Cheers and Jeers: The preseason injury bug bites the Broncos again

This week didn’t provide a whole lot of opportunities for Denver sports fans to cheer. The Broncos lost their second preseason game of the season to the Seattle Seahawks, which is annoying enough if you don’t factor in that rookie tight end Austin Fort is likely done for the season.

Oh, and the plague still exists, and not the existential kind that has hovered like a cloud around 20th and Blake all season.

But, it’s not all negative. Here’s the worst (and best) of the sports world this week:

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Cheers | Joe Flacco

Sure, it was one drive in the second of five Broncos preseason games. But on that drive, new Denver gunslinger Joe Flacco went 3-for-4 for 19 yards passing on the way to a field goal.

Whether Flacco is the answer at quarterback for the Broncos is one thing. However, after witnessing just seven first-quarter touchdowns during the entire 2018 season, it was nice seeing some measure of competence under center.

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Jeers | The plague

Honestly, a show of hands, who knew the plague was a legitimate cause for concern still in the year 2019?

Yeah, me neither.

This past weekend, the Colorado Rapids canceled a postgame fireworks show on the recommendations of the Tri-County Health Department and the City of Commerce City, who had closed some areas surrounding Dick’s Sporting Goods Park due to the presence of plague-infested fleas affecting prairie dog colonies.

Yikes.

Statement regarding tomorrow’s match, fireworks and closures around @DSGpark due to plague.

📝 Release: https://t.co/ULtvZq0xVT
📝 FAQ: https://t.co/6ZNnTzxN9C#Rapids96 | #Elevate pic.twitter.com/EJMwRmHjIR

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) August 2, 2019

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Cheers | Broncos outside linebacker Malik Reed

😳😳😳

Back-to-back games with a sack for @MTR_90!#DENvsSEA pic.twitter.com/BupygRwV5o

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 9, 2019

Among the bright spots for the Broncos on Thursday was the play of rookie outside linebacker Malik Reed.

The undrafted college free agent out of Nevada shined against the Seahawks, registering one of Denver’s two sacks while producing one quarterback hit, one tackle for loss, and four combined tackles.

Denver has to find a way to get Malik Reed on the 53-man roster. #Broncos @1043TheFan — too good to sneak through to the practice squad…another find from the UDFA pool

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) August 9, 2019