Broncos vs. Texans: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Denver
It may not have been pretty, but the Denver Broncos were able to rally late to earn a preseason road victory over the Houston Texans, winning 14-10 on Saturday night.
Peyton Manning took the field for the first time this preseason, and Brock Osweiler got another extended look at the quarterback position, but the defense was the story for the Broncos.
The Denver defense harassed a mostly inept Houston offense, allowing just a field goal all night.
The Broncos will come back home next week to entertain the San Francisco 49ers in the third preseason game. Starters should play a majority of the game for both teams in that one.
But for more on the game against Houston, including positional grades and other notes, click forward.
Position Grades for Denver Broncos
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| QB | B |
| RB | B |
| WR | B+ |
| TE | B- |
| OL | A |
| DL | A- |
| LB | B |
| DB | B |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | B- |
Quarterback
In his first work of the season, Manning was in the game for three series in the first quarter. The Broncos made a concerted effort to have him put the ball in the air, as he attempted 14 passes while only handing the ball off eight times.
Manning completed eight of those passes for 52 yards. But much like last week, it was Osweiler who had the most time under center.
Osweiler wasn't as sharp as he was against Seattle, completing less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing an interception that Houston returned for its only touchdown of the night.
On that play, Osweiler didn't see Houston's Kourtnei Brown drop into coverage. Brown snared the ball out of the air and raced 69 yards for a touchdown.
Rookie quarterback Trevor Siemian came in and guided the team to a comeback win, completing seven of 10 passes for 89 yards and the game-winning 26-yard touchdown pass to Corbin Louks.
Siemian is starting to impress, and that's bad news for Zac Dysert.
Running Back
The Denver running game again looked good. Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson each averaged at least six yards per carry, and the team ran for 121 yards on the ground.
Montee Ball continues to disappoint, however. He gained just four yards on four carries in the game.
Wide Receiver
The Broncos completed just 12 passes to wideouts in this game, and it seems clear that the offense will target tight ends just as much as wide receivers.
While Louks caught the game-winner, Andre Caldwell reeled in a beautiful deep ball from Osweiler that resulted in a 57-yard touchdown.
Tight End
The Broncos appear to be a team with multiple tight ends who can come in and be productive. On the night, the position accounted for nine receptions and 90 yards. Early in the game, holding penalties against Virgil Green and Owen Daniels helped kill drives.
Offensive Line
While it hasn't been flashy, the offensive line is getting the job done. The team didn't allow a sack in the game. In fact, the Texans just got one hit on the quarterback. In addition, the running game is churning out yards in big chunks thus far in the preseason.
Defensive Line
Sylvester Williams got a sack in the game, which was a refreshing image for Denver fans. But he wasn't alone. The Broncos had five sacks, seven tackles for loss and 11 hits on the quarterback. A lot of that starts up front, and the defensive line played well.
Linebacker
Shaquil Barrett has been perhaps the team's most impressive player through two preseason games. He had another sack and several pressures on the quarterback in this game. He should be a lock to make the final roster at this point.
Defensive Backs
It likely had to do with the fact that they were constantly under duress, but the Houston quarterbacks didn't challenge the Denver secondary down the field much in this game. Kayvon Webster moved up to the line of scrimmage and put a big hit on Houston quarterback Tom Savage on one play, getting a sack.
Special Teams
Covering kicks was a disaster against the Seattle Seahawks last week, and the Broncos made sure things would be different against Houston.
Denver allowed just 22 yards on kick returns in the game. Much of that can be attributed to kickoffs being sent deep into the end zone. It makes a difference, and it could be what allows Brandon McManus to win the kicking job over Connor Barth.
Coaching
The Denver coaching staff called a good game, particularly from a defensive standpoint. There was an instance early in the game where Caldwell appeared to get his hands on a fluttering ball from Osweiler that would have resulted in a big gain. Replays showed it looked like a catch, and a challenge flag should have been thrown, but Denver chose to play on.
Important Note No. 1: Shane Ray Limps off Field in Third Quarter
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Early in the third quarter, Shane Ray shared a sack with reserve defensive end Chuka Ndulue and was slow to get up after the play. It appeared that Ndulue rolled on Ray's leg.
The training staff had to help Ray off the field, but the team's vice president of public relations, Patrick Smyth, tweeted that there is no injury.
That is good news for the Broncos, particularly given Ray's injury history. Prior to being drafted, he was plagued by a toe injury that may have caused his draft stock to fall.
"No injury to Broncos LB Shane Ray. He is OK.
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) August 23, 2015"
Ray appears to need much more development in pass coverage, but he will make an impact in rushing the passer this season.
Important Note No. 2: Denver Has 12 Sacks in Two Games
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The Denver offense is still working to find a rhythm, but the defense looks tremendous. In the first two preseason games, the Broncos have racked up 12 sacks.
A slew of different players have chipping in for sacks. Defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs have all gotten in on the act.
This is exactly what the Broncos need. By creating a vaunted defense that puts consistent pressure on the quarterback, it will help take pressure off the offense. On top of that, an offense with Manning at the helm can blast off at any moment.
During the local broadcast, Alfred Williams made a statement that if the Broncos keep things up at this rate, this could be the best pass-rushing unit ever put on a football field.
While that may be slightly off, the Broncos have all the tools in place to have the best pass rush in the NFL this season.
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Important Note No. 3: Marvin Austin Placed on Injured Reserve
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The Broncos have placed defensive tackle Marvin Austin on injured reserve, effectively ending his season, according to the Denver Post. This is the latest in a series of career disappointments for the former second-round pick.
Austin had been dealing with a nagging groin injury throughout training camp. It's disappointing to see him have to sit out the season, as he could have been a force in the 3-4 defense the team has installed.
The Broncos were thin at the defensive tackle position coming into the season, and this news will force the team to draw on other players to fill the void. Rookie Darius Kilgo will almost certainly make the team as a result.
For Austin, it's a tough break, but it's hard to imagine him ever playing another down for the Broncos at this point.
Quote No. 1: Gary Kubiak on Peyton Manning's Performance
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Though Manning failed to lead the team to any points in his first preseason appearance, Kubiak didn't seem worried about his performance. In fact, he talked about Manning handling the offense well when he spoke after the game, per the Associated Press via ESPN.com: "He operated fine. We didn't help him in a couple situations, on third down. We had a couple of big drops on the three or four series when he played. ... I thought he was sharp in running the group and running the no-huddle for a first time out."
Manning showed his usual command, but he and Kubiak will need to work out some kinks before the regular season starts. Manning doesn't appear to be 100 percent comfortable at this point.
At the same time, he didn't get all of the help he should have from his teammates. Demaryius Thomas and James Casey both dropped passes that should have been routine catches to keep drives alive.
Quote No. 2: Demaryius Thomas on His Dropped Pass
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As mentioned in the previous slide, Thomas had a big drop early in the game on a play that would have extended the drive. After the game, he addressed that play, according to the team's official website.
"I should have caught it," he said. "It was in the numbers. But everything was on point. You just look forward to getting back and getting more repetitions at home."
This is an issue that Thomas has had in the past, despite being one of the league's elite receivers.
According to Sporting Charts, he was tied for the most drops in the league in 2014 with 10. That's too many for a player who just signed a $70 million contract extension.
This is clearly an area Thomas needs to work on. He is one of the best receivers in the league, but having 10 dropped passes in one season is too much for a receiver of his caliber.
Quote No. 3: Sylvester Williams Addresses the Play of the Defense
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The Broncos defense has been stingy in the first two games of the preseason, and the pressure being applied on the quarterback has been the story. It hasn't seemed to matter if the Broncos have the starters, backups or even the third-string defense in the game.
After the win over Houston, defensive tackle Sylvester Williams talked about his defense, as reported by the Denver Post's Troy Renck.
"We are trying to get better and build a brotherhood on the defense," he said. "We have been able to play well together, and get pressure on the quarterback."
This has to be a welcome sight for Denver fans who have felt the team had the weapons to get after the opposing quarterback but had a defensive coordinator who didn't seem to utilize the players to their full potential.
That hasn't been the case with Wade Phillips, and it's only the preseason. What will he have this defense looking like when the games count?
Not many fans would have predicted that the defense would be way ahead of the offense in Denver through two preseason games, but it is. That's not necessarily a bad thing, either.
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