For years, the Broncos enjoyed the best defensive backfield in football.
Then, Aqib Talib was traded away, forcing Bradley Roby to step up and become a No. 1 cornerback. For most of this season, he struggled to fill the void Talib left in the backfield.
But, on Thursday Night Football, Roby stole the show.
Roby’s performance last night wasn’t just the best defensive performance on the Broncos, it was the fifth-year cornerback’s best game of his career.
According to Pro Football Focus, Roby’s great game was graded out at a 90.8, which is “elite” in their nine-tiered system of rating players’ individual performances. His coverage grade was 91.0; Roby was targeted seven times by rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, allowing three receptions for a mere 17 yards, or 5.7 yards per completion.
He also enjoyed two tackles, four passes defended and picked off a pass late in the blowout, 45-10 win by the Broncos over the Arizona Cardinals. Roby’s four passes defended were also a career-best mark for a single game and his interception was the first of the year, giving him five straight seasons with at least one pick.
“I was proud of Roby,” head coach Vance Joseph said of his young cornerback. “How he challenged guys and made plays on the ball. That’s who he can be. And again, it’s like our football team. For a young player like that to have success against those receivers, that’s going to give him confidence to go back to the drawing board and have the same week of work and the same success playing. So, when you’re winning and playing good football, it just breeds success.”
After two games in five days, Roby and the Broncos now have a nine-day period between games. Hopefully he can carry over the success from Thursday night into the next game, against the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs.
