Tag: Justin Simmons

Von Miller is Broncos’ only player on AFC’s 2020 Pro Bowl roster

What Broncos players made the Pro Bowl roster?

The NFL announced AFC and NFC rosters for the 2020 Pro Bowl on Tuesday evening and only one Denver Broncos player made the cut. Fans, players and coaches each accounted for one-third of the voting.

Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller made the roster despite ranking fifth among AFC linebackers with seven sacks this year. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton is a second alternate, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Safety Kareem Jackson and returner Diontae Spencer are third alternates.

Sutton ranks fourth among AFC wide receivers with 1,019 receiving yards and his 18 catches of 20-plus yards rank first. Jackson became just the third player in NFL history to total 10 tackles, return a fumble for a touchdown and intercept a pass in a single game in Denver’s 38-24 win over the Texans last week.

Broncos safety Justin Simmons and nose tackle Shelby Harris were snubbed.

Harris ranks first among all defensive linemen with seven pass breakups and second among interior AFC defensive linemen with six sacks. Simmons ranks second among AFC strong safeties with four interceptions and his 84 tackles rank third.

Cornerback Chris Harris, running back Phillip Lindsay and tight end Noah Fant were also overlooked. Lindsay is 151 yards away from a 1,000-yard season. Fant ranks fifth among AFC tight ends with 548 receiving yards.

Last year, Harris, Miller and long snapper Casey Kreiter played in the All-Star game. Lindsay was also voted to the Pro Bowl but was unable to play due to a wrist injury.

The 2020 Pro Bowl will be played in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 1:00 p.m. MT. The game will be simulcast on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets to the game start at $45 on Ticketmaster.

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4 takeaways from Broncos’ 23-3 loss to Chiefs

The Broncos went into snowy Arrowhead Stadium in Week 15 and came away with a 20-point defeat against the Chiefs. Here are our takeaways.

On a snowy day at Arrowhead Stadium, the Denver Broncos saw one streak sadly come to an end while another unfortunately continued.

The Kansas City Chiefs have now beaten the Broncos nine straight times. The Broncos’ two-game winning streak is now a thing of the past as well.

The game was never close as the Chiefs controlled from the outset. The Broncos weren’t able to muster up much offense and had only a field goal to show for their efforts.

With the loss, the Broncos drop to 5-9 on the season and will return home to face the Detroit Lions next Sunday. But before we talk any more about next week, let’s take a look back at this loss.

1. The snow was a big factor

(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

Yes, the Chiefs had to play in the same elements and had no problems, but the snow really slowed down what the Broncos wanted to do in this one. It could have been worse if the Chiefs didn’t have a heated field, but the conditions were far from ideal.

The Broncos mustered just 251 total yards on the day (52 yards rushing) and just could not get going. The same team went up and down the field against the Houston Texans last week.

That likely had more to do with the field conditions than it did the Chiefs’ defense, which is average at best.

2. Travis Kelce is a Bronco killer

(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

Kelce probably gets a big grin every time he sees the Broncos are next on the schedule. He has had some huge games against them during his career and Sunday was no different.

Kelce caught 11 passes for 142 yards in the game. Every time Patrick Mahomes needed a play, he looked Kelce’s way. Kelce was making the catches with ease and seemed indefensible at times.

In future meetings, the Broncos need to find a strategy to slow the talented tight end down.

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Broncos nominate Justin Simmons for 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award

The Broncos have nominated safety Justin Simmons for the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

The Denver Broncos have nominated safety Justin Simmons for the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the team announced Thursday. The award “recognizes a player for his outstanding leadership both on the field and in the community,” the team said in a statement.

Each of the league’s 32 teams nominates a player for the award each year and the nominees receive a donation up to $50,000 to the charity of their choice. The winner will be announced during “NFL Honors” on the eve of Super Bowl LIV (Feb. 1) on Fox. The winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Simmons has logged over 3,500 minutes of volunteer work this year with 20 different local organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Denver Rescue Mission. Simmons won the team’s Community Ambassador Award in 2017 and 2018.

Simmons will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in the team’s final three games of the season.

Denver’s most recent nominees for the award were outside linebacker Von Miller (2018) and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (2017). John Elway is the only Broncos player who has won the award, back in 1992.

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Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is one of the NFL’s most underrated players

It didn’t take long for the Tennessee Titans to realize they had a problem at quarterback this season.

It didn’t take long for the Tennessee Titans to realize they had a problem at quarterback this season.

But hardly anyone expected former Miami Dolphins signal-caller Ryan Tannehill to accomplish what he has in Nashville after taking the reins in the third quarter of a shutout loss the Denver Broncos.

So it comes as no surprise that he’s been recognized as one of the NFL’s must underrated players.

Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley and Denver Broncos free safety Justin Simmons also made the list.

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Since Tannehill has taken over, he’s completed 128-of-176 passing for 1,602 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions.

He also had a solid game in last week’s 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts, delivering on 17-of-22 pass attempts for 182 yards for two touchdowns, and took care of the football, finishing the contest without an interception.

Tannehill and the Titans will look to extended their winning streak to four games as they face the Oakland Raiders at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday in Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio hinting that Justin Simmons will be re-signed

Broncos coach Vic Fangio has been hinting that Denver will re-sign safety Justin Simmons.

Broncos general manager John Elway, who is in charge of building the team’s roster, will listen to input from coach Vic Fangio this offseason to hear his opinion on certain players. It’s safe to assume Fangio is going to give safety Justin Simmons a glowing review.

Simmons, 26, will earn a little more than $2 million this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent in March. Fangio has hinted more than once this year that Simmons will be re-signed by Denver.

“He’s playing very well for us,” Fangio said on Nov. 25. “We’re awful happy to have him. I think he’s going to have a great career — here. He’s been playing well all year.”

A few weeks before his most recent comments about Simmons’ future, Fangio said earlier in November that he foresess “a bright future for him in a Broncos uniform.”

Simmons appreciates his coach’s praise.

“It means a lot,” Simmons said on Nov. 26. “As you guys know, Vic is the type of guy that doesn’t really sugarcoat anything.

“He says exactly what’s on his heart and on his mind. Hearing something like that definitely goes a long way.”

Simmons was selected by Denver in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Boston College. Through 12 games this season he has totaled 70 tackles and three interceptions. Simmons has also broken up 10 passes.

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4 matchups to watch in Chargers vs. Broncos

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists the four matchups to watch when the Chargers take on the Broncos in Week 13.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) take on the Denver Broncos (3-8) in Week 13 of the 2019 regular season.

Here are four matchups to keep an eye on that could ultimately determine the outcome of the game.

Chargers QB Philip Rivers vs. Broncos secondary

In the first meeting of the season, Rivers’ performance wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as he was held to 211 passing yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Since then, has accumulated 14 interceptions on the season and is looking to get back on track, but it won’t be easy facing a stout Broncos secondary.

Led by cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and safety Justin Simmons, Denver hasn’t made life easy on opposing quarterbacks, allowing only 207.5 passing yards per game, which ranks fifth in the NFL. Although they’re strong in this area, they haven’t been able to take the ball away, totaling only 10 takeaways this season.

Rivers, who’s been susceptible to making poor decisions and throwing the ball to whoever in hopes of them coming down with the catch, can’t do that on Sunday or else they will make him pay. Rivers has thrown six interceptions the past three games that the two teams have played against each other.

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Backhanded compliment from Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr? CB talks ‘positive’ on Josh Allen

Denver Broncos CB Chris Harris said he’s going to ‘keep it positive’ on Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.

When the Bills host the Denver Broncos on Sunday in Week 12, will it be another week of proving doubters wrong for Buffalo’s second-year quarterback in Josh Allen?

If there’s one player on the Broncos that doesn’t sound sold on Allen, it’s cornerback Chris Harris Jr.

On Monday, Harris chatted with local reporters. He previewed his meeting against Allen and the Bills. He started his comments in a status quo style. They ended with smirks.

“I think he’s solid,” Harris said. “He’s a really good quarterback. He uses his legs, he’s playing smart, they’re doing a lot of no-huddle with him, he’s moving around in the pocket and he can make all the deep throws.”

Yawn.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

“If I can give him a little… I don’t want to actually,” Harris curiously said with a grin and chuckle. “I’m going to say all positive about him today.”

An oft-made comparison with Allen is the one made to quarterback Cam Newton. The Panthers quarterback is out this year, but the Broncos beat Newton in the Super Bowl during his MVP season. Harris was part of that team.

But that comparison is rubbish, says Harris. The defensive back admitted he thought Newton was “real” while Allen is not.

“No [he’s not similar to Newton]. (Allen) can run, though,” said Harris. “Other than that, he’s not really like Cam. They might do a quarterback draw-designed run, but Cam was for real.

“(The Panthers) had designed runs like Lamar Jackson for him because he was so elusive with the real run plays that they had for him,” Harris added.

From there, Harris concluded his press conference with one more “I’m going to keep it positive on Josh Allen.”

While Harris had some questionable comments, safety Justin Simmons was more complimentary of Allen and the Bills, by comparison.

“Josh Allen is a really talented quarterback,” Simmons said. “He can make all the throws, he has a strong arm, a really good build. He runs hard and fast.

“They’ve got a good team, they’re 7-3 for a reason,” he added.

While Allen could be motivated by some remarks such as these, it’s not going to be easy to impress this Broncos secondary. Overall, the Broncos sit as the fourth-best defense in the NFL. Buffalo’s defense is third.

Also by comparison, Harris had a much quicker interview, lasting about three minutes on Monday. Those interested in hearing his remarks can do so below. His comments on Allen and the Bills begin at the 2:00 mark:

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It’s time to vote your favorite Broncos players to the Pro Bowl

Fan voting for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl is now open. The polls will close in mid-December.

Fan voting for the 2020 Pro Bowl opened Tuesday.

Fans, coaches and players will each account for one-third of the voting. The AFC and NFC will each be represented by 44 players. Fan voting will conclude on Dec. 12 and the Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on NFL Network on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. MT.

Fans can vote for their favorite players at NFL.com/ProBowlVote.

The Denver Broncos were represented by three players in last season’s Pro Bowl: outside linebacker Von Miller, long snapper Casey Kreiter and cornerback Chris Harris. Running back Phillip Lindsay was also voted to the All-Star game but could not play due to injury.

Miller totaled two tackles and Harris intercepted a pass in the AFC’s 26-7 win over the NFC in the 2019 Pro Bowl.

Denver’s most deserving player this season might be safety Justin Simmons, who has played 1,582 consecutive snaps and is tied with inside linebacker Todd Davis as the Broncos’ leading tackler (53). Simmons has also broken up nine passes and totaled two interceptions this year.

The Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will begin at 1 p.m. MT and will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets start at $45.

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