**
On the difficultly of playing the Denver Broncos team**
"They are a good football team. They did really well today. We just didn't make enough plays. Certainly early, we didn't get third downs to go down the field and score points or move the ball. We got in a hole. It was just too tough to dig our way out."
On competing early
"We definitely had some chances on third downs and I had a chance down some lanes and I certainly wish I would've made that. You know, it's a tough day for our team. We fought hard and we came up short against a pretty good team."
On the throws to [WR Austin] Collie
"I just overthrew them."
On the tough loss
"Anytime it is pretty tough. It's tough to get to this point. In the next two weeks there is only one team that is going to win that game. That is a tough one to win. Anytime you come up short in what you are trying to accomplish, it's not a great feeling. I'm proud of our team and the way we fought. We have a lot to be proud of. We will be back at next year."
On how emotional this loss is
"They've all been tough at the end of the year. I have had some losses in the Super Bowl which have been tough and last year losing in the championship game was tough. Losing is not easy. I give them [Denver Broncos] a lot of credit. They played really well. They had a lot of plays offensively and defensively. They have a good football team. They are going to tough to beat in a couple of weeks."
On the Broncos taking away the running game early
"We didn't do much of anything at the beginning of the game. We didn't pass it and it was hard because we didn't complete those third downs. It is hard to get into the run game when you have two three and outs to start the game. It's hard to be productive when you aren't getting third downs. The third down conversions early were not good and we just didn't make enough plays."
On feeling helpless when the time was running low [in the fourth quarter]
"They were pretty good and have had a good offense all season. When they get the ball, they have a lot of guys they can throw the ball to. Those guys made plays today. I give them a lot of credit. They just had a lot more plays than we did."
On Denver's offense
"They played great and have a very good offense. Probably the best offense in NFL history. They certainly played very well today."
On the margin-of-error allowance against QB Peyton Manning
"I think when you play good teams, the margin-of-error is pretty slim all day. We dug ourselves a pretty big hole there. I don't know if it was 20-3 or 23-3, but we just couldn't do enough. They have a good team and made a lot of plays. Like I said, I give them a lot of credit."
On putting this loss on himself
"Anytime we lose, there are things I can do better. Certainly, there are some things I wish I could've done better today."
On the injuries this year
"I think this team is a resilient, tough, team. We just got beat today by a team that played really well and a good football team that plays really well at home. We have a good team. We just didn't play well today. One team gets to advance and that's the NFL Playoffs."
On the injury of CB Aquib Talib
"He's been a great player for us all year and it's disappointing to not have him out there for us. That is what happens sometimes in football games. You have to find ways to bounce back and our guys fought hard and just didn't make enough plays to win."
On QB Peyton Manning's performance
"He played great. They played great. I mean they all did as a team. They have a lot of great players. He certainly is one of the greatest players to ever play. He had a very good day and the defense played good. We just didn't get enough pressure on that team to stop them. We were playing from behind all day."
On the Broncos offensive rhythm
"I thought we handled it pretty well. I wouldn't say that would be a huge factor. It was a lack of execution especially on third downs. That was a big factor. We were not able to sustain drives and really get a handle on our running game to move the ball to score many points."
On the motivation every year to get to the next level
"It is the same it has always been. Certainly for the New England Patriots we want to win every time we take the field. We did a decent job to get ourselves to this position. There are two teams that were playing and one gets to advance and that is the team that played better today. They played good and have a lot of good players. I thought they made plays offensively and defensively that really helped them win. Certainly I wish I could've done more to help us out."
On the fourth quarter offensive change
"We executed a little bit better. I just found some spots and made some throws and catches. We found a little space in there. I just wish we could've done it for four quarters."
On fourth quarter running touchdown
"They dropped off in coverage and I found space. It doesn't happen too often that I run it in. It just wasn't enough."
On talking to Peyton Manning after
"I just wished them luck. I have a lot of respect for him. He is a great player and he played great today."
On the offensive line's performance
"I thought the offense line played well. They gave me some spots on the run game. They fought really hard and played hard. We just couldn't do anything to get points on the board. It got away from us a little bit. We tried to fight back, but there was too big of a hole."
On the defensive pressure
"They got a little bit of pressure. I thought we handled it. That one play that they got the sack, that was a good rush. We just couldn't play to get away from them."
