By Jordan Long
The Denver Broncos are preparing to take on the New York Jets this Sunday. Kickoff for that game is set for 2:05 Mountain Time. They look to end a 3 game losing skid. The Broncos are planning on starting Melvin Gordon at running back.
Gordon didn’t play much in Monday Night’s 19-16 overtime loss to the L.A. Chargers. He carried the football 3 times for 8 yards which isn’t enough. He didn’t have a chance to show he could run with the football. Three touches is a very small sample size.
The only Broncos’ running back Denver trusted on Monday was Latavius Murray. He had 15 carries for 66 yards. In the game, Denver totaled 98 rushing yards.
Gordon was visibly frustrated he didn’t have any playing time in the second half or overtime. Could he have made a difference in the football game against the Chargers? It is possible, but he never got that chance.
There were rumblings that Gordon was in the “doghouse” with the coaching staff. It seems like his time in Denver is almost up. Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett sat down with Gordon on Wednesday to talk about his role. Gordon will start at running back against the Jets. According to MSN.com, Hackett said, “It was a great talk. Love Melvin. I just have so much respect for him as a pro for all he’s done in this league. Yeah, we’ll keep all that stuff private in there.”
The truth is Gordon needs to be a part of the offense. He has proven in the past he can run the football effectively. Plus the NFL isn’t a one back system anymore like it used to be years ago. Teams use multiple running backs to have success. Gordon’s biggest problem is holding onto the football. This season, he has fumbled 4 times. He can’t learn from his mistakes standing on the sideline.
The Broncos need to use both Gordon and Murray this Sunday against the Jets. This may keep the Jets defense off balance not knowing which running back is going to run the football. It could also keep both running backs fresh if they are being subbed or switched out during the game.
The Broncos would like to have more success on the ground to help control the clock against the Jets. It may also open up the passing game. Denver hopes to bounce back against the Jets. They anticipate Gordon is going to be able to run for yards which will help them have success on Sunday.
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