ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Dre' Bly got burned and then he got booed.
One thing he didn't get was bullied.
"It happens, it happens," the Denver Broncos' cornerback said Thursday after getting beaten for big receptions by backup receivers David Kircus and Brian Clark. "Shoot, I'm human, you know what I'm saying? You're entitled to give up a pass here and there, it happens, even though the fans might be disappointed. I'm new. But it happens.
"I'll tell you what, you won't make a living doing that on me. You're entitled to have a day where them guys make plays, and that's what it is."
Bly even had to handle some heckling from a fan who hollered, "Go back to Detroit!"
Bly spun and looked at the man, then shook his head and shook it off.
"They paid me money to come here. Everybody's been talking about me and Champ (Bailey) making plays and they see me give up a play or two, they don't want to see that. It's understood. They have expectations just like I do, but everybody is competing just like I am, and they're going to make plays from time to time."
Bly, whose 33 interceptions are fourth-most in the league since 1999, has long wanted to play with his friend Bailey, who led the league with 11 takeaways last season, including a career-best 10 interceptions.
Both ninth-year players are eager to see how many passes they can intercept now.
With Bly on board, Bailey, who finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, thinks he can top his 2006 season and get tested by quarterbacks more often.
"I have to get more (chances) than last year," Bailey said. "With Dre' on the other side, we're going to make plays. Last year, I picked about a third of the balls (thrown my way). Some quarterbacks don't care. There are a lot of young quarterbacks that think they can do it, so I'm all for it."
Bly, 29, thinks he's the one that's going to get more balls thrown his way.
"They're not going to throw the ball (to Bailey). This dude will intercept 18, 19 balls," Bly said. "He's got 39 career picks, I have 33, so they're going to come to the guy with the lesser amount of picks. So I've got a chance to get eight or nine picks, career high."
Actually, the one that might find himself a frequent target is nickel back Domonique Foxworth.
The team is eager to display a new dynamic in the secondary. Because both Bailey and Bly can lock down receivers, defensive boss Jim Bates is planning new blitz packages in Denver's revamped unit that features a new middle linebacker in D.J. Williams and three rookie draft picks competing for playing time on the line.
For the past couple of seasons in Detroit, Bly said he was miscast in the Lions' cover-2 scheme in which the wiry 188-pounder played more like a linebacker.
"This defense, which is an aggressive style, puts you in a position to make plays. That's the kind of corner I am, and I look forward to the challenge," Bly said.
Before Thursday's performance, Bly had matched Bailey play-for-play this week. He got kicked in his right shin but wouldn't use that as an excuse.
"Today just happened to be a day where I gave up a few plays. But like I said, you won't make no living doing that," Bly said. "I'm not saying it won't happen in a game, it probably will, but you don't make livings on me like that."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
