Posts tagged meeting
Broncos John Elway talks about the upcoming playoff game against the Ravens
Jan 11th
The Broncos finished the season on an 11-game winning streak for a 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC going into the playoffs. It was a year that ranked among the best regular seasons in franchise history, but those accomplishments will mean little if they are not followed by a strong postseason run. The players’ incentive for all their hard work throughout the year boils down to what happens over the next few weeks.
“Playoff football is exciting, that’s what you play for,” Elway said. “That’s what you start working out in March for and go through training camp to get in the position that we are right now.”
One of the biggest factors in the team’s success has been quarterback Peyton Manning’s record-setting regular season. With that portion of the year complete, Elway said that looking back, he’s been thrilled to see Manning perform so well after missing 2011 due to injury.
“No. 1, I’m happy for Peyton Manning, with the career that he’s had in the NFL and what he’s done for this game, for him to be able to bounce back like he has, I’m happy for him that he’s reached the level that he has again,” Elway said. “He’s pretty close to the Peyton of old. No. 2, I’m thrilled for us, the Broncos, the fact that he’s playing that well because we’re back in that No. 1 seed, back as one of the elite teams in this league. We’re able to go out and start the playoffs this week and compete for a Super Bowl championship. That’s why we play the game and why we work at this game.”
Denver is set for a rematch with the Ravens Saturday at 2:30 p.m. MST at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. In the first meeting of the season between the teams, the Broncos led 31-3 entering the fourth quarter and defeated Baltimore by a final score of 34-17. A key difference going into Saturday’s game is the health of the Ravens defense, which has welcomed back a trio of key contributors who were injured and inactive in Week 15.
“They’re a lot healthier now than they were when we played them,” Elway said. “(Linebacker) Ray Lewis was down, (Dannell) Ellerbe, their other inside linebacker, was down. So they were really banged up the last time we played them. They’re going to be at full strength, or close to full strength, this time.”
The return of those players has made one of Baltimore’s strengths throughout the season – the team’s red-zone defense – even more formidable. The Ravens’ playoff-opening win over Indianapolis in the Wild Card Round was highlighted by a bend-but-don’t-break defensive effort that yielded 25 first downs and 419 yards of total offense but only nine points.
“One thing that they are, and you noticed it last week also, was the fact that down in the red zone, they’re as good as anybody in the league,” Elway said. “I think they’re top 5, if not the best red-zone defense in the league. Last week they gave up three field goals to Indianapolis even though Indianapolis had the ball for 37 minutes. That’s why it’s going to be important for us to not only be good between the 20s, but when you get down in the red zone, we have to get it into the end zone.”
Another significant difference between Saturday’s game and the Week 15 matchup in Baltimore is the venue. Denver will have the advantage of playing in front of a home crowd that helped the Broncos win seven of their eight home games during the regular season.
“It will be great that we’re playing at Sports Authority Field at Mile High with the fans behind us,” Elway said. “It will bring back that great playoff atmosphere, which is great for the fans. We’ve played better at home. We did a better job this year, we’re 7-1 at home. We’re comfortable there and the fans have been great the whole year. But this is a different atmosphere and they’re going to be a big part of it, especially when (the Ravens are) on offense.”
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Woodyard’s skills and dedication make him a team leader
Jan 10th
This season, he fought for a Pro Bowl berth as one of the AFC’s most productive linebackers. Through 15 games, Woodyard is one of just four AFC players with at least 100 tackles, a sack and an interception. He’s set career highs in almost every category this season, including his three interceptions and four sacks.
“I’m trying to continue to work on my craft and get better every day,” Woodyard said. “My teammates believe in me, and I’ve just been having fun out there this year. Not worrying about anything, just going out there and playing football.”
He’s already earned some hardware this season, taking home his first career AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award after becoming the first player in team history to post one sack, one interception and one forced fumble in the same game during Denver’s 34-14 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 8.
As he’s gotten more time in the starting lineup, Woodyard’s confidence and comfort level have grown.
“Whenever we step on the field, we expect to win and we know we should win every game we play,” Woodyard said. “That confidence just seeps out of everybody’s pores in the game. You actually smell that confidence in the game. It’s not being overconfident, it’s just having fun and enjoying the game.”
While his season might have caught some people off guard, Woodyard’s teammates knew what he was capable if given an opportunity.
“It was only a matter of time,” cornerback and fellow team captain Champ Bailey said. “It’s all about opportunities. Most guys make the best of them and he’s one of them. I’m happy for him because I’ve seen how much he’s grinded away and worked up to this point.”
Linebacker Von Miller saw first-hand how hard Woodyard worked on the practice field and in their position’s meeting room.
“I’m not surprised at all,” Miller said. “Since I’ve been here, he’s been making big-time plays, doing big-time things, so for him to come out here and have the type of season that he’s having isn’t a surprise at all.”
UNDRAFTED UNDERDOG
In 2008, 253 players had their names called during the NFL draft, but Woodyard wasn’t one of them. Despite earning first-team All-SEC honors during his final two seasons at the University of Kentucky, where he led the conference with 10.6 tackles per game as a senior, Woodyard went undrafted.
He joined the Broncos as a free agent and immediately opened eyes with his work ethic and playmaking ability.
“I came in my rookie year and I just wanted to give them my all and have a shot to play the game that I love to play,” Woodyard said. “It was just exciting. It was a lot of hard work and determination. I just stuck by myself and believed in myself.”
He has played double-digit games in each of his five seasons, but still remembers where he started his career.
“I keep that chip on my shoulder,” Woodyard said. “I never take anything for granted. Always work hard and outwork whoever is out there beside you. It keeps me humble.”
After starting his rookie season as an undrafted free agent, he finished the year as a team captain. Woodyard has held that position ever since to become just the second Bronco in franchise history to serve as a captain in his first five seasons with the club, joining Hall-of-Fame running back Floyd Little with that distinction.
“I just lead by example,” Woodyard said. “I don’t like to talk a lot, I just like to go out there and do it the right way and do it the way I’ve been coached to do it. Do it the way my teammates depend on. That’s going out there and playing hard-nosed football until the end of the whistle every snap.”
Having climbed from the bottom of the depth chart to a starting role, Woodyard serves as a living example for the college free agents that join the team each summer fighting the odds for a spot on the roster.
“It gives me the opportunity to be on that same level and talk to them and tell them what they need to do and what they should do,” he said. “For the most part, they listen to me and they look up to me and they always seek out advice.”
In 2011, cornerback Chris Harris began the year as an undrafted free agent and has emerged as a starter this season.
Harris credits Woodyard’s leadership and example as a factor in his success.
“Just to always continue working,” Harris said about the advice he received from Woodyard. “Any time you see a guy go undrafted it definitely gives you a chance, knowing that you can come from the bottom and start in this league.”
COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CAPTAIN
Woodyard has taken that leadership beyond the playing field and into the community.
Named the Broncos’ recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in each of the previous two seasons, Woodyard said he enjoys using his position as a football player to help people.
“I think that’s what it starts with,” Woodyard said. “It’s important that we give back to the community and help out the community that we’re in. I think that’s what our world is missing. We don’t reach out and we don’t help enough people. That’s something with my status of being a football player in the NFL, I take advantage of every opportunity that I can to help out.”
Woodyard even set up his own foundation, 16Ways, which works with at-risk youth. As a team captain, Woodyard has tried to impress upon the younger players the importance of taking the time to be active in community enrichment programs.
“I love seeing guys sign up for them,” Woodyard said about the team’s community events. “I used to be the first one to sign up, now it’s funny, when I come around the corner, now there’s 10 guys that have already signed up for an event. That’s always good. Now there are more rookies at every event than I’ve ever seen.”
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Boulder County Commissioners reject agreement with Denver Water Board on the proposed Gross Reservoir expansion
Jan 8th
After hearing to more than six hours of public testimony over a span of two public hearings – Dec. 20 and Jan. 7 – and receiving more than 200 written communications from Boulder County residents, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously decided not to support the IGA.
The intergovernmental agreement was signed by the Denver Water Board on December 19, 2012, and would have served in lieu of review of the reservoir expansion project under the Boulder County Land Use Code. The IGA had been negotiated by the staffs of Boulder County and Denver Water as a way to address the impacts of the project and to define appropriate mitigation measures, but ultimately didn’t go far enough in protecting the quality of life for residents in the area in the opinion of the County Commissioners.
While they acknowledged some benefits that would result from the proposed agreement, the County Commissioners indicated that the terms of the proposed agreement did not do enough to protect the health, safety and welfare of their constituents or the environment and that they thought it was premature to enter into any agreement before the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement, which is due later in 2013.
Following the release of the final EIS, the commissioners will work with county staff on a thorough response to the findings, and continue to work with members of the public to address ongoing concerns about the impacts of the proposed project.
Visit www.bouldercounty.org/property/build/pages/moffatgrossiga.aspx for more information. To view the archived video from last night’s hearing, visit the hearings page and select the business meeting for Jan. 7 at www.bouldercounty.org/gov/meetings/pages/hearings.aspx.
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