In the meadow we can build a notes column. …
Five interceptions in five weeks and a Pro Bowl berth a matter of days away. You wonder what Champ Bailey would be doing if he could ever get healthy.
“Put it like this,” said Bailey, when asked if he had been 100 percent at any point this season. “I haven’t had a point where I’ve felt good, but I’m going to play 100 percent. … I’ve been hurt most of the year, but a lot of guys out there are sucking it up and going.” …
Bailey, when asked how much pride he took in tackling: “Guys like Deion (Sanders) don’t like to tackle, but I pride myself on getting it done one way or the other. I want to be a complete corner, not just a guy who can cover.” …
If it wasn’t there before, add Mike Shanahan‘s name to Brian Billick‘s Christmas-card list.
Shanahan knew he was going to get questions about Billick’s bizarre strategy, and let the record show he had his back. Shanahan said he “thought it was smart” that Billick kicked away with a two-point deficit and less than 2 minutes to play. …
Shanahan also was supportive of Billick’s decision to go for six on fourth-and-goal at the Broncos’ 1 with 10 minutes to play when a field goal could have cut the Ravens’ deficit to six.
If you saw the look on Baltimore GM Ozzie Newsome‘s face in the press box, you got the distinct impression he didn’t share Shanahan’s approval. …
The Broncos won by two points against a team that committed four turnovers. Do the math, sports fans. And to think, Trevor Pryce said he was impressed by Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller. “I didn’t know that guy was that fast,” Pryce said. “Any time a quarterback can run away from me even a little bit, I’m always impressed. He’s an athlete. He was scared to death, but he’s pretty quick.” …
So, just for the sake of argument, would the Broncos stand a chance in the AFC championship game at Indianapolis? Not with the pass rush they brought Sunday, they wouldn’t. …
Strange how these things happen. The Broncos generally have gotten consistent pressure on the quarterback but have ranked near the bottom of the league in sacks throughout the season. Said Al Wilson, “I’ll take pressure over sacks any day. We’ve put a lot of pressure on the quarterback, but a lot of times it doesn’t show up in the books. We can’t worry about sacks. … Stats in the end are nothing but numbers.” …
Random thought du jour: Not that the Broncos looked bad, but, like, did they have their office Christmas party Saturday night? …
For the record, that was Jason Elam‘s third missed extra point in 13 seasons. Hey, don’t expect me to criticize him. I take two mulligans a side and hit it till I like it on the first tee box. …
The red flag came flying out of Shanahan’s pocket in the fourth quarter. Nothing unusual there. The Broncos, according to Stats Inc., have challenged more plays (59) than any other NFL team since the replay system was established in 1999. Of those 59, 24 have been reversed, also the highest figure in the league. …
Saw it, still not sure if I believe it: It took the Broncos until the fourth quarter to have a run for double-digit yardage. …
Don’t look now, but if Rod Smith is overlooked, as he so often has been, the Broncos might get shut out of a Pro Bowler on the offensive side of the ball. …
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth: The Broncos are a different team when they aren’t forcing turnovers. As in, they have a way of looking like an altogether ordinary team. …
Guilty, your honor. I thought the Broncos were beyond that kind of performance. But then, that was the problem. The Broncos thought they were beyond that kind of performance, too. …
Just wondering: What is it with all these opposing defensive players dropping would-be Jake Plummer interceptions? The guy throws a better Vaseline ball than Gaylord Perry. …
The bottom line? Why am I thinking the Chiefs and Chargers would rather have won ugly, too, than lost pretty?
“They’re not always going to be pretty,” Plummer said. “We could be on the other side like those guys were.”
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-820-5452 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
