Getty Defensive end Shelby Harris celebrates after making a tackle for a loss.
Zero and seven.
That’s the record of the Denver Broncos in September under their head coach Vic Fangio. With a burgeoning New York Giants team waiting in the shadows — ready to battle in 10 days on September 12 — why will this time be any different?
Enter defensive lineman Shelby Harris to explain. PFF’s 8th ranked interior defender, was defiant speaking to the media on September 1, insistent the 2021 Denver Broncos squad are built differently.
“You keep talking about we’ve started slow the last two years and we’re 0-7 in September. That’s unacceptable,” Harris said.
“[We] want to be the best and we can’t keep kicking ourselves and stumbling off the blocks. We have to go out there and we have to be the best from Game 1 to Game 17.
“Everyone is saying that we’re expected to do great things. The reason why I know we will is because everybody on this team takes everything personal. We go out there and let’s say they get a run of 10 [yards]. [We say], ‘Alright that’s on me.’ Everyone takes this personal. Everybody wants to be the best. That’s what it takes to be the best. This whole team—everybody wants to be the best.”
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Shelby Harris always comes up clutch at the goal line with the game on the line 🥶
Veteran Presence Key to Success
Many have raised questions about the absence of a rookie in a starting position in the Broncos’ latest depth chart, though is this such a bad thing? Harris believes it is what makes this team different to previous years, in what could be a worrying thought for their AFC rivals.
“I definitely think the difference is the team,” Harris said.
“It’s a veteran presence, and I think players are stepping up and demanding more. I think that’s what it’s going to take.”
Quite often it’s said media noise doesn’t make its way into the locker room but Harris revealed his teammates have brought up their slow starts to a season.
“We’ve talked about it before because we’re like, ‘How are we going to change it?’ It’s not a secret,” Harris admitted.
“We’ve sucked in September, so we have to get better. There’s no other way about it. We have not won a game in September in the last two years. We have to be better, and we have to come out of the gate faster. That’s something that we’ve all emphasized, and we want to fix and correct it.”
Shelby Harris was HUSTLIN’ to get to Tyreek 🔥 @ShelbyHarris93 @Broncos
Keys to a win-laden September
The foundation for succeeding during the season’s opening month were laid bare, as Harris passionately spoke to reporters, and if his teammates were listening, there’s every chance it alone, could carry them to a W in Week 1.
“The key to starting fast is being prepared,” he said.
“Being prepared, but also being confident in your preparedness and being decisive. When we go out there, we have to cut down on mistakes. I remember the last couple seasons have been the big play. The big play has always screwed us over a little bit. It’s all about cutting down on the big plays and also creating big plays for ourselves—getting turnovers.
“We talk about the hidden yardage of interception returns. You might get 20 yards to put us on our 30 [yard line] or something like that. It makes it easier so we’re automatically going to get points. All the little things add up to be something big. If we just do the little things right, then we’ll be successful.”
Harris and his fellow defensive line cohort will be critical to slowing down Daniel Jones and company come September 12. Despite their importance, the 30-year-old doesn’t have any specific goals for his unit heading into the season.
“We just want to win,” he said. “You can talk about goals all you want to. Stats come with the wins. You can say I want 10 sacks, but you’re 0-10. That doesn’t do anything. It’s all about just getting the W. At the end of the day, that’s what we get paid to do. If you don’t get the W, then you’re going to be gone. The only stat that needs to matter is wins.”
Follow Patrick Djordjevic on Twitter: @Patdjordjevic