The final preseason game is often a snooze fest, but this one between the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings was anything but. Denver had themselves plenty of big plays and long, sustained drives. All things you hope to see from the team even if starters are on the bench.
It also helps that the Broncos dominated from start to finish. Despite the fun game, I am so ready for Week 1. How about you?
Broncos vs. Vikings final score
First Quarter
With most of the starters on the bench for this one, it was Jarrett Stidham who got the start and the Broncos
took the field first on offense. The offense was clicking on all cylinders early sparked by a 26 yard catch and run by tight end Nate Adkins to get the team into field goal range. Things went south from there after a near interception and a Jaleel McLaughlin stuffed run up the middle. Stiddy would throw an incomplete pass on the next play to Marvin Mims Jr. to kill the drive. Wil Lutz would put Denver on the board first with a 43-yard field goal.
Facing Carson Wentz, the Broncos defense was unfazed and forced a very quick three-and-out to get the ball right back into Stidham’s hands.
Denver’s second drive began just outside of their own 10 yard line. It looked like they might get back in the down and distance mark, but a nifty run by Tyler Badie gained a first down. He had three carries for nearly 20 yards to start that drive making a strong case for his roster hopes.
Then Cody Schrader came in to catch a ball out in the flat and turned up field for a 20 yard gain near midfield.
Stidham went back to the Schrader well two plays later for another 12-yard gain. He’d get a carry on the next play for another 10+ yard run and a first down into field goal range.
After a nine yard scramble by Stiddy and a stuffed run by McLaughlin, the Broncos faced a third and short. A catch by Adkins picked up the first down to setup a first and goal. A short pass to Michael Bandy and then an Adam Prentice plunge would put the Broncos up by two scores late in the first quarter. The 12-play, 88 yard drive had a bit of everything.
The first quarter would come to an end with the Vikings coming up three yards short of the first down marker at midfield to bring up fourth down.
Broncos 10, Vikings 0.
Second Quarter
Stidham’s day was done after the first quarter. He finished 6/9 for 78 yards and two scoring drives. Sam Ehlinger would take command of the Broncos offense from the start of the second quarter on. That drive would be disastrous. After two short runs, Ehlinger sailed a pass on third and seven that would be easily intercepted by the Vikings.
The Vikings, with that good field position, were able to capitalize on the turnover — sort of. They would need a great effort on a third and long to get into the fringe field goal range. The 46-yard field goal cut the lead back to seven points.
Kolbe Katsis ripped off his second 40+ yard return with a 48-yard kickoff return to setup the Broncos up with great field position to start the next drive.
On the first play of the next drive, Cody Schrader would rip off a big gain for a first down. That would settle Ehlinger a bit for this drive as two plays later he would find Cameron Ross open over the middle for another nice gain and then found Schrader open for a first down into the red zone.
An attempted sweep would get blown up to put the Broncos into a second and 16 from their own 18 yard line. A holding penalty pushed them even further backwards. That would kill all momentum and ultimately bring Wil Lutz out for another field goal attempt to put Denver back up by 10.
Minnesota would charge back before the end of the half, but the Broncos defense would have an impressive goal line stand to keep the damage minimized to a field goal.
The Broncos went into hurry-up mode and three massive pass plays by Ehlinger got Denver right into field goal range with half a minute left in the half. Pass plays to Michael Bandy and Justin Joly got to midfield, then a 20 yard dart to Dane Key set the Broncos up nicely on that drive.
Two plays later, Ehlinger would find Jaleel McLaughlin on a crossing route for as 20-yard touchdown pass to put Denver up big heading into halftime.
Broncos 20, Vikings 6.
Third Quarter
Kolbe Katsis had a decent 17-yard punt return after making something out of nothing. He is making the most of his chances with the football and that should be noted.
The Vikings stole the show early in the third quarter with a quality drive spurred by a pretty insane first down catch by Dontae Fleming.
That drive would result in a punt, though, as Denver’s defense would clamp down after two chunk plays to keep Minnesota outside of field goal range.
Schrader took over the Broncos’ next drive early with big runs and big receptions. A 22-yard gain took the Broncos offense across midfield on that drive.
McLaughlin then added another nine yard run where Prentice would pick up the first down into field goal range. Back-to-back negative runs pushed them back and it looked like they would be stopped on third down, but a five-yard defensive penalty gave them an automatic first down.
The quarter would end with the Broncos flirting with the red zone.
Broncos 20, Vikings 6.
Fourth Quarter
The drive would stall inside the red zone on a third and two inside run to McLaughlin that was stuffed. They decided to go for it with Ehlinger getting pressured and throwing it up into the end zone to a wide open Schrader for a 14-yard touchdown pass.
The play looked absolutely broken, but they pulled a rabbit out of that hat.
The Broncos defense would add a fourth-down goal line stand and two plays later Ehlinger would find a wide-open Justin Joly at midfield for an incredible 88-yard touchdown to keep the blowout rolling.
Ehlinger would finish the game 15/20 for 233 yards, 3 touchdowns and one interception.
The ache and need to see these teams run out the clock began to hit after that big play. The would somewhat comply and get us to the final eventually.
Broncos 34, Vikings 6.
