Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Scribbler
CHICAGO — It wasn’t simple, it wasn’t how he deliberate it, and it would now not have even been appropriate for framing, however Sunday’s 31-28 victory for the Denver Broncos over the Chicago Bears will at all times be Sean Payton’s first with the franchise.
Proprietor/CEO Greg Penner introduced Payton a recreation ball upcoming the Broncos’ comeback victory. Denver trailed 28-7 with 4 mins, 11 seconds left within the 3rd quarter. Payton grew up and performed highschool soccer in Naperville, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, sooner than enjoying at Jap Illinois College.
“Greg was great,” Payton said. “They sought after me to speak a negligible bit and I’ve been fortunate plethora the utmost 5 instances we’ve been right here, we’ve received, been in that storehouse room. … With a bit of luck, it’s the primary of many relative to the place we’re going; we have now a bundle of labor to do nonetheless, however we will experience this.”
For nearly 3 quarters Sunday, the Broncos seemed as though the hangover of the historical 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins utmost past was once going to tug some other wretched defeat to the accumulation. The Broncos have been ruled by way of the Bears, who had additionally began the week at 0-3, for many of 3 quarters.
Chicago quarterback Justin Fields was once 16-of-17 passing for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns within the first part — his best incompletion got here on a Mist Mary at the Bears’ utmost play games of the second one quarter. When Bears working again Khalil Herbert stuck a 2-yard landing cross from Boxes past due within the 3rd quarter, Chicago had constructed a 28-7 manage.
“Really easy to put i’m sick in that condition,” stated Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, who performed for Payton with the New Orleans Saints and kicked the 51-yard recreation winner Sunday. “… Good-looking cool to look the staff keep in combination.”
“I’m satisfied for Schoolteacher Payton,” Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson stated. “An important mentor, Corridor of Repute mentor, a man who teaches the sport on the absolute best degree, for him to get his first win right here was once thrilling for all folks.”
The Broncos’ beleaguered protection, which surrendered 10 touchdowns and 726 yards to the Dolphins utmost past, gave up 471 yards to the Bears (Boxes completed with 335 passing yards and 4 touchdowns), a complete that incorporated 171 yards dashing.
However the protection additionally may have made the 2 performs that gave Payton his inaugural Denver win. Outdoor linebacker Nik Bonitto sacked Boxes within the fourth quarter (Bonitto had 2.5 sacks within the recreation), knocked the ball isolated and outdoor linebacker Jonathon Cooper scooped up the bouncing ball and returned it 35 yards for a landing to secured the sport at 28-28 with 6:55 to play games.
The protection additionally were given a fourth-down restrain at the Bears’ later ownership on a fourth-and-1 from the Broncos’ 18-yard layout. Bears mentor Matt Eberflus elected to exit for the fourth-down conversion in lieu than try a garden purpose.
Linebacker Alex Singleton cancelled Herbert for refuse acquire and the Broncos drove for Lutz’s recreation winner 5 performs nearest.
“First win for us, [and] the way things we’re going, it was great,” safety Kareem Jackson stated.
“The strip fumble was once arguably the largest play games of the sport,” Payton stated. “You score on defense, you’re going to win a lot of games; that ended up being the case.”
Payton, however, also made it clear that while he enjoyed the win, as did the players after the game, Monday’s review of all that went wrong before the Broncos saved themselves will be terse at times.
“There might be some difficult tape [Monday],” Payton stated. “I don’t need to sugarcoat the rest, there’s some issues. We’re taking to play games a bundle harder groups on our agenda, refuse disrespect to Chicago, to Matt [Eberflus] and what they’re seeking to do — I’m positive it’s the similar right here [from the Bears] — however I feel the win was once remarkable for the gang.”
