By Don Ruiz The News Tribune
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos haven’t yet begun detailed preparations for their Super Bowl opponent, the Seattle Seahawks.
But on Monday they spoke respectfully about qualities they don’t need a lot of film study to understand.
“I know they’re a great football team,” coach John Fox said. “I know that Pete Carroll and his staff do a terrific job. I think they’ve kind of been the 1-seed all through the NFC, at least through the last six, eight weeks. I know they got after us pretty good when we got out there in the preseason. So we haven’t dug into them too in-depth yet, but any time you reach the world championship game, I think usually the opponent’s pretty good.”
Broncos and Seahawks met in an exhibition game Aug. 17 at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field, with Seattle winning, 40-10.
The stakes will be considerably higher Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey when the teams meet in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Still, Fox said some things can be taken from that earlier meeting.
“I think you take something away from every experience,” he said. “It will be something we look at, I’m sure they look at. We’ve got plenty of time to look at a lot of tape. There’s a whole season of tape out there on both teams.”
Asked what he knows about the Seahawks, Denver linebacker Danny Trevathan instantly named running back Marshawn Lynch.
“I played running back a little bit, so I grew up watching him a little bit,” Trevathan. “(Their offense is) athletic all around the board. If they get the running game going, they can really get going. And they play within their scheme; they play with the people that they have, they use them to their strengths. … They can get going anytime. We’ve got to be prepared for anything. It’s going to be a good Super Bowl.”
Tight end Julius Thomas was asked about finding space in the Seahawks secondary: “It’s the Super Bowl, so it’s going to be tough,” he said. “Nothing’s going to come easy. I’m pretty sure you’re going to see two teams playing as physical as possible. This is for all the marbles, so I’m pretty sure it will be a tough game all around.”
The Broncos qualified for their seventh Super Bowl with a 26-16 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday.
And among the things that Fox liked about his team that day was how it quickly transitioned its thoughts to the one game remaining in this season.
“I think we were pretty good, even in the locker room after the game,” he said. “This group has been pretty focused. They’ve responded well, and I don’t expect that to change moving forward.”
DEFENDING WELKER
Fox chose to steer mostly clear of the controversy that arose Monday when New England coach Bill Belichick called receiver Wes Welker’s crossing-route collision with New England cornerback Aqib Talib “one of the worst plays I’ve seen.”
“It was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib,” Belichick said. “No attempt to get open. I’ll let the league handle the discipline on that play, whatever they decide.”
A few hours after Belichick volunteered his remarks, Fox said he hadn’t heard them and therefore couldn’t comment. However, he added, “I know Wes Welker is a great player, high integrity. I can say we were not doing anything with intent.”
Under further questioning, Fox added “I think that most pass routes that we run, there’s an attempt to get open,” and he added that Welker is an unlikely candidate for goon work since he had suffered a pair of concussions this season.
Denver teammates also came to Welker’s defense.
“I’ve known Wes for quite a while now, and he’s definitely not that kind of guy,” Thomas said. “Things happen in football, and sometimes people get hurt. I don’t believe Wes would intentionally hurt anybody.”
