Here's what Von Miller means when he says 'it's time to sound the alarm'

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It isn’t time to panic, Teddy Bridgewater said Wednesday, although he did repeatedly note the “sense of urgency” within the locker room.

But Von Miller believes that after four consecutive losses, “it’s time to sound the alarm.”

“The sense of urgency has to be at an all-time high,” Miller said. “We can’t go out here and lose. However you want to shade it, and however you want to lace it up so the pressure doesn’t seem real or whatever it may be. The pressure is real, and this is reality.”

Of course, pronouncements about recent games have become a recurring theme for Miller as the Broncos’ season has stalled.

Prior to the Week 4 loss to the Ravens, he said that game would be like a playoff game. A week later, he said, “We all know how serious this win is for us,” and the team followed by losing at Pittsburgh.

Seven days later, he reflected that putting so much on the Steelers game might have been “too early,” but then said of the Las Vegas Raiders, “This is a huge game for us. We’ve got to win this game,” and the Broncos lost by 10 points.

Then, prior to Week 7 against Cleveland, he vowed that he would have a “great game,” saying, “I’m going to go out there and play well and get a couple of sacks. If I can do that, then we will win.” Miller didn’t, finishing without a sack before he left late in the second quarter due to an ankle injury, and the Broncos lost.

Why is this week’s message different?

Because, he said, what he’s telling his teammates comes across with experience and honesty – even though the message may not be what others want to hear.

“It’s 2021. You can say anything, and somebody might take offense to it. Here in a locker room with all of these grown-ass men, you can’t really get caught up on the right thing to say or the wrong thing to say. You’ve just got to say it and you’ve got to keep it going,” he said. “If it’s coming from your heart and if it’s true, it’s real, and its reality, [then] you’ve just got to say it and you’ve got to keep on moving. That’s the only thing that’s going to get us out of the hole that we’re in.”

Miller said he made his sentiments clear to his teammates. And as one of two players with a Super Bowl ring earned in Denver, he possesses the gravitas that almost everyone else on the team does not.

“I’m going to say what I feel needs to be said,” Miller continued. “No, my play is not perfect. I still have bad plays that I’ll put out there, but that’s not going to silence me. That’s not going to silence me from saying what’s right.

“I’ve played on [plenty of] teams. I know what [success] looks like. I know what it feels like. I’ve won before. These guys haven’t won before. Nobody’s going to silence me on saying the right thing. Nobody’s going to silence me or try to increase the sense of urgency when we’re out here.”

But will his deeply honest message sink in? And how does he know that his teammates are responding to it? That’s what I asked him in the midst of his flurry of responses.

“You don’t see it immediately, but I know what I’m saying and what I’m doing is the right thing to do,” he replied. “I know when I pull a guy to the side and I talk to him. I know when I talk to the defense, whoever it is, I know I’m speaking the truth.

“Maybe that seed might not blossom this week. Maybe it might take a couple of weeks. Maybe it might be two years down the road. Maybe it might be three, maybe it might be after my career and that seed might blossom. I’m going to say what needs to be said when I feel like it needs to be said.”

The Broncos obviously can’t wait years or even months for Miller’s words to result in getting more from his teammates.

But he also knew he couldn’t wait to convey his sentiments — even though his performance in the last three weeks — with no sacks in that span — doesn’t match his high standard.

“Just because I have one or two plays out here that aren’t perfect plays, it’s not going to silence me. Everybody has bad plays — from Tom Brady to Peyton Manning to everybody. Just because I have a bad play, that doesn’t silence me. I’m going to say what needs to be said.

“They voted me captain for a reason and I’m going to continue to uphold my duty to be a captain on this football team — 100 percent.”

All of this took place in the shadow of the 11-year veteran’s continued recovery from an ankle injury suffered on a collision with Dre’Mont Jones last week. Thursday, Miller missed practice for a third consecutive day.

That doesn’t mean he isn’t making progress.

“The way I’m feeling today — if I can keep making these types of improvements, I feel really good about my chances,” Miller said.

You would think this wouldn’t be a big deal; certain players, you trust to be ready even without practice. Miller, an 11th-year veteran with eight Pro Bowl nods and seven first- or second-team All-Pro selections on his CV, is among them.

So was Shannon Sharpe back when he eschewed practice on a semi-regular basis in his final seasons as a player. Ditto Owen Daniels, who sat out a slew of practices in 2015 to rest his knees, but was ready on game days and didn’t miss a contest.

One of the people on whom the decision regarding Miller rests is Broncos coach Vic Fangio.

“Von’s been a veteran player, so you feel a little bit more comfortable playing him with limited practice, so we’ll see how it goes,” Fangio said. “It’s [going to] come down to him physically.”

Added Miller. ““Ultimately, it’s not really up to me. On Thursday, I felt like I could have [gone] back into the game. I could have toughed it out, taped it up, and went back out there. Ultimately, that decision is really not up to me.”

But does Miller even need the practice as an 11-year veteran likely headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

“The old Von didn’t really need practice, if you ask me.” Miller said. “But as I’ve gotten older, I have more respect for practice and how it gets you prepared to play.”

So, what changed for the new Von?

“I guess you just mature and you just see how valuable practice is,” he said. “This is pro sports. You’re going against another team who’s practicing, who’s getting ready for you, and you’re not putting in the work to go practice.

“Just because you practice well doesn’t mean you’ll go out there and play, but if you don’t practice well, and you don’t have great practices, then you put yourself behind that 8-ball for sure.”

As a team, the Broncos are behind that 8-ball. Miller hopes he will be ready to help them escape that jam.