2022 Broncos Preseason: Three Takeaways From Game Two
The Broncos expected this game to go poorly when it was announced the Bills would play their starters against the Broncos‘ backups. There were some positives, but not a lot; here are three good things about Saturday’s beatdown.
The Broncos lost their second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills by an ugly score of 42 to 15. Although the score is ugly, it’s still just preseason, and Broncos fans shouldn’t be overly concerned with the results on the field quite yet. Preseason is more about the roster coming into focus than it is about putting games into the win column. With the game officially behind us, what are the biggest takeaways for this Denver team moving forward?
Broncos Kicker, McManus, Continues To Be Himself
Kicker Brandon McManus is the only remaining player to still be on the Broncos roster from Super Bowl 50. He has been a solid, reliable kicker during his time in Denver. He went three for three on field goals putting up more than half of the points the Broncos had on Saturday. McManus started with a 33-yard FG, then continued to be solid adding distance each time with a 43-yard FG then a 55-yard FG in the third quarter. He wasn’t put in the pressure cooker against the Bills, but he was solid and completed his task to the best of his abilities.
Flashy Returns From The Broncos Special Teams Are Promising
The Broncos kickoff return unit showed flashes of what it could look like in the season. WR Montrell Washington and WR Jalen Virgil specifically stood out. Washington returned two kicks for a total of 55 yards and the longest going for 35 yards. Virgil also had two kick returns for a total of 60 yards and a long of 30. RB Mike Boone also had a pretty good return for 27 yards. While none of these numbers are a huge deal, it definitely shows some improvement from one of the worst special team units from the 2021-22 season. Expect the fifth-round draft pick out of Samford Montrell Washington (12) to be the starting kick returner while KJ Hamler works his way back into his role from injuries.
Broncos Starters Must Be Good If They Are Projected To Win
One’s Vs. Two’s, Two’s Vs. Three’s, whatever the case was; Broncos Country did not see enough fight from the team on Saturday. There were some worrisome issues that came up during the game that ultimately made the negatives outweigh the positives. However, if Vegas odds are expecting this team to be a winning football team, we are in for a treat with the upgrade of firepower the starters have compared to the backups.
While depth is very important and that depth looked poor for the Broncos, a majority of the starters should be healthy by the start of the season based on the approach Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett has taken this offseason, with more light than heavy practices.
Watching the game was tough, but preseason is preseason. The Super Bowl Champion Rams went 0-3 last preseason. All I will say to Broncos Country is wait to criticize harshly until the season starts. Be ready to ride with the Russell Wilson-led Broncos in Week One in Seattle on Monday Night Football. Despite the struggles Saturday, have hope that we are still in store for a wild bucking bronco season.
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