DENVER (AP) — Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another, and Denver’s defense clamped down. Bryce Young In the Broncos’ injury-plagued 28-14 victory on Sunday. Carolina Panthers.

In his best game of his rookie season so far, the Broncos’ quarterback threw for 284 yards. he found Nate Adkins from 3 meters and Adam Trautman A 19-yard field goal in the second quarter gave the Broncos (5-3) a 21-7 lead at halftime.

The Panthers (1-7), who listed 22 players on the injury report and lost two more on Sunday, lost their fifth straight.

Young was 24-for-37 for 224 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.

He wasn’t the only Carolina player off target — the Broncos made it 28-7 after a failed fake punt by the Panthers at the 24 in the third quarter. Safety Sam Franklin Jr. He was wide open but he was a betting man Johnny Hekker He floated the attempt on fourth-and-six and the Broncos took over.

Four plays later, Nix flanked a 9-yard TD pass to running back Jaleel McLaughlin.

Patrick Surtain II, who allowed Carolina’s touchdown on the first drive, intercepted Young at the Denver 11 on the Panthers’ next drive.

Courtland Sutton He caught eight of Nix’s passes for 100 yards, his first 100-yard game since Week 2 of the 2022 season against Houston. However, he fumbled to make the 1-up on Trevin Wallace’s final reception just before the two-minute warning and Shy Tuttle He recovered his second fumble of the game.

Young was spectacular in the two-minute practice, driving Carolina 98 yards in 10 plays and allowing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Coker with 18 seconds left.

After being benched after Week 2, Young returned as the Panthers’ starting QB. Andy Dalton He sprained his right thumb in a car accident on Tuesday. Dalton did not practice all week because he could not grasp the football properly, so rookie Jack Plummer served as Young’s backup on Sunday.

Things started off well for Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

After Tuttle recovered Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s fumble at midfield on the game’s opening drive, Young put the Panthers up 7-0 on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Surtain, who was returning from a concussion suffered two weeks ago by rookie Xavier Legette. .

Not only was it Young’s first touchdown of the season, it was also the first opening drive TD of his career.

However, the Panthers managed only one first down for the rest of the half and the Broncos began to dominate at all stages.

Nik Bonitto He had a sack in his sixth straight game, the Broncos’ longest streak since. Von MillerSix-game streak in 2018 and Ja’Quan McMillian He intercepted Young in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter.

Young was left without wide receivers as he fell to 2-17 in his career and 0-3 this season. Diontae Johnson And Adam Thielen. Johnson, who was the subject of trade rumors, was excluded from the squad after not participating in training all week due to a rib injury. Thielen has missed the last five games due to a hamstring injury.

injuries

Panthers: TE Feleipe Franks He suffered a concussion in punting news and OLB DJ Johnson sprained his right ankle. Both were eliminated at halftime.

Broncos: TE Lucas Kroll left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury but returned.

next

Panthers: Host New Orleans Saints Sunday.

Broncos: Visit Baltimore Ravens Sunday.

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