ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Call it the Mac McCain III Bowl.
The Broncos signed McCain as an undrafted cornerback out of North Carolina A&T following the 2021 draft. They developed him through the offseason, training camp and preseason, then placed him on their season-opening practice squad.
A couple days later, before playing their first game, the Broncos lost McCain to the Eagles, who signed him away by placing him on their active 53-man roster.
It was quite a leap for McCain, who played in just one game for the Eagles this year, all on special teams. And then when the Eagles needed a roster spot, they waived McCain on Tuesday with the plan of signing him back to their practice squad.
The Broncos, though, swooped in and also offered McCain a practice squad spot. McCain’s camp informed the Broncos that with the practice squad opportunities being equal, he was going to stay with the Eagles. The $9,200 a week practice squad salary is nice but the cost of breaking an apartment lease in Philly, shutting off utilities and cable and paying for moving expenses, along with finding another apartment in Denver and setting up utilities and cable, can dig deep into that paycheck.
So the Broncos claimed McCain off waivers, which put him on Denver’s 53-man roster. In the same week the Broncos play the Eagles. With a prorated $660,000 minimum salary coming out to $36,667 per week, McCain has a little more financial cushion to move.
The McCain saga aside, the Broncos are on the brink.
After soundly defeating the Cowboys in Dallas last week, the Broncos left their followers pleasantly stunned, and a little confused.
Is this a Broncos team that got hot for one game and figuratively hit all their 3s? Or is this a legitimate playoff contender that is now making its move after surviving a four-loss swoon?
Beat the Eagles and the Broncos go into their bye week with a 6-4 record and a legitimate shot at making the playoffs, either as AFC West champs or through an AFC wild card. Lose to the Eagles and at 5-5 the Broncos won’t cause Broncos Country to rearrange their late-January plans.
COVID-19 has challenged the Broncos in recent weeks. Besides six players who have tested positive, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur learned Friday morning he too has been stricken by the virus. Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula and running backs coach Curtis Modkins are expected to share the play-calling duties. Shula will relay the calls from his headset to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's helmet speaker.
Follow these five suggestions and the Broncos can keep their momentum going by beating the Eagles on Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High:
1. Adjust from hunter to the hunted
Last week, the Broncos were playing with house money. As 10-point underdogs to the Cowboys, the Broncos could play loose knowing there were no expectations. This week, they are expected to beat the Eagles with the game at Empower Field at Mile High. This brings a little more pressure. To which we say: So? Embrace it. Bring the focus and energy, and the game should fall your way. The Broncos are 4-3 as favorites this year and they are 2.5-point favorites in this game.
2. Keep Hargrave, Cox guessing
The Eagles have arguably the league’s best defensive tackle duo in Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox. Hargrave has 6.0 sacks this year. It will be difficult for the Broncos’ interior of Dalton Riser, Lloyd Cushenberry III and rookie Quinn Meinerz to block them snap after snap. But a trap here, pull there, crossbuck here and there, and the Broncos can keep those Eagle tackle heads on a swivel.
3. Play the RPO till it Hurts
Jalen Hurts is not only the Eagles quarterback, he’s their leading rusher averaging 55 yards per game. Broncos outside linebackers Jonathan Cooper, Stephen Weatherly and, if he plays, Malik Reed will have to stay disciplined in not getting sucked in on Hurts fake handoffs.
4. Teddy’s Ballgame
Although the Eagles rank 20th in defending the run, the Broncos may have a difficult time running the ball behind their banged-up offensive line against the Eagles’ defensive front and linebacker T.J. Edmonds. But the Eagles defense has allowed an NFL worst 75.5 completion percentage. With Broncos’ QB Teddy Bridgewater completing better than 70% of his passes, this is a game where Bridgewater can win it through the air.
5. Safety help on Heisman winner
It would be a surprise if rookie cornerback, and the Broncos' best cornerback, Pat Surtain II, plays in this game because of a knee sprain suffered last week. We’ve seen enough of veteran corners Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller to know they probably shouldn’t be left alone to cover Devonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman winner who has already had monster games against the AFC West Chiefs (7 catches, 122 yards) and Chargers (5 catches, 116 yards).
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