Final2021 Week 1

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Denver Broncos vs New York Giants, Week 1 2021

Denver Broncos

AwayWon

27

New York Giants

Home

13

Scoring by quarter
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
Broncos01071027
Giants070613

DEN 27NYG 13 Final

  • Passing leader

    Daniel Jones

    NYG · QB

    21.4PPR pts

    22/37, 267 YDS, 1 TD, 1 RUSH TD

  • Top fantasy scorer

    Sterling Shepard

    NYG · WR

    24.3PPR pts

    7 REC, 113 YDS, 1 TD

  • Giants leader

    Kenny Golladay

    NYG · WR

    10.4PPR pts

    4 REC, 64 YDS

  • Defensive playmaker

    Von Miller

    DEN

    2 SACK, 3 TKL

Broncos 27, Giants 13: Denver pulls away from New York

Denver led 10–7 at halftime and outscored New York 17–6 after the break to win 27–13. The Broncos finished with a 420–314 edge in total offense and averaged 6.4 yards per play.

The Giants went 6-for-12 on third down and committed one turnover, while the Broncos kept the ball for 35:08.

Key advantages

  • +1.1 yards/play DEN 6.4 · NYG 5.3
  • +106 total yards DEN 420 · NYG 314
  • +10:16 time of possession DEN 35:08 · NYG 24:52

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Broncos Won

Denver won the efficiency and time of possession battles.

Team stats comparison, Broncos vs Giants
BroncosStatGiants
6.4Yards per play5.3
420Total yards314
35:08Time of possession24:52
Other team stats
66Plays59
1Turnovers1
47%Third-down conversion50%

Scoring Summary

The Broncos scored three touchdowns and two field goals; the Giants scored two touchdowns.

Scoring plays, Broncos vs Giants
TimeTeamPlayDENNYG
1st quarter
No scoring
2nd quarter
13:18DENBrandon McManus 23-yard FG Takes lead30
8:56NYGDaniel Jones → Sterling Shepard, 37-yard TD Takes leadGraham Gano XP37
0:08DENTeddy Bridgewater → Tim Patrick, 2-yard TD Takes leadBrandon McManus XP107
3rd quarter
6:48DENTeddy Bridgewater → Albert Okwuegbunam, 4-yard TD Extends leadBrandon McManus XP177
4th quarter
12:44DENBrandon McManus 36-yard FG Extends lead207
4:37DENMelvin Gordon III 70-yard TD run Extends leadBrandon McManus XP277
0:00NYGDaniel Jones 4-yard TD run2713

Fantasy Points: Broncos vs Giants, Week 1 2021

Fantasy leaders

  1. Sterling ShepardNYGWR24.3 PTSWR8
  2. Melvin GordonDENRB20.8 PTSRB6
  3. Teddy BridgewaterDENQB20.5 PTSQB14
  4. Daniel JonesNYGQB20.4 PTSQB15

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
PlayerFPTSFINCMP/ATTPass YDSTDINTRush ATTRush YDSRush TDRateStart/Sit
Daniel JonesNYGQB20.4QB1522/3726710627190.7Start/Sit →
Teddy BridgewaterDENQB20.5QB1428/36264203190115.7

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
PlayerFPTSFINPOSRush ATTRush YDSRush TDTGTRECRec YDSRec TDStart/Sit
Sterling ShepardNYGWR24.3WR8WR———971131
Melvin GordonDENRB20.8RB6RB11101133170
Tim PatrickDENWR13.9WR38WR———44391
Jerry JeudyDENWR13.2WR40WR———76720Start/Sit →
Noah FantDENTE12.2TE7TE———86620Start/Sit →
Kenny GolladayNYGWR10.4WR54WR———64640
Darius SlaytonNYGWR9.5WR63WR———73650Start/Sit →
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE7.6TE22TE———33161
KJ HamlerDENWR7.1WR72WR———43410
Javonte WilliamsDENRB5.1RB47RB1445011-40Start/Sit →
Saquon BarkleyNYGRB3.7RB52RB102603110Start/Sit →
Kyle RudolphNYGTE2.8TE40TE———5280
Courtland SuttonDENWR2.4WR104WR———31140Start/Sit →
Devontae BookerNYGRB2.3RB60RB4701160
Kadarius ToneyNYGWR1.8WR109WR———22-20
Eric SaubertDENTE1.7TE47TE———2170Start/Sit →
C.J. BoardNYGWR1.6WR112WR———1160
Gary BrightwellNYGRB1.6RB67RB———1160
Elijhaa PennyNYGRB0.0—RB———1000

Fantasy Usage

Denver Broncos

Snap Share

  1. Courtland SuttonWR53 snaps80%
  2. Noah FantTE51 snaps77%
  3. Tim PatrickWR46 snaps70%
  4. Albert OkwuegbunamTE37 snaps56%
  5. Melvin GordonRB33 snaps50%

Target Share35 targets

  1. Noah Fant23%, 8 targets
  2. Jerry Jeudy20%, 7 targets
  3. Tim Patrick11%, 4 targets
  4. KJ Hamler11%, 4 targets
  5. Melvin Gordon9%, 3 targets
  6. Other26%, 9 targets

Carry Share28 carries

  1. Javonte Williams50%, 14 carries
  2. Melvin Gordon39%, 11 carries
  3. Teddy Bridgewater11%, 3 carries

New York Giants

Snap Share

  1. Sterling ShepardWR58 snaps95%
  2. Kenny GolladayWR52 snaps85%
  3. Kyle RudolphTE47 snaps77%
  4. Darius SlaytonWR43 snaps70%
  5. Saquon BarkleyRB29 snaps48%

Target Share36 targets

  1. Sterling Shepard25%, 9 targets
  2. Darius Slayton19%, 7 targets
  3. Kenny Golladay17%, 6 targets
  4. Kyle Rudolph14%, 5 targets
  5. Saquon Barkley8%, 3 targets
  6. Other17%, 6 targets

Carry Share20 carries

  1. Saquon Barkley50%, 10 carries
  2. Daniel Jones30%, 6 carries
  3. Devontae Booker20%, 4 carries
View full usage tableHide full usage table
Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
PlayerSNAPSSNAP %TGTTGT %CAR
Sterling ShepardNYGWR5895%925%0
Kenny GolladayNYGWR5285%617%0
Courtland SuttonDENWR5380%39%0
Noah FantDENTE5177%823%0
Kyle RudolphNYGTE4777%514%0
Darius SlaytonNYGWR4370%719%0
Tim PatrickDENWR4670%411%0
Albert OkwuegbunamDENTE3756%39%0
Melvin GordonDENRB3350%39%11
Javonte WilliamsDENRB3350%13%14
Saquon BarkleyNYGRB2948%38%10
Kaden SmithNYGTE2948%00%0
Jerry JeudyDENWR3147%720%0
Devontae BookerNYGRB2439%13%4
KJ HamlerDENWR2436%411%0
Eric SaubertDENTE2233%26%0
Gary BrightwellNYGRB813%13%0
C.J. BoardNYGWR610%13%0
Kadarius ToneyNYGWR58%26%0
Elijhaa PennyNYGRB35%13%0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

  • Biggest overperformer+9.1Sterling Shepard24.3 PTS vs 15.2 xFP
  • Biggest underperformer−7.8Saquon Barkley3.7 PTS vs 11.5 xFP
  • Highest expected volume20.1 xFPDaniel Jones21.4 PTS scored
Usage and expected fantasy points
PlayerPTSxFPvs xFPSnap%UsageRte%Pass attCarCar%TgtTgt%
Daniel JonesNYG · QB21.420.1+1.3100%37 att—37630%00%
Teddy BridgewaterDEN · QB20.517.8+2.7100%36 att—36311%00%
Sterling ShepardNYG · WR24.315.2+9.195%25% tgt—000%925%
Noah FantDEN · TE12.213.5−1.377%23% tgt—000%823%
Melvin Gordon IIIDEN · RB20.812.1+8.750%39% car—01139%39%
Darius SlaytonNYG · WR9.511.8−2.370%19% tgt—000%719%
Jerry JeudyDEN · WR13.211.8+1.447%20% tgt—000%720%
Saquon BarkleyNYG · RB3.711.5−7.848%50% car—01050%38%
Javonte WilliamsDEN · RB5.110.7−5.650%50% car—01450%13%
Kenny GolladayNYG · WR10.410.1+0.385%17% tgt—000%617%
Kyle RudolphNYG · TE2.88.4−5.677%14% tgt—000%514%
KJ HamlerDEN · WR7.16.7+0.436%11% tgt—000%411%
Tim PatrickDEN · WR13.96.7+7.270%11% tgt—000%411%
Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.DEN · TE8.65.1+3.556%9% tgt—000%39%
Courtland SuttonDEN · WR2.45.1−2.780%9% tgt—000%39%
Devontae BookerNYG · RB2.34.3−2.039%20% car—0420%13%
Eric SaubertDEN · TE1.73.4−1.733%6% tgt—000%26%
Kadarius ToneyNYG · WR1.83.4−1.68%6% tgt—000%26%
C.J. BoardNYG · WR1.61.7−0.110%3% tgt—000%13%
Elijhaa PennyNYG · RB0.01.7−1.75%3% tgt—000%13%
Gary BrightwellNYG · RB1.61.7−0.113%3% tgt—000%13%

Team totals: Broncos 35 targets and 28 carries; Giants 36 targets and 20 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Teddy Bridgewater

DEN · QB · 20.5 pts on 17.8 expected

28 of 36 passing for 264 yards, 2 touchdowns; 3 carries for 19 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 17.8 expected.

Daniel Jones

NYG · QB · 21.4 pts on 20.1 expected

22 of 37 passing for 267 yards, 1 touchdown; 6 carries for 27 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.1 expected.

Start/Sit: Daniel Jones →

Noah Fant

DEN · TE · 12.2 pts on 13.5 expected

8 targets (23% of the team's), 6 catches for 62 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 13.5 expected.

Start/Sit: Noah Fant →

Melvin Gordon III Ran hot

DEN · RB · 20.8 pts on 12.1 expected

3 targets (9% of the team's), 3 catches for 17 yards; 11 carries (39% of the team's) for 101 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 12.1 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Sterling Shepard Ran hot

NYG · WR · 24.3 pts on 15.2 expected

9 targets (25% of the team's), 7 catches for 113 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 15.2 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Saquon Barkley Unlucky

NYG · RB · 3.7 pts on 11.5 expected

3 targets (8% of the team's), 1 catch for 1 yard; 10 carries (50% of the team's) for 26 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 11.5 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Saquon Barkley →

Javonte Williams Unlucky

DEN · RB · 5.1 pts on 10.7 expected

1 target (3% of the team's), 1 catch for -4 yards; 14 carries (50% of the team's) for 45 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 10.7 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Javonte Williams →

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Broncos defense and Giants defense
Points allowed toBroncos DGiants D
QBs15.815.6
RBs21.425.7
WRs29.833.2
TEs8.512.9

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

New York opened at 43% win probability and fell below 2% in the fourth quarter.

Giants win probability

Giants win probability by game minuteGiants started at 43%, stood at 33% at halftime and finished at 0%, across 7 scoring plays.Q1Q2Q3Q4100%50%0%

Key Swings

  1. −10McManus 23-yd FG44% → 34%Q2 13:18
  2. +25Jones → Shepard, 37-yd TD34% → 59%Q2 8:56
  3. −28Bridgewater → Patrick, 2-yd TD61% → 33%Q2 0:08
  4. −23Bridgewater → Okwuegbunam, 4-yd TD32% → 9%Q3 6:48
  5. −3McManus 36-yd FG5% → 1%Q4 12:44

Swing in Giants win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Broncos vs Giants
Denver BroncosMeasureNew York Giants
66Plays59
58%Pass rate66%
6.7Yds / dropback6.5
5.9Yds / carry3.0
7/15Third downs6/12

Efficiency edge Denver ran 7 more plays and gained 2.9 more yards per carry.

  • Top targets
  • DEN Fant 23% · Jeudy 20% · Hamler 11%
  • NYG Shepard 25% · Slayton 19% · Golladay 17%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Broncos vs Giants
ResultDENNYG
Touchdowns32
Field goals20
Punts23
Turnovers11
Turnovers on downs02
  • The Broncos opened the scoring on their second possession, a 15-play, 62-yard drive that ended in a field goal.
  • The Broncos drained the clock with two second-half drives of five to nine minutes.
All 17 possessions, drive by drive
Drive chart
TeamStartPlaysYardsTimeResult
NYGQ1 15:006342:39Punt
DENQ1 12:215213:09Punt
NYGQ1 9:12302:12Punt
DENQ1 7:0015628:42Field goal
NYGQ2 13:187754:22Touchdown
DENQ2 8:568714:51Fumble
NYGQ2 4:05331:40Punt
DENQ2 2:257572:17Touchdown
NYGQ2 0:081-10:08End of half
DENQ3 15:0016758:12Touchdown
NYGQ3 6:4810604:01Fumble
DENQ3 2:4710695:03Field goal
NYGQ4 12:4414696:19Downs
DENQ4 6:254941:48Touchdown
NYGQ4 4:377311:42Downs
DENQ4 2:55341:06Punt
NYGQ4 1:498641:49Touchdown
About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Broncos vs Giants Head-to-Head

The Broncos and Giants first met in 1972 and have played 15 times since.

All-time series
8–7Broncos lead, 15 meetings since 1972
Postseason
1–0Giants won in 1986
Largest Broncos win
26–62009
Largest Giants win
39–201986

Since 2021

2–0 Broncos lead

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. B = Broncos win, G = Giants win, outlined = this game.

Recent Meetings

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Broncos vs Giants
BroncosStatGiants
7-10Record4-13
19.7Points per game15.2
330.5Yards per game287.3
5.4Yards per play4.7
18.9Points allowed per game24.5
326.1Yards allowed per game354.8

Broncos vs Giants Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread
DEN −2.5Broncos covered by 11.5
Total
41.5Under: 40 points scored (by 1.5)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
TeamImpliedActualDifference
Broncos22.027+5.0
Giants19.513−6.5

The Broncos beat their implied total and the Giants fell short of theirs; the Fantasy tab has the player lines behind it.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Denver Broncos

Against the spread
1–0
Over/under
0–1
ATS as favorite
1–0
ATS on the road
1–0

New York Giants

Against the spread
0–1
Over/under
0–1
ATS as underdog
0–1
ATS at home
0–1

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Broncos and Giants in Fantasy

The two teams don't meet again this season. If you roster a Bronco or a Giant, these answer the week-to-week question.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Broncos vs Giants Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Broncos vs Giants Week 1 game?

The Denver Broncos beat the New York Giants 27–13 in Week 1 of the 2021 season. The game was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on September 12, 2021. See the Broncos' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Broncos vs Giants?

The final score was Broncos 27, Giants 13. The Broncos led 10–7 at halftime, and the second half went Broncos 17, Giants 6.

What happened in the Broncos vs Giants game?

Denver led 10–7 at halftime and outscored New York 17–6 after the break to win 27–13. The Broncos finished with a 420–314 edge in total offense and averaged 6.4 yards per play. Sterling Shepard led all players with 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Broncos vs Giants?

Sterling Shepard led the game with 24.3 PPR fantasy points, the WR8 of Week 1, on 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Melvin Gordon was next with 20.8 (RB6).

Who led Broncos vs Giants in passing, rushing and receiving?

Daniel Jones (NYG) led all passers with 22 of 37 for 267 yards and a touchdown. Melvin Gordon (DEN) led in rushing with 11 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. Sterling Shepard (NYG) led in receiving with 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Sterling Shepard score against the Broncos?

Sterling Shepard scored 24.3 points in PPR leagues, 20.8 in half-PPR and 17.3 in standard scoring against the Broncos in Week 1 of the 2021 season, on 7 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. He drew 25% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Broncos vs Giants?

Sterling Shepard outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 24.3 PPR points on 15.2 xFP (+9.1). Saquon Barkley fell furthest short, with 3.7 points on 11.5 xFP (−7.8). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Broncos vs Giants?

Daniel Jones had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 20.1 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 21.4. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Broncos beat the Giants?

The Broncos beat the Giants 27–13 because they averaged 6.4 yards per play to 5.3 and outgained them 420–314.

What is the all-time Broncos vs Giants record?

The Broncos lead the all-time series 8–7 across 15 meetings since 1972, including a 0–1 record in the postseason.

Have the Broncos and Giants played in the Super Bowl?

Yes, once: the Giants won Super Bowl XXI 39–20 over the Broncos after the 1986 season.

When did the Broncos and Giants last play before this game?

Before Week 1 of 2021, they last met in the 2017 season on October 15, 2017, when the Giants beat the Broncos 23–10.

What was the closing spread for Broncos vs Giants?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Broncos −2.5, making the Denver Broncos 2.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 41.5. That implied about 22.0 points for the Broncos and 19.5 for the Giants.

Did Broncos vs Giants go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 41.5, and the teams combined for 40 points, 1.5 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Broncos vs Giants?

The Broncos covered by 11.5 against the closing line of Broncos −2.5. The final margin was 14 points.