GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – While Peyton Manning watched, Denver’s reserves pulled out a wild one in the desert.
Manning and the rest of the Broncos’ starters took the fourth game of the preseason off, and Denver got a 44-yard field goal from Matt Prater as the game ended to beat the Arizona Cardinals 16-13 on Thursday night.
Omar Bolden, a fourth-round draft pick from nearby Arizona State, returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown to ignite a second-half comeback for Denver.
In contrast to the Broncos, Arizona used 10 starters on offense and 10 on defense in the game’s first few series. The Cardinals’ two candidates for starting quarterback, John Skelton and Kevin Kolb, did not play.
Cardinals first-round draft pick Michael Floyd made a spectacular 22-yard touchdown catch.