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Rookie Bo Nix has 3 TD passes in leading the Broncos to a 28-14 win over the Panthers
DENVER (AP) Sean Payton didn't like the way the Denver Broncos started or finished their 28-14 win over the injury-riddled Carolina Panthers. In between, there was plenty for him to enjoy, though.
Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes and ran for another and Denver's defense throttled Bryce Young for much of the afternoon, intercepting him twice and sacking him twice.
“Everybody on the field was making plays: receivers, tight ends, running backs,” Nix said. “The ball was being dispersed to a lot of positions and I thought that was good. Tough on a defense when you're getting a lot of guys involved.”
In the best game yet of his rookie season, the Broncos quarterback threw for 284 yards. He found Nate Adkins from 3 yards and Adam Trautman from 19 yards in the second quarter as the Broncos (5-3) built a 21-7 halftime lead.
The Broncos wide receivers lost two fumbles, however, both of which led to Carolina touchdowns, which bookended nine consecutive Panthers drives without a score.
“It's not a good offense we played. It's just the truth,” said Payton, who irked some Panthers, notably cornerback Jaycee Horn, with a fake field-goal attempt and a wide receiver pass with a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. "So, we expected that and we're going to see a lot better teams.”
Like Baltimore and Kansas City the next two weeks.
Payton said the Broncos “still aren't playing our best football,” and he told his team in "bigger games than this, some of those mistakes are going to cost us.”
The Panthers (1-7), who listed a whopping 22 players on their injury report and lost two more players Sunday, lost for the fifth consecutive time.
Young was 24 for 37 for 224 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.
“I was definitely grateful, grateful for the opportunity,” Young said. “I was grateful to play, grateful to be out there with the guys. Obviously, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted to. No matter what, I was just blessed to be on the field today.”
Young wasn't the only Carolina player off target - the Broncos made it 28-7 after a failed fake punt by the Panthers from their 24 in the third quarter. Safety Sam Franklin Jr. was wide open but punter Johnny Hekker airmailed the attempt on fourth-and-6.
Four plays later, Nix side-armed a 9-yard TD pass to running back Jaleel McLaughlin.
Patrick Surtain II, who allowed Carolina's first-drive touchdown, intercepted Young at the Denver 11 on the Panthers' next drive.
Courtland Sutton, who exchanged jerseys with former teammate Josey Jewell after the game, caught eight of Nix's passes for 100 yards. It was his first 100-yard game since Week 2 of the 2022 season against Houston.
However, he coughed up the ball at the 1 on his final reception just before the two-minute warning when Trevin Wallace punched it out and Shy Tuttle recovered his second fumble of the game.
Young was terrific in the two-minute drill, driving Carolina 98 yards in 10 plays with the payoff a 15-yard touchdown throw to Jalen Coker with 18 seconds left.
“I’m proud of the guys for the way we finished the fight,” Carolina coach Dave Canales said. “The guys continued to play hard, all the way throughout.”
Benched after Week 2, Young returned as the Panthers’ starting QB when Andy Dalton sprained his right thumb in an auto accident on Tuesday. Dalton didn’t practice all week because he couldn’t grip the football properly, so rookie Jack Plummer served as Young’s backup Sunday.
Canales wasn't ready to name his starting QB for next week.
“We will look at all the information,” he said. “We’ll look at Andy’s health over the next couple of days and I’ll make that decision and I’ll have an answer for you in the next couple days.”
Things started off well for Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
After Tuttle recovered Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s fumble at midfield on the game’s opening drive, Young drove the Panthers to a 7-0 lead on rookie Xavier Legette’s 6-yard touchdown catch.
Not only was that Young’s first touchdown throw of the season, but it also marked the first opening-drive TD of his career.
The Panthers only managed one first down the rest of the half, however, and the Broncos began to dominate in all phases.
“I didn’t like how it finished,” Payton said. “But it was good to get a win.”
The TDs for Akins and Trautman were the first by Broncos tight ends this season, and they came on what the NFL celebrates as “ National Tight Ends Day.”
“It’s actually kind of crazy how it did happen on this day in particular,” Trautman said.
"I was talking to my brother last night and he said he had a dream that I was gonna get a touchdown," Adkins said.
Panthers: Young, who fell to 2-17 in his career and 0-3 this season, was without starting wide receivers Diontae Johnson (rib) and Adam Thielen (hamstring). ... TE Feleipe Franks sustained a concussion on punt coverage and OLB D.J. Johnson sprained his right ankle.
Panthers: Host the New Orleans Saints next Sunday.
Broncos: Visit the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday.
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Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Time of Pos | 26:50 | 33:10 |
1st Downs | 16 | 23 |
Rushing | 3 | 6 |
Passing | 11 | 16 |
Penalty | 2 | 1 |
3rd Down Conv | 5-14 | 11-17 |
4th Down Conv | 1-4 | 1-2 |
Total Net Yards | 284 | 400 |
Total Plays | 60 | 73 |
Avg Gain | 4.7 | 5.5 |
Net Yards Rushing | 69 | 102 |
Rush Attempts | 20 | 32 |
Avg Rush Yards | 3.5 | 3.2 |
Net Yards Passing | 215 | 298 |
Comp. - Att. | 24-38 | 30-39 |
Yards Per Pass | 5.4 | 7.3 |
Penalties - Yards | 8-49 | 4-43 |
Touchdowns | 2 | 4 |
Rushing TDs | 0 | 1 |
Passing TDs | 2 | 3 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 2-2 |
Int. Thrown | 2 | 0 |
Punts - Avg | 5-49.4 | 3-51.0 |
Return Yards | 0 | 28 |
Punts - Returns | 0-0 | 1-0 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 0-0 | 2-28 |
Red Zone Eff. | 2-3 -67% | 4-5 -80% |
Goal to Go Eff. | 1-1 -100% | 3-3 -100% |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
C. Hubbard
30 RB
8 FPTS
|
C. Hubbard | 15 | 56 | 0 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Sanders
6 RB
10 FPTS
|
M. Sanders | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Young
9 QB
16 FPTS
|
B. Young | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Legette
17 WR
13 FPTS
|
X. Legette | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
J. Coker
18 WR
17 FPTS
|
J. Coker | 6 | 4 | 78 | 1 | 29 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Moore
83 WR
7 FPTS
|
D. Moore | 5 | 4 | 39 | 0 | 13 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Sanders
6 RB
10 FPTS
|
M. Sanders | 7 | 7 | 38 | 0 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
X. Legette
17 WR
13 FPTS
|
X. Legette | 7 | 4 | 34 | 1 | 23 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Hubbard
30 RB
8 FPTS
|
C. Hubbard | 2 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 13 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Tremble
82 TE
3 FPTS
|
T. Tremble | 3 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Sanders
85 TE
1 FPTS
|
J. Sanders | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Mingo
15 WR
0 FPTS
|
J. Mingo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Franklin
42 SAF
0 FPTS
|
S. Franklin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT | FF |
M. Jackson
28 CB
|
M. Jackson | 9-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Richardson
36 SAF
|
D. Richardson | 7-4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jewell
47 ILB
|
J. Jewell | 6-4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Tuttle
99 DT
|
S. Tuttle | 4-3 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Robinson
94 DT
|
A. Robinson | 4-1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Woods
25 FS
|
X. Woods | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Clowney
7 OLB
|
J. Clowney | 3-4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Wallace
56 LB
|
T. Wallace | 2-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Smith-Wade
26 CB
|
C. Smith-Wade | 2-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Williams
75 DE
|
D. Williams | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Farley
31 CB
|
C. Farley | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Thurman
91 DE
|
N. Thurman | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Incoom
48 LB
|
T. Incoom | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Legette
17 WR
|
X. Legette | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Ray
93 DE
|
L. Ray | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Horn
8 CB
|
J. Horn | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Cherelus
53 LB
|
C. Cherelus | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Rhattigan
49 LB
|
J. Rhattigan | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
E. Pineiro
4 K
2 FPTS
|
E. Pineiro | 0/0 | 0 | 2/2 | 2 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Hekker
10 P
|
J. Hekker | 5 | 49.4 | 1 | 53 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | FPTS |
B. Nix
10 QB
35 FPTS
|
B. Nix | 28/37 | 284 | 3 | 0 | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Sutton
14 WR
17 FPTS
|
C. Sutton | 1/1 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Dixon
9 P
0 FPTS
|
R. Dixon | 1/1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
J. McLaughlin
38 RB
11 FPTS
|
J. McLaughlin | 8 | 47 | 0 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Williams
33 RB
8 FPTS
|
J. Williams | 17 | 44 | 0 | 9 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Estime
23 RB
0 FPTS
|
A. Estime | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Nix
10 QB
35 FPTS
|
B. Nix | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Franklin
16 WR
1 FPTS
|
T. Franklin | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG | FPTS |
C. Sutton
14 WR
17 FPTS
|
C. Sutton | 11 | 8 | 100 | 0 | 37 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Trautman
82 TE
18 FPTS
|
A. Trautman | 4 | 4 | 85 | 1 | 37 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Vele
17 WR
5 FPTS
|
D. Vele | 3 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 16 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Burton
20 FB
3 FPTS
|
M. Burton | 1 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 28 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Humphrey
84 WR
4 FPTS
|
L. Humphrey | 6 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 8 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Krull
85 TE
3 FPTS
|
L. Krull | 2 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 15 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. McLaughlin
38 RB
11 FPTS
|
J. McLaughlin | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Mims
19 WR
1 FPTS
|
M. Mims | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||