A smorgasbord of notes …
The Broncos’ MVP through six games? My highly scientific poll, conducted in the dressing room after Sunday’s 28-20 victory over New England, produced no definitive answers.
“The defensive line,” linebacker Ian Gold said.
“We’ve got so many guys making plays, it’s tough to say,” safety John Lynch said.
“The running backs, all three of them,” defensive end Trevor Pryce said.
“It’s hard to select just one guy, because every game somebody else steps up,” defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. “For the past two weeks it’s been Tatum Bell, but we’re 5-1 and it’s hard to pinpoint. Next week it could be somebody else.”
In the end, that may be the biggest reason this team is better suited to sustain success than the Broncos of 2003-04, who also started 5-1, only to fizzle down the stretch. Unlike years past, these Broncos have only one indispensable player, quarterback Jake Plummer. That’s a good thing in the era of the salary cap, when depth is an issue throughout the NFL. …
Ekuban, by the way, is emerging as a major presence in the locker room. To wit: coach Mike Shanahan gave the players last Monday and Tuesday off, but Ekuban convinced his teammates to watch film together on Monday after nearly letting a victory slip away against Washington. Said Lynch: “Ebenezer, to a lot of people’s dismay, suggested it. They said, ‘You know, Eb, we could watch it on Wednesday.’ But we came in and watched it on Monday. That’s what leadership is all about, guys stepping up and doing things that maybe aren’t popular, but they make a difference.” …
If Plummer is the Broncos’ only indispensable player, who’s next on the list? Middle linebacker Al Wilson comes to mind. Then there’s Todd Sauerbrun. He had seven punts at 52.3 yards per on Sunday, increasing his average to 48.1 yards through six games. Nothing noteworthy there except that the franchise record is 46.9 by Tom Rouen in 1998. …
Pryce, on quarterback Tom Brady leading the Patriots back in the fourth quarter: “I knew it was going to happen. That’s just what he is. Why he’s not the league MVP year in and year out, I really don’t know. … I don’t think people realize how good he is. It’s a shame.” …
So it isn’t the logo. And Bill Belichick doesn’t bore the opposing team to sleep, either. The Patriots really do have to have good players to win. You have to wonder: Unless the league office lets them collect $200 and advance to the NFC North, is the Pats’ amazing run over? …
The Broncos had more flags than the United Nations building in the first quarter. Denver was called for seven penalties in the first 15 minutes, tying the Broncos’ season high for an entire game. They were flagged seven times at Miami and 20 times in their next four games. …
How improved are the Broncos’ special teams? A moment late in the first quarter provided the answer. The Broncos could have had the ball on their 20 after a punt, but Shanahan decided to accept a penalty and have the Pats re-kick. The decision backfired when a penalty left the Broncos on their own 3, but there’s a moral to the story: With Darrent Williams back there, Shanahan believes big plays are coming. …
Hey, whatever it takes: Gerard Warren, all 325 pounds of him, dropping back into pass coverage. …
The Broncos are 4-0 at home for the first time in the 21st century. The last time it happened was in 1998, when they opened the season with 13 straight wins. …
Random thought while watching Jake the Snake air it out: Spiking the ball no longer ranks as the highest-risk play in the Broncos’ playbook. …
Wide receiver Ashley Lelie, expressing satisfaction over the Broncos’ 5-1 start: “Just because of the type of teams we’re beating. We’re not just beating rinky-dink teams. Not to say anybody in the NFL is a rinky-dink team, but we’ve played some pretty good teams.”
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM and today on ESPN Classic’s “Classic Now.” He can be reached at 303-820-5452 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
