Eric Decker Thinks Being Critical Of Chiefs Game Helps Team
DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver Broncos are on a six-game winning streak with a chance to make it seven against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but wide receiver Eric Decker believes the team should be a little bit critical of their last game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the same time as looking ahead to the Bucs.
"Definitely got to be critical. That's our best attribute; we're always trying to get better. As a team as a whole we didn't play our best football," Decker said on Xfinity Monday Live! "That's something we looked at in the film room and saw things that we could correct … Kansas City is a great team, give them credit for the way they play. I think their defense is very underrated, but it was enjoyable to get a win in that place."
One of the bright spots of the Chiefs game was running back Knowshon Moreno. He was inactive for eight weeks and left the game with 20 carries for 85 yards.
"He was hungry. He's been waiting a little bit on the bench to get his opportunity. Finally it came and he seized it," Decker said. "I think he did a great job, running hard, caught some big balls in the passing game and he was big in protection. I think he played a great game."
Decker said defensive end Robert Ayers found out Saturday night that his father had passed away but he still played on Sunday.
"It's always tough to see a teammate, a brother go through something like that. He found out Saturday night late and probably didn't get much sleep. (He has) a big heart to play in that game and to focus for 60 minutes," he said.
After a slow start, Decker has been having a great year receiving, but a lot of the credit can still go to his working relationship with Peyton Manning.
"I think the biggest thing I've learned is just how to be a professional, how to go about your business as far as preparation from week to week to make yourself as successful as you can on Sunday," Decker said. "And to just how to be a pro off the field, giving back and just to be a standup person."
Decker isn't the only receiver having a great year, Demaryius Thomas has also been putting up big numbers and Decker said it's "amazing" to play opposite of him.
"It's been amazing playing opposite this guy. He's a freak of nature. He's a guy who's 230 (pounds), runs like he's about 180, very tall, very physical, he's a playmaker. It's good to see him playing so well because again, it opens us up on the other side."
Decker said the receivers are competitive with each other, but are always teammates on the field.
"The best thing about it is there's such a fondness and a friendship within the receiver room that we all want to be successful," he said. "We all want to be great, but again, we want to see each other be successful too. We feed off performances, how we did in practices. It just makes us better."
The Buccaneers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to their division rivals the Atlanta Falcons and have been playing decent football. They come to Denver on Sunday. Kickoff is 2:05 p.m.
- By Matthew J. Buettner, CBSDenver.com
Watch more of the video with Eric Decker in the Xfinity Monday Live! section.
