Broncos Individual Player Grades For Week 9 at Falcons Revealed
Week 9 was a game that many thought the Denver Broncos could win — and they nearly did. Much like their win against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Broncos got behind early and mounted a comeback but the Atlanta Falcons' 34-27 lead was too much to overcome in the end.
This was a game with a lot of parallels to the Broncos' Week 8 win over the Chargers; a rough start, struggles to move the ball, a defense doing alright but not enough, all punctuated by an offense finally coming alive in the fourth quarter.
Who stood out as individual performers for Denver? Let's get to the grades for Week 9 but don't forget; the MVP for the Broncos is revealed in the video above.
The Positive
Garett Bolles | LT: 77.5
It was a relatively clean game from Bolles, but he did allow three pressures. There were times as a run blocker he could've done better to sustain as well. This was a down game from mostly what he has shown all year, but Bolles was still was Denver's highest-graded player on offense.
Dalton Risner | LG: 74.6
This was Risner's best game of the season. He looked a lot like he did last season, but Denver still needs to see more. Risner did a great job as a pass blocker but was just alright as a run blocker.
Essang Bassey | DB: 73.2
No Bronco played a super game, which is why all four positives are in the above-average level of grades. Bassey had a couple of moments in coverage that were rough, but he really brought it as a run defender.
McTelvin Agim | DL : 72.9
The rookie had a rough game against the New York Jets and has been on the sideline since. For multiple reasons, he's been a healthy scratch since but finally got another chance to suit up in Atlanta and really stepped up. Agim showed that potential as an interior pass rusher as well as showing he can be a good run defender. But the rookie needs to show consistency in both areas.
The Negative
Davontae Harris | CB: 7.3
Many fans were left confused when the Broncos waived De'Vante Bausby and kept Harris, and this game only made intensified those questions. Harris looked like he didn't belong out there and couldn't handle whomever he was matched up against in coverage. Harris had the worst grade for a corner since I started my grading system many years ago.
Austin Schlottmann | RG: 20.7
Playing in place of starting right guard Graham Glasgow, it wasn't an easy task for Schlottmann going against Falcons' defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. There were very few wins for Schlottmann. His performance made people pine for Glasgow, even though the $44 million prized free agent acquisition hasn't performed the best this season either. However, Glasgow has been far more stable than Schlottmann.
Michael Ojemudia | CB: 24.8
What has been a strong season overall for the rookie was marred by this performance. Ojemudia's tackling technique is closer to trying to throw them to the ground, instead of wrapping up, which has consistently led to missed tackles. Ojemudia struggled against Julio Jones, which was expected, but he struggled in the game as a whole.
Jake Rodgers | RT: 28.2
The Broncos' offensive line was playing alright early, but when Demar Dotson went down and Rodgers was inserted at right tackle, it destabilized. The right side just got destroyed time and time again, which made things even harder for the offense. The Broncos offense wasn't just facing the Falcons, but also having to overcome the right side of the line.
Other Noteworthy Grades
Jerry Jeudy | WR: 65.4
The rookie finally got his first 100-yard game, so congratulations to him. Jeudy ran great routes, as expected, and made some big plays. His hands continue to be an issue with drops, but he also got lucky when a fumble went out of bounds. Hopefully, this big performance can spark him to improve on the poor areas and really come into his own as a receiver.
Kareem Jackson | S: 61.1
Jackson has been playing solid football, but he has to be cautious because he is becoming more reckless and endangering his own teammates, not only as a dangerous hitter but as a recidivist who has obviously landed on the officials' radar. Jackson's run defense was good, but in coverage, he was out position at times.
DeMarcus Walker | DL: 51.8
Walker barely made a positive impact and it all comes down to his run defense. He was consistently pushed out of the play and gave room for the ball-carrier. He did alright as an interior pass rusher, but it was enough to barely keep him in the positive.
KJ Hamler | WR: 50.0
For the first time ever, a player walks out of the game right where he started. Hamler made some big catches and had a big run as well, but his drops obviously hurt. Drops are always going to be an issue because Hamler's hands aren't great.
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