Sunday, December 22, 2019

Broncos Knock Off Lions 27-17, Improve to 6-9

The Broncos defeated the Lions on Sunday 27-17 to improve their record to 6-9 on the season with one game left. Denver actually rallied from a 17-13 deficit in the 4th quarter and won the game going away. Drew Lock is now 3-1 as the Broncos starter as they head into their season finale against the Raiders (I will be there!) next week. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game....

1) I was worried when the Broncos trailed 10-0 on the heels of a punt return touchdown. If they lost to the 3-10-1 Lions at home, then there would be some major concern. It turns out Denver scored on their next five straight possessions.

2) Drew Lock was very solid and efficient. He finished 25-33 with 192 yards and 1 TD. He was solid as he took what the Lions gave him and moved the ball well on key third downs. It was another step in the right direction for Lock and this team.

3) Philip Lindsay finished with 109 yards rushing and a 27 yard TD run to put the game away midway through the 4th quarter. He is only 45 yards away from getting 1,000 on the season.

4) After a Royce Freeman 1 yard TD run to cut the Detroit lead to 10-7, Brandon McManus nailed two field goals to give Denver a 13-10 3rd quarter lead. The Lions came right back and took a 17-13 lead heading into the 4th quarter, but Vic Fangio went for it on 4th and 1 from their own 49 and Lock gave it Andrew Beck, who flipped it to Lindsay for a 6 yard gain and a key first down. Lock completed a shovel pass to Daesean Hamilton for a 3 yard TD and the Broncos took the 20-17 lead. After a Detroit punt, Denver marched 61 yards on 7 plays and Lindsay capped it off with a 27 yard TD run to put the game away for the Broncos.

5) It was a good win for the Broncos. They are 6-5 since their horrendous 0-4 start to the season. What kind of season could this have been if they didn't blow the games to the Bears, Jaguars, Colts, and Vikings? Win two of those and they are 8-7 with a chance to get the 6 seed in the AFC. In any event, I like how this team has fought this season despite all the adversity and tough losses. Also, Drew Lock continues to impress. I like him to be the guy going forward for us in 2020. Also, the Raiders still have an outside shot at the playoffs, so the Broncos can be spoilers and knock them out with a win on Sunday. That would be a great way to end the season. The Broncos are 6-9, the same exact record as last year heading into the final game, but the vibe and feeling around this team is so different.

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