The Denver Broncos (1-2) upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) with a 26-7 victory on the road in Week 3. Here are five quick takeaways from the win.
1. Pat Surtain continues to lock down WR1s: PS2 followed Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans for most of Sunday’s game and the receiver finished the day with just two catches for 17 yards. Surtain essentially took quarterback Baker Mayfield’s favorite target out of the game.
2. Tyler Badie needs more opportunities: Javonte Williams averaged a dismal 2.4 yards per carry and Jaleel McLaughlin was even worse with 1.4 YPC (although he did score with a really nice juke). Tyler Badie provided a huge spark in the second half with nine carries for 70 yards (including a 43-yard run). Badie averaged 7.8 YPC on Sunday and while his average might go down with more touches, he deserves more opportunities.
3. Alex Palczewski filled in well at right tackle: You didn’t hear Palczewski’s name much on Sunday, did you? That’s a great sign for the second-year lineman who is filling in for an injured Mike McGlinchey. ‘Palcho’ did not prove to be a liability as quarterback Bo Nix wasn’t sacked once and Denver’s offense finished the day with 352 net yards.
4. Denver’s defense came to play: That’s the kind of performance the Broncos’ defense is capable of when the offense builds a lead. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times and he threw an interception. The defense also forced and recovered a fumble. Traveling Denver fans also showed up and you could hear them chanting, “Defense! Defense!” in the fourth quarter. An excellent showing from the Broncos’ defense and the team’s fans in Tampa.
5. Bo Nix bounced back well: After struggling in his first two starts, Nix took a big step forward on Sunday. The rookie quarterback finished the game 25-of-36 passing for 216 yards with no sacks and no turnovers. He also rushed nine times for 47 yards and a touchdown. It was an excellent showing from Nix and a great sign of progress from the rookie quarterback.
Up next for Denver is another road game against the New York Jets in Week 4. The Broncos will practice in West Virginia leading up to that game.
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