[Elite_video_player id=”2″]
DENVER – For the second time this season, the Denver Broncos were forced to take on the San Diego Chargers without their entire coaching staff.
As you recall, when the team took on the Chargers in San Diego earlier this month, they were without their head coach in Gary Kubiak. On Sunday, the team lost arguably their next most important coach, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
In the second quarter, Phillips was leveled by San Diego running back Melvin Gordon who was blocked into the sideline during a Bradley Roby pick-six. After spending multiple minutes down on the sideline, surrounded by his players, Phillips was carted off and taken directly to the hospital.
There was only one thing left to do.
“All the guys said, ‘You know what lets corral and win this game for Wade,’” linebacker DeMarcus Ware explained. “Wade is like my dad. You get a little sentimental a bit, but you can also see a lot of the guys saying, ‘Now since Wade is gone, let’s pick up where he left off.’
The Broncos did just that. Linebackers coach Reggie Herring took over Phillips’ play-calling duties and the team went to work, notching two more interceptions and eventually getting the goal-line stop that preserved the 27-19 victory.
While not usually emotional leader by nature, it was Phillips who indirectly inspired his team on the day.
“No doubt,” head coach Gary Kubiak said of whether the team took it to another level for Wade. “You’re sitting there watching one of your soldiers like that, and they’re worried about him… The players responded and played their tails off for Reggie and the defensive coaches.”
The loss of their lead man on defense was just another thing the team had to respond to during the divisional matchup. While they saw the return of Ware, they were without Aqib Talib, whose leadership is arguably as important. They took it all in stride.
“It was just another person that was down,” Bradley Roby said of Phillips. “Talib was down, at the beginning of the game Kayvon Webster was down, so us as corners knew we had to step up because we only had three guys left. When Wade went down, it was like ‘Man, what’s going on?’ I was going to make sure he was okay, and all signs were saying that he’s good an he’ll be fine. [Linebackers Coach] Reggie [Herring], our linebackers coach, he stood up and was like ‘I got this, I got you. Wade and I [run] this defense together and I’m more than capable.’ We just rallied around him.”
Players often say that you shouldn’t need extra motivation in this league, but certain things can take you to a level you can’t get to naturally. On Sunday, the Broncos saw one of their leaders go down right in front of their eyes and followed it up with a performance that would make him proud.
Phillips was released from the hospital shortly after the game’s conclusion and is expected to be back at work tomorrow morning. Herring received a game ball for his work in Phillips’ relief.
