Peyton Manning reacts to Broncos'
suspensions
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
September 4, 2014
Woe are the Broncos. Wes Welker is suspended, and Danny Trevathan is injured.
Is anybody outside Denver feeling sorry for the Broncos? Nobody feels sorry for a
team that has Peyton Manning.
Matt Prater, the great Broncos place-kicker who made a record 64-yard field goal
last season, also is suspended. Is there concern in Denver about the Broncos'
chances in their season opener Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts?
Not really. The feeling is Manning can overcome the loss of a field-goal kicker by
leading his offense to touchdowns.
Last season, the Broncos began with star pass rusher Von Miller suspended for six
games. Dark clouds hovered over Dove Valley. The Broncos were doomed.
Instead, Manning threw 22 touchdown passes in the first six games, and the
Broncos started 6-0.
Injuries are one thing. Every team deals with them. Distractions from bad news are
a little more severe. It's when times seem especially dire that a player such as
Manning senses a greater need to lead.
"It's different than an injury," Manning said. "I still put it in the adversity category,
so I think the way you deal with that is by closing the ranks, coming together even
tighter, feeding off one another. I try to stay positive in those situations. Everybody
else is talking about the negative going on. It's when you can find out a little bit
about your team and can you handle it. It's easy when everything's going smooth
and you don't have any types of adversity.
"Hopefully, last year will have prepared us for these types of situations. It's the
third year running we've had a starting player suspended (D.J. Williams in 2012,
Miller in 2013, Welker and Prater in 2014) to start the season. I don't think that's
something the Broncos want to brag about, but it's the reality."
Call the Colts-Broncos game Sunday night the Suspension Bowl. Manning's current
team will be missing Welker and Prater. Manning's former team won't have owner
Jim Irsay and pass rusher Robert Mathis.
Despite all the Broncos' troubles of late, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas haven't
blinked. The Broncos' over-under win total was set at 11½ before the Prater and
Welker suspensions. And it's at 11½ now.
In Manning, the oddsmakers trust. Especially when trouble swirls.
"I don't think he gets more intense," Broncos tight end Julius Thomas said. "It's not
a switch that he dials up and dials down. It's (always) all the way to the max."
After practice and his obligatory Wednesday news conference, Manning's gray
Broncos undershirt was soaked with perspiration as he stood in a quiet hallway
outside the players' locker room, pensive as always.
The Broncos' quarterback had just been asked numerous ways during his press
gathering about Welker's suspension. Predictably, Manning's answers were both
from the heart and well thought out.
In the privacy of the hallway, Manning was considerably more revealing about his
thoughts regarding Welker. The two have become close during their past 18 months
as teammates, and Manning genuinely felt for his friend.
"Nobody feels worse than he does," Manning said. "He got up and spoke to the
team today. He apologized to the team. He and I have been talking these past
couple weeks knowing this might be a possibility. He's not been able to sleep. He'll
learn from it and be better for it.
"As a team, we support him. We stick with him. It's not easy to stand in front of the
team like that. You find out during a time like this who your friends are, who sticks
with you. Me and Wes and Jacob (Tamme) and Britton Colquitt do a little Bible
study together, and we're praying for him. A lot of guys are thinking about him. It's
not an easy time, but I think he'll come back stronger and better."
The best way for the Broncos to support Welker and Prater? Win. That's where
Manning comes in.
Mike Klis: My conversation with Wes
Welker
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Broncos receiver Wes Welker e-mailed his statement to me last night after news
broke about his four-game suspension for violating the league’s performance
enhancement policy. It was raw and from the gut — which made it far more sincere
than most of those PR firm-composed statements. With all due respect to PR firms.
But Welker wanted to talk some more and we conversed by phone. He is especially
despondent and angry about reports it was a “molly” that flagged his positive test.
The way his voice raised an octave or two, there’s no way anyone talking to him
would believe he took it. He does think it’s possible someone dropped something in
his drink while at the Kentucky Derby. But he didn’t even want to go there because
of what he believes are flaws in the league’s drug policy process. He was emphatic
he didn’t take a “molly.”
“I wouldn’t have any idea where to get a Molly or what a Molly is,” he said. “That’s
a joke. I don’t do marijuana, I don’t do drugs. I don’t do any drugs.”
Welker was also upset about the breach in confidentiality. The ESPN report of his
suspension came less than 10 minutes after he finished a conference call with union
lawyers and officials on Tuesday evening (eastern time) in which the league’s
finding was revealed to him. The Broncos believe the league’s intention was to
announce Welker’s suspension on Monday, and have him serve it from games 2
through 5. This is what the league did with Cleveland Browns’ cornerback Joe
Haden in 2012 when he tested positive for a PED.
But once the suspension became public, it’s possible the league may have believed
it had little recourse but to go forward with announcement of Welker’s penalty and
that enforcement would start today. He was allowed into locker room this morning
to address his teammates but he had departed from the premises before 9 a.m.
Broncos coaches were not happy with the late-timing of the suspension revelation
as Tuesday was spent finishing up their game plan for opening game against
Indianapolis with the idea Welker would be cleared from his concussion to play. He
can return Oct. 6, the day after the Broncos’ fourth game against Arizona.
Peyton Manning speaks privately about
his friend and teammate Wes Welker
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
His gray undershirt soaked with perspiration, Peyton Manning stood in a quiet
hallway outside the Broncos’ locker room, pensive as always.
The Broncos’ quarterback had just been asked numerous ways during his press
conference Wednesday about his take regarding the suspension of his slot receiver
Wes Welker.
Just as predictably, Manning’s answers were both from the heart and well thought
out.
In the privacy of the hallway with a Denver Post reporter, Manning was
considerably more revealing about his thoughts regarding Welker. The two have
become close during their past 18 months as teammates and Manning genuinely
felt for his friend.
“Nobody feels worse than he does,” Manning said. “He got up and spoke to the
team today. He apologized to the team. He and I have been talking these past
couple weeks knowing this might be a possibility. He’s not been able to sleep. He’ll
learn from it and be better for it.
“As a team we support him. We stick with him. It’s not easy to stand in front of the
team like that. You find out during a time like this who your friends are, who sticks
with you. Me and Wes and Jacob (Tamme) and Britton Colquitt do a little Bible
study together and we’re praying for him. A lot of guys are thinking about him. It’s
not an easy time but I think he’ll come back stronger and better.”
Broncos cornerback Kayvon Webster
returns from dehydration
By Troy E. Renck
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Dehydration forced Kayvon Webster to be hospitalized, the cornerback said
Wednesday.
Webster and running back Ronnie Hillman required medical care last Thursday,
leaving them unable to return home with the team from Dallas. They practiced
Wednesday after limited participation earlier in the week.
Webster, a key figure in Denver's nickel package, said he expects to play in Sunday
night's season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, while Hillman said he would be
prepared if needed.
"I had a full body cramp. I didn't eat anything the night before, and my whole body
just kind of shut down," said Webster, who required assistance from a teammate to
leave the locker room Thursday. "I had to get IV treatments. I am back now. I feel
good. I am ready to go."
Hillman ran well during the past month, showing burst and no signs of the fumbling
issues that sabotaged him last season. He remains in line for reps against the Colts,
with Montee Ball expected to be eased in after an appendectomy that limited him to
one preseason series.
"I will be ready when they want me ready. I am good right now, and leave it there,"
Hillman said.
Webster and Hillman are key reserves. Webster backs up starting right cornerback
Chris Harris, who will be playing in his first game since tearing his left anterior
cruciate ligament Jan. 12 in a playoff game against the San Diego Chargers.
Webster was listed on Wednesday's injury report with an ankle injury suffered
during a walk-through Aug. 16. Hillman was not on the report.
Asked Wednesday if those players would be available for the game, coach John Fox
remained noncommittal.
"I am not going to get into who's going to be active or inactive in the game," Fox
said. "I never do that until an hour and and a half before kickoff."
Miller, on Watt's payday. Von Miller approved of J.J. Watt's new $100 million deal
with the Houston Texans that includes $51.8 million guaranteed. The linebacker
said it doesn't change his motivation for a contract, though both were in the same
2011 draft class.
"I have to do what I need to do and then leave it up to others," Miller said. "With
Watt, I don't know that anyone does more on and off the field for an organization
than he does. He deserves it."
Footnotes. The Broncos activated receiver Nathan Palmer from the practice squad
after Wes Welker's suspension and added offensive guard Ryan Miller, a former
Colorado star, to the practice squad. ... Lineman Ben Garland missed his second
consecutive practice with an ankle injury. ... Guard Louis Vasquez was listed on the
injury report with a back injury but said it was nothing to worry about. ... Safety
T.J. Ward watched "When the Game Stands Tall" with teammates this week. The
movie chronicles the story of his De La Salle High School coach, Bob Ladouceur, in
California. "It was weird watching a movie that I lived growing up," he said. ...
Running back Juwan Thompson, a key special-teams contributor, on making the
team: "It was a blessing, a happy day and a little bit overwhelming trying to find a
place to live and a car."
Ronnie Hillman, Kayvon Webster
particpating at practice; Ben Garland
sidelined
By Troy E. Renck
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Ronnie Hillman and Kayvon Webster inched toward availability for the season
opener, participating in individual drills on Wednesday. They were limited in
Monday’s practice as a concession to an undisclosed medical issue that surfaced
last Thursday. They required medical attention and returned to Denver last
Saturday, delayed by a day because they didn’t have proper identification to travel.
Offensive guard Ben Garland missed his second consecutive practice with a minor
ankle injury. He suffered the injury last Thursday against the Cowboys.
Hillman and Webster create depth at critical positions. Hillman figures to see plenty
of snaps as Montee Ball’s backup. Ball played one series in the preseason because
of an appendectomy, so it’s unrealistic to think he won’t be spelled against the
Colts. Webster functions as a top corner in nickel packages. He lost traction,
however, in the preseason, suffering a sprained ankle followed by missing
Thursday’s game with his illness. He required help from a teammate to leave the
locker room in Dallas after the game.
Webster and rookie Bradley Roby are the Broncos’ top reserve cornerbacks behind
Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, who likely will need rest while playing his first game
since Jan. 12 after tearing the ACL in his left knee.
Replacing Wes Welker won't be easy for
Broncos
By Troy Renck
The Denver Post
September 4, 2014
A picture of Wes Welker hangs in the hallway leading to the Broncos' locker room.
He's diving for a first down. The snapshot defines his career, his toughness.
Then came Tuesday.
The NFL suspended the receiver four games for violating the league's performanceenhancement drug policy. With a single positive test, Welker tarnished his
reputation and the Broncos lost oxygen in their rocket-fueled offense.
Now comes the hard part, replacing Welker, arguably the best slot receiver in NFL
history.
"I think it falls on a lot of people. It's easy to say one person has to fill that gap,
but I really feel it's maybe next men up, if that makes any sense," quarterback
Peyton Manning said. "It's kind of a plural thing."
Mike Rowe has nothing on Welker when it comes to "Dirty Jobs." Welker runs
underneath routes between the hash marks, exposing himself to becoming a
human pinball for linebackers and safeties. In the season opener last year, Welker
caught nine passes for two touchdowns, illustrating Manning's trust in him.
Welker's value amplifies in crucial situations. He caught 18 third-down passes last
season, one shy of Demaryius Thomas' team best. Welker turned 15 of those into
first downs, tying Thomas for the Broncos' lead.
"I think it will be difficult without him," CBS analyst Rich Gannon said. "Peyton can
do it, but it won't be as easy as people think. You can't just get his production from
anyone."
The Broncos will use everyone to try to make up the difference. Their options begin
with Emmanuel Sanders, a prized free-agent acquisition from the Pittsburgh
Steelers. Sanders starred in the preseason, though in limited snaps. He spent his
career in Pittsburgh as a slot receiver and said he's prepared to fill that role
Sunday, if necessary, which probably would leave Andre Caldwell in his spot.
"This isn't one of those systems where you have an outside receiver and an inside
receiver," Sanders said. "Everyone is moving around. And I've told you before, this
is one of the toughest offenses I have been a part of because you have to know
every single position on the field. Guys already know the concepts, have run those
routes. But of course we are going to miss him. He's Wes Welker."
Welker excels with quickness, cuts. Sanders moves like a blur, creating separation
with speed. He caught 18 third-down passes last season, four for touchdowns.
Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, a mad scientist of X's and O's, excels at
creating mismatches. He could lean more on Jacob Tamme in two-tight end sets
with Pro Bowler Julius Thomas. Tamme possesses wide receiver skills and said, "I
am ready to do whatever they need."
A third, if less likely, option is employing Caldwell and blossoming rookie Cody
Latimer in the slot. They are capable but lack experience.
The advantage the Broncos have at receiver starts at quarterback. Manning puts in
so much time with his receivers, beginning at Duke in March and continuing after
practices in June, that he has an uncanny familiarity with them.
"That's why you do all those things in the offseason. This is an opportunity for
someone," Manning said. "There are a number of guys who we are counting on to
step up and raise their level of play. You hope all the work pays off."
Slot machine
Replacing the suspended Wes Welker won't be easy. He was one of Peyton
Manning's favorite third-down targets, converting 15 of his 18 catches into first
downs last season. NFL reporter Troy E. Renck analyzes the Broncos' options:
WR Emmanuel Sanders: Quick. Mismatch for a linebacker or safety. Spent career in
Pittsburgh in slot.
TE Jacob Tamme: Reliable, versatile. Six of his seven third-down catches last
season went for first downs.
WR Andre Caldwell: Valuable insurance policy who has knack for making plays in
limited opportunities.
WR Cody Latimer: Has terrific leaping skills, making him a goal-line weapon. But
might be eased into mix.
Broncos teammates support suspended
Wes Welker after he apologizes
By Adrian Dater
The Denver Post
September 4, 2014
Before being officially barred from Broncos facilities for the next four weeks, Wes
Welker addressed the team Wednesday morning after his suspension by the NFL for
violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. The message: I'm very
sorry, but I'll be back.
"Wes just wanted us to know how much this team means to him, and how much we
mean to him, and what he's going to do when he gets back," Broncos tight end
Julius Thomas said. "There's nothing that can be done right now, but we know
when he comes back, he's going to be a man on a mission."
The mood at Dove Valley in the wake of Welker's suspension might best be
described as a weary "been there, done that." For the third consecutive season, the
team has had a top player suspended for violating drug policies, with Von Miller and
D.J. Williams the others.
Coach John Fox clearly isn't happy at losing one of his top receivers during the
week of the season opener against one of the AFC's best teams, the Indianapolis
Colts.
"Obviously, it wasn't great timing, because we'd picked our roster," Fox said.
"Obviously, I was very disappointed, but we honor the league's policies."
Fox said Welker, sidelined recently with a concussion, likely would have been
cleared to practice this week had he not been suspended.
Quarterback Peyton Manning called Welker's suspension a "self-inflicted wound" but
said the players support him.
"Unfortunately, it's something that's happened to us in the past," Manning said.
"We've had some players who we thought were going to be with us that weren't.
The good thing is, we were able to overcome it. It hasn't been easy, and it's
something you'd like not to have happen, but I think it's a little bit of a gut-check
time.
"Let's face it, last year we faced more adversity than I think anybody's ever faced,
with some suspensions, some injuries, our head coach had a heart attack (and was
out) for five weeks. The players and coaches that were here just kept it together."
Broncos' Peyton Manning, John Fox
disappointed in Wes Welker suspension
for drug violation
By Adrian Dater
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Wes Welker spoke with his Broncos teammates Wednesday morning, but he won't
be allowed in team headquarters for the next four weeks because he violated the
NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy. Not only is Welker's physical absence
likely to hurt the Broncos, but the distraction of another valuable player being lost
right before the season because of off-field behavior was clearly not well-received
by coach John Fox.
"I was very disappointed, but we honor the league's policies," Fox said Wednesday,
four days before Sunday's season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. "Guys will
have to step up like, like anytime we lose somebody."
Asked if he was surprised Welker was caught violating the league's PED policy,
which sources told The Denver Post was for taking Adderall, Fox said, "You do this
long enough, you're surprised, but not totally. We were disappointed, but we'll
move on."
Broncos tight end Julius Thomas said Welker addressed the team before practice.
"Wes just wanted us to know how much this team means to him, and how much we
mean to him, and what he's going to do when he gets back," Thomas said. "There's
nothing that can be done right now, but we know when he comes back he's going
to be a man on a mission."
This is the third season in a row a starting Broncos player has been suspended
before a season for violating league drug policies (Von Miller and D.J. Williams were
the others), something quarterback Peyton Manning said the organization "isn't too
proud of."
"I guess I wasn't shocked. It was something I thought might be happening, so it's
something we were somewhat prepared for. Unfortunately, it's something that's
happened to us in the past," Manning said. "We've had some players who we
thought were going to be with us that weren't. The good thing is, we were able to
overcome it. It hasn't been easy, and it's something you'd like not to have happen,
but I think it's a little bit of a gut-check time.
Let's face it, last year we faced more adversity than I think anybody's ever faced,
with some suspensions, some injuries, our head coach had a heart attack for five
weeks. The players and coaches that were here just kept it together."
Fox, who declined to say who might take Welker's spot on the depth chart, said
Welker, who had been out recently because of a concussion, probably would have
been cleared to practice this week had he not been suspended.
"Had he been able to practice today, I think he would have been cleared to
practice, but that doesn't necessarily mean cleared for the games," Fox said.
"Sometimes these things are blessings in disguise. Those extra four weeks will give
him plenty of time to heal."
Broncos general manager John Elway talked briefly with the media about Welker's
suspension before his 2 p.m. tee time at the BMW Championship golf tournament
pro-am.
"There's going to be more bumps in the road as we go," Elway said. "There's always
bumps, and it's a just a matter of how you handle the bumps, and we'll handle this
one. The next guy in line will step up. And we'll be ready to go against the Colts."
When asked about the shock of Welker's suspension, Elway again said: "We'll be
ready to go against the Colts" and walked away to the putting green.
Andrew Luck downplays round 2 vs.
Broncos QB Peyton Manning
By Adrian Dater
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Andrew Luck vs. Peyton Manning, round II.
Whether either quarterback wants to acknowledge it, that is the media storyline
entering Sunday's Broncos' season-opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports
Authority Field.
Luck won the first round last season, handing the Broncos one of their only three
losses, 39-33 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Luck, the third-year QB out of Stanford, will
have to win on Manning's home turf if he wants to make it 2-0 against Manning.
Wednesday afternoon, Luck did his best to downplay the sequel to last year's game,
which was Manning's first against his former longtime team.
"I've never really viewed it as facing Peyton," Luck said. "We're never on the field
at the same time. I don't think you ever really 'face' the other quarterback. You
face the defense, you face the team. That's what's great about football; it's such a
team sport. You rely on everybody else. I know it's cliché, but I've never really
gotten caught up in who the other opposing quarterback is."
But Luck knows this isn't just any other opposing quarterback.
"I have a ton of respect for him. Obviously, he's one of the greatest of all time,"
Luck said. "I definitely have an incredible amount of respect for, sort of, the elder
statesmen of the game right now — (Tom) Brady, Peyton, Drew Brees, Philip
Rivers. What those guys do and what they've done is amazing. The longer I've been
in this league, the more that respect has grown."
Colts coach Chuck Pagano, a native of Boulder who played high school football at
Fairview, will have to face Manning without the NFL's reigning sack champion,
Robert Mathis, who is suspended for the first four games for violating the league's
performance-enhancing drug policy.
"If he's got time and you can't get to him, he's going to shred you. He's going to
tear you apart," Pagano said. "Getting pressure is obviously the key, and we're
going to find out (life without Mathis). It's all hands on deck, and guys have to step
up in Robert's absence."
The Colts' defense might have an easier time against the Broncos too, though, with
receiver Wes Welker also facing a four-game suspension for violating the
performance-enhancing drug policy.
"I know they're going to miss him. Having to defend him on the other side of the
ball is a nightmare," Pagano said. "He's a pain in the rear. He's a really good
football player and he knows how to work you over and move the chains. But we
know they still have plenty of other weapons."
Broncos, Peyton Manning odds-on
favorites in many NFL categories for
2014
By Nicki Jhabvala
The Denver Post
September 4, 2014
The NFL season kicks off Thursday, with the Green Bay Packers facing the
defending champion Seattle Seahawks (6:30 p.m MT, NBC) and the Broncos
opening their season Sunday, against the Colts at Sports Authority Field (6:30 p.m.
MT, NBC).
Which means countless hours will be spent on the couch watching, debating and,
for some, betting on, football.
MyTopSportsbooks.com recently released their odds for the upcoming season, and
the Broncos and Peyton Manning are, perhaps not surprisingly, favored in many
categories — including for the game most likely to have a streaker. Oh boy.
• Super Bowl XLIX Odds:
Denver Broncos – 6/1
Seattle Seahawks – 13/2
New England Patriots – 7/1
San Francisco 49ers – 15/2
Green Bay Packers – 10/1
New Orleans Saints – 12/1
Chicago Bears – 20/1
Indianapolis Colts – 20/1
Philadelphia Eagles – 20/1
Detroit Lions – 33/1
Pittsburgh Steelers – 33/1
San Diego Chargers – 33/1
Arizona Cardinals – 40/1
Atlanta Falcons – 40/1
Baltimore Ravens – 40/1
Cincinnati Bengals – 40/1
Carolina Panthers – 50/1
Dallas Cowboys – 50/1
Kansas City Chiefs – 50/1
New York Giants – 50/1
Washington Redskins – 50/1
Houston Texans – 66/1
Miami Dolphins – 66/1
New York Jets – 66/1
St. Louis Rams – 66/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 66/1
Cleveland Browns – 75/1
Minnesota Vikings – 75/1
Buffalo Bills – 100/1
Tennessee Titans – 100/1
Oakland Raiders – 150/1
Jacksonville Jaguars – 250/1
• Season MVP Odds:
Peyton Manning – 7/2
Aaron Rodgers – 5/1
Drew Brees – 8/1
Tom Brady – 9/1
Andrew Luck – 12/1
Jay Cutler – 20/1
Russell Wilson – 20/1
Adrian Peterson – 25/1
Colin Kaepernick – 25/1
LeSean McCoy – 25/1
Nick Foles – 25/1
Ben Roethlisberger – 33/1
Calvin Johnson – 33/1
Jamaal Charles – 33/1
Cam Newton – 40/1
Matt Ryan – 40/1
Matthew Stafford – 40/1
Philip Rivers – 40/1
Robert Griffin III – 40/1
Tony Romo – 40/1
Eddie Lacy – 50/1
Jimmy Graham – 66/1
Joe Flacco – 66/1
Matt Forte – 66/1
Demaryius Thomas – 75/1
Johnny Manziel – 75/1
Marshawn Lynch – 75/1
Andy Dalton – 100/1
Arian Foster – 100/1
Brandon Marshall – 100/1
C.J. Spiller – 100/1
Chris Johnson – 100/1
Dez Bryant – 100/1
Eli Manning – 100/1
Julio Jones – 100/1
Rob Gronkowski – 100/1
Alex Smith – 150/1
Alfred Morris – 150/1
Antonio Brown – 150/1
Demarco Murray – 250/1
Frank Gore – 250/1
Eric Decker – 300/1
Geno Smith – 300/1
• Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds:
Brandin Cooks – 5/1
Sammy Watkins – 6/1
Johnny Manziel – 15/2
Bishop Sankey – 9/1
Blake Bortles – 10/1
Jordan Matthews – 10/1
Kelvin Benjamin – 10/1
Teddy Bridgewater – 10/1
Mike Evans – 12/1
Eric Ebron – 16/1
Marqise Lee – 20/1
Andre Williams – 25/1
Carlos Hyde – 25/1
Cody Latimer – 33/1
Davante Adams – 33/1
Jace Amaro – 33/1
Jarvis Landry – 33/1
Jeremy Hill – 33/1
Odell Beckham – 33/1
Tre Mason – 33/1
Paul Richardson – 40/1
Terrance West – 40/1
• Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds:
Jadeveon Clowney – 9/4
Khalil Mack – 13/2
C.J. Mosley – 9/1
Ryan Shazier – 9/1
Darqueze Dennard – 14/1
Aaron Donald – 15/1
Anthony Barr – 15/1
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – 20/1
Calvin Pryor – 25/1
Dee Ford – 25/1
Justin Gilbert – 25/1
Kyle Fuller – 25/1
Bradley Roby – 33/1
Ego Ferguson – 33/1
Jeremiah Attaochu – 33/1
Trent Murphy – 33/1
Kyle Van Noy – 40/1
Deone Bucannon – 50/1
Dominique Easley – 50/1
Jason Verrett – 50/1
Jimmie Ward – 50/1
Marcus Smith – 50/1
Ra’Shade Hageman – 50/1
Stephon Tuitt – 50/1
Timmy Jernigan – 50/1
• Who will be the first coach fired?
8/1: Jason Garrett, Cowboys
10/1: Rex Ryan, Jets
12/1: Joe Philbin, Dolphins
20/1: Mike Smith, Falcons
50/1: Marvin Lewis, Bengals
• Over/Under coaches fired during the season: 7.5
• Game most likely to have fans streaking the field for Week 1?
1/2: Colts/Broncos (downside to legalized marijuana)
8/1: Bills/Bears
10/1: Patriots/Dolphins
18/1: Browns/Steelers
• Which starting QB gets replaced first?
4/1: Brian Hoyer, Browns
9/1: Chad Henne, Jaguars
9/1: Matt Cassel, Vikings
10/1: Geno Smith, Jets
12/1: Jay Cutler, Bears
15/1: Robert Griffin III, Redskins
18/1: Jake Locker, Titants
• What are the odds an opening week game has National Anthem singer forget the
words? 33/1
• Who will be the season sack leader?
4/1: Robert Quinn, Rams
6/1: Greg Hardy, Panthers
8/1: Mario Williams, Bills
8/1: Jadeveon Clowney, Texans
10/1: Cameron Jordan, Saints
• Who will have the most passing yards?
1/2: Peyton Manning, Broncos
2/1: Drew Brees, Saints
3/1: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
20/1: Tom Brady, Patriots
22/1: Andrew Luck, Colts
50/1: Robert Griffin III, Redskins
• Which running back will run for the most yards?
2/1: Jamaal Charles, Chiefs
3/1: Adrian Peterson, Vikings
4/1: LeSean McCoy, Eagles
8/1: Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks
20/1: Arian Foster, Texans
33/1: Montee Ball, Broncos
• Who will catch the most passes?
4/1: Calvin Johnson, Lions
8/1 : Demaryius Thomas, Broncos
10/1: A.J. Green, Bengals
16/1: Dez Bryant, Cowboys
18/1: Brandon Marshall, Bears
20/1: Julio Jones, Falcons
• What are odds Peyton Manning makes it to the Super Bowl? 11/5
• What are odds Peyton Manning breaks his records from last season? 8/1
• What’s the over/under on how many more seasons Peyton Manning has left? 2.5
• Will Broncos draft a QB next year? 2/1 Yes; 6/1 No
• What are the over/under rookie QB starts (Manziel, Bridgewater, Bortles)? 24.5
• What are the odds Seattle does not make the playoffs? 25/1
An explainer: The NFL's drug policies
By Nicki Jhabvala
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
Broncos receiver Wes Welker was suspended four games for violating the league's
performance-enhancement drug policy, an infraction Welker vehemently denied in a
statement to The Post's Mike Klis. Welker called the NFL's drug policies "clearly
flawed," but what exactly are those policies?
For starters, the league has separate policies for the use of performance enhancers
and " substances of abuse," such as marijuana and alcohol. According to NFL
sources, Welker was suspended for taking Adderall, an amphetamine on the NFL's
list of banned performance-enhancers. Per the collective bargaining agreement with
players, the NFL may test players during the scouting combine before their rookie
seasons. Once in the league, players may be tested at any time in a calendar year.
(Players may be tested only between April 20 and August 9 for substances of
abuse, unless they are in the league's intervention program.)
During testing, a player's urine sample is split into two bottles, "A" and "B." If a
player's "A" bottle tests positive for a banned substance, he is notified and can
request to have his "B" bottle tested. He can then request to appeal within five
business days of notification.
The first positive test for a performance-enhancement drug warrants a four-game
suspension, without pay. The ban will begin on the date set in the league's
notification to the player, unless he opts to appeal.
A second violation — which includes a second positive test or an attempt to
manipulate a test — warrants a minimum eight-game suspension, without pay.
A third violation warrants a minimum 12-month suspension, without pay and with
reinstatement at the discretion of the commissioner.
Peyton Manning sings about losing
feeling in his toes
By Howard Pankratz
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
For the entire National Football League season, American sports fans will be able to
see Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning sitting in a locker room whirlpool
singing "Losing feeling in my toes."
Don't worry fans, Manning is not out for the season.
Or at least we don't think so.
He is singing to the well-known melody of the widely recognized "Nationwide is on
your side" jingle. The financial services company said the ad shows Manning in
various aspects of his daily routine.
Yep, there he is uttering his famous "Omaha" count to the tune of the "Nationwide"
jingle and behind the wheel of a sedan — perhaps a Buick, which Manning also
pitches — singing "nothing beats the new car smell."
The ad was developed in partnership with the Ogilvy & Mather Advertising of New
York.
The ad, titled "Jingle," will debut during NFL season opening game Thursday
between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers.
Nationwide chief marketing officer Matt Jauchius said the jingle is a tune familiar to
a lot of people around the country.
"As we developed this ad, we wanted to convey the familiarity of the jingle in a
manner that attracts attention in a light-hearted way," Jauchius said.
One of the last things Manning does in the ad is turn on the TV, apparently in the
comfort of his home, and sure enough, a Nationwide ad is playing. The voice of the
woman who does the singing in the ad is heard loud and clear.
Manning picks right up, humming along with the song.
Jauchius said Nationwide has inked a five-year contract with Manning and the ad
will be seen hundreds of times during the 2014-2015 football season.
"This is going to be the main ad that we use to introduce our relationship with
Peyton," he said. "For the first half of the season we are the sponsor of Sunday
Night Football. So we are going to have it across all networks — NBC, ABC, Fox —
we will show it everywhere and we will show it during regional and national
telecasts. We have a media buy that is in the tens of millions of dollars with NFL
Media Partners and Peyton is our main vehicle for those properties."
Jauchius said Nationwide is extremely happy to join forces with Manning.
"Peyton Manning is the consummate pro — and a consummate gentleman. He is
also a funny guy with a great personality, business interests and a wonderful
family. So we could not be happier than to partner with Peyton Manning," said
Jauchius.
Jauchius declined to say how much Nationwide is paying Manning.
Nationwide said the "Jingle" is part of the company's integrated "Join the Nation"
national marketing campaign.
Nathan Palmer added to Broncos roster;
Ryan Miller to practice squad
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
The Broncos promoted wide receiver Nathan Palmer to their active roster and
signed guard Ryan Miller to their practice squad, the team announced Wednesday.
Palmer, a second-year player, spent the end of the 2013 season on Denver's
practice squad and appeared in four games for the Broncos this preseason. He was
waived by the club Aug. 30, before being added to the practice squad the following
day.
Miller, also in his second NFL season, competed in all four games for the Broncos
this preseason before being waived Aug. 30. The former University of Colorado
player played eight games as a rookie for the Cleveland Browns in 2012 after being
selected by the Browns in the fifth round (160th overall) of the NFL draft.
Peyton Manning is ready to face former
teammate Mike Adams
By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post
September 3, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS — And he thought Peyton Manning was tough to play against in
practice drills.
Mike Adams will have to face his former teammate in a game, with the former
Broncos safety now nestled in the Colts' secondary.
"I know he knows little things about me and little things about defenses that he'll
try to exploit," Adams said Wednesday. "So I'm going to try to turn the tables a
little bit on him. He's been around a long time. He's studied players. He
understands Cover 1s, Cover 2s. He understands the little nuances that we try to
disguise and try to trick him with."
Adams, 33, has the dubious distinction of being part of the makeshift defense that
lost in the Super Bowl to Seattle — to be fair, Rahim Moore's replacement was also
part of the defense that won the AFC championship game. But while the likes of
Adams and Paris Lenon and others have been replaced, Adams worked his way
onto a formidable roster — and a team that beat Denver last season.
"They really whooped us," he said of the Broncos' 39-33 loss at Indianapolis on Oct.
20, 2013. Adams was asked about the mentality of his former Broncos teammates,
heading into their first meaningful game since the Super Bowl loss.
"I anticipate them coming out hyped as ever," he said.
Show goes on. Colts owner Jim Irsay spent his first full day Wednesday away from
Colts headquarters, after Tuesday's NFL suspension. He must stay away for six
games, after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated in March.
"I don't think it's going to change our preparation in a sense," Colts quarterback
Andrew Luck said Wednesday. "It's obviously not ideal, but for us, it's business as
usual. I don't think it will have any negative impact on preparation, games and
anything. When he comes back, it'll be great."
When Colts coach Chuck Pagano was asked about Irsay, Pagano was at first
contrite, saying "business as usual" to answer the first two media questions. But
then he opened up, notably when talking about how Irsay was by his side during
the coach's 2012 fight against leukemia.
"Mr. Irsay is family," Pagano said. "We're all family. I've been on record as saying
the first time I shook his hand, the three words out of his mouth, first three words
when I came on an interview even before I got offered the job, 'Faith, family and
football,' is what he lived by. He's not a guy that just talks it, he walks it. He's
family and we have his back. I certainly have his back, my family has his back.
Again, I will never be able to repay the Irsay family, Jim and his daughters and
Meg, everybody, for what he did for me during my circumstances and the things
that I had to deal with."
Homecoming. Pagano grew up in Boulder and played football at Fairview High
School. He's coming home — well, a half-hour-down-36 home — for Sunday's game
at Denver. Talking about his childhood, Pagano was asked who his favorite Broncos
player was."He wore number 57. Heard of him?" Pagano said, grinning
nostalgically. "First name, Tommy. Last name, Jackson. Sideline to sideline. I had a
bunch. Barney Chavous, Lyle Alzado, Rick Upchurch. There's a bunch, a lot of good
players."
Harris' knee healed, ready for opener vs.
Indy
By Arnie Stapleton
Associated Press
September 4, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. believes he
is faster than Adrian Peterson — at recovering from a torn ACL, anyway.
Two years ago, Peterson returned to the Minnesota backfield just 8 1/2 months
after reconstructive surgery. Harris needed less than seven months to mend his
surgically repaired left knee.
"I beat A.P.'s record," said Harris, who expects to suit up Sunday night in the
season opener against Indianapolis. "Just amazing what I did, coming back so fast
from this injury. I put in a lot of work. You will all be amazed when you see me out
there moving."
Harris didn't play a single snap in the preseason, simply as a precaution. Instead,
he sharpened his cover skills each day in practice by going up against Demaryius
Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. He was picked on quite often by Peyton Manning.
Nothing personal, of course. Just had to see if Harris was prepared. He passed the
test.
"I'm ready to hit somebody and turn into a monster out there," Harris said.
He certainly had a monster season in 2013, playing in all 16 games — starting 15
— and finishing the regular season with 65 tackles, three interceptions and 13 pass
breakups.
Harris partially tore his ACL in a divisional playoff game against San Diego,
sidelining him for the AFC Championship contest and the Super Bowl.
Following surgery in February, Harris said he hasn't missed a rehab session. Not
one, which he credits for his speedy return to the field.
And like Peterson, who returned from his knee injury to capture the 2012 NFL MVP
award, Harris is hoping to come back stronger than before.
"As the season goes on, I'm going to keep getting better and better with my
injury," he said. "Because I've worked my tail off."
He received quite a salary bump, too. Harris signed a one-year restricted free-agent
tender for $2,187,000 on April 1. That's 1,000 times more than the $2,000 signing
bonus he received four years ago as an undrafted college free agent out of Kansas.
The 25-year-old Harris will be paired with fellow Jayhawk Aqib Talib in the
secondary. Harris was a freshman at Kansas in 2007 when Talib was an AllAmerican his junior year.
"Chris looks so good out there," said Talib, who left New England and signed a sixyear, $57 million deal with the Broncos last spring. "He's real vocal. He helps me
out while he's out there. He helps a lot of guys out when he's out there, and he's
anxious to get back out there himself. He's been cleared. He's ready to go."
Although his knee feels strong, Harris said he still needed to "teach it my defensive
back stuff." He said he can cut on it just fine, and practicing against the Houston
Texans two weeks ago allowed him to clear a big mental hurdle.
"I pushed (the knee) to the limit," Harris said. "The only thing you can do to
continue to improve is keep playing, keep practicing. I'm ready to act like a fool out
there (Sunday). I'm ready to let go, let loose."
Harris, Talib and the rest of the secondary will have their hands full covering the
likes of Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton and Hakeem Nicks. Then there is Andrew Luck,
who threw for 3,822 yards and 23 TDs last season.
Quite an opening assignment.
"I feel if I can cover D.T. and Sanders, I can cover these receivers," Harris said. "I
have 100 percent confidence that I can go out there and shut down (receivers)."
Broncos carry on without suspended Wes
Welker
By Arnie Stapleton
Associated Press
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Wes Welker angrily declared he was "as shocked as
everyone" when the NFL banned him for the first month of the season for violating
the league's drug-abuse policy.
Peyton Manning wasn't shocked at all.
Neither was John Elway.
John Fox, maybe just a little.
"Uh, I guess I wasn't shocked," Manning said Wednesday during a news conference
in which he was asked a half dozen questions about Welker's suspension and just
once about playing his former team, the Indianapolis Colts, in Denver's opener
Sunday night.
"I guess I had an idea that it might be happening," Manning said. "Somewhat we
were prepared for it."
Eleven miles up the road, Elway, the Broncos general manager, was on his way to
the pro-am at the BMW Championship at Cherry Hills when he was asked about
Welker's suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing
drugs.
"There's going to be more bumps in the road as we go," Elway said. "There's always
bumps. It's a matter of how you handle those bumps, and we'll handle this one.
The next guy in line will step and we'll be ready to go against the Colts."
Asked if he were shocked it was Welker, Elway simply repeated, "We'll be ready to
go against the Colts."
Fox had this to say about the discipline handed down to the 11th-year pro who's
the best slot receiver of this generation: "If you do this long enough, you're
surprised but not totally. We were disappointed, but we'll move on."
"I think it's kind of hard to be surprised in this business," tight end Julius Thomas
said. "Everybody goes through things in life, and we always say we're family here.
You're not surprised when your family falls on tough times — you're just there for
them and you give them as much support as you can."
The Broncos will be without Manning's third-down security blanket for the brutal
stretch against Indy, Kansas City, Seattle and Arizona, a foursome that averaged
11.25 wins last year.
The Broncos just haven't been able to stay out of the commissioner's cross-hairs of
late.
Since 2012, six prominent employees have been suspended by the NFL for
violations of the league's drug policies, and Manning noted that in all three of his
seasons in Denver, the Broncos began the season with a star serving a suspension.
"I don't think that's something the Broncos want to brag about," Manning said. "But
it's the reality."
Linebacker D.J. Williams was suspended nine games in 2012, six for violating the
league's policy on PEDs and three for an alcohol-related arrest. Last year, Von Miller
sat out the first six games after attempting to manipulate the NFL drug-testing
system, and Elway's top two lieutenants, Matt Russell and Tom Heckert, were
suspended following drunken driving arrests.
And last week, kicker Matt Prater was suspended four games for drinking alcoholic
beverages, a no-no ever since his DUI arrest in 2011 landed him in the league's
drug program.
Asked why these kinds of things keep happening in Denver, where the team is
nevertheless 28-8 since Manning's arrival, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said the
Broncos weren't any different than anyone else.
"It's every team, man, every team. It's not just us," Harris said,. "It's the NFL."
Welker is one of 29 players suspended by the league heading into the 2014 season,
including 17 for substance abuse and 10 for PED use.
"This is the NFL, and there are a lot of rules," Harris said. "You'd better just drink
some water."
Welker and Prater combined to score 210 points last season. Prater had a recordbreaking 64-yard field goal and Welker caught 10 TD passes among his 73 grabs
for 778 yards despite missing most of the final month with a concussion.
The Broncos have plenty of options to replace Welker, although Manning
acknowledged it still won't be easy.
They could move Emmanuel Sanders into the slot and insert rookie Cody Latimer or
Bubba Caldwell into the lineup on the outside. Or they could use tight end Jacob
Tamme in that role as they did at times last year and maybe rely more on tight end
Julius Thomas, too.
They filled Welker's roster spot by promoting receiver Nathan Palmer from the
practice squad.
Elway and Fox both mentioned the time-honored next-man-up mantra, but
Manning tweaked that, saying: "I really feel it's maybe next MEN up, if that makes
any sense."
The Broncos are accustomed to dealing with adversity, their rash of injuries last
season a prime example. But Manning suggested a suspension is different.
"Losing Wes is a self-inflicted wound," Manning said. "... Hopefully last year
prepared us for these types of situations."
Miller was in Welker's shoes a year ago.
"I'm here for him and I can certainly feel where he's at right now," Miller said. "But
I've got all the confidence in the world that he's going to come back and he's going
to bring hell with him when he does."
Notes: KR Isaiah Burse (heat) and RG Louis Vasquez (back) left practice early.
Colts-Broncos Preview
The Associated Press
September 3, 2014
Peyton Manning's first game against his former team focused on his emotional
return to Indianapolis and how he still was revered by the city he brought a Super
Bowl title during his tenure with the Colts.
There isn't nearly as much positivity surrounding this matchup.
The Colts' owner who helped engineer a stirring tribute in October won't be allowed
in the building Sunday night in Denver, and neither will one of Manning's
trustworthy receiving targets as the Broncos begin their quest for a second straight
AFC championship.
After Manning missed the entire 2011 season due to neck surgery, Jim Irsay made
the difficult decision to release his star quarterback and select Andrew Luck with the
No. 1 overall pick as Manning's replacement.
Manning has thrived in Denver while leading the Broncos to back-to-back 13-win
seasons. He set NFL records with 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards in 2013
before a 43-8 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl.
Denver's first defeat last season came in Manning's return to Indianapolis, a 39-33
loss Oct. 20. The focus for Manning heading into this matchup, though, is how the
Broncos will be able to overcome the loss of Wes Welker, who was suspended for
the first four games after he violated the league's performance-enhancing drugs
policy.
"A lot of people are going to have to step up and raise their play," Manning said.
"When you don't have one of your best players, a guy who is one of your top
contributors, I think it falls on more than just one person. That's our challenge."
Irsay won't be able to see how it turns out. He's been banned from contact with the
Colts for the first six games and was fined $500,000 stemming from a DWI he
received in March.
Colts coach Chuck Pagano didn't speak much about it and tried to keep the focus on
Sunday's season opener.
"Business as usual," Pagano said. "Mr. Irsay is family. We have his back."
Manning also tried to deflect the negativity resulting from Welker's situation,
discussing how players like leading receiver Demaryius Thomas, former Pittsburgh
receiver Emmanuel Sanders, tight endJulius Thomas and a host of others can make
up for the missing production in the passing game - which also lost Eric Decker in
free agency.
"I am tired of talking, and I am looking forward to playing some real football,"
Manning said. "We're playing a really good football team, a playoff team, and it's
going to be a challenge."
Luck has led the Colts to consecutive 11-win seasons since taking Manning's spot
under center and helped them overcome a 28-point deficit in the third quarter for a
45-44 win over Kansas City in the wild-card round.
Indianapolis fell to New England the following week, and has its sights set on a
deeper run this season. Knocking off the defending conference champs would be a
good start.
"They've got a lot of players who can play football, but I think we've got a lot of
guys who can play football as well," Luck said. "It should be a great test and a
great matchup."
As for his comparisons to Manning? Luck hasn't even listened.
"To be honest, even since Day 1 here, it hasn't been an issue. I never came in
saying, 'Oh, I have to replace a legend, one of the greatest of all-time,'" Luck said.
"Professional sports people, they come and they go. Someone's going to replace me
eventually, hopefully later rather than sooner."
Both teams have some replacements heading into this season.
Montee Ball will be the top running back for the Broncos after sharing duties with
the departedKnowshon Moreno during his rookie season. Denver's defense, which
allowed 24.9 points per game last season, got an upgrade with lineman DeMarcus
Ware and defensive backs Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward.
The Colts brought in ex-Giant Hakeem Nicks to add depth to their receiving corps.
That group already boasts T.Y. Hilton, who is entering his third season after
catching 82 passes for 1,083 yards and five touchdowns despite starting only 10
games.
Indianapolis also will have veteran receiver Reggie Wayne back after he tore his
ACL in last season's matchup with Denver.
The Colts traded a first-round pick for running back Trent Richardson last
September, but he averaged just 2.9 yards per carry in 14 games and eight starts
while struggling to pick up the offense.
With an entire offseason in Indianapolis under his belt, Richardson will combine
with Ahmad Bradshaw to form what Pagano believes is a solid tandem.
"I have great confidence in those two and whoever we line up that when we hand
the ball off, we're going to be able to generate a run game," Pagano said. "We have
to be able to do that."
No matter who is on the field - or off of it - for either squad, Manning is looking
forward to getting started.
"Season opener, it doesn't get much bigger than this except for the postseason,"
Manning said. "I've always said that opening day is a playoff-type atmosphere."
Broncos promote WR Nathan Palmer
Associated Press
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have promoted wide receiver
Nathan Palmer from their practice squad to take the place of suspended slot
receiver Wes Welker.
The Broncos also signed guard Ryan Miller to their practice squad. Palmer and Miller
were among the final cuts last weekend.
Palmer is a second-year pro who was on Denver's practice squad at the end of last
season. He played in all four preseason games and caught one pass for 7 yards.
Miller also is in his second NFL season. The Colorado native played eight games as
a rookie for Cleveland in 2012.
Earlier this week, the Broncos signed long snapper Kevin McDermott to their
practice squad after guard Vinston Painter was signed to the Browns' active roster.
Welker, Mathis, Gordon among
suspended
By Barry Wilner
Associated Press
September 3, 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — Wes Welker. Robert Mathis. Aldon Smith. Josh Gordon.
A solid quartet to put on any NFL field. Except that they are among 29 players
suspended by the league heading into the 2014 season.
Among those big names, Cleveland's Gordon got the longest ban, sidelined for the
entire season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. His absence might be
the most damaging, too, and not only for its length. A Pro Bowl wide receiver,
Gordon was the only established target on the Browns, who figured to be an alsoran even with him in the lineup.
That Gordon's case lingered for weeks while appeals were heard, and was not
decided until just before the season, didn't help the Browns, either.
"How it played out was not ideal circumstances for us, obviously, but that's behind
us," coach Mike Pettine said. "You can't worry about guys you don't have. ... I've
said this all along, you don't replace a Josh Gordon, a top-five NFL receiver, with
just one player."
Welker's four-game suspension, announced Tuesday, shouldn't hurt the Broncos
nearly so much considering the other receiving talent on hand. And having Peyton
Manning throwing to them.
More harmful: Matt Prater's four-gamer, which takes away a significant weapon.
Prater made 25 of 26 field goals in 2013, including a record 64-yarder. Denver is
going with a rookie, Brandon McManus.
Prater has been in the NFL's drug program, which includes alcohol, since a DUI
arrest in 2011. He said he realized one more strike meant he'd face sitting out an
entire season when he decided to have some beers "right after the season."
"Why did I risk it?" Prater said. "I made a mistake. I don't have an excuse for it. I
screwed up and now I'm paying the price for it."
For Indianapolis and San Francisco, the loss of key defenders could have a huge
impact.
Mathis, gone for four games, led the league with 19 1-2 sacks in a career year. The
Colts will face high-powered Denver and Philadelphia in the first two weeks without
their best player on that side of the ball.
"We've got a soldier down," Colts DE Cory Redding said of Mathis. "We're going to
wait for him to come back, but until then, we're going to hold down the fort."
Smith's absence means San Francisco is without two playmakers at linebacker,
because All-Pro NaVorro Bowman is recovering from a gruesome knee injury
sustained in the NFC title game loss to Seattle. Smith is gone for nine games for
violating the drug and personal conduct policies, which means both he and Bowman
might not be in the lineup before mid-November.
Plus, defensive tackle Ray McDonald was arrested last week on a domestic abuse
charge, something NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he will clamp down
on. Goodell announced stiffer penalties for such incidents last week, with six games
for a first offense.
"Some people have a magic number of if you have one, if you have two, if you have
eight, if you have seven, I've always believed one is too many," 49ers general
manager Trent Baalke said. "We're continuing to work to try to figure out what we
can do better. Better as an organization, better as individuals, whether you're a
player, whether you're a coach, whether you're in the administrative side."
Ravens standout Ray Rice is suspended for two games for a domestic abuse issue,
a penalty that Goodell later referenced as not being strong enough. Baltimore
opens with defending AFC North champion Cincinnati, and Rice's backup, Bernard
Pierce, was hobbled in the preseason.
Two players are suspended indefinitely: Jaguars WR Justin Blackmon and Redskins
safety Tanard Jackson. Neither's loss should be too significant.
One other player gone for the season, Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington, is a
significant one for the Cardinals, who previously lost Karlos Dansby in free agency.
They also had top defensive lineman Darnell Dockett tear up his right knee and is
done for 2014.
Other familiar names whose suspensions likely will hurt their teams are Patriots CB
Brandon Browner (four games), Eagles tackle Lane Johnson (four), Cowboys DB
Orlando Scandrick (four), and Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather (two).
"I think you have to get creative with what you do, and roll some different guys in
there, maybe change some personnel groupings and get some different matchups,"
Cleveland's Pettine said, speaking directly about Gordon's absence, but
representative of how many teams must react. "That's the challenge that we face."
Manning likes Brady's career gauge
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
September 4, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- A lot of people ask Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton
Manning how he’ll decide when enough is enough in what will be a Hall of Fame
career, no matter when it ends.
After all, he’s 38 years old, had four neck surgeries and is on the doorstep of his
17th NFL season.
But Wednesday, Manning said he might adopt New England Patriots quarterback
Tom Brady’s recent thoughts on the matter. Perhaps it could be known as the
Brady Principle.
On his weekly radio appearance on Boston’s WEEI earlier this week, Brady
addressed his career plan: “I love playing for this team and I love representing this
team and hopefully I can do that for as long as I can. When I suck, I'll retire. But I
don't plan on sucking for a long time. So hopefully that leads me to being here and
there's no place I'd rather be."
Following Wednesday's practice, Manning was asked about the league's current
elder statesmen at quarterback -- such as himself, Brady and New Orleans Saints
quarterback Drew Brees -- possibly playing into their 40s.
“Brady said he was going to play until he … sucked," Manning said with a smile.
“That’s a pretty good line, I’m kind of the same feel. I don’t have a set number.
You’re just not playing and you can’t help and -- some guys can hang on, can hang
on and hang on and get another year vested, I guess, if that’s the goal. If you can
really produce and help a team, and you enjoy playing, I think that’s up to the
individual."
Minutes later he said, “Yeah, right until you suck -- I think that’s a pretty good rule
right there."
Manning wasn't so sure if rules changes designed to protect the quarterback would
help his cause when it comes to longevity.
“There’s no rule how hard these guys can hit and how fast these guys can run,"
Manning said. “If you can’t make a throw in front of a cover corner and you can’t
get up from a blind-side hit, you’re not playing very long, anyway."
Peyton Manning: Broncos 'prepared'
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- There may have been plenty of folks who were surprised to
hear this week that Denver Broncos receiver Wes Welker had been suspended for
four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, but
quarterback Peyton Manning wasn't one of them.
"I guess I wasn't shocked, I guess (I) had an idea it might be happening," Manning
said when asked after Wednesday's practice, the team's first since Welker's
suspension was announced, if he was taken aback by the news. "It was something
we prepared for.''
Because of the timeline involved in league discipline with the policy on PEDs, the
Broncos likely knew about Welker's "notice of discipline'' for a failed test by the
time the players reported for training camp on July 23.
Players must request an appeal hearing within five days of receiving the notice and
the appeal hearing, the policy says, must be within 20 days after the request for it.
So the Broncos have indeed tried to prepare themselves for Welker's absence by
how they constructed their roster with six wide receivers, including Welker, at the
initial cutdown to 53 players to go with two more on the practice squad.
Welker, Broncos head coach John Fox said, came to the team's complex Wednesday
morning -- "he was allowed to be in the building, not for very long'' -- but because
of the rules in the PED policy, can't visit the complex or use any of the team's
facilities during his suspension.
For his part, Manning was fairly blunt in discussing the Broncos' habit in his three
seasons in Denver of having a starter suspended by the league. He also said the
approach inside the team's complex is, once again, to push through it.
"It's the third year running we've had a starting player suspended at the start of
the season," Manning said. "That's not something the Broncos want to brag about,
but it's the reality. We've been able to still win games despite that. So no question
it's a test; we'll see how we handle this test."
In 2012, linebacker D.J. Williams was suspended for the first nine games of the
season. Last season it was linebacker Von Miller who was suspended for the first six
games of the season for violations of the league's substance-abuse policy.
And this year, in a span of a week, kicker Matt Prater and Welker were suspended
for the first four games of the season. Because of a Week 4 bye players can be
reinstated to return to practice Oct. 6, after the Broncos' Week 5 game against the
Arizona Cardinals, and be eligible to play Oct. 12 against the New York Jets.
"There is a difference when you have an injured player or a player suspended,''
Manning said. "Losing Wes is a self-inflicted. It's different than an injury. But I still
put it in the adversity category. I try to stay positive in these situations. Everybody
else is talking about the negative going on. What we're talking about is the
positives. You find out a little bit about your team, and can you handle it."
Broncos' starters head into opener
healthy
By Jeff Legwold
ESPN.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos count down the days to the regularseason opener as healthy as they’ve been at any time since opening training camp.
The only players held out of Wednesday’s work because of injury were guard Ben
Garland (ankle) and linebacker Danny Trevathan, who suffered a fracture on the
top of his tibia early in training camp. Wide receiver Wes Welker and kicker Matt
Prater were not on the field because each has been suspended for the first four
games of the season, Welker for a violation of the league’s policy on performance
enhancing drugs and Prater for a violation of the substance abuse policy.
Running back Montee Ball, who played in just one offensive possession in the
preseason -- four carries and four receptions against the Houston Texans -- after
having an appendectomy, was a full participant as expected.
Ball has consistently said he would be ready for Sunday’s regular-season opener
against the Indianapolis Colts. Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and linebacker Von
Miller, who both suffered ACL injuries last season, also continue to be on track for
the opener.
Harris did not play in any of the team’s four preseason games and Miller played just
nine snaps – all against the Texans in what was the Broncos’ third preseason game
– so Sunday night’s game will be their most significant game action since their
respective injuries.
Two players, guard Louis Vasquez (back) and wide receiver Isaiah Burse (heat
related), left Wednesday’s practice and did not return. Broncos head coach John
Fox said Vasquez’s injury didn’t appear to be serious.
"We’ll see … they’re treating him," Fox said after practice.
Despite history, Manning now the enemy
By Mike Wells
ESPN.com
September 3, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS -- One by one, the players started to depart in the winter of 2012.
Their services were no longer needed by the Indianapolis Colts. Some were traded.
Some left through free agency or were released.
Among those was the signal-caller who had made the franchise relevant again. He
led them to a Super Bowl title and played a significant part in getting Lucas Oil
Stadium built.
Quarterback Peyton Manning's time had come and gone in Indianapolis. It was time
to say goodbye and close the 13-year chapter on No. 18.
That’s simply the facts of the NFL. Players come and go.
A new Colts regime entered with their own philosophy of who they wanted on the
roster.
General manager Ryan Grigson cleaned house when he took over in early January
2012. The only starting holdovers from when Manning took his last snap at
quarterback for the Colts -- a playoff loss to the New York Jets on Jan. 8, 2011 -are receivers Reggie Wayne, linebacker Robert Mathis, punter Pat McAfee and
kicker Adam Vinatieri.
The Colts didn’t call it rebuilding. They referred to it as reloading.
“When the new coaching staff and GM came in, there were a lot of changes, but
they brought in that winning philosophy, that family philosophy and trust, loyalty,
respect,” Vinatieri said. “Those are slogans we live by and that has allowed us to
stay competitive and stay good and keep climbing in the right direction.”
Winning is something the Colts have done quite a bit since Manning left.
Quarterback Andrew Luck, the No. 1 overall pick in 2012 and successor to Manning,
has led the Colts to 22 victories and back-to-back playoff berths since the dark
clouds hung over the city following Manning's release.
“I saw the way Mr. Grigson, how he was putting things in order, the type of guys he
was bringing in, it showed from that point on they were trying to win,” Wayne said.
“Were we surprised? Nah. Coach Pagano he preaches different things over and over
again. They got the right guys to buy into the system, so it doesn’t surprise me at
all.”
Manning’s name will always be cemented in the state of Indiana and inside the
team’s facility. The Colts were 141-67, went to the playoffs 11 times and to two
Super Bowls with him as their quarterback.
“This used to be an Indiana Pacers town," McAfee said. "I think (Manning) turned it
around, made the Colts a winning team, a relevant team in the NFL. But in the NFL
you have to live in the now and I think as soon as we lost guys like Peyton, Jeff
[Saturday] and other guys, you kind of have to keep it moving and that’s what we
all did. We all bought into the new team.
“You can never forget what they did for our city, but once you get on the Andrew
Luck and brand new Colts train you’re excited to be here. I think that’s what we
did.”
There were a lot of emotions last October when Manning faced his former team for
the first time. By the end, though, Lucas Oil Stadium was the loudest it had ever
been, according to McAfee, as the Colts beat the Denver Broncos.
Manning vs. the Colts Part II is Sunday in Denver. And just like last year, the Colts
will shake hands with their former franchise player and then try to beat him again.
“During the season, Peyton is a friend, but at the same time, he’s the enemy,”
Wayne said. “He’s trying to beat us and we’re trying to beat him. We understand
the process, we know once we sign a name on the dotted line what the possibilities
are. There are a lot of guys -- not just Peyton -- that I played with that at some
point in time I’ll go up against. It’s just part of it and you have to deal with it.”
Wes Welker: 'I don't do drugs'
ESPN.com
September 3, 2014
Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker is denying that his four-game suspension
for breaking the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs was a result of his
taking MDMA, which is also known as Ecstasy or Molly, at the Kentucky Derby
earlier this year.
"I wouldn't have any idea where to get a Molly or what a Molly is," Welker said in
an email to The Denver Post. "That's a joke. I don't do marijuana, I don't do drugs.
I don't do any drugs."
Welker tested positive for amphetamines from a sample taken shortly after he
attended the Derby, sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Pro Football Talk, citing a league source, reported that the two-time All-Pro took
Molly that was laced with amphetamines. A source told the Post, meanwhile, that
the positive test was for Adderall, which can be taken by NFL players but must be
cleared by the league -- and Welker didn't have clearance to take it.
Welker, in the email to the Post, argued that the sample was tainted but said he
does wonder whether someone put something in his drink at the Derby.
"I'm as shocked as everyone at today's news," Welker told the newspaper. "I want
to make one thing abundantly clear: I would never knowingly take a substance to
gain a competitive advantage in any way. Anyone who has ever played a down with
me, lifted a weight with me, even eaten a meal with me, knows that I focus purely
on what I put in my body and on the hard work I put in year round to perform at
the highest levels year-in and year-out."
The 33-year-old veteran, who is entering his 11th season, also said he now knows
the drug-policy procedures in the league are "clearly flawed," according to his email
to the Post, and that he will do everything in his power to ensure they are
corrected.
Welker appealed the decision and was excused from practice Aug. 20-21 to attend
his hearing, sources told ESPN Senior NFL Analyst Chris Mortensen.
The Broncos open the season Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. Welker
will be eligible to return to the active roster Oct. 6.
According to ESPN and multiple reports, the reigning AFC champion Broncos were
"irate" at the timing of the NFL's decision because it came Tuesday night, after they
were done game-planning for the Colts. Typically, the league announces its
suspensions earlier than that.
Sources told Schefter that the Broncos, who were aware of Welker's positive test,
still thought he would be available to play in the opener -- pending his health -until the ruling came out.
Welker returned to the practice field Monday as he continues through the NFL's
concussion protocol. He would have to be symptom-free to take part in a full
practice and then remain symptom-free after that and be cleared to play medically
by an independent doctor. Welker suffered his third concussion since Nov. 17
during the Broncos' Aug. 23 preseason game against the Texans.
His suspension is a huge blow to the Broncos' receiving game. Only four wide
receivers caught passes for Denver last season, and nearly 60 percent of those
receptions will not be on the field for the Broncos in Week 1, as Eric Decker is now
with the Jets and Welker is suspended.
"Tonight's news regarding Wes is very disappointing for our team, but we
understand the league's authority in this area," Broncos coach John Fox said in a
statement released Tuesday. "While it's unfortunate to not have him to start the
year, I have full confidence in our wide receivers and expect that group to continue
playing at a high level.
"I have no doubt that Wes will remain focused on his preparations for the season
and stay in excellent shape during his time away from the team."
Former New England Patriots teammate Tom Brady addressed the receiver's
suspension Wednesday.
"That's Wes's situation ... as a friend you hope the best, but this isn't friend time,
it's opponent time," the quarterback said.
Brady also was at the Kentucky Derby in May. Asked if he saw Welker taking
anything there, he laughed really hard and said, "No comment on that."
Peyton Manning: Wes Welker's
suspension a 'self-inflicted wound'
By Lindsay H. Jones
USA TODAY Sports
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It was supposed to be the day that Wes Welker showed up
at work and received clearance to practice — one of the final hurdles to pass before
he'd be deemed able to play in Sunday's season opener.
But Welker was allowed inside Denver Broncos' headquarters only briefly
Wednesday morning, enough time to stand in front of a team meeting and
apologize for a four-game suspension that began Tuesday night, when the NFL
upheld Welker's punishment for a positive test for a banned amphetamine. By the
time the Broncos took the field, Welker was gone, and he won't be allowed back
until Oct. 6.
"Wes just wanted us to know how important this team is to him, how much we
mean to him, and what he's going to do when he gets back," tight end Julius
Thomas said. "There is nothing he can do to change where he is at right now, but
we know that when he comes back, he'll be a man on a mission and we're looking
forward to embracing him when that day comes."
Welker's suspension came as a surprise to the Broncos only in its timing, so late on
Tuesday that coaches had already spent the day planning as if Welker would be
able to be on the field against the Indianapolis Colts. When the team received
definitive word that Welker's appeal had failed — he missed two practices last
month to attend the hearing — those plans were scrapped.
The Broncos were instead left to devise a plan for who will fill Welker's role as the
team's primary slot receiver, a trusty third-down weapon for Peyton Manning and
proven red-zone threat who had 10 touchdowns last season.
Welker, meanwhile, gets five weeks away from football (four game weeks, and
Denver's bye), time the Broncos are hoping Welker will use to stay in shape while
also allowing himself to completely recover from his latest concussion.
The concussion Welker suffered in a preseason game on Aug. 23 was his third in
the last 10 months.
"Sometimes, these things are blessings in disguise. I'm sure this extra (five) weeks
will give him plenty of time to heal," head coach John Fox said.
Welker's suspension is just the latest in a string of off-field issues that have plagued
the Broncos in recent years. He's the second significant contributor to get in trouble
this year, joining kicker Matt Prater, who is serving a four-game ban for an alcoholrelated substance abuse policy violation. The Broncos also lost Von Miller to a sixgame ban last year and former Bronco D.J. Williams to a nine-game suspension in
2012.
It's an ugly track record for one of the NFL's best teams. But the Broncos survived
Miller's suspension — they went 6-0 without him — and a variety of other issues
last year, including Fox's emergency heart surgery, to win the AFC championship.
Still, a suspension for a former team captain, a veteran player with a sterling offfield reputation, came as a bombshell. This isn't an ACL tear, or even a head injury.
This should have been preventable.
"Losing Wes is a self-inflicted wound. It's different than an injury, but I still put it in
the adversity category," Manning said.
"You find out a little bit about your team, and can you handle it? It's easy when
everything is going smooth and you don't have any kind of adversity. Hopefully last
year will have prepared us for these types of situations," Manning said. "The third
year running we've had a starting player suspended. That's not something the
Broncos want to brag about, but it's the reality. We have been able to win games
despite that. Says something about the way we've handled and persevered through
some circumstances we would rather not have been there. There's no question it's
a test, and we'll see how we handle this test."
The Broncos made moves in recent months and weeks to prepare for time without
Welker, for concussion or legal reasons. Denver signed versatile receiver Emmanuel
Sanders in March, and he's expected to spend more time lining up in the slot in
Welker's absence. Denver also kept undrafted rookie receiver Isiah Burse, a pure
slot receiver and kick returner, on the 53-man roster, and on Wednesday promoted
receiver Nathan Palmer off the practice squad
Tight end Jacob Tamme could also see more work, particularly on third downs, and
second-round pick Cody Latimer might receive some of Welker's red zone targets.
"The players that are here, we'll stick together, raise our level of play and try to
persevere," Manning said. "It won't be easy. It would be disrespectful to and
inaccurate to say it's an easy transition to lose Wes Welker. It's a challenge and one
our team has accepted and we're going to try to find way to overcome it."
Tom Brady on Welker suspension: 'This
is not friend time'
By Nate Scott
USA TODAY Sports
September 3, 2014
No one ever accused Tom Brady (or really any of the Patriots under Bill Belichick) of
being the warm and fuzzy type.
During press availability this week, Brady was asked about former teammate Wes
Welker’s four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s drug policy. Brady was not
sympathetic with his non-answer.
From the Boston Herald:
“I don’t have a lot of thoughts or comments on that,” Brady said. “That’s Wes’
situation, and their team. Obviously, I’ve got plenty to worry about with this week
and this team. As a friend, you always hope the best. But, this is not friend time.
It’s opponent time. My focus is on the Dolphins.”
Brady isn’t technically wrong with his response — he should be focused on the
Patriots game this weekend. That being said, it’s OK to make some sort of
comment about your friend who just got suspended from the league. People won’t
accuse you of not being focused just for answering one question that isn’t about the
Dolphins.
Oh wait, it’s the internet. They totally would.
Reports: NFL, NFLPA close on new drugtesting program
By Ryan Wilson
CBSSports.com
September 3, 2014
The NFL and the NFL Players Association are close to a new drug-testing program,
which will include hGH testing, ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio reports.
CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora points out that the two sides have been
close to a deal several times, and many of the issues have been verbally agreed on
since last year (higher marijuana thresholds, stronger DUI penalties, reclassifying
amphetamines). The NFL and NFLPA still haven't resolved the issue of appeals. And
while they get "close" every year right before the season, hurdles remain. Until
they sign off on every detail, close remains a relative term.
Regarding hGH, Florio writes: "The hGH testing agreement is expected to grant an
independent arbitrator the authority to resolve appeals of positive tests. The last
major sticking point related to the question of whether the Commissioner or an
independent arbitrator will handle the appeals of discipline imposed for violations
unrelated to a positive test."
According to the Washington Post's Mark Maske, Wes Welker's four-game
suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances
has expedited discussions.
Echoing La Canfora, three of Maske's sources warned that a new deal is in no way
certain. "Talks remain fragile and still could unravel."
Wes Welker: NFL drug-testing process
'clearly flawed'
By Will Brinson
CBSSports.com
September 3, 2014
The Broncos and the NFL announced Tuesday night Wes Welker would miss the first
four games of the season after violating the league's policy on performanceenhancing drugs.
Reports pegged Welker's positive test to ecstasy laced with amphetamine the wide
receiver took during a now-infamous trip to the Kentucky Derby.
Welker said in an email to the Denver Post he "would NEVER knowingly take" a
performance enhancing drug and called the NFL's drug-testing process "clearly
flawed."
"I'm as shocked as everyone at todays news," Welker said. "I want to make one
thing abundantly clear: I would NEVER knowingly take a substance to gain a
competitive advantage in any way. Anyone who has ever played a down with me,
lifted a weight with me, even eaten a meal with me, knows that I focus purely on
what I put in my body and on the hard work I put in year round to perform at the
highest levels year-in and year-out.
"I want any youth football players and all sports fans to know, there are NO
shortcuts to success, and nothing but hard work and studying, leads to success.
"I have never been concerned with the leagues performance enhancing or drug
abuse policies because under no scenario would they ever apply to me, but I now
know, that (drug-policy procedures) are clearly flawed, and I will do everything in
my power to ensure they are corrected, so other individuals and teams aren't
negatively affected so rashly like this."
Welker sounded particularly furious and indignant about the report of him taking
"Molly" (a street name for MDMA ,a theoretically purer form of ecstasy).
"I wouldn't have any idea where to get a Molly or what a Molly is," Welker said.
“That's a joke. I don't do marijuana, I don't do drugs. I don't do any drugs."
There's no real way to spin this positively for the Broncos and Welker, but there is
the tiny silver lining of Welker getting four full weeks to recover from his third
concussion in three months.
Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer will need to step up in Welker's absence,
although seeing a drop-off in performance from Peyton Manning would be fairly
surprising, if only because the team's been preparing for life without Welker for a
while now.
Andrew Mason: ‘Been Planning For Life
Without Welker’
By Scott Ferrall
CBS Sports Radio
September 3, 2014
On the heels of his third concussion in 10 months, Denver Broncos receiver Wes
Welker has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the
NFL’s drug policy. According to reports, Welker took ecstasy laced with
amphetamines at the Kentucky Derby, where he began handing out $100 bills after
a Churchill Downs cashier mistakenly overpaid him almost $15,000 in winnings.
“I haven’t heard specifically (which drug) it was; I’m just hearing it secondhand,
honestly,” DenverBroncos.com columnist Andrew Mason said on Ferrall on the
Bench. “But certainly if you look back at the way he was giving away money, some
of that’s very impulsive behavior. It’s not something you would expect from
anybody. So I think there’s a lot of putting two-and-two together.”
Mason will be at Broncos headquarters Wednesday to get a reaction from the team,
but if he wants a reaction from Denver fans, he can just go on Twitter – and he
has.
“I think people are a bit angry,” he said. “Looking at the timeline on Twitter, seeing
people talk about Wes Welker, people are upset with him.”
Denver opens the season at home against Indianapolis and Kansas City, plays
Seattle on the road, has a bye and then hosts Arizona. Welker would not be eligible
to return until Week 6 against the Jets on Oct. 12.
It’s important to remember that Welker is still recovering from his Aug. 23
concussion. He has been cleared to practice but not play, so it’s unknown whether
he would have been available this Sunday even without the drug suspension.
While Welker is extremely valuable, the Broncos averaged 30 points and 360
passing yards in the three games he missed last season. They also resigned Andre
Caldwell, signed Emmanuel Sanders and drafted Cody Latimer, as Welker’s contract
expires after this year.
“It seems like they’ve been planning for life without Wes Welker in case the
concussion thing happened,” Mason said. “And now it looks like they’re going to
face that – just for different reasons.”
If Welker did, in fact, take ecstasy, expect him to be in John Elway’s dog house for
quite some time.
“I can’t imagine the team is very happy with him at this point, to say the least,”
Mason said. “And remember: This is an organization that just a year ago dealt with
Von Miller being suspended for six games for a substance-abuse violation and also
had a couple of executives get DUIs. So certainly when you have this on top of
that, the perception is one that is going to be pretty negative inside and outside the
building.”
Welker joins kicker Matt Prater as the latest Bronco suspended for four games for
violating the substance-abuse policy.
“He had a DUI back in 2011,” Mason said of Prater. “That put him into the NFL’s
substance-abuse program, and if you got a DUI, you cannot have a positive test for
alcohol. Otherwise you’re going to have a suspension. So whether he had a few
drinks or whether he was actually getting drunk . . . (you’re going to) get a positive
test. So he’s going to have to have that come-to-Jesus moment and realize that if
he wants to save his career, he can’t drink again.”
Report: Raiders getting closer to stadium
deal in Oakland
By John Breech
CBSSports.com
September 3, 2014
The Raiders don't have a stadium deal in Oakland yet, but apparently they're
getting close. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the development team for
the Oakland mayor's office has worked out a deal that would give the Raiders free
land in Oakland to build the stadium on.
Under the proposed deal, taxpayers would be on the hook for $120 million.
However, that money wouldn't go towards the new stadium; it would go toward
paying off money still owed on O.co Coliseum, where the Raiders and baseball's
Athletics currently play.
Taxpayers wouldn't be paying for any part of the actual stadium, which will cost
somewhere between $900 million and $1.2 billion.
However, not all the 'i's and lower-case 'j's have been dotted in this deal yet. As of
right now, it's not clear how the financially strapped city of Oakland would raise the
$120 million.
"That's a great question that we will probably not say anything about," a
spokesman for the Mayor's office told the Chronicle on Tuesday.
So that seems to be an issue. There could also be an issue with the Athletics.
The A's recently signed a 10-year lease in Oakland and a new stadium for the
Raiders could potentially involve the city needing to tear down O.co., where the A's
currently play. Obviously, the A's would need a place to play if their stadium is torn
down.
Then there's also the issue of Raiders owner Mark Davis, who would have to sign off
on any deal. Back in July, Davis visited San Antonio. The Raiders owner is also
believed to have one eye looking toward Los Angeles.
However, Davis has repeatedly said he wants to keep the team in Oakland.
Although Davis did say in February that the city was on its 'last chance' to keep the
Raiders.
The Raiders lease at O.co expires after the 2014 season, at which point the team is
free to move wherever it can find the best deal.
Wes Welker’s Suspension Gives Broncos
One More Dose of Uncertainty
By Michael Powell
The New York Times
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Football coaches tend to be fluent in John Wayne-ese. So
Colts Coach Chuck Pagano got on a call with reporters on Wednesday and described
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning as a “man’s man.”
As for Wes Welker, the Broncos’ flyweight former All-Pro receiver?
“He’s a nightmare,” Pagano said, his voice thick with admiration. “He’s tough as
damn nails and all the respect in the world for him.”
The Colts face the Broncos on Sunday, so perhaps Pagano was being macho kind.
Broncos Coach John Fox faced the more pointed question:
Coach, you surprised that your concussion-buffeted star receiver, Wes Welker, will
be suspended for four weeks for taking performance-enhancing drugs?
Fox is a ruddy and manly sort. He shrugged and wagged his head this way and
that, just for a second calling to mind Stevie Wonder.
“If you do this long enough, you are surprised, but not totally,” he said. “It is
disappointing, but that is life in the N.F.L.”
This is true. A football star’s brain gets rattled like a pinball, and coaches talk of
their confidence that the addled star will get back onto the field as soon as he can
spell his first and last names. The league’s drug-testing program is an opaque
wonder. No one can say who was tested for what or when or the identity of the
substance that resulted in the positive test.
“We don’t get into the business of denying or confirming the type of violation,” an
N.F.L. spokesman said.
Suspensions and leaves — for injuries and concussions, and drugs, D.U.I., domestic
assaults, and weapons possession — begin and end throughout the N.F.L. season.
Football players tend to take such uncertainty in stride. Most of their contracts can
be torn up as quickly as their ligaments snap. Over and over, the Broncos referred
to themselves as a band of brothers.
“He’s a leader,” tight end Julius Thomas said of Welker, who gave an inspirational
speech to teammates before departing the premises on Wednesday. “He means a
lot to us.”
It was as if Welker had taken a four-week valor break. Then Manning walked up
and cut to the chase:
“It’s the third year running we’ve had a starting player suspended to start the
season,” he told reporters. “I don’t think that’s something the Broncos want to
boast about, but it’s the reality.”
Welker’s explanation for his positive test result took out a large advance on his
credibility account. He told The Denver Post that someone may have popped
something into his drink at the Kentucky Derby. I hate when that happens.
This said, I have a hard time getting too worked up about his suspension.
You watch these very large, jacked men move about at explosive speeds on the
team’s practice field in the prairie south of Denver. (With its walled field, security
gates and three towers, it resembles an especially plush state penitentiary.) You
hear the daily medical reports and keep in mind that the average N.F.L. career lasts
three years. It might strike you as almost sensible that an aging, 5-foot-9 receiver
might pop a little something to keep his eyes extra wide open as he makes a cut
across a midfield filled with behemoths.
In late August, Welker took such a cut and a Houston Texan defender took a
running start and put a shoulder pad to his head, which snapped to the side. It is
not advisable for the skull to move this way.
Welker left the field with his third concussion in 10 months.
Three days later, officials assured everyone that he’d be back soon. Coach Fox
played fearless forecaster. “He’s feeling good ... he’ll be out there when he’s
healthy.”
All N.F.L. coaches talk like this; there’s no percentage in getting too introspective
about a sport this violent.
Manning is out there playing with a surgically repaired neck; you suck in your
breath every time a 300-pound man who can run the 40-yard dash in less than five
seconds puts his shoulder pads into the quarterback.
Danger haunts other sports, too. Almost one-quarter of the men and women who
clamber to the top of K-2, that Himalayan peak, die. Those odds strike me as more
miserable than running a crossing route in the N.F.L.
I called Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, the director of the University of Michigan NeuroSport
program who consults with the N.H.L. and the Michigan football team. He
emphasized that for all the horror stories about former players, the data shows that
about 94 percent of football players will not suffer serious brain deterioration. That
is compared to 98 percent of non-football playing Americans.
Veteran players, he said, likely are better able to withstand hits. Those who cannot
absorb blows tend to get bad concussions in high school and leave the sport.
This field of data exists with others. A new study came earlier this year found that
the brains of college football players differ subtly from those of other students,
especially if players experienced a past concussion.
Tuesday night I called Ben Utecht. He was a tight end with the Indianapolis Colts,
and collected a Super Bowl ring. He sustained five concussions, the last so severe
that he was out cold for 90 seconds. At age 33, he has memory loss. A singer, he
tapes lyrics to the floor because he cannot remember the words.
What, I ask, would you say to Welker?
“If he was my teammate and brother, I’d say: ‘Wes, man, if I’m going to talk to you
when you’re 60 years old, I want you to recognize me. Nothing is more important
than your brain.’ ”
Kutcher said it was unlikely Welker would end up disabled. But he might not walk
healthy into retirement.
“There’s also living with headaches and feeling lousy as you get older,” Kutcher
said. “That’s another conversation.”
Which brings us back to the dice roll.
Coach Fox suggested that Welker’s drug suspension was just as well. “Sometimes
these things are blessings in disguise,” Fox said. “The extra four weeks will give
him plenty of time to heal.”
Doesn’t that, I asked, suggest that Welker was taking a big risk in planning to
return this weekend? Should the team help this brave player decide his career is at
an end?
“That’s pure speculation,” Fox said. “I can’t get into that. We’ll see in four weeks.”
At which time Welker will resume those daring and dangerous cutting routes of his.
2014 AFC West Preview: Peyton
Manning, Broncos have improved D in
Denver, but keep an eye out for the
Chargers
By Hank Gola
New York Daily News
September 3, 2014
STORY LINE: The Broncos didn’t take their Super Bowl loss lightly and fortified their
defense by adding CB Aqib Talib, pass rusher DeMarcus Ware and safety T.J. Ward.
Turnaround seasons by the Chargers and Chiefs made the division the best in the
AFC last year.
STAR POWER: The window may be closing on Peyton Manning, but there’s still
enough breeze coming through to expect another Super Bowl run. He’s not lost his
fire at any rate, flagged for taunting he dropped the big expletive after Wes Welker
took a concussive hit in a preseason game against Houston.
ON THE HOT SEAT: Do you think Dennis Allen, with an 8-24 record in two seasons
at the Raiders’ helm, would be coaching his third if Al Davis was still around? A free
agent spending spree has buoyed hopes, perhaps false, for a winning season. Or
else?
ADDITION: Talib, a huge upgrade over the aging Champ Bailey, improves a pass
defense that was able to survive shootouts because of Manning but still ranked 27th
in the league. Where Bill Belichick had him in constant lockdown mode, he’s happy
with the Broncos’ system, a mixture of zone and man.
KEY SUBTRACTION: The Chiefs lost three-fifths of their starting O-line with Geoff
Schwartz, Branden Albert and Jon Asamoah opting for free-agent money. That
thrusts last year’s first-round pick, Eric Fisher, into the role as Alex Smith’s main
body guard.
CHALKBOARD: Philip Rivers stopped forcing passes in new coach Mike McCoy’s
system and rebounded from an awful year, gaining elite level by completing 70% of
his passes. With Frank Reich stepping in as offensive coordinator, Rivers will be
calling the shots in a no-huddle offense, a la Reich’s old teammate, Jim Kelly.
X-FACTOR: The Chargers are legitimate dark horses, as long as their defense can
show some improvement. Their pass rush fizzled after Dwight Freeney and Melvin
Ingram got hurt last season. They’re back healthy and must produce to protect the
secondary.
NFL, NFLPA trying again to complete deal
to implement HGH testing
By Mark Maske
The Washington Post
September 3, 2014
The NFL and its players’ union are showing renewed interest in attempting to
implement changes to the sport’s drug policies that would include players being
blood-tested for human growth hormone, multiple people familiar with the
deliberations said Wednesday night.
People on both sides of the negotiations said there was an increased willingness to
try to find a way to overcome the remaining obstacles in the discussions and finish
the long-awaited agreement. But all of them, speaking on the condition of
anonymity because the negotiations were to stay confidential, cautioned that the
talks remained fragile and a potential deal still could unravel.
“It’s been close before,” one of those people said. “We’ll see.”
The NFL season begins Thursday night in Seattle with the Seahawks, the defending
Super Bowl champions, hosting the Green Bay Packers.
The league and the NFL Players Association agreed as part of their 2011 labor
agreement that players would be blood-tested for HGH. But the two sides had to
agree to the details of the program for testing to begin, and that still hasn’t
happened. They have been at odds at different times over the use of a population
study to determine what would constitute a positive test for athletes the size of NFL
players, and over the appeals process.
Most recently, the final negotiating obstacle was said to be whether or not NFL
Commissioner Roger Goodell would resolve appeals of suspensions for violations of
the policy other than positive tests. The NFL has appeared willing to allow a neutral
party to resolve all appeals in cases based on drug-testing results, but to this point
has not been willing to permit non-testing-related appeals to be heard by someone
other than the commissioner.
HGH is on the NFL’s list of banned performance-enhancing substances but players
are not tested for it.
The renewed push in negotiations was first reported by Profootballtalk.
According to people with knowledge of the talks, a deal between the league and
union potentially could bring other changes to the drug policies, such as a higher
threshold for what would constitute a positive test for marijuana; a shift of
amphetamines from the performance-enhancing drugs policy to the substances of
abuse policy; and prospective increased penalties in drunk-driving cases.
One person close to the situation said a catalyst for the latest change in attitude
toward the negotiations was the four-game suspension given this week to Denver
Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker for testing positive for a banned performanceenhancing substance. There were multiple reports that Welker tested positive for
amphetamines. One of those reports said that Welker took MDMA, known widely as
“Ecstasy” or “Molly,” laced with amphetamines.
Welker denied that to the Denver Post and told the newspaper: “I don’t do any
drugs.”
The paper reported that Welker tested positive for Adderall.
Eye on the Opponent: Manning as
focused as ever at 38
By George Bremer
The Anderson Herald-Bulletin
September 3, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS — At age 38, Peyton Manning is coming off one of the greatest
statistical seasons ever for an NFL quarterback.
The Denver Broncos star set league single-season records with 5,477 passing yards
and 55 touchdowns last year. He also led the league with 450 completions and 659
attempts as his team finished 13-3 and advanced to Super Bowl XLVIII.
So it should come as no surprise the five-time MVP isn't thinking about the end
game just yet.
"I think you owe it to your teammates, coaches, the organization, the fans, just to
be all in, 100 percent committed for this season," Manning said Wednesday during
a conference call at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. "I don't think fans
want to hear about 2015 or 2016. I know organizationally they have to make
decisions on that, but I hope every player is kind of focused on a one-year season,
the 2014 season."
Manning will open his 17th season Sunday night with a date against his former
team, the defending AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts.
But there's a much different feeling in the run-up to this contest than there was a
year ago when the fan favorite returned to the Circle City for the first time since
being released in 2012.
When the Broncos played at Lucas Oil Stadium last October, there was a pregame
video tribute that nearly brought Manning to tears. When it concluded, he stopped
warming up in front of the Denver sideline and waved to fans in an image caught
on the in-stadium video boards and immortalized on national TV.
This time around, the game will be played in Manning's new home. And the focus is
less on the fact he's facing his former team — the only one among 32 NFL
franchises he's never defeated — and more on the pagentry at the start of a new
year.
One thing remains the same, NBC will be there to broadcast the game to it's
Sunday Night Football audience — TV's highest rated primetime show for the past
three years.
"I've been fortunate to be a part of a lot of opening games on primetime, and it's
not something you take for granted," Manning said. "Players on both teams will be
excited. There's a lot of factors to be excited about. Football season's here, there's
been a lot of talk all offseason. I'm tired of talking, looking forward to finally playing
some real football."
Primetime openers tend to bring out the best in Manning.
He completed 27 of 42 passes for 462 yards and seven touchdowns in a 49-27
throttling of then defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore to start last season.
It was a harbinger of things to come. Denver won its first six games — before
losing on Manning's homecoming night in Indy — and averaged a league-high 37.9
points per game for the season. The Broncos scored 606 points overall, and their
207-point differential was the largest in the NFL.
But it's the little things that keep Manning interested.
He talked Wednesday about working with young players all offseason and then
seeing it pay off with a big third- or fourth-down conversion months later.
Yes, Manning still loves practice.
"Marvin Harrison always had a great quote, he said, 'They pay you to practice, the
games you play for free,'" Manning said of his longtime Indianapolis teammate. "I
always thought that was a great quote because it is easy to play the games.
Everybody can get excited to play the games. This place is going to have a great
atmosphere on Sunday night, it's easy to play in that game and be excited for it.
But are you willing to pay the price and sacrifice in the months of March through
September? I still enjoy that part of it. So that's why I'm here."
And that drive, that focus on the fundamentals of success, is what separates
Manning from so many of his peers.
No player in NFL history has won more MVP awards than Manning. And he'll likely
own every major passing record whenever he decides to leave the game for good.
But he still works as hard as an undrafted rookie trying to prove he deserves a spot
on the roster. And that raises the level of play of everyone around him.
"The guy obviously loves it because he eats, breathes, sleeps it," Denver head
coach John Fox said. "He's arguably the first one here and the last one to leave
every day. He's worked like I've never seen a guy work conditioning-wise this year
because I think it's his first time, over the last couple of years, not being in some
kind of rehab. I think it's just the fire that burns in his belly as far as the passion for
the game."
That and an unyielding desire to win.
The loss last season against the Colts stung. But the blowout defeat against the
Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl was far more painful.
And it's that February game that will drive Manning to new heights this season.
"Our main goal is to be a better team than we were last year," Manning said. "I
guess we were the second-best team in the NFL. We want to be the best team in
the NFL."
Welker, not Colts the main topic of
Peyton Manning’s pre-game hype
By Larry Hawley
FOX59 Indianapolis
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, CO – About 11 months ago, the word Colts and Manning would be
mentioned together in every question and answer when it came to Denver’s
quarterback.
That’s expected and fitting. After all Peyton Manning was playing his former team
for the first time since being released by them on October 20th-an unceremonious
end to a decade-long relationship between quarterback and franchise.
Fast forward to Wednesday and the Broncos’ Englewood training center where
Manning faced the very same press to talk about the same opponent he did last
October.
This time, however, the talk was about something else-or someone else to be more
specific.
“I guess I wasn’t shocked. I guess I had an idea that it might be happening and
was somewhat prepared for it,” said Manning when he was asked about the
suspension of wide receiver Wes Welker.
He was suspended four games for a violation of the league’s performanceenhancing drug policy, which is reported to have been amphetamines. The decision
was rendered just five days before the Broncos’ Sunday night opener against the
Colts, forcing the team to adjust quickly on the fly.
“I think it falls on a lot of people,” said Manning of replacing Welker. “I think it’s
easy to say one person has to step in and fill that gap but I really feel it’s maybe
‘next men up,’ if that makes any sense. Its’ kind of a plural thing, in this case a lot
of people have to step up, raise their level of play.
“When you don’t have one of your best players, a guy that’s one of your top
contributors, I think it falls on more than just one person.”
Oh yeah, there is also the whole facing the Colts angle which was addressed in only
one answer from Manning during his Wednesday news conference. The quarterback
did acknowledge that the game is different from last year when Manning played his
first game back in Indianapolis since his release-a 39-33 loss to the Colts.
“I think it’s a little different playing here at home. Regular season, season opener,
it doesn’t get much bigger than this aside from the post season,” said Manning.
“I’ve always said opening day, opening night, is a playoff-type atmosphere. I am
tired of talking; I am looking forward to playing some real football. I think it’s an
honor, three years running the Broncos have played on the Sunday Night Football
primetime game.
“Two years ago, Pittsburgh, here last year, and with the Baltimore home game
fiasco we were able to play them here, which that was fine with me.”
When Manning starts the 2014 season against his old team he’ll be trying to best
perhaps his finest season in the NFL. In 2013 Manning threw a career-high 55
touchdowns and 5,477 yards with a 115.1 quarterback rating in helping the Broncos
to an AFC Championship.
These are number that Manning put up when he was 37 years old. So is the NFL’s
style of play make it easier for quarterbacks to play longer or is the quarterback’s
preparation the reason for his late career success.
“I guess I haven’t studied it as a whole by the position. I still think it’s kind of an
individual thing,” said Manning of sustained success. “I’m not sure how the rule
changes are necessarily going to impact longevity of quarterback’s careers. It’s still
up to the individual to take care of yourself and to produce.”
Broncos: Bring on the Colts
By Rod Mackey
KUSA 9News.com
September 3, 2014
KUSA - The headlines this week may continue to focus on the Denver Broncos who
won't play on Sunday, such as Wes Welker, Matt Prater and Danny Trevathan, but
the Broncos themselves can't waste time on who won't play. The players and
coaches are only thinking about the Indianapolis Colts.
Indianapolis, along with the New England Patriots, are expected to be one of those
teams competing with Denver for the AFC Championship. The Colts were one of the
few teams to beat the Broncos last season, but that game was in Indianapolis.
On Sunday, the Broncos and their quarterback - who is a former Colts player - will
look for payback.
Peyton Manning, of course, would love to even things up against his former team,
but don't expect him to admit to that. Even last season, Manning reminded
everyone it's not Peyton vs. the Colts, but the Broncos vs. the Colts.
The quarterback is far from the only change for the Colts from when Manning was
there. Only seven players who played with Peyton remain in Indianapolis, although
he'll only face five of them Sunday night: Reggie Wayne, kicker Adam Vinatieri,
punter Pat McAfee, offensive lineman Joe Reitz, left tackle Anthony Castonzo.
Robert Mathis who is serving a four-game suspension for violating league policy on
performance-enhancing drugs, and defensive end Fili Moala is on injured reserve.
Manning admits it's a big game, not because it's the Colts, but because it's the
season opener.
"Yeah, I think it's a little different playing here at home. Regular season, season
opener, it doesn't get much bigger than this aside from the post season. I've
always said opening day, opening night, is a playoff-type atmosphere. I am tired of
talking; I am looking forward to playing some real football. I think it's an honor,
three years running the Broncos have played on the Sunday Night Football
primetime game. Two years ago, Pittsburgh, here last year, and with the Baltimore
home game fiasco we were able to play them here, which that was fine with me. So
it's an honor and they don't pick bad teams to open up NBC Sunday Night Football;
they're not paying all that money to the NFL to put bad teams, they're going to put
two good teams on and we're honored to be one of those teams. We're playing a
really good football team, a playoff team, and it's going to be a tough game but,
yeah, I am looking forward to all those things and I'm excited football's finally
here."
Von Miller knows what Wes Welker is
going through
By Rod Mackey
KUSA 9News.com
September 3, 2014
KUSA - The Broncos say they'll have Wes Welker's back and will step it up until he
comes back, but only Von Miller knows what Welker is going through. Miller was in
this position last season. In 2013 the Broncos Linebacker was suspended for six
games for violating the leagues substance abuse policy.
"I could feel for him. I wouldn't want anybody to go through what he's going
through. It's just tough. It's really tough. I'm here for him if he wants to talk about
anything, but everybody handles stuff like that differently. I'm here for him and I
can certainly feel where he's at right now. But I've got all the confidence in the
world that he's going to come back and he's going to bring hell with him when he
comes back."
Last year Miller made it back from suspension but didn't finish the season because
of a torn ACL. Welker has already missed plenty of games because of a concussion
so perhaps he's already filled his injury quota.
Manning responds to Welker suspension
By Allison Sylte
KUSA 9News.com
September 3, 2014
DOVE VALLEY – Quarterback Peyton Manning called wide receiver Wes Welker's
suspension a "gut check" during practice on Wednesday, adding that everyone will
have to step it up during his absence.
"I know Bubba, Jacob and Latimer are excited about their opportunity to fill in for
Wes," Manning said.
Welker's four-game suspension, which was announced on Tuesday, rooted from a
PED violation, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.
The Broncos were already preparing for Welker's absence after he suffered a
concussion in the Aug. 23 preseason loss to the Houston Texans.
"It's the third straight year the Broncos have opened the season with a
suspension," Manning said. "I try to stay positive in these situations."
Coach John Fox and tight end Julius Thomas also discussed Welker's suspension.
Fox reiterated his disappointed about the news, but said he's honoring the league's
decision.
"This will give him time to heal, and could be a blessing in disguise," Fox said.
"Wes told us how much he loves us and we know he'll be a man on a mission when
he returns," Thomas said.
Emmanuel Sanders is likely to fill Welker's spot while Andre Caldwell plays as an
outside receiver, USA TODAY's Lindsay Jones reported.
Welker will be eligible to return for the Broncos' week 6 against the New York Jets
(Denver has a bye in week 4).
The Broncos open their regular season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Longtime Broncos kicker Matt Prater will also miss the first four games of the 2014
season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Broncos Preview: Even Better Than
Before
By Andy Benoit
MMQB/SI.com
September 3, 2014
Super Bowl 48 was an all-time butt-kicking comprised of a bunch of individual buttkickings. No butt-kicking stood out more than the one Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett
and the rest of the Seahawks defensive line put on Orlando Franklin. The Broncos’
right tackle played with the quickness and flexibility of a cigar store Indian. He was
paramount in his team’s first unsuccessful third down, in the first interception, on
the second interception (the one Malcolm Smith returned for a touchdown) and on
a litany of other failed plays.
It was obvious that in order for the Broncos to have a good chance at avenging
their face-plant this season, they’d have to make a change at right tackle. Not
surprisingly, with Pro Bowler Ryan Clady’s return from a Lisfranc (foot) injury at left
tackle, the placeholder on that side, Chris Clark, will now start at right tackle. He is
not the long-term solution, as Broncos GM John Elway used a third-round pick on
Michael Schofield. Whoever plays there, it won’t be Franklin. He’s moving to left
guard, where he’ll replace the departed Zane Beadles and play opposite Pro Bowler
Louis Vasquez, a very good man-blocker and pass protector. In between Franklin
and Vasquez will be incumbent center Manny Ramirez, who fended off veteran
pickup Will Montgomery.
Franklin was far from the only weakness that stood out in Super Bowl 48. Wideout
Eric Decker absolutely could not shake press coverage. To the surprise of some—
though no one who studied Broncos film week in and week out—Decker was
allowed to walk in free agency. He signed a five-year, $36.25 million contract with
the Jets and Elway brought in the superior Emmanuel Sanders for three years, $15
million. Sanders set a career-high with 740 yards receiving in Pittsburgh last year,
which was 548 fewer than the career-high Decker set. But everyone for Denver
posted career highs (or close to it) playing in what was the most prolific offense in
NFL history. Sanders, with his multidirectional speed and quickness, poses a
tougher matchup for defenses.
Running back Knowshon Moreno also was allowed to walk in free agency. He was
Denver’s best backfield option last season, but that was only because second-round
rookie Montee Ball did not grasp all of a Peyton Manning-and Adam Gase-led
system that’s not immense in volume but is immense in nuances. Ball, with his
solid short-area burst and patience as a slasher, is a better pure runner than
Moreno. To stick in this offense, he must become a more refined pass protector and
receiver. (Given Manning’s predilection for having all five receiving options
available, the latter in many respects is more important than the former. Of course,
pass blocking is harder to master and its mistakes are more damning.) With
unreliable Ronnie Hillman and undrafted second-year pro C.J. Anderson as the only
other running back options, it’s apparent the Broncos would not have let Moreno
leave if they weren’t sure about Ball’s readiness.
Ball will have plenty of opportunities to run against a lighter box as defenses,
fearing Manning, will often play two safeties deep. (The Seahawks didn’t, but they
have uncommonly talented players.) Often defenses are left with no choice but to
play two-high because of Denver’s lethal three-receiver base package. Sanders is
the least threatening player of that bunch, which is saying something. The most
threatening is Demaryius Thomas, who has burgeoned to the cusp of superstardom
thanks to a combination of speed and strength. Thomas commands double-teams
as an “X-iso” receiver on the weak side of Denver’s staple 3 x 1 sets. He’s a
nightmarish one-on-one matchup when aligned inside on the strong side of those
sets. And he’s equally as dangerous in 2 x 2 sets, where he’s featured regularly in
what’s become the most potent wide receiver screen game in football.
And then there’s the other Thomas—Julius. While Manning’s Colts were known for
their static formations and repetitious concepts, these Broncos are hallmarked by a
bevy of different formations and personnel distribution. The uber-athletic fourthyear tight end and second-year starter is a big part of that. Gase has done a great
job designing formations around Thomas’s versatility, often flexing the 6-5, 245pound ex-basketball player out wide on the weak side to distort zone coverage
assignments and put man-to-man defenders in unfamiliar locations. This season,
Thomas is expected to be moved around even more. The only real concern with him
is an ineptitude at in-line blocking.
Benefitting from mismatches created by the Thomases is Wes Welker, who if
healthy (concussions have been a problem as of late), is still the league’s
preeminent slot receiver thanks to his aptitude on option routes, shallow crosses
and, more so in recent years, seam patterns. When Welker is off the field (which
he’ll be for the first four games, thanks to a suspension for amphetamines), usually
a second tight end—either the steady Jacob Tamme or the less dependable but
more diverse and athletic Virgil Green—will be in. Not much of the playbook
becomes off-limits when Denver’s three-receiver system shifts to two tight ends.
DEFENSE
Even greater changes have been made to a defense that, despite a rash of injuries
in the secondary and to the pass rush, actually played pretty well late last year,
including in the loss to Seattle. Von Miller, who was suspended the first six games
and then played with 15 added pounds to his original 255-pound frame, was out
with a torn ACL during that stretch run. Now back and at his original weight, Miller’s
presence alone can regenerate the pass rush.
Though just to be sure, Elway spent $20 million guaranteed in a three-year, $30
million deal for DeMarcus Ware. The ex-Cowboy is coming off the worst season of
his future Hall of Fame career, where he battled a torn right quad, herniated disk
and hyperextended elbow. Such a MASH-list for a 32-year-old raises a red flag,
though Ware had never been significantly dinged prior to last season. If Elway’s bet
on him pays off, the Broncos could have the most explosive pass-rushing tandem of
all-time.
John Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio in recent years have expanded
from their longtime 4-3 zone beliefs to infuse a variety of blitz concepts into their
scheme. How much they stick with those concepts in 2014 will be largely
determined by what they’re getting from Miller and Ware. They’ll have them line up
on opposite edges, where offenses will have a tough time doubling both. But given
Miller’s dominance as a movable, stand-up player (i.e. a “joker”), expect to see him
roving around and attacking from the same side as Ware from time to time. These
will be blitz looks, though many will turn out to be zone exchanges, with would-be
pass rushers dropping back into coverage and an unpredictable group of four men
rushing the passer.
A key component in these sub-package concepts will be defensive lineman Malik
Jackson, who is agile in traffic. Last year’s first-round pick, Sylvester Williams, saw
increased playing time late in his rookie year and also figures to factor here.
This reworked pass rush will work in conjunction with a secondary that has also had
high-profile acquisitions. Much of the hype has centered around cornerback Aqib
Talib. His press-man prowess perfectly fits a defense that last season played manto-man almost exclusively. But the player Talib is replacing, Dominique RodgersCromartie, also had an excellent 2013 campaign where he was rarely thrown at,
even in one-on-one scenarios. Talib at his best is better than Rodgers-Cromartie at
his best, but not by much.
And so the real improvements in this secondary will stem from safety, where T.J.
Ward was Elway’s third huge defensive free agent signing. The ex-Brown stabilizes
a position that was in flux last season and offers more dimension schematically.
Ward is capable in space, though being a hard-hitting and firm tackler, he’s always
been best in the box. His value escalated in recent years as he developed the man
coverage skills to defend tight ends one-on-one, even when detached from the
formation. That’s a huge variable this defense didn’t have before.
Ward carries a domino effect for the rest of Denver’s safeties. Rahim Moore, hoping
to come back from a devastating leg injury, can stay in centerfield the whole time,
which gives him a better chance at leveling his ups and downs.
With the release of Duke Ihenacho, it’s unlikely the Broncos plan on frequently
using their dime package this season, which means they need two linebackers who
can cover in nickel. On this note, it was surprising that Wesley Woodyard was not
retained. The only proven pass defending backer on the roster is now Danny
Trevathan, who has excellent movement skills and is developing more awareness.
The 2012 sixth-round pick will be an every-down player, joining Nate Irving in the
base scheme.
Fox and Del Rio ask a lot of their second-level run defenders, making Irving’s lack
of experience a little concerning. But at least the three-year backup will have a
solid cast around him, assuming high energy end/tackle Derek Wolfe is back to 100
percent. Wolfe suffered a spinal cord injury in the 2013 preseason, and tried to
return to action too soon, compromising parts of his nervous system, leading to
terrifying seizures. Joining a healthy Wolfe up front is nose tackle Terrance
Knighton, who has a superb first step.
Winning on the ground is important, but after injuries ravaged this secondary in
2013, winning in the air has become the primary concern in Denver. The return of
Miller and acquisitions of Ware, Talib and Ward will mean little if there are
exploitable weaknesses at cornerback. First-round rookie Bradley Roby will be
closely watched playing opposite Talib. So will Chris Harris, a rising slot man who is
coming off a January ACL tear. If depth here again becomes a factor, 2013 thirdround pick Kayvon Webster, who has played exclusively on the outside, will be the
next man up.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Matt Prater (who is suspended the first four games this season under the substance
abuse policy) only missed one field goal last season, and it was from 52 yards. Not
that he’s incapable of kicking from that distance. In the thin Mile High air in Week
14 he made an NFL-record 64-yarder. Punter Britton Colquitt is average but won’t
have to be used often. Return duties will likely go to Andre Caldwell on kicks and
Wes Welker on punts.
BOTTOM LINE
It’s a more talented Broncos team than last year. But no team since the 1972
Dolphins has won a Super Bowl the year after losing it. That, of course, is
technically irrelevant to this Broncos club, but it’s hard to ignore a 42-year-old
trend.
Wes Welker wonders if someone spiked
his drink at Derby
By Darin Gantt
NBC Sports/ProFootballTalk.com
September 3, 2014
Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker is angry at the NFL’s drug-testing policies.
And he’s angry at the early reports that his failed test for amphetamines stemmed
from taking MDMA (or Molly) which had been cut with amphetamines.
A source close to the situation told Mike Klis of the Denver Post that Welker tested
positive for Adderall. (We stand by our initial report.)
Welker said he wasn’t sure what specifically caused the failed test, but was angry at
the report he took a Molly and wondered if someone slipped something into his
drink while at the Kentucky Derby.
“I wouldn’t have any idea where to get a Molly or what a Molly is,” Welker said.
“That’s a joke. I don’t do marijuana, I don’t do drugs. I don’t do any drugs.”
He apparently did something, or someone did something nefarious to him to make
it appear that he does.
Welker’s protected by the league’s confidentiality rules, so he can say anything he
wants, and they’re not going to refute it.
Seahawks games will again feature
undercover cops in opponents’ jerseys
By Mike Florio
NBC Sports/ProFootballTalk.com
September 3, 2014
As the Seahawks prepare to launch their first season as defending NFL champions
at CenturyLink Field, fans of the team may not appreciate the presence of Packers
fans on the night the banner is raised.
And so on Thursday night and for every home game this year, Seahawks games will
feature undercover officers wearing jerseys reflecting the colors and logos of the
opposing team.
So be careful, 12th Man. That guy wearing the green and gold No. 12 may be
packing heat and a badge, and he may be looking to eject you from the stadium if
you treat him with any sort of harassment.
Persons ejected for violating the team’s Fan Code of Conduct Fans will be required
to complete a $250, four-hour online educational course before being allowed to
return to the stadium. Sufficiently serious infractions could entail a much higher
cost for bail.
Defense looks to set tone in home opener
By Ben Swanson
DenverBroncos.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — T.J. Ward’s athletic tights, a classic army camouflage design,
said it all with the regular season’s Sunday night commencement coming further
into focus.
The message is not a particularly difficult one to decipher: This team’s intent is to
be ready to go to battle come Sunday at home.
“We’re going to make you work for everything you get and you’re going to have to
beat us. We’re definitely going to play physical and aggressive,” cornerback Chris
Harris Jr. said.
“The first game of the season sets the tone,” fellow cornerback Bradley Roby said.
“It being the first game of the season, we want to set the tone off on the right
foot.”
Von Miller, who will be making his regular season return after his ACL injury last
December, knows the defensewill find its identity: “You can only work on it in
practice, but you find it in game time. You find it third quarter, you’re up by three
points, you need a stop. Or you’re down by six points, you need a stop or a sack to
get off the field, big play. You find your niche in games, and this is a great week to
do it against a great opponent.”
“Everybody has that same goal that first week to come out and set the tone.
Everybody’s saying the same thing,” cornerback Aqib Talib said. “We’re tired of
talking about it and we’re ready to go out there and do it.”
For the defensive line, that starts with a good push from the front four, Terrance
Knighton said. “First and foremost, we want to stop the run game. That’s our job,
to stop the run. Once we stop the run, that will make it easier on everybody else on
defense. The safeties won’t have to come up in the box. As long as we do a good
job up front of stopping the run, and our offense is putting points on the board,
then that allows us to pass rush. It’s just complementary football,” he said.
The foundation has already been set with training camp and preseason laying the
mortar between the bricks, and now is the time for finishing touches of weekly
adjustments and gameplanning. The defensive base looks to be stronger this
season after big additions in free agency as the Broncos signed Talib,safety T.J.
Ward and defensive end DeMarcus Ware.
The Broncos and the Colts played last season, ending in a 39-33 loss for Denver,
but the defense played admirably, holding Indianapolis’ offense to an average gain
per offensive play of 4.7 yards, and forcing them into a 29 percent third-down
conversion rate.
However, last year’s matchup between these two teams is difficult to base any
conclusions off of in regards to the upcoming game, considering the offseason
additions for both teams.
The new additions on defense aim to improve their standing from last year. They
were a squad that did admirably in stopping the run, holding opponents to the
seventh-fewest rushing yards per game, but they struggled in passing defense and
with stopping teams in the red zone, both ranking in the bottom third of the league
in their respective measurements.
The four exhibition games has given us a taste of what we might see with a
completed new unit out there, but the regular season is a different beast in
comparison to the past few weeks and some of the defensive starters have been
holding out to return until after preseason to get all the rest they can.
With a restructured defense that’s healthier than it’s been in a long time, the
Broncos look to be ready for its primetime opener.
Opening up the season in prime time is nothing unusual for the Broncos. Last year
they kicked off the NFL season with the league’s first game of the year, a Thursday
night 49-27 win over the Ravens on NBC. And in 2012, the Broncos opened up the
season with a Sunday night NBC game against the Steelers, a 31-19 win.
With the excitement of the first game of the regular season and being on a bigger
stage, players were already hyped up for the premier matchup.
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” Miller said. “That’s what you want in this league,
two good teams going at it on Sunday Night Football.”
Manning, Broncos preparing for season
opener
By Lauren Giudice
DenverBroncos.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – When the Broncos faced the Colts last season, all eyes were
on Peyton Manning. He was greeted with a heartfelt tribute video upon his return to
Indianapolis, making for an emotional night for No. 18.
While the Colts will forever be the team where he spent the first 14 years of his NFL
career, Sunday night’s matchup isn’t about how Manning will fare against his
former team. Sunday will be the first look at the Broncos post-Super Bowl XLVIII,
debuting a team that looks vastly different than one last season.
The Broncos host the Colts on Sunday Night Football on NBC. During his press
conference on Wednesday, Manning stressed the excitement that surrounds season
openers.
“Regular-season season opener: It doesn’t get much bigger than this aside from the
postseason,” Manning said. “I’ve always said opening day, opening night, is a
playoff-type atmosphere. I am tired of talking; I am looking forward to playing
some real football.”
While the team looks very different from last season due to key personnel changes,
a vital playmaker will also be missing for the Broncos as Wes Welker will miss the
game due to a four-game suspension. But the Broncos offense is a well-oiled
machine and this isn’t the first time the team has had to deal with Welker’s
absence: He missed the last three and a half games of the 2013 regular season due
to a concussion.
Manning noted that players like Jacob Tamme and Andre Caldwell filled in well for
Welker during his absence last season, but he said it’s more than the members of
the offense and the pass catchers that need to “raise their level of play” during
Welker’s suspension.
“It’s an opportunity for some certain receivers to get more playing time, whoever
that is,” Manning said. “We’ll see. So it certainly is an opportunity [and] that’s why
you work in the offseason, that’s why you throw to all your receivers in the
offseason, that’s why you go off-campus and have these off-campus mini camps at
a private college, that’s why you do it.
“For the starters, you do it more on the same page with them and for your new
players and guys not necessarily starting to have excellent time with them as well.
Hopefully that work will pay off for us.”
The Broncos often reference the “next man up” mentality. But Manning said the
responsibility of stepping up when players are out rests on the entire team. He said
the correct way to think about it is a “next men up" mindset.
“It's kind of a plural thing, in this case a lot of people have to step up, raise their
level of play,” Manning said. “When you don’t have one of your best players, a guy
that’s one of your top contributors, I think it falls on more than just one person.
That’s our challenge for DeMarcus Ware to play a little better on Sunday, for me to
play a little better, for Montee [Ball], it falls on. I think everyone kind of points to
the receivers; I think it falls on a lot of players on the team.”
The Broncos have one of the toughest early schedules in the NFL this season, facing
four teams who each had 10 wins or more last season. The Colts, who have made
the playoffs the last two years, are expected to be tough AFC competition. Manning
and the Broncos learned during last season’s loss to the Colts that their defense is a
tough, physical force.
Manning was sacked four times and picked off once and the Broncos racked up four
turnovers. The Broncos were 5-of-16 on third downs during the 39-33 loss.
Welker’s dynamic in the slot, specifically on third downs. Players like rookie Cody
Latimer, Julius Thomas, Tamme and Caldwell will need to fill that role.
“I’d be lying to say this would be an easy transition and I think sometimes when
you have some adversity, it’s a challenge and sometimes your top players can
really shine for you, can really step up and show you why they are top players and
that’s what I’m expecting out of certain guys,” Manning said. “Third downs are
going to play an important role in this game. These guys do a good job of getting
you off the field on a third down. Last year they did and we expect them to be good
in that category again this year.”
“We pride ourselves in being a team that stays on the field on third downs. No
matter who’s in there, we expect everybody to be ready and it’s our job to find a
way to stay on the field, but there’s no question it’ll be a challenge.”
The Broncos finished the 2013 season 95-of-205 on third down, good for the
second-best third-down conversion rate in the NFL.
Manning said adversity like this requires the team to come together and for its
members to feed off each other. While losing Welker for the first four games of the
season will undoubtedly test the offense, Manning, who has been in this league for
many years, looks at the positive when his team is dealing with a difficult situation.
He hopes that the team learned from last season’s flurry of injuries and that they
can succeed despite the struggles that are virtually unavoidable during an NFL
season.
“Everybody else is talking about the negative going on,” Manning said. “Right now
we’re talking about the positives—the football season being here and going out and
doing our job. We have an opportunity, it’s not going to be easy so I think all the
veteran players fill that role and I guess I’ve always felt that way. It’s when you
find out a little bit about your team and can you handle it. It’s easy when
everything’s going smooth and you don’t have any types of adversity."
“There’s no question it’s a test so we’ll see how we handle this test.”
Broncos press on without Wes Welker
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The timing of wide receiver Wes Welker's four-game PED
suspension didn't leave much time for a lingering goodbye Wednesday morning.
"He was allowed to be in the building, not for very long," said Head Coach John Fox.
But the veteran slot receiver was at Dove Valley long enough to deliver what
running back Montee Ball described as a "great talk" to his teammates before
leaving to serve his suspension, the terms of which forbid him from being at team
headquarters.
“Wes just wanted us all to know how important this team is to him, how much we
mean to him and what he's going to do when he gets back," said tight end Julius
Thomas. "There's nothing he can do to change where he's at right now."
Added safety Rahim Moore: "He was a little disappointed."
No one in the Broncos locker room could understand Welker's emotions better than
linebacker Von Miller, who ran afoul of the league's substance-abuse policy last
year and was suspended for the first six games of the regular season.
"I could feel for him. I wouldn't want anybody to go through what he's going
through," said Miller. "It's really tough. I'm here for him if he wants to talk about
anything, but everybody handles stuff like that differently."
But soon after Welker spoke, the team was back to work. It coped with suspensions
to linebacker D.J. Williams for nine games in 2012 and linebacker Von Miller for six
games last year. The Broncos still managed to get the No. 1 seed in the postseason
each time.
"Losing Wes is a self-inflicted wound; it's different than an injury," said quarterback
Peyton Manning. "I still put it in the 'adversity' category and so I think the way you
deal with that is by closing the ranks, coming together even tighter (and) feeding
off one another."
Added Thomas: "We know that when he comes back he's going to be a man on a
mission and we're looking forward to embracing him when that day comes.”
But in the interim, the Broncos' mission remains the same: to win.
Replacing Welker is not just about the passing game -- although the offense's thirddown success through the air was affected by his absence last December after his
second concussion in a month. Before Welker suffered his second concussion, the
offense converted a league-best 48.2 percent of its third-down attempts. In the
three and a half games after Welker was re-injured, that percentage dropped to
39.0.
"I'd be lying to say this would be an easy transition," said Manning. "And I think
sometimes when you have some adversity, it’s a challenge and sometimes your top
players can really shine for you, can really step up and show you why they are top
players, and that's what I'm expecting out of certain guys."
But on every other down and at many other moments, the Broncos will have to
replace Welker's intensity and leadership, as well.
"Not only is he an elite receiver, but he's a leader, he's a tempo-setter. He gets us
going," said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. "He's hyped on game days -unlike (Demaryius Thomas), who's a quiet guy. Wes, he gets us crunk.
"He's a lot more to the team than just a wide receiver. Like Peyton said, like I said,
it's complementary football. We all have to pick up for Wes -- offense, defense,
special teams, he's involved in special teams, too. Everybody just has to do a little
bit more."
That could mean Knighton, who was selected as one of the team captains Monday,
has a more vocal role.
"It just depends how I'm feeling. Some days it's me, some days it's (Derek) Wolfe,
some days it'll be Sly (Sylvester Williams). I'm pretty sure Marv (Marvin Austin) will
be one of those guys this year," said Knighton. "We've got a good group, and it's
not just on D.T. or Peyton or Emmanuel (Sanders), it's on everybody. As long as
the whole team does a little bit more, we'll be fine."
And there's a finite end to Welker's absence. He'll be back after four games. He
should be healthy; after suffering a concussion Aug. 23 -- his third in 10 months -he was only cleared to practice, and was not yet cleared through the NFL's postconcussion protocol for game action.
"Sometimes these things are blessings in disguise," Fox said. "I'm sure this extra
four weeks will give him plenty of time to heal."
"He's not away for the whole season. It's four games," added Moore. "It's going to
be a tough four games without him, but we've got to step it up, make plays.
"When he comes back, we're going to expect the same Wes Welker -- 'even better,'
he said."
Nathan Palmer signed to active roster,
Ryan Miller to practice squad
DenverBroncos.com
September 3, 2014
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Practice squad wide receiver Nathan Palmer caught a
promotion Wednesday, jumping up to the 53-man active roster.
After a spot opened up following news of Wes Welker's suspension, the Broncos
signed Palmer to join the active roster in preparation for Game 1 against the Colts.
And in turn, guard Ryan Miller was signed to fill the hole in the practice squad.
Palmer had been waived prior to the deadline for active rosters to be trimmed to 53
players, but was added to the practice squad the next day. He had played in all four
preseason games with the Broncos. A second-year player, Palmer had played on
the Colts as a rookie, getting time on the field in five games.
Miller had also been on the Broncos roster during training camp and in preseason,
playing all four preseason games, too. Coming into his second NFL season, Miller
had played in eight games as a roookie for the Cleveland Browns after being
drafted in the fifth round (160th overall).
Broncos name Jajczyk as High School
Coach of the Week
DenverBroncos.com
September 3, 2014
DENVER — The Denver Broncos named Dan Jajczyk of Adams City High School as
their NFL High School Coach of the Week presented by the Colorado National
Guard.
Jajczyk and his Class 4A Adams City Eagles won their first game of the season
when they defeated the Class 5A Thornton Trojans 21-8 Friday night. The Eagles
shut out the Trojans for the first three quarters before allowing eight points in the
fourth.
It was Jajczyk’s first win as a head coach—he took over the program in late March
after 12 seasons as an assistant coach at Eaglecrest (2001-05), Overland (201011) and Chaparral (2007-09, 12-13) high schools.
The Adam City Eagles snapped a 29-game losing streak and had a 1-49 record over
the past five seasons heading into Friday night’s game. The team’s lone victory
during that span was a result of a forfeit that wiped out a 20-point loss.
"I'm just so proud of the kids and the coaching staff," Jajczyk said. "We've come a
long way in a short amount of time."
Antonio Scott scored all three touchdowns for the Eagles, recording 169 yards on
19 rush attempts.
Jajczyk, 56, hails from Cambridge, England, and graduated from Hamilton
Township High School in Columbus, Ohio in 1976, where he was a tight end and
outside linebacker for two years on the football team. He was in the Air Force for 20
years, from 1977-97, before he started working in school security in 2001. Jajczyk
is now supervisor of security for Adams County School District 14.
The Denver Broncos will recognize 10 High School Coach of the Week honorees
during the regular season, as well as a Coach of the Year at the end of the season.
The program is presented by the Colorado National Guard with a selection
committee led by The Denver Post’s Neil Devlin. The committee also includes
Broncos Ring of Fame defensive back Billy Thompson and 850 KOA’s Andy Lindahl.
Each weekly winner will receive a $2,000 donation made possible by the NFL
Foundation and the Colorado National Guard to be used by the school’s football
program. Additionally, the Coach of the Year will be honored and presented with a
$4,000 donation to the respective school’s football program during the Broncos’
home game on Dec. 28 against the Oakland Raiders.