Post-game quotes after the Denver Broncos‘ 17-10 victory over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. Thanks to the Broncos PR Staff!

DENVER BRONCOS HEAD COACH JOSH MCDANIELS

On his pride in his team

“I’m proud of our team. It’s a sixty-minute game against a really good football team. I give Dallas a lot of credit. They forced a lot of mistakes in the first part of the half; but our team stayed with it and made some adjustments at halftime. They never stopped playing hard and gave a great effort the whole time and made enough plays to win it in the end. That’s what you do against a good football team. You have to stand in there and take a shot and then throw one of your own. We tried to do that and made one more play than they did.”

On WR Brandon Marshall’s second touchdown (the game-winning score)

“We had completed one earlier in that drive where Brandon caught one and then [CB Terence] Newman picked him up and made a tackle. We went back to a similar type of concept and then Terence went up there and pressed him and then went by him and he made a nice move at the line of scrimmage. He made a great catch and an even better run. Maybe one of the best runs I’ve ever seen after the ball was in his hands. And that’s just what a great player will do and that’s what he is. He made a great play to help determine the outcome.”

On Marshall as a player

“He’s just one of us, is what he is. I’m not going to comment on where he was, but he is one of us. Our team loves him, we love him and I think he loves being a part of this team. He plays just as hard as they do every day at practice. We have a team and he is a big part of it.”

On going for it on fourth-and-short in the fourth quarter

“I’d do it again. We needed this much [gestures small width]. We didn’t get it on the third down play. Go for it, be aggressive and try and get it in there. If we can convert that, try and go down there and score a touchdown.”

On OLB Elvis Dumervil

“He’s been very difficult to stop most of the year – just playing hard and playing within the scheme. I think we have a lot of guys that don’t get a lot of credit that give other players chances to do wonderful things. Some of those guys up front are taking on one or two blockers at a time. We’re getting some single coverage there in terms of his pass rush. We played good team defense today, that’s what we did, and Elvis is a big part of that.”

On the defense

“[Dallas QB Tony] Romo made a big play, he’s a great player. One fourth down we thought we had him covered but we didn’t have him covered long enough. We let him out of the pocket and he bought enough time to find [WR Sam] Hurd there, but [S Brian] Dawkins and [ILB DJ] Williams did a great job of not letting him score on that play because he certainly had a chance to, and then we had to make a stop down there inside the ten-yard-line. We practiced that situation over and over again going back to the spring. Our guys knew the call without us even telling them what it was. [CB] Champ [Bailey] didn’t even need to go back in the huddle. He knew what it was going to be. We did a nice job of denying the ball there on the last two [plays]. We blitzed them. We were going to make him [Romo] throw fast and he did, and Champ was in great position.”

On defending the last Dallas scoring attempt

“That was the single receiver side. If he [Romo] was going to go the other way, we had a couple guys over there….they could have challenged anybody at that point, but he [Romo] chose to challenge the single receiver side – Hurd on Champ – and I’m thankful that he did. ”

On people’s expectations of the Broncos

“What other people thought about our team, what other people who are less educated than the ones inside the building thought about our team doesn’t really provide us any reason to feel anything. It doesn’t really matter. We know we’ve won four games and four games will never qualify us for the playoffs, four games will never win our division, and four games won’t really get us much of anything, so, we’re happy to be four and 0, but we’re certainly far from satisfied and we’ve got a lot of improvements to make. We can play better, we can coach better, and that’s what we are after.”

On RB Knowshon Moreno’s performance

“Knowshon had the fumble there in the beginning of the third quarter but he came back and ran hard and did some good things in the passing game. You know, he’s a tough kid. Like we said, we’ve always wanted tough, smart players who would play hard for sixty minutes and Knowshon showed that. [RB] LaMont [Jordan] went in there and did a nice job, too. We played Jordan when Buck [RB Correll Buckhalter] went down. We’ve got faith in all of our backs.”

On the team’s resilience

“Hopefully that’s the guys we’ve accumulated in the locker room. We’ve got great leadership. We’ve known that for weeks now. We’ve got great veteran presence and a strong belief in ourselves and our ability to play good football and keep getting better. The way they work every week is a tribute to them. They work as hard as any team I’ve ever been on, Wednesday through Friday. They put a lot of time and effort into it. They don’t

want to be denied, and that is the mark of a team. We didn’t know how we were going to try to win the game at halftime, but we knew we were going to change some things and we did. Found some things that work, but they never gave up hope.”

DENVER BRONCOS PLAYERS

BRONCOS QB KYLE ORTON

On almost getting intercepted on the touchdown pass to RB Knowshon Moreno

“I thought that might be my first one. I didn’t know if it was going to be a pick or a touchdown, but Knowshon made a great catch. I don’t even think he saw the ball to be honest with you. It was on No. 93 (LB Anthony Spencer) that I played college ball with (at Purdue University) Spencer. He let me off the hook on that play. Sometimes you get lucky.”

On dispelling public doubt in his ability

“I don’t listen to things about me. I play this game to win football games and compete with 53 other guys. It is not about me. It is not about what happened in the offseason. It is about working hard every week and competing our butts off. Every chance that you get to play a football game, you play as hard as you can. That is the approach that I take. If that means that I throw for 100 yards or 300 yards, I’ll be happy either way as long as we win.”

On the Broncos success

“We have a lot of room to improve, no question about it. I think we are close, but we kind of hurt ourselves in the first half. There is going to be a time down the road where we are going to have to score 35 points to win the football game. I do know that with the veteran leadership that we have on this team that we will go back to work on Monday, and I hope we have three great days of practice like we did this last week and be a better football team next week.”

On if he is surprised by the defense’s success this year

“Looking at the guys that we have, I don’t know why this is a surprise that they are a good football team: (S) Brian Dawkins, (CB) Champ Bailey, (CB) André Goodman (and ILB) Andra Davis. (OLB/DE) Elvis (Dumervil) is playing great. We have got a lot of good players. We have got a good scheme and they are executing it. The offense does a pretty good job of not putting them into terrible situations. We are playing good complimentary football, which is what we talk about all the time.”

BRONCOS WR BRANDON MARSHALL

On his game-winning touchdown reception

“We kind of been looking for that look all game. It came down to a crucial moment of the game and they gave it to us, and we took advantage of it.”

On Dallas’ defensive alignment on his game-winning touchdown reception

“Again, hats off to (Head) Coach (Josh McDaniels). He does a great job of preparing us for situational football, and that was a situation where we knew what personnel was on the field and what they do with that personnel. Before we even came out of the huddle, me and (QB) Kyle (Orton) were on the same page and we took advantage of it.”

On if he now believes in McDaniels

“You never heard me say anything (bad) about him coaching or what he brings to the organization. Coach does a great job of preparing us and getting us in the right position and just getting our team going every day.”

On his emotions following his game-winning touchdown reception

“It probably was one of my most emotional plays ever since little league, and I had a bunch of them. I am just grateful that we were able to capitalize on that look.”

On how he feels after his difficulties prior to the season

“I feel good. I think the guys in the locker room and just the people around the organization embraced me and have just been there for me.”

On when he realized he would score during his game-winning touchdown reception

“As soon as I caught it and I hit the middle of the field, I thought I had a chance to score, but the big body wasn’t fast enough so I had to make some cuts to get to the end zone.”

On his vision during his game-winning touchdown reception

“I saw big (TE) Daniel Graham out there, and it is always good to run behind the big body. Hats off to Daniel for just being downfield and hustling and making a block. That is something that he brings to our team just working all the time on each play.”

On the receivers getting involved in the passing game late in the contest

“Coach (McDaniels) preaches all the time just about staying in the game. There are going to be some plays where we don’t capitalize off of it. As long as it comes down to the fourth quarter, we pride ourselves on playing situational football. That situation came up and we took advantage of it.”

On his emotion during Dallas’ final drive

“Going back to Pop Warner, I have made a bunch of plays like that that really didn’t mean anything because we ended up losing the game or something like that happened like if (Dallas QB Tony) Romo would have scored and gone into overtime. Hats off to the defense for standing up and making a big play going in and know the situation. We knew that their two-minute offense is one of the best in the business. I think the defense did a great job of just holding up.”

On finally being involved in the offense

“I never complained about not being involved in the offense. I think when you take a new coaching staff and new players—it is almost a new team—it takes time to get that chemistry. You are not just going to get it over night. We still have a lot of work to do. I didn’t expect to come into the season and put huge numbers. I just need to play my position and do my job, and everything will be alright.”

On producing at a pivotal time in the game

“You pride yourself off of, the great players—actually, I went to (WR) Brandon Stokley and I said, ‘How can I be great? Forget about the stuff off the field. How can I be great? What makes (Arizona WR Larry) Fitzgerald and (Texans WR) Andre Johnson great? He said you have got to take advantage of that deep ball. I got an opportunity today and was grateful that I made a play on it.”

BRONCOS CB CHAMP BAILEY

On Dallas throwing his way

“I welcome it. Please do! That’s the only way that I get a chance to make plays. ”

On the Cowboys final drive

“That’s [Tony] Romo making a play. We had a chance to sack him but he just made a play out of the pocket. He’s going to make something happen if you give him a chance. We have to get him down when we get the chance.”

On the confidence of the defense

“Our confidence is obviously improving and that’s how we get wins but at the same time we know we’re not where we are supposed to be, to be a championship team. We have to keep going to practice and keep getting better. We have to keep gelling.”

BRONCOS ILB MARIO HAGGAN

On the team

“First of all we played a great team today and we were fortunate to get a victory. We are just fighting for respect and it is certainly not given. People were saying that last week was the last game we were going to win, but all that counts is what’s in this locker room. There was no harm intended we just want people to understand that we are a team and that we do deserve respect. We practice hard and work hard and that’s the type of game we want to play on Sundays, but once again give it up to the Cowboys: it was a four quarter game.”

On today’s win

“It goes as far as next week. We just won this one and we’ll be happy tonight. We will watch film tomorrow and come in on Wednesday to get ready for another good team in the Patriots.”

On the defense

“We just come out and try to be aggressive. We believe in the other guys on this defense. Coach McDaniels preaches to do your job and that’s what we try to do each and every play and that’s been successful so far.”

BRONCOS OLB/DE ELVIS DUMERVIL

On the play of the defense

“I’ve been blessed to be in this situation. The defensive scheme is excellent. I’ve been surrounded with a bunch of guys that are making plays and that makes my job easier.”

On the Dallas Cowboys

“I don’t want to say it was the toughest, but give the Cowboys credit. They came out and gave us a good challenge but I think everyone we play presents a good challenge. All we try to do is stick to what we do and that is being physical up front and playing tough and smart and running to the ball. We were able to be the better team today.”

BRONCOS CB ANDRE GOODMAN

On the Broncos defensive composure

“Our defense is very composed. There are very few situations that can shake us.”

On the goal line stand

“I think today, you get Coach Nolan’s thoughts that he has, which is pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure. We try to come at them quick. It’s just surprising that they chose to throw that one at a Pro-Bowl player. And at the end of the game we stepped up.”

On the challenge playing the Cowboys wide receivers

“Every team and every wide receiving core is a challenge. This one was no different. We like our guys and we like our chances, every single game no matter what they are. I think we did a good job in the middle and did a great job all day. We had a couple screens in the middle that went for big plays, but that was pretty much it.”

BRONCOS WR JABAR GAFFNEY

On making others believers

“Whether they believe in us or not, we believe in ourselves. We just come in fighting to prove that we’re a team to be reckoned with, each and every week.”

On second half adjustments offensively

“We just kept going, kept pushing. We never got down on ourselves. It came down to that last drive and Brandon made a play.”

On Brandon Marshall’s touchdown

“I was on the other side when I saw him go up and get it. Then I saw him start running and thought he could get a few yards and get in field goal range. Then he cut back and I was thinking ‘just get in the end zone.’ Fortunately, he got there.”

On the Broncos defense

“The defense is for real. We go up against them every day in practice, so we know it and now they’re showing it to the world.”

BRONCOS TE DANIEL GRAHAM

On confidence in Broncos QB Kyle Orton

“He had a big game today and made a big throw at the end of the game.”

On next week’s game against the New England Patriots

“We just have to focus on the Patriots. It’s going to be a big game for us next week and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

DALLAS COWBOYS COACH AND OWNER

COWBOYS OWNER JERRY JONES

General

“There is a reason they’re 4-0, they’re a good football team and they hung in there until they were able to make plays in the game. We could have possibly extended our lead early in the second half but we didn’t. Give them credit: they made the plays to win the game.”

On the loss

“We’re 2-2. We’d like to be 4-0 but we’re not. Hats off to Denver, they’re 4-0 and a good football team.”

DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH WADE PHILLIPS

Opening statement

“It was a tough loss obviously. We had chances all the way to the last play. I thought we certainly had some opportunities in the first half to do some things to put us ahead. In the second half we weren’t able to run the ball as well as we did in the first half and when we did, we had holding penalties. You knew it was going to be that kind of game. We had to take advantage of our opportunities, they got a fumble and scored; we got a fumble and didn’t score. That really was the difference in the ball game.”

On Dallas’ offense

“Denver played well on defense. We just didn’t seem in synch enough in the second half for whatever reason. When we got backed up and needed to make plays at the end of the ball game, we made them all the way down to the one-yard line.”

On Dallas’ passing game

“The problem is we weren’t connecting on the shorter ones. I think that’s what hurt us because you can’t open up the bigger ones if you don’t complete the shorter passes. The eight to twelve yard passes, we didn’t seem able to get those open, or connect on those well enough.”

On Denver WR Brandon Marshall’s touchdown

“He just threw [CB] Terence [Newman] out of the way. Terence almost made the interception, but it didn’t turn out that way. Brandon is obviously a good player and he made a great play.”

On being 2-2

“There’s nothing you can do about the record except to go forward. We are 2-2 and that’s where we are. We got to come back next week; we have another tough road game. Denver’s a good team and we caught them at a tough time. We got to keep our team together. We have to improve on things, obviously when you lose. Not everything was bad though, there were some good things.”

On the last two plays

“We had the calls we wanted to call. [QB] Tony [Romo] decides where he wants to go with it depending on what the defense does.”

On the absence of RB Felix Jones

“He’s a playmaker, so we obviously missed him some. Our running game had gone for 200 for two weeks in a row and today I think we only went for 70.”

On Dallas’ running game

“We didn’t seem to be able to get it going in the second half. I may be wrong, but I think we did a pretty good job of running the ball in the first half. Our drive that was six minutes, we were doing a good job of running the football. Then on 2nd-and-3 we had a holding penalty that hurt us. I think they’re trying hard, but they weren’t executing well enough.”

DALLAS COWBOYS PLAYERS

COWBOYS MLB KEITH BROOKING

General

“It was a battle. As a good football team and with as much talent as we have we should be winning more games. We have to stop giving games away, not to take anything away from Denver. They are a very good team and made the plays to win the game. We are going to stay together no matter what anyone else says. We are going to come out and show how much we want it Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday because that’s when you win games.”

On play of the defense

“We didn’t play good enough to win. It doesn’t matter what the offense did. We went into the half and it was our game to win. We were up 10-7 and if they don’t score anymore than we win. They had one long drive on us and one long play. I don’t care how good we played for 64-of-65 plays if there are 65 plays in the game you have to play well for 65 plays. I don’t want to hear the offense getting blamed. We win as a team and we lose as a team.”

COWBOYS WR SAM HURD

On offensive performance

“Our whole objective is to win the game. It’s not to go out and get 300 yards or anything else; we go out there to win the game. It takes away from all the other positives if we don’t’ get the win.”

On the last play of the game

“I ran a decent route and [Tony] Romo threw a perfect ball. He [Champ Bailey] broke on it better than I did. As a wide receiver I should have a knack to go get the ball. I think I should have broke on it earlier, maybe that would have made the difference.”

COWBOYS QB TONY ROMO

General

“It’s very disappointing because we lost. It’s disappointing because we had opportunities and we didn’t take advantage. We have to get better.”

On offensive second half performance

“We didn’t execute as well in the second half. Denver came out and made it difficult for us. Give them credit for making good half time adjustments.”

On the last play of the game

“He [Champ Bailey] crossed his [Sam Hurd] face and did a great job of breaking up the pass. We got what we wanted, we just didn’t make the play.”

On Denver’s defense

“They’re a good defensive unit and a good team. They’re number one in the league for a reason and you don’t go out there and move the ball like it’s nothing. They came out and showed why they are the number one defense. We have to come out and keep working and keep improving.”

COWBOYS RB TASHARD CHOICE

On Denver’s defense

“They’re defense did a lot of things well and not to take anything away from them, they played a good game, but we’re killing ourselves.”

On frustration level

“I think it’s more frustrating with everything as an offensive unit. We’re not happy with how we’ve been playing. We made our defense stay on the field too much and that’s going to hurt their ability to make plays.”

COWBOYS LB BRADIE JAMES

On defensive performance

“There are only so many times you can get a 3 and outs and get sacks. We just have to start getting off the field on a regular basis. We know defensively if they don’t score more points than we do they can’t win the game. We need to get more sacks and make more plays and if we need to score on defense to get the win, that’s what we need to do.”

On Denver WR Brandon Marshall’s late touchdown

“He caught it and ran with it. We were trying to catch him but couldn’t. It was time for someone to make a play and he was the one that made it.”

COWBOYS WR ROY WILLIAMS

On turning point in game

“I think the biggest moment in the game was when our defense got us the ball in the red zone and we didn’t score. We missed an opportunity and I think that was the game’s turning point.”

On the hit delivered by Denver LB D.J. Williams

“Never in my life have I been hit like that, from Pop Warner through my six years in the league. I’m 5,200 feet above sea level with asthma so I was obviously hurting.”