MINNEAPOLIS — Fueled by slights, motivated by losses, the Broncos arrived at U.S. Bank Stadium angry. Phillip Lindsay provided a snapshot as he screamed encouragement at teammates as they headed to the locker room before kickoff. Sunday was going to be different. And it was for 30 breathtaking minutes. Then it wasn't. The best half of the Broncos season was followed by an epic collapse.
The Broncos squandered a 20-0 lead, falling 27-23 to the Minnesota Vikings. The Broncos Fast start only left them Furious with a hollow ending after three incompletions from the 4-yard line to end the game.
Denver showed resolve after falling behind 27-23 with six minutes left. The Broncos converted on a long third down by Royce Freeman a fourth-down, 11-yard reception by rookie Noah Fant. At this point a Brandon Allen first half interception and a Brandon McManus missed field goal lingered as the defense couldn't match its dominant first half.
It came down to this. The Broncos in possession on the 30-yard line with 2:01 remaining. Allen misfired on long pass to Fant down the sideline. It left Allen 15-for-33 for 233 yards for a touchdown and a turnover. Allen connected with Tim Patrick on fourth down to bring the pulse back. Facing a fourth-and-1 at the 15-yard with 27 second remaining, the Broncos called timeout. They wasted 10 seconds deciding the play. Allen faked to Lindsay and scooted 11 yards for the first down at the 4-yard line with 10 seconds line. The first play was an incomplete pass to Patrick, leaving six seconds left
Allen took the shotgun snap and fired incomplete to Fant. There were two seconds left. One play for one of the biggest victories since Super Bowl 50. Allen failed to connect with Fant as time expired.
The collapse might have hurt worst that the losses to the Bears, Jaguars and Colts combined. Why?
It was an eye-opening start that teased of an upset.
Broncos let down their hair and went to the air, scoring 10 points on their first three drives. That's rather remarkable considering they average 16 points per game. They used heavy personnel to loosen up Minnesota's interior with bursts from Phillip Lindsay and Freeman for 31 yards on those possessions. It created openings down the field with an effective aerial strategy: throw to the best receiver and use the tight ends. Allen connected with Fant for a 31-yarder to set up a 47-yard field goal by Brandon McManus, marking the fifth time the Broncos have scored on an opening drive this season.
On Denver's third drive, Allen recognized a simple truth: throwing to your best receiver brings benefits. Allen connected with Courtland Sutton on a 48-yard pass down the left side. The beauty? Sutton was covered and Allen gave him a chance to make play. Moments later, Sutton beat Xavier Rhodes in man coverage, drawing a 24-yard penalty. After Allen chunked a changeup at the feet of a wide open Noah Fant in the end zone, he redeemed himself. He drilled a scoring pass to Troy Fumagalli, who emerged from witness protection for the fist career touchdown.
With the Broncos angry over their underdog status – it was a 10.5-point line – it triggered an avalanche of excellence. With a secure lead, the Broncos marched 69 yards on 10 plays, capped by Andy Janovich's 1-yard mudflapping plunge into the end zone.
Rather than put hands at their waist, the Broncos kept swinging, embracing the role of the ugly guy in the fight. Shelby Harris spearhead a breathtaking defensive effort. He recorded two first-half sacks. His caused a fumble with his first one that Alexander Johnson recovered. McManus drilled a 29-yard field goal, swelling the advantage to 20-0, Denver's largest first half shutout lead since 2013. In what was hard to believe, Denver left points on the board. The Broncos recovered the ensuing kickoff, but Allen's inexperience showed. His eyes shifted late to the middle of the field, and he threw an easy interception to Andrew Sendejo on a ball headed for Fant in the end zone.
It failed to take the shine off the Broncos' best 30 minutes under Vic Fangio. The stats: Denver outgained the Vikings 217-47, produced 12 first downs to four, and limited the Vikings to 47 total yards. Courtland Sutton caught a 48-yard pass, drew a long penalty and completed a 38-yarder to Tim Patrick on reserve pitch from Phillip Lindsay out of the wildcat formation.
The embarrassed Vikings -- booed off the field at halftime -- responded with vigor. They zoomed 75 yards on nine plays in their opening scoring drive. Stefon Diggs did the heavy lifting with a 44-yard reception as the Vikings began picking on cornerback Davontae Harris. Kirk Cousins finished the march with a 10-yard strike to tight end Irv Smith Jr., shaving the deficit 207. This is the moment where the Broncos showed elasticity, if not weakness throughout this season. They found strength with a counterpunch. With their drive extended by a silly Vikings neutral zone infraction as Broncos lined up for the punt, Denver capitalized. They gorged 7 minutes, 6 seconds off the clock. McManus nailed a 41-yarder, leaving 18-for-21 on the season, as lead inflated to 23-7
Using a suspect interference call on Duke Dawson against Smith, the Vikings showed life and burst. Dalvin Cook, who entered the game as the NFL's leading rusher, finally appeared in the fourth quarter. He bounced outside on a 2-yard run, shrinking Denver's lead to 23-13. A two-point conversion and stand followed. Cook attempted to find the edge again, but Derek Wolfe smashed him short of the goal line, leaving it a two-possession game with 13:25 remaining.
Broncos inability to adjust and their special teams came back to haunt them. A Colby Wadman 36-yard punt was muffed by the returner, a possible turnover that could have sealed the #Broncos' upset. Denver failed to recover in the pile, and Wadman's latest inconsistency led to good field position. The Vikings responded with a 35-second scoring drive as Diggs beat Chris Harris Jr. for 54 yards on a backside post pattern. The crowd reached 114 decibels on the Broncos' next possession as Denver clung to a 23-20 lead.
With Fangio and offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello showing they learned from the flawed turtle-in-shell philosophy against the Colts, they opened up. Allen connected on a 43-yard pass to Sutton down the middle of the field. Sutton jumped up and motioned for crowd to be quiet. They weren't for long. The Broncos drive fizzled with a third down run to Devontae Booker and a missed 43-yard miss by McManus. It was Denver's season in a snapshot.
The Vikings roared down the field with Vikings picking on Duke Dawson. Diggs beat him for a first down and a miscommunication led nowhere near Kyle Ruldolph on a 32-yard score that shoved the Vikings ahead 27-23 with six minutes remaining. The scoring toss was a Gary Kubiak special. The former Broncos coach now Vikings offensive czar called for the bootleg. Cousins fooled everyone and could have run the ball to Rudolph.
Denver had its chance. And like four times this season lost at the buzzer.
Three and out
The Broncos faced the Vikings shorthanded. They played without three starters -- right tackle Ja'Wuan James (left knee), tight end Jeff Heuerman (right knee) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (right shoulder). James and Heuerman were not expected to play based on their practice participation. James strained his MCL in the season opener then "set back the healing processs" when he re-injured it against the Colts. He told Denver7 he expects to play again soon in a what has been a frustrating season limited to 32 snaps. Heuerman has battled injuries throughout his career. Walker thought he would be ready to face the Vikings after the bye week after gaining increased mobility in his shoulder. Walker looked forward to going against former Florida State teammate DeMarcus Walker. "I really wanted to face that man," said Walker, who hopes to end his two-game absence by being active against the Bills.
Footnotes
There is fear Andy Janovich's season could be over. He hyperextended his elbow on a pass reception, awkwardly pressing into the turf. In obvious pain, he hustled off the field and into the lockerroom and was immediately ruled out. Andrew Beck replaced him, but he's not a blocker of Janovich's ilk. ... Not long after Tim Patrick caught a 38 yard pass from receiver Courtland Sutton, he injured his right shoulder, and underwent exams at the stadium. He returned in the second quarter, a sigh of relief after missing the previous eight games with an injury. ... Former Highlands Ranch High and Wyoming star Mike Purcell hurt his ribs on the Vikings' first offensive play. He appeared to get struck by a teammate. He was carted to the lockerroom for tests. With Purcell out -- and he has spearheaded Denver's improved run defense over the previous five weeks -- Shelby Harris shifted to nose tackle and Adam Gotsis took over at defensive end. However, he returned in the second quarter and made a stop for a loss on his first play back. ... The Broncos' gameday captains: Von Miller, Andy Janovich and Joe Jones. ... Broncos rookie Dre'Mont Jones recorded the first sack of his career in the third quarter. ...
"fast" - Google News
November 18, 2019 at 04:19AM
https://ift.tt/2OkCbCf
Broncos start fast, leave furious in loss to Vikings - The Denver Channel
"fast" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2VRmxBz
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
No comments:
Post a Comment