New way to get receiver Jeudy involved pays immediate dividends for offense
For seven weeks, Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy rehabilitated his high ankle sprain with the intent of contributing in the season’s second half.
Simultaneously, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Co. were evidently plotting ways to expand Jeudy’s impact upon his return.
Both — Jeudy’s return to full speed and Shurmur’s new ideas — were on display in Sunday’s stunning 30-16 win over Dallas.
In his first two games, Week 1 against the New York Giants and Week 8 against Washington, respectively, Jeudy didn’t catch a pass less than two yards beyond the line of scrimmage. The average “air” yards for his 10 catches was 8.5 yards.
But against the Cowboys, four of Jeudy’s team-high six catches were caught one yard beyond the line or behind the line. His average “air” yards was 3.5 yards. He finished with 69 yards and his pre-snap motion and tunnel/bubble screen catches will make teams such as Philadelphia on Sunday re-consider how to deploy its defensive backs.
“Jerry is one of the best guys in the league with the ball in his hands,” quarterback Teddy Bridgewater said. “Very explosive.”
To that end, the Broncos mixed in some deep throws to Jeudy with the aforementioned quick passes. A breakdown of his six catches:
1. Jeudy ran a right-to-left over route and made a fine leaping catch for 25 yards (six yards post-catch).
2. Lined up on the inside of a threereceiver set, Jeudy caught the quick pass behind the line and gained five yards before unblocked linebacker Micah Parsons made the tackle.
3. From the left slot, Jeudy ran a shallow cross, caught the pass three yards downfield and gained six when he
Another game, another man-on-a-mission carry by RB Javonte Williams. Presnap, WR Jerry Jeudy motioned from left to right, taking LB Leighton Vander Esch with him. Williams ran left behind pulling LG Dalton Risner and RG Quinn Meinerz. Williams was hit two yards beyond the line but kept his legs moving for 28 post-contact yards. Williams gained a seasonbest 111 yards.
The Broncos had a mistake-filled game on special teams, which equaled a step back after multiple solid performances. K Brandon Mcmanus missed a point-after attempt and a 53-yard kick. Dallas’ Malik Turner burst through unblocked to deflect P Sam Martin’s third-quarter attempt that was fortunately covered by the Broncos after a Dallas player touched the football beyond the line of scrimmage. And Dallas had kick returns of 54 (missed tackles by CBS Nate Hairston and Mike Ford) and 35 yards (missed tackle by OLB Aaron Patrick).
Season-high number of plays for the Broncos’ offense; the previous high was 69 at Jacksonville.
The Broncos’ offense played 78 snaps. Season-high totals were posted by TE Eric Saubert (49), TE Albert Okwuegbunam (69) and WR Jerry Jeudy (47). RBS Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams played 41 and 37 snaps, respectively. Among the offensive line fill-ins, RT Cam Fleming played 51 (his first action of the year), RG Quinn Meinerz 41 and LG Austin Schlottmann nine.
Leading the Broncos’ defense were S Justin Simmons and ILB Baron Browning (all 62). CB Nate Hairston (33) and OLB Jonathon Cooper (56) had season-high totals.
The Broncos held possession for 41 minutes, 12 seconds, their highest total overall since 2005 against the Jets (42:28 in a 27-0 win) and their highest total in a road game since 2003 at Indianapolis (44:48 in a 31-17 win). The Broncos had drives of 6:19, 7:07 and 7:30, matching their seasonbest for five-minute possessions (Week 1 at the Giants). Their four 10play possessions (11, 11, 10 and 13) were a season high, eclipsing three in the Giants game. Twenty of Dallas’ snaps came on its final two possessions.
On attempts of at least 16 “air” yards, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was 3-of-11 passing for 62 yards. He started with six consecutive incompletions before plays of 18, 24 and 20 yards over the final three possessions. Prescott’s long completion was 32 yards to WR Amari Cooper on a first-half crossing route six yards downfield and ILB Baron Browning trailing in coverage.