ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—It’s called a trial by fire, and rookie Perrish Cox isn’t one to argue that designation.
The Denver Broncos cornerback has gotten through the initial murky haze of pro life and come through on the other side relatively unscathed many times during his rookie season.
He’s also been burned more than once by opposing quarterbacks who have targeted him often, given his newbie status.
“Truthfully, I think I have the talent,” Cox said of the up-and-down start to his career that, because of Broncos injuries, has meant more early playing time than anticipated. “It’s a lot of the smaller things.”
A few instances during last Sunday’s loss in Baltimore encapsulated those little details that add up to a lot.
First, Baltimore’s Derrick Mason suckered him on a double move, a trend that began in Cox’s first start against Indianapolis and has only continued since.
“I kind of noticed how easy it was to cover a comeback. It was too easy. I should have known something was up,” Cox explained.
Mason then drew a penalty on the young corner in the end zone, setting up first-and-goal at the 1.
“The ball was actually short and I had time to get my head around and play the ball,” Cox added. “But I played the receiver and him being a 14-year veteran, he jumped into me to cause the pass interference.”
Experiences such as these sent Cox into the film room this week for extra study time with position coach Ed Donatell.
With starting right corner Andre’ Goodman already ruled out with a quadriceps injury, Cox will start for the third time in four games against the New York Jets on Sunday. The young corner wanted a better handle on the smart tricks veteran receivers play to free themselves, which are only heightened when they’re paired with a veteran quarterback.
Cox also has tried to get a grasp on playing with improved leverage hand placement.
“He’s working really hard,” Donatell said. “Every rookie in the league goes through the same thing. It’s an education process and we’re very pleased the way he’s headed. This guy’s had a great week studying, and he listens to the veteran players. I see a very bright future for this player.”
Cox, a fifth-round pick last April out of Oklahoma State, had batted away seven passes already, which ranks in a tie for second in the league behind only the Jets’ Antonio Cromartie and the Ravens’ Fabian Washington (8).
That statistic, though, not only speaks to Cox’s ability in man coverage but to the likes of Joe Flacco and Peyton Manning testing his mettle repeatedly.
They’d rather deal with Cox, who also has an interception and 13 solo tackles, than nine-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey on the other side.
“I’m not going to say it’s tougher. It’s a little more complicated than I thought it was,” Cox said of his transition so far. “There’s a lot of things I haven’t seen.”
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REUNITED: It’s always hard to break long-standing bonds. And so it is with Denver nose tackle Jamal Williams and New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who spent nearly a decade together in San Diego but now find themselves as new faces in different places.
The two still text each other, if just to check in on their respective families.
But on Sunday, they’ll suit up on different sidelines, for the first time not working toward a common goal, and trying to inflict damage upon each other.
“I always wished for this day, for nine years, during all those practices and training camps, when they said, ‘Don’t touch the quarterback. Don’t touch L.T.’ Now my wish has come true,” said Williams, who made three Pro Bowls to Tomlinson’s five with the Chargers. “It’ll be fun, because we’re good friends. But it’ll be weird trying to knock his head off. But, hey, business is business.”
Tomlinson told Denver reporters this week that he never thought he would play his entire career in San Diego, which began in 2001, and the day would come where he’d switch uniforms. But Williams said in a “million years” he never envisioned a scenario when both players would face each other with neither in the Chargers’ powder blues.
“I knew what type of crew we had, what kind of teammates we had, how hard I worked, how hard he worked, so I thought we’d be there forever,” said Williams, who was drafted by San Diego in 1998 and signed with Denver following his release by the Chargers in March. “But this is the NFL.”
And between the lines in the league, friendships sometimes have to be put aside, even if the two longtime teammates will find time for a meal together in Denver this weekend.
“I’m pretty sure he’s looking forward to try and tackle me,” Tomlinson said. “And I look forward to try and make his big butt miss.”
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ET CETERA: RB Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) practiced for a second straight day but his availability Sunday remains questionable. Moreno still hasn’t taken part in a full practice since Sept. 23. WR Demaryius Thomas was symptom free Thursday and passed a post-concussion test, allowing him to return to Friday’s workout. Coach Josh McDaniels said Thomas won’t return kicks if he plays Sunday because he’s missed too many special teams repetitions. Denver is expected to activate S Kyle McCarthy, a rookie out of Notre Dame, to bolster special teams and add depth to a depleted secondary.
