For Broncos, avoiding big mistakes was enough in Week 11

… and that was the case for the Broncos in their 21-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Yes, the result was what they wanted. But as Sean Payton noted Monday, there was plenty to dissect from the 21-20 triumph that wasn’t great.

“The turnovers put us in the game. They ran the ball better than us, they were better than us on third down, better than us in the red zone and in most areas,” Payton said. “Better than us in the kicking game.”

OFFENSE

OVERALL GRADE: C-plus

The Broncos didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter — in spite of having plenty of short third-down chances as the game progressed — and didn’t find the end zone until under two minutes remained in regulation. Five of 10 non-kneeldown possessions ended without a single first down.

PASSING: B

It was another game in which Russell Wilson found a groove by keeping it short. He completed 22 of 23 passes within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, and once again delivered in the red zone. Protection was terrific for most of the game and the Broncos’ pass-catching targets did not drop a single pass thrown their way.

RUSHING: C-minus

Lanes were scarce as the Vikings’ run blitz wreaked havoc with Denver’s ground attack, which Minnesota rendered stagnant for much of the game. Just one Broncos run resulted in a double-digit gain, and Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin combined for just 45 yards on 13 attempts — an average of 3.5 yards per carry.

DEFENSE

OVERALL GRADE: B-minus

It was all about takeaways — again. The Broncos allowed Minnesota to move the chains on eight of 10 possessions, with five series covering at least 50 yards. But the Broncos improved late in the game — particularly on third downs, where they stopped the Vikings on five-straight attempts to close the game.

PASSING DEFENSE: B-plus

Pat Surtain II, Ja’Quan McMillian and Fabian Moreau shut down Vikings rookie phenom Jordan Addison, collectively limiting him to just two receptions.

The Broncos had difficulty containing Minnesota tight ends Josh Oliver and T.J. Hockenson for much of the evening, but Justin Simmons forced two final-series incompletions to Hockenson with well-timed contact, knocking the Vikings off-rhythm and preventing them from sustaining any kind of momentum to drive into field-goal range.

RUSHING DEFENSE: C-minus

Missed tackles remain a problem for the Broncos against the run, with linebacker Alex Singleton missing three potential stops on his own. The Vikings racked up 115 yards after contact over the course of the game.

The grade is salvaged by a pair of takeaways — although the first one, a Baron Browning strip of Josh Dobbs on the game’s third play, should not have counted, as Kareem Jackson’s lowered-helmet hit on the Minnesota quarterback should have resulted in a 15-yard unnecessary-roughness penalty.

SPECIAL TEAMS

OVERALL GRADE: B

Wil Lutz’s place-kicking perfection provided all the Broncos’ scoring until their late, game-winning touchdown drive. He showed no lingering effects from a Week 10 performance in which he missed an extra point and had a missed field-goal try wiped off the ledger by Buffalo’s too-many-players-on-the-field penalty.

But the Broncos were caught off-guard on a fourth-quarter fake punt that would have proven decisive had Minnesota’s offense not bogged down in Denver territory. Riley Dixon was solid, with the best gross average he’s posted this season — 54.3 yards — although he had a 68-yard blast bounce into the end zone. That said, it yielded a still-healthy 48 yards of net after the touchback. Marvin Mims Jr. had no return opportunities.