Game balls, quotable and a look ahead following the Broncos’ 17-10 win over Washington in Week 8 to improve to 4-4.
Game Balls
Broncos pressure
To the credit of the Denver defense, Washington’s Taylor Heinicke was under duress for much of the afternoon. As Washington made an effort to consistently get the ball out of Heinicke’s hands quickly via an array of screens and short routes, the Broncos sacked the third-year quarterback five times for 40 yards. Malik Reed led with two sacks and a forced fumble, while Dre’Mont Jones had 1.5 sacks.
Justin Simmons
The Broncos’ safety played an all-star center field with two interceptions. Both picks came on desperate downfield heaves, but Simmons again proved he’s one of the best safeties in the league when it comes to ranging in the back of the secondary and cutting off passes. Simmons picked Heinicke on a Hail Mary to end the first half, then had another INT late in the fourth quarter on a fourth-down pass to the end zone.
Baron Browning
The rookie inside linebacker missed Week 7 with a concussion, but returned Sunday and wore the green dot on his helmet as the relayer of defensive plays. He led Denver with eight tackles (five solo), including a tackle for loss. With starting inside linebackers Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell sidelined for the year with pec injuries, the Broncos need the consistency Browning displayed Sunday alongside Justin Strnad.
Quotebook
Vic Fangio on Denver’s botched final drive: “Whatever worst word can you use to describe it, you can use to describe it… Awful.”
Fangio on Von Miller being inactive due to an ankle sprain: “He never really made enough progress to where he could push off of it.”
Shelby Harris on defense’s bounce-back performance: “Things happen, but a great defense is going to figure this out. No matter what’s thrown at them, they will overcome adversity, and that’s what we did today… People came ready to work today, and it was a hard-hat, lunch-pail type of day.”
Melvin Gordon on fourth-quarter fumble: “That’s on me. I’ve been in the league long enough to know what to do there. You get what (yards) you can, go down and then punt the ball and seal the game. But the defense had my back.”
Justin Simmons on Baron Browning calling the defense: “He did a heck of a job… He didn’t really need (help).”
Simmons on his message to the defense ahead of Washington’s last drive: “Don’t flinch… I was proud of the way we answered the bell (after Gordon’s fumble). Guys got back out there and there were no long faces.”
Up Next
Sunday at Dallas, 11 a.m.
Record: 5-1 entering Week 8
Week 8 result: Played at Minnesota on Sunday Night Football
Coach: Mike McCarthy (2nd year)
About the Cowboys: After losing 31-29 to the Buccaneers in the season opener, Dallas reeled off five straight victories entering Week 8. QB Dak Prescott had the offense humming. The Cowboys led the NFL with 34.2 points/game and 460.8 yards/game heading into Sunday’s games, so the Broncos defense has a much stiffer test than what they just faced in Washington. And Teddy Bridgewater needs to be aware of Trevon Diggs at all times, as Stefon Diggs’ brother led the NFL with seven interceptions heading into play Sunday night.
