It was fairly quiet in the locker room at Dove Valley on Thursday. Though many players did speak with reporters, just as many sat at their lockers, staring straight ahead as if in a trance. Why? Because they’re focused.
And with good reason.
At this time last year, the Broncos sat at 2-0 after two thrilling late field goals gave them victories over the Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders. Yet when the season came to a close, they weren’t where they wanted to be — the playoffs.
So now in 2008, the Broncos sit at 2-0 once again, and they want to make sure that they reach their final destination this time.
Photo: Eric Lars Bakke
“We were 2-0 last year, and we still didn’t make the playoffs,” Elvis Dumervil told reporters before Thursday’s practice. “It’s a long season, and we’ve just got to continue finding ways to win and it will keep things better for us. 2-0 is nothing. We’ve just got to take it a week at a time and iron out the things that we need to correct and get ready for New Orleans.”
Things are different inside the locker room this year.
Everyone has had another year to mature, another year to work together. That seems to have bred a level of confidence and pride in each other which the players believe will translate into more on-field success than they saw a year ago.
“Every guy has to be accountable,” Brandon Marshall said in his press conference Thursday. “It is everybody; it is peer pressure from the players and the coaches. We are all on the same page and it is going to take, not just the guys on the field, but the coaches. I’ve said it before. We are a fairly young team. I think we have a bunch of intelligent guys and that helps out a lot.”
They have already reaped the benefits of that chemistry in the first two games. A look at the offense displays that quickly enough. Through two games last year, the Broncos offense scored 38 points. This year? 80.
A big part of that offensive improvement has been the chemistry between Jay Cutler and Marshall. His 18 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown led the team against the Chargers.
Photo: Eric Lars Bakke
“I guess it hasn’t hit me yet,” Marshall said. “It is definitely an accomplishment, and it was a blessing to go out there and catch 18 balls and contribute to a win, a great win at that. I can’t get complacent. I just have to build off of that and go forward.”
Marshall too remembers how things got started last year, and off to a hot start this year, he wants to keep it going. But next up is New Orleans, and the 6-foot-4, 230-pound receiver said that one of the reasons everyone is so focused on the Saints is because Head Coach Mike Shanahan has done such an excellent job of keeping their heads level.
“We realize that it is a long season,” Marshall said. “Coach Shanahan brought that to our attention this week. We started off 2-0 last year, and we didn’t end up good. He broke down a bunch of teams that started 2-0 and didn’t get to the playoffs. We have a great coach and a great organization. The direction we are heading now, I don’t see anybody getting a big head or anybody letting all this stuff overwhelm us.”
With their sights locked on the Saints, the defense realizes that much of the pressure will be on them to slow down the potent New Orleans offense, led by Drew Brees.
The general consensus seems to be that if they can limit the big plays, whether on the ground or through the air, that everything else will fall into place nicely.
“You look at what the Chargers did,” Dre’ Bly said. “They made adjustments to what we were doing and had three big pass plays for over 60 yards. That was the difference maker in them coming back. They had that one kick return by Sproles, that jump started everything and got those guys going, but other than those three plays, we played sound.”
Combine that with the fact that the defense held Oakland scoreless for three quarters in the season opener, it’s sign that the unit has improved since 2007.
Photo: Eric Lars Bakke
“Every week is going to be a task for us, trying to hold the opposition to a limited amount of points,” Bly said. “It’s something that we look forward to. Last week was one of the shootout games, but we look forward to building off what we did well and just keeping this thing going.”
But whether on offense or defense, the Broncos look forward to proving all the doubters wrong.
“None of y’all believed that we’d be 2-0. Nobody was picking us to be in the position we’re in today,” Bly said. “We believed we were going to be 2-0 this year. The confidence is much higher. We felt like we’d be where we are today.”
“I like for nobody to expect us to win, cause that’s when you shock the world.”
– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Adam Zinser, Brandon Marshall, Dre Bly, Elvis Dumervil, New Orleans Saints
Confidence is a must. They are focoused on the Saints, that’s it. Absolutly a tremendous offense which will score lots of points all season long.That means teams will need tob play catch-up. Best way to score quickly? Throught the air of coarse. What’s the best way to prevent long throws? Pass rush of coarse. Get Brees real dirty and the game is ours. The Broncos are giving their fans a exciting weekly explosing which we would not dare miss. Keep scoring, Keep Winning, Keep the pressure. Best of luck. GO BRONCOS!!!
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This defense is a long way from getting things together, but if they ever show any form of dominance this team will be set because I don’t think more than 2-3 teams in this league can keep Jay and the boys under 30 points. The defense needs a legitimate disruptive force in the middle to free up the LB’s and one more good OLB because Boss shows no signs of overcoming his injury problems. He’s fragile as glass.
I am Really glad that the ref made those calls… here’s why: Phillup Rivers is a freakin cry baby. With a sports figure like Rivers on the field, it makes me happy that we have a class act in Jay Cutler. Not to mention Steroid boy Shaun M. I hope that SOB never plays the game again. After testing positive to steroids, he should have missed more games than what he got a few years ago. The Denver Broncos deserved that game and that is the reason we got it. So definitely by the end of the regular season the Broncos will have won thier way into the postseason while the whiny freakin’ Chargers will have cried their way out. San Diego is nowhere near a playoff calibur team and Ihope Phillup Rivers Breaks his leg!!!!
Oh yeah, and with the Saints, We just need to pressure the New Orleans offence and Jay and Brandon will take care of the rest.
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what’s with this battery charge against brandon Marshall again?!?!!! Not good
it was filed in March. the team knew about it but the charges were pressed on Sept 10th… i read on the Denver Post its nothing to worry about..
The Fulton County solicitor general’s office in Atlanta has decided to file a misdemeanor battery charge against Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall stemming from an arrest there in March.
The charges were officially filed Sept. 10. A trial date has not been set. The charge is a result of a domestic violence incident at a condo Marshall owns in Atlanta in which is former girlfriend told police Marshall hit her in the mouth and the eye.
“We’ve been waiting six months for those charges to be filed and it’s finally here,” Marshall said today. “That’s what I’ve got (attorney) Harvey Steinberg for. He’s a great guy and he’s great at what he does.”
Marshall already has served a one-game suspension for violating the NFL personal conduct code because of his off-field issues and is not likely to receive any additional punishment from the NFL resulting from the battery charge. Last week he also pleaded to a lesser charge in Denver from his 2007 DUI arrest and received probation.
The charges were first published by CompleteColorado.com.
“The NFL has been aware of this from Day 1,” Steinberg said.
Marshall is coming off an 18-catch performance Sunday against San Diego, his first game of 2008 after completing the suspension. That single-game total tied for second-best in NFL history.
“I’m excited about this year, football-wise, and my career,” Marshall said. “And excited about the direction I’m going in as a person.”
bmarsh better be innocent on this one or he could be done for the year!!!!!
pat bowlen needs to sign marshall to a long term deal asap. that way we dont have to worry about loosing him and he will have the money to pay for the best attorney money can buy and get these charges dropped. the sooner we pay him the less he is going to demand, right now he is getting 4th round money and by the end of the year he is going to want T.O money. and he will deserve it because i do beleive he will put up those type numbers.
Brandon will be fine. The league new about the charge already. So it should be cool. im so excited about the team. It seems like we finally got the right peices in place for or team. I Know our defence still needs some work, but its only been TWO games, they will work it out
I was just wondering…whats going to happen to Tom Nalen??? Should we put him in and risk screwing up the rythym and timing our front five have developed or does Casey Wiegman go back to the bench.
Overall I think Casey is a better pass blocker but as some people above pointed out we have a smaller line then most and Tom Nalen is by far a better run blocker who is good at making gaping holes in the defense. Not to mention he is the is the undeniable master of the Cut Block. What do you all think???
nalen is already ruled out of Sundays game. Right now cutler hasn’t been sacked yet, so I think there’s no need to rush him back in.
What happened to Nalen… apparently I missed something????
Anyway, I think we can totally grab another win but they can’t let their other 2 wins go to their heads. I think they’ve got that figured out, they want to continue our success and not start a repeat of last year. I can’t imagine that would happen… we are a totally different team this year and a much better team. Cutler alone is a little ball of fire that can’t be stopped and he is only getting better each time they play. I hope they bring everything they got on Sunday because that should prepare them for KC… they know how the Chiefs are, how tough it can be to play in that stadium.
I’m so excited to see what awesome plays Shanny pulls out and what excitement and energy the guys bring. I love this game and this Broncos team this year is making it even better to enjoy. Cutler to Marshall is one hot ticket and I hope Marshall breaks his own record, TO’s record and the NFL’s record for most catches in a single game. And like I said I’m doing this before every game…
I’m so excited… and I just can’t hide it… the Broncos are gonna go 3-0 and I think I like it!!!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let’s go Defense… get some pressure on Brees ! Glad to hear Jarvis Moss has been re-activated for this game. C’mon Moss — bring it !!!!!!!!
B-Marsh is all right legally, so the team just needs to focus and we should be able to beat the Saints. With Jarvis Moss in the lineup, I believe the defensive line will be able to get some much-needed pressure on Drew Brees. We should be able to go 3-0 and all will be well, as we maintain and perhaps increase our lead in the division.
so why was Jarvis out the last 2 games?
Where’s Tom Nalen. Officially he’s still recovering from his two surgeries, one during the off season and the second one during preseason. Personally, I think that, like Rod Smith, he suffered a career ending surgery and he and the Broncos won’t admit. It’s time to put him on IR or retire and stop taking up a position on the active roster. Tom is a shoe in Ring of Fame and strong Hall of Fame Bronco. There’s a time for everything and the time for retirement has come.
“None of y’all believed that we’d be 2-0. Nobody was picking us to be in the position we’re in today,” Bly said. “We believed we were going to be 2-0 this year. The confidence is much higher. We felt like we’d be where we are today.”
I beg to differ.