Getty Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is as honest as he is experienced.
The pressure mounting after the Broncos fell to 0-3, the tenth-year wide receiver took the team’s temperature in his post-game press conference Sunday, declaring nosediving Denver to be engulfed in a “world of suck.”
“Times are rough around here,” he said following the Broncos’ 27-16 loss to the Green Bay Packers, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala. “Obviously the past three years — it’s been tough. Trying to get it right. We sit at 0-3, living in a world of suck. Football is still fun, but it’s not so much fun when you’re losing, especially when you prepare as hard as you can, you go out and you have four targets, two catches and 10 yards. But there’s always next week, so I’m optimistic.”
The Broncos’ issues are a collective failure, stemming from the front office (John Elway), coaching (Vic Fangio) and personnel (Joe Flacco). The latter simply wasn’t good enough to vanquish Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau, completing 20-of-29 balls for 213 scoreless yards and a horrific interception.
Flacco spread the ball around to seven different receivers but seemed to forget that Sanders — his No. 1 wideout — existed until the fourth quarter. He also lost a fumble on a strip sack, one of six on the afternoon, the Broncos’ offensive line continually breaking down (looking at you, Elijah Wilkinson).
Denver’s defense? The vaunted unit championed by the “Evil Genius” Fangio, who waited decades for his head-coaching opportunity? They were once again nonexistent, failing to sack Rodgers (17-of-25, 239 yards, one TD) or force any takeaways. They wilted as the game wore on, showing disturbingly little fight in the final frame.
“We’re not doing enough good things that the good teams who win games do,” Fangio said, via Jhabvala.
The Broncos have yet to break the seven-game losing streak that dates back to last season when they were led by Vance Joseph, who was supposed to appear even more incompetent compared to Fangio’s outfit.
“Suck,” right now, is a kind word to describe Denver.
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Historic Futility
How bad are the Broncos, you ask? They are now the only team in the last 50 (fifty) years to record no sacks or turnovers through the first three games of a season. In 2017, they set a half-century mark by enduring an eight-game losing skid.
The zero sack count is shocking considering the club boasts a bookend featuring future Hall-of-Famer Von Miller and potential perennial All-Pro Bradley Chubb at outside linebacker. The lack of turnovers? Appalling when you take into account the resources Elway dumped into the secondary this offseason.
“I need to find a way to play better,” Miller said after the game. “I have to find a way to get sacks and do my job. No one holds me to a higher standard than myself.”
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