Editor’s note: Rookie cornerback Domonique Foxworth, whom the Broncos drafted in the third round this year, will share his thoughts and experiences with readers in a weekly journal throughout the season. Foxworth was a three-year starter at Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies and graduated in 3 1/2 years.
Coaching strategies and player talent don’t have as much bearing on the outcome of an NFL game as in lower levels of competition. From Pop Warner through high school and college football, devising a great game plan or having exceptional players would almost ensure a win in the weekend’s game.
The coaches of a youth team know they can count on the double reverse they had been practicing all week to baffle a bunch of 10-year-olds and give them a needed score. High school players feel confident that on fourth-and-1 they can give the ball to the fastest kid on the team and get out of the way. Even in college football, some teams, coaches and players are lions and some are not.
In the NFL, everyone is a lion. Each team has spectacular athletes and enters each game with a complex game plan designed to attack and exploit the opponent.
So what is the variable that decides the outcome of the games? The character on our team and faith in one another was what made the difference Sunday.
Coming off an upsetting loss in Miami and a rough first half at home against San Diego, a team of lesser character might have folded. But our halftime locker room was high-spirited as team leaders reiterated the importance of this game.
When we came together before leaving the locker room, each team member was committed to just do his job as well as he could.
The value of being united was never more evident to me than when we were returning to the field for the second half. We were greeted by boos and slurs from a few fickle home fans. The second half started with a big defensive play that sparked the team. From that point, play after play was made until the final play, a game-winner from the field-goal unit.
Good snap, good hold, good protection, good win.
As we walked back to the locker room showered by cheers from Broncos faithful, I couldn’t help but wonder what the halftime pessimists were thinking now.
