Broncos lose 23-7 to Ravens in first defeat of 2021, see Teddy Bridgewater exit with concussion

The Broncos failed their archetypal litmus trial of 2021, and saw backmost Teddy Bridgewater exit with a concussion successful the process.

Baltimore soundly bushed the Broncos, 23-7 connected Sunday astatine Empower Field, with neither Bridgewater nor backup Drew Lock capable to get the discourtesy successful gear. Denver punted 10 times en way to dropping to 3-1.

Led by backmost Lamar Jackson, the Ravens owned each the momentum aft Denver took a 7-0 lead.

The Broncos’ opening possession had promise, but choky extremity Albert Okwuegbunam dropped a agelong walk that would’ve acceptable Denver up adjacent the extremity line. Then Bridgewater was sacked the adjacent play, forcing a punt.

Five much punts wide followed earlier Javonte Williams yet woke up the Broncos discourtesy and the 74,132 connected manus astatine Empower Field. The rookie rumbled for a 31-yard tally during which helium made 4 would-be tacklers miss and got the assemblage connected its feet. Baltimore needed a pack of defenders to bring him down.

Williams’ large tally acceptable up Bridgewater’s 3-yard touchdown walk to Tim Patrick a fewer plays aboriginal to springiness Denver a 7-0 pb aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter. The feeling of 4-0 was successful the stadium.

But Baltimore recovered a bushed connected its opening thrust of the 2nd quarter, and Latavius Murray’s 11-yard touchdown tally astatine the 10:21 people led to a 7-7 tie.  The people was acceptable up by respective bully catches by choky extremity Mark Andrews, who presented a mismatch occupation for the Broncos’ defense.

The Ravens scored rapidly connected their adjacent drive, too, with Marquise Brown’s diving 49-yard touchdown drawback putting the visitors up 14-7. “Hollywood” Brown got wide unfastened down the busted sum by safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson.

Baltimore tacked connected a Justin Tucker 40-yard tract extremity astatine the halftime buzzer to spell up 17-7. Tucker’s effort was acceptable up by a 42-yard punt instrumentality by Devin Duvernay, with atrocious angles and mediocre tackling gifting Baltimore a scoring accidental with conscionable 31 seconds left.

With Bridgewater ruled retired for the 2nd half, Denver’s fortunes didn’t improve. Bridgewater was wounded aft being deed by Ravens linebacker Odafe Owehon connected the offense’s last play of the archetypal half, and the Broncos besides saw wideout/punt returner Diontae Spencer exit with a thorax injury.

The Ravens added to their pb with a 13-play, 48-yard thrust that culminated successful Tucker’s 46-yard tract goal. That enactment Baltimore up 20-7 with 13:37 left.Tucker tacked connected a last tract extremity precocious successful the game.