Inside the bizarre numbers and social reaction to the New Orleans Saints-Denver Broncos game

by



[ad_1]

7:25 p.m. ET

  • Jeremy willisESPN.com

The Denver Broncos quarterback options were limited on Sunday, to say the least.

Kendall Hinton, a receiver on the practice team, has been listed as a starter. However, running back Phillip Lindsay took the opening shot. In the Broncos’ first practice, Lindsay, Hinton and running back Royce Freeman all took pictures in the quarterback.

Eligible three-quarters of the Broncos – Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles – have each been considered close contacts at high risk COVID-19 and none of the three are dressed for Sunday’s game due to COVID-19 protocols of the NFL. Lock, the starting QB, apologized for his actions on Sunday. The Broncos tried to recruit an offensive quality control coach from the active roster and get him started in QB, but the league rejected the idea.

This is how Hinton, an undrafted rookie from Wake Forest, took the start. With Drew Brees injured, the New Orleans Saints again started Taysom Hill, who threw for 233 yards and rushed for two scores last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Both teams struggled on the attack. The exit of the two starting QBs led to some bizarre numbers.

Here’s a look at some of the numbers ESPN Stats & Information provides:

Hinton started the game 0 for 7 assists with an interception. He did not complete his first pass until the third quarter. Hill completed just two assists in the first quarter. It was the lowest combined number of accomplishments since Week 14 of the 2017 season, when the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills combined for one completion. At halftime, the Saints and Broncos combined for a one-yard pass.

That number is the Broncos’ worst first-half performance since Tim Tebow went 0 for 4 in Week 10 of the 2011 season. Oddly enough, the Broncos won this game and Tebow only completed two assists.

The Broncos haven’t helped Hinton much. Five of his seven passes were thrown over 15 yards down the field and he had no screen passes. He was also pressured on five of his seven attempts.

According to the Elias Athletic Bureau, Hinton’s seven straight career-starting incompletions represent the second longest streak for a player to make his debut in the past 40 years. Only player with a longer run? The punter Jeff Feagles, who had 8 consecutive incompletions to start his career. His streak spanned his entire career.

While Hill’s pass count was paltry (9 for 16, 78 yards), he was effective in running the ball. He scored two race touchdowns on Sunday, making him the sixth quarter since 1950 to have multiple race scores in consecutive weeks. Others on this list: Cam Newton, Kordell Stewart, Eric Hipple, Otto Graham and Johnny Lujack. However, Hill’s success and running back Latavius ​​Murray’s performance angered many fantasy football players who likely wrote Saints running back Alvin Kamara very heavily for their teams.

It was the Saints’ first game with four floor scores since 2017, when they had six in a game against the Buffalo Bills.

For Hinton and the Broncos attack, there was no bright spot. Hinton was 1-for-9 for 13 yards with two interceptions. The Broncos are the first team since the San Diego Chargers in 1998 to have a game with more interceptions than completions. These are the only two teams in the past 45 years to have achieved such an ignominious feat.

The last team to complete a game with a single accomplishment was the 2005 San Francisco 49ers who went 1-for-13 against the Chicago Bears in a game played in gusty 25 mph.

There was also a lot of reaction to this game.



[ad_2]

Source link