2019 Broncos' Season, Week 11

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings 27, Broncos 23
Season Record: 3-7 (2-3 Home)
Key Play: In the fourth quarter, trailing 23-20, Kirk Cousins connected with tight end Kyle Rudolph on a 32-yard touchdown strike. It was Cousins' third TD pass of the game, and part of a curious 20-point fourth quarter that gave the Vikings the win.

Recap: At one point the Broncos were up 20-0 in Minnesota. To begin the game, the Broncos came in 3-6, having struggled much of the season. The Vikings came in 7-3, a game back of the Packers in the NFC North and fighting to make the playoffs in a crowded NFC field. And yet, the Broncos led 20-0 at the half in Minnesota. But it wasn't to be as the Broncos regressed to the mean, and got outscored 27-3 in the second half on the way to a brutal loss. The Broncos have lost four games in the fourth quarter this season, including last second kicks to the Bears, Colts and Jaguars. The team is 3-7, but it's fair to wonder what might have been. At one point in the off-season, I thought this team could be a playoff contender. And at times they've looked like it. And yet, they can't close and can't keep things going for four full quarters. Still, there was a lot to like on Sunday. Joe Flacco famously called out the coaches at the tail end of the Week 8 loss to the Colts. He said the playcalling wasn't aggressive enough. Flacco didn't play that well, and I believe he truly is injured, but I think that lit a fire under the coaches. Brandon Allen has looked decent, but I've been impressed by the aggressive play calls the past two weeks as well. That was certainly true on Sunday. It's also looking like Courtland Sutton is going to be something special. He had a big day receiving, had a couple crucial runs and threw a bit pass. It was also nice to see Tim Patrick back, adding to the offense. And the defense at times looked dominant, too. So there is plenty to be excited about for the future, even if the team is 3-7 and not going anywhere in 2019.

Game Balls:
Courtland Sutton. He caught five passes for 113 yards, threw a 38-yard pass to Tim Patrick and ran twice for 10 yards, including a huge first down. He's growing into a dominant force.
Tim Patrick. Patrick had four receptions for 77 yards in his first game back of IR. He looks like a strong No. 2 receiver.
Shelby Harris. What a game he had. Harris recorded three sacks and three tackles for a loss. He was a force on the defensive line.

Lingering Questions:
Quarterback. Allen has been solid in relief, but the Broncos are 1-1 in those games and he hasn't looked like THE answer. That likely means at some point we'll see Drew Lock, and we probably should. No matter how rough that transition might be.
Blown Leads. A big part of becoming a good team is learning how to hold a lead to the end. Learning when to be aggressive to put the game away. The Broncos aren't there yet, and Sunday's game was more proof. They need to get stronger at putting the game away.