ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the moment, the Broncos’ revised plans for Week 6 remain without further change. Despite the reports of a positive COVID-19 test on the Patriots’ roster, the Broncos’ weekend in New England is on, with the team’s Saturday plans to fly northeast unaffected.
That could all change Saturday morning, just as it did last Sunday. The Broncos expected to board the team charter that day. Instead, they held a socially-distanced meeting on the practice field and scattered for an unexpected bye.
At least if the plans change this week, the Broncos can operate according to a rehearsed script.
“We are getting good at it,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said. “Every time it happens, we get better. Every time you get a rep with something, you get better. We’ve done great, our players have been fantastic with all of this stuff, but they are getting even better with it all.”
And then there is the matter of perspective.
Sure, the Broncos have spent the last week and a half dealing which changes in plans and itineraries. They lost their bye and the accompanying mental and physical rest, practicing on days when they normally would have been away from team headquarters.
In the grand scheme of 2020 crises, these aren’t issues that should arch an eyebrow — especially to Fangio, who saw COVID-19 hit home when his daughter tested positive for it.
“That’s part of it, but also I know a lot of people have had their lives interrupted in a very negative way,” he said. “Whether it be through the illness itself, losing their job, taking a pay cut — which I know some of you had to go through that in the offseason, which I was sad to see. Nobody deserves that.
“Some small businesses — people who have worked their whole lives to establish a business — are really struggling right now. I know some small business owners from all over the country and they are struggling. Luckily here in the NFL, so far as players and coaches, we haven’t missed any paychecks. We’re just going to keep fighting through and consider ourselves lucky.
“Yes, we’ve been inconvenienced and there are a lot of protocols to follow. Some of them can be a little overbearing at times, but they’re necessary. I think in the big picture we’ve been lucky.”
The Broncos will play the Patriots at some point. Games can be moved. Weeks can be added to the schedule. So far, anything the Broncos have lost can be regained. It’s not Thanksgiving, but the Broncos can be thankful for that, even if they do not take the Gillette Stadium turf Sunday.
