**Elway wants Broncos to have mindset “where we’re fighting for our lives”** (Ryan O'Halloran, Denver Post)
During an interview on the team's broadcast partner, Orange & Blue 760, Elway said he wants the Broncos to embrace a mentality at Arizona on Thursday "where we're fighting for our lives."
Around 30 minutes later, Broncos coach Vance Joseph was relayed Elway's comment and was asked if it can be intimated as Joseph fighting for his job.
"Absolutely and that's every coach in this league every week," Joseph said. "If you don't feel that way, you're missing something. If we were 5-1, I would feel that way. That doesn't motivate me. I'm already motivated to win games and fix our football team."
**The Broncos’ play against the Rams wasn’t all bad. And that makes it worse.** (Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic)
Joseph said there are "no moral victories," and perhaps that's true. But there were some positives to glean from the Broncos' performance and that, in turn, may make the loss sting even more. The pass rush that seemingly went dormant against the Jets was revived with some schematic changes.
"We played more of our over-front and we played more of our nine-technique stuff on passing downs," Joseph said. "… They pressured the quarterback with our four-man rush and that's critical, obviously."
The changes helped Bradley Chubb break loose for three sacks, tied for a Broncos rookie record. It also helped Miller end his sack drought and record 1.5 takedowns of Jared Goff (Miller split one sack with safety Darian Stewart).
The pressure up front, in turned, aided a backfield that had been gashed by big passing plays. The Broncos held Goff to a season-low 201 passing yards with zero touchdowns. No team so far this season has held the Rams to only 23 points.
**Broncos briefs: Colorado native OL Sam Jones to suit up on active roster at Cardinals** (Ryan O'Halloran and Kyle Fredrickson, Denver Post)
The news of Jones' promotion to suiting up on the active roster Monday by coach Vance Joseph was bittersweet, though, considering what Denver lost. Starting right guard Ron Leary, a seven-year veteran, is out for the season with a right Achilles tear. The shuffling of bodies gives Jones an opportunity to showcase his skill set at 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds.
Jones started 25 games at Arizona State, primarily at left guard, and worked both inside slots in addition to center during training camp. Should either Matt Garcia or Connor McGovern be unable to play Thursday, Jones will be called upon to fill in.
"I feel comfortable anywhere on the interior," Jones said. "Wherever they need me to plug in, that's what I'll do."
**Broncos Film Review: Little to show for long completions in loss to Rams** (Ryan O'Halloran, Denver Post)
Nickel back Tramaine Brock went from healthy scratch against the Jets to playing 57 of 74 snaps against the Rams. Issac Yiadom played only eight snaps. The Rams were 1-of-4 passing for 15 yards in man coverage against Brock. He tipped the pass that was intercepted by Stewart. Goff was 3-of-5 for 70 yards (gains of 44 and 28 yards) against Bradley Roby and 1-of-3 for 12 yards against Chris Harris.
**Broncos' run defense in free fall to 'unacceptable' level** (Jeff Legwold, ESPN)
"That was kind of in our game plan, we were trying to shut down the pass. ... We figured we could stop the run with our guys, but that wasn't happening," cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said.
The Broncos kept Goff in check -- he finished 14-of-28 passing for 201 yards with an interception. The Broncos also sacked Goff five times, three of those by rookie outside linebacker Bradley Chubb.
On most days the Broncos (2-4) would have celebrated Chubb's breakout effort, along with Miller's 1.5 sacks Sunday, as exactly what they envisioned for their defense. But Denver's defense is now last in the league in stopping the run: It's allowing 161.3 rushing yards per game and has given up 593 in the past two games.
"It wasn't good enough," Chubb said. "If we have the pressure to make plays, we have to do more, so I want to do more. Losing is never fun, just got to man up and do what we've got to do ... I'm not happy no matter how good it was individually. So maybe it was a little bit of a breakout or whatever, but a loss is a loss. I want the win."
