Jeff Legwald
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Jeff Legwald
ESPN Senior Writer Jeff Legwald is a senior writer covering the Denver Broncos and NFL for ESPN. Jeff joined ESPN in 2013 after covering the Broncos for more than 20 years. He also helps cover the NFL Draft, including the annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selectors Committee since 1999. I have attended every Scouting Combine since 1987.
katherine terrell
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katherine terrell
ESPN staff writer Katherine Terrell is returning to ESPN in the summer of 2022 to cover the New Orleans Saints. She joined the company in 2016 to cover the Cincinnati Bengals before leaving in 2019. Katherine is an LSU graduate and Baton Rouge, Louisiana native who has been covering the NFL since 2013. You can follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Kat_Terrell October 17, 2024 11:22 PM ET
NEW ORLEANS — Before the Denver Broncos departed for their trip to New Orleans, head coach Sean Payton reminded his team of a simple goal. “Our job is to collect wins.”
The Broncos played that game Thursday, winning 33-10 and picking up their fourth win of the season. And they put 17 players on the injury report this week with a familiar formula of defense, turnover-free play from rookie quarterback Bo Nix, and enough field goal drives to get the job done. He did it against the New Orleans Saints. .
The Broncos (4-3) also relied on their run game and had a good performance with over 200 yards. This is their best record in seven games since 2016, when they had five wins and two losses. Their next game will be at home against Carolina on October 27th.
Bo Nix led the Broncos to a victory over the Saints in New Orleans. Tefeng Lu/Imagine Images
A worrying trend: The Broncos finish with a 4-3 record, but their slow start continues. Aside from a rare early outburst in Tampa in Week 3, the Broncos’ offense hasn’t focused much on defense from the beginning. In five games excluding Tampa, by Thursday night the Broncos had punted 20 times, the Knicks had two interceptions, two lost fumbles and 15 three-and-outs on 30 first-half possessions. Against a Saints defense battered by injuries, the Broncos opened with a six-play possession that included two Knicks misses and a punt, then put together two field goal drives on the next two possessions.
QB breakdown: The numbers looked good, but Knicks’ mobility remains his biggest asset. He had his second straight game of rushing for 61 yards or more against the Saints. The Knicks completed 13-of-21 passes for 134 yards and no sacks or turnovers in the first half when things were even. But even beyond the 75-yard rush, the 10,000-foot view is what could have really been. The Knicks missed a chance on their biggest play of the night early in the game due to shaky footwork.
A silver lining: After dealing with the initial shock with cornerback Pat Surtain II suffering a concussion on the first defensive snap of last week’s game, Denver showed it still has teeth on defense. Any game in which Surtain doesn’t play will mean he will be missed, but the Broncos gave up just 105 yards in the second half after the Chargers settled in. On Thursday, the Saints held the Saints to less than 180 yards entering the fourth quarter and added points. Linebacker Cody Barton scored a defensive touchdown. They also pressured Saints QB Spencer Rattler throughout. — Jeff Legwald
Next Game: vs. Panthers (October 27th, 4:25pm ET)
Spencer Rattler and the Saints offense struggled against the Broncos. Gus Stark/Getty Images
No help will come to the saints.
Members of the 2009 Super Bowl team were in the building at halftime to watch former quarterback Drew Brees be inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame. A number of injured players watched from the sideline, including quarterback Derek Carr, tight end Taysom Hill, and offensive linemen Eric McCoy and Cesar Ruiz. Three additional players (Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo and Nick Saldivelli) were removed from the game with injuries.
But the Saints’ health is just one problem for a team that doesn’t see an immediate solution. The Saints suffered a blowout loss for the second straight week, scoring just 10 points against the Broncos and former coach Payton.
The Saints (2-5) are currently on a five-game losing streak and are outscored 60-10 over the past six quarters. They will play the Los Angeles Chargers next week after a mini-bye.
A troubling trend: defensive efforts. The Saints’ defense was once the backbone of this team, but it has gotten worse with each passing week, and they entered this contest last in terms of overall defense. Former All-Pro defensive back Richard Sherman didn’t mince words as he talked about the overall effort on Prime Video at halftime. “They don’t want to make tackles. They don’t want to make plays. They’re good players…” I don’t understand this, but it seems like they want to fire the coach. ”
Two words to describe this game are rock bottom. The offense couldn’t score, the defense looked almost as bad as last week, and another lackluster performance left the Superdome nearly empty by the fourth quarter.
QB breakdown: Another tough game for Rattler, who was without the Saints’ top two receivers, several offensive linemen and Hill. Rattler had some big rookie errors, including a sack/fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, a sack/fumble in the first quarter, and another fumble that was bailed out on a defensive penalty. . He was able to make some plays with his feet, but ultimately finished 25-of-35 for 172 yards and no touchdowns until Jake Hayner ended the game. — Katherine Terrell
Next game: vs. Chargers (October 27, 4:05 p.m. ET)
