NFL teams
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Broncos coach Kubiak: I like how receiver duo demand more passes

NFL, Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak heard that wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders had publicly said they want more passes to come their way, to be a bigger part of the offense, Kubiak had one response to that.

That it's good, that it's what he wants his starting receivers to do.

"I sit up there many nights and try to get them the ball,'' Kubiak said. "They're great players, I love them, they're workers, I want guys who want the ball. That's what you want. I got a chance to be around Jerry Rice and Andre Johnson, Steve Smith, those good ones all want to get their hands on the ball. These two kids work really hard, obviously I respect the hell out of them. I try to get them the ball the best I can.''

On Wednesday, both Sanders and Thomas expressed some frustrations with their involvement in the offense in the Broncos' 2-0 start. Thomas has nine receptions while Sanders has eight, so the two combined have the same number of receptions as Miami Dolphins' wide receiver Jarvis Landry's league-leading 17.

Sanders went as far as to say "that at some point if what we're doing isn't working'' the Broncos may have to "change'' some of their play calls.

Asked if he had any issue with that, Kubiak said, "No, I want guys who want the ball. These two guys work; that's what I like about them.''

Neither Sanders nor Thomas has a touchdown reception in the Broncos' first two games, and Sanders hasn't topped 50 yards receiving in either of the Broncos' first two games. On Sunday, in the Broncos' win over the Colts, Sanders had three receptions in the Broncos' first seven plays from scrimmage but didn't have another catch in the game.

Thomas had five catches against the Colts for 90 yards, a total that included a 44-yard catch-and-run off a screen pass -- it's the Broncos' longest pass play of the season.

"There's some frustration, but it's hard to be frustrated when you're sitting here 2-0,'' Sanders said Wednesday. "I can sit up here and make it all about me and Demaryius, how we're used to having 100-yard games, we're used to scoring touchdowns and we're used to doing this. But we're sitting here 2-0. ... Individually, I would like to have my highlights on ESPN, yeah, I would like to have 100-yard games, be ranked top five, but we're sitting here 2-0. ... I'm waiting for that big game, Demaryius is waiting for that big game -- we know it's going to come.''

The Broncos do have a first-year starter at quarterback: 24-year-old Trevor Siemian. The Broncos have moved the ball well on offense but have struggled at times to close the deal with four touchdowns in their first two games combined.

Siemian called Sanders' and Thomas' frustrations "understandable.''

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