2018 Broncos' Season, Week 17


Week 17: Los Angeles Chargers 23, Broncos 9
Season Record: 6-10 (3-5 Home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with the Broncos trailing 16-9, Austin Ekeler scored a one-yard touchdown to boost the lead to 23-9, putting the game away.

Recap: The Broncos ended the season with a whimper, turning the ball over four times and falling at home to close out a 6-10 season. They will have the 10th pick in the draft, and coach Vance Joseph was fired on Monday, so they Broncos will have a new coach soon. There's not a lot of point in dwelling on what didn't work. The Broncos had their moments, winning three straight to pull back to .500, but the final four games were indicative of a team that has a long way to climb. The Broncos have some talent and a strong core, but they are missing some big pieces. A new coach will help, as will addressing the offensive line, some depth and figuring out the long-term answer at quarterback. But will a number of the expensive veterans will probably be on the chopping block, which is something we'll look at in future posts. For now, the season is over and it's time to start thinking about 2019.

Game Balls:
* Isaac Yiadom.
The rookie was sometimes maligned, but he grew this season, and picking off Phillip Rivers in the finale was a good sign of that.
* Royce Freeman. It wasn't a great season for Freeman, and I don't think he's the back some did coming out of college, but he had eight receptions for 43 yards and rushed for 60 more Sunday. He ended on a high note.
*DaeSean Hamilton. The rookie receiver ended the season as the most reliable Bronco target, grabbing five for 49 yards in the finale. His future is bright.

Lingering Questions:
* Who leads?
The Broncos are looking for a new coach and will likely narrow in on that in the net couple weeks. I'll be curious to see who takes the reigns and how they plan to right the ship.
* Who Goes? Some big time veterans are likely to leave. Who leaves, and who replaces them? The off-season will yield a lot of questions.

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