In his three-plus seasons with the Broncos, Brandon Marshall has faced 26 different opposing teams.
The Baltimore Ravens will become the 27th team on Sunday.
While Marshall did not play in the teams’ 2006 contest as a rookie, he knows plenty about the vaunted defensive attack that he and his teammates have been preparing for.
“It’s going to take four quarters,” Marshall said. “They’re a great team that’s used to winning, that’s used to being in difficult games.”
One of the leaders who’s propelled the Ravens to that reputation is Ed Reed. Through six games this season, Reed and the rest of the Baltimore secondary have faced two of the league’s top-10 receivers: Randy Moss (573 yards) and Chad Ochocinco (565 yards).
Marshall has seen enough to know the challenge Reed presents for him and the rest of Denver’s receivers.
“I don’t think you try to attack a guy like that — you try to stay away from a guy like that,” Marshall said. “Ed Reed is very special. He’s probably the best safety in the league. He’s a beast.”
INJURY UPDATE
There were two changes to the Broncos’ Injury Report for Week 8 on Friday. After limited participation in Thursday’s practice, Ronald Fields (hamstring) and Brian Dawkins (hamstring) were both full participants in Friday’s practice. Each is listed as probable for Sunday’s game at Baltimore.
On the other side, Ravens LB Tavaras Gooden (head) was moved from limited participation on Thursday to full participation on Friday. He is probable for Sunday’s game. After not participating in Thursday’s practice T Jared Gaither (neck) was a limited participant on Friday. He is listed as questionable.
ROOKIE RAZZING
As the players were walking out to the field, Robert Ayers’ headgear became a casualty of the winter weather. After his helmet was thrown into the snow by his teammates, Ayers left the cleared path and walked with a smile through the two-foot drifts. Continuing to walk in the snow, he fired back at the veterans, throwing a snowball at Wesley Woodyard, before dumping the snow left in his helmet on D.J. Williams.
HALLOWEEN HITS THE PRACTICE FIELD
With Halloween less than 24 hours away, several Broncos traded in their helmets for masks at the start of Friday’s practice. One rookie even traded identities.
For a gallery of all the masks and costumes at Dove Valley on Friday afternoon, click here.
With snow still covering the two grass practice fields, the Broncos were able to clear off their turf field and conduct an outdoor session for the first time since Monday. Here are some photos from the onset of practice.
– Chris Gentilviso, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Brandon Marshall, Week 8
Kick some butt broncos.
First! Yahoo! What a test this week will be. I hope Spencer can come back and contribute like he did against ATL and NYJ last year. Let’s control this game boys!
dangit! shouldn’t have typed so much!
Should be a good game. Good to see Fields and Dawkins back.
IT’S ALMOST TIME TO PUT ON A SHOW!!!!!!!
Here’s a mile high salute to our boys once again. May you take the field and perform to the expectations that you have bestowed upon yourselves. You have proven to yourselves and us, Bronco Country that you all indeed belong among the elite NFL teams! May your efforts reward you and bring you safely home with another win!!!!
Salute!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
Great! BDawk and RFields are back.
Go Broncooos!
This team may not be the best but they definitely up there…one thing they definitely have going for them besides their top 5 run game and defense, and mistake free qb, and awesome Oline and WRs, and great coaches, well you get the point lol. the one thing I was talking about is that they “finish games”….most important thing in the world, dont matter how good you start if you cant finish right. And the Broncos have owned the second half this season, we will need to do so again, against a great team with a potent offense and game breaking defensive playmakers. I live 10 minutes from baltimore so this is gonna be a fun one, wish I coulda made the game.
THE SEASON IS OURS FOR THE TAKING (and we are taking it)
GO BRONCOS!!!
I Love the Broncos……Good Luck Guys we know you will play the best you can and give it all dee you in KC…..hugs and kisses
oops see you all :} Happy Halloween
BRRR… It looks really cold…
Just saw the Halloween photos of practice, man Dawks’ was the best. LOL!!!!!!!!
GO BRONCOS 7-0 ohmy!
I was pretty skeptic a week ago that our BYE week might slow the momentum. However, I realized BYE week or not how cohesive the team is determines the victor. The Broncos are playing the best football this year,IMO.
Plus, i forgot Dawkins pulled a muscle last game. BYE week gave him an extra week to rest and heal himself.
Wow, this will be a good game. Did you guys see the poll on espn? Everyone else in the country believes the Broncos will be the next undefeated team to lose…lol..they still dont believe our team…
Consider it new motivations for Dawks speech..Punch em’ in the MouTh!
WOW!!!!! What a season. Knowshon is gonna be a beast when he slows down and takes a breath. Just needs to relax let his skill take over trust his abilty more and realize it is still just football.
One thing is for sure, if we lose this one the bye week will have had nothing to do with it, the Ravens are also coming off a bye week. I understand why people would bring it up when one team has it and the other one doesn’t, like it will be next week against Pittsburgh, but to even bring it up this week…
Guess some folks are real worried about this one. I don’t think the Ravens are as good as everyone is making them out to be, they are riding on their reputation, and I think we are better than people are making us out to be because of our reputation. Throw the reputation bull out the window, what have you got, a quickly ascending team in the Broncos and a slowly sliping team in the Ravens. I don’t think this game is a toss up, we should be able to win this one. However, I realize any given Sunday is the rule, but call me stupid, they don’t scare me.
Lovin’ the hard work and humilty! “We haven’t accomplished anything” That’s the mentality to avoid losing a difficult game like this one! Can’t wait for Sunday afternoon, firing up the bbq and watching the Broncos kick butt in Baltimore!
GO BRONCOS! PURA VIDA!
The Ravens will be a test of OUR DEFENSE as far as their defense it does not give me the shivers like years past without Bart Scott in the middle with Lewis and their sudden commitment to going younger at CB leaves gaps that are glaring out at them this season.
I was just looking over some of the so called “experts” picks for week 8 in the NFL and not to my surprise was the majority picking against the Broncos. Only 3 of the so called “experts” picked the Broncos while the other 7 or 8 picked the Ravens. I love it! Keep picking against our Broncos and we’ll keep proving the World wrong! I remember watching the NFL network and listening to Jamie Dukes say “the Broncos are going to be swept by the Chargers and Chiefs and they will split with the Raiders”, oh Mr. Dukes how you inspire me to root even harder each Sunday!
It’s going to be a good game Sunday and based on the nasty weather moving east this should be a wet, low scoring Broncos win!
Get em fired up Dawk! Go Broncos!
Man I love everything that’s going on. Now that’s I said that. I’m getting tired of seen B Marsh on TV. lol He everywhere! VS, TNT,NFL Network, and ESPN. My girl told me she saw him on The View (lol). Man o Man give some of those TV time to the other guys who are not getting it. lol
Beasty fan, when the Ravens’ O went up against good D’s like the Patriots and the Bengals, they respectively scored 21 and 14 points. They have a good points per game average because they poured it on some real bad teams, KC 38, Cleveland 34, SD 31 (when they were playing poorly before they got called soft by their GM) and two weeks ago Minnesota 31, a good team but who’s D hasn’t stopped anybody the last few games.
I mean we are talking the Ravens are about to play the best D in the league, bar none, that is a fact, we rate better in most categories overall than any other team. If they score more than 14 points, I will be real surprised. I am not worried about their O or their D. I believe in what we have, how we prepare, how we game plan, how we play together as a team, how everyone plays their assignments and respects everyone else’s, how we are humble therefore we remain hungry, etc… As long as this is what I see from our team, how can I be scared of a 3-3 team, we are playing at a very high level and until they show me different, we should own this type of game.
Week 7 in Maryland…
Well, there have been a lot of fans, writers and televised football gurus that have eaten a lot of CROW over the last six weeks…
Now, it’s the Broncos turn to feed on blackbird. Not in the way all of the “recently reformed” negaitve lipflappers have been doing…. No, The Broncos are going to feed on the Ravens like a whole HUNGRY heard of wild horses that just crested a distant hill to discover a much greener pasture…
The Denver D, in all its RAGING BLUE GLORY, impose their will on the Crows! KING DOOM keeps Flaco flustered and moving in the pocket a lot on his gimping ankle, resulting in a SCORE FOR THE BRONCO DEFENSE!!!
The Raven run game will be less than effective and might get 75 yards if lucky, so they rely heavily on the long and midrange pass to get a pair of TD’s and one FG. Ravens 17
The Bronco offense will again operate efficiently. They should be able to STAMPEED for at least a Buck and a Half and one TD between Moreno and Buck’n-bronco-halter.
The dirtybirds pass defense is very shaky and Coach Mcmastermind knows this all too well. I look for the Broncos to be highflying to the tune of 300+ yards and two TD’s in the air to Gaffney and Graham. Marshall will get double teamed a lot and serve to be a great decoy. Royals-returns provide good field positon but no love at WR.
Prater misses Kern….Aaaww, and two easy field goals?!….wuwt?
Broncos 28
Ravens 17
STONE COLD RAGING BLUE BRONCO GLORY!!!!! 7-0 BABY!!!
I LOVE ME SOME DENVER BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know this is a bit getting ahead of ourselves here, but did you guys know that in the tie breaker with the Colts we have identical Division records, 2-0, 1st tie breaker, but in the 2nd tie breaker, Conference record, we have a two game lead over them, we’re 5-0, they are 3-0. It may sound far fetch now, but we need to beat the Ravens Sunday to stay ahead of them, because we are!
OC, I like your pick, mine will be fairly similar tomorrow. I like your style , horses feeding on birds… LOL. I personally see Marshall having a big game, even with double coverage, those young corners will have their hands full. I even think, due to the weakness of the Ravens’ D being the long pass, that this would be a great game to incorporate McKinley into the O. That’s what McD should do, get another guy with speed back there.
Let me speed dial him, lol.
Bay,
The one thing on my mind is that when Coach McD went 18-1. He lost in the SB after a perfect season and playoffs.
Do you think it weighs on his mind that it might be good to lose a game somewhere along the way so the pressure of being perfect doesn’t become a major distraction?
Man, you completely missed out on that, I brought that up in a recent blog, let me see if I can find it.
I don’t get to read all the blogs… Maybe I mindread you on it in BroncoVision…haha
Anyhow, fill me in on your thoughts..
Yes I found it, go to “broncos blog” on left blue column, then scroll down to “their blog” and go to the “Reid on espn first take blog”, Oct 28, 4:07 pm post. I started that talk then, and I completely agree that we need to lose one but I don’t want to go over this all over again, so check it out, it was a fun discussion.
OC, you might be too lazy to check it out, LOL, so I copied it for you, here it is, talking about the Baltimore game:
I have one that will shock you, to tell you the truth I would take getting out of this one fully healthy over a win, at one point or another we need a loss to remind the players what it feels like to lose. I am a true believer that you don’t want to go into the playoffs without having experiencing that losing feeling, so that you don’t learn it in the playoffs and you’re done. Coming back down to earth at least once in the regular season is a good thing. It will make you that much hungrier all over again because you will have just experienced that losing feeling and will not want to experience it again. I mean this team has never lost together, they have no idea how it would feel. Down the road, I’m not saying this game in particular, but if it is, be it, a loss will be some needed medicine. I know guys will come on here saying you never play the game to lose, and that’s not what I’m saying, but losing is a necessary season adjustment if you want to achieve greatness and win it all. Why do you think the 72 Dolphins are the only team in the history of the NFL who won it all without a loss? And that was with a 14 game season. To remain hungry for 16 games plus the three post season games without ever losing a single game has simply never been done. I disagree with the guys who hope we go 16-0.
I know it’s a different point of view than yours, where you think it would be best not to have that unbeaten streak pressure, but with my point we still get to the same end result, to lose one will help, no doubt in my mind, just like in 98 when we were 13-0, and we finally lost, not one but two in a row, Giants and Dolphins, then won the last regular season game and the three following post season games to win our 2nd championship.
OC, you either got lost with your kid or the Reid blog, which is it, ahahah, spooky…halloween, I bet your kid is excited.
love the masks they are great I like D.J mask the most got to love angry Clowns.
C’mon guys we got a better defense and i know we got a better offense so lets see some Bronco spirit we’ll win I say 27-16.Go Broncs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn this sucks!! I just found out I have to work on Sunday for the first time EVER!!! I never work weekends and now I”ll get lucky if I catch the 4th quarter. I just hope our boys are ready to take care of business and put to rest all the talk of the Broncos being lucky. (thats what everybody at my work place thinks of the Broncos, shows how much they know about football).
And is it just me or does knowshon make a pretty dam good michael jackson or what?!!!!!
I should be Eddie Royal for Halloween seeing as he’s the man AND the Broncos are going to beat the Ravens to go to 7-0. I’m so impressed with what has happened thus far and I know that the Broncos will make adjustments as are necessary and we’ll show the league once again just how good we are. Let’s focus on the task at hand, guys! GO BRONCOS!!!
Go Get Em Broncos
BeastfromEast92, you’re free to post as many picks as you wish, but for the purpose of our prediction contest, need to be fair to everyone, one shot at it each, your first pick is the entry, I got you down for the 17-10 pick you made earlier this week.
BTW,for those who were expecting rain and wind for tomorrow’s game, including McD, this morning weather report calls for sunny, high of 57 and 9 mph wind for the game tomorrow. No slop, just fireworks.
Hey bay,
Yeah, My kid got me and then I can’t stay awake past 9:30 haha.
Our thoughts are very similar in respect to being perfect vs winning the SB. Thanks for reposting it for me!
We did lose in preseason to Chicago though, so maybe that counts to the players psyche as a loss? I’m hoping that we don’t lose until the end of the season and play KC with our backup guys and the game won’t matter because we already have homefield advantage all wrapped up in the AFC!!!!!!!!!
I don’t think Coach McD believes in losing at all though, he’s a SCRAPPER! Guys like him never give up. He’s smart and tough just like the players he picks. He probably doesn’t even think about the perfect record thing…just the next game.
Oh, man… I’m not gonna hope, but Elvis Dumervil had better go to da pro-bowl this season, cuz he is THE best pass rushing LB in the league, and one of the best pass rushers period.
D-E-N-V-E-R, Broncos! Broncos! Broncos! Clip those Ravens wings in baltimore and stomp them into the ground. Happy Travels Broncos, all that bleed orange and blue will be with you in spirit, cheering, watching and supporting you from around the world. Go into the Ravens back yard and bring home another victory. Once you return to Denver Victorious, the stage will be set for yet another Monday Night Showdown in DENVER!!!!! I am so proud to be a Broncos fan, have been one since I was 4. 31 years of orange and blue, this season is special and long over due for us Bronco fanatics. Keep up the good work fellas, stay focused and victory is yours. Cannot wait till tomorrow morning. GO BRONCOS!!!!!
I like the buckin bronco-halter that was cool. But I strongly believe we can beat the ravens especially if we can get the run game going. The defense is going to play well because the only weapons they have is derrick mason, todd heap, and ray rice. We can keep them covered cuz i dont think their going to be doing much running. So it will be tough but i’m expecting us to win this one
Go BRONC’S!!!!!!!
NFL.com -Reader poll results
Who do you think will win:
Broncos – 55%
Ravens – 45%
at least we have the majority. Wagonriders are piling up! i’m not really someone who should talk, because I started to like football in about 1996 and saw how awesome Denver was. I was startled a bit when we lost to Jacksonville in the playoffs, but all the same, I guess I’m technically a wagonrider.
Now that im done with the pointless confessions, I’m done deciding my wager.
30-24 Denver.
I think we need to get a good start in this game!then in the second half we can run them down!our defense can have a better picture to look at going into the 2nd half with us in the lead!as long as we play mistake free and dont turn the ball over like we have done all year we should win this game!GO BRONCOS!!KEEP ON WINNING BABY!!
This game will be great. I think both running games will be key in this match up. I think their running game will be better but our D will stall them plenty before the redzone. Royal and McBean will have a good day.
Broncos – 17
Ravens – 10
Ikiratuki, I hope this is not a bad omen now that you are picking us to win! LOL.
lol Yeah, maybe I should pick us to lose every week to keep our mojo.
i will throw in my pick this week at Broncos 27 Ravens 17
I dont know guys and girls…gotta go wit h a defensive struggle tomorrow..Denver takes it 14-10…..