The Cleveland Browns gave the Broncos a scare on Monday night. The Broncos defense was sorely missing their starting cornerback Riley Moss. Cleveland repeatedly targeted his replacement with success. Cleveland managed more than 500 yards of offense, but Browns quarterback Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, two of which the Broncos returned for touchdowns. The Broncos' secondary seemed confused at times, missed tackles became an issue and former Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy had a great game for the Browns. Despite the botched coverages, the Broncos players put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and intercepted at crucial moments to keep the Broncos in the game.
Denver's offense was able to keep up and win the shootout that the game turned into. The Broncos haven't won any games that way this year. I'm sure the Denver coaching staff expected our defense to hold the Browns down like they have with most opponents. It was rewarding to see the Broncos' offense rise to the occasion and make big plays that rivaled the Browns' big plays. The game plan had to be changed quickly, and Denver's offense handled the situation well.
Have you encountered a business or family situation and been surprised? How did you react? Were you able to switch gears and get right back into the game? Coach Payton’s experience paid off this week. The Broncos coaching staff made changes before the game got out of hand. The Broncos have their bye this week and the players can rest and heal. After training camp and 13 games without rest, each player has different levels of injury. Instead of simply preparing for the next game, the coaching staff can do a little introspection to make sure it doesn't become too predictable. Come on, Broncos! Lie on a beach somewhere and stay out of trouble.
Karl Mecklenburg originally shared this post on his social media pages and it has been reshared here with permission. Mecklenburg played for them Denver Broncos from 1983 to 1994, earning six Pro Bowl nominations and five All-Pro selections during his successful NFL career. Mecklenburg is now a motivational keynote speaker. You can book Mecklenburg on its website.
