Teddy Bridgewater starts slow, finishes with touchdown in Broncos’ win over Rams to cap preseason

New Broncos starting backmost Teddy Bridgewater overcame a dilatory commencement to implicit his last 5 walk attempts successful Saturday night’s 17-12 preseason triumph implicit the Los Angeles Rams.

Coach Vic Fangio played his starting discourtesy and defence for 3 bid apiece successful their last tune-up earlier the Sept. 12 opener astatine the New York Giants.

The Broncos (3-0) completed their 2nd undefeated preseason since 2006; they went 4-0 successful ’17.

Bridgewater, named the Broncos’ 5th opening-game starter successful arsenic galore years, started 1 of 6, but went 5 of 5 for 58 yards connected his last drive, capped by an eight-yard touchdown walk to receiver Courtland Sutton.

For the preseason, Bridgewater’s 7 drives ended with six scores and helium was 22-of-30 passing for 241 yards, 3 touchdowns, nary interceptions and a 130.0 rating.

The Broncos’ defense, including extracurricular linebacker Von Miller successful his archetypal quality since past September’s ankle injury, was connected the tract for 24 snaps implicit 3 possessions and allowed 2 tract goals.

Next up for the Broncos is the last cut-down to 53 players by 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Running backmost Melvin Gordon, who sat retired the wins implicit Minnesota and Seattle with a insignificant groin injury, represented the first-drive offense, carrying 3 times for gains of five, six and 15 yards, moving the Broncos to the Rams 36. But Bridgewater threw incomplete connected 3 consecutive plays — a driblet by fullback/tight extremity Andrew Beck, a propulsion down Sutton and a walk intended to receiver Tim Patrick that was breached up. Brandon McManus’ 54-yard tract extremity gave the Broncos a 3-0 lead.

Bridgewater’s 2nd thrust was a three-and-out erstwhile helium threw wide of Patrick connected third-and-2.

Bridgewater’s last thrust started astatine his 25-yard line. He threw 8 yards to choky extremity Albert Okwuegbunam (his archetypal crippled since past November’s torn ACL) and, 2 plays later, 20 yards to choky extremity Eric Saubert. Three plays later, connected 3rd and 7 from the Rams’ 39, Bridgewater recovered Sutton (in his archetypal crippled since past September’s torn ACL) for 19 yards connected an retired route. Consecutive six-yard carries by moving backmost Royce Freeman acceptable up a first-and-goal and Bridgewater, aft being flushed retired of the pocket, threw the touchdown to Sutton.

Drew Lock played the last 2 bid of the archetypal fractional — a three-and-out and a sack/fumble that led to the Rams’ 3rd tract extremity — and the archetypal 2 possession of the 2nd half, completing 5 of 7 passes for 67 yards and 1 touchdown.

Defensively, Miller was progressive successful his appearance, making 2 tackles successful the tally game.

The Rams went three-and-out to commencement the game. On their 2nd series, they stacked unneurotic gains of nine, seven, 9 and 7 yards earlier stalling astatine the Broncos’ five-yard enactment (incompletion and backmost Bryce Perkins scramble for nary gain). Matt Gay’s tract extremity was bully from 23 yards.

The Rams’ 3rd thrust started astatine their 22. Perkins’ 10-yard scramble converted a third-and-1 to the Broncos’ 48. The Rams reached the 29, but Miller tackled Perkins for a one-yard summation and connected the starters’ last snap, Fangio called a six-man unit and wrong linebacker Josey Jewell sacked Perkins. Gay deed a 53-yard tract goal.

The Broncos’ first-team defence gave up 87 yards successful 3 possessions.

Lock started the 2nd fractional and had different three-and-out erstwhile helium overthrew a heavy walk to receiver Tyrie Cleveland connected 3rd down.

Lock got going aft the Rams took a 12-10 pb connected Gay’s 23-yard tract goal. Twenty-one yards to receiver Trinity Benson connected an in-breaking route, a roll-right and 13-yard completion to receiver Kendall Hinton connected a crosser and 13 yards to Benson connected consecutive plays. Four plays later, Lock threw a seven-yard touchdown to choky extremity Austin Fort with 4:43 near successful the 3rd quarter, putting the Broncos backmost ahead.

In the last minute, the Rams drove to the Broncos’ 22-yard line. Rookie information Jamar Johnson broke up a second-down walk successful the extremity portion with 10 seconds remaining and aft a Rams mendacious commencement penalty, Perkins threw incomplete doubly connected the last 2 plays.