5 Key Takeaways From Broncos' 30-3 Win Over Seahawks in Preseason Game 2
For the second week in a row, the Denver Broncos won a preaseason game in a blowout, this time over the Seattle Seahawks. Both sides of the ball dominated from the get-go.
This game had everything you could want to see with the Broncos' offense playing at an efficient level and playing turnover-free football. On the flip side, Denver's defense had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, putting the offense in a great position all game long.
There was no team unluckier in the turnover department last year than the Broncos, so hopefully, this is a sign of things maybe balancing out a bit for the upcoming season.
The only problem with today’s game is the Broncos did not get the big answer they were hoping for in the quarterback battle. What answers did the Broncos get?
Here are five things we learned from Denver's 30-3 win over Seattle.
QB Battle is as Clear as Mud
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
I know most fans were hoping the incessant talk around the quarterback battle would be over after Game 2. Unfortunately, if anything, it has only gotten even messier.
Teddy Bridgewater had himself a very solid performance going 9-of-11 for 105 yards and a touchdown. He was helped by the team staying aggressive on some fourth-down calls that Denver probably wouldn’t have made in the regular season.
Teddy had two drives and both ended in touchdowns. So far this preseason, Bridgewater has gone 16-of-19 for 179 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 141.0.
Drew Lock did not quite have the week most were hoping for. Some early miscommunications by the offensive line destroyed his first drive, and he just never quite got the momentum going in his favor.
Lock did have a nice drive right before the half to secure a field goal with less than a minute to work with, but beyond that, it was a forgettable game. So far this preseason he has gone 14-of-21 for 231 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 135.2.
This competition is looking like it will come down to the final preseason game. The good news is, both quarterbacks have done well to protect the football, have made some plays, and have kept this offense moving forward. Hopefully, that carries over into the regular season no matter who the starter is.
Justin Simmons Could have a Season for the Ages
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Is there anything more that needs to be said about Simmons? He didn’t play a ton of snaps in Seattle, but still, he made his presence known.
The highlights have not stopped all offseason with Simmons wrecking training camp practices and now torpedoing the early part of this game. Von Miller has been the face of the franchise for quite some time, but he might be passing the baton to Simmons this season.
If you were listening to the Seahawks broadcast tonight, they kept hyping up Jamal Adams as the best safety in football, but I think Simmons could easily lay claim to that title by the end of 2021. Adams is great coming downhill, but would be hard-pressed to find a safety with a better all-around game than that of Simmons.
I would not be surprised if Simmons is leading the league in turnovers with this incredible defense giving him plenty of opportunities to shine. The Broncos are in good hands moving forward with this leader at the helm.
Communication is Vastly Improved
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The Broncos' offensive line was not quite as sharp this week compared to last. LT Garett Bolles and LG Dalton Risner looked like they were shaking off some rust.
One area that caught my eye, though, was whatever issues the O-line had this time around were not a result of miscommunication. Last year, quite a few drives were ended because the offensive line and quarterback could not get on the same page.
The Broncos' first-team unit had some great work in this one, reading the blitz and communicating even with the crowd noise to set up plays for success. Where this shined the brightest was on the goal line touchdown throw by Bridgewater.
The Seahawks were bringing late pressure from the slot cornerback spot. WR KJ Hamler saw it, communicated with the right tackle, and the message got passed throughout the entire unit in a matter of a few seconds.
RB Royce Freeman came across the formation to pick up the blitzing cornerback and Hamler went straight to the vacated spot in the defense for a very easy touchdown. I don't remember Denver communicating that well even once last year.
These second-year playmakers combined with the offensive line returning four starters could pay dividends for this offense no matter who the starting quarterback is.
Young Players Continue to Shine
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
There are quite a few players that could fall into this section of takeaways. The Broncos have not looked this good even in the preseason in a long time. Both sides of the ball are dominating their opponent in large part because of first and second-year players rising to the occasion.
One of my favorites through these first two games is that of rookie seventh-round OLB Jonathan Cooper. He continues to provide constant pressure after most assumed he would have a redshirt season after his heart surgery earlier this offseason, but he has made it to where the Broncos can feel comfortable with the depth on the edge and move another rookie in Baron Browning to the off-ball spot.
I thought for a while the Broncos would have to play Browning at rush linebacker out of necessity, but as of right now, Cooper and undrafted rookie Andre Mintze have nixed that possibility.
Some other names that keep popping up in the good category are S P.J. Locke, S Caden Sterns, CB Kary Vincent, Jr., TE Eric Saubert, and LB Justin Strnad. It's nice to see the Broncos have some depth at positions that recently have not especially a safety.
Almost every safety on this roster is proving they deserve a spot on this roster. Throw in having some depth at tight end when that was a big question mark heading into this training camp and it only further illustrates how far this roster has come.
Saubert seems to have the third tight end spot locked down, but Andrew Beck, Austin Fort, and Shaun Beyer all had some decent moments in this game.
Injuries and Penalties
I know a lot of people have called the Broncos boring in the training camp practices. The coaching staff decided to change up a bit how they went about practice because it wanted to avoid injuries.
So far, the coaches have accomplished that goal with flying colors. CB Michael Ojemudia went down with a leg injury in this one, but otherwise, it looks like the Broncos make it through this game relatively healthy.
Seattle's field is known as one that can cause a lot of injuries, so the Broncos must be breathing a sigh of relief only seeing one player go down.
The other area this coaching staff must love to see is zero penalties in a preseason game. I am not sure I have ever seen that happen. This is a very disciplined team on both sides of the ball. For once.
Having a very veteran coaching staff is showing in these games. The Broncos are communicating well on both sides of the ball and finding players in position to make plays instead of trying to chase after a miscommunication.
I would expect this trend to continue into the regular season and be a big factor in the Broncos winning some of the close games.
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