Broncos beat Falcons on tipped touchdown pass in NFL preseason

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Backup wide receiver Juwann Winfree came down with a tipped pass in the end zone for the decisive score in a Denver Broncos preseason win against the Atlanta Falcons during the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

The peculiar play gave Denver the go-ahead points in the 14-10 triumph Thursday at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The 15-yard scoring reception was Winfree's only catch of the game.

Broncos running back Khalfani Muhammad ran in a three-yard score for the first touchdown of the 2019 NFL preseason. Falcons quarterback Kurt Benkert threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Brian Hill with 18 seconds remaining in the first half for Atlanta's first score.

The Falcons added a 27-yard field goal from Giorgio Tavecchio with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter to take a 10-7 lead.

Denver took control of the ball on the Atlanta 38-yard-line with 5:21 remaining in the contest. The Broncos used nine plays to march 38 yards down the field in 3:55 to decide the game. Denver lined up for a 4th-and-14 play from the Atlanta 15-yard-line with 1:26 remaining before Brett Rypien stepped back in the pocket and threw a pass into the right side of the end zone.

Falcons cornerback Ryan Neal jumped up for the pass at the same time as Winfree before tipping the ball up. Winfree ripped the ball out of the air and stayed in bounds for the score.

Winfree was a sixth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Colorado. Falcons wide receiver Christian Blake led all pass-catchers with 46 yards on five receptions. Muhammad had four catches for 24 yards and 50 rushing yards and a score for the Broncos.

Rypien completed 5-of-10 passes for 41 yards and a score. Broncos second round 2019 NFL Draft pick Drew Lock completed 7-of-11 passes for 34 yards in the win. Benkert completed 19-of-34 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown for Atlanta.

"I was hoping for more, but [I'm] not surprised," Broncos coach Vic Fangio said of Lock. "He's still got a lot of work to do. I thought his accuracy wasn't clean all the time along with his reads, but that's to be expected. We've got four more games and we've got to get him ready, more ready than he is right now."

The Broncos continue the preseason with a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at 10 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 8 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The Falcons face the Miami Dolphins at 7:30 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 8 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.