Tag: Broncos news

Broncos still have a simple path to the NFL playoffs

With two games remaining, the Broncos can clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs with one more win.

Everything went against the Denver Broncos (9-6) in Week 16.

The Broncos could have clinched a playoff spot last Thursday with a win, but they fell to the Los Angeles Chargers 34-27 on the road.

After that, Denver still could have clinched on Sunday if the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts all lost or tied their games. All three teams won and improved to 7-8.

Despite going 0-for-4 in Week 16, the Broncos still have a simple path to the NFL playoffs. Denver can clinch a playoff berth on Saturday with a win over the Bengals.

Here’s a look at the AFC’s current playoff picture going into Week 17.

AFC Playoff Picture

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
  2. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
  4. Houston Texans (9-6)
  5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
  6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
  7. Denver Broncos (9-6)

In the Hunt

  1. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
  2. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
  3. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)

If the Broncos don’t beat Cincinnati, the playoff race will come down to the final week of the regular season. Over the next two weeks, Denver needs one win or losses/ties from each of the Bengals, Dolphins and Colts. Buckle up, Broncos Country.

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Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto fined $8,791 for obscene gesture vs. Colts

Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto was fined $8,791 for an obscene gesture against the Colts in Week 15.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was fined $8,791 for an obscene gesture against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15, according to multiple reports. Bonitto made the gesture after a fumble-six.

In addition to Bonitto’s fine, Broncos safety Brandon Jones also received two fines from Week 15 — a $16,883 fine for a hip-drop tackle and a $11,255 fine for a late late hit, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Any potential Denver fines from their Thursday Night Football showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 will be announced next week.

Jones ($28,138) has been the team’s most-fined player this season, followed by safety P.J. Locke ($27,944), defensive lineman Malcolm Roach ($25,324), Bonitto ($17,582), cornerback Pat Surtain ($11,255), fullback Mike Burton ($7,653), center Luke Wattenberg ($5,872), tight end Lucas Krull ($5,083) and safety Devon Key ($4,417).

The money the league receives from fines is “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels,” per the NFL.

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Ex-Broncos players blame Sean Payton for ‘TNF’ loss to Chargers

Former Broncos players Tyler Polumbus and Nate Jackson have criticized coach Sean Payton following the Broncos’ loss to the Chargers.

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton is facing heavy criticism following the team’s 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football.

The Broncos squandered a 21-10 lead that was established primary off success in the run game, and Payton is taking heat for easing up on the ground. His decision to throw instead of running out the clock just before halftime played a role in the Chargers scoring three points before halftime.

Later, in the fourth quarter, Payton opted to punt instead of going for it on 4th-and-6 near midfield while trailing by a field goal. Following a 34-27 loss, two former Broncos players took to Twitter/X with criticism of the coach.

This is what former lineman Tyler Polumbus wrote:

“When you can’t find a player that blew it, when you can’t point to a play or two that blew it, when one team started out physical in the run game, yet the other team is the one that finished with the run game there is really only one place to point the finger…. We got out coached mid game. Simple as that. Chargers adjusted. We did not.”

Polumbus later co-signed on a tweet that said Denver abandoned what was working in the first half against Los Angeles.

Another ex-Bronco, retired receiver/tight end Nate Jackson, chimed in with this tweet on Friday:

The game was certainly mismanaged by Payton starting with the team’s final drive in the first half, and the criticism is deserved. Denver is still just one win away from a playoff berth, though, and Payton has already clinched the team’s first winning season since 2016. Payton has the Broncos trending in the right direction, but Thursday was a poor showing from the coach.

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Jerry Jeudy had a funny reaction to reason why Broncos-Jets trade was nixed

Jets owner Woody Johnson nixed a Jerry Jeudy trade to New York because of the WR’s Madden rating. This is how Jeudy responded to the report.

Earlier this week, Dianna Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Michael Silver released a wild report in The Athletic about New York Jets owner Woody Johnson nixing a trade with the Denver Broncos earlier this year.

In the story, Jets general manager Joe Douglas was said to be “deep in negotiations” with Broncos general manager George Paton on a trade that would have sent wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to New York this spring.

Here’s what happened next, according to The Athletic:

The Broncos felt a deal was near. Then, abruptly, it all fell apart. In Denver’s executive offices, they couldn’t believe the reason why.

Douglas told the Broncos that Johnson didn’t want to make the trade because the owner felt Jeudy’s player rating in “Madden NFL,” the popular video game, wasn’t high enough, according to multiple league sources. The Broncos ultimately traded the receiver to the Cleveland Browns.

Jeudy had a Madden rating of 83 overall in last year’s version of the popular NFL video game. His rating improved to 84 this year.

Jeudy took to Twitter/X with a funny response to the report:

Chad “OchoCinco” Johnson is a Madden ratings adjuster (yes, that’s an actual position). The former NFL receiver indicated that the deal getting nixed worked out for Jeudy in the end:

Johnson promised a big ratings increase next year if Jeudy finishes the season strong:

Jeudy later said on a Cleveland radio station that he thinks the report is funny, but fake news.

For what it’s worth, the Broncos have pushed back on The Athletic report through KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis, who tweeted on Thursday that “from the Broncos perspective, talks broke down due to draft compensation and nothing more.”

Jeudy, 25, has hauled in a career-high 70 receptions for a career-best 1,052 receiving yards and four touchdowns through 14 games with the Browns this season.

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Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 16 win over Broncos

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Broncos.

In Week 16, the Chargers defeated the Broncos, 34-27.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

FB Scott Matlock — 83.8

TE Tucker Fisk — 80.5

QB Justin Herbert — 78.2

WR Joshua Palmer — 74.7

RB Gus Edwards — 73.6

Top 5 Defense

DT Teair Tart — 92.9

DT Poona Ford — 77.0

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu — 73.4

CB Kristian Fulton — 72.0

LB Daiyan Henley — 71.5

Bottom 5 Offense

OL Bradley Bozeman — 32.1

OL Trey Pipkins — 35.7

OL Zion Johnson — 46.6

WR Quentin Johnston — 53.0

WR DJ Chark — 56.0

Bottom 5 Defense

LB Junior Colson — 29.1

S Kendall Williamson — 37.0

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 49.5

LB Denzel Perryman — 51.8

CB Tarheeb Still — 52.2

Broncos WR Troy Franklin was in a walking boot after ‘TNF’ loss

Broncos WR Troy Franklin was spotted wearing a walking boot after a ‘Thursday Night Football’ loss to the Chargers.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football, rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin was spotted wearing a walking boot on his left foot, according to a report from the Denver Post‘s Ryan McFadden.

Franklin was not given an injury designation during the game and the Broncos will not practice again until next week, so it might be several days until we get an update on Franklin’s status.

The 21-year-old receiver hauled in two receptions for 25 yards on three targets against the Chargers. Franklin now has 25 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns through his first 14 games in the NFL.

Denver released veteran wide receiver Josh Reynolds earlier this month, so if Franklin misses any time, the team’s remaining WRs would be Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Marvin Mims. The Broncos also have Michael Bandy, David Sills and A.T. Perry available on the practice squad.

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Explaining the NFL’s fair catch kick rule from the Chargers-Broncos game

The Chargers took advantage of an obscure NFL rule with a fair catch kick against the Broncos on ‘Thursday Night Football.’

Just before halftime of a Thursday Night Football clash between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos in Week 16, Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker put his name in the NFL history books with a rare feat.

Dicker converted a 57-yard fair catch kick, a scenario that has not happened in the NFL since 1976. Los Angeles took advantage of an obscure rule after Denver cornerback Tremon Smith made contact with the Chargers’ returner after he had called for a fair catch on a punt.

By rule, NFL teams can attempt a field goal after a fair catch without facing a rush from the opposing team. Usually, punts are fielded too deep to make attempting a kick a feasible option. Thanks to a 15-yard penalty from the Broncos, however, L.A. was put in range for a fair catch free kick on Thursday.

The sequence happened after Denver opted to not run out the clock with an 11-point lead at its own 18-yard line. The Broncos ran two pass plays and then punted after being stuffed on a third-down run.

“Look, I think 40 or 41 seconds to start the drive,” coach Sean Payton explained after the game. “We try to see, typically, you’d be pretty conservative. We were going to have the ball. We ran a screen and then when the clock got low enough, we didn’t get any momentum going there. We just ran the ball and punted it.

“A penalty puts them in a position and then basically anytime you catch a punt, you have the ability to place it right there and get a free kick. Doesn’t happen much. We practice it all the time. Well, in that situation the penalty put them in field goal position, so it’s disappointing.”

So the Broncos were part of NFL history on Thursday night. Unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of history in an eventual 34-27 loss.

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Watch highlights from Chargers’ comeback win over Broncos

If you missed the Chargers’ win over the Broncos or just want to relive it, here are the highlights.

The Chargers completed a double-digit comeback on Thursday night, defeating the Broncos, 34-27.

Justin Herbert threw for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns. Jesse Minter’s defense held Denver to six points in the second half after allowing three TDs in the first half.

If you missed the game or want to relive it, the entire highlight reel can be seen below.

Pat Surtain’s dad was not happy with Broncos during ‘Thursday Night Football’

“Sean [Payton] run the ball. Man,” Pat Surtain’s dad tweeted during ‘Thursday Night Football.’

The Denver Broncos had a wild sequence just before halftime against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football in Week 16. The team’s mismanagement of the game left fans — and Pat Surtain’s dad — frustrated.

Following a Kris Abrams-Draine interception, the Broncos took over at their own 18-yard line with 41 second remaining until halftime while leading 21-10. Instead of attempting to run out the clock, Denver coach Sean Payton called pass plays on first and second down.

The first pass to running back Javonte Williams went for negative-three yards. The second pass fell incomplete, stopping the clock. Williams then rushed for one yard on third down and the Broncos were forced to punt.

Surtain’s dad — Patrick Surtain Sr. — then chimed in on Twitter/X: “Bad clock management on both sides. [Jim] Harbaugh use your timeouts, Sean [Payton] run the ball. Man.”

On the ensuing punt, Denver cornerback Tremon Smith was penalized for kick catch interference. After that 15-yard penalty spotted the ball at the Broncos’ 47-yard line, L.A. elected to kick a rare fair catch free kick to cut the deficit to 21-13 going into halftime.

Surtain Sr.’s response to the sequence: “Just DUMB…smh.”

Denver went on to lose the game 34-27. Surtain’s dad final tweet after the game was an emoji: “🤷🏾‍♂️.”

Up next for the Broncos is a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) next Saturday (Dec. 28). With two games remaining, Denver needs to win one game to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs.

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Playoffs will wait: Broncos fall to 9-6 following 34-27 loss to Chargers

The Broncos fell to the Chargers 34-27 on Thursday, delaying Denver’s bid to make the 2024 NFL playoffs.

The Denver Broncos (9-6) lost to the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) 34-27 on Thursday Night Football in Week 16, delaying the team’s bid to clinch a spot in the NFL playoffs.

Denver can still clinch a playoff berth in Week 16 if the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins all lose or tie on Sunday.

After the defense forced a three-and-out on L.A.’s opening drive, the Broncos’ offense marched 72 yards — with 43 yards on the ground — before taking a 7-0 lead after Audric Estime scored his first touchdown in the NFL.

The Chargers later matched that score with a one-yard touchdown run from Gus Edwards to tie the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter. Denver then went 70 yards on 12 plays and retook a 14-7 lead after quarterback Bo Nix connected with fullback Michael Burton on a one-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

L.A. kicked a field goal on its next drive to make it 14-10, marking four-straight drives with a score. Following a 54-yard catch-and-run by Marvin Mims on Denver’s next possession, Nix threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Devaughn Vele to extend the lead to 21-10.

L.A. appeared to be on the verge of scoring just before halftime before rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine intercepted a Justin Herbert pass at the one-yard line. That prevented a touchdown, but after the Broncos committed a foul on their ensuing punt, the Chargers converted a 57-yard fair catch free kick to make it 21-13 going into halftime. It marked the first time since 1976 that such a kick was attempted in an NFL game:

The Broncos opened the third quarter with a 41-yard Wil Lutz field goal to extend the lead to 24-13. L.A. then went 70 yards on 10 plays and scored on a five-yard Edwards touchdown run. The drive was extended by a 15-yard foul after linebacker Justin Strnad hit a sliding Herbert on third down. Following the Edwards score, the Chargers failed a two-point attempt, making it 24-19.

L.A. took the lead in the fourth quarter when Herbert threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Derius Davis. After a successful two-point conversion, the Chargers made it 27-24. They later extended that lead to 34-24 following Herbert’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Hassan Haskins.

Denver converted a 55-yard Lutz field goal on its next drive to cut the deficit to 34-27. After a failed onside kick, L.A. ran out the clock to seal the game.

After playing on TNF, the Broncos now have nine days until their next game, a Saturday afternoon special against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17.

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