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Week 15 Game Recap: Denver Broncos 10, Carolina Panthers 30
What you need to know
| Denver Broncos |
The Broncos came into the game needing a win to clinch the AFC West division. Denver took the opening kickoff and marched downfield for a quick 7-0 lead on a seven yard swing pass to running back P.J. Pope. The Broncos scored again on their next drive, taking a 10-7 lead on a 43 yard Matt Prater field goal. However, Carolina took control of the game and scored 23 unanswered points to send Denver into playoff limbo for at least one more week.
Denver struggled to stop the Carolina passing attack. Jake Delhomme passed for 253 yards and one touchdown. Steve Smith shredded the Broncos secondary for with nine catches for 165 yards and one touchdown. Smith could have had well over 200 yards, but Delhomme barely overthrew him on a couple of deep attempts.
Jay Cutler did not have one of his better games. Cutler completed 21 of his 33 attempts for only 172 yards. Cutler threw for one touchdown and had one pass intercepted. However, the Panthers could have easily picked off four more of Cutler's passes. Prior to the game, Cutler had been sacked only seven times all season. The offensive line protected him well early and owned a streak of 150 straight pass attempts without a sack before the Panthers got to him. As the game went on, the Denver offensive line appeared to tire ultimately allowing three sacks.
With five running backs on injured reserve, the Broncos had only three backs active for the game. P.J. Pope was the most effective of the three. Pope ran seven times for 51 yards and caught three passes for 24 yards and a touchdown. Pope displayed soft hands, making his receptions look easy.
Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal each totaled only 48 receiving yards.
Denver was guilty of some questionable clock management. With 17 seconds to go in the first half, the Broncos called timeout at their own 18 yard line. Selvin Young fumbled after a seven yard gain on the next play, leading to a 44 yard John Kasay field goal to close out the second quarter.
| Carolina Panthers |
The Panthers, who rushed for nearly 300 yards in a dominating win against the Buccaneers figured to have another big running day against a suspect Bronco defense. However, Carolina came out throwing the ball frequently. Jake Delhomme was able to find his starting pair of receivers for big gains frequently. Delhomme completed 17 of his 26 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown. Delhomme focused the passing attempts on his two starting wide receivers. Steve Smith had a dominant game. Smith caught nine passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. Muhsin Muhammad chipped in four catches for 70 yards. The duo accounted for all but 18 of Carolina's yards through the air.
Carolina, who entered the game with the NFL's fourth ranked rushing offense, struggled to run the football early and gained only 24 yards on the ground in the first half. However, DeAngelo Williams ripped off a 56 yard touchdown run on the fourth play of the third quarter to give the Panthers a 27-10 lead. Carolina would total 123 second half running yards to surpass their season average of 146. After Williams' big run, Jonathan Stewart carried the load. Stewart had 13 second half carries for 43 rushing yards. Stewart scored his ninth rushing touchdown of the season on a two yard run in the first half.
What you ought to know
| QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 21 - 33 - 172 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 9 - 0 |
Cutler had a lackluster game. He completed nearly two thirds of his passes, but averaged only 5.2 yards per attempt with a long completion of 19 yards. Cutler, who was given plenty of time to throw early in the game, still struggled to find open receivers downfield. As the game progressed, he received more pressure than he has been accustomed to. Cutler has a tendency to be overly confident in his arm strength and sometimes forces the ball into tight coverage. He threw one interception and nearly threw four others.
Cutler threw a swing pass and hit P.J. Pope perfectly in stride for an easy seven yard touchdown on Denver's opening drive, but was unable to lead his team to the end zone for the remainder of the game.
Cutler scrambled twice for nine yards.
| RB P.J. Pope, Rush: 7 - 51 - 0, Rec: 3 - 24 - 1 (3 targets) |
Pope was the most effective of the Denver running backs; he totaled 75 yards from scrimmage and had his first career touchdown. Pope had a long run of 24 yards. He showed the ability to gain yardage after contact. Pope also displayed soft hands; each of his three catches looked effortless.
| RB Tatum Bell, Rush: 7 - 43 - 0, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) |
Bell ran seven times for 43 yards. He had a long run of 16 yards. Bell had two receptions for seven yards.
| RB Selvin Young, Rush: 6 - 19 - 0 |
Young was the least effective of Denver's three healthy running backs. He totaled only 19 yards on his six carries. Young did not get any attempts after he fumbled on the second to last play before halftime.
| WR Eddie Royal, Rec: 6 - 48 - 0 (9 targets) |
Royal was Denver's most targeted receiver and led them with six receptions. He also returned three kickoffs and a punt.
| WR Brandon Marshall, Rec: 5 - 48 - 0 (8 targets) |
Marshall had 48 receiving yards on his five catches. He made some bad decisions trying to get extra yardage that turned out either costing Denver yardage or time. Marshall bobbled a pass at the Carolina two yard line that was almost caught for a touchdown by Eddie Royal and was also almost intercepted.
| WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (3 targets) |
Stokley was questionable with a heel injury. He played with a slight limp and picked up two receptions for 20 yards in the first half. Cutler short-hopped him on his only target after halftime.
| WR Darrell Jackson (1 targets) |
Jackson dropped his only target and took a big hit on the play. Jackson was called for a holding penalty.
| TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (3 targets) |
Graham caught a screen pass for nine yards and then added a sixteen yard catch on the next play during Denver's opening touchdown drive.
| TE Tony Scheffler, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 (3 targets) |
Scheffler did not catch a forward pass; he caught a backward pass and was credited with minus one rushing yard.
| PK Matt Prater 1 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Prater hit a 43 yard field goal, but just missed on a 47 yard attempt. He converted his only extra point try.
| DEN Rush Defense |
The Broncos run defense held Carolina to only 24 yards on the ground in the first half. However, DeAngelo Williams had a backbreaking 56 yard touchdown run right after halftime. In all, Denver allowed 147 rushing yards. Jonathan Stewart also had a touchdown run.
| DEN Pass Defense |
Jake Delhomme passed for 253 yards and one touchdown. Delhomme hit on five passes of at least 24 yards and just missed a few other big gainers. Denver was unable to stop Steve Smith, who totaled 165 yards on his nine receptions.
Josh Bell had nine solo tackles. Rookie safety, Josh Barrett had his first career interception and tallied five solo tackles and two assists.
| QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 17 - 26 - 253 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -2 - 0 |
Delhomme had a good game, but it could have been great. Though Delhomme was effective, he just missed a number of receivers on potential big plays. Delhomme focused on his starting wide receivers and frequently found them open downfield. He completed five passes of at least 24 yards to Muhsin Muhammad and Steve Smith.
Delhomme's interception came on a twice tipped ball. He found Steve Smith wide open on Carolina's opening drive for a fifteen yard touchdown. Delhomme overthrew Jeff King on another potential touchdown.
| RB Jonathan Stewart, Rush: 16 - 52 - 1 |
Stewart split carries with DeAngelo Williams. Thirteen of his rushes came after halftime, when Stewart appeared to be the choice to run down the clock. Stewart did not shy away from contact and fought hard for extra yardage. Stewart's two yard touchdown run was his ninth of the season.
| RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 12 - 88 - 1, Rec: 3 - 3 - 0 (4 targets) |
Williams had a quiet first half. He turned a potential loss into a 56 yard touchdown early in the second half. On the play, Williams started left, but found no hole, so he reversed field and cut up the middle. Suddenly, he saw tons of daylight and outran the defense. Williams had only one other rushing attempt for four yards with about five minutes left in the game.
Williams' three receptions netted only three yards.
Williams now has 13 rushing touchdowns on the season. His sixteen total touchdowns lead the NFL and are tied with Muhsin Muhammad for the Panther single season record.
| WR Steve Smith, Rush: 1 - 9 - 0, Rec: 9 - 165 - 1 (11 targets) |
Smith was the focus of the Panthers offense and was targeted a game high 11 times. Smith hauled in nine of those passes for 165 yards. He had receptions of 24, 27, and 38 yards, plus a 15 yard touchdown (on Carolina's opening drive). Smith might have topped 200 yards had Delhomme not overthrown him on his other two targets. Smith ran hard after his receptions and frequently gained extra yardage. On one play, he dragged Dre Bly for an extra seven yards before Denver could finally bring Smith down.
Smith also ran nine yards on an end around. He surpassed 500 career receptions during the game. Smith had his fourth straight 100 yard receiving game.
| WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 4 - 70 - 0 (8 targets) |
Muhammad had gains of 27 and 24 yards among his four catches.
| WR Dwayne Jarrett (1 targets) |
Delhomme overthrew an open Jarrett on a potential big play. Jarrett dove, but was unable to corral the pass.
| TE Jeff King, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
King caught a 15 yard pass. Delhomme overthrew King on a play that could have resulted in a touchdown. Instead, the ball glanced off King's fingertips at the two yard line.
King was guilty of a false start penalty.
| PK John Kasay 3 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 12 points |
Kasay hit field goals of 39, 44, and 42 yards. He has hit 24 of his 25 field goal attempts this season.
| CAR Rush Defense |
The Broncos had some success on the ground, but focused more on the passing game. Denver rushed for 121 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per attempt, but struggled to sustain drives. Jon Beason led the unit with nine solo tackles and one assist. Chris Gamble forced a Selvin Young fumble that led directly to a John Kasay field goal.
| CAR Pass Defense |
Denver attempted 33 passes, but gained only 158 yards through the air. Jake Cutler had been sacked only seven times all season prior to the game, but Carolina was able to take him down three times. Thomas Davis, Charles Johnson, and Tyler Brayton each had sacks. Chris Gamble intercepted a pass. Johnson also had two passes defended (one of them was nearly an interception.)
