KANSAS CITY, MO. — Josh Mallard was at Dove Valley for only a few hours but was amazed by the accountability and leadership he witnessed in the Broncos’ defensive veterans.
“The vets were talking all week, in the locker room and on the practice field,” said Mallard, a defensive end who was signed Tuesday and was on the field Sunday in the Broncos’ emotionally charged 27-11 victory at Arrowhead Stadium. “I wasn’t here the week before, but you could just tell the intensity and the motivation was there. It spilled over to this game.”
The “attitude adjustment” – as defensive back Domonique Foxworth put it – was stoked by a raw players-only meeting Wednesday morning that quickly got Mallard’s attention. Kicker Jason Elam said it was the first such meeting since 1997, which he credited for spurring the team’s first Super Bowl run.
Players, young and experienced, spoke at the impromptu meeting which took place after the team’s weekly Wednesday morning meeting with coach Mike Shanahan.
Told of Mallard’s first impressions of the defensive fire, Elam said: “It wasn’t like that before. And that wasn’t a bad thing. But we were at a point of the season, where guys felt we needed to get more vocal. We had to decide where we wanted to go as a team. We showed that same feeling today.”
Defensively, it was clear the Broncos were a more focused team. Denver’s abysmal defense improved in the first two games after the bye week, but took a step back in its 44-7 loss at Detroit last week.
It was Denver’s best defensive effort of the season. It gave up three field goals and the Chiefs added a safety on a blocked punt. This was the first time all season Denver did not allow a touchdown.
The defense was a major reason Denver took the game over in the second half. Kansas City led 8-6 at halftime, but the Broncos outscored the Chiefs 21-3 in the final 30 minutes. Denver made three of its four takeaways in the second half, leading to 14 Denver points.
The turning point came in the third quarter when Denver second-year defensive end Elvis Dumervil sacked starting quarterback Damon Huard and forced a fumble. Linebacker Nate Webster picked up the ball and ran 17 yards for the score to give Denver a 20-8 lead. The Broncos had just taken the lead on a 20-yard touchdown run by Selvin Young three plays after cornerback Dré Bly returned an interception 18 yards to the Chiefs’ 31.
“We took advantage of things today,” said Denver left cornerback Champ Bailey, who had one of three Bronc0s interceptions. “That’s what defenses have to do. We have to make game-changing plays.”
While the defense has been improving, defensive head coach Jim Bates has bemoaned the fact the Broncos have allowed too many big plays in recent weeks. The Chiefs had only one play of more than 20 yards, a second-quarter 23-yard reception by rookie receiver Dwayne Bowe.
“We basically decided enough is enough,” said Foxworth who performed well along with fellow young safety Hamza Abdullah, starting in place of a healthy Nick Ferguson. “The leaders on this defense stepped up and said they were going to change things. What was happening was unacceptable. It was simple as that.”
Bailey said what made the emotional week pay off was that the younger players on defense bought into the veterans’ message this week.
“It comes down to pride,” Bailey said. “We got beat badly last week and all during the week, we all talked about not taking that stuff anywhere. We all knew we had to show up today. This was a start. It’s not “it” yet. We’re not there yet, but we know what we have to do, and that’s what this week was all about. We recognized we needed a change.”
Turning the page?
Denver won the turnover battle 4-1 on Sunday in its 27-11 victory at Kansas City. Broncos reporter Bill Williamson reviews the team’s takeaways and their impact:
Takeaway No. 1: Cornerback Karl Paymah intercepted a pass by Damon Huard in the first quarter at the Denver 2-yard line. Result: Denver punted on its next series.
Takeaway No. 2: Cornerback Dré Bly intercepted a pass from Huard in the third quarter and returned it 18 yards to the Kansas City 31. Result: Selvin Young ran 20 yards for a touchdown to give Denver a 13-8 lead.
Takeaway No. 3: Elvis Dumervil sacked Huard, who fumbled the ball. Result: Nate Webster picked it up and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown and a 20-8 lead.
Takeaway No. 4: Cornerback Champ Bailey intercepted a fourth-quarter pass by Brodie Croyle and returned it 3 yards to the Denver 40. Result: Denver failed to convert on fourth down at the Kansas City 26.
Bill Williamson: 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com
