The Denver Broncos boast the 'Virginia connection'

ENGLEWOOD, COLO.

Locate the Greater Denver area on a U.S. map. Start your NFL franchise-locater tour there.

Let your eyes move northwest; nothing but elk all the way to the Seattle Seahawks. Due west? Thirteen-hundred miles to Oakland, source of Raider Nation. Southwest to the Arizona Cardinals or southeast to the Dallas Cowboys? They're 13 hours apiece, pardner. Better get a-movin'.

What's this mean? Just that if you're a Denver Bronco, about a fifth of the domestic land mass pretty much belongs to you. Your closest competitor - in theory, if not always on the field - is in Kansas City, Mo. And those Chiefs are still some 600 miles from where the Broncos rule the Rocky Mountain sportscape.

Trust Dre' Bly on that. After splitting eight years in St. Louis and Detroit, the Chesapeake native is in his second season in Denver. It's long enough, says the cornerback out of Western Branch High, to know that to be a Bronco is to live a "significant, wonderful life. Here, it's all about football. The Broncos, man, it ain't no comparison."

This is a big reason why: since 1970, Denver has appeared in six Super Bowls, second only to Dallas' eight. It's won two, back-to-back in 1997 and '98, led by Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. Overall, the Broncos' 359 victories in that span rank third in the NFL.

Clearly, "it's a football town," Bly says. "They've got high expectations for the Broncos, and when you win they treat you like kings. That's what it's gonna be like for these guys. They have the chance to experience that."

Bly's "guys," teammates Jack Williams, Carlton Powell and Eddie Royal, happen to be rookies. They, like Bly, also happen to have Virginia ties. Williams, a cornerback, is from Norfolk's Booker T. Washington High. Powell, a defensive tackle, is from Great Bridge in Chesapeake. Royal is a receiver/

kick returner from Chantilly who starred at Virginia Tech and has hit the Sunday league with a splash.

The geographic convergence doesn't end there. Ninth-year defensive end John Engelberger, from Virginia Tech, also shares the locker room at the team's suburban training facility. Same for ninth-year long snapper/tight end Mike Leach, who attended William and Mary.

Add them up, it's six men who launched their pro careers from Virginia, the most on any NFL team. Dallas houses America's Team. Virginia's? Apologies to the Washington Redskins, but the Broncos roster says Virginia's Team plays a mile high in central Colorado.

"Come to think about it, those guys are probably the ones I talk to the most, other than the receiver corps," Royal says. "Maybe it's just that connection, having that in common."

The intrigue gathers; the Virginia alliance is part of a big early season NFL story line. The Broncos, following two non-playoff seasons, raced to a surprising 3-0, high-wire start in the AFC West before crashing in Kansas City on Sunday, 33-19.

They average 33 points, but they give up 29. Before Sunday's loss, they had spanked Oakland, nipped San Diego with a daring two-point conversion - caught by Royal - and survived New Orleans when the Saints missed a late field-goal attempt.

Still, Denver, the Frontier's Team, is in first place as it prepares to play host to Tampa Bay this Sunday. Life is definitely significant.

"When things are good here," says Leach, echoing Bly, "they're great."

Then again, what about that greatly generous defense? Engelberger could speak to that, if the former Hokies walk-on who has forged a solid career in San Francisco and Denver did interviews. He does not.

Williams could address it, except he's mainly perched on the sidelines, paying rookie dues. A fourth-round draft pick out of Kent State, Williams is just 5-foot-9, but he dazzled at the NFL scouting combine with his speed and 41-inch vertical jump. He is a special teamer for now, though, learning the cornerback trade from Bly and eight-time Pro Bowler Champ Bailey, who have 81 career interceptions between them - 38 by Bly.

"As much as I can, I ask them questions, try to get tips, try to see the game how they see the game," Williams says. "This feels kind of like how it was when I redshirted in college. I just have to take it and get better."

Powell is rowing that "redshirt" boat with Williams, but from an injured list called Physically Unable to Perform. A 6-3, 300-pound run stuffer at Virginia Tech, Powell was picked in the fifth round to help shore up Denver's rush defense that was 30th-ranked a year ago.

In a pre-training camp workout, though, Powell tore his right Achilles' tendon. He has had surgery, is out of his walking boot, lifts weights and attends daily practices and team meetings. Powell also holds out hope of joining the active roster late in the season.

It's not always easy to feel part of the team during rehab, Powell admits. To help, he continues to gather with Denver's other rookies weekly at an area restaurant to share and bond.

"We're gonna be the best rookie class here ever," Powell says.

If so, life as a beloved Bronco awaits. Bly, an ex-North Carolina Tar Heel who's married with four children, appreciates that so much he has "adopted" a Denver middle school where he sponsors a tutoring program, distributes tickets, appears regularly and serves Thanksgiving dinner.

In a sense, he has happily adopted Williams, too, as a student. "I can't pamper or baby-sit him, though, just because he's from my hometown," Bly says. "At this level, you gotta be responsible for yourself."

While Broncos fans might suggest he help field a more responsible defense, Bly, who has been to two Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl as a rookie in St. Louis in 1999, would suggest they relax and trust.

He says not to worry, that better defensive talent, a new coordinator plus improved unit camaraderie foretells a promising path to January.

"We should never lose a game because we don't score points," Bly says. "It's gonna be based on how well we play on defense. Teams that win in the playoffs are teams that don't get down on themselves and stay together. I really feel it's gonna be a special year.

"I feel good about our chemistry, everybody likes one another. That's what you get with playoff-contending teams. Chemistry is the most important thing."

There is chemistry, sure - and of course, finding the end zone and clearing the cross bar more than the other team. Enter Leach and Royal.

Leach, 31, has been serving up perfect snaps for field goals and punts in Denver for seven seasons, which is a variation on a theme; Leach received snaps at William and Mary for two years - he transferred from Boston University - and was recognized as the Atlantic 10's best punter.

He also was a standout tight end, though he never has caught an NFL pass. Leach says that's fine. Anonymity is the long-snapper's reward; they are only noticed when they mess up. And Leach gladly cedes extracurricular opportunities, endorsements and such, to young risers such as Royal or prolific quarterback Jay Cutler.

Leach says of Royal, "He's got a great personality, he's a great player and from everything I've seen, he's a great kid. So that could really translate into some good opportunities for him off the field."

True enough. But first, Royal has to be all about what's on the field.

Largely underused in Virginia Tech's offense - 33 catches last season were his career high - Royal was judged prime return-man material until he turned heads at the Senior Bowl and the combine.

Denver grabbed him in the second round and, after a strong preseason, Royal announced himself with a grand receiving debut on Monday Night Football. Against the Raiders, Royal caught nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown, many at the expense of former Hokie DeAngelo Hall, who's from Chesapeake.

A 5-10 speed burner, Royal followed that effort, which earned him NFL Rookie of the Week honors, by catching a touchdown pass, then the game-winning two-point conversion, against San Diego in Week 2.

After four weeks, he's up to 27 receptions - Royal had nine more against the Chiefs - two TDs and one great first impression.

"He acts like he is a five- to 10-year vet," head coach Mike Shanahan says. "We were very fortunate to get a guy like that who so early in his career handles himself that way. A lot of people have that type of ability but they don't have that maturity level."

Royal seems all that - comfortable and pleasant in the media crush, if not particularly enlightening. He says formulaic, rookie stuff about staying humble, hard work and focusing on his deficiencies rather than his successes.

"I don't watch (tapes) to see the good plays," Royal says. "I watch them to see what I did wrong and what I can get better at."

Royal, who with Brandon Marshall gives the improved Cutler great options, has emerged from the whirlwind long enough to buy an Escalade and a house in nearby Parker, Colo., where many Broncos reside.

With their new money, Williams bought a condo up the road in Centennial and a Lexus; Powell rents an apartment in Englewood and purchased a new Yukon Hybrid.

Not that they or Royal care right now, they say, to do more than come to work, go home and recharge.

A typical work day brings them to the training facility around 7 a.m. for breakfast and group meetings. There is a late-morning "walk through" practice, lunch, then a full practice and more meetings approaching early evening.

"You've got to look over the game plan again at home, and we're always putting in new things, so you've got to study your playbook again," Royal says. "I'll get something to eat and try to get away from football a little bit, watch some TV, but then before the night's over I look over everything again."

Aside from rookie night, "there's not really much time to go out," he says. "Football is demanding. You've got to take care of your body as much as you can."

In the extra-wide expanse of Bronco Country, the new ones from Virginia have learned that quickly. Take care of football, Denver will take care of you.

 Tom Robinson, 757-446-2518, tom.robinson@pilotonline.com