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Experience can be an overplayed factor in spotlight playoff games. Consider the Denver Broncos, two years removed from a 43-8 beatdown at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, have only six holdover starters from that game.
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"It's good that they've been at this point already, and they know what it feels like. And they also know what it feels like to lose (the Super Bowl), if you celebrate a little too much," said linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who is making his first trip to the Super Bowl.
Injuries kept linebacker Von Miller, defensive tackle Derek Wolfe and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. - all vital to the NFL's No. 1 defense in 2015 - out of that lopsided loss.
It was the impetus for overhauling the defense, which including signing Ware. He was released by the Dallas Cowboys in a move that was all about saving money for the cap-strapped team that had drafted Ware in the first round out of Troy when Bill Parcells was calling the shots.
Ware had played for Wade Phillips, who joined the Broncos in 2015 along with Gary Kubiak.
Ware's presence quickly became a boon for Denver. As veteran defensive end Greg Ellis had done for Ware in Dallas, the veteran established himself as a leader and mentor to Miller and 2015 first-round pick Shane Ray, two players who have faced off-field issues. Ware, 33, is one of the NFL's all-time leaders in sacks but Kubiak said the weight he carries in the locker room and on the practice field has been even more significant than on-field performance.
That's why Kubiak suggested the eight-time Pro Bowl pass rusher speak to the Broncos before the AFC Championship game last week. His voice, his words, carry tons of weight. Middle linebacker Brandon Marshall said he was ready to take the field right after the speech ended Saturday, hours before Sunday's game. Cornerback Aqib Talib, who joined the team along with Ware after the Super Bowl loss in Newark, didn't hide the emotion, either.
"Goose bumps," Talib said. "That was probably one of the best pregame speeches that I've heard. Right after the meeting I said, 'We need to do that meeting like right before we get dressed for the game."
Another 2014 addition, hard-hitting veteran safety T.J. Ward, said he will be feeling Ware's speech for days to come.
Kubiak knew Ware would remind Miller, a free agent to be, and Ray, and everyone with open ears to embrace the gravity of the moment, because the wait to return to this stage could be eternal.
"He was the perfect guy for the situation with what he's been through in his career," Kubiak said. "I think a lot of young guys don't realize. They look at him, his career, his success, but yet they had no idea that he had never played in a championship game. ... I thought it was a good message for him to talk about enjoying the moment, understanding the situation and taking advantage of the situation. He did a great job."
Ware, the all-time sacks leader for the Cowboys, was cut to save Dallas $7 million. They tried to replace him with a second-round draft pick with a like first name - Demarcus Lawrence from Boise State - but he did little while fighting through an injury as a rookie and more help at that position - another second-round pick in Randy Gregory of Nebraska and controversial free agent signee Greg Hardy - haven't done what Ware did for a decade in Dallas.
The Cowboys found little playoff success during Ware's time there. Now Dallas knows exactly what it's missing. Coach Jason Garrett, speaking before Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Ala., said Ware is a special guy who continues to do what he has done throughout his career. Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said the Cowboys are collectively pulling for Ware to star in Super Bowl 50.
"He just did everything the right way," Jones said. "On the field, off the field, great with kids, the ultimate competitor. I think he's a shoo-in Hall of Famer and just really made us feel good to get to see him go play in a Super Bowl, and of course played lights out. That really made us feel good to see him get after it like that and having a chance to play for a championship."
Ware missed five games this season. He returned and is 11th all-time with 134.5 sacks, including 7.5 in 2015, and made a point in his rousing speech to downplay statistics and selfish motivation, because the cost of putting yourself first at this juncture of the season can be the most painful loss of your career.
At the end of his speech Ware grabbed the Broncos' first Super Bowl trophy and sat it on a table. Silence echoed in the room for several seconds. Typical of Ware, he's not taking any credit for driving Denver to this point. He's looking ahead to the next stop - the NFL's mountaintop.
"Now you celebrate a little bit, the confetti goes off. You're the AFC champion, but now, to me, it's like what have you done for me lately?" Ware said. "I'm looking forward to the next game."
