Not perfect, but whole lot better
Not everything went wrong for the Broncos’ starters during Saturday night’s preseason game against Chicago.
That’s considered progress after both units struggled in the previous weekend’s loss to Minnesota.
In the first half of the Broncos’ 24-23 loss — with the Bears scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter — the starting defense scored on a safety (rookie Bradley Chubb) and produced a takeaway (Justin Simmons’ interception), and the first-team offense scored twice in three drives.
Throughout the week of practices, coach Vance Joseph demanded a fast start. He got it.
It wasn’t perfect — too many penalties and a few uncharacteristic poor throws by Case Keenum — but it’s not supposed to be. The Broncos led 20-7 late in the first half after Simmons’ interception led to Courtland Sutton’s 16-yard touchdown catch from Chad Kelly.
Nearly all of the starters who dressed played into the second quarter. The majority of the firstteam 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.
The Broncos continue the preseason at Washington on Friday.
Von Miller 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 Trey Burton, 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 Emmanuel Sanders.
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.
Starting at their own 40, the Broncos took advantage of the free kick. Keenum threw an 18yard dart to Daesean Hamilton (starting in place of the scratched Demaryius Thomas), and two plays later, tight end Jeff Heuerman turned a short pass into a 13yard gain. The Broncos settled for a 26-yard field goal by Brandon Mcmanus 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. Royce Freeman 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 6 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. Paxton Lynch, demoted 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 Ron Leary missed the entire offseason. Freeman (two touchdowns in two games) is moving toward being the lead back. And they are in pretty good shape, healthwise — 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 Chris Harris (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, Isaiah Mckenzie handled the punt returns but left the game to be evaluated for a concussion. He returned in the fourth quarter.
Phillip Lindsay caught the kickoffs and later the punts. It’s unclear if there is room on the roster for both of them.