed in her favorite sport.
I can’t not watch the Broncos, DB. They’ve not done anything wrong.
Thats why I change the channel and come back a moment or 2 later. I like to watch all of the scores on NFLN in the first set of games, they show all of the games in progress and where they are at on the field. I’ll flip back and forth from game to NFLN all through the morning. But if the Broncos are on early, I’ll not miss a play by my Broncos.
Well I’m not watching NFL Network at all and let me tell you how hard that’s been and it’s not even been 24 hours
Cat – that should be a (212) area code for that second number
Goodell absolutely works for the owners, but it’s just too much fun to throw him under the bus!
Oh okay OT, I just copied the tweet
No prob. (202) is down in DC.
There may be 2 area codes.
Oh, disregard my last post then. ooops.
The thing that sucks is that most owners are ok with the bad officiating because it is bringing in more money and more viewers. ans are sick of the reffing that they want to see all the bad calls so they watch more games. If 90% of all fans would stop watching any games then that would get the owners attention to pressure the NFL head office and Goodell to get something down with the reg refs. BUT that would never happen because to many people love their football.
The only thing that us fans can do to force the hand of Goodell (Owners) is if we lowered ticket sales and decreased TV ratings, and both will never happen unfortunately..
All of the fans in the nation need to get together and come to an agreement to not go the stadiums and not watch a game. That get there attention and fast. It’ll be tough to gather all fans in boycotting the NFL. It’ll sure get the ball rolling.
No more touches for Lance Ball, please.
Strand… Can you do that? Not watch the Broncos?
I can for the cause!
Cat, I sent ya an Email.
I’m only doing it if it’s a huge nation wide event.
It might have to come to that!
I agree.. time to let manning do what he does best.
our secndary gave up some huge plays.granted i couldnt watch it live. only to watch the slow updates on NFL.com.. gah! i’d see one,two short plays and the then BAAM! a 40+ yrd play.. I could only read the at the end that our defense was confused throughout.. I hope that was jst for that game… lets get this one Broncos!!!
Do you guys see how much viewership is going on nowadays for american idle, the Voice or dancing with the stars? It’s insane!!!! How in the world are we going to cut down on viewership of the NFL?
ZERO!
And by the way if you really want to find out more about Obama’s views for a new term just watch the VIEW this week, haha!
We are at the mercy of the NFL owners simply because of the entertainment nature of our times. It used to be a different time in my days, but now everyone just needs to take it as is because nothing is better than waiting for a week in line to get a new IPod 5! LMAO!
IT USED TO BE A GAME! Now it’s just cheap entertainment.
I could sign this as a sad old timer fan, but I have gotten way over it, it has become what it is… and thank lord there is still so much more in life than football, today’s NFL version is second class to what I used to watch, period.
I think they have a good plan overall, Broncos20. It just needs to be like the Steeler game and we can win a ton of games.
About my comments earlier, I didn’t mean to excuse any players behavior, as some of these guys a just idiots, but I do think efforts should be made to help these young men transition into becoming multimillionaires at such a young age, who can run wild all offseason..
As far as DJ Williams, I realize he’s been given chance after chance, and I’m only an advocate of his purely out of circumstance. He’s been our leading tackler for years, and LB is now by far our weakest position on the entire team. We desperately need him to use this time to grow up, and come back and be a game changer and lead this defense. And while we could argue on and on of the probability of this happening, the reality is it’s our only chance of competing with the elite teams IMO.
OT I see your point and agree 100%. Espn is reporting they might suspend him three more games for that second DUI