Broncos make statement to start 2021 season with dominating win over Giants

The Denver Broncos came out of the gates a bit sluggish on offense. There were several miscues and missed opportunities in the first half, but the defense kept the game well at hand so when the offense caught fire it wasn’t long before the blowout was on.

Teddy Bridgewater made the short throws and the long throws and converted when it matters. His efficiency is why the Broncos offense eventually broke loose. Denver would beat the New York Giants handily 27-13 to start the season 1-0.

First Quarter

The Broncos won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to the second half, so it was the Giants offense to take the field first.

Daniel Jones and the Giants offense came out with intensity to open the game hitting Darius Slayton on a 42-yard go route over Kyle Fuller to get them into field goal range three plays into the game.

Von Miller then broke up an end around for a six yard loss that quickly led to a 3rd and 17 for New York. Jones threw incomplete to force the end to the drive. The backwards play for the defense led to punt, so Denver was able to dodge a bullet early on.

For the Broncos first offensive possession, Teddy Bridgewater went to Noah Fant on their second play on a slant down the middle for a 15 yard gain to silence the crowd. After back to back runs by Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, the Broncos were faced with a third and three. Under pressure, Bridgewater tossed it up to Courtland Sutton but it was overthrown.

The Giants next drive was blown up by Von Miller on a first down run and then a third down sack to bring out the punt unit.

Bridgewater continued to look good early in the game. The drive faced a setback from a Sutton penalty for blocking in the back on a first down run by Gordon. On third and two, Bridgewater found Tim Patrick open past the sticks to the Giants 40-yard line. The Giants defense started to come alive from there quickly forcing a third and seven. Bridgewater’s pass would reach Jerry Jeudy late and the pass would be broken up.

Denver would go for it on fourth and seven. Bridgewater would fire a bullet to Patrick in the middle of the field for a first down.

That big time conversion would see the Broncos down into the red zone after a reception by KJ Hamler to the Giants 11 to end the quarter.

Bridgewater would finish the quarter 7/9 for 66 yards and a 97.2 passer rating.

Second Quarter

To open up the second quarter, Bridgewater missed a wide open Patrick in the end zone and instead threw to Noah Fant where the ball was popped up into the air and incomplete. That would detail the 15-play drive and the Broncos would end up having to settle for a Brandon McManus field goal.

Broncos 3, Giants 0.

The Giants answered with a sustained drive in response converting third downs on a pass interference call on Ronald Darby and then with Josey Jewell in slot coverage to get them into field goal range. The rookie Patrick Surtain then got beat on a 36-yard touchdown by Sterling Shepherd to put the Giants up.

Giants 7, Broncos 3.

It was Bridgewater to Fant twice early on the Broncos next drive, the first for five yards and the second for a 25 yard gain into Giants territory.

A blown screen pass to Javonte Williams set Denver back and a short pass to Jeudy would setup a third and 9 just outside of field goal range. Bridgewater found Jeudy wide open for the first down and a personal foul penalty set Denver up inside the 20.

From the 13, Bridgewater was flushed out of the pocket inside and scrambled to the Giants 9 yard line. Albert Okwuegbunam caught a pass and was running it down inside the 5 when he fumbled right into the Giants defenders hands to end what looked like a promising drive.

From their own five yard line, the Giants were stymied by the Broncos defense and were a quick three and out with just over two minutes to go in the half. Denver’s offense seemed lackluster early in the drive quickly finding themselves in a third and eight. Bridgewater threw short of the sticks to Jeudy for an apparent quick three and out with less than a minute to go in the half.

Head Coach Vic Fangio dialed up the risk again in this game by actually going for it on fourth down. Bridgewater found Courtland Sutton diving on a slant for a 14-yard gain. Teddy then found Jerry Jeudy on a deep crosser for another chunk gain for 17. Catching fire, Teddy went to Patrick for 16 to the Giants two yard line with 13 seconds to go in the half.

From the two, Bridgewater found Tim Patrick again for the touchdown to put Denver up going into halftime. It was a defining drive for an offense that was struggling to get things done inside the red zone in this game.

Broncos 10, Giants 7.

Third Quarter

Denver began the second half from their own 25-yard line. Gordon opened things up with a five yard gain, but Sutton couldn’t hold on to a sliding attempt at a reception. On third and five, Bridgewater was flushed out of the pocket and dodged several near sacks to fire a bullet across his body to KJ Hamler for a first down conversion.

Two plays later, however, Teddy missed a wide open Noah Fant for a deep pass down the seam. On third and five, he then hit Albert O for a five yard gain and a first down to move the sticks. Bridgewater didn’t miss on his next deep throw, but Hamler would drop an easy touchdown. Hamler burned everyone and was wide open. He just whiffed the catch.

Gordon had a nice cut on second down to gain six to setup a third and manageable. Bridgewater then found Fant on a crossing route for another first down into field goal range.

Another good first down run by Gordon was wiped out by Bridgewater’s first sack of the game, which would put the Broncos in a third and seven situation. Teddy hit Jeudy on a deep crosser for a big first down inside the 20, but Jeudy went down grabbing his ankle and fumbling in the process where the Giants would recover.

The fumble was overturned, but the bigger concern was over Jeudy’s health. He was carted off the field.

Denver would go on to score on that drive to increase their lead after an Albert O touchdown.

Broncos 17, Giants 7.

In what seems like forever, the Giants offense returned to the field with six minutes to go in the third quarter. They didn’t show any rust as Sterling Shepherd found openings to exploit in the Broncos secondary. They quickly found themselves at the Broncos 26 yard line.

After converting a big third down to the Broncos 22, Daniel Jones took off with the ball and had it stripped by Josey Jewell and Malik Reed would recover for the Broncos defenses first turnover of 2021.

The third down conversions kept coming for Teddy Bridgewater in the game on their next drive. On third and 9, Bridgewater found KJ Hamler who made a fantastic grab to tip toe in bounds for a 22 yard gain. Javonte Williams continued to impress with a 12 yard gain immediately after that Hamler grab.

It seemed the Broncos offense shrugged off its first half inconsistencies and were rolling through much of the game. Bridgewater ran for a first down and got a personal foul to put Denver back into field goal range to end the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Another sack would end the Broncos offensive momentum early in the fourth quarter, but a nice screen pass to Gordon regained most of the yardage and made it a closer field goal attempt for Brandon McManus.

Broncos 20, Giants 7.

On the next series, the Giants put together a long drive that included a fourth down conversion. They would be faced with another fourth down on that drive and it was from the Broncos six yard line. Daniel Jones went at Kyle Fuller who knocked the ball away to keep the lead two scores.

Denver would put a stamp to the game on the next series as Melvin Gordon broke loose for a 70 yard touchdown run.

Broncos 27, Giants 7.

As Denver went into a vanilla type defense, the Giants offense began moving the ball late in the fourth quarter. Von Miller would a second sack to the game to force the Giants into a fourth and 15 from the Broncos 21 yard line. Jones would overthrow his receiver in the end zone. The Giants would add a garbage time touchdown at the very end of the game.

Broncos 27, Giants 13.

Denver would secure the big Week 1 road win to advance to 1-0 on the season.