Throughout the entire 2020-21 season, DNVR 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-by-game basis.

With their season at a crossroads and an extra week to prepare for their opponent, the Denver Broncos outclassed the New England Patriots in their own building, in what should’ve been a much bigger win than the final 18-12 score would suggest.

As always, here are the heroes, disappointments, and everyone in between in the Broncos big win Sunday.

Standouts from the game

Bradley Chubb: A

Chubb did what blue-chip players have to do: dominate his one-on-one matchup. No. 55 schooled left tackle, Isaiah Wynn, to the tune of a strip-sack, four hurries and a quarterback hit. Chubb was also efficient in setting the edge against the run and defending New England’s option runs to his side effectively.

Bryce Callahan: A+

Callahan was otherwordly, having twice as many pass deflections (two) as he allowed receptions—that one reception being a screen he sniffed out immediately resulting in -2 yards. Playing inside or outside, off coverage or close to the line, dropping in coverage or defending the run, Callahan was flawless and had one of the plays of the game with a beautiful one-handed interception.

In a game where Denver’s back-seven played as well as it has since the No-Fly Zone, Callahan was the most consistent of the bunch while adding his fair share of big plays.

Phillip Lindsay: A+

On a career-high 23-carries, Lindsay played extraordinarily, showing great balance, vision, and burst. He was methodical in finding the hole and consistently got downhill, regularly breaking tackles up the middle or bouncing runs outside to generate extra yardage and win one-on-one situations.

He faired well when asked to pass protect and really carried the offense through three puntless quarters.

Josey Jewell: A

In a game where the Patriots ran it 25 times and tested Denver’s inside linebackers early in coverage, Jewell really stood out for his tackling and ability to make plays in all facets of the game.

In coverage, he conceded three receptions for 23 yards. Against the run, he led the team with three-run stuffs and as a blitzer he got home on two hurries, hitting Newton on one of those. As far as impact both in making plays around the line of scrimmage and limiting big plays, Jewell outplayed even Denver’s two stud safeties.

Defense

Mike Purcell: C

Appearing in 63-percent of the defensive snaps, Purcell was outplayed by Sylvester Williams, who had the more impactful flash play. Denver’s big nose tackle was part of a strong performance for the run defense which limited New England to outside running lanes.

Shelby Harris: B+

Harris keeps on having a magical season with two huge tipped balls at the line, the first forcing a massive momentum-changing 3rd-and-2 interception. He had a run stuff and was inches from a sack on Cam in one of the two final drives as well.

DeShawn Williams: B

Willimas had some big splash plays with a nice penetration up the middle and an absolutely absurd diving interception on a tipped ball at the line. An all-time big man athletic play.

Alexander Johnson: C+

Johnson was asked to do a lot, targeted five times for 29 receiving yards on four catches in coverage. He missed a tackle on Cam’s biggest run of the game for 38 yards and didn’t have a ton of big plays around the line of scrimmage. It was a bend-don’t-break performance with very few, minor mistakes.

Malik Reed: B+

Reed bounced back from a couple of early miscues stopping RPO runs out on the edge, to have a big game rushing the passer with a team-high two sacks and another QB hurry as he came unblocked off the edge. He might not have dominated on a play-by-play basis but when he had his opportunities to sack the quarterback he made it count.

Michael Ojemudia: B

Ojemudia played great coverage outside, showing strong ball skills with a PD and two forced fumbles. His game-breaking fumble on TE Ryan Izzo, was something else as played physical all game. He allowed a team-high 60-receiving yards, mostly in off coverage, and was targeted six times, conceding five receptions.

Kareem Jackson: A

Jackson played a fantastic game in run support, setting the tone by flying in like a bat out of hell and making lots of impact tackles downhill. In coverage, he took away the middle of the field and got a tackle for a loss on a screen.

Justin Simmons: A

Simmons’ big play came on an insane flying tackle on a blitz up the A-Gap to hold the Pats to a one-yard run and set up 3rd-and-short. His effort tackling in space was spectacular and was never truly challenged in coverage while tipping the ball on Callahan’s spectacular interception.

Other noteworthy defensive performances

De’Vante Bausby took a bad angle and let N’Keal Harry loose for 16 yards, one of two receptions he allowed on the day in a solid performance while appearing in 74-percent of the snaps.

Anthony Chickillo played well in just 13 snaps, made his fair share of plays including a nice sack in pursuit.

Offense

Garett Bolles: B

Bolles allowed a half-sack, getting overpowered off the edge, and a half run-stop playing yet another very clean game for 98-percent of the snaps. His effort run blocking at the second level keeps impressing.

Dalton Risner: C+

Denver’s left guard did a really nice job as a run blocker getting out on pull blocks and sealing the edge on some key RPOs runs, allowing the Broncos to close the first half out with a score. He also got dinged up and only played 50-percent of the snaps, allowing a run stop.

Cushenberry: B

Don’t look now but Cushenberry had a nice game, doing a good job run blocking up the middle and playing much better in pass protection. He did get beat on a spin move that pressured Lock up the middle and had a half run-stop allowed but showed big improvements none the less.

Graham Glasgow: C-

Glasgow had the most impressive reps of any Broncos lineman, showing high-end skills on the move, being asked to pull all the way out to the C-gap—past the left tackle’s outside shoulder. Glasgow was also Denver’s most inconsistent lineman getting beat on a sack off a stunt, proving to be too slow on a pull that led to a TFL and getting overpowered on another TFL.

Demar Dotson: C

Dotson was, once again, almost flawless in pass protection outside of not picking up a blitzing corner in time. He keeps showing limitations dealing with speed, especially when asked to get to the second level as a run blocker where whiffed blocks led to a TFL and two run stops.

Jerry Jeudy: C-

Jeudy did his job, wiggling open for two receptions but his game will be defined by a potential 3rd-and-7 touchdown that he was just a second too late to react to and went right through his hands.

Tim Patrick: A

Patrick was a beast separating vertically and hauling in tough catches at key moments. Easily Lock’s favorite deep weapon, if Lindsay was the consistent motor to the offense Patrick was the spark plug that could be counted on for big plays. He even drew a key third-down penalty in the end zone on Stephon Gilmore.

DaeSean Hamilton: D-

Hamilton did a nice job as a run blocker when used in tight formations but had a terrible drop on what should have been a big shot deep.

Albert Okwuegbunam: C-

On six targets, Albert O had his moments but also lost his fair share of contested ball opportunities—including two dropped touchdowns—coming down with just two receptions for 45 yards.

Drew Lock: C+

In his first game back since Week 2, Lock made some big throws in tight windows to Patrick and Jeudy on key downs. If not for tough completions on 3rd-and-23 or off-platform with pressure in his face, the Broncos don’t win.

However, Lock also made key mistakes with two fourth-quarter interceptions and showed inconsistency with his deep ball that’s plagued him early in his career. With a slightly less aggressive approach and fewer drops by a depleted receiving core, this could’ve been a much bigger game for Denver’s young QB.

Other noteworthy offensive performances

Austin Schlottmann filled in nicely at left guard allowing one tackle for a loss but holding his own otherwise.

Royce Freeman had some nice runs up the middle though he did miss a blitz for a half-sack in pass pro.

Special Teams: A+

This grade is all about kicker Brandon McManus, the game MVP who was automatic on the day going six-for-six and scoring all of Denver’s 18 points.

Coaching: A-

Denver’s staff called almost a flawless game avoiding a single punt in the first three quarters offensively and absolutely annihilating the Patriots game plan on defense.

Vic Fangio‘s defense played a beautiful game on the back end and regularly got pressure, as Fangio was aggressive bringing extra rushers and never allowing Cam to get in a rhythm.

Pat Shurmur called a great game until the very end where a far too aggressive 1st-and-10 shot on three vertical routes almost cost Denver the game but his ability to keep the chains moving and outplay a Belichick coached defense can’t be understated.

Considering the beat-up roster and that New England found most of their success on trick plays at the very end of the game, this was a true statement win for Fangio and his staff.