Miller, Keenum come up empty in clutch, says Schlereth, Evans
Oct 2, 2018, 9:56 AM | Updated: 11:35 am
In a playoff-type atmosphere Monday between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, All-Pro linebacker Von Miller had one tackle and two quarterback hits.
With the ball in his hands with a chance for a comeback win, quarterback Case Keenum sailed a potential game-winning pass over the outstretched hands of Demaryius Thomas.
In the clutch, said “Schlereth and Evans” co-hosts Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans on Tuesday, the two highest paid Broncos players on either side of the football failed to make game-changing plays to beat one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
“You’re in the fourth quarter of a game — playoff style, playoff intensity-type game — and your two highest paid players didn’t make the plays that had to be made,” Evans said.
After witnessing two of Miller’s peers — Chicago Bears’ Khalil Mack and Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald — “wreck” games this year in prime-time situations, Schlereth said he didn’t see the Broncos star put up a similar performance against the Chiefs.
“I did not see Von Miller make enough plays, being the guy, being the man, in a prime-time situation,” Schlereth said. “I saw Patrick Mahomes scrambling around and making plays with his left hand. I didn’t see Patrick Mahomes going down, strip-sack and fumble.”
And on a third-and-10 from the 28 yard line and time running out, Keenum threw a pass over the head of Thomas that Evans said “any competent NFL quarterback” should make.
“Your high-paid quarterback failed to make a throw that any competent NFL quarterback should be able to make. That’s just the way it is,” Evans said. “That is a throw you have to make, and you win the football game.”
It’s a play Keenum said he’ll lose sleep over.
“There’s a few, especially those type of plays that I’ll lose a little sleep over, thinking about it, laying at night in bed,” Keenum said after the game. “It’s a tough one. It stings.”
As for Miller, he called the loss “tough,” as if he invested 100 percent in something and lost it all.
“There is a sense of disappointment. We’ve got to get back to the lab and we’re going to do it again. We’ve got to reload again. The great teams do that,” Miller said. “It’s still early in the season. We’ve got a great team. We’re getting better and better every week.
“It’s tough tonight. We’ll digest this one and get back in the lab tomorrow.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
