As many Broncos have reiterated over the last 24 hours, this week already feels a whole lot different than the last time around. Two years ago, they were relaxed, excited just to be there, and they let it get the best of them. This time around, there’s only one thing on their mind, and that’s winning.
While the Panthers are spewing out overconfidence, the Broncos are thoughtful and honest in their approach. They know they could lose on Sunday, and that’s what makes them so dangerous.
Gary Kubiak and John Elway have crafted a team that is complete, without fractures or divisions; they’re strong, tough and single-minded. And when they enter Levi’s Stadium in a few days, they’ll be prepared for anything.
On Tuesday, the media got their second opportunity to speak to the Denver Broncos, following the Super Bowl Opening Night event on Monday, and there was a lot to take away.
Here are some of the Broncos best quotes:
Gary Kubiak on building team chemistry:
“I think the No. 1 thing (is) first off, I came to a team that was successful. For me, it was about coming in and finding out what they were about, who the leaders were, those types of things – the mindset of the football team. So, I tried to approach it that way. I remember the first day, I called every player on the football team when I came here. I told them I was proud to be a part of them (and) that I had a lot of respect for what they had done in the past. So, that was my approach, and then we went to work. Obviously, every team is different. You figure things out. I think some of our leadership has changed a little bit just through the course of the year, through some new faces. And then, we’re very young in some spots, too. We have a lot of players playing that weren’t part of some of their success before. We’ve kind of molded our own way. But as far as our leaders, they’ve kind of stayed the same when you talk about No. 18 (QB Peyton Manning), No. 94 (OLB DeMarcus Ware) and No. 58 (OLB Von Miller). (When) you talk about those guys on our team, they’ve been the nucleus since I’ve been here.”
Kubiak on the team’s preparation for Sunday:
“I feel good. When we left town, I feel like we could’ve played a football game. Obviously, there are some things we’re trying to touch up and improve upon throughout the course of this week. This biggest thing we wanted to do is get all of our mental work, our long meetings all those types of things done as quick as we could. When we got here, we can shorten things up (and) be as sharp as we can possibly be and as fresh as we can get them. I like the approach. There’s still a lot of work to do. We’ll stay in our routine, but our work last week was very good.”
Kubiak on what Von Miller brings to the team:
“It’s great for our team chemistry. He’s a character, but in the right way. He loves to play. I don’t think Von has missed a practice this year other than me maybe sitting him down back there in the offseason (during) OTAs or training camp. He has been exceptional. He loves to play. He has bought into what Wade (Phillips) wants him to do. I thought he has done a great job with him. (Defensive Line coach Bill) Kollar works with him a lot in pass rush. He has become a heck of a player. I’ve known Von for a long time (with him) being a (Texas A&M) Aggie. I knew him when he was young. He has really grown up to become a really big time pro. He studies hard getting ready to play.”
C.J. Anderson on what has changed since Super Bowl 48:
“The roster changed, people got older and I got older. Nothing (has changed). We lost a Super Bowl, it was two years ago, and it’s something not to be talked about. We’ve got to go out there and do what we have to do this Sunday. We know execution is one thing, that’s a big learn, you’ve got to execute. It’s two good teams playing in the Super Bowl, the final two teams in the league to see who is at the top, and if you don’t execute make mistakes then you’ll lose the game.”
Malik Jackson‘s favorite thing about Wade Phillips:
“My favorite thing? I think it is he just lets us be us. It’s one of those things that he’s just a great guy. He lets us be our personality, he lets us be players, great players on the field. He puts us in the right places to be and that’s one of those things as a player you can ask for, so that’s what I like him.”
Jackson on if he is in awe in how this defense has come together:
“I wouldn’t say I’m in awe, just more (it’s) what I think it should be. With the caliber of guys that we have, with the people doing the things that they’re doing with me, (Derek) Wolfe, Sly (Sylvester Williams), Danny (Trevathan) and all the way in the back with T.J. (Ward) and them, it’s one of those things that we expect to be like this. We have great guys, we just had a coach that came in and handed a great team a great, great playbook and a great defense that fit everybody and now we’re all thriving. It’s one of those things that is great, it goes hand-in-hand.”
Jackson on the defense’s great chemistry:
“We’ve been able to do that because we hang out a lot. It’s one of those things that outside of football, we know how to be, we go hang out at people’s houses. It’s one of those things that I think build camaraderie because you are able to know who the person you’re talking to, you know how to talk to them, you know how to respond, so when you talk to somebody they don’t feel like you’re attacking them. You’re just saying, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ And I think in our sport, you’ve got to be able to come at somebody hard and let them know, ‘I’m not trying to disrespect you. We need to get this going.’ And I think that’s why we’re so good because not only the coaches are saying, ‘Hey, pick it up.’ The players are the ones saying, ‘All right, let’s go.’”
Von Miller on what he thinks about celebration dances:
“What is my take on celebrations? I love it. I love it. Whoever is dancing the most is probably going to win the game Sunday. I like to dance. I like to show emotion and celebrate with my teammates. Cam is the same way. I love it. I think it is great for the game. You have a younger generation that pays close attention to that and that is what they follow. That is the future of the sport. I think it is great. Whoever is dancing the most will likely win the game on Sunday.”
Emmanuel Sanders on the team’s chemistry:
“You go back and you look at the Seattle Seahawks, Earl Thomas, my guy, and Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, all those guys, you look on their Instagram and they’re hanging out after work. They’re always together. They’re taking trips to Hawaii. I firmly believe that physically, yeah, some teams get tot the Super Bowl, but all the teams, if you go look at their DNA, they have brothership. They have a family-oriented organization and that’s what we have here. We hang out all the time. We joke, we laugh, just like a family. I mean, shoot, we cry together, we’ve been through a lot. With the DT (Demaryius Thomas) situation, everyone’s going through it. We’re family-oriented and that’s a reason why we’re here, too. You go and look at the Carolina Panthers, you see those guys after games. All of them are pointing and doing the dab. They have this brothership and they are united. That’s why I think the two best teams from a family-oriented type environment and from a physical standpoint are playing in the Super Bowl.”
DeMarcus Ware on how hard it is to make the Super Bowl:
“It’s been 11 years for me and it’s my first time making the Super Bowl. Some guys, when they’re young, their rookie season they get to make the Super Bowl. But it’s hard, because it takes a team to get to this point, so you just have to enjoy the moment. I talked to Tony Gonzalez a couple days ago and he said, ‘You know, I never had that opportunity.’ I think he played at least 15 years in the league and didn’t get to make it and a lot of other guys also (don’t make it). So this right here, it’s big. This is what all competitors, all NFL players look for and play for.”
Ware on the defense’s importance to this team:
“I think with Talib and T.J., everybody coming here, we had the offense, but Elway said to us, ‘We need to solidify our defense. We need to have a better defense.’ The first thing we thought about was the Orange Crush. We were like, ‘Hey, we have to play like those guys, we have to play with that type of tenacity, because that’s where it started at.’ That’s what Elway really wanted to bring back and you can see that he did. We were the No. 1 defense this year and it’s always been said that defense wins championships. You can see that Carolina also has a great defense and they are where they are right now. Now back to that point of playing a good game. We’ve been here – not me, years before me – they’ve been here. So, they know what it feels like to lose (this) game.”