2018 Denver Broncos season
| 2018 Denver Broncos season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Pat Bowlen Trust |
| General manager | John Elway |
| Head coach | Vance Joseph |
| Home field | Broncos Stadium at Mile High |
| Results | |
| Record | 6–10 |
| Division place | 3rd AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | LB Von Miller RB Phillip Lindsay LS Casey Kreiter CB Chris Harris Jr. |
| AP All-Pros | LB Von Miller |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2018 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League and their 59th overall.
After poor offensive statistics that resulted in a 5–11 record during
Following a 3–6 start, the Broncos put together a three-game winning streak, with hopes of turning their season around and competing for a playoff spot. However, key late-season injuries to cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (fractured fibula) and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (ruptured Achilles tendon) derailed those hopes, sending the Broncos to a season-ending four-game losing streak and a 6–10 record – only a one-win improvement from 2017.
For the first time since 2010, the Broncos did not play the New England Patriots during the regular season.
The Broncos missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season, suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1971–1972 and back-to-back double-digit losses for the first time since 1966–1967, resulting in the firing of head coach Vance Joseph at the end of the season. Joseph posted an 11–21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach. This was the third consecutive season with one game involving the Broncos getting at least 30 points.
This was also the 35th and final season under the ownership of Pat Bowlen, who died on June 13, 2019.
Coaching changes
- January 1: One day after the 2017 regular season finale, the Broncos parted ways with six coaching assistants, firing special teams coordinator Brock Olivo, running backs/assistant head coach Eric Studesville, wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, outside linebackers coach Fred Pagac, defensive backs coach Johnnie Lynn and offensive line coach Jeff Davidson. Bill Musgrave, who was promoted to offensive coordinator midway through the 2017 season, shed the interim tag, and remained as the full-time offensive coordinator.[1]
- January 3: Sean Kugler was hired as the new offensive line coach, replacing Jeff Davidson. Kugler, who will focus on the guards and centers, was the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso from 2013 to 2017, and has previously served as an offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions (2004–2005), Buffalo Bills (2007–2009) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2010–2012).[2]
- January 4: Mike Sullivan was hired as the new quarterbacks coach, while Curtis Modkins was hired as running backs coach. Sullivan was the New York Giants' quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator during the previous three seasons (2015–2017), while Modkins served as the Chicago Bears' running backs coach in 2017. Klint Kubiak, who was promoted to quarterbacks coach after Bill Musgrave was promoted to offensive coordinator midway through the 2017 season, will remain on the Broncos' staff as an offensive assistant.[3]
- January 9: Tom McMahon was hired as the new special teams coordinator. McMahon served in the same capacity with the Indianapolis Colts from 2014 to 2017.[4]
- January 10: Chris Strausser was promoted from an offensive assistant to offensive line coach, and will focus on the tackles. Greg Williams was hired as a defensive backs coach, and will focus on the cornerbacks. Williams worked in the same capacity with the Indianapolis Colts during the previous two seasons. Zach Azzanni was hired as wide receivers coach. Azzanni worked in the same capacity with the Chicago Bears in 2017.[5]
- June 13: DeMarcus Ware, a former Broncos' defensive lineman from 2014 to 2016, was hired as a part-time pass-rush consultant, and will tutor the Broncos' next crop of pass rushers.[6]
Front office changes
On July 2, Tom Heckert Jr., who had worked as a director of pro personnel and senior personnel advisor since 2013, stepped down from his position due to health concerns and the expiration of his contract. Heckert was diagnosed with amyloidosis in 2015 and was placed on medical leave during the second half of that season. Heckert died on August 6, 2018, at the age of 51. Former Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak remained as the team's lone senior personnel adviser until the end of the season.[7]
Ownership sale
On March 21, 2018, the Broncos announced that John Bowlen, the brother of majority owner Pat Bowlen, agreed to sell a portion of his minority stake in the franchise back to the team. The statement released by the team said:
"The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement to purchase a portion of minority owner John Bowlen's share of the team, pending final approval from the NFL that is expected in the next few days. This transaction further consolidates Pat Bowlen's majority, controlling ownership interest in the Broncos while keeping 100 percent of the team in the Bowlen family. The acquisition of this share is independent of Mr. Bowlen's succession plan that is being administered by the Pat Bowlen Trust. John has been a great partner for many years, and we are very pleased he will remain a minority owner of the Denver Broncos."[8]
Roster changes
Free agents
Unrestricted
| Position | Player | 2018 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
OT |
Allen Barbre | None | |
| RB | Jamaal Charles | None | |
| DE | Jared Crick | None | |
| LB | Todd Davis | Denver Broncos | re-signed March 14[9] |
| WR | Bennie Fowler III |
Chicago Bears | originally an RFA,[10] signed with the Bears on April 16[11] |
| TE | Virgil Green | Los Angeles Chargers | signed with the Chargers on March 14[12] |
| WR | Cody Latimer | New York Giants | signed with the Giants on March 19[13] |
| LB | Corey Nelson | Philadelphia Eagles | signed with the Eagles on March 14[14] |
| QB | Brock Osweiler | Miami Dolphins | signed with the Dolphins on March 23[15] |
| OT | Donald Stephenson | Cleveland Browns | signed with the Browns on March 14[14] |
G |
Billy Turner | Denver Broncos | re-signed March 17[16] |
| DE | Billy Winn | None |
Restricted and Exclusive-Rights
| Position | Player | Tag | 2018 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Zaire Anderson | ERFA | None | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 16,[17] waived September 1[18] |
| LB | Shaquil Barrett | RFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 23[19] |
| LB | Jerrol Garcia-Williams | ERFA | None | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 23,[19] placed on injured reserve September 1[18] |
| DE | Shelby Harris | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 9,[20] re-signed April 16[17] |
| LB | Joseph Jones | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 16[17] |
| LS | Casey Kreiter | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 6[21] |
| C | Matt Paradis | RFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 20[22] placed on injured reserve November 12[23] |
| WR | Jordan Taylor | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 16,[17] placed on the PUP list September 1[18] |
OT |
Elijah Wilkinson | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 12,[10] re-signed April 16[17] |
Signings
| Position | Player | 2017 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PK | Taylor Bertolet | None | signed March 21,[24] waived April 30[25] |
| CB | Tramaine Brock | Minnesota Vikings | signed March 14[26] |
| WR | Corey Brown | Buffalo Bills | signed July 27,[27] designated as waived/injured on August 15[28] |
| WR | River Cracraft | Practice squad | promoted to the active roster on November 2[29] |
| C | Gino Gradkowski | Carolina Panthers | signed November 12[23] |
| TE | Temarrick Hemingway | Practice squad | promoted to the active roster on November 27[30] |
| QB | Kevin Hogan | Cleveland Browns | claimed off waivers on September 2[31] |
| WR | Andre Holmes | Buffalo Bills | claimed off waivers on December 5,[32] placed on injured reserve December 28[33] |
| CB | Adam Jones | Cincinnati Bengals | signed August 26,[34] waived November 20[35] |
| QB | Case Keenum | Minnesota Vikings | signed March 14[36] |
P |
Marquette King | Oakland Raiders | signed April 5,[37][38] released October 8[39][38] |
| LS | Christian Kuntz | None | signed March 21,[24] waived June 14[40] |
| DT | Caushaud Lyons | None | signed June 15,[41] waived September 1[18] |
| DT | Clinton McDonald | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | signed March 21,[24] released September 1[18] |
| CB | Craig Mager | Los Angeles Chargers | signed December 19[42] |
| TE | Brian Parker | None | promoted from the practice squad on September 29[43] |
| CB | Horace Richardson | None | signed December 28[33] |
| CB | C. J. Smith | Cleveland Browns | claimed off waivers on April 13,[44] waived September 1[18] |
| CB | Jamar Taylor | Cleveland Browns | signed December 4, two weeks after being released by the Arizona Cardinals[45] |
| S | Shamarko Thomas | Buffalo Bills | signed August 13,[46] released September 1,[18] signed September 11,[47] waived December 11[48] |
P |
Colby Wadman | None | promoted from the practice squad to the active roster on October 6[39] |
| LB | Aaron Wallace Jr. | None | signed December 28[33] |
| WR | DeAndrew White | Houston Texans | claimed off waivers on August 15[28] |
Departures
| Position | Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RB | C. J. Anderson | released April 16[49] |
G |
J. J. Dielman | designated as waived/injured on September 1[18] |
| WR | Carlos Henderson | designated as Reserve/Did Not Report on July 25[50] suspended August 15 for one week for violating the league's substance abuse policy,[51] waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[52] released from the practice squad on September 13[53] |
| CB | Michael Hunter | waived September 1[18] |
OT |
Cyrus Kouandjio | released September 1,[18] re-signed November 20,[54] released December 4[45] |
| CB | Brendan Langley | waived September 1[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[52] promoted to the active roster on November 20[35] |
| QB | Chad Kelly | released October 24, one day after being arrested on criminal trespassing charges[55] |
| QB | Paxton Lynch | waived September 2[31] |
| WR | Isaiah McKenzie | waived September 1,[18] re-signed September 2,[56] waived September 10,[57] assigned to the practice squad on September 12,[58] promoted to the active roster on October 25,[59] waived November 2[29] |
NT |
Kyle Peko | waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[52] waived September 11[60] |
| CB | Marcus Rios | designated as waived/injured on September 1[18] |
| TE | Austin Traylor | waived September 1[18] |
Trades
- April 23, 2019 draft selection.[61]
- October 30: 2019 fourth-round selection; in addition, the teams will swap 2019 seventh-round selections. Thomas ranks third in franchise history in receptions (behind Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith), second in receiving yards, touchdowns and single-season receptions (all behind Rod Smith), tied with Anthony Miller for the most touchdowns in a single season, and holds the franchise records for 100-yard receiving games and receiving yardage for both a single-game and a single-season.[62][63][64][65][66]
Draft
Despite early reports that the Broncos would draft a quarterback, plus the draft of several offensive players, the Broncos stayed with Case Keenum, Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly going into mini-camps.[67][68]
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Bradley Chubb | LB | NC State | signed June 21[69] |
| 2 | 40 | Courtland Sutton | WR | SMU | signed May 10[70] |
| 3 | 71 | Royce Freeman | RB | Oregon | signed July 5[71] |
| 99 * | Isaac Yiadom | CB | Boston College | signed May 26[72] | |
| 4 | 106 | Josey Jewell | LB | Iowa | signed May 10[70] |
| 113 | DaeSean Hamilton | WR | Penn State | signed May 10[70] | |
| 5 | 156 | Troy Fumagalli | TE | Wisconsin | signed May 10,[70] placed on injured reserve September 1[18] |
| 6 | 183 | Sam Jones | G |
Arizona State | signed May 10[70] |
| 217 | Keishawn Bierria | LB | Washington | signed May 10[70] | |
| 7 | 226 | David Williams | RB | Arkansas | signed May 10,[70] waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3[52] |
| * | Compensatory selection[73]
|
|---|
Draft trades
| Trade partner | Broncos give | Broncos receive | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 182) | Offensive tackle Jared Veldheer |
[74] |
| Atlanta Falcons | Offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo | 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 163) | [75] |
| Los Angeles Rams | Cornerback Aqib Talib | 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 160 – later traded back to LAR) | [76] |
| 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 160) | Two 2018 sixth-round selections (Nos. 183 and 217) | ||
| Minnesota Vikings | Quarterback Trevor Siemian 2018 seventh-round selection (No. 225) |
2019 fifth-round selection |
[77] |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2017 fifth-round selection |
2018 fourth-round selection (No. 109) | [78] |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 149 – from WAS ) |
2018 fifth-round selection (No. 156) 2018 seventh-round selection (No. 226) |
[79] |
Washington Redskins |
2018 fourth-round selection (No. 109) Two 2018 fifth-round selections (Nos. 142 and 163) |
Safety Su'a Cravens 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 113) 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 149 – later traded to SEA) |
[80] |
Undrafted free agents
All
| Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WR | Bryce Bobo | Colorado | signed August 3,[82] waived September 1[18] |
| LB | Bo Bower | Iowa | signed June 15,[41] waived August 26[34] |
| WR | Mark Chapman | Central Michigan | signed July 26[83] waived September 1[18] |
| WR | John Diarse | TCU | waived September 1[18] |
G/C |
Nico Falah | USC | signed October 22[84] |
OT |
Austin Fleer | Colorado Mesa | signed August 12[85] waived September 1[18] |
| LB | Jeff Holland | Auburn | waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[86] promoted to the active roster on November 30[87] |
| LB | A. J. Johnson | Tennessee | suspended during his senior year in 2014 due to legal issues, signed August 13,[88] made the Week 1 roster, waived November 30[87] |
| OT | Leon Johnson | Temple | waived August 12[85] |
| RB | Phillip Lindsay | Colorado | made the Week 1 roster |
NT |
Lowell Lotulelei | Ball State | waived May 14[89] |
| S | Trey Marshall | Florida State | waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[52] promoted to the active roster on December 11[48] |
| DE | DeQuinton Osborne | Oklahoma State | signed August 15,[28] waived September 1[18] |
| C | Austin Schlottmann | TCU | waived September 1,[18] assigned to the practice squad on September 3[52] |
| DE | Antonio Simmons | Georgia Tech | signed June 15,[41] waived September 1[18] |
| QB | Nick Stevens | Colorado State | signed May 17,[89] waived June 14[40] |
| WR | Jimmy Williams | East Carolina | designated as Reserve/Did Not Report on July 25[50] |
Injuries
- May 30: Linebacker Deiontrez Mount ruptured his Achilles tendon during organized team activities (OTAs), and was ruled out for the 2018 season.[90] Mount was designated as waived/injured on June 14.[40]
- August 13: injured reserve, after suffering a torn hamstring during the team's first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.[46]
- August 20: Offensive tackle Menelik Watson was placed on injured reserve due to a chest injury, and was released once he was declared healthy.[91]
- September 2: Safety Su'a Cravens was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury, with the designation to return to the roster after eight weeks,[56] and was reinstated to the active roster on November 2, two days ahead of the Broncos' Week 9 game vs. the Houston Texans.[29]
- September 27: Tight end Jake Butt suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during practice, and was placed on the season-ending injured reserve. This was the third knee injury that Butt has suffered – he tore the ACL in his right knee twice while at the University of Michigan (2014 and 2016), and missed his entire rookie season in 2017 while rehabbing from the second knee injury.[92][43]
- October 6: Punter Marquette King was placed on injured reserve due to a thigh injury, and was released on October 8.[39][38]
- October 14: Guard Ronald Leary ruptured his Achilles tendon during the team's Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and was placed on injured reserve.[84]
- October 28: Linebacker Brandon Marshall suffered a knee injury during the team's Week 8 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and returned to practice on November 28.[93]
- November 4: Center Matt Paradis suffered a broken leg during the team's Week 9 loss to the Houston Texans, and was placed on injured reserve one week later, during the team's Week 10 bye.[23]
- November 16: Guard Max Garcia suffered a torn ACL during practice – two days ahead of the team's Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and was placed on injured reserve four days later (November 20).[54]
- November 25: During the team's Week 12 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, linebacker Shaquil Barrett sustained a tear in his hip flexor, and missed a few weeks.[94] Also in Week 12, tight end Jeff Heuerman suffered three broken ribs and a bruised lung, and was placed on injured reserve two days later.[30]
- December 2: Cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. suffered a broken fibula during the team's Week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He was not initially placed on injured reserve, and hoped to return to action if the Broncos had made the playoffs.[32] However, after the Broncos were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 15, Harris was officially placed on injured reserve on December 19.[42]
- December 5: Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders ruptured his Achilles tendon during practice, and was placed on injured reserve.[32]
- December 28: Running back Phillip Lindsay (wrist) and wide receiver Andre Holmes (ankle) were both injured during the team's Week 16 loss to the Oakland Raiders, and were placed on injured reserve ahead of the Broncos' final season game.[33]
Staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Final roster
Preseason
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 11 | Minnesota Vikings | L 28–42 | 0–1 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High
|
Recap |
| 2 | August 18 | Chicago Bears | L 23–24 | 0–2 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 3 | August 23 | at Washington Redskins | W 29–17 | 1–2 | FedExField
|
Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 21–10 | 2–2 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9 | Seattle Seahawks | W 27–24 | 1–0 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High
|
Recap |
| 2 | September 16 | Oakland Raiders | W 20–19 | 2–0 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 3 | September 23 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 14–27 | 2–1 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 23–27 | 2–2 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 5 | October 7 | at New York Jets | L 16–34 | 2–3 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 14 | Los Angeles Rams | L 20–23 | 2–4 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 7 | October 18 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 45–10 | 3–4 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 28 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 23–30 | 3–5 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 4 | Houston Texans | L 17–19 | 3–6 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 10 | Bye | |||||
| 11 | November 18 | at Los Angeles Chargers | W 23–22 | 4–6 | StubHub Center | Recap |
| 12 | November 25 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–17 | 5–6 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 13 | December 2 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–10 | 6–6 | Paul Brown Stadium
|
Recap |
| 14 | December 9 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 14–20 | 6–7 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 15 | Cleveland Browns | L 16–17 | 6–8 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
| 16 | December 24 | at Oakland Raiders | L 14–27 | 6–9 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
|
Recap |
| 17 | December 30 | Los Angeles Chargers | L 9–23 | 6–10 | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Broncos | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at
- Date: September 9
- Game time: 2:25 p.m.
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
For an eighth consecutive year, the Broncos kicked off the season at home, with the
Following an exchange of turnovers midway through the third quarter – a fumble recovery by Broncos' linebacker Von Miller off Seahawks' running back Chris Carson and another interception of Keenum by McDougald, the Seahawks pulled even, with Wilson connecting with wide receiver Brandon Marshall on a 20-yard touchdown pass. Following an interception of Wilson by Broncos' safety Justin Simmons, a 53-yard field goal by McManus later in the third quarter gave the Broncos a 20–17 lead. On the second play of the fourth quarter, the Seahawks reclaimed the lead, with Wilson launching a 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Lockett. The Broncos then drove 75 yards in seven plays, culminating in Keenum's third touchdown pass of the game – a 4-yarder to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas in the corner of the end zone with 11:18 remaining in the game. The play was reviewed by instant replay, but was upheld as the result of Demaryius Thomas keeping both of his toes in the end zone. Both teams punted on their next two possessions, and after the Seahawks were forced to burn all three of their team timeouts, they had one last possession with 1:01 remaining in the game, however, Wilson was intercepted by cornerback Adam Jones at the Seahawks' 40-yard line, ending the game.[95]
Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 3 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
| Broncos | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: September 16
- Game time: 2:25 pm. MDT
- Game weather: 92 °F (33 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 76,696
- Referee:
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos' offense went three-and-out on four of their six first half possessions. They reached the Raiders' 18-yard line on their fifth possession, which was aided by a 53-yard run by running back Phillip Lindsay, however, a pass attempt by quarterback Case Keenum intended for tight end Jake Butt near the goal line was intercepted by Raiders' cornerback Rashaan Melvin. The Raiders took a 12–0 lead on a pair of field goals by placekicker Mike Nugent – a 26-yarder on the opening drive followed by a 46-yarder early in the second quarter – and a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Marshawn Lynch just before halftime. The extra-point attempt on the Lynch touchdown was blocked by Broncos' linebacker Shaquil Barrett.[96]
The Broncos got on the scoreboard on the opening possession of the second half, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back
Notes
With a temperature of 92 °F (33 °C), this was the hottest home game in Broncos' franchise history.[97]
Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Ravens | 10 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
at
- Date: September 23
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
In their first road game of the season, the Broncos were plagued by several penalties, in a 27–14 loss at the
The Ravens added to their lead on their first possession of the second half, with a 1-yard run by Allen, which was the final scoring play of the game. The drive was aided by a defensive offsides penalty on Broncos' defensive end Derek Wolfe on a 3rd-and-4. The Broncos committed three costly penalties on their next drive – offensive holding on Garett Bolles that negated a 39-yard pass completion from Keenum to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas at the Ravens' 11-yard line, a holding call on Connor McGovern at the Ravens' 31-yard line and an unnecessary roughness flag on Ronald Leary that pushed the Broncos out of field goal range. The Broncos reached the Ravens' 5-yard line on their first possession of the fourth quarter, but Keenum was intercepted by Patrick Onwuasor, who ran 89 yards for a touchdown. However, the touchdown was nullified by an illegal block on the return. The Broncos had one more possession, but turned the football over on downs with three minutes remaining in the game, and the Ravens ran out the clock.[98]
Week 4: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
| Broncos | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: October 1
- Game time: 6:15 pm. MDT
- Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 76,656
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (ESPN/KTVD): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
After an exchange of field goals in the first quarter – a 42-yarder by Broncos placekicker Brandon McManus and a 33-yarder by Chiefs' placekicker Harrison Butker, Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled for an 8-yard touchdown and Broncos' running back Royce Freeman ran for a 14-yard touchdown – both midway through the second quarter. A 34-yard field goal by McManus just before halftime gave the Broncos a 13–10 lead. A 21-yard field goal by Butker on the Chiefs' opening possession of the second half tied the game. A 1-yard touchdown run by running back Phillip Lindsay later in the third quarter, coupled with a 46-yard field goal by McManus early in the fourth quarter gave the Broncos a 23–13 lead. Mahomes then engineered a 12-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Kelce to narrow the Broncos lead to 23–20 with 6:30 remaining in the game. After the Broncos went three-and-out, the Chiefs grabbed a 27–23 lead, with a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Kareem Hunt. The drive featured a critical third-down conversion, in which Mahomes threw left-handed to wide receiver Tyreek Hill while being pursued out of bounds by Broncos' linebackers Von Miller and Shane Ray. The drive was also marred with controversy, in which the Broncos claimed that the referees missed a delay-of-game call on a critical third-down play. With 1:39 remaining in the game and no timeouts, the Broncos attempted a rally, and reached the Chiefs' 28-yard line with 32 seconds remaining after a 36-yard completion from quarterback Case Keenum to tight end Jeff Heuerman. On the next play, Keenum overthrew wide receiver Demaryius Thomas down the sideline on a potential game-winning touchdown. With 16 seconds left, and facing a 4th-and-10, Keenum completed a pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, and Sutton attempted a hook-and-lateral, which was fumbled and recovered by Chiefs' defensive end Justin Houston, but ruled incomplete after instant replay, ending the Broncos' rally attempt.[99]
Notes
This was the first of two games in which the Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys – the other was Week 15 vs. the Cleveland Browns.[100]
Week 5: at New York Jets
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
| Jets | 0 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 34 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: October 7
- Game time: 1:00 pm. EDT/11:00 am. MDT
- Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 77,982
- Referee: Pete Morelli
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
After forcing a fumble on the
Week 6: vs. Los Angeles Rams
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 6 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: October 14
- Game time: 2:05 pm. MDT
- Game weather: 25 °F (−4 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 76,109
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth and Jennifer Hale
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Rams took an early 6–0 lead, with a pair of field goals by placekicker Cairo Santos – a 26- and a 39-yarder. Near the end of the first quarter, quarterback Case Keenum completed what was initially ruled as a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who was immediately flagged for a taunting penalty against Rams' cornerback Troy Hill, which would have been penalized on the kickoff. However, instant replay determined that Sanders was ruled down at the 1-yard line by contact, where the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was assessed. The Broncos were forced to settle for a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. A 10-yard touchdown run by Rams' running back Todd Gurley was the only scoring play of the second quarter. The Broncos reached the Rams' 28-yard line on the first possession of the second quarter, only to have a holding penalty on offensive tackle Garett Bolles push them out of field goal range. Following an exchange of punts to start the second half, the Rams increased their lead to 20–3, with a 1-yard run by Gurley. On the Rams' next possession, quarterback Jared Goff was intercepted by Broncos' safety Darian Stewart on a deflected pass deep in Rams' territory, and two plays later, Keenum connected with Sanders on a 22-yard touchdown pass near the end of the third quarter. After forcing a Rams' punt, the Broncos reached the 6-yard line, but were forced to settle for a 24-yard field goal by McManus at the 8:57 mark of the fourth quarter. The Broncos' defense prevented the Rams defense from reaching the end zone, however, Santos responded with a 21-yard field goal to give the Rams a 23–13 lead with 3:19 remaining. Without any timeouts, the Broncos reached the end zone in nine plays, and pulled to within a 23–20 deficit, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Keenum to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas with 1:27 remaining in the game. However, the onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and the Rams ran out the clock.[102]
Week 7: at Arizona Cardinals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 45 |
| Cardinals | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: October 18
- Game time: 6:20 pm. MDT/5:20 pm. MST
- Game weather: Played indoors (
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos' defense returned two interceptions off
Notes
The Broncos improved their all-time series record against the Cardinals to 9–1–1.[104] This was the only game during the 2018 season in which the Broncos scored 30 or more points.
Week 8: at Kansas City Chiefs
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 7 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 23 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 30 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 28
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT/11:00 am. MDT
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C), clear and sunny
- Game attendance: 77,103
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Steve Tasker
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
For the second time in the month of October, the Broncos faced their
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Broncos responded, with Keenum throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeff Heuerman. However, the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, which would have pulled the Broncos to within a one-score deficit. The Broncos' defense forced a turnover on the Chiefs' next possession, with safety Justin Simmons intercepting a pass from Mahomes at the Broncos' 39-yard line. However, four plays later, after the Broncos had reached the Chiefs' 39-yard line, Keenum was strip-sacked by Dee Ford, with Chiefs' linebacker Breeland Speaks recovering the fumble. The Broncos' defense forced a Chiefs punt, however, on the next possession, Keenum was intercepted by cornerback Kendall Fuller near midfield. Following an exchange of punts, and after burning two of their three team timeouts, the Broncos drove 46 yards in ten plays, with a 36-yard field goal by McManus pulling the Broncos to within a 30–23 deficit just after the two-minute warning. The Broncos' defense forced a three-and-out from the Chiefs, and the Broncos had one last offensive play, however, with only four seconds left and no timeouts, their last desperation play of the game was unsuccessful.[105]
Notes
The Broncos lost their seventh consecutive game against the Chiefs – surpassing the team's longest losing skid against the Chiefs since a six-game streak from 1970 to 1973.[106]
Week 9: vs. Houston Texans
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 19 |
| Broncos | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 4
- Game time: 2:05 pm. MST
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 76,270
- Referee: Clay Martin
- TV announcers (CBS): Tom McCarthy and Steve Beuerlein
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The
Notes
Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who was traded by the Broncos to the Texans earlier in the week, made his debut in a Texans' uniform.[62]
Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| Chargers | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 22 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
A pair of first quarter field goals by placekicker
The Chargers took the opening possession of the second half and added to their lead, with Rivers throwing his second touchdown pass – a 6-yarder to tight end Antonio Gates. However, Badgley missed wide left on the extra point attempt, keeping the score at 19–7. The Broncos went three and out on their first offensive possession of the second half, and the Chargers were attempting to pull away from the Broncos on their next possession. However, as the Chargers reached the Broncos' 35-yard line, Rivers was intercepted by linebacker Von Miller on a screen pass attempt, and Miller returned the interception to the Chargers' 18-yard line. The Broncos capitalized three plays later, with running back Royce Freeman rushing for a three-yard touchdown.[108]
After forcing a three-and-out from the Chargers, the Broncos took a 20–19 lead early in the fourth quarter, with Lindsay rushing for a 2-yard touchdown on a direct snap. Quarterback Case Keenum's two-point attempt was unsuccessful, as he was stopped just short of the goal line. The Chargers then drove to the Broncos' 12-yard line in eight plays, and a 30-yard field goal by Badgley gave the Chargers a 22–20 lead with 6:51 remaining in the game. The Broncos were attempting a rally, and reached the Chargers' 45-yard line with four minutes remaining in the game, but were forced to punt. The possession was extended by a fumble from wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders that was reversed by instant replay and ruled as an incomplete pass, as well as a Keenum interception that was nullified by a defensive holding penalty on Chargers' safety Jahleel Addae. The Chargers got the football back, and attempted to run out the clock after gaining one first down and forcing the Broncos to burn all of their timeouts, but were forced to punt just after the two-minute warning. With 1:51 remaining in the game and the Broncos backed up to their own 8-yard line, Keenum engineered a 7-play, 76-yard drive, culminating in placekicker Brandon McManus kicking a game-winning 34-yard field goal as time expired. The Chargers unsuccessfully tried to ice McManus, calling a timeout prior to McManus' first attempt.[108]
Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Broncos | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 25
- Game time: 2:25 pm. MST
- Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C), mostly sunny
- Game attendance: 76,536
- Referee: Tony Corrente
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos donned their orange color rush uniforms in the Week 12 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were victimized by several missed scoring opportunities. On the Steelers' first possession, placekicker Chris Boswell's 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Justin Simmons. The Broncos took the early lead, with a 41-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus – the only scoring play of the first quarter. The Steelers then drove down the field, attempting to take their first lead, with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completing a pass to tight end Xavier Grimble along the sidelines. However, Broncos' safety Will Parks forced a fumble just before Grimble reached the goal line, with the football going out of the end zone for a touchback. Following a Broncos' punt, Boswell atoned for his earlier blocked field goal attempt, with a 41-yard field goal. The first touchdown of the game came courtesy of a 10-yard touchdown pass from Broncos' quarterback Case Keenum to tight end Matt LaCosse at the 3:33 mark of the second quarter. The Steelers then marched down the field, and were attempting a 19-yard field goal attempt to close out the first half, however, the Steelers' special teams caught the Broncos off-guard, with a 2-yard touchdown from Boswell to Alejandro Villanueva on a fake field goal pass to tie the game at 10–10.[109]
Following an exchange of punts to begin the second half, the Steelers grabbed their first (and only) lead of the game, with Roethlisberger launching a 97-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| Bengals | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
at
- Date: December 2
- Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/11:00 am. MST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 44,392
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Neither team advanced past their opponent's 43-yard line through their first three possessions, until the Broncos' fourth possession, in which placekicker Brandon McManus missed wide left on a 50-yard field goal attempt. The first points of the game came courtesy of a 6-yard touchdown run by Broncos' running back Phillip Lindsay at the two-minute warning. The Bengals then drove down the field, however, the Broncos' defense limited the Bengals to a 35-yard field goal by placekicker Randy Bullock just before halftime. Following an exchange of punts to begin the second half, the Broncos increased their lead, with quarterback Case Keenum connecting with wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a 30-yard touchdown pass. The Bengals reached the Broncos' 30-yard line on their second possession of the second half, however quarterback Jeff Driskel, playing in place of the injured Andy Dalton, was intercepted by cornerback Justin Simmons at the 7-yard line. The Broncos capitalized four plays later, with Lindsay rushing for a 65-yard touchdown. The Bengals responded, with Driskel throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cody Core to narrow the Broncos' lead to 21–10. Despite a lost fumble by Broncos' running back Royce Freeman near midfield toward the end of the third quarter, the Bengals' offense did not advance past the Broncos' 47-yard line for the remainder of the game. With 2:49 remaining in the game, linebacker Bradley Chubb forced a fumble off Driskel, and with the Bengals out of timeouts, a 29-yard field goal by McManus with only 27 seconds left put the game out of reach.[110]
Week 14: at San Francisco 49ers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 49ers | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos fell behind 20–0 at halftime, and the defense allowed 210 receiving yards to 49ers' tight end George Kittle – 85 of which came on one play, which resulted in a 49ers' touchdown. Placekicker Robbie Gould added two field goals – a 40-yarder in the first quarter followed by a 29-yarder in the second quarter, and quarterback Nick Mullens also threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dante Pettis. The Broncos' offense accumulated only 70 total yards on their first six possessions (excluding a kneel down before halftime), went 2-for-15 on third down conversions and running back Phillip Lindsay, who rushed for 157 yards against the Bengals during the previous week, was held to just 30 yards rushing. The Broncos finally got on the scoreboard at the six-minute mark of the third quarter, with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Lindsay. The Broncos' offense failed on two 4th-down conversions on their next two possessions, and with only 3:57 remaining in the game, a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton pulled the Broncos to within a 20–14 deficit. However, the Broncos' defense was unable to prevent Mullens from converting two crucial third-down pass completions prior to the two-minute warning, forcing the Broncos to burn two timeouts – the other timeout was lost another on an unsuccessful challenge, and leaving the Broncos with only eight seconds for one last desperation pass play, which was snuffed out by the 49ers' defense.[111]
Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Broncos | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 15
- Game time: 6:20 pm. MST
- Game weather: 46 °F (8 °C), partly cloudy
- Game attendance: 76,596
- Referee: Clay Martin
- TV announcers (NFLN/KDVR): Mike Tirico, Kurt Warner and Peter Schrager
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Cleveland Browns took the early lead, with quarterback Baker Mayfield launching a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Breshad Perriman. After going three-and-out on their first two possessions, the Broncos got on the scoreboard later in the first quarter, with quarterback Case Keenum rushing for a 1-yard touchdown, then grabbed the lead midway through the second quarter, with a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. Cleveland responded on their next possession, with a 40-yard field goal by placekicker Greg Joseph. The Broncos were attempting to re-take the lead on their next possession, reaching the Cleveland 29-yard line, however Keenum was intercepted by Cleveland safety Jabrill Peppers in the end zone for a touchback. The Broncos' defense subsequently returned the favor, as Cleveland reached the Broncos' 30-yard line just before halftime, however, Mayfield was intercepted by safety Dymonte Thomas near the goal line. After forcing a fumble off Mayfield, a 42-yard field goal by McManus gave the Broncos a 13–10 lead late in the third quarter.[112]
After forcing a Cleveland punt, Keenum was intercepted by cornerback T. J. Carrie at the Broncos' 48-yard line on the second play of the fourth quarter. Six plays later, Cleveland capitalized and took a 17–13 lead, with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield to wide receiver Antonio Callaway. With 11:49 left in the game, the Broncos drove 64 yards in 13 plays, and instead of trying to convert a 4th-and-1 at the Cleveland 6-yard line, they elected for a 29-yard field goal by McManus to pull within a 17–16 deficit with 4:39 left. Cleveland drove down to the Broncos' 10-yard line and forced the Broncos to use the last two of their three team timeouts. However, instead of trying to increase their lead with a field goal, Cleveland attempted to run out the clock, but running back Nick Chubb was stopped for a 2-yard loss on a 4th-and-1 at the Broncos' 12-yard line. The Broncos reached midfield with 1:12 remaining in the game, however, after Keenum spiked the football on first down and two incomplete passes, Keenum was sacked by Peppers to end the Broncos' rally attempt.[112]
Notes
This was the Cleveland Browns' first victory over the Broncos since 1990, snapping an 11-game losing streak to the Broncos.[112] The Broncos own a 23–6 all-time record vs. Cleveland (including the playoffs).[113] The Broncos wore their alternate navy blue jerseys for this game.[100] This game featured Broncos' linebacker Bradley Chubb playing against his cousin, Cleveland running back Nick Chubb. With the loss, coupled with the Tennessee Titans' victory over the New York Giants the following day, the Broncos were officially eliminated from postseason contention.
Week 16: at Oakland Raiders
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Raiders | 7 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at
- Date: December 24
- Game time: 6:15 pm. MST/5:15 pm. PST
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C), rain
- Game attendance: 53,850
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarland and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos fell behind 17–0 by halftime to the Raiders – the second time in three weeks in which they were shutout in the first half. On their first possession, the Broncos punted, and cornerback Isaac Yiadom failed to down the punt neat the goal line. Raiders' return specialist Dwayne Harris took advantage of Yiadom's blunder by returning the football 99 yards for a touchdown. The Raiders later increased their lead to 17–0 in the second quarter, with a 24-yard touchdown run by running back Doug Martin and a 43-yard field goal by placekicker Daniel Carlson. The Broncos' offense failed to advance past the Raiders' 45-yard line on their first five drives, and on their sixth drive, placekicker Brandon McManus missed short on a 58-yard field goal attempt just before halftime. The Broncos finally got on the scoreboard at the 4:40 mark of the third quarter, with a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton, which was the only scoring play of the third quarter. The Raiders responded, with a 12-play, 72-yard drive that consumed 7:20, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Jalen Richard early in the fourth quarter. The Broncos once again pulled to within a 10–point deficit, with Keenum throwing his second touchdown of the second half – a 19-yarder to wide receiver Courtland Sutton. The touchdown was disputed by the Raiders' bench – thinking that Keenum had crossed the line of scrimmage prior to the pass. After forcing a three-and-out, the Broncos were attempting a rally, however, Keenum was intercepted by safety Marcus Gilchrist, and a 45-yard field goal by Carlson increased the Raiders' lead to 27–14 with 4:42 remaining in the game. Without any timeouts, the Broncos had one last possession, however, Keenum was intercepted again – this time by safety Erik Harris, which ended the Broncos' rally attempt. With the loss, the Broncos clinched back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1971–1972.[114]
Week 17: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
at Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 30
- Game time: 2:25 pm. MST
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 75,947
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Adam Archuleta
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Broncos hosted the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2018 regular season finale. Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers was intercepted twice by the Broncos' defense in the first quarter, however, the Broncos failed to capitalize both times. After a scoreless first quarter, Chargers' linebacker Kyle Emanuel recovered a fumble off a lateral pass and fumble by Broncos' quarterback Case Keenum for an 18-yard touchdown. The Broncos reached the red zone just before halftime, but were forced to settle on a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Brandon McManus. The Broncos got a reprieve after Keenum was intercepted by safety Jahleel Addae in the end zone, who lost the fumble on the runback and was recovered by offensive tackle Elijah Wilkinson. The Chargers increased their lead late in the third quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiver Mike Williams. The Broncos pulled to within a 14–9 deficit early in the fourth quarter, with Keenum connecting on a 20-yard touchdown pass to fullback Andy Janovich. The Broncos attempted a two-point conversion, hoping to pull to within a three-point deficit, however, Keenum was intercepted by linebacker Casey Hayward three yards deep in the end zone, who ran down the field 103 yards for a defensive two-point conversion. The Chargers responded and increased their lead to 23–9, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Austin Ekeler with six minutes remaining in the game. The Broncos had one last offensive possession and reached the Chargers' 31-yard line, but turned the football over on downs just before the two-minute warning.[115]
Notes
One day after the game (December 31), Vance Joseph was fired after posting an 11–21 record in his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach.[116]
Standings
Division
| AFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (1) Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 565 | 421 | W1 |
| (5) Los Angeles Chargers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 428 | 329 | W1 |
| Denver Broncos | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 329 | 349 | L4 |
| Oakland Raiders | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 290 | 467 | L1 |
Conference
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division leaders | |||||||||||
| 1[a] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .480 | .401 | W1 |
| 2[b] | New England Patriots | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .482 | .494 | W2 |
| 3[b] | Houston Texans | South | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .471 | .435 | W1 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .496 | .450 | W3 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5[a] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .477 | .422 | W1 |
| 6 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .465 | .456 | W4 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 4–1–1 | 6–5–1 | .504 | .448 | W1 |
| 8 | Tennessee Titans | South | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .520 | .465 | L1 |
| 9 | Cleveland Browns | North | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 3–2–1 | 5–6–1 | .516 | .411 | L1 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .469 | .446 | L3 |
| 11[c] | Denver Broncos | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .464 | L4 |
| 12[c] | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .535 | .448 | L2 |
| 13[c] | Buffalo Bills | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .523 | .411 | W1 |
| 14 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .549 | .463 | L1 |
| 15[d] | New York Jets | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .506 | .438 | L3 |
| 16[d] | Oakland Raiders | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .406 | L1 |
Tiebreakers[e]
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Statistics
Team leaders
| Category | Player(s) | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | Case Keenum | 3,890 |
| Passing touchdowns | Case Keenum | 18 |
| Rushing yards | Phillip Lindsay | 1,037 |
| Rushing touchdowns | Phillip Lindsay | 9 |
| Receptions | Emmanuel Sanders | 71 |
| Receiving yards | Emmanuel Sanders | 868 |
| Receiving touchdowns | Emmanuel Sanders Courtland Sutton |
4 |
| Points | Brandon McManus | 95 |
| Kickoff return yards | Devontae Booker | 234 |
| Punt return yards | River Cracraft | 40 |
| Tackles | Todd Davis | 114 |
| Sacks | Von Miller | 14.5 |
| Forced fumbles | Von Miller | 4 |
| Interceptions | Chris Harris, Jr. Justin Simmons |
3 |
Source for this section: Denver Broncos' official website.[117]
League rankings
|
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source for this section: NFL.com.[118]
Records and milestones
- Week 2:
- Week 7: Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas reached 9,000 career receiving yards.[120]
- Week 11: Linebacker Von Miller reached 100 career sacks and became the fifth-fastest to do so since 1982. Miller also reached 10 sacks on the season, becoming only the third defensive lineman in NFL history to achieve double-digit sack seasons within their first eight years, joining Reggie White and DeMarcus Ware.[121]
- Week 14: Linebacker Bradley Chubb reached 12.5 sacks, setting a new franchise record for sacks by a rookie, surpassing the previous record of 11.5 sacks that was set by Rulon Jones (1980) and Von Miller (2011).[122]
- Week 15: Von Miller became the Broncos' all-time leader in sacks, surpassing Simon Fletcher.[123]
- Week 16: Phillip Lindsay become only the third undrafted rookie to rush for 1,000 yards, following Dominic Rhodes in 2001 and LeGarrette Blount in 2010. Lindsay also become the first Broncos' rookie to rush for 1,000 yards since Clinton Portis in 2002.[124]
Awards and honors
| Recipient | awards |
|---|---|
| Bradley Chubb | October: NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month[125] |
| Phillip Lindsay | Week 13: AFC Offensive Player,[126] FedEx Ground Player[127] and NFL Rookie of the Week[128] Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Athlete of the year[129] 2018 season: Named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-NFL and All-AFC team[130] |
| Von Miller | Week 11: AFC Defensive Player of the Week[131] 2018 season: Named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-NFL and All-AFC team[130] |
| Emmanuel Sanders | Week 7: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[132] |
Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections
On January 16, 2019, Casey Kreiter was selected as the first long snapper to ever be selected to a Pro Bowl.[137] Five days later, Harris was selected to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for New England Patriots' cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Harris was declared healthy after suffering a broken fibula that forced him to miss the Broncos' last four games of the season.[138]
Other news and notes
On June 20, the Broncos reached a temporary
References
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (January 1, 2018). "Broncos part with six assistant coaches after 5-11 season". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (January 3, 2018). "Broncos hire Sean Kugler to coach offensive line". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ "Broncos agree to terms with three new position coaches". Denver Broncos. January 5, 2018. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (January 9, 2018). "Broncos to hire Tom McMahon as special teams coordinator". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (January 10, 2018). "Broncos hire Greg Williams to coach cornerbacks and Zach Azzanni as wide receivers coach". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- ^ DiLalla, Aric (June 13, 2018). "DeMarcus Ware finds perfect role as pass-rush consultant". Denver Broncos. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ O'Halloran, Ryan (August 6, 2018). "Tom Heckert, former Broncos personnel executive, dies at 51". The Denver Post. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 21, 2018). "John Bowlen, Broncos minority owner, agrees to sell portion of stake back to team". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 14, 2018). "Broncos re-sign linebacker Todd Davis to three-year contract". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Jhabvala, Nicki (March 12, 2018). "Broncos place second-round tenders on restricted free agents Matt Paradis, Shaquil Barrett". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ "Bears sign WR Bennie Fowler to 1-year contract". USA Today. April 16, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 14, 2018). "Former Broncos TE Virgil Green to sign with Los Angeles Chargers". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 19, 2018). "Cody Latimer, former Broncos second-round pick, signs with New York Giants". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ^ a b Jhabvala, Nicki (March 14, 2018). "Former Broncos ILB Corey Nelson to sign with Eagles, OT Donald Stephenson headed to Cleveland". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 23, 2018). "Former Broncos QB Brock Osweiler signs with Miami Dolphins". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 17, 2018). "Broncos re-sign OL Billy Turner to one-year contract". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Swanson, Ben (April 16, 2018). "Broncos sign five exclusive-rights free agents". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa DiLalla, Aric (September 1, 2018). "Broncos trim roster to 53 players". Denver Broncos. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
- ^ a b DiLalla, Aric (April 23, 2018). "Shaquil Barrett signs restricted free agent tender, Garcia-Williams signs ERFA tender". Denver Broncos. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (March 9, 2018). "Broncos tender exclusive rights free agent DL Shelby Harris". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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