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Tag: frank crum

  • Broncos-Chiefs report card: Vance Joseph’s defense shines; Bo Nix comes up clutch again

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    In a game that could live for months in Denver sports memory, the Broncos outlasted the Chiefs 22-19 at Empower Field on Sunday to take pole position of the AFC West.

    OFFENSE — B

    It’s been a season of stop-and-go for Bo Nix and the offense. In a notable development Sunday, the problem was often not Nix — who’s been heavily criticized for his play the last two weeks — or head coach Sean Payton, who’s been heavily criticized for his play-calling the last two weeks. Wide receiver Troy Franklin had a couple of killer drops in the first half, and Nix was sacked twice on the opening drive.

    Nix was in rhythm all game, though, in an encouraging sign for the second-year quarterback’s progress. He connected on two monster deep shots to Franklin and Pat Bryant in the second half, and Nix looked poised both hanging in the pocket and on the move en route to a 295-yard day. And in a final tour de force, Nix orchestrated his fifth game-winning drive of the season with a clutch 32-yard bomb to Franklin, the deep connection finally clicking as Payton’s unit made enough plays to close a monumental win.

    DEFENSE — A-

    Payton had so much deserved trust in defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit on Sunday that he declined one fourth-quarter holding penalty on the Chiefs to get to a third-and-9 — even though accepting the penalty would’ve set Kansas City back to second-and-19.

    That said, playing Patrick Mahomes comes with several degrees of peril. And after a banner first half, Denver’s defense started to sag in the second half. Mahomes aired out a 61-yard bomb for Tyquan Thornton in the third quarter for the longest passing play of the year against Joseph’s unit, and leveraged a rough third-and-20 defensive pass-interference call on Riley Moss for an eventual score to take the lead. But Joseph hung tough, and the Broncos came up with a massive three-and-out stop on a late Chiefs drive to hand the ball back to Payton.

    SPECIAL TEAMS — A+

    A Darren Rizzi tour de force. Having Marvin Mims Jr. back after a two-game absence for a concussion certainly helped. The Broncos’ All-Pro returner whizzed for a 70-yard punt return in the first quarter to set up a field goal, and Denver’s kickoff and punt units soundly outplayed Kansas City in a key divisional matchup.

    Kicker Wil Lutz went 5 of 5 on field goals and made the game-winner in another monumental day, and rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw got his mighty leg back underneath him with two punts. And in a coaching tour de force, offensive tackle Frank Crum came up with a monumental blocked extra point in the fourth quarter to hold the Chiefs’ lead to 19-16.

    COACHING — A-

    In a familiar script, Payton couldn’t get out of Payton’s own way early on, orchestrating a fantastic opening drive only to kill momentum with a flea-flicker call from RJ Harvey to Nix that nearly got picked off. And the Broncos’ offensive operation struggled enough that CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reported on the game broadcast that Nix was begging Payton to get play-calls in quicker.

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    Luca Evans

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  • Broncos’ Darren Rizzi takes ‘full responsibility’ for special teams errors

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    After two weeks of special teams errors and repeated frustration from head coach Sean Payton, Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi placed himself squarely under the bus on Thursday.

    “We cannot be the reason that we’re losing field position, and things like that,” Rizzi told reporters Thursday. “But listen, it starts with me. Always starts with me as a coordinator, and trickles down to the players.

    “So, I certainly take full responsibility on getting it cleaned up.”

    The Broncos have endured weeks of inconsistent play under the veteran coordinator, who came to Denver in the offseason from New Orleans as a former colleague of Payton. It all boiled over in the last two games, with a communication error preceding a concussion for All-Pro returner Marvin Mims Jr. and multiple players running out late on special teams units against the Texans last Sunday.

    Rizzi explained that a recent rash of injuries jumbled substitutions against Houston, and he said Denico Autry’s first-quarter field-goal block last Sunday was “frustrating” given a weeklong emphasis on protection. Rizzi, though, gave credit to the play of offensive linemen Calvin Throckmorton, Frank Crum and others on a game-winning field goal from Lutz and expressed confidence in his ability to right the ship.

    “I’ve always prided myself on being an organized, disciplined guy,” Rizzi said. “I think you guys probably know that about me by now. And so, those are things we gotta get cleaned up.

    “And we will. We’ll get that done this week.”

    Broncos release former All-Pro special-teamer: Rizzi’s units will continue to cycle through some change against the Raiders on Thursday night after the Broncos waived safety J.T. Gray with an injury designation. The specialist landed on Monday’s injury report with a hamstring injury after playing 21 special teams snaps in the Broncos’ 18-15 win over Houston.

    The Broncos signed Gray, a second-team All-Pro with the Saints in 2024, off the Ravens’ practice squad in mid-October. Rizzi called him the “best coverage player that I’ve coached,” and Denver could’ve used some juice on its kick units. But Gray was inactive his first two games in Denver, and the Broncos are now cutting ties.

    Mims back at practice: After a laundry list of an injury report on Monday, the Broncos had a cleaner bill of health at practice Tuesday. Mims was back and limited at practice after missing Sunday’s game with a concussion. Cornerback Riley Moss and safety Brandon Jones were also present during stretching and limited, after both landed as would-be DNPs on Monday’s report.

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    Luca Evans

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  • Broncos WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey takes blame after Bo Nix’s early interception caromed off his hands: “It’s a mistake on me”

    Broncos WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey takes blame after Bo Nix’s early interception caromed off his hands: “It’s a mistake on me”

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    BALTIMORE — The Broncos didn’t lose because of their second offensive snap of the day.

    They didn’t get beat by 31 points because of one single mistake.

    But when Denver got the ball first, they also couldn’t afford to turn it over against high-powered Baltimore.

    That’s just what happened, though, when rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s first pass of the day caromed off Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s hands and into the waiting arms of Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington.

    “It was a little roll-out and I tried to go make a play,” Humphrey said afterward. “I obviously didn’t and that’s on me. I know better. I’ve got to put two hands up, you know what I mean. I’ve got to move past it and move forward and on to next week.

    “It’s a mistake on me.”

    Nix hadn’t thrown an interception since a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. All six of his picks, now, have come in Denver’s four losses. In those games, he has two touchdown passes. In Denver’s five wins, Nix has six touchdown passes.

    It’s the second straight week that Denver’s first possession ended because of a turnover on a play to Humphrey. He fumbled last week on a catch that eventually resulted in a Carolina touchdown drive. This week the Broncos defense actually forced a Baltimore punt, but the Ravens proceeded to score on seven straight drives after that.

    Sutton’s big day. Courtland Sutton is doing it all. And then some.

    The Broncos receiver not only logged his second straight 100-yard receiving outing — the first time in his career he’s gone back-to-back in that department — but he also threw a fourth-down touchdown pass to quarterback Bo Nix on a trick play.

    “We called it at the right time,” Nix said. “We knew they were going to be in (Cover) 0 funnel and the guy actually made a good play of retreating and trailing. Courtland looked pretty good again on that play.”

    In a Week 7 win at New Orleans, Sutton had no targets for the first time in his career. In two games since, Denver’s top pass-catcher has 15 catches (21 targets) for 222 yards.

    He’s also completed a pair of passes for 30 total yards and a touchdown.

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    Parker Gabriel

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