Throughout the entire 2019-20 season, BSN Denver will be giving you game grades from every Denver Broncos’ contest. Evaluating all the starters and beyond to give you a better look at the team’s strengths and weaknesses on a game-to-game basis.

In the two home games the Broncos have played in 2019, they managed to lose on a last-second field goal attempt both times, as the déjà vu was hard to shake in a 26-24 defeat at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here’s how everyone fared.

Standouts from the game

Von Miller: A-

Miller was extraordinary with two sacks, four quarterback hits, an additional hurry, and a run stuff. His tough roughing the passer penalty on the Jags final drive hurt but doesn’t impact his grade too much in an otherwise strong performance.  

Chris Harris Jr.: A

Harris was barely targeted, and when he was, he didn’t allow more than one reception for 13 yards at the very end. It was a lockdown performance for No. 25; the problem is his inexperienced teammates were too easily exploitable.

Justin Simmons: A

Simmons has quietly had a breakout season and was once again phenomenal. Whether cleaning up tackles against the run or playing fantastic coverage over the middle, with two pass deflections and zero receptions allowed on three targets, he was outstanding. He even broke into the backfield for a run stuff as he was seemingly everywhere and had very few negative plays.

Dalton Risner: A

Risner was the best run blocker on the day when put on the move on pull blocks and held his own in pass protection as well, in an all-around strong performance.

Defense

Adam Gotsis: F

Authorities are still searching for No. 99 who couldn’t have been more absent despite playing 56 percent of the snaps. Gotsis was swallowed up by the Jaguars run blockers and played a huge role in the major struggles from the run defense. 

Shelby Harris: D+

Harris was much more active making plays laterally and showing energy pursuing plays on the backside. Given the issues defending the run and his lacking impact as a pass rusher, his grade still isn’t very high.

Derek Wolfe: B

Wolfe wasn’t 100 percent but still played a really tough game, showing a lot of heart, and generating a run stuff in addition to two quarterback hits. 

Josey Jewell: N/A

Jewell went down in the second quarter as his biggest “contribution” to the game came on a 19-yard reception he allowed. Rookie Justin Hollins replaced him and was a major liability in coverage, as Gardner Minshew II picked on him on both of the Jaguars touchdowns, in a brutal outing.

Todd Davis: D

Davis was a big part of the run defense’s struggles as he missed too many tackles at the second level. He was active, created pressure on blitzes and stuffed gaps when coming downhill, but when the action came to him, he was a major liability. 

Bradley Chubb: B+

Chubb was virtually unstoppable in the first half, getting a sack, three hurries, and as many QB hits. He also played well when dropped in coverage sniffing out a screen. His big issue was stopping the run in the second half, as he too had a few key missed tackles—we now know that was while he was dealing with a torn ACL. 

Will Parks: C-

Much like Davis, Parks was not a reliable last line of defense and struggled when the action came to him, missing a couple of crucial open-field tackles against the run. He was also beat on a 19-yard grab, though he generally was solid in coverage and did make some plays against the run when flying downhill. 

De’Vante Bausby: D+

Bausby’s pass interference penalty might’ve ended up saving a touchdown, and he made some nice plays on the ball in coverage. However, No. 41’s risky nature burned him as he allowed five receptions for 59 yards and was picked on in some key moments.

Other noteworthy defensive performances:

DeMarcus Walker was decisive reading an RPO and getting a sack on Minshew. He had a few more splash plays, in the most consistent performance of any down lineman. 

Duke Dawson Jr. fought hard most of the game but allowed a heartbreaking 32-yard grab in the final drive that put Jacksonville in prime field goal range.

Malik Reed played a career-high 28 percent of the defensive snaps and found his first sack, as he was featured in a lot more three edge rusher looks.

Dre’Mont Jones started to show flashed with a hurry but still didn’t impact the game enough while playing 35 percent of the defensive snaps. 

Offense

Garett Bolles: B+

Bolles allowed a run stop, and like most of the line, could’ve been more consistent run blocking, but his game in pass protection was immaculate against a really talented group of edge rushers.

Connor McGovern: C+

McGovern was beat on a run stop and wasn’t a true mauler as a run blocker. He allowed some pressure as he and Leary weren’t always on the same page in pass protection. Never the less, considering the opponent, he played a clean game.

Ron Leary: C+

Leary let Calais Campbell through on a vicious QB hit and struggled to consistently create push for the run, but was still reliable for most of the game in pass pro. 

Elijah Wilkinson: B

Wilkinson allowed pressure on a key third-down, but he also created push for the run and got to the second level to open up running lanes in the first half. He needs to be more consistent but had a solid outing. 

Noah Fant: B

Fant was finally used the way he should be and as soon as he got in space made a house call on a nice 25-yard score. He was also used more as an outside receiver and created space for himself, even though Flacco didn’t always put the ball in the right spot for the talented tight end.

Courtland Sutton: B+

Sutton had a great game and came up big in key moments.  He caught everything that was thrown his way and was massively important as a big red-zone target, scoring two touchdowns. 

Emmanuel Sanders: B

Sanders was a big-play weapon and got open with ease early on with his lethal quickness in-and-out of breaks. He was too quiet in the second half—though he did haul in two key grabs in what should have been a game-winning drive—as Jaguars star cornerback A.J. Bouye got the best of him.

Royce Freeman: D+

Freeman had a greater impact as a receiver than as a runner in a quiet game where Denver could’ve used his physicality to match Fournette’s big day. 

Phillip Lindsay: C

Lindsay didn’t have a massive impact outside of his one big run. He still ran hard and made defenders miss to gain an extra yard here and there. Though, by the second half, his ability to make his man miss in space started to fade.

Joe Flacco: D-

Look, Flacco did enough to win this one but just missed too many throws as his ball placement was off most of the game, none more so than on his horrendous interception. He was efficient in the red zone and found more big plays but must be more consistent. 

Other noteworthy offensive performances:

DaeSean Hamilton got open underneath and proved to be a nice security blanket, hauling in passes despite less than ideal ball placement.

Diontae Spencer was a nice decoy, using his speed on fake jet sweeps and getting out in space for a nice little eight-yard gain.

Special Teams: A

Colby Wadman was a star and arguably Denver’s MVP on the day. Outside of the punter, we didn’t see much else from the special teams unit, good or bad, so Wadman carried the grade here.

Coaching: D

Vic Fangio and his staff were outcoached in the second half and never quite adjusted.

The defense featured more exotic fronts with a lot more NASCAR and three edge rusher looks, leading to a lot more pressure. The inability to stop the run comes down to the players much more than the coaching but it still wasn’t an inspired performance, as Minshew easily picked on Hollins and Bausby to win the game.

Rich Scangarello‘s game plan early worked nicely as the offense kept the defense guessing and found more big plays. Things got a bit stagnant in the second half, though again, that came down more to execution than coaching.