Denver had two weeks to self-scout, but its starting lineups didn’t change much at the start of the season’s second half.
The Broncos had their normal nickel package on the field defensively — with Mike Purcell starting next to D.J. Jones and Zach Allen on the defensive line — and started with a familiar personnel group offensively, as well.
McMillian wasted little time making his presence felt after a strong finish to the season’s first half. He ripped the ball out of the arms of Bills running back James Cook and recovered it, setting up the Broncos’ opening field goal.
Saturday double. Denver’s got a long stay in Buffalo, arriving Saturday night and leaving Tuesday mid-day. That didn’t stop general manager George Paton and the Broncos’ scouting staff from doing some heavy lifting on Saturday, however.
Instead of traveling to Buffalo, Paton scouted Michigan at Penn State in the early window Saturday and then made it to North Carolina for UNC’s double overtime win against Duke. The matchups featured a couple of highly touted quarterbacks in Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and North Carolina’s Drake Maye, but also a host of potential high draft picks, from Penn State edge Chop Robinson to Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton, Tar Heels receiver Tez Walker and more.
Krull, Sills elevated. The Broncos switched up their practice squad approach this week and elevated tight end Lucas Krull and receiver David Sills for the first time each this season
Krull and Sills were each signed to the practice squad after the roster cutdowns, two of the three players Denver brought in from outside the organization.
Krull, listed at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, spent his first year in the NFL in New Orleans before signing with Denver this summer. He’s known more for his speed and down-the-field ability, an element the Broncos have been missing due to Greg Dulcich’s hamstring injuries and trading Albert Okwuegbunam before the season started.
He was in the game on Denver’s first possession of the night.
Sills, a former college quarterback, spent the first two seasons of his NFL career with the New York Giants and caught 13 passes 123 yards there.
Healthy scratches. The Broncos came off their bye week entirely healthy and had a list of seven inactives that reflected that health. The players who didn’t suit up: Veteran inside linebacker Ben Niemann, defensive linemen Keondre Coburn and Elijah Garcia and four rookies: Safety JL Skinner, center Alex Forsyth, tight end Nate Adkins and outside linebacker Thomas Incoom.
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