Broncos fans were reasonably concerned heading into the NFL regular season opener against the Baltimore Ravens considering they would be playing without starters Champ Bailey and Von Miller, two of their best defensive players.
No worries, Peyton Manning put on a clinic throwing for 462 yards and tying an NFL record throwing for 7 touchdowns becoming only the second player in NFL history to do so without throwing for an interception along with Y.A. Tittle.
Going into the second half of the game the Broncos trailed 17-14 but that would quickly change. Chris Harris would intercept Joe Flacco, Peyton Manning would go on to throw for 5 touchdowns by the end of the 3rd quarter. Peyton Manning and Wes Welker looked they had been playing together for years. TE Julius Thomas had a two touchdown sequence where it looked like the Ravens couldn’t stop him if they tried.
The Broncos defense would not miss Champ Bailey or Von Miller.
Newly acquired Broncos LB Shaun Phillips put pressure on Flacco and sacked him. Then with the Broncos up 42-17 in the 4th quarter LB Danny Travathan intercepted a Joe Flacco pass and would have scored a touchdown but he let go of the football and the Broncos lost the points to a touch-back as it went through the end zone.
The bad news of the day for the Broncos was an ankle injury suffered by LB Wesley Woodyard, who later appeared to be ok. Other than that, Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense had Baltimore’s defense grasping for air which doesn’t come so easy in the mile high altitude.
With 10:28 remaining in the game Peyton Manning had thrown for 374 yards, 6 touchdowns with no interceptions. Vintage Manning. The Broncos showed no signs of missing all-pro corner-back Champ Bailey or pass rush specialist Von Miller. Not that they couldn’t be even better with them on the field.
I’m sure the look rest of the NFL took notice, the Broncos man-handled the Superbowl champions to open the season beating them 49-27.
