It’s always nice to enter the bye week on a high note.
After losing a heartbreaker — and their starting quarterback — last week in Indianapolis, the Broncos bounced back in Week 8 with a strong 24-19 win over the Cleveland Browns at home. Quarterback Brandon Allen had a solid NFL debut, completing 12 of 20 for 193 yards and two touchdowns — and leaving many to ponder if he’s the fix to what ails Denver’s seemingly never-ending quarterback conundrum.
There’s plenty of time to speculate on that moving forward. Here’s what you may have missed from Sunday’s game:
- Analysis: Big plays propelled the Broncos past the Browns in Brandon Allen’s debut, Ryan O’Halloran writes.
- “Truth be told, nobody in the stadium was more shocked than Brandon Allen when he threw the most ugly-beautiful touchdown pass by any quarterback in a Broncos uniform since Tim Tebow routinely turned water into wine in Denver,” Mark Kiszla writes.
- Phillip Lindsay only carried the ball nine times on Sunday, but he sure made the most of them. The second-year back capped another strong performance by icing Denver’s win a with first-down run from the Wildcat formation, Kyle Newman writes.
- Noah Fant, selected No. 20 overall in last year’s NFL draft, was the catalyst with a game-high 115 receiving yards on only three catches in his first breakout performance, Kyle Fredrickson reports.
- Courtland Sutton adds an acrobatic touchdown catch to his 2019 highlight reel, Ryan O’Halloran writes.
- Broncos Status Report: Entering bye week with win beats alternative.
- Broncos up-down drill: Best and worst performances against the Browns.
- There were a number of highlights, from Allen’s touchdown pass to Sutton, Allen’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Fant, Phillip Lindsay’s 40-yard run and his 30-yard scramble into the end zone.
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What’s on Tap?
- Avalanche: At Dallas Stars, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN, ALT | Buy tickets
- Nuggets: Miami Heat, 7 p.m. Tuesday, ALT2 | Buy tickets
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
Scoreboard
NFL: Broncos 24, Browns 19Full story | Box score
Check out our new and improved stats page.
Must-Read
Nuggets’ deep bench critical component for team looking to contend for NBA title: “I’d take our group versus anybody else”
All-Stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic steal the spotlight as Denver’s answer to the NBA trend of super-duos, but earning a high playoff seed requires a larger vision. Five starters are why the Nuggets are considered contenders. Their wealth of reserves will likely make the difference in how Denver crosses the finish line. Or so we thought, Kyle Fredrickson writes. Read more…
Mike Schmidt says Rockies’ Nolan Arenado on Hall of Fame path
GOAT. Greatest of all time.
When it comes to third basemen, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt is indeed the GOAT. So, when Schmidt speaks glowingly about Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, his words carry their weight in gold, Patrick Saunders writes. Read more…
David Carle, 29, embraces expectations established in DU hockey’s first 70 years
David Carle, despite his age, enjoys looking over seven decades of success.
Carle is just 29, only in Year 2 of his head-coaching tenure at the University of Denver, but he’s thrilled to be the mouthpiece of a hockey program currently ranked No. 1 nationally and celebrated its 70th anniversary this past weekend, Mike Chambers writes. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Brandon Allen’s family traces journey to chance to start for Broncos: “He’s been waiting for this moment.”
+ Broncos Journal: Keeping Chris Harris a necessity for cornerback-needy team.
+ Nuggets survive long, strange trip as Nikola Jokic snaps out of funk, Jamal Murray finds his voice.
+ How an Eritrea refugee ran to daylight — and to Denver.
+ Chambers: Jim Montgomery sought the hot start the Avalanche has enjoyed.
+ Keeler: From Nebraska to Fort Collins, how CSU Rams QB Patrick O’Brien found his touch again.
+ Saunders: Adding veteran starting pitcher tops Rockies’ must-do list.
+ Christian McCaffrey hears “MVP” chants after Panthers’ win over Titans.
+ Kiszla: Legalized sports gambling in Colorado will be fun, except for the Broncos QB whose interception costs bettors money.
+ Kickin’ It with Kiz: Have Twinkies and SpongeBob ruined MVP candidacy of Nikola Jokic?
+ AP college football poll: Navy gives AAC 4 teams, 3rd-most by conference.
Ask The Experts
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Ryan O’Halloran here.
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Singer here.
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Mike Chambers here.
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? Ask Patrick Saunders here.
By The Numbers
7
How many Gold Gloves awards Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado has won. His streak of seven consecutive Gold Gloves to begin his career is the second-longest streak in major league history, trailing Ichiro Suzuki’s streak of 10 in a row. Read more…
Parting Shot
Keeler: It’s time Mel Tucker, CU Buffs turn the page from Steven Montez
“You’re either trying to win in 2019 or trying to win in 2020 and 2021. There’s no middle ground anymore, no happy medium. And after the Buffs (3-6, 1-5 Pac-12) dropped their fifth straight tussle late Saturday night at UCLA, 31-14, that first option has probably already sailed, no matter how many times Tucker, CU’s first-year coach, says he’s committed to it, no matter how much he wants to stay true to it,” Sean Keeler writes. Read more…
Get in Touch
If you see something that’s cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me @danielboniface.
