Pros are tasked with having the same approach to their jobs regardless of how a day or week or season is going.
There’s no use denying, however, that the energy around a winning team is different.
Broncos players this week, on a four-game winning streak, are feeling the impact of that reality.
“It’s amazing because you get to see everybody’s will to win,” defensive lineman D.J. Jones told The Denver Post, smiling and pointing down from his locker at kicker Wil Lutz. “No pun intended. But you feel the energy. You feel different energy after two in a row, then three, then four where we’re standing right now. It’s amazing. Even the practice squad, you see everybody working harder and doing what they’ve got to do to get the fifth. …
“Winning cures everything. A lot of people have said that, but it’s true. It doesn’t matter how you win. You could win by one point. Doesn’t matter. Winning is everything.”
It’ll be no easy task for Denver to get to five straight Sunday against 7-3 Cleveland at home, but a victory would put Denver above .500 for the first time since the team started 2-1 last year.
“It feels good just having that momentum and consistently winning,” wide receiver Jerry Jeudy said Friday. “I came from a winning program — ’Bama only loses like one game per season. Being here and winning four straight, it’s a great feeling. Hopefully five. It’s a great feeling and we just want to continue to win.”
Injury report. Broncos safety P.J. Locke (ankle) and running back Dwayne Washington (illness) are officially questionable for Sunday’s game against Cleveland.
Everybody else is good to go.
Locke increased his workload each day this week, from not practicing Wednesday to limited Thursday to full-go on Friday to finish the official work week. That’s a promising sign for his availability Sunday, though Denver will take it to game day before making a final decision.
Washington practiced fully Wednesday and Thursday but then did not do anything Friday during Denver’s indoor workout.
From Cleveland’s side, the Browns will be without standout cornerback Denzel Ward due to a shoulder injury. Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin is also out because of a concussion. Safety Juan Thornhill (calf) and linebackers Anthony Walker, Jr. (hamstring) and Jordan Kunaszyk (knee) are questionable.
Ward’s absence is a big one for Cleveland.
“Denzel Ward’s a good DB and it sucks he won’t be able to play this week,” Jeudy said. “But it won’t change our mindset and our focus and our execution and our game plan with what we’re about to do.”
Managing McLaughlin. Rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin began the season as a big-play machine.
Recently, he’s been held in check.
In two games since Denver’s bye week, the speedy back has seven carries for nine yards and seven catches for 18 yards.
“Certainly there’s a lot of run plays for him,” Payton said. “I said this after the game, when you’re 2-of-11 on third down, you just don’t have the (offensive) snaps. There’s like 75% of the offense you don’t get to get to because you’re not converting the third downs. So we’re very mindful of the things we want to do and the things he does well, but I think it’s a little bit of a byproduct of not staying on the field.”
McLaughlin scored three touchdowns in Denver’s first five games, but hasn’t found the end zone since.
One interesting development in recent weeks: When McLaughlin’s in the game, he gets the ball more often than not.
In fact, McLaughlin’s played 37 snaps over the past four games and has either carried the ball or been targeted in the passing game on 72.9% of them (27 times).
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