2016 Broncos Season, Week Six


The Broncos played their second game in five days and took their second loss in five days...

Week Six: San Diego Chargers 21, Denver Broncos 13
Season Record: 4-2 (2-1 Home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, trailing 21-10, CJ Anderson took a short dump off pass and ran for nearly 30 yards and a touchdown that would have cut the lead to five points. But the play was called back due to a holding penalty. The Broncos saw Demaryius Thomas fumble a few plays later, ending the drive with no points.

Recap: I tried to find a picture of the Broncos' offensive line holding for the post, but the one above is the closest I've gotten. Thursday night football games are often rough affairs, and last night's game was no different. The Broncos came into the game without coach Gary Kubiak, and it's clear there was an impact. The team was flat on Sunday, and in a short week without their coach they seemed flat again on Thursday night. And it was the second straight poor game for the offensive line, which caused a number of big plays to be called back due to penalty, failed to open lanes for the running backs, and even got a penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The Broncos' offense has been sluggish for two games, despite the return of Trevor Siemian from injury on Thursday night. The team now has 11 days to prepare for its next game, a home show down with the Houston Texans and Brock Osweiler. Hopefully they'll be able to shake off the last five days and get back on track. The question becomes whether we need to re-evaluate the Broncos' 4-0 start in the wake of what we've now seen. The Broncos were atop the power rankings after four weeks, but that was largely based on "quality wins" against the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals, teams assumed to be playoff contenders. The Panthers are 1-4 on the season, the Bengals are 2-3, and both look like flawed teams. As do the Colts (2-3), who clearly have no offensive line or defense. The last two losses should give the team, and fans, pause as we consider how strong the Broncos might really be this season.

Game Balls:
* Devontae Booker. The rookie made the most of his opportunities on Thursday night, carrying five times for 46 yards and sparking the offense for a bit late in the second half.
* Special Teams. The Broncos' special teams unit had a strong night, pinning the Chargers deep on some punts and recovering an onside kick. That was one of the few bright spots.

Lingering Concerns:
* Sluggish Defense. The defense has struggled this season, giving up scores on the opponents opening drive in a majority of the games. Now the defense is still good, and is still a strength of the team, but it's possible attrition and injuries are taking a bigger toll than expected.
* Offensive Line woes. The Broncos' line is poor. They looked decent week one against the Panthers, but that defensive front has struggled in subsequent games. Last night was particularly grim, as penalties and poor play in the second half killed all the Broncos' drives.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more