OAKLAND, Calif. — Julius Thomas jogged around the field two hours before the game Sunday. He looked like a defensive end, and ran like a power forward. Squinting isn’t necessary to understand why teams struggle to cover the Broncos 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end.
But for that matchup to be exploited, he needs to actually run pass routes. Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase blamed himself last week for Thomas’ mysterious disappearance against the Patriots. With backup tight end Virgil Green sidelined with a calf injury, Thomas was employed as a blocker more than a receiver.
It’s akin to asking Mick Jagger to play bass guitar.
Back in patterns, Thomas resumed his assault on the record books Sunday. He hauled in two touchdown passes, giving him 12. If that seems like an unusually high number, it is. It ties him with five players for the most receiving touchdowns after nine games. Ever.
Bill Groman first accomplished it in 1961. Randy Moss last pulled it off in 2007 with the Patriots.
“I wasn’t thinking about numbers. We just needed a win,” said Thomas, who finished with 63 yards on six catches. “We know that we will make big plays and have big wins. We just needed to get back on track.”
After Thomas scored his first touchdown, he let loose the “Schmoney” dance, which includes hand waving and wiggles. Then he jogged over to the corner, the Black Hole fans lustily booing him, and handed the football to his family. Many made the trip from Stockton, Sacramento and San Jose. Thomas used to wake up at dawn and drive from Stockton with his family to Raiders’ games. He still remembers playing catch in the parking lot.
He was open on Sunday, no cars or defenders around. On his 32-yard score, it looked like the Raiders forgot that Thomas was an eligible receiver. It provided an easy score, welcomed after his two-catch, two-target, 33-yard performance a week ago. And there was a back story to that play.
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“We have been working on that in practice. I got yelled at because I messed it up every time,” Thomas said. “To execute it the right way in the game was a nice way to make up for it.”
Green hopes to return against the Rams on Sunday. He provides the Broncos even more balance in blocking, freeing Thomas to go from a decoy to a comforting target for Peyton Manning.
“He’s a tough matchup. There are multiple good offenses in this league that require those types of talents, and Julius is tremendous,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “Peyton has a lot of confidence in him. He’s gifted, a great young man who works hard at it.”
