BRONCOS PLAYING FOR PRIDE, LOOKING TO 2018
When Chris Boswell’s last-second field goal Monday night lifted the Steelers to a 23-20 victory over the Bengals, the infinitesimal possibility of the Broncos reaching the playoffs remained.
Denver’s players, though, know that kick merely delayed impending elimination, which will probably come this weekend. The reality of their season ending came long ago, after the Broncos fell to the Bengals at home on Nov. 19, a sixth consecutive loss that dropped them to 3-7. Expressions on the faces of players in the locker room that day revealed an acceptance that any hope of salvaging the season was dead.
Now, the Broncos are 3-9 and have turned the clock firmly to 2018. So what motivation is left for players mired in one of the worst stretches of losing in franchise history?
“(If) everybody had their indiest vidual mind-set to go out there and not give up and play and do the best they can possibly do and try to take their game to the next level and keep working, we would be OK with that,” linebacker Von Miller said after the Broncos’ lat- embarrassing loss, a 35-9 defeat at Miami on Sunday. “It’s the pros. I’m not even worried about guys giving up or anything like that. We got a family to feed. It’s always something. It’s always
something to play for. Whatever the record might be, whatever games we have left, it’s always something to play for.”
In other words, it’s time for this team to be selfish. The players know changes are coming after the season. So the final four games have turned into a month-long audition. There may be no saving the season, but players insist they will be spending the last month working to preserve their individual futures in the league.
The hope, Miller said, is that each individual discovering their “why” over the next month can lead to some victories.
“It’s just all about pride,” Broncos safety Justin Simmons said. “Everyone’s going to be evaluated. Everyone knows that — players and coaches alike. You don’t want to go out there and put bad film out there for other coaches to see. It’s a business. Whether you stay here or go somewhere else, you want to put yourself in the best possible situation. That starts with tape in practice and in the games, especially.”
The Broncos could land on the wrong side of franchise history in the final month of the season. A loss to the Jets on Sunday would tie the franchise mark of 1967 for the longest sameseason losing streak at nine. Losses on the road to the Colts (Dec. 14) and the Redskins (Dec. 24) would make these Broncos the first team in the franchise’s history to lose every game of an eightgame road schedule. (The 1964 Broncos went 0-7 on the road.)
Yet, true motivation for the Broncos revolves around something much more basic.
“It’s your livelihood,” defensive tackle Zach Kerr said. “This is our job. At the end of the day, fun and games are great, and everything that comes along with being a professional athlete is great. But when you’re not successful at your job, they usually make changes. You never know what is going to happen with a situation like this. Every organization is different. That’s not my job. My job is to go out there Sunday and try to win us a game.”
Broncos coach Vance Joseph told his team not to just “survive” the last month of the season, imploring them not to “check boxes” until the final game against Kansas City on Dec. 31. Yet, survival in the league — on the Broncos or elsewhere — has become the biggest driving factor for many players.
“You never know what decisions guys up top are going to make when the season ends,” wide receiver Jordan Taylor said. “You have to play for your career.”