The Broncos opened the 2016 NFL season on the Thursday night kickoff opener in a rematch of Super Bowl 50 with the Carolina Panthers. It was a game that served as a celebration of last year's Super Bowl championship, and it also turned the page and officially turned to 2016. The Broncos won 21-20 as Graham Gano missed a 50 yard field goal with a few seconds left, and Denver survived, like they did virtually all of last season, to win the opener in dramatic fashion. The Broncos trailed 17-7 heading into the 4th quarter, and they were able to comeback take the lead and then get the fortunate break at the end on the missed kick. It was a great night overall for the Broncos and their fans, and it was great to see football back. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game....
1) I loved the pre-game celebration. The Broncos introduced Terrell Davis with the Super Bowl XXXII Lombardi Trophy, John Elway with the Super Bowl XXXIII Lombardi Trophy, and finally Peyton Manning with the Super Bowl 50 Lombardi Trophy. It was a very cool scene and the crowd was going nuts. Three Super Bowl wins in my lifetime is pretty special, and to see that introduction was very cool.
2) The Broncos offense with Trevor Siemian at QB moved the ball very well. The only problem was they kept shooting themselves in the foot. Three times through the first three quarters did they turn the ball over inside the Panthers 30. Devontae Booker fumbled on the first drive of the game, Siemian got intercepted on the next drive on a tipped pass, and he got picked off again in the 3rd quarter on a under thrown pass. This game might have been a run away if Denver didn't turn it over those three times.
3) I thought Siemian played well in his first ever start. His stats weren't amazing (18-26 for 178 yards 1 TD and 2 INT) but he played with poise, made some really nice throws, and looked like the moment wasn't too big for him.
4) The Broncos defense really missed Malik Jackson. I thought Jared Crick did well at times, but Denver really missed Jackson's presence in the run game and in passing situations. The Broncos defense overall was a mess in the first half. They had 12 men on the field multiple times, they were missing tackles, and their secondary looked a step slow. When Chris Harris got beat by Kelvin Benjamin for the games first touchdown to make it 7-0 Carolina in the 1st quarter, that was a shocking moment. Harris very rarely gets beat for a touchdown.
5) How about FB Andy Janovich rumbling for a 28 yard touchdown on a fullback dive play to tie it at 7?
6) The sequence at the end of the half was bad for Denver. They give up a running TD to Cam Newton to make it 14-7 Panthers, and then they go 3 and out and give the ball back to Carolina, who then march down the field and get a field goal right before the half to make it 17-7 at the half. I also don't have a problem with Kubiak throwing the ball for a first down right before the half. A first down there ends the half.
7) Give the Broncos credit. They were down 17-7 heading into the 4th quarter, and they turned the ball over 3 times in Carolina territory, and they fought back to take the lead. After Siemian found C.J. Anderson, who played great in the game, on a screen pass for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 17-14, the Broncos defense finally got the turnover they were looking for and Chris Harris intercepted Cam Newton on a deflected pass. Denver immediately turned it into points at Anderson plowed forward for a 1 yard TD run to make it 21-17. That showed a lot of character to come back like that in this game on this stage.
8) The Broncos defense really played better in the second half. The pass rush started to get to Newton, and the run defense was better. Demarcus Ware was an absolute beast getting 1 and 1/2 sacks and Von Miller got a huge sack on Cam on the final drive. Their tackling was better and their secondary play was better in the second half as well. I know the Broncos caught a break when Gano missed the field goal at the end, but that offset the absolute awful defensive holding call on Chris Harris on 4th and 21 earlier in the drive. Kelvin Benjamin had a hand in Harris' facemask and it was a terrible call that almost decided the game.
9) I loved Gary Kubiak's play calling early in the game, and I think he did a great job throughout the night. He kept Siemian under control and kept the Panthers off balance. He seems happy to have his full offense back after trying to mix it with Peyton Manning last year.
10) I thought the atmosphere was great and the game was a fun game to start the year. Obviously, I am happy with the outcome, but overall it was an exciting kickoff opener. I thought I would be more relaxed this year after the Broncos won the Super Bowl last year, but I was nervous as heck in that 4th quarter and on that last drive.
11) The Broncos are now 1-0, and will have 10 days to prepare for the Colts in Denver next Sunday. Great night, great win, Go Broncos!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment