Aqib Talib is a character. He’s unpredictable. He’s different.
And at times, he’s lovable. When Aqib gets hype, when his emotions are dripping off his jersey, it gets Broncos Country bumping. But at other times, he can be dangerous.
Whether he’s accidentally shooting himself in the leg, poking players in the eye or earning himself multiple personal foul penalties in Super Bowl 50, Talib seems to be on the verge of a suspension at all times.
On Saturday night, it was no different, as Talib dropped the hammer on Rams quarterback Case Keenum as he was running out of bounds, drawing a 15-yard penalty and the ire of Broncos Country.
https://twitter.com/RonnieKRadio/status/769711914976813057
Oof. To put it euphemistically, not a smart play by Talib. Not at all.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 28, 2016
#Broncos Talib in mid-season form. Another foolish play by a guy who's talented, but incredibly undisciplined.
— Eric Goodman (@EricGoodman) August 28, 2016
I love Talib, but dude ….
— Michael Jaycox (@MilkyMike) August 28, 2016
The question becomes: How much is too much?
It’s not as if Talib is the first athlete with baggage, but plays like that aren’t just annoying; their damaging. Maybe they can be forgiven in the preseason, but there will come a time when they cost the Broncos a game. In fact, they likely already have.
Do the Broncos have a breaking point?
At some point, Aqib Talib isn't something the Broncos want to be associated with. Maybe now.
— James Merilatt (@jamesmerilatt) August 28, 2016
If there’s a bright side, though, it’s that at least Talib knew he messed up.
After Aqib Talib was flagged for hitting Case Keenum out of bounds, he walked to the bench, sat down and unhooked his shoulder pads
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) August 28, 2016
According to Adam Schefter, there’s a solid chance that Talib misses a significant chunk of the year with a suspension stemming from his gun incident earlier in the offseason. Let’s hope instances like this don’t cause him to miss more time.