For the third time in four seasons, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
That doesn’t surprise Champ Bailey, who will most likely spend the majority of his day matched up against the talented wideout.
“He’s tough every time I face him,” Bailey said. “He’s one of my biggest challenges, and I look forward to it every time because I know he’s going to give his best shot. It’s just his size and speed — the combination of both. And he’s so deceptive with his speed in route-running, because he can start and stop just like a quick guy. He’s dangerous.”
Last year, Bowe was one of the hottest receivers in the league in the middle of the season. In the seven games leading up to the Broncos-Chiefs Week 13 rematch, the receiver racked up 733 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Included in that stretch was the first Broncos-Chiefs matchup, when Bowe accumulated 186 yards and two touchdowns.
However, 120 of the yards and both touchdowns came in the second half of a blowout, 49-29 Broncos win. Still, Bailey was upset at himself, and made sure there was no repeat performance.
In that Week 13 game, Bailey held Bowe without a single catch.
“That will be a matchup that will be pretty big in the game this Sunday,” Head Coach John Fox said. “When you have two great players going at each other, you expect those types of matchups. Hopefully it’s one that we’ve prepared to where we can win.”
MOVING FORWARD
In the Broncos’ past two losses, Tim Tebow has thrown three interceptions and lost two fumbles.
On Wednesday, he was asked if he simply has to wipe the slate clean and move on from those mistakes.
“I feel like I usually let stuff go pretty well, but I don’t know if you always want to,” Tebow said. “It’s a part of being motivated. It’s learning from mistakes, learning from past failures, and also learning from losses and having that feeling of disappointment drive you in practice and meetings to watch more, do more. I don’t know if you always want to just let things go and just continue to be the same person. I think you need to let it eat at you a little bit because I think that can make you better as a player, as a person.”
Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy agreed with Tebow’s assessment on Thursday, saying the second-year quarterback has learned plenty from week-to-week.
But at the same time, Tebow can’t get down on himself.
“The first thing I told him after the game was, ‘Tim, don’t ever question yourself,’” McCoy said. “Playing quarterback, you have to play with confidence, and the decisions he made he was confident with what he was doing. It was just unfortunately it went the wrong way, and we’ve talked about that.”
“That’s all a part of the game,” McCoy continued. “Tim is moving on. He’s a professional, and he’s been here before. He’ll be fine.”
MAKING THE OPPORTUNITY COUNT
Bailey and D.J. Williams are the only remaining Broncos from the 2005 squad that made it to the AFC Championship game — the last time Denver entered the postseason.
So Bailey has a unique perspective to share with his younger teammates, and he has taken that opportunity this week.
“You don’t really realize it because I’ve been in this situation before, and you don’t realize it until you get older that those opportunities pass you by,” Bailey said of his message. “If you don’t take advantage of them, you never know when it’s going to come back again.”
The Broncos have an opportunity this weekend to clinch the AFC West and enter the playoffs with a win — or an Oakland loss.
Denver had a chance at the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 and didn’t make it in, but Bailey said there’s no comparing what’s happening this season to those years.
“The last two times it happened we had two different staffs, so you can’t really compare it to what we had on our team at that time,” he said. “As far as this organization, yes, it’s happened. We’re trying not to let it happen. We’re going to do everything in our power to go out there and win this game because our playoffs start this week, plain and simple.”
INJURY REPORT
Here’s a look at Thursday’s injury report.
For the Broncos:
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: Safety Brian Dawkins (neck).
LIMITED: Safety David Bruton (Achilles), cornerback Chris Harris (neck).
FULL: Safety Quinton Carter (hip), linebacker Von Miller (thumb).
For the Chiefs:
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: Running back Jackie Battle (foot), wide receiver Jeremy Horn (illness), safety John McGraw (ankle).
Below are photos from Thursday’s practice:
-Gray Caldwell
Tags: Champ Bailey, Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs, Tim Tebow, Week 17
Clear shine bro..but gonna put some peaches or apples in the next jar dude…lol.
Looks don’t mean squat…taste matters!
Clear shine 200 proof is like drinking gasoline…gonna have to cut it…too bad…but have too….you can’t drink it like that..it’ll kill ya dude!!
RG3!!!!!!!!!!!
RG3 is good…
) This is a fun game to watch!
60-56…..WOW!!!!!!!!!
cam…Orton is…”Seek and Destroy”………lol.
Wow Turtle fessing up that RG3 is good, there is hope, LOL.
Told you that would be a hell of a second half to watch, not disappointed so far, LMAO!
1299 combined yards a FBS record!!!!!!!!!!
So much for enter sandman..
BFE- Check out Steel Panther on youtube! you will be amused.
Going for it on their own 32…no Defense whatsoever in this game!!!!
Just don’t let your wife see it. Otherwise you might be enter sandman! HAHA!
Go Broncos!
Jenkins looks like a Pro Prospect at TE from Washington…
cam…pretty kool dude!!!!!
WoW a little bit of Defense!
What a game!
Death to all but metal! (Steel Panther)
67-56 it’s all over but the crying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Baylor win!!!!!!
Nickelback…Bottoms up!!!!
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=nickelback%20bottoms%20up%20youtube&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCIQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DmT7EcNHovJ8&ei=gU79TuH2NcTXtgeqra3QBg&usg=AFQjCNEf3_saAQfC6mK_YeMqDX2MGgIWhg&cad=rja
123 total points!!!!!!!!!!!!
13 points shy of the record..but a Helluva game!!!!!!!!!
Stripper Girl! Heaven sent, thanks again for payin my rent! Stripper Girl! camharland knows…
RG3 will go pro…..if he is smart!!!!!!!!!!!!
He will be a top 10 draft choice!!!!!!!!!!
That was a ridiculous score fest. That final resembled a basketball score. Craziness. Baylors RB is a beast too!
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
MGCS………..KOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a game!
BFE-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x67jtMPfdTw
Damn guys I gotta get off here for a minute..beer cans all over the Damn place..gotta pick’em up!!!!!!
If we win on Sunday I just might set my couch on fire! BRONCOS!!
Have a nice night!
C
Damn too funny dude…but I liked it!!!!!!!!
I might not shoot my f’n tv with my .40 caliber if we win………………….
A beer mug will do almost as much damage to a TV as a 40!
Rage against the Machine! LOL!
Later bra! Go Broncos!
Damn you’d think it was the end of a Broncos game or something…it’s Thursday night folks……..almost New Years…kick up your heels this weekend starting tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!
What do you carry dude?
Later bro!!!!
I could shoot it with my 12 guage pump pistol grip!!!!!!!
Lakers kicking the Knicks ass 94-75!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
97-75!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t tell me you are one of the dumbasses that think a 9mm will out shoot a .40 or a .45!!!!!!!
Beer goes all the way to the bone..if you know what I mean!!!!!
GodDamn I killed the blog again!!!!!!!!!!!
Airbourne…..in between AC/DC and Jackyl…….Kool stuff!!!!!!
Bottom of the Well!!!!!!!!!!!!
When the Girl Gets Hot!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too Much,Too Young,Too Fast!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fat City!!!!!!!!!!!
Triumph…….Tears in the Rain!!!!!!!!!!!
bd…when you kill the Helloutta a blog…this is how you do it!!!!!!
Looks like you’ve got it all fired up tonight BFE!!! I assume that means you have tomorrow off? Have a great night and try not to pickle your gizzard with that stuff! LOL Take care! Be safe!
Sorry I left you to it. The guys finally showed up at my house. We had guests all day. I kept posting all day long. Prolly drove half the bloggers outta here before you got to it.
Morning Broncos Country! Up early once again, final meetings to end out the week, so I am absolutely happy about that although, I will be traveling to “Sin City” Las Vegas, NV on work. Here is something I wrote up, off of Legwolds DP post which Bay will put up shortly, a good read on Tebow among other things.
A video on Legwolds’ post show’s what our most seasoned veteran on the field, Champ Bailey and Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen’s thoughts are with the Orton led Chiefs coming in to Mile High will be.
“[Orton has] always been proficient,” said Champ Bailey. “I think — you know — the thing wit him, is when you can get to him and pressure him a lil bit… is when he struggles the most. So, It’s all about those guys up front gettin’ that pressure so we can make him struggle.”
With only three sacks versus the Patriots and Bills combined, you get the feeling of a concerted yet intense Broncos defense ready to get after the QB. Allen also conveys the need to get that pressure by trying to utilize an aggressive front four, along with new wrinkles to disguise different types of blitz packages in hopes to create new ways of attack that Orton can’t easily decipher.
“I don’t know if there’s one thing in particular that he does that we feel like that we can just take advantage of,” said Broncos Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen. “I mean, I think Kyle, just like most quarterbacks, if your able to get pressure on him they’re not nearly as effective,” Allen continues. “If they got a chance to just stand back there and throw the ball, and if you give him easy reads’…you know, everybody in this league is capable of throwing the ball and doing well in that regard. So, just like I’ve stood up here every week this season [and] said we need to find ways to pressure the quarterback — doesn’t always have to be by blitzing, or anything like that — I mean, we-got-to-find-ways to effect the guy and make him uncomfortable in the pocket,” Allen said, driving that last quote with authority.
Bailey on Orton and the Chiefs: “We got some things that we’re going to try to build off of, but he’s in a new offense so we definitely got to get that down first. We got to make sure we do all the right things cause they got more than just [Orton],” Bailey said.
The fact that Orton was playing with the scout team against the starting defense is something Champ admits that is an obvious advantage. And that he’s going to know a lot about us.
“He knows a lot about us, which — you know — could hurt us at some point, but we got to make sure he doesn’t take advantage of it.”
“You cant change the whole game plan, or the system. You gotta just go with what works,” continues Champ. “And, I have a feeling that they’re going to open up the playbook a lil bit and you gotta think, last time we met [it was a] totally different staff.”
Legwold has a column that points out Orton’s knowledge of our first string D, as admitted by Champ. (Which Bay will post) But Allen and Champ know that it’s all about execution. Even if a team has an inkling as to what you’re going to do as far as scheme. it’s still about what you do as far as playing disciplined football and containing that threat.
-Royalty
“The Broncos do something Tebow-riffic to win at the end. After the game, I can just hear it. Some wise guy asks Tim Tebow, “Tim, do you have any comments about the provocative and nasty and idiotic tweet Bill Maher had about you and the devil the other day?” He’ll smile and say, while moving away from the podium to leave, “I heard about that. Mr. Maher is a terrific comedian. He’s got some strong opinions. God bless him, and all of you — have a blessed day!”
Broncos – 31
Chiefs – 24
Source: Peter King SI
You definitely got that one pegged RBF1. Tebow is in a class reserved for the top-tier as far as being a role-modle goes and I’m glad that ESPN has been running a commercial about the good that he does off the field — rather than the rest of these high payed punks who mostly get media attention for all the wrong reasons.
-Royalty
On paper this would help us greatly:
The Chiefs are expected to be without running back Jackie Battle , who has not practiced because of a foot injury. Battle, who was forced into a more prominent role when Jamaal Charles went on injured reserve back in September, is the Chiefs’ leading rusher with 597 yards.
With Battle out, that will move the Chiefs’ other two running backs with at least 100 carries — Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster — up the ladder.
But Jones is 33 years old and has averaged more than 3 yards a carry in just three games this season. Jones has averaged less than 2 yards a carry in three games as well.
McCluster is a 5-foot-8, 170-pounder who is the Chiefs’ change-of-pace back and isn’t really built for a featured role. Beyond those two, the Chiefs have fullback Le’Ron McClain, who has all of 13 carries this season to go with 14 receptions.
What it means is the Chiefs may be forced into a position to lean on Kyle Orton all the more on offense.
But this doesn’t, so we are all back to even, haha:
The Broncos figure to play without safety Brian Dawkins , who did not practice again Thursday. Dawkins missed the New England game with a neck injury and left the loss against the Bills early because of the same injury.
Dawkins’ absence would force the Broncos to line up rookie Quinton Carter and David Bruton at the two safety spots, if Bruton’s Achilles injury doesn’t force him to the sideline as well. Carter also left the Buffalo game with what has since been described as a hip injury but has practiced this week.
That combination of events could cause the Chiefs to step things up in the passing game, especially on early downs.
The Chiefs have run about 56 percent of the time on first-and-10 this season. They have run 54 percent of the time on second-and-7 and 55 percent of the time on second-and-8.
Those numbers could tilt a bit given Battle’s injury and the Broncos’ difficulties in the secondary. And with Orton being more comfortable in the offense, the Chiefs could have more of a pass-first attitude.
I have a suspicion Bailey is real worried about this game, he is a smart guy remember, at least that’s what most of his quotes this week are leading to, like this one:
Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey offered a different take on his team’s defense facing Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton on Sunday. Namely, it’s not that Orton was the Broncos’ starter earlier this season that gives him some quality intel on Denver’s defense, but that Orton was the team’s scout-team quarterback when Tim Tebow moved into the starting job.
The scout-team quarterback runs the opponents’ offense against the starting defense in practice.
“It’s more scripted for him (in that role), but what he sees from us is what we do on Sunday,” Bailey said. “I think he has more of an edge on that than anybody, and for us to say we’ve got an edge on anything he did on scout team is silly.
“From what he saw, he knows what we do.”