Sanders calls out Bolles: ‘He needs to understand he’s doing it wrong’

Finally someone said it.

Ignoring press conference “coach speak,” Emmanuel Sanders said what everyone’s thinking - Garett Bolles has a holding problem and he needs to fix it ASAP.

“Obviously to say that he’s been alright is not OK,” Sanders said. “He needs to understand that he is doing something wrong because they keep throwing the flags on him and he keeps holding.”

Truth.

Calling his teammates a “band of brothers,” Sanders said he’ll keep talking to Bolles and breaking down film to hopefully “see him make that jump and get that debt off his back because it’s been happening for like two or three years.”

Sanders implied that Bolles has been resistant to changing given that he keeps getting the yellow flag. This is consistent with what we see on the field when he shakes his head at every call and even what we heard in his post-game comments that he thinks he’s developed an unfair reputation.

Even Fangio implied subtly yesterday that while coaches need to do a better job explaining it to Bolles, he needs to “do a better job listening.”

Because it’s not like no one has tried to help him.

“I’ve talked to him,” Sanders said when asked if he tries to help Bolles mid-game. “Everybody’s trying to talk to him, so we’ll see.”

Sanders, who had 11 catches for 98 yards and one TD, was clearly frustrated over the outcome of Sunday’s game - and rightfully so. After being the reason the team was even in a position to win, it hurts Sanders to think points were left on the field because of stalled drives from penalties and/or other mistakes.

“Obviously, we drove the ball on the Raiders and the Bears, but we always stall out like midfield or the 40,” Sanders said. “We have to end these drives. You want to end with a touchdown, but if you get into that area you’re going to at least get a field goal out of it.”

Sanders said the offense is working on being “locked in more” to avoid making mental errors that prevent third-down conversions or cause penalties that knock the team out back.

“If we do convert a third down, we’re in field goal range. I’m going to take it to my part to make sure that when I’m in the huddle, just like I did last week, make sure guys know where we’re at on the field and in the field of play, and how important that is,” he said. “I’m happy that we were able to move the ball, but I expect us to move the ball just like I expect us to score.”

Joking about having a career day for number of receptions, Sanders said the only stat he really wants is the one at the end.

“Was that a career high in receptions? Because in college I caught like 22 passes in one game or something like that. I was in the Run ‘N Shoot with June Jones,” he laughed. “I don’t think about that stuff. I just think about wins and losses, and right now we’re 0-2. I just want to get a win.”