2015 Broncos Season, Week 15


Another second half collapse and brutal loss for the Broncos and the season is looking a little more grim.

Week 15: Pittsburgh Steelers 34, Broncos 27
Season Record: 10-4 (4-2 home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with the game tied at 27, Brock Osweiler dropped back to pass on second and seven from the Broncos' 27-yard-line. On a pass intended for Emmanuel Sanders, Osweiler was intercepted, leading to the go-ahead touchdown for the Steelers.

Recap: The Broncos looked to be in prime position after beating the New England Patriots on November 29. They then briefly held the shot at the No. 1 seed in their hands when the Pats lost to the Eagles on December 6. Now, that seems a long ways away. The Patriots have pretty much locked up the No. 1 seed and the Broncos need to win their last two games to avoid losing the division to the red hot Chiefs. And even then, the Broncos will be a question in the playoffs. How the mighty have fallen. The Broncos collapsed in the second half for the second week in a row, losing a second game in a row in disappointing fashion. Now the Broncos are 10-4, currently the third seed, and have just a one game lead on the Chiefs with two games to play. There are plenty of questions about it, too. Peyton Manning returned to practice last week, will he return to the field on Monday night? Will it help? Does it even matter? Can the Broncos really compete for a title in the playoffs? I used to feel confident about this, but two straight losses have me wondering.

Game Balls:
* Emmanuel Sanders. The Broncos' loss wasn't because of Sanders, who played like a man possessed. He caught 10 passes for 181 yards, ran a sweep for 24 yards and added a touchdown. He was great.
* Demaryius Thomas. Thomas caught five passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns. He had another drop, but he rebounded well.
* Malik Jackson. Jackson was a beast on defense Sunday, going for two sacks while being held and making a lot of big tackles. He was blowing up the line on the inside.
* Brandon Marshall. The Broncos' linebacker had a quietly solid game, including a huge interception with just over two minutes left to give the Broncos a chance.

Lingering Questions:
* Running Game. Can the Broncos run? They didn't seem to commit to it much Sunday, but the team only looks good when the running game is going. The running game needs to be going for the Broncos to win.
* Quarterback. Osweiler was incredible in the first half and terrible in the second half. That's a problem. He hasn't played a good, complete game yet, and he may not be able to carry this team against good defenses. Then there's Manning. What does he have left? Is he able to carry this team to title contention? Too many questions and not enough good answers.
* Defense. The Broncos defense has carried the team a lot this season, but they have struggled of late. Blame injuries, fatigue, or that poor offense. But this team needs its defense to get better, avoid penalties, and get sacks and turnovers.

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