The Broncos are mortal. That doesn’t mean they’re dead.
Photo Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Broncos lost a football game.
That’s the gist of it. Sure, that’s a gross oversimplification, but I do think we need to take a step back and think about what happened on Sunday: The Broncos lost.
The sky didn’t fall. No one died. The Broncos just lost. Football fans are always emotional after losses, and that’s how it’s supposed to be. But one winning streak being snapped doesn’t mean the season is lost just yet. The playoff chase is certainly more difficult now, but grabbing the No. 7 seed was never going to be easy with the way the Broncos started the season.
In terms of what happened on the field, Sunday’s game is a good representation of what Denver needs to do differently to win going forward. The Broncos lost because they didn't adapt. They settled into what they do well, and when it didn't work, they didn’t change what needed to change. When the turnover reservoir ran dry, the Broncos’ offense sputtered, and couldn't generate a lot of anything by itself. The defense, though they certainly had their mistakes, mostly held up their side of the ball, getting the Texans’ offense off the field and giving their team opportunities to score.
The offense came alive somewhat at the end of the game, but they faltered in the end zone for the first time in seemingly forever. Sunday was a test to see if the Broncos could survive when their recipes for success- turnovers and red zone efficiency-couldn't hold up. They did not pass this test, but they get plenty more chances this season. The playoffs become a harder road and though that might upset some fans, this team has no problem having their backs against the wall. Far, far from the end of the world.
We also shouldn’t discount the fact that the Broncos, despite all their flaws and mistakes, were a red zone conversion away from winning this game. They have kinks to work out on offense, but they still employ one of the league’s better defenses and the offense can produce even when it is struggling. The key to better offensive days is self-generated production. Right now, the Broncos offense is far too dependent on turnovers and working with short fields. We’ve seen the unit create long drives for itself, but that doesn’t happen consistently. When that improves, the Broncos will be a tough nut to crack.
It’s far too early to call this the end of the chase for Denver. They faltered, and because they have rarely done that over the last month, their weaknesses seem larger than they are. Again, even with the Broncos struggling as much as they did, this game came down to the very last play. Losses are tough pills to swallow, and losses that hurt your standing in the playoff race are even more frustrating. That said, Denver has plenty of time to make a run. This isn’t over by a long shot.
