ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Broncos receiver Wes Welker on Friday scoffed at the claims by his former coach in New England, Bill Belichick, that he intentionally tried to injure Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib in the AFC Championship game.
“I don’t really have any reaction,’’ Welker said, addressing reporters for the first time since the game. “I’m just happy we won the game and happy we’re going to the Super Bowl.’’
Welker said he was “never worried about’’ being fined for the collision that knocked Talib out of the game.
“I just look forward to the game in New York and going out there and playing hard, competing and winning the game,’’ he said.
Welker called the Patriots’ Super Bowl defeat by the Giants following the 2011 season the most painful loss he ever has endured.
“It’s the reason I get up in the morning in the offseason and even now,” he said. “We’re close again and I’m trying to make the most of it.’’
Asked about Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, Welker said: “He’s a good player and he’s backed [his words] up, so we just have to go out there and execute the way we need to execute and play our game and not get caught up in any other stuff.’’
With so much talk focused on the type of crossing route on which Welker and Talib collided, Broncos coach John Fox was asked if he’s worried about the referees calling the Super Bowl more closely.
“I worry about everything the refs look at, to be honest with you,’’ Fox said. “It’s part of the game. It’s a football play [crossing routes]. I’m not going to get into analyzing every football play we’ve run. It’s a play that we utilize and just about every offense in the National Football League utilizes.”
The Seahawks’ oft-injured kick returner/wide receiver Percy Harvin was cleared to play on Thursday and looked to be in top form during practice on Friday, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said during a press conference.
“He looked like he was full speed, 100 percent the whole time,” Carroll said. “Had no problem with installation and all that. He looks ready to go — no hesitation in saying that.”
Carroll said he plans to use Harvin without any limitations and fully involve him in the game plan. The dynamic speedster missed 15 of 16 regular-season games after offseason hip surgery and was held out of the NFC Championship game after suffering a concussion against the Saints in the divisional round.
“He’s playing and doing everything we want him to do,” Carroll said.
Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright, who played in the NFC Championship five weeks after breaking his foot, was limited in practice. Carroll, however, said that was merely a precaution. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin (hip) and running back Marshawn Lynch (knee) didn’t practice on Friday, but Carroll said he isn’t worried about their availability.
Broncos kicker Matt Prater (illness) missed practice Friday for the second straight day, while running back Knowshon Moreno (ribs) was limited again. Both are expected to play.
St. Louis-based Taylor Turf Installation Inc. is suing MetLife Stadium’s operations and the company that hired them. The company is seeking more than $292,000, claiming it is owed for installing the stadium’s playing surface last summer, the Associated Press reported on Friday.
The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey’s Bergen County Superior Court, names New Meadowlands Stadium Co. LLC and Dalton, Ga.-based Turf Industry Inc., doing business as UBU Sports.
The company’s president, Kelly Taylor, told the AP over the years Taylor Turf has laid the artificial playing surface at since-demolished Giants Stadium and several times at the Edward Jones Dome, the home of the Rams.
As expected, Broncos players and coaches had a good laugh at the expense of starting guard Zane Beadles, who on the team’s off-day Tuesday went to Los Angeles to appear on the “Ellen Show,’’ where he danced with host Ellen DeGeneres.
“We heckled him a bit and Coach Fox put it up on the big screen in the team meeting,’’ fellow guard Louis Vasquez said. “It kept things loose.”
BOLDFACE PREDICTION
Clyde Frazier, Knicks broadcaster: “Seattle, I’m going with Seattle. I like their defense. I think a lot of pressure is on Peyton [Manning] to do it so I think Seattle is going to pull it off.”
GET TO KNOW
Broncos SS Duke Ihenacho: He doesn’t just have the best name in The Big Game — he’s also a key element in Denver’s defense, which at this time last year would have been hard to believe. After a productive career at San Jose State, Ihenacho wasn’t drafted in 2012. He was signed by the Broncos shortly after, but cut twice that season.
Yet, the native Californian of Nigerian descent managed to stick around with Denver, landing on its practice squad and impressing coaches and teammates with improvements he made in coverage and against the run. The second-year pro beat out veteran Mike Adams and started the Broncos’ regular-season opener, appeared in all 18 games and compiled 73 tackles and three forced fumbles.
Next Sunday, Ihenacho, who didn’t even begin to play organized football until his junior year of high school because he was busy playing basketball and baseball, will share the sport’s biggest stage with Peyton Manning, Richard Sherman, Marshawn Lynch and Wes Welker.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
— Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman Jr.
SUPER FORECAST
Accuweather reporting a 30% chance of snow; High: 36; Low: 24
Mainly cloudy with a couple of snow showers possible. Winds: 8 mph.
— Additional reporting by Zach Braziller