Here’s a mind-blowing stat for you, courtesy of Pro Football Focus: Broncos linebacker Todd Davis has zero missed tackles in the run game this season. Zero.
Say what you will about the Broncos run defense taking a step back from last year, but Davis is doing his part. And even though Sunday’s finale is only to try and play spoiler to the Raiders’ hopes of winning the AFC West, Davis still plans to go out and give that same effort level in the final game of the season.
“I think it’s your pride [you’re playing for]” Davis told Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro on Wednesday in the Broncos locker room. “You don’t want to let anyone run over you, so this last game is a lot of weight, especially with the way the game went the last time we played them.”
The Broncos dropped their first meeting with Oakland this season, allowing 218 yards rushing and three Latavius Murray rushing touchdowns. Davis expects a similar game plan in Week 17, as backup Matt McGloin takes over for the injured Derek Carr at quarterback.
“For us, I feel like they’re going to come out and try and run the ball,” Davis said. “That’s what they did the first time, and that has nothing to do with their quarterback. So I think that’s what our focus is right now. Stopping the run and handling whatever Matt [McGloin] throws at us.”
Denver is not only looking for redemption from the 218 yards allowed against Oakland, they’re also looking to bounce back from a Week 16 loss in which they gave up a season-high 238 yards on the ground in Kansas City. The 484 total yards allowed to the Chiefs was the first time the Denver defense had surrendered more than 400 total yards in a game since Week 14 of the 2014 season and only the third time in the past three seasons, including the playoffs.
Listen to the full interview with Davis, plus Goodman and Shapiro’s take on Trevor Siemian getting the start for Denver in the finale, in the podcast below…
https://soundcloud.com/milehighsports/12-28-16-eric-les-catch-up-with-todd-davis-on-how-it-feels-to-play-even-after-elimination-1
Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro every weekday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
