Heading into last Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said there was “some frustration” with the amount of balls being thrown to him and Demaryius Thomas in the first two weeks of the season.
The Broncos won both of those games, something Sanders noted as a factor keeping the frustration at a low level and something that others might have felt showed diva-like tendencies from the wideout. That’s label isn’t something that bothers Sanders.
“Hey, one thing, I don’t mind being a diva,” Sanders said, via ESPN.com. “I am a diva. I am a diva. I like winning ballgames, I like catching passes. Every wide receiver in the world likes to catch passes; every wide receiver in the world likes to put up points. After that game when the defense scored two touchdowns and you’re looking and [cornerback Aqib] Talib has more touchdowns and the defense is holding us down, we’re looking at ourselves and saying offensively that we have to step it up.”
Whether it was a case of a squeaky wheel getting some grease or the way the game played out, both Sanders and Thomas had big games in the 29-17 road win. They combined for 15 catches, 217 yards and three touchdowns in a performance that Sanders says shows what the offense is capable of doing this season.
“We can be dangerous,” Sanders said. “I think that’s the reason our articles last week said that Demaryius and me were frustrated, obviously because we know the potential of this offense. We know that we can have a balanced attack and we can go out and throw 300 yards and four touchdowns and we can also run the ball, too. We can rush for 150 yards. Obviously all of that comes with preparation out on the field and executing at a high level and maximizing our potential.”
The Buccaneers defense ranks around the middle of the pack in terms of both passing and rushing yards allowed, which should give the Broncos opportunities to make gains in both phases of the offense as they try for a 4-0 start to the season.