NFL Monday night: Broncos follow prime-time pattern

Another prime-time game for Denver, another low-scoring nail-biter for the Broncos.

Denver has played in prime time four times in the first six weeks of the NFL’s 2022 season. The Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks 17-16 in the Week 1 Monday night game, defeated the San Francisco 49ers 11-10 in the Week 3 Sunday night game, lost to the Indianapolis Colts 12-9 in overtime in the Week 5 Thursday night game and, in the Week 6 Monday night game, lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 19-16 in overtime.

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The Broncos never trailed on Monday night until Dustin Hopkins’ 39-yard field goal with 2:38 left in overtime ended the game. Hopkins made four field goals even though he had a hamstring injury that had punter JK Scott on standby to do Denver’s kicking.

In addition to holding for the game-winning field goal, Scott figured in the pivotal play of the game. On Los Angeles’ second possession of overtime, Scott got off a 48-yard punt that Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington couldn’t handle – because Los Angeles’ Ja’Sir Taylor shoved Denver’s P.J. Locke into him a split-second before the football arrived.

The Chargers recovered the muff at the Broncos 28-yard line, and Hopkins kicked the winning field goal four snaps later.

Nine players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Denver-Los Angeles games:

· Broncos outside linebacker Christopher Allen (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Chargers tight end Gerald Everett (UAB/South Alabama) caught five passes for 29 yards.

· Chargers long snapper Josh Harris (Auburn) handled the snaps on four field goals, four punts and one extra-point.

· Kareem Jackson (Alabama) started at strong safety for the Broncos. Jackson made eight tackles, recorded a tackle for loss and broke up a pass in his 174th NFL start. That tied Lee Roy Jordan for the fourth-most by an Alabama alumnus. Jackson trails the 204 starts of Cornelius Bennett, 191 starts of Ozzie Newsome and 183 starts of John Hannah.

· Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Broncos. Jeudy caught three passes for 54 yards, including a 37-yard reception.

· Chargers punter JK Scott (Alabama) averaged 44.0 yards on four punts, with a net average of 44.0. Scott had an 18-yard punt for a fair catch at the Denver 21, a 52-yarder that was muffed and recovered by the Broncos at the Denver 16, a 54-yarder for a fair catch at the Denver 31 and a 48-yarder that was muffed and recovered by Los Angeles at the Denver 28.

· Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) started at left cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain broke up a pass. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Surtain did not allow a completion while in coverage during the game.

· Broncos punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) averaged 46.1 yards on seven punts, with a net average of 40.6 yards. Waitman had a 54-yard punt for a fair catch at the Los Angeles 12-yard line, a 58-yarder returned 19 yards to the Los Angeles 28, a 43-yarder returned 9 yards to the Los Angeles 30, a 22-yarder for a fair catch at the Los Angeles 17, a 41-yarder downed at the Los Angeles 25, a 58-yarder returned 11 yards to the Los Angeles 19 and a 47-yarder for a fair catch at the Los Angeles 19.

· Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) caught one pass for no gain, returned a kickoff 26 yards and returned two punts for zero yards. Washington was charged with a muff on each punt return. He recovered the first one.

Denver dropped to 2-4 even though the Broncos defense has yielded six touchdowns this season, the fewest in the NFL. Los Angeles improved to 4-2.

On Sunday, each team will play at home, with the Chargers facing the Seattle Seahawks and the Broncos meeting the New York Jets.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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