Offense — A
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix used a heater from the start of the game Sunday afternoon. He threw touchdowns to Nate Adkins, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin and Lil’ Jordan Humphrey. He crushed the Falcons on third down and overall. He led Denver’s offense, scoring on five of the first seven possessions and barely giving up an inch. The Broncos controlled the game from start to finish, and Nix made plays whenever Denver needed them. Impressive production from an up-and-coming Rookie of the Year candidate. There has been a steady stream of young skill players, but this time there’s a ton of veterans in Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams.
Defense — A
Vance Joseph’s group knew they had big challenges with Atlanta’s balanced offense, but they did a great job overall. The Falcons have averaged 153 rushing yards per game over their last five games, but gained 35 yards on 13 carries midway through the fourth quarter. QB Kirk Cousins and others moved the ball early in the game, but Denver stood tall in the red zone, forcing two field goals and not allowing a touchdown. Nick Bonitto racked up his eighth and ninth sacks, Cody Barton took Cousins early in the second half, and the group played solidly without their top tackler, safety Brandon Jones (abdominal). .
Special teams — A-
One week after the game-clinching blunder and five days after the departure of senior assistant Mike Westhoff, the Broncos’ special teams unit is back to its usual strength. The place-kicking unit finished off a high-quality day with five extra points and an easy 45-yard Will Lutz field goal. Meanwhile, Marvin Mims Jr. had his best day of the entire season, coming loose on a 37-yard punt return. Riley Dixon brought down another punt inside the 10-yard line. All in all, a very bad day a week ago ended up being a very good day at the office.
Coaching — A
Sean Payton ran perhaps the best offensive script of the season, ending with a cocky design that left Nate Adkins wide open for a touchdown. He also won the challenge on the spot and got a first down. But more than that, thanks to Payton and the coaching staff, Denver was ready to play a week after the crushing loss. Payton laid down the chips immediately after the 16-14 loss to Arrowhead and said he thought his team would bounce back and persevere. He was right. Denver is currently at a point where they will likely be favored in their next three games and have a real chance to make a run for it.
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First Published: November 17, 2024 5:14pm MST
