3 Sad-But-True Takeaways From Broncos' 31-28 Win Over Bears
It wasn’t pretty or without major fault, but the Denver Broncos won their first football game of the season, storming back to defeat the Chicago Bears, 31-28. However, it was an ugly game between the league’s two worst football teams.
The Broncos fly back home at 1-3 on the season, with more of a collective relief rather than a victorious roar. But we’ll take it, nonetheless.
I predicted Denver would beat Chicago by four points, but it came down to a late 51-yard field goal from Wil Lutz after the Broncos climbed out of a 21-point hole with some help from the disastrous Bears. Perseverance and luck assisted with the Broncos' first victory, but a win's a win, and this team desperately needed it.
Sean Payton earned his first win against the team for whom he played quarterback during the 1987 strike season, and Broncos Country can finally exhale.
What did we learn from Sunday's events in the Windy City? Here are my three undeniable takeaways from the Broncos' ugly but much-needed win against the Bears.
Vance Joseph Gives Justin a Field(s) Day
One of my keys to victory this week was for the Broncos' defense to physically punish Bears QB Justin Fields. Fields has struggled to complete 60% of his career passes and averages one fumble per game, and yet, he played outstanding football in Week 4, looking like a field general.
Fields posted a career-high four passing touchdowns against Denver before his fourth-quarter collapse. The Bears' QB went full schoolyard on Vance Joseph’s defense, completing 28-of-35 passes for 335 yards with an interception.
The 24-year-old was 16-of-16 passing until Chicago's incomplete hail-mary attempt to end the first half. He played a calm and confident brand of football that featured a barrage of passes for explosive plays and highlight-reel touchdown throws for most of the game.
Fields was rolling until his bad habits showed up, starting with a Nik Bonitto strip-sack that Jonathon Cooper scooped up for a 35-yard touchdown return midway through the fourth quarter. A few minutes later, Fields threw a game-ending pick to Kareem Jackson that sealed the Broncos' first victory as boos rained down from Bears fans at Soldier Field.
Some will be quick to excuse another pathetic defensive performance that surrendered 471 yards because All-Pro safety Justin Simmons missed his second straight game with a hip injury. Nickel cornerback Essang Bassey also was ruled out, so Ja'Quan McMillian saw a lot of action.
With starting safety Caden Sterns on season-ending injured reserve, the Broncos' secondary is thin. Throw in starting nickel K'Waun Williams being on IR as well, and Denver is shorthanded on the back end, but that’s no reason to leave receivers wide open for yards after the catch and leaving the middle of the field accessible to first downs.
The Bears' offense lost this game way more than Joseph’s defense won it. While I appreciate the victory, it was assisted by Fields' turnovers and Chicago's coaching staff making poor decisions.
Dearth of Leadership Continues
I’ve been saying it for a few weeks on the Mile High Insiders podcast, and I’ll stand by it here today, but the Broncos have a leaderless locker room. The head coach can’t be the only man leading the charge on a professional football team.
The Broncos' team captains don’t deserve the title or the privilege, as none of them are living up to the ‘C’ on their jerseys. Veteran safety Kareem Jackson has played bad football. The league fined him for three straight weeks in a row after dishing out unnecessary roughness, hits to the head, and low blocks against opponents.
Against the Bears in the second quarter, ‘K-Jack’ reportedly ripped into the Broncos' secondary as the onslaught from Fields and company continued. Jackson was flagged for pass interference against Bears tight end Cole Kmet, who, in turn, caught a touchdown pass just a play later.
But Jackson would find redemption this week after intercepting Fields late in the fourth quarter to ensure the win for the Broncos. Fields threw the ball to the incorrect shoulder of his receiver, but Jackson made the most of it.
However, I fear that this week's last-minute heroics will only lead to the Broncos giving a pass to the reckless veteran safety and ineffectual defensive play-caller. Jackson was again without his long-time back-end partner, and with another cringe-worthy performance from the Broncos' defense, Simmons' recent comments defending Joseph ring even more hollow and silly. Hopefully, Simmons will make it back onto the field next week.
Then there’s the high-paid right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who earned another false start in Chicago. That flag marked McGlinchey's third false start penalty in consecutive games with less than explosive blocking, to boot. He's having a very slow start to his Broncos career at a right tackle position that has haunted this team for nearly a decade. I've not been impressed by McGlinchey thus far.
Wideout Courtland Sutton rebounded from his Week 3 disaster in which he fumbled twice and allowed a should-have-been touchdown pass to go through his hands. Against Chicago, Sutton caught three balls for 27 yards and a touchdown. While I appreciate his performance to a degree, he’s only a serviceable receiver at this point in his career, with his best days behind him.
Russell Wilson has yet to provide stalwart leadership in Year 2 as the Broncos' starting quarterback. Wilson was aloof and above the guys last season, and while he’s made himself one of the guys in 2023, he's still not really leading the team. It seems Wilson doesn't really have leadership in him unless the circumstances are ideal.
Russ doesn't show much emotion on the sideline, and he seems content with not being the problem. He had another good statistical day in Chicago, going 21-of-28 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, but I came away with the same sentiment as the last few weeks. Russ might not be the 'problem,' but he hasn't been the impetus for team spirit either.
No disrespect to punter Riley Dixon, but his lackluster play thus far is what it is. Wil Lutz bailed this team out of what should’ve been a fourth straight loss with his 51-yard game-winner.
The Broncos may have voted on these captains, but they certainly aren't playing like leaders, with perhaps Jackson's emotional rally in Chicago as the only exception. If these men want to own this dumpster fire, be my guest, but I'm looking for better, more qualified candidates to fill the position.
Jerry Jeudy Still M.I.A.
For three seasons now, Broncos Country has been eagerly awaiting Jeudy's coming-out party. The talented route-runner out of Alabama has impressed and awed fans and media alike at every training camp for the past four seasons now, yet we’re still waiting for a full-blown regular-season arrival.
Heading into this week’s game against the Bears, Jeudy played in two games and was targeted 12 times, logging eight receptions for 106 yards. He hasn’t scored since December 11, 2022, when Jeudy posted three touchdowns in a single game.
Jeudy recorded three receptions for 52 yards in Chicago without finding the end zone. It seems that Jeudy can post good numbers when circumstances are favorable in training camp and practice, but he struggles to compete at a high level when the stakes are elevated.
Just like last week in Miami, there were moments against the Bears where Jeudy gave less-than-ideal effort and quit on a deep pass from Wilson. It seemed No. 10 was more interested in protecting himself and complaining about a no-call penalty than competing and making a big play that was there for the taking.
Despite the win, count me in on the Broncos being sellers before the trade deadline. Jeudy sits atop my list of Broncos to potentially deal. He’s being outplayed by rookie second-rounder Marvin Mims and underdogs Brandon Johnson and Lil'Jordan Humphrey, for crying out loud.
There are teams who'd love to have an elite route runner like Jeudy, and perhaps he’d benefit from a change of environment. As we enter Week 5, we're still waiting and wondering when Jeudy will turn it on because when it comes to the former No. 15 overall pick in the 2020 draft, it's still more about potential than production.
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