For the notes, they are a-changin’. …
The biggest difference in the Broncos of today compared to the team that reported to training camp?
The defensive line, says Rod Smith. Specifically, all the ex-Browns who have stepped in and stabilized what had been a problem area in recent seasons.
“We didn’t know what we really had,” Smith said. “The Cleveland Broncos are doing pretty good. Those guys have had a huge impact on our team.
“They’ve helped us win a lot of games. When we came to camp, we didn’t know what they’d bring. We were just bringing in big bodies.” …
How happy are the Browncos these days? The Broncos have won 14 games this season, five more than the Browns won in the 2003 and 2004 seasons combined. …
Gerard Warren, on being alive and well in Denver, Colo.: “I’m not too excited, man. You can get too caught up in the moment about being in the playoffs. That’s not the purpose, being in the playoffs. It’s to win the playoffs.” …
Talk about representin’. There will be four former CSU players in uniform for the AFC championship game – Bradlee Van Pelt, Cecil Sapp, Joey Porter and Clark Haggans.
By the way, in case you’re wondering, CSU finished 11-2 and beat Missouri in the Holiday Bowl in 1997, when Porter and Haggans were tackling everything that moved. …
What, you think Champ Bailey‘s talents are limited to the field? No way. To wit: Bailey predicted on ESPN radio before the season that the Broncos would finish with 22 interceptions.
And how many do they have going into Sunday’s game? That would be 22, thank you very much. …
Todd Sauerbrun is listed at 215 pounds, but Mike Shanahan mentioned in passing the other night that Sauerbrun weighs 220. What gives?
Sauerbrun insists he’s 215. “A very slim 215,” he said. “I need every bit of it. Any lighter and you can’t make hits.”
The fumble Sauerbrun forced against the Patriots came on his first tackle of the season. But that’s nothing. That season- saving tackle Ben Roethlisberger made against the Colts was the first of his career. …
Just wondering: Now that three days have passed, has Shanahan sent Canada’s own Mike Vanderjagt a case of Moosehead yet? …
They’re the No. 6 seed in the AFC and needed a missed field goal and a desperation tackle by their quarterback to get here, but the Steelers are going to beat the Broncos on Sunday? Maybe so, but if it’s all the same to you, I’ve got to see it to believe it. …
How important has No Mistake Jake Plummer been to the Broncos? Consider this: They’re 4-2 in games in which he throws an interception, 10-1 when he doesn’t. …
Yyyyyouch! ESPN radio’s Mike (Golic) & Mike (Greenberg) before last weekend rated Plummer No. 7 among the eight remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs, just ahead of the Bears’ Rex Grossman, he of the eight career starts. …
It took Plummer three years in Shana- han’s system to get the Bronx to the conference championship game, just as it took John Elway three years under Shanahan to get them to a Super Bowl.
Moral to the story: Relax, all you fans of teams with young quarterbacks. Takes time. …
Eat your heart out, Raider Nation. The Broncos have won more games this season (14) than Da Raiduhs have won in the past three (13). …
And finally, here’s remembering a man whose guts and convictions made so many millions for so many athletes. Curt Flood would have been 68 today.
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.
