Denver Broncos: Week 12 power rankings roundup

Following the Denver Broncos victory over the Dolphins, where is the team in week 12 power rankings?

This Denver Broncos team is still learning. They are still growing. Growth takes time, not just in football but in life. But where do they rank in week 12 power rankings?

Some weeks, the Broncos appear to be on the downward slope. Other weeks, they come up big in games. That’s what happened last week against the Miami Dolphins.

Quarterback Drew Lock was okay against Miami, completing 18-of-30 passes for 270 yards but an interception and no touchdowns. It was probably a big help for not only Lock but for the team in general that they didn’t ask him to throw the ball 50 times.

Early in the first quarter, each quarterback threw an interception. Lock’s on the first offensive drive for Denver, and Dolphins rookie Tua Tagovailoa’s on Miami’s second drive (by Justin Simmons). Unfortunately, the Broncos’ interception was negated due to a defensive holding penalty. The penalty allowed Miami to eventually score a touchdown to go up 7-0.

At the end of the first quarter, Lock found tight end Nick Vannett who reached out to the goal line but was ruled short of a touchdown. However, on the next play, Gordon punched the rock in.

The Broncos’ run game was a huge factor in the victory, as Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon combined for 166 yards while Gordon punched the ball into the end zone twice.

As for Lock, aside from the interception, this felt like a game in which you’d want to see more of. There were some misfires for sure, but what quarterback doesn’t have those?

I am hopeful that this game is something that Lock looks at and builds confidence off of.

The Broncos forced Miami to make a late-game quarterback change to try and get a spark and comeback to win the game, relying on journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Late in the game, Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb hit Fitzpatrick unnecessarily, resulting in a 15-yard penalty that could have cost Denver.

In the closing minute of the game, star safety Justin Simmons picked off Fitzpatrick to seal the victory for the Broncos. At the end of the day, Denver held off the Dolphins and won 20-13.

I just loved how much pressure the Denver defense got on Tagovailoa. It was a beautiful thing to see. Hopefully the same can and will happen against New  Orleans this Sunday.

For more takeaways from the win against Miami, check out Noah Smith’s article here.

How confident does that make you, Broncos Country? We’ll find out what the media thinks of this team as they prepare to face Taysom Hill and the Saints.