Pat Surtain II changed momentum, showed he’s NFL’s best corner
Oct 7, 2024, 7:48 AM
The Denver Broncos made it three wins in a row with a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. In addition to extending their current winning streak, the Broncos ended the eight-game win streak the Raiders had against them.
The Broncos are now 3-2 and have built momentum after the first month of the season. Could they make the postseason? Sure, but there’s a lot of football yet to be played.
After the game, Payton was happy with his team’s resilience.
“It was obviously a good, division win at home. It did not start off well, but we bounced back. The three takeaways and ball security on offense, there are number of things that lead you to having success and winning a game.” Payton said.
Here are three observations from the Broncos win over the Raiders in Week 5.
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Changing Momentum
Pat Surtain is the best cornerback in the NFL. It’s one of the reasons why the Broncos made him the highest-paid corner in the league earlier this year. The ball does not come his direction that often, but when it does, he will make a play.
Against the Raiders, Surtain had the most incredible play of the day.
Close to pay dirt, Raiders QB Gardner Minshew felt pressure and tried to toss a pass into the end zone. Instead of going to his teammate, Minshew threw it to Surtain – and the veteran corner returned it 100 yards for the score. That play (and other bad throws) led to Minshew getting benched.
Most importantly, Surtain’s play changed the momentum for the Broncos as they struggled on offense in the first half.
Payton loved talking about that big play after the game.
“There is no stepping on the gas, he made a good play. He made a real good play. The significance of the play is it is a 10-point play because they are probably at a minimum going to kick a field goal from where it happened at. That was a huge play for us. At that point, all of a sudden now it is 10-7. This game constantly goes back and forth. When you score on defense, you win 80 percent of the time, and then three turnovers to none. Certainly, it was a huge play, at least a 10-point play.” Payton said.
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Identity Discovered!
It’s clear the Broncos are a team led by the defense. It’s interesting that a Sean Payton team is a defensive team, but here we are. Payton is an offensive-minded head coach, but his offense has been stalling too often this year.
Against the Raiders, the offense did not spark immediately – but they did eventually in the second half. I believe they did that because they kept running the ball. While Payton likely wants rookie QB Bo Nix to fill the air with footballs, it’s best at this time to take a more balanced approach.
With RB Javonte Williams playing better football over the last two games, the Broncos can run the ball effectively. Add in efficient passing from Nix, and you see how the team is forging an identity. The defense is playing lights out, and their special teams is one of the best in the league. Simply put, the Broncos can afford a bit more time to find themselves on offense because the other two departments are so strong.
Quinn Meinerz knows it takes all three phases to win consistently.
“I think we’re playing complementary football. Our defense is playing unbelievably. As an offense, I think we’re finding our identity a little bit. Marvin [Mims] has been great in the return game. It’s been all three phases.” Meinerz said.
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Honoring the Past
The Broncos wore their throwback uniforms and honored the 1977 team, and the win helped honor the players from the past who wore those uniforms regularly. The jerseys are among the best in the league, and many fans want the team to make these the permanent look.
That’s not going to happen yet, but what did happen on Sunday is the team played to honor those that came before them. It would have been a travesty if the Broncos had gotten beat by a hated rival while looking so good and wearing the jerseys of the past.
We haven’t seen that jersey and helmet combination since 2001, and the team looked great. It’s an even sweeter victory because the Broncos played good football as well.
Nix entered the stadium rocking a throwback John Elway jersey – honoring the past instead of himself. He was asked about that wardrobe choice after the game.
“Growing up, he [Pro Football Hall of Fame QB John Elway] was my dad’s favorite quarterback. Being a Bronco now with everything that he’s done to lay this foundation for the guys that come after him and can play quarterback at a high level. With my dad, that history with him being my dad’s favorite player. It’s just two guys that have put me in a situation to go out there and succeed. It was a great day to kind of pay tribute to those that came before you. [I] had it in the closet and wanted to put it to use.” Nix said.
