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    • Broncos’ loss to Ravens shows Denver isn’t an AFC contender yet
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    Broncos’ loss to Ravens shows Denver isn’t an AFC contender yet

    Umito Posted on

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    BALTIMORE – It wasn’t an exact replica of “The Philly Special,” but the Denver Broncos pulled off one of the most remarkable trick plays of the 2024 season to pull within a score of the Baltimore Ravens on the road Sunday.

    Bo Nix took the fourth down shotgun from the one-yard line and handed it to Javonte Williams, who returned the ball to Courtland Sutton. The wide receiver, backtracking across the backfield, caused enough air to float under his pass attempt for the ball to reach the end zone. Nix stood up like a receiver and, showing impressive body control, won the jump ball against Ravens safety Marcus Williams before crossing the goal line for a touchdown.

    Midway through the second quarter, the Broncos had closed to 10-7 on the Ravens, who entered the game as heavy favorites despite both teams entering with the same record (5-3). The final score – a score of 41-10 in favor of Baltimore – demonstrates the gulf between the two teams.

    The Philly Special Redux was the closest, showing how far Sean Payton’s team has to go before competing with the crème de la crème of the AFC. Unfortunately for the Broncos, Nix’s touchdown was a flashy play on an otherwise inconsequential day for the entire team.

    After the game, Payton said the Ravens beat the Broncos in all three phases.

    “That’s why it’s so important to recruit the right type of players and the right mindset,” said Payton, who went 8-9 in 2023, his first season with the team. “It’s not about making excuses. We were booed today.

    Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers and the Ravens offense responded to Nix’s touchdown run — the first time the rookie quarterback caught a touchdown to complement his eight touchdown throws and four rushing scores — with a seven-game touchdown run. games and 63 yards. They responded again to take a two-touchdown lead into halftime.

    Nix finished 19 of 33 for 233 yards and an interception, which came on the first pass attempt of the game. Even though it wasn’t his best throw, the 12th pick in the draft deserved less blame than wideout Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who let the ball fall out of his hands and float through the air for Ar’Darius Washington corrects it comfortably.

    The Broncos were 6 of 14 on third downs. But Payton was aggressive in keeping the offense on the field for fourth downs, and Denver finished 1 of 5. On the first down, Nix overthrew his former Oregon teammate, Troy Franklin, for what would have was a touchdown with a cleaner ball.

    “We came away with no points on a lot of those fourth downs, and you never know,” Nix said. “Obviously, if you hit them, the game, I guess, could change – a lot of what-ifs in this game, and the fact is we got our butts kicked.”

    Although he’ll just dink and dunk and take his first read if the matchup is favorable, Nix also had a few deeper passes Sunday and can make plays with his legs.

    “This quarterback is good,” Ravens linebacker Tavius ​​Robinson said, “and will only get better.”

    In nine games, this has been the case for Nix. Since barely attempting a pass beyond the line of scrimmage against the Seattle Seahawks in his NFL debut, Nix has thrown the ball more downfield (7.06 air yards per attempt weeks 4 to 8). The Broncos had five plays for 21 or more yards Sunday, while the Ravens had seven.

    Payton and the Broncos had their way with the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday. A week later, they were the ones playing with it, as Jackson found guard Patrick Ricard on a play pass near the goal line to make it 38-10 with 1:25 left in the third quarter. Jackson finished 16 of 19 with 280 passing yards, three touchdowns and a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

    “I think if you’re an older team and you’ve been in that situation, you can gut it. I think as a younger team, with less experience, you have to take things as they are and learn from it, grow, because you don’t want to find yourself in that situation,” Nix said. “You kind of accept the pain and the reality that we didn’t get it done today. As a young team you have to find ways to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

    (This story has been updated to add a photo and gallery.)

    Umito
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