Cleveland
Notes from the Dawg Pound …
Good thing the Broncos have the NFL’s best defense. It figures to come in handy Sunday when the Colts arrive at Invesco Field.
How talented are the Men of Manning? The Broncos have allowed 44 points in six games. They allowed 41 and 49 to the Colts in back-to-back playoff games after the 2003 and 2004 seasons, respectively.
“I don’t think any of us will forget” those games, Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said. “I’d like to. I wish I didn’t have to remember how good they are.”
Coyer says facing Peyton Manning is the ultimate challenge for any NFL defense.
“It starts with the quarterback,” he said. “He’s a coach on the field. He gets them out of bad plays and into good ones. He can read your coverage in a heartbeat. He is the best, so you’ve got to prepare knowing he’s the best. … In my estimation, he’s head and shoulders above the league as a quarterback.” …
Middle linebacker Al Wilson, when a reporter expressed doubt that the Broncos could shut out the Colts: “Yes, you can. Why not? They’re human just like we are. You can go in there and say you’re going to shut out the Colts, but we also understand they have a high-powered offense and it may not happen that way. When they do make plays, we’ve got to keep our poise, do what we do and let the chips fall where they may.” …
It’s not like the Colts don’t have their issues. They went into Sunday last in the league in run defense, prompting them to acquire Tampa Bay D tackle Anthony McFarland before the trading deadline. Said Colts coach Tony Dungy, “We’re not as sharp as we need to be, but a lot of it is correctable. I think we’ll get better as the season goes on. But right now, there’s no doubt we’re not as good as we need to be.” …
You’ll be glad to know the T-shirt business remains brisk outside Browns Stadium. The hottest seller? The one with “Got teeth?” on the front and “Toothlessberger” on the back, as in Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. …
At least they’re equal opportunity offenders. Another T-shirt proclaimed “Fire Carthon,” as in Browns offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. …
Rookie Brandon Marshall has finally moved into the No. 3 receiver role. He caught two passes, including his first NFL touchdown catch in the third quarter. Said John Lynch, “That’s a guy we were all high on in the offseason. It’s great to see him come in and establish himself. I remember being a young player. You just need to do it one time to get the feel of it.” …
Random thought du jour: Was it just my imagination or did the tight end used to be part of the Broncos offense? …
For the record, Tony Scheffler and Stephen Alexander have combined for seven catches in six games. What gives? For one thing, the Broncos have faced a handful of 3-4 defenses, which requires keeping a tight end in to block a linebacker. …
Elvis Dumervil, five sacks in two games. And to think, last year’s team leaders tied with four. His thoughts? “Can’t talk,” Dumervil said. “Veteran rules.” Veteran rules? “Man law,” tackle Demetrin Veal said. …
By the way, at the risk of telling you something you already knew, the Broncos didn’t score in the first quarter. …
They’re ahead 17-0 and a moment or two later, it’s 17-7. Moral to the story: As we speak, there’s only one quarterback who can beat the Broncos. His name is Jake Plummer. …
Jake stat of the day: Those seven interceptions match his total for the 2005 season. And if you saw Sunday’s game, you know he should have had at least one more….
How deep do the issues run for the Broncos offense? Their defense has been nothing short of phenomenal, but going into Sunday the Broncos’ opponents had 84 first downs to Denver’s 82. That’s ancient history now, thanks to the Browns, who accounted for 10 first downs to the Broncos’ 22. …
The final word, courtesy of Lynch. So John, how about that Dumervil kid? “It’s nice to see that. I told him last week, ‘Elvis is still alive.”‘
Catch Jim Armstrong from 6-9 a.m. during “The Press Box” on ESPN 560 AM. He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
