Tag: Javonte Williams

5 takeaways from the Broncos’ win vs. Saints on ‘TNF’

The Broncos defeated the New Orleans Saints 33-10 on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ Here are five quick takeaways from the victory.

Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos got a 33-10 win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7. Here are five quick takeaways from the victory.

1. Cody Barton had himself a day: The journeyman linebacker ended the game with eight tackles, one sack, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery he returned 52 yards for a touchdown. Barton also had another score earlier in the game negated by a defensive penalty. He’s been a key part of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s squad.

2. The Broncos had a historic day on the ground: Denver finished the game with 225 rushing yards, the team’s best single-game total since 2013. Javonte Williams led the way with 14 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Going up against a hapless Saints defense, Williams arguably looked the best he has since his 2022 knee injury. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix also had a big day rushing with 10 carries for 75 yards. The only hiccup on the ground came when rookie Audric Estime fumbled in the fourth quarter, marking his second career fumble on just his eighth career touch.

3. Ex-Saints came up big for the Broncos: Denver kicker Wil Lutz went 4-of-4 on field goal attempts and 3-of-3 on extra point attempts, accounting for 15 points. Broncos linebacker Kwon Alexander also started against his former team after being elevated from the practice squad. The veteran linebacker had one tackle and recovered a fumble.

4. Bo Nix needs to calm down: Nix did a great job making plays with his legs, and he seemed to be more composed and accurate when Denver had built a lead, but he had an ugly start to the game. Nix seemed to have anxious feet in the pocket and he threw a few ugly inaccurate passes early on. He also had a bad throw that should have been intercepted by Tyrann Mathieu just before halftime. Nix got better as the game went on and finished the day with a 61.5% rate and no turnovers, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

5. That meant a lot to Sean Payton: Leading up to the game, Broncos players downplayed it as “just another game,” and Payton didn’t make a big deal about facing his former team, at least not to the media. It clearly was an emotional night for the coach, though, and the players had some extra motivation to win one for Payton in New Orleans. The night could not have gone better for Denver’s coach.

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WATCH: Broncos RB Javonte Williams scores 2nd TD vs. Saints

Broncos RB Javonte Williams scores his second TD of the game to make it 26-3 in the third quarter!

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams scored on a five-yard run in the third quarter of Thursday’s game against the New Orleans Saints.

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

The score was set up by a 32-yard run by quarterback Bo Nix:

At the time of publication, Denver leads New Orleans 26-3.

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WATCH: Broncos RB Javonte Williams scores easy TD vs. Saints

Broncos RB Javonte Williams scores to extend the TNF lead to 13-0 in the second quarter.

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams scored an easy eight-yard touchdown against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, going untouched as he rushed for a score in the second quarter.

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

At the time of publication, Denver leads New Orleans 13-0.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from loss to Chargers

Levi Wallace (92.0) stepped up at cornerback after the Broncos lost Pat Surtain to a concussion on Sunday.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 6 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • WR Courtland Sutton: 85.3
  • OT Matt Peart: 81.7
  • G Quinn Meinerz: 81.0
  • QB Bo Nix: 78.7
  • G Ben Powers: 70.4

Sutton had an impressive one-handed touchdown catch and Peart filled in well at right tackle. Wide receiver Devaughn Vele (68.4) was the sixth-highest graded player on offense, followed by left tackle Garett Bolles (66.2) and running back Audric Estime (62.9).

Best Defensive Players 

  • CB Levi Wallace: 92.0
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 87.1
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 81.6
  • DB Brandon Jones: 76.2
  • OLB Jonah Elliss: 75.7

Wallace stepped up after the team lost Pat Surtain to a concussion. Meanwhile, the team’s pass rush continues to impress.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • RB Javonte Williams: 38.3
  • TE Adam Trautman: 49.2
  • TE Lucas Krull: 49.6
  • WR Marvin Mims: 55.1
  • C Alex Forsyth: 57.1

Williams lost a fumble and dropped a pass and Estime played well. Perhaps we’ll see more of the rookie going forward. Looking ahead to 2025, tight end will likely be a top position of need for the Broncos.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • OLB Nik Bonitto: 46.0
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 50.1
  • LB Cody Barton: 52.4
  • DB P.J. Locke: 55.5
  • DL Jordan Jackson: 55.8

McMillian struggled after Surtain left the game and Locke has now had consecutive weeks ranking among the worst defenders in Denver. The Broncos will need McMillian and Locke to bounce back on Thursday.

Special Teams 

  • ST Kristian Welch: 84.6
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 84.6
  • R Marvin Mims: 63.1
  • K Wil Lutz: 63.3 (FG) 60.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 69.4

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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5 takeaways from Broncos’ loss to Chargers in Week 6

The Broncos fell to the Chargers in Week 6. Here are five quick takeaways from the loss.

The Denver Broncos dropped to 3-3 on Sunday following a 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at home. Here are five quick takeaways from Sunday’s game.

1. Pat Surtain’s exit was felt on defense: After PS2 left with a concussion, the secondary allowed Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to have his first 200-yard passing game of 2024. Riley Moss held up well all things considered and Levi Wallace was fine, but Ja’Quan McMillian had a crucial penalty late in the game that hurt the team’s comeback effort. Surtain was missed on Sunday and he seems unlikely to play on Thursday.

2. Javonte Williams had a rough game: Williams averaged less than four yards per carry (3.8), lost a fumble and dropped a pass. Meanwhile, rookie Audric Estime returned from injured reserve and led the team’s backfield with 6.5 yards per carry (on a small sample size of two carries). Perhaps we’ll see more of Estime going forward.

3. The offensive line held up OK: Without right tackle Mike McGlinchey (or fill-in right tackle Alex Palczewski) or center Luke Wattenberg, the offensive line still turned in a respectable performance. Bo Nix often had time to throw, but he didn’t always take advantage of it. Nix was sacked twice, but Matt Peart (right tackle) and Alex Forsyth (center) were serviceable fill-in linemen this week.

4. Devaughn Vele picked up where he left off: Vele led the team in targets (eight) and catches (eight) in Week 1 and then went four straight games inactive, initially due to a ribs injury. After Josh Reynolds (hand) was placed on injured reserve, Vele returned to the lineup and he once again led the team in targets (six) and catches (four), tying with Courtland Sutton in both categories. Nix clearly trusts the rookie WR, and he could be featured in the offense going forward.

5. Bo Nix did his best Tim Tebow impression: Nix (and the entire offense) was invisible for the first half and even the third quarter. After scoring zero points through 45 minutes, Nix led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, but the comeback bid fell short after a failed onside kick attempt. Nix ended the day 19-of-33 passing for 216 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also led the team with 61 rushing yards. If the Broncos are going to get back above .500, they’ll need Nix to start playing like it’s the fourth quarter from the first snap.

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Broncos fall to 3-3 with 23-16 loss to Chargers

The Broncos made it interesting in the fourth quarter, but they weren’t able to overcome a big deficit against the Chargers, falling to 3-3.

The Denver Broncos dropped to 3-3 on Sunday following a 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (3-3) at home.

On the game’s opening drive, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw a pass that was intended for wide receiver Marvin Mims, who tipped it into the air and it was then intercepted by Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden.

Shortly thereafter, Denver cornerback Pat Surtain then left the game with a concussion and Los Angeles kicked a field goal to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh also briefly left the game with an illness but returned midway through the first quarter.

Following a Broncos punt, the Chargers extended their lead to 10-0 when quarterback Justin Herbert threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to running back Kimani Vidal. L.A. added a field goal in the second quarter to make it 13-0 and the Chargers then got the ball back Javonte Williams lost a fumble.

L.A. capitalized on that fumble with a four-yard J.K. Dobbins touchdown run to extend the lead to 20-0, which was the score going into halftime. The Chargers added a field goal late in the third quarter to make it 23-0.

After a rough first three quarters, Nix led an eight-play, 95-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown pass to Troy Frankin to make it 23-7. One series later, Nix led an eight-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, who made an impressive one-handed catch. After a failed two-point attempt, Denver made it 23-13.

After adding a 40-yard Wil Lutz field goal to make it 23-16, the Broncos drew within seven points with 0:59 remaining. Denver had no timeouts left so the team attempted an onside kick, which failed, sealing a loss.

Up next for the Broncos is a short turnaround before a Thursday Night Football showdown with the New Orleans Saints in Week 7. Denver will go on the road to face the Saints on Oct. 17 (watch on Prime Video).

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Broncos RB Audric Estime activated from injured reserve

The Broncos activated RB Audric Estime from the injured reserve list to the 53-man roster. He’s expected to serve as RB3 on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos activated running back Audric Estime (ankle) from injured reserve to the 53-man roster on Saturday, the team announced.

Estime (5-11, 227 pounds) injured his ankle in the team’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8. After sitting out the last four games, Estime became eligible to return ahead of a Week 6 showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Estime will now return to serving as the team’s third-string running back behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin. Blake Watson will presumably be a healthy scratch again now that Estime has returned.

Denver picked Estime in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft out of Notre Dame. He rushed twice for 14 yards and one first down in his NFL debut.

The Broncos also promoted safety Tanner McCalister from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Saturday. The team had room for Estime and McCalister on the active roster after placing center Luke Wattenberg and wide receiver Josh Reynolds on injured reserve.

Denver’s game against Los Angeles will be regionally televised on CBS. Despite playing at home with a three-game winning streak, the Broncos are considered underdogs against the Chargers this week.

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Broncos RB Javonte Williams appears to be back on track

Broncos RB Javonte Williams has averaged 4.75 YPC over the last two weeks. “I was really proud with how he played,” Sean Payton said.

Through the first weeks of the 2024 NFL season, Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams was averaging 2.16 yards per carry. Fans and pundits (including Broncos Wire) were worried that the running back’s 2022 knee injury might prevent him from ever getting back on track.

Then Williams rushed 16 times for 77 yards against the New York Jets in Week 4. He followed that up with 13 carries for 61 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5, adding five receptions for 50 yards.

Following his first game this season with more than 100 yards from scrimmage, Williams has averaged 4.75 yards per carry over the last two weeks. Broncos coach Sean Payton praised the running back following Sunday’s win.

“I think Javonte ran hard,” Payton said after the team’s 34-18 win over the Raiders. “I think you guys felt that. I did. There was a little bit more stress on that room relative to the two backs knowing they were going to get a bigger workload as opposed to three total. I was really proud with how he played. I have not seen the film, but I think we blocked [for] him pretty good.”

Williams also remains the team’s best pass-blocking running back.

Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin carried the workload against Las Vegas after the team placed Tyler Badie (back) on injured reserve. Audric Estime (ankle) is eligible to return from IR this week, so Denver could have three backs part of their rotation against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

Following consecutive games averaging more than 4.6 YPC, Williams certainly appears to be back on track with the Broncos, and his fantasy football stock is trending up.

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Broncos PFF grades: Best, worst players from win over Raiders

No surprise: Pat Surtain (92.0) was the Broncos’ highest-graded player by PFF against the Raiders.

Following the Denver Broncos‘ impressive 34-18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5, Pro Football Focus has released grades for each player.

PFF grades players on a 0 (worst) to 100 (best) scale. Check out the best and worst of Week 5 below.

Best Offensive Players 

  • OT Garett Bolles: 79.5
  • RB Javonte Williams: 78.6
  • WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey: 70.2
  • WR Marvin Mims: 68.9
  • TE Adam Trautman: 68.5

Williams had another productive game after impressing last week. Quarterback Bo Nix (66.5) received the seventh-best grade on offense.

Best Defensive Players 

  • CB Pat Surtain: 92.0
  • DL D.J. Jones: 84.3
  • DL Malcolm Roach: 80.8
  • CB Riley Moss: 80.1
  • OLB Jonathon Cooper: 74.3

No surprise that Surtain was the team’s best-graded player after he grabbed two interceptions, including a 100-yard pick-six. Moss also recorded his first career interception and Denver’s defensive line dominated up front.

Worst Offensive Players 

  • TE/FB Nate Adkins: 44.7
  • C Alex Forsyth: 48.0
  • TE Lucas Krull: 53.1
  • WR Troy Franklin: 54.8
  • FB Michael Burton: 58.8

PFF clearly didn’t like the performance of the fullbacks on Sunday. Franklin ending up near the bottom of the list isn’t a surprise after he dropped what would have been a touchdown.

Worst Defensive Players 

  • OLB Dondrea Tillman: 44.1
  • DL Jordan Jackson: 49.4
  • OLB Jonah Elliss: 52.1
  • CB Ja’Quan McMillian: 53.3
  • DB P.J. Locke: 54.7

Locke was likely dinged for failing to break up a pass on what ended up being a Brock Bowers touchdown to give the Raiders an early 7-0 lead. He bounced back after that.

Special Teams 

  • ST Levelle Bailey: 73.4
  • LS Mitchell Fraboni: 65.4
  • R Marvin Mims: 61.6
  • K Wil Lutz: 64.4 (FG) 60.0 (KO)
  • P Riley Dixon: 73.5

You can view grades for every player on the paid version of PFF’s website.

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5 takeaways from the Broncos’ 34-18 win over Raiders

The Broncos have won three straight. Are they legit? Here are five takeaways from the team’s latest victory.

The Denver Broncos snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Las Vegas Raiders with a 34-18 win over their division rivals on Sunday. Here are five quick takeaways from the victory.

1. Pat Surtain is a DPOY candidate: After shutting down top wide receivers in the first four games of the season, PS2 had a game-altering 100-yard pick-six against the Raiders on Sunday to help swing the game. He later grabbed a second interception. Surtain is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year.

2. Javonte Williams is back: Williams struggled in the team’s first three games, but he’s been solid over the last two weeks. After rushing for 77 yards last week, Williams led the Broncos in carries (13), rushing yards (61), receptions (five) and receiving yards (50) on Sunday. He has emerged as a key part of the team’s offense.

3. Riley Moss is a rising star: Surtain gets the spotlight, understandably so, but Moss has also been brilliant this season. The first-year starter is not only holding up in coverage but excelling in coverage, and he secured his first career interception against the Raiders in Week 5.

4. Bo Nix’s sideline outburst was not a bad thing: After failing to connect with Troy Franklin on a deep pass in the third quarter, Nix was caught on camera in a heated exchange with coach Sean Payton on the sideline. The Broncos scored two more touchdowns after that incident and Payton did not seem bothered by the QB’s fiery outburst. “He works his tail off and I am that way [too],” Payton said. All good between coach and QB.

5. The Broncos might be legit: The two teams that beat Denver this season are a combined 6-4 and the Broncos have now won three straight games, putting the team into the early playoff hunt. With an impressive defense and Nix trending up, Denver suddenly looks like the real deal.

Up next for the Broncos is another home game against a division rival, this time against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

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