One thing you can count on when the Denver Broncos step out onto the field is that it’s going to be a close game. It doesn’t matter how many breaks do or do not go their way; when the clock hits triple zeros, they’ll find a way to make sure it’s a one-score game.
Broncos are now 10-3 this year in games decided by a possession. 2nd most wins in NFL history in such games (only '78 Oilers had more).
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) January 18, 2016
And oddly enough, there’s a link between those ’78 Oilers and these ’15 Broncos.
Broncos DC Wade Phillips was DL coach on '78 HOU team that had an NFL-record 11 wins by 8 pts or less. '15 Broncos are 2nd w/10 such wins.
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) January 18, 2016
Wade Phillips made sure, though, to note one clear difference.
@psmyth12 yes we did but lost to Pitt that year-not this time!
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) January 18, 2016
More importantly, as evidenced by Sunday’s gutty win, it’s created a team that only knows how to go out “kicking and screaming.” Even when down and out, these Broncos will claw their way back into the game, oftentimes earning a win in the process.
Here’s what they had to say after the game on how they were able to secure a victory over the Steelers.
Gary Kubiak on how they turned the game around in the 4th quarter:
“I think the wind was a big factor in the football field. It really was. The ball was moving. We had, what, four or five drops in the first half that could have been big plays. It made a difference, but we just kept our poise, kept grinding. That’s what our team has been about all year. We’re in a close ballgame, then we make a big play. [OLB] DeMarcus [Ware] makes a big play, [WR] Bennie [Fowler] makes a big play and then we finally lined up and ran the ball the way we’re capable of running it. Just proud of our team. We found a way to win. They’re a great football team, great organization. They played really well today. Just glad we hung in there and got it done.”
Kubiak on finding a way to win all season:
“I’m very proud of our organization and our team, but what you just said is exactly what we’ve been about all year. There hasn’t been one way that we’ve won. We’ve kind of won all kinds of different ways. We’ve had a lot of different players contribute to our success when we’ve been successful. We’ve been through a quarterback ordeal with two guys playing, but here we are. That’s what team is all about and that’s what I’ve preached to them. I told them it would take them all today. It sure did. It will continue to take all of us as we move forward.”
C.J. Anderson on their game-winning drive:
“That is how it’s been all year. We’ve had ups and downs. We’ve struggled, but we keep on battling. Throughout the season we’ve learned that it is going to take four quarters to beat teams. We’ve been up on teams and teams came back and it’s going to take teams to beat us four quarters. We’ve been down, teams relax and we find a way to get back in it. That is what it’s been all season. We’re relentless in there. We fight, we grind and we just keep pushing. We keep fighting every time.”
Anderson on gaining momentum after the Steelers’ fumble:
“We say it every drive, ‘Let’s go get some points,’ but right there it was, let’s go get some points and stop playing around. We needed to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. We were moving the ball but if you get a penalty there and a sack there, it just turns the tide and kills the momentum. I think on that last drive me and Ronnie (Hillman) we just kept going and Peyton (Manning) made some good throws.”
Peyton Manning on winning close games all year:
“I think it helps playing a lot of close games during the course of the season, starting with the very first one against Baltimore. That was a dog fight, grinder and went down to the last drive. If you can be in a lot of those games and win those games, it certainly gives you confidence and, hey, it’s playoff football. Even the game this morning between Seattle and Carolina ended up being a one-score game, right? It’s very rare that there are huge blowouts in a playoff game. It’s going to be close game. You know it’s going to be a grind down to the wire. That’s certainly what it was tonight.”
Manning on feeling of urgency after Steelers’ fumble:
“Yeah, I think everybody understands when you’re in the fourth quarter that there’s certainly a sense of urgency, especially when you’re behind, you’re losing the game and you realize your opportunities are getting fewer and fewer. We wanted to take advantage of that field position and that opportunity.”
Manning on the defense stepping up all season:
“Our defense has been outstanding all season. They have led us to this point. Let’s make that clear. Different guys stepped up at different times all season–[S] David Bruton [Jr.] and [S Darian] Stewart kind of combined for that interception on the last play at the Baltimore game; [ILB Brandon] Marshall, [CB Bradley] Roby creating that fumble for a touchdown in the Chiefs game, and I could go on and on. Each game, key defensive players stepped it up, but you have to be a good team to win these playoff games and you have to win as a team. Defense did a great job holding them, and offensively, we did just enough to win.”
DeMarcus Ware on his fourth-quarter fumble recovery:
“We talked all week about the turnovers we had to get, we said the team that is going to win this game will win the turnover battle and that was probably a big momentum changer for us. You could see, once I got the fumble and we got the turnover, [QB] Peyton [Manning] went down and scored. The momentum built from there and we were able to close the game out.”
Owen Daniels on winning ugly:
“It wasn’t pretty. We struggled offensively, but when it really counted, we found a way to put a great drive together and run the ball. The offensive line guys did a great job, [Broncos RBs] CJ [Anderson] and Ronnie [Hillman] and the guys up front. Everyone was working really hard, didn’t get down on anything as the game went along. That was obviously a huge drive. It’s another one of those games we found a way to do it.”
Virgil Green on the game-winning drive:
“We did a good job of running the ball. When we got into the huddle, [QB] Peyton [Manning] said, ‘We have to get seven here.’ Everybody bought in and we just went down and finished. We go to the goal line and [RB] C.J. [Anderson] did his thing, and that is all she wrote.”
Malik Jackson on playing a lot of close games:
“I think it’s great. One of the things, like you said, we’ve had a lot of close games and we’ve had a lot of games where we had to go out there and keep them down. I think all of this practice with these teams, that we’ve played a lot of good teams has helped up get ready for this playoff run like the regular season is supposed to do. I think we’ve handled it well and we keep working and learning and our coaches do a great job of putting us in great positions.”
Von Miller on finding different ways to win:
“I think it just trickles down from our head coach He’s dealt with all types of adversity throughout his coaching career. Hs mentality, the way he handles adversity, it just falls down here.”
Bradley Roby forcing the fumble in the 4th quarter:
“It was a great feeling. We were all stressing that we needed a turnover, that we haven’t had a turnover all game. I was one of the guys saying it and stressing it, and I just got the opportunity and I capitalized. I just saw him [RB Fitzgerald Touissant] kind of holding it out, and we were just talking about getting turnovers, so I just punched it out.”
Roby on if there was ever any doubt they’d win:
“No, we never have any doubt. We’ve been in too many close games to have any doubt. We always feel like we are going to win at the end of the day, but it would be better if we didn’t put ourselves in this position all of the time.”
Emmanuel Sanders on pulling out a win:
“That win was ugly. It was gusty. I a lot of people watching on television, even when you’re in the stands, you can’t tell. When the wind slowed down, we were able to slow down. We were kind of geeked up out there for a little bit. In the fourth quarter, the offensive line took off, and we took off and were able to score.”