Glendale, Ariz. – A game ball was given out, an extra day off for Christmas week was added and postgame cheers filled the locker room. It’s a victory week in Denver again.
For the first time since being in the cramped, dark visitors locker room at Oakland way back on Nov. 12, the Broncos were pleasant people to be around.
“It’s been so long you forget what it feels like,” said Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, who intercepted two passes. “You forget all the good things that go with winning.”
The final week of that 35-day drought seemed to deliver more focus for the defense. The unit had been superb the first six weeks of the season, but contributed to the team’s four- game losing streak with some shoddy play recently.
It was clear all week that the Denver defense was fed up. Monday, several players said the unit had to revert to its golden age. It had to start making plays. Bailey said the defensive players had to iron out their own problems.
Coach Mike Shanahan challenged the entire team and the defense took it to heart. Defensive captain John Lynch said it was a calm talk, but termed it a “calling out.” Wednesday, defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said he told his unit it must show an “urgency” and to make the big plays it had been missing.
The week of pushing carried over to the playing field Sunday in a 37-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
“It was our cleanest, best game in six or seven weeks,” said Broncos defensive tackle Gerard Warren, who on Monday said the team needed to stress fundamentals in its final three regular-season games. “We picked the right time to get it back together. If we’re going to ride this thing out in the playoffs, we have to play the way we did today.”
The Denver defense was more aggressive Sunday, attacking Arizona in a way not seen the past few games. Arizona converted only 4-of-12 third downs and a harassed Cardinals rookie quarterback Matt Leinart threw two interceptions.
“We were aggressive all game,” said Domonique Foxworth, who was back at cornerback because of a toe injury to Darrent Williams. Foxworth had been filling in at safety the past two games before replacing Williams on Sunday. “We knew we had to get ourselves out of this mess and we felt all week that it was up to us to go out and correct what we were doing wrong.”
One issue during the slump was a lack of tackling, particularly against the running game. Arizona tailback Edgerrin James, who had success against Denver while with Indianapolis, was ineffective much of the game and gained only 63 yards rushing. After getting crushed by LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson in recent weeks, the Broncos took James out of the game.
The secondary also had been hit hard recently, but Sunday, Arizona receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Bolden never hurt Denver.
“This defense was strong for six games,” Bailey said. “It’s the same defense. It’s the same guys. Today, we got back to being that same defense. We went after people.”
Much of the aggression started up front. Denver used several different alignments with its front four and it created a better pass rush. The Broncos had three sacks and Leinart was ineffective on the run much of the game.
“The pressure was there,” Broncos defensive line/tackles coach Andre Patterson said. “We made it tough on them all game.”
And the Broncos’ defensive players finally made it easier on themselves again.
“Our guys really brought it today,” Coyer said. “They wanted it, they went after it and they got it.”
Denver’s “D” defined
Broncos reporter Bill Williamson looks at three keys to Denver’s improved defensive play Sunday in a 37-20 victory at Arizona:
Getting urgent: This was a vocal week at Dove Valley. Players were talking. Coaches were talking. The defense knew it had to get out of its slump. The Broncos played with the necessary urgency and effort Sunday.
Making do: With right cornerback Darrent Williams out, the Broncos switched Domonique Foxworth to cornerback from safety, where he had been playing as a replacement for Nick Ferguson, who is out for the season because of an injury. Foxworth was solid at cornerback, and Curome Cox started at safety.
Switching it up: The defensive line was more active than it had been all season. It used more alignments, including using three players on one side of the center. This put great pressure on Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
