Two undefeated teams. Two of the game’s top quarterbacks.
It’s a matchup primed for television and debates.
But Sunday’s matchup between the 6-0 Broncos and 6-0 Packers is just another, according former Broncos receivers Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey and former quarterback Jake Plummer.
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The three, who joined a roundtable with The Denver Post at the Broncos’ practice facility Wednesday, spoke candidly about their expectations for their former team Sunday. They spoke candidly about the criticism being thrown at quarterback Peyton Manning and the offense. They spoke about their experiences, as players and now spectators.
The noise, they say, is unrelenting. But it’s often misdirected.
“I know this as well as these guys do, but as a quarterback, your team is what matters, and this team is becoming quite a special team,” said Plummer, who played four seasons with the Broncos, three of them under then offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. “Defensively, offensively — all the guys are playing really hard for each other. People are looking at stats and the final score more than what’s happening on the field for four quarters. Yeah, they’re not blowing teams out, but as a fan, I don’t want to watch that.”
Sunday’s matchup has been emphasized because its between two 6-0 teams with elite quarterbacks. For Broncos fans, the Ring of Fame induction of longtime owner Pat Bowlen adds to the significance and nostalgia, as many members of the 1997 Super Bowl-winning team will be on hand to celebrate.
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But the game carries a different meaning for the 2015 Broncos with regards to their season and Super Bowl hopes, said McCaffrey, who won three Super Bowls in his career, two with the Broncos.
“I think the statement game is the Super Bowl,” he said, as Smith nodded in agreement. “When you’re in it and you win it, you’ve made a statement and no one has anything left to say. But you can test to where you are relative to other difficult opponents, and this game coming up against Green Bay is going to be their biggest test of the year — first team with a winning record, they’re undefeated. One of them is not going to be undefeated after this. But you want to see how you match up against the other elite teams in the NFL.”
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
