Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Emmanuel Sanders: Broncos 'Better' Beat Burrow-Less Bengals

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Zack Kelberman | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 2:12 PM ET

Former Denver Broncos Super Bowl-winning wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is still very much in tune with the current product, and he'll be watching along as the Broncos host the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.

Like the rest of Broncos Country, Sanders isn't merely hoping for a victory over a Joe Burrow-less Bengals squad — he's expecting it.

"They better win tonight. Joe Burrow is not playing tonight," Sanders told Mile High Huddle on Monday in an exclusive interview promoting his role with DraftKings Sportsbook. "When you go and look at DraftKings right now, every single moneyline is on the Broncos. I don't have any money on the line, but if I did, I'd definitely put it on the Broncos.

"You got a Cincinnati Bengals team that's banged up with no Joe Burrow, and you got homefield advantage with the Broncos. I definitely see them pulling it out tonight."

Sanders, also like the rest of Broncos Country, rued the team's last two games — against the Colts and Chargers, respectively — in which they lost on last-second field goals. The Broncos are 1-2 and, in the wildly competitive AFC, cannot afford to drop a third straight conference matchup.

Enter what some may call a get-right opponent in the 2-1 Bengals, coming off a demolishing at the hands of Minnesota, under the bright lights and not-so-friendly confines of Empower Field. Listed as touchdown underdogs, the visiting club sports a backup quarterback and a leaky defense, which plays well into Denver's strengths.

Sanders, who caught more than 700 NFL passes, knows all too well that winning cures even the proverbially deadliest ailment in this business. Despite some early trepidation, he envisions the Broncos righting the ship and correcting course to their original destination: the postseason.

A journey that begins with a win on Monday night.

"I think we have a team that obviously could be undefeated right now. We got a good football team," Sanders told Mile High Huddle. "As the season progresses, I think we're gonna get better and better and better. Then, in late games, be able to close out those games. That's gonna get us in the playoffs, and once we get in the playoffs, who knows what might happen from there?"

This article first appeared on Denver Broncos on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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