Head Coach John Fox met with the media Monday morning, touching on a variety of subjects as the Broncos begin preparations for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Denver can clinch the AFC West with a win against the Chiefs or an Oakland Raiders loss against San Diego.
Below are a few quotes from the head coach as the regular-season finale approaches.
On taking a playoff mindset this week:
“In my mind, it’s much like a playoff game already. For most intents and purposes, we need to win this game. That will determine our fate.”
“There is a scenario this week where even if we weren’t to win there is a possibility, but our preparations and mindset is to do everything we can to win this week.”
On whether the team will pay attention to the Raiders-Chargers score on Sunday:
“I would hope our focus is all on the field against Kansas City.”
On playing former Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton:
“We are familiar with him, too. So there is familiarity just like any division game, whether it’s the whole team or a player. That familiarity works both ways.”
On the focus on Tim Tebow vs. Kyle Orton:
“I think my interpretation of this week is the Denver Broncos versus the Kansas City Chiefs, and I’m sure that will be their approach as well.”
On safety Brian Dawkins:
“Anytime you replace a guy with that much experience, that is tough. He’s a veteran guy. He’s been in big spots. He knows the defense. He knows football, so if he’s available, we’ll have him out there. If not, it will be next man up.”
On linebacker Von Miller’s decrease in production the past few games:
“It’s that big cast on his thumb. It’s hard to play this game with both hands let alone just one. It’s definitely a factor. A different type of cast isn’t going to let him use his hand any differently because we still have to immobilize the thumb. We’ll make due. He’ll get better, and so will we.”
Tebow>Orton ?
We will be fine. Just can’t blow with the wind. Since my last post I see alot of heated posts hve been put…good stuff. I have said it many times, we would be crazy trying to decide tebows fate after everygame. Man has only started like 13 games. He wil be fine as a bronco or on another team. While he is not defined byt football, he is like the most intense and hyped guy on the field. But when he is off it … he is off it.
So I believe we make the playoffs. And win a game. Many laughed at the seahawks making the playoffs 7-9 but they owned the saints.
This game against the chiefs IS a playoff game because just like tne playoffs we re as good as done for the rest of the yr if we lose to the chiefs.
Broncos – 23
Chiefs – 16
TRB
I hate when a new blog pops up while I’m typing.
Repost..
Ya strand being a tebow disciple isn’t a bad thing, heck he’s a bronco, go crazy with it! I have no problem with any of it and I enjoy debating it, but as much as you think he’s the answer, I do not. And we’ll see in the end won’t we! It takes alot to offend me lemme tell ya, but daddy got close praising those specific bloggers then intentionally singling me out as “out to lunch” (dumb, if you will). Other than that c’mon with it guys I learn alot from this blog and love every minute of it!
You and me both brother
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUNAdnhEIBc&feature=fvst
Ya trb u remember the battles about Peterson and dareus? You and I stood firm there and the debates were really good and the stuff discussed is a really great read. It can never stop!!
U speaking of paea over Moore was right on. Looking like Von was a good pick at #2 tho.
No way Lou!! I do not believe you are dumb at all. I understand the Tebow criticism. He does not look like the QB’s we are used to.
I do think you write in an influential manner, swaying the blog to an anti-Tebow direction. Hence – you get singled out. LOL It is my desire to sway it back!!!
Long Live TEBOW THE BRONCO!!!
It’s all just for hype and fun anyway – it’s not like anybody’s listening.
I’m still out – working in the yard today. One of the kids said I made someone mad – so I responded.
Well no “swaying” intended here I swear!! I’m out as well wife demanding I watch a movie with her. She doesn’t quite get the importance of blogging when I get time. Wants time spent with her for some reason. Go figure
Score prediction:
Broncos 13 Chiefs 9
BRONCOS 19
chefs 12
Broncos 24
Chiefs 10
Broncos 17 Chiefs 10
suppose Elway was hanging out at stanford schooling Andrew Luck on how to get out of being a Colt by demanding a trade to Denver?
That was in shaztah’s dream, or something like that, Tebownites better hope dreams mean nothing, haha.
It’s amazing how for the last two months we had so many predictions having us score in the 30s and now zero, zip, nada, like 13 and 17 will get you the win and that’s about it….
Actually already 4 picks predicting a loss, way more than usual after just one day, everybody getting nervous, thoughts of the 2008 season collapse creeping up obviously.
Once again the injury bug has hit us at the most inopportune time. With Dawkins out, Miller having to try to play with one hand (which obviously is a big part of his game — using his hands to beat blockers) and Harris with his neck being injured (any news on that?) I really hope he’s ok.
Man, It’s just fustrating. I am glad that they pulled McGahee to preserve him.
Now that we know about teams running when we’re in the nickle McCoy & Fox can adjust accordingly. This game versus the Chiefs we definitely need to destroy Orton or he will carve us up something nasty. Normally Orton would be a noodle arm at this point of the year — hence my 6-10 season prediction with the assumption that he was going to be our starter. But he has a fresh arm being on the pine most of the year. So we need to get a tremendous four man rush using the blitz from all angles, not all out all game but in surprise situations e.g., a corner blitz.
I also agree with dadbronc that letting Tebow run and lay the wood on the D gives him a spark. I think earlier in the year when our team would see this it would just ignite em to just want to get physical. Taking this edge away from Tebow is like caging a lion sooner or later that lion will lose his natural hunting ability. Release the beast! Roll him out with a TE draging and one up the seam forcing a choice on the LB. It worked so well the one time we used it last game getting us a TD.
We need to bring it all day, and leave it all on the field. I just don’t feel that we did that in the last two games, offensively. I would be content knowing we will give it everything we have win lose or draw I would be content.
Mile High Salue — My Soldiers are Eternal.
-Royalty
My thoughts are they are more interested in seeing what Tebow can really do as a pocket passer so they know what they’ll need to do in next year draft than turning him lose and learning nothing, could be just me though, but I do believe there is a lot of that thinking in their game planning.
If we draw crazyhorserider is the undisputed champion of the season record prediction contest with 8-7-1.
I think you are right Bay. They tried it – and it failed!!! I’m personally ready for that experiment to be over. Fox needs to let Tebow go and see just how far Tebow-ball can take the team.
I still think that Tebow can learn to be a pocket passer. All year the O-line has been beat when they back-up. They have excelled moving forward. I say – let the O-line push forward. Blow open multiple holes – let Tebow take his pick.
About the Oline play, I would have to question your earlier assesment of it even so I respect it, unlike you I thought that for most of the game they gave ample time for Tebow to find his targets, he just couldn’t but any experienced pocket QB would of had plenty of time to get the job done.
I’m really second guessing myself on my prediction btw. I am really thinking that the Broncos are going to come out with a lot of fire on Offense. It’s the Defense that is flat missing the personnel to have an adequate response. If Harris is out, we are in serious trouble!
I think I even remember the announcers saying how good the protection was, but I understand, usually your comments are Tebow produced.
LOl@Bay
Yeah I completely understand the whole learning what they need to do with Tebow as far as a pocket passing QB. But for this game just this one game I just hope we do everything possible to win.
I believe they draft a QB no doubt and in a higher round that most here think but we’ll save that convo for a later time. Lol
Maybe we should then go Bruton and McCarthy, sad to say but we’d be better off with them than Carter and Moore…
Royalty, as long as tsunami isn’t on it’s safe to talk about drafting a QB, LOL.
I mean that’s probably whats going to have to happen as far as the safeties go. But I also think we to (also sad to say) rotate Miller.
*have to
Miller is better coming off the field in the nickel like was talked about this morning.
LOL Bay… This week is the last week to get enough points to try to position ourselves higher up on the totem pole for the score prediction contest. But as long as I stay top ten i’ll be ok with that.
Hold on this MAY be the last week right because if we make the playoffs the contest follows right?
And again that all shows our total lack of depth which always riases it’s ugly face as the season wears on, half a Miller is better than Irving or Mohamed.
Call me crazy, but this draft is quickly showing itself to have been an average draft at best, at least for its first year, two TEs we basically never see other than Virgil on ST, two safeties who have no clue, two ILBs who have nearly zero contribution, which leaves Miller and Franklin as good picks, and since it would be very hard to mess up the #2 pick it basically says they made one good pick. I know, I know, too early to assess it long term, but the short term of it is definitely way below what any Bronco fan was saying about it earlier in the year, a great draft this is not, at least by my observations.
Absolutely, the deeper we go into the playoffs, the better my chances, LMAO!
I think we start Haggan, Brutan, and McCarthy.
And I want the Broncos in the playoffs. If Tebow can’t cut it. I’ll say so.
I think Tebow has already earned the right to an off-season as the starting QB and the focused training. I think it is a mistake to think that he can function as a pocket passer until he has had that full off season plus a couple of preseason games.
So true and to think I was kinda upset with the Franklin pick because of his attitude but he turns out to be one of the best picks. Harris contributes more than all of our defensive picks combined, excluding Miller, how sad is that…
Please no Moore Carter
Top ten is obviously quite the accomplishment, ask anyone how tough it is to get more than 7 points, everyone can get lucky once and get a win worth 7 points but it’s real hard to follow it up with more, so far only 10 guys are above 7 points.
I agree Bay … Tebow gets mad time in the pocket … but thats often because by that time we are in full pass mode so rather than pressure him and have him do what he did to the jets on the final play of that drive, they drop everyone in coverage, making it hard for Tebow to get a open receiver, while playing the DEs wide to keep him in the pocket with LBs pa ying attention to a potential run. I believe this is why he has all day to pass sometimes, unfotunately doesn’t matter if everyone is in coverage … part of it might be him scared to turn it over, or him not seeing his check down but im not sure.
NO MCARTHY PLEASE. I saw enough for him against the Vikes. The problem with Carter is when Moore plays, Carter is forced to play SS what Dawk plays when he is usually in the game. So he is playing out of position in a sense. All year he has been playing FS to Dawks SS … but when Rahim is in he is forced to play SS. So I dunno which comination is best But Bruton and Dawk sounds mighty wonderful to me.
TRB
Dawk might have played the last game of his career, just saying, I’m hearing this neck issue is raising some serious concerns now.
Mores the reason the Broncs need to get that ring this year!!! LOL
It ain’t over yet!
We finally get a good discussion going and they switch to a new blog on us with the stupid ask Elway questions things, like any of that is going to reveal anything, oh well, new blog.
I wouldnt be surprised … kinda Manningesk … the both might have played last game. Sigh … hopefully Dawk can come on as a secondary coach or assistant or something
TRB
Yeah I think he’s done… That neck injury is nothing to play with. He has got to know that; although he’s a warrior a proven warrior, and he knows he’s proven that, when you stat putting yourself in a position to be seriously injured for life, FOR LIFE, you have got to fold em…
“If we draw crazyhorserider is the undisputed champion of the season record prediction contest with 8-7-1.”
I had us going 9-7 bay…was i not invited to the contest?
Go Broncos
Broncos: 21
Chiefs: 17
I got you down but we’d have to win for you to be one of the multiple winners at 9-7 (17), in crazyhorse case he is the only one with such a prediction so if we tie with KC he is what I said….
Broncos 48
Chiefs 17
Denver’s Defense scores twice!
5 Sacks
1 FF
Special teams scores Punt Return!
RB’s Rush for 185yd
Tebow 18-24 310 yds 3 TD
GO BRONCOS!!!!
2 KEYWORDs for Tebow: LOOK UNDERNEATH!!!!!!!!!!
Look for TE’s to have Great Game!!