Broncos Receivers and Tight End Grades From First Road Victory
The Denver Broncos receivers and tight ends played a really good game against the Cincinnati Bengals. They did so even when the play from the quarterback wasn’t too hot. Just how well did they do?
In their first road game, the Denver Broncos receivers and tight ends played some great football. They did so even when the quarterback play wasn’t so hot for the first three quarters of the game. As a unit, they made some good catches throughout the game and were excellent picking up yards after the catch.
To kick off the grades are the Broncos two tight ends. They were without Virgil Green, so John Phillips got the start, with Jeff Heuerman being his backup. It was the first game of Heuerman’s career, and he looked solid.
Heuerman only had one catch, and it went for 29 yards. It was a good way to start his career. His blocking left a lot to be desired, which has been a focal point for him to improve. Run blocking kept his grade lower with a 63.8.
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As for Phillips, he had the ball thrown his way four times and only caught two of them. One of the two other passes was a horribly placed pass far behind Phillips. While he isn’t the most athletic, Phillips can be effective as a receiver as shown by his touchdown catch. His blocking is how he made his career and is why he earned a 83.7 grade.
Among the receivers, the Broncos got Bennie Fowler back, which meant Jordan Taylor saw a limited snap count. Taylor only played seven snaps, so he doesn’t get a grade. As for Fowler, he looked good in his return and received a 79.8 grade.
Cody Latimer got the job as a returner and looked good besides his first return. As for his play on offense, it was up and down. He only had one catch, but his routes looked sloppy and lazy. His blocking also wasn’t up to his par. His grade is a measly 52.8 and with him hitting the point of not being back next year, it doesn’t help his case.
As for Jordan Norwood, he was a mess. The Broncos lined him up at running back, and it went nowhere. Norwood also struggled to get separation as a receiver. He got the ball thrown his way twice, but no catches. The worst grade among the receivers and tight ends goes to Norwood with a poor 31.7.
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After their last game, the Broncos two top receivers spoke out about wanting the ball more because it would help the offense. Many Broncos fans pushed them off as being selfish. Well, they showed exactly what they were talking about with this game.
Demaryius Thomas had the lesser game of the two, but he received 100 yards and a touchdown on six catches. However, Thomas also put the ball on the ground on the first Broncos play of the second half. He made up for that later.
Thomas showed just how he can dominate a defense. The Bengals struggled to cover him all game. What makes his game special was that he took what he was seeing in-game, and in film study leading up to the game, and used it. He knew double moves would cause the Bengals to bite, and Thomas used a double move on his long touchdown.
His fumble is bothersome, as there are concerns with his hands. The concerns aren’t just with catching the ball, but holding onto the ball after the catch. His grade of 87.4 is well deserved, but the fumble cost him a few points.
Opposite Thomas was Emmanuel Sanders who had an outstanding game. Sanders was on the receiving end of two touchdowns, one of which was a great play by Sanders. He had the defender beat deep, but the ball was under-thrown a bit. Sanders adjusted and made the catch for the score.
The second touchdown was a perfectly thrown ball, but Sanders work to get open was a beauty. He used a double move to get the defender to bite inside. Sanders then cut outside for an easy touchdown catch. There was a lot more to Sanders game than those two touchdowns.
Sanders ended up catching nine passes on 13 targets for 117 yards. He and Thomas both showed how effective they can be after the catch and how much they can help the offense. That is exactly what they were saying after their win over the Colts. Sanders earned a near perfect grade of 99.6.
Next: Broncos OL and RB Grades From Road Win
That wraps up the grades for the receivers and tight ends. Also is the end to the offensive player grades for the week. Next up will be the grades for the defensive side of the ball, starting with the defensive line. Stay tuned.