Minutes after the schedule was released, Head Coach John Fox went on NFL Network and Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway spoke with 850 KOA about the Broncos’ slate of games.
Below are the transcripts from those interviews.
HEAD COACH JOHN FOX:
On the schedule
“We just saw the schedule about 20 minutes ago. We were able to look at it just a little bit, then we’re still in the middle of grading defensive backs.”
On five primetime games
“Any time you stare at a first-place schedule, it’s going to be a tough schedule. There are no cupcakes in this league regardless of who ranks where, because it was all based on last year and every year is a new year.”
On the bye week
“It’s pretty good. I think I’ve always preferred to have as close to midseason for the bye as possible. Week 7 is a pretty good turnout for us as far as that timing goes.”
On whether the Steelers can use revenge as a factor in the Week 1 rematch
“Things always factor in, but they’re going to be a completely different team. So will we. It’s a different season. There’s so much that goes on between now and then as far as preparation — as much as they might be able to use that in some ways, they’re still going to have a lot of new players on that football team just like we do.”
On the schedule in December
“A lot of times you look at what might happen weather-wise, but even that’s hard to predict. I remember one time we had a December game in Buffalo and it was 60 (degrees). Sometimes you can’t predict that just like you can’t predict how tough the schedule is, because it’s a whole new season.”
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS JOHN ELWAY:
On the schedule
“We knew it was going to be a tough one before the schedule came out today. We just didn’t have the dates. It’s going to be exciting opening at home against the Steelers. Any time you open at home on Sunday night there is going to be great excitement with that. We know that is going to be an important football game for us. We have to win those football games at home -– especially the openers. It’ll be an exciting schedule. Fans should be excited about it. I think we’ll be ready for the challenge. We have five playoff teams out of the first seven and the other two are San Diego and Oakland in our division. We have to get off to a quick start. That’s why this offseason is going to be so important to us.”
On starting with back-to-back primetime games
“I think we get the Steelers at home and then we have to go to Atlanta, who obviously is a very good football team. It’d be nice to get off to a quick start.”
On playing back-to-back road games
“I think it’s always difficult. I think after the bye week we’re on the road five out of seven weeks. That’s why when you look at that start, it’s going to be so crucial for us to get off to a good start. Then, when we go on the road –- I think we did a better job on the road last year than we have in the past, but we’re going to have to go with the mentality of being able to win big games against good football teams on the road.”
On the strength of schedule
“I think it’s just kind of the luck of the draw and the way it works out. That’s the way the schedule sets up and depending on what division you are playing in the NFC -– we’re playing the NFC South so that’s a tough division. It really is the luck of the draw. But, it’s year-by-year and some teams aren’t going to have as good of a year as they had last year and there are going to be some teams that didn’t have great years that are going to have good years next year. It really comes down to that everybody in the league is a good football team. The bottom line is that we have to go out and play good football.”
On this upcoming season
“With a year under my belt, I’m in a lot better shape than I was last year. I felt like I was in pretty good shape last year, but I think experience plus everybody working together, our personnel staff, (Director of Player Personnel) Matt Russell, (General Manager) Brian Xanders and everybody has done a tremendous job. Understanding with the coaches what we’re looking for on the defensive side as well as the offensive side. I just think that a year of everybody being together is going to help us tremendously.”
Tags: 2012 Schedule, John Elway, John Fox
I saw it btw Mike….thought that was Greise’s list!!!
So 7 of 12 have him in the 1st round. No doubt he is very well liked
No way PM can return to the #1 rated QB his 1st year with a new team,Brady,Brees,and Rodgers have been in the same system on the same team for too many years,PM was #1 and if he stays healthy,can be again,but not his 1st year with a new Offense.
Brees breaking Marino’s record means one thing,no running game.PM will never pass for over 5000 yards in Denver,because Fox likes to run the ball a lot.Eli will never be the pure passer that Peyton is,imo,and can not be ranked higher because of a SB win,the Giants Defense played lights out to help win that SB,PM never had a Defense like Eli does,or he would have multiple SB rings.
Bottom line PM has 4 MVPs,the most in NFL history.A great QB on an average team,with an average Defense!
Just one man’s opinion that don’t mean a Helluva lot!
BFE
Tony Homo sucks and shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same sentence as PM!
I think that assesment nails it right on the head BFE. I believe him to be the most intelligent qb, maybe ever.
100% the smartest QB ever!
BFE my rankings were based of last year mostly for this next year.
Brees breaking Marinos record does mean no run game. However it is still a great feat and has to be taken into consideration.
Eli had a really good year and had a good showing against tough teams and in the SB which gets him ranked higher than Peyton.
Peyton can take over the #1 spot this year if he has a great showing and the others dont. But without a doubt Peyton will be top 3 again.
I never question Peyton intelligence at QB. He is the smartest QB to ever play the game IMO.
But BFE you nailed it my whole point of saying that was that no way in hell should Peyton and Romo be mentioned in the same breath when comparing their abilities saying they are going to be the same, as the guy was doing.
Romo not even in the conversation.
buck no doubt! Romo isnt even close to elite. Not eve close to good. Romo shouldnt be mentioned in the same breath as Cutler Flacco and Ryan even.
OK gotcha ab!
We will however have to agree to disagree over the Manning bros,because I will never put Eli ahead of Peyton,just me.But you have your opinion and I have mine,no 2 people can think alike,that’s what makes this blog interesting and fun……..different opinions,bro!
It’s past 12:00 AM here,so I’ll catch you guys tomorrow,peace out bros!
Agree BFE and you have your reasons for your opinion as I with mine.
Eli wont stay ahead of Peyton for very long lol
BFE you like MMA? You seem like a guy who would.
Alright peace out BFE.
I wonder if Mark Barron is there at #25 if we would take him??
Freak I have no idea. He is defiantly a great Safety. But I look at the teams ahead of us and theres some teams who need a real big talent at that position. Cowboys and Eagles are the two that stand out the most IMO. Cowboys I think will go KP or Barron.
Also if he is there at 25 I think we will get a lot of interest for a trade. Especially by the Eagles and Cowboys. Lol
Yea, apparently he got arrested in 2010 for hindering prosecution. Also had surgery for a double sports hernia which is why he couldn’t perform at the combine or Alabamas pro day. Might be a bit of a risk. His video highlights look really good though.
I would LOVE for us to move up and take Luke Kuechly. Dude had like over 150 tackles last year!!! He is an extreme beast!! I say if he gets to #15, we move up and take him!!
Mark Barron performed at Alabamas pro day. He did very well in the drills.
Ohh, I guess cbssports had it wrong then…
Barron was the on-field quarterback for Alabama’s complex and devastating defense. After the snap, he became an enforcer whose physical play was a reason Alabama’s defense was No. 1 in the nation. He was especially responsible for preventing the big play, which he did well enough to be named first team All-American in 2011.
However, as a college strong safety trying to find a place in the pass-happy NFL, Barron might have benefitted by showing in workouts that he has the speed and agility to make it at the next level. But after the National Championship game, Barron had surgery to repair a double sports hernia, so he was unable to perform at the Scouting Combine or Alabama’s Pro Day and hopes to hold a pre-draft workout.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1632196
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/colleges/alabama/post?id=1711&_slug_=live-blog-alabama-pro-day-2&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fblog%2fcolleges%2falabama%2fpost%3fid%3d1711%26_slug_%3dlive-blog-alabama-pro-day-2
ESPN live blog of the Alabama Pro day.
mock
osweiler qb rd 1
wolfe dt rd 2
turbin rb rd 3
blake rd 4 center
streeter wr rd 5
kuhn dt nc state
greenbery cb albion
Bones…
No offense but I would break down and cry if we took Brock with our 25 overall pick. I really don’t want a qb within the first 4 rounds. We have soo many more holes than trying to find a qb of the future. We have the 2nd hardest schedule this year. Lets look at finding impact starters that will play in these games instead of backup players who will not see the field this year.
Not picking on you at all! Haha, just stating my opinion. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if we took Brock with our 1st round pick. The FO is very high on him, I have no idea why, but I pray we do not take him, especially with our 1st round pick.
I really do like your Wolfe pick though Bones! He is a force and in my mind is a 1st round talent! Thank goodness the DT position is soo deep this year!
Wolfe had 9.5 sacks this past year and 3 games with 10 tackles or more, for a DT!!! That’s crazy. For some reason I think he’ll be one of the most productive DT’s from this draft class. Just a hunch I have. I think he isn’t too far behind Cox at all!
LMAO AB I’m gonna needa ask you to stick to Football!
LAX to Knicks do have a scary team. Lin cant coexist with Melo right now your right but it will be worked on. Good thing Lin is out. The Knicks made the Celtics look like garbage tonight. They still have a few pieces needed for a championship team though.
Celtics will dominate the knicks in the playoffs lol Nuggets are way better without Melo… He like Lebron will never earn a championship. He can’t even coexist with Stoudemire…
Celtics are old and going down hill. Rondo is overrated.
Melo is overrated lol Rondo is underrated
Rondo is considered so amazing yet he gets carried by Allen Pierce and KG. Melo gets no credit and no love.
Glad you like the handle LBF! But yes overeem is a goof, has been a roider his whole career. He wont be 100 feet near a UFC event for the rest of his life. I also wanted to point out I am hoping for Martin as well but he was not on my mock because I dont think we will use our first on him (would be ok if they did though) and Im very certain he wont be around anywhere near 57. AB, I also saw that Manning to Romo comparison on NFLN and it made me puke lol. Im sure Manning could figure out how to hold a PAT!!!
by Andrew Mason, CBSSports.com
No one in the AFC has a more difficult schedule than the Broncos, and the slate is daunting from the start. The Broncos’ first five opponents were a combined 53-27 in 2011, and the Broncos don’t see a team with a losing record in 2011 until Week 10 (Carolina). A look at the 2011 records of next season’s opponents: Division — Raiders (8-8), Chargers (8-8), Chiefs (7-9). Non-division — Steelers (12-4), Falcons (10-6), Texans (10-6), Patriots (13-3), Saints (13-3), Bengals (9-7), Panthers (6-10), Buccaneers (4-12), Ravens (12-4), Browns (4-12). Overall 2011 win-loss percentage of 2012 opponents: .543.
Small excerpt from Don Banks article at SI…….
“Eight ridiculously good games I can’t wait to see:
• “Steelers at Broncos, Week 1: If Manning loses to the team that Tim Tebow beat last January in the playoffs, John Elway’s gonna have some ‘splaining to do”.
• Lions at 49ers, Week 2: Jim Harbaugh versus Jim Schwartz, in the rematch of the Handshake That Shook the NFL. The league will require both coaches to take a sedative just before the final gun.
• “Patriots at Ravens, Week 3: It means more to Baltimore than it does New England, but the Ravens will want revenge after having their Super Bowl dreams snuffed out so cruelly by the Patriots at the last second”.
• “Broncos at Patriots, Week 5: Bill Belichick, Brady and New England have already had a weird once-in-a-while rivalry with the Broncos, but now that you add Manning to the mix, well, what more could you ask for”?
• “Giants at 49ers, Week 6: This will be New York’s third trip to Candlestick since mid-November 2011, but after their overtime victory in the NFC title game, the Giants know their rivalry with the 49ers has been reborn”.
• “Panthers at Redskins, Week 9: Cam Newton and RG3 matching “wow factors” on the same field. That could be fun”.
• “Raiders at Bengals, Week 12: Carson Palmer is a Raider and Hue Jackson is a Bengals assistant? What’s wrong with this picture”?
• “49ers at Saints, Week 12: If it’s even remotely as thrilling as their NFC Divisional round playoff showdown, it’ll be the stuff of instant classic”.
Source: Don Banks – SI
Anyone else hear that the Chiefs may consider moving up to draft Tannehill? Can’t imagine them being that dumb, but I’d love to see it!
Talib’s potential destinations
For all the teams in the market for an effective veteran CB this offseason, there are now reportedly two such players available via trade, as Philadelphia Eagles CB Asante Samuel has apparently been joined by Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Aqib Talib on the trading block, according to what a league source has revealed to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. It appears that the Bucs are fine moving ahead with Eric Wright, Ronde Barber, E.J. Biggers, Myron Lewis and, potentially, draft prospect Morris Claiborne.
The situation with Talib, however, does present an additional wrinkle that may deter other teams from trading for him. As we know, Talib is involved in a pending legal situation, and following the adjudication of that case, he could face NFL discipline as well. This may lower the price for the Kansas product.
Nevertheless, the 26-year-old is wildly talented on the field, and a player of his age and caliber does not usually become available at this stage of the offseason. Teams that still need help at CB — such as the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints — make sense on some level; though, again, they’ll have to take into account a potential suspension.
Perhaps the most logical fit is with the Washington Redskins, who are the current employer of former Bucs head coach Raheem Morris. After the Bucs released S Tanard Jackson recently, the Redskins scooped him up shortly thereafter, and a similar situation could play out here.
In the end, Talib may end up being released by the Bucs — especially if they draft Claiborne — and other teams may just wait for that to happen. But, there only needs to be one team willing to offer up a draft pick to make this one a reality before it comes to that.
Washington has to be out of caproom…. Bring him to Denver!
Did Talib and Harris ever play in the same secondary at Kansas?
LAX… I gotta say this… I finally wholly agree with you on Something…
“Melo is overrated lol Rondo is underrated”… Rondo is a BEAST!!!
I also think Ty Lawson is one of the most underrated PG in the league…
http://blogs.nfl.com/2012/04/17/when-will-tebow-start/?module=HP11_content_stream
So… in the NFL Circle of ‘Business’ a Manning came to replace the Tebow in Tebow Town, and then Tebow get’s sent to Manning Town where he will undoubtedly become the starter at some point this Season, even if it’s not for Mannings team, it’s still going to be a new Tebow Town…
Mark Sanchez may be the only person more irritated by this than me…
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8286147f/article/pittsburgh-steelers-unveil-throwback-uniforms?module=HP11_content_stream
This will give the old Brown Uni’s of the Broncos a Run for it’s money as Ugliest in NFL history… Close
I know I’m the minority………..but I kinda dug those brown broncos uniforms……..I use them all the time playing madden. lol
Although I wish him well, I don’t really see Tebow being successful as the starter as the Jets starting QB. Picture this, if he does in fact become the starter, it means that Sanchez is playing awful, and that team already has a ton of locker room issues, starting with Santonio Holmes.. Tebow would be walking into a volatile situation, and should Tebow become the starter, do you honestly think that Holmes would bite his tongue when he isn’t getting the ball enough? It has disaster written all over it IMO, and should make for an interesting storyline this season.
I have to agree with you OT…………..I think the whole situation is a ticking time-bomb. I’m just glad is far far away from the broncos!
OT… The caveat in that whole scenario is Tebow’s attitude… it really equates to ‘So What’… Tebow is the rare man that can and will stand tall and stick to his values and beliefs regardless of what anyone around him says or does…
With that being said, as hard as Tebow works and with his only real issue being reading defenses (which coincidentally is a knock on almost all FOH QB’s after their first 16 starts in the NFL… Don’t believe me, go back and read reports on Jim Kelly, John Elway, Steve Young etc… all graded out about like Tebow after 16 starts…) then the Jets are in a great position… Tebow just needs a little time to grow, he’s already ahead of the curve…
*** HOF… dyslexia is a biatch dudes… first slip in a LONG time!!!
I could, however, see Tebow being successful if they used him in certain packages, including goal line, third and shorts, as well as two point conversions. The only problem with this is that it will take snaps (and confidence) away from Sanchez, starting the Tebow chants, and at the first sign of weakness from Sanchez, pushing for Tebow to take over full time, which as I stated above, I don’t think will work.. It has all the makings for a vicious circle IMO, and great TV!
I’m really glad Denver didn’t trade Elway after 16 struggling starts…
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay they did trade a struggling Steve Young to San Fran and the rest as they say… is History
I’m sure that if this trade happened before the opponants were set, we would’ve def watched DEN-NYJ in prime time. Next year for sure…….
How’s the ranching going turtle?
and what’s the significance of the handle “turtle” anyways, if you don’t mind me asking.