In their third NFL 2014 rreseason game, the Denver Broncos played the Texans at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos lost the game 18-17, and lost against the spread as 7 point home favorites. The game went Under the 45 1/2 point line that had been set by the oddsmakers.
QB Peyton Manning was very sharp and the Broncos seemed healthier, stronger and ready to win. Manning got his first career disciplinary penalty by provoking the Texan players. DB Swearinger of the Texans hit Denver slot receiver Wes Welker in the head on a tackle; Welker left the game with a concussion. That provoking penalty happened after QB Manning threw a TD pass of 29 yards to WR Sanders on the next play and Manning headed to the end zone to give the Texans safety a piece of his mind.
Peyton Manning of the Broncos has never had a personal foul called on him in his career until now, although in his career he has had sixty infractions in regular season and playoff games.
QB Manning complete two passes for touchdowns in the first half with the second one come with 67 seconds left in the 1st half which game the Broncos the lead 17-7. Sanders who has seen limited practice prior to this game caught 5 passes of eight thrown to him from Manning for some for 128 yards and the two first half TD’s. However, Sanders was intercepted by Texan CB Bouye in the 2nd quarter that set up a 1 yard run by RB Grimes that game the Texans the lead at 17-3. But it was 1st year Sanders who had got past defender Bouye to catch the 67 yarder from Manning for the TD.
Both the Texans and the Broncos practiced together for the week and both coaches limited their starter to the first half in the game.
In that first half when the Broncos scored all of their points with a field goal and two TD’s for 17 points, QB Manning threw 21 of 27 for 243 yards, 2 TD’s and was intercepted once. RB Thompson carried the ball 4 times for 33 yards and WR rookie Sander had 5 receptions for 128 yards and scored their only touchdowns of the game while kicker Prater made a field goal for the only other Denver points of the game. Backup QB Osweiler was 4 for 11 for 43 yards and had one interception.
The Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was 10 for 17 for 80 yards while 3rd string QB Savage won the game 18-17 in the 4th quarter as he took the Texans 74 yards capping with a 31 yard TD with 59 seconds remaining to Griffin then found Labhart for a 2 point conversion. The 1st score of the game for the Texans was in the 2nd quarter with a 1 yard run by Grimes making score 7-3 then in the 3rd quarter a 24 yard field goal by Bullock bringing score to 10-17 Denver. Then the drive by QB savage for the TD and 2 point conversion to win the game.