Mile High Maniac
Fansided

Broncos: Player Grades From First Loss to Atlanta Falcons

By Gordon Trickel

Oct 9, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) huddles before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) huddles before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 7
Next
Oct 2, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA;Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) catches the ball for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA;Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) catches the ball for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Starting Wide Receivers

Demaryius Thomas- Thomas had the lone touchdown for the Broncos, but it came on a down day. He played great, but just wasn’t getting looked at. Thomas was running good routes and getting separation, but the pass protection didn’t hold up long enough for the quarterback to hit Thomas. His grade: 83.7

Emmanuel Sanders- Sanders was the star of the day, and he was excellent. He made some really tough catches on some really poorly placed passes. If there was anyone on offense who was really prepared for this game, it was Sanders. His grade: 98.7

Jordan Norwood- It was a solid game from Norwood, but he didn’t do a lot that really stood out. He did have one catch go for 17 yards, but it was all pretty standard. His route running was inconsistent and sometimes struggled to separate. His grade: 61.8

Backup Wide Receivers

Cody Latimer- No touches on offense for Latimer and his route running was lackluster. This was a poor game from Latimer, and his blocking was even below par for him. His grade: 41.8

More from Mile High Maniac

Bennie Fowler- With two catches on two targets, Fowler picked up 13 yards. He still doesn’t look fully healthy yet and seems afraid of re-injuring his elbow. Fowler can do a lot more than he has shown, especially as a blocker, but he looks scared. His grade: 42.1

Jordan Taylor- Only 16 snaps for Taylor, in which he saw no targets. What few routes he ran were technically sound, but just lacked the oomph to get separation. His blocking was solid, but still room for improvements there. His grade: 52.4

Tight Ends

John Phillips- With Virgil Green out, Phillips has been getting the start, but he saw only 25 snaps against Atlanta. He isn’t a serious receiving threat, and his blocking is as good as Green’s is. One issue with Denver’s offense if they are missing that tight end, and Phillips has shown he can’t do it. His grade: 25.7

Jeff Heuerman- On only 15 snaps, Heuerman played a poor game. His play combined with Phillips explains why Denver wen’t away from using their tight ends like they normally do. His grade: 13.7

Home/Denver Broncos