Broncos Get Curious Power Rankings Update After Week 1 Loss
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The Sean Payton Era started with a whimper when the Las Vegas Raiders narrowly defeated the Denver Broncos, 17-16. While not ideal, Week 1 is traditionally full of surprises, twists, and turns, and this year was no different.
The Broncos have dropped their seventh straight game to the Silver and Black, which stings and has many fans wondering whether the team should call it a season.
Overreaction Monday is in the books, and with some time to take a step back and process the game, it may not be as bad as some might assume looking at the box score. When it comes to NFL power rankings entering Week 2, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm kept Denver at the 20th slot even after a loss at home.
Let’s look at his reasoning for not dropping the Broncos down.
Denver Broncos: 20
“The Broncos looked like a slightly cleaner version of what they were a year ago in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. (Yes, I realize that’s about as nice a compliment as “you’ve lost some weight!”) But ultimately, they lost another game they had ample chances to win -- a theme that was drilled home time after painful time last season. The lack of trustworthy weaponry worries me. Russell Wilson started the game cleanly, hitting 17 of his first 19 passes with two TDs, yet the Broncos ran out of gas thereafter. Ten penalties certainly hurt, but the lack of big-play threats with WR Jerry Jeudy sidelined for this game, and TE Greg Dulcich knocked out with an injury felt stark. This wasn’t a horrific start for the Sean Payton era, but it felt similar to an era most Broncos fans want to forget.”
Despite a loss, the Broncos mostly played a more polished game, considering the circumstances. This was a very winnable game, but similar to last season, the Broncos failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Wil Lutz missing an extra point was amplified by the fact that Denver succumbed by a single point.
The Broncos allowed Jimmy Garoppolo and Jakobi Meyers to create long, sustained drives. Failing to get the Raiders offense off the field resulted in Wilson's unit only getting six offensive drives.
With that context, scoring 16 points is solid, considering the average number of possessions in an NFL game is around 11. However, Wilson is under fire by a large portion of Broncos Country for his lack of explosive plays.
Edholm mentions that it’s challenging to make explosive plays when two of their biggest contributors aren't on the field. That was crystal clear, as the rest of the Broncos receiving corps was disappointing.
Tight end Adam Trautman can’t break a tackle, newcomer wideout Phillip Dorsett displayed zero sideline awareness, and running back Samaje Perine was Denver's top receiver with four catches for 37 yards.
The loss of Tim Patrick is more apparent than ever, and losing Dulcich for several weeks due to a hamstring injury will further hinder the passing game. The lack of explosive playmakers will make any quarterback's stat line look woefully underwhelming.
It was certainly not the start Broncos Country expected for the Sean Payton era, but hitting the panic button now would be ridiculous. This roster will need time to come together and marinate in Payton's new system. By Weeks 6-8, we will know who this year’s Broncos are.
As for this week, Denver must have a bounce-back game against a Washington Commanders team starting a second-year quarterback in Sam Howell. There will be opportunities to take advantage of the young signal caller, and the Broncos must seize them to vault themselves away from a 2-0 start.
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