2018 Broncos' Season, Pre-Season Week 3



Pre-Season Week 3: Broncos 29, Washington Redskins 17
Pre-Season Record: 1-2 (0-2 Home)
Key Play: In the second quarter, with the Broncos leading 10-3, on second and five, Case Keenum flipped the ball to Emmanuel Sanders on an end around, who took it 27 yards for a touchdown to boost the lead to 17-3.

Recap: There are a couple things you're looking for in the third pre-season game. First, you're hoping no one gets a major injury, and the Broncos did OK on that front. Brandon Marshall got dinged, but returned. And Derek Wolfe got dinged, but should be OK. Unfortunately young safety Shamarko Thomas was injured and had to go to the hospital. But, overall, it could have been worse. The other thing you're hoping to see is that the team looks like they're ready for a good season. And on that front, it was a big success. For the second week in a row the Broncos allowed 14 garbage points late in the game, but for the second week in a row they dominated in the run up to that point. The first team offense looked good, and was fun to watch. And the Broncos didn't punt in the second half, with Chad Kelly leading three scoring drives and even Paxton Lynch leading a long drive that resulted in a field goal. The defense also looked stout, particularly the starters. So if you're looking for a positive sign, this team looked a lot more like the 2015 version than the last two years did. And that's exciting as a Broncos fan. Next week will be about selecting the guys who will fill out the roster, then it's about getting ready for the Seahawks on September 9.

Game Balls:
*Emmanuel Sanders
— He caught four passes for 61 yards and had a carry for a 27 yard TD. Sanders can be a real weapon, and he looks like one again.
*Super Rookies— Royce Freeman carried five times for 26 yards and a TD; Phillip Lindsay had 31 yards on five carries and a reception for 18 yards; Courtland Sutton had 45 yards on three receptions; DaeSean Hamilton had two receptions for 18 yards; and Bradley Chubb was all over the field, recording another half sack. The draft class of 2018 is awesome.
* Dymonte Thomas—Thomas played with the 1s on Friday as Parks is injured and Su'a Cravens has yet to play, and he looked good. I think last night was the night he secured a roster spot.

Lingering Questions:
* Tough decisions
— The Broncos have a good problem in that they have a ton of talent and only 53 roster spots. This final pre-season game will be key to seeing who among the bubble players can take the leap.
* Tight Ends — I think the Broncos have a couple of good ones in Jeff Heuerman and Jake Butt, and both contributed Friday. But both have an injury history, and it will be interesting to see how this position develops over the course of the season.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Broncos Draft Targets

Favorite Westerns, No. 43