Until the Denver Broncos and New York Giants meet again one day, all the pre-game trash talk will give way to memories of Week 7’s incredible Mile High Miracle. Broncos’ rush linebacker Nik Bonitto certainly played his part in stirring things up before last week’s matchup, but now that he’s seen what Giants’ rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart can actually do, the All-Pro has been lavish with his praise.
“I have to give him credit. He’s a lot better than we all thought he was when we played against them,” Bonitto said on the Up & Adams Show. “He was obviously a really good player coming into the game and his ability to be able to maneuver the pocket and make plays on the run.”
For the first time this season, an opposing offensive line managed to hold the prolific Bonitto without a sack, and while Giants’ left tackle Andrew Thomas deserves credit for that, Dart’s mobility and quick release certainly played their part.
No longer leading the NFL in sacks doesn’t appear to be stressing Bonitto out too much; the ongoing process of how best to attack Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott next up will likely consume his thoughts for the next few days.
Entering the Giants game, a stoic strategy of disciplined containment appeared to be the tactic that was adopted by Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Enacting a similar plan to the one that effectively minimized the mobile skill sets of quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields seemed like a decent bet vs. the Giants’ rookie.
A bounty of nine sacks then followed against Fields and the New York Jets, but when facing the largely wildcard factor of Dart, Bonitto admitted the Broncos were presented with a far different challenge.
“We even had a plan for it all week, to have eyes on him, rush the right way,” Bonitto explained to host Kay Adams. “He was still able to go around and make plays. I was really impressed with him. As the years go on, he’s going to be a good player—something you’re going to have to watch out for.”
Fellow rush linebacker Jonathon Cooper probably did even more than Bonitto to help stoke the animosity between the Giants and their rather combustible fan base. Cooper’s pre-game comments about how he perceived Dart’s confident demeanor were open to alternative interpretation, but the Broncos may have underestimated the rookie.
If the Broncos had ended up on the losing end on Sunday, it would probably have seen the team’s pass-rushing duo get a bit more reticent to talk about opponents. Even so, after eeking out the narrowest of wins thanks to an improbable offensive explosion from Bo Nix and company, Cooper didn’t opt to gloat; instead, he admitted that he’d also seen enough from Dart to be sure that he has a bright future ahead of him.
“I feel like things are just kind of taken out of proportion,” Cooper said post-game on Sunday. “I feel like I was giving him (Dart) a compliment low-key, like I was saying he had some swag out there. But, you know, they (the media) wanted to turn it into something that it truly wasn’t. You have to give credit where credit is due, though; they (New York Giants) played a great game. They played a phenomenal game. Putting up points—definitely went out there and balled. Giving credit to them for sure, and I just feel like everything just kind of got blown out of proportion.”
After navigating a game that will live long in everyone’s collective consciousness, both Bonitto and Cooper will need to catch their breath before setting their sights on the slightly less mobile Prescott.
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