SEATTLE — Top moments and postgame player comments from the Broncos’ 22-20 preseason win at Seattle:
The fourth quarter of the Broncos’ win turned into a showcase for rookie quarterback Trevor Siemian and backup receiver Bennie Fowler. The highlight: A bullet 41-yard pass and a diving grab.
The moment when the 4th Quarter became the Bennie Fowler Show…
— NFL (@NFL)
The Broncos’ special teams struggled mightily in Friday’s win, yielding 236 yards and a touchdown on kickoffs and 18 yards on punt returns while responding with 84 and zero yards, respectively. They were without No. 1 returner Omar Bolden, who is dealing with a right hamstring injury.
“I didn’t feel comfortable,” he said. “It’s hard not playing. It’s disappointing. I am just doing my best to get right. I am absolutely expecting to be back next week.”
Broncos win in their first game under Head Coach Gary Kubiak, who also celebrates his 54th birthday today (Saturday).
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12)
Brock Osweiler had, arguably, the finest game of his pro career Friday, completing 15 of 20 pass attempts for 151 yards and one touchdown. The performance offered a glimpse and Denver’s potential future, but the Broncos’ current starter was too far away. Manning came out in full pads to warm up before changing to a breakaway suit and watching from the sideline as Osweiler ran the show.
“Peyton always stays in the game,” Osweiler said. “You know him, he’s not going to completely remove himself. And that’s one of the things that I really appreciate about our relationship and him being here. It would have been real easy for him to walk off to the side and watch the game tonight and take the night off. But he didn’t. He stayed in my ear, he told me what he was seeing, we talked about some plays on the sideline, we were looking at pictures together and so I really appreciate him being there tonight.”
Russell Wilson fumbles while being sacked by Von Miller. (Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)
Von Miller’s sack in the first minute of the game seemed to set the tone for the Broncos’ defense. He was asked about the play, and the team’s defense collectively, afterward:
“I was just coming around the edge. I wanted to come out and play hard every snap we were in there,” he said. “We knew we weren’t going to play too much. I wanted to come out and play hard. As a defense as a whole, I think we did that. We’ve got to keep building, but for our first game, I like where we’re at.”
The stat sheet sells Shane Ray’s first NFL performance short. He was credited for one tackle but did much more on the field, including pressuring Wilson on a play that led to a sack and forcing nearly two fumbles. But the game was about much more to him.
“It was amazing going out and hearing the national anthem, looking around the stadium and realizing that being an NFL football player is something I have worked for my whole life,” he said. “To finally be out there doing what I love, I can’t really describe into words how amazing it felt.”
Defensive end Kenny Anunike, whose season with an elbow injury in the final preseason matchup, returned to lead the Broncos with eight tackles (six solo) to go along with one sack and two quarterback hits. The Broncos finished with seven sacks from seven different players for a loss of 38 yards, while Seattle had two for a loss of 12 yards.
“It just shows much depth we have on this team. Even coach (Gary) Kubiak said this is one of the deepest teams he has ever had,” Anunike said.
“If you’re getting after that quarterback, and make sure he doesn’t have time back there and is frazzled, it’s going to derail their plans. It helps out the back end, it helps out the front end, it helps out everybody. And we just continued to make plays.”
C.J. Anderson limped off the field with an ankle injury after a hard hit early in the first quarter. He was listed as questionable to return, but never did. Afterward he told reporters was fine, and then tweeted …
I am ok
— Cj Anderson (@cjandersonb22)
Preseason or not, I love beating Seattle.
— Ben Garland (@BenGarland63)
IFL UFL CFL AFL, regular desk job, injury, to putting on a Bronco uniform and beating the Seahawks. God is good. I am blessed.
— Chase Vaughn (@ChaseVaughn)
Never as good as it seems never as bad as it seems always somewhere in the middle….Great team win!!! Back to work!!!
— Dominique Jones (@DominiqueJones5)
A lot to build on…
— Tony Carter (@tonycarter904)
Always have to give Glory to God! Great start, always room for improvement!!!!
— Virgil Green (@VGreen85)
Good team win!
— Nathan Napalm Palmer (@RealNaPalm)
Great win tonight from the squad!!!
— Cody Latimer (@CodyLatimer14)
See you soon, Denver.
— #BroncosCamp (@Broncos)
