2018 Broncos' Season, Week 2


Week 3: Baltimore Ravens 27, Broncos 14
Season Record: 2-1 (2-0 Home)
Key Play: In the first half, trailing 14-10, Joe Flacco connected with Javorius Allen on a 12-yard TD strike to give the team a 17-14 lead. They never looked back.

Recap: You can't win them all, and Denver wasn't going to win them all. But there are losses, then there are games where you shoot yourself in the foot. The officiating in this one wasn't great, which seems to be a theme of the season. Still, the Broncos at times lack composure. This is something the coaching staff is going to have to work to correct. The team was flagged for a number of penalties, totaling 120 yards. Many of them were personal fouls and costly holding penalties that sucked the life out of the offense. Those penalties also includes a personal foul on rookie running back Phillip Lindsay, who was subsequently ejected for the play. It was a big loss for the Broncos, as Lindsay has been an emotional spark plug the past two games. And the team never really got much going in the second half, and when they did penalties sapped it pretty quickly. It was an ugly day and an ugly performance for the Broncos, who now have a week to figure things out before hosting the red hot Kansas City Chiefs. And this includes defensively, as the Broncos' secondary is banged up and had trouble at times containing John Brown and Michael Crabtree. That doesn't bode well for playing Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Sammie Watkins and Patrick Mahomes next Monday night.

Game Balls:
* Emmanuel Sanders.
Sanders scored on a 35-yard run in the first quarter, and continues to be the most consistent weapon.
* Special Teams. The Broncos blocked a punt (Joe Jones) and a field goal (Justin Simmons) in what was a heck of a day.
* Demaryius Thomas. He rebounded from a rough Week 2 to catch all five of his targets for 63 yards.
* Royce Freeman. The rookie running back looked tough, running for 53 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries against a stout Ravens' defense.

Lingering Concerns:
* Sloppy play.
The Broncos continue to make a lot of mistakes and key penalties. This has only gotten worse, and good teams can't do those things.
* Case Keenum. Another game without a TD pass, and he now has three TD passes and five INTs on the season. He's not lighting it up, and his play must improve if the team is going to win.
* Marquette King. He was signed to be a weapon, and after a dismal pre-season he's continued to be uneven and tentative back there. This isn't what the Broncos were hoping to get.

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