Mile High Report - Denver Broncos 19, San Francisco 49ers 12: Everything we knowBy Fans, For Fans....Your Source For Denver Broncos News and Commenthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50905/mhr-fav.png2015-09-01T07:00:10-06:00http://www.milehighreport.com/rss/stream/89888102015-09-01T07:00:10-06:002015-09-01T07:00:10-06:0049ers at Broncos: Preseason No Bull Review
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<p>We hosted Collin Kaepernick and the 49ers for the most meaningful preseason game of the 2015 season on Saturday night. How did our first team look in extended time? Who's looking solid and who isn't as we get ready for some very interesting roster cuts in a week?</p> <p>I learned a whole lot about our team in week 3 of the preseason and was pretty happy with the long looks at our first and second team guys. It wasn't all pretty, but the ugly <a target="_blank" href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226543/aqib-talib-puts-the-hurt-on-reggie-bush-on-3rd-down">was so bad in such a good way</a>. Seriously though...that play was the first time this season that I burst out cheering and jumped in my seat.</p>
<h3>Offense</h3>
<h4>Thoughts on the current sheriff</h4>
<p>I liked what I saw this week a lot more than what we saw in week 2. Manning huddled up. Manning took snaps under center. We saw a really big area for improvement as far as "What is he going to do about A-gap blitzes?"</p>
<p>Peyton Manning had a somewhat up and down night as far as accuracy. His bullet to Andre Caldwell in traffic was gorgeous. His INT to Demaryius Thomas was terrible. Even some of his completions were off (screen pass to DT too high and a little behind) enough to cost us chunks of yards.</p>
<h4>Thoughts on the deputy</h4>
<p>Brock Osweiler has me sold as far as being a stud back up for our team. I have full confidence that should anything untoward happen to our QB (don't even open your mouth Tim...just walk away), he'll be able to keep the train chugging along.</p>
<p>Osweiler looks pretty darn good in the new offense. He has the mobility to make some nice bootleg plays. He's making his reads well. He looks off the safety before rocketing the ball down the field. He looks calm and cool even under pressure. That's a big step forward from what we saw last year. I'm now officially thinking Elway is probably going to be working on an extension sooner rather than later.</p>
<h4>What's in the stable</h4>
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<p>We've got a real stallion in C.J. Anderson. He showed a lot of his ability we saw last year for running with power and being elusive enough to make guys miss. He hasn't broken any big runs, but his YPC is looking okay to me. In this game what stood out was his work in the passing game. He ran some very good routes and showed soft hands in a couple of catches.</p>
<p>Ronnie Hillman deserves the #2 spot and is our race horse. He's just flat out earned it. He has the best YPC of anything we have in the stable. This is the kind of play I saw from him last year that had me excited before his injury. He's going to be a big part of our offense this year.</p>
<p>Juwan Thompson looked like a solid draft horse for us. He ran with power. He looked like the kind of power back who could do 3.5 - 4 yards a carry ALL DAY. I liked the goal line running he showed and I loved the TD run from him of course.</p>
<p>Montee Ball is looking like the pile of stuff mixed with hay we scooted over to the side to be picked up and tossed at a later date. I like many of the fans in Broncos Country was really hoping this was the year that Ball returned to his rookie form, grabbed that 2nd spot by the horns, and made a name for himself in the stable. That's not what happened. Count me in as one of the fans thinking his job is on the line next week. 2nd round pick or not, I feel completely comfortable calling him a disappointment in what I've seen out of him this preseason (I hope you hear that Montee and come show us all how wrong we are on Thursday...it is time to either Bronco up or head out to pasture).</p>
<h3>Defense</h3>
<h4>Secondary thoughts</h4>
<p>Credit Champ Bailey for it, but I sure do love me some cornerbacks that know how to <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226543/aqib-talib-puts-the-hurt-on-reggie-bush-on-3rd-down" target="_blank">plant some poor fool into the ground like a sack of potatoes</a>. He had another big play where he was alone in coverage on the right side of the offense and he had a text book tackle. I'm excited to see what he and Chris Harris, Jr. is going to do this year. Anyone who doesn't think our tandem of corners isn't in the discussion for the best in the NFL is certifiable.</p>
<p>Also of note, Darian Stewart impressed me in this game. He was in on a bunch of tackles early on and knew where the ball was going. It still wasn't that deep test I've been looking for, but I love <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvPxzQBIafo" target="_blank">safeties that can lay the wood</a>.</p>
<p>David Bruton was hit and miss for me in this game. He let an big pass happen in the open field...it was well thrown, but had he had a half more step on his guy he could have deflected it. Later in the game he had a couple of much better coverage plays. I'm probably being a little harsh, but to my argument he's been in the league quite some time and was going up against back-ups.</p>
<h4>Eatin greedier</h4>
<p>I'm so completely stoked for our pass rush this year. Von Miller isn't going to be the one man show. Demarcus Ware showed the goods. Shane Ray did as well. You really have to think that we'll be able to keep Ware fresh for a playoff push and Miller for that matter. Both guys have backups that can get it done.</p>
<p>Shaquil Barrett deserves his own paragraph. His preseason has been nothing short of phenomenal. He's speed. He's technique. He's been dominating the opposition every week. One thing I haven't seen is effective bull rushes from him, but I haven't been watching him closely to be fair (I've been watching more closely Ray).</p>
<h4>Inside satisfaction</h4>
<p>Danny Trevathan was on the field with a big smile and more of the great play we are all used to from him. Brandon Marshall was there too and they are going to be awesome in this defense from what I've seen. Both guys are flying to the ball on runs and gliding with their assignments against the pass. There was a reason that Kaepernick didn't do squat passing the ball and it wasn't just that he kinda sucks at it...we also had solid coverage everywhere.</p>
<p>With the 2s, Todd Davis flashed again for me. He was in on a couple of tackles, had a great pass defense, and tipped a pass. Again, we're seeing depth in an area that had many of us worried in the off season which makes me a happy camper.</p>
<h3>Special Teams</h3>
<p>Big props to Britton Colquitt for the punts. The hang time was awesome. One of his two punts was 62 yards. More of that, please Colquitt.</p>
<p>Brandon McManus I thought looked very good in his kicking game. He had a miss on a 55 yard field goal, but I can let that go. If you are one of the fans dissing the guy for it, please go try kicking a 35 yard field goal, then come back and talk some smack. Making a 55 yard attempt is not easy. If he misses 4-5 more at 50+, I'll dog him. But for now, he's good going 4/5 on FGs.</p>
<p>My serious worry for our team heading into week 1 is our return game. No one looks stable back there. We've seen Omar Bolden and Isaiah Burse fumble. I have yet to see a guy that Denver put back to do returns look solid in the fundamental ability to catch the friggin football.</p>
<h3>Miscellaneous Thoughts</h3>
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<li><span>I'm still not worried about the offense. Not even a little bit. This is a new coaching system for Manning. Just like when he first joined the team, it is going to take a few weeks of regular season play for things to get really clicking. In the meantime, we have a monster defense that should be able to help us still win those games with the engine not quite well oiled.</span></li>
<li>Here's a caution on the defense: no one so far has really seriously tested our first string with the deep ball. Look for that week 1 against Baltimore.</li>
<li><span>Jordan Norwood was phenomenal. I really like his game and think he solidified his spot on the team with that performance. I'd take him over Andre Caldwell all day, err day.</span></li>
<li>Curtis Marsh probably sealed his fate with some really poor coverage in this game. I'd be surprised to see him make the cut to 53.</li>
<li><span>One knock on both C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman is pass protection. Both guys sucked with great force in their blocking assignments that led to Manning getting hit.</span></li>
<li><span>It is worth stating that Andre Caldwell looks good enough to make the team again this year. I kinda hate it, but if I'm the coach and he looked as good in practice as he has in game, there is no way I can objectively make that cut...it would have to come from the GM looking to save money.</span></li>
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https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/9/1/9238201/49ers-at-broncos-preseason-no-bull-reviewsadaraine2015-08-31T12:01:04-06:002015-08-31T12:01:04-06:00Ware, Manning headline Game Balls
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<p>When the Denver Broncos win, the MHR Staff gives out game balls. And after the 19-12 preseason victory over the 49ers, game balls we will give.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The <b>Denver Broncos</b> defense starred once again as the unit continues to put on quite a show leading up to the regular season. However, there were some offensive stars on Saturday night that received some game balls as well. On with the awards ceremony!</p>
<h3>WR Jordan Norwood</h3>
<p>There were two Broncos that were targeted more than twice and caught all of their passes James Casey (3) and Jordan Norwood (4). Norwood you saw playing the Emmanuel Sanders role from the slot was the only thing happening well on offense for awhile nabbing balls from Peyton Manning as the offense switched from huddling to not. He made it tougher for the team to cut him tonight, showing that he can have success in the slot. Norwood is currently listed behind Sanders and Cody Latimer on the depth chart, but ahead of guys that we have seen do well throughout training camp and the preseason like Nathan Palmer, Bennie Fowler, Corbin Louks, Isaiah Burse and Jordan Taylor. <b><i>- Ian Henson</i></b></p>
<h3>CB Omar Bolden</h3>
<p>Despite fumbling the first kickoff of the game, safety Omar Bolden might be the best we have for the job. He averaged 31 yards per return, and the entire Broncos secondary allowed for zero pass yards while he was playing. He suffered a cheap shot by 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin with 12 seconds left in the half, but seems to just have had the wind knocked out of him. The Broncos special teams may need some serious work, but Omar Bolden is a bright spot. <b><i>- Kelly Flemming</i></b></p>
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<h3>OLB DeMarcus Ware</h3>
<p>It is tempting to give a <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/horse_tracks/2015/8/31/9231217/at-3-0-broncos-owning-the-preseason-especially-that-defense" target="_blank">game ball to the entire defense again</a>, especially since there were not as many flashy individual defensive stats in this game, yet once again, the Broncos D kept coming ... and kept winning.</p>
<p>But one flashy individual stat definitely earns DeMarcus Ware a game ball. Breaking through the 49ers offensive line and escaping the grasp of former CSU Ram Erik Pears, Ware rounded the corner, grabbed Kaepernick and Would.Not.Let.Go.</p>
<p>Despite Kap's noble attempt to get out of the end zone, Ware ensured the mobile QB was staying put...and putting two points on the Broncos' scoreboard. <b><i>- Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann</i></b></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sacks rock. <a href="https://t.co/69o8a9hpFo">https://t.co/69o8a9hpFo</a></p>
— L.Lattimore-Volkmann (@docllv) <a href="https://twitter.com/docllv/status/637810724111294464">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Starting Secondary Unit</h3>
<p>Thanks in part to a plentiful pass rush that kept Colin Kaepernick on his for the entire first half, the Broncos secondary only allowed two completions for thirteen yards. With sacks courtesy of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, the San Francisco 49ers were credited with 0 passing yards for the entire first half. Bradley Roby stepped up in place of Chris Harris, Jr. and performed admirably, while Aqib Talib shut down opposing wide receivers and happened to level Reggie Bush before he could reach the first down marker on a 3rd and 22 draw play. If they keep playing this well into the regular season, there just may be something to the idea that T.J. Ward and his teammates have espoused since the beginning of training camp -- to be the best secondary in the NFL. <b><i>- Christopher Hart</i></b></p>
<h3>CB Aqib Talib</h3>
<p>Aqib Talib showcased physicality and superb tackling technique in week 3. We've seen this a bunch of times on both sides of the field from our corners in this preseason: single coverage areas where if the corner misses the play, it will be a highlight reel play. Talib invites quarterbacks to throw to his side for little gain. Talib also enjoys driving poor fools into the ground who try to foolishly hop over him near the sideline. Fooball. Playa. <b><i>- Sadaraine</i></b></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> defense has allowed 48 total passing yards to starting quarterbacks through three preseason games. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrangeCrush?src=hash">#OrangeCrush</a></p>
— Tim Lynch (@TimLynch1978) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimLynch1978/status/638109054556987392">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>QB Peyton Manning</h3>
<p>Peyton Manning gets my game ball. I know 14/21 for 124 yards and an interception isn't typically gameball worthy. I get it, not leading his offense to anything but a before the half field goal isn't gameball worthy. But that's <a target="_blank" href="http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/30/deflategate-concussion-movie-preseason-week-3-nfl">where you're wrong</a>. You see, there's nothing wrong with Manning's arm. There's nothing wrong with Manning's eyes. There's nothing wrong with Manning's execution.</p>
<div class="pullquote">Instead of practicing to look pretty in the preseason, Peyton Manning and the offense have spent their time tuning up for the Baltimore Ravens, and they're going to lure the entire NFL into their trap.</div>
<p>You see, the reason why Peyton gets my gameball is because as untuned as he has looked, it's because he's out there executing plays that they won't use during the regular season.</p>
<p>Instead of practicing to look pretty in the preseason, Peyton Manning and the offense have spent their time tuning up for the Baltimore Ravens, and they're going to lure the entire NFL into their trap. What you saw week 2 and again last night isn't what you'll see come the regular season. What you saw last night was Kubiak baiting the trap. How many touchdowns is the record? 7? How about Manning throws for 8 against a familiar record-allowing team in Baltimore You, Mr. Peyton Manning, get my gameball for fooling everyone in the NFL, including almost everyone who roots for you and the Broncos! <b><i>- Pete Baron</i></b></p>
<h3>RB Juwann Thompson</h3>
<p>His final stat line was a pedestrian 4 or 15 yards, but when you punch in the only touchdown in a defense slugfest and follow it up with a two-point conversion to seal the deal then you deserve a game ball from me. That was clutch when the Broncos needed it most.</p>
<p>Juwann Thompson, I think, has earned a spot ahead of Montee Ball on this roster. It works out well, with C.J. Anderson as the starter and best all-around running back. Ronnie Hillman the lightning bolt backing him up and Thompson as the short yardage thumper. Gary Kubiak has his committee of running backs set and Ball looks to be the odd man out here. <b><i>- Tim Lynch</i></b></p>
<h3>DL Darius Kilgo</h3>
<p>Darius Kilgo has the coolest name on the Denver Broncos. Just saying his name invokes images of an intense staredown of which I want no part. "Dare us, you say? DARE ME? .... KILL! GO!" I'm not sure the context of this staredown or what those words mean <i>exactly</i>, but whatever they are, they end up with me, dead.</p>
<p>Kilgo is killing it. He was the top-rated Bronco according to PFF, and the tape shows why. He played the second most snaps on the team and still wound up productive. After back-to-back weeks with sacks in Weeks 1 and 2, Kilgo had a pass block and a tackle for loss Saturday. One day the crowds at Mile High will be chanting, "Kill - Go," if this guy continues to grow, which will be an awesome staredown for any enemy team on the field. <b><i>- Monty</i></b></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Seahawks?src=hash">#Seahawks</a> Wilson & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/49ers?src=hash">#49ers</a> Kaepernick combined for more sacks than completions against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> defense (4 to 3). Plus 2 fumbles and safety.</p>
— Tim Lynch (@TimLynch1978) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimLynch1978/status/638109398062116864">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>There you go Broncos Country - who gets your Game Ball for Denver's 19-12 victory?</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Rodney%20Adams">H/T to Rodney Adams</a> for the info I shared in these two tweets about the defense.</p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/31/9231507/broncos-49ers-game-balls-preseason-peyton-manning-demarcus-wareTim Lynch2015-08-30T18:01:02-06:002015-08-30T18:01:02-06:00Roster stock report: Montee Ball slipping
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<p>The Denver Broncos have some important <strong>roster cuts</strong> to make by Tuesday.</p> <p>The <b>Denver Broncos</b> <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/30/9228365/broncos-have-to-trim-their-roster-down-to-75-players-by-tuesday" target="_blank">must cut down their roster</a> from 90 players to 75 by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, September 1st. That gives them two days from the time this article publishes to make their first round of decisions on who will be a part of the 2015 Denver Broncos and who will hit the free agent market.</p>
<p>The biggest and most valuable pieces of input the Broncos have to make these crucial decisions are the performances of their respective players through three preseason games. With that in mind, here's a stock report on whose players' stock is rising and whose is falling as we enter <strong>2015 Broncos roster cuts</strong>.</p>
<h3>Stock up: WR Jordan Norwood</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jordan Norwood making his statement for the roster. Two 3rd-down receptions. Working as the slot man. Seen all first-team 3-WR reps so far.</p>
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/637804747551055872">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Based on this game, Jordan Norwood deserves to be your third receiver</p>
— Robin Carlin (@carlinrobin) <a href="https://twitter.com/carlinrobin/status/637811008988286976">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Stock down: WR Cody Latimer</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Peyton's pass for Cody Latimer is incomplete. Broncos to punt. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFvsDEN?src=hash">#SFvsDEN</a></p>
— cover32 Broncos (@cover32_DEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/cover32_DEN/status/637794651643113472">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">In a draft full of great receivers, Cody Latimer looks like the rare miss. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a></p>
— James Merilatt (@jamesmerilatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/jamesmerilatt/status/637811753087176704">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Stock up: RB Juwan Thompson</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Interesting ... but not all surprising. Juwan Thompson getting all the reps to start the half over Montee</p>
— Adam Kinney (@AdamKinneyRadio) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamKinneyRadio/status/637820091980226560">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Juwan Thompson zooms through for the first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> (or <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/49ers?src=hash">#49ers</a>) touchdown of the night! <a href="https://t.co/Ap7taGqMEC">https://t.co/Ap7taGqMEC</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637835242011787264">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Stock down: RB Montee Ball</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Montee Bubble may be playing for his Broncos life tonight. . . he cannot afford to be fourt on the depth chart. Too much $$$ on his contract</p>
— Gil Whiteley (@Gilfest) <a href="https://twitter.com/Gilfest/status/637780045981814784">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Montee Ball said he was "surprised" at his lack of snaps tonight as the team told him he would get more. Thinks he's the 4th RB now.</p>
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) <a href="https://twitter.com/CameronWolfe/status/637849714407305216">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ladies and gentlemen, if Montee Ball makes this team, it won't be on merit.</p>
— Mark Kiszla (@markkiszla) <a href="https://twitter.com/markkiszla/status/637824576827715586">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Stock up: WR Jordan Taylor</h3>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Whether he makes the grab or he helps coax the pass interference penalty, <span>Jordan Taylor</span> just makes things happen.</p>
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/637834508289613824">August 30, 2015</a>
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<h3>Stock up: LB Shaquil Barrett</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LB <a href="https://twitter.com/MOOCHIE056">@MOOCHIE056</a> was busy last night vs. the <a href="https://twitter.com/49ers">@49ers</a>. Playing-time notes <a href="http://t.co/pgHIynE43p">http://t.co/pgHIynE43p</a> <a href="http://t.co/ylNcOWuYXL">pic.twitter.com/ylNcOWuYXL</a></p>
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) <a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/638052851860807680">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p><em><a target="_blank" href="http://milehighsports.com/2015/08/29/mhs-rapid-react-position-and-bubble-battles/">Hat-tip to Mile High Sports</a> for some of these Tweets.</em></p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/30/9226991/broncos-roster-2015-stock-report-montee-ball-evan-mathiskmonty2015-08-30T16:00:02-06:002015-08-30T16:00:02-06:00Is Peyton Manning washed up?
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<p>Before we hit the panic button on <b>Peyton Manning</b>, we may want to consider his past before we write him off as washed up. Just three years and one week ago, Broncos Country <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2012/8/24/3266289/should-denver-bronco-fans-be-concerned-about-peyton-mannings" target="_blank">was in full panic mode</a> after Manning's first two preseason games the quarterback of the <b>Denver Broncos</b>.</p>
<p>Back then, he looked off. He looked slow. He look ... old. Everyone assumed his surgically repair neck was to blame, but in hindsight it was more Manning going through the pains of installing a new offense. Something he had only had to do early in his career with the <b>Indianapolis Colts</b>.</p>
<p>Manning even alluded to this process in his post-game press conference Saturday night:</p>
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<p>I think it’s important for us to improve through the season, and like I said, would we like to be a finely-tuned machine going into Week 1? Sure. With some newness, some different players and some different things that we’re doing, that’s what we’re working toward. Certainly, I think the key is for us to improve through the season. Now, we’re not making excuses. You can still win games as you’re still kind of finding your identity and figuring out the things that you can hang your hat on. We’ve got some starters out, potentially. Emmanuel and obviously we’ve got good competition there with Evan and Max, and whatever rotation ends up at the offensive line, so we’re still very much kind of figuring out who we are and what we’re going to be as far as the things we can really hang our hat on. And I think we’ll develop those throughout the season. I still think we can win games as we’re developing kind of that identity.</p>
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<p>Through two preseason games in 2012 he went 20/30 for 221 yards with 3 interceptions. Oh and zero touchdown passes. So far through two preseason games in 2015, Manning is 22/35 for 176 yards and 1 interception. Oh and zero touchdown passes.</p>
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<p>I see (and I hope) the two commonalities is Manning working through creating offensive rhythm that we really won't start to see until the midway point of the season. In 2012, Manning looked pretty rough through the first five and half games before moving on to record breaking magnificence through three seasons as a Bronco. Creating a new offensive identity takes time, so we must be patient with it.</p>
<p>We're not going to see the Peyton Manning of 2013, but we should see a Manning that can and will run an efficient offense. He doesn't need extra zip on the ball. He just needs to put the offense in the right offensive formations with the right audibles, so he can find the open guy. He beats teams by outsmarting them, not by putting zip on the ball.</p>
<p><b>Gary Kubiak</b> is going to run the ball effectively, which means Manning is going to have plenty of opportunities to put points on the board. The first two preseason games really don't mean a thing other than get fans overly excited or overly downcast before a real game is ever played. You should see <a href="http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/8/30/9226795/49ers-broncos-recap-working-through-the-offensive-line-issues" target="_blank">how 49ers fans are reacting</a> to their offensive line after the Broncos defense wrecked it in the first half.</p>
<p>So, is it time to panic? No.</p>
<p>Not yet, anyway...</p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/30/9228699/is-it-time-to-hit-the-panic-button-on-peyton-manningTim Lynch2015-08-30T08:01:02-06:002015-08-30T08:01:02-06:00Horse Tracks: 3 observations
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<figcaption>Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Saturday night's game between the <b>Denver Broncos</b> and <b>San Francisco 49ers </b>was the first game I actually got to watch on my television, so it was good for me to see the <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226623/broncos-49ers-final-score-peyton-manning-2015">Broncos pull out that 19-12 win</a> late. We've <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226455/broncos-49ers-instant-reactions-brock-osweiler">had tons of reactions already</a> to the game, but here are three quick observations I've had about these Broncos through three preseason games.</p>
<ol>
<li>The defense is legit. A cousin of mine who happens to be a 49ers fans asked me after the game if the Broncos defensive line was <i style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">that</i> good or if he needs to start freaking out about his teams offensive line. I told him not to worry, because the Broncos have 15 sacks from roughly 12 different players through 3 preseason games. The defensive line is <i>that</i> good.</li>
<li>
<b>Peyton Manning</b> still looks rusty, but its worth noting that he had roughly the same game statistically as <b>Brock Osweiler</b> last night. That surprised me, so maybe its not as bad as we all think. Manning finished 14/21 for 124 yards and one interception. Osweiler finished 15-20 for 104 yards. One thing I noticed about Manning's interception was that the cornerback changed his pre-snap position right after Manning looked away from him. I believe that changed where Manning thought the corner would end up, so instead of being caught outside the corner was able to retain inside position for the easy interception.</li>
<li>
<b>Brandon McManus</b> is the guy. Forget that 55 yard shank. His accuracy on the long ball will come more slowly than the shorter kicks. We must remember that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/27/9213025/brandon-mcmanus-removes-jab-step-to-win-his-job-back">he changed his motion only weeks ago</a>. So far, I really like what I have seen from him inside of 50 yards. He finished 3/4 with a long of 45 and was really good on kick offs.</li>
</ol>
<p>What did you learn from Saturday nights' game?</p>
<h3>Horse Tracks</h3>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/denver-broncos/0ap3000000518064/49ers-vs-Broncos-highlights">49ers vs. Broncos highlights - NFL Videos</a><br>Your Denver Broncos highlights from Saturday's 19-12 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Postgame-Three-Things-vs-49ers/5fdd38c9-e3c2-4843-973f-591673581cd9">Postgame: Three Things vs. 49ers | DenverBroncos.com</a><br>The offense's attempt to find a rhythm was one of the three things to watch in Saturday's game. Find out how that played in out in the Broncos' 19-12 win.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-evaluate-progress-after-extensive-first-team-looks/4d225c18-a408-4911-ae96-eea6be688e60">Broncos evaluate progress after extensive first-team looks | DenverBroncos.com</a><br>Three games into the preseason and just two weeks away from the first game of the regular season, the Broncos have shown glimpses of brilliance and areas for improvement.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Ups-downs-for-Peyton-Manning-and-the-Broncos-first-team/50f2108a-e8dc-4032-9c49-8866b5d31af8">Ups, downs for Peyton Manning and the Broncos' first team | DenverBroncos.com</a><br>The Broncos mounted some long drives but struggled with finishing and blitz pickup. Meanwhile, the defense was stout, as usual.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_28727456/broncos-improve-3-0-but-touchdowns-remain-short">Broncos improve to 3-0, but touchdowns remain in short supply - Denver Post</a><br>The second-quarter play symbolized the challenge of change. Peyton Manning took a shotgun snap Saturday and looked right. Wide receiver Cody Latimer cut hard on a slant. He was covered, but tight end Owen Daniels was not.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_28727924/its-bad-idea-give-ax-broncos-center-paradis">Paige: It's a bad idea to give ax to Broncos center Matt Paradis - Denver Post</a><br>A year ago today, Matt Paradis was cut by Broncos Planet. Today, he is the center of their universe.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.denverpost.com/broncos/2015/08/29/takeaways-from-broncos-win-over-49ers/35196/">Five takeaways from Broncos' win over 49ers - Denver Post</a><br>Teams struggle in preseason. But teams led by Peyton Manning, who spent the last three seasons mocking the record books, don’t.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/176679/broncos-defense-dominant-offense-still-looks-to-find-the-groove-in-passing-game">Denver Broncos' defense dominant against 49ers - ESPN</a><br>A few thoughts on the Denver Broncos' 19-12 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Saturday night at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/176686/broncos-von-miller-shows-he-is-more-than-ready-for-regular-season">Von Miller shows he is more than ready for regular season - ESPN</a><br>Here are some highs and lows in terms of individual performances from the Denver Broncos 19-12 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Saturday night in Sports Authority Field at Mile High.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.9news.com/story/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/mike-klis/2015/08/30/peyton-manning-denver-broncos/71411440/">Broncos offense sluggish but defense beats 49ers, 19-12 | 9News</a><br>These 2015 Denver Broncos are making it difficult to come up with a catchy slogan. C.J. and the Wade Machine. Phillips, Peyton and the Punt.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/recap/NFL_20150829_SF@DEN/manning-on-the-run-in-denvers-19-12-win-over-49ers">San Francisco 49ers at Denver Broncos - CBSSports.com</a><br>Sure, Peyton Manning said, he'd like to have played more this summer - and better. He swears he's not worried.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.scout.com/nfl/broncos/story/1580256-offensive-ones-struggle-again-in-denver-win">Offensive 'Ones' Struggle Again In Denver Win - Mile High Huddle</a><br>The Broncos first-team offense struggled in the redzone, while the defense continued to dominate in their 19-12 preseason victory over the 'Niners.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/8/29/9226943/49ers-broncos-recap-that-offensive-line-has-some-issues">That offensive line has some issues - Niners Nation</a><br>The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Denver Broncos on Saturday, and the offensive line was a major issue. We take a look at the changes in the lineup, and what Jim Tomsula had to say after the game.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ninersnation.com/2015/8/29/9226539/49ers-broncos-final-score-navorro-bowman-kenneth-acker-reggie-bush">9 things we learned - Niners Nation</a><br>The San Francisco 49ers dropped to 1-2 in the preseason, losing to the Denver Broncos by a final score of 19-12. Here are 9 things we learned in the team's third preseason game.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/8/29/9226537/philip-rivers-injury-chargers-seahawks-preseason-game">Philip Rivers leaves game against the Seahawks with hand injury - SBNation.com</a><br>Rivers seemed to jam his thumb after making contact with Seattle linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis late in the first half of the Chargers' third preseason game Saturday night.</p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/30/9227455/broncos-49ers-game-3-observationsTim Lynch2015-08-30T06:01:01-06:002015-08-30T06:01:01-06:00Broncos' defense wins the day in 19-12 victory
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<figcaption>Doug Pensinger/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A late drive with a winning touchdown put the Broncos ahead of the 49ers at the end of the fourth quarter, but it was the Broncos defense - again - that was the big story in the game.</p> <p>Another late fourth-quarter touchdown by another backup saved the game once again for the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a> as they came up on the winning end, 19-12, against the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">49ers</a> Saturday at Mile High.</p>
<p>And while the Broncos offense is still figuring out its rhythm, the defense is rocking and rolling, reminding NFL opponents it's going to be a tough fight to get points - not to mention yards - against this team.</p>
<p>As my favorite cliché-spewing defensive end <span>DeMarcus Ware</span> said after the game, "Actually, when you sort of think about it, defenses win championships."</p>
<p>Not very original perhaps, but not untrue either.</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First-half sacks and safety set tone vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/49ers">@49ers</a> <a href="http://t.co/5eVgbzPiXE">http://t.co/5eVgbzPiXE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFvsDEN?src=hash">#SFvsDEN</a> <a href="http://t.co/5p6UXuZBSN">pic.twitter.com/5p6UXuZBSN</a></p>
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) <a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/637859363709952000">August 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>And if the Broncos offense struggles to put insanely high numbers on the scoreboard, Ware isn't worried that this defense cannot win the game.</p>
<p>"That's what we're trying to do, is be consistent and not just playing six games like we did last year well," No. 94 said. "We're trying to play well throughout the whole season because that's what it's going to take."</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/docllv">@docllv</a> looks smart for taking the Broncos defense in the 2nd round of the <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport">@MileHighReport</a> fantasy draft.</p>
— Scotty Payne (@Skotty_Payne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Skotty_Payne/status/637810178847559680">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>But don't even think for a minute Ware is worried about the Broncos offense (even if you are).</p>
<p>"I'd say we just have to stay consistent," he reiterated. "The offense is going to do what they need to do and they're going to put more points on the board during the season, but we have to do what we do. We have to keep the other offenses scoring low points."</p>
<p>Ware and the rest of his defensive compadrés did just that on Saturday, holding the Bay Area team they practiced against all week to just four field goals and keeping the wily <span>Colin Kaepernick</span> to just 13 yards passing and 53 yards rushing (most of which came on just two long scampers in the second quarter).</p>
<p>Ware was also responsible for one of two takedowns on the starting quarterback, which resulted in a safety thanks to the eight-time Pro Bowler's firmly planted body that refused to let Kaepernick loose.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DeMarcusWare">@DeMarcusWare</a> sack for 2! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> may only need 14 points a game this year. <a href="https://t.co/junKPflRq5">https://t.co/junKPflRq5</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637804688520421376">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p><span>Brandon Marshall</span> noted that the defense wasn't happy with allowing Kap to get a couple of long runs in the second quarter, but they intend to improve upon that.</p>
<p>"We let Kaepernick get 50 yards rushing and that's something we want to limit during the season with those rushing quarterbacks and the Russell Wilsons of the world," said Marshall, who was playing in his second preseason game of the season since spending most of the offseason doing rehab on his foot. "Overall, I think we've done a hell of a job. We just have to work on the little things."</p>
<p>Coach <span>Gary Kubiak</span> likes the consistency of the defense and particularly enjoyed the fact that the Broncos D was on the field less than 10 minutes the entire first half.</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="pullquote">The biggest thing offensively is we don't have a lot to show for some of the good things that are going on. Now there needs to be a sense of urgency. We've got a couple weeks to get things cleaned up. <span>-Gary Kubiak, head coach</span>
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<p>"We've been very consistent there. We're deep there," Kubiak said.</p>
<p>But the head coach was not as thrilled with his offense's performance - which showed potential just not enough execution in the end zone.</p>
<p>"The biggest thing offensively is we don't have a lot to show for some of the good things that are going on," Kubiak said, noting a third-down conversion rate more than 50 percent and keeping offense on the field two-thirds of the first half. "A lot of things to be encouraged about, but yet a sense of urgency to fix the things that aren't right."</p>
<p>No doubt red zone efficiency is among the most urgent. In 11 drives during the game, the Broncos controlled the clock and drove the ball downfield but made it to the red zone just four times, resulting in two field goals, one touchdown and one interception in the end zone.</p>
<p>"On certain plays they got us on a couple of blitzes that put us in long third down situations, and they obviously did a good job in the red zone of stopping us," said <span>Peyton Manning</span>, who threw for 124 yards in his two quarters in the game, completing mostly only short passes to his receivers. Some key drops in the end zone by <span>Demaryius Thomas</span> and <span>Cody Latimer</span> didn't help Manning's statistics.</p>
<p>But neither did 49ers' <span>NaVorro Bowman</span>, who was responsible for two of the three sacks on Manning and brought constant pressure, proving the linebacker is coming back quite nicely after sitting out with an injury last season.</p>
<p>"I thought Bowman made some pretty good blitzes," Manning said. "You've got to give them credit on those plays."</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What we learned: <span>Montee Ball</span> might be number 4. Neither Osweiler or Manning are incredible yet, this defense is really good, we're deep.</p>
— The Orange Page (@theorangepage) <a href="https://twitter.com/theorangepage/status/637871901486923776">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Inside the five on the final drive of the second quarter, No. 18 was hoping to connect with Latimer, but the two couldn't make it happen as the 49ers blitzed seven guys to the Broncos' five. Latimer missed the opportunity in the end zone, setting up <span>Brandon McManus</span>' second field goal of the night.</p>
<p>"[The 49ers] brought the house. They brought everybody," Manning said, adding that he realized later <span>Owen Daniels</span> wasn't covered as a result. "I wish I would have looked there, but I was kind of keyed in on going to Cody, so you know gave him a chance to make a play. You'd like to be able to finish with a touchdown, but we just didn't do it on that play."</p>
<p>Noting that all three of Manning's sacks came while the QB was under center, Kubiak put some of that on the play calling.</p>
<p>"You get caught under center on a couple of tough blitzes, but that's on us as coaches, starting with me to make sure we're out of that situation or get a chance to get out of that situation," Kubiak said. "I think [Manning's] fine. I feel pretty confident from a coaching standpoint we can go fix those things."</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="pullquote">We wanted more points than we scored. People are used to seeing a lot more points on this offense, but I don't think there's need to hit the panic button. <span>-Owen Daniels, tight end</span>
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<p>Since Manning is unlikely to play in the final preseason game this Thursday, the quarterback said there is definitely a lot of work to be done between now and opening day against the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a>, but he thought last night's game was a good extension of the chemistry building that has been going on in practice and throughout the preseason.</p>
<p>"I had good work tonight, saw some different situations," Manning said, noting the practices against the 49ers "paid off" as well. "We can use these next two weeks to improve and get ready, and certainly we've got a tough test coming with Baltimore."</p>
<p><span>C.J. Anderson</span>, who had 13 carries for 49 yards, called the unfinished drives "super frustrating," and promised the first-team offense would be finishing drives come Week 1.</p>
<p>"We just need to score," said the running back, pointing out that there was improvement over last week's four punts to finish four drives. "Today we had possessions and are moving the ball but had a turnover here, penalty there. We're just killing ourselves. It's not like the defense is beating us. It's something we need to work on."</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The winning shot. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFvsDEN?src=hash">#SFvsDEN</a> <a href="http://t.co/RkvT4UgKWB">pic.twitter.com/RkvT4UgKWB</a></p>
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) <a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/637841668486512640">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Daniels agreed the offense should feel good about moving/keeping the ball much better this week and reminded fans there is not cause for concern - it's preseason, there's time to fix the kinks.</p>
<p>"We wanted more points than we scored," said the tight end. "People are used to seeing a lot more points on this offense, but I don't think there's need to hit the panic button. We're getting yards, and we had a lot better day in third down situations."</p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/#roster">Brock Osweiler</a>'s second-half numbers were similar to Manning's at 15/20 passes for 104 yards, the backup quarterback was also able to add a touchdown drive to his stats, thanks to a one-yard run by <span>Juwan Thompson</span> who got both the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion to put the Broncos ahead with just under two minutes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Any time offensively you can get into the end zone, it's big," said Osweiler. "To finish a drive in the end zone, that's our goal every time."</p>
<p>And it's a goal the Broncos offense is hoping to make a more regular occurrence come Sept. 13 against the Ravens. But in the meantime, there's nothing wrong with celebrating the victory.</p>
<p>"I just couldn't be more happy with this group to go out there tonight and find a way to get the win," said Osweiler, who is already looking forward to his start on Thursday for the last preseason matchup. "Heck yeah, I was excited. It's a big deal to get the win at home."</p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/30/9227179/late-score-lifts-broncos-to-another-win-but-defense-carries-the-dayLaurie Lattimore-Volkmann2015-08-29T22:45:34-06:002015-08-29T22:45:34-06:00Reactions: Osweiler rallies Broncos to 19-12 win
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<p>The Broncos offense didn't perform as well as they could have, but their defense kept them in the game and Osweiler rallied the team late in the fourth quarter to give Denver their third victory of the preseason.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Broncos</a> squared off against the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco 49ers</a> in their third game of the preseason. It wasn't the best performance the team could have put together, but it was good enough to give them their third victory of the preseason. The affair signals what will likely be the last major action the first-team players see before the season kicks off against the <a href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Ravens</a> on September 13. The starters on offense and defense, with the exception of a few players endured a full half of playing time on the gridiron.</p>
<p>Special teams has been an issue for the Broncos over the course of training camp and preseason, and that trend continued this evening as <span>Omar Bolden</span> fumbled the opening kick-off, but was fortunate to have it recovered by <span>Joe Don Duncan</span> at the 21 yard line.</p>
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<p>The Broncos, led by the ageless wonder <span>Peyton Manning</span>, began the teams offensive game plan by hitting <span>Cody Latimer</span> for four yards on his first throwing attempt. On the next play, he connected on another short pass to Demaryius Thomas, who caught the ball, but had it ripped out of his hands by NaVorro Bowman. It was ruled as a reception and Thomas judged down by contact, but 49ers Head Coach Jim Tomsula challenged the play. The ruling was upheld, but the Broncos first drive came to a quick hault when Eric Reid broke up a mid-range pass intended for Latimer.</p>
<p>The Broncos defense then took the field and It didn't take long for them to get in a rhythm. Par for the course, star outside linebacker <span>Von Miller</span> registered another sack this preseason when he took down Colin Kaepernick for a sizable loss to put the 49ers in a 3 and 22 situation. Instead of attacking the Broncos through the air, they opted for a halfback draw where Reggie Bush took it 21 yards, until he was upended and body slammed by Pro-Bowl cornerback <span>Aqib Talib</span>.</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Too much from Aqib Talib on Reggie Bush in preseason? <a href="https://t.co/XGPS9XmSKP">https://t.co/XGPS9XmSKP</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637796624216010752">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>That vulgar display of power seemed to get the Broncos going, who marched down the field on their second series with a combination of runs and short passes. But it wasn't all pretty, the team had a few miscues. In particular, Manning was sacked twice that drive, with <span>Ronnie Hillman</span> and <span>C.J. Anderson</span> both missing responsibilities in pass protection. On both occasions, it was Bowman who came up with the sack. Such tenacity is a welcomed presence for the 49ers, and Bowman looks like he is returning to his former self after after suffering a horrific knee injury in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfc-championship-game" class="sbn-auto-link">NFC Championship</a> game that sidelined him from football for nineteen months.</p>
<p>When it was all said and done, the teams first drive ended up with only three points when <span>Brandon McManus</span> connected on a 37 yard field attempt. It was a disappointing end to a promising drive that fell short of what the team had hoped when Demaryius Thomas failed to reel in a 3rd and 14 pass from Peyton Manning that would have given the Broncos six points.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That was the first points that the Broncos first team offense has scored this preseason. 2:51 left in the first quarter, preseason Week 3.</p>
— The Orange Page (@theorangepage) <a href="https://twitter.com/theorangepage/status/637798755165597696">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>On the bright side, it was business as usually for the Broncos defense. They continued their pass rushing onslaught and DeMarcus Ware got by former Broncos tackle Erik Pears to sack Kaepernick for a safety with 12:57 to go in the second quarter.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DeMarcusWare">@DeMarcusWare</a> sack for 2! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> may only need 14 points a game this year. <a href="https://t.co/junKPflRq5">https://t.co/junKPflRq5</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637804688520421376">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>After the safety, the Broncos had a short field to work with thanks to a nice kick return by Bolden, but their drive ended up in disappointment once more when Peyton Manning was picked off by Kenneth Ackler on an attempted throw to Demaryius Thomas in the endzone. This possession also signifies a continued trend of failures for the Broncos first-team offense to put points on the board, in particular touchdowns, when in the red zone. In order for the team to be successful in the regular season that will have to be corrected.</p>
<p><span class="message_content">Halfway through second quarter with a 5-0 score, I had to remind myself it was football I was watching as opposed to a lowly Colorado Rockies game.</span> The defense was able to halt the 49ers offense on their third position and subsquently marched down the field with ease at the end of the second quarter, but failed to capitalize again. After a 13 play, 72 yard drive that took over 6 minutes off the lock, Cody Latimer failed to reel in a short pass from Manning on third and goal and the the Broncos settled for a 21 yard McManus field goal.</p>
<p>By way of Kaepernick's legs, the 49ers were able to march down the field during their two minute drill and put three on the board before the first half came to an end. The Broncos went into halftime with an 8-3 lead, but a production comparison between the two teams telling a much different tale than the scoreboard.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ICYMI: that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> pass defense is pretty good. <a href="http://t.co/L4RpA8UlDa">pic.twitter.com/L4RpA8UlDa</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637821632501813248">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>At the start of the second half, the both teams put in their back-ups. The third quarter went by extraordinary fast and the 49ers were able to score on consecutive possessions to give them a 9 to 8 lead. That lead didn't last long, when McManus hit a field goal from 45 yards after missing a 55 yard attempt earlier which propelled Denver back into the lead by a score of 11 to 9 as the third quarter came to a close.</p>
<p>The 49ers fought back and under the leadership of former first-round pick and bust Blaine Gabbert and were on pace of a touchdown, until he was sacked by <span>Shane Ray</span> which forced San Francisco to settle for a field goal conversion that gave them a 12-11 advantage with just under six minutes to go in the game.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Following <a href="https://twitter.com/X_RAYted56">@X_RAYted56</a> sack, 49ers kick field goal to take 12-11 lead. Denver gets ball back with 5:43 to go. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SFvsDEN?src=hash">#SFvsDEN</a></p>
— Jon Heath (@JonHeathNFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeathNFL/status/637832276315926528">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p><span>Brock Osweiler</span> was consistent in his third outing of the preseason and helped rally the team late. He just missed on connecting with <span>Jordan Taylor</span> on a deep bomb with around five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but was able to hit several other receivers in stride and move the chains as the clock continued to tick away. With just over two minutes to go, he threw a long pass in the endzone to Taylor, who was mauled by a 49ers defensive back. The blatant foul drew a flag and put the Broncos in position to score near the goal line, where Juwan Thompson was able to seal the 80 yard drive by punching it in from one yard out and succeed on a two-point conversion to put the Broncos up 19 to 12 and they never looked back.</p>
<p>The 49ers weren't able to do anything in their final possession of the game and Osweiler led the Broncos back on the field to run out the clock and seal their third victory of the preseason. He ended the game with 15 completions on 20 attempts and 104 yards and has seemed to progress well under the new system employed by Head Coach Gary Kubiak.</p>
<h4>Hart's Broncos-49ers Game Quick Hits and Observations<br>
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<li>With Emmanuel Sanders sitting out, <span>Jordan Norwood</span> took his place in the slot in three-wide sets and impressed and made the most of his opportunities. The Broncos are high on Norwood, who was poised to make the team <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_26373005/broncos-wr-jordan-norwood-tears-acl-out-season" target="_blank">before suffering an ACL tear last August</a>. With his performance against the 49ers, likely has secured a spot in the Broncos receiver corps after catching four passes for 38 yards.</li>
<li>A player who was under the radar and expected to show up, but didn't, was wide receiver Cody Latimer. Gary Kubiak stated all week long that he wanted to see more out of the second-year receiver out of Indiana, but he certainly didn't show the team anything worthy of praise this evening.</li>
<li>There is no doubting how blessed he is physically, but mentally he just doesn't seem to get it the game of football. Latimer still struggles in that regard and seems to lack the killer instinct to become a quality receiver in the NFL. His give up on the throw by Manning that should have been a touchdown highlights this sentiment. </li>
<li>Second-year cornerback <span>Bradley Roby</span> got the start in place of <span>Chris Harris</span>, Jr. who sat the game out and was one of the key reasons the starting Broncos defense didn't allow positive yards for passing in the first half. Roby has the potential to be a lock down corner at the NFL level and it looks as if his diligence and focus on correcting the little things has paid off.<br> </li>
<li>Despite fumbling the opening kick-off, Bolden seems to have the return job locked up and averaged 31 yards per kick return. Bolden was taken out of the game after receiving a cheap shot, crack back block by Anquan Boldin with 12 seconds remaining in the first half, but appears to be fine. <span>Isaiah Burse</span> also fumbled on a punt return to start the second half after the Broncos forced a three and out, but was able to recover it.<br> </li>
<li> <span>Matt Paradis</span> was singled out by broadcaster and fromer NFL defensive back <span>John Lynch</span> who stated that the second-year player out of Boise State reminded him of <span>Tom Nalen</span>.</li>
<li>Speaking of young players, <span>Ty Sambrailo</span> and <span>Max Garcia</span> also looked impressive, demonstrating sound pass protection and performing well in regard to run blocking for Anderson and Hillman in the first half. Even though Garcia has been replaced as a starter <a href="http://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/25/9208205/broncos-sign-free-agent-pro-bowl-guard-evan-mathis-to-a-one-year-deal" target="_blank">with the signing of Pro-Bowl guard Evan Mathis</a>, he continues to work hard and has <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_28719866/broncos-rookie-guard-max-garcia-all-business-after" target="_blank">approached this situation</a> like a true professional. Broncos fans should be happy with the progress those two and Paradis have shown so far this preseason.</li>
<li> <span>Darius Kilgo</span> continued to impress. He is a mortal lock to back-up starting nose tackle Sylvester Williams. He finished the game with four solo tackles and a few stuffs and was a primary reason the Broncos run defense looked much more stout in the second half. He was immovable off the line of scrimmage. Don't count out the possibility of him earning more playing time than expected with starting defensive end Derek Wolfe suspended for the first four games.</li>
<li> <span>Shane Ray</span> and <span>Shaquil Barrett</span> only combined for once sack, but were consistent on getting pressure and forcing bad throws all game long. Those two along with Miller and Ware could put up record breaking sack numbers under the relentless attack defensive of Wade Phillips.</li>
<li>Peyton Manning was 14/21 for 124 yards through the air and could have had better stats had Thomas and Latimer secured what should have been touchdown grabs in the first half. <br> </li>
<li>After winning the kicker battle against Connor Barth, Brandon McManus was 3/4 on field goals, with the lone miss being a 55 yard attempt on the teams drive of the second half that was just inches short of hovering over the crossbar. Needless to say, the Broncos will need McManus to connect on those long attempts when games that matter are on the line in the regular season.</li>
<li>Fourteen different players caught passes for the Broncos tonight, which just goes to show you how fierce of a battle there is for the remaining receiver and tight end positions on the roster.</li>
<li>The Broncos rushed for 110 total yards and averaged 3.9 per carry against the 49ers. The second-team offensive line was not as good as run blocking as the first-team was and that showed not only in the on field performance during the game, but in the stat line as well. It looks as if C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman will be the 1A-1B punch for the Broncos to start the season, with <span>Montee Ball</span> and Juwan Thompson rounding out the stable at the position.</li>
<li>The Broncos were able to convert 9 third downs on 16 attempts, whereas the 49ers were only able to convert 2 out of 11. This is one of the major reasons the Broncos won the game.</li>
<li>The Broncos were only penalized 4 times throughout the course of the game as opposed to 13 violations for the 49ers. Denver is playing disciplined and fundamental football on both sides of the ball.</li>
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https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226455/broncos-49ers-instant-reactions-brock-osweilerChristopher Hart2015-08-29T22:04:32-06:002015-08-29T22:04:32-06:00Peyton shaky but Broncos thump 49ers 19-12
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<p>It wasn't Peyton Manning's finest night. It didn't need to be.</p> <p><span>Peyton Manning</span> and the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Broncos</a>' starting offense enjoyed a slightly better outing than their Week 2 debut, netting two field goals in the first half that helped them to an 8-3 lead thanks to a stifling defensive counterpart. <span>Von Miller</span> and <span>DeMarcus Ware</span> each netted sacks (the latter of which took <span>Colin Kaepernick</span> down for a safety), and the backups did enough to hang on as the Broncos defeated the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco 49ers</a> 19-12 in Week 3 Preseason action.</p>
<p>Peyton was constantly under pressure in Denver's home preseason opener, getting sacked three times and rarely having time to get comfortable in the pocket.</p>
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<p>Most of that pressure came from the inside, with <span>Ronnie Hillman</span> succumbing to a rare miss in pass protection (this year) and San Francisco's NaVorro Bowman making a prematurely early case for Comeback Player of the Year. Manning was also intercepted, leaving his final stat line 14 of 21 for 124 yards, three sacks and one INT.</p>
<p>His evening of protection struggles was punctuated in his last attempt of the night - a broken up pass to <span>Cody Latimer</span> with a wide-open <span>Owen Daniels</span> calling for the football in the end zone. Manning simply didn't see Daniels; with a surge of 49ers defenders less than a moment from sacking him a fourth time, he didn't have time to. Manning's three sacks were the most he had suffered in over three years. And they all occurred in one half.</p>
<p>Denver's defense continued its dominance, particularly in the first half. Ware and Miller's first-half sacks extended the Broncos' NFL-leading sack count to 14, while <span>Aqib Talib</span> made it clear it's a bad idea to try and hurdle the Broncos' secondary.</p>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Too much from Aqib Talib on <span>Reggie Bush</span> in preseason? <a href="https://t.co/XGPS9XmSKP">https://t.co/XGPS9XmSKP</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637796624216010752">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Sit down, son.</p>
<p>Despite the low-scoring from the offense, the Broncos dominated time of possession 21:21-8:39 and held Kaepernick and company to a net total of zero passing yards. While some of that was certainly self-inflicted pain on the part of San Francisco, the Broncos deserve credit for hustling Kap and keeping his targets smothered.</p>
<p>In the second half, <span>Brock Osweiler</span> and company took a low-scoring football game and made it into a baseball game, with scores of 8-6, 9-8, and 11-9 hitting the scoreboard into the 4th quarter.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A 3-run blast by Nolan Arenado puts the Rockies back in front 11-9.</p>
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/637828624385769472">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Denver and San Fran continued to trade fields goals until Brock Osweiler and <span>Jordan Taylor</span> got into a rhythm. A pass interference penalty in the end zone gave the Broncos the ball at the goal line, and <span>Juwan Thompson</span> finished the drive to give Denver its first touchdown of the night and a 19-12 lead.</p>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Juwan Thompson zooms through for the first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Broncos?src=hash">#Broncos</a> (or <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/49ers?src=hash">#49ers</a>) touchdown of the night! <a href="https://t.co/Ap7taGqMEC">https://t.co/Ap7taGqMEC</a></p>
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileHighReport/status/637835242011787264">August 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Denver's defense would hold onto the lead, with Brock Osweiler successfully executing a 3rd and 1 QB sneak (at 6'8", he basically had to stretch his arms) to keep the Broncos' preseason perfect, 3-0.</p>
<p>While a 19-12 game isn't sexy, it might be a sign of things to come for the Broncos. Maybe, with this defense, the Broncos don't need Peyton Manning to put "Star Wars numbers" or even Star Wars points. Maybe 19 points is enough.</p>
<p>Maybe this new-look, quarterback-sacking, zero-passing-yards-allowing, no-touchdowns-surrendering Broncos team can be fun to watch too.</p>
https://www.milehighreport.com/2015/8/29/9226623/broncos-49ers-final-score-peyton-manning-2015kmonty