Five observations from the Broncos preseason win over the Rams
Aug 29, 2021, 6:38 AM
The Denver Broncos played at home for their preseason finale. This was the first time the team had been back in front of a crowd at Empower Field at Mile High since late 2019.
It was great to see Broncos Country rooting on their team, and you could feel the energy of the stadium coming through in the game. There’s nothing like going to a Broncos game, and even though this was the preseason, it had energy we didn’t have last season due to an absence of fans.
Here are the top-five observations from the Broncos-Rams game:
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Flash Gordon
Broncos starting running back Melvin Gordon played in his first preseason game of this year on Saturday night. He was out of action in the first two games, mainly getting veteran rest, but the Broncos decided that Gordon should get some time against the Rams.
He did not disappoint. Gordon came out on fire, gashing the Rams defense on the team’s first drive of the game. In that initial series, Gordan ran the ball three times for 26 yards. While Teddy Bridgewater went 0-for-4 as a passer on that drive, the team was still able to get a field goal for the early lead – largely due to the running of Gordon.
Gordon finished the game with four carries for 30 yards. He also caught one pass for four yards. Gordon will split time with rookie Javonte Williams this year, but he’s clearly the lead back and ready to start out hot in 2021.
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Von Shakes Off the Rust
We haven’t seen Von Miller on the field for the Broncos in some time. It’s been 608 days since Miller took to the field to play a football game. That’s why before this game, Miller took time to soak in the moment.
While he didn’t finish with a sack, Miller’s presence was felt with pressure, pressure and more pressure. Miller finished with three tackles, all solo, against the Rams. He was pressuring the Rams quarterback even though they were double-teaming him on almost every snap.
It was great to see Miller out there. Having a healthy Miller opposite of a healthy Bradley Chubb is something we haven’t seen since 2018. The Broncos defense is going to lead the way for the team, and that means Miller will be leading the leaders. He was able to shake off the rust on Saturday night.
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Sutton Shows Off
In addition to Miller, we also saw the return of wide receiver Courtland Sutton on Saturday night against the Rams. Sutton is returning from the knee injury that cut his 2020 season short in Week 2, and this game was his first action since going down with that injury last September.
Sutton showed off against the Rams. However, things started out a little rough in the first quarter when a pass went behind him from Bridgewater. In the second quarter, Sutton came through on better throws from his starting quarterback. He caught two passes for 27 yards and one touchdown on that third drive.
His first catch was a thing of beauty as it showed his cutting ability. He ran his route, faked inside and then broke outside where he easily caught the ball. The next catch was for a score where he continued to find a spot for Bridgewater as the quarterback extended the play. We know the chemistry between Bridgewater and Jerry Jeudy is strong, but the chemistry with Sutton is a work in progress. On Saturday night, it looked like that work was paying off.
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Lock Shows Maturity
I wanted to see what Drew Lock looked like knowing that he is not the starter for the team. In the previous two preseason games, the competition was still open. Since Teddy Bridgewater was named the starter this week, I wanted to see how Lock responded. You heard the crowd roar when Lock came onto the field in the second quarter.
Lock handed the ball off a couple of times on his first drive. His first pass attempt was supposed to come on the ensuing third-and-13 after those two plays, but instead Lock was scrambling for his life. He kept the play alive and ran for seven yards, but then the punt team had to come out.
The second- and third-string offensive linemen have not done Lock any favors. However, he showed maturity as the game went on. Lock was under duress for many of his snaps. Instead of breaking down and losing his composure, he did a good job of taking what the defense gave him and looking for more when he could.
Lock finished the game with 67 yards passing and one touchdown. The scoring pass was a great throw by Lock to tight end Austin Fort. I like the composure Lock showed on Saturday even though things didn’t always go perfectly for him. That type of performance gives the team confidence they can go to Lock and trust him if needed during the regular season.
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No Touchdowns
The Broncos defense could be the best in the league. I know it’s just preseason, and I know it’s mostly against backups but the Broncos starting defense did not allow a single touchdown in three games.
That’s a great sign for the regular season. The first three games of the year are easy for the Broncos and their defense should lead the way. I’m not saying they’ll keep the Giants, Jets and Jaguars touchdown-less but it does give you a sign of how this team is going to win games.
The rushing attack will be strong for the Broncos and the defense is tied to that. If they run the ball effectively, control the time of possession and keep opposing offenses cold on the sidelines it helps the defense. The Broncos aren’t going to blowout a bunch of teams, but they can make scoring tough for opponents – like they did this preseason.
