Denver tops Atlanta late in Hall of Fame game
CANTON, OHIO >> Hours after visiting a hospital because of a kidney stone, Vic Fangio won a football game.
The new coach of the Broncos saw a late interception set up rookie Juwann Winfree’s 15-yard touchdown catch Aug. 1, and his team edged the Falcons 14-10 in the Hall of Fame game to open the NFL’s preseason.
Yes, it was an exhibition game — the real first test comes Sept. 9 at Oakland. Still, Fangio served two decades as an NFL assistant before getting his chance to run a team. So this truly was a debut.
Trey Johnson’s interception of Matt Schaub’s pass after the Atlanta backup quarterback was pressured set up Denver at the Falcons 38 with 5:21 remaining.
A 14-yard pass interference call on fourth down against Rashard Causey kept Denver in it, but the Broncos were hurt by a holding penalty against rookie Ryan Crozier.
Unfazed, rookie Brett Rypien hurled a pass into the right corner of the end zone, where it was deflected and Winfree latched onto it with 1:26 remaining.
Fangio also became the first coach to utilize the new rule allowing challenges of pass interference calls. Late in the second quarter, Linden Stephens was called for a 43-yard defensive penalty. Officials upheld the call.
Both teams had eightplay first-half drives for touchdowns. Denver’s was finished by Khalfani Muhammad’s 3-yard run up the middle. Atlanta tied it with a precise two-minute drill guided by first-year quarterback Kurt Benkert, who is seeking a backup job to Matt Ryan. Benkert took the Falcons 61 yards in 1:17, hitting running back Brian Hill with a 3-yard touchdown pass.
Benkert conducted another impressive series in the third period, going 56 yards in 12 plays to Giorgio Tavecchio’s 27-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead.
Benkert headed to the locker room early in the fourth quarter with a toe injury. He went 19 of 34 for 185 yards.
Otherwise, it pretty much was a slopfest marred by dropped passes, penalties and missed assignments. Then again, how much can be expected in such an early preseason game? CLASS OF 2019 >> The class of 2019 was introduced before the game and walked across the 50-yard line flanked by players from each team. The loudest cheers went to former Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey , which was predictable considering all the orange-clad folks in the stands. Former Chiefs and Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez gestured and joshed with the Atlanta players as he strode through. Ed Reed , Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Gil Brandt, Johnny Robinson and the family of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen also received loud ovations from the crowd of 20,802. LOCK IT UP >> Drew Lock, Denver’s second-round draft pick and perhaps its quarterback of the future — Joe Flacco , acquired from Baltimore, if the starter but sat Aug. 1 — got plenty of action. He rarely impressed and finished 7 of 11 for 34 yards.