‘Put up or shut up’ time for Broncos’ offense
TE Fant: Defense has ‘every right to be frustrated’ after poor showing vs. K.C.
ENGLEWOOD — If anger and passion can help recharge a floundering football team, then the Broncos are headed in the right direction.
That, at least, was the spin presented Tuesday by tight end Noah Fant and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who stressed that it’s imperative that he becomes a more vocal leader.
Fant acknowledged that there were words exchanged between the offense and defense in the locker room following Denver’s humbling 43-16 home loss to Kansas City on Sunday. He didn’t blame his defensive teammates one bit.
“There were definitely words said in the locker room after the game,” he said. “(I’m) not going into detail, that stays in the locker room. But they have every right to be frustrated, upset.
“Being an offensive player, I put a lot of the load on us. Kansas City is one of the most powerful, high-octane offenses in the league. (Our) defense was holding them to field goals, getting three-and-outs and all these things. We’re not really living up to our ability on offense. If I was in a defensive player’s position, I would feel the exact same way. Those guys have ever y right to be heated and upset….this is a time
where the offense has to look in the mirror.”
Fant echoed what quarterback Drew Lock said Sunday after his poor performance vs. the Chiefs.
“Shelby Harris, Bradley Chubb, they have the right to express their opinions, without a doubt,” Lock said.
“They have a right to come up and tell us straight in the face, ‘You need to pick up your (expletive).’ And if they were to come up and tell me that, I wouldn’t mind.”
The Broncos sacked Chiefs star quar terback Patrick Mahomes three times, after he’d only been sacked seven times over his first six games. The Chiefs were 0-for-8 on third down and managed only three offensive touchdowns. And yet, the Broncos were blown out.
When Mahomes connected with Tyreek Hill for a 10yard touchdown pass with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, extending Kansas City’s lead to 37-9, Chubb blew up at his teammates on the sideline.
“Passion man, just passion,” Chubb said, explaining his outburst. “You are losing to your supposed rival by 20, 30 points, that’s not what you want to do. That’s not football, that’s not going out there and having fun. I am tr ying to be one of the guys who changes the losing we have been doing these past couple of years. I’m tr ying to be the catalyst and get the guys around me to do the same things as well.
“It’s not going to happen overnight and it’s not going to happen by guys letting things slide and guys letting things go unsaid.”
Chubb added that with star pass-rusher and team leader Von Miller out with an injury, it’s important for him to take charge.
“I have taken up that responsibility … I want to have that spark,” he said, adding that he wants to nur ture young linebackers Malik Reed, the injured Jeremiah Attaochu, Anthony Chickillo and rookie Derrek Tuszka.
“We can be the ones that change ever ything,” Chubb said. “We can make more plays and help this team win more.”
Asked if he thinks the Broncos are in danger of splintering, Chubb said, “We’re still together. We are still young and guys are still learning how to be pros. Guys are still trying to get into the flow of things. We have so much talent … Everybody on this team is all locked in, eyes focused, ears open, and whoever wants to lead, ever ybody is ready to follow that person. That’s why I feel like I had to step up.”
NOTABLE
The Broncos signed defensive lineman Sylvester Williams from the practice squad and placed nose tackle Mike Purcell and outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka on injured reserve. Williams played seven snaps in the Week 6 win at New England and was released last week when defensive ends Dre’mont Jones and Demarcus Walker returned from injured reser ve.