Sportsnaut
While it appeared they would get beaten down at home in front of thousands of fans, the Denver Broncos incredibly scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to steal their fifth win of the season. Yet, as you can imagine, temperatures were running hot with the game on the line.
Though perhaps no one was more heated than Broncos starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who has now been suspended one game for his actions after the final whistle.
Specifically, the NFL says Greenlaw’s actions, where he chased down referee Brad Allen and verbally threatened him as he left the field, crossed a line. Interestingly enough, the ref even threw a flag after the event with Greenlaw.
Yet, the officiating crew decided to pick up the penalty flag, and the Broncos emerged with a victory thanks to a game-winning kick from Wil Lutz. Lutz drilled a 39-yard kick on 2nd-and-10. Had Greenlaw been hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Lutz would have had to drill a 54-yarder. He certainly has the leg, but a 54-yarder is a lot tougher than one from within 40 yards.
Can you imagine how much of a story this would have been had Greenlaw and the Broncos been penalized on the field at the time of the penalty? Especially if Lutz couldn’t have made the next kick?
The Broncos signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million contract in free agency this offseason, snagging arguably the top linebacker on the market. Greenlaw has played just one game this season; Sunday was actually his debut with his new team.
He tallied six tackles and a QB hit, but the seventh-year pro will have to wait another week to build upon his numbers from Week 7.
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