Peyton Manning hands off to C.J. Anderson in the first half. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)
The Broncos returned to Sports Authority Field at Mile High and gained a needed win, 39-36 over the Miami Dolphins. Here were the notable and not-so-notable moments from the Denver victory.
Run for the hills: Denver ran nine times in its first 12 plays, showing balance as the offensive line responded to the barrage of criticism last week. Denver nearly achieved a 50-50 run-pass balance for the game.
Sandman the man: Emmanuel Sanders, who suffered a concussion last week, stretched Miami’s defense with vertical routes, finishing with his sixth 100-yard game this season.
C.J. A-OK: Anderson eclipsed 100 yards in his third start. It wasn’t just the amount, but the method. He ran with urgency and attitude befitting the importance of the first home game in a month.
Fumble!: The Broncos entered the game with two recovered fumbles. They forced three on the Dolphins’ final scoring drive and were unable to pounce on any of them.
Burst bubble: Isaiah Burse has improved at catching punts, but he committed his biggest mistake at a bad time. He made a poor decision to field a third quarter punt. Then he stayed on his feet too long as the Dolphins’ ambushed him, causing a fumble and leading to a score.
Clank, clank: Brandon McManus’ job security remains in question after he .
INTERACTIVE:
Offense: Denver spent the week as a dart board for columnists and analysts because of its glaring imbalance. All it did was run the ball down the Dolphins’ throats. C.J. Anderson rewarded Denver’s faith with his first 100-yard game. Peyton Manning benefited from the diverse play-calling, throwing for four scores, giving him 21 at home this season. Grade: A
Defense: The inability to stop the run was alarming. The inability to slow Ryan Tannehill, who played a flawless first half, was surprising. But when a play was needed, safety T.J. Ward, who delivered his best game as a Bronco, produced a fourth-quarter interception and 37-yard return to set up Manning’s final touchdown pass. Grade: B-
Special Teams: Brandon McManus insisted he had not lost confidence when passed over for kicks last Sunday. He might lose his job after clanking a 33-yard field-goal attempt off the upright in the third quarter. Isaiah Burse made a bad special teams day worse when he fumbled inside the 15-yard line, setting up Miami’s fourth touchdown. Grade: F
Coaching: The Broncos went beyond identifying the problems and addressed them. Denver ran the ball nine times on the first drive, one fewer than the entire Rams game. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio dialed up pressure, including early in the fourth quarter when the Broncos desperately needed a stop. Grade: A-
Emmanuel Sanders: Multiple key, acrobatic catches.
C.J. Anderson: Used jump-hop to add extra yardage. Made first rushing TD of career to give Denver its first lead.
T.J. Ward: Looked like guy was in Cleveland, flying around,
