Stokley: Broncos need to lose remaining games; Schlereth disagrees
Dec 12, 2017, 12:00 AM | Updated: 11:30 am
Following the Denver Broncos snapping an eight-game losing streak Sunday with a shutout victory over the New York Jets, concern among Broncos Country is the damage a win may have done to Denver’s draft position.
Ahead of Sunday’s Week 14 slate, the Broncos were positioned for the No. 4 pick in next year’s NFL draft but, with the win, moved down to No. 6.
So, the question Monday was should Denver fans hope the team scuffles down the stretch in order to maintain good draft position or should they root for a win no matter what?
“Don’t give me that skim milk take,” Schlereth said of the idea of fans calling for the Broncos to lose its last three games.
“You’re lying to yourself if you think the difference between No. 3 and No. 7 is going to make this team,” the “Schlereth & Evans” co-host said Monday. “’Oh, if we only had the third pick of the draft instead of the seventh pick of the draft, then we’d win a lot of games.’ Stop it.
“You’ve got a guy want to go up and get, go up and get him.”
“Stokley & Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley, on the other hand, said he has a rooting interest in any scenario that lands the Broncos a higher draft pick.
“I am going to be pulling for the Indianapolis Colts. I’ll be pulling for the Washington Redskins and I’ll be pulling for the Kansas City Chiefs,” Stokley said. “Call me whatever you want. I’m looking at the big picture.
“I want what is best for the Denver Broncos, and that is what is best for the Denver Broncos. Bottom line. End of story.”
To complicate matters, Denver (4-9) travels to Indianapolis on Thursday to take on the 3-10 Colts. Whatever team wins would hold any tiebreaker over the other in terms of draft seeding.
“This is a big game. You need to lose it. I mean, I hate to say that, but you do. You need to lose this one,” Stokley said. “There’s no doubt about it because you don’t want to, all of a sudden, go from right around 5-6 to 9-10 by getting one or two of these wins here down the stretch.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.