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The excitement over new Denver Broncos starting quarterback Case Keenum‘s regular-season debut against the Seattle Seahawks was transformed into equal amounts of glee and anxiety during the September 9 contest. Keenum helped create plenty of highlights en route to a 27-24 victory, but his three touchdown passes were offset by a trio of interceptions so unfathomably stupid that fans on Twitter were left to wonder whether their new signal-caller is a gridiron genius or a ham-handed surgeon who specializes in ripping hearts out of chests without anesthetic.
There was much to like about Keenum’s play. Unlike predecessors Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, who tried and failed to make Broncos Country forget about Peyton Manning, he seemed in command of the offense and didn’t get rattled with pass rushers breathing down his neck. He also displayed the ability to either zip passes or float them as the situation demanded, and he’s quickly developed an impressive rapport with wide receiver Emmanual Sanders, who hauled in ten catches for 135 and a touchdown marked by a flamboyant front flip into the end zone.
But early on, and occasionally later, too, Keenum’s lengthier passes often sailed on him (a phenomenon noted during the pre-season, too), and the three picks he doled out were unforced errors – terrible tosses, plain and simple. Moreover, they tended to come at the worst possible times. Witness interception number three, which immediately followed a fumble recovery by Von Miller, whose all-world performance compensated for plenty of other problems. As seen in a video tweeted below, his expression as he watched the give-back spoke volumes.
The defense had some lapses as well, including several blown tackles during a sixty-yard-plus catch and run by tight end Will Dissly, who’s basically a glorified offensive tackle. But in the end, the D gave Keenum a chance at redemption, and he grasped it to his bosom, leading Denver on a come-from-behind touchdown drive that managed to hold up despite Seahawks hurler Russell Wilson’s best efforts.
On Twitter, the responses to Keenum were all over the map, with some folks accentuating the positive and others aghast at his proclivity for giving, then taking away. See what we mean by counting down our twenty favorite reactions below.
Number 20:
Case Keenum has thrown 3 interceptions today … he had 7 all last season in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/SPDB3sERyn
— BJ Reidell (@RobertReidell) September 9, 2018
Number 19:
Youre telling me Case Keenum threw 3 interceptions and still scored 20 fantasy points and won the game. Lol Broncos are unstoppable if he stops throwing picks.
— ???? Nick Bell (@KingSketchyy) September 10, 2018
Number 18:
CASE KEENUM STRESSIN ME TF OUT W/ THESE INTERCEPTIONS/ALMOST INTERCEPTIONS. FAAACKKK.
— Andria (@andria_lynnnn) September 9, 2018
Number 17:
You know, I felt confident starting the broncos season, but after Case Keenum has thrown 3 interceptions today, it makes it hard.
— juicy muffin (@YaBoiErryJ) September 9, 2018
Number 16:
Me after Case Keenum threw his third interception of the game #BeatTheSeahawks pic.twitter.com/YU1p7bCp9Z
— Demri Scott (@DemriScott) September 9, 2018
Number 15:
Case Keenum with 3 interceptions with no surprise. He's been a hot garbage QB since he entered the league. If you take out the 1 good season he had with Minnesota last year as an outlier, he's got 5k total yards in 4 seasons, 24 TD – 20 Int, and 9-15 record.
— Nicholas (@AvsHype_1221) September 9, 2018
Number 14:
You can toss Case Keenum in the dumpster as he just threw his 3rd interception. I jinxed it. Thank goodness for Von Miller.
— Jared Allen (@Jarallen) September 9, 2018
Number 13:
Case Keenum wasn't brought to @Broncos just to throw 3 interceptions
— Andrew Starkie (@DrewStarkie) September 9, 2018
Number 12:
All 3 Case Keenum interceptions are BAD picks. Horrible reads. Terrible decisions. We’re not talking batted balls or bad luck. Just stoopid, juvenile decisions.
— Cale Ramaker (@CaleRamaker) September 9, 2018
Number 11:
von millers reaction to causing and recovering a fumble to see case keenum throw his 3rd interception 1 play later pic.twitter.com/i73tnW7glR
— Chad (@ChadMagness) September 9, 2018
Number 10:
What the FUCK Case Keenum!! STOP with those damn interceptions!
— Breezy (@breeortega_) September 9, 2018
Number 9:
Case Keenum is playing terribly yet he’s still an improvement over Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Could be a long season if Keenum keeps throwing interceptions.
— Atticus (@AtticusSays) September 9, 2018
Number 8:
Case Keenum is only throwing interceptions because he enjoys watching Von Miller play defense
— Dave Scipione (@DaveScipione) September 9, 2018
Number 7:
3 interceptions now for Case Keenum.#BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/2aXHfqJkSR
— Armchair Broncos (@ArmchairBroncos) September 9, 2018
Number 6:
@casekeenum really 3 interceptions 3?!? Not impressed!! Get your sh&t together!! #DENvsSEA #BroncosCountry
— Chip Thomas, Ed.D. (@chipthomasinco) September 9, 2018
Number 5:
Case Keenum is on pace to throw 48 interceptions this year. #SEAvsDEN #Broncos
— Geoff Stoddart (@GeoffStoddart) September 9, 2018
Number 4:
granted, I've only been watching for this possession since I got out of Church, but that's the first dumb thing I've seen Case Keenum do. Yes, I know about the interceptions, that they occurred, but I'm not sure how. Some of us have 1:00 p.m. Church services.
— Brad James (@BradfatherSpeak) September 9, 2018
Number 3:
Case Keenum sucks 14 points off of his interceptions
— bicko (@snoozebutton41) September 9, 2018
Number 2:
Case Keenum threw 3 picks but he still stayed aggressive. He will make mistakes but I can live with some if we our scoring points! Still gotta be better
— Ingram (@Jakkeeeup) September 10, 2018
Number 1:
@casekeenum I’m going to need you to focus on not throwing interceptions next week. Thank you so much
— Bridget (@BridgetAnne0116) September 10, 2018
