ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss continues to be criticized for blocking defenders on long passes, even as he has worked to reduce his penchant for penalties.
On Sunday, he intercepted a Jordan Love pass to Matthew Golden on third-and-4 from the Green Bay 35-yard line, only to see backfield referee Greg Yette send a yellow flag flying from midfield. That gave the Packers 25 yards.
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The much-derided call could have changed the complexion of the game, because on the next possession, Josh Jacobs ran 40 yards for a touchdown to give Green Bay a 23-14 lead.
The Broncos rallied to beat the Packers 34-26, with Moss making a spectacular tackle and a key pass breakup near the goal line to help Denver (12-2) extend its winning streak to 11 games.
Moss has more than a dozen pass interference calls this season, tied for the most in the league among cornerbacks.
Broncos coach Sean Payton was annoyed by Moss’s constant phone calls. He even ran on the field to argue a defensive pass interference flag against Moss at the goal line, which potentially led to Denver’s 33-32 comeback victory over the New York Giants in Week 7.
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When asked about the recent spate of soft DPI calls against Moss, Payton once again defended his cornerback, who drew a lot of targets against reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II.
“Look, he continues to compete,” Payton said. “I can’t say the word, but it starts with an ‘A’ in relation to that call. It’s just…man. I’m sure it’s frustrating for him. But he’s going to continue to compete. He’s tough, came back with a big interception. You know, that one in New York was brutal. But he’s going to continue to compete. We’ve got to do a better job overall of watching and calling those calls consistently.”
Moss was in perfect position to defend the pass, but while the ball was in the air, his left hand momentarily found its way onto Golden’s right wrist, which apparently triggered the flag.
“Well, his arm was right there,” CBS commentator Jim Nantz said during a replay of Moss’ penalty kick.
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“Yeah,” said color analyst Tony Romo, “but every DB does it. It doesn’t affect the game.”
The contact did not rise to the level of “hand-to-hand” combat that would normally trigger a flag. After the game, Moss suggested the referee “wanted to throw the flag from the other side of the field” and insisted he had “good coverage” of the game.
Sultan said Moss gained an undeserved reputation among officiating staff, who were quick to whistle at him for pass interference.
“Yeah, I think those calls were pretty tacky,” Surtain said Wednesday as the Broncos prepare to face the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4) on Sunday at Empower Field. “I just think there’s a lot of examples around the league of other people doing the same thing and they’re not getting asked to.
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“But at the end of the day, he’s going to keep his head high and move on to the next game.”
On Sunday, Moss had six catches for 68 yards, according to Next Gen Stats. He intercepted the ball three times against the Packers, bringing his season total to 15 passes, fourth-most in the NFL.
Moss’s flag wasn’t the only one that angered Payton on Sunday. He lamented the quick whistle that robbed wide receiver Troy Franklin of a touchdown, and Franklin spun on an arm tackle in the second quarter and sprinted into the end zone, only to find the referee mistakenly ruled that he had landed on his knee, calling the game over.
“These calls are difficult…I just want to say I don’t agree with the call,” Payton said. “How about it?”
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Backcourt Depth
New running back Cody Schrader wears No. 5. The Broncos claimed Schrader off waivers from the Houston Texans this week.
He replaces safety Brandon Jones, who was placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.
Schrader started two games for the Rams in 2024 and has split time with the Jaguars and Texans this season. Schrader ran for 1,627 yards and 14 touchdowns for the University of Missouri in his final college season. He brings depth and security to a running back that lost JK Dobbins to a Lisfranc foot injury. RJ Harvey injured his ribs on Sunday but was still practicing Wednesday.
Payton says Harvey’s injury won’t stop him against Jaguars: ‘No, he looks good.’
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