Colts' Luck, Pagano use nearly 20 adjectives to describe Broncos' defense

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo – The Denver Broncos defense has been called a lot of things over the past week, the number one adjective probably being “dirty.” A bevy of high hits on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton sparked a debate about the nature of the Broncos’ ‘D’ and whether or not the have malicious intent; multiple fines rolling in didn’t exactly help their cause.

On Wednesday morning, though, shortly after those fines were dropped on Brandon Marshall and Darian Stewart, Denver media had the chance to speak with the Broncos’ next target, Andrew Luck.

“I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that,” he said via conference call of the notion that the Broncos go beyond clean play. “They play hard, they’re well-coached—obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinion—they do a good job, they really do.”

Luck and his head coach Chuck Pagano, who agreed the Denver defense is not dirty, did have plenty of other ways to describe the group.

“Tough, physical, good, really good players all around the field,” Luck said. “They’re a winning group, the know how to win, well-coached, Coach Phillips does a heck of a job everywhere he’s been. Great pass rushers, really good cover guys, really there is no weakness on the defense.”

“It’s an athletic, physical, tough, attacking, swarming defense,” added Pagano. “They have talent front to back, the edge pressure that they get, the way that they run to the football, the linebackers are sideline-to-sideline, and the secondary is as good a unit as there is in the National Football League. It’s very, very difficult to generate movement inside and try to get something going in the run game; they do a good job there. They have great edge-setters with Ware and Von, then Shaq comes in, and Ray comes in, they’re deep, they have a ton of talent, and they are extremely well-coached, they’re disciplined, they fly around. They’re a physical, physical unit.”

Despite the high praise for the unit, Luck, Pagano and the rest of the Colts have had the Broncos’ number under the current regime, taking three out of the last four contests, including a divisional-round playoff game in Denver (2014).

“We’ve been able to come out and be efficient early,” Pagano said of how they’ve had success. “Last year we played well early, and we got up, and kind of hung on, if you will, and we were able to eek out that win. You have to play well early, and we’re going to have to do the same thing. It’s a hostile, hostile environment that we’re going to come and play in.”

Last season’s win, a 27-24 result in Lucas Oil Stadium, may have been Luck’s most impressive performance from a personal standpoint. The former No.1 overall pick played part of the game with a lacerated spleen that eventually ended his season.

The gutsy outing certainly earned the respect of the Broncos, but the Colts franchise QB likely won’t be pushing his luck this time around.

“Sure, in a sense,” he said of if he has to play differently. “Obviously, as a quarterback, you have an obligation to be on the field, that involves taking care of your body. Situationally, there are times when you need to slide or throw the ball away and I’ve been working on that. In other situations, you’re going to go out there and take a hit if the game is on the line or in other situations. Every year I’m trying to approach the game in a better, more efficient way so this is somewhat of a natural progression.”

Despite Luck wanting to protect himself, Pagano knows he can’t do it alone.

“It’s a physical football game that we play and coach,” he said. “That’s part of it, there’s physicality that comes with it. The officials have a job todo, and we have a job to do, and we have to protect. We have to block, and we have to protect, and we have to communicate and we have to make sure that he doesn’t take any unnecessary hits, that’s our job as an offense. . . They’re such a great defense that that’s obviously easier said than done.”

The Colts know exactly what they’re going up against, and there’s no doubt the Broncos will be under the microscope as they try to dismantle another QB. If there’s anyone who’s up for the challenge, though, it’s Andrew Luck.