2014 Broncos Season, Week 12


The Broncos returned home and won the game, maintaining their perfect home record. But the game was far from perfect. The injuries are mounting, the Chiefs are lingering, and there's a long road ahead.

Week 12: Broncos 39, Miami Dolphins 36
Season Record: 8-3 (6-0 Home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos finally having taken a 32-28 lead, safety T.J. Ward intercepted a deflected pass and returned it to the red zone. Peyton Manning then connected with Wes Welker on a short touchdown pass to increase the Broncos lead to 39-28 with little time left in the fourth quarter.

Recap: Ultimately the end result is what matters most, but the Broncos didn't make it easy. The Broncos have struggled since wrapping up a home stand in October by pounding the 49ers and handily beating the San Diego Chargers. The team went 1-2 on a three game road trip, including an embarrassing loss to the St. Louis Rams. The team returned home to battle a frisky Miami Dolphins team, one that has playoff aspirations. The Dolphins handed it to the Broncos in the first half, and held an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. Sure, the Broncos came back thanks to 22 unanswered points, but they didn't look great. Worse yet, the team struggled on defense, where a number of injuries were piled up again. This team hasn't looked great in a month now, and it's crunch time. The Broncos have just a slim one-game lead over the Chiefs, whom they will play on Sunday night. The Broncos need to keep winning to keep pace with the New England Patriots, stay ahead of the Indianapolis Colts, and win the AFC West.

Game Balls:
* Demaryius Thomas. Thomas is the best receiver on the Broncos, and perhaps the best receiver in the National Football League. He showed it again on Sunday, rising to the occasion when the Broncos needed him most. He caught 10 passes for 87 yards and three touchdowns.
* Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders was iffy to play as late as mid-week, but he was cleared, practiced Friday, and continued to produce like a baller on Sunday. He caught nine passes for 125 yards and could have had more if Manning had connected on the deep ball better.
* C.J. Anderson. Anderson looked more than up to the task of being the lead ball carrier for the Broncos, piling up 167 yards on the ground, one touchdown, and 28 more as a pass catcher. He looks like the real deal.

Lingering Concerns:
* Special Teams. We don't get great returns and now the gamble with Brandon McManus is failing. He missed a chip-shot field goal at home, and last week in St. Louis the Broncos were afraid to let him try anything longer than a 50-yard field goal. This is not a good situation.
* Offensive Line. The Broncos seem to have settled on this new line configuration, and they played better, but there are still too many mistakes and penalties.
* Defense. The Broncos defense is struggling, particularly yesterday. Injuries at linebacker aren't helping, but the Broncos need to step it up. This is a great year for AFC teams, and the Broncos need to be better.

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