Sanders downplays Thomas' drop issues

Demaryius Thomas finished the regular season with a disappointing 10 dropped passes, earning himself plenty of blame for the Denver Broncos' struggles on the offensive side of the ball.

While the drops certainly left a number of plays on the field throughout the year, occasionally stalling drives, Thomas still managed to put together an otherwise impressive campaign.

Emmanuel Sanders referenced the strong production Tuesday while addressing the criticism his fellow receiver faces.

"He does get a lot of criticism about drops and it’s not fair because everybody talks about his drops but everybody forget he got 1,300 yards this year," Sanders said, according to Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post. "Come on man, he's got 1,300! Leave the man alone. Last year he got 1,600."

To Sanders' point, Thomas has long established himself as one of the league's most explosive receivers. The 2015 campaign marked his fourth consecutive seasons with more than 90 receptions and 1,300 yards, doing well to solidify his status as one of the NFL's best.

Thomas, Sanders, and the rest of the Broncos' offense players will have to be at the top of their game in Super Bowl 50, however, as the offense can ill afford to waste opportunities against a dominant Carolina Panthers defense.