ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –Sunday's 41-23 win against the Giants at MetLife Stadium was a complete team effort.
The running game was effective – two Knowshon Moreno touchdowns. The passing game was efficient – Peyton Manning put on a 30-for-43, 307 yard, two-touchdown performance. The defense was eviscerating – picking off four passes and holding the Giants to 23 rushing yards.
And the special-teams unit was electrifying as Trindon Holliday struck for his first touchdown of the season.
"It was a good team victory, I agree," Manning said after the game. "I thought Holliday's return came at a critical time. We were determined to get a drive there and Holliday certainly made it easy for us. That was critical. The defense did a good job keeping us in it, holding them to some field goals when we weren't quite on our game offensively.
"That was a good team effort, which I think you have to have against good teams."
Tight end Julius Thomas had just put the Broncos in front 31-16 in the fourth quarter and the defense held serve and forced a punt. Holliday took that return on a bounce and turned it into an 81-touchdown.
"Every time I get the ball in my hands I just try to make a play for my team," Holliday said.
Winning the Turnover Battle
After the Giants had six turnovers in their first game, the Broncos weren't jumping to conclusions about the Giants' ball security. While the Broncos came away plus-four in the takeaway department, they had to earn each one through the air.
"I don't think there's a defense in the league that doesn't work on takeaways," Head Coach John Fox said. "Whether it be stripping the ball as far as ball carriers or receivers that have the ball in possession and the same thing as far as breaking on the ball and trying to get interceptions.
"Our coaching staff does an excellent job and our players do a great job responding to it. Hopefully it continues."
Four different Broncos had interceptions in the game – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris, Rahim Moore and Tony Carter and each one had its own special significance.
Rodgers-Cromartie's pick ended the Giants' threat at the end of the first half. Harris' pick came on a wild play – the first of the fourth quarter – that saw the ball deflected off of Carter's foot.
"That's definitely some luck right there – but you've still got to catch it," Harris said. "I was able to be in the right spot and make a play. Not every pick is going to be coming right in your hands. I was lucky one came my way."
Moore and Carter both denied touchdowns with their interceptions, downing them for touchbacks. Carter's came inside the last minute of the game.
Working Welker In
In just two games as a Bronco, wide receiver Wes Welker has already scored three touchdowns and is well on his way to finding a groove with Manning.
In Sunday's win, the two hooked up on a 2-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
"It was just one of those deals where Peyton kind of made a check and it came open," Welker said. "He put it right on the money. It was pretty easy."
Like the first game of the season, the Broncos were a little more efficient with the ball in the second half, but Welker isn't as concerned about the slow starts because of the way that the team has responded at halftime.
"I think it's just everybody coming together and playing the way we need to play in the second half," Welker said. "We know we've got to do a better job in the first half and some of those things, but to be able to come away with wins like that and play well in the second half is big. Hopefully we can keep on doing it."
