HARRIS MORE THAN EQUAL TO TOUGH ALLEN CHALLENGE
LIF.» Through four
C A RSON, C A weeks,LosAngelesChargersreceiver Keenan Allen led the NFL with 452 receiving yards.
But he hadn’t yet faced Broncos cornerback Chris Harris.
In the Broncos’ 20-13 win Sunday over the Chargers, Allen was limited to four catches for 18 yards.
In 79 regular-season/playoff games, it was only the seventh time Allen was held to fewer than 20 yards.
AskedbyaLosAngelesreporter how the Broncos were able to contain Allen, Harris laughed and said: “Come on, man. You know who you’re talking to?”
Harris added: “I know it’s a great challenge every time playing Keenan Allen. It’s always a great battle. After the first half, I was really sticky (in coverage) and made it really tight to throw to him.”
That tight coverage forced Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to go the check-down route. Running back Austin Ekeler had 15 catches. Bausby carted off. Broncos cornerback De’Vante Bausby had use of his arms and legs after being carted off the field in the second quarter and after a trip to a local hospital, was cleared to fly on the team charter back to Denver.
Bausby collided with inside linebacker Alexander Johnson and was immediately motionless on the turf. He was strapped to a backboardandtransportedtoalocal hospital.
Bausby underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with a cervical sprain.
“I’m thankful he’s OK,” Johnson said. “Once you find that out, you feel better, but then again, it’s still one of my teammates who is out for the game and couldn’t make plays.”
Rookie linebacker Justin Hollins was in a rotation with Malik Reed until sustaining a sprained knee late in the first half. Gotsis benched. Showing the status quo wasn’t acceptable, defensive end Adam Gotsis was a healthy scratch, ending his 52game playing streak to start his career. Mike Purcell was active for the first time since Week 1.
Gotsis,afreeagentaftertheseason, had five tackles in four games.
The other healthy scratches were tight end Troy Fumagalli, receiver Juwann Winfree and new offensive tackle Calvin Anderson. Fumgalli has fallen down the depth chart in favor of Andrew Beck, who played fullback to start the year but can also play tight end and special teams. Beck had his first NFL catch (for 10 yards).
Injured inactives were cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot, fifth consecutive missed game), right tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee, fourth consecutive) and linebacker Josey Jewell (hamstring, first missed game of his career).
On the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones remembered late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen in a story about the television negotiations that helped Fox land the NFC package in 1994. “Pat Bowlen and I were sitting there, kicking each other under the table (when FOX made its offer),” Jones said. “That particular negotiation changed sports. It certainly let the NFL go to another level of ‘going to the public.’” … The teams combined to convert only 7 of 24 third-down chances.