Ravens vs Broncos: Denver Grades, Notes & Quotes

The Denver Broncos (1-0) got the 2015 season off on the right foot, defeating the Baltimore Ravens (0-1) 19-13 on Sunday. But it didn't come easy.

For the Broncos fans that have followed the team closely during the time that Peyton Manning has been the team's quarterback and the way in which he's found success, Sunday's win featured none of that.

Manning looked shaky in the pocket, and the Ravens were basically daring him to try to beat them deep. So, did the Broncos just usher in a new era behind their new coaching staff, or will Manning shake off this performance and be the player to whom fans in Denver have become accustomed?

The Broncos possessed the ball for 37:17 in this game. The team also forced two huge turnovers, and they were the biggest reason Denver won the game.

Aqib Talib returned an interception late in the third quarter 51 yards for a touchdown. Despite completely changing the momentum with that play, the Broncos still needed an interception in the end zone in the final moments of the game from safety Darian Stewart to seal the victory.

Denver will now face a short turnaround, having to travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs (1-0) at Arrowhead Stadium.

For more on Sunday's win over the Ravens, click forward.

Position Grades for Denver Broncos

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Position                                                                     Grade

QB	C-
RB	C+
WR	B
TE	C
OL	C-
DL	A+
LB	A+
CB	A
Special Teams	A
Coaching	A

Manning completed just 24 of 40 passes and had an interception that Jimmy Smith returned for a touchdown. But what was most troublesome about his performance was his inaccuracy on deep balls.

Denver fans saw this toward the end of last season, and the issue doesn't look to have gotten any better. Manning missed Emmanuel Sanders multiple times. Recognizing that Manning was off on the deep ball, Baltimore began sitting on the underneath routes, and that is how Smith came up with his big play.

The running game wasn't much better. Denver averaged a paltry 2.8 yards per carry on the 24 run plays it called. C.J. Anderson was bottled up all day by the Baltimore defensive front. Ronnie Hillman had a little more success and may end up being the better fit for the zone-blocking scheme.

Sanders and Demaryius Thomas combined for 15 receptions for 125 yards, but Manning wasn't able to get many of his other receivers involved in the passing game.

The offensive line finally took the field in a game that meant something, and they didn't perform well. However, some of that should have been expected with the inexperienced unit Denver has.

Manning was sacked four times, and the Ravens had eight tackles for loss. They collapsed the pocket often and seemed to overpower the Denver offensive line on numerous occasions.

On the other side of the ball, the defensive line and linebackers were excellent. In particular, DeMarcus Ware and Brandon Marshall played great games. Ware looks several years younger playing back in Wade Phillips' defense, and Marshall had seven tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack in the game.

The secondary was also stout. Interceptions by Talib and Stewart were the biggest keys to the win, and the Broncos allowed just six receptions for 45 yards to wide receivers.

Brandon McManus had his best day as a pro. Those who may have questioned the decision to give the kicking job to McManus over Connor Barth may be singing a different tune now. McManus was 4-for-4 on field goals, hitting from 57, 56, 43 and 33 yards.

Important Note No.1: Malik Jackson Leaves Game with Injury

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Denver defensive end Malik Jackson was forced to leave the game on Sunday, and Marty Gitlin of CBS Sports reports that it was a head injury and symptoms of a concussion that kept Jackson from returning.

He had three tackles in the game prior to his departure.

More info on Jackson's status will likely be available Monday, but you'd have to think his availability for Thursday night will be in serious question. If he does in fact have a concussion, he'll have to pass the league's concussion protocol before returning to the field.

Important Note No. 2: Brandon McManus Ties Record

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When McManus belted kicks of 57 and 56 yards on Sunday, he matched St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein as the only kickers in NFL history to make two field goals of at least 56 yards in the same game, as pointed out by ESPN.

This is encouraging news for Broncos fans who have probably felt a lot of frustration over the last year watching the kicking game after the Broncos chose to part ways with Matt Prater.

McManus' kicking power was obvious right away last season, but his accuracy left a lot to be desired. If he has that under control, Denver may have one of the best kickers in the league.

Important Note No. 3: Denver Wins Despite Not Scoring an Offensive TD

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In scoring 19 points on Sunday to defeat Baltimore, the Broncos kicked four field goals and had a 51-yard interception return for a touchdown.

It was the first time since September 17, 2006 that the Broncos won a game despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. On that day, they defeated the Chiefs 9-6 in overtime.

Can the Broncos continue to win games like this? The defense looks like it can be as good as any in the league, but Gary Kubiak needs to find a way to open up the offense a little more. By all rights, this is a game the Broncos could have, and maybe should have, lost.

Quote No. 1: Head Coach Gary Kubiak on the Victory

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

During his press conference following the game, Kubiak said it "might be the best defensive game I've ever been a part of," per Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

"It's nice to know we can win a game like that," he said.

That may be true, but the Broncos shouldn't get into the habit of trying to win games in this fashion. Looking at the game in a broad sense, as good as the defense played, the Ravens had every opportunity to win despite having just 173 yards of total offense and 22:43 of time of possession.

On top of that, the Ravens had few threats on offense outside of veteran wide receiver Steve Smith. What does that tell us? It says that if a more prolific offensive team such as New England or Pittsburgh is on the opposite side of the field, the Broncos can't win a game like this.

They'll need to get the offense into gear. Unfortunately, they'll have just a few days to prepare for Week 2 against Kansas City.

Quote No. 2: Emmanuel Sanders on Broncos' Lack of a Passing Game

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Manning threw for a mere 175 yards on Sunday, and one of the reasons why was the fact that he couldn't hit his receivers deep down the field. As a result, the Baltimore secondary showed no signs that they were intimidated by one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

Manning clearly missed Sanders on two occasions, but being a good teammate, Sanders put the blame for the failed connections on his shoulders following the game.

"It is just an adjustment that we have to make, but at the same time when we took our shots, we weren't able to connect on those. I should have run faster on some of those deep balls and we wouldn't even be having this conversation. So that's two touchdowns right there. We just have to continuously get better," Sanders said, per the Denver Post.

While you wouldn't expect Sanders to throw his quarterback under the bus, Manning should have made the throws. Those are throws he's routinely made throughout his career. So whatever is off, whether it be timing, continuity with his teammates or something else, he needs to pull his guys together and work on it.

Quote No. 3: Danny Trevathan on His Performance

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So why was the Denver defense so dominant on Sunday? We should look no further than the play of the inside linebackers, Marshall and Danny Trevathan. They were free to make plays all game and they didn't miss many.

In speaking to Andrew Mason of the team's official website, Trevathan talked about his play on Sunday. 

"I felt like I had more of a spring, but that's just my mentality this year. I feel good. I'm getting there and it's showing. I'm feeling good. I'm bouncing with this defense. The vibe is just real out there," he said.

That's encouraging for a player who missed nearly all of the 2014 season due to injury. In addition to that, Trevathan led the team with nine tackles in the game. Together, Trevathan and Marshall combined for 16 tackles, one sack and one pass defensed.

The Broncos have strong pass-rushers and a good secondary, but the play of Trevathan and Marshall will be the biggest key to the defense this season.