Miles
Well-known member
- Mar 18, 2019
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos aren’t headed to the playoffs in 2019, but they have made it clear they still have plenty left to play for with two games left in the season.
When asked what the Broncos are playing for in their final two games of the season, Head Coach Vic Fangio was emphatic.
“To win a game this week,” Fangio said on Monday. “We’re not the only team in the league in that predicament. It happens every year. Our guys are going to go out and play.”
After Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished 27-of-34 for 340 yards and tight end Travis Kelce totaled 142 receiving yards in a 23-3 victory over the Broncos, the defense is determined to return to its standard against Detroit.
“Defensively, [our goal is] just finishing off on the right foot,” safety Justin Simmons said on Tuesday. “We've been through a lot — that could be the case for almost every team. Injuries, replacing guys, getting new faces in the lineups and trying to work out different schemes through different weeks. You just want to end it on the right foot.”
The Broncos played the season without free-agent acquisition Bryce Callahan, and De’Vante Bausby was placed on injured reserve after Week 5. In their place, Isaac Yiadom and Davontae Harris have each seen substantial snaps opposite Chris Harris Jr.
Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb’s ACL injury and defensive end Derek Wolfe’s recent season-ending elbow injury have also caused lineup changes in the team’s front seven.
Despite the ever-changing lineup and a poor showing during Week 15, the Broncos defense ranks 10th in points allowed per game and first in red-zone defense — encouraging statistics the Broncos can build on.
“We've seen glimpses of how great the defense is and can be,” Simmons said.
Finishing with a 7-9 record would still be a step forward.
“That’s more than what we’ve had the last two years,” defensive end Shelby Harris said. “[We’re] showing improvement. If we go into the next two games and don’t shoot ourselves in the foot — after that Minnesota game, we won two straight. After the Buffalo game, same score, then we won two straight.
“We just need to put it all together and really go out there and compete and win these next two games.”
The Broncos’ Week 16 matchup against the Lions and the season finale against the Raiders offers an opportunity for both two team wins and personal victories.
“[My goal is to] just go out there, give my best, play hard, try to end off with a good note the last two games,” cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “The last game wasn’t good enough.”