Denver Broncos: Interview with Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann

The Denver Broncos take on the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. I chat with Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann and get her takes on the game and on the Broncos.

Here we are. The Denver Broncos face off against perhaps their heated AFC West rivals in week two. The Oakland Raiders come to town. It can be debated on who the current heated rival is. But history shows how much these two teams do not like each other.

Denver has benefited most in recent history. Winning ten of the last thirteen meetings, the rivalry has been one sided. But that does not mean that the games haven’t been close. In fact, the Raiders have played Denver tough at Mile High over the last couple seasons.

Last year saw a Justin Simmons interception seal the game away. It was close throughout the game. I would not be surprised to see a similar result. But it appears just from watching each team’s first game that Denver is slightly better.

Either way, expect a tough game. Broncos Country is hoping for a win to start 2-0.

With this being a big game, I have brought back an old friend. I chatted with Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann, a writer over at Mile High Report. It has been a while since we had a chat. But we have reconnected and talked about last week’s game and the matchup with the Oakland Raiders.

The Broncos got a huge win against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. What stood out to you the most in that game?

So many things stood out to me! For one, our offense moved the ball. We had no three-and-outs; Case Keenum hit multiple receivers for gains, including some razzle dazzle to Emmanuel Sanders; and Bill Musgrave used creative play calling – sooo much to like. But probably the thing that needs to be highlighted the most is how well the offensive line played in general and protected the quarterback. Outside of Keenum’s three INTs, it was really a refreshing offensive performance.

Case Keenum had an up and down game. Do you think he will be able to fix his mistakes and become better as the season goes on? What did you think of his calm and cool nature despite the interceptions?

I wouldn’t write those INTs off as “not disconcerting,” but I definitely think it’s too early to believe that is going to be the “2018 Keenum M.O.” so I’m not worrying about it. If he’s still throwing two or three interceptions a game by Week 5, then I’ll be concerned. BUT I definitely liked how easily he “forgot” those mistakes and didn’t make him gun shy for throwing the ball. He was still aggressive throughout the game and never let those mistakes rattle his nerves. I love that, and it’s a huge improvement over last year.

Phillip Lindsay made quite the noise against the Seahawks. Have the Broncos found a diamond in the rough with the undrafted rookie out of Colorado?

Absolutely. His ability to find open spaces, to catch in the backfield, to be shifty and make defenders miss is a major asset for this offense. We had seen him have a great camp and preseason, but now we know he run with the big dogs. The NFL is definitely not too big and fast for Lindsay, and I can’t wait to see how much he is used in this offense.

With the Broncos facing off against the Raiders, what is your all-time favorite memory of this rivalry?

Well, I don’t know if it’s my favorite memory but it is one I’ll never forget. My husband and sister and brother and I went to Raiders-Broncos game in Oakland in November 2006. In typical fashion, the Broncos – led by Jake the Snake – won it in the fourth quarter after trailing most of the game. We had been warned about wearing Broncos gear IN OAKLAND, and there was good reason.

We actually had the police tell us after the game to wait in the stands until almost all the fans had left, and then they escorted us to our car so we wouldn’t get beaten up. Those fans are no joke, but they suck, so I’m always happy about beating the Raiders – for multiple reasons!

What will be key for the Broncos to secure the win on Sunday against the Raiders?

There are several. Aside from the obvious of containing Jared Cook, the main two are that the offense do exactly what it did last week – keep converting on downs and move down the field, eat up the clock and SCORE.

And then the defense just needs to keep the pressure on Derek Carr because eventually he’ll get frustrated and make a mistake – or several. As long as our offense is taking control, the defense can let loose and make it a very long day for Carr and his offense. 

Thank You Laurie for taking the time to chat with us. If you want to see what she is up to, you can find her here.