GAMEDAY Open Thread/Live Blog: Broncos vs. Titans | Week 6
Can the Denver Broncos 'stack' a couple wins together? After an impressive road victory over the L.A. Chargers last week, it would certainly give fans a lot more confidence in this Broncos squad to see the team win back-to-back games.
The Tennessee Titans will have something to say about that, however.
At 2-3, the Titans are a team like unto the Broncos — inconsistent but with talent that belies their record.
There are four Tennessee weaknesses the Broncos will have to exploit in order to come out on top. But as Empower Field at Mile High celebrates the Hall-of-Fame induction of departed owner Pat Bowlen and cornerback Champ Bailey, with the team's Ring-of-Famers and Top-100 Players of All-Time on hand, the Broncos are poised to receive a shot in the arm emotionally.
Can Denver use that emotional boost and harness it to give them an edge? Only time will tell. But these Alumni games have been well-in-hand Broncos victories traditionally.
Join us as we live-blog and discuss TENvsDEN here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom righthand corner of the Mile High Huddle logo, click the follow button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff, subscribers and fellow members of the MHH community as we react to the game in real-time.
Inactives
Analysis: The Broncos are taking the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' approach with the personnel changes made on defense that lifted the unit last week. For the second-straight week, Adam Gotsis is a healthy scratch. Unfortunate but the results last week speaks volumes. Meanwhile, the Broncos will be without DB Duke Dawson, which, in the wake of the De'Vante Bausby injury and the continued absence of Bryce Callahan, is cause for concern. Fortunately, we're not talking about a prolific passing opponent. The onus is on Isaac Yiadom and Davontae Harris to bridge the gap. Newcomer Coty Sensabaugh is active today, but we'll have to see how much playing time he receives.
In-Game Captains
Derek Wolfe, Phillip Lindsay, and Joe Jones.
First Quarter
15:00: Broncos won the coin toss, deferred. Denver will kick to open the first quarter.
14:10: Alexander Johnson brings down Marcus Mariota on third down. Titans punt.
13:20: Diontae Spencer returns punt 42 yards. Broncos in business in plus-territory.
12:14: Andy Janovich picks up his first reception of the year. Eight yards.
10:24: Broncos stall on third down, as Joe Flacco throws incomplete to Courtland Sutton. Bad ball.
10:19: Brandon McManus pounds through the field goal from 31 yards. Scoring drive goes 32 yards on eight plays.
Broncos 3, Titans 0.
8:55: Broncos force another three-and-out on Mariota and the Titans. Punt.
7:59: Flacco completes to Sutton for 12 yards on third down, moves the chains.
7:08: Broncos give up on third down. Freeman off right end for four yards on 3rd-&-9. Punt. Colby Wadman's punt goes 52 yards. Titans to start from their own 15-yard line.
4:21: Davontae Harris breaks up the 3rd-&-6 pass beautifully. But a late flag nixes it. Phantom penalty.
2:49: Great play on third down by D. Harris, holding Adam Humphries short of the sticks just long enough for Chris Harris to get there and make the stop. Titans to punt.
1:21: False start on Noah Fant on 3rd-&-1. Brings up 3rd-&-6.
0:15: Flacco completes to Freeman for five yards. Short of the sticks. Punt coming as first quarter closes.
Broncos 3, Titans 0.
Second Quarter
15:00: C. Harris flagged for defensive holding. Another phantom call allows Titans to move the chains.
14:17: Derek Wolfe flagged for defensive holding. Fourth penalty on Broncos. 26 yards.
12:24: Broncos stuff Dion Lewis on 3rd-&-4. Punt. Titans 0-for-4 on the money down thus far.
10:44: Flacco throws to no one over the middle on third down. Another Broncos punt.
9:46: Titans convert their first third down. Humphries with Harris in coverage.
8:25: Broncos get second sack of the day. Shelby Harris.
7:40: Vic Fangio calls a nine-man coverage. Confounds Mariota, who's pressured by Von Miller. Incomplete. Punt.
7:24: Flacco connects with Sutton for 41 yards. Puts the Broncos in business in plus-territory.
4:42: McManus pounds one through from 53, breaking his ignominious 0-for-8 from 50-plus streak.
Broncos 6, Titans 0
2:12: Derek Wolfe sacks Mariota. Third sack for Broncos on the day. Titans punt.
1:54: Ron Leary flagged for his seventh (not sixth) holding foul of the year. Leading the team (not Garett Bolles). Bolles flagged for holding on ensuing play (declined).
1:07: Connor McGovern snaps low, Flacco has to fall on it on third down. What an ugly series. Punt.
0:48: Chris Harris picks off Mariota. Becomes the 12th Bronco to post 20 career interceptions. Ever. That gives Broncos three sacks and one takeaway on the day.
0:26: Sutton flagged for offensive pass interference.
Third Quarter
Emmanuel Sanders ruled out of this game with a knee injury.
12:36: Joe Flacco picked off by Kevin Byard on a deep shot to Fant. The rookie couldn't locate the ball.
9:10: Broncos have to punt again as Flacco and company struggle mightily. Another ugly performance from the 12th-year veteran QB.
8:06: Mariota under pressure, throws over the middle and picked off by Justin Simmons. Second takeaway of the day for Broncos.
4:56: Broncos capitalize on Simmons' INT. Go 41 yards on six plays, punctuated by the two-yard Phillip Lindsay touchdown.
Broncos extend lead 13-0.
4:56: Mariota benched. Ryan Tannehill takes the field. We'll see if he can spark the Titans.
3:04: Tannehill's first possession goes three-and-out, after A.J. Brown is flagged for offensive PI.
0:37: Broncos can get nothing going offensively, go three-and-out. Again.
0:30: Derrick Henry bottled up after gaining five yards. Ends the third quarter.
Broncos 13, Titans 0
Fourth Quarter
11:53: Broncos stall, backed up in their own end zone. Denver is now 1-for-12 on third down. Humphries returns Wadman's punt to the Broncos' 36-yard line.
9:10: On fourth down, in the red zone, the Titans go for it but DeMarcus Walker and Malik Reed take down Tannehill. Turnover on downs.
7:12: On a broken play, Lindsay picks up 30 yards, crossing the 50-yard line.
4:57: McManus pounds through another field goal from 48, after Flacco (unsurprisingly) takes a sack on third down.
1:35: Kareem Jackson picks off Tannehill on fourth down in the red zone.
Broncos kneel it out. Ball game.
Broncos pitch a shutout victory. 16-0.
