This Game was a Heart Breaker
Big game in a big city equals big attention for the Broncos.
Denver (5-1) prepared to face the New York Giants in the shadow of the New York City skyline.
An hour before kickoff Head Coach Mike Shanahan declared eight players inactive including wide receivers David Terrell and Darius Watts, running back Ron Dayne, safety Sam Brandon, cornerback Roc Alexander, offensive lineman Chris Myers, defensive tackle Monsanto Pope and defensive end Marco Coleman.
FIRST QUARTER
The Giants won the coin toss and elected to receive.
New York wide receiver Willie Ponder returned the kick to the Giants 39. Quarterback Eli Manning dropped back to pass on the first play and found Plaxico Burress over the middle of the field for an 8-yard gain. A run up the middle by Tiki Barber was good for 2-yard gain and a first down.
But that was the extent of the success on that drive. Barber took the ball on first down and fumbled as he was going to the turf. Rookie cornerback Darrent Williams forced the fumble and recovered it.
A pass to tight end Stephen Alexandergave the Broncos a first down, but Denver only got to the Giants 31 before being forced to bring kicker Jason Elam onto the field. Elam's 49-yard field goal attempt wobbled all the way to the cross bar, hitting it and the network television camera before bouncing over.
The Broncos took a 3-0 lead with 10:05 remaining.
The Giants marched down the field on their next drive thanks in part to a 34-yard run by Barber. An 11-yard reverse to wide receiver Tim Carter gave New York a first down at the Broncos 14-yard line. A holding penalty backed the Giants up, but Manning managed to find Burress in the back corner of the end zone with an 18-yard touchdown strike with 7:02 remaining.
The extra point put the Giants up 7-3 midway through the first quarter.
Denver took over at its own 31-yard line after a 19-yard return by Williams.
Quarterback Jake Plummer handed the ball off to running back Mike Anderson for a 9-yard gain on first down, bringing up second-and-short. Anderson powered his way for a first down as the clock ran under six minutes to play in the opening quarter. A pass to wide receiver Rod Smith went for 8 yards on the next play, and Anderson again powered his way for a first down on second-and-short.
A 3-yard run by Bell and an incomplete pass brought up third-and-7 for the Broncos at the Giants 42. Facing pressure, Plummer found tight end Jeb Putzier over the middle. Putzier, made one cut and dove ahead for the first down and a 10-yard gain. Wide receiver Ashley Lelie hauled in a 6-yard pass on the next play that went through the hands of cornerback Curtis Deloatch. But, a short gain brought up another third down attempt.
This time, needing 2-yards, Plummer fired to the right side for Bell. The pass was broken up, again bringing on Elam.
Elam's 42-yard field goal attempt was more attractive, sailing down the middle with 1:41 remaining in the quarter.
A 16-yard gain to Jeremy Shockey started off the Giants next drive, pushing the ball out to New York 37. A run by Barber for no gain ended the first quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
The Broncos silenced the drive just inside the second quarter and took over at their own 13 after a punt.
Plummer began by striking deep down field, faking a hand off, rolling out and finding Smith for a 37-yarder gain to the 50-yard line.
After a pass for Putzier fell incomplete, Anderson rumbled 13 yards for another first down at the Giants 34. After a 3-yard run by anderson, the Broncos faced third-and-7 at the New York 30. But Denver was flagged for a false start, backing the ball up to the 35 and creating third-and-12.
On third-and-12, Plummer dropped to pass, but was drilled by defensive end Osi Umenyiora. However the defensive lineman was offside on the play. Bell took the hand off and appeared ready to spring for the first down, but was up-ended 3-yards short.
Denver elected to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Giants 25, but called a timeout before the snap. After the break, the Broncos lined up in the I-formation. The ball went to Anderson, who ran for the first down.
Anderson got the ball again on the next play, pushing over left tackle for a 7-yard gain. The next play went for no gain, but a rollout and a short pass to Putzier was good enough for a first down just outside the Giants 5-yard line.
The clock ran below seven minutes to play in the half on the next snap, which was handed off to Anderson for no gain. On second-and-goal, Bell pushed over right guard for a 1-yard gain. A personal foul on Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce moved the ball to the 2-yard line and gave the Broncos a first down. Anderson hammered into the end zone on the next play.
Elam's extra point gave the Broncos a 13-7 lead with 5:45 to play in the half.
The drive took 13-plays and 8:19.
New York took over at its own 25 to start the next drive.
Denver's defense came out in its usual 4-3 look. Safety John Lynch came on a delayed blitz and wrapped up Manning, who got rid of the ball just in time, but watched it fall incomplete down the right side. On second down, Barber tried to run over the right side, but was bottled up after a 4-yard gain. The play brought up third-and-6 and the Broncos again brought a blitz. Manning was hit again and the ball was tipped into the hands of Lynch down the field. But, linebacker Ian Gold was called for pass interference.
The penalty gave the Giants a first down, but Shanahan decided to challenge the play, saying the pass was tipped before the interception. A tipped ball would negate the pass interference call.
After the review, the interference call was ruled before the tip, leaving the ball with New York and charging Denver a timeout.
Two plays later, the Broncos sent both corners on a blitz. Manning took advantage finding Burress deep down the right side. But, two penalties -- one on Lynch and one on Burress -- offset the play.
An incomplete pass brought up third down. The pass was incomplete, but a defensive holding penalty on Champ Bailey gave the Giants a first down. The Giants then opted to challenge the play, saying Burress did have possesion of the pass. The call was upheld after replay.
With a first down, the Giants gave the ball to Barber, who was brought down for no gain by a pair of Broncos. On second down, the Giants were flagged for a false start, bringing up second-and-15. Manning hit Burress over the middle for a 23-yard gain down to the Broncos 34 before the two-minute warning.
Defensive end Trevor Pryce broke up a screen play to Barber for no gain on second down, bringing up third-and-10 as the clock rolled toward a minute to play. The pass on the next play flew incomplete, forcing a 52-yard field goal attempt by Jay Feely. The kick was good, pulling the Giants to 13-10.
The Broncos took over at their own 20 after a touchback with 1:03 left in the half.
A hand off to Anderson over left tackles went for 4 yards as the clock continued to spin toward halftime. Another hand off to the running back ran the clock to zero.
THIRD QUARTER
Williams returned the second half kickoff to the Denver 40, where Plummer and the offense set up first-and-10. A quick pass up the middle to fullback Kyle Johnson pushed the ball all the way to the Giants 27. The 33-yard gain was followed by a 23-yard run by Anderson. The Broncos then had first-and-goal at the 4. A few moments later, Johnson caught a pass from Plummer for a touchdown.
The extra point gave the Broncos a 20-10 lead.
The Giants found themselves in third-and-6 after Pryce exploaded into the backfield and dropped Barber for a 4-yard loss on second down. Pressure on Manning resulted in an incomplete pass, bringing up a three-and-out and a punt with 11:51 remaining.
A booming kick was hauled in by Williams inside the Denver 10, setting up a first-and-10 for the Broncos at their own 8.
A pitch went to Bell on the first play and the swift runner bursted over the left side for a 37-yard gain. Bell was pushed out of bounds at the 45 with just one man left to beat. But the Broncos gained only three more yards after a run by Anderson and two deep balls that fell incomplete.
The Broncos defense kept the Giants on their own side of the 50, after a deep ball intended for Amani Toomer on third down sailed too far. A punt was fielded by Williams at Denver 23, where the offense took over first-and-10.
Denver kept the next drive alive, converting a third-and-6 with a Plummer scramble up the middle. The first down rolled the clock below five minutes to play and gave the Broncos a first down at their own 37. A catch on the sideline by Lelie moved the ball into Giants territory with 3:50 left in the third quarter.
A run by Anderson netted two yards and an incomplete pass brought up third-and-8. The ball was tipped away from Putzier, bringing Todd Sauerbrun on the field for only his second punt of the game.
After the defense forced another three-and-out and a punt, the Broncos took over at the Giants 47.
Plummer completed a pass to Smith for 6 yards on first down and a run by Anderson brought up third-and-2 from the Giants 39-yard line. On third down, the Broncos set in the I-formation, faked to Johnson and pitched out to Bell. Bell sprinted to the left sideline, picking up 11-yards and a first down.
FOURTH QUARTER
With Anderson pushing the pile, the Broncos managed a third-and-5 attempt at the 10. Plummer was drilled as he dropped back to pass, as the ball fluttered out into the open field. Officials ruled the play a fumble. Shanahan asked for a review.
The play was overturned, meaning the Broncos streak of no turnovers remained alive. It also brought Elam on the field for a 27-yard field goal attempt. The veteran connected on the attempt with 13:18 remaining, pushing the lead to 23-10.
Clutching a 13-point lead, the Broncos defense took the field with the Giants at their own 35.
Back-to-back runs by Barber pushed the ball across the 50 and left the Giants with second-and-2 at the Denver 47. A swing pass to Barber was stopped by Ian Gold, bringing up third-and-2. Manning then threw quick to Toomer for a first down at the 40. A corner blitz was neggated by Manning, who hit Toomer on the right side for a first down two plays later.
Now inside the 30, Manning dropped to throw on first down, but had the ball knocked away at the line of scrimmage. On the next play, Manning lofted the ball up to Burress inside the 5. The receiver leaped and pulled the ball in with safety Nick Ferguson closing.
Barber pushed up the middle from 4 yards out for a touchdown on the next play.
With the extra point, the Giants closed the gap to 23-17 with 9:07 remaining.
Denver got the ball back at its 33 after an 8-yard return by Kyle Johnson. A 5-yard run by Anderson was followed by three receptions by Ashley Lelie totaling 44 yards bringing Denver to the Giants 30. Another reception by Alexander for 9 yards set up a 49-yard field goal attempt by Elam that sailed wide to the right.
That yielded the Giants with possession at their 39 with 5:18 left. New York's chance to strike was quickly thwarted as Champ Bailey laid out to make an excellent interception of Manning's pass intended for Burress. Denver now had the ball back with 4:46 left at its 42.
The possession was short-lived though and Sauerbrun came on to punt after three downs. His kick travelled 36 yards to New York's 17 where Chad Morton was tackled after making the catch.
This time the Giants mounted the game winning drive as Amani Toomer caught a 2-yard pass from a backpedaling Manning with five seconds remaining to tie the score. Jay Feely's extra point was good and the Giants had a 24-23 lead.
New York stopped Denver on the ensuing kickoff and the Broncos suffered only their second defeat of the season, but it was a disheartening one after holding a 23-10 advantage
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