Williams notches first 100-yard game
The Broncos have been waiting all season for rookie Javonte Williams and veteran Melvin Gordon to be the potent running back combo that everybody in Dove Valley expected.
Denver finally saw that expectation come to fruition Sunday in a 30-16 upset of the Cowboys in Arlington.
The underdog Broncos rushed for a season-high 190 yards despite missing three-fifths of their starting offensive line due to injury. Williams ran for 111 yards — his first career game over the century mark — and Gordon added 80 with a touchdown.
“We knew we were due for one of these days, and we were waiting on it,” center Lloyd Cushenberry said of the run game. “We’ve been putting in the work, we just had to get it going… It was good to finally break through.”
Left tackle Garett Bolles (ankle) was inactive and right tackle Bobby Massie and right guard Graham Glasgow both didn’t play in the second half due to ankle injuries. Calvin Anderson started for Bolles, Cam Fleming came in for Massie and Quinn Meinerz spelled Glasgow after Glasgow was carted off the field with an ankle injury on the final play of the first half.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said the offense “didn’t miss a beat” with the backup linemen in. The situation was complicated by Netane Muti being unavailable on the Covid-19/reserve list, as Muti is normally Glasgow’s backup at right guard.
“It was great seeing those guys getting an opportunity (and capitalize),” quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said. “Those guys were having so much fun, especially on those run downs when we were moving the ball.”
After registering only 83 rushing yards in the Week 8 win over Washington at home, coach Vic
Fangio said he challenged “everybody” on the offensive to step up the run game production.
“We had some different looks (in coverage) out there in the run game which helped us,” Fangio said. “Once the guys feel (the momentum in the run), there’s a little bit more umph in their game.”
Controlling the ground game allowed the Broncos to control the clock and, in turn, keep the ball out of the hands of quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ highpowered offense (Nfl-leading 454.9 yards/game entering Sunday). The Broncos dominated the time of possession, 41:12 to 18:48, and were 7-for-11 converting first downs on runs with three or fewer yards to go.
“We ran the ball well, we moved the ball,” Fangio said. “Playing that offense, we were doing a great job defensively… but we were also getting first downs, which is critical when you’re playing teams that good.”
The Broncos set a physical tone early in the run game after going three-and-out on a poor opening drive that resulted in a loss of 10 yards.
On Denver’s second possession and first TD drive, a couple of runs by Williams resulted in 31 yards and gave the Broncos their first first down. Melvin Gordon also had a 13-yard run on that drive, which culminated in his threeyard touchdown run.
“We got off to a hot start,” Williams said. “When you do that with the run game, (offensive coordinator Pat) Shurmur was able to stick with it…. We had a lot of big plays in the run game and that opened everything up.”