KUBIAK, ON HIT ON HARRIS: “I'LL TAKE MY OPINION TO THE LEAGUE”

Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Monday that he will submit to the league the hit on cornerback Chris Harris to see if warrants a fine, if not more.

“First off, I’m just so thankful Chris is OK,” Kubiak said. “That’s one of the things that made me feel better today watching the play. Obviously, I disagreed with the play. But I’ll take my opinion to the league and deal with it from that standpoint.”

Late in the second quarter at Tennessee, Titans receiver Harry Douglas hit Harris in the right knee, and left the cornerback reeling in pain. Harris returned to the game, but the hit prompted fellow cornerback Aqib Talib to pounce on Douglas on the next play, sparking a brawl and creating a wave of strong reactions from Broncos teammates afterward.

After the game, Harris said he believed Douglas “tried to end my career.” Talib took it a step further and threatened to “beat his (expletive).”

“We got a strong team, we got each other’s back — we better have each other’s back in this business and what we do,” Kubiak said of Talib’s reaction in the game. “But you also got to be smart. You can’t hurt your team. That’s what I tell our players. That’s what I told Aqib, he understands that. We can’t put ourself in a position where we’re hurting what’s going on on the field.”

Sanders’ celebration.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders scored the Broncos’ only touchdown against the Titans, but he was flagged for his celebration and it cost the team 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff. Sanders threw the football as if he were a baseball pitcher.

Kubiak was irate with Sanders on the field after the play and spoke to him Monday about it.

“He was wrong. He knows that. He’s wrong,” Kubiak said. “I know you can spike the ball and throw the ball and whatever, but you can’t choreograph something. It was my understanding that he choreographed pitching a baseball. You can’t do it. You can’t hurt your team.”

RB questions.

The Broncos ran for only 18 yards on nine carries Sunday. The run game that ranked fourth in the league entering Week 2 now ranks 27th, with 93.8 yards per game. Rookie Devontae Booker has struggled to carry the load in C.J. Anderson‘s absence, raising questions about his health after undergoing two knee surgeries in the past year.

“I believe in ‘Book.’ I think he’s a good football player,” Kubiak said. “He’s working hard. I think he has some big-play ability in him. Obviously we have to get some more out of him.”

Kubiak added that, no matter the issue, the Broncos need Booker to play well now.

“We have to go,” he said. “It’s crunch-time and everybody has to hunker down. Guys are playing hurt, nicked up like Trevor (Siemian) yesterday. A lot of guys are playing hurt around this league. It’s part of our business and what we do. You’re right. A lot has been asked of Devontae, but he has to step to the plate and keep going.”