In the second half of Sunday’s Broncos game, a rookie running back momentarily took the breath away from the entire Denver crowd. Audric Estimé caught a pass thrown by fellow rookie Bo Nix and collided with an Atlanta Falcons defender, but the play was called back due to a penalty.
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Cornerback Clark Phillips III came in low to try to tackle Estimé, who had the ball in his left arm, and Estimé leapt high into the air and floated right over Phillips. Another Falcons defender then tackled him as he returned to Earth.
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The play was called due to an unnecessary roughness penalty given to a Broncos offensive lineman.
CBS
On Xfinity Monday Live, CBS Colorado host Romi Bean joked that it should be called “Estimated Air.” She asked him if he knew in advance that he was going to take this big leap.
“No, I didn’t,” Estimé said. “It was a bit of a reaction, honestly.”
“I saw (Phillips) put his head down and close his eyes and that’s something I did in college and I was like, ‘This is my opportunity to do it,'” Estimé said , who played for Notre Dame in college. .
“Have you always eaten hops?” » asked Bean.
“I would say so. I played basketball. I was in eighth grade,” he said. “I had a pretty good vertical…like 30 and a half.”
Bean asked Estimé if he could overcome the obstacle again in a future match.
“We’ll see. I can’t do too much,” Estimé said.
Estime saw his first NFL action in Week 1 against the Seahawks, but he injured his ankle and missed several games afterward while on IR. Only in recent weeks has he started to get more work in the Broncos backfield. He had 14 carries for 53 yards against the Chiefs, and on Sunday he had 6 carries for 16 yards plus three catches for 9 yards. And after an early fumble, he was more careful with the football.
“Once you change your perspective on what that ball represents, you hold it differently,” he said. “Coach (Sean) Payton really told me that this ball represents everyone’s dreams. Thinking about it, it’s like something I’ve done my whole life. And playing at the highest level is my dream, and carrying this ball my whole life is what got me here. So whatever happens, I just have to hold on to it.
“Ball security trumps yards, and I have to continue to improve and I believe I will.”
Estimated and the Broncos are now preparing for the Las Vegas Raiders. You can watch the game Sunday afternoon on CBS Colorado.
