In a league that sometimes snuffs out personalities, the characters that shine through blaze bright against the solemn backdrop. Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller can be one of those big personalities.
After Sunday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miller pulled out a Bill Belichick impersonation, repeatedly saying he's "On to Cincinnati" -- the Broncos next opponent.
Of course, one huge difference is that the New England coach's original "On to Cincinnati" comment came after a blowout loss in 2014. Miller's homage came after the Broncos battled back, forcing four turnovers to beat the AFC North-leading Steelers.
Wearing a hoodie and talking in a low, monotone voice, the usually boisterous Miller kept in character throughout his postgame performance.
The back-and-forth with the media:
On winning for the second consecutive week
"It was a great team win. On to Cincinnati."
On the defense forcing four turnovers
"We played great defense. We played great offense. Great team win. It's on to Cincinnati."
On NT Shelby Harris' performance
"We had a great win today, great team win. [NT] Shelby [Harris] had an incredible day, but it's on to Cincinnati."
On whether this game meant something extra for Harris
"Yeah, I guess. He had a kid on Friday. Now it's on to Cincinnati."
On S Will Parks' forced fumble that resulted in a touchback
"That was an incredible play right when we needed it. Will's been playing great for us. It's a great team win and it's on to Cincinnati."
On the defense's mindset during the final drive
"Same mindset we always have. It's on to Cincinnati now."
Sunday's big victory over Pittsburgh put the Broncos one game out of the wild card spot with five games to play, just one of which is against a team currently with a winning record (Chargers, Week 17). If they play to their talent level, Denver will be in the thick of the playoff race in a muddled AFC.
Miller's message in his "On to Cincinnati" impersonation is clear: Despite the current optimism, the Broncos must turn the page, take it one game at a time, and continue to stack wins.
