Broncos Individual Player Grades For Week 4 at Jets Revealed
It finally happened. The Denver Broncos got their first win of the season against the New York Jets on the road in a short week. While it wasn't the prettiest of wins, a win is a win and Denver will take it.
The Broncos still showed some of the issues that dug them the 0-3 hole they were in but this team managed to do just enough. A few players factored into Denver garnering its first win, which leads us to the individual grades.
Each player starts with a grade of 50, and the grade will either get raised or lowered based on each snap, and the player's impact on the play.
Normally, each week, the accompanying video is about the MVP for the week, but this article is different. Instead, the video above focuses on the dud of the week. Make sure you check it out at the top of the page.
The Positive
Garett Bolles | LT: 92.7
This marks four weeks straight of excellent play from Bolles. He has nearly perfected the trap technique, which he's been using to win multiple matchups. Whatever O-line coach Mike Munchak did to get through to Bolles, it worked and he is showing more understanding of the game than he ever has before. There is also a lot of 'dog' in Bolles and with the cheap shots the Jets were taking at the Broncos, it was great to see Bolles keep his cool and not retaliate.
Josey Jewell | ILB: 87.4
This was undoubtedly the best game of Jewell's career. He came up big against the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer. The impact was there in all three phases. There were some hiccups, primarily in coverage, but they were more due to Jewell's athletic limitations than his positioning. It'll be interesting to see if he can sustain this level of play.
Tim Patrick | WR: 89.5
With Courtland Sutton on injured reserve, Denver needed a receiver to really step up and become reliable in big situations. Patrick did exactly that as he filled in nicely for that Sutton role. Patrick made some key catches on the sideline to keep the drive alive and showed solid speed to attack the defense. Denver also relied on him as a blocker, and it was easy to see why.
Alexander Johnson | ILB: 86.8
After the last game, I spoke about how Johnson was playing recklessly, and I still stand by that. Against the Jets, that recklessness worked in his favor as he caused problems against the run and as a blitzer. There are still issues and limitations in coverage that need to be cleaned up which showed against the Jets. The biggest key? Communication seemed to be a lot better so hopefully he is getting used to the green dot.
The Negative
Dalton Risner | LG: 32.6
What is wrong with Risner? At this point, there is no doubt he has regressed as a player and it is obvious when you focus on his play. He doesn't seem to have trust in his teammates, which is leading to issues passing off blocks in the run game. He doesn't properly handle stunts and his feet die. As a blocker, you need to keep your feet moving for positioning, but Risner's feet stop and he then lunges or twists, putting himself so off-balance that the defensive linemen are able to take advantage of him. He needs to keep those feet alive.
Bryce Callahan | CB: 34.3
Callahan has been bad all season when playing on the boundary. He doesn't use the sideline to help him. Once Denver took Essang Bassey out and Callahan took over the slot, he improved his play and saved his grade. Bassey did just enough to barely miss the negative grades with a 36.8 grade overall, for what it's worth.
Lloyd Cushenberry | C: 32.9
Honestly, what more is there to say? Cushenberry has been struggling week after week, making the same mistakes over and over. He doesn't seem to be learning nor adapting his play. The Broncos are entering a mini-bye week and the coaches need to talk about benching Cushenberry. The Broncos need stability on the interior and Cushenberry isn't helping.
Kareem Jackson | S: 36.2
This was the first game where Jackson looked old. The 32-year-old safety was out of position constantly and didn't seem to have the same ferocity that he normally brings. Hopefully, it was an off game as he has been alright in the first three games. The worst play was on Sam Darnold’s first-quarter touchdown run where Jackson basically did nothing to help stop the rumbling quarterback towards the end of his scamper.
Other Noteworthy Grades
Noah Fant | TE: 71.1
Fant was on pace to have an outstanding game as he became the reliable option for Brett Rypien underneath. Then Fant ended up getting hurt and the offense struggled without him. It’s hard to say how he would've graded had he not gotten hurt, but it probably would've been one of the best grades on offense. The only thing that kept his grade down were some issues that arose as a blocker.
DeShawn Williams | DL: 63.0
A couple of years ago, I thought Williams would make the roster after a strong preseason, but he didn't. Now he is on the roster, due to injuries, and I was curious how he would play. Suffice to say, it was a pleasant surprise. Williams did well as a run defender and got some decent push on the D-line. Denver needs more of that from him and fewer of the instances where he ended up on the ground or blocked out of position. He showed he can have a role, mostly as a sub piece, on this line especially if he can grow and develop as a player.
Brett Rypien | QB: 49.7
The first half saw Rypien earn an 88.4 grade, then the Jets figured out how to defend and confuse him. That led to an abysmal second half that saw multiple interceptions, including a pick-six. Rypien did make some big-time throws, including a 31-yard deep shot late to Patrick. Overall, Rypien ended up nearly even on his impact on the game. Denver almost lost this game because of his second-half lapses but also won because of a few throws he made.
Justin Simmons | S: 47.3
I'm not sure what is going on with Simmons, but breaking down his game at MetLife Stadium, Denver seems to be using him differently. That could explain some of the issues he's having out there with his positioning. However, Simmons' tackling was an issue against the Jets and he wasn't as quick to trigger downhill. There were enough positive plays to limit his overall negative impact, but the coaches need to figure out how to get Simmons back on track.
Things are back to normal this week so don't forget to check out the video above for the Broncos' MVP for Week 4.
Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle.
