Week 12 Stock Report: Broncos give their best effort vs. Saints
Broncos week 12 stock report: Team played hard vs. Saints.
As we know, the Denver Broncos played a game last week.
They played the game without a quarterback.
It went about as well as expected.
That being said, let’s give the Denver Broncos a round of applause for choosing to not simply forfeit this game, and giving 100% effort all game long, even when the contest was out of hand. Broncos’ president Joe Ellis was happy with their effort and perseverance and stressed the need for the team to work together to ensure the Broncos are not put into a similar situation again.
Simply the fact that the Broncos kept the game competitive throughout the first half was impressive, especially when you consider the fact that the Broncos’ were starting a practice squad, undrafted free agent, rookie wide receiver in Kendall Hinton.
In light of the situation of Week 12, this week’s stock report is going to look a little different. It doesn’t feel very fair to judge the performance of a team who had every odd stacked against them as they played the #1 seed in the NFC without a quarterback or any kind of offensive gameplan, so instead, let’s highlight some key performances from the game instead.
Broncos Key Performances in Week 12
Brandon McManus, K
Per the norm this season, Brandon McManus has shined once again. Although the only Broncos’ scoring opportunity on the day was off an Essang Bassey takeaway, Brandon McManus’ only field goal of the day was one to remember.
The kick was good for 58 yards, and really, seemed as if it could’ve been good from even further out with how much power was put into the kick. 58 yards is a career-long for McManus. McManus has been the anchor to this offensive unit this season. Do not be surprised if by the time the season has concluded, McManus has broken his own personal record again.
Essang Bassey, DB
Speaking of Bassey, the young rookie out of Wake Forest recorded his first career interception against the Saints on Sunday. His only recorded pass defended from the day went pretty well in the Broncos’ favor.
Not only that, but Bassey’s interception on Taysom Hill was just Hills’ first of the season. Bassey has stepped up and played very well as a rookie, and without his interception, it is not even debatable that the Denver Broncos do not score at all. Bassey’s interception at the very least prevented a shutout, and for that, he gets a round of applause.
Broncos’ Defense
In midst of the situation, while the Broncos’ defense is certainly accustomed to having to step up, they certainly knew that any chances of winning or keeping this game under control was up to them. And step up, they did.
An Essang Bassey interception, and sacks from DeMarcus Walker and Bradley Chubb were notable defensive plays on the day. It is also worth mentioning that while allowing 31 points may not seem like a good statistic, it is arguable that it is pretty impressive considering how few breaks the offense was able to give the defense.
The defense truly was on the field almost all day. It is also worth noting that the Denver Broncos’ secondary limited Taysom Hill to just 78 pass yards. While Hill certainly does not air out the ball much, Hill certainly had the opportunity to capitalize on an exhausted defense, and the Broncos’ secondary stood stout and didn’t let that happen.
Kendall Hinton, QB
While Hinton’s performance won’t be talked about in days to come, his heart sure should be. Kendall Hinton, a practice squad wide receiver, started and played a full game as the starting quarterback against one of the top defenses in the league.
While he may not have been successful in the eyes of an analyst, he sure won the hearts of the world over. Just the fact that he was able to compete and never gave up should be considered a huge success. The bravery of this young man is one of the things that truly makes football such a great sport.
Broncos Country is extremely proud of the young Kendall Hinton. For stepping up when called upon to do something that surely terrified him, and to do it with the poise and grace that he did, Kendall Hinton gets a huge Mile High Salute.