After rushing three times in the first half of Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon was benched at halftime and did not get a single carry in the second half.
Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett downplayed the benching earlier this week, suggesting that the offense simply didn’t have enough plays to rotate all three of their running backs in.
“In the third quarter, we didn’t have a lot of football plays,” Hackett said on Tuesday.
Even if that’s true, Gordon was still demoted. Latavius Murray handled the heavy lifting in the second half and Mike Boone rotated in. If there weren’t enough snaps for Gordon, it was because he was demoted to RB3 duties.
Hackett also suggested the team was going with the hot hand.
“When it comes to the running back play, we need to look at that and sit there and say — if somebody’s doing a really good job, and I think Latavius was doing a fine job, he had the opportunity to go another series,” Hackett said. “Then we just didn’t have a lot of plays. We want all those guys, we need all those guys, and we have to be sure they are all on field.”
Hackett said he would have a conversation with Gordon and explain to the running back where he stands.
“Melvin didn’t do anything wrong,” Hackett said Tuesday. “He didn’t. We just didn’t have a lot of plays, and in the end, he didn’t get the reps that he wanted. He’s a competitor. He wants to be out there helping with his team. We’ll sit down and we’ll have a conversation.”
After speaking with the running back, Hackett announced Wednesday that Gordon will start again against the New York Jets this weekend.
So, as of now, Gordon is still the RB1 in Denver.
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