ENGLEWOOD — DaeSean Hamilton just started telling his inquisitor how he went about easing concerns as a punt returner in his NFL debut, in soggy, hostile conditions when teammate Phillip Lindsay came over to lend support.
“Yeah, I was prepared,’’ Hamilton said. “Prepared well throughout the week …
“Proud of my man here,’’ Lindsay said as he put his arm around his fellow Bronco rookie’s shoulders. “He returned punts. It was helmet-to-helmet though, I’m just saying. My man here should get a check.’’
In Hamilton’s first-ever punt return, he got crushed on his lid by the crown of Patrick Onwuaser’s helmet. The officiating crew made several questionable calls Sunday in the Broncos’ 27-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. They missed the flagrant helmet-to-helmet hit against Hamilton, who fell to the ground upon contact to his head.
“It was a welcome to the NFL moment,’’ Hamilton said. “It wasn’t that bad.’’
The Broncos entered their game last week with no Adam Jones, their veteran punt returner. It was raining outside, all morning and most of the game. The game was in the hostile environment of Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens had a veteran punter in Sam Koch.
The Broncos were going to have one of two rookies who never caught a punt in a game before, Hamilton and maybe Lindsay, as their punt returner.
It was one of the Broncos’ biggest concerns going into their game against the Ravens. It turned out to be the least of their problems. Lindsay got ejected late in the second half, leaving Hamilton to handle the punt return duties by his lonesome.
He came through every time, returning three for 31 yards and making a clean fair catch inside his own 10-yard line.
Easy as Hamilton made it look, the rain was a challenge.
“I mean it definitely didn’t help, especially since it was my first NFL action with the ball in my hands,’’ he said. “The rain was something I was concerned about a little bit, thinking about, but I did my best to not let it affect me. And I did my best to not let it affect my mindset and mental state. I just went out there and tried to do my job to the best of my capabilities.’’
About that “first action with the ball in his hands.” Broncos’ quarterback Case Keenum has been throwing to three receivers but not four. Hamilton, the Broncos’ No. 4 receiver, is still looking for his first NFL catch.
He has played anywhere from 12 to 15 snaps in each of the Broncos’ first three games, but he has yet to be targeted with a pass, much less get his first reception.
Hungry for that first catch?
“Yeah, but at the same time I’m taking it week by week, not trying to force the issue,’’ he said. “Let the game come to me. I know I’m a rookie so my chances, my opportunities will come when they come. I have to be ready whenever they do. That’s really the least of my concerns. I just want to go out there and make sure I’m doing my job to the best of my capabilities, put my team in the best position to win, make sure I’m on top of everything I’m doing and not be negative.’’
