The text message arrived on the phone just as the question came from a reporter in the locker room. It was about the bye week. The Broncos earned it with a 47-14 clobbering of the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. What are the pros and cons to having a week of rest before an NFL playoff game?
Wide receiver Wes Welker looked up, smirking.
“It’s all pros. No cons. It’s like winning a playoff game. I don’t think there’s any negatives to it,” said Welker, who had a season-high, 19-yard punt return Sunday. “You have to make sure you stay sharp, make sure that you are practicing hard and staying in it, while also getting that recovery and rest you need. We haven’t had a bye since Week 4. It comes at a perfect time for us.”
En route to a 12-4 record, the Broncos played 13 consecutive weeks against a gauntlet of contenders and multiple playoff-bound teams. They lost their top weakside linebackers, underwent a seismic shift offensively and placed nine players on the Pro Bowl team. Now they arrive where the offseason motivation began last February: playoff redemption.
“It’s time to hit the restart button,” said defensive end DeMarcus Ware. “It still feels like Christmastime, Santa came to the house. You got the bag and you are able to open it and get your present out because you worked so hard. We get recovery time. And we control our own destiny.”
The work schedule brought smiles Monday.
The Broncos will practice Tuesday and Wednesday. They will be off Thursday through Saturday, returning to work Sunday for conditioning and meetings. Coach John Fox seeks a balance between preparation and much-needed rest to heal multiple players, most notably linebacker Brandon Marshall (sprained left foot), safety T.J. Ward (sprained neck), left guard Orlando Franklin (concussion), safety David Bruton (concussion and sprained neck) and tight end Julius Thomas (sore left ankle).
“We’ve got a lot of people banged up. The injury report is too long. I know Coach Fox is tired of reading it, because he told us that,” said running back C.J. Anderson. “So let’s try to shorten it, so he only has to read a few names.”
A break can dull a team’s edge, though. And despite a 37-28 loss at Cincinnati on Dec. 22, the Broncos are playing arguably their best football. They have won five of their past six games, capturing the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed. But improved physical health supersedes concerns about any potential mental lapse in a second-round playoff game against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati or Indianapolis on Jan. 11 at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
“I am hoping that in two weeks it’ll be a big change for me,” said Thomas, who hasn’t been the same since suffering an ankle injury in the Nov. 16 game at St. Louis. “I am looking to get over that hump and getting back to the guy I used to be.”
This is not last year’s Broncos, something often stressed at Dove Valley. Denver fell short of its goal of attaining home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs. But the Broncos earned the right to watch future opponents throw haymakers this weekend while sitting in cold tubs and hot tubs, and on couches. They will do so with confidence from a sharp change in identity.
The Broncos are more physical than they were last season. They have a legitimate running game and a tougher, revamped defense that ranks third in the NFL in total yards allowed (first in the AFC) and second against the run.
As such, the Broncos embrace their time off. They won’t spend time wringing their hands about what could have been had they beaten AFC top seed New England.
“It doesn’t hurt being the No. 2 seed. We had our opportunity, and they beat us. Being No. 2 still means a lot,” said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. “Plenty of teams have won Super Bowls without playoff home games. It’s a new season. And we start with some time off. That’s always great. It allows us to relax a little and be fans.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or
Relax, recovery, repeat?
The Broncos enter the playoffs with a bye for the third consecutive season. They are 2-2 in playoff games over the past two seasons. NFL reporter Troy E. Renck lists pros and cons to a bye:
Pros
• Bye week allows recovery time for Brandon Marshall, T.J.Ward, Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin, David Bruton and other injured players.
• Creates opportunity for banged-up receivers to practice and improve timing next week.
• Provides an opportunity to self-scout and clean up mistakes.
Cons
• Can lose momentum at a time when defense playing at its highest level.
• Allows next opponent to gain confidence with a first-round playoff win.
