What the Broncos had to say this week about resuming their rivalry with the Patriots
"He's the GOAT."
On Sunday night, the Broncos and Patriots resume what has been one of the NFL’s most vibrant rivalries over the past several years. Standing at 6-2 and coming off a bye week, the Patriots are favored to win in Denver (who are 3-5 and on a four-game losing streak).
Prior to the matchup, here’s what the Broncos had to say about the Patriots:
John Elway, team president
Comparing the Patriots and Broncos: “They’re a team that you can’t go beat yourself, which we’ve had a problem dealing with the last four weeks.”
Vance Jospeh, head coach
On the Patriots’ efficiency: “When you’re playing the Patriots, you have to have a great week of detail. It’s a smart team. It’s a detailed team. We have to match that. If our football IQ is not high enough to match it, we can’t beat this team.”
CJ Anderson, running back
On playing the Patriots during a tough stretch: “They’re a good football team. The best time to turn it around is against a team like this that’s not going to beat themselves. They’re going to be very disciplined, very detailed and focused on their jobs, and we can definitely take something from that.
On the rivalry with the Patriots: “This is like a division game for me. I’ve played them so many times. They know me, I know them. They way they play the game. The way they approach it, how they’re coached, it’s perfect for us.”
On facing Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia: “Coach Belichick and coach Patricia, they always play us something different. And the NFL game them 14 days to prepare for us, so we know we’re going to get something different.”
Von Miller, linebacker
On Tom Brady: “He’s the GOAT (greatest of all time)…I’m going against the GOAT. There are two different types of emotions you can have going against the best. You can have the emotion of, ‘Oh man, this guy’s great. He’s going to do this, he’s going to do that,’ [then] you go into the game expecting that. Or you can have the emotion of, ‘He’s the best. I’m going to go out here and play lights out, so we can show everybody what we’re about. [And] show everybody that we’re great too. That has been my mentality since 2011, when I came into the National Football League.”
Brock Osweiler, quarterback
On facing the Patriots: “It is the perfect opponent. I think anytime you find yourself in a losing streak like this, not playing great football, you want to play an opponent like this. It’s because if you can go out there and play a good football game, find a way to get a win, it’s going to create a ton of momentum for your football team.”
On winning in 2015: “It was a great team win. I remember it was just a snowy, cold night. It was a very special night, but that game was a long ways back. We cherished it then, but we’re focused on the 2017 Patriots.”
On Tom Brady: “You know, I just love his competitive spirit. I think maybe the best example was in the Super Bowl. I think he’s just never going to quit. He plays with a lot of fire, a lot of passion, and that makes it a lot of fun to watch.”
Shane Ray, outside linebacker
On facing Tom Brady: “We’re excited for the opportunity to play against Tom Brady again. He’s a great quarterback. Everybody knows Tom. I don’t need to say much about him, but it’s just a game we need.”
