After trial by fire, Drew Sanders looking for better in second start

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It was a trial by fire for Drew Sanders last week. And it was as hot as the blazing sun above Hard Rock Stadium.

The rookie linebacker stepped into the starting lineup for the first time Sept. 24 in Miami. But the plan wasn’t for him to play every down. Instead, the Broncos wanted to show some 4-3 looks, which meant that Sanders was in alongside Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton.

But Sanders rotated out of the lineup as Vance Joseph went back to his base 3-4 package. That was until Jewell succumbed to a hip injury after just 19 plays.

And it was rough.

Sanders had one assist. He missed three tackles, as calculated by Pro Football Focus. One of Miami’s 10 touchdowns came on a play thrown in his direction — a 19-yard pass to Raheem Mostert.

The speed blinded the Broncos. And Sanders, too.

“Just couldn’t quite get my bearings straight. [That] kind of thing,” Sanders said. “Just a lot of things going on. But I’m excited to get after it this week.”

Circumstance dropped another opportunity into Sanders’ lap after Jewell did not practice at all this week. Friday, the Broncos ruled Jewell out for Sunday’s game in Chicago.

Sometimes, there’s no better way than to take another shot as soon as possible.

“You can use that as fuel to get better,” Sanders said of his work last week. “And when it comes back around, you can be ready for it.”

And to that end, Sean Payton turned back the clock to the 2000 season for a parallel, noting a Week 3 game that year for the New York Giants — with whom Payton was the offensive coordinator — and the Chicago Bears, who featured a rookie linebacker named Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher went on to become a Hall of Famer. And that day, he had 13 tackles and a sack.

“I’m sure if we went back and looked at that film, it wasn’t perfect,” Payton said. “He eventually became a MIKE and eventually became a pain in everyone’s tail.

“He was a great player. I think Sanders has earned that opportunity, and we saw enough of it in the preseason. I’m sure he’s excited.”

Certainly, Sanders’ first start wasn’t in Urlacher’s class. But at the same lakefront venue where Urlacher became a star, Sanders will have another chance to show that his preseason promise can become regular-season reality.

The Broncos will need it. Because they can’t afford another day with a team-wide total of 24 missed tackles again.

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