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Friday, November 18, 2005
Serious Business
Recent Stunners Provide Broncos Lesson in Need for Vigilance and Focus
Head Coach Mike Shanahan had a strong reminder for his team this week, Ebenezer Ekuban said. PHOTO: RICH CLARKSON AND ASSOCIATES
BRONCOS TV
Jeb Putzier and John Lynch each considered joining the New York Jets. The Broncos couldn't be happier that both are with them in Denver.
11/17: Avoiding the Letdown
11/17: Nearly New Yorkers
11/16: Plummer Press Conference
11/16: Shanahan Press Conference
11/15: Darrent's Big Day
11/15: NFL 201
11/15: Pressure Pays Off
11/14: Shanahan Press Conference
11/14: DEN-OAK: Postgame Report
11/13: Shanahan Postgame
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Five days ago, eyebrows arched from Tacoma to Tampa and beyond at the sight of two scores from the day's NFL action.
Green Bay 33, Atlanta 25. Minnesota 24, New York Giants 21.
"They let a team come in (about which) everyone's saying, 'Hey, you should beat those guys,'" Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer said. "We know that on any Sunday anyone can come in (and win) if they are prepared because every team has pride and everyone has to go home and answer to their wives, friends and relatives."
Which brings us to this weekend and the New York Jets, who make their first-ever appearance at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Injuries have spoiled their season to date, crippling their offense and helping lead to a 2-7 start that came just months after they came within one field goal of appearing in their first AFC Championship Game in six years.
"They're going to look to come in here and spoil what we've going," Plummer said.
So what do those surprising, afore-mentioned Week 10 results have to do with the Broncos' mental preparation for clash with the Jets? Everything, as it turns out.
"The first thing (Head) Coach (Mike Shanahan) said in the meetings was that Atlanta lost to Green Bay and the Giants lost to Minnesota," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "That's all we needed to hear."
Added safety Nick Ferguson: "I don't care if a team is 1-8; they're going to give their best shot. They don't have anything to lose. They're playing next year, trying to get some guys in get some looks. At this point, those team are more dangerous than teams with better records."
That's a valuable lesson for many players -- particularly the least experienced ones -- to learn.
"It's always good for the younger guys that haven't really been around and don't understand how tough the NFL can be sometimes," linebacker Al Wilson said. "If you don't prepare for a team or come out ready to play, you'll be knocked off."
But veteran Broncos have seen the perils of such situations before. In 2003 and 2004, the Broncos lost home games to sub-.500 teams, dropping a 25-24 contest to the Oakland Raiders last year and succumbing 19-10 to the Chicago Bears 12 months prior to that. That's not only two straight years with home defeats to teams below break-even, but two straight Novembers.
If the message of the Falcons and Giants doesn't impact the Broncos, surely the results of the previous two years will keep the Broncos on guard.
"If we stay focused like we have this year, then hopefully we will stay on alert and be on alert," fullback Kyle Johnson.
A letdown is not an option.
"I know we're not going to follow that trap because I think a couple teams did that last weekend," Shanahan said.
But the Broncos players believe there was little chance of that as they prepared this week. No matter what transpires Sunday afternoon, the result won't be because the Broncos did not take the threat posed by the Jets seriously -- just the same as if the Jets were 7-2 instead of 2-7.
"You try to approach it as if it was all the same," cornerback Domonique Foxworth said.
And that means no peering forward to what lies beyond.
"I can't see past this Sunday right now," defensive tackle Gerard Warren said. "New York Jets week -- that's all we can look at; that's what's in front of us."
This is what some of our own players think about taking any team lightly.
Comment as you wish.
Serious Business
Recent Stunners Provide Broncos Lesson in Need for Vigilance and Focus
Head Coach Mike Shanahan had a strong reminder for his team this week, Ebenezer Ekuban said. PHOTO: RICH CLARKSON AND ASSOCIATES
BRONCOS TV
Jeb Putzier and John Lynch each considered joining the New York Jets. The Broncos couldn't be happier that both are with them in Denver.
11/17: Avoiding the Letdown
11/17: Nearly New Yorkers
11/16: Plummer Press Conference
11/16: Shanahan Press Conference
11/15: Darrent's Big Day
11/15: NFL 201
11/15: Pressure Pays Off
11/14: Shanahan Press Conference
11/14: DEN-OAK: Postgame Report
11/13: Shanahan Postgame
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Five days ago, eyebrows arched from Tacoma to Tampa and beyond at the sight of two scores from the day's NFL action.
Green Bay 33, Atlanta 25. Minnesota 24, New York Giants 21.
"They let a team come in (about which) everyone's saying, 'Hey, you should beat those guys,'" Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer said. "We know that on any Sunday anyone can come in (and win) if they are prepared because every team has pride and everyone has to go home and answer to their wives, friends and relatives."
Which brings us to this weekend and the New York Jets, who make their first-ever appearance at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Injuries have spoiled their season to date, crippling their offense and helping lead to a 2-7 start that came just months after they came within one field goal of appearing in their first AFC Championship Game in six years.
"They're going to look to come in here and spoil what we've going," Plummer said.
So what do those surprising, afore-mentioned Week 10 results have to do with the Broncos' mental preparation for clash with the Jets? Everything, as it turns out.
"The first thing (Head) Coach (Mike Shanahan) said in the meetings was that Atlanta lost to Green Bay and the Giants lost to Minnesota," defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "That's all we needed to hear."
Added safety Nick Ferguson: "I don't care if a team is 1-8; they're going to give their best shot. They don't have anything to lose. They're playing next year, trying to get some guys in get some looks. At this point, those team are more dangerous than teams with better records."
That's a valuable lesson for many players -- particularly the least experienced ones -- to learn.
"It's always good for the younger guys that haven't really been around and don't understand how tough the NFL can be sometimes," linebacker Al Wilson said. "If you don't prepare for a team or come out ready to play, you'll be knocked off."
But veteran Broncos have seen the perils of such situations before. In 2003 and 2004, the Broncos lost home games to sub-.500 teams, dropping a 25-24 contest to the Oakland Raiders last year and succumbing 19-10 to the Chicago Bears 12 months prior to that. That's not only two straight years with home defeats to teams below break-even, but two straight Novembers.
If the message of the Falcons and Giants doesn't impact the Broncos, surely the results of the previous two years will keep the Broncos on guard.
"If we stay focused like we have this year, then hopefully we will stay on alert and be on alert," fullback Kyle Johnson.
A letdown is not an option.
"I know we're not going to follow that trap because I think a couple teams did that last weekend," Shanahan said.
But the Broncos players believe there was little chance of that as they prepared this week. No matter what transpires Sunday afternoon, the result won't be because the Broncos did not take the threat posed by the Jets seriously -- just the same as if the Jets were 7-2 instead of 2-7.
"You try to approach it as if it was all the same," cornerback Domonique Foxworth said.
And that means no peering forward to what lies beyond.
"I can't see past this Sunday right now," defensive tackle Gerard Warren said. "New York Jets week -- that's all we can look at; that's what's in front of us."
This is what some of our own players think about taking any team lightly.
Comment as you wish.
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