The X-Broncos would have found familiar faults to lose these two latest games 17 days separated.
Instead, the WE-Broncos discovered ways to win both.
They won — astonishingly without a touchdown Sunday — in Patriots Purgatory.
The Broncos’ kicker-elder statesman-union rep-team leader stood rigid and staring on the sideline in the final moments of the Broncos-Patriots game and sort of transmuted into a praying McManus.
Brandon McManus, called “The Legend’’ by quarterback Drew Lock, had done more than his share to get the Broncos to an 18-12 lead.
He had put his best foot forward for a franchise-record six field goals without a miss, supplying the only points his team scored. However, as one of only two players on the active roster Sunday who played for the Broncos in Super Bowl 50 and their last over-.500 season (2016), McManus has suffered enough through a 19-33 record and no sniff of the playoffs since.
As Brandon would express honestly after the game, echoing the thoughts of millions of Broncos’ fanatics: “A lot of times, it has been ‘Here we go again in Denver. We can’t finish it.’’’
Wait, though!
“But there was an energy today that was different. The defense was flying. They (defensive players) took it on their shoulders as I did. It was awesome to see how it ended.’’
Here’s how it ended:
After being down 18-9 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots intercepted one Lock pass and would pull to within one touchdown. Then, on the Broncos’ final possession, Lock flung another pick. The Patriots had a chance with 3:14 remaining at their 28-yard line.
Stop me and McManus if you’ve heard this one before.
With runs and throws by quarterback Cam Newton and two pass completions by wide receiver Julian Edelman, a former college quarterback, the Patriots thrust to the Broncos’ 24 with a minute to go. But they were confronted with a fourth-and-10.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio pulled out a double-secret safety blitz the team never before utilized in a game, and Cam was forced into a terrible fling that would not defy Newton’s law of gravity.
The end.
McManus could sigh and celebrate.
In back-to-back games seemingly an eternity apart, the Broncos prevailed in the fourth quarter over two teams from the AFC East on the Least Coast.
They have uplifted from 0-3 and a potential candidate for QB Trevor Lawrence to a relevant member of the AFC West.
And the Broncos left the Patriots in their hoofmarks and under .500 for the first time in their opening five games since 2002.
New England coach Bill Belichick was shaking his head and repeating himself. During his usual truculent media conference, the most successful coach in NFL history offered: “I think I’ve said it three or four times. We have to do everything better.’’
Actually, he had uttered the word “better’’ 11 times in references to his outfit, which is becoming worse, not better. Newton, who tested positive for coronavirus recently, was ordinary except when leading New England in rushing (10 runs for 76 yards and a touchdown).
Newton was intercepted twice, fumbled twice (losing one), sacked four times and sustained eight QB hits.
He must have had regretful memories of the defeat to the Broncos in SB 50. McManus remembers, as does Sylvester “The Cat’’ Williams, who was activated Sunday. The 31-year-old defensive lineman, the Broncos’ No. 1 choice in the 2013 draft, returned last week after being without a job since before assembling radiator parts for a company when he graduated from high school and couldn’t get a football scholarship. Williams played on two Broncos Super Bowl teams and never on a losing Broncos’ team.
The Broncos probably should have been ahead of the pitiful Patriots 21-0 or 28-3, but they are still learning how to hang on and what it takes to win.
Lock was praised following his comeback effort, although he completed only 10 of 24 passes for 189 and no touchdowns with the two dreadful interceptions. He admitted being bailed out by the defense and McManus. Phillip Lindsay was helpful with 101 yards rushing in his return, and Tim Patrick, who started camp as the Forgotten Wide Receiver, produced his second straight 100-yard-plus performance.
And the Broncos now are “We The Team’’ instead of an X-out.
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