Rookie running backs Freeman, Lindsay carry load in Broncos win
Sep 9, 2018, 7:57 PM
If Von Miller was the best player on the field Sunday for the Denver Broncos, the two-headed rookie monster of Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay maybe have been 1-B and 1-C.
In their NFL debuts, the two combined for 142 yards on 30 carries — each with 15 carries for 71 yards — with Lindsay scoring on a 29-yard reception from Case Keenum.
Combined, the two accounted for 173 yards of the Broncos 470 yards of offense on the way to a 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
After the game, Broncos head coach Vance Joseph called both Lindsay and Freeman “mature” players, both of whom the team expect much from moving forward.
“Those two guys are mature players, they’re special players. And they’re NFL backs, so that’s what we expect from those guys,” Joseph said.
Broncos quarterback Case Keenum too praised the rookie duo, calling them a nice “one-two punch.”
“They did a great job today,” Keenum said.
Rookies contribute all over Broncos roster
Joseph also lauded several other rookies who contributed to Sunday’s home opener victory, including top picks Bradley Chubb and Courtland Sutton.
“Chubb played well today. Courtland played well. So, we had four or five rookies that played a bunch of snaps for us today,” Joseph said. “I’m very pleased with those guys.”
Sutton caught two passes on five targets for 45 yards while Chubb had three tackles, a quarterback hit, and a half sack.
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