The Saturday Broncos-Bengals game was awesome, except for the final score. I usually sit and watch a game, maybe reacting with a “did you see that” comment to Kathi, but not getting emotionally involved. I was jumping out of my chair and cheering on Saturday night.
Having these high-pressure playoff type games is valuable for the Broncos players, coaching staff, and front office. Identifying who will rise to the occasion and who won’t is impossible without these opportunities. Knowing who steps up helps the coaching staff game plan. Identifying who you can count on under pressure helps the general manager decide who to pay, and how to build a roster.
Bo Nix made some big time throws under pressure. Marvin Mimms is a gamer. He’s come up with huge plays two weeks in a row. I thought Zach Allen had tied me for the Broncos all time sacks in a single game record at 4 but they gave him 3 ½. He was bringing it on Saturday. Pat Surtan ll was following JaMar Chase all night and kept the NFL’s leading receiver in check. Tee Higgins, on the other hand, went off.
Riley Moss had just come back from an injured knee and Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins went after him. I give Moss credit for not blaming his play on his injury and admitting that he had a bad day in post-game interviews. That’s hard to do. One of my keys to success is honesty and forgiveness. Moss will watch the film and get chewed out in front of his peers. He’ll see what was going on and set some goals to fix it. That’s how you improve as a football player. Honesty and forgiveness in self-evaluation is key to how anyone can improve.
The Broncos play Kansas City in Denver on Sunday. They had to win one out of 3 games to make the playoffs. The Broncos lost the first two but if they beat the Chiefs, or more likely the Chiefs’ backup players, they’re in. Go Broncos!
Karl Mecklenburg originally shared this post on his social media pages and it was re-shared here with permission. Mecklenburg played for the Denver Broncos from 1983-1994, earning six Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro selections during his decorated career in the NFL. Mecklenburg is now a motivational keynote speaker. You can book Mecklenburg on his website.
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