Broncos Beat Falcons In Hall Of Fame Game

CANTON, Ohio (AP) – Hours after visiting a hospital because of a kidney stone, Vic Fangio won a football game.  The new coach of the Denver Broncos saw a late interception set up rookie Juwann Winfree’s 15-yard touchdown catch Thursday night, and his team edged the Atlanta Falcons 14-10 in the Hall of Fame game to open the NFL’s preseason.  Yes, it was an exhibition game – the real first test comes Sept. 9 at Oakland. Still, Fangio served two decades as an NFL assistant before getting his chance to run a team. So this truly was a debut.  Trey Johnson’s interception of Matt Schaub’s pass after the Atlanta backup quarterback was pressured set up Denver at the Falcons 38 with 5:21 remaining. A 14-yard pass interference call on fourth down against Rashard Causey kept Denver in it, but the Broncos were hurt by a holding penalty against rookie Ryan Crozier.  Unfazed, rookie Brett Rypien hurled a pass into the right corner of the end zone, where it was deflected and Winfree latched onto it with 1:26 remaining.  Fangio also became the first coach to utilize the new rule allowing challenges of pass interference calls. Late in the second quarter, Linden Stephens was called for a 43-yard defensive penalty. Officials upheld the call.  Both teams had eight-play first-half drives for touchdowns. Denver’s was finished by Khalfani Muhammad’s 3-yard run up the middle. Atlanta tied it with a precise two-minute drill guided by first-year quarterback Kurt Benkert, who is seeking a backup job to Matt Ryan. Benkert took the Falcons 61 yards in 1:17, hitting running back Brian Hill with a 3-yard touchdown pass.  Benkert conducted another impressive series in the third period, going 56 yards in 12 plays to Giorgio Tavecchio’s 27-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead.  Benkert headed to the locker room early in the fourth quarter with a toe injury. He went 19 of 34 for 185 yards.  Otherwise, it pretty much was a slopfest marred by dropped passes, penalties and missed assignments. Then again, how much can be expected in such an early preseason game?