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Naked to the waist, suspended linebacker Von Miller leaned over a table in the Broncos' locker room and cut the deck of cards.
He's the joker.
The Broncos mean business.
In the absence of Miller from the lineup, Denver is not as intimidating. The 23.7 points surrendered per game are troublesome for any NFL defense with championship aspirations.
But, in the absence of Miller, the Broncos have become a better team.
Here is what I mean:
The Denver defense has been prodded to step out from behind the shadow of Miller's awesome talent. His lack of maturity has forced the Broncos to realize that the 24-year-old linebacker can be the wild card in the team's run to the Super Bowl, but Miller's tenuous status within the league's drug program means he can no longer be trusted to be a cornerstone player.
In Miller's absence, the Broncos are weaker in talent, but have sharpened their edge.
There's a chip on the shoulder, caused by the leaguewide assumption this defense is just along for the ride on the coattails of quarterback Peyton Manning.
That notion ticks off the Broncos who play for defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
And that's a good thing.
While Miller tries to figure out ways to kill hours as he sits out the rest of his dunce time in the principal's office, there's no question the young leader growing a little more every week is linebacker Wesley Woodyard.
In a league that wants to play faster on offense, it is the speed of Wood- yard that kills the confidence in foes. A year ago, Woodyard made the Broncos believe they could live without D.J. Williams. This season, the line to the Pro Bowl for your local heroes begins behind Woodyard. And that includes you, Mr. Miller.
Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick is quick. With Chip Kelly the "It" coach of the moment, the new genius of offensive innovation, the Eagles are the NFL's hot technology item.
Big deal.
Woodyard can't wait to make the Eagles suck wind at 5,280 feet above sea level.
"There is no hype about that altitude," Woodyard said Thursday. "The altitude is a different beast. They're going to get a test of it."
Here's thinking if the Eagles are crazy enough to punch the fast forward button in Colorado, Manning and the Broncos might well hang 50 points on Philadelphia.
Call Miller irresponsible. But, in his absence, the Broncos have grown more accountable. No slackers. Never satisfied. Always striving.
"I think the coaches, I would venture to say, would be pleased with that," said Manning, whose relentless pursuit of perfection has permeated the locker room. "Guys are being accountable on this team. We watch film by ourselves in certain periods and we hear guys speaking up, saying, 'Hey, I didn't do my job there.' Talking about being accountable. Those are the kinds of guys you want to play with. Guys who take pride in their profession, guys who aren't satisfied with just doing OK. They really want to excel doing their job."
Guys who excel in the departments Von needs work. Miller tried to get by on talent. Charm his way past the rules with a Pro Bowl grin. Hey, it worked great until he got busted.
Since the forced absence of Miller, however, there has been no messing around by the Broncos.
There is a harder edge, a tone set by the bone-shaking tackling of safety Duke Ihenacho, the infectious enthusiasm of Woodyard and the gold-standard professionalism of veteran cornerback Champ Bailey.
Without Miller, the Broncos are not as talented.
But the clown car has been parked at the curb, bro.
There's nothing difficult to understand about what Del Rio demands from his defense:
Get with the program. Get on the bus. And get going.
This article gets me pumped. Also makes me appreciate Woodyard so much more, i hope we sign him to a long term deal.
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