Getty Image / Cooper Neill
The Denver Broncos made an odd choice at running back in their most recent game. With seemingly no warning, they opted to bench starting running back Melvin Gordon, giving the majority of their snaps at the position to Latavius Murray and Mike Boone.
After the game, Gordon didn’t really have an explanation for what happened.
To tell you exactly what happened? I can’t tell you. Because I don’t know. Na, no one mentioned anything to me.
The next day, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was asked about it and he offered an explanation, but it wasn’t a particularly believable one.
Hackett on Melvin Gordon: "We're going to have a conversation. … Melvin didn't do anything wrong. He didn't. We just didn't have a lot of plays."
— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel) October 18, 2022
Now, after all of the drama surrounding Gordon’s playing time on Monday, it seems the Broncos have changed their minds about the running back. Today, Hackett revealed that Gordon will be the team’s starting running back in Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Melvin Gordon to start on Sunday against the Jets after being benched on Monday
#broncos RB Melvin Gordon will start for the #broncos vs the #jets per Nathaniel Hackett.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 19, 2022
With an offense that’s struggling and Russell Wilson dealing with an injury, the Denver Broncos will need to hope that Gordon can help them turn things around. He’s clearly the most talented healthy running back on the roster and is coming off of a season where he ran for 918 yards in a timeshare with Javonte Williams.
The Jets held Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ passing attack in check last week, so there’s a good chance they’ll need to lean on their run game even if Wilson is able to play.
Now it appears Gordon will be the running back they choose to lean on.