Broncos' Performance vs. Patriots an 'Utter Disaster' per NFL.com
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Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas at Mile High when the Grinch from New England stole a win from the Denver Broncos, dashing their hope of making the postseason.
To call the Broncos' 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night a disappointment would be a gross understatement. With the season on the line, Russell Wilson and the Broncos couldn’t get the job done against a Patriots team led by Bailey Zappe, who had nothing to play for but pride, sitting with a 3-11 record.
It was a failure on all levels, and the first-six-weeks-of-the-season version of the Broncos reared its ugly head again. After climbing just outside the top 10 of NFL.com's power rankings, the Broncos lost their footing and fell eight spots.
Here’s Eric Edhom’s analysis of how this loss could rattle the Broncos even into the offseason.
Broncos Rank: 22
“Things just didn’t look right for Denver from the start on Sunday night, even though the Broncos scored first and the Patriots weren’t doing much offensively. But the third quarter was an utter disaster for the home team, as New England logged two offensive touchdowns before notching a shocking special teams scoop-and-score ... while the Broncos netted negative yards. Credit Sean Payton’s team for the frantic fourth-quarter comeback, hitting the inside straight with two TDs and two two-point conversions (without Courtland Sutton, who was sidelined in the first quarter by a concussion). Russell Wilson made plays, with anonymous pass catchers like Lucas Krull and Brandon Johnson stepping up. It could have been a fantastic finish and a huge boost to Denver’s playoff chances, but the defense couldn’t get one more stop. Payton’s first season has been an interesting one, and he’s done some really good things, but this three-point loss will sting all offseason, I suspect.”
The Broncos started the night with a bang and ended it with a whimper. After taking the lead towards the end of the first quarter, nothing went right, from the play-calling to the offensive and defensive efforts and even special teams.
The offense, in particular, was abysmal. Wilson was on the run for most of the night, but he came up short even when he had time to throw or had a man open. Sutton left the game early with a concussion, and the Broncos' passing game couldn’t function without him.
Payton's play-calling was uber-conservative, and it seems his pairing with Wilson isn't a perfect match. Sure, Sutton was out, and Denver hasn’t had a good tight end since Owen Daniels, but what did Bailey Zappe have to work with?
Zappe was without his top running back, wideout, and tight end, and he cooked the Broncos. Wilson looks hungry to make a play when the Broncos are down by multiple scores, and while he's won several coming from behind, the game is four quarters, not just one. Ask Tim Tebow.
Questions of whether Wilson will be in Denver after this season are swirling, and it’s easy to see why. If you thought this team was hamstrung with his $20 million cap hit, just wait until it’s $50M.
There will be a significant amount of thought put into how the Broncos should proceed over the next two weeks, but that will only intensify when the season ends. With their playoff hopes in the rearview, the Broncos are playing for pride and possibly a winning record.
The Broncos bested the Los Angeles Chargers two weeks ago, but they’re going into Week 17's rematch with Easton Stick as their starting quarterback, rather than a backup being thrust in.
The Broncos didn’t take the Patriots seriously, and they can’t afford to do so against the Chargers. Sunday’s loss rang violently through the organization, and the tinnitus sustained from it will reverberate throughout the offseason.
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