Mile High Sports

Win over Patriots becomes redemption song for several key Broncos

Nov 29, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (88) reacts during the second half against the New England Patriots at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 30-24. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday night’s 30-24 overtime victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots will go down as one of the biggest wins in recent memory for the Denver Broncos thanks to some electrifying plays by C.J. Anderson and Brock Osweiler, but Tom Brady and the Patriots nearly made it a game of “close but no cigar” for Denver.

Until the near absolute end of a wild fourth quarter, Brady and the Patriots led the Broncos, then went and tied the game as time expired to force the overtime.

Credit the Broncos, who battled all night against a Patriots team that capitalized on early mistakes by Denver, for never folding tent and conceding victory to a New England team many pundits said they had no business beating. But as the game unfolded, there were plenty of storylines that were playing out in an unfavorable manner for the Broncos.

In what seemed like a bizarre twist of fate, some of the Broncos who were being criticized the most throughout the game came up big when it mattered most. What was very nearly a loss became a redemption song for several key Broncos.

Von Miller, for example, had a senseless penalty early in the game and was skewered by some of the biggest names in local and national media for committing yet another bad defensive penalty…

Miller redeemed himself, however, with a fourth-quarter series in which he drew two penalties to help force a three-and-out, not to mention a massive sack on the second play of overtime…

Demaryius Thomas had one of the worst nights of his career, failing to make a catch on his first 12 targets of the game. The critics were out in force as a result.

Even the NFL itself…

But the Broncos believed in their All-Pro wideout and targeted him again on the first play of a go-ahead, fourth-quarter drive with time winding down.

They were rewarded for their faith with one of the biggest plays of the night…

Brock Osweiler will be categorized as a hero on Monday for engineering a come-from-behind, go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter and the game-winning drive in overtime.

But prior to the fourth quarter, he wasn’t getting much praise from the Denver media…

But, when all was said and done, Osweiler had thrown for a touchdown and 270 yards and proved he was as clutch as any Broncos quarterback in recent memory.

He made two exceptional passes in what was nearly the game-winning drive in the fourth-quarter…

https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/671187722883612672

His impressive turnaround was not lost on some of his critics from earlier in the game…

The defense had a chance to make a statement stop with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter and a three point lead. Instead of shutting down the Patriots, they allowed Brady and Co. to move downfield and set up a game-tying field goal as regulation expired.

https://twitter.com/MaseDenver/status/671189005308792833

But after the Patriots won the overtime coin toss, Denver’s defense absolutely had to stop the Patriots from scoring a touchdown, which would have won the game. They did more than just that. They forced a three-and-out which included a sack of Brady and a big hit to force an incompletion.

https://twitter.com/NickiJhabvala/status/671190621261070336

Even the Broncos coaching staff was being questioned throughout for a variety of decisions: Not attempting a 51-yard field goal early in the game; kicking a field goal instead of going for a touchdown; abandoning the run; playing a prevent defense that allowed the Patriots to get into field goal range.

The aggressive coaching staff we’ve come to know this season seemed to vanish at times…

But Kubiak and the coaching staff was bailed out big time on the final play of the game when Osweiler checked into the perfect play to give Denver the win…

Later on ESPN, Osweiler said that the coaching staff had prepared him throughout the week to check into that play when he saw that specific alignment. Kudos to the coaches for knowing their opponent, and to Osweiler for reading the defense. Broncos fans will be singing this redemption song for quite a few days.

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