Tag: Audric Estime

Sean Payton hints Broncos RB Audric Estime will get more carries

“We’ll keep playing those guys,” Broncos coach said after Kris Abrams-Draine and Audric Estime impressed against the Chargers.

Take note, fantasy football managers. Just in time for championship games, it might finally be Audric Estime time in Denver.

With Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) sidelined in Week 16, Estime led the Broncos‘ backfield in carries (nine) and rushing yards (48) in a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Chargers. Estime also scored the first touchdown of his rookie career.

Javonte Williams and rookie Blake Watson both received four carries (and Williams was the most involved in the passing game). After an eventual 34-27 loss, Broncos coach Sean Payton hinted that the rookies will continue to get looks to close out the season.

“I thought the young backs did a good job,” Payton said. “We’ll keep working those guys.”

When he was later asked about rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, Payton referenced Estime again. 

“Overall, he’s [Abrams-Draine] been a pleasant surprise watching him. I’m encouraged that he’s getting to play. Some of these young guys are getting to play. Audric the same way, so we’ll keep playing those guys.”

Denver has two games remaining and after impressing against the Chargers, Estime figures to remain involved down the stretch.

“They played really well in the first half,” quarterback Bo Nix said of Estime and Watson. “Gave us a spark, especially on the first drive. They both had a few good runs and it’s just good to see those guys. They got their opportunity.

“We’ve seen it from Audric and with Blake. He’s been practicing really well, so he got his opportunity and ran the ball really well. I think that’s going to be good for us going forward.”

Estime has rushed 55 times for 252 yards through his first 11 games in the NFL. His workload has not been consistent enough for him to be a reliable option in fantasy football, but that might change soon. Stay tuned.

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WATCH: Broncos RB Audric Estime scores TD vs. Chargers

Broncos march down the field and Audric Estime secures a 7-0 lead over the Chargers!

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime scored a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The score marked Estime’s first touchdown in the NFL.

Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter/X page:

Following the score, the Broncos lead the Chargers 7-0 in the first quarter.

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5 things to watch for when Broncos face Chargers on ‘TNF’

Here are five storylines to watch for when the Broncos face the Chargers on ‘Thursday Night Football’ in Week 16.

The Denver Broncos (9-5) are set to face the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) on Thursday Night Football in Week 16. Here are five quick storylines to watch for going into Thursday’s game.

1. Broncos running back rotation: Jaleel McLaughlin has been the team’s best running back in recent weeks, but he was ruled out with a quad injury on Wednesday. That will leave Javonte Williams and rookie Audric Estime as the next men up, and Denver will likely elevate Blake Watson from the practice squad. We could see Marvin Mims mix in at running back as well, something he did leading up to the team’s bye week.

2. Denver’s cornerback depth: Riley Moss (knee) has been ruled out again, marking the third game he has missed. Fortunately, Pat Surtain (ankle) was able to practice this week and he was not given an injury designation for Thursday. Kris Abrams-Draine will likely start across from Surtain with Ja’Quan McMillian playing in the slot and Damarri Mathis getting rotational snaps like last week. When these teams met earlier this season, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went 21-of-34 for 237 yards and a touchdown in a game that Surtain left with a concussion.

3. Broncos’ defense against Herbert and Co.: J.K. Dobbins rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos earlier this season, but he’s now on injured reserve. Denver pass rusher Nik Bonitto has scored a touchdown in each of the team’s last two games and he’s just one sack away from tying the NFL leader (Trey Hendrickson has 12.5 sacks). The Broncos, Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles have a three-way tie for the fewest points allowed per game (17.6), so Thursday night could be a defensive struggle.

4. Bo Nix bouncing back from three turnovers: Nix struggled against the Indianapolis Colts last week, throwing a career-high three interceptions. He had a bit of an in-game bounce back with three touchdown passes in a 31-13 win over Indy, but now Nix will have a fresh game to put those mistakes behind him. Nix will face an L.A. defense that allows the 10th-fewest passing yards per game (211.6), a unit that has totaled the seventh-most interceptions (14) and the eighth-most sacks (40) in the league this season.

5. Denver’s potential return to the postseason: The Broncos have already secured their first winning season since 2016. With one more win, Denver will clinch its first playoff berth since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

Thursday’s game will be available to stream on Prime. The Broncos are one win away from clinching a spot in the 2024 NFL playoffs.

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Jaleel McLaughlin heating up in Broncos’ backfield

Jaleel McLaughlin led the Broncos’ backfield in carries and rushing yards in the two games leading up to the team’s bye week.

It’s been the Jaleel McLaughlin show in the Denver Broncos‘ backfield over the last two weeks as the second-year back has led the team with 21 carries for 128 yards.

During that same period, Javonte Williams had 12 carries for negative one yard (that’s not a typo) and Audric Estime had six carries for 27 yards. Williams remains a key blocker and a capable receiver on third downs, but McLaughlin has been the team’s top runner over the last two games.

“He played well,” coach Sean Payton said after a 41-32 win over the Cleveland Browns. “We felt like some of the wide zone stuff and tosses were going to be good. He had a lot of good runs. Part of it was the scheme that was successful, or a couple of schemes we have seen other teams have success with that we had success with as well. All in all, it was good.”

McLaughlin has 97 touches for 414 yards and three touchdowns this season. He’s still trailing Williams on the year (162 touches for 705 yards and four scores), but McLaughlin has been trending up in recent weeks.

Fantasy football managers will see how the backfield rotation shakes out after the bye when the Broncos host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

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Broncos vs. Raiders: 5 things to watch for in Week 12

The Broncos will go on the road to face the Raiders in Week 12. Here are five things to watch for on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos (6-5) will go on the road to face the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8) in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick list of five storylines to watch for leading up to the AFC West showdown.

1. Denver’s running back rotation: It appeared that Audric Estime might be taking over as the new RB1, but Javonte Williams quickly put that notion to rest by leading the backfield in touches last week. So, what will the backfield rotation look like going forward? It’s tough to predict — especially if the Broncos ride the hot hand — but it seems that Williams is still the lead back with Jaleel McLaughlin and Estime rotating in behind him.

2. Brock Bowers vs. Broncos’ defense: When Denver played the Raiders in Week 5, rookie tight end Brock Bowers totaled eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. Bowers has been a bright spot for a struggling Las Vegas squad in recent weeks, and he will be a tough test for the Broncos’ secondary. “You can see how they made it a point of emphasis to give him the ball in any spot and any position,” cornerback Pat Surtain said. “They even have him at ‘X’ [receiver] backside and at his tight end spot at the ‘Z.’ He is playing all positions, and they are utilizing him very well. It will be a good challenge for us.”

3. Maxx Crosby vs. Denver’s offensive line: The Broncos beat the Raiders 34-18 earlier this season, but Bowers and defensive lineman Maxx Crosby were both problems for Denver. Crosby ended the day with two sacks and he now has 15.5 sacks in 11 career games against the Broncos. “It’s important [to know where he is at],” quarterback Bo Nix said. “He’s a really good player. He played well last time we played him even though he was a little banged up. I’m sure he’s going to be fresh and ready to go this game. One thing about him is his motor never stops. He’s a hard-working player. He plays every snap really hard, and he tries to get in everyone’s head. That’s just the type of style he is and the player he is. He’s really good. One of the best in the league.”

4. Broncos QB Bo Nix chasing history: Denver’s quarterback has been setting multiple franchise rookie records this fall and he needs just one touchdown on Sunday to break the team’s rookie passing record of 14 (he’s currently tied with Marlin Briscoe). Going up against a Las Vegas defense that allows 327.8 yards and 28.5 points per game, Bo Nix might be poised to have another big performance in Week 12.

5. Denver’s seeking first-ever win in Las Vegas: Since moving to the desert in 2020, the Raiders are 4-0 against the Broncos at Allegiant Stadium. “I’m excited to go [there for] a road divisional game,” Nix said. “They’re always a lot of fun. I know it’s an important game. It’s going to be an awesome atmosphere. It’s going to be a fun game. They’re going to have a good team. They’re going to be ready to go. Playing them again, I think it’s going to be a good game. I’m excited for the opportunity we have. Any divisional games are always important.”

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). The Broncos are considered the favorite despite playing on the road.

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What should we make of the Broncos’ running back rotation?

Sorry, fantasy football managers: Broncos coach Sean Payton didn’t provide clarity on the running back rotation.

For several weeks leading up to Week 10, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton had hinted that rookie running back Audric Estime could get more involved on offense.

Estime then led the team in snaps (26), carries (14) and rushing yards (53) against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, and the hype went through the roof. Admittedly, Broncos Wire was at the forefront of the campaign to add Estime in fantasy football leagues. In hindsight, we might have overestimated Estime’s future workload.

Javonte Williams returned to leading the backfield against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11, rushing nine times for 59 yards and a touchdown. Estime got six carries for 16 yards and Jaleel McLaughlin rushed four times for 19 yards.

So, what should we expect from the team’s backfield rotation going forward?

“That’s the $6 million question,” Payton said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s difficult. We know kind of what we have with those three players and it’s just — it’s always hard to feed three. I’m used to — and it’s easy — to feed two. So we kind of do that a little bit.

“I thought Javonte had some really good runs. Certainly, the game ends and we’re like, ‘Gosh, we’ve got to get Jaleel more touches.’ So it’s a tough, but a good problem to have.”

That answer from Payton won’t provide much clarity.

Payton clearly likes Estime, but the running back has not leapfrogged Williams on the depth chart. It might be difficult to predict the utilization of the team’s three backs on a week-to-week basis.

After the win against Atlanta, Payton said, “We’ll figure it out each week though and kind of plan accordingly.”

Unfortunately, that’s not a very helpful explanation for fantasy football managers. At the moment, though, Williams seems to be the RB1.

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It’s a shame that Audric Estime’s crazy hurdle was called back

Broncos rookie RB Audric Estime had a great hurdle against the Falcons that was unfortunately negated by a Garett Bolles penalty.

In the third quarter of Sunday’s 38-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime caught a pass from Bo Nix and went 10 yards in style, hurdling Falcons cornerback Clark Phillips to pick up a first down.

Here’s video of the play:

Unfortunately, the impressive hurdle was negated by an unnecessary roughness penalty called against Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles.

That means Estime’s beautiful run officially doesn’t count in the NFL’s record books. We’ll always have the video, though.

Estime also showed off his hurdling skills against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, but he fumbled on that play. Despite that fumble, coach Sean Payton has not discouraged Estime’s hurdling.

“I don’t coach against that,” Payton said in September. “I don’t ever want to take away from their instincts.”

So we could see more hurdles from Estime going forward. Through seven games this season, Estime has 173 yards from scrimmage on 38 touches.

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5 takeaways from Broncos’ 38-6 win over Falcons on Sunday

The Denver Broncos took care of business against the Atlanta Falcons with a 38-6 win on Sunday. Here are the key takeaways from the win.

The Denver Broncos (6-5) took care of business against the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) on Sunday afternoon with a convincing 38-6 victory at home. Here are five quick takeaways from the win.

1. Alex Forsyth bounced back: After not holding up in protection on the team’s crucial blocked field goal last week, Broncos lineman Alex Forsyth was moved from the “tight end” position to the “wing” spot for Denver’s kicks against the Falcons. The switch — and Forsyth’s resilience — paid off as kicker Wil Lutz went 6-of-6 on his kicks against Atlanta.

2. Perhaps Audric Estime isn’t the new RB1: After the rookie dominated the backfield touches last week, we assumed Audric Estime might be the Broncos’ new starting running back going forward. Instead, Javonte Williams was back to leading the team in carries (nine) and rushing yards (59) on Sunday. Jaleel McLaughlin (4/19) and Estime (6/16) mixed in. Denver’s staff seems poised to take a “hot hand” approach for the RB rotation.

3. Bo Nix has arrived: What a performance! Nix went 28-of-33 passing (84.8%) despite multiple drops from his receivers. Nix also posted career highs in passing yards (307) and passing touchdowns (four) before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter when the game was decided. Nix has shown incredible improvement from earlier this season and the Broncos appear to have found their new franchise quarterback.

4. Sean Payton swept NFC South: Following the 38-6 win over the Falcons, Denver is now 4-0 against coach Sean Payton’s old division. Earlier this year, the Broncos beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26-7), New Orleans Saints (33-10) and Carolina Panthers (28-14).

5. Broncos hit the over: Eleven games into the 2024 season, Denver has hit the over on their over/under line of 5.5 wins established by oddsmakers before the season. The Broncos now have six victories under their belt with six games remaining this fall. Up next is a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8) in Week 12.

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Former Notre Dame star makes first NFL start

Former Notre Dame running back Audric Estime might start for the Denver Broncos this week.

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag] is a rookie with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, and he’s likely getting his first NFL start today.

Estime has had a rocky start in Denver. He fumbled on his first NFL carry, though Denver retained possession. He injured his ankle on his second carry and missed four games.

Denver coaches trusted Estime enough to give him the ball five times on a potential game-winning drive against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The Broncos lost when a field goal was blocked.

Now, it appears he will be RB1 for the Broncos this week.

Estime rushed for 2,321 yards in three seasons at Notre Dame, including 1,341 in 2023. He had 29 rushing touchdowns and 26 receiving touchdowns.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back (7) Audric Estime scores a touchdown during the second quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. ND GAME 3

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Follow Tim on X: @tehealey

Broncos vs. Falcons: 5 things to watch for in Week 11

The Denver Broncos are set to host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Here are five storylines to watch for in Week 11.

The Denver Broncos (5-5) are set to host the Atlanta Falcons (6-4) in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick list of five storylines to keep an eye on this week.

1. Justin Simmons returns to Denver: Simmons, of course, spent the first eight years of his career with the Broncos before being cut and joining the Falcons this offseason. He expects to hear some boos when he returns to Empower Field at Mile High, but fans in Denver will likely greet him with a warm welcome instead.

2. Denver’s defense vs. Kirk Cousins and Co.: Vance Joseph’s unit ranks fifth in total yards allowed per game (295.7), third in points allowed (17.7) and second in sacks (35) this season. This week, Denver’s defense will face a Falcons offense that ranks fifth in total yards per game (375.1) and fourth in passing yards (250.4). Atlanta’s 124.7 rushing yards per contest rank 12th as Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have proven to be a dynamic backfield duo. 

3. Broncos running back rotation: Last week, rookie Audric Estime appeared to take over as the team’s new lead running back. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi downplayed that on Thursday by saying the team was riding the “hot hand.” Denver head coach Sean Payton seems to be a big fan of Estime, though, so we expect him to continue leading the way on carries. Javonte Williams will likely remain the RB in passing situations because he is the best blocking and receiving back on the team, and Jaleel McLaughlin will continue to offer a chance-of-pace option. 

4. Alex Forsyth’s field goal protection: The entire kicking unit will be scrutinized this week after a blocked field goal cost the Broncos a win against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. Nobody will be watched more closely than lineman Alex Forsyth, who was culpable for the block in Kansas City. Denver special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica seems confident it won’t happen again.

5. Bo Nix vs. Falcons’ defense: Atlanta has a talented secondary that includes Simmons, but they struggle to get after quarterbacks. The Falcons have a league-low nine sacks this season and they have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game (223.4) this fall. The stats suggest that Sunday could be a big game for Nix. Coming off a strong performance against the Chiefs, Nix will look to continue making strides against Atlanta. 

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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