Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is facing heat after a futile tackle attempt proved costly in a 30-13 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The Broncos were driving, down seven points deep in the third quarter, facing a fourth-and-1 from the 23-yard line. Melvin Gordon took the handoff and plowed into bodies. The running back coughed up the ball, which was picked up by Eagles corner Darius Slay.
Slay weaved through Denver players for an 83-yard touchdown that put the Eagles up two scores, effectively ending any Broncos comeback bid.
Replays showed Bridgewater in a position possibly to make a TD-saving tackle near midfield, but the QB did little to slow Slay. After the game, Bridgewater, who has dealt with career-altering injuries, said the lack of a tackle attempt wasn't a business decision.
"I just tried to force the ball back" to the middle of the field, Bridgewater said, per Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. "When you sit in a team meeting and watch Coach put up plays throughout the league and two-minute situations and different things, our defense has guys running toward the sideline. We always say: 'The sideline is your friend.' I tried to force the ball back. That's all I tried to do right there."
The explanation will likely leave Broncos fans shaking their heads, as Bridgewater was between Slay and the sideline. The QB didn't even force Slay to break stride as he galloped into open space.
The entire sequence, from another failure in scoring position to Gordon's fumble to Bridgewater's poor maneuver, summed up a disappointing day for a Broncos team that fell to 5-5 and last place in the AFC West.