#denvslac

The Denver Broncos lost to the Houston Texans 17-19.

The Game stats

Time of Possession

DEN: 27:35 HOU: 32:25

Play Selection

DEN 42 Passing Attempts, 290 yards: 20 Runs for 75 yards HOU 24 Passing Attempts, 213 yards: 33 Runs for 98 yards

The Running Game

The Broncos Rushing Attack Carries AYPC Long TD Fumble Lindsay 17 4 22 0 0 Booker 3 5 14 1 1 *AYPC is average yards per carry

The Passing Attack

Receptions % Long TD Fumble Heuerman 10 91% 14 1 0 Sanders 6 67% 18 0 0 Thomas 3 100% 31 0 0** Sutton 3 60% 22 0 0 Booker 4 50% 8 0 0 Lindsay 2 67% 12 0 0 LaCosse 1 100% 44 0 0 Janovich 1 100% 9 0 0 Patrick 1 25% 17 0 0 **No longer a Bronco, but I’m including his stats for comparison.

The Quarterbacks

Keenum

Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 62% 7 1 0 44 90 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 0 0 0 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost Fumbles 2 17 0

Watson

Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 71% 9 2 0 31 126 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 6 38 8 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost Fumbles 4 21 0

During the week

After the Houston game in week 10, lip readers claimed there was video of the Houston coach bad mouthing Vance Joseph before halftime. This would have ballooned into a meme fest, but the bye week killed the meme enthusiasm.

The Broncos didn’t get any credit for almost winning the game. The local media just stuck with their 2018 message, fire Vance. The Broncos listened to the media on two occasions that I can remember. They acquired Jake the Snake after the voice of the Avalanche started a campaign to bring him to Denver. During the Josh days, a billboard helped persuade the Broncos to start Tim Tebow. The media didn’t trade Cutler, but they were very happy when he left town.

Von Miller was all over the media helping out the community. Why do I bring this up? There’s speculation that if the Broncos fire Vance, they’re going to openly rebuild and Von’s contract is huge. The business people see his contract as an obstacle to rebuilding. The bad news for the business people is that the Von and Chubb combo is starting to pay dividends.

News leaked that teams are interested in hiring Gary Kubiak as head coach. Who cares? If Vance doesn’t make it through the season, some have speculated the interim coach would be Gary. As it stands, his office is only three doors down the hallway from Vance’s office.

The Afc West

Lets look at the AFC west. Although the Broncos are vastly improved over last year, they’re not a threat to win the division this year, so I haven’t spent a lot of time reviewing the division.

The Divisional Race

Team WP% Net_Points Games_played Kc 100% 21 3 Lac 67% 20 3 Den 33% -10 3 Oak 0% -31 3

AFC West vs AFC Conference

Team WP% Net_points Games_played Lac 100% 45 3 Kc 80% 69 5 Oak 33% -19 3 Den 0% -33 3

AFC West vs the NFC West

Team WP% Net_points Games_played Kc 100% 23 2 Den 67% 35 3 Lac 67% -2 3 Oak 0% -75 3

Today’s teams ranked by stats

Broncos

Points: 19th

Yards: 11th

Passing yards: 17th

Rushing yards: 9th

Passing Touchdowns: 12

Rushing Touchdowns: 10

Pick Six: 2

Safeties: 0

Punt Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Fumble Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Net Turnovers: 0

Chargers*

Points: 10th

Yards: 8th

Passing Yards: 13th

Rushing Yards: 7th

Passing Touchdowns: 21

Rushing Touchdowns: 7

Pick Six: 1

Safeties: 0

Punt Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Fumble Returns for Touchdowns: 1

Net Turnovers: +6

*They have converted 3 two-point conversions.

The game

It’s an away game. Everyone knows what that means. The Broncos have only won one game on the road this year (WP 25%). The Chargers have won 80% of their home games this season.

Game time

Sunday afternoon 2:05pm MT

Outlook

The Broncos are playing well enough for me to revise my season prediction. My revised predictions.

Week Team Outcome WP% 11 Lac Loss 78% 12 Pit Loss 67% 13 Cin Win/Loss 44% 14 SF Win 20% 15 Cle Win 30% 16 Oak Win 11% 17 Lac Loss 78%

That puts the Broncos at 6-10 or 7-9 depending on the Bengal game. It should also be noted that the Broncos have a winning record against teams with a WP of 50 or below. Which makes a strong case for the 7-9 final record.

The Broncos lost to the 0-5 New York 23-10 Sunday night. The Broncos offense looked confused. The defense looked dazed. McManus, the kicker, missed two field goals. Brock played for the first time this year after Trevor exited the game late in the second quarter. He was not prepared to play and Trevor returned in the second half to finish the game. The Giants rushing game silenced the Denver Broncos. Fans were left wondering what the Denver Broncos did during their bye week.

During the week

The Broncos played “spin the finger of blame”.

The Quarterback

The finger points to Trevor Siemian. Lets look at what he did vs the Giants and compare it to every quarterback that played.

QB stats Siemian Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 58% 8 1 2 40 72 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 1 9 9 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost 4 28

Osweiler Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 50% 5 0 0 9 63 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 1 -1 -1 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost 0 0

Manning Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 58% 7 1 0 26 96 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 1 0 0 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost 3 10

The two interceptions by Trevor stand out, but Broncos fans that remember the super bowl run two years ago know that hall of fame quarterback Peyton Manning lead the team to a super bowl victory while leading the league in interceptions. Trevor was also sacked four times for almost 30 yards.

He tossed the longest ball in the game. He had a higher rating than Brock. He had the highest yards per attempt. He also attempted to pass the ball 50 times. Here’s a breakdown of the Broncos offense in the Giants game.

Play Selection

Den 50 Passing Attempts, 394 yards: 17 Runs for 46 yards NYG 19 Passing Attempts, 128 yards: 32 Runs for 148 yards Time of Possession NYG: 30:36 DEN: 29:24

So, the wide receivers are catching the ball and gaining yards. They’re just not getting into the end zone. Sounds like a wide receiver or coaching problem. Trevor did lose 30 yards due to sacks, so the offensive line is not protecting him. That’s an offensive line problem. Sure Trevor could get rid of the ball faster, but at 8 ypa, he’s getting rid of the ball pretty fast. I don’t know the wide receiver's 40 yard dash times, but I’d bet they are all between 4 and 5 seconds. So if you’re getting 8 ypa, that’s a release and catch time of less than 1-2 seconds depending on what the defense does. Wide receivers average about 4 seconds in the 40 yard dash. How many steps is that for a wide receiver at full stride?

The finger points to the wide receivers

I think I’ve already shown they’re catching the ball, the problem is getting into the end zone. That problem seems to point to McCoy’s play calling and coaching.

There’s a rumor going around that the Broncos wide receivers thought they could cash in against the Giant’s defense and that is why there were so many passing attempts. If true this could be a problem in the way the Broncos structure contracts. I do remember a similar situation occurring last year. Basically Trevor had to toss the ball more to someone to avoid a riot in the locker room. One reason Wade Philips left was the divide in the locker room. It’s also the reason Vance Joseph was hired. Elway hired him not as an “X”S and “O”S guy, but as a guy that could relate to the players and ‘heal’ the locker room.

The finger points to the Running Backs

The Broncos are using an ever expanding running back by committee system this year. Anderson’s the work horse. Charles is the media darling. Booker is a mystery and Henderson is missing. As noted earlier, the offensive coordinator only called 17 running plays. Here’s what the running backs did with that opportunity.

The Broncos Rushing Attack

Carries AYPC Charles 5 4 Anderson 9 2 Booker 1 2 *AYPC is average yards per carry

The Finger points to McCoy

I’ve already included the stats vs the Giants but I’m adding it back here for completeness. Here is what McCoy has called in 2017 along with the result.

Week 1 Den 28 Passing Attempts, 219 yards: 36 Runs for 140 yards: Win Week 2 Den 32 Passing Attempts, 231 yards: 39 Runs for 178 yards: Win week 3 Den 40 Passing Attempts, 259 yards: 23 Runs for 111 yards: Loss Week 4 Den 26 Passing Attempts, 179 yards: 32 Runs for 143 yards: Win Week 5 Bye Week 6 Den 50 Passing Attempts, 394 yards: 17 Runs for 46 yards: Loss

Years ago Josh McDaniels introduced a few ideas like the season is divided into quarters and that basically after week 6 teams everyone knows how to attack you. He called this scouting compilation the ‘book’. The book is now out. Basically it says, the more the Broncos throw the ball, the more likely they are to lose. Instead of pointing the finger at McCoy, the local media, Paxton Lynch supporters, and some fans... have jumped on this and want a change of quarterback. Some media members have even suggested trading for Andrew Luck, while one media member said,”I wouldn’t trade a pizza box for Andrew Luck.” Some even speculated about bringing in Rivers. Will McCoy take note and adjust his play calling? Did McCoy design and new plays this week? Will the offense ever open up the play book?

Last year under KubiaK the Broncos offense was averaging 23 PPG. Under McCoy they’re averaging 22. Since week 3 they’re averaging 14 PPG. Under Kubiak during the same stretch, they were averaging 21. McCoy’s offense has lost a touchdown per game.

Pointing a finger at Vance Joseph

Will he acknowledge the slump? Will he trow Trevor under the bus? One thing the Broncos need to acknowledge is that during this slump the offense is averaging 14 points, but the defense is allowing 20 points per game.

Alright enough about the Giants game.

It’s Division Week

The Raiders needed a few untimed downs to beat Kansas City on Thursday 31-30. I’m shocked Oakland was able to score that many points, but since they did, it means Carr is back. This afternoon the Broncos face the Chargers.

Before week 7 started, here are some notable trends in the west.

AFC West trends (points scored) weeks 1-2 vs weeks 3-6

Kansas City Los Angeles Denver Oakland Weeks 1-2 +22 -5 +28 +35 Weeks 3-6 +25 -10 -17 -37 Change +3 -5 -45 -72

Current AFC West Divisional Standings

Victories Defeats Winning % Points Scored Points Allowed Broncos 2 0 100% 40 31 Chiefs 1 1 50% 54 41 Raiders 1 2 33.3% 57 63 Chargers 1 2 33.3% 48 64

Teams ranked by stats

Broncos Stats

Points: 17th

Yards: 12th

Passing yards: 14th

Rushing yards: 9th

Passing Touchdowns: 8

Rushing Touchdowns: 3

Defensive Touchdowns: 1

Safeties: 0

Chargers Stats

Points: 23rd

Yards: 14th

Passing Yards: 4th

Rushing Yards: 31st

Passing Touchdowns: 10

Rushing Touchdowns: 4

Defensive Touchdowns: 0

Safeties: 0

Today’s game

The Broncos have yet to win a road game in 2017 (only played one) and this game is being played in Los Angeles at the soccer stadium.

The Chargers have won two straight games, including one against the Giants.

Since week 3 and before week 7 started, the Broncos offense fell off a cliff and during this time period, the offense ranked 31st out of 32 teams. Oakland ranked 30th.

That trend reflects overall play though, in the west the Broncos are 2-0 and +9 against divisional opponents.

Hawk Valley Regular Season Week 6 October 17, 2022

Denver Broncos vs Chargers

Quick Review

The Broncos lost to the Indianapolis Colts 12-9. The Colts have the 32nd ranked offense in the NFL.

After the game Russell traveled to LA to get an injection for his shoulder. He has a partially torn lat in his right shoulder. The media questioned why he needed to travel to LA to get the procedure since he could have had it done in Denver. On Monday, we might have had our answer. Russell released an ad for some hats he is selling. The media jumped all over Russell for this. That wasn’t the only new ad to come out this week featuring Russell, there was also a new subway ad. Given the poor performance of the team right now, this angered lots of fans. A lot of fans want Russell to stay off the internet and quit selling things until he starts to play better football.

So who is to blame for the poor performance of the offense? During the “mini bye” week, NFL experts went to the coaches tapes and determined there’s nothing wrong with the play selection. Russell and the wide receivers need to get onto the same page. When that happens, the offense should be able to score more points.

Does that mean Hackett is off the hot seat? No, because the business side of the Broncos signed Russell to a quarter of a billion dollars, so Russell is here to stay. It’s far easier to blame and dump the coach.

Will George Paton get fired for this contract? Perhaps, the contract is now regarded as the worst contract ever signed in NFL history.

A longer review

This game took place on Thursday. October 6 at 6:15 pm MST. The temperature was 69 degrees.

The Colts got to start the game with the ball. Their first drive started off from the 25 yard line. On first down, Matt Ryan #2 threw an incomplete pass. On second down. Nyheim Hines #21 ran to the left for a gain of three yards. On third down, Ryan stepped up through the pocket and found Hines on the left side for a gain of five yards. Hines was injured on the play. On fourth and two, Matt Haack #6 punted.

The Denver Broncos started their first drive of the day from their 25 yard line. On first down, Melvin Gordon #25 ran up the middle for three yards. On second down, Russell Wilson #3 found Courtland Sutton #14 over the middle for a five yard gain. Sutton fell down after making the catch. On third and two, Russell connected with Jerry Jeudy #10 for an eleven yard gain, Jeudy fell down on the play. On first down, lined up in the I-formation, Russell hit Gordon on a swing pass to the right for a fourteen yard gain. On first down, Gordon was stopped for no gain. Russell scrambled over the left side for a gain of eighteen yards on second down. From the thirteen yard line, Russell threw an incomplete pass. On second down, Gordon attempted to run but was tackled for a two yard loss. Russell threw an incomplete pass on third and twelve. Brandon McManus #8 kicked a 33 yard field goal at 6:26 pm.

The second drive of the day for the Colts started with 9:28 left in the quarter. Ryan faked a hand off to Deon Jackson #35, escaped a sack and then dumped the ball off to Jackson for a twenty-one yard gain. On first down, Jackson ran up the middle for five yards. On second and five, Ryan tripped and was sacked for a six yard loss by D.J. Jones #97. On third and eleven, Ryan dumped the ball off to Jackson over the right side for a four yard gain. On fourth down, Haack punted.

The second drive of the game for the Broncos started from the fourteen yard line, Gordon was tackled for no gain. On second down, Russell threw an incomplete pass while running backwards. On third down, Russell stepped up into a sack by Yannick Ngakoue #59 for a four yard loss. He probably saw the Colt coming in at high speed untouched. On fourth down, Corliss Waitman #17 punted from inside his end zone with 5:15 left in the quarter.

Ryan started the third Colt drive of the day off with an incomplete pass. On second down, Jackson ran up the middle for one yard. On third and nine, Ryan threw another incomplete pass, but there was a flag on the play. Bernhard Raimann #79 was flagged for holding. The Broncos declined the penalty and Haack punted on fourth down with 4:22 left in the quarter.

Will the third drive of the day be lucky for the Broncos? On first down, Mike Boone #26 ran to the left for three yards. On second down, Russell faked a hand off, then he attempted a pass to Jeudy that was almost intercepted by Rodney Thomas #25. It turned into just another incomplete pass. On third and seven, Russell found Eric Saubert #82 over the middle for a two yard gain and the boo birds came out. On fourth down, Waitman punted.

The Colt’s fourth drive of the game started off from the thirty-two yard line. Phillip Lindsay #30 gained six yards running over the right side. On second down, Ryan pitched the ball to Lindsay and he picked up two yards running to the left. On third and two, Ryan connected with Jelani Woods #80 for a twelve yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Raimann was flagged for holding again. On third and 12 with 60 seconds left, Ryan fell over and Bradley Chubb #55 sacked him. On fourth down, Haack punted.

The fourth drive of the day for the Broncos started from the thirty-four yard line, Russell scrambled to the right for six yards. That play ended the first quarter at 6:52 pm.

The score after one quarter: Denver 3, Indianapolis 0.

On the first play of the second quarter, Russell found Sutton for a six yard gain over the left side. On first down, Russell threw a screen to Gordon and he picked up eleven yards. Then Russell threw a bone to Albert “the Big O” Okwuegbunam #85, who has been in Hackett’s dog house. He picked up five yards over the left side. On second down, Gordon ran up the middle for four yards. On third down, Gordon ran behind the left guard for three yards. On first down, Garett Bolles #72 was flagged for a false start. On first and fifteen, Russell threw an incomplete pass. On second and 15, the Broncos lined up with five wide receivers and Russell threw an incomplete pass. There was nobody near where the ball landed. On third down, Russell connected with K.J. Hamler #1 over on the left side for a ten yard gain. On fourth down, with eleven minutes left in the half, McManus kicked a 44 yard field goal.

The Colts first carry of the second quarter went to Phillip Lindsay and he picked up three yards over the left side. On second down, the Colts ran the same play and Lindsay picked up four yards. On third down, Ryan connected with Michael Pittman #11 for a fifteen yard gain over the middle. On first down, Jackson ran to the right for two yards. On second down, Ryan spun himself out of a sack and then threw an incomplete pass. There was a flag on the play. Raimann was flagged for holding again. On second down part two, Ryan connected with Alec Pierce #14 for a gain of twelve yards but he fumbled. The ball was recovered on the Denver 43 yard line by Parris Campbell #1. On first down, Lindsay ran up the middle for a four yard pickup. On second down, Lindsay started to the left and then cut back to the right for a fifteen yard gain. Jackson came in, tried the left side and gained zero yards. On second down with 5:52 left in the half, Ryan threw a pass that was intercepted by Caden Sterns #30.

The second drive of the second quarter started off with Russell throwing another incomplete pass, but this time between two wide receivers. On second down, Russell threw another incomplete pass, but there was a flag on the play. Rodney McLeod #26 was flagged for pass interference and the Broncos gained fourteen yards. With 5:30 left in the half, Gordon ran up the middle for four yards. On second down, Gordon ran to the left for one yard, but there was a flag on the play. Andrew Beck #83 was flagged for holding. On second and sixteen Russell tried to connect with Jeudy. I thought he caught it and then fumbled, but it was ruled an incomplete pass. On third down, Boone came in and caught a pass over the left side for a five yard gain. Waitman punted with 4:15 left in the half.

The Colts second drive of the quarter started from the fifteen yard line. Ryan hit Pittman for a gain of ten yards over the middle. Then Jackson carried the ball up the middle for a two yard gain. On second and eight, Ryan threw the ball away as he was being sacked by Baron Browning #56. On third down with 2:32 left in the half, Ryan connected with Alec Pierce #14 for a seven yard gain. The colts challenged the spot of the ball and they gained an extra yard for doing so. On first down, Ryan tossed the ball to Lindsay and he gained seven yards over the left side. That play took us down to the two minute warning.

When play resumed, Raimann was flagged for a false start. Were the Colts happy it wasn’t for holding? On second down, Ryan found Pittman on the left side for a nineteen yard gain. Ryan threw two straight incomplete passes and then the Colts called a timeout. On third and ten, Ryan connected with Ashton Dulin #16 for an eighteen yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Browning was flagged for being offside. The Colts declined the penalty. On first down, Ryan fired a pass off to Pittman for an eleven yard gain. On first down from the Denver 15 yard line with fifty seconds left in the half, Ryan was sacked for a seventeen yard loss by Josey Jewell #47. Ryan fumbled, but it was recovered by Quenton Nelson #56 at the Denver 33 yard line. The Colts called a timeout. On second and 28 with thirty seconds left, Ryan was sacked for a ten yard loss by Browning. The Colts called their last timeout of the half. On third and thirty-eight, Ryan completed a pass to Pierce for a ten yard gain. On fourth down, McLaughlin kicked a 52 yard field goal. On the kickoff E.J. Speed #45 was flagged for being offside.

On the final Denver “drive” of the half, from the thirteen yard line, Russell came in and took a knee to end the half. Halftime arrived at 7:58 pm and the score was Denver 6, Indianapolis 3.

On the first drive of the second half, Russell rolled to his right and hit Saubert for a ten yard gain. Russell threw an incomplete pass on first down. Then Russell was sacked for a seven yard loss by DeForest Buckner #99. Russell fumbled on the play, but recovered his own fumble. On third and seventeen, Boone caught a pass for an eight yard gain. On fourth down, Waitman punted.

The Colts started off the second half with a short pass. Ryan found Pierce on the left side for a five yard gain on first down. Lindsay carried the ball over the left side for two yards. Pierce caught a pass for thirteen yards over the middle. Jackson gained two yards over the left side on first down. On second down, Jackson gained thirteen yards up the middle. On first down, Jackson lost one yard attempting to run to the left. Ryan than threw an incomplete pass. On third and eleven, Ryan threw the ball away while falling down backwards. On fourth down, Chase McLaughlin #3 kicked a 51 yard field goal.

On Denver’s second drive of the half, Devine Ozigbo #36 ran up the middle for two yards. On second down, Russell completed a 51 yard pass to Sutton and Montrell Washington #12. The ref was tackled on the play. On first down, Washington gained nine yards running a reverse. On second down, Gordon picked up four yards. On first and goal from the nine yard line, Gordon was tackled in the backfield for a one yard loss. On second down, Russell was sacked for a six yard loss by Buckner. On third and sixteen, Russell threw an incomplete pass and the boo birds were back. On fourth and goal from the sixteen yard line, McManus’s 34 yard field goal was blocked by Grover Stewart #90.

The second Colt’s drive of the half started from the 24 yard line. Ryan threw an incomplete pass. On second down, Ryan completed a pass to Jackson for a five yard loss. On third and fifteen with 3:44 left in the quarter, Ryan’s pass was intercepted by Sterns.

Denver’s third drive of the half started off with another incompletion. On second down, Russell faked a hand off before throwing an incomplete pass. On third down, Russell threw another incomplete pass. That drive lasted nineteen seconds. McManus kicked a 45 yard field goal on fourth down.

The Colt's third drive of the half started off with a “bang”. Phillip Lindsay gained four yards over the next two plays for the Colts. On third down, Ryan threw another incomplete pass. Haack punted on fourth down.

The fourth drive of the second half had that “Denver magic” you can expect from this team. On first down, Russell rolled to the right before connecting with Saubert for seven yards. On second down, Russell found Jeudy on the left side for a five yard gain. Russell’s pass was batted down on first down. On second down, Russell hit Boone on the left side for 34 yards. That play ended the third quarter.

The third quarter ended at 8:33 pm. The score was: Denver 9, Indianapolis 6.

To start off the fourth quarter, Lloyd Cushenberry #79 was flagged for a false start. On second and 15, Russell threw an incomplete pass. On third down, Boone followed Glasgow over the right side for two yards. On third and thirteen, Russell tried to throw the ball away as he was being sacked, but the ball was intercepted by Thomas. Thomas returned the ball for 34 yards.

Before the Colt’s first drive of the fourth quarter started, Russell Wilson walked into the medical tent and Brett Rypien #4 was warming up on the sideline. On first down, Jackson ran over the right side for twelve yards. On first down, Lindsay ran over the right side for seven yards, but there was a flag on the play. Danny Pinter #63 was flagged for holding. On first and twenty, Ryan connected with Lindsay for a seven yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Alex Singleton #49 was flagged for unnecessary roughness. On first down, Jackson was back in and he ran up the middle for one yard. On second down, the Colts ran the same play, but Jackson lost one yard. On third down with 11:20 left in the game, Ryan was sacked for a seven yard loss by Chubb. On fourth down, Haack punted.

When Denver’s offense took the field for their second drive of the quarter, Russell Wilson was back in at quarterback. Gordon ran to the right following the guard on first down for seven yards. On second down, Russell was sacked by Ifeadi Odenigbo #59. On third down, Saubert caught a pass and gained eight yards. Waitman punted on fourth down.

The Colt’s second drive of the fourth quarter started out with the classic play of this game. Ryan threw an incomplete pass, but there was a flag on the play. Browning was offside. On first down, Lindsay lost two yards. On second down, Ryan threw another incomplete pass, but there was a flag on the play. Braden Smith #72 was flagged for being an ineligible player downfield. On the second chance, second down, Ryan threw another incomplete pass, but he could have scrambled for the first down. The path to the first down was wide open. On third and twelve with 7:37 left in the game, Ryan completed a pass to Mo Alie-Cox #81 for a seven yard gain. Haack punted on fourth down.

The third drive of the fourth quarter for Denver started from the Denver 15 yard line. Gordon ran up the middle for seventeen yards on first down. Gordon than ran over the left side for six more yards. Boone came in and ran to the right for seven yards. Then Boone ran over the right side for 18 yards. On first down, with four minutes left in the game, Glasgow was flagged for a false start. On first and 15, Boone ran over the left side for three yards and Bolles was injured on the play. Garett Bolles is out for the rest of the season. On second down, Boone ran to the right for four yards. The Colts called a timeout. On third down, Russell found Sutton on the right side for a gain of seven yards. On fourth and one, Russell connected with Saubert for a nine yard gain. On first down with 2:32 left in the game, Russell went back to Sutton for a five yard gain. The Colts called another timeout. On second down, Boone tried the right side and only gained one yard. The Colts used their last timeout. From the Colt thirteen yard line, on third and four with 2:19 left in the game, Russell’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Stephon Gilmore #5.

On the Colts third drive of the fourth quarter, Ryan connected with Pierce for an eleven yard gain even though Chubb grabbed his hand as he was throwing the ball. That play took us down to the two minute warning.

When play resumed, Ryan was sacked by Chubb for a six yard loss. On second down, Ryan hit Pierce for a seventeen yard gain. Ryan then connected with Campbell for a ten yard gain over the middle. Denver called a timeout. With 68 seconds left in the game, Ryan hit Pierce for a five yard gain. On second down, Ryan found Kylen Granson #83 for a four yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Jonathan Kongbo #40 was flagged for being offside. On second down, Jackson ran up the middle for seventeen yards. On first down, Ryan fired off a pass to Jackson for a nine yard gain. On second and one from the Denver 8 yard line, Ryan spiked the ball with fourteen seconds left in the game. On third down, the Colts were flagged for delay of game. With 13 seconds left in the game, Ryan threw an incomplete pass. Denver called a timeout with eight seconds left in the game. On fourth down, McLaughlin kicked a 31 yard field goal, but he left five seconds on the clock.

The broadcast then focused on Broncos fans leaving the stadium with five seconds left on the clock and the game about to enter overtime. Russell took a knee on the 25 yard line to end the quarter and that play sent the game into overtime.

At 9:30 pm the game entered overtime, with both teams stuck on nine points.

The Colts got the ball first and they started their overtime drive from the 25 yard line. Ryan hit Lindsay on a swing pass to the right for a one yard gain. On second down, Ryan connected with Granson for a sixteen yard gain. With nine minutes left in overtime, Jackson ran up the middle for nine yards. On second down, Ryan hit Campbell over the right for twelve yards. With eight minutes left, Ryan found Pittman on the left side for four yards. On second and six, from the Denver 33 yard line, Lindsay ran to the right for two yards. On third and four, Ryan scrambled up the middle for one yard. On fourth down with 5:50 left in overtime, McLuaghlin kicked a 48 yard field goal.

The first Bronco drive of overtime started from the 25 yard line. Russell found Gordon for a gain of 24 yards. With 5:13 left, Russell connected with Jeudy for a gain of 37 yards. Then Gordon gained three yards running over the right side. With 3:52 left, Gordon gained five more yards running over the left side. On third and two, Gordon tried the left side but only gained one yard this time. The Colts called a timeout and then Denver called a timeout. From the Indianapolis five yard line, on fourth down and one, with 2:38 remaining in overtime, Russell threw an incomplete pass to end the game.

At 9:45 the game ended, final score: Denver 9, Indianapolis 12. Game time: 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Roster moves

The Broncos have signed LB Harvey Langi #54, WR Trinity Benson #84, LS Mitchell Fraboni #48, TE Dalton Keene #86 to the practice squad.

Bronco players that are out: ILB Josey Jewell #47, FS Caden Sterns #30

Bronco players that that are listed as questionable include: LG Dalton Risner #66, SLB Jonathon Cooper #53, RB Melvin Gordon #25, CB Damarri Mathis #27, RG Quinn Meinerz #77, TE Eric Saubert #82, LT Billy Turner #57.

The accounting department continues to play games with WR Kendall Hinton #9, he's back on the active roster.

LT Garett Bolles #72, LCB Ronald Darby #23, LS Jacob Bobenmoyer #46 have been moved to the injured reserve.

The Broncos have released TE Dominique Dafney and LS Joe Fortunato from the practice squad.

Outlook

This is the second divisional game for the Denver Broncos, they have not won a divisional game this year. The Chargers are 500 in the division.

Strength of schedule favors the Broncos….surprise, surprise. The teams the Broncos have played so far have won 39% of their games. The teams the Chargers have played have only won 32%.

The last time the Broncos played a divisional opponent they were outscored by nine points. The Chargers have played two divisional games and they have outscored their opponents by two points.

Should be a fun and hopefully close game on Monday night football.

Game Time

Hawk Valley

Denver Broncos  Regular Season Game 16  January 2, 2021

Quick Review

Dan Reeves passed away on New Years day. He is one of the best coaches the Broncos have ever had. He set the Bronco standard of ten win seasons back when there were only 16 games in a season. He led the Broncos to three super bowls, even more AFC championship games. Remember the shovel pass? He was the best offensive coach the Broncos have ever had. He was the coach during the period known as “Bronco Mania”. During this time people painted everything in Broncos colors. From hair to cars, even homes were painted in Broncos colors, not to mention trains. He was also able to develop a quarterback you might have heard of, John Elway. The Standards are much lower now. Instead of playing games to secure the top seed in the AFC playoffs, the Broncos have to win their remaining games to finish the season out of the AFC west cellar. Times have changed. :( #RipDanReeves

The Broncos could have won this game…

A longer review

From the 25 yard line, Gordon ran up the middle for four yards. On second down, Lock connected with Sutton over the middle for a gain of six yards. On third and short, the Broncos called the QB sneak and Lock gained five yards. On first down, Lock’s pass was incomplete. On second down, Gordon gained a yard running over the left side. On third down, Lock was hit as he released the ball, but Fant caught the ball and gained two yards. The Broncos punted from their 42 yard line with 11:38 left in the quarter.

From the four yard line, Derek Carr, #4, tossed the ball to DeSean Jackson, #1, for an eight yard gain. On second down, Josh Jacobs, #28, ran over the left side for a one yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. John Simpson, #76, was flagged for holding. On second and eight from the six yard line, Carr found Jackson on the right sideline for a gain of five yards. On third down, Carr connected with Foster Moreau, #87, who was crossing from right to left over the middle for a gain of 16 yards. Carr threw an incomplete pass on first down. On second down, Carr found Hunter Renfrow, #13, over the middle for a gain of 18 yards. On first down, Jacobs ran to the left for three yards. On second down, Jacobs ran up the middle for three yards. On third down, Carr was almost sacked, but he managed an incomplete pass. The Raiders punted with 7:22 left in the quarter.

On first down, from the 11 yard line, Gordon ran to the right for one yard. On second down, Lock connected with Williams over the middle for a seven yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Clelin Ferrell, #99, was flagged for roughing the passer. On first down, Williams ran over the right side for a gain of one yard. On second down, Lock’s pass was incomplete. On third down, Lock threw another incomplete pass, but there was a flag on the play. Casey Hayward, #29, was flagged for pass interference. On first down, Lock was sacked for a seven yard loss. On second and 17 from the Denver 44 with 4:45 left in the quarter, Williams ran up the middle for three yards. On third down, Lock connected with Williams on a delayed pass to the right for a gain of one yard. The Broncos punted with 3:25 left in the first quarter.

On first down from the 24 yard line, Jacobs ran to the right for a gain of seven yards. Carr’s pass on second down was incomplete. On third down, Carr had all day to throw the ball, but eventually he scrambled to the left for a gain of four yards. On first down, Carr’s pass was incomplete. On second down, Jacobs ran to the right for six yards. On third down, Carr found Zay Jones, #7, for a gain of six yards. On first down, Carr rolled to the right before connecting with Jones for a four yard gain. That play ended the first quarter. The score after one, Las Vegas 0, Denver 0.

When play resumed, on second and six, Jacobs ran to the left side for five yards. On third down, Jacobs stuttered to the left and then gained three yards over the left guard. On first down, Peyton Barber, #31, ran over the left guard for three yards. On second down, Carr dumped the ball off to Barber for no gain. On third and seven, Carr was hit as he threw the ball, it was almost caught, but fell to the ground incomplete. There were two flags on the play. Sterns was flagged for holding, that penalty was declined. Harris was flagged for roughing the passer, that penalty was accepted. On first down, Carr connected with Jones over the middle for 15 yards. On first and goal, Jacobs attempted to run over the right side, but he was tackled in the backfield for a two yard loss. On second and goal with 11:01 left in the half, Carr connected with Renfrow on a ten yard touchdown pass. Las Vegas 7, Denver 0.

From the 25 yard line, Lock connected with Jeudy for a 40 yard gain. On first down, Lock dumped the ball off to Williams for an eleven yard gain, but there was a flag on the play. Bolles was flagged for hands to the face. On first and 20, Gordon ran over the left side for one yard. On second down, Massie was flagged for a false start. On second and 24, Lock dumped the ball off to Gordon for a four yard gain. On third and 20, Lock connected with Jeudy for a 14 yard gain. With 7:24 left in the half, the Denver Broncos kicked a 49 yard field goal. Las Vegas 7, Denver 3.

On first down from the 25 yard line, Carr connected with Moreau on a seam route for a twenty yard gain. On first down, Jacobs ran to the right for a one yard loss. On second down, Carr dumped the ball off to Jacobs for a five yard loss. On third down, Carr found Jalen Richard, #30, on a late release to the left side for a gain of five yards. On fourth down, with 4:40 left, the Raiders punted.

The Broncos were inspired by that drive. On first down, Lock threw an incomplete pass. On second down, Williams ran to the right for three yards. On third down, Jeudy was stopped just short of the first down and the Broncos punted on fourth down.

On first down, from the Las Vegas 33 yard line, Carr connected with Jones for a seven yard gain. On second down with 2:12 left, Jacobs ran to the right and fumbled. Purcell recovered the ball for Denver. That play took us down to the two minute warning.

When play resumed, Lock found Sutton for a gain of eight yards. On second down, Gordon lost four yards attempting to run up the middle. On third down, Lock escaped a sack but his pass was incomplete. With 32 seconds left, the Broncos kicked a 55 yard field goal. Las Vegas 7, Denver 6.

From the 26 yard line, with 30 seconds left in the half, Carr’s pass was intercepted by Bradley Chubb who took it to the house for a Denver touchdown. He was ruled down on the Las Vegas one yard line. With 15 seconds left, Williams ran into the end zone for a Denver Bronco touchdown.

The Raiders got the ball back and just knelt to end the quarter and get to halftime. The score at halftime, Denver 13, Las Vegas 7.

From the 25 yard line, Jacobs ran to the left for an eight yard gain. On second down, Jacobs ran to the right for seven yards. On first down, Jacobs ran up the middle for three yards. On second down, Carr connected with Jackson for a gain of 13 yards. On first down, Jacobs ran over the left guard for a gain of eight yards. On first down, Jacobs ran up the middle for a huge gain of 20 yards and then he fumbled. Darby recovered the ball at the Denver 14 yard line. Upon further review, the runner was ruled down by contact. On first down, Jacobs ran up the middle for a gain of four yards. On second down, Jacobs ran to the left for eight yards. On first and goal, Barber ran over the left guard for five yards and a Raider touchdown. With 10:22 left in the third quarter, Las Vegas was back in front, 14-13.

From the 25 yard line, Lock connected with Fant on the right sideline for a gain of 20 yards. On first down, Gordon attempted to run up the middle but he lost three yards. On second down, Lock found Patrick on the right sideline for a five yard gain. On third down, Lock’s pass was almost intercepted, but it fell to the ground incomplete. With 8 minutes left in the third quarter, the Broncos punted on fourth down.

On first down from the 13 yard line, Jacobs ran up the middle for five yards. On second down, Carr found Jones for a 12 yard gain. On first down, Jacobs ran to the right for a four yard gain. On second, Carr found Renfrow over the middle for a 12 yard gain. On first down, with 5:18 left, Carr connected with Jackson for an eighteen yard gain. On first down, Barber ran up the middle for eight yards. On second down, Jacobs lost four yards. On third down, with 3:28 left, Carr was sacked for a nine yard loss and he fumbled. The ball was recovered by Jones at the 42.

On first down, with 3:19 left, Williams ran to the left and lost one yard. On second and 9, Lock found Patrick for a gain of 13 yards. On first down, Williams ran up the middle for three yards. On second down, Williams was stuffed at the line. On third down, Lock connected with Fant for a gain of four yards. With 19 seconds left in the third, the Broncos attempted a 55 yard field goal, but McManus missed, wide left.

With 13 second left in the third quarter, Jacobs ran to the left for a gain of three yards. That play ended the third quarter. After three quarters, Las Vegas 14, Denver 13.

When play resumed, Carr connected with Jones for a gain of six yards. On third down, Jacobs was stuffed at the line. On fourth down, the Raiders called a quarterback sneak and Carr gained enough for the first down. On first down, Car scrambled for five yards. He was chased by Malik Reed. On second down, Jacobs ran up the middle for four yards. On third down, with 11:50 left in the game, Richard ran to the left for four yards. On first down, Carr found Moreau for three yards. On second down, Jacobs started and then stopped, and then gained ten yards over the right side. On first down, Barber ran to the right for six yards. On second down, Barber ran up the middle for no gain. On third down, Carr was sacked for a nine yard loss by Harris. The Raiders successfully kicked a 41 yard field goal. Las Vegas 17, Denver 13.

On first down, Gordon tried to run to the left, but he lost four yards. On second down, Lock found Fant for a gain of eight yards. On third down, Lock scrambled for five yards, but he needed six. Denver used their first timeout. On fourth down, Lock connected with Sutton for a gain of 16 yards. On first down, Lock’s pass was incomplete. Second down was the same as first down. On third down, Lock was sacked for a loss of six yards. The Broncos punted with 3:54 left in the game.

The Raiders successfully ran out the clock on their last drive. Final score: Las Vegas 17, Denver 13.

The Game Stats

Denver Broncos

Time of Possession

23:23

Passing Attempts

22

Passing Yards

153

Rushes

16

Rushing Yards

18

Las Vegas Raiders

Time of Possession

36:37

Passing Attempts

25

Passing Yards

201

Rushes

40

Yards

160

The Running Game

*AYPC is average yards per carry

Player Carries AYPC Long TD(s) Fumble(s)  Williams 7 2 3 1 0 Gordon 7 -1 4 0 0 Lock 2 5 5 0 0

The Passing Attack

* targeted twice Player Pos Receptions % Long TD(s) Fumble(s) Sutton WR 4 80% 16 0 0 Fant WR 3 75% 20 0 0 Jeudy WR 3 75% 40 0 0 Patrick WR 2 50% 13 0 0 Williams RB 2 100% 7 0 0 Gordon RB 1 100% 4 0 0 Okwuegbunam* TE 0 0% 0 0 0

The Quarterbacks

Lock

Passing

comp ypa TD(s) INT(s) Long  Rating 68%  7  0  0  40  88

Rushing

Att  Yards  Long  TD(s) 2  10  5  0

Sacked

Times  Yards Lost  Fumble(s) 2  13  0

Derek Carr

Passing

comp  ypa  TD(s)  INT(s)  Long  Rating 80%  8  1  1  28  97

Rushing

Att  Yards  Long  TD(s) 7  5  4  0

Sacked

Time(s)  Yard(s) Lost  Fumble(s) 2  19  1

Afc West Standings

Vs the Division

Team  Game(s) Played  Winning %  Net Kansas City  5  80%  +79 Los Angeles  4  50%  -1 Las Vegas  5  40%  -66 Denver  4  25%  -12

Vs the Conference

* Schedule Finished Team  Game(s) Played  Winning %  Net Las Vegas  5  80%  +1 Los Angeles*  6  50%  -15 Kansas City  5  40%  -13 Denver*  6  33%  +4

vs the NFC (2021 Final Standings)

* Schedule Finished Team  Game(s) Played  Winning %  Net Kansas City*  5  100%  +49 Denver*  5  80%  +46 Los Angeles*  5  60%  +13 Las Vegas*  5  40%  -6

Problems: The fourth quarter

Denver loves to pad the stats in the fourth quarter, so what would their record be if only the fourth quarter counted? Lets take a look.

If only the fourth quarter counted

Broncos Points Opponent Points 4th QTR result Real result Denver 10 New York Giants 6 Win Win Denver 3 Jacksonville Jaguars 6 Loss Win Denver 6 New York Jets 0 Win Win Denver 0 Baltimore Ravens 6 Loss Loss Denver 13 Pittsburgh Steelers 3 Win Loss Denver 14 Las Vegas Raiders 3 Win Loss Denver 7 Cleveland Browns 0 Win Loss Denver 7 The Washington Football Team 0 Win Win Denver 11 Dallas Cowboys 16 Loss Win Denver 0 Philadelphia Eagles 3 Loss Loss Denver 14 Los Angeles Chargers 6 Win Win Denver 6 Kansas City Chiefs 9 Loss Loss Denver 7 Detroit Lions 0 Win Win Denver 0 Cincinnati Bengals 0 Tie Loss Denver 0 Las Vegas Raiders 3 Loss Loss Denver ? Los Angeles Chargers ? ? ? Denver ? Kansas City Chiefs ? ? ?

The Broncos would be 8-6-1 if only the fourth quarter counted.

The worst offenses in the NFL after week 3

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Detroit Lions

New York Giants

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Chicago Bears

Las Vegas Raiders

Cleveland Browns

Atlanta Falcons

The best of the worst offenses in the NFL after week 3

Denver Broncos

Cleveland Browns

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Las Vegas Raiders

Detroit Lions

New York Giants

Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Houston Texans

Opponents ranked by points scored after week 3

I just realized, it helps to have a reference point. The Broncos were ranked number 12 after week 3.

1. Dallas Cowboys

4. Cincinnati Bengals

5. Los Angeles Chargers

6. Philadelphia Eagles

9. Kansas City Chiefs

16. Baltimore Ravens

18. Pittsburgh Steelers

19. New York Jets

22. Washington The Football Team

24. Cleveland Browns

25. Las Vegas Raiders

27. Denver Broncos

29. New York Giants

30. Detroit Lions

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

Today's teams ranked by stats

Broncos (7-8)

23rd

19th

19th

13th

19

13

23

82%

0

38

0

0

0

1

+3

Lost 2

Chargers (8-7)

8th

4th

4th

18th

33

16

21

91%

0

28

0

0

1

0

0

Lost 2

Outlook

The Broncos have only once chance to sweep a divisional opponent. To do that they have to win today.

The Broncos have been hit by Covid. Basically, every name you’re familiar with is out. With only two games remaining, I wonder if it’s really covid or players making business decisions.

At this point of the season, I think Bronco country is more interested in what will happen once the season ends. New coaches? New quarterbacks? New owner? New city? Who knows what will happen.

This list includes the overall records of the top 10 AFC teams looking to make the playoffs, mostly wildcard teams, since the division winners are pretty much locked down at this point.

Team, overall record, division

  Kansas City, 11-4, West

Buffalo Bills, 9-6, East

Indianapolis Colts, 9-6, South

Cincinnati Bengals, 9-6, North

New England, 9-6, East

Tennessee Titans, 9-6, South

Baltimore Ravens, 8-7, North

Los Angeles Chargers, 8-7, West

Miami Dolphins, 8-7, East

Las Vegas, Raiders 8-7, West

Game Time

Sunday January 2 @ 2:05 PM MT

Looking Ahead to Future Opponents

Preseason Outlook

Week  Team  Winning %  Win(s) 1  Vikings  0%  0 2  Seahawks  33%  1 3  Rams  0  0

First Quarter Outlook

Week  Team  Winning %  Win(s) 1  Giants  27%  4 2  Jaguars  20%  3 3  Jets  20%  3 4  Ravens  53%  8

Second Quarter Outlook

Week  Team  Winning %  Win(s) 5  Steelers  47%  7 6  Raiders  53%  8 7  Browns  47%  7 8  Football Team  40%  6

Third Quarter Outlook

Week  Team  Winning %  Win(s) 9  Cowboys  73%  11 10  Eagles  53%  8 12  Chargers  53%  8 13  Chiefs  73%  11

Fourth Quarter Outlook

Week  Team  Winning %  Win(s) 14  Lions  13%  2 15  Bengals  60%  9 16  Raiders  53%  8 17  Chargers  53%  8 18  Chiefs  73%  11

#NFL: 4⃣ interceptions from @jsimms1119. 8⃣ TDs from @keenan13allen. See...

The Denver Broncos lost to the Jaguars 24-26. This was a game of two halves. The defense recorded their first sack of the season. The Broncos scored 17 points in the first half and led at halftime 17-6.

Sounds great so far, but there are two halves to every football game and the Jaguars turned on their running game in the second half. It was like I was watching a repeat of the Jets game from the Vance era, the one in which the Jets set NFL and club rushing records. The Jaguar rushing attack could best be described as a runaway freight train and the only answer the Broncos had to stop this onslaught, was toothpicks.

The Jaguar Running game was so impressive, I’m including the rushing stats of their top rusher in this post. Keep in mind, most of those yards were gained in the third quarter.

The Game Stats

Time of Possession

DEN: 20:48 AC: 39:12

Play Selection

DEN 38 Passing Attempts, 303 yards: 16 Runs for 68 yards JAC 33 Passing Attempts, 213 yards: 38 Runs for 269 yards

The Running Game

Carries AYPC Long TD Fumble Total Yards Fournette 29 8 81 0 0 225** Lindsay 9 6 28 0 0 53 Freeman 6 3 5 0 0 16 Flacco 1 -1 -1 0 0 -1 *AYPC is average yards per carry **Jacksonville Jaguars running back

The Passing Attack

Receptions % Long TD Fumble Sutton 6 67% 27 2 0 Sanders 5 56% 39 0 0 Freeman 4 67% 15 0 0 Hamilton 3 60% 28 0 0 Fant 2 50% 25 1 0 Lindsay 1 100% 7 0 0 Spencer 1 100% 8 0 0

The Quarterbacks

Flacco

Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 58% 8 3 1 39 99 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 1 -1 -1 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost Fumble(s) 0 0 0

Minshew

Passing comp ypa TD INT Long Rating 58% 7 2 0 32 98 Rushing Att Yards Long TD 1 2 2 0 Sacked Times Yards Lost Fumble(s) 5 27 1

During the Week

The team announced Bradley Chubb is out for the season. Miller was described as a big baby by the media and Harris is counting down the weeks he has left in Denver. Criticism about Elway’s job as GM continues. A new reason to keep Elway came up, who has the guts to dismiss Elway?

Elway said this team is a couple of plays away from being 2-2. What Elway didn’t mention is that the Cleveland Browns were a drive and a fumble away from advancing in the playoffs back when Elway played. If you want to see the drive with a different result, I recommend the movie ‘The Hot Tub Time Machine’.

Bronco fans in Denver will not be able to seek relief by watching hockey or basketball this season because that station is blacked out in Denver. This blackout has legs and may continue into next year and beyond. Altitude Sports is not the only station in trouble, I noticed warnings about Fox Sports being dropped. This will only end when sports corporations realize that network deals provide a financial foundation. None of the leagues operating today would survive without a TV deal.

Today’s teams ranked by stats

Broncos (0-4)

Points: 26th

Yards: 18th

Passing yards: 15th

Rushing yards: 21st

Passing Touchdowns: 5

Rushing Touchdowns: 2

Interception returns for TD: 0

Safeties: 0

Punt Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Fumble Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Net Turnovers: -5

Streak: Lost 4

Chargers (2-2)

Points: 14th

Yards: 6th

Passing Yards: 4th

Rushing Yards: 18th

Passing Touchdowns: 7

Rushing Touchdowns: 3

Interception returns for TD: 0

Safeties: 0

Punt Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Fumble Returns for Touchdowns: 0

Net Turnovers: -1

Streak: Won 1

Quick Look at the AFC West Standings

WP% GP Kansas City 100% 1 Oakland 50% 2 Denver 0% 1 Los Angeles 0% 0 *WP% is divisional winning percentage and GP stands for games played in the division.

Outlook

Even though the Broncos are 0-4, the season has just started. They haven’t locked up last place yet, it just feels like it.

I feel safe in saying they won’t beat the Chiefs this season so there’s two more divisional losses. That means they’re 0-3 in the division before this game is even played and if they lose today, they’re 0-4. That guarantees a losing divisional record for the Broncos this season and makes the remaining two games against the Raiders and Chargers irrelevant.

It’s another must win Sunday for the Broncos.

Game time