2015 Broncos Season — Week Five


The Broncos have one more game before their bye and they have yet to feel the sting of defeat. That's a good sign, especially since their offense hasn't come around yet.

Week Five: Broncos 16, Oakland Raiders 10
Season Record: 5-0 (2-0 Home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, trailing 9-7, the Raiders were driving and faced a third and five on the Broncos' 31 yard line. Derek Carr dropped back to pass and was intercepted by Chris Harris, Jr., who took the pick back 74 yards for a touchdown, putting the game away at 16-7.

Recap: The Broncos continue to struggle offensively. The team ran for just 43 yards, failed to produce an offensive touchdown and gave up two turnovers. Nothing about the offense looks right. But they continue to win. Winning is important, but it can also be deceiving. The Broncos could well head into their bye week 6-0 and yet I still wouldn't feel great about the team. They need to make offensive improvement. And while I saw that for a couple games, Sunday felt like a regression. Granted, it's possible the Raiders are the best team they've played this season, but it's not encouraging. Originally this Broncos' schedule looked brutal. But now look at the records of their opponents — Ravens (1-4), Chiefs (1-4), Lions (0-5), Vikings (2-2), Raiders (2-3) — and it's looking like they've played a lot of teams that have fallen off a cliff. The Colts, Patriots, Packers, and Bengals are all waiting after the bye, not to mention the Steelers. There are challenges coming, and this offense needs to improve.

Game Balls:
* Chris Harris, Jr. Harris is possibly the Broncos best defensive player. That's a bold statement, but I feel like he's always making big plays. That pick six not only sealed the win, it crushed the Raiders' spirits.
* Von Miller. There aren't many people who can change the game in two seconds. Miller is one of those people. In the second half, trailing 7-3, Miller went around the right tackle, sacked Carr and took the ball right out of his hands. It was a momentum changing moment.
* Brandon McManus. He's always had the leg, but his accuracy was terrible last season. Not so this year. He's been great from 50+, too, making him the Broncos best offensive weapon.
* Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders went for 111 yards on nine receptions. All he's doing is keeping drives alive and keeping the Broncos offense going.

Lingering Questions:
* Peyton Manning. The Broncos quarterback, through five games, has more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (6) this season. That's not a great sign. He has looked off and old. That's not good in October and it's terrifying for the future.
* CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. The Broncos can't run the ball. It's been pitiful. And Anderson and Hillman — who were bright spots last season — are terrible. They have to get something going, and soon.

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