Woodyard Says Broncos Aim To Be 'Best Team' At Year's End

DENVER (CBS4) - After going 3-1 through the toughest part of their regular season schedule without the leadership of John Fox, Broncos defensive captain Wesley Woodyard says the team has a positive outlook.

"I'm really proud of the way our team battled and fought week in and week out," Woodyard told CBS4's Vic Lombardi on Xfinity Monday Live. "We know what we want to get accomplished and that's being the best team on the field and the best team at the end of the year."

Early on in Sunday's Broncos-Chiefs game the defense was struggling to keep up with what Woodyard described as the Chiefs' "up-tempo pace." That changed as the game wore on.

"The thing that we had to do as a unit was settle down and slow the game down," said Woodyard, who had an interception in the game.

Woodyard said the defense was certainly missing starting defensive lineman Derek Wolfe, who had to be taken to the hospital last week for what might have been food poisoning. So far it's not clear if Wolfe will be able to play in the Broncos home game against the Titans on Sunday afternoon.

Temperatures during that game are projected to be in the teens, and Woodyard said any talk about the Broncos being easier to beat in the cold is "definitely not realistic."

"We'll play (hard) in any weather we get," Woodyard said.

Fox returned to the head coaching chair for the Broncos on Monday after taking time off after heart surgery, and Woodyard said it's "good to have our general back."

"We're getting our guy that we look to for guidance and who focuses everybody back in," Woodyard said. "He respects the game of football and he loves the game of football."

Jack Del Rio, who served as interim head coach when Fox was gone, can now return his full focus to his defensive coordinator job.

"As a defense, we've got to continue to rise up and play hard and tough," Woodyard said.

During a segment on Xfinity Monday Live called "Riddle Me This" in which the special guest answers questions from the audience, Woodyard revealed that he first decided he wanted to be in the NFL when he was 6. He also showed off a talent for impersonations, doing a funny Peyton Manning, complete with the southern drawl.

"Check, check! Green Oscar! Blue Charlie! Let's throw this ball down the field on them, guys. They can't stop us!"

Watch more of Wesley Woodyard's appearance on Monday night's show in the Xfinity Monday Live section of CBSDenver.com.