Not everything went wrong for the Broncos’ starters during Saturday nightap preseason game against Chicago.
That’s considered progress after both units struggled in last week’s loss to Minnesota.
In the first half of the Broncos’ 24-23 loss, the starting defense scored a safety (rookie ) and produced a takeaway (’ interception) and the first-team offense scored twice in three drives.
Throughout the week of practices, coach demanded a fast start. He got it.
It wasn’t perfect — too many penalties and a few uncharacteristic poor throws by — but itap not supposed to be. The Broncos led 20-7 late in the first half after Simmons’ interception led to ’s 16-yard touchdown catch from .
“Itap progress,” Joseph said. “You want to see progress every week. I was pleased from that standpoint.”
Nearly all of the starters who dressed played into the second quarter. The majority of the first-team defense allowed 129 yards on 26 plays and the first-team offense gained 95 yards on 21 plays. Keenum was 8-of-13 passing for 78 yards.
“Scoring points always feels better,” Keenum said. “It felt like how we’ve been performing and making plays in practice.”
The Broncos continue the preseason at Washington on Friday.
made his preseason debut and played the first quarter. On Chicago’s opening drive, the Bears gained 19 yards on a pass to tight end , but the drive stalled when Chubb drew a holding penalty. Cody Parkey missed a 52-yard field goal.
The Broncos’ offense started with a three-and-out when Keenum threw wide of an open .
The Broncos took a 2-0 lead on Chicago’s second possession. The shotgun snap went through quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s hands and into the end zone and he was tackled by Chubb as soon as he picked up the fumble.
“I thought it was solid,” Joseph said of the defense. “We had a couple of plays we didn’t like.”
Starting at their own 40, the Broncos took advantage of the free kick. Keenum threw an 18-yard dart to (starting in place of the scratched ), and two plays later, tight end turned a short pass into a 13-yard gain. The Broncos settled for a 26-yard field goal by when Sutton’s pass interference penalty moved them back to the 18.
The Bears’ only first-half touchdown gave them a 7-5 lead. Cornerback Isaac Yiadom was called for a 37-yard pass interference penalty. Three plays later, Burton was wide open in the right flat for a seven-yard touchdown.
The Broncos answered on Keenum’s final drive. He threw 10 yards to Sanders to convert a third-and-4 and threw 11 yards to Sanders to convert a third-and-8. On the next third down, Keenum threw deep toward Sutton, who was interfered with by Doran Grant for a 45-yard penalty. scored a four-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Simmons’ interception, which he returned to the Bears’ 44, came after Chicago had kept its drive alive with a fourth-and-1 Trubisky sneak. Kelly entered, but Freeman stayed in the game and kept working, catching a pass for six yards and rushing twice for a combined 13 yards to set up Sutton’s touchdown catch (open down the right seam and Kelly threw in 1.78 seconds) for a 20-7 lead.
The Broncos stretched their lead to 23-10 entering the fourth quarter on McManus’ 35-yard field goal. Kelly was 7-of-9 passing for 90 yards, surely good enough to hang on to the backup spot. , demoted on Monday, entered the game to boos.
So, where do the Broncos stand halfway through the preseason?
On offense, the continuity of the line is a concern because right tackle Jared Veldheer and left guard missed the entire offseason. Freeman (two touchdowns in two games) is moving toward being the lead back. And they are in pretty good shape, health-wise — Thomas was the only projected Week 1 starter not available against Chicago.
Defensively, the front is healthy and has good depth. The Broncos should feel good about seven linebackers, but the secondary is nicked up. Top cornerback (oblique) missed the Chicago game, projected dime safety S’ua Cravens (knee) has not played yet and all of the third cornerback candidates (Yiadom, Tramaine Brock and Brendan Langley) have been inconsistent.
With special teams, handled the punt returns against Chicago but left the game to be evaluated for a concussion. He would return in the fourth quarter. caught the kickoffs and later the punts. Itap unclear if there is room on the roster for both of them.
Postgame update
—Injury update: S Will Parks (knee contusion), RB De’Angelo Henderson (lower back), defensive lineman Clinton McDonald (biceps) and cornerback Marcus Rios (right leg). WR Jordan Leslie (hand) and WR Isaiah McKenzie (evaluated for concussion) returned to the game. WR Demaryius Thomas sat out with a sore wrist that Joseph said was injured on Thursday.
–The Broncos and Bears had 14 penalties apiece for 149 and 144 yards, respectively. “I’m hopeful it won’t look like that (in the regular season),” Joseph said. “If itap close, they’re throwing (the flag). I get it. Itap the preseason and they want to change the behavior. It seems like itap more this preseason. Hopefully, Week 1 starts and it calms down. And it usually does.”
–Third-team QB Paxton Lynch was booed as he entered the game in the second half. “I feel bad for Paxton, but our fans want to win,” Joseph said. “He has to ignore it and go play. Itap professional football. Nobody is going to hold your hand.”
Said Lynch: “It was tough. I was upset when I first got the news. Really upset about it because I know how hard I’ve worked, how bad I want to play and how much this means to me.”
Lynch was 5-of-11 passing for 39 yards.
“I just haven’t been playing well,” he said.
Lynch added: “I want to be the quarterback. I don’t want to be a backup and I definitely don’t want to be the third string. But the cards have been dealt to this point in time.”
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