Von Miller: 'It's Easy To Go To Work For A Guy Like Wade Phillips'
DENVER (CBS4) - As expected Peyton Manning isn't sounding any alarms about the offense not producing touchdowns. There are still two weeks to go before a game that counts, so there's still plenty of time to work on it. But right now there's definitely a different vibe about these Denver Broncos -- it's a Manning team that's actually being led by the defense.
When the Broncos beat the Ravens to open the season two years ago the score was 49-27 and Manning threw seven touchdown passes. If the Broncos beat Baltimore this year, the score might be 13-6.
"We will get better. We're all still teaching, we're still learning," running back C.J. Anderson said. "But we'll get better, promise, we will be fine."
After another sub-par preseason performance, the Broncos offense spent Saturday night trying to convince everyone there isn't a problem.
"I think some people maybe are a little concerned about the lack points, the lack of touchdowns, but the way we've been moving the ball those things will come, those things will happen," tight end Owen Daniels said.
But if they don't, if this offense continues to be a work in progress, at least the defense seems ready to go.
"I think it's going to be both ways. We're going to win some games on defense and they're going to win some games on offense," safety T.J. Ward said. "But overall it's a team effort and if we get the W, that's all that matters."
The numbers from preseason are impressive. The starters have allowed only six points in three games and the defense has tallied 15 sacks.
"The offense is going to do what they do, they will get points on the board in the season. We do what we do, keep the offense low points," defensive end DeMarcus Ware said.
"This is linebacker heaven, this is defense heaven right here," linebacker Danny Trevathan said. "This is where you want to play if you don't want to think and you want to have fun and you want to go out there and knock some heads, get loud and get the crowd pumped. This is the defense you want to be in."
"We have more one-on-ones. Five guys are rushing and it's man against man, who wants it most, and especially athletic guys like me and Von (Miller) and Malik (Jackson) and (Derek) Wolfe and Antonio (Smith). We're able to rush a lot more in Wade's defense because it is a lot more aggressive," Ware said.
The Broncos could not stop talking about how much they like playing in Wade Phillips' defense.
"It is a blast out there, we've been doing a great job, we've got great players on defense, great scheme, and a great defensive coordinator. So everything is in our favor right now," linebacker Brandon Marshall said.
"I think it is just a representation of what type of coach we've got, first off. And our defensive coordinator, it's easy to go to work when you've got a guy like that," linebacker Von Miller said. "It's all about football, it's all about being great, it's easy to stay in the moment. It's easy to go to work for a guy like Wade Phillips."
But if there is one thing the Broncos defense wants to work on, it's improving the sack dance of rookie linebacker Shane Ray, who did it really fast.
"I told him I had to give him an example; that he's got to relax a little bit … make sure everyone is watching, then you do the sack dance. If you do it too quick then nobody sees it," Miller said.
"It is all fun, it's football … I learn from my big bro Von and DeMarcus and their celebrations. When you get a sack there's a lot of hard work that goes into it," Ray said.
A lot of players have been getting to work on their sack dances this preseason.
