With more than 80 receiving yards in each of the last three games — and 887 yards this season — Brandon Marshall has established himself as one of the league’s premier receivers.
But that’s not enough, or so he was recently told by Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin.
Marshall said Irvin, the former Dallas Cowboys star, tracked him down after the Broncos’ 31-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders last Sunday, and the two had dinner. Marshall said he let Irvin do most of the talking.
“He put a lot of things in perspective for me, like it doesn’t matter if they’re rolling coverage or a double-team, impose your will at all times,” Marshall said.
Marshall admitted that lately he might not have been playing as aggressively as he could when he’s either away from the play or facing a double-team.
“If I can give our offensive coordinator and Jedd Fisch, our receivers coach, and Jay (Cutler) the confidence in me that it doesn’t matter if they put two guys on me or three guys on me, I’m going to get the job done,” Marshall said.
Marshall may have plenty of receiving yards, but he has only four touchdowns. He had three TD catches in September but has only one since — the game-winner against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 6.
“I just want to pick it up statistically so I can give our team an opportunity to get in this postseason. My number one goal is playoffs, and my individual goals are second to that, but I always want to do well,” Marshall said. “I’ve kind of just been playing OK, and just good sometimes. I think it’s time for me to get back to playing great and dominating and forcing my will onto defensive backs.”
Return near.
Middle linebacker Nate Webster said his injured knee is “feeling real good,” and he hopes to be able to return for Denver’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 7.
Webster has missed two games since spraining his medial collateral ligament in the first quarter against Cleveland and is not expected to play this week against the New York Jets.
He started practicing with the scout team this week and also has been shadowing replacement Spencer Larsen during other drills.
“I’ve got to keep my mind sharp on the defensive calls and my mind conditioned for football,” Webster said.
Royal practices.
Receiver Eddie Royal was limited in his practice participation on Thursday after being listed as out on Wednesday.
Officially, the team lists Royal as having a toe injury.
“I’m not sure what we’re calling it,” he said, when asked if it was turf toe.
But when asked which toe, he told reporters to “pick one.”
Royal missed the Jacksonville game Oct. 6 with a sprained ankle that has bothered him since.
Lindsay H. Jones and Mike Klis,
The Denver Post
