Tag: Melvin Gordon

Melvin Ingram sets up 86-yard scoop and score for Nick Bolton

The Broncos had the lead and were driving … and then they were losing

The Denver Broncos were looking to extend their lead in the fourth quarter on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High.

Eighty-six yards later, they were trailing.

Melvin Gordon was slammed by Melvin Ingram and fumbled the football.

Nick Bolton picked up the ball and took off. The former Missouri star only had to beat his former Tiger teammate, quarterback Drew Lock, on his way to the end zone.

It was no contest and Denver’s 21-20 lead suddenly turned into a 28-21 deficit after Patrick Mahomes ran in the two-conversion.

The play — good for 86 yards — was the longest scoop-and-score in the NFL this season.

Everything we know about Chargers’ victory over Broncos

Highlighting everything notable from the Los Angeles Chargers’ victory over the Denver Broncos.

The Chargers defeated the Broncos, 34-13.

To recap Week 17, here is everything we know:

It was over when…

Andre Roberts took the kickoff to the house in the fourth quarter to put the stamp on the game.

Notable numbers of the game

Justin Herbert passed Philip Rivers for the Chargers franchise passing touchdown record (35).

The Broncos were held to 3.1 yards per carry.

The Chargers held the Broncos to just three conversions on 11 attempts.

The Chargers converted nine of their 15 attempts on third down.

Austin Ekeler and Justin Ekeler made up more than half of the Chargers’ total yards (173 of 341).

Quick takes

– Herbert took what was given to him, meaning the Broncos eliminated many options down the field. However, he was still efficient in the short-intermediate parts of the field.

– It helped that Herbert had clean pockets throughout the entire game. Still, he did a great job of going through progressions and finding & anticipating his open receivers, something he struggled with against Cover 2 defenses.

– It might’ve taken a while, but Ekeler and Jackson are hitting their stride on the field together. They were impactful catching the football just as much as they were on the ground.

– As I mentioned, Herbert had plenty of time to distribute the wealth, which all the credit goes to the offensive line for keeping him upright and paving the way in the run game.

– Trey Pipkins, who filled in for Storm Norton, had another excellent performance. The coaching staff has done a terrific job of developing him.

– Without Jared Cook or Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty got involved in the passing game, catching all of his three targets for 22 yards.

– After being gashed on the ground, the Chargers held the Broncos held in check in this department. The difference? Joey Bosa, Justin Jones, and Derwin James on the field.

– There were a couple of issues with the pass defense: Lack of pass rush and allowing too many yards after the catch due to poor tackling and angles to the football. Drew Lock finished 18-of-25 passing for 245 yards.

– Aside from that, the play in the secondary is a night and day difference when all the starters are on the field.

– The midseason addition of Andre Roberts has shown to pay dividends since Day 1, but he made a strong point to be re-signed after this season with his kick returns of 47 and 101 yards.

What’s next?

The Chargers take on the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Winner is in the playoffs.

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

The 2021 season heads into the Championship week, and that means most fantasy teams are left twiddling their thumbs, lamenting how the minefield of NFL injuries was joined by the sniper of COVID-19.  Let’s look ahead at six interesting players.

There will be plenty of changes between now and Week 1 of 2022, but these are the Top-6 players I’m closely tracking since they will be key in the fantasy fortunes of their teams and could find themselves in different situations next year. The list could be 20 or 30 names but I’ve culled them to the most interesting for now. Player movement and coaching changes will further impact the natural evolution of career arcs, so there is always plenty of changes

1.)  RB Travis Etienne (JAC) – Easy to forget the 1.25 pick in the 2021 NFL draft because we never really saw him. The LSU product was the second running back drafted but injured his Lis Franc. Originally, it thought he could return at the end of this season, but the Jags moved him to injured reserve. Etienne returns to a new coaching staff but has no history with the old one. James Robinson Just tore his Achilles tendon, so his status will figure into what Etienne will be given in workload. The expectation was for Etienne to be a pass-catching back with other creative uses while Robinson who shares the rushing. Etienne’s role  depends on what happens with the rest of the team but he was the pick after Najee Harris and before all other rookie running backs.

2.)  WR Michael Thomas (NO) – Thomas is midway through the monster 5-year, $96 million contract of 2019 and he set the NFL record of 149 catches in 2019, as the unstoppable wideout of the year. He then stumbled through 2020 with a bad ankle that limited him to only 40 catches for 438 yards and no scores. 2022 became even worse when he suffered a setback in his rehab. He held off on surgery until June and hasn’t played. He returns to a vastly different team that struggles to pass and shifted over to Taysom Hill as a running quarterback that sometimes throws. There is a chance that he could get traded and would likely be amenable. He was the Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and is only 27 years old. He should be in his prime but is almost forgotten. His contract has a potential out in 2022.

3.) WR Chris Godwin (TB) – His contract expires this year and is complicated with his torn ACL that just ended his season. The Bucs went all out trying to re-sign players for another shot at a Super Bowl but it would be prohibitively expensive to do that for another year.  Godwin’s injury also happened late in the season so by training camp, he’ll be just eight months out from the injury. Modern medicine gets better every year, so his return could be sooner than expected. But he’ll leave a hole in Tampa Bay if he does go and would force the Buccaneers to save money elsewhere if they brought him back. Tearing his ACL complicates his outlook.

4.) RB Leonard Fournette (TB) – After being instrumental in the playoffs of 2020, he was re-signed for just one year in an attempt to keep the team together for a second Super Bowl. It only took three weeks for Fournette to become the primary back for the Bucs and left scraps for Ronald Jones and Giovani Bernard. Fournette became the primary rusher and added up to eight catches per game. He’s out with a hamstring strain now but may return during  the playoffs. But he’s also a looming free agent that has proven to be worthy of a workhorse role and he is only 26 years old.

5.) RB Melvin Gordon (DEN) – Two seasons with the Broncos were as productive as any he had with the Chargers and he still shared significant carries with Javonte Williams this year. Gordon is a free agent in the offseason and at 28 years old, there’s still at least a year or two of prime time left. But he made $6.9 million this year while Williams is working on a 4-year, $4.4 million contract.  Gordon  could be re-signed which would just mean more of the same. But if he leaves, Williams becomes a hot fantasy prospect and assumedly, Gordon lands on another team where he’ll  detract from another committee member.

6. QB Aaron Rodgers (GB) – The Packers star quarterback was the subject of trade speculation last offseason and recently asked about retirement and said he “wouldn’t rule that out.” There is an optional out in his contract for 2022, so he could be traded, he could stay put, or he could just retire. If Rodgers  retires or goes to a new team, it leaves the Packers in a major rebuilding situation without a Hall of Fame quarterback for the first time in decades. Davante Adams becomes a free agent and could possibly follow Rodgers elsewhere or just cash in and land on a new team. In almost any case, the Packers are looking at a down 2022 if Rodgers – and very likely Adams – are not there next year.

3 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 17 opponent: Broncos

Highlighting important things to know about the Chargers’ opponent ahead of the Week 17 matchup.

The Chargers are looking to climb into the playoffs after digging themselves into a hole, with their last two games resulting in losses, as they’re set to take on the Broncos this Sunday.

Here are three key things to know about Los Angeles’ Week 17 opponent:

COVID-19 tracker

The Broncos only have two players on the COVID-19 list as of today: defensive end Jonathan Harris and center Lloyd Cushenberry.

Struggling offense

Since the last time the Broncos faced the Chargers, they have averaged just 10.7 points per game. Last weekend against the Raiders, Denver rushed for 18 total yards and was 1-of-10 on third down. They’ve been hindered by a quarterback carousel between Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock, an inconsistent run game and dropped passes. In Lock’s first start last Sunday, he finished 15-of-22 for 153 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and an 87.9 rating. Bridgewater is currently questionable with a concussion.

Dominant defense

While the Broncos have struggled to put points on the scoreboard, they’ve ensured their opponents haven’t been able to, either. Denver is currently tied for the top scoring defense, allowing just 17.3 points per game. In addition, they have the fourth-best red zone defense, as opponents have scored just 50% of the time on possessions inside the 20-yard line. Vic Fangio has gotten the better of opposing quarterbacks, limiting them to just 210.3 passing yards per game.

Broncos’ run game disappeared vs. Raiders

Fortunately for the Broncos, up next is a Chargers defense that allows 140.3 rushing yards per game, 4th-most in the NFL.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Denver Broncos running backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams had a chance (albeit a slim chance) of both rushing for 1,000 yards this season.

After the Broncos rushed for just 18 yards in a 17-13 loss on Sunday, the dream of a 2,000-yard duo is just about dead.

“[The run game was] very disappointing and really when you look at what it was, 14 carries for our running backs for eight yards, Drew [Lock] got 10 yards on scrambles,” coach Vic Fangio after the game.

“It was disappointing. We had been running the ball well [in previous games], they did a good job up front on us. We never could seem to get our backs through the first wave of the defensive line, and we had a hard time finding any room in there.”

Las Vegas stacked the box to stop the run, giving little respect to Lock and the passing game. Denver wasn’t able to overcome that stacked box as the team’s running backs were frequently met at or near the line of scrimmage. Williams rushed seven times for 12 yards and Gordon rushed seven times for -4 yards.

The Broncos’ offense leans on its rushing attack, so that kind of production obviously won’t cut it in the final two weeks of the season. Fortunately for Denver, up next is a Los Angeles Chargers team that allows 140.3 rushing yards per game, the fourth-highest average in the NFL.

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Fantasy preview: How will Broncos’ stars perform against Raiders?

Wondering how the Broncos’ stars will fare against the Raiders? The Huddle offers fantasy projections for Sunday’s game.

In advance of Sunday’s Broncos-Raiders game, Broncos Wire examines the matchup with fantasy football projections for Denver players courtesy of our colleagues at The Huddle.

The second meeting between these AFC West rivals likely will drop the loser from wild-card contention, though it’s still an uphill battle for the winner. The Denver Broncos (7-7) come off a 15-10 loss to the Bengals that knocked quarterback Teddy Bridgewater out of the game. The Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) managed to steal a win at the Browns with a last-second field goal but lost to the Chiefs by 37 points the previous week. Both franchises have struggled over the past month, but either is capable of the surprise performance. They are equally adept at dropping a dud game as well.

The Raiders won 34-24 at Denver in Week 6.

Bridgewater has not been a difference-maker this year, but at least he wasn’t a liability. Now that he’s out with a concussion, Drew Lock returns as the starter, and that’s what the Broncos had tried to avoid after last year. The Broncos have a chance to take down their AFC West rivals as they spin through the division over the final three weeks. But the Chiefs are practically already out of reach as the division leader.

The rushing offense is solid with Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon in a tag-team scenario, but dropping down to Lock is likely more than this offense can stand. The Broncos’ defense remains one of the better units in the league, but the offense just cannot keep up when they fall behind.

Quarterback

Bridgewater passed for 334 yards and three scores against the Raiders in Week 6, but he also threw three interceptions and fumbled once. He’s not expected to be placed onto injured reserve, but he’s out this week after his head was slammed into the ground while being tackled. Bridgewater was hospitalized that night but then released. There’s a chance that he could return in the next two weeks, but by then, the season might be effectively over. This will be Lock’s first start of the season. He was the starter in 2020, when he threw for 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with only 2,933 passing yards.

Drew Lock projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy Points: 14
Passing: 200 yds, 1 TD

Running backs

Williams (11 carries, 53 yards) and Gordon (10 carries, 50 yards) split the workload in Week 6 against the Raiders. Both caught three short passes as well. There’s been no change in the rotation, but the Broncos have gone to a heavier run script in the second half of the season. They’ve divided over 30 carries in all but one game since Week 8 and totaled 11 touchdowns in that time. Gordon is the more likely scorer, while Williams has been the more effective rusher. With Bridgewater out, the Broncos will seek to get as much as they can from their backfield this week.

Melvin Gordon projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy points: 14
Rushing: 60 yds, 1 TD
Receiving: 1 rec, 10 yds

Javonte Williams projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy points: 12
Rushing: 70 yds
Receiving: 3 rec, 20 yds

Wide receivers

Courtland Sutton (eight catches, 94 yards, TD) and Tim Patrick (three catches, 42 yards, TD) scored against the visiting Raiders in Week 6. Jerry Jeudy was still on injured reserve at the time. That week was the high point of the Broncos’ passing this season. Sutton hasn’t scored since that Week 6 meeting and has failed to produce more than two catches in any of his past seven contests. Jeudy still has yet to score but was offering around 50 yards in most weeks until last Sunday, when he was blanked on four targets. Patrick is even less consistent, although he caught the lone touchdown in Week 15 that was thrown by Lock. This was already a mediocre unit that declined in the second half of the season. Swapping Bridgewater for Lock isn’t likely to improve anything.

Jerry Jeudy projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy points: 9
Receiving: 4 rec, 50 yds

Courtland Sutton projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy points: 5
Receiving: 3 rec, 20 yds

Tight end

Noah Fant led the receivers with nine catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting with the Raiders. That was also his last time to reach the end zone. Fant offers four or five catches for as many as 60 yards per game, but he’s consistently been less productive in road games. He posted five catches for 57 yards last Sunday for one of his better performances this season.

Noah Fant projection vs. Raiders
Fantasy points: 19
Receiving: 6 rec, 70 yds, 1 TD

Match to defense

The difference in this meeting is that the Broncos have to switch to Lock and play on the road. That will not be a plus in a matchup that they already lost back in Week 6. The Raiders have declined since that first meeting with their deluge of personnel issues and constant bad mojo. They have been one of the lowest-ranked defenses against running backs, and the Broncos will see success running the ball unless the Raiders get a lead and force Denver to pass.

Both Gordon and Williams merit weekly starts regardless of matchup, and that is no different in this Sunday tilt.

The Raiders’ pass defense gives up at least two scores in most games, but the addition of Lock throws much risk in relying on any aspect of the passing offense. Fant led Denver’s receivers back in Week 6, and the Raiders defense against tight ends continued to be among the worst in the league. They’ve already allowed 10 touchdowns to a position that is rarely used in the red zone, so expect Fant to be one of the top tight ends for Week 16.

The Broncos’ trio of wideouts was already short of any fantasy merit, and Lock isn’t going to change the risk that each presents. Stick with Fant, Gordon and Williams, and forget the rest for this week.

Broncos Wire podcast: Remembering Demaryius Thomas

On this week’s Broncos Wire podcast, Ryan O’Leary and Jon Heath remember late WR Demaryius Thomas.

This was a tough podcast.

On this week’s episode of the Broncos Wire podcast with Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary on Twitter), we look back on some of our favorite memories of late wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and briefly discuss Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions.

Episode 45 can be heard below:

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Other topics on this week’s podcast: Russell Wilson shooting down trade rumors, Melvin Gordon getting little respect from fans, Pat Surtain vs. Ja’Marr Chase this week, and the Chiefs vs. Chargers on “Thursday Night Football.”

On next week’s podcast, Ryan and I will recap Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals before looking ahead to a road game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Broncos Wire will release a new pod every Thursday during the season.

If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, you can check out previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your podcast service of choice. Please consider giving us a positive rating and review!

You can listen to every past episode below or at this link.

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Fantasy preview: How will Broncos’ stars perform against Bengals?

Wondering how the Broncos’ stars will fare against the Bengals? The Huddle offers fantasy projections for Sunday’s game.

In advance of Sunday’s Denver Broncos-Cincinnati Bengals game, Broncos Wire examines the matchup with fantasy football projections for Denver players courtesy of our colleagues at The Huddle.

The Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) are on a two-game losing streak but are 4-2 on the road. The Denver Broncos (7-6) beat up the visiting Lions and are 4-3 at home. Both teams are inconsistent and sway between impressive offense or surprising struggles. Currently, there are five 7-6 teams in the AFC vying for two wild-card spots. This may be as close to a playoff game as one of these teams will get. Home field and the better defense should translate to a win for the Broncos.

Team notes

The Broncos feature arguably the best 1-2 punch at running back with the tandem of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. Pairing that with an above-average defense accounts for the winning record. But the passing offense remains problematic when they are forced to throw. The final three games are against each of the other AFC West teams. Making up the two-game gap behind the 9-4 Chiefs is unlikely, but the Broncos will have to go through the division to net a wild card. The only remaining game where the weather might be a factor is Week 18, when they host the Chiefs. Denver’s offense is built for bad weather, but that won’t likely be an advantage this year.

Quarterback

Teddy Bridgewater threw two scores against the Lions last week, and that was his first game with more than one passing score since Week 7. Because of a backfield that is more effective at home, Bridgewater’s production usually dips when he is in Denver. His past three home games were all under 230 passing yards. Aside from his surprise showing against the Raiders in Week 6, Bridgewater is little more than a game manager, and the lack of effective passing has prevented Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy from meeting expectations.

Teddy Bridgewater projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy Points: 14
Passing: 200 yds, 1 TD

Running backs

Gordon has nine total touchdowns this season, and although he missed Week 13 with a hip injury, he returned to his best performance of the year. Gordon ran for a season-high 111 yards on 24 carries and logged two touchdowns on the visiting Lions in Week 14. He also sprained his thumb in the process but said it was not a limitation. Williams turned in his first double-touchdown performance when he ran for 73 yards and a score on 15 rushes and added a 10-yard catch for a second touchdown. Gordon has been the preferred goal-line runner, but Williams has stepped up in the past three weeks with a total of four touchdowns after logging just two in his first 10 games.

Javonte Williams projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy points: 19
Rushing: 60 yds, 1 TD
Receiving: 4 rec, 30 yds

Melvin Gordon projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy points: 15
Rushing: 70 yds, 1 TD
Receiving: 1 rec, 10 yds

Wide receivers

Only one receiving touchdown has been scored by a Broncos wideout over the past seven games, and that was Tim Patrick as the No. 3 wideout. Jeudy is a lock for around 50 yards each week but has yet to score in 2021. Sutton has posted three 90-plus-yard efforts through Week 8 but has since all but disappeared with Jeudy back and the run game usually effective. Bridgewater is a game manager — not a difference-maker. Sutton and Jeudy rarely have topped 40 yards in recent weeks.

Jerry Jeudy projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy points: 11
Receiving: 5 rec, 60 yds

Courtland Sutton projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy points: 5
Receiving: 2 rec, 30 yds

Tight end

Noah Fant hasn’t scored since Week 6, just like the wide receivers, but he turns in around 40 to 50 yards in most games. He’s consistent with four catches per game but is primarily a support blocker for the backfield.

Noah Fant projection vs. Bengals
Fantasy points: 14
Receiving: 4 rec, 40 yds, 1 TD

Match to defense

The Bengals’ defense is below average against all the fantasy positions, and yet it holds most opposing rushers to moderate yardage. But the Broncos bring the No. 3 fantasy backfield. Cleveland’s Nick Chubb ran for 137 yards and two scores in Cincinnati during Week 9. Both Gordon and Williams need to be in fantasy lineups each week, and their outlook remains bright in this matchup. Keeping Joe Burrow on the sideline is a very good way to beat the Bengals.

Bridgewater, playing at home, will likely continue his streak of moderate yardage and a touchdown. A passing score strongly favors Fant versus a defense that has given up five touchdowns to tight ends over its past six games. The Bengals secondary is also weak, but Sutton and Jeudy have combined for only two scores on the season. Gordon and Williams will lead the Denver offense, as usual.

Broncos RBs Melvin Gordon, Javonte Williams nominated for weekly awards

Broncos RB Melvin Gordon has been nominated for Ground Player of the Week and Javonte Williams has been nominated for Rookie of the Week!

Both of the Denver Broncos’ top two running backs have been nominated for weekly awards on NFL.com following the team’s 38-10 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 14.

Melvin Gordon has been nominated for the Ground Player of the Week award after rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. Gordon will face tough competition going up against Dalvin Cook’s 205 yards and two touchdowns. Fans can vote for Gordon at NFL.com/FedEx.

Fellow running back Javonte Williams has been nominated for the Rookie of the Week award after totaling 83 yards from scrimmage and scoring two touchdowns. Fans can vote for Williams at NFL.com/Rookies.

Williams has been nominated for Rookie of the Week honors in three-straight weeks. The talented running back has already topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season despite playing in a shared backfield.

Gordon and Williams have combined to total 1,904 yards from scrimmage this season with 15 touchdowns. They could become just the eighth duo in NFL history to each rush for 1,000 yards in a single season this year.

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Melvin Gordon III nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week after a monster game

The Badger legend puts together a solid day for the Broncos

Former Wisconsin Badger and current Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III had the best day of his 2021 season in Denver’s 38-10 win over the Lions. For the first time since Week 1, Gordon surpassed 100 yards on the ground as he set a season-high with 111 rushing yards.

The Broncos handed him the ball 24 times in their route of Detroit, and Gordon finished with a pair of touchdowns. His day earned him a nomination for FedEx Ground Player of the Week, a weekly NFL honor decided by the fans.

Fans can vote for Gordon here. After the game, the Badger great gave all the credit to his teammates:

“It was blocked up well,” Gordon said postgame. “We gave credit in the team locker room to the offensive linemen — as we should — but I just want to give just a brief moment to thank the tight ends and the wide receivers. Those guys fight their butt off to make plays. We’re fighting as a unit right now. I love to see it, and hopefully they hear this because I didn’t get to say it in there.”