Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss had a night to forget in his first game back from a knee injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
Moss was in coverage on Tee Higgins for seven of the receiver’s receptions that went for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-24 loss.
After the game, Moss owned up to his poor performance.
“[S]ometimes you eat a (poop) sandwich and you’ve got to own it,” Moss said. “This isn’t the first time that’s happened in my career, and it’s probably not going to be the last. The great ones are able to come back, be gritty and push through, and that’s what I’m going to do. I know everyone on this team will too.”
Riley Moss: “Sometimes you eat a Sh-t sandwich, and you gotta own it.”
Full interview postgame with the #broncos CB ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wI50EJ6TZ2
— Scotty Gange (@Scotty_G6) December 29, 2024
Moss said his knee “felt fine,” suggesting that it did not hinder his performance.
“My standard is to make the plays, and I was unable to do that a couple times, and I own up to that,” Moss said. “I take that to the chin, but I’m not going to get discouraged because we’ve got more football to play.”
After the loss, Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked if it seemed like Cincinnati was picking on Moss in coverage.
“Riley could have been healthy for the last eight weeks,” Payton said. “Whoever’s opposite Pat [Surtain], they’re going to go that direction, right? [Number] 5 (Tee Higgins) is good player. A real good player. It wasn’t anything that we didn’t expect. In other words, that happens when you’re teammates with Pat.”
Surtain expects his teammate to bounce back.
“Next play mentality,” the cornerback said. “It’s part of the game. (Defensive back is) a hard position at the end of the day, and sometimes it doesn’t go in your favor. I tell him, ‘Just keep going. Next play, next play.’ I believe in him, we all believe in him. It’s just one game. Next week he’s going to make a play, I’ll tell you all.”
Moss and Co. will look to bounce back when Denver hosts the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 18. The Broncos can clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs with a win (or tie) against the Chiefs.
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